Coco Pommel tells it like it is.
Coco frowned as she watched Rarity and her friends leave the Ballroom Runway, her stomach in an uncomfortable knot. Thanks to Suri Polomare and herself, Rarity was as good as out of the runnings for Fashion Week. By all accounts she should be happy about it.
So why did it feel so... wrong?
Coco was confused. Rarity was just a nopony from some out in the woods town, a veritable stranger to her. Worse yet, Suri had told her that Rarity had been a rumor spewing blabbermouth who couldn't sew a simple skirt, let alone an entire fashion line. Suri had never lied to her about other designers before.
But the mare that Coco saw wasn't anything like that. She was talented, generous, and more concerned about her friends than even the biggest fashion event in Manehatton. She was kind, selfless, caring...
She couldn't deny what she saw, but Suri couldn't have been completely wrong.
Right?
Coco's musings were interrupted as she felt a hoof poke her in the shoulder.
"Hello, Equestria to intern, are you there?" Suri asked, looking more than a little irritated.
"Oh, sorry Suri. I was just thinking..."
Suri scoffed. "Yeah, well I'm not teaching you to think, now am I?"
"Um, no ma'am..." Coco muttered.
Suri snorted. "Whatever. Let's go see if Prim Hemline's got my trophy ready yet."
With that, Suri turned and started to make her way to prim Hemline's office, Coco right behind her. As she walked, Coco returned to her conundrum.
Maybe it really was Rarity's fault like Suri said. Being generous to some random pony on the street was one thing, but to share your one of a kind fabric during Fashion Week and NOT expect somepony to take advantage of it? Such ignorance would swiftly destroy anypony's career, in any occupation. No wonder Suri took advantage of her like she did. She was practically asking for it.
Still, Coco couldn't quite stop the nagging feeling of doubt as she entered Prim's office.
Prim Hemline's office was exactly what one would expect from a fashion entrepreneur. Various magazine covers in picture frames all hung on the back wall above a wide mahogany desk. Some mannequins stood in the corner, and various bits of cloth hung over some of them in what could only kindly be referred to as "Organized Chaos." A secondary doorway sat on the side wall, the window in it showing a great view of backstage.
Prim herself was sitting at her desk, reading over some papers and typing into a yellow typewriter. She glanced up as Suri entered with a huge smile on her face. Coco herself merely moved to the side, looking away shyly.
"Miss Polomare, Miss Pommel. What can I do for you?" Prim asked as she leaned back in her chair.
"Heeeey, Prim Hemline. I was just checking to see what the ruling on Fashion Week was, mkay." Suri said as she smiled her big toothy smile.
Prim simply crossed her hooves and maintained an air of professional indifference. "Miss Polomare, as I told you and the other contestants yesterday, first place winners can only be disqualified if the winner does not accept their prize by midnight."
Suri's grin faltered. "What? But I didn't-"
Prim snorted. "Please, Miss Polomare, what kind of pony do you take me for? You do not host Fashion Week for thirteen years and not notice when somepony is eager for first place."
Suri at least had the decency to blush at being found out.
"Do either of you know where Miss Rarity could be at this time?" Prim inquired.
Suri shook her head. "Sorry Miss Hemline, I don't know where she is. She was here a while ago, though."
"Oh really?" Prim asked.
"Yeah. Apparently she had a big fight with her friends and stormed out without even checking to see if she had won."
"I see..." Prim hummed in thought.
Coco's stomach twisted into an even tighter knot than before. Yet another lie to add to the list. But Suri deserved to win, didn't she?
Prim let out a sigh as she slouched slightly in her chair. "To be honest, Miss Polomare, if I could I would give you first place and be done with this whole mess."
Suri perked up at that. "Oh, really? What's stopping you?"
"Our trophy maker, Metal Works, has already gone home for the day and will not return until tomorrow afternoon. So even if I could give you the trophy, you would have to wait until then to change it."
"I see." Suri said, still smiling. Coco could tell that despite her pleasant appearance, she was more than a little annoyed.
"And what's worse, the runway model that Miss Rarity pushed over is planning on suing us for her apparent, and I quote, 'numerous injuries to her appearance and psyche.'"
