From The Ashes

Chapter Twelve

I need to hide, Blackjack thought. If Twilight's a princess, then she'll have no choice but to kill me. Get somewhere safe, BJ. Get somewhere safe.

Blackjack stopped running suddenly, a mare's scream startling him. "Somepony help!" She shouted.

"Shut up, mule!" A stallion shouted back.

Blackjack hid behind a wall, watching the shadows of a group of stallions ganging up on the mare. The mare grunted as a stallion punched her. She fell on the ground, getting kicked in the stomach and crying for help.

Blackjack heard a hiss of steam, his warming hooves melting the snow he stood on. Keep it together! He was able to stifle his flames and listen in on more.

"Please," the mare begged. "Give me another week, I'll have the money by then."

"Listen here," a stallion replied. "Everypony's suffering in these hard times. The neighborhoods are dangerous. That's why we're here, to give ponies like you some protection. All we ask is for a little payment in return. If you don't pay up, we take what we want, and burn down everything else."

"And since you don't have any money," he continued. "Your body will have to do."

Not good, Blackjack thought. He became bipedal, walking around the corner to confront the gang that held the mare down.

"Hey!" Blackjack shouted.

The gang paused, two stallions restraining her, a hand over her mouth. "Well well well," a grey Pegasus said, obviously in charge. "If it isn't the Fiddler! Or, should I say, Exile?"

"Dusty," Blackjack snarled. "Back to commiting crimes I see. I guess old habits die hard."

"What can I say? The times are tough. But you wouldn't know that, would you?"

"Dusty, I'm only going to say this once: let the mare go, or I'll make you."

Dusty and his goons laughed, the mare struggling more. "Last I checked, you were a pacifist. Besides, you look a little worse for wares. Reminds me about our little fight in Ponyville."

"You lost that one." Blackjack got in a fighting stance, Dusty and his gang pulling out a various assortment of weapons. "By the way," Blackjack continued. "I'm a semi-pacifist."

He lit his hands on fire, the gang shocked. Blackjack attacked, punching a stallion with his fiery fist. The goon yelled, slapping at his clothes as they burned. The rest of the gang recovered, Blackjack dodging their bullets.

"Crap!" Blackjack shouted, realizing that he did not have his ren'bein or his pistol. He disarmed another goon and knocked him out.

Many of the gang members were running off, Dusty screaming at them. Eventually, it was only the mare, Blackjack, and Dusty. "Well Exile," Dusty said. "That's a neat party trick. But I doubt it'll help in the long run."

"You'd be surprised," Blackjack replied. "I killed a monster with this little 'party trick' of mine."

"Jeez, you weren't kidding about being a semi-pacifist." Dusty pointed his gun at the mare, Blackjack flinching.

"Don't do it, Dusty!"

"What are you gonna do? Listen, Exile, I didn't want to go back into a life of crime, but Celestia brought me to it."

"You can still change, Dusty. I'm sorry about what Celestia's doing, but that's no reason to be a criminal again."

"No? That job I had in Cloudsdale was my last chance of a peaceful life! Because of you, I was laid off and my family and I had to move here! The only option was to get back with my gang. So give me one good reason not to shoot this hinney!"

"Because you're better than that! Your family told me that! I was visited by them after the trial! What's your daughter's name?"

"Shut up!"

"What's her name?"

"I said shut up!" Dusty's hand was shaking now, and Blackjack started to slowly walk towards him.

"Dusty," the black stallion said. "Your daughter loves you. She didn't know that you tried to kill me. She told me that she wanted to work in the factory with you one day-"

"Shut your bucking mouth!" Dusty shouted, his wings flaring in anger.

"She loves you. What is she going to think when you're arrested? Whose name will she cry?"

"Mine..."

"What's her name?"

Dusty uneasilly put his gun away, his eyes full of tears. "Misty...her name's Misty." He helped the mare up and gave her a fistfull of bits. "I'm so sorry, ma'am."

"Bull," she replied, walking up to Blackjack. "How can I repay you, Mr. Blackjack?"

"Don't," he replied. "I don't need payment."

The mare nodded and disappeared into the snow. Sirens sounded in the distance. "We need to go," Dusty said, pulling his coat around him. "If the cops find either of us, we're dead stallions."

"We can go to the Orange's house," Blackjack replied. "I've been staying there for the past few days."

"You sure they'll take me in?"

"I'll persuade them. We'll need to get your family, however. I don't think your gang we'll be too happy knowing that you've changed sides."

"You're right, but the curfew's already in effect. It won't be good for my girls to be out this late."

"Do we have a choice?"

Dusty shook his head. "C'mon, I'll give you a lift to the top of the building. It'll be easier to keep hidden."

The stallion spread his wings, Blackjack holding on to him. With a few flaps, they landed on the building's roof. "You ever roof jumped?" Dusty asked.

"I'm a quick study."

Dusty nodded, then became quadrupal, Blackjack following suit. Together, they galloped to the end of the roof and jumped, landing on top of the next building. They went about this for some time, Dusty calling an elevator when they reached his apartment building.

"I can't believe we made it this far without being caught," he said, becoming bipedal and nervously pulling out a cigarette. "I got a bad feeling."

"Here," Blackjack said, becoming bipedal and snapping his fingers. A small flame danced above his thumb, and he lit Dusty's cigarette.

Dusty took a deep breath of his cigarette, slowly blowing the smoke out. "Thanks. Listen, about Ponyville-"

"I forgive you. I don't hold grudges easilly, and after hearing what your wife had to say, I can understand why you did what you did."

