//------------------------------//
// The Trip Home 
// Story: It's Nothing 
// by Replach 
//------------------------------//

6003 11th Street, Manehattan
6:48 PM

"Which hospital is she going to?" Angel asked one of the EMTs. Firestorm was showing symptoms of a concussion, and they were taking her to a hospital for further evaluation.
"Grand Garden!" the EMT replied, to which Angel nodded his head in thanks. He knew where he could find Firestorm once this was all over, and that's all he needed. He was about ready to go get Crimson & Star from the Mall of Manehattan. They were probably getting worried about him by now.
From what Angel had overheard, the mare's bag was stolen by the stallion, who then ran into the alleyway. The mare had tried to go after him, but he had easily overpowered her. Furthermore, a pocketknife had been found on him, meaning that if Firestorm and Angel hadn't been in the right place at the right time, who knew if anyone would have stopped it. Who knew if the mare would be alive. Thankfully, she was alive, thanks to the fearless officer and her friend that had saved the day. In fact, all she had were a few scrapes from the asphalt in the alleyway.
Angel was starting to walk away when he overheard the conversation between Silver Shield and the mare.
"Dear sir, I would think it would be obvious, but if I must make it clear: I am not comfortable walking home by myself! If this has already happened to me once, who knows if it'll happen again?"
Angel couldn't help but feel bad for the mare. First her purse got stolen, and she nearly got murdered in the process, and now she didn't even have anyone to walk her home! From what Angel had overheard earlier, she wasn't even a local; just on a business trip. Angel pondered whether it would be worth doing another good deed; Crimson and Star were still waiting for him. On the other hoof, this mare needed to get home safely.
Screw it, Angel thought. Crimson & Star can wait.
Angel promptly turned around and walked back up to the mare.
"I can walk you home, if you'd like," he offered.
The mare just looked at Angel with a confused expression.
"Darling," she said to him, "I appreciate the offer, but I barely even know you."
"Well," Angel replied, "in the - what is it, an hour?- that I've known you, I've helped save you from your attacker, and got your expensive purse back. If the cops themselves won't do it, I will."
The mare sat still for a moment, seemingly weighing her options. Then she turned back to Angel, the setting sun casting a glint of light over her bright blue eyes.
"As long as I'm not keeping you from anything," she answered.
"Not at all," Angel fibbed. "Even if it were, some things are more important."
The mare took a moment to thank the officers for their help. Angel did so as well; they had done a splendid job getting Firestorm some medical attention after she was injured. Finally, they turned back towards each other.
"Shall we get going?" the mare asked Angel.
"Lead the way!" Angel replied, waving his hoof towards their path. As they got going, the mare started to tell Angel the directions to her rental apartment on the northeast side of Manehattan. She was noticeably still on-edge, and Angel could tell every now and then she was still shaking from her traumatizing experience tonight.
"So my apartment is on 66th Street," she explained. "It's faster to take the subway from 10th to 72nd, but after all I've been through today, I'd rather stay on the surface streets, so I think it would be best if we stay on Park Avenue all the way up."
Angel realized that this mare lived a lot farther away than he thought. It would take him nearly 2 hours to walk that distance and ride the subway back to the mall! But then again, he'd already offered to help; leaving now would just make him look bad.
"Sounds good to me," Angel simply responded. Then he remembered something.
"I don't think we ever introduced ourselves?" he asked the mare.
"Oh," the mare replied. "Do forgive me. My name is Rarity."
"Rarity," Angel repeated to himself. "I like that name. It's nice to meet you Rarity. I'm Fallen Angel."
"The pleasure's mine, Fallen Angel," Rarity responded with a smile and a hoofshake. 
The two walked along in silence for a few moments. Angel soon decided he didn't want to be awkward, and started to talk with Rarity to pass the time.
"So, what brings you to Manehattan?" he asked her.
"I'm a fashion designer," she told him, starting to calm herself down. "I run a boutique off of Bridleway, on 99th Street. It's near the Celestial Cathedral."
"Oh yeah," Angel replied, "I know where that is!"
"Anyways," Rarity continued as they reached Park Avenue, "My main store is in Ponyville, so I usually have another mare running the store here, Sassy Saddles. Wonderful mare! But she had to take this week off to go to her brother's wedding in Baltimare, so I came up to run the store for her. I also brought my younger sister, Sweetie Belle, with me, because she oh-so desperately wanted to see her friend Babs Seed."
"You're kidding!" Angel yelled. "I know Babs Seed personally!"
"Oh, really?" Rarity exclaimed.
"Yeah!" he confirmed, "She's friends with my sister!" 
"Wow," Rarity said, half to herself. "Small world!"
"I know, right?"
"Do you know how Babs Seed is doing?" Rarity asked Angel. "I heard her sister was killed in the attack back in October."
"She's holding up pretty well," Angel assured her, "as far as I know at least."
"You said she's friends with your sister?" Rarity questioned.
"Yeah," Angel answered. "Her name is Shining Star. She's at the Mall of Manehattan now with my marefriend, Crimson Moon."
"Really?" Rarity exclaimed, briefly turning around to face Angel. "A stallion like yourself not spending time with your marefriend?" 
"I dropped them off," Angel explained. "I just don't like spending time at the mall, that's all. Nothing that catches my interest. I'll go back and find them after I walk you home. Although I'll be cutting time close, since I want to visit Firestorm at Grand Garden tonight."
"Who's Firestorm?"
"The officer that got hurt helping you," Angel responded. "We've been friends since the attack, actually. I helped her get a little filly away from the building before it came down. I also found her ID on the street afterwards and returned it. It's also how I met Crimson; I was part of the rescue team that helped her to the hospital when she got trapped in the rubble."
"That's amazing!" Rarity yelled.
"It's nothing to me, really," Angel replied. "I just like to see a little good in the world. There's too many bad people that get the spotlight. I want to leave Equestria a better place than it was when I first got here, you know?"
