Nothing Personal, It's Just Rule 63

Rahleigh woke up from her nap on the fluffy cloud and let out a yawn. But she could no longer feel the cloud under her. What she did feel was an intense wind blowing.

She took the time to better focus on her surroundings, and saw that the top view of Manehattan was drawing closer and closer to her.

'Yup, I'm falling.'

As soon as she had thought that, she went straight through the roof of a building with a very, very audible *SMASH!*

She looked up to see a blue mare wearing glasses. The mare, whoever she was, had a shocked expression her face. Her expression transitioned as she recovered, and approached Rahleigh. "Greetings," she said with a sarcastic twitch to her voice. "And who are you?"

Rahleigh got back up onto her four hooves. "Rahleigh Blythe," she introduced herself, shaking the other mare's hoof. "Uh, sorry about your roof. Or is it a ceiling? Because it has a different name depending on whether you're in or out. For me it's a roof, and for you it's a ceiling. If you have to, like, log this in an accident report or something, would you call it a roof or a ceiling?"

The blue mare chuckled. "Hey, don't worry. I could use a new skylight." She looked up at the pony-shaped hole in the ceiling/roof. "O I could make a rooftop door out of it. Quick getaway in emergencies, y'know. After all, it does take a while to get down a few dozen flights of stairs from the top of a skyscraper."

With that, she moved over to her desk. "My name is Xenna, and I own this building." Taking a seat in her leather chair, Xenna leaned back. "Good timing on that... eh, landing. My previous client just left not so long ago, and had she still been here, it would have been awkward, trust me..." A smile crossed her lips.

"Yes it would," agreed Rahleigh. "So... what do you do around here, Miss Xenna?"

'I know I keep a low profile, but really? She's never heard of me...' thought Xenna. "Well," she said aloud. "I own this here company. Mostly a shipping and resource provider business, thoguh we do have some manufacturing concerns as well." She pressed her two front hooves in front of her chest and rested her chin on them. "You'd be surprised at the kinds of 'resources' some ponies require. And how much they're willing to pay for them..."

"Ooh, is it like Manehattan Department Store? With lots of different merchandise?" asked Rahleigh. "What sort of stuff do you sell, exactly?" he asked, being the curious mare that she was.

