The Desmond’s Gem Exchange in New York City. A shining monolith of the finest that the world-famous jewelry district had to offer. A place you wouldn’t dare enter if you didn’t look the part: The burly security detail would be well-assured of that. Necklaces that looked as if they’d grace the pale necks of only the most regal of royalty, brooches that were so overladen with precious stones they could only be described as gaudy…and rings. So many rings. Whether used only as an accessory or to bind together the (quite wealthy) in holy matrimony, Desmond’s had no shortage of them.
Reine browsed the wares after having been let through by the security, perfect little nose perked to the air. If there was one thing, she certainly looked like the clientele that would be seen here. Her petite frame was swallowed up by the luxurious warmth of a Russian sable coat, black heels clicking with each step that she took. The woman’s gaze portrayed nothing but indifference, gray eyes looking over the wares on offer as if they were naught trinkets. For a moment one of her hands went to toy with her hair, shoulder length blonde done up in springy little curls, stopping herself moments later as an employee walked up to greet her.
“May I help you?” He asked. One of those career types you’d always find down here. Somewhat pudgy, serious looking, balding. It was her professional advice that you never wanted to frequent a jewelry store where they’d left the merchandise in the hands of a young lady. It was the sign of inexpensive goods, wasn’t it?
“A ring. My lover promised me anything I’d like. May I see your finest?” He could see a flash of gold, diamonds, platinum already on her fingers. Clearly she didn’t need anymore, but it was these types of women which kept them afloat. Giving a businesslike chuckle, he beckoned over to the front display case.
“Of course, dear. Right this way. Do you have anything particular in mind…?” Already he was setting it out. Beautiful shining things. The object of her desire. More than men (or women), the finest of wines or the fastest of cars.
“No. Anything to chase away these doldrums. It’s been so cold. Dreary. The only thing to lift my spirits is something pretty.” Gazing over the display of rings, she would tap a soft red lacquered nail against one. Particularly precious, that. Oh! A tap against another. Once more.
“Would you like to try anything on?” The man asked, clearly quite used to these types in his shop. A bit eccentric but practically spilling over with wealth. Reine smiled at him.
“If you would?” Just as he was going to tuck away the jewelry which had already been brought out, she immediately motioned to more in the display. “That, please.” As if she needed to know. She was a woman who didn’t take long to decide what she wanted.
“Of course.” Instead of putting away what had already been brought out, he pushed it away with a doughy hand and brought out what she’d indicated. Glancing over the jewelry, she slowly looked back up to him. Placed the sleeve of her sable upon the counter, leaned over.
“You’ve got lint on your suit.” The man clearly looked out of his element, quite nervous as she bent across the counter. Fussed about about at his clothing. While this was going on, three of her friends would frolic out of her coat sleeve. A white unicorn stallion, a brilliant red mare, and a luxurious green mare. Diamond, Ruby, and Jade. Micros of course. They quietly skittered across the counter toward the jewelry which had been laid out, each going for a different piece which she had tapped with her fingers. It wouldn’t take them long: They were quiet little things. Well-trained in this and more than happy to do whatever it took to make their mummah happy. Each plucked up a ring, zipped back to the comfort of their owner’s coat. Done in a matter of moments, the cold metal against her arm a fantastic feeling.
“Miss…?” He asked, and she backed off. Left him in a cloud of whatever earthy perfume she wore along with the spiciness of the clove cigarettes she smoked.
“I may stop by at a later date. It’s my hope that, by that time, you’re able to keep a proper appearance.” Her nose tipped back up to the air. The jeweler watched the haughty bitch slink out of the store, already going to tuck the goods back into the display. They wouldn’t figure out they’d had a loss until later.
Out on the street her precious little micros would pop out of her coat and go scurrying up her coat. Right up to her shoulders. Holding a hand out, rings were dropped out onto her palm.
“Mummah! Diamon’ du gud!?” The unicorn pleaded for recognition.
“Yay mummah! Teehee! Wots ‘ob pwetties ‘fo bestest mummah!” Ruby hugged her ear, nuzzling her little face up against the skin.
“Skettis ‘fo gud fwuffies? Pwease mummah?” Came the sly questioning of Jade, not wanting to skip out on a chance of getting the precious pasta treat.
They would get the precious skettis they all yearned for. Only a short distance from her loft, it wouldn’t take that long to give them what they needed. Stepping along gracefully down the sidewalk and listening to the chatter of her micros, she would be just barely home before being stopped by…by something ugly.
A regular sized fluffy. Already, she wasn’t quite enthused by them. This one though? Brown as the excrement no doubt smeared on it’s hind-quarters. It’s fur was tangled up with various pieces of trash and rotting materials. Distended teats dragged against the ground as it advanced on her. Reine immediately winced back as if a plague rat had just scuttled out from the cisterns.
“Hewwo! Pwease hewp Bawey? Bawey am nyu mummah. Pwease gib yummy nummies ‘fo bestest babbehs?” The mare stared up to Reine, angling a hoof down an alleyway.
“Fine.” Reine answered, letting the mummah lead the way into the alleyway. The stink of excrement and garbage reached her nose, crinkling up. Disgusting. Vile. Absolutely abhorrent. Familiar peeping and cheeping came from a wooden crate that had once contained oranges. Bailey looked up to Reine, giving a hopeful smile that showed rotting teeth and bleeding gums. The sign of a hard life.
Reine snapped a foot out, drove a heel neatly down on the fluffy’s spine. The mare was crushed down to the greasy pavement of the alleyway, what little milk remaining in her being squeezed out as more and more pressure was applied.
“OWWIES! BIG MUMMAH, OWWIES! WRY? WRY HUWT GOOD MUMMAH BAWEY?” Betrayal, shock, pain glazed over the shit-colored fluffy’s eyes. Staring down to her, Reine slipped a hand into her coat. A telescopic baton was retrieved, a flick of her dainty wrist snapping the weapon out to it’s full length.
“Close your eyes, babies.” Reine cooed to her fluffies. Ruby giggled.
“Mummah am gib wowstest yucky fwuffys wowstest huwties! Yay mummah!” They all closed their eyes though, because she had told them to. Good fluffs always listened to their mummah. Bailey tried to wriggled around underneath the heel crushing her spine down.
“Big mummah wub fwuffys! Wub Bawey tu! Wub aw gud fwuffys!?” She pleaded, not understanding the circumstances which had befallen her. The only thing that met her were cold eyes before the baton whipped down to the top of her skull, a satisfying crack piercing the alleyway. Peeps and cheeps from over in the crate only intensified as the mare bellowed in pain.
“You’re not good. You’re trash. You’re filth. A common roach approaching a queen.” Wriggling her heel from side to side in a torturous motion, the baton ran down in a series of further strikes. Powerful enough to rend strips of fur and flesh from Bailey’s skull.
“You are vermin!” A sideswipe, tearing an ear right from the side of her head.
“Absolute detritus!” Swinging straight down, smashing the mare’s nose with a sickening crunch as the weapon sank into her face.
“Not even to be pitied!” Gripping the baton in both hands she swung down with all her force and completely caved in the poor mother’s head. One of her eyes popped from the force and oozed out like a jellied eggwhite, the other went rolling before settling in an empty peach can. Taking a dignified breath, she straightened up and flicked the baton away into the piles of trash. Another one wouldn’t cost much and she wouldn’t sully itself with it’s rank blood.
As for the chirpies? Leaving them alone would be quite punishment enough. Stepping out of the alleyway and happy to be in the company of sweeter air, she would tell her micros:
“Alright, babies. Mother’s done with her civic duty.”
They all cheered heartily. Mummah was the BEST!
