If You Don't Draw First

The industrial district of Helios was a place to admire, the constant sound of metal against metal, the sound of alarms going off everywhere, the endless flow of smoke of the tall chimneys, everything gave the place a view of another world, if something characterized to the griffin cities, it was their level of industrialization.

Twilight and Kriket stood outside the wagon waiting for Booker and Trixie. Unknown to them, a pair of yellow eyes were peering at them from one of the roofs of the high buildings surrounding their position.

With the shine of the sun helping him to remain hidden, the gryphon stationed on the roof shook his feathers to dispell some of the heat he was feeling, he took his claw to the knapsack strapped to his back tograb from it a small crystal sphere filled with black smoke, after giving it a soft shake, the smoke took a faint red glow.

"Hey Boss, I found those mares you were speaking of, they are in the northern side of industrial district, do you want me to catch them? He said holding the sphere near his beak.

"No." The gruff voice of someone else was heard coming through the sphere. "Two of them are unicorns, you'll need a little help to knock them out, besides, I don't want them to get hurt, those three beauties will be top quality merchandise."

"I can see that." The gryphon said licking his beak, his eyes never partign away from Twilight.

"Prepare the nullification rings, we will be there pretty soon" Said his boss.

"All right, boss as you wish, don't take too long, I'm getting bored here."

The smoke turned black again and the gryphon crushed the sphere with his claw.

***---***

"The Blue Ribbon, restaurant and slaughterhouse." A shiver ran through Twilight's body in the moment she read aloud the name of the building in front which they had stopped.

"What's wrong Sparkle?" Asked Kriket. "Have you never tried the ham?"

"Well... yes but..." The unicorn shivered again. "It was due to a stupid bet with Rainbow Dash."

"Have you never wondered where that delicacy came from?" Kriket smiled wickedly.

"I'd rather not imagine it." Twilight felt dizzy, especially after seeing a cartel which described all the pieces that were obtained from pigs.

Booker got out of the cart, he gave a quick but detailed look at his surroundings and immediately, images of the courtyards in Fink Manufacturing site reached his mind, that made him feel strangely comfortable, as if he were greeting an old friend.

"I hope I don't have to face a handyman in here." The former Pinkerton agent said.

"Handyman? What's that?" Twilight asked him.

Booker made gestures with his hands as he spoke. "They're bastards of two or three meters high, their bodies are made of metal and the only thing that controls it is the head of the poor idiot fused to the screws and cables, the fastest way to kill them is to shoot them in the heart, but damn if they're agile for their size, that only makes it more complicated."

"Hmm, interesting." Twilight tried to imagine such a monster.

"Leaving aside the stories for foals." Kriket's voice sounded arrogant as ever. "The guy whom we have to talk it's inside the building, let's not waste more time."

Booker looked at the building and something in his mind made him think he had already seen the place before. "The Blue Ribbon... why does it seems so familiar to me?" He told himself.

"Do we really need to go in there?" Twilight said nervously.

"If you want, you can wait in the wagon, scaredy cat." Kriket mocked her. "It won't take that long, c'mon DeWitt."

Twilight gritted her teeth. "That mare is despicable." She thought.

Kriket and Booker went the building while she remained in the street for several minutes until she noticed that Trixie had not left her wagon, Twilight walked to the door of the cart and knocked on it.

"Trixie!" She called her. "Trixie, you are going to come out or what?"

The cyan unicorn finally opened the door, her eyes were red, her cheeks still showed traces of the tears she had shed. Twilight remained silent while looking at her, it was like she was another mare, Trixie looked sad, defeated, there was no trace of the boasting and proud mare she used to be.

"Hey, is everything alright?" Twilight asked.

Trixie wiped her face with her hoof. "Yes... I just have something in my eyes..."

"Yeah, and I'm the princess of Saddle Arabia." Twilight answered rolling her eyes. "Trixie, you can trust me, what's wrong? Wait... Did Booker do something to you?” She said with angry tone.

"No!" Trixie replied hastily. "He did nothing... it was me who did something wrong..."

"I... I don’t understand it, what did you do?" Twilight asked again.

Before Trixie could answer, someone behind them cleared his throat catching their attention.

"Good afternoon, ladies, it is a pleasure to see you again."

A gryphon was standing in front of them, both mares were able to recognize him as one of the guards who had inspected their wagon when they passed thorugh the door of the city, however, Twilight noticed that there was something really wrong, the guard was accompanied by several griffins more, two of them carried nets and another was holding rings with signs engraved in them.

"O-officer, what a-are you d-doing here?" Twilight fel fear.