"Well," Xenna began. "We're not a store, per se.  More of a... contractor, if you will. Other businessponies come to me with a need for a service of some sort, and I arrange it for them." She reached for a file that was sitting on the desk.  "For example - the client that you just-" She glanced at the ceiling. "-missed.  She's a manager for the Cloudsdale Weather Corporation.  We just signed a contract to provide them with resources, for the Rainbow Factory.  Should earn a nice profit for me."  She sat back in her chair.  "But enough of that. Tell me, what brought you to my rooftop this morning?"

~~~

Now that she wasn't dealing with anything important, Malaysia was contently strolling down the street. You'd think that a pony with a rep and title such as hers would be sitting in an office making calls, doing paperwork and whatnot. But Malaysia was one for doing things her own way, i.e. goofing off.  While on her journey through the street, she greeted some of her friends and some ponies she had done business with over the days, while twirling her steel bat in her hoof as if it was the lightest thing.

When she turned the corner, she couldn't help but stop and stare at one of the most gorgeous stallions she had ever seen in her life. His coat was a very pale pink, almost white, and his eyes were a bright ruby red. Not to mention two other not-too-bad-looking stallions that entered the same building, even though one only had half a horn. As she surveyed over the building, her memory of who owned it was coming back to her. She couldn't help but smirk.

Without really thinking, she cantered over to the building. As soon as she reached the door, she was stopped in her tracks by two rather large security ponies in black suits. Just by the looks on their faces, she could tell that they were thinking the same thing: "Piss off."

Which just made Malaysia's smirk grow. She then rested her bat on his shoulders and started stretching her back, neck, and arms. Of course, she could just show her family's crest to show who she was, but one of Malaysia's favorite things to do was cause havoc.

After a little stretch, Malaysia stood back up and uncovered her left eye, which had been covered by her hat. Not to scare the burly security ponies, but to get a better look at where she was aiming.

Then, without warning, she swung the steel bat right into one of the guard's kneecaps, which made a loud crack. As the pony fell over in pain,  the other one was headed straight for Malaysia. But Malaysia was quick enough to hold out her bat and strike the other bodyguard's throat with it.

Rather than killing, this caused the security pony to be knocked out cold while bleeding considerably. Perhaps throwing in a little brain damage too.

After dishing out the same thing to the other one, she wiped the blood off her bat onto one of their suits. Then she made her way inside with his bat resting on his shoulder, as if nothing had happened.

She walks up to the pair of stallions she had seen earlier, namely the one with the broken horn, and the one with a rather grayscale color scheme save for his bow and arrow cutie mark. She stepped into the elevator along with them, wearing a smooth smile and with her left eye closed. "G'day, gents."

The white very, very light gray stallion turned to look at her. "So, the guards let you in too, huh?" he commented.

Malaysia noticed the stallion's silvery eyes glance towards the patch of red on her bat.

The one with the broken horn was not so tolerant, however. "I hope you know what you're doing," he snarled, glaring at Malaysia. "This isn't just anypony's building, you know." He too eyed the steel bat before stepping between Malaysia and the baseball-capped stallion. "Try anything, and I can guarantee you that the only way you'll be getting out of this building is in a bodybag..."

Malaysia simply smirked. "I like a lad with a lot of fire in him." She examined him and sensed a bit of darkness in him, but not without being accompanied by a little light as well.

You see, Malaysia was part-demon. Her father was a regular Earth Pony... but her mother was a demon. It's far-fetched, I know, but I'm the narrator, so you have to believe everything I tell you.

The world will end in 24 hours.

...

Haha! GOTCHA!

"And really, the ponies at the front just let me in. They just needed a little... 'convincing' is all." She chuckled as she adjusted her hat slightly.

The half-horned stallion scowled at her. "I know what you want," he said, "and you won't find it here.  I've dealt with ponies a lot worse then some filly with a bat, trust me." A slightly wicked grin crossed his face.  "Although, if you'd prefer, I can arrange a demonstration." He took a deep breath, preparing a chant his father had taught him long ago...

But before he could say a word, Malaysia halted him from saying anything... by pulling him in and giving him a kiss like they were long-lost lovers. Most ponies wouldn't dare do such a thing like kissing someone without their permission, or busting two door guards' heads just to meet a couple of guys. But unlike any other mare, Malaysia always acted on impulse. And this random kiss with someone she just met was proof of that.

But one thing was for sure - the stallions weren't happy. The gray stallion grabbed Malaysia and pulled her away - but this was not so he could kiss her. "Okay, I'm going to be straightforward here - just what in Tartarus do you think you're doing?" he asked harshly.

The stallion with the broken horn leapt past and tackled Malaysia, using his limbs to pin her down to the floor. "Don't you EVER touch me like that!" he snapped, and bent his head to hold his roughly-cut horn just an inch away from Malaysia's throat. "Give me one good reason not to end you right this minute!"

