Old Man Norman 3: Betting it all **CANCELLED**

Old Man Norman 3: Betting it all
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>I walk towards the land's checkpoint area.
>The only thing connecting the kingdom of the tyrant queen and this city that she abandoned.
>I carry only a small ticket given to me by a little boy...or girl.
>It's a lottery ticket. It's not much, but it's the only ticket I have to get inside the kingdom, even for a few minutes.
>After an hour of walking, I arrive.

>In front of me, I see three guards.
>All six foot tall and trained to the core.
>These guys will kill me like a fly.
>I wave my hand at them.
>They give the 'halt' signal.

>"You, beggar. Stop where you are." they said.
>I stop.
>They move in to question me.
>"State your business, beggar."
>I take the ticket from my pocket and showed it to them.
"I mean no harm, only a minute of entertainment based on luck."
>"Hm, this ticket's way too expensive for the likes of you. How did you get one?"
>>"I bet he stole it!" another guard said.
>You tell them no.
"What can I say? I have nothing to lose. Bought it with whatever money a few rich folk gave to me when I begged for a year."
>"You're crazy! Giving all you have for a chance to win a horse?"
"Do I look like I have much to live for?"

>They look at your old complexion.
>They assume you're telling the truth.
>"Very well. You! Escort the old man to the lottery area."
>>"Yeah, yeah." said the guard
>You held on to your walking stick as you got back your ticket.
>The guard escorts me towards the bridge heading to the kingdom.
>>"Pick a god and pray, old man. You're just one of the hundreds of people who bought a ticket to win."
"Heh. Even if I don't win, at least I get to see the insides of the kingdom again one last time."
>>"Again?  You've been here?"
"That was a long long time ago. I can't really remember why I was there, but I remember the face of the old queen, Celestia."
>The guard walked fast, almost shaking when he heard the name of Celestia.
"Something wrong?"
>>"N-nothing. Just hurry up with your walking."
"Alright, alright."

Babs Seed

>Scootaloo awakens to the sound of your hammering and wood shaving.
>She gets off her bed and walks out her bedroom.
>"Babs?"
*CLANK* *CLANK*
>You hammer some 2x4, one after the other.
>This would have been easier if the hideout had a forge.
>"Babs, what are you doing?"
>You give a quick look to Scootaloo.
>Your eyeballs slightly red and eyebugs below your lids.
"Morning, sunshine. How's sleep?"
>Scootaloo leaned in to see what you were doing.
>"What is this?"
"Let's just say it's a surprise."
>"W-what? I don't understand."
"Heh. Say Scoots, remember that ticket Ah showed you last week?"
>Uhhm, yeah?
"A few hours ago, Ah gave my lottery ticket to ahn old man who saved me from a bunch-a pricks from the city."
>"You...YOU GAVE THE LOTTERY TICKET? BUT THAT COST' US A WEEK TO GET!"
"You mean that cost ME a week to get, but don't worry. I have a plan."
>"Plan? What plan?"
"Look, my original plan was to go to that lottery and maybe steal the horse, but..."
>"But what?"
"That would require time and effort, something Ah can't afford to take chance with Diamond. If she found out I won a horse, she'd take it for herself."
>You stop your hammering and talked to Scootaloo, eye to eye.
"That's where the old man comes in. I don't know if I could trust him, but I don't have much of a choice. He's the only chance we have of getting out of here. Besides, he's helped me get out of a serious pickle, and ah doubt Diamond would do the same for me."
>"But what if he loses?"
"I...I don't know. Either way, we're just betting it all on him."
>Scootaloo shakes. It's all happening so fast.
"I can't live like this, not anymore. I need to get out of this place, and I'm bringing you along with me."
>"W-what!? But we can't survive out there on our own. Even if we do escape without Diamond knowing, I'll just drag yo-"
>You hold her shoulders and looked in her eyes one more time.
"LISTEN TO ME. WE WILL GET OUT OF THIS! WE HAVE TO."
>"Babs..."
>You went back to hammering metal and wood together.
"Bah, I need more parts."
>You take what you just constructed and hid it under your bed.
"I'm going outside. I can trust you with this, right?"
>"Y-yeah! But Babs, you only have an hour left before we report to Diamond!"
"Guess I'll hurry it up, then."
>You walk out of your room and climbed up the ladder.
>As you climb out of your hideout, you look at the tree where you met the old man.
>He's not there.
"Guess he went to the kingdom after all."
>You wished him good luck with your thoughts, and hopes that he wins.
>And you hope that if he does, he gives you and scoots a ride out of this place.

