"What do you think, darling? Blue, or pink? Or perhaps white."

Shopping. If there's one thing you hate, it's shopping. Even in Equestria, it's no different for you. That doesn't seem to phase Rarity in the least, though. Her enthusiasm for trying on new clothing borders on frantic. It's not a degree of enthusiasm you can match. Especially not when you've spent the last half hour standing in the same place.

"Hmm?" you absent-mindedly ask, having spent the last several minutes daydreaming while Rarity tried on gaudy hat after gaudy hat. "What was that, hon?"

"I wanted to get your opinion on this charming chapeau. I'm not sure what I could do with it, though...perhaps I could use it to accessorize when the spring celebration is here. If I do that then I'll have to pick a lighter color, since dark colors are simply unacceptable before autumn...maybe if I take this one..."

Rarity trails off, talking to herself once again as she debates the merits of a small rainbow of colored head wear. There's a lot of things you'd rather be doing right now -- like watching paint dry. Or listening to Twilight give another three-hour history speech. Or repeatedly headbutting a wall. Anything, really. Such is the cost of living with a fashionista, you suppose.

"Why don't you just buy a few? Then you'd have one for...whatever. You'd be prepared and all that," you offer.

"Why don't I buy more than one?" she asks rhetorically. "This is the primary reason." She floats over one of the hats, displaying a hanging price tag -- a price tag that reads over forty bits. Ouch.

"That's for one hat? You know, you could probably just make one, baby. It'd be cheaper."

"Perhaps, but wearing nothing but fashions that are entirely of your own design is considered to be in bad taste. There are some absolutely marvelous designs to be had in Ponyville, if one knows where to look! After all, such a thing encourages friendship and cooperation between businesses, and in the end that will net you a larger profit than simply advertising yourself all the time."

Rarity levitates a large, pink hat over and sets it on her head. It's curved up on one side, with a trio of white feathers and a ring of small, blue gems adorning the center. Conveniently, a small hole has been left in it to accommodate a unicorn's horn. The hat fits around the base of her horn perfectly, and she gives an approving giggle as she looks at herself in a large, standing mirror.

"Quite the charming design, wouldn't you say? Eye-catching, yet not overstated. Elegant, yet simple."

"Uh huh", you mutter out loud. It's not that you don't care, it's that the care you had disappeared about an hour ago. Oh, sure, baby, you think to yourself, of course I'll go with you to find a hat. That shouldn't take too long.

Pfft. So much for that.

"Oh come now, darling," she says as she adjusts the fringe on the hat, "I know this isn't exactly your forte, but I could really use your opinion on this. The future of Ponyvillian fashion rides on your shoulders! So to speak, anyway."

"It looks fine, hon," you answer her with a shrug. "I don't know much about fashion or anything, I'm happy with a shirt and jeans. You know me."

"Indeed I do, my love. That's why your input is invaluable! I want to know how it looks to the uninitiated. After all, not everypony is going to be a designer or a critic. Those who are already know what they like; it's the ponies who attend a grand event only once in a while that are the most open to new things. Make sense?"

"I suppose so, yeah." You finally give the hat a good look-over, trying to imagine it going with various dresses you've seen her work on or wear. "Well...you said it goes with light colors, right?"

"Correct, darling. Typically during late winter to early autumn, perhaps with a darker-colored saddle for contrast."

"There was that one dress you wore last year, the white one with purple trim. You know the one I'm talking about."

"Ah, yes, the Spring Social dress. Quite attractive, if I do say so."

"Right. So if you wore that one -- and I know you don't usually wear the same dress twice, I'm just sayin' -- then I guess it would look pretty good with that hat. I think."

You rub the back of your neck with embarrassment.

"Sorry, I can't really say more than that. Not my specialty."

"No worries, dear. That's quite sufficient, thank you! I was simply looking for another opinion."

Rarity removes the hat from her head and places it in your arms, joining a pair of saddles and a light scarf. You can barely see over the top of the hat -- the feathers keep tickling your nose, and you're trying your best not to sneeze on them.

"I believe that should do it for us," she smiles enthusiastically. "These should pair quite nicely with some of my own work. We can take these to the counter now, if you'd be so kind."

You have to scrunch the top of the hat down under your chin to see where you're going, but you manage to make it to the register without tripping on yourself. You dump the items on the counter and pull out your coin pouch, dreading the total.

"No need, darling. We've been quite fortunate lately to have such strong business; as such, you needn't worry about paying for these. I can more than afford to cover it."

"Oh...well, that's good," you say as you tighten the draw-string on your pouch and stuff it back into your pocket. "How much of an increase are we talking about?"

The middle-aged mare behind the counter sorts through the items and punches the totals into the register, writing down the purchases in a small record-keeping book. To her credit she doesn't seem to be very nosy, unlike a lot of ponies you've come to expect in places like this.

"Between our increase in return customers and the cheaper textiles we gained when we, ah, 'acquired' Cashmere's suppliers -- not to mention several new clients from the charity event from a few months back -- our profits are up by two hundred percent! We even made up the difference from that dreadful sale day."

You let out a long, low whistle. That's an impressive increase, no matter how you look at it. Such an increase also comes with longer work days and more business hours. You'd be more worried if Fluttershy wasn't around to help out around the Boutique -- it's become a second job for her, especially since many animals are beginning to hibernate. That means less for her to care for, and a corresponding drop in income.

"That's great, hon!" you respond with a sincere smile. "Really, congratulations. You've definitely earned it. I've seen you busting your butt in the store lately...guess I know why, huh?"

"Oh yes, without a question! And thank you, darling! It feels quite good to say such a thing."

The mare behind the counter carefully sets the items into a large bag and reads out your total.

"Alright, ma'am, your total comes to one-hundred eighteen bits after tax." The light purple earth pony sweeps the coins into her register, pulling out a few for change. The twin sets of pearl necklaces around her neck rattle against each other as she pushes the bag full of purchases you way.

After dealing with so many ponies who are enthusiastic to the point of madness, you're happy to deal with one who's more reserved and respectful.

"Here you go, two bits back. You have a wonderful day now, and please feel free to come any time you need something."

"Thank you, madam," Rarity says with a polite smile. "I've been coming here for years, it's such a wonderful little place. Give my regards to Pearlesence, won't you? Tell her Rarity sends her best."

The mare nods as you grab the bag and fall in next to Rarity, holding open the door for her despite the bag blocking most of your view. The cool, winter air hits your face as you step outside -- it's almost too cool. The cold season is definitely coming. Still, it's refreshing if nothing else. Beats the heat.

"Oh my, there's quite a chill in the air, isn't there? We'll have to pull your jacket out of storage soon...perhaps we can make you a new one. That old style is so last year, darling."

Rarity focuses her magic for a moment and lifts a scarf out of the bag, a pink and white number with blue trim. It wraps around her neck, getting tied off with a large, loose knot that leaves the ends dangling half way between her knees and shoulders.

"How does it look? I'm quite partial to it, myself."

"It looks good, babe. It's definitely you," you say with a laugh.

"Fabulous!" she exclaims happily. "Despite winter's imminent arrival I thought it prudent to purchase some spring accessories. Cheaper to buy now, and that sort of thing."

"Of course. I don't think I can ever question your methods again after you pulled a two hundred percent increase on me!"

She giggles with that adorable eye expression she's so good at, adjusting the scarf as she walks.

"Thank you, darling! It's been quite the challenging few months, hasn't it? It feels absolutely exquisite to be able to claim such a thing. I couldn't have done it without you, my dear."

"I can't take any credit, babe. It's your store, after all. I just pitch in once in..." you struggle with the large bag, having to frantically grasp at it before it can escape your grip, "...once in a while."

"Oh, don't be so modest! You've been more than helpful! I appreciate you pitching in even after a hard day of work, you've been simply invaluable. Not to mention the week you took off to help me during the peak of our competition crisis. I couldn't have asked for anyone better, darling."

She jumps up and kisses your cheek, smiling brightly at you.

