The Contract

Chapters

1: The Letter
2: The Messenger
3: The Trip
4: The Meeting
The Plan

1: The Letter

Ms. Rarity,

Your latest clothing line titled ‘Midnight at the Gala’ has gained the interest of my employer, one Mister Khan. He wishes to set up a meeting with you at your earliest convenience in order to discuss the future of your fashion career. Just provide the date and time and we shall take care of the rest.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Snarly.

“Can you believe it?” Rarity exclaimed. “The Mister Khan wants to meet up with little ol’ me! This is a dream come true!”

“I’ve never heard of Mister Khan,” Twilight Sparkle frowned. “And this is the first time you’ve ever mentioned him. Is he another big-shot fashion designer?” Twilight offered a teasing smile. “If so you had better keep Fluttershy away from him.”

“Oh Twilight, you’re just dreadful!” Rarity laughed. “No, no, no, Mister Khan is,” She paused for a tick. “Well he is the head of…” She frowned, lined forming across her brow. “Well actually, I’ve never heard of him either.”

“So let me get this straight,” Rainbow Dash huffed. “You get some mysterious letter from some stranger asking you to meet up with him to discuss your dresses? Sounds fishy to me.”

“Everything sounds fishy to you,” Twilight commented. “Ever since you began reading Daring Doo and the Mysterious Mystery, you think every pony is out to get you.”

“Hey, you don’t know what they are thinking!” Rainbow Dash muttered. “They could be plotting against me right now and we’d never know it!” She glanced over her shoulder. “They could be anywhere.”

“Who?”

“Them.” Rainbow Dash growled.

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Knock it off.” She turned her attention back to Rarity. “Rainbow does have a point, however. This is a rather interesting mystery and I suggest we treat it as such. The first thing we need to figure out is where exactly this letter game from. Did it have a return address?

“Actually, Twilight, it did.” Rarity took the envelope from her workshop table and handed it over to Twilight. “But all it says is Khan Industries.” She frowned. “And what is just as strange is the fact that they made no mention on how I was supposed to get in contact with Mister Khan. You would think that they would have included some kind of information on how I am supposed to respond to this letter.”

“This doesn’t make any sense. Why bother sending a letter without providing any way for you to get in contact with them?”

“I don’t like it,” Rainbow Dash mumbled. “Something doesn’t feel right about this.”

“And you are positive that you have never heard of a Mister Khan in the fashion world? Not even somepony whose name sounds like Khan?”

“Trust me Twilight,” Rarity said while tapping her hoof to her chest. “If there is a pony who does fashion, I have heard of them so when I say that I have never heard of a Khan, it means he has nothing to do with the fashion.”

“Why would someone not associated with fashion be swooning over your dresses than? It doesn’t add up.”

Rarity shrugged. “Honestly, Twilight, I am beginning to think that we are just over analyzing this. For all we know, this could be a Pinkie Pie pulling another one of her pranks. I suggest we just leave it be and forget that this letter ever appeared.” Using her magic, she took the letter and envelope from the table, crinkled them both up, and had them thrown into her waste basket. “No letter, no problem. If Khan wants to get back in touch with me so badly, he will have to do a better job than that.” She nodded her head once. “So there.”

“Well said,” Twilight agreed.

“I still don’t like it,” Dash whispered.

Later that evening, after Twilight and Dash had gone home, Rarity retreated to the comfort of her lavish bedroom. She pulled the sheets off of her bed while using her magic to prepare for herself a warm, comforting bath. As the bucket of water poured itself into her porcelain tub, she fetched the letter from her workroom’s wastebasket. She kept the crinkled sheet of paper floating just above her nose as she lay within the bath water.

“Mrs. Snarly,” she scoffed. “What a horrid name. I am sure she is quite unpleasant.” She found her eyes returning to the name of Mrs. Snarly’s employer; Khan. “Khan,” Rarity whispered. “Khan,” she repeated but this time adding a bit of a purr in her voice. “Now that is one powerful name right there. Short, simple, but it commands one’s attention.” She pursed her lips in thought. “But why haven’t I heard of him before?” Then it hit her. With a start, she sat up in the tub almost splashing some of the water onto her wooden floor. “Wait,” she gasped, eyes wide. “What if he is a sponsor? That makes perfect sense! The secrecy, the refusal to include an address; it all adds up! This Khan must be a pony of incredible wealth and he wants to sponsor me in some big, fancy event! That explains why I have not heard of him; he probably wishes to remain anonymous!” Her heart began to pound with excitement. “Oh my; I wonder how many other ponies he has sponsored over the years. Dozens? Hundreds? He could be the contact I’ve been waiting for!” She summoned a towel and wrapped it around herself as she climbed out of the tub. “I must set up an interview right away, but the question is how?”

She looked back towards the letter. “Just provide a date and time?” She bit her bottom lip. “I wonder...” She fetched a blank sheet of parchment and an ink quill from her desk. The quill danced over the paper as she spoke aloud. “The First of the Month, Noon.” She wrote. She stared at the piece of parchment thinking this to be nothing more than a silly prank, that nothing could possibly come from this but she couldn’t help herself. She wrapped her robe tight around her white frame before stepping out into the chilly night. She placed the letter into her mailbox, lifted the little red flag, then returned to her warmth and comfort of her home. She stayed up for several minutes after that before finally, the blissful abyss of sleep overtook her…

As Rarity slept the night away, a lone figure slinked out of the shadows. Dressed in a tight-fitting dark blue uniform, a large black feline crept towards Rarity’s home. His golden eyes seemed to glow in the shadows and despite how dark it was on this moonless night, he could see every tiny detail as if it were day. Claws extended, he opened Rarity’s mail box to pluck from it her letter. He read what she wrote, dedicating it to memory before ripping it up in little pieces. He threw the pieces high into the air, watching as the wind swept them out of sight.

And as quietly as he appeared, he vanished back into the shadows to tell his employer the good news…

2: The Messenger

For the next couple of days, Rarity checked her mailbox with fervor. She anticipated that at any moment, at any minute a second mysterious letter would arrive acknowledging her request. Unfortunately no such request came. There was a brief moment when Rarity became worried that her response had never arrived to its intended party but over time, she began to believe that this was, indeed, nothing more than an elaborate prank brought down upon her by some random pony in Ponyville (though she had the feeling that the pony in question was pink with a rat’s nest for a mane).

It wasn’t until the following weekend when she received a response, but it did not come in the form of a letter but that of a black feline with bright yellow eyes. Rarity, with Twilight Sparkle and Fluttershy in tow, had just arrived back to her boutique after spending the afternoon at her favorite spa.