She knew they were in troubles, she started to back off, slowly approaching towards the wagon. Trixie looked at the other griffins; their eyes were like those of a predator stalking its prey, the sight made a shiver ran down her entire body.

The guard gave a step forward. "You see, it's a very rare occasion to have the “pleasure” of getting visitors like you, and of course, we have certain “needs” in this city that demand to be satisfied."

The entire group started to surround the wagon, Trixie looked at Twilight, desperation starting to get hold of them.

"This is what will happen." The guard continued. "In this moment you have two options. One, you can come with us by your own will, or two, we will have to force you, oh and let me tell you something, you certainly will not like it."

All the griffins started to laugh.

"So, ladies, what is your decision?"

***---***

Booker and Kriket walked down a corridor towards the main room of the building, several tables covered with green tablecloths that had red small lamps over them were scattered throughout the room, for the former Pinkerton everything seemed more familiar, it really felt like he was back in Columbia, for him this was starting to be more than a mere coincidence.

In the far wall of the room was a canteen, its cabinets filled with several alcoholic beverages, or so thought Booker because the labels of the bottles had drawings and letters that he couldn't understand.

At one side of the bar there was a doorless entrance to what appeared to be a kitchen, it's walls and floor covered with white tile. Kriket made her way to a table and took a couple of bottles that contained a brown liquid inside; she came back to Booker giving him one of them.

"Here, I think you need one of these." She told him.

He looked at the bottle with some distrust. "What's this?"

"Stop being such a pussy and drink it." Kriket rolled her eyes.

Booker shrugged. "All right... when in Rome..."

He said and uncorked the bottle, a familiar scent invaded his sense of smell, Booker took a sip of the liquid and his eyes opened wide, the drink was beer and not only that, it was of an excellent quality. In just a few seconds he drank the entire content of the bottle.

"It's been so long since the last time I tasted anything so exquisite." He said with pleasure.

Kriket laughed. "Take it easy champ; this is not for beginners, with only three of these you will end on the ground."

"Who do you think you're talking to?" He raised an eyebrow and replied mockingly.

She was ready to discuss with him about their drinking prowess when they heard someone speaking inside the kitchen.

"We have company." Said a male voice.

"We do indeed." Commented a female voice.

Booker dropped the bottle, he knew those voices. From the kitchen, two unicorns came out, their fur was of a faint blue color, their manes and tails of a brown tone same as their eyes, the mare wore a brown and white dress, the stallion had bow tie around his neck.

"Hmm, surprising." She said.

"Surprising that he has found us?" He asked.

"Surprising that he remains human." She replied.

Booker was shocked, the ponies who he was facing were the Lutece twins. Without thinking it twice, he took his gun and pointed it in their direction.

"Why are you following me?!" He asked with despair in his voice, they just looked at him with serene eyes.

"We were already here." Rosalind told him.

"Why are you following us?" Robert asked.

"No, this is not happening,  you better start telling me what the hell are you doing here or I'll put a bullet in your heads." Booker threatened them.

Both unicorns approached at him standing just a few centimeters away.

"Go ahead." Said Robert.

"Since it worked really well the last time." Said Rosalind.

Booker placed the finger on the trigger, he held the weapon until his hand began to tremble but finished lowering it.

Kriket looked towards Booker and then at the unicorns. "You know each other?"

Rosalind looked at her and immediately took a small bag with a blue powder; she took a little and blew it on the face of the pegasus who soon fell to the ground in a deep sleep.

"I prefer some privacy." Commented Rosalind.

"I agree with that." Robert added.

"What the hell are they doing here?" Booker asked.

"Perhaps the same as you."  Replied Robert.

"A new beginning is never something bad." Rosalind said.

"Especially after an endless cycle of lives lived." Added his brother.

"How is it possible? How can you be here? I thought I had left all that behind." Booker said.

"It's just a matter of perspective." She said taking a coin.

"I see faces." Said Robert.

"And I see tails." Said Rosalind.

"What do you mean? That this is still part of the circle? "Booker sounded angry.

"Constants and variables." Said in unison Robert and Rosalind.

"But Elizabeth said it was over... that I..." Booker felt a lump in his throat.

"She will be sure of that." Robert said.

"Even if the price is high." Said his sister.

Booker knew there was something wrong within their words. "Where is Elizabeth?"

"We don't know." Said Rosalind.

"The last time we saw her, the waves covered her." Said Robert.

The human felt a pang of pain in his head "... A city at the bottom of the ocean... ridiculous..."  Booker said,  his vision became blurred for a moment and he felt the chill of his blood falling from his nose.

