Las Pegasus.
“Such a beautiful city.” I thought to myself as I looked out the plane window and down at the bright lights of the big city. “Can’t wait to get started.” I looked down at my only carry-on. It was a small wooden box that was given to me by my mother. I reached into my jean’s back pocket and pulled out the key. Pulling up the lid, I was greeted by the sight of my father’s antique watch and a picture of my family.
I was the cub of the family. My brother being the strongest and my sister being the wittiest. I reached into my shirt and pulled out my golden cross necklace. “To the Spirits that watch over me” I started “I thank thee for all thou has done. I have never asked for your protection and yet you have given it to me. I am endlessly grateful for all that you have done and ask that thou protect me one last time in this mad world.”
I tapped my forehead with the cross, then my chest, and both my shoulders before putting it back underneath my shirt. “Passengers of Flight 683, we ask you to kindly put your seatbelts on for we are making our final approach into the beautiful city of Las Pegasus.” The pilot spoke through the intercom. I gladly obliged to what he said and took one last look out to the city.
====----________----====
After collecting my baggage and safely putting away my dad’s watch, I took my first step out of Las Pegasus International Airport. I noticed a familiar face sitting on the hood of a black ‘67 Chevy Impala nodding her head to the beat of the song she was blaring. She was wearing faded blue jeans and a zipped up black hoodie with a green bandana around her neck. She looked up at me and a smile grew on her face.
“Well, well, well, long time no see cub.” Gilda said as she approached. She seemed to have more confidence in her step than when I last saw her. “Where the fuck have you been for the last four years?”
I shrugged as I put down my luggage. “Taking care of mom and dad. The usual.” I gave her a big hug. “I’ve missed you Gills.”
She returned the hug and patted me on the back. “I’ve missed you too, Jericho.”
I broke the hug and gave her a confused look. “I haven’t told anyone about me leaving Griffonia, how’d you know I was gonna be here?”
Gilda chuckled. “Funny thing is, I didn’t know you were coming here. I'm here to pick up a friend.”
“Ah. So I was just a coincidence?” I asked and she nodded. I put a claw over my heart and mocked hurt. “I’m offended. My own sister not caring about me enough to ask me about what I’ve been doing or planning to do?”
We both had a laugh and she playfully punched punched me in the arm. “Oh shut up, you’re such a dweeb.” She looked behind me and perked up. “Guess who just arrived. Yo yo yo! What’s up muthafucka?!”
I turned around and was greeted by the sight of a shorter male Griffin. He wore the same thing Gilda did, but instead of having a bandana he wore a silver necklace, and instead of a black hoodie he wore a white one. He smirked at Gilda and stuck out his fist.
Gilda promptly gave him a fist-bump before giving him a one up. Her smile gradually dropped. “You’re shorter than you look on LifeInvader.” She stated. She shrugged and turned back towards her car. “Oh well, come on. We gotta get you two settled in.” I picked up my bags and went around to the back. Before I could say anything, Gilda interrupted me. “Yeah I know, gimme a sec J.”
She then looked over to the other guy and motioned to me. “That’s my brother Jericho, let him sit in back.”
The other guy nodded and leaned up against the door. "So... what's your name?" I asked him as I put my luggage in the trunk.
He just shrugged. I closed the trunk and smirked. "Don't really talk much, do you?" He shook his head 'no'. I walked around the side and got in. "Gilda, what's his name?"
She put the key into the ignition as the guy got in. "He said to call him Reaper." Gilda stated. She snapped her talons as if she just remembered something. "Oh! I got you something. Consider it a 'Welcome to Las Pegasus' gift." Gilda reached into her hoodie and pulled out a pistol.
I nearly freaked to fuck out, but kept my cool. "Welcome to Las Pegasus, playa." Gilda handed Reaper the gun and he started inspecting it. Gilda put the car in drive and pulled out of the airport.
I leaned over to Gilda and started whispering. "Gilda, I want you to tell me what you and K have been doing since you got to Equestria."
She chuckled and looked back at me. "We've been living the Equestrian dream." Gilda responded simply. "Gang bangin may not be honest work, but we've made a living off of it." She turned her attention back to the road and I sat back in my seat.