“Really, darlings, you must let ThunderHoof massage your back. He is just delightful!”

“No thanks,” Fluttershy whispered. “He seems nice and all but, well,” she stared at the ground. “He looks like he’d break me.”

“Not at all!” Rarity flipped her purple mane out of her eyes. “He is much gentler than he looks. He is only rough if you ask for it.” She grinned. “And trust me, I ask for it.”

“Rarity!” Twilight gasped.

“Oh please get your mind out of the gutter,” Rarity scoffed. “I am talking about a deep tissue massage. It is the only true way to get all the knots out of one’s back.”

“Oh,” Twilight flushed.

“Anywho; as I was saying. Fluttershy, dear, you really need to learn to trust me on these things. How can you say you don’t like a deep tissue massage if you never had one?” Rarity paused outside the front door to her boutique to fetch the keys out of her saddle back with her magic. The keys floated on over to the lock but to the trio’s shock, the door was already open.

“That’s odd,” Twilight muttered. “I thought you locked it.”

“I did.” Rarity replied. She nosed the door open allowing the three of them entrance. Using her magic, she drew the curtains exposing the creature responsible for the break-in. The feline, fur as black as night, was sitting in the center of the boutique. He was wearing a strange blue hat with a visor that nearly covered his bright yellow eyes as well as a darker blue button-up uniform jacket with a white shirt beneath.

“My word,” Rarity gasped while taking a step backwards. “Who are you and what are you doing in my…”

“Wait,” Fluttershy squeaked. “Oh my! Are you a…oh, I’ve never seen one of you before!” She tentatively approached the feline. “You’re a panther, aren’t you?”

A slight smile crossed his dark lips. “Leopard, actually.”

“Oh wow!” Fluttershy gasped. “I’ve never met a leopard before! We don’t see many felines in Ponyville; not like you that is.” She sat down in front of him, obviously wanting to get a closer look but too nervous to get any nearer. “How do you keep your fur so shiny? Is it true you can see in the dark as if it were daytime? How big are your claws? Are you really a meat eater?”

“A curious one, isn’t she?” he asked.

“You will have to excuse Fluttershy,” Rarity commented. “She gets this way whenever she meets someone exotic.” She raised an eyebrow. “However, exotic or not, it gives you no reason to break into my boutique. Just who are you and what are you doing here?”

“My name is Bagheera,” Said the leopard. “And I am here under the orders of Mister Khan. He has agreed to the date you have requested and would prefer it if you were sent on your way as soon as possible.”

Twilight blinked. “Wait. Khan? That guy from the letter?” She looked to Rarity. “You actually agreed to meet up with a total stranger?”

Bagheera’s whiskers twitched. “Stranger?” He looked from one pony to the next. “Are you telling me that you have never heard of Khan?”

“Should we have?” asked Twilight and Rarity in unison. Fluttershy was too enthralled with Bagheera’s tail to pay the conversation any mind.

“He is only the most powerful creature in the known world.” Bagheera gasped.

It was Twilight’s turn to scoff. “Really? More powerful than Princess Celestia?”

Bagheera shrugged. “While I have never met this Celestia, I would say this; I have personally witnessed Kings and Queens alike to bow down before Mister Khan. If your Princess is anything like those Kings; than I assure you that he is more powerful than she.”

“How dare you,” Twilight growled but Rarity pressed her leg over Twilight’s chest. “I do not believe our guest means anything by it. It sounds as if he knows as much of the Princess as we do of his Mister Khan.”

“I did not mean to offend.” Bagheera said coolly. “I was merely sharing my observations.”

“Hmph.”

“Anyway,” Rarity raised her voice a bit. “Before I agree to accompany you, I need to know why your employer wishes to act in such secrecy. A good impression secrets does not make.”

Bagheera considered the question for a moment, his long black tail flopping back and forth behind him. “Mister Khan wishes to avoid any attention from outside sources. There are several entities in the world who would want nothing more than to steal Mister Khan’s ideas and if they were to discover that you are one of those he wishes to meet, than they would swoop down upon you like vultures would a corpse.”

Fluttershy whimpered at the leopard’s analogy.

“No offense, but I find that rather hard to believe.” Twilight said.

“Actually, Twilight.” Rarity responded. “I can understand where he is coming from. No offense, but you do not understand the business world as well as I do.” She smiled gently to her friend. “Books cannot teach you just how cut throat businesses can be. Why, the things some designers will do to squash their competition would turn your mane white; let me tell you.”

“I dunno,” Twilight mumbled.

“Trust me on this.” Rarity nudged her cheek against Twilight’s. “It sounds quite reasonable from a business point of view.” She looked back to Barheera. “So what is the plan exactly?”

“Mister Khan had hired a private train that will take you to ManeHattan. From there we shall take a private plane to Cape Suzette.”

Twilight and Rarity blinked. “Cape Suzette?” Rarity looked to Twilight. “Have you ever heard of Cape Suzette?”

“Never.” Twilight shot the leopard a cool look. “And I have maps detailing every corner of Equestria. I have never heard of Cape Suzette.”

Bagheera looked exasperated. “You ponies do realize there are continents outside of your own, don’t you?”

Twilight frowned. “What are you talking about?”

“What I am talking about is that the world is a lot larger than you may think.” He snorted. “Equestria is just one continent amongst dozens.” His ears twitched. “And while I would love nothing more than to share with you just how large the world is, I do have a schedule to keep.” His golden eyes peered over to Rarity. “I will return early in the morning to escort you to the train station. I expect you will be packed and ready?”

“N-Now wait one second here,” Rarity stammered. “I need a moment to think about this…”

“There is nothing to think about.” Bagheera’s voice took on a cool tone. “You agreed to meet with Mister Khan. He is already expecting you.”

“But can’t you…”

“No,” He raised his voice a bit causing Fluttershy to scurry behind Twilight. “I cannot tell him to wait. I will not put my head on the chopping block because you have cold hooves. If you wish to cancel, you may do so yourself. In person.”

Twilight opened her mouth to protest but Rarity stopped her. “No, you’re right.”

“But Rarity!”

“Twilight, dear, our feline friend is correct.” She looked from Twilight to Bagheera. “A businesswoman keeps her word. I will meet this Khan and I will listen to his proposal. If it is not to my liking, then I will thank him for his time and leave it at that. All he wants to do is meet with me, yes? There is no harm in exchanging words.”

Bagheera nodded. “Well said.”

“I will be expecting you bright and early,” Rarity said.

