Reginald followed Mist Veil, no Bluebird, through the bustling streets of Manehatten. The towering skyscrapers, flashy storefronts, and generally busier air got him planning as they walked. Jewelry stores were a classic target, they were also fairly commonplace he noted. Ponies certainly loved gems.
"Where exactly is the Mercenary guild?" he asked his First Pony.
"There are entrances all over the city, we're headed to the one owned by my mentor," she replied and looked back at him. "I promised I'd pay him a visit if I was ever in town."
"I'll leave the talking to you then, shall I?"
"Nah, he's really well-connected, since we need to establish ourselves, I thought you could work something out with him. I only know enough about how things work here to get by," the thief said. "Who sells what, safe house locations, informants and so on. He's the one you see for business stuff."
Well, that was good to know, it saved them time if her mentor would be willing to help. They reached a high end bar and they stepped inside.
It was warmly lit, the polished, dark tones of the wooden floor, coupled with the well stocked bar and restaurant-style seating with red tablecloths gave the bar a quiet, sophisticated feel. Reginald waited as Mist pulled her goggles down to hang around her neck and pulled her glasses out from her coat pocket. The bar patrons paid them no mind as they walked up to the bar and the bartender, a thin, elderly dark green unicorn with a greying mane, waved them through to a V.I.P room behind the bar.
A wave of something rolled over Reginald as they walked through the doorway, sending a chill down his spine and the lights flickered.
The two of them stepped out into a massive lobby, the black-and-white tiled floor had other doorways all of manner of creatures were using. The wild variation on architecture and the different styles of attire worn by passerby made it clear they were in a completely different building.
"Sir, look up." Mist said.
He looked up, obsidian walls and a vaulted ceiling loomed overhead, and in the distance, a castle as black as night floated in the air, an ominous, otherworldly light around it. Reginald looked around the lobby, off to the side, a cobblestone path rounded a corner to who-knows-where, and in front of them, a glittering red staircase wound its way up into the air. The only way to reach the floating castle.
"Welcome to Penumbra, criminal capital of the world," Mist said. "That path leads to the one several villages built down here, Sundown."
"I thought you said we were headed to the mercenary guild?" Reginald asked her.
This wasn't a guild, it was an entire kingdom.
"The guild has their headquarters here, Penumbra is a sort of... pocket dimension tied to the rest of the world. The gateway we passed through senses your true intent," Mist said as she led him around the corner into a village with a distinctly Gothic feel to it. "If someone tries to enter with the intent of shutting the place down, the gateway just doesn't work, same with innocents that have no business being here."
The mare strolled up to a tall, gray bricked office building, with large wooden doors, and dark red curtains drawn shut over the windows. The sign was a symbol, beyong Reginald's ability to read. Mist held the door open for him. They walked into a formal, yet elegant waiting room. His shoes clacked on the stone floor.
There was a pony waiting for them. A pegasus that stood a head taller than Mist Veil, of a sleek build wearing a black bodysuit, sturdy metal boots, a utility belt, and armored plates on his shoulders. The most striking thing was the metal helmet covering his head, the right half was black, the left was orange.
The stallion's single grey eye looked at Mist as he addressed her. "Bluebird, it's been a while," his sharp gaze flickered to Reginald. "Who's your friend?"
"This is my new employer, Reginald Copperbottom of The Toppat Clan," Mist replied cordially. "The clan seek their fortune and infamy in Equestria."
"I see," the stallion mused. "Why don't we take this to my office?"
"Bluebird?" a mare's voice asked from behind them.
Standing in the doorway was a unicorn mare with yellow fur and an reddish-orange mane with streaks of yellow wearing a white bodysuit, red boots, and a wine red cape with a gold clasp in the shape of a bird that matched the orange and red phoenix shaped eye mask on her face. A tiara with a ruby on it sat atop her head.
Reginald watched the mare walk up to Mist, about to hug the pegasus, when Mist stepped back, alarmed, wings snapping open in distress.
"No, no hugs Red." Mist stressed.
The unicorn's expression soured. "Whatever," she looked between the three of them. "So, what brings you back to Manehatten?"
"Business," Mist said and turned to Reginald. "Sir? Do you need me here?"
Reginald glanced at the unicorn. Something seemed off about her. "I don't want you standing around all day, why don't you and your, friend, I presume?" he got confirmation as Mist nodded. "Wait here, I'll meet back up with you after I've concluded business with this gentleman."
"Please, call me Gabriel," the stallion said politely. He looked at the unicorn. "Red Dawn, I trust you'll behave yourself?"
Red Dawn smirked. "Of course Deathstroke, I just want to catch up with my old partner. I haven't seen her in nearly a year after all."
