Author's Note

IMPORTANT
The name Fern Flare has been used for the kirin dating Luna when it was actually Cinnamon (a.k.a. Cinder Glow) as Fern wasn't even mentioned in the Thanksgiving Special. Le'sigh...
All uses of Fern Flare, as well as Fern, prior in the fic have already been fixed to avoid further confusion. Double le'sigh...
-_-

Dusty O’Cult

Rusty entered the bedroom and looked at Autumn, who was still fast asleep. She was currently hugging the pillow with a smile on her face. Rusty smiled, too, and went over to her clothes to get dressed. Once no longer nude, the brown mare went to her closet and reached high up to the top shelf. Pulling down gun holsters, she strapped them on and then pulled down two pistols. Sliding them both into the holders, she reached up a final time to grab some ammo and slipped them into the pouch on the back of her gun belt.

Pulling out her phone, she replied to a new text with I'm on my way.

"Sleep well, sweetie," she cooed at the sleeping kirin. "I'll be back shortly."

On her way to the front door, she stopped and sighed. Walking into the kitchen, she pulled out a napkin and a pen and wrote back soon on it before bringing it to the bedroom and leaving it on her side of the bed. Feeling better, she left her apartment and headed downstairs. Once outside, she climbed into her sleek, black sports car with red tinted windows. Turning on the engine, she sped off towards the warehouse district where there also sat abandoned buildings such as shops and apartments that the city has ignored.

Pulling up to an abandoned shop, Rusty parked her car and reached up to her glasses holder to grab her shades. Pulling them down, she slipped them on her face before leaving her car. When she approached the front door, a stallion inside opened it for her.

"They're in the basement," the stallion told her as she entered.

Rusty flashed him a smile as she past him. "Of course they are," she said, heading out back behind the counter.

The shop appeared to once have been a convenient store with a small counter off to the right. The back door was at the far back wall. To the left were a bunch of empty shelves and trash all over the floor. It looked like something out of an apocalyptic zombie movie.

The stairs were easy to find as another stallion with an assault rifle stood guard at the doorway leading to them. Rusty headed down to the basement where a stallion not part of her gang was strapped to a chair. Around him were two stallions and two mares, each with a rifle.

"Dusty, ma'am," one of the mares said. "This is the stallion I texted you about."

"Yes, I assumed," the brown mare said as she approached them. The bound stallion was gray with short black hair and wearing casual clothes. "So, I'm told you know a little somethin'-somethin' about the dagger I'm looking for."

"Black Sapphire's Ritual Dagger?" The stallion asked.

"Yeah, the one she used to kill her family," Rusty said as she grabbed a nearby chair and pulled it close to the stallion. Sitting down, she sighed and pulled out one of her guns. "The one she used to gain her power. Where is it?"

"Why would I ever tell you?" The gray stallion asked. "We've sworn an oath to never reveal its location."

Rusty smiled. "And your other coven members have done a great job avoiding all ties... but, you... You chose to get a family and settle down, didn't you?"

The stallion went wide-eyed. "You leave them alone, you bitch!"

"Ooo, temper," Rusty said with a chuckle. "If you refuse to tell me where that dagger is hidden, I won't kill you. I'll kill your wife and son. Then, I'll return you to their corpses so you can lay your eyes upon your greatest mistake."

The stallion struggled to try and free himself from his bindings, wanting to beat the shit out of the mare sitting before him. Coming to the conclusion that it was no use, the stallion stopped trying to break free and sighed heavily. "Fine..."

Pulling out her phone, Rusty opened her map app and held it out to the stallion's hand. "Enter in the location."

The stallion struggled but managed to enter in the address. "There. Now, leave my family alone."

Rusty looked at her phone, a scowl spreading across her face. Quickly standing up, causing her chair to fall backwards, she whacked the stallion across the face with the butt of her gun. "You're fucking with me!"

"No!" The stallion coughed. "We decided it was the safest place! Think about it!"

Rusty looked at her phone again and let out an angry yell. "Are you fucking sure?!" She screamed, aiming her gun at the stallion's head.

He nodded and coughed again. "Yes! Now, leave my family alone!"

The brown mare's breathing didn't lighten but she smiled evilly. "They'll live," she said, before pulling the trigger. A gunshot rang out as the stallion's brains sprayed the floor. "But, you won't," she said, before lowering her gun. She looked at her phone again. "Shit."

"What is it, ma'am?" One of the mares asked. "What's wrong?"

Rusty turned to her and let out a heavy sigh. "They hid it in the fuckin' police station. East Side Police Station!"

The group looked at each other before looking at their boss. "We're with you," a stallion said, the others nodding in agreement.

Rusty thought for a moment. "I can't be seen. My cover can't be blown." She then snapped her fingers. "Get the others together and storm that fucking police station! I'll do what I can, but if I'm seen with one of you, I'll be forced to kill you, so stay outta my way! Got it?!" The group nodded. "Good! Spread the word and get me that dagger!" She ordered, heading for the stairs. "Recruit outside the gang if you have to!"

Getting in her car, she slammed the steering wheel in anger. "Fuck!" She exclaimed, before leaning back in her seat. Closing her eyes, she let out deep breaths to calm herself down. Gripping the wheel, she breathed in a slow rhythm which soon lowered her heart rate and relaxed her. "Okay..." she said softly. Her hand then went to her crotch, thinking about the kirin in her bedroom. "I need to fuck something," she said, starting up her engine and speeding off towards her apartment.