Coco Pommel looked concerned. Well, more concerned than usual. This wasn’t an everyday occurrence, and the fact that Miss Rarity was freaking out was a good indication of how out of the norm this event was.
“Can you believe this darling?” Rarity tittered as a flyer danced around in her magical grip. “We got invited the the Manehattan Fashion Expo! Only the crème de la crème get invited to this event. Ohhh, I simply cannot wait!”
Coco nodded and smiled at her boss. “I’m happy for you Miss Rarity. You must have the most wonderful ideas in mind.”
Rarity smiled.
Rarity paused.
“I…” the mare stammered and looked at her cute assistant. “I don’t have any…”
“What?” Coco tilted her head. “None at all? Really?”
“Cocoohohohohoo!” Rarity dropped and grabbed the mare’s hoof. “What am I going to dooohohohohoooo?”
“I...um…” Coco looked around frantically. Rarity’s Diamond Dogs peeked inside, took one look at Rarity and promptly left Coco to her fate. A fate she had no idea what to do with…
Before a golden furred goddess strode into the Boutique. Coco turned to see Sunset walk in, looking around at the dresses.
“Oh, hello Sunset,” she greeted her. “How are you—”
A gasp interrupted her. Rarity had looked up, seen their newest guest and her eyes widened. “Iiiiiddeeaaa~” she cried out as snagged her sketchbook with her magic. “Ohh, this will be marvelous darling. I believe I just came up with a new design to use at the Manehatten Expo.”
“Oh, that’s wonderful then,” Coco smiled, a smile that quickly faltered. “Oh… you mean…”
“Sunset darling,” Rarity moved over to her. “I don’t suppose you’d be willing to do me a big favour?”
“Nope,” Sunset replied as she held out a scarf, barely looking at Rarity as she gazed at a set of winter boots. “Need this fixed. That’s all.”
“Oh, but I—”
“Don’t care, too busy studying,” Sunset replied.
“It will only take a while,” Coco chimed in as Sunset turned to look at her. Mistake number one. One look at Coco’s expression and Sunset could feel her resistance slipping away.
“But… I really have to get back…” Sunset said uneasily. Mistake Number Two, not fleeing for your life, as Coco upped the ante.
“Please?” she said, her eyes growing wide and her bottom lip jutting out in a slight pout.
Sunset lasted all of two seconds under the onslaught of Cute.
“Urgh, fine! As long as you don’t take too long,” she said with a groan. At the growing excitement of the two mares, Sunset Shimmer knew she was going to regret this.
“Hmmm, perhaps…” Rarity mused as she looked at the unicorn. Sunset had been draped in a multi layered purple dress. Each layer made of a finer material than the last and shimmered like it was woven from gemstones. A matching choker was round her neck and her left foreleg was adorned with a platinum bracelet. The dressmaker's even applied some light makeup.
Most embarrassingly, her mane was done up into twin ponytails. Her slight blush shone through her yellow fur.
“Really, the dress is okay I guess, but did you have to mess with my mane?” she muttered.
“Oh yes darling, it the piece de resistance, as it were,” Rarity tittered. “I think you look simply radiant. Oh how I wish you’d come by more often.”
“All I wanted was a scarf,” Sunset sighed and rolled her eyes. “Fine, are we done here?”
“Yes, I believe I can create a few more pieces based off of this design,” Rarity nodded as she helped the mare out of the dress. “I must thank you, I had no idea what to do until you walked in. I think I’ll call this line, ‘Summer Radiance’.”
“Mhm, that’s great,” Sunset replied absently as she walked off. She’d lost a good few hours of reading time with this.
“Now Coco dear,” Rarity hummed as she put the dress on a ponequinn. “Let’s. Get. Fabulous!”
Coco hummed a merry tune as she prepared breakfast. Last night had been a whirlwind of sewing, stitching and coffee consumption. Rarity had a… rendezvous with Thunderlane that evening, so they needed to be done with the majority of the dresses before then. The minor details they could touch up at the actual event in Manehattan tomorrow.
“Weird… Miss Rarity is usually up by now,” Coco glanced at a wall clock. “She was out kinda late last night. Hmm, I’d better go and wake her or we’ll miss the train.” She left the kitchen and trotted upstairs. Upon reaching Rarity’s room, she raised a hoof and knocked on the door.
“Miss Rarity?” she asked in a soft tone. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to bother you but it’s getting late…”
She waited a few moments, but there was no reply. Was she still asleep? Coco gently opened the door and poked her head inside.
“Miss Rarity…?”
The earth pony gasped. She saw her boss in bed… and she looked terrible. Her mane was a absolute mess, her coat was slick with sweat and her face was a bright red. She slowly opened one eye to look at Coco, but a nasty, hacking cough escaped her mouth.
“Co...co,” she rasped once she was able to catch her breath. “Oh dear… I’m… I’m so sorry… I appear to be, a little unwell.”
A little? This was more than a little. Rarity looked like death warmed up.
“What happened?” Coco asked as she moved over to the bed. “You looked fine yesterday.”
“I-*cough* -appear to have… caught a cold,” Rarity groaned as Coco adjusted her pillows. “Last night… most likely.”
“Okay, just… wait here,” Coco nodded. “I’ll go and get Nurse Redheart.”
“Thank you darling…” Rarity rasped as Coco trotted from the room.
“Well, congrats Rarity,” Nurse Redheart deadpanned as she put away her stethoscope. “You have your standard, run-of-the-mill cold. While not a big deal, it will be if you don’t get bedrest.”
“But—” Rarity’s protest was cut off by another coughing fit.
“We’re supposed to go to Manhattan this afternoon,” Coco said for her.
