For Sassy it had started out like any other normal working day. With her boss rushing in through the front door of Canterlot, Carousel looking like she was about to burst. So seeing Rarity in a hurry was not the least bit concerning for the unicorn, just business as usual as far as she was concerned.
But Sassy Saddles soon learned that it was anything but usual this time around. For starters, Rarity had a big smile on her face. Just about every other time she was rushing about, the fashionista wouldn't have time to grin. And it wasn't long before Rarity explained to her business partner the reason for her sudden arrival. "Good, there's still time left."
"Time for what, Rarity?" Sassy questioned her boss.
"Don't tell me you've forgotten already. It's the day of the big fashion expo for the latest up and coming designers!" Rarity explained to Sassy. "Coco is due to show off her work at any moment now, and I want you to be there!"
"'Coco'? Why does that name sound vaguely familiar to me?" Sassy thought to herself as she was more or less ushered out of the boutique before she could even hope to protest. "I know Rarity has mentioned other stores that she manages, but for the life of me I can't remember if she ever mentioned a pony named Coco. I sure hope I'm not forgetting somepony important. My memory is usually much sharper than that!"
The tall and somewhat lean unicorn mare allowed herself to be ushered along by her boss. Soon they arrived at what appeared to be a large podium of some sort. Another unicorn was working the turntable nearby, blasting out beats to keep up the energetic atmosphere.
"Alright, fillies and gentlecolts. It's the moment you've all been waiting for!" A voice unfamiliar to Sassy cried out from the speakers mounted atop the podium. "Direct your attention to stage center, and give it up for the hottest new fashion designer in Equestria: Miss Coco Pommel!"
Stepping out onto the podium a moment later, was an earth pony mare who was about the same size as Rarity, maybe a little smaller. Said mare had a beautiful white coat (as pretty as Rarity's, at least to Sassy), a pale light cyan mane and tail with light opal stripes, and eyes an innocent light cyan in color. Her cutie mark was a simple feathered hat colored pink. Accompanying her were several other ponies dressed in outfits the likes of which Sassy had never seen before. They looked quite distinctive, almost foreign to the unicorn. Still, her brilliant orange eyes were drawn to them. And it seemed that the audience was quite in love with them if the thunderous applause that followed was any indication.
In a single moment, it all suddenly came flooding back to Sassy! That Friendship Festival, on a stage not unlike this one, before the invasion and the ensuing chaos, she'd been working alongside that very earth pony who now stood on the podium. There was no question in her mind. This was the Coco to whom Rarity had been referring. "I knew I recognized that name from somewhere! Gracious goodness me, has it really been that long already?" She pondered to herself.
Because she dwelled on that subject, Sassy didn't really pay attention to what Coco was saying as she spoke. She almost didn't notice when the younger looking mare conclude her speech and bow to the audience. "Thank you all. And I hope someday that I'll be as good as a fashion designer as the mare who gave me the chance to start my own career."
A smile formed on Rarity's face as Coco walked to the curtain on the podium and the show appeared to come to an end. "It's always wonderful when the student surpasses the teacher, is it not?" She asked Sassy proudly.
It took Sassy a moment to respond. "Why... yes, I suppose it is. I figured you and Coco were simply business partners, like you and I are. I had no idea she was your apprentice."
"Well, it is natural you wouldn't know. The two of you only met once before, and under my watch I might add," Rarity acknowledged. "I simply never got around to talking about Coco's work. I myself only found out about her debut through informed sources. But seeing as this was Miss. Pommel's big introduction into the largest fashion market in all of Equestria, I knew I couldn't afford to miss it."
"Well that's quite lovely of you, Rarity," Sassy sincerely smiled before she nervously added. "But I don't see why that involved having to drag me away from the boutique. Like you said, I barely knew Coco before all of this."
"Making this the perfect opportunity to correct that oversight," Rarity explained as she led Sassy backstage. "Think of this as an opportunity to know a face that will be extremely important to the future of the fashion industry. With the way Coco's work is progressing, I daresay she'll soon be ready to open her own boutiques and run her own fashion empire."
Coco was already backstage, helping the models to take off their clothes. "Thanks again for your help," She told them. "I know the outfits were a tad out of the ordinary, but you wore them quite well. 'Splendidly' as I think Rarity would say."
"Oh I wouldn't be so modest, Coco," Rarity spoke up. "Those outfits were simply divine! Clearly, you've come a long way from when I first met you as a lowly assistant."
Coco blushed. "All thanks to your teachings and generous nature. I really owe you for giving me that chance to be my own pony."
