Why is it that every boutique I manage ends up like this?!
"I don't want to make another hundred Princess Dresses!" Rarity cried out with her hairs standing on end as she begun to stand up to her manager; Sassy Saddles. Despite the fact that she now had her dream and all of her desires, Rarity was still appalled with how she was being treat. It was as if she was nothing more than a slave to the sewing machine, and that if she didn't make a move now, she would be stuck in that position forever.
"I have a piece for that, " Sassy Saddles ignored Rarity and extended her chart to the next and seemingly final piece. "Assemble the Assembly Line! You'll never have to sew again" she said, acting as if there was no flaws in her methods of ensuring that Rarity achieved her dream.
"What>! No!" Rarity gasped in denial once again, leaping down from the stool that she had been sitting on.
"Yes!" Sassy was once again oblivious to Rarity's outbursts. "Then, the Canterlot Carousel never closes; and Sassy Saddles' Boutique succeeds!" she relished in her dream, again failing to listen to reason.
"STOP!" Rarity yelled, snapping Sassy out of her euphoria. "This is not your boutique!" she said, snatching up the two Princess Dresses that her manager was holding onto. She advanced in on Sassy, throwing the two identical dresses down in front of her. "And if this is what success in Canterlot looks like, I want no part of it!
"Now, put up flyers for a Going-out-of-business sale!" Rarity demanded, getting right up in Sassy's face with a wide frown of gritted teeth on her face. "I'm closing Canterlot Carousel!" she stormed out of the room with her head held high and her chest puffed out.
"What?!" this time, it was Sassy's turn to worry about the actions her associate was making. "N-no! Oh, you can't Rarity!"" she started to sweat with how dire the situation was looking for her. "I-I've worked too hard to make this a success! I can't be part of another failed boutique!"
That sentence made Rarity stop in her tracks completely and instantly. Turning back, she looked at how Sassy's expression had changed from a upbeat and carefree one, into one of panic and the knowing that everything was beginning to fall to pieces. "Sassy? Whatever do you mean by that?" Rarity asked, slowly turning back around to face her properly.
Realizing that Rarity had posed the question, Sassy's pupils dilated for a brief instance. Then, she brought herself to breathe. "I might be one of the best managers in the fashion business, Rarity. But that came at a severe price..." Sassy hung her head low, bringing back the past that she had been holding onto for a long time. "In fact, I'm the reason why many boutiques end up suffering..."
"So... I'm not the first one?" Rarity wanted clarification on the matter.
"No. In fact, you might be the latest in a long line of ponies who had their dreams squandered by my ways..." Sassy began to tear up, sniffling momentarily. "I was once a filly in Canterlot; prancing around and wearing all of the best clothes that my mother and father picked out for me. I felt like I was the belle of the ball on multiple occasions; but none of the other fillies and colts would play with me; despite the fact that we were all born from wealthy families.
"I eventually reached fame when I earned my Cutie Mark at the age of twelve," Sassy went on, revealing the Cutie Mark on her flank. It depicted three pins; one with a red ball, the second with a blue grip, and the third bearing a yellow one. "I never had any dreams to be a fashion manager. In fact, I had dreams of becoming an actual designer myself. But no matter how much I tried on a sewing machine, or with any of the other tools of the trade you've been using, I could never make a dress that would surpass the ones worn by my family; or by the ones worn by the highest ranking Canterlot Nobles," her complexion began to fade, "I eventually decided to abandon the prospect of being a creator, and made the choice to become an aide to the ponies who would be able to make big in the world of fashion..."
"Sassy..." Rarity saw that her manager's sorrowful face was only getting worse.
"My first job wasn't even here in Canterlot," Sassy progressed with her story once again. "I was looking for work in Manehatten to begin with. It was quite chaotic when I went, and it almost caused me to lose my résumé in the process. I eventually found myself managing the business of a pony named Cross-Stitch. It was called Embroidered Beauties; and much like Canterlot Carousel, it was a smash hit to begin with. The ponies all appreciated the work we did together, and we both rose to popularity," she smiled for a brief moment, but then returned to her gloomy look with a sigh. "But then, we hit a snag..."
"What happened?" Rarity pricked up her ears.
"One of the customers filed a complaint one day, saying that we had given them an unsatisfactory upgrade to the dress she had been wearing. She demanded that it be fixed, but when we went to check on the materials we had used in the first place, there was none of them left," Sassy Saddles gave Rarity the answer. "I thought that we were both done for. But Cross-Stitch did a kind thing and took all of the blame for herself. Going along, she decreed the closing down of her business, and the sale that came with it. She made some final income for the retirement that she had been thinking of, but she lost the business we had been working on for months without rest," the first tear fell from Sassy's face. "As she walked away, I watched as the workponies demolished Embroidered Beauties right in front of me; and I thought that my dream had died as well.
