Carmino

Pea placed her coffee near the fire to keep it warm. She stood up, still with food stuffing her mouth. Dew began to look around, the mule Joe, wasn't anywhere to be seen and yet his clothes were still at camp. Where was he? Pea walked off promising to find him, she decided to search up river first. She had gone quiet a ways and became almost board as she dragged her hooves into patterns along the sand. She wasn't paying attention and bumped into something...Joe.

"Hey I did it again didn't I?" she asked sheepishly. Joe didn't answer, his head was submerged in the river water.

"Joe you're really thirsty! You got your head underwater and everything..." she noticed no gulping sounds from him, in fact no sound at all. She laughed nervously before she shook him to see if he was conscious. Nothing.

She wrapped her arms around his burly neck and strained to remove it from the water. She wasn't a weak mare but sliding him away from the water drained her. She sat panting and looked at Joe. She regained her breath and called out for Oza. In a moment she could see him running her way with Dew over his shoulder. He skidded in the sand next to her. He instantly took charge, he placed Dew aside and checked for a pulse. He checked on each of his limbs and his neck. Nothing. The mares held their breath in anticipation. Oza preformed CPR on the mule. Dread hung in the air in the moments passed while the travelers awaited him to awake.

He suddenly gasped and went into a coughing fit, water flowed from his mouth between each cough. The mares stared at him with concern an Oza did his best to sit him up. Once he stopped a few silent moments passed until Dew broke the quiet. "Joe...what were you thinking, were you trying to drown?"

Joe's face was full of tragedy, something had broken this massive mule's spirit, Pea could tell.

"Can I ask you ladies something?" Joe asked hoarsely.

"Sure, go for it," Pea said.

The mule paused for a moment," Why did-," he pursed his lips," Where are you headed now?"

"Well, were kinda off course from where we were going," Pea smirked,"Actually we followed the train tracks to this place. Do you have anyplace you're going?''

"Its far from here..." Joe cast his face down. He sighed heavily and looked back up at Pea," You all have done more then you should've, I can't thank you ladies and dragon enough. I'll just get out of your hair," he said with a melancholy tone. He rose to his hooves and made his way for the bridge to lead him into the city. The travelers exchanged glances followed the mule at a safe distance. He didn't seem to notice and they followed him ( Oza made a quick stop to pick up their packs of course) into the city. He wandered through the emptier parts of town, avoiding anyone's eyes. They made it all the way to the west side of town, the 'bad' part of town.

The crew felt uncomfortable as they followed Joe, now doubting their curiosity that may be placing them in danger. The buildings were low, drab and there was almost no sigh of anypony (or anyone) living there. The street was narrow and seemed to squeeze anything walking on it. Pea remembered the closed down factory she read about yesterday, and pieces fit together in her head. This mule could be or maybe even was Sponge.

He arrived at some sort of corner store with dirty windows, there were shouts and loud blast coming from inside. A group of three figures burst out from the door. One a lanky Unicorn, the other was a squat donkey and the third was a grizzled looking pony with a sack over his back. They were racing toward Joe. Pea and her friends hid out of site behind an ally corner. The robbers nearly rammed into Joe whom was facing the ground as he trudged aimlessly.

"Hey! The hell you 'doin?" the donkey snapped at Joe.

"Just walking," the mule mumbled.

"G-Get out of the way," shouted the unicorn as he pulled out his pistol with magic. Joe simply blinked as the gun was pointed at him.

"I said MOVE!," the unicorn shouted again," I'll...b-blast yer brains out!"

Joe bowed his head slightly," Do it, you'd do me a favor...but if you don't kill me," Joe's voice was flat and menacing," then please, run as fast as you can."

The robbers exchanged panicked glances until the Unicorn squeezed the trigger. The gun's blast echoed off the old, narrow street. A little blood trickled down Joe's neck. The three robbers gasped in horror as the saw Joe. He still stood, a bullet lodged in his thick skull. His slash injury was worse that the bullet wound and the robbers saw that. Before the unicorn could shoot again Joe the massive mule stepped toward him. The other two fled for their lives as the Unicorn had half a second to react. Joe's front hoof swung at him and it landed with a resounding thud on the robber's thin frame. Dew covered her ears and turned her head, Pea felt sick as she watched and Oza, his face was blank.

