Tekky sighed, closing her heterochromic eyes, as she shook her head. Leech lay sprawled on the couch in the back room of her shop, limbs splayed as she snoozed. A trail of saliva ran down the side of the unicorn’s face, seeping into the cushion beneath her. “Leech!” Tekky protested, poking the mare with the butt of her broom, “Get up you lazy cunt, I’ve gotta close the shop!”
One of Leech’s cat-like amethyst eyes cracked open, looking up at the blue mare standing over her. “Can’t I crash here tonight?” she asked, stretching her arms and legs before attempting to right herself.
“Come on Leech, that’d be the third time this week. I’m sick of having to clean up the mess afterward,” Tekky groaned, recalling their lewd escapades from the previous night.
“But I helped mop up!” Leech said, sitting up. “Besides,” Leech continued, leaning forward to paw at Tekky’s leg, “you know you liked it.”
“Nuh-uh. I’m sick of doin laundry and, on top of that, you’ve been eating all my food,” Tekky replied with a small scowl. “Now go on,” Tekky said, mockingly waving her broom at the black furred unicorn, “you don’t have to go home but you can’t stay here.”
Leech winced at her actions, looking to the floor, crestfallen. “Alright then, guess I’ll head out. See you tomorrow?” she asked, a weak smile on her lips.
“Yea, yea, that’s fine,” Tekky grumbled, continuing to tidy up as Leech stood and started walking towards the storefront.
“Well, have a good night,” Leech mumbled, waving a hand, as she made her way to the exit.
“Uh huh,” Tekky responded, too intent on finishing her work so she could go upstairs and get some rest herself. It hadn’t been a particularly stressful day in the shop, but she was just in a foul mood, and the last thing she wanted was to entertain Leech and clean up after the lackadaisical mare in the morning. She heard the front door jingle, signalling the unicorn’s departure, as she swept her way into the front of the store. Setting the broom down, she walked to the front door, looking out into the gloomy evening as the sun crept over the horizon. Turning the lock, and flipping the ‘OPEN’ sign to ‘CLOSED’, Tekky went to pick up her sweeper and finish cleaning, but something made her pause.
In the month or so she’d known Leech, she’d never paid her a visit. For that matter Tekky wasn’t even sure where the unicorn was living. She’d just appear most of the time, whether magically or just mundanely strolling into the potion maker’s shop. Mulling this over, Tekky was suddenly stricken with a devilish notion. If she could stalk Leech home she’d be able to surprise the frisky mare at some point, maybe even make up for that time when the unicorn teleported under her counter to torment her during business hours. Rushing to the supply room, the blue mare rummaged around the stockpile of potions, eventually grabbing an eyedropper filled with a glimmering opalescent liquid. Acting quickly she unscrewed the cap, holding her right eye open with one hand and dousing it in the pearly fluid from the dripper.
“Ah, piss,” Tekky griped, rubbing the afflicted eye, and trying to quell the burning sensation the potion had caused; she’d forgotten how much it stung. The tracker potion was exceptionally effective, allowing the user to notice subtle changes in the environment to track any beast, or pony, they saw fit. Seeing as how one eye full of the stuff should be sufficient, she sprinted back to the front counter, pulling open drawers and shuffling about the papers and various detritus therein. “There you are,” she said to herself, retrieving a small gem studded ring and slipping it over her pinky finger. Tekky had picked up the trinket a few years back from a gypsy, it allowed the wearer to become invisible for a short time; only about twenty minutes, or until the ring was removed.
Nodding her approval, she rushed to the front door, unlocking it and slipping outside, making sure to pull it to behind her and locking it with her key. Looking down at the jewel encrusted ring Tekky tapped the stones, instantaneously vanishing from sight. Closing her left eye she looked around. The ground almost seemed to glow, highlighting footprints as they came and went from her shop. She hadn’t really given it much thought before, but Tekky realized that Leech tended to go barefoot a lot of the time. Come to think of it she couldn’t recall ever seeing the unicorn wearing shoes. Shrugging to herself, Tekky easily found Leech’s tracks leading away from the shop. Following them, they turned the corner and headed towards the back of the building; which was exceptionally curious because there wasn’t anything back there, only a small field which led to a stream a couple hundred yards back.
Tekky continued to follow Leech’s footprints along the side of her shop until they abruptly turned towards the building, and disappeared a small window just above the ground. ‘What the hell,’ Tekky thought to herself, looking down at the entryway to the cellar below her store. There wasn’t much down there, just a few ingredients Tekky used and some storage supplies, so she wasn’t sure what Leech would be doing down there, unless it was all part of an elaborate scheme to prank the shopkeeper somehow. That had to be it, the mischievous black unicorn was constantly harassing Tekky and seemed to haunt the shop since she’d first appeared.
Stooping down, Tekky opened the little window, revealing the dreary area below her shop and home. She didn’t go down there all that often, reserving the area for rarely used items or materials. Hopping down she looked around, slowly creeping forward through the darkness. Taking a few steps inside she saw a pair of glowing purple eyes looking in her direction from the far side of the area, scanning her location for any signs of an intruder.
“W...who’s there?” Leech called out, fretfully looking around for who, or what, had come through the window. The spiral tract in her horn began to flare with energy, preparing to defend herself from the unseen incursion.
“Leech?” Tekky asked, utterly confused, and a bit concerned, at the unicorns uncharacteristic actions. She tapped the ring on her finger, deactivating the enchantment and becoming visible, to avoid any unforeseen consequences of sneaking up on the jumpy mare.
The unicorn’s eyes went wide when she realized who had snuck up on her. “What are you doing down here?” she asked, glaring at the shop owner, and appearing more than a little uncomfortable.