"Oh no. Is she alright?" Coco asked.
Prim scoffed. "There wasn't a single scratch on her or the dress she was wearing. Either way, it's absolutely exhausting dealing with it all."
Prim rubbed a forehoof on her temple, trying to subdue whatever migraine that was coming along. Coco didn't envy her at the moment.
"Is there anything I can do to help?" Suri asked sweetly.
"Well..." Prim said softly. "It would be really appreciated if I could get some coffee."
"Coffee! Great idea!" Suri exclaimed. "I'm actually in the mood for a cup of joe myself. Tell ya what, how about I pay for both of ours, my treat."
Coco frowned at Suri. She never payed for her own coffee, let alone buy one for anypony else. Coco was forced to pay the bill every single time. She felt that it was a little unfair, but Suri had told her that it was a test of efficiency. 'It'll help you get more bang for your bits!' she had said. Coco never quite believed it, but she WAS the intern after all.
"That would be greatly appreciated, Miss Polomare." Prim said. "I would like a Black Eye, if you would be so kind."
"A Black Eye! Excellent choice! I'll be right back!" Suri said cheerfully as she pushed Coco out of the office.
As soon as the office door closed, Suri turned towards Coco with a scowl.
"Alright Pommel, listen up and listen good. This is my chance to get on Prim's good side, so you better not mess this up, or else. Got it?"
Coco flinched at Suri's intense glare. "Um, yes Suri..." She replied nervously.
"Well get going! And get me an Espressino while you're at it!"
Coco quickly trotted backstage to get her saddlebags. The life of an intern was unfair sometimes.
~~~/\/\/~~~
Coco stepped out of the Starbucks, her coffee based cargo secured safely in her saddlebags. She let out a sigh as she once again returned to the conundrum that was Rarity. Not even the fifteen minute walk to the coffee shop had given her enough time to figure out her feelings.
Coco let out a small sigh. It was just as well. Rarity was probably already on a train back home by now. Thinking about it anymore wouldn't do anything for her.
At that instant, Coco heard loud bouts of laughter from across the street. Glancing over, she saw none other than Rarity and her friends leave the Mane Faire hotel. The pink pony was apparently telling some hilarious story, a fact that was solidified with another burst of laughter.
Coco could only stand there and watch as they walked down the street. While Rarity had already exclaimed that the contest had meant nothing to her, seeing how at ease she was with her friends really set the point home for her. If there had been any doubts that Rarity was happy despite the circumstances, they had been well and truly squashed.
To call Coco simply stunned would have been an understatement. Rarity had been stolen from, forced to make an entirely new fashion line out of hotel fabric of all things, and as far as she knew, had lost despite her extra hard work. But Rarity had simply shrugged it all off in favor for her friends. It was simply mind-boggling for the poor mare.
And that was when it clicked for Coco. Rarity's talents were unmatched, and her fabric had been one of a kind, yet she was more then happy to share it. Rarity must have known the risks when she gave Suri the fabric, yet she had completely ignored them just for the sake of helping another pony.
She had everything to lose and nothing to gain, save for the knowledge that she had helped somepony else in need.
Suri, on the other hand...
Quick as a whip, Coco started running down the street, trying her best to dodge the other ponies.
She just hoped that she would get there in time.
~~~/\/\/~~~
Coco burst through the door of the Fashion Runway, gasping slightly to catch her breath. The secretary, Proper Setting, merely looked over her typewriter with bored indifference at Coco's sudden arrival. After she managed to catch her breath, Coco walked over to the front desk.
"Um, do you know where Suri is?" Coco asked.
Proper Setting merely shrugged. "I dunno. She probably went to the bathroom or something." She replied.
Coco nodded to herself. She was going to need privacy for what she was planning to do, and she wasn't going to pass up this chance.
As Coco walked to Prim's office, she once again went over the hastily made plan in her head. After taking a moment to gather her courage, she opened the door and entered the office. Prim glanced up from her work as Coco entered.
"Ah, Miss Pommel. Is Miss Polomare back with the coffee yet?"
"Actually Miss Hemline, I brought your coffee instead." Coco replied as she brought out Prim's cup and gave it to her.