"But then, I was met with a wealthy stallion from Canterlot," Sassy smiled again; but just like before, it was only temporarily. "We had discussions on how well I had been managing the work on the boutique that we had been running, and what other job listings I could have taken up for managing other ones..."
"So you've been prized on making sure that no other boutique ever closed ever again with your management choices?" Rarity asked, beginning to sympathize with Sassy.
"Yes. But unfortunately, the same exact thing happened over and over again," Sassy could not restrain her tears any longer, "My next job: Miracle Maker with Velour Shine. That closed down due to our failure to reach the quota. Once again, I was saved from the blame of ruining the business. After that, I worked with many other boutiques before coming here. Shimmering Satins with Smooth Touch? Closed because of failed marketing. Taffeta Times with Beauty Star? That went up in smoke after a tragic fire; and when we rebuilt it, there wasn't enough money to afford more fabrics. And now, it's happening again. Canterlot Carousel, closed due to overworked and unappreciated designer!" now she allowed to let her tears fully flow. "Why is it that every boutique I manage ends up like this?!" Sassy flopped down to the floor and put her hooves in front of her face as she cried.
Rarity now felt sorry for Sassy; she only wanted the both of them to become infallible geniuses and ensure that their business never closed its doors. But now, it seemed like the endless cycle was only continuing for her. Cleaning up her hair, Rarity slowly walked over to Sassy and reached out a hoof to help her out. "There, there, Sassy. There's no need to cry..."
"Yes there is!" Sassy denied Rarity's help by batting her hoof away. "It seems like I can't do anything right with my destiny! I can't design dresses, I can't manage something without it ending horribly, and I just ruined Canterlot's sense of fashion!" she flopped her head back down into the small puddle that she had been making with her tears. "I'm no fashion manager; I'm a fashion fraud! I don't even deserve to be called a success with how much trouble I've caused my associates," she calmed down slowly, but was still crying heavily. "I've failed again..."
Rarity once more tried helping Sassy get to her feet, but after her hoof was rejected once more, she inhaled and exhaled calmly, "I know what it's like to walk all over somepony's success, Sassy Saddles," she said, "Are you aware of Photo Finish?"
"Y-yes," Sassy pulled her head out of her legs once again to look at Rarity. "But what does that have to do with—"
"Photo Finish is a star, and I wanted to work with her myself," Rarity explained her story, causing Sassy's wet eyes to stop briefly. "But when we worked, she favoured Fluttershy more than me. I held it in for a while saying that both she and I were unhappy with the decision, but she seemed to get all of the glory under Photo Finish's wing whilst I got nothing. I was a ghost in the machine; giving Fluttershy her start but never getting the praise I deserved. In the end, I ruined Fluttershy's fame myself, and cast Photo Finish away with the truth," Rarity finished with another breath. "We were both happy, but we destroyed the one thing that gave Fluttershy popularity and wealth. I've been through that myself, Sassy. And I know full well how much it hurts to crush one's stardom...
"But we both need to come to terms that this business cannot float if all that is sold is one dress that is identical to all of the others created in the workshop," Rarity handed down her strict verdict with dignity and aplomb. "The Princess Dress was fine to begin with, but now it has overstayed its welcome, and is a constant reminder that Canterlot will lose every sense of majesty that it once had with all of the mares wearing the exact same thing," then, Rarity smiled as she once again tried to help Sassy get up onto her hooves. This time, her help was accepted, and she dried the last tears from Sassy's face. "But this can all be rectified with a little difference in products for sale..."
"How do we do that?" Sassy asked calmly; the tears had stopped, but she was too glum to try and smile.
"Just keep calm and let me do all of the work," Rarity walked out of the door and shut it. She then remembered something and opened it. "And for the love of Celestia, do not try and advertise the Princess Dress whilst I work on this..." she shut it again on a sombre-looking Sassy Saddles.
Rarity was already hard at work in preparing her plan to end the reign of the dress that Sassy had been promoting. She gathered up every single copy from every different mannequin and rack, and tossed them into the trash without qualm or remorse.
From there, she proceeded to take out all of the dresses that she had shown off during the grand opening, as well as a few dozen more designs, and put them on display instead. A smile had crept onto her face when each and every dress was finally ready for the public to view and try on.
Meanwhile, Sassy watched from the upper level of Canterlot Carousel. The sting of what had been said had passed, but now she was worried that Rarity's sale would be the end of the boutique that she had been hoping to avoid losing. She sighed and cursed herself for driving her boss to take such a drastic measure, and turned her head away to hear Rarity opening the doors and declaring her sale for the approaching end of the shop.