Mist sat in a chair across from her old co-worker. The unicorn brought out a newspaper clipping and passed it over to her.
"Canterlot Castle was broken into," Red Dawn said as Mist skimmed over the article. "Don't you see? It can be done! We could-"
"We're not stealing the Elements Sunset." Mist deadpanned returning the clipping to her friend.
The other mare slammed a hoof on the armrest. "And why not? Your skills would make it easy for us. We could finally get back at everyone! Princess Celestia, your grandmother, they'd have no way to stop us."
Mist sighed. "There are better ways Sunset. We're better than that."
"Come on Lillian, after everything I've helped you with?" Sunset looked disappointed. "It's just one last mission, like old times."
Mist could feel stress digging into her brain from the conversation. Her friend, her only friend for years, was adamant. She discreetly adjusted her hat, pressing a button in the side to activate a hidden camera. "I'm not well Sunset, I can't even fly anymore."
"What? What happened?"
"My client was in danger from a dragon attack, I expended too much magic driving the dragon off." Mist explained.
Sunset scowled. "Can't you just replenish it like everypony else?"
"Monochrome Syndrome." the pegasus flatly reminded her.
A nasty look crossed the other pony's features. "Oh I see how it is, you'll throw yourself into the sun for your new boss, but not for me?" Mist was yanked off her seat, enveloped in Sunset's magic. The unicorn stood over her, sneering. "You owe me, so unless you want to be rendered absolutely useless to your new boss, you'll accept my offer.
Mist regained her footing as Sunset dropped her. The air heated up around them, Sunset's smug expression fell as Mist pressed a red-hot, glowing primary feather to the mare's horn.
"You wouldn't dare you coward." Sunset hissed.
Mist was eerily calm. "You're right, I am a coward. but," she stood on her hind legs, moving with cat-like grace as she sliced her wing through the air, cutting off a lock of Sunset's mane. "You, Sunset Shimmer, have mistaken my empathy for weakness," her gaze softened at the very real fear in her friend's eyes. "It's been years Sunny, just cut ties with your mum and make a life for yourself, you can be better than this. I can help you-"
The raw fury was back. "After everything I've been through? You will help me or I swear-"
Well, Mist tried, Sunset had her chance. The ice in her tone returned. "Don't Shimmer, I'm warning you, don't give me a reason to stop caring," she stood tall, her wing returned to the other mare's horn "If you break the Guild Code to go after me, I will take action. You're a mercenary, not a bully. Rutting act like it."
Sunset glared at her and stalked off. Once she was gone, Mist collapsed into her seat, emotionally exhausted.
Her earpiece crackled to life, it was The Right Hand Man. "Need assistance?"
"No, no, I'm fine," she hastily replied. "It was a precaution."
"Keep the camera on," Right ordered. "Jus' in case."
"Understood."
Reginald sat across from Gabriel, a desk between them, as the stallion read the document the Toppat Chief had given.
"Materials, warehouses, factories... My aren't we ambitious?" Gabriel drawled. "I'd be happy to point you in the right direction Mister Copperbottom, assuming this is worth my time."
The stallion continued. "This guild, this kingdom, and the people who have found their way here all have rules. If your people are to survive, you will abide by the rules," Gabriel leaned back in his chair, amused. "I don't know how you came across my former pupil, but I'd advise following her course of action. Bluebird may be working for you, but to the rest of the world you are the ones working for her. If I am to assist you, I want proof you can keep your word."
"A test?" Reginald smirked. "The Toppats have rules our of own Gabriel, this deal had better be something we can both agree on."
"You have my former pupil working with you, I highly doubt you'll turn down my generosity," Gabriel stated, putting down the list and retrieving a folder from a desk drawer. The document within, a profile on a mare. "A fashion designer has been stirring up trouble in Manehatten, passing off the work of others as her own. The law can't touch her due to lack of proof and the victims won't testify against her."
"You want us to deal with her?" Reginald assumed.
"I want Bluebird to deal with her, with your assistance," Gabriel clarified. "She may work for you, but no matter her role in your clan, she has a reputation to uphold, and as her mentor, I want assurance she's better off with you," the stallion's presence seemed to chill the air, a cold gaze directed at the leader of the Toppats. "You've seen the state she's in, it won't be long until she loses her magic entirely, a death sentence in her line of work."
"That is also why we've come to Manehatten, Bluebird informed me there was a potential cure for her condition somewhere in the city." Reginald stated calmly.
"Vampirism," Gabriel supplied cooly. "Penumbra is the Kingdom of Vampires, ruled by Vampire Lord Sombra, if anyone can heal her, it's the ruler of Penumbra himself."