"I love you more and more every day. No matter what."

"I love you too, baby," you respond with a smile of your own. "Even if your praise is threatening to give me diabetes."

"I'd be more concerned with your continuing obsession with Pinkie's cake bites! I swear, you're the only customer for those things. At this point she's making them entirely for you."

"That just means I'm special," you say in a hoity-toity voice, tilting your head up.

"Yes, special like a barking pony."

"A what?"

"Never you mind. It's a good thing your job keeps you active, or I'd worry about you gaining a bit of a paunch from all the sweets you buy from Sugarcube Corner!" Rarity pokes at your stomach with a hoof, laughing as you fumble with the bag while attempting to block your stomach from further attacks.

"You are simply adorable sometimes, have I told you that?"

"Hey now, don't start poking any stomachs. I can give just as well as I can receive, you know."

Rarity laughs and changes her tone, adding an extra bounce and sway to her step.

"I do quite enjoy when you give, darling." She bites her lip and looks up at your with those sultry eyes. "Especially when your generosity has some stamina behind it..."

Especially early mornings.

"I think we could put that stamina to the test when we get home. Just sayin'."

"I'm going to hold you to that," she replies, putting a hoof around your waist. "Perhaps you can use that tongue of yours for something besides witty comebacks, hmmm?"

"Yes, ma'am," you laugh.

Despite the prospect of a little mid-afternoon fun, the tasks you've still yet to accomplish for the day keep running through your head. Besides helping Rarity and Fluttershy finish up a trio of dresses that a client had custom made, you promised her that you would take a look at the entrance overhang -- it's been leaking lately, defeating the purpose of having an overhang in the first place. Probably an easy fix with a little sealant, or an hour or two with a sheet of plywood and a few tools at the most.

Rarity suddenly stops in her tracks, tugging at your belt to get your attention.

"What's up, babe?" you ask her.

"Don't look now, but I believe we're about to have a visitor."

You crane your neck over the bag -- and curse at what you see.

"Shit. Maybe we can just avoid her. Or maybe she won't notice us."

"Yes, perhaps she'll ignore the only human in the entire world walking towards her," Rarity says with a sour expression. "Let's just get this over with quickly, darling. I've no urge to hear her boasting today."

It doesn't take long before Cashmere sees you, an infuriating grin crossing her face. You brace yourself for what is sure to be a long, insult-filled conversation.

"Well, well, well! If it isn't Rarity and her knight in shining armor!" Cashmere trots toward you, her bouncy head of hair swaying from side to side. A pair of brown saddle bags are thrown over her back, held closed with a purple gem clasp.

"Nice scarf, by the way."

"Hello, Cashmere." Rarity states flatly. She's obviously expecting it to be just as bad as you are.

"Doing a little shopping today, are we? I must say, that's quite the haul you've got your man carrying. Maybe a little something for the bedroom?"

"My purchases are none of your concern! I've no need to hear your typical blathering right now, so if you don't mind, we shall be on our way."

Rarity starts walking off, but is stopped by Cashmere sticking a leg out in front of her.

"Whoa, whoa, take it easy, babe. I know we've had our little altercations in the past, but if I was looking for trouble I'd have dropped by the Boutique. Just so happens we met on the street. I'm not here to bitch at you."

"I find that hard to believe," you add as you set down the bag, making sure it won't tip over.

"I understand, trust me. But honestly, I just want to talk like adults. I'm not asking you to believe me, I'm just asking you to listen."

You don't trust a damn thing she has to say, but you cautiously give her the benefit of the doubt.

"Fine. What's so important that you have to bother us?"

"First of all, mister mysterious, I'd hardly call this 'bothering' you. Second, I'm glad I ran into you two. I wanted to congratulate you."

Rarity lifts a surprised foreleg in the air, an equally surprised look coming across her face.

"Congratulate us? Whatever for? You'll forgive me if I don't see you as the congratulating type."

"For pulling the rug out from under me. Taking that supplier away like you did," she answers with a smile.

Rarity is obviously confused by her reply. Why would Cashmere congratulate her for taking a business partner away?

"That's not like you, Cashmere. What's the catch? You wouldn't normally go about wishing your competitors well when they've made a move against you."

Cashmere laughs softly and flips her hair away from an eye.

"I know it's not something you've come to expect from me, babe, but I'm genuinely impressed! Not only did you cut off a local supplier, but you even took them as your own!"

"I still don't get it," you quip as you rub your chin. "Why would you view this as a good thing? I mean, Rarity just outsmarted you at your own game."

"Don't get me wrong, honey," she says to you, "losing that supplier was an inconvenience, to be sure. Now I have to ship materials in from my main Manehattan warehouse, and that costs time and money. That's not the point, though. The point is: I completely underestimated Rarity's resolve."

Cashmere turns to face Rarity with a self-satisfied smile.

"You see, babe, up until a few weeks ago, I thought you would be a pushover. The Rarity I knew -- or used to know -- from the old days would never have even considered going on the offensive. Six years ago, you would have sat back and let me build up around you, trying to get by on customer loyalty alone. But that doesn't cut it these days, does it?"

"I like to think I'm still quite good at keeping my clientele loyal, thank you very much," Rarity replies.

"Maybe, but that's not what I'm talking about right now. No, when you went out of your way to hit me where it hurts the most -- in my coin pouch -- you proved something to me. Something that had been building for a while."

"And what, my dear friend, is that?"

"Simple, Rarity. It proved to me that you have the capacity to be ruthless."

Cashmere's horn flares with green magic, and she floats out a blue petal from her saddle bags, hovering it in front of you.

"As you've probably guessed, this is a petal from the poison joke you sent me. Don't worry, it's inert by now. I must admit, I'm impressed that you managed to launch a personal attack. That was an interesting day, babe. No doubt about it. I managed to get it dealt with fairly quickly -- apparently those gorgeous spa twins have seen this sort of thing before -- but I decided to keep this as a reminder. A reminder of what you're capable of."

"You don't seem very upset about all of this," you add.

"It's been a few weeks, honey," she replies. "That day that you not only delivered the poison joke to me -- which was quite the surprise, I must say -- but also convinced that insufferable pink earth pony to get back at me on your behalf...that was a day that I was not a happy woman, let me tell you."

"No kidding," Rarity says, remembering the string of swears thrown at her by Cashmere.

"But a week after that, once I stormed down to my now-ex-supplier's place and asked them what was happening, I couldn't help but laugh. Rarity, the mare who would never even think of such sneaky, underhoofed tactics, had delivered blow after blow, all within the span of a week! The poison joke, the buy one, get one free sale with the appropriate fanfare...and finally, the removal and subsequent takeover of my local textile supplier. Beautiful, babe. Absolutely beautiful."

Rarity stands with her mouth agape, obviously trying to process what she's just heard. Cashmere giving her a compliment? And after something she was so sure was going to infuriate her old friend to no end? To say it was unexpected would be putting it lightly.

The more you think about it, though, the less sure you are of the compliment actually being a good thing.

"I'm...I'm not quite sure what to say, Cashmere. I must admit, I'm surprised by something resembling praise coming from you, but I'm not sure I like the implications." Rarity narrows her eyes and leans in closer, continuing, "I would not call myself 'ruthless'. Such a word implies that I haven't the slightest bit of regard, that I would go out of my way to hurt others. I simply must object to that, Cashmere."

Cashmere gives a dismissive laugh and shakes her head.

"Maybe 'ruthless' isn't the right word, babe. It's just the first one that came to mind. No, you can call it what you like, but my point stands: You are not the same mare you used to be. This whole time I've been around, been in competition with you, I dismissed the idea of actually being at risk from that hole in the wall you call a fashion store."

"The Boutique is not a hole in the wall!" Rarity stomps an angry hoof at the accusation. Oh, great, here comes the insult war...

"Be that as it may, Rarity, all I'm saying is that I underestimated you. Now that I've seen what you're capable of, though...I've had to re-shift my priorities."