Then, a miracle happened. Ponies flooded in with smiles of amazement on their faces; each and every one of them was happy to see something that wasn't the Princess Dress for them to purchase and wear for themselves. The shop had been busier now then it had been before, and Sassy Saddles couldn't help but look back and see all of the satisfied ponies that Rarity was making with her wide variety of designs. She gripped the barriers and watched as every pony got a dress that fitted their personal preferences. She had seen the light, and now wanted to apologize for all of the trouble that she had been in trying to sell one particular dress repeatedly.
As she walked down the stairs, Sassy heard that Rarity was actually choosing not to close down the boutique, but said that the clothes were still on sale for the time being. A small part of hope erupted, but it wasn't enough for her attitude to change.
"Oh, Rarity. I'm so sorry..." Sassy Saddles apologized at long last, still feeling guilty for what had happened. "I focused on that one dress, and the rest of Rarity's Royal Regalia paid the price..."
"And so did the Princess Dress," Rarity responded to Sassy's forgiveness, "The more I sewed, the more it lost its time, love, and couture; becoming terrible, lacklustre, and common..."
"I think I finally understand the Rules of Rarity, and will apply them at my next job..." Sassy proceeded towards the door with her head held low in self-pity. She couldn't bear the thought of trying to stay after what she had done to almost ruin the shop.
"I beg your pardon?" Rarity called back to stop Sassy in her tracks. "The Rules of Rarity are only to be applied at Canterlot Carousel," she said, denying the chance for her manager to leave. "Which is why, you must continue to manage the boutique while I'm in Ponyville." she smiled, offering Sassy a second chance.
"Ponyville?" Sassy parroted.
"Oh yes, I'll come to Canterlot with new designs and to see the customers of course; but Ponyville was always going to be my home base..." Rarity explained her reasons for leaving, and in return, was pulled into a hug by Sassy Saddles.
"Bobbins and Bobkins, Rarity!" she was very grateful for being given control of Rarity's business. "Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you! And I promise to run everything following your rules."
"I would expect nothing less." Rarity returned the favour.
"Oh my gosh, A sale!" a morbidly obese pony walked into the store beaming with delight. "Do you have the Princess Dress?"
"No!" both Rarity and Sassy said together, giggling afterwards. Both of them were happy in the end; Rarity had earned her dream of opening a boutique in Canterlot, and Sassy was glad that this was the first business that hadn't met a sad end. Both of them were jovial and continued to service the customers they could before the day's end.
In the end, Rarity serviced the last pony of the day and received a hefty sum of bits as payment. Sighing in relief, she put a sign on the door that said "Closed for the evening. Come back tomorrow."
"Now, Sassy. I assure you can manage working here whilst I'm gone?" Rarity asked for clarification.
"I'm certain of it, Rarity," Sassy said, already beginning to lock up the door to the sewing room. "I've even had the time to interview several other sewing ponies across Equestria. And I'm already receiving multiple positive responses!"
"But don't forget. This specific boutique is a division of the one I own back home," Rarity reminded her, "There's no need to go ahead and treat whoever gets the job here like it's their standalone dress shop. Certain respects need to be paid, after all..."
"I know, I know," said Sassy, "I will do my best to keep Canterlot Carousel running like clockwork. Now run along. Your friends must miss you an awful lot..." and together, they both walked out of the building and locked it up until tomorrow. They were then about to part ways when Sassy said, "And Rarity? Thank you for helping me end my turmoil..."
"You're very welcome, Sassy. Anything to help out a new friend." Rarity gave her one last smile, then walked off to try and catch the last train to Ponyville before everypony went to sleep.
As Rarity left her sight, Sassy Saddles took her own walk back towards her own home. It had been a long day, and she needed a rest for the brighter future ahead of her. With a shop that had avoided destruction, closure, and bankruptcy, she felt newfound confidence welling up inside of her. With all that had happened, Sassy knew that she would be keeping her newest shop open for a long time to come.
THE END
Author's Note
My first Writer's Training Grounds submission is finally done. I hope you all liked this story. And if you did, be sure to comment on it and send it to your friends and family.
If you're wondering why I didn't participate in the other Training Grounds in the past, it's because I generally couldn't find anything inspiration from the prompts or from the episode. And as much as I was tempted to make an IAEBB Writer's Training Grounds submission, it would have been terrible for two reasons:
One: I was an adept writer back in those days, and I felt like anything I wrote would just fall short of the mark for submissions.
Two: As interesting as writing the Breezie Main Six is, I felt like it too would have gotten mixed reviews from the community.
But anyways, this prompt spoke to me, and I felt like by writing this, I could expand on Sassy's background some more and make it truly seem like she cares for Rarity just as much as her business.
Anyway. That's all for now. Have a great day, everyone!