“Of course madam,” Bagheera nodded his head. “Ladies.” He quietly walked past the three ponies, using his tail to close the door behind him as he left. The moment Twilight was positive that Bagheera was out of earshot, she whirled around towards Rarity.

“Are you crazy?” she screamed. “You have no idea what Khan has in store for you and yet you are willing to travel hundreds of miles to meet him? He could be a lunatic! He could be some kind of crazy cat monster who eats ponies every thousand years. How do you know that thousand years isn’t up?”

Rarity smiled. “Twilight,” she said in a calm voice. “I may be a lady,” her eyes sparkled with an icy ferocity. “But I know how to hold my own.”

Twilight had seen that look in Rarity’s eyes before and while she was still uneasy about this venture, she understood that Rarity would be fine. “Promise me you’ll be okay.”

Rarity laughed. “Oh Twilight you have nothing to worry about. If he so much lays a paw on me, he’ll be known as Misses Khan for the rest of his life.”

3: The Trip

The following morning found Bagheera sitting in front of Rarity’s boutique. He was dressed in the same style of uniform as the previous day but Rarity could tell that this was an entirely different set of clothes. How many sets of the same uniform did Bagheera own?

“Oh,” Bagheera shook his head upon seeing Rarity. “I don’t think so.”

She frowned at him. “What’s wrong?”

He pointed a single claw towards the mountain of luggage that Rarity had spent most of the night packing. “This.”

Rarity narrowed her eyes. “Excuse me but I will have to know that there is nothing in these bags that I cannot go a single day without. If you intend on flying me all over the world then I will do so in style and comfort. Anything less would make my trip dreadful.”

“Do you intend to carry all of this yourself?”

Rarity raised her eyebrow in his direction. He shook his head. “Madam, I am not your servant. I will not carry your luggage just as I will not massage your hooves when they are sore. You will bring only what is necessary and if you realize that something is amiss, I am sure Khan will compensate you.”

Rarity gazed deep into Bagheera’s eyes. This wasn’t just an issue over luggage. No. It was a power struggle. Bagheera, the predator that he was, was testing Rarity’s resolve. The fact of the matter is that Khan is expecting Rarity to arrive on time. Combine this with the knowledge that Bagheera both fears and respects Khan means that ball was in Rarity’s court.

“You shall assist me with half of my luggage,” she countered. “Not because you are a servant but because you are a gentleman. I will carry the other half and together we will be able to make it to the train station in record time.” She spoke politely but added a bit of an edge to her voice suggesting that she would accept no other alternative.

Bagheera knew what she was doing and did not back down. “You will bring half of the luggage and I shall carry half of that.”

Rarity fought to keep her expression neutral. Bagheera knew how to play, that much was obvious. “Very well.” She used her magic to send several cases of luggage back into her boutique. She locked the door and lifted half of the remaining cases with her magic.

“Hm.” Bagheera raised an eyebrow. “I’ve heard rumors that your kind can use magic. I never thought that I would see it in person.” He balanced the remaining luggage on is back while his tail carried two smaller handbags. “Shall we?”

“Let’s.” Rarity answered. Together the two of them walked in silence towards the train station. As it was still very early, only a hoof-ful of Pegasai was awake, arranging the clouds for today’s weather forecast. Several of them noticed Bagheera and began whispering amongst one another but other than that, they paid the duo no mind.

Upon arriving at the train station, Rarity was surprised to see a bright red CLOSED sign in the station’s window. “Wait. I thought you said we’d be taking the train.” She glanced through the schedule just beneath the ticket window. “This says nothing is scheduled until later this evening.”

“That is because we will not be using your train.” Bagheera glanced down the tracks as if looking for something. Rarity watched him curiously. “Hm. He’s a minute late.”

“Who is?” she asked but then she noticed a faint rumbling sound far off in the distance. Frowning, she leaned over the station platform to look down the tracks. Sure enough, way off in the distance she could see a train coming towards the station at high speed. “What is that?” she exclaimed.

“A private train.” Bagheera nudged her away from the edge of the platform as a massive black iron train rolled in. It was nothing like the Ponyville train which was small, cozy, and compact. This train was a beast. The wheels alone were taller than Rarity and Twilight combined (of the latter was standing on Rarity’s back) and it belched thick black smoke from its four chimneys. The cars were made of thick metal and there were bars on each of the windows.
Two black leopards hopped out of the engine car. Rarity was surprised to see that they were almost identical to Bagheera and if it weren’t for the fact that they were wearing gray overalls, she would not be able to tell them apart.

“Trouble?” Bagheera asked.

“No sir,” the one on the right commented. “We just had a slight miscalculation in time. We apologize.”

“It’s fine.” He nodded towards Rarity. “This is the one I told you about. She is to be treated with the utmost respect.” His eyes narrowed. “If so much as one hair is misplaced on her purple mane, I will inform Khan personally.”

The engineers swallowed nervously. “Of course, sir.”

“Wait,” Rarity looked to Bagheera. “You will not be joining me?”

“Oh I will but I will be patrolling the cars for most of the trip. You will be staying in your own private car.” He motioned towards the heavily reinforced car in the center. “You are free to move about the cars if you so wish but I would prefer it if you would stick to yours and ask one of the guards if you need anything.”

“Guards?” Rarity gave him a look. “Don’t you think this is overkill? Even for a pony as extravagant as little ol’ me, this is a bit extreme.”

“There is no such thing as being too safe,” Bagheera explained. “Now, if you’d please.” He led her towards the center car. As they entered, Rarity was shocked to see that the car was the purest definition of luxury on the inside. Despite the fact that the outside was cold metal, the inside was designed with comfort in mind. An overstuffed leather lounge chair was off to the side, an armchair in front of it with an oak table in between. The floor was carpeted with a material that was so plush; Rarity’s hooves sank almost an inch. There was a chandelier hanging from the ceiling, a bar in the furthest right-hoof corner, and even a bookshelf built into the back wall filled to the brim with all sorts of different literature.

Once the initial shock of the extravagance of the car wore off, Rarity noticed the five leopards. There were four guarding the entrances to the car – two per door – and a fifth behind the bar. The guards were standing on all fours, eyes straight, as still as statues. In fact, Rarity would have mistaken them for statues if not for the fact that she could see their chests moving with each breath. The bartender on the other hoof was balanced with his front paws on the bar counter, his back paws on the floor. He was busy wiping a white cloth across the countertop and he was dressed in a typical bartender’s uniform of white shirt with a black vest.

“So much security,” Rarity whispered.