"Perhaps if your priorities involved keeping your old friends in good graces, rather than attempting to drive them out of town, you'd be a much happier mare."

"Let's not kid ourselves, babe. You and I are on opposite ends of the spectrum. We always have been, and always will be. Even back when we opened the Boutique together, we were always butting heads. You remember, don't you? That first couple of days, how we were struggling to figure out what we were going to do? How we didn't have more than a hoof-full of customers in a day? It felt like we were going nowhere."

"I do remember, yes," Rarity says with a nod, "but I also remember that you wanted to resolve that situation by spreading lies and rumors about Regal Cut's store. She may not have been my absolute favorite mare by any stretch of the imagination, but what you were suggesting was disgusting and wrong."

Cashmere flicks her tail in annoyance at the memory.

"Whatever you say, doll. We could have had her out of our hair a lot faster if we'd done it my way."

"Or we could have ended up losing everything we'd worked for! That is why I chose the sensible route and spread the word about our -- my -- business. I did things the proper way, and it worked out. Perhaps not as fast as you'd have liked, but in the end victory was ours. In fact," she adds, taking a step closer to Cashmere and jutting a hoof out against her chest, "the only reason you were even able to afford to move to Manehattan was because of me. Your very success is because of me, Cashmere. Because I was willing to take my time and do it right; to do what was best not just for myself, but for you as well. That is why you've no right to call me 'ruthless'."

From the way she's acting, Cashmere is becoming increasingly pissed off. It's subtle, but it's definitely there.

"You're no angel, Rares. You and I both know th--"

"Ah ah!" Rarity interrupts her with a hoof over her mouth. "True, I am not above revenge -- be it personal or financial. That revenge may border on the petty once in a great while, I'll admit, but nopony ever said I was perfect. I strive to be considerate in all things, Cash, but if I am being pushed then I will most certainly push back. Perhaps now you realize this, hmm?"

Cashmere doesn't argue back. In fact, she doesn't even act aggressive in the least. You were expecting anger, maybe seething jealousy, but the fact that she simply smiles is somehow worse. It reminds you of a shark, right before it's about to attack.

"I do realize it. That's exactly why I wanted to speak with you in the first place. You're no pushover, not any more. In a way, it's good that you've shown me this side of you."

She slowly pushes Rarity's hoof away and looks into her eyes, cocking an eyebrow.

"You may not want to admit it, honey, but you and I are a lot more alike than you think. That's why I'm not going to feel quite so bad when you see what I have in store for you. It's going to be a lot of fun."

"Your juvenile threats don't scare me, Cash. If you've truly learned a lesson from the last few weeks, then you would realize that."

"Whatever you say, Rarity. It's not so much a threat as it is a promise. You think things have been hard over the last month? You think I've been underhoofed and conniving? Honey, you haven't seen anything yet."

You decide to step between the two mares before they can start throwing punches at each other.

"Alright, I think that's enough from you today, Cashmere. I really wish we could have a conversation without you insulting or threatening us. Do you have any idea how tiring this gets? Every time I see you, I have to expect trouble. Every single time."

Cashmere takes a step back, looking up at you with less-than-amused eyes.

"Listen, boy-toy..."

"Don't call me that, two-tone." You stick a finger out and plant it on the top of her head, bending down so that you're eye level with her.

"I don't appreciate you instigating Rarity every time you see her. Do you understand me? The amount of crap you've given us over the last month has been absolutely ridiculous."

She glances up at your arm, giving an annoyed look at your intrusive touch.

"Look, I don't mind being touched by a tall, strong man like yourself, honey, but if you're going to touch me then I think we could do a lot better than the top of my head. Don't you?"

"As a matter of fact, I don't."

"It's a shame, too, Cash," Rarity adds with a smile. "I suppose you'll never get to experience the absolute ecstasy that his strong hands are capable of delivering. Isn't that right, darling?"

"What can I say?" you reply with a shrug. "In a place where everyone has hooves, fingers are amazing."

"I gotta say, babe," Cashmere adds with a humorless laugh, "you still manage to surprise me sometimes. You may not flaunt your blatant sensuality like I do -- at least around others -- but from time to time, it comes back up to the surface. Is it any wonder we were an item way back when?"

"That was a long time ago, Cashmere" Rarity answers. "The mare you were then, and the mare you are now, are two completely different ponies. I hardly recognize you any more. The Cash I used to know wouldn't have attempted to stab her friend in the back and seduce her lover."

For the briefest of moments, you could swear that you see something resembling regret flash across Cashmere's face. Despite her bitchy exterior and argumentative personality, she must still feel the past, somewhere deep down. You really wish she wasn't so intent on ruining Rarity; underneath her harsh demeanor, you could picture a friendlier, happier mare. Obviously she was at some point, or Rarity would have never opened the Boutique with her.

Nowadays, though, jealousy and revenge seems to be all that drives her. In a way, you feel sorry for her.

"You know what makes us so different, Rares? The fact that I am willing to do whatever it takes to come out on top. I have no qualms about using every means available to me. Lying, seduction, bribery...all of it. And so far, I'd say it's worked pretty well. I own three stores in two cities...remind me again how many you own, babe?"

"You may have more places to hock your sub-par merchandise, Cash, but I have my dignity."

Cashmere scoffs dismissively.

"Whatever you say, Rarity. Dignity is nice and all, but dignity won't make you more money and buy you more materials."

"Your supplier seems to think otherwise," Rarity retorts with a smug grin. "Or rather, former supplier. Yes, perhaps you own more stores than I do. The difference is, I've never had to bend over to make my money...figuratively and literally, in your case."

Ouch.

"Hmmhmm. You're one hell of a firebrand, Rarity."

Cashmere tosses her hair, letting it fall in front of an eye.

"Look, I've taken up enough of your time for today. We can stand here all day and continue to make snide comments and trade insults, but I think we've both got better things to do, don't you?"

"That's the first sensible thing you've said since your return," Rarity answers. "I've no issues with competing with you, but your rambling diatribes grow tiresome after a while."

"What can I say? I've never been one for brevity, babe. I just want you to understand that I'm not pulling any punches anymore. From here on out, you are my primary focus. Everything else is secondary. I hope you've enjoyed your peace and quiet, Rarity, because you're going to learn what every other business I've competed against has learned: Cashmere does not fuck around."

"Oh I don't know, Cashmere...I'd say lifting your tail for anypony with a coin pouch counts as plenty of 'fucking around', wouldn't you?"

You have to hide a laugh behind your fist, genuinely impressed by Rarity's reply.

Rarity's comeback makes Cashmere laugh out loud, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Not bad, Rarity. Not bad at all. Hell, I could teach you a thing or two yet. Quick with that tongue, aren't you?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Rarity says with a swish of her tail.

"Goddesses know I would, babe. Too bad we're too busy being at each others' throats to be between each others' legs, hmm?"

You hope neither of them notice your eyebrows reflexively arching at the mental image.

"I do believe I've heard enough from you for now, Cashmere. If you've no further nonsense to spew in my direction, then my darling and I shall take our leave."

"Of course, babe. Always a pleasure to speak with you and your mysterious man." She nods in your direction, biting her lip as she looks you over. "You two enjoy your weekend, have some fun. Because come Monday, all bets are off, honey."

Cashmere blows a kiss at you and Rarity, brushing her tail against your arm as she finally walks off. You and Rarity watch her leave for a few moments until she's out of sight.

"All things considered," Rarity says as she looks up at you, "I'd say that could have gone a lot worse."

You heft the bag full of Rarity's purchases up to your chest, nodding in reply.

"Definitely. Considering most of our encounters with her end with one of you either stomping off in anger or breaking down and crying, that was pretty mild."

"Any conversation with her still leaves a foul taste in my mouth, I'm afraid." Rarity closes her eyes and inhales deeply, like you've seen her do many times before -- it's a way of re-centering herself, calming down.

"No matter. We've got the weekend before us, and I shan't let her ruin a single moment of it. Let's just go home, darling."

