//------------------------------// // Fashion Show Showdown // Story: A New Era // by Bluecatcinema //------------------------------// As usual, the city of Manehattan was abuzz with activity. A contest for young fashion designers was being held, and Rarity For You had been invited to host it. Rarity, who was always eager to help others make their first steps into the world of fashion, had readily agreed, and was currently watching the preparations unfold with a vested interest. 'This really takes me back.' She thought happily. 'It seems like just yesterday I was taking part in my first contest, and now, all these young designers are eager to take their first steps into the world of fashion...' One of the judges, an aqua-coated Pegasus mare with an orange mane and brown eyes (and a silvery dress) approached. She was Myra Ranks, a well-known Manehattan celebrity, known for her judgment on what was "hot" and what was "not". "Thanks again for agreeing to this, Rarity." She smiled. "Things are really coming together..." "They certainly are." Rarity nodded. "And really, it's my pleasure. All these eager young designers, giving it their all... it brings back so many fond memories." "I know what you mean." Myra grinned. "It's like nostalgia central over here. And who knows? We might be seeing the beginning of some future fashion rivals here today." "Or some future collaboraters." Rarity suggested. "Maybe." Myra chuckled. "Anyway, I should start getting ready myself. I have a feeling it's going to be quite a show." "On that, we can agree." Rarity grinned as Myra departed. "Break a leg, darling." "Hi, Rarity!" An exuberant voice brought Rarity out of her nostalgic moment. The voice belonged to Pistachio, the fashion-minded young colt Rarity had met the previous Hearth's Warming Eve (due to a misdelivered gift), joined by his parents, Oaknut and Butternut. "Pistachio!" Rarity beamed. "How nice to see you again." "It's great to see you too." Pistachio grinned. "What brings you to Manehattan, of all places?" Rarity inquired. "I'm in the contest, that's what." Pistachio smiled. "Really?" Rarity smiled. "Yeah." Pistachio nodded. "I sent in a design just for fun, but it actually wound up getting accepted, so here I am." "And we got a free trip to Manehattan into the bargain." Oak Nut smiled. "All thanks to Pistachio." "We're so proud of our little designer!" Butternut hugged her son. "Mom..." Pistachio blushed. "And so you should be." Rarity declared. "Pistachio must have offered quite a design for the judges to accept him." She returned her attention to the young colt. "Congratulations, Pistachio. I look forward to seeing your design brought to life." "So do we." Oak Nut agreed. "In fact, we should probably get to finding some good seats to watch the contest from." "Do your best, Pistachio." Butternut smiled. "That's all you need to be a true winner in our book." With that, Oak Nut and Butternut departed, heading for the part of the boutique which had been designated as the main stage. "Guess I'd better get to work." Pistachio noted. "Please, allow me to show you where you'll be working." Rarity offered. "Right this way." "Well, well." A voice Rarity had not heard in Moons sneered. "Isn't this an overdue reunion?" Rarity turned in the direction of the voice, and froze in revulsion as she looked upon the smug face of her one-time rival, Suri Polomare. "Suri." She glared, trying her best to mask her outrage. "What an... Unexpected surprise." "It's been too long, hasn't it?" Suri drawled, seemingly oblivious to the coldness in Rarity's eyes. "Not long enough..." Rarity said under her breath. "You've been doing well for yourself since we last met, haven't you?" Suri asked, her voice dripping with false pleasantries. "Three boutiques, and one right here in Manehattan. Some ponies have all the luck, don't they?" "Not 'luck', Suri." Rarity retorted, trying her best to be civil. "Everything I have, I gained through hard work, perseverance, and of course, a little help from my friends." "How nice for you." Suri smiled falsely. "I must admit, when I heard the young designers contest was being held here, I was actually hoping we'd see each other again." "And I must admit, I wasn't expecting to see you here." Rarity admitted. "You don't exactly strike me as the spectator type." "Well, I'm not exactly here as a spectator." Suri said cryptically. "I have a professional reason for being here..." She glanced to the left, and spotted something. "And here she comes now." Joining Suri was a teenage Unicorn mare with a fuschia coat, teal eyes, a Cutie Mark of two crossed sewing needles (with the threads forming a circle around it) and an electric blue/black mane that was short on top, and tied into a long braid. "Rarity, allow me to introduce my new protégé: Cross Stitch." Suri announced. "'Sup?" Cross Stitch said, a look of utter disinterest on her face. "Cross is taking part in this little contest." Suri revealed. "And with what I've taught her, victory is all but assured." "Oh, yeah." Cross Stitch nodded smugly. "They may as well give me that first prize trophy right now." "I wouldn't be so sure about that, darling." Rarity shot back. "I daresay Pistachio here could give your protégé a run for her money." "I could?" Pistachio frowned. "And who is this colt to you, exactly?" Suri asked bluntly. "An