Redheart gave her a sharp laugh. “Hah! Like Tartarus she is. Bedrest and plenty of liquids is what she gets.” The earth mare looked down at the unicorn and Rarity gulped. “And if she even so much as thinks of disobeying me…” That smile was greatly unsettling. “I have a lovely batch of new experiments to go over… I could use an assistant~
“Coco…” Rarity rasped and motioned for her to come over. “You must go in my stead. This event… we cannot ignore the opportunity.”
“Me? Alone? In Manehattan!? Coco Pommel gulped as her heart rate increased, thudding in her chest. “I-I couldn’t… I [can’t! There’s no way I can—”
“You must darling,” Rarity gasped, clutching Coco’s hoof. “You must. I...believe, in… you…” Her hooves dropped as her eyes closed.
“Miss Rarity?” Coco whispered. “Miss Rarity? Nooooooo!”
Redheart rolled her eyes. She was so glad she was going out drinking with Quickfix again tonight.
“Well… now what do I do?” Coco groaned, staring at her snoring boss.
Sunset Shimmer stared at the earth pony mare standing in her doorway.
“No.”
“But!” Coco pouted. “Please Sunset, I need your help. Without Rarity, I have nopony to model the clothes. They were inspired by you after all.”
“I am--”
“More than happy to help,” Spike said, leaning down and using Sunset’s head as an armrest.
“Spiiiiike,” Sunset growled, her horn starting to glow.
“Oh come on Sunset,” Spike leaned down to whisper to her. “She's a friend asking for help.”
“And I have studies,” Sunset retorted.
Spike sighed, but he knew how to win this game. “Fine… guess modelling a few clothes would be hard for somepony who sits around in a library all day…” ‘Check.’
“What!?” Sunset growled, pulling away. “I could do this in my sleep Little brother.”
‘And Checkmate.’ “Oh yeah? Prove it.”
Sunset snorted and grabbed Coco in her magic. “Come on Coco. We have a train to catch!”
“I...um...okay?” Coco Pommel blinked. What the heck just happened here?
Spike waved them off, but he wondered what he'd do while they were gone. Sunset… hadn’t given him orders.
“You know, I think I'll go visit Moondancer,” Spike hummed to himself. Then he felt a rumbling in his gut and he belched up a scroll.
‘Dear little brother.
Reshelf the library while I'm gone.
Love Sunset’
“Mother dammit!” Spike cursed.
Sunset watched the scenery race by. It wasn't until after they left that she realised that she'd forgotten to bring any books to read.
So coincidentally, she was irritable. She'd already threatened to ignite the ticket inspector, and Coco was way too nervous to try and talk to her.
So an uneasy silence settled over the train carriage, one that lasted all the way to Manehattan.
“Coco!” Sunset said as they stepped off of the train. The timid mare yelped and turned towards her.
“I...um, yes?” she managed to squeak out.
“So, where are we staying while we're here? I assume it's at least somewhere comfortable.”
“Oh yes,” Coco nodded and smiled. “Miss Rarity has arranged a hotel for us to stay in. A place called ‘Sunlight Towers’.”
“Oh, that’s the place mother stays at when she comes here,” Sunset actually smiled. “It's actually pretty good. I'm surprised that Rarity was able to get a room there.” That smile soon faded as she saw the crowded station and congested streets. And now she realised the biggest thing she hated about densely populated areas.
The morons populating said area.
“I’ve changed my mind,” Sunset replied flatly. “When’s the next train back to Ponyville?”
“Sunseeeet,” Coco pouted. “Please! I really need your help with this. I can’t model the clothes myself, and… and…” She looked down at the ground and sniffled. “I’m scared to be here on my own.”
Sunset groaned and dragged a hoof down her face. This wasn’t fair! Coco was just too bucking adorable! Her cuteness should be illegal and considered a weapon of mass adawwableness!
“Urrrggh, fine!” the unicorn mare grumbled as she adjusted her saddlebags and started walking, well tried to, until Coco reminded her that they had luggage to obtain. And so more than half an hour later, Sunset dragged a clothing rack, covered with a royal purple cloth through the congested streets of Manehattan.
It’s about as fun as one would imagine.
It was also a certainty that Sunset set a personal best for ‘Most ponies threatened with fiery death’ in a single day. Coco thought she must have apologised to half of the city by the time they reached the hotel.
“Why do you keep doing that?” Sunset said as she opened the door and strode inside. “Saying sorry, they’re the ones that got in our way.”
“Well yes, but we weren’t making it easy for everypony with our large load,” the earth mare said as she trotted up to the service desk. “Hello there. My name is Coco Pommel, I believe I have a reservation under the name, Rarity Belle’.”
The stallion turned his gaze down and looked at the ledger behind the desk. “Mmm, I’m sorry. No such reservation exists.”
Coco blinked, looking quite surprised. “Y-You must be mistaken. I am positive that Lady Rarity made a reservation!”
“Well I’m looking at my book and there’s no such thing,” the stallion replied. “Now look kid, I’m busy. There’s no room here, so go find someplace else okay.”
Coco sniffled and turned away from him. How… could this happen? And how would she find another hotel at this point in time?
Sunset sighed and shook her head. “See Coco,” she said once the petite mare drew closer. “Look, you need to stop letting everypony walk all over you.”
“But…” the mare sniffed again. “Maybe… there’s been a mistake…”
Sunset’s eyes narrowed. No, Rarity wouldn’t have made a mistake like this. Something else was going on here. Maybe her coming along was a good thing after all. She walked up to the desk and tapped her hoof, coughing to get attention.
“Mm, yes?” came the bored drawl of the clerk. “What do you want?”
“You fired for such disrespect,” Sunset sneered as she glared at him. “I am Princess Sunset Shimmer you ignorant peasant! Is that how you greet me!?”
“The Princess?” the clerk replied with a raised eyebrow. “You must be joking?”