You look down at her with a smile and stick your hand out.

"After you, hon."

==========

The remainder of the afternoon passes quickly -- the leaking overhang was a simple matter of reapplying some sealant, and with the combined work of Rarity, Fluttershy, and yourself, the remaining orders from the Boutique were finished within a few hours. You even had time for a little privacy with Rarity when Fluttershy left to take care of some personal matters at her cottage.

You helped her judge what would look best with the hat and saddles she bought, tedious as it may have been at times; she's nothing if not thorough. For all of your help and patience, you were nicely rewarded...and found out that the frilled, white saddle she bought didn't just look good with a dress, but also provided a nice surface to grab on to for a bit of extra leverage when things got hot and heavy.

All in all, not too bad of a day. The imminent onset of winter means shorter days, and by the time Fluttershy gets back it's already well past dusk. She sounded very relieved to be back; her incredibly uppity rabbit insisted on being fed exactly what he wanted. Fortunately, Fluttershy's dealt with his nonsense before, and she quickly put her hoof down.

You wonder why she puts up with him. If it were you, you'd punt the furry little bastard over the nearest hill and be done with him. But then, you don't spend your day talking to woodland critters.

Maybe you could throw Opal and Angel into a bag and ship them off to the other side of the world...that'd solve two problems at once. If only you could have a dog, like AJ...

Your daydreaming is interrupted by Fluttershy climbing up on the bed next to you, a book clutched in her mouth. She sets it down beside you and tucks her legs under her, smiling warmly at you.

"Doing a little reading?" you ask her.

"Mmmhmm, I borrowed it from Twilight's library a few days ago. It's really nothing special, but I have to admit that I've always enjoyed sappy romance novels." She laughs quietly as she opens the book, flipping to a bookmark about a quarter of the way through. "Rarity would probably poke fun at me if she knew I read them."

"Nah, she has fair share of that kind of thing. I don't know how she reads through them sometimes. They're just so...so..."

"Girly?" she suggests.

"Yeah, that's a good way to put it," you reply with a laugh of your own. "But to each his own, I suppose. Or her own, rather. I'll never understand what you girls find so interesting in those books."

"Oh, I don't know. I guess I'm just a romantic at heart, that's all. Nopony reads one of these and actually expects to meet somepony who's intelligent, muscular and rich. At least, I would hope so."

"Welp, two out of three ain't bad," you say jokingly, flexing the arm you're not resting on.

"No, it's not bad at all," she giggles. "If it's okay, I'm just going to read a little until Rarity gets back. She said she had something planned for us, but she hasn't said what. Did she mention it to you?"

"She did, actually," you reply, scratching your chin. "Not sure what it could be. Guess we'll see. But yeah, go ahead. I'm probably just gonna, I dunno, take a nap or something. Might as well."

"Okay, I'll be right here." She gives you a soft smile and a quick kiss before turning her attention to the book in front of her.

You put an arm around her waist and tuck your head against her shoulder, drifting off in a matter of moments...

...only to be awakened a few minutes later. Well, so much for a nap.

"Don't tell me you're too tired to attend my little get-together, darling." Rarity puts a foreleg over your ankle and nudges you awake, watching with a smile as you sit up and rub your eyes.

"Wha? Oh, hey baby. Literally just laid down." You glance over at the clock -- it's been ten minutes. Not even a power nap. "What's up? We were waiting for you to get back."

"I apologize for keeping you and Fluttershy waiting, but I had to drop by Sweet Apple Acres. Would you believe I've managed to get Applejack to join us for a drink? She may be bringing Rainbow Dash with her -- if she can find her, that is."

"Wait, so...you're taking us out to a bar?" It's not usually something Rarity does, but she's dabbled in it from time to time.

"That's correct, darling. I thought our recent bout of good fortune deserved a bit of celebration." Rarity turns and prods Fluttershy with a hoof, saying, "Of course, you're welcome to join us, Fluttershy. I know you're not much for alcohol, but we can always order you something else if you prefer."

Fluttershy bites her lip nervously as she answers.

"Oh, um...I don't know, Rarity...I thought I might just stay here and read."

"Please?" Rarity asks with a batting of her eyes, "Pleaaaase, Fluttershy? It would mean quite a lot to myself and my darling dearest if you did. You're one of us, after all! I wouldn't dream of leaving you out of the festivities...not to mention that our success has been due in no small part to your generous efforts. Come, you simply must join us. I promise you'll have fun."

"Umm...okay. I guess I could go. But just one, okay? I can't really handle my liquor too well..."

"Fabulous! You won't regret it, darling."

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" you ask Rarity, remembering the last time you went out to a bar with her. "As I recall, you ended up trying to dance on the counter last time you challenged AJ to a drinking contest..."

Rarity blushes under her coat, glancing away with an embarrassed look.

"Yes, well...that was different. I've learned my lesson, and shall not be doing such a thing again! I suppose it goes without saying that any mare who lives with Granny Smith and her moonshine distillery isn't going to lose to somepony such as myself who usually dabbles in wine."

"Whatever you say, hon. If I have to carry you on my back again, you're never gonna hear the end of it. Just sayin'," you add with a chuckle.

"Warning duly noted, my dear. Now...since we have those issues out of the way, I'd say it's about time we head out. Applejack said she would meet us at the Prancing Mare, and it's a good fifteen minutes from here. Shall we?"

You grab your coin pouch from the dresser and slip your belt and shoes back on, giving yourself a once-over in the mirror.

"Lead the way, ladies."

==========

The Prancing Mare is a place you've only been to once, but you enjoyed it quite a bit. Compared to the higher-class places Rarity usually likes to go, the Mare reminds you of an Irish pub like you'd have gone to way back when -- dark, friendly, and small. There's hardly ever more than a few ponies inside at any one time, and the atmosphere lends itself well to sitting and enjoying a few drinks with good company. You make a mental note to tell Pipe about the place when you see him on Monday.

You hold open the door for the two mares at your side, following behind them as they step in. It's dimly lit, with just a few candles in glass holders scattered about on the tables set around, and a row of three similar candles lining the bar itself. A grey unicorn with two-toned dark blue and silver hair presides over the bar, pouring some kind of mixed drink for a couple seated on the bar stools.

Off to one side, you're surprised to see a small group of ponies talking to a pair of zebras -- the first zebras you've seen in several months. They notice you at the same time, giving you a quick once-over, but going back to their business as you nod in their direction.

"Quite nice to be back, I must admit." Rarity smiles as she looks around, craning her neck to spot her friends. "Ah, there she is!" She trots off happily with you and Fluttershy in tow, excusing herself past a couple of stallions who are carrying pint glasses in their mouths. They turn their heads to watch her as she passes, obviously interested in more than her polite manner. You give them a disapproving look as you pass, holding their eye contact for a few seconds, finally turning away as they shrug and go back to their drinks.

"Applejack! Oh, it's so good to see you, darling!" Rarity wraps her friend in a hug and looks her over. "And might I say, you look quite fit!"

"Well howdy, Rarity!" Applejack replies, returning the hug before straightening the stetson on her head. "Ah see ya brought some company with ya." She stands up from her seat and walks over, calling out to you. "Well shoot, don't just stand there, come give ol' AJ a hug!"

"How ya doin', AJ?" You throw an arm around her and squeeze her tight, smiling as she embraces Fluttershy after you. "Long time no see, huh?"

"Ain't that the truth? Been a few months now, Ah reckon. Wasn't expectin' y'all ta bring Fluttershy with ya, she ain't really the drinkin' type."

Fluttershy lowers her head and glances away with embarrassment.

"Oh, well, I wasn't sure about coming, but Rarity convinced me to. I can just have some juice or something, I guess..."

Applejack scoffs at the statement with a wave of her hoof.

"Nonsense, this here is a proper drinkin' establishment. We'll get ya somethin' with just a tiny bit of a kick to it, you'll be just fine." With her country accent, it sounds like 'jus fahn'. If you didn't know any better, you'd swear her accent was from Texas. The mannerisms and twang all match up perfectly.