The travelers cringed as Joe pinned his attacker to a wall and leaned toward him. Joe's massive frame towered over the Unicorn's. The robber had a petrified look on his gaunt face looking up at Joe and his other arm, which was raised up to strike. Joe froze for a moment, as if realizing what was going on. He released his grip and staggered back, pleading the unicorn to run. The unicorn took no time to make it out of the ally. Joe stood there,his muscles shivering uncontrollably.

Not to long after Police ponies zoomed pass Pea and her friends' hiding spot and surrounded the Mule. The chief who the travelers had seen before with officer Silver stood a little closer to Joe then the others. He puffed a cigarette as he looked at the mule in disgust.

"Well, well...look who it is. Finally found you, Sponge."

Pea and Dew gasped. Joe looked at the Chief with cold eyes and straightened his neck and towered over the orange Pegasus. He slicked back his hair just like Steve, yet he did it as if it was clockwork for him. His eyes softened and he almost seemed sick as he looked at the mess he made.

"So are you sirs gonna stand all day or shoot me?"

"Better, You're a wanted mule Sponge, you're under arrest," as the Chief said this all of the Police drew out guns or night sticks. Joe (or Sponge) lowered his face.

"I won't fight you," he raised his eyebrows,"...I'll follow you Chief..."

Two officers stayed behind to take care of the robbery while the rest waited for a jail carriage. Sponge barely fit into the portable jail cell, one officer slammed the door on him while a team of ten hitched up and rode off. The street cleared soon and the three travelers felt similar to the night they met Steve. Pea'e eyes followed the jail coach as it rattled down the street and off to the Big Apple Prison. Dew trembled. Pea shuddered. Oza gulped nervously.

"P-Pea...," Dew stuttered, she had tears rolling down her face.

"Yeah?"

"I..I'm glad that half breed was caught...he's a monster, like the rest of them..."

"Dew, did...did you see the look in his eyes this morning?"

The red mare paused for a moment," W-what about it?"

"He's no monster...I could see he ran himself into a trap," Pea leaned toward Dew with a prideful gleam in her eyes," I don't care if he's a Borgota...he needs our...your help!"

"B-but you saw what he did...a-and the police want him dead! How can we help him?"

Pea lifted Dew up on her hooves and dried her eyes," We might not be able bust him out like we did for you, but we can try to bail him out or something."

Dew's demeanor lightened, she curled her lips into a weak smile. Pea patted her back. Oza still seemed to stare into space. Pea rolled her eyes as she bumped her elbow at the Dragon.

"Come on bud, lets get Joe."

"This dragon ready, we go!"

The three friends sped to the busier side off town, searching for a way to help the mule. Word of his capture was quick, Ponies were chatting about it all over the streets. There were even posters being made and distributed for his trial that was in two days. Some ponies complained that he should sit in prison longer before he was excited. Others were upset about how his execution was planed. Some wanted him hung, others wanted him in an electric chair. All this was razor blades to Pea's ears, but she held firm.

The eventually found a cop who wasn't off celebrating. He was sitting on a bench watching traffic as he puffed away on some sort of plant. His eyes were hazy but alert, he blinked lazily wen Pea sat next to him. They appeared to be at some sort of bus station.

"Excuse me, I need to see someone...can you take me to him?"

"...wha?" the cop looked in several directions before he saw Pea," Ahmmmm...lady, what did you say?"

"I need to speak to Joe...er...Sponge," The mare said with a wide grin. The Cop fell into a fit of wheezy laughter," Whats so funny?" Pea asked.

"Whoo, he he...I could take you to see him, but the boys in chains have probably beat 'im black an blue...you know, after he was whipped an' shit...he he he!"

Pea shrugged and craned her neck to see a map. She found one of bus routs, the Big Apple Prison was at the far North end of town. She knew they didn't have much time. She looked to Oza and pointed to where they needed to go. He understood, scooped up the two mares and sped up the street north. He raced through the streets, avoiding collisions as much as he could. In the blur of travel Pea was determined to help Joe. Dew had many emotions on her face, she wanted to help but she hated the crowd he was a part of.

Oza dodged taxis, cars and buses in his run. They reached the North end of town rather quickly, it almost looked like a different town. The tall buildings stopped short and there was a large pasture of dead grass between the city's edge and the Prison's fences. Pea jumped off Oza and ran as fast as she could toward the monolithic structure. As she came closer she saw a large crowd in the yard.