"It seems that they still have a connection." Said Robert.

"Maybe she  hasn't close the circle." Rosalind answered.

"Take me to her." Booker told them.

"We can't." Replied Robert.

"But... why?" Booker's voice almost broke.

"Because she asked us not to do it." Said Rosalind.

"What the hell are you talking about?" He asked again.

"The circle will be closed." Said Robert.

"All the debts will be settled." Added Rosalind.

Booker realized it would be useless to argue with them, if there was a way out, it was already closed.

"If that's true... and I will never see her again... what reason do I have to keep living? What the hell am I going to do here? "

"Perhaps you should think about it a little more, after all, you, as well as us." Said Robert.

"We are where we're needed." Said Rosalind.

"And needed where we are." ended Robert.

Something fell to the floor of the kitchen with a clang; Booker looked away from the Lutece for a moment to look at the door and then looked back just to find them gone, he cursed silently, a feeling of defeat filling his mind.

"Damn! I hate this place." A hoarse voice sounded from inside the kitchen.

Booker looked around and saw that Kriket was standing beside him; she had one hoof against her forehead.

"What... What happened?" She asked. "I remember we went inside and then we took a beer..."

"Like you said, that drink was not for little girls, after taking it you fell to the ground and remained there for the last 15 minutes." Booker lied to her but, the ghost of a smile tryin to settle on his lips.

She couldn’t believe it and wanted to refute, but someone else got into the conversation.

"So you finally decided to come and visit?”

An elder gryphon was looking at them, his only eye studied Booker with amazement.

"I see you brought a phenomenon with you, tell me, what exactly are you supposed to be? A shaved monkey?"

The old guy started to laugh, but a coughing fit ruined his fun.

"Calm down, old bird, we only came here for the goods." Answered Kriket.

The gryphon spat on the ground. "I understand, but first things first, do you have my money?"

Kriket removed her saddlebags placing them on the floor, she opened one revealing hundreds of golden coins, the gryphon licked his beak and spat again.

"Excellent! Now, what exactly do you need, I have plenty of good stuff you may like?"

"We need something special, something that works with black crystal." Kriket told him.

The gryphon raised an eyebrow. "Do you realize that what you're asking for is forbidden material, right? What in tartarus do you need it for?"

"That's none of your business, we want the weapons and you want the money, I think that should suffice you." Kriket retorted.

"Okay, okay, you don't have to get in that mood." The old gryphon raised his claws defensively. "Give me a moment and I'll be back with them."

***---***

Some minutes later, Booker walked towards the exit of the building with a shotgun and a long rifle strapped on his back, his revolver now fully loaded resting on his holster and a bunch on ammo for all the weapons inside a small bag on his waist, magic certainly had its perks.

“So, what’s the plan now?” He asked.

“We need to get a better way to travel; at this rate it will take us more than what I expected to reach our destination.”

Kritet opened her wings, Booker got and idea from seeing her.

“I think we need to get something that can fly, this place seems to be a little more developed in technology, I bet there’s a flying machine near here.”

“Now that you mention it, there’s a ship we can take “borrowed”.” Kriket told him smiling. "You're not so useless after all, shaved monkey."

Booker rolled his eyes. “Shut up, freak of nature, but I have to admit, I like how that sounds.”

With their new plan established, they left the building just to find an horrific scene going on the street. Trixie’s wagon was on fire and screams were heard down the street. Kriket and Booker rushed on the direction of the voices calling the name of both unicorns. They finally found them, they were inside an energy bubble that was being attacked by a numerous group of griffins, both mares were terrified and screaming.

“C’mon ladies, you’re only making this harder, my patience is running out.” Said the boss of the gang.

“Trixie! Twilight!” Booker shouted getting their attention as well as the one of the attackers.

“You certainly are a strange creature." Said the boss.  "Listen, this is not your business, get the hell out of here before you regret it.”

Said the boss of the group, two griffins walked towards Booker laughing and brandishing their weapons.

“You have ten seconds to let them go, you son of a bitch.” Booker started to walk towards them while grabbing his shotgun.

“Are you really going to get in our way and tried to stop us?” Said the gryphon mockingly.

There was a gunshot; the mauled body of one of the attackers fell in front of the gang’s boss, he raised his eyes to see Booker with his arm extended, smoke coming out from the shotgun muzzle.

“You don’t know what I'm capable of, pal, but I will fix that.”

Booker’s hand started to glow until it turned in a fountain of fire, the boss of the griffins felt fear for the first time that day.