"Gods, this place is like self-inflicted torture against my retinas," W had many colourful ways to describe her experience skulking through Ponyville, but out of every location, the tailors that was Rarity's home had to be the most tacky. Sighing to herself, W shifted through the bushes toward an open window. "Let it go, W... you got shit to do."

Poking her head inside, and ignoring some of the most... extravagant dress designs, she tried not to physically throw up. Inspecting the main room, all clear, so she slipped in like a ghost, keeping to the wall as she travelled with the grace of the wind, reaching a storage closet. Freezing, she heard movement upstairs, back and forth, back and forth.

Certain all was clear, W swung the door open fast to avoid the hinges creaking, and grinned ear-to-ear at the vast array of fabric rolls, pattern designs, sewing equipment, the works. Moving with purpose, W checked the small lock boxes, her fiery eyes shimmering when she came to find an assortment of finely cut gemstones of all shapes, sizes, and colours.

Her tail held up a list she made on a notepad, nodding and checking the various crystals. Some were too small, others the wrong colour or felt cold and dull. She was worried Rarity, in all her annoying, prissy ways, lacked the key item W required. "Come on, Bitch, I know you'd have something like- tch, checkmate."

Plucking from its own secured lock box, W held up a crystal that fit into the palm of her hand, already, she felt the heat building on her skin, but her Arts were far hotter. It was a brilliant, fiery-coloured crystal cut in an angular, oval shape, the texture practically shifted as though raw flames were crystalized within. Thermal Crystals.

Checking it off, she grabbed the whole lock box, hurrying out of the storage closet when she heard movement towards the stairs. In a running dive, W slipped between two mannequins, dolphin diving out the window and headfirst into a bush, her acquired item in hand. "Nailed it."

"Twilight, this feels a little excessive..." Spike voiced, giving the unicorn a strange, concerned look when she finished setting up the magic sensors at every window.

"It's just some added protection, that's all, Spike." She smiled.

"So... what do they do exactly? I thought magic doesn't work on her that well," He voiced, seeing the studious mare nod almost in gratification at her work.

"Simple! These would normally pick up on magic nearby, they're meant for reading a pony's magic aptitude in exams, but since W's magic has this strange, disruptive nature, I can effortlessly detect when she's nearby!" She'd weaponize the monster's own strength against it. "With this, she'll never get the drop on anypony again!"

Meanwhile, behind them both, three floorboards lifted up together by a hand, W slipping out of the cubbyhole she had built, leaving the trapdoor open as she inspected the bookshelves nonchalantly. Her Equestrian was still... in practice, but she knew what she was looking for. "Water maintenance... water maintenance... Ugh, Sparkle Butt, Yuellaghh... where's a book on water maintenance?"

"Oh, 'W' section, second to last shelf on the far right," She answered without even questioning it.

Three seconds passed before it sunk in, and she yelped in fright with Spike, seeing the silverette pocketing the book with a sly grin. "Huh, never thought I'd say this, but thanks, saved me a lot of trouble, buh-bye~" With a jolly wave, she took a step and hopped, falling down into the trapdoor's pit, grabbing and slamming the hatch shut.

"W!!" Twilight's screams could be heard echoing down the tunnel, so W giggled and picked up the pace before the purple creature decided to smoke her out.

Across town, and to escape Twilight's unending ramblings like some preacher, W made a final, important stop on her shopping list of stolen goods. Her head poked out upside-down from an apple tree, scanning her surroundings closest to the barn. Coast was clear, so she slithered down the trunk and scurried to the barn, slipping inside where many a farming tool could be found.

Dufflebag under her left arm, she checked the racks of all their tools; hammers, saws, pickaxes, all rustic tools of the trade for a fantasy world... if that world was unfortunately infested with talking ponies. She grabbed and tossed what she needed into her bag, wanting to make a break for the Everfree while she had the chance. W had to admit, the thought of being hunted at this moment due to her pissing off the main cast was always a heart-pounding event.

"Alright, check," With that, she smiled and marched over to the ajar doors of the barn, scooting out to make her way back toward the apple trees.

