Rarity and Applejack Stuck in Manehattan

by InkieMarblePieIsLife

The Sad Life of a Royally Messed Up Mare

"Alright you two, pizza's here!" Coco brought the pizza to the coffee table in the living room.

After only 3 days in her abode the two ponies had already started to feel right at home.

"Oh my stars, a real tomato hay pizza! I've only ever tasted frozen!" Rarity was almost too consumed with food-induced pleasure as she nibbled at the corner of her slice. Applejack gave her a smile as she enjoyed her portion of food.

"You ponies should know that Manehattan has some of the best pizza around!" Coco, unlike the other ponies, was stuffing her mouth with the tomato-y triangle food.

"Coco, you just have no idea how helpful you've been in designing Rarity's fashions." Applejack took a glance at Coco's sketch table, which was covered in fashion scribbles and drawings.

"Thanks from me as well, Coco. I just never thought designing these costumes would be so time consuming and difficult. My employer's specifications have been extremely vague, and I haven't an idea about what the play is like. It's all a very hush-hush process." Rarity gulped down her tea.

"Yeah, I'm getting kinda worried. Yer employer seems to have no communications at all. They didn't even talk to ya about the whole hotel mishap." Worry crept through the cavities of AJ's mind.

"Rarity?"

"Yes, Applejack?"

"Do ya even know who this pony is?"

Rarity almost choked on her pizza. She had received a letter from her employer's assistant, but that seemed to be it. She giggled nervously, paused for a moment, then answered.

"Of course I do! What kind of fashion designer do you think I am? Pffft...not knowing my own boss. Very funny Applejack."

"Well then good. I underestimated you. I'm sorry." Applejack gave Rarity a nudge.

***

"ASSISTANT! WILL YOU GET OVER HERE THIS INSTANT!"

"Miss Blackheart....for the tenth time: My name is Hoofgiver, Ma'am."

"I don't give two bits what your name is, you will answer to what I call you."

"Yes, Onyx."

"What are you, my brother? Address me as Miss Blackheart or you can sleep on the street tonight."

"Yes, Miss Blackheart." Hoofgiver's Navy coat and chocolate mane trickled with nervous sweat. He was trembling.

"It seems that our costume designer has taken a detour." Onyx showed the magazine article to Hoofgiver.

"I'm sure the costumes are finished by now ma'am. You never did give her a deadline."

"I have a deadline,and it was a whole 24 hours ago!"

Onyx trotted to a corner of her office. She stood near a window. Using her magic, she closed the curtain and locked the door. This made Hoofgiver extremely uncomfortable. Onyx took a deep breath as she uncloaked herself. The darkness of her body seemed to blend with the darkness of the room, making her almost invisible. She trotted to her desk and motioned for Hoofgiver to come closer. He trotted towards her. She lit a single candle and began to speak.

"Assistant, how long have you worked for me?"

"3 years, Miss Blackheart." Hoofgiver gulped.

"In those 3 years, have I ever told you the story of my background?"

"No ma'am." Onyx smiled.

"Would you like to hear it?"

"Right now Miss Blackheart, I'm afraid to say no."

"My parents lived a wonderful life in Fillydelphia. They weren't very rich, but were content being in each other's company. Naturally, this happiness was extinguished when a third pony invaded their love. That pony was me. My mother was so unhappy that she cried herself to sleep every night that she was pregnant with me. My father was the same way, filled with disdain and regret. After I was born, my mother wished that she had never met my father. Their love transformed into hate, and they split up almost immediately after my birth. For about 5 years I lived between the 2 ponies, not finding any glimmer of love or compassion in either one of them. My mother would go out on shopping sprees with rich friends, never saying a word to me other than 'Morning, you putrid mistake.', or 'Hey Useless, go play with sticks or something.' My father, on the other hoof, talked to me about everything but myself. He somehow thought I was a therapist rather than a daughter. " Onyx paused and shook her dark bangs out of her face. "Then, one dark night in October, my mum pulled me out of bed and into a cardboard box. I was awake the entire time, but too scared to say anything. The last thing I heard was a thud as I was thrown into a taxi carriage and the mumbled, raspy voice of my mom telling the driver where to go. Then, I heard hoofsteps nearing me. My mom opened the box and said 'Good luck filly. You deserve more than this messed up life.'" Onyx wiped a tear as it fell across her cheek.

"I'm so so-" Onyx made a motion for Hoofgiver to shush.

"Next think I knew, I was on a street corner in Manehattan. I had nowhere to go. I ended up sleeping in the street until a mare found me. She was from an orphanage and picked me up. She took me there and gave me a name. I spent endless nights crying and trying to make friends, but nopony liked me. One day, I came to a revelation: I couldn't stop thinking about the past, so why didn't I just erase my memories? I repressed my worst realities and put new, better ones in their place. I changed my orphanage name to Onyx Blackheart, and told everypony that my parents were only leaving me at the orphanage temporarily, while they traveled across Equestria. I told them that my mother was a famous actress, and my father a director. As I got older, I turned into somewhat of a grifter, a con artist. I was able to fool the caretaker mares at the orphanage in letting me out. Imagine that! And at that moment, I got my cutie mark." Onyx laughed a full, deep chortle as she showed her cutie mark: A black heart with a lock on it. "I got into a film school when I was older, and was able to trick my way through life. I told lie after lie after lie and suppressed the guilt." Onyx trotted right in front of Hoofgiver. "And here I am now. Onyx Blackheart. Prestigious theatrical producer." She smiled.

Hoofgiver was in absolute shock. He felt a mix of sympathy and sadness, as well as some disgust, but he didn't let any of it show.

"But anyway enough about me. I have something for you to do." Onyx brushed off the entire speech she just gave as if it was a fly.

"Y-yes ma'am?"

"We need to coax that pretty Ponyville fashion guru into coming here. She needs a push in the right direction. I think I'll host a gala for the staff." Onyx pulled out a notebook and used her horn to levitate a pen. She wrote feverishly. "Assistant, I want you to make an invitation for this mare, and rent the gala space on 8th avenue. The one with the basement." Hoofgiver ran out of the office.

***

"Applejack, you believe what I received in the mail today!" Rarity's voice was as melodic as a nightingale.

"Another pizza?" Applejack deadpanned.

"An invite to a gala hosted by my boss! It's tonight!"

Applejack eyed the invitation. It was written by hoof on pink paper, and was decorated in pink lace and ribbon.

"'Come alone'? This sounds fishy, Rarity."

"Oh AJ, of course I would have to come alone! Haven't I been telling you about how exclusive this job is?"

"I guess."

"You'll have an awesome time. My employer does this all the time. It's probably to make you feel more comfortable working in a different city." Coco smiled.

"Oh my! I barely have any time to get ready!" Rarity rushed out of the room.

"Coco? She does know that the gala is 9 hours away, right?"

Coco giggled. "She's a fashion designer, let her have her fun."

Author's Note:

SUSPENSE! I'm not very good at it, as you can probably tell. Anywho, this is the before final chapter!! EXCITING! I hope you like it, it took a while to cook in my brain. I apologize for the long chapter title. I couldn't think of anything else.
Thanks for reading! The formatting has returned. I like it a lot better, it's cleaner to read.

Comments

[KarmamarK]

I guess you could say Onyx has a heart of stone (Pokemon reference ftw )

[InkieMarblePieIsLife]

5884956 Omigosh YES!! How are you so good at the references and puns?!