"No need ta stand there, take a seat, y'all."

You pull up a slightly too-small chair and sit down in it, long since having learned to deal with furniture that's a few sizes too small for your frame. It's not too uncomfortable, at least. A few drinks, and you probably won't even notice it anymore.

"So Rarity asked you to come drinking with us?" you ask AJ. She nods with a slight smile.

"That's right. Said y'all had some big celebration or somethin' like that. Ah take it ya don't mind sharin', right?"

"Not at all, darling! As I told my darling dearest earlier, we've recently pulled in a two-hundred percent increase in profits from the Boutique! I would be remiss if I didn't mention Fluttershy, she's been an enormous help."

"Yeah, she's a great girl," you add, glancing over at Fluttershy. She blushes and ducks her head down, trying to avoid attention.

"Well ain't that somethin'? Congrats, y'all! Ah always knew that fancy dress place'a yours was on the right track." AJ raises her half-finished drink and salutes you with it, tipping it back between her hooves as she takes a swig, exhaling at the alcoholic bite.

"I tell ya what, that's some damn fine bourbon they got here!"

"Thank you, Applejack. It's been quite the uphill battle, so it's good to see things pay off in the end." Rarity tilts her head, looking around for something, before turning back to AJ.

"I don't mean to pry, but wasn't Rainbow Dash supposed to be here with you? Provided you managed to get a hold of her, that is."

AJ rolls her eyes and points a hoof in the direction of the small crowd of ponies in the corner, the same ones you'd seen talking with the zebras. Now that you're looking for her, she stands out -- the tri-colored top of her mane sticking out like a sore thumb.

"She's over with them folks at that table. We got here about ten minutes before you did, Ah reckon. Ah wanted ta wait for y'all ta get here, but Rainbow wasn't havin' none'a that. Patience ain't exactly her best virtue."

As if on cue, Dash looks up in your direction and waves, clenching her glass between her teeth as she flaps over and settles beside AJ in an empty chair.

"Hey, guys! When did you get here?"

"Just now, actually," you answer, watching her take a long pull from her drink.

"That's cool. Hope ya don't mind if I got started early."

"Somehow I doubt we could have stopped you anyway," Rarity says with a soft laugh.

"Hey, you know me. I don't really like waiting."

"So we've heard," you quip. She finishes the rest of her drink and sets it down against the table, laughing to herself as she belches quietly.

"Girl, Ah told ya about usin' yer manners!" AJ scolds her, pulling the glass away. "Ain't polite ta be belchin' at the table, even if it is a bar."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. It's a bar, AJ. Nopony's gonna care."

"So," you ask before AJ and Dash can get into it again, "you girls thirsty? First round's on me."

"I suppose we could use a drink, couldn't we?" Rarity answers. "Fluttershy?"

"Oh, um, I'll just have a wat--"

"Ah just told ya 'bout those drinks, darlin'," AJ interrupts. "Somethin' nice and easy ta drink for her, like...a rum and sparkle, maybe? Easy on the rum."

"Okay, if you say so..."

"Ah do say so. As for mahself and Rainbow, Ah'll take a hard cider, and Dash'll have the same."

"Pfft, that's sissy stuff, AJ," Rainbow retorts, pulling the glass back towards her. "I can drink whiskey and stuff just fine."

"Yeah, that's what ya said last time, too. Ah ain't lettin' ya get shit-faced after only two drinks, Ah ain't in the mood for foalsittin' tonight."

Rarity rests a hoof on your waist and smiles up at you.

"I'll have whatever you have, darling. You know more about spirits than I do...barring wine, of course."

"Of course. So, just to make sure...rum and sparkle~cola, two hard ciders, and, let's say...a pair of whiskey sours? You like those, right hon?"

"That sounds delightful, thank you."

"Alright, I'll be right back, ladies. Don't leave without me, now."

The bartender looks up as you approach, passing a bottle to a patron a few seats down. The couple you passed a few minutes earlier are busy necking with each other, and the bartender has to shoo them away with an annoyed look. You greet him with a nod and take a seat on a stool, listing off your drinks of choice. You're impressed to see him mixing them with a flair of showmanship, spinning a few bottles around in the air with a stream of blue magic before tilting out exactly the right amounts of each.

"Not bad," you say as you take a few coins from your pouch, sliding them in his direction for a tip. "You could give bartenders back where I come from a run for their money."

"Heh, thanks," he replies, sliding the coins into a jar. "Name's Barley, by the way." He's likely from out of town -- it sounds distinctly like a Boston accent. Even his name comes out with the 'ah' sound, a definite 'Bahley'. You wonder what pun-based name Equestria's Boston has. "Pretty sure I've seen you in here before."

"Just once," you admit. "I'm actually surprised you remember me."

"Well hell, we don't get many tall, bipedal huma-thingies coming in here, now do we?"

"I suppose not," you laugh.

"That group of ladies with you? Quite the lookers, I gotta say. I've seen Applejack and that rainbow gal a few times, but the white unicorn and that yellow pegasus are new. You all together?" Barley pops open a bottle of Sparkle~Cola and pours half of it into a highball glass filled with ice, adding just a bit of rum to it -- any more and you're pretty sure Fluttershy would be on the floor after a drink or two.

"Yeah, that we are. Just doing some celebrating, that's all."

"Ya don't say? Well whatever it's for, congratulations!"

"Thanks. It'll be a nice relief to sit back and relax, it's been a stressful month or so for us."

The bartender flips a pair of wooden steins onto the counter, filling them with frothing cider.

"Alotta ponies comin' through here with stress problems, I'll tell ya that much. Even get a few zebras or gryphons that are passing on through. That's why I opened this bar in the first place; I figured, hell, if I can help some ponies forget about their troubles for a while, I'll have done somethin' good, ya know? A lot better place than Manehattan, that damn city's overrun with dives and corner joints. Had to come out here to make a livin'. So far, so good."

A pair of old-fashioned glasses join the menagerie of drinks on the counter.

"Whiskey Sours, huh? Don't get many folks orderin' that particular drink. More of a big-city kind of thing."

"Always been a favorite of mine." You pull a few ten-bit coins from your pouch, waiting for the total. "My grandfather actually let me have one when I was sixteen or so; said if I was old enough to work, I was old enough to share a drink with him. Been my standby ever since."

"Ain't that somethin'? Sounds like your grandpa had pretty good taste."

Barley pushes the collected drinks towards you with a smile, going over the prices in his head.

"Alright, that'll come out to...rum in that one, two ciders, whiskey...that'll come out to twenty-six bits."

Compared to some places you've been, it's not too bad of a price. You slide him thirty bits in coins and start grabbing the drinks between your fingers, hoping you don't end up spilling any.

"Keep the change, man."

"Hey, thanks, pal. You and your lady friends enjoy those drinks."

Trying to keep five drinks of different sizes from tipping over proves to be quite the challenge, but you manage to get them over to the table without losing a drop.

"Alright..." you shake your hand a few times, working out the soreness from your knuckles. "Rum and Sparkle for Miss Fluttershy, ciders for the hard-workin' girl and her impatient friend..."

"Hey!" Dash objects, causing AJ to chuckle and hit her on the back with a hoof.

"...aaaand a couple of sours for myself and my beautiful lady."

They offer you a chorus of thank-yous as you pass their drinks out. Dash already has her drink up to her lips as you interrupt her.

"Hold your horses, Dash." You suppress a laugh at the terrible joke.

"Ha Ha. Ponies, horses, I get it," she says with a shake of her head.

"So, I suppose I should propose a toast." You raise your glass in the air, prompting the girls to do the same. "Let's see...how about..to good friends, good times, and good lovin'!" Even in the dim lightning, you can see Rarity blush as the five of you clink your glasses and steins together. You decide to push your luck and call her out on it. "That's right, I'm talking about you, honey." She blushes even deeper, trying to force her expression to one of indignation.