*Bam*

"Ah, sorry/Gomen." W and Applejack both blurted out, having run into each other. The Sarkaz played it cool, strolling past the farmhand.

"Wait a darn second, what're ya doin' 'ere!?" Crap, W winced, turning slowly on a heel to the irritated earth pony who looked ready to come to blows. "Whatcha been snoopin' around 'ere for now!?"

"Hm, stuff, got a science project I'm working on," She patted her dufflebag for good measure, offering a two-fingered salute. "Would love to go into the ins and outs of it, but I doubt that country brain of yours could handle the complexities of it, even if I used smaller words."

In hindsight, pissing off the horse capable of knocking a tree down with a kick probably wasn't the smartest choice in the world, but it was also so worth seeing the look on AJ's face when she was insulted. "Now ya askin' for it!"

"Duh, that's why I'm insulting you, ya got apples for brains, partner?" W sneered in a mock impression of Applejack's voice, seeing the steam coming out from under that cowboy hat. "Not a fan, huh? Eh, everyone's a critic- honestly, we really doing this again?"

With speed that would put Crash to shame, Applejack did not skip leg day, her back hooves slamming into the Dufflebag raised to tank the brunt of the kick. Sadly, W was not as sturdy, lifting off her feet as she was sent flying straight through a tree, showering splinters and bark in every direction, a number of apples thumping to the grass around her, followed by the heavy crash of the tree atop her.

"Is that... what it feels... like to... be nailed with a shotgun...?" If so, W sorta felt bad whenever her dud grenades nailed someone at point-blank. Wheezing, she crawled out of the bush that was the fallen tree, twigs and leaves sticking out of her clothes and hair, pocketing apples as she crawled, hearing Applejack stomping over. "Geez... let a girl... rest before you... start back up..."

"No more games, ya hear? Yer not runnin' away this time," She swore, green eyes burning into W's form, so much so, she tunnel visioned when a small object rolled across the grass between them.

"Now where's the fun in that?" W grinned, coughing still before closing her eyes, snapping her fingers. "Boom!"

A blinding flash left Applejack reeling in pain, rubbing her eyes, only for a solid leg kick to pull the air from her lungs, sending the mare tumbling across the field, providing W her opportunity to high-tail it back to the Everfree, wheezing the whole time. She didn't want to stick around to test if her brother's kicks were worse.

It was almost nightfall when W stood back to admire her handiwork, sighing heavily for the last time. "Finally, and they say the internet doesn't teach ya anything." She remarked smugly to herself.

She had tested it, comparing to memory to ensure the quality was as close to the original as possible. Sat in the corner of her room, was a new bathtub. It was square in shape, spacious but functionable. Thermal crystals heated the water nicely, steam rising from the water she had gathered, so it was a good workout. Thick wood made up the structure, layered with tiles on the inside that she also snatched up in town, took ages to get them to fit and seal them.

Lastly, W even made a basic 'plug' to drain the water once she was done, being a plumber is not on the table, so she'd stick with what she had and be grateful. Testing the water with a hand, it was hot, and soapy too thanks to Mir giving her soap. "Finally, I can smell like a person again..." She could almost cry.

Wasting not a second more, W stripped down entirely, a cool breeze tickling her skin before she simply hopped in without a care, creating a small splash as she surfaced. "Aaaaaah..." Groaning in delight, her skin burned in all the best ways, slowly sinking until just her head rested against the edge of the bath, a blush forming on her cheeks as the sweet feeling of bliss crashed against her aching body. "Sweet, merciful Gods, I've missed this... arigatō, watashi..."

Nearly two weeks of cold river water was worth it for this moment. And all it took was a mass robbery to get it...

End

Author's Note

We started Renegade with the merc relaxing in a hot bath, so it only makes sense to showcase how she came to acquire such a luxury in the middle of an untamed forest. How we've come full circle yet again. Also, AJ kicks freakin' hard.

This'll be the last upload for the time being, but I do have a follow-up that I hope you'll like next year. So, I hope you enjoyed, I appreciate the support as always; see ya next time, Renegades!

And Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year! 🎄🎉