It was that time of the year again in Ponyville. The Summer was midway and the days were at their hottest. All the winter celebrations and spring parades were over and the next holiday was the autumn Running of the Leaves, and of course Nightmare Moon Night, but that didn't help the little white unicorn with three shiny gems on her flank. They did not need the young mare's services. No: Rarity did help decorate the two autumn holiday, and even if she did it still would not be enough to cover the 6-month gap of income. And so she would open her 'side business' for the second half of the year, as she has done every year since she opened Carousel Boutique. It was a terrible story, if even there was one.

She opened for business in mid-spring. She sold a few dresses but business was slow, and she was forced to limit her meals, water use, and cleaning supplies (both personal and household). This caused some dismay in the young mare's life, and more came in mid summer when all sales stopped completely. The ponies of Ponyville had no need of clothes in the working times, fields to tend to and ranches to maintain. Needless to say her money ran out. Thankfully her parents, bless their loving hearts, gave her a sizable amount of bits to help out. Rarity celebrated with a large breakfast and an extra, extra long bath, followed with two months of penny-pinching. Even so her bit count ran low and no sales came in. She stopped making dresses as all her mannequins were full and there was no need to make more just for them to not sell.

With only a week's worth of bits Rarity decided, rather than spend the next week in a quite panic she would go the local, and only, bar in Ponyville The Mud Hole. While it was not a place she would normally like to go to it was the only place to drown one's sorrows. Which is what she was going to do before going to tell her parents she can't go through with her business. She would then most likely would find a nice stallion and become a simple housewife. She pushed the thoughts out of her mind. She would have plenty of time to think those thoughts hangover.

She entered the bar and took a sit; politely ask for a drink and started drinking. She was halfway through her third round when a stallion came up to her, "Well aren't we a heavy drinker."

She looked over to see one of the field stallions, a name didn't come to her. "Oh this. No I'm just trying to forget my terrible life for one night."

He chuckled at her depressing admission. He had a grey coat with black hair and what looked like wheat for a cutie mark. "How can a beautiful mare like you have a bad life?" He asked taking a seat.

"Oh like a fool a decided to chase a dream. Now I'm falling out of bed, and falling hard."

He laughed again, "And hows that?"

Finishing her drink, "I wanted to a seamstress, a dress maker, and while business was painfully slow at first it has altogether stopped and seems to have no chances starting up."

He busted out, "HA HA! Of course not! The last thing I would want my wife to do this time of the year is wear clothes."

A bit hazy Rarity could only reply, "Come again?"

With regained composure, "Ain't nopony here in ponyville wants to be buying fancy dresses during work season."

"Heh?" Was all that came in response.

"The workin stallions don't want their honey in fancy giddups when they get home. They just want to buck 'em."

"Heh?" once again.

"And no mare is going to get prettied up if their stud going to be gone all day."

"Heh?" A recurring theme was starting to emerge.

"Plus they have their own work. Basically, you ain't gonna sell fancy while everypony working."

Rarity smiled a small smile, "So how am I to make business? Wait til holiday?"

The stallion ordered another drink, "You would be more likely to sell in the winter. In fact, you could get hired as a decorator. Sure you could talk the mayor into paying for it."

Rarity laughed putting her head to the bar. "Ha ha. That's great! Now I just need to make it till winter."

Tears started to form to which Rarity order more sweet liquor. "Give me the strongest you got. I can take it." And she did, twice. Now the world spun just enough to the white unicorn dizzy and unable to use magic straight. She was unable to lift the glass anymore.

"Sorry Sweetie." The bartender stopped her, "Got a rule: You can't get the drink, you don't get to drink." And walked off.

"Well phooey. Now what? I guess I should head home." She got off the stool and on her face she went.

"Need some?" The grey stallion offered.

"Please?" He helped her to her hooves and walked her out. From there on it was more-less a blur, but she remembered get home.

"It's a bit chilly, autumn coming." The stallion commented.

"It's plenty warm inside." The drunk unicorn remarked.

"Is that so?"

"I think so, maybe you could help me check." she giggled.

"Maybe I should." And with that they enter the fashion boutique, and soon after lustful moans could be hear form the opened forgotten door.

Rarity once heard her mother say, "Hangovers are Celestia's way of punishing us for getting drunk and stupid." If she was right, then it was a cruel way of punishment. She could've just throw us in a dungeon for ten years, but nope! Knives in skull. Rarity's morning with getting out of bed face first. "Why?" she almost begged.

Rarity laid on the floor for a while just wanting to cry. After she looked around. This was her first home away form her parents. She wondered what Sweetie Belle was doing. Waking up of course. Or eating breakfast. Then something caught her eye. On her dresser was a pouch. She got up and walked over as straight as she could. It was a bag a bits, and a bit of bits. What is this? Where did it come of? Rarity thought. Then it came to her. It's payment. Payment, for last night.

She it threw across the room. It was dirty. She was dirty! "Oh sweet Celestia! I'm a-" She just wanted to throw the whole bag away, run to her mother and cry. Cry until her mother ensure her that everything was okay, and will be okay. Cry until her daddy came to hold her and chant, "There, there my little gem." Cry until her precious little sister came to her asking so sweetly, "Please stop crying." And would in turn cry with her. But she didn't. Instead she cried because she knew she had to accept it. She had to take that dirty money, and spend on her dream. She knew it wasn't going to be easy, and now she felt ashame for giving up so easily. So she gather up the bits and counted them. Enough for a few days. A week if she stretched it out, but it wouldn't last. She would need to 'work' again.

And with that Rarity's side business opened for business. It is a woeful tell, but what makes it truly terrible it that on the night Rarity's side business was also her first.

Author's Note

Well this was shorter that I predicted, but whatever. Maybe I can more later. Well thanks for reading if you read this, and let me know what you think.
P.s. Thank Celestia for spell check.