The Olden World

by Czar_Yoshi

Dangerous Karma

Maple, Howe, Starlight and Valey paused at the corner, craning their heads out in a four-pony totem pole to see what was going on beyond. They took in Grainwave, frazzled and somewhere between bargaining and disbelief, having a one-sided argument with a neckless orange stallion who would have matched Starlight in height if not for his tri-fold hat. He had a razor-sharp mustache that accentuated his smiles and frowns, a clean, jet-black mane, and was apparently an ardent believer in the phrase 'limited liability.'

"Look, Mr. Karma," Grainwave was saying, drooping. "I should have been more skeptical, alright? I get it. I've learned my lesson. But your employee still mislead me and put me in a situation where I was in danger, on your property! Can't you do anything as... compensation, or something?"

Dangerous Karma shook his orange head, eyes closed. "I told ya, lass, there's nothing I'm gonna do. You don't make a successful business by messing with strange cases in a town as feisty as Ironridge. And being in danger? Yer' practically there every day, living in the Earth District."

"Which is why I want to leave!" Grainwave protested. "To get higher up! Sir, is... is it really that hard to just sign me something saying I'm a pony who sticks her neck out for the greater good? Generosity is something that comes back around to help you!"

"Sticking yer' neck out, huh?" Dangerous Karma inspected her, head sideways. "You did just leave an employed associate of mine off to fend for himself in a sticky situation, didn't you? What do you call that?"

"I..." Grainwave gulped, holding a wing to her chest. "Commander Valey was there! And this insane pegasus too, but... she... You know what they say!" She glanced around, as if aware she was being watched but unable to find the location. "How she makes stallions disappear forever, when they wander too far from their homes in the Earth District? How she's actually a monster they dug up beneath the Flame District, and turned into a pony using secret yak magic? Or if that's not true, how the reason she's the only batpony in Ironridge is because she was exiled here after sacrificing her entire village in Yakyakistan to dark magic to become immortal, so whenever another one comes here, she-"

Maple looked down at Valey, trying her best to keep from frowning... but the batpony was gone.

"I ain't saying my associate didn't deserve whatever he got himself into," Dangerous Karma said, a shadow shifting on the floor beneath him. "And I've heard those tales, and they're nothing but hogwash. You know if you went up a district, you'd have to work by the mare, right...?" He squinted, seeing the expression on Grainwave's face.

"She's standing right behind you," the pegasus mouthed, shrunken pupils fixed on Valey's smiling mug.

"Sure am!" Valey chirped, after allowing Dangerous Karma sufficient seconds to turn around. "And pardon the interruption... or don't, if this is especially inconvenient. Just heard a little misinformation go by, and thought I'd set the record straight, you know?" She gave a diagonal grin. "I'm an admiral. Not commander, admiral. Cool?"

Grainwave continued watching her with fear and the tiniest bit of hope, taking one step back towards the corner where Maple, Starlight and Howe waited. Dangerous Karma, however, stood his ground.

"Valey," he said, wiggling his mustache. "Congrats on scaring the living daylights out of a pack of recruits Sequitur duped into giving him a hoof. Feeling mighty proud of yerself for that, aren't you?"

Valey winked. "Eh, it was all in a day's work. I might have left your mook in a garbage bin a room or two from the tunnel entrance, by the way. I think it was a bit out of his league, but between you and me? It looked lonely, and I was feeling generous. Total damages were a few bananas, some fruit smashed against a wall and a few loud noises."

Glancing between Valey and Dangerous Karma, who didn't seem to take any issue whatsoever with Valey's appearance or announcement, Grainwave stood, jaw slack. "You just... You sound like you're doing business, or something. Didn't she just rob your supplies?"

"Yeah, so?" Valey looked up.

"Lass..." Dangerous Karma sighed, taking two stubby steps toward her. "Sounds to me like you've been looking at the wrong picture lately. We export fruit around these parts... lots of fruit. Millions of ponies this side of the world eat our fruit. How much of a difference you think letting one glutton eat her fill beforehoof is gonna make?" He pointed at Valey, who beamed innocently.

"She said something like that in the depot..." Grainwave wilted, also looking at Valey.

Dangerous Karma nodded. "The short of it is that sometimes, when you leave yer' criminal population to its own devices, it sorts itself out and makes its own winners and losers. And when you luck out and that winner causes a tree or two of economic damage at worst? You sit on yer' time and let them do their thing. I've ridden this company past a lot of crazy stuff in the world, and the trick is to mess with as little as possible and make do with what comes your way. That's why I let Sequitur go about his business... and why I ain't gonna get my muzzle stuck in yers."

"Sir..." Grainwave began feebly.

He squared his shoulders and turned away.

"Hey, kiddo." Valey extended a wing, tapping Grainwave's shoulder. The pegasus turned to look at her... and she grinned, flashing her sharp teeth. "Did I tell you so, or what?"

"I'll just... go, then." And with that, she slunk away.

Dangerous Karma and Valey both stared after her. At last, Valey said, "You know, most ponies don't think lying is very nice. If it was the Spirit in your barn, you'd get off your rear and do something about it. You just don't like the idea of ponies leaving for districts that aren't yours."

The stallion fixed her with a steady gaze. "That's 'cause the Spirit want to cause a whole lot more economic damage than just eating a fruit or two, and you know it. It's the only reason I let you run around as you please, to boot."

Valey rolled her eyes. "Yeah, like you could get rid of me if you wanted to."

"...So," Dangerous Karma growled, changing the topic. "How many yahoos do you have lurking around that corner waiting to back you up? Don't think I haven't seen them."

At that, Maple, Starlight and Howe stuck their heads back around the corner, before walking into full sight.

Comments

[FloydienSlip]

So is DK short, or is Starlight taller than I've been picturing?

[Czar_Yoshi]

8619370 He's super short. Like Daddy McColt from Twilight and Fluttershy's map episode in Season 5.

[Phoenix Kitten]

I feel really bad for Grainwave.