Equal and Opposite

"Pommel! It's about time you got back. Where in Equestria have you been?"

The fear that had held her captive for years was no longer there, replaced by new-found determination. "Nowhere important. I was just out getting coffee."

"Great, give it here. I need my fix before Rarity 'forfeits.' Hate to look bad on stage mkay."

Coco would savor both this moment and the coffee for years. In clear view of Suri, she pulled it out of her saddlebag and s-l-o-w-l-y took a couple of gulps.

A bit taken aback, Suri shook herself. "Hey! That was mine."

"It was never yours, nor were the other ones. You made me pay for all of them."

Her employer's voice took on a confused tone. "What do you think you're doing Pommel? I told you before, nothing's free in the business world."

"Rarity didn't seem to think so when she loaned you her fabric."

A chuckle accompanied the reply. "No she didn't. And look how that turned out. I didn't even have to seek the advantage; she gave it to me on a silver platter."

"Tell me something." Coco took a step forward. "Do you tell yourself that every time you lie? Every time you steal from somepony else? Every time you gain fame and prestige that didn't belong to you? Because that's what you had me believing. That all the sneaking around, the deception, it was all in the name of survival."

The tone changed from confused to dangerous. "I don't 'just tell myself that.' It's the truth. Do you think I got as far as I did by looking out for the little guy? Or plopping a few bits in one of those charity scams? Please. The only way to get to the top is by looking out for number one."

"WRONG! Rarity beat you in fashion week without doing any of that. She didn't lie, she didn't cheat, and she especially didn't steal from one of her betters. And even after we lied to her, she didn't even care. She was just happy to be with her friends instead.

From her saddlebag, she pulled out the trophy still engraved with the contest's real winner. "Rarity deserves this much more than you ever did. And I'm gonna make sure she gets it."

If looks could kill, Suri's harsh glare would have given Cerberus himself some trouble. She slowly walked towards Coco, teeth grinding with every step.

"HOW. DARE. YOU! I did all this to teach you, to show you how to survive in this city, and this is your gratitude? You think you can turn around and betray me?"

As impossible as seemed, the cream mare met the gaze eye-to-eye. "Yes I am. Because what you did, and what I did with you, was wrong. And I won't just stand idly by anymore." And as Suri tried to protest, Coco cut her off. "Don't bother trying to stop me. I already told Prim Hemline everything. You'll be lucky if you ever get to present here again."

"You can't do this to me. I'm your boss!"

As Suri tried to swipe the trophy, her hoof hit Coco's open saddlebag, sending the cup of coffee inside flying into the air. As other nearby ponies watched, the drink hit its arc when gravity took hold.

And the scalding hot beverage splashed all over Suri.

"BLAAGH!"

Coco smiled. "I quit, Suri. Find another stooge to get you some coffee."

"Dinner time, Polomare."

The sound of a food tray slipping into her cell jolted Suri out of her recollections. Turning from her desk, she stared in disgust at three-day old rice and beans, brussel sprout souffle, and mystery meatloaf. Nasty. But despite the protests of her gag reflex, she managed to choke the gruel down. If she took too long to eat it, the guards would give it to somepony else, and she'd be left to starve for the rest of the night.

It's not *fair.** Even eating nothing but junk food would be better than this junk.*

As bad as it was, the food was the least of her problems. Although the prison (correctional center my flank) separated the inmates by gender, she'd learned the hard way that she wasn't in any less danger. Her fellow prisoners had been delighted to see the "new meat" when she'd first arrived, and they'd spent a whole week putting her through their "initiation."

I just wanted a nice hot shower, and I ended up getting scalded again.

In just days, she'd lost everything, going from rising star to sunken ship. And even when she got out, there would be no returning to the fashion world. News traveled fast, and she doubted many ponies would want to do business with a "lying, stealing, cheater." All she could do now was keep her head down and try not to get hurt too badly. Though that wasn't easy when the ponies here were immune to her sweet talk and her "seek the advantage" mindset only got her bodily harm in retaliation.

Plus, prison orange went out of style years ago.

Her life now wavered between awful and miserable, and it only felt worse whenever she thought of the wretch responsible for her suffering. The words "Curse, you, Rarity!" were scribbled all over her cell walls.

Rarity. The name left a stench in her mouth far fouler than the nasty food. That mare had come in with her stupid hotel fabric and taken what was rightfully hers. And worse than that, she'd caused Suri's assistant to turn against her and ruin her reputation forever. Now, she was angry all over again, and she took her anger out on the food tray. Her teeth clenched around it until her jaw hurt, but her pain was rewarded when the plastic broke in two.

She hated that mare. Hated her more than anything. Grabbing her cell's bars, she howled with fury and despair. In that moment, she would have given anything to see purple-haired witch in chains beside her. To make her suffer as she had suffered. To bash her head in with a pickax when they broke rocks outside.

But all she got for her trouble was the guards yelling at her to knock it off and a spritz of pepper spray in her eyes.

When everypony else had turned in for the night, she sat awake and stared at the ceiling, too angry to sleep. Instead, she stood by her door and stared out into the hallway, listening to the hoof-falls of the guards on patrol.

That were strangely silent at the moment. Maybe they were outside.

No wait, that wasn't right. Another patrol was supposed to be outside. The shift change had only happened a few minutes ago, so why weren't they patrolling?

THWACK! "Oof." THWACK! "Oof."

A pair of guards slumped unconscious in front of her cell. A key rattled in the lock. A third pony opened her cell door. Stepping forward into the moon light, she grinned at the mare.

"Who are you?"

The newcomer laughed. "My name is Starlight Glimmer. And Suri Polomare, do I have a deal for you."