Sunset’s eye twitched and her horn sparked. No… incinerating this insolent moron would only get her in trouble.
“Well then you brainless plebian,” she said through a clenched jaw and gritted teeth. “Why don’t you pick up an Info Crystal and educate yourself. Go ahead, look up ‘Princess Sunset Shimmer’ I’ll wait.”
The clerk sighed, but this crazy mare wasn’t likely going to go away. He humoured her while a hoof under the desk hit the security button. Sunset stood there, staring at him as he tapped the crystal and did the search.
The picture that popped up… No, that couldn’t be right. He looked at the mare before him, then back to the picture.
Ohhhh horseapples.
Just as two large security pegasi entered to take care of Sunset, the clerk’s eyes widened and he started to panic.
“O-O-Oh my… your Highness. P-Please forgive me, I’m ever so sorry!”
“Perhaps,” Sunset said, glaring at the two security ponies as they backed away. “I’m rather irate now. The service here is terrible, so perhaps I’ll tell my mother that we should look into a new place for lodgings…”
Now the clerk was panicking. The only reason this place was so famous was because Princess Celestia stayed here. If she were to leave, their entire clientele would up and leave too. Their hotel would sink faster that the Trotanic.
“P-Please, O’ Benevolent Sun Princess!” he begged. “We’ll do anything to apologise!”
“Anything?” Sunset’s grin started to resemble a sharks.
Coco looked in awe as they were led into the Royal Suite. It was… well to say it impressive was an understatement. There was a lot of marble involved. The floor, the Romane pillars that were placed throughout the room. Even the swimming-pool sized bath. The bedroom was just as spacious, with a massive ‘Celestia-sized’ four poster bed. Coco put a hoof on the mattress, only to find that it sunk in, like it was filled with air.
“Cloud mattress,” Sunset explained. “I’ll cast cloudwalking spells on us later. Trust me, it’s so worth it.”
“O-Okay…” Coco said as she continued to look around. She felt like a Princess herself in here, it was amazing! She did feel a little guilty however, and soon she felt like she should try and find her own room somewhere else.
“Don’t worry,” Sunset said, catching the expression on her face. “Now come on, you have some dresses to prepare right?”
“O-Oh! Yes!” Coco nodded as she raced over to her bags and started pulling out her sewing kits and patterns.that Rarity had given her. “Um, would you mind…”
“S’why I came,” Sunset shrugged as she was used as a living ponequinn. “So, you think these dresses can impress at this expo thing?”
“Oh yes,” Coco smiled. “Lady Rarity’s designs are second to none. So I have no doubt we’ll do well here.”
“Hmm, so, what about you?” Sunset asked. “You’re here on Rarity’s behalf. Showing off Rarity’s dresses. And when all is said and done, Rarity will get all the credit. You’re more or less a glorified salespony.”
“It’s not like that,” Coco said as she threaded a needle and begun to stitch some panels together. “She’s my teacher, a lot like how Princess Celestia is yours. Sure, Lady Rarity will get all the credit this time, but she also did all the work. I’m just… putting together the puzzle she created. If anything, this will be a good experience for me so I can eventually create my own label.”
Sunset was quite surprised to hear her talk like this. She was always so… quiet and stuttery. But now? She sounded to passionate and fiery when she was talking. Sunset was actually a little impressed.
“Well, I guess I can understand that, sorry,” the unicorn chuckled, then yelped as Coco accidentally pricked her with the needle. “Hey!”
“Ahh, I’msorryI’msorryI’msorry!” Coco repeatedly bowed her head, tears forming in her eyes. Sunset sensed that everything was right with the universe once again and smiled.
“It’s fine, a needle won’t do me in.” Sunset said with a small shake of her head.
Hours later, Coco was finally done, and her clothes rack now held a half dozen dresses on it, each fiery themed dress as outstanding as the last.
“Finally!” Sunset exclaimed as she stretched until her back gave a satisfying crack. “Any longer and I might have thought a Cockatrice attacked me.” Which was ridiculous. What kind of moron would get jumped by one of those things and not have an anti-petrification charm?
“Mhm, but now we can relax until tomorrow.” Coco stretched not unlike a cat and sighed. “Should we get something to eat? I’m getting a little hungry.”
Sunset’s stomach voiced its approval at that plan.
And so a little bit later, the two mares reclined in the massive bathtub, rose petals floating in the steaming water as two stallions fed them grapes and cherry tomatoes.
“You know…” Coco sighed.”I could get used to this.”
“I miss this,” Sunset murmured as she closed her eyes and sunk under the water for a moment, before surfacing and spitting out a stream like a fountain. “Ahh, living in a library is nice. But the opulence of the royal life is just… ahhh~”
“Mhm, Mom may be a noble in status, but she was waay too militaristic for this kind of life,” Coco nodded. “So yeah, I’m going to enjoy this while it lasts.”
Sunset smiled, nice to see one of her friends enjoy a more opulent lifestyle. “Well, I’ll admit that I didn’t have a friend to share it with however.”
“Well, you have us now,” Coco smiled at her. “And well, Ponyville may not be as opulent as all this—”
“Ahh, it’s fine,” Sunset cut her off and shrugged. “Thanks for the meal boys. But i think we’ll be heading to bed. My thanks to the chef hm?”
“Yes your highness!’ the twin stallions bowed and Coco felt her face heat up as the handsome stallions took their leave.
“Ohh, somepony has twin fantasies?” Sunset teased, Coco almost glowing red now.
“You..I...IT’S NOT LIKE THAT!” the mare yelled… kind of. It was only a tad louder than her normal speaking voice. “Ahh, you’re worse than Pizzelle.”
Sunset just chuckled as she went to step onto the bed. Blinking as to why she sank thought it, she facehooved and groaned.