“We are transporting some important cargo,” Bagheera teased. He set her bags off to the side. Rarity too placed her luggage in the pile before taking a moment to explore the luxurious boxcar. “This is splendid.” She gasped while running her hoof over the oak table.

“Indeed.” His body shifted as the train lurched into gear. “We’ll be arriving in ManeHatten in about five hours. I suggest you take this time to rest up, have a drink or something to eat, and enjoy the trip.”

“Hm? Oh, yes. Of course. Thank you.”

He nodded once before stepping out of the boxcar leaving Rarity alone with her bartender and guards.

“What do you think of her?” the guard asked Bagheera.

“She is an interesting one,” Bagheera answered. “I can see why Khan has taking a shine to her. She acts like a lady but there is a fire burning deep within.” Bagheera smirked, his ivory white fangs exposing themselves. “She is no pushover, I can tell you that much.”

“I wouldn’t think so. Khan has no use for weak minded fools.” The guard, Dayada, commented.

“Agreed, though I cannot help but wonder why Khan would give two flips about a pony from some backwater town in Equestria. There are thousands of other creatures out there who know more about the fashion industry than this little filly.”

“Maybe he has a crush on her?” Dayada snickered.

Bagheera laughed. “Oh right, like he is capable of love.”

“I don’t know. He loves money enough.”

“Nah, I don’t think so. Have you ever seen him get excited over money before? To him money is a tool. He only uses it to get what he wants.”

“What about power?”

Bagheera shrugged. “Good point.”

Dayada smirked.

“No,” Bagheera glanced over his shoulder towards Rarity’s box car. Through the window he could see that she was chatting up the bartender. “There is something special about this one. There has to be otherwise Khan wouldn’t be spending so much energy trying to acquire her.”

“True.” Dayada too looked towards Rarity. “She is pretty; for a pony that is.”

“Agreed.” Bagheera tapped his friend on the nose. “But remember Khan’s rule.”

Dayada chuckled. “Aye.”

“Don’t play with your food,” the two of them said in unison before bursting out in laughter.

“And so I ask Rainbow: ‘Do tell, does the carpet match…’”

“Excuse me.” Bagheera spoke up as he entered the box car. “I don’t mean to interrupt but I wanted to check up on you before we arrived at our destination.”

Rarity blinked. “Has it been five hours already?”

The bartender smiled. “Aye, madam, it has.”

Rarity looked around her box car. There were some books on the table that she had flipped through, some of her bags were lying upon the floor half-opened as she had been searching for makeup earlier, three empty glasses that once housed fine wine were resting on the countertop and through the windows the once empty countryside was now beginning to show signs of civilization. “Oh dear!” she gasped. “How does time fly.” She blushed towards the bartender. “I hope I didn’t chat your ear off, darling.”

He laughed. “Not at all, Ma’am. It as a refreshing change, trust me.”

She smiled at him then looked to Bagheera. “I had a wonderful time.” She quickly began putting her things back into her suitcases. “In fact, I cannot remember the last time I went on a trip that was this relaxing.”

Bagheera nodded. “I am very happy to hear that.” He paused as if in thought before adding, “Madam, have you ever flown before?”

“Oh yes, once. I had these beautiful wings; they were that of a butterfly but made from a material most sheer and fabulous. Oh you should have seen how they sparkled in the sun…” she paused upon seeing the expression on his face. “Uh, I am guessing that is not what you were talking about?”

“No. I mean have you ever flown on an airplane?”

She frowned. “Yes, you mentioned this before. I don’t believe I have. I have travelled by balloon but never by plane.”

He bit his bottom lip. “Ah, I see. Well, I do hope that you are not a nervous flyer.”

She thought back to the time where she flew through Cloudsdale with her magnificent wings. “No, I do not believe I will be.”

“Good.” He shot a knowing glance to the bartender who just winced knowingly. “I got a telegram from our pilot. He is already fueled and ready to go. I do apologize that we cannot explore ManeHatten but we do have a schedule to keep.”

“Yes, yes, I totally understand.” She piled her suitcases up in a neat little pyramid. “So who is this pilot of yours? Another leopard friend?”

“Eh, not exactly…”

“Well lookie at what the cat dragged in,” the bear said with a stupid grin upon his face. “Why, I have never seen horse like you in all mah’ life.”

“This…” Rarity shot Bagheera a nasty look. “Is your pilot?”

The light gray bear frowned. “Hey lady, I will have you know that I am the best…”

“Not now, Baloo,” Bagheera sighed. “Kahn is waiting for us.

Baloo rolled his eyes. “Don’t lecture me on being on time. I’ve never been late for an appointment in…” he frowned. “What does is this?”

“Saturday, Baloo.”

“In three whole days!” he snapped. “That’s a new record, thank you very much.”

“Whatever.”

Baloo the bear was not what Rarity had been expecting when she thought of the word pilot. He was over-weight, slack-jawed and wearing a filthy brown button up shirt and red pilot’s hat. His plane, the SeaDuck, looked as if it were going to fall apart at a moment’s notice. In fact, watching Baloo as he walked around on all fours, his body wobbling back and forth under the momentum of his own gut, Rarity found herself wondering if he could even sit in a pilot’s chair let alone fly a plane.

“You can’t be serious,” she whispered to Bagheera. Baloo was throwing her luggage into the plane while muttering under his breath about stuck-up horses.

“Look, I know he’s not the most agreeable fellow, but he really is one of the best pilots in Cape Suzette.”

She grumbled. “I find that very difficult to believe.”

“No, no, it’s true.” Bagheera insisted. “In fact, he is one of the few pilots Khan trusts to get the job done.” He raised his voice. “That is as long as he avoids Louie’s!”

“Hey now Baggy,” Baloo argued. “You know I would never dare visit Louie’s while on a mission for ol’ Khany.” Baloo grinned. “Not as long as he is paying me, that is.”

Bagheera sighed. “Can we be on our way?”

“Aye-Aye.” Baloo tapped his paw against his forehead in a mock salute. “All aboard the Duck!”

“Celestia help us all,” Rarity groaned while rolling her eyes.

Despite the rather foul conditions of the plane’s interior (the seats were torn, there was discarded food wrappers all over the floor, and a smell that Rarity could not quite place), the flight was surprisingly pleasant. What was more surprising than the flight was the pilot himself. Baloo proved his skill several times over though Rarity could have gone without him proving that he could perform a loop-de-loop with his eyes closed. The cockpit was specifically designed for Baloo’s body type, allowing him to operate the machinery with his large paws with ease. Whenever he wanted a snack from the back, he would just jam a crowbar between the steering stick and the console before trotting on all fours to the portable ice box he kept. Rarity could not believe that such an aloof creature could pilot so expertly but the more time they spent together, the more Rarity began to understand his passion for flying.