I may have looked calm on the outside, but inside was where I was freaking the fuck out. "So... what you're telling me... IS THAT YOU'RE A FUCKING CRIMINAL!?" I screamed. Reaper looked back at me with a blank face. "Don't fucking look at me like that! You're probably a fucking criminal as well!"
Gilda pulled the car over to the side of the road and turned around. "J, why the fuck do you think he's here?" She asked.
I looked at her with a dumbfounded look. "You hired a fucking mercenary to help you with your gang bullshit?!"
Gilda cocked back her arm and punched me in the beak, almost breaking it. "We are not just some fucking gang!" She shouted, anger oozing from her voice as I held my slightly bleeding beak. "We are a family. I have fought alongside all of them, bleed alongside all of them, and grieved alongside all of them.
"And if we need to hire some guy cause we're in the biggest turf war of the century... Then. So. Be. It." She punctuated each word with a poke to my chest. Gilda turned back around and started the car again. "Now you can either grow a pair of fuckin balls, or you can get out of the car when we get to my place."
I looked at her in disbelief. Had she and Karl really been gang members since they got to Equestria? Why haven't they told us this? "Oh, and also" Gilda started "K became a rapper. More or less an underground project of his. He goes by the name K-83."
K-83? I guess it could be as simple as being his first initial and the year he was born. But then again, it could be some complicated gang shit.
Almost the entire ride was spent in silence, except for the background noise being made by the radio. We pulled into the driveway of a large house on Applewood Hills. It looked like a villa that some Griffonia Senator would live in. There were two pegasi standing in front of the door talking.
One was black with a red mane and wore a green polo with red cargo pants. The other was quite literally his polar opposite. Red coat with a black mane and a red polo with green cargo pants.
They seemed to notice us while we were pulling up and smiled wide. "Ay! Its Gilda with the new guy!" The black one exclaimed.
The red one put a hand to his chest and nodded to Gilda. "But what about the kid in the back?" He asked.
Gilda got out of the car and shut the door tight. "Yo Yo Yo muthafuckas! I got new blood!" She leaned in the car and looked at me. "Play it cool, J. We don't need you fuckin up our rep." Reaper got out of the car and pulled the seat forward so I could get out.
I hopped out of the car and gave them a sheepish smile. "Hey... I'm Gilda's little brother." I offered a claw. "The name's Jericho."
"Well fuckin A Gild, you didn't tell me you had family." The Black Pegasus accepted my claw.
The red one laughed and leaned up against the wall. "You're such a fuckin idiot, Sure Shot. She told us and the rest of the Grove that her and K we're family."
Sure Shot shrugged and looked at the other Pegasus. "Not my fault, I thought she meant they were blood brother and sister. You know, like they crew."
"Anyways" Gilda interrupted "what are you fools doin here at my crib?"
The front door to the house opened and out stepped a large male Griffin. He wore a green hat with a purple t-shirt and black work pants. He locked the door and turned around, noticing me in the progress. His t-shirt had what I recognized as the “Hip-Hop Royalty” logo.
"Well well well," Karl said in his deep gruff voice "haven't seen you since I left Griffonia, cub. Where you been since then?"
I gave him a smile. "Been back home, taking care of mom and dad. They've been worried straight to Tartarus and back ever since you two left." My smile slowly dropped. "And I can guess why... Gilda told me on the way here what you two have been doing."
Karl smiled and nodded. "Yeah! I've gotten into the rap business! I'm gonna be famous bro!"
Gilda walked up next to me and put her claws on her hips. "He knows we're gang members." She said simply.
Karl lost his smile and rubbed his “invisible beard”, as he used to call it. “Well fuck me sideways with a can of paint thinner…” He said quietly.
“Don’t tempt fate.” The unnamed pegasus said. “It might just do that one day.”
Karl looked at the pegasus with a blank stare. “Shut up Firewall, no one wants to hear your shit.” Karl looked back at me and rubbed the back of his neck. “Sorry you had to find out this way cub, but it’s how things have been happening. We’ve been rolling with the Grove Street Gang for…” He tapped his beak in thought.
“Three years.” Gilda said walking to the front door of the house.
Karl snapped and nodded. “Right, three years! Spirits… time flies. Feels like yesterday was when we met CJJ.” He shrugged as Gilda unlocked the front door. “Or it could be cause I can’t tell time for shit and I never pay attention to what day it is.”