She never wiped her smirk off her face. "Well for one, I was just rightfully defending myself. I don't like it when magic is used on me without consent. I mean that was just rude, it's no way to treat a lady," she said in a sickeningly smartflank voice. "And neither is what you're doing now. And two...well... I don't like to give this out 'cause it seems like I'm just using her name to get around. But... I'm one of the Caporegime for the Semi family, Malaysia Semi. A pleasure to meet you."

Then she opened her left eye. In the family, her mother was well known for her (logically) demon-esque eyes. It was even on their crest. Which Malaysia showed by opening up her tacky shirt and pulling it out of the inside pocket.

Slowly moving off of her, the hornless stallion scowled again in defeat. He knew of Semi family. Xenna had done some business with them before, though she usually stayed away from organized crime, preferring to stick with shady business deals between companies.

He held a leg out in front of his companion, who had an equally distrustful expression towards Malaysia. "It's cool," said the former, keeping his viewpoint fixated on Malaysia.  "She isn't just a punk off the street. Though," he cocked an eyebrow, "I think a simple greeting would have made this much easier..."

"I said 'good day', does that not count as a greeting?" Malaysia said as she stood up and picked up her bat before resting it back on her shoulder. "Besides, simple is boring." She reached into her other shirt pocket and pulled out a rather large cigar. She put it in her mouth but didn't light it. "Plus, you're a pretty good kisser, even though I did most of the work." She chuckled at her own joke.

"Giggle all you like," the tan stallion snapped back, while hitting the button for the top floor. "But I don't care if you are a big shot within this family of yours. Just give me an excuse, and I'll drop you right off this tower!"

'Maybe Xenna will let Aidan and I use this bitch for archery pratice,' he mused to himself. The nerve of this pony! He'd maimed others for less!  'Last time, all a Pegasus had to do was SUGGEST something, and I twisted her wings so bad he'll never fly again! I should KILL her for what she tried on me!'

Ah, yes, you're not familiar with this, are you? Well, in his early days, some suggested that the hornless stallion - Sakuyi - only earned his place in the organization because he agreed to sleep with his employer, Xenna.

"He gets a new job, and as an added bonus, he gets to be inside another mare," he had overheard a Pegasus mare say. "Them stallions are all the same."

She was later found unconscious in a back alley, her wings disfigured beyond repair. It was clear that the organization had done a good job of turning this insolent mare into a fine example.

Were the rumors true? Nopony but Sakuyi and Xenna knew. But there was one thing for sure - the rumors, true or not, faded away as quickly as they had come.

Leaning against one of the elevator's walls, Malysia chewed on her cigar, bearing the same smirk. It became wider across her cheeks as she felt the darkness in the stallion's heart pulse a little bit, which indicated he was having some dark thought, most likely about her. "You got it, sweetheart. I'll be a good girl... most of the time." She laugh again. "By the way, I didn't get you'z boys' names."

"And you never will," snapped Aidan. "If you're looking to get a coltfriend, you'd be better off going to date some monster in Tartarus." Even if he didn't have insecurities about romance embedded in his head, Aidan would sooner date Queen Sombra than this repulsive mare.

"Enough of this!" burst out Sakuyi as the elevator slowly made its way up the tower. "You do realize who you've just offended, right?  My name is Sakuyi, right-hoof pony for Xenna. I see you've heard of her. Then you must also know what happens to those who get in our way.  Even your family won't be able to protect you..."

Malaysia's smirk didn't so much as waver at the mention of Xenna's name. But she did know of her. "I have heard of your boss. But sadly I haven't yet had the pleasure of meeting her. And trust me, I don't need my family to protect me. The number one value in the Semi family is 'Strength of one's existence in mind, body and soul.' Basically, if you have to depend on the family for every little thing, then you have no right to wear the name Semi. You gotta fend for yourself and be your own guard." Her red eyes seemed to glow like hellfire for a second. "Plus, I have no intention of getting in your boss' way. Just as long as she doesn't try to get in mine or my family's way."

She casually bit a part off her cigar and swallowed it. Then she took out a match, lifted up her hat (but while still covering her horn) and struck the match on it making it light. Then she used it to light her cigar and tossed it into her bag. "By the way, Sakuyi is such a lovely name," she commented with a charming smile. Then she looked towards the light gray stallion. "And if you wont give me your name then I'll just have to call you something else." She scratched her chin. "Hmm, how about... Bianchi? I think it suits you."

Aidan had never heard of that name, but neither had he heard about this mare and her family.

"Whatever," Sakuyi replied, rolling his eyes. 'Let her boast about her self-importance. I know better. And that little act with the cigar was good...' He glanced over at Aidan. 'Anypony else might be distracted, but I've seen worse.'

As he was preparing another verbal assault, the elevator came to a sudden stop - *PING!* - and the doors slid open.