“Yeah man,” Baloo explained. “There is nowhere else in the entire world I’d rather be than behind this wheel. When I am in the SeaDuck, I am free. I can go anywhere I want, anytime I want. It’s the ultimate freedom.”

Rarity nodded. “You remind me a lot of my friend Rainbow Dash. She’s a Pegasus and she loves flying. Why, you will be hard pressed to see her actually walk on the ground. She just uses her wings to hover a few feet off the ground even when we are just going out shopping.”

“Lady,” Baloo purred, “That sounds wonderful.” He pulled a clock from under the pilot’s seat and looked at it. “We still have a couple of hours before we reach Cape Suzette. If you want, I have a mattress somewhere underneath some old rags. You can nap on that if you want.”

Rarity did her best to maintain her composure. “Uhm, no thanks.” She instead retreated to the cargo hold in order to peer out the windows. “I’d prefer to enjoy the view. I’ve never flown like this before and it is most splendid.”

“Fine by me.” Baloo said. He turned his attention back towards Bagheera who was sitting back on his haunches in the co-pilot’s seat. “You need to relax, kitty. Your claws are going to pierce my cushion.”

“I am not a fan of heights,” he mumbled with tightly closed eyes.

“Aw, why is that?” With a coy smile upon his lips, Baloo brought the SeaDuck into a nose dive. Rarity screamed as she was tossed against one of the passenger seats and Bagheera released a loud yowl of surprise. He dug all ten pairs of claws into the cushions in order to prevent himself being uprooted from his seat.

“Knock it off you fat oaf!” Bagheera screeched.

“Relax, baby. I got it.” Baloo pulled the plane out of the nose dive and evened her out. Bagheera snarled at the bear while Rarity clung to her chair. Her chest was heaving, her heart was pounding, but she couldn’t keep from laughing at how ridiculous poor Bagheera looked. His fur was all floofed out making him look like some kind of stuffed animal.

“Can we refrain from doing that for the rest of the trip?”

“No promises,” Baloo replied while shooting a wink in Rarity’s direction. “No promises.”

Rarity chuckled. Such an unusual being this Baloo the bear. She found that she was unable to dislike him. Sure, he was an arrogant, lazy bear but there was just something very likable about him. He truly was a character.

“Mister Baloo,” Rarity spoke up.

“Naw,” Baloo shook his head. “There is no Mister. Call me Baloo.”

“Yes, Baloo. If you would be so kind to prevent any more drastic measures for a while; I think I may take you up on that offer of a nap.”

“Want me to clear off the mattress?”

She crinkled her nose. “N-No, that’s fine. This seat is comfortable enough for now. Just please wake me up before we arrive. I would love to see this Cape Suzette with my own eyes.”

“You got it,” Baloo agreed. “I will make sure the Duck flies real smooth and quiet like. You get some shut eye.”

“Thank you.” Rarity slumped against her chair and shifted about until she was comfortable. To her surprise, she was a lot more tired than she realized and within minutes she had fallen into a deep and peaceful sleep.

4: The Meeting

Rarity awoke to the echoing voice of Baloo as he spoke over the intercom. “Wakey, wakey eggs and bacy; Cape Suzette dead ahead.”

Rarity rubbed the sleep from her eyes. “Hmm?” She stretched her legs straight out into the air, wincing as her joints popped. Sleeping upon an airplane’s seat was not as comfortable as she would have preferred and now she was dealing with a stiff back and stiff muscles. Grumbling as she walked, she approached the cockpit. “We’re here?”

“That we are.” Baloo answered. Rarity rubbed her eyes again before gazing out through the window. She gasped at the sight that lay before her. In the distance were immense cliffs that were separated by a single, thin canyon that apparently served as primary entry and exit point to Cape Suzette judging by the air traffic.

“By Celestia’s horn,” Rarity gasped. “I have never seen such a thing in all my life.” She stared in awe at the sheer volume of air traffic. Zeppelins, planes, hot-air balloons, and small single engine gliders were all fighting for their own space as they flew through the canyon.

“Oh honey,” Baloo laughed. “You ain’t seen nothing yet.” He waited his turn in the queue before bringing the SeaDuck expertly through the narrow canyon. He dodged the ongoing traffic, diving beneath a massive Zeppelin while narrowly missing a twin engine shipping plane that made the SeaDuck resemble a gnat in comparison. Rarity couldn’t keep from yipping in surprise with each narrow miss but it soon became apparent that Baloo knew exactly what he was doing. They made it through the canyon without incident.

“Welcome to Cape Suzette,” Bagheera said.

“It’s beautiful!” Rarity exclaimed. Indeed Cape Suzette was beautiful. A vast harbor city that started along the beaches and stretched out to the cliffs, Cape Suzette seemed to be a bustling metropolis. She could see small suburbia houses, towering skyscrapers, and busy ports filled to the brim with boats of various sizes and shapes. Despite being on the ocean, it seemed that the primary source of transportation came in the form of planes and horseless carriages. She had heard of such vehicles but has never been privy to actually seeing them. She found their smooth, slick designs to be a thing of beauty and elegance and her mind wandered to what the Canterlot Elite would think of her if they found out that she had gotten the chance to see such technological marvels. Oh how jealous they would be!

“Do you see that tower over there?” Bagheera said while pointing. Rarity looked in that direction.

“How could I miss it?” she gasped. The tower to which Bagheera was referring stood in the center of the city. It easily surpassed the tallest of skyscrapers; standing like some kind of cement god overlooking the rest of the buildings. “It’s huge!”

“That is Khan Towers.” Bagheera explained. “Mister Khan’s central headquarters. Incidentally, it acts as the heart and soul of Cape Suzette.

“Khan owns that?” Rarity gasped.

“No,” Bagheera correct. He spread his front legs to encompass the entire city. “He owns Cape Suzette.”

Rarity’s jaw dropped. “What?” she exclaimed.

“That he does,” Baloo agreed. “Ol’ Khany has his claws in several pies.” Baloo blinked. “That sounds really good actually. Hey Baggs, can we…”

“No Baloo, we can’t.” Bagheera growled. “We have a schedule to keep.”

Baloo sulked.

“You see,” Bagheera went on explaining. “Mister Khan owns the banks and the banks are responsible for the loans that every businesscreature starts. If you ever start up an account in our banks, you are indirectly starting an account with Khan himself. There is not a single dollar that exchanges paws here that Khan hasn’t owned at one point in his life.”

