Scene 8 – A deal made from blood

Florina pulled the bow across the strings of the violin as gently as she could, but only ended up producing a screeching sound from it once more. She had always enjoyed listening to Octavia play her instruments, and she wanted to try to learn how to play one herself. However, unlike her partner Octavia, she didn’t possess any natural musical talent.

A cringe came over Octavia’s face, as Florina once more made a screeching sound from the violin.

“Perhaps it would be easier if we tried a less delicate instrument.” Octavia told Florina, giving her a sympathetic look.

Florina gave her partner a pouting face.

“But I want to play the same things as you Octavia. I already know the scales, so it should be easy. C. D. E. G. A. B. See?” Florina told Octavia, sounding proud of herself at the end.

“You forgot F dear.” Octavia corrected Florina.

“I suppose that would be my grade then huh?” Florina responded, sounding distraught.

“No, of course not.” Octavia replied. “In fact, F is the most important note, because it stands for you, Florina.” Octavia continued, nuzzling Florina’s nose to make her feel better.

A carriage then entered the front gates of Don Cappuccino’s homestead, and pulled up alongside Octavia and Florina in the garden. Once it came to a halt, Don Cappuccino himself exited the carriage, stretching his wings after the long ride.

“Welcome back Don Cappuccino.” Octavia greeted the Don. “How are things in Saltermo?”

“Greetings Mr. Cappuccino!” Florina greeted the Don as well. “Octavia is teaching me to play the violin. Would you like to hear my progress?” She asked.

Don Cappuccino waved to Florina, giving her a nod and a false smile, which encouraged her to try playing again. He then turned to Octavia to answer her, doing his best to ignore the playing in the background.

“It seems the young ponies these days don’t respect anything anymore Octavia. Times appear to be changing for the worse I’m afraid. I fear that this place has become too dangerous for you, and I want to move you to a villa in Syrupcusa right now.”

“Why? What’s wrong?” Octavia asked.

“We’ve received some troubling news from our ponies in Equestria.” Don Cappuccino told Octavia. He looked away for a moment, contemplating how best to tell Octavia what he knew she’d be devastated to hear. He then turned his gaze back to her, and decided to just tell her bluntly.

“Your sister Sunny was killed.”

A shock came over Octavia, but she could neither move, nor say anything. She stared at Don Cappuccino blankly, unsure of whether to believe him or not. Behind her, Florina tried playing the violin again, making a better attempt, but still failing at it.

“Come on Octavia, you said you’d help me practice.” Florina called to Octavia.

Octavia turned her gaze back towards Florina, which caused Florina to see that there was something wrong in her partner’s eyes. Octavia then turned to Don Cappuccino again, still unsure of what to believe.

/)(\ /)(\ /)(\ /)(\ /)(\

Later that day,

Octavia found Arpeggio sitting in the courtyard, eating an apple. As she approached him, Arpeggio quickly noticed her presence, and stood up to see what she wanted.

“Arpeggio, I’d like for you to go get the carriage ready.” Octavia told her guard.

“Are you planning on going yourself, or do you need a driver?” Arpeggio asked.

“I’ll be going myself.” Octavia responded.

“What about your wife? Will she be joining you as well?” Arpeggio asked.

“No. I want you to take her to her father’s instead, until I know that it’s safe.” Octavia told Arpeggio.

Arpeggio gave Octavia a nod, letting her know that he understood what she wanted him to do. He then levitated his apple with his magic, and made his way off to get the carriage ready.

Octavia proceeded to walk the grounds of the homestead a little more, looking for her other guard Choco, until she found him working on something in the yard shed. She couldn’t see what he was working on, but she noticed a large brown saddle bag next to him. She dismissed asking him what he was doing, and instead asked him what she had originally came for.

“Choco, have you seen Florina around?” Octavia asked her guard.

Choco stopped working on what he was doing, and turned around to answer Octavia.

“She’s planning a surprise for you. She wants to be the one to drive the carriage to where you’re going.” He told Octavia. “She’ll make a fine Equestrian wife.” He continued, giving a smirk at the end.

“Oh honestly.” Octavia spoke. “Would you mind going to get the bags into the carriage Choco?” She asked him.

“Sure.” Choco replied, before getting up from his bench and going to retrieve the luggage.

/)(\ /)(\ /)(\ /)(\ /)(\

Florina sat in the carriage, as Choco loaded the bags into the back. She tapped on the door out of boredom, waiting for Octavia to leave the house.

Octavia soon exited from the building, and began to make her way down the stairs towards the path to the carriage, until she noticed Arpeggio walking away with a saddle bag on his back.

“Arpeggio, where are you going?” She called to Arpeggio.

Arpeggio turned to look at Octavia, but didn’t say anything. Upon closer inspection, Octavia noticed that the saddle bag he had was the same one that Choco had earlier. She was about to question him about it, before she heard Florina call to her from the carriage.

“Octavia! Wait there, I’ll come to you!”

Octavia then turned her attention back to Arpeggio, and caught his eyes shift from Florina over in the carriage back to her, before he turned and took off running. Realizing that something was wrong, Octavia quickly turned back to Florina.

“Florina stop!” Octavia tried to yell to Florina in the carriage.

However, at the same time Octavia tried yelling, Florina had already kicked away the brake that kept the carriage from moving. Octavia could only stand and watch, as a chain result of the brake being kicked away, caused the carriage to erupt in a giant explosion. She watched the fireball engulf both Florina and the carriage, as the two were quickly reduced do burning heaps. Octavia stood there, dumbstruck, before slumping to the ground. Tears began to fall from her eyes, as reality began set in once more.

