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// 9 - Sassy Retort 
// Story: Born Under Silver Moon Light 
// by David Silver 
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Crescent wandered the streets of Canterlot, enjoying the warmth of the sun above, the cool clack of the cobbles beneath her hooves, and the excited murmur of the city's ponies. It was a lively day, and she was prepared to live it. But there was a new store. She had just started to get used to where buildings were on that road, and that one surprised her.

She looked over the sign. "Canterlot Boutique." She could see a few ponyquins in the front window, each dressed in a different array of a dress and full outfit, including some that looked more suited for stallions. Crescent burst into giggles, looking at them all and decided to pay the shop a visit to see what might be lurking within it beyond what she could see from the front.

A bell rang gently as she passed throught the door. "One moment!" called out further inside. Crescent had a few moments to marvel at the staggeringly wide variety of clothes there were in almost every direction. "How can--" The mare that was speaking trailed off a moment. "Where are your parents?"

Crescent turned to face that mare, pointing at herself. "I'm Crescent, Luna's child. You have pretty clothes here. Do you have any that would fit me?" Most of them were made for adult ponies, making them quite a bit too large for her small filly frame.

"I'm Sassy Saddles." She had said that instictively. "And we don't carry a lot of foal's wear,  I admit. Miss Rarity, my boss, largely focuses on adult outfits, at least that's what she sends to me. I'm terribly sorry, but we will have to put a pin on that idea for now."

Crescent deflated a little at that, her ears falling, and her wings drooping. "Oh. Well, I'm sure Mama will make me a new dress soon. I'm running out of the ones she's made me." She smiled again, turning around. "I'll see you later!"

Sassy watched the little filly go. "We can't let her leave empty hooved." She trotted after Crescent, catching her at the door. "Wait! We have other things, like hair ribbons, and accessories."

Crescent rebounded into a big smile, tail wagging excitedly behind her. "Oh, I would love to see that." She followed Sassy back into the boutique. She saw other adults busily sifting through outfits, but kept up with Sassy until they arrived at the accessories.

Ribbons, broaches, and even a small selection of jewelry were there, waiting to be tried. Crescent gasped with delight and hurried forward to begin trying them on. "This is lovely! Thank you very much, Miss Saddles."

"Sassy, please." She chuckled, watching the little filly try on ribbons and jewelry, smiling at the display. "I'm glad you're enjoying yourself."

"I am!" Crescent nodded firmly. "Mama would like this. She likes to decorate her mane, even if it decorates itself." She looked at the different colors of ribbon, picking a purple one. "I'll take this one. And..." She looked at the bracelets, seeing a silver one. "That one, and..."

Crescent spotted a hat and burst into giggles, for it was far too large, both for herself and in general, as far as she could see. That meant she had to try it on. Grabbing it with her glowing magic, she lowered it onto her head and everything vanished as it covered her eyes and the rest of her head. "How does it look?" Not that she could see anypony that cared to respond.

Sassy reached down to remove the hat, holding it in her own magic. "Adorable, but perhaps not the best fit." She floated it back to its place. "Now, how about we settle up so you can be on your way, hm?"

Crescent bounced a little, nodding eagerly. "Yes, please!" She trotted along behind Sassy to the counter, watching her work, and took her bag of bits from her saddlebags. "Thank you for letting me visit. I'll be back, I think."

"I hope you will." Sassy smiled at the little filly. "I'm sure Rarity would love to meet you."

"I'd like to meet her too!" Crescent waved as she trotted out of the shop, and Sassy waved back, smiling as she watched the little filly go.

Crescent hummed happily to herself as she walked down the road, happy to have a new ribbon and bracelet, and that she had visited a new store. It had been such a nice visit, she returned a few days later. Sassy heard the door jingle. "Be right--" She paused in her steps, spotting her small customer had returned. "Crescent, was it not?"

"Yep!" Crescent beamed up at Sassy. "You are tall. Not quite as tall as mama, but pretty tall." Her tone was complimenting as she turned her eyes around. "Did you get any foal's clothes?"

"Not yet." Sassy chuckled, amused by the little filly's boundless enthusiasm and energy. "I'll be sure to let you know if I do." She smiled, reaching down to stroke the little filly's mane. "But what brings you back today, hm?"

"I wanted to see if you had any more accessories." Crescent followed Sassy deeper into the shop. "I don't have a lot, and I can't just wear the same things all the time."

Sassy led her back to the collection Crescent had viewed the other day. There were mild changes as some new pieces had arrived and old ones vanished. "Miss Rarity is a bottomless font of inspiration and creativity. One thing you can look forward to in this store is that each time, you will see different things."

Crescent clapped her hooves with appreciation. "I like that! A lot of stores stay mostly the same." She advanced to a collection of masks, each one covering the face, though not always entirely. They were made for a ball, and they captured Crescent's attention. Most were far too large for her, but she tried many on anyway, giggling as she looked at herself in a mirror hung up nearby.