“Doesn’t matter what it is. It’s been three years and we have work to do.” Gilda said as she opened the door and gestured for us all to walk in. “Reaper, K, and the idiot brothers, go sit down in the living room. I gotta speak to J for a second.” All four of them walked into the house and Gilda shut the door behind them.
We sat in silence for a minute before she spoke. “What the fuck are you doing here?” She asked in our native tongue of Griffonic.
“Well” I started, in the same language “I’m here because I got a gig as a stunt double/actor.” I smirked as I leaned against the door frame. “I was back home in Griffonia hanging out with some friends when we decided that we should practice some of our parkour.”
Gilda held up a claw to stop me. “You mean that shit you used to do as a cub that put you in the hospital so much that the nurses practically knew you like a friend?”
I nodded. “Yeah, parkour. Now, I know I’ve had some scrapes in the past-”
“And broken bones.”
“Yes, and broken bones. But I’ve gotten better at it and am now a Parkour and Freerunning Professional! I also get to use my knowledge of Jiu Jitsu and Kickboxing for fight scenes.” My smirk turned into a wide smile as I explained my reason for being here.
Gilda looked at me with a blank expression. “You got a job being a punching bag?”
“I’m also an actor.” I added. “This Earth Pony named Solomon Richards was watching us do parkour and he noticed how I fought when me and Tony got into a fight. We wailed on each other for a while before Mr. Richards broke up the fight and offered us both a job as stunt doubles.”
“Hold the fucking phone. YOU got to meet SOLOMON RICHARDS?” Gilda asked in disbelief.
I nodded and flared my wings. “Mhm.”
“You’re bullshitting me!” She glared daggers at me.
I leaned forward at met her gaze. “I have his business card.” I whispered and pulled it out of my pants pocket. “Check.” I showed it to her. “And.” I stood up straight as her eyes scanned the card. “Mate.”
“Spirits be damned…” She mumbled. “You actually met Solomon Richard. Did you ever ask him why he was in Griffonia?”
“He was looking for candidates to fill the roll for one of his movies. None of them caught his interest other than me and Tony.” My phone went off in my back pocket. I pulled it out, noticing it was Tony calling, and answered it. “Hey! Tony! What’s up?”
“J, you’re speakin in Griffonic.” Tony said in Equestrian through the phone. His voice sounded distressed.
I switched back to using Equestrian. “Hey Tony, what’s up?”
He let out a sigh. “I got on the wrong flight.”
I faceclawed so loud that I’m pretty sure he heard it from where he was. “Tony.” I said slowly. “What flight did you get on?”
“I got on Flight 684 to Canterlot and I can either take a train to Las Pegasus or I can wait two days for the next flight to arrive.”
“Get on the train.” I said simply.
“Alright dude… I guess I’ll see you at the train station in a few days?” Tony asked before I hung the phone up. I knew he was gonna be pissed, but I didn’t care. He’s jeopardizing our shot at becoming big time actors.
I looked back at Gilda and shrugged. “Tony went to Canterlot instead of here. Let’s just go inside.” I said, but before we could do that we both heard screeching of tires and looked at the road to see a yellow mini-van pull up.
The doors slid open and two men holding AK-47’s were sitting inside, they were both wearing yellow bandanas over their faces. “SOUTH SIDE FOR LIFE MOTHERFUCKERS!” One of them shouted. Instinct kicked in and I grabbed Gilda and had us take cover behind her car as they opened fire. Bullets embedded themselves into the side of the car.
“Fuck!” Gilda shouted over the sound of the gunfire. “How the fuck did they even fucking find the place?!” There was a pause in the gunfire and I was able to briefly look over and see them reloading.
“STAY THE FUCK OFF OUR TURF!” I heard Karl shout and looked over to see him standing in the doorway of the house holding a handgun. He let out a few shots before taking cover next to us. “What’d I miss?” Karl asked as the gunfire restarted, but with less shots being fired than last time.
“They came out of fucking nowhere!” I shouted. “One second we’re standing in front of the door talking and the next we’re taking cover behind Gills’ car!” I looked over to Gilda to see that she was holding her right shoulder and blood was coming out of it. I’ve seen blood before, but it was always in movies and video games. I nearly fainted at the sight of blood gushing out of Gilda’s arm. “IN THE NAME OF FUCK! GILDA’S BEEN SHOT!”