“Right… cloudwalking spell,” she muttered as a warm glow surrounded her and Coco. “There we are. Now climb on.”
Coco nodded slowly and climbed up onto the bed. One made for a mare many times her size. She gasped as her hoof sunk in a little… but stopped after an inch or two. It was like… cotton candy or something.
“Woow,” she gasped as she fell into the bed, giggling at how soft and comfortable it was.
“Having fun?” Sunset said with a bemused tone, raising an eyebrow at Coco acting like a little filly.
“It’s soooo comfy~” the mare sighed, sinking into the mattress. “Like I’m sleeping on a cloud…”
“Um, you are sleeping on a cloud,” Sunset pointed out, Coco flushing pink in embarrassment. Sunset just closed her eyes and rolled over, her back facing the earth mare. “Just get some sleep, we have a lot to do tomorrow right?”
“Yes,” Coco said and closed her own eyes. Tomorrow was going to be equal parts exciting, stressful and utterly terrifying. But as long as Sunset was by her side, Coco knew she could handle it.
Sunset Shimmer internally groaned as she looked around the amphitheater that this fashion expo was to be held in. Dozens upon dozens of ponies, all looking like they were dressed up for the Grand Galloping Gala or something.
And knowing that she’d have to join them made her groan externally. This was going to suck so hard…
“Is everything okay Sunset?” Coco asked her worriedly. “Are you getting nervous?”
“W-What?” Sunset flinched and narrowed her eyes. “Princess Sunset Shimmer does not get nervous!” she exclaimed. “I faced down bucking Nightmare Moon! A few prissy mares in gaudy dresses do not scare me!” She pointed at one such mare, one dressed in a frilly pink and black lace dress in the Foxan gothic lolita style.
Coco blinked and then looked back to Sunset. “Um… that’s a stallion. You can see his...um.. Well…” She trailed off and turned red. “The style is called Visual Kei, normally it’s for a genre of music, but it has it’s own subculture as a fashion industry as well.”
“...wut?” Sunset took a second look. “Nope…” she muttered and turned around. “So much nope. ALL the nope. I’m gone. You’re on your own!”
“What!?” Coco panicked. “I can do this by myself. I need you as my model for the dresses!”
“I am not going on stage with crossdressers!” Sunset frowned. “Besides, the new Daring Do books comes out today, as well as the new Flame Artifact books.” She’d been looking forward to those and was dying to meet the author. But whoever that ‘Ember Quill’ was, she was very elusive.
A haughty laugh caught her attention and the pair turned. A tall, Prench unicorn stood before them. Her coat was a light cyan, and her mane were varying shades of orange and yellow with a purple tint. Her outfit was interesting, a Roman styled dress made of faux leather. The hem of the dress was lined with gold buttons and she complemented it with a gold saddle and thick black saddlebags.
“What an absolute laugh,” the tall mare said, putting a hoof to her upturned nose and laughing again. “That a little pony like yourself thinks she could outshine a real mare!”
“What… did you… say?” Sunset growled through a clenched jaw. Oh, this bitch was just begging to be barbequed.
“Oh, Excusez-moi. Did I perhaps speak a little too quickly for your little mind to understand?” the mare asked in mock concern. Je suis toujours désolé. I had assumed you were at least capable of basic communication.”
“Do you wanna die!?” Sunset’s horn lit up with a fiery cornea. “Cause you’re really begging for it!”
“Donc, vous êtes un barbare.” the mare sighed and shook her head. “A model is supposed to be refined, not… a brutish warmare. And I had at least hoped that somepony of Lady Rareté would at least know that much.”
“They won’t even find the ashes!” Sunset took a step forward,.but Coco put a hoof to her chest to stop her. “Coco… what—?”
“I know you,” the little mare said. “You are Sassy Saddles yes? One of the best models in Equestria.”
“For now,” Sassy replied. “Until I knock that bête de somme Fleur De Lis off of her throne.” She turned and winked at the pair. “Good luck, Perhaps your barbarian Princess there will actually make it to the finals.”
“Coco… move, I’m going to blow up this whole Tartarus-damned place!” Sunset growled as Coco tried to hold her back from mauling sassy with her bare hooves.
“I’m sorry,” Coco sighed and hung her head. “Look… I’m not going to force you into this. If worse comes to worse I’ll just tell Lady Rarity that I…” She stopped as she heard an odd noise coming from Sunset.
She was… laughing?
Ohhh that cannot be good.
“Sunset, are you—?”
“I’m going to wreck that stuck up horse!” Sunset cackled. “Against me, she’s just a little bug! I’ll show her what real royalty is all about. I hope there’s a rock big enough to hide that fat flank under after I’m through with her!” She picked up the clothes rack and Coco in her magical aura. “Let’s go Coco, we have enemies to destroy!”
“I um… you mean, a fashion show to win right?”
“Same thing!” Sunset grinned sharkishly. Coco groaned, this could only end in tears and massive amounts of collateral damage.
“So it’s fairly simple,” Coco explained as she finished helping Sunset into the first dress. “Just walk down the runway, pause briefly at the end and walk back. Try and keep poise and please don’t trip. Also, you cannot speak okay?”
“Yeah yeah, this’ll be a cakewalk,” Sunset replied in a bored tone. They heard the crowd roar with applause as Sassy Saddles stepped off of the stage. Her dress shimmered, literally. It was made of a sparkling purple fabric that looked like she ripped a piece of the night sky out and made a stunning gown from it. Intricate patterns swirled within the fabric, kind of like a lava lamp.
“That fabric is incredible,” Coco breathed out an astounded sigh. “That designer must be incredible.”