Sassy had been busy when she saw the little filly with the masks, and was not certain she would approve, but the giggles of delight were a good sign. "I see you've found the masks. I had thought they would be a nice addition."

"They are." Crescent pointed at the one she had on. "This one's my favorite. It's like the night sky." She lifted it off, looking at the one beside it. "Oh, this one's like a bird's face."

Sassy smiled gently at the child's sincere adoration of the masks. "Most ponies get those for specific kinds of parties. Do you like parties?"

"Sometimes." Crescent put the mask back, considering the question a moment. "They can be fun, and Mama throws the best parties. I'm not allowed to go to them, but I hear about them. I get to have a party, just for me, on the summer solstice."

"Well, that's a wonderful occasion." Sassy gestured for Crescent to follow her. "I have something else I think you'll like." She led the filly to a rack of hairclips.

"Ooo!" Crescent jumped ahead as her magic snatched up a bright pink one and clipped it into her blue mane without a moment of delay. She rushed then for the nearest mirror to examine herself. "I love it! It's great! And you have so many of them." She cycled her hooves in the air as if she would be in a gallop if she lowered them.

"I'm glad you like them." Sassy was genuinely pleased to see the filly enjoying herself, and that she was a willing customer. "You can try on as many as you like."

"I want to!" Crescent grabbed another one and rushed back to the mirror. "Look at this one, Sassy." She showed the light green one, smiling brightly.

"It's a very nice one." Sassy nodded her approval, chuckling softly. "I think you have a good eye for these."

Crescent was a ball of giggles as she tried one after the other, sometimes multiple at a time, seeking what would look best in her mane and along her little tail.

Sassy got curious, sitting over Crescent as she worked. "Your parents must be quite loving, allowing you to wander in here and spend bits so casually."

"She loves me a lot." Crescent put the ribbons she had decided on firmly into her bag for the moment. "And I love her even harder." She turned to Sassy. "You know Luna, don't you? She's a princess!"

Sassy blinked, that clicking together. "Oh, silly me, of course. Sister of Princess Celestia, isn't she?"

"That's her!" Crescent bounced in place in one firm motion. "But she's more than a sister. She is the ruler of the night, protector of dreams, mover of the moon!"

"Is that so?" Sassy smiled a little, watching the filly bounce about with pride in her mother. "She sounds quite the mare."

"She is!" Crescent bounced in place a little, feeling a little embarrassed, but she couldn't help it. "She's a good mama. She cares about me a lot."

"I can tell." Sassy gestured to the small collection of ribbons and clips Crescent had picked out. "Now, shall we ring you up, or do you have more shopping to do?"

Crescent looked thoughtful a moment. "I would like to know more about you."

Sassy recoiled in surprise. "Me? I'm just a cashiermare here, working for Miss Rarity. Nothing special, I assure."

"That's not true." Crescent waved the idea way. "You've been very nice to me, and we're almost friends. I'd like to finish being friends, so tell me about you." She pointed to herself, then to Sassy. "I'm having a lot of fun visiting you."

Sassy had to chuckle at the insistent little filly. "Well, alright. If you insist." She took a seat, gesturing for Crescent to join her. "I am originally from Manehattan. I have a family, a brother, and a sister. I have a mother and father. I like fashion, and I like helping others. Does that sound like a good start?"

"Yes." Crescent smiled up at Sassy. "Thank you. I'm Crescent, but you know that. I help Mama Luna with her dream patrols and put smiles on pony's faces. Those are my jobs!"

"Very good jobs for a little filly to have." Sassy gently ruffled the top of Crescent, avoiding the mane clip she had kept in there. "I imagine you take them quite seriously."

"I do!" Crescent bobbed her head firmly, feeling the hoof on her head, and not disliking it. "You're a good pony. I'm happy to be your friend."

"Thank you." Sassy pulled her hoof away. "I'm happy to have met you." She stood up, offering a hoof to Crescent. "Shall we settle up so you can be on your way?"

Crescent considered with a frown, her first of the day. "What do you like to do when you're not working?"

Sassy started at the question. "You are a nosey little filly." She looked unsure if she should be amused or annoyed. "I love a good philharmonic performance." She nodded, mind filled with the sounds of a full band playing classical pieces. "I quite enjoy a good book; say a romance or a mystery, either gets the blood flowing."

Crescent looked unsure. "I'm a little young for romance. I understand, in here, what it's about." She tapped at her head. "But I don't in here." She tapped her chest. "Mysteries are fun! I like reading books that teach me things most of all though."

"A studious little filly." Sassy chuckled, amused by the sight of the small filly's eager expression. "Perhaps you and I will have to trade recommendations."

"I'd like that!" Crescent followed Sassy to the counter. "I've got a lot of books, and I'm always looking for new ones. Mama's library is big, but a helping pointer may get me in the right direction."

"I can imagine." Sassy's magic glowed around Crescent's bag. "Want me to bring this up to the front for you?"

Crescent followed Sassy to the front to pay her bits and get her things. "This has been fun. I'll stop by again." The two shared a wave as she headed out.