"I feel the same way," Rarity agreed. "That's why I always leave a little room to be generous towards other ponies. Help somepony out when they're having a bad day. For example, you see that lovely mare sitting beside that building?"
Angel spotted the mare Rarity had pointed out, a younger, pretty-looking mare who didn't seem to be Equestrian. She was bundled up in what was either a sleeping Bag or a blanket; Angel couldn't tell which. What Angel could tell was that she was homeless.
"That," Rarity continued, "is Escanderya. She just moved here last year from Saddle Arabia. Last time I was here, this was a new part of town I'd never been to before. It was overwhelming, and I couldn't figure out where I needed to go. If it weren't for Escanderya, I never would've gotten to where I needed to be. Better yet, she walked along with me, just like you're doing now, to make sure nobody tried to rob me. Even in her troubling state, she still had the kindness to help a complete stranger."
Rarity then turned back to Angel, a gentle smile on her face.
"And now," Rarity added, pulling a hoof-full of bits out of her bag, "it's about time I return the favor."
Rarity quickly looked around, seemingly searching for something. What she was looking for, Angel didn't know. Then she turned back to him.
"Tell me, Angel," Rarity asked, "You seem to know Manehattan well. Do you know where the nearest hotel is?"
Angel took a moment to think, then replied confidently, "Yes, I do. The Everlong Hotel, on 14th Street, that way." He then pointed to his right, and Rarity quickly trotted to the street corner. Sure enough, there was a sign down 14th Street that said The Everlong.
"Impressive," Rarity remarked, handing the bits over to him. "Can you do me a favor and see how much a room costs for one night?"
Angel simply looked down at the bits this mare had just gave him. The fact that she already trusted him enough to handle her money was astounding enough, but furthermore, she was using it to buy a homeless mare a room at a luxury hotel for the night, just an hour after nearly being killed by a stranger herself? This mare is crazy, Angel thought; she knows too well I could just run off with it! Plus, there's no way she'd afford a room there!
Before he could protest, however, Rarity turned around and started crossing the street, leaving Angel to fulfill his task. 
"I guess," he responded under his breath. He turned and walked down to the building. This hotel was a lot larger than many of the others on this side of town. It had to be 30, maybe even 40 stories up! As he moved towards it, he noticed a valet pony for parking any carriages. He decided to ask him.
"Excuse me," he beckoned, and the valet gave him his full attention. 
"Do you know how much it costs for a night here?" he questioned. 
"350 bits, good sir!" the valet answered.
"Thank you!" Angel expressed, and turned back to find Rarity. 250 bits! Angel believed he'd confirmed his theory; there was no way she'd afford that. And yet, as he returned to the street corner, he found Rarity leading the Arabian mare towards him.
"How much?" Rarity inquired. Angel feared what her reaction would be.
"350 bits," he replied anxiously.
"Really?" she exclaimed. "I thought it would be a lot more. That's nothing!"
Nothing?!? This mare had officially gone insane. 350 bits would get Angel a hoofball signed by Brett Furlong! Or better yet, a ticket behind the plate at a baseball game at Metro Stadium! What did she mean, nothing?
Despite his beliefs, Angel gave Rarity her bits back, and she led Escanderya with her. Angel still couldn't believe she was seriously going to pay 350 bits to house a homeless mare for one night! 
Angel walked behind Rarity and Escanderya as they approached the same valet pony he had talked with. However, he noticed that the stallion was looking rather uncomfortable as they approached him, which hadn't been the case when Angel did. Angel suddenly got a gut feeling that something bad was about to happen.
"Hello there, good sir!" Rarity greeted the valet, "I'd like to book a room for tonight. I was told it would be 350 bits?"
"Yes..." the valet replied slowly. "For you, or for her?"
"Her, please," Rarity answered.
"Well, I'm sorry to inform you about this, madam," the valet suddenly responded coldly, "but as of October 2nd, we don't allow terrorists like her in our hotel."
Angel couldn't believe his ears. Did he seriously just call a homeless mare a terrorist?
"I beg your pardon, sir?" Rarity exclaimed, equally as shocked as Angel towards the valet's suddenly cruel words.
"It's not complicated, madam," the valet explained. "She's from Saddle Arabia, correct?"
"Yes," answered Escanderya.
"And, if you're smart enough to figure out who was behind the Crystaller Building attack, then I'm sure you can put two and two together as to why we don't serve Arabian ponies anymore."
All Angel could do was watch Rarity's anger grow. Here she was, trying to perform a random act of kindness towards a homeless mare who had helped her before, and she was being denied because she was Arabian? Rarity looked ready to beat this valet into a pulp, and as much as he'd like to see a peaceful ending, Angel didn't necessarily want to hold her back.
"Oh, for goodness sake!" he suddenly heard a voice behind the valet, who turned around to see one of his coworkers behind him.
"Spring, don't tell me you're going along with your Arabian pony shtick again!" 
The second valet stalked over to the first, presumably Spring, looking even more angry than Rarity did. Spring did his best to shrink away from his coworker's glaring amber eyes.
"Why don't you make yourself useful, and go park that carriage over there?"
Spring quickly rushed away, and the second valet turned to Rarity. 
"I deeply apologize, madam," he pleaded, "Everything Spring said is very much untrue. He's one of those radical kind of ponies that hates Arabians with a passion. How he hasn't lost his job, I have no idea. I'll be happy to help you with your belongings," he added to Escanderya, whose shopping bag of belongings he picked up. 
"Are you staying here as well, madam?" he asked Rarity.
"No, sir," she replied, handing him a few bits. "Just paying for her."
Rarity turned around and handed Angel her bag.
"Can you watch this for me while I go inside?" she inquired.
Angel simply nodded, and watched as Rarity followed her friend inside. Angel was convinced there wasn't a thing in the world this mare wouldn't do. As much knowledge as he had gained about Manehattan in the past 4 months, she had just proven there was a lot more left for him to learn.

