//------------------------------// // Chapter 9 - Another Reunion // Story: 10 Days, 3 Adventures - Part 2 - "Manehattan Crime Story" // by TP Night //------------------------------// Rarity walked at a modest pace, with Pinkie half-walking, half-bouncing next to her. “Do you think we’ll meet any fashion-celebrities while we’re there?” Pinkie asked with a curious smile. “Well, this is not one of the most highly rated fashion shows, so I doubt we’ll meet any of the biggest names... maybe just one or two, if we’re lucky. It is more likely that we will meet half-famous designers, locally well-known ones, and up-and-coming designers who might become big names in the future.” “So this is like... A medium-famous show?” “I... suppose you could call it that, yes.” “So... You think we’ll meet anypony you know?” “Probably, but I’m not sure who. There are a lot of fashion ponies in and within travel distance from Manehattan, so we shall have to wait and see. Plus, many of them are not participating in the event, they’re just watching, like me. And only a few backstage passes were given out, most guests only got regular passes. So we’ll mainly meet the designers today, and since most of them will be busy we’re mostly just going to walk around and watch as they set up and prepare for tomorrow, and maybe talk to some ponies if we find anypony who isn’t too busy.” “I see. When we’re done, can we go back to the cafe on the way back? It’s almost on the same way, just a small detour. I want some pie and milkshake after the fashion-thingy.” “Hm, yes, that sounds like a good idea. I wouldn’t mind another piece of the carrot cake they served, it was quite delicious.” Rarity smiled. After a little while, they reached the locale where the fashion show was being set up. They found their way around the building to a side door, with a large bulky, but still friendly-looking griffin standing beside the door. Rarity approached him, carefully but not too obviously so. “E-excuse me.. Is this where the Manehattan Fashion Show is being set up?” The griffin nodded slightly and smiled. “Yeah, this is it. You a designer?” “Well, yes, but I’m not attending this show.. however, I have this backstage pass to go inside now, during the setup. It also says I can bring a +1, so this is my friend, Pinkie Pie... Oh, and my name is Rarity. From Ponyville.” The griffin pulled out a wooden board with a few papers stapled unto it and started scanning the lines of text with his eyes. “Ah, yeah, Here. Found ya. You’re on the list, and you’re allowed a +1, so she can go with you.” he said, and nodded toward Pinkie when he finished. “I’ll be the door guard during the shows as well, So I guess I’ll see you again tomorrow.” “Oh, well, I suppose so, yes. Well, thanks for the help, Mr...?” “Greybeak. An’ I know my beak is yellow, It’s more of a family name. Everyone in my family is named Grey-something.” “I see. Well, thanks again, Mr. Greybeak.” Rarity nodded as Greybeak opened the door and let her and Pinkie Pie inside. “First door on the left further down.” He added as they entered, and found themselves in a corridor. Just like Greybeak had said, there was a door on the left further in, which was unlocked. Rarity gently knocked and entered, followed by Pinkie. Once they got inside, they both looked around. As expected, they saw ponies (and a griffin), rows of hangers and boxes filled with clothes and accessories, and spare materials in case repairs or edits were needed. Rarity immediately felt like home, as she was used to being backstage on fashion events, and Pinkie Pie, despite her usual energy and curiosity managed to stay unusually calm. That is, her hoofs stayed calm, while her head and eyes spun around as quickly as possible to see as much as possible of the room and everything in it. “Let’s see if we can find somepony you know!” She said in her usual, happy tone. “I am looking, Pinkie, but so far I’ve only seen ponies I know OF, nopony I actually know as a friend or acquainted.” “Oh. Oh. OH! Rarity! Look!” Pinkie suddenly exclaimed and started to bounce, and pointed across the room. At the far end, standing turned away from them and seemingly very focused on a rack of dresses, stood a pony. One Rarity knew. One she had not met in a long time. Coco Pommel. * * * Coco was staring at the row of dresses in front of her. Something looked out of order, she thought. Something felt... missing. She carefully looked over each dress, one by one, trying to figure out what the