The walk to Fluttershy's cottage was uneventful. They reached the door, and Rarity lightly rapped on it. They heard chattering, and a rabbit opened the door to greet them, impatiently tapping his foot, looking up at the ponies standing in front of him. He pointed an accusing finger at Syko.
"He's a journalist with a reputable publication that would like to do an article on the six of us," Rarity said, "would you be a dear and get Fluttershy for us, Angel?"
Angel glared at Rarity, then closed the door. Shuffling was heard, then Fluttershy opened the door, Angel in tow. She scrubbed the sleep out of her eyes, yawning as she said, "Angelbunny here told me something about a magazine article you girls were writing?" Fluttershy then caught sight of Syko, and hid a little behind the door, whispering, "who's that?"
"He's the journalist!" Pinkie said while bouncing.
"And he interviewed Spitfire," Rainbow Dash proclaimed, "full frontal!"
Twilight smacked Rainbow and gave her a glare, "Dash, we're supposed to ease her into it!" she scolded her. Rainbow Dash blushed in apology.
"Full frontal? I don't like the sound of that..." Fluttershy said worriedly.
"Oh, what the hay," Rarity said frustratedly, "he works for Playcolt."
"PLAYCOLT!?" Fluttershy squeaked as she tried to slam the door shut, Angel's foot keeping it open. His pupils had turned into dollar signs as he held out a finger indicating that they hold on a second, letting the door close shortly after.
What followed next was rabid chattering interspersed with cries of "No!", "It's Playcolt!" followed by even more rapid chattering laced with, "Really?" "We're HOW much in the hole?" followed by a vase shattering and a squeak that could only have come from Fluttershy. The door then opened, Fluttershy peeking out and squeaking, "Come in, everypony."
The five came inside, noticing a shattered vase and Angel sitting on the couch, nursing his paw. He also appeared to be wearing sunglasses. They all sat down in the couches in the room, Fluttershy sitting last next to Angel.
"Now, Mister..." Fluttershy started.
"Syko,"
"Ah, Syko. Mister Syko, before we enter in a business arrangement-"
"Who said we would be entering into business together?"
"Judging by your Cutie Mark, I assume you'll be taking the photographs?" Fluttershy asked. Syko nodded. "Thought so," and with that Fluttershy pulled out six stacks of paperwork. Syko looked one of them over.
"Are these...contracts?"
"Why yes they are," Fluttershy said as Syko pulled out a pen and looked over the contract, "It says that the model(that's me) will enter into a freelance business agreement with Playcolt Inc.(that's you) and that a pre-agreed upon amount of five thousand bits-"
"What!?"
"I could easily ask for double, or even triple, seeing as how I was Photo Finish's star model-"
"That's true," Syko grumbled.
"So, as I was saying, five thousand bits goes into this account within a window of two weeks of the photoshoot or an additional five hundred bits will be added on as damages each week. Oh, and thirty percent of that goes into this account over here."
"What's this account?"
"That's for my agent. We've found that it streamlines the process."
"Who's your agent?"
Fluttershy's eyes lit up. "Why, Angelbunny of course," and she started rubbing Angel's cheeks together, "who's the cutest agent ever? Yes you are, oh yes you are!" she said devolving into baby talk as Angel smacked her away, hissing as his cut paw made contact with her face and pulling it back to his side.
"The RABBIT'S an AGENT!? Horseapples!"
Angel glared at Syko, then pulled out a card. Syko grabbed it with his magic and looked it over:
Angel A. Bunny
Talent Agent
Syko glared at the rabbit. "You don't know the first thing about this business-"
Angel shut him up with a glance, hopped over to the wall, and kicked it, catching a frame that dropped, hopped back to the table and handed it to Syko. Syko took it with his magic and began reading:
Canterlot University
awards this
Bachelors of Science
in
Business
to
Angel Artemis Bunny
Syko sat there dumbfounded while Rarity grabbed it with her magic and began reading. "Bucking rabbit has a bachelor's in business!"
"ARTEMIS!?" the girls crowded around the degree exclaimed. Angel blushed sheepishly.
"Well I for one think it's a very refined name to have," Rarity assured Angel.
"I think it's lovely," Twilight assured him as well.
Rainbow and Pinkie were failing to stifle giggles as they busted out in laughter.
"Oh man, that's rich!" Rainbow Dash chortled.
"Yeah, I mean it's so ironic you'd be named after a goddess!" Pinkie cut in, "and of hunting, of all things?" she said before breaking down laughing again.
Angel turned his head towards Fluttershy. "I thought it sounded very pretty. And I still think it does," she said reaching out to Angel when he smacked her hoof away, clearly miffed.
"So that covers you," Syko asserted, "but who are these other five for?"
"Oh, those are for the other girls. Same deal, except they only get two thousand. Same damages apply and you girls will have to fill in your own account information."
"And you drew these yourself?"
"Yeah," then Fluttershy hunched her shoulders, "if that's ok..."
"No, it's fine," Syko reassured her, "I'll just have to run them by legal, is all." Syko stood up, "Well, what are we waiting for? Get signing!"
----
WHUMP!
Applejack felt invigorated as she bucked all the apples off of a tree. It was hard work, but it was honest work. The best kind. She took her stetson off and wiped the sweat from her brow, noticing the girls and a bright orange stallion poking around, obviously looking for her.