Rarity felt a wave of nausea rise from within her gullet. “I had no idea.”

“Now do you see what I meant when I said I’ve seen royalty bow down to him? Whereas Princes and Princesses can control their own territory, Khan controls entire nations. A single command could create an embargo that can literally shut down an entire city within weeks; all without having to leave his office. A single swipe of the pen and he can create empires or bring cities to their knees. “ Bagheera could not keep the admiration out of his voice.

“How could anycreature be trusted with so much power?” Rarity frowned.

It was Baloo who answered. “We don’t trust him,” he said in a surprisingly bitter tone. “But what choice do we have?” He shook his head.

“Khan isn’t a tyrant,” Bagheera clarified. “He keeps the price of living reasonable and he never backs out of a deal. He holds himself responsible for any and all failures that rise up as well as giving credit to those who deserve it.” Bagheera shot Baloo a look. “You of all bears should know this.”

“You do?” Rarity asked.

“I saved Khany’s life once,” Baloo said in an embarrassed tone. “And in exchange he gave me anything I wanted. I, uhm, kind of made an ass of myself.”

“Kind of?” Bagheera laughed. “You asked the most powerful buisnesscreature in the world for a ping-pong table!”

Rarity chuckled. “Oh Baloo.”

Baloo flushed. “Anyway,” he said while raising his voice. “I suggest you buckle up. We are going to land in a few minutes.”

“As much as I would like too, I cannot take you to your hotel right away. Mister Khan has been eagerly waiting your arrival and he wanted to see you the moment you arrived.”

Rarity’s eyes widened. “I cannot see such an impressive creature looking like this! I need time to do my mane, prepare a dress, and apply make-up!”

“You look fine,” Bagheera reassured her. “Besides this is an informal meeting; a meet and greet if you will. It will only take a few minutes. Your actual business meeting will be tomorrow morning.”

“I-I guess?”

“Don’t worry. You’ll do fine.”

Rarity did not feel fine. In fact, she felt absolutely terrified. She could not remember a time in her life that compared to the fear she felt at this very moment. Normally when she was about to meet somepony of high importance, she felt on top of the world but not here. Not now.

She remembered the first time Celestia had invited her and her friends into the castle. She remembered how welcoming the castle had looked with its polished marble floors, beautiful tapestries, tinted windows, and bright colors. Khan’s office was the complete opposite. The walls were bare except for a large steel circle with a stylized K in its center. There were no paintings, no tapestries; nothing but naked, cold cement. The floor was just as cold; dark marble without a single rug or carpet to accent its lifeless gray color. Khan’s waiting room was just as bare. Only a single couch (blood red) stood off to the side for guests to sit. There was also the receptionist’s desk where an elderly female shrew sat. Despite her tiny body and age, she was able to hop around the desk, answering phones, taking down notes, and setting up appointments with very little trouble at all. However, while she may look like the sweet grandmotherly type, Mrs. Snarly lived up to her name. She was no-nonsense and several times Rarity witnessed her snarling at people over the phone. She spared not a glance in Rarity’s direction, only gesturing for the purple-maned to sit and be quiet upon her arrival.

Rarity did not have long to wait, however, before the two massive red doors leading into Khan’s office opened. Mrs. Snarly snapped his tiny claws to catch Rarity’s attention. “He will see you now.” She squeaked. Rarity felt as if her heart was about to leap from her chest as she stepped from the lobby into Khan’s personal office. The doors closed behind her causing her to jump slightly. She glared over her shoulders towards the doors before turning around to examine the vast office.

The first thing that came to mind was the sheer lack of lighting. The room was very dark save for a single beam of bright light that emanated from the windows in front of her. It took her a moment to realize that this set-up was designed so that Khan could see whoever it was who was entering his office before their eyes had a chance to adjust to the lighting.

The second thing she noticed was the foliage that lined the pathway leading up to Khan’s desk. A garden had been installed on either side of the pathway; a garden of tropical plants and twisting vines. There was not a single flower to be had in this garden instead a bunch of strange leafy plants that seemed to bulge at the end. Rarity stared at these bulges in wonder. Was it her imagination or did some of these plants have mouths? She shook the idea out of her head. Plants with mouths. How absurd!

Finally there was Khan himself. He was sitting on his haunches his back turned to her. He was gazing out the window, his shadow stretching the length of the room. Even as she stepped into his shadow, she felt the temperature in the room drop a few degrees as if his very presence scared the heat away. She refused to allow her nerves to get the better of her. She was Rarity for Celestia’s sake! One of the most important ponies in the fashion industry and she would not allow any creature to intimidate her. Taking a deep breath, Rarity stopped just behind Khan’s desk and cleared her throat. “Mister Khan?” she said in what she hoped was a strong tone of voice “You asked to see me?”

“Hmm.” He turned around. Rarity felt a shiver of fear rise within her stomach as she finally came eye-to-eye with Khan. She had expected another panther like Bagheera but in reality Khan was a massive tiger. His face, like most of his body, was orange with black stripes but beneath his chin following down the center of his throat and beyond was white. His yellow eyes gleamed in the dimly lit room and he wore a tight fitting black business suit with a white collared shirt beneath. A red tie completed the ensemble. She could see that his body was bulging with muscles which would have been something she would be more curious in seeing if it weren’t for the fact that she only came up to his stomach in terms of height. Even sitting on his haunches, Khan towered over her. “You are Rarity?” his voice was low, growling, with a Canterlot-sounding accent.

She forced herself to relax. “I am.” She answered.

Khan approached his desk, his paws making not a sound as he walked forward. He sat down before pulling out a manila envelope from a drawer. He opened it and began to flip through the information it contained. “Twenty five years old. Ponyville resident with contacts in Canterlot.” His perfectly shaped eyebrow rose. “One such contact being that of Princess Celestia and Princess Cadence.” He lowered the file to look into Rarity’s eyes. “To have the ear of royalty one must be quite important.” His voice remained neutral, not a hint of admiration or curiosity within. He looked back to the file. “Started working in fashion as a filly and has currently sold dresses to some of Canterlot’s more prestigious designers.” He closed the folder and set it down upon his desk. “Ms. Rarity, do you know why I have called you here?”

She repressed the urge to lick her lips. “I imagine,” she said in a strong voice. “That you wish to sponsor my work. After seeing all of this, however, I must admit that I am not s confidant in that fact.”