Reginald nodded. "I'll be sure to seek an audience with him," he grabbed his list and the folder, standing up to leave. "This test of yours is feasible, I'll get back to you once we've completed it."
"I eagerly await the results," Gabriel replied with a nod. "Oh, and Mister Copperbottom? Be wary of Red Dawn, the mare has come close to breaking the Guild Code in the past, I'd hate for Bluebird to be pulled into one of her schemes."
Right met with Reginald and Mist in the conference room, sitting next to the First Pony as the three of them shared information.
"That Sunset girl is a threat," he stated and Mist protested.
"I wouldn't say a threat, she's had it rough," the mare explained. "She was always headstrong, but she can be a good person, she just has to see her quest for revenge isn't worth it."
Reginald hummed in thought before Right could retort. "You have history with her, yes? Care to fill us in?"
Mist was blank-faced as she clinically explained. "Met her after I went to live with my grandparents up in Canterlot, I was forced to attend Celestia's School for Gifted Ponies as part of the school's Pegasus Division. Sunset was Princess Celestia's personal student, I was the school charity case, we were pretty much forced together from day one," Mist looked bitter. "We met outside school as my grandmother cozied up to the Princess and just started talking, I guess, I don't remember since those years were a paranoid, stressful haze."
"Eventually, we both got sick of how we were being treated, Sunset wanted to be taken seriously as a mage and I wanted to embrace my special talent to help people," Mist explained. "I developed my skills as thief sneaking out of the mansion for a bit of peace and quiet flying around the city. Grandparents are unicorns and I was forced to walk everywhere, and my talent relegated to making me look pretty to bolster my grandmother's social standing. Once we were of legal age, I took what I could and we ran off to fight the injustices of the world, been a team ever since."
"An' then you got crook." Right stated.
"And then I got crook..." Mist sighed. "I was too weak to go missions, Sunset was getting upset by it, so I figured it was best to haul arse somewhere else and retire."
Right felt sorry for the pony, she looked tired. "...I don' think that girl was ever your friend Mist."
She gave him a rueful smile. "I suppose that's what I get for being a rutting doormat. Hopefully my threat was enough to scare her off, if not, well..." she looked down at the table, resigned. "I'm a coward, I have a moral code not even my mentor could break, but I have my limits. The Guild Code prohibits mercenaries from stealing jobs, money or items from other members, and is against acts of physical violence towards fellow mercs. If she breaks the code, I'll throw her to the wolves."
Right was impressed, Mist was passive by nature. "Is that so?"
"Well, I'm not one to hate or spite, I just walk away," Mist shrugged. "If I have to dump her at the doors of the MPD to do so, then so be it."
He could respect that, as did the Chief if his grin was any indication. "A noble stance to have," Reginald plopped a folder onto the table. "So, how do we go about this?"
"The job's simple enough, get in, grab the target, get out an' drop her off at the designated location." Right commented.
Mist was looking at one of the pages of the profile. "But what about her apprentice. Our target's holding a mare prisoner, a mare that no one will miss if she goes missing," Mist pointed out. "Suri takes talented ponies from troubled backgrounds and runs them into the ground for her benefit. This is exactly the sort of person I usually target with a full performance."
"Performance?" Reginald asked.
A bit of life, a bit of colour returned to the mare as she spoke. "Bluebird is more like a mask I wear, a role I play. Missions like this would mean bringing the target to justice, rescuing victims, and robbing the place blind. I'd look for evidence to pass on to my informants, get the victims to a safe house, and keep the target at another location for pickup once the police have been tipped off," she grinned. "For the finale, I'd air the targets dirty laundry to businesses and locations they associate with so everyone knows who brought them down."
"Well, can' hurt to try it your way, would get the Toppat name out there," Right mused. "Still think we should jus' grab an' bag her though."
"This is also a test, our success depends on Mist completing the objective, not the clan as a whole," Reginald added. "I do like the idea though, very dashing. We'll consider this Mist's first official mission as a fully-fledged member of the clan."
Right nodded, made sense. "Fair enough," he turned to Mist. "Alright girl, how're we goin' to go 'bout this?"
Finding the target was easy. Mist tailed her to her penthouse. As the pink furred, purple maned earth pony walked out onto the street. Mist, in typical tourist attire, approached her.
"Oh my stars, you're Suri Polomare!" she gushed, purposely exaggerating her accent as she invaded the mare's personal space. "I think your work is amazing."
Suri smiled. "It's always nice to meet a fan," she turned to the lighter coated earth pony meekly following her. "isn't that right Coco?"
"Yes..." Coco replied timidity.