There was another pause in the gunfire and Karl took the opportunity to take out the remaining shooter and the driver of the van out. He pulled his gun down slightly and smirked. “THAT’S RIGHT MOTHERFUCKERS! YOU DON’T FUCK WITH MY FAMILY!” Karl quickly put his gun away and turned to tend to Gilda. “Don’t worry Gills, you’re gonna be fine.”
“I fucking know I’m gonna be fine! I’ve taken hits worse than this!” She screamed in his face.
“911, what’s your emergency?” The 911 Operator asked from the other end of the line.
“Hello! 911! I need an ambulance!” I practically shouted into the phone.
“J, what the fuck are you doing?!” Karl shouted.
“Okay sir, I’m going to need you to give me the address of where you’re at.” The operator said.
On the way here, I was taking note of every street we turned on and what they were called. I looked over at the number of the house we were at and told the 911 Operator. “I’m at 3672 Whispymound Drive! Hurry! My sister’s been shot!”
“Okay sir, an ambulance and a police unit have been dispatched to your location. I’m going to need you to stay on the line until they get there, alright?” The lady on the other end asked.
“Alright, just please hurry!” I was practically in tears right now. Not even a whole day has passed since I’ve seen my older brother and sister and Gilda’s gotten shot.
Just now; Firewall, Sure Shot, and Reaper all came rushing out of the house. “What the fuck happened?” Firewall demanded.
“South Side Blingers just rolled up out of nowhere and started shooting. Only one of them were able to hit their mark and got Gilda in the shoulder.” Karl said and then looked at me. “And then J over here calls the fuckin feds.” He looked back at the three. “Sure Shot, Firewall, you two know the drill. Dispose of the van and hold our weapons for the time being. New guy, go with them.”
Karl reached into Gilda's hoodie and pulled out her gun. Firewall took Karl's gun while Sure Shot took Gilda's. "Torch the van at the usual spot?" Firewall asked.
Karl nodded. "Sir." the 911 operator said, grabbing my attention. "When the police unit gets there, I'm going to need you to fill out a witness statement. Can you do that?"
I nodded slowly, knowing the lady wouldn't see it. "Yeah... Yeah, that's fine." I said slowly, feeling as if I'm about to pass out. "Holy fuck, how did things get like this?" I brought the phone away from my ear as I watched them speed away in the van.
"Just stay calm Gills." I heard Karl say. I sat down next to them and ran a claw through my head feathers.
"Fuck calm! I'm angry as fuck!" Gilda shouted.
After a few minutes of Gilda screaming at Karl and me talking to the 911 Operator, I heard police sirens coming from the right.
"Sir, the ambulance should be right there. Just sit tight for a few more seconds." The Operator said.
"Alright... alright. I can do that." I mumbled. An ambulance and a cop car pulled up. Two police officers and two paramedics stepped out of their vehicles. The two paramedics pulled out a stretcher and rushed over to Gilda.
"I got shot in the arm! Not the fuckin leg!" She shouted as they helped her up.
"Gills, calm down and let them do their work." Karl said as he backed away from the paramedics.
The two police officers walked up to me and Karl. "Were you two the ones that called?"
Karl pointed to my shell shocked form. "He called." He simply stated.
"And you are Mister...?" The officer asked.
"Kazimir." Karl responded. I wanted to step in and say something to them, but I just couldn't find the words. I say the wrong things and Gilda might go to jail. Could I also get K in trouble as well? That could ruin his career.
"Mister Kazimir, can you tell me your relations to the victims." One of the officers jabbed a thumb in my direction and then Gilda's as the other wrote in a notebook.
"They're my family." Karl smirked. "My little brother and sister."
The officer writing in the notebook pointed to something on the ground. "Shell casings, looks like .45 ACP rounds." He told the other officer.
"Do you own a gun, Mr. Kazimir?" The officer asked.
Karl tensed up for a second before calming down and nodding. "Yeah, I'm packin."
"Can you please show me the gun, Mr. Kazimir?"
Karl nodded again and reached into his back pocket. He pulled out a modern 1911 pistol and handed it to the police officer. The officer examined it for a little before pulling out the magazine. "Mister Kazimir, the magazine in this weapon is full yet there are three shell casings on the ground. Care to explain?"