"Think nothing of it, Coco, dear," Rarity replied as she waved a hoof. "I'm always happy to help a pony in need. And I'm glad to see you're stepping out of my shadow to become your own pony. It gives me high hopes for your future," Then she cleared her throat. "But I didn't just come here simply to admire your dresses, though I was most certainly blow away by how well you made them. I've also brought along somepony else I believe you've met before."
Sassy Saddles finally took a step forward, looking Coco in the eyes. "A pleasure to see you again, Miss Coco Pommel."
"Please, just Coco will do. Lots of ponies have started calling me by my last name for some reason now, it's really weird." Coco replied.
"Well, Coco," Sassy responded. "Do you remember me? I'm Sassy Saddles, the manager of Canterlot Carousel when Rarity's away. We worked together with her at the Friendship Festival here in Canterlot about a year ago or so, I forget the exact date."
The memory came back to Coco just seconds after Sassy had spoken. "Oh, right, right! I remember now. We were helping to decorate the stage for Songbird Serenade's concert. And then those nasty creatures showed up and wrecked everything. After that everything's a blur, it all happened so fast."
"Tell me about it," Sassy replied in a noticeably more serious tone. "Even now I still get the occasional nightmare about it. I try not to dwell upon it too much. Never does any good to worry too much about the past, not when you're incapable of changing it," And she decided to change the subject to something more light hearted, sensing that her current line of conversation probably wasn't what Rarity had in mind. "Anyway, I hear you're a big fashion designer in your own right now?"
Coco firmly nodded. "It's true. I used to just be content with running Rarity For You in Rarity's absence. But I started working on some of my own designs on the side, and Rarity encouraged me to start selling them. She seems to have a talent for knowing what other ponies need the most out of their lives, at least when it comes to fashion."
The unicorn chuckled. "Don't I know it. If not for Rarity, I can't imagine I would even be standing here and having this conversation with you. Let alone having a career of which to speak of."
Rarity then clapped her hooves, drawing the attention of her two business partners. "As much as I would love to let you both prattle on at length about each other, I'm afraid there isn't enough time for that. I need the two of you to get back to Canterlot Carousel on the double."
"Why? I thought only you and Sassy ran that store?" Coco questioned her mentor.
"I have some errands that need to get done, darling," Rarity told her former fashion student. "And at this time of year, poor Sassy Saddles is quite overworked. Somepony needs to step in and help her out while I'm gone, and it might as well be you."
But Sassy nervously inquired. "Rarity, are you sure that's a good idea? Coco and I have never worked alone before now."
"Making this the perfect opportunity for you to both get your hooves wet so to speak," The fashionista replied as she dismissed the concern out of hoof. "Don't worry, I shan't be gone for more than a day at most. In fact, sundown seems to be the absolute latest I shall return. And I expect to be done much sooner than that. I wouldn't ask this of you two if I weren't convinced you could handle it by yourselves."
"Rarity, you really don't need to do this," Coco protested. "I barely know my way around Canterlot. I'm a Manehattanite through and through."
"And Sassy Saddles is Canterlot born and raised. I'm sure she'll be able to help you out," Rarity responded in turn. "You need the experience of getting out of your comfort zone, and Sassy needs to be able to know how to work with ponies besides myself if I'm to ever expand beyond the three boutiques I already own. And with business booming, I suspect that may soon become a necessity." And with that she rendered her decision as final, though both Coco and Sassy really wished it wasn't.
All three ponies returned to Canterlot Carousel a short time later, then Rarity departed after wishing her two business partners luck. Just like that, Sassy and Coco were left with the entirety of Canterlot Carousel to themselves.
At least that was the case until a rather tall, dark blue coated pegasus stallion came trotting in through the front door, his dark green eyebrows reflecting the all too familiar look of an unsatisfied customer. Pushing his two shades of black mane (styled into a buzz cut) out of his face, he held out a torn tuxedo jacket and grumbled. "I hope you've got something like this in my size, or even something better. That's the last time I ever buy a cheap suit from a budget store! Waste of good bits, I tell ya!"
To say that poor Coco was intimidated by the stallion's build and tone of voice would be an understatement. She had dealt with unhappy customers before, be they in a bad attitude or genuinely upset about something related to the store. But this was a customer who looked to be twice her size. He could probably flatten her if he so chose, and given his slouched posture and narrowed eyebrows, he sure looked about ready to pounce on whatever or whoever was unlucky enough to set him off.