A mass of inmates surrounded something in the yard. She slammed into the chain-link fence and took a moment to absorb the scene. There was a deafening amount of noise from the crowd of inmates and there was Joe in the center and he was in bad shape. His back was torn from whip lashings, his legs were bruised from fractures, and his neck and legs were linked to thick pine trunks in the ground with heavy chains. His once massive ridged frame was crumpled on the ground. The inmates shouted and spewed insults at him, they threw rocks at the chained up mule. Pea's teeth ground against each other at the sight, when Dew and Oza reached the fence Pea's blood was boiling. The grey mare screamed over the din of the crowd;

"YOU BASTARDS WOULDN'T BE SO BRAVE IF HE WASN'T CHAINED UP!"

Some of the inmates turned around and laughed. Pea stamped in anger, Dew took some steps away from her. Pea was going to try to climb the fence before Oza picked her up by the nape of her neck. She spun her head around.

"Oza what the-"

Oza's face looked scarier then how she felt, almost like he was a different dragon. She instantly cooled down and Oza's body heated up and his eyes turned a electric shade of blue. He raised his hand and began silently counting the inmates surrounding Joe. Once he was done he hissed and snapped his fingers. What happened next shocked the two mares. All of the Inmates' backs arched in unnatural directions, and the all fell limply to the ground. Oza dropped Pea to the dirt with a thud, the inmates he didn't count fled screaming. His snapping hand now swiped the chain link which bent like chicken wire. He took long steps toward Joe, Pea and Dew followed at a safe distance. Oza reached Joe and reached for the chains that held him down. The mule suddenly jerked up and clamped his teeth towards the dragon's fingers. Oza glared at the mule with angry eyes,  Joe glared back.

"What the hell are you guys doing?!" Joe snapped, his voice sounded feeble compared to it's stronger tone from that morning.

"Were here to help you!" Pea said," Were gonna bust you out!"

"Shut up," Joe spat. Pea was shocked. Joe turned his narrow eyed glare to Pea,"I don't need yer help. If I did I would've asked...you three better get out of here before you get in trouble you don't need to be in!" Joe slumped his heavy head to the ground and closed his eyes.

"What's wrong with you?" Dew butted in. She stamped over and stuck her face in Joe's," Were sticking out our necks for you...what's the deal?"

Joe opened his eyes and snarled. He pushed Dew away with his neck and laid back down," Why don't I want help? I'll tell you; I'm here because I deserve it!"

Pea hopped over and grabbed his head. She hoisted it up to meet her eyes," Joe you don't deserve this kind of thing, what they did to you is wrong! I'm here to help-"

"You don't get it! I'm a piece of shit, I don't even deserve the honor of an execution! I should be left in a ditch to rot..." Tears rolled down his bruised face," J-Just leave me! Go, go away..." he said between sobs.

Pea kept holding his head up and almost cried looking at him. Oza looked around to see if there were any guards coming, nothing yet. Joe tried to pull his head weakly away from Pea's tender grasp, but she refused to let go.

"What happened Joe? What did you do?" Pea whispered.

Inside Pea's mind it felt like a thunderbolt smashed through it. Suddenly Joe went limp and Pea scrunched up her face in pain. Dew grabbed Pea before she fell on the ground. Pea was faint with timid breaths. Oza was still scanning for danger. Dew wiped sweat from the grey mare's forehead.

"What happened Pea, are you alright?"

"I-I don't know...is Joe alright?"

"Mmmm yeah. Now Pea," Dew helped her friend sit up," Why did you just faint back there?"

Pea's senses sprang back up," Oza get Joe out of those, we need to get him out of those. Dew, come on...we need to get out of here."

Dew had no choice but to follow. She looked behind her and looked for a moment at the scene they caused and left so suddenly. The dragon studied the chains holding the mule down.

Oza broke the bindings on Joe and hoisted his forelimbs over his wingless shoulders. He made it to the fence line, looking back at the mess he made then snapped his fingers and the inmates sprawled awake as he mended the chain-link fence. He followed quickly after the two mares. They ran until they were back in the city. Pea ran to some sort of court yard for a large apartment complex. The three bent double out of breath. Dew was the only mare who seemed to notice Joe's unconscious presence.

"Dew, Oza," Pea said so anyone in ear reach would have difficulty hearing,"We need to get out of the city...he needs to get out of here..."

TO BE CONTINUED...