"Thanks...so, before we get to my floor, I have to ask: what in Tartarus are you doing back?"

"Long story. I'll tell you when we're safe."

The elevator doors opened and the stallions went down the hall to Dusty's apartment. He pulled out his keys and unlocked the door, which opened with a long creak. They walked inside, Dusty grinding his cigarette in an ashtray.

"You mind giving a light? I'm behind on the electric bills."

Blackjack summoned a small flame and followed the Pegasus through the apartment. Even in the dim light, Blackjack was able to see the condition that the apartment was in. The wall was cracked and eroding, water leaking into a bucket on top of a counter. A family of rats scattered when the stallions got close.

"I heard about the suffering," Blackjack whispered. "But this...is Celestia so determined to enforce her authority?"

"You have no idea," Dusty replied. "If you think I've got it bad, you should see the other side of town." He opened a door and quietly woke its occupant.

"Abigale, I need you to wake up."

"Dusty," his wife groaned. "Is it morning?"

"Not by your definition. Abigale, we need to leave."

The mare sat up, covering herself with the sheets at the sight of Blackjack. "Who's he?"

"A friend. Abigale, we have to go," Dusty said to Blackjack, "I'm going to get Misty. Can you keep an eye out for trouble?"

Blackjack nodded, turning around as Abigale got dressed. Dusty came back a moment later, Misty in his arms. The filly rubbed her eyes sleepilly, then smiled when she saw Blackjack.

"Hi," she said.

"Hey Misty," he replied, waving at her. "How are you?"

"Good!"

"Okay," Dusty said, handing Misty to Abigale. "We're going to go for a trip. Now-"

"Dusty," Abigale interrupted. "If you got in trouble at the harbor-"

"No. It's worse than that."

"How?"

"Let's just say: if any of us are caught by the cops or my old friends, we're in deep stuff; Jack and I are going to keep you safe, I promise."

Abigale could only stare at the stallions in disbelief. "Mr. Blackjack?"

Blackjack nodded. "Hello Mrs. Wind. I'm sorry that things have to be this way."

"Me too..."

"C'mon," Dusty said, opening the front door. "Try to be quiet."

Blackjack extinguished his fire and followed the Pegasi out of the apartment. Dusty nervously took another cigarette out of his pocket in the elevator, then decided against it after a glare from Abigale. The elevator opened to the roof, a police officer stopping them within their first few steps out.

"Hey," he said, a hand on his holstered gun. "Didn't you hear? Curfew's in effect at eight o'clock. I'm gonna need some facial I.D."

Dusty and Abigale grudgingly let the stallion scan their faces, a blue light eminating from a small device. That's new, Blackjack thought. Might have to do with the new laws in place from the past two years.

"Alright," the officer said. "You two check out, although you do a criminal record, sir. I'm going to let you off with a warning. Now you, step up please."

Blackjack glanced at Dusty, then did as he was told. The guard activated his scanner, the blue light turning red after a moment. "What the hay?" The officer asked, looking at the device's display. His eyes widened and he unholstered his gun. "This is Officer West, the Exile has been found! I repeat, the Ex-"

Blackjack knocked him out, a siren wailing in the distance. Dusty cursed. "Great! C'mon, we have to get out of here, now! Lead the way, Jack!"

They ran, jumping across the rooftops. A helicopter hovered in the sky behind them, a searchlight shining brightly. "Halt! By order of Queen Celestia, you must halt! Failure to comply with the law will result in lethal force!"

"Are they bluffing?" Blackjack asked.

"If only!" Dusty replied, pulling out his gun. He fired at the helicopter, denting its chasis. It pulled away, allowing the group a moment of safety. Dusty suddenly clutched his arm, grunting. "Great, there's a sniper on the other side!"

Blackjack didn't need any other explanation. He summoned a ball of fire and threw it at the police officer. After a moment, he extinguished it; Blackjack tackled another officer as he jumped on the roof af the next building. After he knocked him out, Blackjack caught up with Dusty's family.

"Not too much farther! You go ahead, I'll catch up!"

"Are you sure?" Abigale asked. "What if you're caught?"

"At least they'll forget about you! Look for an old stallion wearing a cape lined with bells, you can't miss him!"

Blackjack turned around, sprinting towards the officer he knocked out. When he reached him, he pulled out the officer's radio. "Attention all units, attention all units. You know who I am. I am willing to turn myself in. I will be waiting in Trot's Square. See you soon."

The stallion climbed down the building's fire escape and made his way to Trot's Square. He stood in the square's center, the video boards around him flashing an assortment of color on him. The largest one suddenly changed, a news network broadcasting.

"This is Equestrian National News Network coming to you live with a breaking news update. Manehatten Police Department has located Equestria's Most Wanted: Blackjack the Fiddler."

Blackjack watched a news helicopter hover in the air above him, several police helicopters circling around, S.W.A.T. officers pointing their rifles at him from the side of their craft. The sirens of police cars grew loud, several of them swerving to barricade the streets that connected to the square.

Officers and S.W.A.T. personel climbed out of their vehicles, weapons pointed at him. Blackjack looked back at the video board, seeing himself. Might as well gve them something to remember, he thought. After all, I might be dead within the next day.

Blackjack put his hand to his lips, then raised it at the camera. He signed the symbol for hope, the officers carefully nearing him. "Put your hands on your head!" An officer shouted. Blackjack obliged; he was tackled, his wrists cuffed forcefully, and he grunted. The stallion was dragged off of the street and forced into a police car, the door slamming shut.