Fortunately, Sassy Saddles knew just how to handle such a pony. She didn't get to her level of success without learning how to stand up for herself. "Now darling, there's simply no need for such crude behavior," She spoke in that polished, cut glass tone of hers. "I understand you're feeling cheated out of well earned bits with that clearly inferior tuxedo jacket you bought elsewhere. But here at Canterlot Carousel, we sell only the finest suits and tuxedos for prices I'm sure you will find very reasonable indeed."
The stallion appeared to relax ever so slightly. Sassy's gentle yet firm way of speaking seemed to have done the trick and calmed him down. The unicorn allowed herself a mental pat on the back. "Another satisfied customer." She thought to herself confidently.
"Alright. Just point me in the direction of the tuxedo isle and I'll decide if you've got anything worthwhile," The stallion spoke up. "Sorry if I frightened the little miss behind you. She new here or somethin'? Don't recall seein' her around these parts before."
"Uh, my name is Coco Pommel. And, I'm just a temporary worker here," Coco responded as she trotted out from behind Sassy (having cowered behind the unicorn earlier for safety). "But all the same your apology is accepted. May I ask what you need that tuxedo for, sir?"
The pegasus stallion responded. "It's for my sister's wedding. We're rehearsin' tomorrow night and I'm gonna be one of the groom's helpers. Gotta dress for the part you know."
"Then please, step right this way," Coco gestured a hoof towards the back. It was a lot easier to speak to the customer now that she'd struck a personal connection with him. "I'm not familiar with the exact layout of the store, but I know we keep the tuxedos here. And I think I have just what you're looking for," She soon presented a tuxedo jacket similar to the torn one the buff pegasus had on him. "Here. It should be just the thing for the rehearsal and the wedding proper. Where's it taking place, if I might inquire?"
The stallion flashed a toothy grin. "It's just gonna be just a small affair with close relatives in Manehattan. Found a nice little gazebo to hold at. Plenty of surrounding space for the reception too."
Coco smiled back. "Oh that sounds lovely! I'm actually from Manehattan myself. That gazebo is truly wonderful, anypony getting married there should consider themselves lucky."
Sassy, meanwhile, rang up the price of the jacket on the register. "That'll be fifty five bits if you please, Sir."
The stallion tossed over the required amount without fuss. "That's actually less than what I paid for the other jacket! Thanks a bunch, the both of you are life savers! And Coco, I promise I'll write to you and tell you all about the wedding."
The earth pony mare nodded gratefully, waving to the stallion as he departed. "Thank you very much, sir. I'll look forward to hearing from you. Goodbye."
Sassy had to blink to make sure she wasn't seeing things. This was the same Coco Pommel who had been cowering behind her just moments ago? From the way Coco had handled that sale, she seemed almost like an entirely different pony now.
Coco soon took notice of Sassy's speechless expression. "What? I have something on my face?" She questioned. Her tone of voice indicated that she didn't seem aware of what Sassy was so confused by.
"Oh satin and silk, your face is fine. I'm surprised you could so quickly reinvent and assert yourself like that!" Sassy commented to Coco. "The way you carried yourself, it's as if you'd done it all before."
"Oh, that," Coco realized. "Well, you don't get to be the head sales associate of Rarity For You without learning how to deal with plenty of demanding customers. Rarity always taught me that it helps to build a personal connection with the customer, get to know them better. Then you don't feel so intimidated in the end."
Sassy seemed to nod her head in understanding. "Splendid advice if I do say so myself. I can see now what it is that Rarity saw in you. Though if I may ask, if you're already head sales associate why have you also decided to go it on your own in the fashion world? It can be very unforgiving to newcomers. Trust me, I speak from experience."
"I guess I just wanted to prove to myself that I could do it! That I had what it takes to make it!" Coco boldly asserted herself. "Also, so I could finally prove that Suri was wrong about me. That I could be something other than just an assistant to other ponies."
"This Suri you speak of. She wouldn't happen to be one Miss Suri Polomare, would she?" The unicorn pondered with an arched eyebrow. "Rarity has mentioned her off-hoofedly once or twice, calling her things I dare not repeat myself."
With a gulp, the earth pony nodded her head in confirmation. "I'm afraid it is. And you haven't heard wrong, Suri was not a nice pony at all. I'm ashamed to think I ever allowed myself to work for her. Nothing was ever good enough for Suri, she always wanted more. To her, I was nothing but her errand girl. And the saddest thing is, I eventually started to believe she was right. That all I was ever good for was doing things for others."
Sassy trotted over and put a hoof around Coco's shoulder. "Oh don't be so hard on yourself, Coco. We all make mistakes from time to time. Trust me, I've made more than my fair share of them over the years."
"Really? I thought you said you worked at only the finest boutiques in all of Canterlot?" Coco questioned.