"HEY! She yelled, waving a hoof, "OVER HERE!"
Everypony looked up and headed towards Applejack, who had put her stetson back on. "Hey girls," she said, "who's this feller?"
"Well I'm glad you asked," Rarity said cheerfully, "this here is-"
"Let the pony introduce himself, will ya?"
Syko cleared his throat, "I'm Syko, a journalist for a reputable gentlecolt's magazine, and I'd like to interview the six of you on your friendship!" Everypony cringed at 'gentlecolt' except Applejack.
Applejack had a thoughtful look on her face, "Ya mean like Sports Illustrated? Shucks, we ain't all that good at sports-"
"Think lower-brow," Twilight intoned.
Applejack stared blankly, then leaned in conspiratorially and said, "Swimsuit issue?"
Rainbow Dash said worriedly, "Not quite..."
Applejack looked ornery, "Well then, what is it?"
Fluttershy creeped up and said meekly, "Maybe it's better if you just read this..." handing Applejack a contract.
Applejack grabbed the contract and started murmuring, "I, Applejack, (henceforth to be referred to as MODEL), agree to a freelance modeling business ... PLAYCOLT!?" she suddenly yelled as she reared up, "Ain't no way no how ah'm agreein' ta this!"
"But you'll be fully clothed..." Rarity added helpfully.
"Nuh-uh! I seen how they do it in tha movies! They start all lahk, 'you kin wear clothes' and then the next scene is lahk 'take it off, ya slut or we won't pay ya!'"
"You think I would pull a stunt like that on the Elements of Harmony!?" Syko spat out.
Applejack leered at Syko, "Tell me ya haven't pulled that exact stunt on anotha model! I dare ya!"
Syko looked around sheepishy, "Well, it's not my fault they don't read their contracts before signing them! And I never called any of our models sluts!"
Twilight chimed in, "Princess Celestia said it was a good idea!"
Applejack froze at that, "Well, then, take a letter, Twi."
Twilight pulled out a quill and parchment, looking excitied.
"Dear Princess Celestia, " Applejack started, "HAVE YA LOST YER GOL-DURNED MAHND!?"
Twilight looked up at Applejack, clearly miffed. "There's no way I'm sending that."
"Well, that's all yer gettin' from me cause-"
"APPLEFAMILYCOUSINSECRETMEETING!" Pinkie blared out as she dragged Applejack into the house at a blinding speed.
Everypony stared blankly.
"Did she just imply-" Syko started.
"Yes," Twilight said, "fifth cousin, twice removed."
----
Applejack collected herself and gave an evil look at Pinkie Pie. "Now what was that all about?"
"Come on, Applejack, the rest of us said yes, now you gotta so I can be famous!" Pinkie whined.
"What now? Th' entire town knows who you are! Basides, yer Twilight's friend and mah cousin!"
"Don't you see? Outside of Ponyville, I'm nopony!" Pinkie begged, "but if we do this article, ponies will recognize me for ME, and then I can launch this into a career where I can make all of Equestria smile," Pinkie grinned at that, "maybe even the world!"
Applejack looked unsure, "Well, that sounds lahke a mighty fahne dream there, Pinkie, but ah just can't model for Playcolt-"
"Did someone say Playcolt?" A wizened female voice said from the living room.
"Yes, Granny Smith, now can we just-" Applejack started.
"I was a model for their very first issue."
Both Pinkie's and Applejack's jaws both droppd as they rushed into the living room. Applejack exclaimed, "YOU were in PLAYCOLT!?"
Granny Smith looked up, "Did ah stutter?"
"No, Granny-"
"That's what ah thought. Now, Pinkie, would you be a dear and get the plastic bag from under the mattress?"
Pinkie saluted, "Can do, Granny!" and rushed upstairs, then zoomed back down with a slick plastic bag containing Playcolt Issue One.
"Now how did you find that so quicky?" Applejack asked.
"Easy! It was under 'P!'" Pinkie exclaimed.
Applejack looked confused. "Are ya sayin' mah granny has a bookshelf under her mattress?"
Pinkie leaned in and whispered, "I'm saying that Granny has an incontinence problem," and started gagging from the smell.
Applejack shook her head, grabbed a rag, wiped down the bag, and threw the rag out. She then slipped out the magazine from the bag, and skipped to Granny's pictoral. Sure, she was exposed, but she made it seem...dignified, almost natural.
"That there was advertisement for tha' Zap Apple Jam, it was" Granny mused.
"And Granpappy was okay with this?" Applejack asked.
"Oh, your granpappy loved it," Granny said, "he'd tell anypony would listen that he was married to the very first Playcolt model, and that they should check out Playcolt any chance they got!"
"So, in a way," Pinkie mused, "We'd be continuing an Apple Family tradition!"
"Ah suppose so, Pinkie," Applejack said while standing up, "What are we?" she announced.
"Apples to the Core!" Pinkie and Granny replied.
----
Applejack and Pinkie Pie headed back to the ponies they left behind, Pinkie Pie smiling.
Syko asked, "So will you do it?"
Applejack looked down, "S'pose ah have to," she said while looking up, a smile across her face, "after all, it's in mah blood!"