“I could ask you the same thing,” Tekky replied, moving closer to where Leech sat. Closing her left eye she utilized her right, still under the influence of the potion, to survey the area. It was only then that she realized that Leech was surrounded by a small collection of baubles and possessions. The far corner of the basement was adorned by in a ratty carpet, a thin pile of blankets lay piled against one wall with a small stack of books neatly sitting to one side. There was a box of, what appeared to be, clothes as well. “Leech,” Tekky awkwardly fumbled, “what is all this?”
“I’m sorry!” Leech blurted, scrambling to throw her things onto one of the blankets, frantically gathering them together into a makeshift bindle.
“Hey, come on…” Tekky’s words died in her throat, the sudden realization sinking in as she watched the mare desperately tossing her possessions in a messy heap.
“I said I’m sorry! Just let me get my shit together and I’ll leave alright!” Leech shot back, a pained expression on her face.
“You...You’ve been living down here?” Tekky asked softly, creeping closer.
“Yes alright! I wasn’t going to be here forever, just until I found somewhere else to go!” the unicorn replied, throwing a threadbare pillow onto the pile.
“I mean, I didn’t…” Tekky began, before Leech tossed a book in her direction.
“Oh no, it’s fine, this shit happens all the fucking time,” Leech fumed, refusing to look at the blue mare. “Find somewhere I think I can get a decent start, but don’t get the chance,” she stopped, sullenly looking down at her meger pile of possessions. “It’s just my lot in life I suppose,” she sighed, “always will be probably.”
“What happened exactly? I mean, you’re a pretty smart girl so why live like this?” Tekky asked, seating herself a few feet from the mare.
“Because…” Leech quietly said, an anguished look on her face, “because I don’t have anywhere else to go…”
“What happened,” Tekky whispered, trying to make sense of the situation.
“I’m a bastard, alright! Mom didn’t want me, and Celestia only knows who my dad was,” Leech shouted, turning to Tekky with a wounded expression. “Once I was old enough I got out of there, no sense in staying where my own fucking mom looked at me with contempt. So I said fuck it, it’s better to live like a dumpster horse on my own terms than to feel like a worthless piece of garbage day in and day out,” she looked down at her own hands, a look of heartbroken contemplation on her face. “It’s funny,” she chuckled weakly, “I kinda had my hopes up this time. Thought ‘Hey Leech, maybe lady luck is finally gonna give me a break’ but no, of course that wouldn’t be the case.”
“How do you get by like this,” Tekky asked, still digesting the situation.
Leech shrugged, “Oh, you know. Odd jobs here or there, running errands for folks. Usually find somewhere kinda quiet to hole up and just hope I can get some steady work,” she glumly replied.
Tekky was at a loss for words, her mind reeled as it fought to comprehend the revelation that Leech was, not only living under her house, but in such a pitiable state. Her mouth numbly tried to say something, anything, to the little black unicorn. She couldn’t figure out what to say. Just as Leech went to walk past, her bundle of things slung over her shoulder, Tekky shot forward, wrapping the mare in a tight embrace.
The two stood, frozen in place, Tekky’s arms locked around Leech. Their world went still, Leech’s eyes wide open in shock as the larger mare held her. The silence was broken by a single sniffle, then a quiet sob, as Leech buried her face in Tekky’s shoulder. Dropping her bag she hugged the shopkeeper, tears streaming down her face as the crushing weight and shame of her life bore down on her.
“Sssssssh,” Tekky whispered, patting Leech’s head as she wept, “It’s alright.”
“You don’t know how hard it is,” she gasped through her tears. “You’re just a really cool chick, and I’m a fucking mess.”
“Yea, yea you are,” Tekky said, patting Leech on the back before releasing her. Stooping down she retrieved Leech’s things and turned, heading towards the stairwell around the corner. “Now come on, let’s get you cleaned up and in a real bed.
“Why? Why would you want to help me out? It’s not like I’m good for much,” Leech whispered, suspicious of Tekky’s motives.
The blue mare pinched the bridge of her snout in consternation, turning to face the unicorn. “Look, it’s not like I can have somepony living under my shop. Besides, the way I figure, if you’ve been getting by on your own for this long you’re a pretty resourceful girl. Not many women around like that now are there?” she warmly replied, turning back to head upstairs. “I guess it couldn’t hurt to let you crash on the couch, at least until you’re up and on your feet that is. Speaking of which we’re gonna go get you a pair of shoes tomorrow. If you’re gonna be galavanting around the shop, and running deliveries for me, you can’t be looking like a ragamuffin.”
“So...You’re giving me a job and letting me crash at your place?” Leech asked, mouth slightly agape.
Shrugging, Tekky turned and started to creep back towards the service door, “Now let's get you cleaned up and...ooof,” she grunted as she felt Leech tackle her from behind.
“You won’t regret this,” she cried, rubbing her tear streaked face on Tekky’s blue fur, “I’ll be the best damn helper you’ve ever had.”
“You’ll the the only helper I’ve ever had,” Tekky groaned, wriggling to free herself from the unicorn’s grasp. “Just do me one favor.”
“Sure, anything!” Leech replied, looking up at the shopkeeper with a huge smile on her face.
“You’re on laundry duty from here on out, so you’re responsible for any messes you made, on or off the clock,” Tekky replied with a wry smile.
“Got it boss lady, you know I hate to see that stuff go to waste anyways,” Leech said, licking her lips with a devilish grin.
Author's Note
Bit of a departure from the lewd stuff, figure I'd write something to develop the characters and their chemistry. Hope y'all enjoy it!
Editing by Hidden Secret