"Well that is true, but it's not the whole story. To this day I'm still not exactly proud of admitting this, but I was quite the bossy and uncooperative mare when I first started working," Sassy admitted. "I thought I knew everything, when in fact I knew next to nothing. Boutique after boutique, I either ran it into the ground or so angered my employer that I was cast out. It wasn't until Rarity of all ponies worked up the guts to tell me off that I finally realized my mistake. In my haste to secure my reputation, I let myself believe I was the one calling all the shots. That the boutiques stayed open because of my skills, not because of the pony I was going into business with. I still owe Rarity a great deal of thanks for giving me that second chance."
Coco smiled in return. "Well that's Rarity for you, generosity is practically her middle name. Or at least, that's what she's always fond of saying," That got a good chuckle out of Sassy. And it was then that she noticed Sassy's cutie mark, mostly obscured by her dress. It appeared to be two pins. Now she remembered something that had been nagging at the back of her mind since she'd met Sassy. "Say, Sassy, can I ask you something kind of personal?"
"Why absolutely, ask me anything." Sassy smiled back at Coco.
The earth pony cleared her throat, swallowing a lump. "What exactly is with that dress you wear? I mean, don't get me wrong. It looks great on you. I'm just curious is all. Even in Manehattan I don't tend to see a lot of ponies with clothes on them."
Sassy eyed the black dress with a golden helm that she'd always worn. "Oh, this?" She twirled it around. "It's just a little something I designed myself back when I was just starting my fashion career. I've always worn a dress just like this ever since. It just feels like a part of me."
"You made that dress?" Coco questioned. And when a nod from Sassy confirmed it, she then added. "But how come you're not a big fashion designer like Rarity or myself?"
The unicorn pondered that for a moment, before she responded. "Well, I simply found that my talents lay more in the management side of things. Of course, I still sometimes pick up the sewing needle and thread if necessary. And I like to think my sewing skills are adequate."
"Don't you ever use a sewing machine?" Coco wondered. "I use them all the time. It's less work and incredibly efficient."
Sassy shook her head. "Oh satin and silk, no. Call me old fashioned if you like, but I much prefer to work with a needle, a thread, and a thimble. Machine sewing is something I prefer to leave to the experts."
At that, Coco spotted an opportunity. "Well, I'd be happy to give you lessons sometime. There are so many fantastic things you can do with a sewing machine once you know your way around it!"
"Oh, you'd like to make something for me?" Sassy innocently replied. "That would be lovely, but I wouldn't wish to make you take on more work than you already have."
"Nonsense! It won't take long at all! I've been around sewing machines for years!" Coco proudly boasted. "I could even make you a new dress if you'd like."
But Sassy brushed off the suggestion. "My current dress is just fine, thank you. And I have plenty of other outfits for whatever occasions where something nicer would be in order."
"Then how about a saddle bag? I can't tell you the number of times that's come in handy for me." Coco suggested.
"That would be just fine, if you're up to it of course. I shan't wish to burden you." The unicorn politely responded.
Coco shook her head and brushed off the concern. "It's no trouble at all, really. And this way you'll get a chance to see just how much I've learned from Rarity!"
The earth pony mare with a lovely shade of white coat retreated to the workshop often frequented by Rarity, leaving Sassy Saddles to tend to the customers as they came and went with their usual frequency.
During a brief lull in the arrival of customers, the unicorn happened upon what looked to be carelessly discarded scraps of paper. But when she picked them up in the glow of her light olive green magic, preparing to throw them away, she got a good look at them. And she saw then that they were not scraps, they were the sketches of various designs. All of which bore the signature of Coco Pommel.
"These must be some of her newest intended creations!" Sassy realized as she looked over the papers, her brilliant orange eyes taking notice of the amount of detail reflected in them. Their resemblance to Rarity's sketches were easy to see, but at the same time they were unique enough to qualify as their own creations.
Yet as she looked over them again, it seemed to Sassy that there were some areas that could still be improved on. Some details that could be adjusted. So she picked up a pencil and went about making notes. Her horn writing would be easy enough to spot. It wasn't the greatest in the world but it was still legible.
Minutes ticked by, then half an hour. But Coco remained in the workshop, no doubt hard at work on that saddle bag she'd promised Sassy.
Sassy didn't mind at all though. While not as much of a social pony compared to her boss, Sassy still knew enough to interact with the customers and help them find what they were looking for. She tried her best to imitate Coco's approach of personal connections, to mixed success. You couldn't really change your methods in the span of half a day when you'd been used to doing it your own way for far longer.
