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// 2: The Messenger 
// Story: The Contract 
// by -Mazer 
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	For the next couple of days, Rarity checked her mailbox with fervor. She anticipated that at any moment, at any minute a second mysterious letter would arrive acknowledging her request. Unfortunately no such request came. There was a brief moment when Rarity became worried that her response had never arrived to its intended party but over time, she began to believe that this was, indeed, nothing more than an elaborate prank brought down upon her by some random pony in Ponyville (though she had the feeling that the pony in question was pink with a rat’s nest for a mane).
It wasn’t until the following weekend when she received a response, but it did not come in the form of a letter but that of a black feline with bright yellow eyes. Rarity, with Twilight Sparkle and Fluttershy in tow, had just arrived back to her boutique after spending the afternoon at her favorite spa.
“Really, darlings, you must let ThunderHoof massage your back. He is just delightful!”
“No thanks,” Fluttershy whispered. “He seems nice and all but, well,” she stared at the ground. “He looks like he’d break me.”
“Not at all!” Rarity flipped her purple mane out of her eyes. “He is much gentler than he looks. He is only rough if you ask for it.” She grinned. “And trust me, I ask for it.”
“Rarity!” Twilight gasped.
“Oh please get your mind out of the gutter,” Rarity scoffed. “I am talking about a deep tissue massage. It is the only true way to get all the knots out of one’s back.”
“Oh,” Twilight flushed.
“Anywho; as I was saying. Fluttershy, dear, you really need to learn to trust me on these things. How can you say you don’t like a deep tissue massage if you never had one?” Rarity paused outside the front door to her boutique to fetch the keys out of her saddle back with her magic. The keys floated on over to the lock but to the trio’s shock, the door was already open.
“That’s odd,” Twilight muttered. “I thought you locked it.”
“I did.” Rarity replied. She nosed the door open allowing the three of them entrance. Using her magic, she drew the curtains exposing the creature responsible for the break-in. The feline, fur as black as night, was sitting in the center of the boutique. He was wearing a strange blue hat with a visor that nearly covered his bright yellow eyes as well as a darker blue button-up uniform jacket with a white shirt beneath. 
“My word,” Rarity gasped while taking a step backwards. “Who are you and what are you doing in my…”
“Wait,” Fluttershy squeaked. “Oh my! Are you a…oh, I’ve never seen one of you before!” She tentatively  approached the feline. “You’re a panther, aren’t you?”
A slight smile crossed his dark lips. “Leopard, actually.”
“Oh wow!” Fluttershy gasped. “I’ve never met a leopard before! We don’t see many felines in Ponyville; not like you that is.” She sat down in front of him, obviously wanting to get a closer look but too nervous to get any nearer. “How do you keep your fur so shiny? Is it true you can see in the dark as if it were daytime? How big are your claws? Are you really a meat eater?”
“A curious one, isn’t she?” he asked.
“You will have to excuse Fluttershy,” Rarity commented. “She gets this way whenever she meets someone exotic.” She raised an eyebrow. “However, exotic or not, it gives you no reason to break into my boutique. Just who are you and what are you doing here?”
“My name is Bagheera,” Said the leopard. “And I am here under the orders of Mister Khan. He has agreed to the date you have requested and would prefer it if you were sent on your way as soon as possible.”
Twilight blinked. “Wait. Khan? That guy from the letter?” She looked to Rarity. “You actually agreed to meet up with a total stranger?”
Bagheera’s whiskers twitched. “Stranger?” He looked from one pony to the next. “Are you telling me that you have never heard of Khan?”
“Should we have?” asked Twilight and Rarity in unison. Fluttershy was too enthralled with Bagheera’s tail to pay the conversation any mind.
“He is only the most powerful creature in the known world.” Bagheera gasped.
It was Twilight’s turn to scoff. “Really? More powerful than Princess Celestia?”
Bagheera shrugged. “While I have never met this Celestia, I would say this; I have personally witnessed Kings and Queens alike to bow down before Mister Khan. If your Princess is anything like those Kings; than I assure you that he is more powerful than she.”