Sassy walked up to a pegasus mare. She was tall and rather lithe. Her coat was a slight off-white colour and her mane and tail were a dark-chocolate brown. Her forelegs, face and ears were speckled with dark spots and her eyes were a rose pink. She wore a ruffle pink collar bound with an shining piece of amber. She also wore a flowing pink gown, so her Cutie Mark was obscured.
“I know that mare,” Coco whispered. “Her name is Fae Ashida. She’s from Foxan originally, but now she’s gaining popularity in Canterlot and Manehattan. I have no idea how she got somepony like Sassy Saddles as a model though. It must have cost her a fortune.”
“Who cares,” Sunset scoffed. “You have a Princess as a model. So that high-faulting bitch is little more that a well-dressed bug!”
“I guess,” Coco replied, but between the famous seamstress and equally as famous model. She felt her confidence slipping further and further away.
“Hey!” Coco yelped when Sunset shouted at her. “Come on. This is nothing. Try having tea with Twilight-friggen-Sparkle. That is something that’ll keep you on your hooves. As for now, watch me strut my stuff and blow their collective pony minds!”
Coco watched as Sunset strode up to the entrance to the catwalk, Sassy’s stares rolling off of her like water off a duck’s back.
‘I wish I had even a fraction of your confidence,’ Coco sighed internally. ‘Even now, you’re so strong. So graceful while I’m so… me.’
Sunset stepped out onto the stage with the first outfit. It was a simple layered, bare-backed dress. But that’s where the simplicity ended. The dress itself shone with all the colours of the sunset. Starting with a light orange, transitioning into fiery reds and yellow, before ending at the hemline with deep royal purples and midnight blues. Around her neck sat a gold choker that looked like fire itself turned to gold, a sparkling amethyst as the centerpiece. Her hooves were adorned with replicas of Celestia’s own golden shoes and and the hemline of the dress was trimmed with gold lace. Sunset Shimmer was the ponification of her very name. A piece of the sunset sky descended from on high and gracing mortal kind with her visage. Her poise was tall and regal, as that exact thought ran through her mind. Some of the spectators even bowed slightly, forgetting they were at a fashion show and felt like it was time for the Royal Court.
She stopped at the end of the runway, looking out at the crowd with a hint of disinterest… masking the massive amount of disinterest she actually had as she spun elegantly on her hooves and strode back up and out to the backstage.
The crowd was a stunned silence, unsure of just how to react to that. Do they applaud? Bow? Thank every god and goddess known to Equus for the vision they just beheld?
“Wow…” Coco breathed as she peeked through the curtain. “I… think you broke them Sunset.”
Sunset snorted and looked at Sassy and Fae. “Check,” she smirked and strode off towards the changerooms.
The rest of the fashion show was a back and forth between the pair of unicorns. The other participants didn’t even stand a chance, utterly lost in the blinding auras that the pair put out with each dress. Fae and Sassy would take a win, with a fairy themed gown that wouldn’t look out of place on an ethereal spirit of the forest.
Then Coco and Sunset would emerge, the latter wearing a dress of the purest white and rich woven gold. Long tassels and woven script. It was a gown fit for a goddess. One styled for Celestia herself. And again, the crowd was reduced to silenced awe.
And soon, the announcer stood on stage, running a hoof through his coiffed mane, a stallion by the name of Svengallop.
“Alright everypony. I will announce the two finalists to move on to the final round. But by now, I think that choice is obvious.” He turned as a spotlight shone on Sassy and Fae. “The designer, Fae Ashida and her model, Sassy Saddles.”
Fae bowed her head as Sassy winked and blew kisses to the crowd as they cheered.
“And to go up against them. I’m sure you all know,” Sven cooed. “Standing in for the Designer, Lady Rarity, we have her protege, Coco Pommel. And her lovely model, Sunset Shimmer!”
Sunset smirked widely and Coco ducked behind her when the spotlight shone on them.
“Now,” Sven continued. “While they prepare for the challenge. We will enter a brief intermission and entertain you with the Princess of Pop, the Siren of Song, the Diva of the Dancefloor. I give you the one and only, Sweetie Belle!”
The pint-sized filly songstress stepped onto the stage, taking a bow as the stagelight lit up.
“Thank you everypony!” she smiled as the crowd exploded with cheers. “Here’s a little sneak peek at my newest single, Silver Bell~”
“So… what’s the deal with this last round?” Sunset asked as Coco fitted her dress. The unicorn almost felt like she was getting suited up for battle. “Everypony’s making it out to be pretty intense.”
“Y-yes,” Coco said, hoping Sunset wasn’t going to kill her for this. “Something like that. Um… just make sure you’re careful okay? Sassy is a Top Model. She won’t lose easily, even to somepony of your skill.”
“Tch! Yeah, well she met her friggen match today,” Sunset said, a series of small pops she the air literally exploded around her horn like firecrackers. “I’ll roast the cow like a Hearth’s Warming turkey!”
“There’s a few things you need to know though,” Coco said as she finished fitting the dress. It was inspired by the immortal phoenix. The form fitting dress covered her chest, back and rump, before it fantailed out with trails of ethereal-like fabrics. Her neck was fitted with a gold choker, blood red fabrics frilled out from the bottom. The cloth mimicked the wings and tail while golden greaves covered her forehooves. To compliment the outfit, a stunning flower was fit just behind Sunset’s right ear, the mare’s mind briefly wandering to her botany books to try and figure out what flower it was. Coco was talking, but Sunset was too concerned with her own thoughts.
“Okay, and that’s how it works, did you get all that?” Coco asked.
“Mhm,” Sunset murmured and shrugged. “Just leave it to me or… whatever.” Ahh, this was gonna drive her nuts until she could figure it out.
“So um, what do you think of the dress?” Coco suddenly asked, getting Sunset’s attention. Well that was odd, she didn’t ask that about the other dresses. Sunset glanced in a mirror and shrugged.