"Oh. Very well then." Prim replied as she accepted the coffee. Lifting the drink to her lips, she took a long draw of the highly caffeinated drink, letting out a satisfied sigh as it settled in her stomach.
"Ah, that hits the spot. Please give Miss Polomare my thanks for the coffee, would you?" Prim asked sweetly.
At the mention of Suri, Coco averted her eyes shyly and rubbed her foreleg nervously. Noticing her discomfort, Prim's smile faltered.
"Miss Pommel? Is everything alright?" Prim asked.
Coco licked her lips nervously as she mustered up the courage to speak. She knew that the next few words she spoke was going to change her life drastically. All that was left was to simply breathe, and jump straight into the unknown.
"Miss Hemline... I was the one who paid for the coffee."
Silence permeated the office. Coco could practically hear her heartbeat hammer in her chest. After a moment of almost palpable tension, Coco glanced up at Prim. She was surprised to see that it was not seething anger that was on her face. Rather, Prim's expression was decidedly neutral, with just the faintest hints of annoyance to be seen.
"I see..." Prim said slowly. "Did Miss Polomare force you to do this?"
Coco swallowed nervously and meekly replied, "Y-yes ma'am..."
Prim merely looked at her for a moment, then simply nodded. "Very well, then. Thank you very much for the coffee, Miss Pommel. Now if you excuse me, I have more work to do."
Coco felt some of the tension leave her at Prim's calm response. But, she knew that her job was not done yet.
"Suri didn't just lie about the c-coffee." Coco stammered.
Prim glanced up from the paper she had in her hooves, a frown on her face. "What do you mean Miss Pommel?" She asked.
At that simple question, Coco couldn't keep it in any longer.
"Well Rarity had come back earlier to talk to you about the contest but Suri said that you were furious and she said that Rarity lost and she made me agree with her and then her friends came in and apologized for missing the fashion show and Rarity apologized to her friends for treating them badly and she said that she didn't care that she lost and then they all left and Suri warned me not to tell you the truth but I saw Rarity as I was leaving the Starbucks and she looked so happy and I couldn't take it anymore so I ran back here to tell you the truth and I'm sorrysorrysorry!"
Coco gasped for breath and clenched her eyes tightly, waiting for the inevitable tirade that was sure to come.
One moment passed, and then another. Coco's legs felt like rubber as the silence nearly deafened her. When she finally heard the scrapping of Prim's chair, she almost burst into tears right then and there.
'Oh sweet Celestia she's going to kick me out personally and get the Royal Guard to arrest me and I'll never be able to sew again and everypony will think I'm some sort of thief and-'
She let out a gasp as a hoof was gently placed on her shoulder. Her vision watery, she slowly looked up at Prim. Despite the terrible scenarios that had flashed through her mind, Coco only saw a gentle smile on her face and understanding in her eyes.
"Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Miss Pommel." Prim said gently. "You can dry those tears now."
Coco let out a sniffle as she rubbed her eyes. "Y-you mean I'm not in t-trouble?" She asked shakily.
Prim shook her head. "Of course not my dear. It must have taken a lot of courage to tell me the truth. I imagine that Miss Polomare has been forcing you to do a lot of things for her, correct?"
Coco let out a shuddering sigh as she nodded.
After taking a moment to make sure that Coco was calmed down, she moved back to her desk and sat down in her chair. She steepled her hooves as her expression returned to her standard "no nonsense" style that she was known for.
"To be honest, Miss Pommel, even if you hadn't brought Miss Polomare's deception to light, she probably wouldn't have gotten the trophy anyway."
"W-why is that?" Coco asked timidly.
"The first set of dresses that Miss Rarity accidentally left here were of the same unique fabric and almost exact same style as Miss Polomare's dresses." Prim explained. "Had she decided to enter with her initial line, I would have been forced to pull them both from the contest to save their reputations."
Coco's eyes widened in surprise. It was not uncommon for various designers to fall out of favor due to sheer rumor, and if those rumors happened to be true, it could end very messily for those involved. Things had been a lot more serious than she initially thought.
Prim smirked at Coco's expression. "It is a good thing that Miss Rarity entered with a much better fashion line instead, is it not?"
Coco couldn't help but smile at that. "Yeah. That was pretty lucky, wasn't it?"