“How dare you,” Twilight growled but Rarity pressed her leg over Twilight’s chest. “I do not believe our guest means anything by it. It sounds as if he knows as much of the Princess as we do of his Mister Khan.”
“I did not mean to offend.” Bagheera said coolly. “I was merely sharing my observations.”
“Hmph.”
“Anyway,” Rarity raised her voice a bit. “Before I agree to accompany you, I need to know why your employer wishes to act in such secrecy. A good impression secrets does not make.”
Bagheera considered the question for a moment, his long black tail flopping back and forth behind him. “Mister Khan wishes to avoid any attention from outside sources. There are several entities in the world who would want nothing more than to steal Mister Khan’s ideas and if they were to discover that you are one of those he wishes to meet, than they would swoop down upon you like vultures would a corpse.” 
Fluttershy whimpered at the leopard’s analogy. 
“No offense, but I find that rather hard to believe.” Twilight said.
“Actually, Twilight.” Rarity responded. “I can understand where he is coming from. No offense, but you do not understand the business world as well as I do.” She smiled gently to her friend. “Books cannot teach you just how cut throat businesses can be. Why, the things some designers will do to squash their competition would turn your mane white; let me tell you.”
“I dunno,” Twilight mumbled.
“Trust me on this.” Rarity nudged her cheek against Twilight’s. “It sounds quite reasonable from a business point of view.” She looked back to Barheera. “So what is the plan exactly?”
“Mister Khan had hired a private train that will take you to ManeHattan. From there we shall take a private plane to Cape Suzette.”
Twilight and Rarity blinked. “Cape Suzette?” Rarity looked to Twilight. “Have you ever heard of Cape Suzette?”
“Never.” Twilight shot the leopard a cool look. “And I have maps detailing every corner of Equestria. I have never heard of Cape Suzette.”
Bagheera looked exasperated. “You ponies do realize there are continents outside of your own, don’t you?”
Twilight frowned. “What are you talking about?”
“What I am talking about is that the world is a lot larger than you may think.” He snorted. “Equestria is just one continent amongst dozens.” His ears twitched. “And while I would love nothing more than to share with you just how large the world is, I do have a schedule to keep.” His golden eyes peered over to Rarity. “I will return early in the morning to escort you to the train station. I expect you will be packed and ready?”
“N-Now wait one second here,” Rarity stammered. “I need a moment to think about this…”
“There is nothing to think about.” Bagheera’s voice took on a cool tone. “You agreed to meet with Mister Khan. He is already expecting you.”
“But can’t you…”
“No,” He raised his voice a bit causing Fluttershy to scurry behind Twilight. “I cannot tell him to wait. I will not put my head on the chopping block because you have cold hooves. If you wish to cancel, you may do so yourself. In person.”
Twilight opened her mouth to protest but Rarity stopped her. “No, you’re right.”
“But Rarity!”
“Twilight, dear, our feline friend is correct.” She looked from Twilight to Bagheera. “A businesswoman keeps her word. I will meet this Khan and I will listen to his proposal. If it is not to my liking, then I will thank him for his time and leave it at that. All he wants to do is meet with me, yes? There is no harm in exchanging words.”
Bagheera nodded. “Well said.”
“I will be expecting you bright and early,” Rarity said. 
“Of course madam,” Bagheera nodded his head. “Ladies.” He quietly walked past the three ponies, using his tail to close the door behind him as he left. The moment Twilight was positive that Bagheera was out of earshot, she whirled around towards Rarity.
“Are you crazy?” she screamed. “You have no idea what Khan has in store for you and yet you are willing to travel hundreds of miles to meet him? He could be a lunatic! He could be some kind of crazy cat monster who eats ponies every thousand years. How do you know that thousand years isn’t up?”
Rarity smiled. “Twilight,” she said in a calm voice. “I may be a lady,” her eyes sparkled with an icy ferocity. “But I know how to hold my own.”
Twilight had seen that look in Rarity’s eyes before and while she was still uneasy about this venture, she understood that Rarity would be fine. “Promise me you’ll be okay.”
Rarity laughed. “Oh Twilight you have nothing to worry about. If he so much lays a paw on me, he’ll be known as Misses Khan for the rest of his life.”