“It’s nice I guess,” the mare replied. “A little frilly for my tastes. But…” Hmm, well that was odd.
“But?” Coco questioned.
“Makes me think about Philomena, Mom’s pet phoenix… and so that makes me think about Mom.” Sunset shook her head to clear the nostalgic thoughts. “Yeah, I like the dress.”
Coco beamed brightly for some reason. “Oh, I’m so happy! It was made for yo—” And then Svengallop announced the start of the final round.
“Will the participants take the stage,” he said and Sunset turned around.
“You were saying?”
“O-Oh, it’s nothing,” Coco Pommel blushed and waved a hoof. “Good luck Sunset,” Coco waved and the mare shrugged and nodded, before heading out.
As Sunset stepped out, the front area had been changed. All the spectators had been moved up to the stadium seats of the amphitheater, leaving the ground area vacant. She also noticed a half dozen glowing pylons circled around the arena, generating a powerful barrier that separated the crowd from herself.
“What the buck?” Sunset muttered as she looked around. “The hell do they think we’re going to do in here? Duel with Nightmare Moon herself?”
“If only you could be so lucky,” Sassy said as she stepped up next to her. She wore a form-fitting outfit that covered most of her body. It had a nice, ruby gemstone centered right in the middle of the chest, as well as one on each hoof. The entire outfit was varying shades of black and grey, it honestly looked more like combat barding than anything frilly or fancy like Sunset was wearing.“Have you not seen a Final Round before? Oh of course you haven’t. Sorry Princess. The world must be a small place from atop your golden tower.”
“I live in a library actually,” Sunset retorted. “And why would I give a flipping feather about fashion? What a waste of time.”
“And now!” Svengallop announced through a microphone. “The Final Round will begin. Our Lady, Sassy Saddles, versus Our Esteemed Princess, Sunset Shimmer. Oooh, I’m getting chills already~”
“Best of luck darling.” Sassy cooed as she walked out to the center of the arena. “Try not to die.”
“Wait, WHAT!?” Sunset yelled as Svengallop continued his announcement.
“The contestants have a half hour time limit. The rules will follow standard Dress Combat Laws. The first to have their outfit ruined by the other loses. Anything goes, with the exception of Dark and Chaos magicks. Also no aiming to kill your opponent either, this isn’t a fight to the death ladies~”
“Oh, chanceux, vous ~" Sassy hummed as she turned to face Sunset a few dozen feet away.
Sunset’s mind raced. What the Tartarus was this!? Why didn’t Coco warn her about this!?!?
Then Sunset froze… she’d spaced out earlier when Coco had been talking. She had explained it…
“Ah flipping feathering horseapples!” Sunset swore as Svengallop raised an airhorn. Okay Sunny, calm down. All she had to do was trash little miss Fancy’s outfit right? Easy done. The second the airhorn sounded, Sunset cast a Solar Explosion spell. She aimed for the airspace just above her, as not to kill the mare in the blast. Her back and rump would have a fairly nasty sunburn though~
The spherical spell exploded with a resounding boom, making sunset shudder with glee. THis place had some nice acoustics.
“Well, guess you should punch above… your…” Sunset’s taunt trailed off as her flames were siphoned away, right into that red gem in the breast of her outfit.
“Ah, très magnifique Princess,” Sassy smiled, not a single scratch on her. “To our most esteemed lovers of fashion, I hope you enjoyed our stunning line of formalwear so far,” she called out with a voice amplification spell. “But allow me a moment to introduce our latest in Anti-mage combat barding.”
“WHAT!?” Sunset yelled.
“Yes indeed!” Svengallop beamed. “I have the notes right here. Made of woven mythril and polymer fibres. This outfit is both lightweight and strong, able to stop a bullet with the special kinetic-force fibres. And the gem in the center offers an array of special features, the Fire Ruby you see here has clearly demonstrated the ability to utterly nullify even a powerful flame spell.”
Sunset’s eye gave a dangerous twitch, she was stuck wearing some frou-frou evening gown, and an opponent, which she apparently had to fight. She was wearing bucking combat armour!?
‘Why in the hell didn’t Coco give ‘me’ any armour?’Sunset screamed internally. ‘Arrrrgh! Fine1 You wanna play like that? No more ‘Nice Princess’. You wanna play with fire? Then I’ll bring the bucking sun!!’
Her horn fired up again and this time, she unleashed a blast of searing plasma, a heat so intense that it could carve solid rock like a flamesword through butter.
Sassy smiled and then pulled something out, some kind of blade as she dropped it down in front of her, the blade parting the lance of energy and sent it crashing into the barrier.
“And of course, what armour would be complete without a weapon,” Svengallop beamed brightly. Now that the smoke had cleared, Sassy yanked the blade from the dirt and held it out. It looked like one-half of a pair of scissors. It was a brilliant gold colour and thrummed with Celestial energy.
“Of-bucking-course,” Sunset frowned.
“Meet, the Dawn Breaker. Constructed similar to the staves used by Our Glorious Celestia’s beloved Priestesses, it is the next level in magical-weapon technology. Able to disrupt magic at the Harmonic level, this blade can cut through just about anything.”
The blade suddenly spun like a buzzsaw at Sunset, the mare yelping and ducking… as a piece of her dress fluttered away, the blade having sheared it clean off.
“I’ll take you apart stitch by stitch,” Sassy chuckled. “This isn’t your world Princesse! And I will make you realise that soon enough.”
If only Sunset could get some flames, she could use her Fire Blood arts and show this stuck up showpony why you don’t mess with Sunset Shimmer. But… The unicorn looked around, there was nothing, not a single spark to draw from.
Great, what the heck do I do now? She ducked again, the scissor-blade taking another piece of her outer dress, and a few wisps of mane. If she wasn’t careful, that thing could take her bloody head off.