Mist looped a foreleg around Suri's shoulders, gesturing to the Polaroid camera hanging around her own neck. "Could I trouble you for a photo? My mates back in Sydniegh will be so jealous when I tell them I got to meet you!"
"Oh of course, anything for a fan." Suri cooed.
As Mist took the photo, she swiftly stole Suri's penthouse key from where the mare had it stashed in her mane. Hiding the key under her wing, and photo acquired, Mist separated from the fashion designer. "Thank you so much."
Suri looked smug as Mist, acting as the enthusiastic fan, shook hooves with her. "It's no problem at all."
The pegasus darted over to shake hooves with Coco, slipping a note into her hoof. Gushing, Mist swiftly left, dropping the act as she rounded the corner, and ducked into an alley. Right was leaning up against the wall, her regular clothes draped over an arm and her hat in hand.
"Ugh, I feel gross..." Mist grumbled as she reflected light off a wing to burn the photo. With it reduced to a pile of ashes, she passed the penthouse key over to Right and changed into her Bluebird attire. Slipping her goggles on, she stuffed her disguise down her coat pocket.
Right handed her her hat. "We goin' in?"
Mist nodded. "According to the file, the target has a photo shoot today on the other side of town. Plenty of time for us to grab evidence and find a place to ambush her when she gets back. Ready to go?"
"Yeah."
Mist grinned. "Showtime."
The penthouse was lavish, the interior design screamed rich and influential, but they ignored it, the flashy living room and kitchen a facade for guests and an indulgence for the owner. No, they separated, Right combing the office for information, and Mist looking around the immaculate bedroom. The walk-in wadrobe had nothing, but the room had a second door. A plain door that most would assume led to a bathroom. Mist tried the door handle.
Locked.
Reaching into her coat pocket, Mist pulled out a a rolled up piece of cloth, she unfurled it on the floor and began assessing which of various lockpicking tools would be best for the job.
The door was open in under a minute. Mist put her tools away and walked down the short corridor that lay beyond.
The next room was a workshop or studio of some kind. Designs and patterns pinned to a cork board, material and sewing equipment scattered about, dresses in various stages of assembly, and tucked away in a corner was a bed, shoved up against the wall and a rubbish bin filled with empty packets of cheap instant meals and take-out boxes. Mist checked under the bed and found a suitcase that contained a few clothes, an old fashion magazine, and little else in the way of personal belongings.
Mist stepped away from the bed and examined the dress patterns pinned to the board. She couldn't make heads or tails of the designs themselves, but she noticed a lot of alterations had been made by someone other than the original designer. Little notes scrawled onto the paper in different writing that demanded one change or another, scathing remarks about a certain choice the original designer went with, and threats if something wasn't completed on time.
On a nearby desk, Mist saw small hints towards the original designer's situation. Fashion magazines praising Suri's latest line, newspaper clippings, flyers to competitions. And, hidden under a magazine, an old newspaper clipping from six months ago, detailing the tragic loss of Suri's previous apprentice.
Mist felt as if a lead weight was in her stomach as she skimmed it, the article going on to applaud Suri for making a difference despite the tragedy by taking part in a mentorship program to help the less fortunate. The corresponding photo showing the mare standing beside a bright-eyed, hopeful Coco. She faced the door as she heard the Right Hand Man approach. He slowly circled the room.
"Bloody 'ell..." he said as Mist showed him the article.
"You find anything?" Mist asked.
He nodded. "She's got the police in her back pocket, found where she keeps track of her finances an' there's some dodgy stuff. Got a list of names too," he looked around the room again. "I wondered why there was no sign of her apprentice livin' here, both of 'em have this place listed as their address."
Mist put the article back where she found it. "Looks like we're exposing more than just slavery today..."
"An' the captive? What're we doin' with her?"
"If she has nowhere else to go, I can take her to a safe house and give her enough money to get her back on her hooves." Mist explained. "As long we get her to safety."
Hours later, Suri returned home. Mist watched through a gap in the ajar bedroom door as the earth pony shoved Coco towards the bedroom.
"Now get those dresses finished! I need them ready for next week's spring spotlight." Suri barked and Coco cowed in submission.
"O-of course Suri..."
Mist retreated to hide in the wardrobe as Coco walked towards the bedroom. As the light coated earth pony shambled past, Mist pulled her into the wardrobe.
"It's okay, I'm not going to hurt you," she said soothingly to the startled mare. "I'm going to get you out of here."
Coco whipped around to stare at her. "That note was from you?"
"Yeah, I was hired to put an end to Suri's mistreatment and bring her to justice." Mist explained quietly.
Coco perked up, hope shining in her eyes. "I can testify against her, I'll do anything!"