"Oh for goodness' sake, darling, I'm sure nopony wants to hear about that!"

"I do," Dash adds with a sly smile before taking a drink of her cider.

"Rainbow, you always wanna know about that kinda stuff. Mind yer business, girl!" AJ tilts back her own mug and takes a long pull, exhaling with a satisfied 'ahhhh'.

"Don't be such a stick in the mud, Applejack! We're all adults here. I'm sure Rarity could teach us a thing or two..."

Teach us? AJ's eyes widen briefly before she nudges Dash with an elbow.

"It's too early for ya ta be actin' the fool, watch what ya say!"

"Whatever."

Rarity floats the glass to her mouth in a field of blue magic, giving you a bemused look over the rim.

"You're simply impossible sometimes, darling, I swear."

"You know you love it." You finally taste your own drink, smacking your lips approvingly at the taste -- just sweet enough, but still emphasizing the whiskey. Not bad.

"You're lucky that I do," she smiles as she moves the glass to the side, leaning in to give you a kiss before returning to her drink, her lips tasting pleasantly of lime juice. "This is quite good, by the way. Bit of a kick to it, isn't there?"

"Just a bit. Good drink to take your time with, it takes a good three or four before you start feeling it." You put your arm around her and run your free hand through her mane, being careful to avoid messing with her curls. "What do you think, Fluttershy? It's not too strong, is it?"

"Oh, no, it's fine, thank you," she says with a soft smile.

"So, AJ," you ask her, "How have you been lately? I imagine you've been busy, what with winter coming up and all that."

"That's the damn truth," she says with a nod. "Harvest season is just about over, and thank Celestia for that; Big Mac and mahself have been bustin' our rumps from sun-up ta sun-down for the last month and a half. It's damn hard work, but it's gotta be done, else Ponyville's gonna be a might hungry come winter." She chugs her cider, slamming the empty stein down on the table. "Ya ever tried ta buck four hundred acres worth'a apple trees?"

"Can't say I have, no..." You're pretty sure you couldn't kick the apples from one tree, much less several thousand of them. You have to remind yourself frequently that ponies are stronger than they look -- AJ's gotta have some serious power in those legs of hers. Probably buck your head clean off your shoulders if you pissed her off.

"Well Ah'll tell ya, it ain't easy. You know how many assholes think Ah'm some stupid hick 'cause Ah speak with this here accent? Like farmin's easy or somethin'! Ah bet if Ah gave 'em a hundred acres and a pack'a seeds, they'd be dead before the year was up! Ain't as simple as diggin' a hole and pourin' some water. Ya gotta know about soil rotation, temperature variances, parasites, keepin' critters away, the optimum time ta harvest, when to plant the next crop, so-on and so-forth."

She grimaces at the thought, pushing her wooden stein towards the center of the table.

"Ah'll take another whenever y'all are ready."

"Well, I knew a few farmers when I was growing up, I know that shit can't be easy. If it's any consolation, you've definitely got my respect for all the hard work you do. I probably couldn't even do that kinda thing day in and day out." You slide her the rest of your drink, which she knocks back in one gulp. The girl can drink, that's for sure.

"Thanks, sugarcube. For the vote'a confidence and the drink, Ah mean. Ah can bitch about it, but Ah wouldn't wanna do anything else. Me and Mac, we got a good thing goin' with that farm. Ah keep tellin' him he needs ta go out and look for a mare, do somethin' besides walk around the farm all day, but he ain't hearin' none'a that." She laughs with a shake of her head, "That boy's strong as an ox, and 'bout as thick-headed as one, too."

You're surprised to see Dash bolt back to the table -- you weren't even aware she was gone.

"Hey, hey Applejack...what...what are you talkin' about?"

AJ cocks an eyebrow, and gives Dash a once-over, noting the slight wobble to her hovering.

"You know...just discussin' the farm and all that. The hay did you disappear off to, anyway? One second you were sittin' right here, and the next you're gone."

"Those ponies over there are from Las Pegasus," she says the last words in an excited whisper, chortling at herself. It's only then that you notice the glass clutched between her hooves.

"What in the world...that ain't a cider cup, sugar. You had another drink already?"

"Lighten up, AJ! They've heard of me, you know. I'm fff-famous. Heheh.."

"Yer drunk is what ya are. Damnit, girl, Ah thought Ah told ya ta hold off on the drinks for a while, didn't Ah? You know you can't hold yer liquor worth a flyin' feather!"

"Pffft, whatever. I can hold my liquor just--" she wobbles in mid-air, taking a second to steady herself, "--just fine, thank you."

Rarity jumps in, having seen this side of Dash at least once before...that you know of.

"Rainbow, darling, you should really slow down. We've only been here half an hour...it's quite hard to hold a nice conversation with friends when you're already three sheets to the wind, so to speak."

"Relax, Rarity. Hic! Hahaha..."

You glance over at Rarity, who has an increasingly annoyed look on her face.

"Perhaps I should rephrase that...sit." Dash's body is surrounded by blue magic, and she's unceremoniously yanked from the air and deposited onto the chair. While she's at it, Rarity pulls the half-empty glass from her friend's arms, putting it far out of reach.

"Hey! I was drinking that..."

"So we noticed. Now, you're going to sit here and hold polite conversation with your friends, whether you want to or not. And I suggest you don't attempt to run off again, because I assure you I have more control over my magic right now than you do over your wings, darling."

"Next round," AJ adds, "yer gettin' water. Or a soda, or somethin'."

Dash crosses her forelegs and puts on a grumpy pout, not too thrilled at being reprimanded.

"She'll get over it. How 'bout y'all? Rainbow tells me you've been havin' some troubles with a...Cash Mirror...or somethin'."

"Cashmere," Rarity corrects her. "Yes, I'm afraid so. It's been...well, it's been a very turbulent month since she's returned. It's quite a long story, I'm afraid..."

"Well, Ah ain't got nothin' but time, sugarcube. Why don't ya tell me all about it? Maybe ol' AJ can help ya...after Ah buy this round, anyways. Be back in a jiffy."

AJ takes off with a coin pouch in her mouth, letting you spend a few minutes talking with Rarity.

"She really is quite the hard worker," Rarity says as she finishes her drink. "In a lot of ways, she and I are very much alike. True, I may work in textiles and gems, and Applejack works with produce and farm equipment, but at the end of the day, we both have to know our jobs inside and out. I've nothing but the deepest respect for her."

Dash looks up from her slightly drunken stupor and eyes you.

"You know, controlling the weather isn't exactly...hic...a walk in the park! I bet you guys couldn't, like, create a thunderstorm or something. Much less create a thunderstorm that won't wreck half of Ponyville. That stuff takes a lot of work!"

She folds her forelegs together and rests her head on the table, looking a little more sullen than she did a few minutes ago.

"Nopony ever tells me I did a good job..."

Rarity sticks a hoof out and places it gently on Dash's head.

"Oh, darling, you needn't concern yourself with such things! I don't doubt your ability for a single second. After all, no other pegasus can create sonic rainbooms on demand, now can they?"

Dash taps the table with a hoof.

"...no, I guess not."

"And who was chosen as the head of the Cloudsdale water funneling team? Um, not to mention helping me overcome my fears and get enough wingpower to make sure it worked?" Fluttershy adds.

"...I was."

"You see, darling? We all think you're simply marvelous at what you do. Even if you do tend to imbibe your drinks a bit too quickly." Rarity gives her a reassuring smile and runs her hoof through Dash's multicolored mane.

"Yeah, I get it. I'm sorry, I get emotional when I drink. Not cool."

"Don't you worry about it, my dear. Try to enjoy yourself, won't you? Just at a moderate pace, that's all."

"Okay, point taken. But if you two start making out, I'm totally outta here."

Applejack returns with another round of drinks a moment later, balancing a tray on her head.

"Wow, I'm impressed," you say as you grab a drink for you and Rarity, then pass one to Fluttershy. "Thanks for the drinks, AJ."