employee? An apprentice?" "Just a dear friend." Rarity admitted. "Besides, since my business is hosting the contest, it's actually prohibited for anypony who has a professional connection with myself to take part. Those are the rules." "A pity." Suri smirked. "It would have been such a treat to see my protégé best an apprentice of yours. Guess I'll just have to settle for Cross winning the contest being held in your own boutique." "Not to repeat myself, but I wouldn't be so quick to assume victory." Rarity growled, her left eye twitching. "Just try not to be too jealous when Cross uses what I taught her to wipe the floor with the competition, mmkay?" Suri retorted. "Better tell the judges to put my name on that trophy right now." Cross Stitch boasted. Suri and Cross walked away, snickering snidely. "Nice to see you again, too..." Rarity seethed. "Who was that mare?" Pistachio asked. "Just an old fashion rival." Rarity said brusquely. "We once competed with each other in a contest held right here in Manehattan. She tried to cheat by copying a fabric I'd created. And when that failed, she attempted to trick me into thinking I'd been disqualified, so she could take first prize for herself." "Whoa, that is some rotten cheating." Pistachio screwed up his face in disgust. "I don't blame you for acting like that around her. I'd probably do the same..." "Let's forget about her." Rarity said airily. "Before we were so rudely interrupted, I was about to escort you backstage. This way, please." Rarity led Pistachio to the area that had been put aside for the entrants to bring their designs to life. Half a dozen other young designers (Cross Stitch among them) were already hard at work, making their visions a reality, using all the available fabrics and accessories on hoof. "This looks like a good place to start." Pistachio picked out one of the remaining work tables. "So, what kind of inspired design will you be bringing to life today?" Rarity asked. "This." Pistachio held up a piece of paper with his design on it. Rarity took a look. The picture was that of a shirt, jeans and waistcoat combo, with stylised acorn patterns on the jeans and waistcoat. "Not bad, darling." Rarity nodded appreciatively. "Down-to-earth, yet intricate and eye-catching." "Thanks." Pistachio smiled. "I just hope the judges like the real-life version." "I'm sure they will." Rarity declared. "You should have everything you need to realise your design right here. If there's anything you need that isn't here, feel free to ask." "I will." Pistachio smiled. "But I think I'll be okay." "Best of luck, then." Rarity nodded. Rarity walked away, leaving Pistachio to get to work. As she made her way across the room, she couldn't help but notice Cross was hard at work, with Suri encouraging her. Cross's design was a black and neon purple party dress, with rose patterns on the skirt. "That's it, my dear." Suri declared, as Cross added some studded belts to the skirt. "Nothing like a few accessories to catch the crowd's eye." "When I'm done, nopony'll even notice those other losers' outfits." Cross bragged, throwing in some rhinestones on the hem. "Especially not that hayseed... Peanut, or Almond, or whatever his name is." "Oh, I know." Suri sneered. "What were the judges thinking, letting some backwater pony in this contest?" "Maybe they thought whatever lousy design he's got would make the rest of us look good." Cross joked coldly. "Or they felt like letting some no-hoper in as a joke." "Well, I know I'll be laughing." Suri smirked. "Rarity always did have poor taste in friends. And that hick colt just won the blue ribbon. The only prize he'll be getting today..." Rarity grit her teeth in silent anger as Suri and Cross laughed spitefully. 'Someponies never change.' She thought angrily. 'How dare Suri disparage Pistachio like that! ...Well, she'll soon see who the real loser is here! Pistachio's design is going to blow Cross's out of the water, just you wait and see...' Rarity returned to Pistachio's workstation, intent on being proven right. "How are things, Pistachio?" She asked nonchalantly. "They're going pretty well." Pistachio smiled. "Like you said, everything I needed was right here." He showed off his half-completed design. "How does it look so far?" Rarity looked upon the outfit, and found herself holding a different opinion of it than she did when she saw it on paper. Compared to cross's elaborate work, it seemed to be somehow lacking in her eyes. "It's... a good start." She nodded hesitantly. "Well, yeah." Pistachio nodded. "I'm only about half done. But it won't take long for me to finish..." "Of course." Rarity nodded. "But I was thinking the final product could use a few little... additions." "Additions?" Pistachio frowned. "I thought you said my design was 'eye-catching'?" "Oh, it is." Rarity nodded. "But an outfit can always be more eye-catching. Think of it as like adding garnish to fine cuisine." Using her magic, Rarity floated over a gold-colored belt. "Try adding this." She suggested. "Uh... okay." Pistachio shrugged. "I guess jeans do need a belt..." Pistachio awkwardly added the belt to the ensemble. "Wonderful." Rarity smiled. "Now, about the waistcoat..." "What about it?" Pistachio asked hesitantly. "It is quite dashing." Rarity admitted. "But it's missing a certain