Prim matched Coco's smile for a moment before her expression grew serious again. "You mentioned that you had seen Miss Rarity in town. Do you know where she is?" Prim asked.
Coco shook her head. "No ma'am. But I did see her leave the Mane Faire hotel not too long ago."
Prim nodded. "Good. The staff there will most likely know where she has gone. They are a bit more personal with their clientele than most hotels."
Prim then leaned over and reached into her desk. After a moment, she sat back up and put a certain shiny something on her desk. A stray flash of golden light reflected on none other than the first place Fashion Week trophy.
"I believe this belongs to Miss Rarity. I would deliver it myself, but I'm far too busy at the moment. Wouldn't you agree, Miss Pommel?"
Coco looked at Prim's small smirk and understood what she was implying. She responded with a confident grin of her own. "Don't worry Miss Hemline, I won't let you down!" She stated confidently as she put the trophy in her saddlebags.
Prim merely smiled as she watched Coco leave to right the wrongs she had wrought.
~~~/\/\/~~~
Coco quickly trotted out of the office and towards the front door. There wasn't much time before Rarity was gone. She hoped that she would reach her before-
"Hey Pommmel! Where do you think you're going?!"
Coco froze, goosebumps prickling across her skin. Full of dread, she turned around slowly to look at the pony responsible for her misery. Suri was standing next to the reception desk, looking more than a little peeved at being looked over. Proper Setting herself merely watched with vague interest.
Coco slowly walked over to Suri, unable to meet her gaze. Suri merely glared at Coco irritably. "So where's my coffee?" She asked tersely.
Coco said nothing as she reached into her saddlebags. She just couldn't muster the nerve to look at her. She was too intimidating to face head on. As her hoof touched the cup, however, a sudden realization flashed across her mind.
Suri didn't have any power over her anymore. She was just as normal as Coco was, and the truth had gotten out anyway. Suri was going to pay for her misdeeds, but Coco didn't have to share the same fate. She was finally free.
With that thought, she quickly took out the coffee cup and took a massive gulp of the caffeinated drink. It was the sweetest thing she had ever tasted.
Suri started in indignation. "Hey, that was mine!"
Coco swallowed the coffee with an audible gulp. She looked back at Suri with fierce determination. "No it wasn't Suri. I bought it with my own money, so it's mine. And I'm not going to buy you coffee or sew your dresses anymore."
After a brief look of surprise, Suri's expression darkened immensely. "What are you saying, Pommel?"
"I said that I'm not going to be your pushover anymore, Suri!" Coco stated confidently.
If looks could kill, Suri's intense glare would have given the grim reaper himself some trouble. "Why you no good, self centered, spoiled little foal! Do you have any idea how much time and effort I put into your sorry plot, you ungrateful little-"
In later years, Coco Pommel would look back at this moment as one of the best of her entire life. Indeed, she would take almost every opportunity to tell her foals and grandfoals all about it. At that moment, however, she merely enjoyed the knee-jerk reaction for what it was.
Coco Pommel splashed Suri Polomare in the face with her very expensive and very hot seventeen bit cinnamon Espressino.
Suri spluttered as she rubbed the coffee out of her eyes. She opened her mouth to start her angry retort, but Coco beat her to the punch.
"You, Suri Polomare, are nothing but a heartless, thieving, deceptive witch!"
Suri's eyes opened wide in shock. Even Proper Setting's eyes widened in surprise at the outburst from the normally timid earth pony. But Coco wasn't done. Not by a long shot.
"You are nothing but a tyrant! I worked myself to the bone for you, and not once did I receive a single bit of appreciation! I cleaned your house, I sewed your dresses, I even bought your coffee for you for a full seven months! But all you did was treat me like I was your personal servant! Well I've finally had it!"
Suri stood there flabbergasted, making a decent impersonation of a fish, trying her hardest to make sense of the mare in front of her. Indifferent to Suri's shock, Coco continued venting.
"And what you did to Rarity was even worse! She knew you, Suri! She willingly gave her one-of-a-kind fabric just to help you, and you went ahead and used my talents to steal it from her! You're lucky that she managed to make another set of dresses, because Prim Hemline said you would have been disqualified otherwise!"