"Ain't nothin', sugar. Ah've done this plenty'a times before." She grabs the last drink and sets it in front of Dash, pointing a hoof at her. "Now, Ah got ya another cider, Rainbow, because Ah can't very well have ya sittin' here without somethin' to enjoy, but ya gotta go through it slow, a'right? Promise me."

"I...I promise. Thanks, AJ."

"Think nothin' of it, darlin'. Now," she turns to face you and Rarity, "why don't ya tell me all about this here Cashmere woman?"

You and Rarity spend the better part of half an hour going over Rarity's history with her old friend, Cashmere's subsequent return, and the drama and worry she's put you through ever since. AJ listens intently through the whole thing, keeping her thoughts to herself, but making it clear that she's paying attention.

What you don't mention, of course, is Fluttershy's situation. Even though you have your suspicions about AJ and Dash's 'friendship', you don't bring it up...calling that into question would likely mean that Dash would wonder why Fluttershy has been spending so much time around the two of you. The last thing you wanna do is involve Fluttershy in any unnecessary drama.

Rarity finally finishes the story, giving AJ pause to consider what she's just heard.

"Hmmm....so, ya say she's promised ta basically ruin ya, right? But yer unsure of exactly how she'd go about doin' such a thing."

"Yeah, pretty much. We were actually hoping you could give us some insight on this. You've been on the farm your whole life, you must have some experience with conflict."

"That Ah do, sugarcube. Though if Ah'm honest, it's been a good while. Hay, the last time I can think of somethin' like yer situation happenin' was when those Flim Flam brothers showed up with their fancy-ass cider machine. Showed 'em what for, though."

After three drinks, you can feel the onset of a buzz coming. Apparently, so can Rarity. She glances up at you from time to time, and her eyes unfocus for just a second. You're not sure how long she's going to last. You hope AJ can dispense her advice before Rarity can't remember anything from tonight...

"Ah ain't never had an old friend come back seekin' vengeance, though. But if she's as bad as y'all say, Ah reckon Ah could help ya."

"That would be lovely, Applejack." Rarity looks up and blows a kiss at you, wobbling just a little.

"Hmm...so, let's say Cashmere ain't screwin' around no more. Gloves are off, she's goin' in swingin' from now on. What could she do ta put the spurs ta ya? Well, by my reckonin', she's got a few options. One: She could outright slander y'all's business and good names. Make up lies and spread them around town. Judgin' by how liked ya generally are in Ponyville, Rarity, Ah'd say that's probably not the best option. Lotta folks know ya 'round here, so yer probably safe from that."

"That's good to know, darling. Any...any avenue of approach that we can cut off to Cashmere would be marv..marvelous. Oh, my, I believe those drinks are starting to catch up with me..."

"Hey, focus, girl! Ah'm tryin' ta save ya a heap'a trouble."

Rarity shakes her head to clear the haze.

"Right, my apologies, Applejack. You were saying?"

"Like Ah was sayin', if slander ain't gonna work, then she's got a few options. She could either go after yer business directly, by trying ta undercut ya, but she stands to lose a lotta money that way. That, or she could simply try to gain and keep more customers than you. Any idea how she's been doin' on that front?"

"I couldn't really say," Rarity admits, "I haven't had the chance to find out such a thing, and the majority of my customers stay as my customers. I imagine she does decently, though. Otherwise she wouldn't have reached her current level of success."

"Well...there's always the less-than-legal avenues, sugarcube. You think she'd do somethin' like that ta get a leg up on ya?"

From what you've seen of Cashmere, you'd definitely say it's possible.

"I wouldn't rule it out," you tell her flatly. "Not in the least. Cashmere is an unrelenting bitch with a serious grudge...so yeah, I'd say it's possible that she could pull some under-handed bullshit. What'd you have in mind?"

"Honestly? She could go after a close acquaintance. Friend, family, somethin' like that. Smear their good name, try to out them as some sort of miscreant or criminal or some-such Maybe reveal a secret y'all rather keep hidden. Ah mean, hell, we all got our secrets, after all."

"And failing that?"

Applejack shrugs, admitting, "There ain't much but physical violence left after that, sugarcube. Ah'd really hope this Cashmere woman ain't one for physical violence."

"She can fuckin' try," you growl over the rim of your glass, less than enthused at the idea of the two-toned mare trying to physically harm you or Rarity. "But no, I don't see Cashmere as the violent type. Bitchy? Yes. Conniving? Absolutely. Physically violent? Eh, probably not."

Rarity nods in agreement.

"Yes, for all the things she may be, she is most certainly not a fighter. We can probably rule th-that one out, fortunately. And good thing, too! I would tear her to...pieces. Hahaha...pieces."

"But yeah, y'all just keep an eye out. Expect the unexpected. That sorta thing. Afraid all Ah can give ya is some vague ideas, not specifics."

AJ puts a hoof to her face as Rarity nearly stumbles out of her chair.

"Ah swear ta Celestia, am Ah the only one here who can hold her liquor?"

"Hey, I'm still sober. Mostly." You tip back the rest of your drink, pushing your glass away.

"Yeah, well, yer about twice my size, sugar. Ya ain't got no excuse if ya reach yer limit before Ah do. Heh."

"Fair enough. I'd get another round for us, but I think if we get another drink in Rarity she's gonna end up being carried home on my back. Again."

Rarity looks up at you and pokes your stomach with a hoof, a half-sober smile on her face.

"Oh come now, dar -hic!- darling. You know you like it when I ride you. Mmhmmhmm..."

"Whoa, easy there, Rarity," AJ says with a disbelieving laugh. "Probably ain't somethin' ya wanna be discussin' in public."

"DO IT." Dash lifts up from her seat, teetering in the air as she stares at the two of you. "Come on, let's hear the details!"

"Details? Rainbow, darling, you've no idea how wonderful it is some...sometimes. Did...did you know that he can do this thing where he takes two fingers and sticks--"

"OKAY," you interrupt before it can get too personal, "I think you've reached your limit, honey. Maybe we should call it a night."

"Pfft, you're -hic!- no fun, my dear. You are lucky that I, Rarity, the FASHIONISTA EXTRAORDINARE OF PONYVILLE, am such...such a...okay, perhaps you're right." She hides her face behind her hooves and laughs quietly. Oh, great, you tell yourself, now she's gonna be hungover in the morning.

"Yeah, I think it's time we part ways, ladies," you say as you gather the empty glasses in the middle of the table. "Been a lot of fun, though."

"That it has. Been real nice talkin' with y'all, we should do this again some time soon. Apologies 'bout Rainbow, she'll learn one day. Hopefully..." AJ tips her hat at you, climbing down from her chair and putting a hoof around Dash's neck. "Come on, darlin', let's get ya to the barn before ya fall asleep on the floor. Again."

Dash fidgets under AJ's grasp, but eventually gives up.

"Please, Applejack, I'm not that drunk. Just a little...feather-headed. Haha."

"Feather-brained, more like it," AJ mutters.

Rarity hops down and tilts to the side for a moment before regaining her balance.

"Come, my dear friends. Come over and give Miss Rarity a squeeze." Dash trots over and wraps her and Fluttershy in a tight embrace, scooting over to make room for AJ as they have a big group hug. It'd be touching if two of them weren't mostly drunk.

"Don't just stand there, darling," she says as she looks over her shoulder at you, "this is your night of celebration as well. You mustn't stand there like a wallflower."

You give them a warm smile and embrace them all, putting an arm around Rarity and Fluttershy.

"Ah dunno 'bout y'all, but Ah had a mighty fine time tonight. Thanks for comin', girls. And gent, of course. It's good ta see y'all."

"Most definitely, darling. Thank you for your advice, Applejack. I'm sure it will be invaluable."

"Think nothin' of it. Y'all just let me know what's happenin' with her, a'right? If she gives ya too much trouble, Ah'll put little miss Cash in her place, you can count on that one." AJ props Dash up with a foreleg, supporting her to the best of her ability. "Come on, Rainbow. Ah can't get ya a cloud or nothin', but the guest room should be a'right for now."