problem could be, when she noticed hoofsteps moving closer. She glanced over her shoulder, and saw a pony she recognized. Or rather, two, she realized as she saw the second one bouncing into her view. “Rarity? Pinkie? Is that really you?” she said with a surprised smile as they came close enough to hear. Rarity and Pinkie both smiled in response. “Yes, it’s really us!” Pinkie said. “I did not know you’d be partaking in this show?” Coco asked, nodding to Rarity. “Oh, I’m not, I’m only here as a viewer this year. I did however get a hold on a backstage pass and +1 access, that’s why me and Pinkie are in here now. And what about you? Are YOU competing, or do you have a backstage pass too?” Coco smiled. “Something in between. I’m not personally competing, but I’m assisting a colleague who is. I work for a small design company here in Manehattan. We make custom dresses based on ponies’ own ideas and requests, instead of mass-producing the same thing over and over.” “Sounds like your boutique, Rarity! That’s what you do too!” Pinkie gasped. “Ah, well, it is similar to the Carousel Boutique, yes.” Coco replied. “My boutique is surely a bit smaller than yours though, if you have colleagues.” Rarity smiled. “I mean, I’m running my place by myself.” “Indeed.” Coco continued, “Our company is a bit bigger than your boutique. We have a three-story building and ten employees, myself included. One basement storage area, shop on the ground level, and the workshop upstairs. Two ponies in the shop, One in the storage, Six dressmakers upstairs, plus the boss.” “And you are one of the dressmakers, I assume?” Rarity asked. “Yes, that’s correct. I started there a couple of months ago. Before that, I was the costume department on the theater group you helped me find when we met last time, when you were here for a fashion show.” “Yes, I remember that. Your previous boss before the theater stole my unique fabrics and forced me into panic-improvising a whole collection over-night. I was very lucky to have all my friends there that time, without them I would never have had time to make all the new clothes out of ‘borrowed’ hotel items.” “True, but in the end she was disqualified and you won.” Coco smiled. “Yeah, well, enough about that now. Tell me more about what’s going on here, right now. You say your colleague is competing, and you’re assisting?” “Ah, yeah.. I’m trying to. You see, this is our collection...” Coco motioned toward the hanger filled with colorful dresses. “But there’s... something missing. These dresses needs something more, but we just can’t figure out what we’re missing.” “Can I take a closer look? A fresh set of eyes is always a good trick when you get stuck in designs, trust me.” “I can look too! More fresh eyes!” Pinkie smiled widely. Coco took a step aside. “Feel free, I’ll take your help any time.” Raritys trained eyes scanned each dress carefully, inspecting the seems, the fabrics, the accessories, folds, and other details. “Hmm... I think I have an idea, but it would take around... two hours to fix it if you’re alone.” “What’s your idea?” Coco asked curiously. “See these seems here?” Rarity pointed at one of the dresses. “That, and the similar ones on the rest of the dresses, could easily be replaced with a thicker thread. I’d say, a shiny gold thread, 20% thicker than the current one. That way, it becomes more visible, and the gold adds a small but noticeable accent to the overall design, plus the gold would match the color schemes on all of the dresses. Except of course, the golden dress at the end, in that one you switch to a plain black thread, to make it visible. That’s what you’re missing. These dresses need VISIBLE threads, not color-matched hidden stitches.” Cocos eyes grew wide. “Of course! How did I miss that? Now, I have work to do. If you excuse me, I need to run several blocks to get to the shop and get the threads. It was good to see you again though, and I hope we meet again soon. You could come visit me sometime you know. ” “I sure can, and I will. And maybe we’ll meet again soon, I’m here for a few days.” Coco gave both Pinkie and Rarity a quick hug before running off out of the room. On her way, she shouted to somepony that she was leaving, and that the problem was solved. Rarity assumed she was shouting to her colleague. “How nice to meet Coco again.” Rarity smiled. “Yeah, that was fun! But.. now what?” Pinkie said. “What do we do now? Cafe time?” “Cafe time.” Rarity replied with a smile and started walking.