something. ...Ooh! Sequins!" "'Sequins'?" Pistachio gaped. "That's right!" Rarity used her magic to attach a few. "There! Captivating, no?" "Well, I..." Pistachio mumbled. "Now, about the shirt..." Rarity continued. Over the next ten minutes, Rarity added a number of extras to Pistachio's work. With each new addition, Pistachio patience worse thinner. "Okay, I think that's enough." He said fairly. "I think all this new stuff is covering up the 'down-to-earth' aesthetic you mentioned." "And that's a bad thing?" Rarity asked, only half paying attention as she tried to decide between two brooches. "Yes." Pistachio sighed. "Why can't we just away a few of these things, unclutter the outfit a little?" "I don't know." Rarity chose a brooch and added it on. "There is such a thing as too simple, you know?" "And what's wrong with simple?" Pistachio frowned. "Not wrong, per se." Rarity shrugged. She added a scarf to the mix. "But you need to make this really stand out. You don't want anypony to think you're just some hayseed." Rarity echoed Suri's words. "'Hayseed'?" Pistachio scowled, outraged. "Is that what you think I am?" "Of course not." Rarity said hastily. "But these Manehattenites are rather... Particular in their expectations. I'm just concerned-" "Concerned about what?" Pistachio glared. "That my design's not good enough? That I have no business being here? That I can't hold a candle to anypony else?" "That's not what I'm saying." Rarity shrank back a little, surprised by Pistachi's outburst. "I just meant that, with such fierce competition, you might need to add a little something extra to your design. That way, you'd really put Suri and her little protégé in their place!" "What makes you think I even care about that?" Pistachio scowled. "I came here to have some fun, and bring my design to life, not indulge in another pony's petty rivalry!" "Pistachio, I..." Rarity had no words. Hearing Pistachio sum things up like that had really hit the truth home for her. "I was just trying to help..." "Well, you can forget it." Pistachio turned away. "I have work to do, undoing this mess. Do me a favor and save your 'help' for somepony else." Rarity remained speechless. With nothing to say, she walked away, disgusted at herself. She made her way out of her boutique, wanting to be alone. Once outside, her guilty feelings dug up memories from the past; specifically, the time she had offered to make outfits for her friends, for their first Grand Galloping Gala. How they had been unimpressed with her initial work, and requested all sort of alterations. Even after all this time, Rarity still vividly remembered the frustration she had felt at how they had insisted on all sorts of changes to her original visions. '...And that's exactly the kind of frustration I inflicted on Pistachio.' She thought ruefully. 'I disregard his desires, and focused solely on my own...' Her regret gave way to a new feeling: the feeling that she needed to atone for her mistakes. 'I just hope it's not too late to fix things...' Rarity returned to the work area, finding that Pistachio was still busy removing what she had added to his work. "What do you want now?" Pistachio glared as she approached. "I'm sorry, Pistachio." Rarity apologized. "I was wrong. I let my history with Suri cloud my judgment. I should never have tried to meddle with your design. It's your creation, and you should be free to present it the way you want to. Because it was already perfect just the way it was before all my horrid additions." "You really think so?" Pistachio asked. "I know so." Rarity smiled, using her magic to remove the remaining "improvements" she'd added to the outfit. "Now, you get out there, and show the judges what a wonderful designer you truly are." "I sure will." Pistachio grinned. "Just gotta make a few last adjustments, and it'll be good to go." "Yes it will." Rarity smiled. Shortly after, the contest began in earnest. The stands were packed with spectators (Oak Nut and Butternut sitting up front), and Myra and her fellow judges were seated before the runway. "Welcome, ladies and gentleponies, to this year's Young Designers Contest!" Myra announced. "We received many applications, and chose those which stood out the most. But as we all know, nothing compares to real life. So we'll be seeing which of the selected designs will stand out most on the runway. The winning designer will be receiving this first place trophy." She held up a trophy with golden wings on the sides and the number 1 engraved on it. "So without further ado, let's get started!" The audience applauded with approval. "First up, we have a design from a native Manehattenite, Cross Stitch!" Myra read off the schedule. A model emerged onto the runway, decked out in Cross's dress. The gleaming accessories caught the eye of many ponies in the audience (although a few struggled not to be blinded by the gleam). Backstage, Cross was smugly admiring her work, an equally arrogant Suri standing beside her. "Look at all those rubes." Cross smirked. "They're mesmerized by my glorious outfit." "This contest is as good as won." Suri said confidently. Once the model had walked down the runway and back, the time came for the next outfit. "Next up, we have a design from a charming yong country colt: Pistachio!" Myra announced. "This is it." Pistachio muttered, as the model wearing his outfit headed for the runway. "I hope the crowd likes it..." "I'm sure they will." Rarity smiled. "Still, I think I'll be keeping my hooves crossed." Pistachio said nervously. The model stepped out onto the runway. Pistachio's design earned some admiring looks from the judges and the audience alike. "Oh, please." Suri said dismissively. "What kind of cheap design is that? It's even more pathetic than I imagined..." "What else can you expect from some hick pony from Nowheresville?" Cross scoffed. Rarity overheard Suri and Cross's cutting remarks. She glowered at them, but said nothing. 