Bridles and Corsets

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AN: I can't believe it took this long to write, proofread, and edit a single chapter. I apologize in advance.

"Hmm, that should do it," A butler pony said, securing the vinyl record with Rarity's back-and-forth with Twilight on it into a paper sleeve. He then carefully set it into a file with that day's date on it, storing that into a small file cabinet near the large sound console. The butler knew that his master was a bit paranoid about some of the ponies that entered his home, but it still bothered the butler a bit. "I think I sympathize with her more than Jet Set..." He said out loud just before leaving said security room.

The butler pony then made his way to a library room, delivering a perfectly hot cup of tea, that he quickly made after leaving the security room, to his master, a rather distressed looking Jet Set. "Sir Jet, I've finalized and stored that audio you wanted from our surveillance feed," He said, setting down the tray carrying the small cup of tea.

"Good to hear..." His master sighed.

The butler then asked the unicorn, "Sir, what seems to be the problem?"

The unicorn turns his head to the butler, replying to him, "My stocks have gone down quite a bit. Not only that, but its the height of new fashion line as well..."

"Terribly sorry for your loss, sir," The butler replied.

"Don't be, its not your fault after all," said Jet Set, punctuating his statement with a sip of his tea. "Its that Rarity that's bringing me down, along with all those other fashionista bimbos and buffoons that think they know a corset from a toupee. Why..." He then stood up and began to pace about, trotting away from his reclining chair. "If Fancy Pants hadn't made her look good at that garden party, I'd still be at the top of my game. What's she got that I don't have anyway?"

"She is one of the Elements of Harmony..." retorted the butler, watching his master trot back and forth.

"That has nothing to do with fashion, you idiot," Jet Set scoffed. "Their just pieces of junk that just so happen to ward off evil. They don't add to any of her mediocre designs!"

The butler blinked, then rolled his eyes with a sigh. "I do apologize, but I believe that-"

"I was getting to that, Butler, and thank you for apologizing," the unicorn interrupted, adjusting his glasses. "Yes, they give her fame, because she helped save Equestria. That's an unfair advantage, though. Why, I had to work my way up from nothing, and all was going just well, but then somepony becomes one of the Elements of Horseshit and just so happens to be in the fashion industry!" He ranted, stomping a hoof on the ground.

Taken aback, the butler pony swiftly, but cautiously, hands the drink over to his master. "Maybe you should calm down. Here, have anothe-"

The cup of tea then flies across the room and hits the floor. "I don't want your tea, dammit!" cried out the stallion in a fit of rage. The shatter of porcelain echoed throughout the room and Jet Set's ears. "...We never had this conversation, Butler," He spoke after a long, deep breath. "Destroy any remains of this little chat we had."

As Jet Set stepped towards the door, silently cursing to himself, his servant followed behind him. "I know just how to bring her down as well..." The unicorn said with a smirk on his face, making his way to the security room.

"So, you're staying the night here in Canterlot?" Twilight asked after swallowing down a mouthful of Caesar salad with hints of almonds and black olives in it. The white unicorn sitting across from her nodded, a napkin lightly dabbing at her lips after digging into her rather exquisite Carbonara.

"Yes, that's right. I hardly get any vacation or free time, what with my work schedule. Do you think Celestia would mind me and Spike staying at the castle suite again?"

"Honestly, it didn't take much to ask Celestia to let you stay there the first time," Twilight happily explained, sipping at her glass of water. Rarity's face practically lit up at that, a gasp of joy escaping her lips.

"Why that'd be just splendid! I especially love the balcony; such a lovely view of the city, as well....you really don't have to, you know."

"What makes you say that?" The lavender mare asked with a small giggle.

The small dragon beside Twilight then added with a scoff, "Yeah, Rarity. You're one of the most beautiful unicorns in all of Equestria. Not only that, but you're friends with Princess Celestia's one and only right-hoof mare. I mean, what's stopping you?"

The white unicorn smiled warmly at that. "I guess you're right. I'm sorry, I was just trying to be modest. Oh, did you want to split the bill, by the way?"

Twilight nodded, then looked over at Spike. "Are you sure you're not hungry, Spike? You're not trying to go on a diet, are you?" She joked.

The dragon chuckled and shook his head. "Naw, I had a big snack at Jet Set's house."

"Understandable," Rarity commented, taking another sip of her drink. "But there will be plenty to snack on in the suite, just so you know." Spike nodded, a server pony then giving the three their bill.

"I'm a bit concerned about Twilight," admitted a white unicorn after a small sip of her Chardonnay, her and Spike having retired back to her usual suite in Canterlot Castle. Her dragon fellow was reclining in a red, velvet armchair and snacking on some fruit.

"What makes you say that?" asked Spike.

"It's about Jet Set. I hardly chit-chat with him outside of commissions and orders, so the way he acted today was...rather revealing to me. He's never seemed so...so slimy!" Rarity replied with a sigh of abhor for the male unicorn. "Its like some mongrel school filly one day just decides not to be your friend anymore and embarrass you in front of the whole school through some barbaric way, like taint your daisy sandwich with spoiled mayonnaise, causing you to vomit repeatedly onto the floor!"

The boy had no response for the unusually vivid simile other than a confused stare. The unicorn sighed again as the dragon boy stared at her. "You get the point, Spike. I won't go into full detail, but I fear that he's trying to sabotage Twilight's image. It's odd how he went about it, though. Its as if he wanted to do a sloppy job or something to cover up some ace up his sleeve..." She began thinking out-loud.

"Huh..." Spike said as Rarity went on. "He didn't seem that shady to me. Then again I hardly know the guy..."

"I know," She replied, trotting up to the dragon. "I think we should be careful around him. Promise me something, Spike..." Rarity spoke in a serious tone, the dragon boy gazing up at her in full attention.

"Uh...sure thing," He replied, somewhat nervous now by her seriousness. "What is it...?"

"Promise me that if you see anything suspicious you'll tell us about it, okay?"

"Yeah, don't worry about it..." He chuckled to the pony. "You don't need to worry about that anyway. I mean, when's the last time I lied or talked behind somepony's back?" The dragon assured his crush. Rarity then lifted her frown back up to a smile, giving a quick peck on Spike's forehead.

"You really are a gentlecolt, you know that?" She giggled, then trotted over to her double bed, her magic carrying her Chardonnay over to a nearby nightstand.

The dragon could only blush lightly, smiling back at her with a nod. He then asked the unicorn with a yawn, "So where can I hit the hay?"

"Hmm..." The unicorn muttered out, pulling back the covers on the bed. "Actually, do you mind sharing the bed with me?" Spike blanked, blushing harder now at the suggestion.

"Uh...well..." He sputtered out, dropping the fruit in his hand as he slid himself down to the floor. "Are you sure its okay...?"

"Oh, Spike!" Rarity giggled, blushing a flash of pink across her cheeks now. "Of course its okay. And even if it wasn't, there's nopony around right now that could stop us...aside from the guards outside, but I don't think they care, really." With that, the dragon slowly climbed into bed, nervously inching up to his crush and pulling the covers over his scaly body.

"G-Goodnight, Rarity," escaped from his lips as he gazed up at the unicorn's face. She smiled and gave a quick kiss to his forehead, then closed her eyes, snuggling into the pillow she laid her head on. Spike couldn't help but stare into Rarity's sleeping face as his eyes soon began to close as well.