The blade swung down again, and Sunset placed up a magical barrier, only for the blade to shatter it like glass.
“What do you think?” Sassy purred. “It’s my own design. I even gave it an Etherite edge, it’s how I cut your magic earlier.”
“A magical anti-magic weapon, I’m seriously calling hax right now,” the unicorn muttered as she fired another volley of fireballs, only to either miss with her wild aiming, or that damnable Fire Ruby to suck them all up.
Sunset attempted to grab the weapon with her own telekinesis, but despite all her talk, Sassy was annoyingly skilled with a blade, and managed to dance it around the unicorn attempts. Sunset was now regretting skipping all those fencing classes that Lady Fleur taught.
Sunset ducked, wove… but it was useless. Sassy was toying with her, tearing away strip after strip with her blade, and after just a few minutes, Sunset was left with tattered rags instead of the beautiful dress Coco had made.
Sunset grabbed a strip that kept fluttering in her face and tore it… only to pause. Most dresses usually had a tag or embroidery to show whom the designer was. Rarity’s logo was a cursive R with a trio of diamonds in the loop of the letter.
This one was different. It was… Coco’s Cutie Mark. That little purple and red-feathered hat with a little stitched CP on the corner.
This… this was why Coco was so insistent that she knew if Sunset liked it. It, wasn’t one of Rarity’s designs.
Oh, I’m so glad. Coco’s parting words echoed in her head. It was made just for you.
“Just… she made it, for me?” Sunset whispered and looked at the ruined dress. Only the shirt and underskirt remained, the beautiful outer dress was torn to shreds. Sunset had seen Rarity whip up a dress in mere moments before, her telekinesis and multitasking was extraordinary.
But Coco was an Earth Pony, this outfit… it must have taken forever to make.
“And…” Sunset’s narrowed gaze turned upwards. “This bitch ruined it…”
Sassy stalked around her like a predatory griffon, waving the blade as it whistled through the air.
Sunset turned to face her, as the flower pin behind her ear came loose, falling towards the ground, only to be caught with Sunset’s magic. Such a vibrant accessory, it matched the phoenix dress so… well…
She, she remembered what the flower was. A Phoenix Bloom! They only grew in remote regions and were very expensive… and valuable, especially to a Fire Blood mage.
Sunset’s scowl suddenly turned into a wide smirk.
“Oh? Does la petite princesse finally realise the position she’s in?” Sassy asked her. “You appear to look a little delirious there.”
Sunset fueled her magic into the flower, activating its special property. When exposed to high levels of pure mana, the Phoenix Bloom lived up to it’s name…
And burst into a brilliant orange flame.
“W-What!?’ Sassy took a step back.
“Ohh, what’s this!?” Svengallop announced. “It would seem that Our Lady Sunset has one final card to play.”
Sunset inhaled, sucking up the flames as they coursed over her body, filling her very being with power.
But, that wasn’t the only change. The dress she wore started… glowing? Sunset floated off of the ground as the torn strips littering the battlefield lifted and flew towards her, wrapping the mare in a crimson cocoon. Sassy lashed out with her blade, but other than drawing a few sparks, it did nothing.
“You think a cloth shell will save you?” she shouted, her eye twitching. She was Sassy Saddles. Undefeated model. She would not let some little upstart princess make a mockery of her.
“No, it won’t,” Sunset’s voice called out as the shell peeled like a flower in bloom. Embers washed over the arena like glowing cherry blossom petals as the transformation was complete. Not only was the dress now completely intact, looking brand new. It was… different.
The long trails of cloth that resembled flames, now glowed with a magical radiance. Sunset’s mane and tail flowed on an ethereal breeze, the orange, reds and yellow mixing like a living piece of the sunset sky. Her horn blazed white with power and two wings, made of living flame kept her aloft.
“Round two?” Sunset said as Sassy readied her blade.
“Bring it on,” the other unicorn nodded as her blade flicked out, doubling its length. “Decapitation mode!”
“I…” Svengallop was at a loss. He had no notes on Sunset’s dress, and the whole thing looked like a magical filly transformation from those Foxan comics Sweetie Belle loved.
“I’ll tear that dress apart!” Sassy yelled. “Stitch by stitch, thread by thread. I’ll undo it utterly!”
“Two words,” Sunset smirked as a magic circle appeared in front of her. For once in her life, she felt like taking a page out of Gingersnap’s book and called out her spell’s name.
“Starfire Annihilation!”
Sassy stared at the blinding beam of flames that approached her. “Oh c'est des pommes de chevaux.”
Sunset was still smirking as she was assisted out of what was left of the dress, having returned to its normal state after the battle had ended. The end result was that even the Fire Rubies couldn’t hold back such massive power and overloaded. That said, if she hadn’t used her blade to take the brunt of the damage… which was now melted and fused with the glassed earth outside, Sassy might very well have died, instead of just losing… most of her fur.
“Honestly Sunset, you could have held back just a little,” Coco scolded her, the unicorn just shrugging as she looked at the dress. After the battle, the magical streets she’d placed on it caused it to fall apart. So in light of the condition of both outfits, as well as Sunset’s reckless use of lethal magicks, the match was declared a draw, Coco and Miss. Ashida receiving half the prize money each.
“Eh, I knew she could take it… sorta… maybe,” Sunset shrugged again. “Say… Coco, can i ask you something?”
“Yes?” the mare hummed as she took off the golden slippers.
“That dress… did you make it? For me?”
Coco flinched, dropping the slipper. “I… um, well…” She stammered.
“A simple yes or no, Coco.”
“I… yes,” the mare finally relented and squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the tirade.
What she got… was completely unexpected. Sunset Shimmer… was hugging her?