You wait for Dash and AJ to walk off, then turn your attention to Rarity.

"You alright to walk, baby?"

"I believe so, yes. Some cool air should help clear my mind a bit, wouldn't you say?"

"Yeah, we'll see. What about you, Fluttershy?"

"Oh, I'm just fine, thank you. I had a very nice time. Though I am..." she gives a deep yawn and scratches her side, "...I am getting pretty tired. Bed sounds good right now."

"That's for sure. Let's just get home, ladies."

You put an arm around each of their necks, and walk out into the cool night air feeling satisfied, reassured...and just a little bit drunk.

==========

By the time you finally get home, the alcohol in your system has finally taken a hold of you. Focusing on things becomes a little harder, and you have to fumble with your keys to find the right one. You swear at the wrong key as you jam it into the lock, wondering why it's not working, before realizing it's the wrong size. Finally, the door lock clacks open and you push your way inside, having enough of a state of mind to remove your shoes in the entrance way.

"Goodness, but it's good to be back," Rarity says with a yawn.

"No kidding. Ugh, I'm gonna regret this in the morning. Hope we're stocked on coffee, hon."

"If we're not, then I'm going to cry. I will literally cry! Hahaha..."

You click off the light as you walk past the light switch, following behind the two mares on the way up to the bedroom. The closer you get, the better sleep is sounding. Just you in a nice, comfortable bed, wedged between a couple of beautiful mares. Yeah, that definitely sounds good.

You fall onto the bed with a sigh of relief, fairly sure that you could fall asleep right here and now, even without removing any clothes.

"Oh, man, that's sooo much better," you say groggily, rubbing your head against the sheets.

Rarity climbs up beside you and throws her forelegs around you, wasting no time as she presses her body against yours and kisses you passionately. Fluttershy lays beside you and just watches you quietly; you catch her rubbing her head out of the corner of your eye. She probably hasn't been to a bar in a long time.

"I'm so glad...we went out...for those drinks," Rarity says between breaths, smiling as she pulls back. "Goodness, but it felt good to unwind. Wouldn't you agree, darling?"

"Definitely, baby. That was fun! Though I think that alcohol did a number on you, heheh."

"Perhaps. It does feel like I'm rather...disjointed, at the moment. I really can't complain, though. I feel like I could...oh..." She doesn't finish her sentence, instead grabbing you and pulling you back in to kiss her, grinding her body against you as she exhales with a voice dripping with desire.

You notice Fluttershy blush nervously and glance away from you.

"Honey, I don't mean to interrupt, but...you gotta remember that Fluttershy's here. So, you know...maybe take it a little easier for now?" At least the logical part of your brain is still functional...even if the baser side of you wants to rip your clothes off and do filthy, unspeakable things to Rarity. She'd very much enjoy it, but still...

Rarity clears her throat and looks over at her friend.

"Ah, yes...my apologies, Fluttershy. I forget that such a thing might make you uncomfortable."

"Oh, it's okay," she replies, "I, umm, I should probably go in the other room. I'll leave you to your privacy..."

"Hold on, darling. Before you do...I just wanted to thank you for all of the hard work you've put into this store lately, even with your...current...current job at the cottage. You've been nothing but helpful since the day you joined us, and I'm proud to call you my best friend. I love you more than I can put into words. So, I'm not going to put it into words. Instead, I shall simply do this..."

Rarity puts a foreleg behind Fluttershy's head and pulls her in, running her free hoof through Fluttershy's long, pink hair as she kisses her. Fluttershy's eyes widen for a moment, but she quickly relents and accepts the show of affection, closing her eyes and using the liquid courage coursing through her body to put her own foreleg behind Rarity's back, yanking her closer as she slowly builds up the nerve to slip her tongue into Rarity's mouth.

"A little aggressive are we, my dear? I must say, I quite enjoy this side of you."

Fluttershy smiles with a look you haven't seen from her before -- one that you've only seen coming from Rarity. The unmistakable look of passion and a deep caring born of love. It's very sweet...and, you have to admit, pretty damn hot. Rarity notices you looking over at them and bites her lip, smiling as she steps over to your chest with a wobble of her legs.

"Don't think I've for -hic!- forgotten about you, darling. Oh, no no no no! In fact, I think we should do something to ease that tension..."

Between the alcohol clouding your mind and the endorphins flooding your system, you can't find the words to object. Fluttershy looks at you, still breathing heavily, and you motion her over. A surge of desire washes over you as you pull her down on top of you, kissing her neck and shoulder, listening to the small gasps she lets out as you do. You can idly feel Rarity tugging uselessly at your belt with her teeth, and it only makes you want to press on. All you can think about is the feeling of Fluttershy's lips against yours, the soft coat covering her body as it presses against your skin.

You want to go further, your body is screaming at you to go further, all you have to do is...

STOP. Something inside you snaps you out of your stupor, suddenly bringing the reality of your situation crashing down on you. This isn't right, your mind tells you, they're both drunk. You're drunk. It would be meaningless. You'll only regret it later.

"What's wrong?" Fluttershy asks you as you sit up, putting a hand to your head to clear what remains of the haze. Temporarily, at least.

"I'm sorry, we can't do this. Not now, not like this. I wouldn't feel right about it. You understand, don't you, honey?"

You look down at Rarity, still face-down against the crotch of your pants.

"Honey? You okay?"

You nudge her shoulder and she mutters something before burying her face in your pants again, snoring quietly. You can't help but laugh -- she didn't just fall asleep, she passed the hell out.

"You see what I mean, Fluttershy? We're not in any condition to do something so...final. You know?"

She nods her head and bites her lip nervously, feeling a little ashamed for her actions.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me. Like I said, I don't usually drink very much..."

"It's alright, I think we all have some clouded judgment right now. At least we're able to see that. If anything, I should apologize for not thinking straight. I wouldn't necessarily mind if you became closer to us, but this might be too quick." You smile and place an arm around her, exhaling deeply as you calm yourself down. You take a few minutes to simply sit in silence with her, letting Fluttershy rest her head on your shoulder.

"I guess Rarity had a little too much," she says with a soft giggle.

"No kidding. Hold on a sec..."

You reach down between your legs and gently nudge Rarity's shoulder, trying to wake her as gently as possible.

"Rarity? Hey, wake up for me, baby."

She stirs awake with a deep breath, looking around confusedly.

"Hmm? What...what's happening?"

"You passed out, honey."

"I did? What was I doing?" She looks down at the drool mark on your pants, jerking her head back with a start. "Oh goodness, what was I doing? The last thing I recall is walking upstairs...are you alright?"

"I'm fine, baby," you say with a laugh, helping her sit back up. "Don't worry about it, I think we had too much to drink tonight."

"Oh! Fluttershy! Are you feeling okay, darling?"

"I'm okay, Rarity," she replies. "Umm, we should probably just get some sleep..."

"Sleep? Yes, sleep sounds quite lovely." Rarity steps toward the head of the bed before noticing your clothes. "You're still wearing those? Come now, you know you don't sleep like that. And those pants are dirty." She focuses her magic, albeit in a half-asleep state, managing to drag your pants and boxers down half way before deciding it's good enough and flopping onto her pillow. You pull them off the rest of the way yourself and crawl to your favorite pillow, pulling the sheets and blankets up over you and the mares on either side of you.

Rarity winces at the light from the nightstand, clicking it off with an annoyed grunt and a burst of magic.

"That's better," she says with a deep yawn. "Good night, darling. I had a wonderful time."

You decide to not mention her moment with Fluttershy, figuring that she'll likely forget it in the morning anyway.

"Good night, baby. Sleep tight."

I hope I don't have to explain this in the morning, you think to yourself, this is gonna be one hell of a weird discussion.

With the remaining alcohol in your system still flowing through you, you lay your head down and focus on nothing in particular, hoping to ease the inevitable hangover when you wake up.

It can wait until morning.