/)(\ /)(\ /)(\ /)(\ /)(\

The next day in an office in Manehattan,

Don Colteone stood up from his seat, clearing his throat before addressing the other ponies in the room. Prim Raining stood against the wall behind him, waiting to hear what her father had to say as well.

“I would like to thank Don Silvinzi for helping to organize this meeting of the five families today. I would also like to thank the heads of the five families from Manehattan and Filly Delphia personally. Sir Pony Moore ‘Don Poneno’ from the Broncos. Wensley ‘Don Tarttaglia’ from Hooflyn. Steel Wright ‘Don Strawcci’ from Stallion Island. And all other associates from as far as Las Pegasus and San Palomino, to all the other territories in Equestria.”

“How is it that things have gotten this far Don Colteone?” Sir Pony Moore asked the other Don. “This all seems just so unfortunate and unnecessary if you ask me. I mean, you’ve lost a daughter, just as I’ve lost a son. I think that if you are willing to call it quits, then I’ll be more than happy to go back to the way things used to be.”

“Now hold on Don Poneno. We’re all very thankful to Don Colteone for calling this meeting. We know him as a stallion of his word, and a modest pony who will listen to reason.” Don Silvinzi spoke aloud to Sir Pony Moore and the other ponies in the room.

“He’s too modest.” Sir Pony Moore responded. “He’s had all the judges and politicians in his tie pocket this whole time, and he’s refused to share them with any of us.”

“When did I ever refuse an accommodation?” Don Colteone responded to Sir Pony Moore. “I’ve only refused one time. And for what? Because I believe that the production of artificial apples will destroy us in years to come. It’s not like gambling, cider, or mares. It’s something that ponies want, but it’s forbidden to them. Even the police, whom have helped us in the past, would refuse to the production of artificial apples. I believed that then, and I still believe it now.”

“But times have changed Don Colteone.” Don Silvinzi spoke to the other Don. “It’s not like the old days when we could do whatever we wanted. A refusal is not the act of a friend nowadays. The judges and politicians in Manehattan, you must share them. We’re not communists Don Colteone.”

“I also don’t believe in the production of artificial apples.” Another pony from one of the other territories spoke up. “I try to persuade my ponies to stay away from them. I want to keep my business control respectable. I see and hear about young colts and fillies making and eating said apples, and it makes me sick. How can I raise young ponies in my district, if there exists such a thing as this for them to make and abuse?”

“I would very much like to reason with you all.” Don Colteone spoke again. “The making and distribution of artificial apples is a sin against our kind, and all the vengeance that’s become of this is just as bad. Now, I believe in the essence of souls and the superstitions that come with them. I know the soul of my deceased daughter won’t be able to rest, unless the bloodshed caused by all this has stopped. I also know that I have a daughter that is still trapped across the ocean, due to the nature of all these events. I would very much like for her to be able to come home, but I know it cannot be, unless we come to reason.”

“So what would you have us do Don Colteone?” Don Silvinzi asked.

Don Colteone thought for a minute, as he tried to find a way to appeal to the group, but still maintain his stand.

“If we can agree to stop all the vengeance and violence…then I will help oversee some of the artificial apple distribution here in the east. I still don’t believe in their production and use, but I will at least do my part to see them transported without any issue.”

Don Silvinzi looked around the room, a pleased smile on his face.

“Well, I think we all can agree that such actions and measures can be taken, for the good of us all. Don Poneno, do you believe that you and your family can wash away all the bad blood between yourselves and the Colteone’s?” Don Silvinzi asked Sir Pony Moore.

“…Yes.” Sir Pony Moore responded.

“And will you be able to do the same with your family Don Colteone?” Don Silvinzi asked Don Colteone.

“Yes.” Don Colteone replied.

“Then unless any other Don or pony thinks we should reconsider things further, I believe that this concludes this meeting of the families.” Don Silvinzi spoke aloud.

/)(\ /)(\ /)(\ /)(\ /)(\

During the carriage ride back to Ponyville that night,

“So when I meet the Filcians; I should make sure that all their records are clean, right?” Prim asked the Don.

“You can, but don’t insist on it if it seems to be causing trouble. I want to get Octavia back without any more violence.” The Don replied.

“You got it dad.” Prim responded.

The two then sat quietly in the carriage for a while, before the Don spoke again.

“There was no way that Poneno could have outsmarted Sunny. I can’t believe it took me until today, but I know now, that it was Silvinzi all along.”

Prim’s eyes grew wide as she listened to her father’s words, and she soon realized, after putting the pieces together herself, that he was right.

Author's Note

Terms used, in order of use:
Saltermo= Palermo
Syrupcusa= Siracusa
Broncos= Bronx
Hooflyn= Brooklyn
Stallion Island= Staten Island
Filcians= Sicilians

Ponies referenced, in order of appearance:
Florina= Flornia
Octavia= Octavia Melody
Don Cappuccino= Cappuccino
Arpeggio= Arpeggio
Choco= Chocolate Tail
Don Colteone= S04E08 Unnamed Earth Stallion #6
Prim Raining= S04E10 Unnamed Pegasus Mare #3
Don Silvinzi= Sterling Silver
Sir Pony Moore 'Don Poneno'= Sir Pony Moore
Wensley 'Don Tarttaglia'= Wensley
Steel Wright 'Don Strawcci'= Steel Wright