'We'll see who has the last laugh...' She frowned. The contest continued, with entrant's design being shown off in turn (to varied responses from the audience). Eventually, the time came for the judges to make their final decision. "Here we go." Pistachio cringed, on tenterhooks as the judges deliberated amongst themselves. "Crunch time..." "Whatever happens, you should be proud that you stuck to your own vision." Rarity comforted him. "Hoping can take that away from you." "Ugh, come on." Cross groaned. "How long will it possibly take for those idiot judges to see that my design was clearly the best?" "Now, now." Suri said calmly. "Be patient, my dear protégé. This is the moment you'll be savoring later..." The young designers received a signal from one of the stagehooves, indicating that the judges had reached their decision, and that it was time for the entrants to step out on stage, ready for the announcement. "Whatever happens, you should be proud of your work." Rarity whispered to Pistachio as he and the rest of the contestants made their way to the stage. "Good things come to those who wait." Suri told Cross. "And crushing all these losers is going to feel real good..." "No doubt." Cross sniggered darkly. Pistachio, Cross, and the rest of the contestants stepped out onto the runway, lining up side by side. "The judges have come to a decision." Myra declared. "Today, we saw a lot of impressive designs from many talented young designers. But there can only be one winner." Cross Stitch smirked widely, preparing to step forward and claim the trophy. "And that winner is... Pistachio!" Myra announced. The crowd went wild, cheering and stomping their hooves. Pistachio froze in place for a moment, jaw hanging open. "I won?" He gaped. "...I won! I won!" He cheered. Pistachio practically raced over to the judges' table ( passing by Cross, who was frozen in outraged disbelief), and accepted the trophy. "Thank you!" He gushed. "Thank you so much! I never imagined I'd actually win this, so... Wow!" "That's our boy!" Oak Nut called. "We're so proud of you, Pistachio!" Butternut whooped. Pistachio cringed a little under his parent's overenthusiastic outburst, but it was nowhere enough to diminish his joy. He raised up the trophy in triumph, heralding another hour of cheers from the audience. Backstage, Rarity was the first to congratulate Pistachio. "Well done!" She beamed. "I knew you could do it!" Not so far away, a less pleasant interaction was taking place. "I can't believe I lost!" Cross Stitch raged as she and Suri walked away. "This is all your fault, 'mentor'!" She snarled at Suri. "Why couldn't you have taught me something useful?!" "Don't you talk to me like that, protégé!" Suri shot back. "I'm not the one who lost to some country bumpkin!" "I only lost because of your bad advice!" Cross Stitch snarled. "It's no wonder you made me your protégé; because you couldn't get any glory by yourself!" "Why, you ungrateful brat!" Suri growled. "You were nothing before I gave you the benefit of my fashion genius!" "Yeah, right." Cross Stitch sneered. "All that 'genius' didn't benefit me today. It just made me a loser... Like you!" "How dare you!" Suri spat. "You pitiful excuse for a protégé!" "You second-rate seamstress!" Cross Stitch shot back. "Appalling apprentice!" Suri yelled. "Failed fashionista!" Cross Stitch retorted. The two kept arguing all the way out of the boutique. Meanwhile, Pistachio was still reveling in his victory. "Wow." He gazed at his trophy. "I still can't believe I won." "Believe it, darling." Rarity smiled. "You earned this, with your own talent, which you expressed in your own way." "That's our boy." Oak Nut said proudly. "Consider this your first step on the path to a great fashion career." Rarity declared. "And when the time comes, I would be honored to sell your designs in all my boutiques." "The honor would be all mine, Rarity." Pistachio beamed. "But I think that day is a little far off. I've still got a lot of work of ahead of me..." "You take all the time you need." Rarity assured him. "Believe me, you cannot rush success. So you just enjoy today's victory, and wait and see what tomorrow brings." "I will." Pistachio nodded. "Speaking of today, how about we celebrate Pistachio's win with dinner at a nice Manehattan restaurant?" Oak Nut suggested. "Good idea, honey." Butternut agreed. "But I think we need to recommend the best place. Rarity, could you help us?" "Of course." Rarity smiled. "I have just the establishment in mind. A wonderful little rooftop bistro that a few streets away..." Rarity led the family out of the boutique, proud at having once again played a part in aiding one of the designers of tomorrow. Especially since that designer was such a good friend.