Mercenary Tales

by Slendy

0-3 Irrelevant

In and out, that's what W did best when the skies were dark and layered thick for a storm. For five days it had panned out perfectly. W scanned the streets, some ponies, not busy though. She then peered to the skies, no sign of pegasai, good. Nodding to herself, she curled her fingers around the lip of the slanted roof and swung herself down and into the stall. It was a medium-sized box, with a door to the back left where it entered a building, and along the walls with a shelf facing her was her prize.

Potions of various colors and sizes, some were round, others were angular, a few glowed with a mysterious effect. It didn't matter what they were, to W, these were valuable. Win or lose, she'd use them and figure out their effects later. With her duffle bag unzipped, her fingers delicately plucked the vials from their perches, inspecting them before stuffing them into her bag.

"Roses are red-" Her fingers took a thin red potion. "-Violets are blue-" She snatched a pale blue bottle. "-in the end, you will do." She reached for a black one next, faint purple bubbles popping near the cork.

*Bam!*

W let out a grunt as something hot crackled and sparked down her spine, sending her flying into a shelf, breaking the brackets as potions smashed on the floorboards and atop her head, one of which made her muscles feel like lead in seconds. Despite the handicap, her knife was wrenched from her jacket, drawing it defensively against the unicorn in the lantern light.

A pony with a bandana over his charcoal muzzle and a matching hat stood before her, his lime-green magic holding several potions in the air. "You are a terrible excuse for a thief," He grunted, "And a headache," W's eyes narrowed, still suffering from the effects of whatever potion had her body struggle to budge. "A concoction that leaves the user's body feeling like lead, the mindless masses call it a 'Lead Bone Potion', hmph, the foalish title grates more than your insufferable racket every day you skulk around Ponyville."

"You... never... gave me... a choice..." Even her tongue felt a thousand times heavier, sweating up a storm when the unicorn struck her chest with a pale blue potion. Suddenly, W's nose struck the floorboards, hissing in pain before a field of magic grabbed her legs and tossed her like a ragdoll toward the underside of the counter. "He's got me!" Quick to retaliate, she slipped her knife back into her hands, preparing to lunge for the unicorn's blindspot.

Mir stared at the creature for the longest time, he was informed of all the little bits of gossip that spread around the town about her. A vicious monster that can cast magic that leaves destruction in its wake, blades so sharp they can cut the skin with a graze, a body so tough it puts dragon scales to shame. What knelt before him was a desperate, dirty, terrified female with nothing left to lose, grasping at whatever her fingers could snatch away. Those eyes were bleeding with hatred.

"I suggest you keep your head down, now," He insisted, smacking her antenna with a book in time to avoid them being detected by two approaching mares. One a cream color, and the other a mint green. "If you aren't here to buy something, leave."

W tried to protest but froze when she heard the hooves behind the counter. Her brow furrowed strangely at the stallion. "Is he protecting me?" It must've been a trick, right? A ruse to corner her, but she lowered her knife regardless.

"Sorry for bothering you, Mir, but..." Bon-Bon stared at the broken shelf, and the dirt trailed across the floor. "Did something happen? Sounded bad."

"Wow, place is a mess..." Lyra was smacked on the back of the head by Bon-Bon as the vexed glare Mir burrowed into the pair refused to even twitch.

"Bah, another meaningless experiment," Mir grunted, dismissing the ponies above the counter with a hoof. "Your concern is noted, however misplaced it may be."

"Ah, right, just making sure," "Take care, Mir!" The two mares disappeared soon after, leaving a deathly silence by the alchemist's stand.

"Why...?" His deadpanned stare gazed at the woman hiding beneath his stand, her eyes glowering back but hesitance covered the fire. "...why the hell would you help me?"

"Do I look like I have a need for any more trouble?" He stated as if it were obvious, shaking his head with a snort. He returned to levitating the broken glass into a nearby bin, not bothering to spare W a look. "The idea of those Elements or Celestia forbid the Royal Guard breathing down my neck about meaningless questions I have no answers for would be an incalculable waste of time!"

A light chuff escaped W as she sat up. "You sure have a way with words, for a pony."

"Irrelevant!" He threshed a hoof back at her, shoving a note into her face. "If you insist on constantly running amuck, go and be useful, shoo!"

In her fingers was a list of items, names she may have seen in a book she stole. They were herbs. W looked at the note, then to the disgruntled unicorn muttering ingredients and potions that could've been jibberish for all W knew. For the first time since this crap world spat her out into the mud, the Sarkaz cracked a genuine smirk. "Gotcha, just don't say I didn't warn ya."

"Yes-yes, your empty threats are noted, now go," He huffed, hearing her disappear from his shop. The 'Beast of the Everfree' had access to resources that would take him days to procure, if she wasn't as mindless as the ponies made her out to be, perhaps he may find himself with more results than normal. For once himself, this prospect was a little invigorating.

W stared down at the small shop that if you weren't paying attention, you'd miss. It was a dark, cold day, but the mercenary found a reason to release a breathy laugh, shaking her head. "I've gotta be an idiot," She pocketed the list before she took off across the rooftops. "Now, where the hell did I put that book again?"

End

Author's Note:

Mir is practical and smart enough to make his own judgment calls about W when they first met. Fun fact, I based him off Asher Mir from Destiny 2, hence the whole 'irrelevant' thing he tends to spout. I hope you enjoyed, I appreciate the support as always; seeya in the next chapter, Renegades!

Comments

[DeffBwade]

IRRELEVANT!

[Slendy]

11220305
Precisely

[Veo Skride]

What a pair of foolish dogooders

[Slendy]

11221073
Their hearts are in the right place atleast