Norman

"Oh my god."
>You look upon the kingdom from beyond the gates.
>It is paradise compared to your city.
>Nice, clean water used for the fountains.
>Women and men, dressed with the highest quality threads seamstresses can weave.
>Guards, expertly standing outside and inside the kingdom's establishments.
>This is too much for you. Your balls could drop.
>"Close your mouth, beggar. You're here for the lottery. Any non-citizen of Canterlot is strictly forbidden to go beyond this lane."
"Yeah, yeah."
>The guard continues to escort you, until you've reached a certain point.
>"URGH!"
"Hmm? What's wrong?"
>"I...I need to take a piss. Stay right here or face execution!"
>He then leaves in a hurry, holding his crotch.
>It's going to take him minutes before he could take off his armor.
"haha."

>You take a seat by the nearby bench, admiring the kingdom.
>You look at the balcony of the kingdom's main castle.
>The Queen looks down her subjects. Her cold gaze and serious face sort of breaks the immersion.
>"You know, she wasn't always like this."
>You look to your left. Another person wearing a hood tries to spark a conversation.
"Hm. I know. I used to know the queen."
>"Oh really? Heh. Then again, the queen had alot of friends when she was a young woman."
"Well, I wouldn't remember much of that. I do remember an old friend of mine. Blue hair, a bit yellow in complexion. He was always hitting on Queen Sparkle before her coronation."
>"Oh?"
"Heh, yeah. It's a shame I don't remember much of my past. I don't even remember where that blue-haired bastard went off."
>The hooded man stays quiet, smiling for a moment.
>"So what are you doing in this kingdom, old man? I doubt you're a citizen here. You reek of filth, no offense."
"None taken. I don't suppose you know of a lottery here, right?"
>"Lottery? Of course! A horse is expensive to buy, so alot of people joined in on the lottery."
"Yeah. Well, long story short, I got a ticket, and now I'm entering the lottery."
>"And if you win? What then? Will you go back to the outside of this kingdom, only for you to get killed over a horse by a butcher or a thief?"
"Nah, I'm taking my chances of leaving the city without looking behind. I'd rather die far away from this place."
>"Heh."
>He looks at you for a moment.

>"I don't remember much of my past as well, but I do remember someone else too."
"Hm?"
>"Yeah. I remember someone who wore bright orange clothes, and that beanie you're wearing."
>He points at your beanie.
>"Yeah. Almost the same color. He and I used to be brothers in arms."
>You're curious.
"What happened?"
>"Well... he-"
>Just before he could continue, the guard who was escorting you finally got out of the bathroom.
>"OH MAN, those leaves were a pain in my ass. Someone should like, invent a way to wipe shit off your ass without using leaves. I'd pay a fortune for that."
>He grabs you by the arm.
>"Come, citizen. You don't want to be late for what could possibly be the most disappointing event of your life. HAHA."
>Asshole.
>You wave goodbye to the mysterious hooded man by the bench.
>Hoping you get to talk to him again soon.
>He seems to know you.


Scootaloo

"Oh man. Babs is late!"
>I got to make a cover story for her, but how?
>Got to run fast to the dining room. Got to tell Diamond Tiara that Babs just needed some time out.

>You run through the sewers, hard enough as it is for your predicament.
>Limping, avoiding rats, holding on tight to your crutch.
>You arrive at the dining area, but it's empty, save for the fire on the firewood lighting up the room.
>Where could they be?
>You walk towards Babs' room.
>It's half open.
"Oh god."
>You limp faster, and finally, you went inside.
>Diamond Tiara and her pals found a bunch of things from under Babs' bed.

>A poster regarding the lottery, a ripped map for everfree forest, and the contraption Babs was working on.
"I..."
>"Scootaloo..." they said with a devilish tone.
"I...I..."
>They know you and Babs were close.

>"You have alot of explaining to do..." They said, holding their pipes.


Norman

>"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! THE LOTTERY WILL BEGIN SHORTLY. FIRST, OFF, WE GIVE A BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR OUR LOVELY QUEEN, WHO WILL HOST THIS WEEK'S LOTTERY!"
>Hmm? The queen's here?
"Hey, guard. The queen hosts these things?"
>"You have a problem with that?"
"Well, no, but isn't it dangerous for her to appear here? I mean, not everyone here is from this kingdom. There others from the city outside."
>"That's why we're here, beggar. You guys do something, we kill you, otherwise, we get killed ourselves. Besides, there's only, like, four of you city-folk in here."
"Ah."
>The stage is a bit empty.
>"FRIENDS, I APOLOGIZE. THE QUEEN WILL BE ARRIVING LATE.
>Twilight? Tardy?
>Never thought you'd see the day.