At last, just when Sassy began to wonder what could be taking Coco so long, the younger looking mare emerged from the workshop with a well-crafted white saddle bag with golden shoulder straps. She also balanced a tray of a familiar looking, delicious beverage on her snout. "I figured you might be thirsty, so I brewed up some tea. Rarity's always fond of making it whenever she comes to visit me, says it helps her to relax and get the creative juices flowing."
Sassy accepted both the saddle bag (which she carefully set aside to try on it later) and the tea cup. "Well I'm more of a coffee pony myself, but I've always found tea to be a suitable replacement. More than a cup or two of coffee never does me any good, always leaves me jittery," She floated the cup up to her lips, electing to take a sip from it and allow the delicious liquid to quench the thirst she'd been working up. "Not bad, not bad at all. But it's not quite sweet enough, it needs sugar too."
"Oh dear. I'm so sorry, Sassy. I knew I was forgetting something!" Coco frowned and hung her head in shame.
"Oh satin and sequins. No need to be so hard on yourself, Coco," Sassy reassured the earth pony with a wink. "I appreciate the tea all the same. And fortunately, I always keep a few bags of sugar around for just such an occasion," She levitated over one a mere second later, carefully ripping it open and dumping it into her tea that she then stirred with a spoon. "Honestly, you mustn't beat yourself up all the time, Coco. Never does you any good."
"I can't help it," Coco confessed. "I hate to feel like I've let anypony down. And it always seems like if I make any kind of mistake at all, it ends up costing other ponies everything. That's probably why it's taken me so long to even try to become my own fashion designer."
Sassy smiled reassuringly. "Well I can safely say you have what it takes to make it in the fashion business after today. Your designs are some of the best I've ever seen!" And she levitated them over to Coco. "Though I took the liberty of offering a few of my own suggestions. You don't have to consider them, but I think they could make your designs even better if you did."
Looking over the notes on each sketch, Coco's light cyan eyes were filled with amazement! "Wow, Sassy! I don't know what to say! You really didn't have to do any of this for me."
The unicorn waved a hoof. "Oh it was nothing. I wanted to do something nice for you after you so generously offered to make me that fine saddle bag. You really outdid yourself," Then she added. "You can't be afraid to make mistakes all the time, Coco, my dear. If you're afraid to fail, you'll always hold yourself back."
"How do you do it, Sassy?" Coco questioned. "How do you manage to look so positive even after all the mistakes you've made? How do I gain that kind of confidence?"
"Well, part of it boils down to experience," Sassy acknowledged, before she instructed Coco to lean in closer. When Coco did so, Sassy whispered. "I also try to picture everypony naked, helps to put me at ease."
"But we don't normally wear clothes." Coco commented.
"Well, you know what I meant, Coco," Sassy responded. "You should try it sometime. It'll do wonders for your self-confidence."
The rest of the day passed in a blur for the two ponies after that. They swapped numerous stories with each other while tending to customers, stopping only for the mandated lunch break. Sassy was surprised by how prepared Coco was for it, the earth pony had even packed her own salad.
They were having so much fun that they almost didn't realize how late it was getting. And perhaps they would've kept on talking until long after Luna's moon had risen into the night sky. If not for the anticipated return of Rarity just as they were closing up shop for the day.
"Seems I was right to give that sundown estimate after all," The fashionista declared as she burst through the boutique doors. "Terribly sorry for being gone all day, darlings. I had to go all over town to find what I needed."
"Oh that's alright, Rarity. As you can see, Coco and I managed just fine in your absence," Sassy proudly declared. "I must say, you picked a lovely pony to be your student. You've taught her so well."
This time, Coco didn't blush even as she modestly replied. "Honestly, I'm just glad I'm not working for Suri anymore. If you'd told me years ago that I would one day be my own designer, staking out my own career, I'd have thought you were plain crazy."
Rarity simply grinned. "Glad to see you two got along so well, you're both fine ponies to have gone into business with. And if given the choice between the two of you, I wouldn't be able to pick one or the other," Then she turned to Coco. "Now then, Coco. If you're ready, we can go down to the train station and you can go back to Manehattan. I imagine you might like to get a good night's sleep before you start work on your newest projects."
But Coco responded. "Actually, Rarity. I think I'll stay in Canterlot for at least another day. I have a feeling there's a lot more I could learn from Sassy."
"And there are certainly things I could learn from you. Your way of dealing with customers is a skill I wish I had picked up on years ago." Sassy smiled.
"Well then, that settles it then," Rarity agreed. "You're quite welcome to stay the night with me at my hotel room, Coco. I'll just have to make arrangements to have somepony watch over Rarity For You tomorrow."