Everypony for Herself

“Excuse me, but where are we going?” Rarity asks the mysterious mare who offered her someplace to stay after she abandoned her friends and failed to catch up with them at the train station.

"Don't worry, I can house you for a while at least.” She says softly. “What is your name?”

“Oh, m-my name is Rarity.” She introduces herself to the mare.

"I remember hearing about you. You're one of the ponies to defeated Nightmare Moon.” She says talking with her as if they were old friends.

“Y-Yes I am. How did you know?” She asks her, surprised she recognized her from that aspect.

"Everypony here has heard of you six. It's a true honor to meet you.” She says before she stops and looks past Rarity to her house. "Well this is us," She says before urging her toward the door.

“Oh, thank you…” She thanks her as she enters her house and out of the pouring rain.

"So what happened to you? I'm surprised that you're still here instead of Ponyville since the fashion show is over.” She says setting the umbrella and saddle bags near the door before pulling off her shirt.

“W-Well, to make a long story short, I think I pushed my friends too hard for me to try to win the fashion show. The crowd liked my design, but my friends weren’t there and I tried to go after them, but… their train left and they’re heading home now and probably upset at me that I never thanked them.” Rarity tells her story to her, sitting on a chair opposite of the goldenrod mare with a wavy yellow and white mane and tail as she lights a fire in her fireplace with her horn.

"I'm so sorry to hear that, well I can house you for the night until you can get a train ticket back home.” Golden Shimmer says reaching forward and took one of Rarity's hooves in her own.

“Oh thank you darling!” She thanks her, kissing her hoof.

"Anything to help a great fashionista like yourself miss Rarity,” She says with a smile before getting up from her seat to get a pot of tea.

“May I have honey in mine?” Rarity asks her as she pours her a cup of tea while getting her a blanket.

"Sure thing sweetie.” She says adding some honey into hers before lifting her cup with magic and let's her guest take the cup with her magic.

The white unicorn nods to her and sips her tea, tasting the honey in her tea, feeling warmed by the liquid. “What kind of tea is this? It’s quite delicious.”

"I don't remember, my husband made it all the time when we were still married,” She says sipping at her tea somewhat saddened.

“I’m sorry for your loss.” Rarity sympathizes with her as she sips her tea, placing it near her, hearing some thunder rumble outside. “So tell me Miss... uh… What was your name?”

“My name is not important now. I’m just a friend helping somepony. That’s all you need to know,” The mare replies, giving a confusing answer to Rarity.

“Oh, okay then,” Rarity says, sipping her tea. “Can you tell me what do you do for a living in Manehatten?”

"I'm a realtor in town. It usually hit or miss when getting paid, but it's a job right?" She asks before taking another sip of the tea.

“Yeah I guess. Anypony in particular stand out?”

"Not really, not many ponies are moving in town lately.” She says setting her cup down on the saucer on the table.

“I see. I guess I need some bits to help make a living here.” Rarity says, knowing she was low on bits at the moment

"I can help you with that,” She says walking to the kitchen to to get one of the business cards from her job.

Rarity looks at the business card and observes it. “What is it for?” She asks curiously.

"It's a number for a job opportunity,” She says offering the card.

“I see.” The white unicorn says, looking at the card.

"Hey it's a job right? Besides, they pay very well but you have to work hard for it,” She says.

“I understand. It’s better than nothing I guess.” Rarity chuckles warmly. “Where do I go to get this job? It doesn’t say here.”

"It's just a couple blocks away from here actually. I'll take you there tomorrow when the rain stops," The mysterious mare, says sipping her tea as she sits down again.

“Thank you again. Not to be a pain or anything, but where will I sleep tonight?” Rarity asks, not wanting to be a bother to her.

"Come with me, I always have a spare bedroom just in case. Follow me.”

She nods and follows behind her, up the stairs.

"So may I ask what is waiting back at home for you?" the mare asks, sparking some extra conversation.

"Well I’m hoping somepony can keep my business running while I’m gone.” Rarity says softly as she takes the lead to the bedroom.

“Really? Do your parents look after the shop when you're away?" A door at the end of the hall soon opens in front of the two ponies as they approach it.

“No not really. They’re on their own and rarely visit Ponyville.”

"I see.”

