//------------------------------// // Le Concept // Story: À partir de Bourgeons à Fleurs // by Indulgence //------------------------------// The sun lulled lazily low in the skies above Manehattan, marking the closing chapters of an artificially long day grown suddenly old. In being full occupied time’s passage had been well disguised, slipping by stealthily, until now its solar keeper grew weary, descending towards its bed below the horizon and making all shadows stretch as a harbinger of approaching night. Far below this fiery disc meanwhile, the city’s streets were caught between winding down and speeding up, its inhabitants slowed by visible fatigue written across their features, whilst at the same time being frantic to conclude their business and set off for home. While it was certainly true that the metropolis never slept, it nevertheless occasionally felt the need to pause, to stop and yawn or stretch, in briefly snatched respite on the precipices of both dawn and dusk. Morning brought with it work whereas evening brought revelry, but rather than therefore making it an unrelenting living Tartarus as some saw it, for those within its confines the place was more alive than any other. Into one of the innumerable gradually quietening streets, rays of ageing sunlight spilled, pouring across its ever less traffic laden road and pony filled pavements. They continued onward through the panes of a minor boutique’s broad front windows, the ground floor establishment made to seem even smaller by the towering height of its surroundings. Within, the shop owner trotted happily through the rivers of fading daylight, coming to rest at a chair behind its counter into which the pale brown earth mare collapsed. Coco Pommel sat surveying her domain and hoofiwork, both sights subjects of her quiet satisfaction. A crowd of mannequins acted as her audience, with one more prominent set on a podium at their centre dressed in a newly finished scarlet expanse of pleats and ribbons. Beyond these were the tools of her trade, a sewing machine off to one side along with design tables and up high on the walls racks of cloth and thread. It was small yes, if not quaint even (particularly when compared to the exuberance of some of its rivals), nonetheless though it was hers, or more rightly theirs. Coco stretched, sighing contentedly, as the day began to catch up with her, just as she could see it was catching up with the world beyond the windows. Orders had slowed down slightly since the immediate chaos of opening, but still they kept coming in a steady stream, leaving her no want of business and comfortably busy. Only time would tell if the venture would be a success, as far as she was concerned however she had already triumphed in so many ways. For now though her thoughts drifted homeward, like those of so many others outside, and to the beautiful mare which awaited her there. Can you actually ask her? So much had changed in what was in the grand scheme of things a very short period of time and so far all had been for the better, but could she bring herself to change one thing more? An audible commotion from the street drew away her attentions, catching and freezing her in the midst of rising to her hooves. Pre-empting further investigation the front door swung inward and through it (to Coco’s considerable shock) strode the Princess of the Night, dark navy fur bristling against the clamour of voices which pursued her in before they were quickly shut out. ‘Good afternoon’ Luna began, azure eyes quickly seeking out the earth mare. ‘Do you mind if I close the blinds’ she continued without skipping a beat, gesturing towards the panes and the visibly excited crowd being held at bay by a cordon of the Lunar Guard on their other side, ‘otherwise they might become an annoyance.’ The Princess, I repeat: the Princess, just asked you a question. Speak! ‘O-of course your majesty, feel free’ Coco stammered, caught majorly off guard and struggling as she attempted (not entirely successfully) to make a bow while still in her seat. ‘Thank you.’ The windows’ slatted blinds all came down as one, pulled by a silvery aura, and then Luna stepped further into the shop proper beyond the threshold, taking in the room’s contents. More words would be good! ‘So, how can I help you your highness?’ the designer managed, re-finding her voice in routine along with her hoofing in spite of feeling increasingly on show as her work went under the scrutiny of royalty. ‘Please, just Luna is fine’ the princess replied, turning from the mannequins to the other shorter mare before answering: ‘I have need of some new formal wear in preparation for the gala season.’ ‘Do you have anything in particular in mind?’ Coco remained largely on autopilot in her speech, still perpetually in shock, kept there as she now stood before the imposing taller figure despite the alicorn’s smiling straight-forwardness. ‘Annoyingly no, apart from it being something different, and from what little I’ve seen and heard you’re the one to go to for that. Oh, except the one stipulation of no dresses, my wardrobe as it stands is awash with the damned things. I want something formal-ish, but still comfortable if that’s possible.’ ‘Okay, well if you step this way please, I’ll do some preliminary sketches to get your form and then we’ll take it from there.’ The pair moved further into the shop, Luna going to standing still as a model whilst the designer went to her desk, drawing out pencils and paper with the further reassurance: ‘this shouldn’t take more than a couple of minutes.’ The sketching implement began to dance across the sheet, leaving grey lines in its wake, making short work of mirroring the contours of its subject on its canvas. Moments passed quickly and quietly until a new chorus from beyond broke the silence of the space. ‘You’d think that everypony would be over my return by now’ Luna sighed with a frustrated glance in the sound’s direction, ‘but it seems unlike Tia I’m destined to always be an other and draw a crowd.’ Stick to sketching and small talk. No prying questions. ‘If you’ll pardon me princess…’ Coco began, in the midst of switching to using an eraser, having jumped at the suddenness of the outer noise. ‘Please, just Luna really is fine.’ Don’t buck this up. ‘Apologies, but it must be difficult for you having been away for so long’ she finished with a questioning inflection, intrigued but simultaneously regretting her words, sure she had overstepped the mark. You bucked it up! ‘At first maybe’ Luna considered, evidently more than willing if not wanting to chat, ‘but ultimately this new Equestria is much the same as the one I left believe it or not, linguistic etiquette notwithstanding.’ She smiled to herself briefly in recollection before her face turned to frowning. ‘No, the only hard part has been them’ she said, pointing to the unseen figures beyond the blinds, ‘my guards I mean. It’s strange having them around bearing in mind their now distant ancestors were all close friends. They’re all new faces where familiar ones used to be, but still carry some of the features of those I knew which came before.’ ‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to pry or strike a sore spot.’ ‘No no, it’s actually kind of nice’ the princess interjected, ‘most tend to focus their questions more towards my departure than my return. Sometimes it feels like I’ve lost or missed an awful lot in my absence, but then again that’s the curse of alicornhood as they say.’ ‘What’s that?’ ‘To be immortal in a mortal world. Now however I should really apologise. I’m well aware that I’m unloading on you, it’s just been rather a long day’ Luna sighed again, Coco only able to reply with an accepting shake of her head with her pencil gripped in her maw. ‘Thank you, you’re very kind. In an attempt to be less depressing though, I should stress that the trick is to always seize the day. Whether you’ve infinity or not, you should never let momentum slip ‘cause it has its own unique brilliance. Again sorry, I reckon I still sound a bit preachy.’ Before Coco could formulate a reply the doorway came open once more, this time permitting one of the princess’ navy plumed and armour clad retainers entrance. The solidly built stallion paused to bow in his approach, almost alien membranous wings tucked neatly at his sides, and then whispered his report to his sovereign’s ear, receiving a nod and smile in return. ‘I’m afraid I must be off’ Luna concluded briskly, ‘have you got enough to work with?’ ‘Erm yeah, pretty much.’ ‘Excellent! How long should it take for you to come up with some designs then?’ ‘A couple of days to play around with ideas, then we can finalise the overall concept, if that’s prompt enough?’ ‘Again excellent! I’ll see you in a couple of days then, oh and thanks both for your speed and your listening.’ With that as quickly as she had appeared the Princess of the Night was gone, the windows' veils shuttering upward as she departed to give a view of her carriage (until then masked by the bodies of her subjects) in its immediate take off. ‘Well buck.’ Coco took in a deep breath, taking stock of all that had just happened, whilst feeling distinctly like she had been caught in a storm as it swept through her shop. For one thing Princess Luna, the Princess Luna, had been in her little boutique and not only that but the alicorn had come specifically to her for an outfit. These two points alone were hard enough in of themselves to handle, let alone when they were combined with the nature of their meeting, Luna’s manner not at all fitting with either her title or image as dark Princess of the Night. The earth mare’s azure eyes fell to the basic form she had drawn in front of her, surprised to find a similarity in its silhouette to another so recently on her mind. Speaking of whom. A fresh wave of drained tiredness told her that it was definitely time she headed home, however even as she set herself to purpose she was interrupted a final time as the door swung wide and a hoard of ponies came buzzing in.