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Prologue: The Offer

“But Lyra,” Rarity said, trying to hide the desperation in her voice, “surely you haven’t changed your mind about buying a dress for that party.”

“Look, Rarity,” Lyra said, smiling apologetically, “it’s not that I don’t want the dress. I do, I really do. But Bon Bon’s losing business at the candy shop and I just can’t afford it right now.” Lyra was about to leave the Carousel Boutique when Rarity stepped in her way.

“Oh, darling, if price is an issue then I’m sure we can negotiate—”

“Rarity, I’m really sorry. I don’t even think anypony’s going to wear anything for this party. I don’t want to look stupid.” Lyra stepped around Rarity and made her way toward the exit. As she opened the door the little bell on top rang out, a sound Rarity hadn’t heard all day until Lyra had first come in.

“Okay,” Rarity called after her as the door was shutting, “if you change your mind you know where to look!” Too late. The door shut before she could finish her sentence. Rarity groaned in frustration and wanted to kick the door for slamming in her face like that, but she knew it would do no good. A lady must never lose her temper, she reminded herself.

Rarity would be spending this time working on an order, but no new orders had come in in a week. The end of the month was coming up and she didn’t know if she had enough to pay the bills. Well, let’s not fly blind here. I’d better look at the numbers. Rarity gulped as she made her way upstairs to her room, where she kept the books.

She looked at her sales for this month and found the number a lot lower than normal. You’d think more ponies would want to dress up in the middle of summer, when all the parties are going on. Perhaps I should ask Pinkie Pie to throw one, just so everypony in this town will have a reason to shop here.

Now that she had seen how much she had made this month, she flipped over to another page where she kept a list of all of her expenses. She wouldn’t be needing any new materials because she still had plenty unused after this month. The mortgage was non-negotiable. But when she added up all the numbers, Rarity realized that she didn’t have enough to pay both the electricity and the hot water.

I have to give one of those up! she realized in a panic. Okay, Rarity. Just calm down and look at this objectively, like Twilight would do. No electricity means no television, so I can cut that out of my expenses as well. But then I won’t have power to run the sewing machines. I suppose I could ask Twilight to teach me how to heat water with magic. Then I wouldn’t have to pay that expense. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that was what she had to do. She didn’t like the sound of it; she was uncomfortable using magic for anything other than finding gems and other menial tasks.

She considered asking her friends for some money to help her out this month, just this month until things picked up again. But she remembered a conversation she’d had with Applejack about the tough financial times in Ponyville.

“Ah’m barely makin’ any cider sales this summer,” Applejack said, “and that’s the most important item to sell durin’ the summer. I’ve been talkin’ to ponies walkin’ past, and they said they just couldn’t afford to buy ‘luxury items.’ Since when is a good ol’ fashioned beverage a luxury? Tell me at least yer business is doin’ well, so I can feel better about somethin’.”

“Oh, I’m doing fine,” Rarity said, her eyes turning away from Applejack’s. “In fact, if you ever need any help paying the bills, all you have to do is ask.”

“Nah, we’ll manage. The house we’ve owned since Granny Smith was just a filly, so we don’t have a mortgage to worry about. Look, are you sure yer okay? If cider’s a luxury, ah can’t imagine ponies wantin’ to dress up in prissy clothes...no offense.”

Rarity grimaced but hid her discomfort. “No, really, I’m faring well right now. No need to worry about me.”

“Right,” Applejack said flatly. “Well, don’t be spendin’ money ya don’t have. Ah know ya like to buy nice things fer yerself, but try to hold back a little. There ain’t enough money to go around these days.”

“I’ll be careful. Thanks, Applejack.”

“No problem.”

Now Rarity wished she hadn’t been lying, but that’s what she had been telling all her friends. Pinkie wasn’t selling enough goods at the bakery and Fluttershy had less animals to care for, and she had told both of them she could help them out if they needed it. Twilight and Rainbow Dash were on a fixed income, so they weren’t hurting quite as much. But Rarity didn’t want to impose anything on Twilight, and there was no way in hell she’d ever want to borrow money from Rainbow Dash.

If only there was some way to make some extra money... Suddenly Rarity remembered a letter she had gotten a few weeks ago that might be the solution to her problem. She rummaged through her nightstand to find it and read it again. It had come from Photo Finish and was written in horrendously bad English, which was clearly not her first language. The offer she had made to Rarity had sounded ridiculous when she first got it, but now it seemed like the only way out.

Dear Miss Rarity,

How’s ze fashion going for you? I know Fluttershy couldn’t make it as a model, but I know she tried ridiculous hard to help you. Ah, but zat was so long ago.

Back when ze money times were good, I got an offer from a ridiculous good magazine asking me to do a photo shoot in Canterlot with you as ze star. So excited I was zat zis letter I had to write. But ze magazine it not be the type you might want.

Zey tell me the offer still stands and you can take as long as it takes to decide. Just remember ze fame and ze fashion and you could become a star! And I leading you there, such a dream come true!

Okay, but it wouldn’t be fair for me not to be warning you. Ze magazine is Playcolt, so you’d have to be super sexy to make zem happy, but that should be no problem for you, ja? I blew it not making you a model, so zis may be a chance for ze comeback, no?

Please to be writing back either way. Fame is just a few photos away! Just be sure to make ze magic if you say ja.

Stay fabulous, darling!

PF

Rarity had been so excited to do the photo shoot until she saw that it would have to be for Playcolt. She’d never actually bought a copy of the magazine, but knew perfectly well what kind of pictures they’d be looking for. In any other circumstance she’d turn down this offer without even thinking about it, being a dignified lady and all.

But now that times were so tight, Rarity had to reevaluate her options. If she understood correctly, Playcolt models were paid pretty good money, more in a day than she might make in the boutique in a month. It would be a minor inconvenience to travel up to Canterlot for the day, but for that kind of money she could afford to be away from the boutique, especially when she hardly had any clients.

While she was thinking about it, she realized how popular the magazine was and how many ponies would be looking at her photos. With any luck, the extra publicity could put a spark of life into her business with new clientele, and that would pay off even better than just the one day’s shoot. And to top it all off, she would be famous across Equestria. Stallions might give her more than a passing glance as they recognized the gorgeous model from the magazines. Rarity had wanted to become famous ever since she was a little filly, but after all the buzz about being an Element of Harmony died down, she had given up on that dream. But this...this might bring the fame she was looking for.

Now the choice was clear. Rarity went over to her desk and took out a piece of parchment and quill and ink. She took the quill with her magic, dipped it delicately in the ink, and began to write.

Dear Photo Finish,

I have to admit that I thought the offer to do a shoot with Playcolt ridiculous when I first read your letter, but now that I’ve had time to think about it, I realize that I might not have a choice. You mentioned a downturn in the economy, and I’ve felt that really hard in Ponyville. You might not believe it, but nopony wants to buy clothes when they can barely afford to keep food on the table!

As nervous as I am about doing it, I have to accept your offer, as long as this is a one-time thing. The money just has to come from somewhere. You understand that, don’t you?

Anyway, I would be honored to let you take photographs of me. It’s an opportunity I have dreamed of ever since I first heard your name, and if it wasn’t you behind the camera I might have said no. But knowing you’re at the lens puts me at ease.

Let me know when you want me to take the trip to Canterlot, and I will be there as soon as I can. Thank you again for considering me for this opportunity.

Lots of love!

Rarity