Rarity enters the semi-elegant room, complete with a dresser, a bed with fine sheets, a thin vale surrounding the bed, a circular window to overlook the road and a light with an alarm clock next to the bed. “Wow, this room is really nice. Thank you so much for doing this. I hope I am not a bother to you.”

“No bother at all Rarity, I always offer a room when I can spare it.” the goldenrod mare says before chuckling. "I’ll let you get some rest and take a warm shower. The shower is on the first door on your left once you leave this room.”

“Alright. Thank you… friend,” Rarity hugs her while trying to keep her act together.

"Don't worry about it Rarity.” She replies hugging her back before hearing a knock on the front door downstairs.

“Go on ahead, I’ll start my shower.” The white mare says, letting go of her, opening the bathroom door with her magic and start the hot water.

—

As Rarity showers, the goldenrod mare makes her way downstairs and opens the door only to see one of her employers.

“So, you have any takers tonight?” Says a female voice, but in a dark tone as she comes in from the rain with a hood and poncho on, dripping wet from the rain.

"No ma'am, but I managed to find a pony who is down on her luck at the moment.” She replies stepping back so she could step inside.

“Good,” The tall and mysterious mare replies with a sinister grin. “Where is she now?”

"Right now she's taking a shower. Let me guess, you want her to join our ranks don't you?" The shorter mare asks almost saddened.

“You know the answer to that. So tell me, what is she like?”

"She's very nice, beautiful, and smart.”

The mysterious pony chuckles evilly. “Excellent. When she’s vulnerable, knock her out and walk her over to my place. I will have a handsome reward for you.”

"Yes ma'am, I understand.”

“Good, you know the rest of the drill.” She says before turning and opening the door, about to enter the pouring rain. “Good night. I’ll see the both of you soon.” The mysterious, hooded mare walks out, closes the door and disappears into the wet and rainy night, making the mare sad , knowing what she had to do to the down-on-her-luck pony. Rarity seemed like an interesting pony to her and wish she could help her more, but she had a job to do to earn her living. She sighs sadly then heads back up the stairs and opens the door of her bedroom and sits on the bed slowly wishing she didn't have to do this to Rarity.

—

(Later that night…)

“Darling? You in here?” Rarity calls out to her, seeing the light on, having just gotten out of the shower.

"Come on in Rarity.” She calls out and readies herself behind the door, waiting to strike.

Rarity steps into her room and stands near her. “I just wanted to say goodnight to you and I'll see you in the morning.”

"Good night to you too." She says before slamming the door shut behind Rarity and quickly pulls a rag over her muzzle, reducing her screams to a soft muffle.

Rarity tries to break free from her grasp as the pony places a hoof over her neck, holding her in place as she slowly becomes weaker from the chloroform in the rag as tears of regret fill mare’s eyes as she softly apologizes to Rarity. "I'm sorry Rarity! I have to do this!” She says to her as the white mare finally slumps to the ground underneath her and moans in her unconscious state.

"I'm so sorry Rarity, I never wanted this, especially for a pony like you.” The goldenrod mare says, tying her up slowly and applying a blindfold over her eyes. She places a kisses her forehead as she finishes tying her up and looks for something to carry her in across Manehatten. She finds a large suitcase she used before and reluctantly opens it and places her inside it. Before she closed the lid she quickly tied a gag around her muzzle making sure she could cry out. "I'm so sorry Rarity."

She finishes zipping up the suitcase and groans as she levitates it down the stairs and opens the door to take Rarity to the specified address in Manehatten. She grabs a poncho and dresses herself in it before stepping out in the still pouring rain and closing the door behind her, pulling the suitcase with the unconscious pony in it.

After fifteen minutes of pulling the suitcase in the rain soaked streets, she reaches the address and then knocks on the door with a hoof hearing a stir come from the suitcase, cursing under her breath.

The door opens quickly and the suitcase is quickly pulled inside by a mysterious pony's magic before another, but smaller suitcase, is dropped in front of her and the door quickly shuts again leaving the mare in the poncho alone in the rain at night, slowly making her way back towards her home, including her payment for Rarity.

—

The mysterious pony takes the suitcase into her large living room and opens the suitcase slowly, revealing a white unicorn pony with a purple mane and tail with three diamonds as her cutie mark, all tied up and gagged for her. “Why hello there my pretty, you’ll do a great service for us…”