“Khan Industries deals in a lot of different business ventures,” Khan explained. “And the fashion industry is no exception. Your work has captured the attention of several of my colleagues and they have come to the decision that your talents are being wasted.” He removed several photographs from the folder. She recognized the dresses in the photos as all outfits she had designed. “My colleagues wish to expand your brand to the rest of the world.” His eyes narrowed into slits. “I on the other paw do not know if you are worth the effort.”

Rarity felt as if he had just slapped her across the face. “Excuse me?” she gasped, trying to keep her temper in check.

“You are a nobody.” He said matter-of-factly. “You have talent and you have gotten lucky with some of your designs, but you have yet to land a serious business deal. You do not have a brand. You run a small boutique out of your home that services bumpkins more so than the clientele that matters.” His voice lowered to a faint growl. “I do not have time to waste on nobodies.”

Rarity felt her ears twitch in irritation but she kept her voice calm. “Mister Khan,” she spoke in an even tone. “With all due respect, I did not travel for nearly a day to be insulted. While it is true that my business is not as expansive as others, my work has constantly been a grade above others. I have been given several opportunities to join forces with some of the most renown designers in Equestria and I have turned down each one of their offers because I did not believe that it meet my personal standards. Yes this may have not been in the best interest for my business but I would rather work out of my home than jeopardize my work.” She stared unflinching into Khan’s yellow eyes. “So I may be a nobody, but I am a nobody who produces quality over quantity and at the end of the day I would rather create something that I am proud of instead of garbage produced to make a quick bit.”

Khan clasped his front paws together in front of him. He stared deep into Rarity’s eyes, unblinking, without moving. Rarity heard stories about how predators could become as still as statues but she had never experienced it until this very moment. His chest wasn’t even moving though she could hear the faint whisper of his breathing as he inhaled and exhaled through his nostrils. Finally, after what felt like a lifetime, he spoke. “You will present a single dress by three o’clock tomorrow for my colleagues and me to review. I expect a list of materials used and the cost it takes to produce such a dress. A presentation shall also be written explaining the inspiration for the dress and your target audience.” He rose up onto all fours. “I look forward to seeing what you present.” Without another word, Khan turned around to return to his sky-gazing. Rarity blinked in surprised, unsure whether to thank him or leave without another word. She stammered out a shocked ‘Thank-You’ before leaving the shadowy office.

As she stepped into the elevator that would bring her to the ground floor, she felt as if her bones had been replaced with rubber but once the moment of fear had passé, she released a loud whoop of delight. “I did it!” she screamed within the confines of the elevator. Then the realization of her task dawned upon her. “Oh Celestia,” she gasped. “I have a lot of work to do!” she began pounding her hoof against the Lobby button of the elevator. “Hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry!”

She had a lot of work to do and very little time to do it.

The Plan

“How dare he?” Rarity snarled. She had been pacing within the confines of her hotel suite. While she had originally been impressed with the luxury of the room she had been presented, it was a fleeting emotion. Any positive feelings the room could provide were thrown aside the moment she reflected upon this afternoon’s meeting. “He sends his goons to spy on me, flies me halfway across the world, makes me wait in his stuffy lobby, only to tell me that I’m worthless?” She stomped her hoof against the carpeted floor. “I will show him that Rarity is a force to be reckoned with!”

Normally Rarity would take some time to relax before starting a new project but she was just too irritated to bother. She grabbed her saddle bag and stormed out of the hotel.

“Madam,” her chauffeur - a black-furred panther who bared a striking resemblance to Bagheera – bowed his head. He was standing outside of one of the fancy horseless carriages she had seen from Baloo’s airplane. The “automobile” along with its driver were both given to Rarity by Khan himself. While he did not hold any faith in her abilities, he was not above giving her a chance to prove herself. Ergo, he had the bits she had brought along converted to Cape Suzette’s currency – pieces of green paper called ‘dollars’ – while also providing her the hotel suite and chauffeur.

“Take me to the fashion district.” She snorted while climbing into the backseat of the automobile. She sat herself back against the cushioned chair while the panther bounded into the driver’s seat. With a lurch, the automobile pulled into the paved roads of Cape Suzette while Rarity fumed in silence.

It did not take long for the sights and sounds of Cape Suzette to distract Rarity from her irritation. She could not get over the various different species of animal that resided within the city. Everything from alligators to antelopes, from boars to lions; she had never experienced such diversity! Back home, every creature had their own city. It was not by choice but just by design. Certain species lived in specific regions of Equestria thus they tended to stick to the territories to which they were accustomed. But not here.

“Madam,” the panther’s voice cut through her thoughts. “We’re closing in on the fashion district.” He gestured with a single claw. She looked through the window and gasped.

“By Celestia’s mane,” she whistled. “It is marvelous! I daresay that this rivals Manehatten in its extravagance!”

“Let me know if you see something that catches your eye.” He offered.

“Oh yes, of course!” She pressed her hooves to the window while staring at the bright white storefronts. They all had large, brightly-lit windows that displayed their wares; everything from beautiful red evening gowns to seductive, low cut black dresses. Rarity examined the display windows carefully before a sense of dread began to settle in the pit of her stomach. “Excuse me, but I am not seeing any stores that cater to ponies.”

The driver was quiet for several seconds before stating; “There are not many ponies who live in Cape Suzette.” He was quiet for a couple of seconds more then added, “In fact, I think you’re the first I’ve met.”

Her jaw nearly hit the floor. “What?”

He shrugged. “I’m sorry, Madam.”

“But how could Khan expect me to sell dresses to ponies if there aren’t any ponies to purchase them!” She narrowed her eyes. “He is setting me up to fail, isn’t it? He wants to see me squirm, to admit defeat!” She began to grind her teeth together. “This is just a sick game to him, isn’t it?” A cold, sly smile slithered across her lips. “Very well. I’ll play his game.” She looked back to the driver. “Where did that bear work again?” She frowned. “It had a silly name. Something that rhymed.”

“Are you talking about Baloo?” the driver asked.

“Yes, him.”

“Higher for Hire.” He offered.

She blinked. “How did you know that?”

“Mister Khan uses them all the time for special deliveries. Baloo may be uncouth but he never fails a delivery.”

Rarity’s grin became that much more devious. “Perfect. Higher for Hire, please. The faster we get there, the better.”

“Yes Ma’am.”

The driver did as he was instructed and within mere minutes they were pulling up along the side of Higher for Hire. Not surprisingly, the office was as scruffy as the pilot who worked there. Rarity thanked her driver, letting him know that he was free to do whatever he wished for the rest of the night, before approaching the front door. She was about to knock when she noticed that the door was opened a crack. Cautiously, she poked her head into the office.