Karl seemed to be thinking for a moment before he let out a heavy sigh. "My sister also packs heat. I don't know where she got it from, but she has it."
"Can we see the weapon, Mister Kazimir?" The officer asked.
Karl pointed over to Gilda. "You're gonna have to ask her for it."
"One more question." The police officer writing notes down said. "Where were you at the time of the crime?"
"I was inside, making myself a sandwich." Karl stated with confidence.
The officer looked down at me as I kept flipping my phone. "Excuse me Sir." The officer said.
Without even thinking, I started talking. "We were talking right in front of the door. She was telling me about how life was great here in Equestria and she was glad I was here. We were also discussing some of the things I was gonna be doing here in Equestria." I looked up at the officer. "They pulled up in a yellow mini-van and shouted 'South Side for life motherfuckers'.
"We got behind the car to avoid getting shot. I didn't realize it at the time, but Gilda took a shot to the arm. When they paused to reload, Gilda handed me her gun and said 'Make these fuckers burn in Tartarus'." I hung my head. "I didn't know what to do, so I shot at them. I fired three rounds and all hit one mark.
"I hit one of the men with each shot and watched as they drove away..." I let out a heavy sigh. "I've never killed anyone before in my life, but when I saw him die... I nearly collapsed."
“And what did you do with the gun?”
I chuckled. “I threw it. I didn't want to touch that thing after what I did with it.”
The officer finished writing down what I was saying and closed his notebook. "Thank you for your time, sir."
I don't know what the hell possessed me to say that, but I was thankful for what it did. "I'm not going to be arrested, am I?" And now I hate it.
The officer chuckled and shook his head. "Don't worry sir, you're not going to be arrested. You acted in self-defense and protected your family."
I pulled the cross out from under my shirt and kissed it. "Thank the spirits."
"Thanks." I heard Gilda say from in the ambulance. I watched her jump out the back with an arm sling on and walk over to us. "They said that the bullet went through and since I gave them shit, they're gonna let me go. Pfft, didn't need a hospital anyways."
I sat back and looked up to the sky. "Fuck..." I mumbled and then looked at Karl. "Who were they?"
He shrugged as the ambulance and the police car drove away. "South Side Blingers, they're the rivals of the Grove Street Gang. They've been gunning for us ever since we destroyed one of their meth labs over in Blaine County. Its a bit north of here. Mainly inbred hillbillies and an insane meth dealer. Don't go there unless you have to bury a body or torch a vehicle. You probably won't have to."
Gilda chuckled. "But hey, they make some good barbeque chicken."
We all laughed at that. "I'll have to go there sometime." I said. "So... what now?"
"Right now," Gilda started "we get you to a safe place. If they're gunning for us and find out that you're family, they're gonna use you as leverage against us."
I stood up and looked her in the eyes. "Fuck. That." I looked over to Karl. "I wanna go see CJJ, I'm joining your crew."
"No!" Both Karl and Gilda shouted.
"You are not putting your life in danger!" Karl yelled.
"If you're going to get in my way, then fuck you!" I yelled back. "Gilda's been shot and all three of us have a price on our heads! If I wanna do something to make sure we don't die, then I'm going to do it!" I looked at Gilda and then back at Karl. "If you two won't tell me how to get in touch with this guy, then I'll just ask Sure Shot and Firewall!"
There was a moment of silence between the three of us. "Fine." Karl said as he hung his head. "I'll give you CJJ's number." I pulled up the dial pad on my phone and listened carefully. "323-255-0187, tell him K-83 Is calling in a favor."
I dialed the number as he said it and called. It rang for a few seconds before someone's answered. "You have reached the cell of Carl Johnson Junior, I have a very busy schedule so make it quick." The man on the other end said.
"CJJ?" I asked.
"Speaking." He replied.
"Its K-83's little brother, K is calling in a favor." I said.
CJJ was silent for some time. "Meet me at the cul de sac on Grove Street." He said suddenly. "Get here by tomorrow afternoon and I'll consider you." CJJ said before hanging up the phone.
I disconnected my end and put my phone away. "What did I just do?" I asked Karl.
Karl slowly put a closed claw up to his chest. "Welcome to the Grove Street Gang, cub."