As impossible as it was, Suri's eyes widened even further at this revelation.
"That's right! I told Prim Hemline everything! I've had it with the lies, and I've had it with you, you arrogant, selfish, jerk!"
Coco panted furiously as she came down from her energetic tirade. Thick silence permeated the lobby as Suri stood in shock, coffee still dripping from her mane.
After a few moments, Coco let out a huge sigh as she composed herself. She stared into Suri's eyes with a determination never seen in the timid pony before.
"I actually started to believe you, you know..." Coco said firmly. "I never thought that what you did to me was fair, but I always figured that was because you were just toughing me up for the other ruthless designers out there. But Rarity showed me that even though I may have to compete against other designers, I should never take advantage of them. They might not have the same kinds of friends as she did."
"You've ruined the lives of a lot of other ponies, Suri." Coco continued. "Every time you cheated and wormed your way into first place, on MY talents no less, you completely and utterly destroyed their dreams. And I will never forgive you for making me a part of that."
Coco turned around and started walking away, feeling better and happier than she ever had in ages. As she opened the front doors, she glanced back at her still gobsmacked former tormentor.
"I quit, Suri. Go find another toady to suck down your lies."
And with that, Coco Pommel left the Ballroom Runway and one of the darker chapters of her life.
As the lobby doors closed, neither pony in the room spoke. Suri was still standing there with her jaw dropped in complete disbelief. Proper Setting herself merely sat there, unsure of what to do next.
Suddenly, a voice called from down the hall. "Miss Setting?"
Proper Setting jerked suddenly. "Yes, Miss Hemline?" she replied.
"Please send Miss Polomare into my office immediately. I do believe I need to have a few choice words with her."
"Yes, Miss Hemline." she called back. Proper Setting looked back at Suri with no small amount of interest. Suri herself was still staring at the front door, coffee dripping from her face as she wondered what exactly had just happened.
~~~/\/\/~~~
Coco trotted as quickly as she could back to the Mane Faire hotel. She had noticed that Rarity had left the hotel without any bags, so she could only hope that she had yet to finish what it was she went to do.
As she approached the entrance, she saw a light blue earth pony stallion exit, pushing a bag cart onto the sidewalk. Coco sincerely hoped that what Prim has said was true as she approached.
"Um, excuse me, sir?"
The stallion turned to her and gave her a massive grin. "Hello ma'am! Welcome to the Mane Faire hotel! Are you gonna be checking in today?"
Coco shook her head. "No, actually. I was hoping you could help me find somepony."
"Well I'll sure try my best. Who're you looking for?" He asked pleasantly.
"I'm looking for Rarity. She's a white unicorn with a styled purple mane-"
"And three cut diamonds as her cutie mark?" The stallion asked.
Coco nodded quickly. "So you know where she is?"
The stallion nodded in turn. "Sure do. She's not here right now, but she isn't that far away neither. She's at that theater down the road in the main square." He said as he gestured down the sidewalk with a forehoof.
"Thanks a lot, sir." Coco said as she placed three bits in his hoof. She then started her way down the street again.
The stallion looked at the money in confusion for a moment. "Uh Miss, I didn't really do anything!" He called after her.
Coco merely turned her head and smiled at him. "Don't be silly. Of course you did!" she replied pleasantly before she kept on walking.
The stallion looked at her in confusion for a moment, before pocketing the bits and muttered something about generous mares, a small grin on his face.
As Coco walked down the street, she thought about what she was going to say to Rarity. She had unknowingly done so much for her. A simple apology wasn't going to be enough to show her gratitude. She needed something more.
A flash of color out of the corner of her eye caught Coco's attention. Looking up, she saw various spools of thread and swatches of fabric all placed on display in a front window. The decal on the front door said, 'Silk and Slick's Fashion Emporium!'
Coco idly noted how much she had already spent today, then pushed open the door without a second thought.
'After all,' She mused. 'One good turn of generosity deserves another.'
Author's Note
Woo! My first official story ever is finally done!
So, yeah, feel free to leave a comment saying how bad I did (or didn't) screw up.
Although, to be honest, my mistakes are more story structure than spelling and grammar.
