Veridis Quo

Interlude 8

A peacekeeper has many responsibilities per the job description. Protecting and serving the people, arresting the law breakers, disrupting destructive operations, keeping the peace, pretty obvious stuff.

Not to say it was as straightforward as that. The duty of an officer of the law was a burden most people couldn't withstand for more than a day. Have you ever worked in retail? It usually didn't involve physically intensive labor and the pay was okay if the boss wasn't a greedy bastard.

Sounds great, right?

Don't forget there's always a catch. When things seem too good to be true, that's because they are.

For slightly above minimum wage, would you be willing to work with people all day? Clock in, clock out, people come and go, every single one of them with their own issues and nonsense.

Because, remember – the customer is always right.

If the worker cussed them out in retaliation after receiving a death threat that multiple witnesses heard, who was going to be punished? The loyal employee who has taken little to no days off and the community knew and respected or the nobody idiot who woke up on the wrong side of bed?

The worker, of course!

Managers didn't give a damn if a worker was great. Pride and greed were a curse of any workplace, the result being "work harder, not smarter," in other words, "do less, not more."

Such was the hourly wage, a fate most have to accept eventually.

The Beastar, on the other hand, didn't work an hourly wage.

The position of Beastar was a prestigious throne that rivaled the shelf companies of the trade world. Where the puppeteers controlled from the dark, the Beastar stomped them in the light, bringing equilibrium to the animal kingdom.

Unfortunately, the balance has been disturbed. Very much disturbed.

High above the cityscape, the black devil watched from an office near the top floors, a wall-window obscuring nothing to her equine eye.

Half the sun was setting, painting the sky a gorgeous, fiery tangerine with touches of magenta.

A breath-taking view for the average animal.

If it were any other day, the black mare would've enjoyed a nice cup of coffee before descending into the night like that one human superhero Johnny mentioned in one of his streams. The Man of Bats? Something like that.

She huffed, clenching her hands together behind her back.

Although she had a blindfold around her head to ease the strain on her vision, the numerous bulging veins around the top of her head were perfectly visible to the naked eye.

If the leader of the 500 was with her, he would've suggested herbal tea to calm her nerves. But then he would've likely gotten kicked by a horse and that shit hurt like a bitch.

The last thing she needed were more distractions.

She had to concentrate, think of a plan to-

The doors to her office burst open, the stomping of a lightweight avian louder than any gun she'd used.

"M-madam! You can't go in there! The Beastar-"

Yahya raised her hand, gesturing for the receptionist to close the door.

Obediently, the doors were shut, the intruder having stopped before the desk.

The mare's hand returned to the other, the two relocking into an unbreakable ball.