“Thanks,” she said quietly. “I’m sorry that i got it wrecked. It really was a beautiful dress. Nopony’s… ever made something so lovely and, so personal for me before. Well, nopony not related to me anyway.” She pulled back and ruffled Coco’s mane. “You’re a great friend Coco. And an amazing designer. I think I can see why Rarity’s always harping on about you. You’re… pretty amazing.”
Coco’s mouth opened, but no sound came out. Tears just formed in her eyes as she listened to her friend praise her like that.
“Wha?” Sunset’s eyes widened and she panicked. “Oh come on! Don’t cry. What did i say? Please don’t cry, Spike will yell at me…”
Coco couldn’t help it, even as tears of joy streamed down her face, she let out an airy giggle at the flustering unicorn.
Sunset Shimmer paced up and down the train station. If Coco didn’t hurry, the train would leave without them and they’d be stuck in this annoying city for another whole day. She glanced at the clock, counting the seconds before she heard a shout, she whipped her head around to see Coco galloping towards the platform, calling Sunset’s name.
“Urgh! Come on slowpony!” Sunset said irritably. “Geez, how can you be so late?”
“I’m” *huff* “sorry” *pant* “I had” *wheeze* “to get something” *exhausted horse noises*
Sunset rolled her eyes and turned towards the train, before somepony else shouted her name.
“URRGH! Now what!?” she growled and turned to see Sassy Saddles and Miss Fae Ashida approaching them. “Oh great, what do you want? Revenge? Cause I’ll happily roast you aga—”
“Always quick to the flames, ma petite princesse,” Sassy sighed. “Nonono, nothing of the sort. Buttons and Bobpins darling. What happens in the arena, stays in the arena.”
Sunset and Coco just stared, was… was this the same harsh pony as last night? She’s… happy?
“Um… come again?” Sunset blinked, her haste momentarily forgotten.
“The fight was magnifique. Ashy and I learned quite a bit and are already planning improvements.”
“Yes,” Fae responded with a light Foxan accent. Her voice was… wondrous, almost like a fairy’s. “But not as wondrous as your dress, Miss Coco. Your design yes? It did not look like any of Miss Rarity’s.” Unlike the show, now she simply wore her pink collar, hair and tail clip and a pair of pink leggings over her hind legs. Her Cutie Mark was a ponnequin with a pair of fairy wings.
“Y-Yes?” Coco stammered. She couldn’t believe the Fae Ashida was talking to her!
“Wonderful, amazing even. You have a shining future Miss Coco, as long as you keep working hard.” Fae smiled and the large pegasus pulled the little earth pony in with a wing, hugging her gently.
“T-Thank so very much,” Coco smiled.
“The stitching looked a little loose though,” Fae whispered to her. “And it looked like the sleeves on her forelegs were a few millimeters too short.”
“Oh… thank you for the advice,” Coco nodded as she was released from the embrace.
“So… you grew your fur back already?” Sunset nodded and Sassy. The larger unicorn shook her head and her form shimmered, revealing a multitude of bare patches and bandages before the illusion spell came back up. Sunset winced, but Sassy didn’t seem too fazed.
“Comes with the job Sweetie. Give it a few more days for the potions to take effect,” Sassy chuckled. “Until then, I’ll make do with illusions. A model’s appearance is everything.”
“Yeah, cool,” Sunset chuckled. “You know, you weren’t half bad either. If it wasn’t for Coco’s outfit, I’d have been totally screwed.”
“Tis good your friend knows you so well,” Sassy smiled and gave her a friendly nuzzle. “Take care Sweetie. We shall meet again I think.”
“As long as you aren’t pointing swords at me,” Sunset smirked as the train whistled sharply and Sunset remembered their deadline. “Gah! Coco, move your flank or we’re gonna miss it.” Sunset offered a polite nod to the other mares and dashed aboard the train.
“Take care!” Coco bowed and fixed her saddlebags and ran after her friend. “Sunseeeet, wait for meeee~”
“So…” Sassy hummed as she watched the train leave. “Think we’ll ever swing by Ponyville?”
“Hmm, well I would like to meet Miss Rarity,” Fae smiled. “For now, let us get some tea.”
Sunset sighed, it was going to be a long ride home and she… Her eyes widened and she let out a frustrated scream. One that sent all other passengers scrambling for another carriage.
“W-What was that?” Coco yelped as Sunset thunked her head against the couch-like seat.
“Those new books…” the mare groaned. “I forgot to get them… now I have to wait until i get home and my ordered ones for the library arrive. That could take days!!”
Coco Pommel giggled, causing Sunset to glare at her. “What’s so funny?”
Coco simply smiled as she opened her saddlebag and took out three books.
Flame Artifact: Birthright and Flame Artifact: Conquest. As well as the latest Daring story, Daring Do and The Empire of the Sun, part one.
“These were the books you wanted, yes?” Coco said, holding them up in front of a practically drooling Sunset. “I got them for you this morning, as thanks for helping me with this. I know you didn’t want to at first but— eep!” She was cut off as she received another hug from the mare. Coco sighed happily and returned the embrace, Sunset was very warm to hold~ That moment ended, the books were snatched up by the unicorn and she dove right in.
“Thanks Coco,” Sunset murmured, a small smile on her muzzle.
“You’re welcome,” Coco responded, a smile of her own gracing her lips. And the two friends sat in silence for the rest of the trip. Unlike the last time, there was no tension… just, blissful silence.
Almost.
“Oh, Coco?” Sunset said, not looking up from her book.
“Yes?”
“Tell anypony I wore such an embarrassing outfit in public and I’ll punish you okay?”
Coco’s eyes widened, before she caught the smirk on her muzzle. “Okay Sunset, your secret is safe with me.” the two giggled and the train continued home, to where the rest of their friends waited.
THE END.