"Grab anything you need and get ready to leave," Mist instructed. "Wait for me here when you're done."
Coco nodded. "Alright."
Mist exited the wardrobe, watching as Coco went to get here things. Listening for signs of Suri moving around the apartment, Mist pressed a wing to her earpiece. "Victim is cooperating, status?"
Right Hand Man answered. "The airship is in position."
"Good, engaging the target now," Mist replied and stood on her back legs, confidently walking out into the lounge room. Suri was seated on the minimalist couch, her back to the pegasus. Mist smirked at the perfect opportunity for a grand entrance. "Greetings, Miss Polomare."
Suri jumped, turning in panic. Mist silenced her protests by stalking towards her and dropping copies of the photographs she'd taken into the fashion designer's lap. Photographs off incriminating evidence, proof.
"How did you get in here?" Suri demanded. "Who are you?"
Mist smirked. "Does the name Bluebird ring any bells?" Mist took satisfaction in the dawning horror on Suri's face. "To think the rumours about you were true, I should have looked into before I left... But I'm here now, and you've oh so graciously provided me with everything I need to do some actual good around here."
Suri looked down at the photos, then up at Mist. "If it's money you want, I-I'll pay you double the price of whoever hired you! Dispose of these photos and leave me alone!"
"Money?, Miss Polomare this isn't about money, it's about justice," Mist stated cooly. "You're practically enslaving that poor mare working for you, do you even pay her?"
"Pay her? She works for me and I don't throw her back out into the street, I don't waste my money on street scum like her." Suri scoffed.
"I see," Mist said and moved to stand in front of a large floor to ceiling window that overlooked the city. "Then watch, as your empire of lies and abuse crumbles before you." she spread her wings wide, light reflected off her in a dazzling display.
The Toppat airship flew in the distance, small boxes with parachutes slowing their descent were being dropped from the ship to land in the streets below. Suri sprung up off the couch and hurried to the window.
"Each of those boxes contains a copy of everything the government needs to convict you and weed out the corruption running rampant in the Manehatten Police Department," Mist explained calmly. "Of course, the authorities were notified hours ago, this is to prevent them from sweeping it under the rug. With the public aware of your misdeeds, the outcry will force their hoof."
Suri sunk to the floor, at a loss for words. Mist stared down at her passively. "I'd advise against running by the way. I have people keeping an eye out, on the off chance you decide to bolt."
There was a knock on the front door.
"And that will be the police," Mist stated. "You're finished."
Mist returned to the bedroom to retrieve Coco. The earth pony was waiting with a suitcase at her hooves. Mist offered her a friendly smile. "Hey, cops are here."
"Thank you," Coco said, hesitant. "I'll um... go speak to them?"
Mist pulled a business card out of her coat pocket and gave it to her. It was the card for a small hotel that doubled as a safe house. "If you feel unsafe, head to this address, tell the receptionist Bluebird sent you."
"You're not staying?" Coco asked.
"I can't, I'm still a wanted criminal... I think," Mist replied. "See ya."
With a tip of her hat, Mist went invisible and slipped past the police officers entering the apartment. She watched from the stairwell as Suri was taken into custody and Coco was tended to by emergency services. Once Mist was satisfied Coco was in good hooves, she made her way to the rendezvous point.
In the darkness of an alley, Gabriel stepped out of the shadows to meet her.
"Well done," he said politely. "You can tell your little friends they have my support. I'll send word to my contacts to acquire what the Toppat Clan needs."
"Thank you for giving us a chance," Mist replied. "I... know full well I've been a bit of a disappointment ever since I got sick."
The stallion tilted his head. "A disappointment? Lillian, I am far from disappointed. You had no control over what happened. You and I have our differences, but I respect your work, as you respect mine." he walked forward to place a wing on her shoulder. "It is good to see you recovering, my only request is that you use caution. Without turning to darker forces, you will be hindered in your ability to work."
"I know," Mist whined. "I'm not stupid..."
"And yet you push yourself beyond your limits," Gabriel scolded. "Your reliance on this Toppat Clan is worrying."
Mist rolled her eyes, not that he could see it through the tinted lenses of her goggles. "It's not that different from relying on you for the last decade, just less violence, and assassinations."
"Just don't let your pacifism get the better of you," he warned her, stepping back. "You've already made an enemy of Red Dawn."
"Don't remind me..." Mist grumbled. "She was my friend, I trusted her with stuff."
"She's your problem now." Gabriel said cooly.
Mist waved him off as the airship flew overhead, a rope dropping for her to grab onto. "I'll handle it, thanks again."
Gabriel nodded. "Until next time."