**************************************************************************************

Rarity's Apartment
429 66th Street, #2-D, East Manehattan
8:12 PM

"There's no way," Angel exclaimed. "I mean, as much as I've seen today, you'd be a perfect fit for it, but you're actually..."
"I don't get why you're so surprised," Rarity said humbly. "Sure, I've saved the world more times than you can count, but it doesn't really mean much to me."
"I know," Angel responded as they reached Rarity's door. "Still, I'm in the presence of one of the freaking Bearers of the Elements of Harmony! And better yet, I helped save your life today! It's like... what are the chances?"
As Angel spoke, Rarity pulled her keys out from her bag, and unlocked the door to her apartment. She allowed Angel to go in first, then followed behind, shutting the door behind her.
"Sweetie Belle, I'm back!" she called out to a seemingly-empty apartment as she set her bag down on the table beside her. A mirror hung over it, and Rarity took a moment to look in it and fix her hair, ruffled from her tangle with the thief. 
Angel looked back into the hallway and watched a young filly peek out from a door on the right side. She looked a lot like Rarity, but had lighter-colored, two-tone hair. If he hadn't known it was Rarity's sister, Angel would've thought she was her daughter.
"Rarity, thank Celestia!" Sweetie Belle yelled as she sprinted down the hallway. Rarity quickly wrapped her up in a tight embrace, and Angel couldn't help but smile at the sight.
"Where have you been?" Sweetie asked. "It's past 8 o'clock!"
"It's a very long, very complicated story," Rarity replied, "but I'm sure that Fallen Angel, here, would like to stay for dinner to help me tell it. Wouldn't you?"
"As much as I would," Angel answered, "I still have to get my sister and marefriend from the mall, and I'm already running late as it is. I can come back tomorrow, though, if you have time?"
"Sounds like a plan," Rarity responded. "Before you go, though, I should introduce you. Sweetie Belle, this is Fallen Angel." Rarity looked at him with a gleam in her eye. "If it weren't for him and his friend, I might not have made it home tonight."
"Cool to meet ya!" Sweetie Belle greeted him. 
"Likewise," Angel retorted, reaching down to shake her hoof. 
"Sweetie Belle, could you be a dear and turn on the radio for me?" Rarity asked. 
"Sure thing!" she answered, already halfway to the radio. Angel could tell she had a lot of energy, just like he did when he was a young colt.
"I'm gonna get going," Angel announced as he headed out the door, "but it was very nice to meet the both of you. I'll see you tomorrow!" 
"See ya!" Sweetie Belle shouted as the radio came to life:
"... 27-year-old Ransom Note is being held in Reins' Island Prison on charges of theft and battery, as well as a felony charge of assault on a police officer. At last notice, the injured officer, identified as 26-year-old Firestorm of East Manehattan, was in stable condition with non-life threatening injuries at Grand Garden Medical Center....