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The High Life

Last Ditch
Chapter 5: The High Life
Max Kodan

Rarity trotted into the Canter Canteen. Despite the name, it was actually one of the most upscale restaurants in Canterlot. The food was divine by everyone's account, but Rarity herself had never been. A dashing and clean cut unicorn colt bowed to her as she entered and, without a word, led her to a table decadently laid out with a cloth made of the finest silk. The silverware was real silver, the glass crystale. Even the napkin was trimmed extravagantly, and even touching it made one think it must be enchanted, for they could swear they felt their hoof get cleaner just from contact. The designer couldn't help but let out an elated gasp of pleasure as the chair was pulled out for her. She sat down, pleased as punch, though she'd NEVER use that phrase in this sort of setting.

She placed her order. Curiously, a moment later she couldn't remember for the life of her what she'd told the waiter to bring her, but it didn't matter much. Whatever it was would be spectacular. It seemed only to take a few seconds for the food to arrive. Her eyes gazed at whatever it was in awe, though her mind couldn't quite process what it consisted of. There was something wrong...but she couldn't quite place it. Wait, wasn't she supposed to be in Ponyville? No, no...she was visiting, of course. So what was it? Something about the food? No, it looked strange and wobbly, just like it should when she had no idea what it was. Wait, what? That didn't seem right...No! Wait! It was the waiter! Something was strange about the waiter's hoof as he presented her the plate! It seemed strange and scaly, and it had talons. She would remember after the meal to tip him well and leave a note detailing where to find the best lotion and a wonderful manicurist. She finished her meal inexplicably quickly and stood, leaving the money, the tip, and note just as she'd promised herself she would. Then, after having done such a good deed, she walked out of the restaurant.

"Really? Really? A manicure and lotion?" The exasperated voice drawled out of the alley between the restaurant and the building next to it. Rarity jumped in surprise. The voice she heard was the clearest event of the day. She spun to look at the alley and the source of the voice, backing up while she did. I really thought you'd catch on, but I guess this scenery is just too much for you to think straight. Discord stepped out of the shadows (which shouldn't have been there in the middle of the day with the alley's lights on) and sighed, one hand holding the note, the other behind his back. He shook his head. "Rarity, Rarity, Rarity. What are we to do with you?"

"Y-YOU!" the unicorn cried, nearly tripping over her back hooves. Discord only smiled and waved the taloned hand, as if taunting her a little with the fact that she hadn't recognized it sooner. "What do you want? How did you escape? What did I just eat?" She gasped. "Did you...did you poison me!?"

The draconequus chuckled "Oh, my, no, when have I ever been that direct? The secret is this, my dear: You're dreaming, and I'm invading that dream." He grinned at his newest prey, shrugging as he talked. "But I can't really hurt you from here, now, can I? All I can do is talk. All I WANT to do is talk. So don't fret your little head. Soon you'll wake up nice and well rested. But...well...then there's the other problem..."

Rarity had been backing up for some time now, and she realized that if it wasn't a dream, she would have probably hit the other side of the street by now. As it was, she seemed to be right where she had started. This calmed her a little, somehow. She took a deep breath and stopped moving her legs. She turned her previously frightened look into a rather menacing glare. "What...problem? I demand you tell me what you're talking about."

"That's much more like the Rarity I know!" Discord beamed as he spoke. "But yes, we do have something else to talk about, don't we? That...problem? Surely you know which one I'm speaking of?" The question was met with naught but a glare. "Fine, fine, I'll tell you, but you guessing would have been so much fun..." More glaring. "You're quite good at that, you know. Ok, so, the problem..." He paused for dramatic effect. More glaring ensued. "That dress you're thinking of making. The one you have just started, the light blue one, with the rubies and the red bow..."

"There is NOTHING wrong with that design! And you should be one to talk, patchwork went out of style YEARS ago!" The white unicorn shouted. The outburst surprised Discord more than anything, and he blinked and straightened up.

"Well, ignoring your...insult for now, I didn't mean any offense to your dress. In fact, it would go over quite well, except..." He hesitated, as if unsure he should really tell her. The look in her eyes seemed to make him cave. "It's going to catch on fire."

"What?! How- that- you- that isn't possible! Dresses don't just spontaneously combust! Well, one did, but it was meant to." Rarity stamped her hoof on the ground. She was clearly not amused by whatever game the spirit of disharmony was playing.

"Don't shoot the messenger." Discord placed two clawed fingers to his head, and pulled them back as if they were a gun recoiling. A flash of light, and he was gone. His voice, however, remained. "I'm just telling you what's going to happen. If it were just that dress it wouldn't be a very big deal, but you're not interested in the rest, anyway."

"The rest of WHAT!?" The pony tensed and yelled so loud her feet lifted off the ground. "Get back here this instant, you...you...whatever you are! Don't you dare leave when a lady is talking to you!" She demanded. Breathing heavily, she lowered her head and looked at the ground, trying to calm her nerves. As she did, she came nose to nose with Discord, who smiled goofily up at her. She screamed and jumped, running into the alley from which her foe had emerged. She peeked around the corner and shot him a look. He chuckled to himself, still laying just where he'd been. A defiant blush raised to her face as she shifted uncomfortably out of his sight. "H-how rude!"

Discord crossed his legs, smiling cheekily. "If, no, when your dress catches fire, it will burn down your home. Not only that, it will burn down all of Ponyville." His smile curled more malevolently. "And don't think I'm just bluffing you. I'm serious. That dress will catch fire, and your town will burn down."

"Why? Why are you telling me this? What could this gain you?" Rarity peeked an eye out around the corner again. She shuddered a bit. At what, she couldn't quite tell.

"Well, we're getting to that, aren't we?" Discord was gone in the blink of an eye. He was now floating just above her, his wings flapping lazily. Her eyes were wide, but she felt paralyzed. By fear or curiosity, she could not tell. He whispered to her, but she heard the words float through her head rather than through her ear. "You won't stop the dress, will you? Even if you change the dress, it won't change the future. But what you need...I can give it to you. I can give you a dye additive that will make any dress it colors fireproof. It sounds simple, I know, but the only spells you will find are temporary at best. They won't last. Eventually they will wear out." He crept closer to her, his mouth now inches from her ear. "This is permanent. It will ensure that none of that fabric will ever catch fire. It could save your dress. It could save Ponyville. It could save your friends..."

She didn't believe him, but for some reason she bit her lip. She shivered, though she still couldn't move properly. "Wh-what do you want?" He only smiled, exhaling before floating away. "What do you want!?"

"You can guess, can't you? You're a smart girl, after all..."

Rarity woke up in a cold sweat. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the rising sun break through the window. Silhouetted in a menacing black was the model upon which some loose fabric hung. The ribbon now appeared as an ugly dark hump on the back of the figure. She rolled over and yanked the covers over her head, whimpering silently and fighting back the tears that raised to her eyes.

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