>You look at your ticket. Number 1.
>>"You know, if the lucky number is 7, it just takes a little more ink"
>You look to your right. It's that hooded man.
>"Hey, get out of here."
>>"Oh don't be so strict, guard. Even an old man like him needs some company."
>"Fine. You have three minutes."
>The hooded man whispers as he talks.
>>"So, you think you're lucky, old man?"
"You don't look so young yourself, mate.
>>"Heh."
"So, about that that guy you familiarize me with. Who was he?"
>>"Let's just say I owe him big time. Saved me once from the queen's wrath."
"Oh? What happened."
>>"Ehh, the usual. Misunderstood my actions, one thing led to another, and I was almost punished, if not for my friend."
"Hurm..."
>>"The last words I told him was that, if he got out of this alive, I'll buy him a drink at the bar. Even if I didn't have any money, I still owed him my life."
"And did that man survive whatever punishment he got?"
>>"I don't know. He never resurfaced the day after that. I was too much of a coward to question the queen. I believed him to be dead...until now."
"What?"
>The hooded man separated from you. He left in haste.
>Who was that man?"

>Suddenly, trumpets sound the arrival of the queen.
>The horses pull the queen's carriage until it's driver signals them to halt.
>Behind the queen's carriage, the cage to the horse, and the small cart chained to the horse.
>Another guard opens the door of the carriage. Out goes the queen.

>"PRESENTING, QUEEN SPARKLE!"
>People around clap and cheer as the queen exits the carriage.
>She shows no emotion. Only the face of boredom. She slowly walks to the stage.
>You only look at her with a mix emotion of anger and nothingness.
>"Now, our queen. Do you have anything else to say?"
>The queen shakes her head gracefully, indicating a no.
>"Very well then, let us proceed with the program! After all, these only last for 15 minutes."
*laughing audience.mp3*
>"So, as we begin this blah blah blah..."
"Hey guard. How long till he starts to draw a number?"
>"This could take a while. The guy loves the sound of his voice."
"Ah well."
>You decide to look at the kingdom in the background. The highlight of this country.
>But you notice something different.
>There is a silhouette of a human, jumping from building to building.
>Oh god, are we going to have an assassination event?
>...
>Nah, that only happens in those Hashashin's Creed books.
>You look at the the man climbing the building. He's not alone.
>With him, two other hooded folk. Most likely his partners.
>You then put your attention to the crowd. The hooded man you just talked to gave you a smirk.
>Something's happening.
>You look up to check the hooded people again.
>Within a second, they hide in the shadows.
>No one took notice. No one but you.

>Why isn't anyone looking there?
>These guards are the worst.
>Ah well. Might as well see what happens.
>"...AND NOW, WE SHALL PROCEED WITH THE LOTTERY."
*cheering audience.mp3*

>It takes the guy a whole minute to get a number.
>Oh the drama...

>"ALAS, I HAVE GOTTEN A NUMBER! SUCH PREVELIEGE IT IS FOR ME TO BLAH BLAH BLAH..."
>Oh please, just shut up and say the number one.
>"AND THE NUMBER IS..."
>...
>"[spoiler]SEVEN[/spoiler]. THE NUMBER IS [spoiler]SEVEN[/spoiler]."
>The guard escorting you laughs.
>"What number were you were again, beggar?"
"Any number but seven, if that's what you're asking."
>"Hahahaha."
>The winner goes up the stairs of the stage.
>The guy is happy as hell.
>Normally, you'd give him a smile, but fuck, you really wanted that horse.
>"Congratulations, lucky winner. How does it feel?"

>[spoiler]tfw havegf.png[/spoiler]

>"Hahah, come, come claim your reward."
>The audience looks as the man escorts the winner to the small cage holding the horse and it's cart.
>But before they could open it, something happens.
>Smoke bombs roll on stage. Some fall from the sky.

"What the hell?"

>Footstep sounds intensifies as the smoke denies the guards its sight.
>You can barely see a thing, but you can see two-three hooded people wearing goggles.
>The queen's guards quickly escorts Twilight to her carriage.
>And from the smoke, a man rides the horse as his two lackeys sit on the cart.
>>"HAHA!" the hooded man yelled as he rode on the horse.
>He then grabs his sword and knocks out the guard who was escorting me.
>He then sheathes his sword, takes off his hood and looks you in the eye.
>A streak of blue and white oh his hair. The look of determination on his face.
>He reminds you of your old friend.
>Maybe he is your old friend, maybe he isn't.

>He stretches out his hand and says to you.

>"Come with me if you want to live better."

End of Chapter 3.