“Hello?” she whispered, trying to adjust to the darkness. “Is anyone here?”

Nothing.

A brief’s moment of concentration was all Rarity needed to illuminate her horn. Carefully she crept into the filthy office, trying her best not to trip over the open boxes or sheet of paper. She could not believe just how messy this establishment was. Could it be that Baloo the Bear ran it himself? She wouldn’t be surprised if that was the case. Who in the right mind other than that oaf of a bear would keep a business so filthy?

“No, no, no,” Rarity whispered. “This will not do. This will not do at all.” She peaked around. No sign of anyone in the office. “Alright, Rarity, let’s get to work.” She began picking up the papers off the ground, using her magic to levitate, organize, and stack them into very neat piles. Once they were back in order, she set them down amongst the empty bookshelves. Next came the boxes which she neatly disassembled. She found some spare twine and used it to tie the cardboard up. Once the cardboard had been stacked in a corner, she made her way to what she could only assume was a desk, if one could see it underneath the stacks and stacks of papers, blue-prints, and binders. Humming to herself, she began to lift the mess off of the desk, organizing them one at a time until all that was left was a pile of newspapers. Using her magic, she pulled them up off the desk…

Revealing a female bear who seemed to have fallen asleep under the mess! Rarity gasped in surprise, stumbling backwards. “Oh my!”

The bear snorted awake. “Huh?” She clumsily patted her paw across the desk until she found her alarm clock. She stared at it with glazed-over eyes. “What time is it, Baloo?”

“Uhm,” Rarity cleared her throat. “Baloo, uhm, is not here…”

“Of course he isn’t.” The bear sighed. She stretched her slender front legs over her head, cracking her elbows and her back at the same time. “And who are you?” she sighed while yawning.

“Oh, yes,” Rarity cleared her throat. “My name is Rarity and I am here for a business proposition.”

“Business?” The bear’s eyes suddenly snapped into focus. She shoved herself out of her chair, walking on all fours towards Rarity. She was a lot smaller than the other bears Rarity had seen, and a lot more slender too. She wore a red jacket with blue slacks and kept her hair in a tight bun. Although she couldn’t be older than her early thirties, the stress lines near her eyes could have made her seem like she were in her forties. She still was rather lovely though, for a bear that is. “What kind of business are we talking about? Do you have some cargo that needs to be delivered? Or do you need to be flown somewhere important?” She offered her paw to Rarity who shook it. “I am Rebecca Cunningham and I am the owner of Higher for Hire. I’ll be more than happy to relieve you of your money,” she coughed. “I mean, your deliveries.”

Rarity chuckled. As a small business owner herself, she understood the stress that Rebecca must go through on a daily basis. “I am actually looking for Baloo, you see…”

“Becky,” a familiar voice called from the outside. “Whose limo is that outside?” the voice laughed. “Don’t tell me you finally got a date to the prom.” Baloo kicked the front door in and sauntered into the office. “Oh, well lookie what we have here.” He grinned. “Rarity, right? What are you doing here at this time of the night?”

“A better question, mister,” Rebecca snapped. “Is where have you been? We have a crate of cracked coconuts that need to go to Cucamonga tomorrow morning a I don’t need you sleeping through your alarm again!”

“Relax Beckers. I was just out getting us some chow.” Baloo dug into his flight jacket and pulled out two wrapped burritos. He tossed one to Rebecca who was barely able to catch it. She glared daggers at Baloo but her tone eased down a bit. “Thank you, Baloo.”

“Anytime.” He flopped his wide bottom into an armchair and used his claws to peel back the burrito’s wrapper like a banana. The chair groaned under his weight. “So what’s up Rarity?” He took a quick bite from his snack and continued talking with a mouthful of food. “Tired of Sphere Hans Afeady?”

“Swallow your food, Baloo,” Rebecca groaned.

Baloo did as he was told. He wiped his mouth with the back of his paw. “Anyway, like I was saying; tired of Shere Khan already?”

Rebecca blinked. “Shere Khan?” She looked to Rarity. “What do you have to do with Khan.” She blinked a second time. “Wait, who cleaned up my office?”

“I did.” Rarity admitted.

“How?”

“With my magic.” She explained.

“Huh.” Rebecca looked to Baloo who shrugged. “You can use magic?”

“Why yes.” Rarity paused then frowned. “Oh, I am sorry. I forget that you are not accustomed to ponies here.” She pointed her hoof towards her horn. “As a unicorn, I am able to use magic. I am sure it must come as a surprise to you both…”

“Naw,” Baloo shook his head.

“Not really,” Rebecca agreed. “We’ve seen it all. Ghost pirates, giant squids, air pirates.”

Baloo snapped his claws. “Don’t forget robots and killer pandas.

“Yeah, robots and pandas.” Rebecca shrugged. “We’re not really surprised by anything anymore.” She whistled. “Not a bad job you did, though. I really appreciate it.” She unwrapped her burrito. “So what can we do for you? You said you wanted to talk to Baloo?”

“I did.” Rarity cleared her throat. “It has come to my attention that Mister Khan doesn’t really want to hire me for anything but that he flew me all this way just to humiliate me.”

“Yeah,” Baloo nodded. “He does that.”

“But why?”

“He has a very low opinion on small business,” Rebecca explained. “He uses them when he must, but most of the time he tries to bankrupt them. He cannot tolerate any competition, no matter how small.”

“We’ve had our run-ins with him,” Baloo commented. “But he’s decided to leave us alone now.” He grinned. “As the best pilot who has ever lived, Khany would be a fool to get rid of my plane.”

“Nevertheless,” Rarity interjected. “I do not tolerate being made a fool of.” She looked to Baloo. “He has challenged me to make an outfit that proves that I am worthy of his time although it has become apparent that ponies are in very short supply in your city hence I am unable to properly model off my clothes. There is no point in trying to sell something when there is no pony around to buy it.”

“Makes sense,” Rebecca agreed. “I must say I am impressed with your business sense.”

“I run a boutique of my own back at home.” Rarity smiled with pride. “Now, I shall not retreat from this challenge with my tail between my legs. Neigh! As such, I have decided to take the one creature I know and transform him from a slob into a gentleman. Once Khan and his board members see what I am capable of, they will have no choice but to reconsider their opinion of me.”

Baloo snickered. “Not a bad idea, lady, but who are you going to get at this hour of the night?"

Rarity batted her eyelashes towards him. "Why Baloo, I thought you'd never ask..."