//------------------------------// // La Vie est une Passerelle // Story: Filetages Fatidique et Fleurs de Soie // by Indulgence //------------------------------// The space was in chaos, its infectious commotion fuelled by a mixed noise of colour and sound. This backstage world, although relatively small in comparison to those of a great many other shows, was nonetheless crammed with ponies, a couple of clothing racks and a rank of dressing tables, its curtained walls acting to hide this organised insanity from those outside of it. Models in pairs psyched themselves up before a corridor of similar fabric, departing in theatrical strides only to return minutes later, prompting others to move out in their place. Practiced clothing swaps were hurried through, then minor changes were made to accenting makeup and all was checked and perfected, the blur of motion remaining nigh constant throughout. Central though she was in this in this inevitable mess, Fleur remained in a bubble of her own serenity, totally at ease in the face of all that surrounded her. She was both at home in and well versed in the ways of this realm, which to any outsider was a daunting scene at the very least. Initially having felt guilty for her light burden of but a single outfit (spectacular though it was) in contrast to her fellow models, she had settled into a supportive role, working alongside Roxie and helping elsewhere where she could. As much a veteran of these things as anypony else there, more so in some cases, she moved effortlessly, lending a hoof as and when required. At the moment she was concluding her work on Corral’s mane, bidding the always excitable mare a swift ‘good luck’ as she skipped away to do a second turn on the runway before the unseen audience. Now finding herself in a lull, Fleur sat herself in the previously occupied chair, one of several in a row in front of tables and mirrors. A white unicorn looked back at her from the glass, not plain but unadorned, bared to the world in her fur yet not uncomfortable in it. Her gaze immediately moved on from herself, searching the reflected space behind her and instantly discovering what she sought: the beautiful pale brown earth mare who was the architect of all of this and so much more. Coco was as much a mass of frantic movement as all others present, checking and rechecking every item before they flew out to have judgement passed over them. The designer was obviously in her element, delight radiating from her surrounded by her creations brought to life, a fact that caused no small amount of happiness to her unicorn viewer, making every bit of effort spent (even that in conversation with Hoity Toity) infinitely worth it. Coco nodded Opulence away, a satisfied look on her face, brushing away a cyan strand of mane which had fallen across her perfect visage and turning as she did so in Fleur’s direction. Their eyes met through the continued tumult of the room, Coco’s un-shying in their gaze, glittering with one another’s light. Fleur winked then blew a small kiss, enjoying the blush it caused but appreciating it more when the act was reciprocated her way with a warm smile. ‘Save it Fleur.’ The unicorn turned to the left in the voice’s direction, fixing its source with a glare, although a degree of embarrassment in being called out prevented it from full seriousness. ‘After the show the pair of you can get a room’ Roxie continued, grinning broadly. ‘Until then save it, you two are way too cutesy and it's throwing off my concentration.’ ‘It’s true’ Amethyst concurred, being the light blue makeup artist’s present client and mirroring her on the cusp of laughter. ‘The both of you look like a couple of love-struck fillies.’ ‘Quiet’ Fleur shushed them, sharing in their smiles but bringing a forehoof to her lips. ‘I really don’t want us to become a thing of gossip. Corral for example would make a big thing of it and I don’t want anything to poison this.’ ‘I take your point, but if that’s the case you might want to be a little less obvious’ Roxie answered. ‘Just a suggestion.’ ‘You two seem perfect together’ Amethyst added quietly, again under the attentions of an eyeliner brush, ‘it shouldn’t matter what the world thinks.’ Before Fleur could make a reply, a new voice, Sky’s, silenced her: ‘Fleur?’ ‘What’s up?’ she questioned, turning to the approaching pegasus on her right, just in from the catwalk. ‘How’s the show going?’ ‘Oh, it’s all good, hard to judge obviously but what response we’re getting is great! It’s just…’ ‘What?’ ‘Well, I thought you should know but now I’m not so sure…’ He rubbed the back of his neck with a forehoof as he trailed off, wincing and looking awkward. ‘Well you’ve started now you tool, so you better finish’ Roxie interjected with a smirk. Sky hit back with a light-hearted glare of his own. ‘Well it’s just I spotted your parents in the crowd and I know for a fact that you wouldn’t have invited them.’ Buck! ‘What? How?’ Fleur at once felt a knot roll itself in her guts. At the very least it was silly, she was by no means a little filly like such foalish thoughts suggested and their being at a show in which she performed was not a new occurrence, but nonetheless this unwanted development set her on edge. It was not their presence alone which caused this, rather what it represented, her coming to Manehattan now an infinity ago being to escape from and in search of something more than her Canterlottian existence. Their attendance made it seem like her past was pursuing her, trying to pull her back. She was left frozen in place, suddenly made aware of the fresh disapproval her most recent decisions would likely elicit, whilst at the same time the concept of stepping onto the catwalk became like a surrender. ‘I don’t know, maybe somepony said something or they heard about this on the grapevine, but they’re here.’ Sky looked apologetic as he made the confirmation. Buck, buck and a bit more buck! ‘What’s up?’ Coco’s caring voice appeared on the scene, the mare herself materialising next to Fleur with a concerned expression on her face. A chorus of speakers answered in place of the muted unicorn, feeling embarrassed as the petty source of her apprehension was explained by others. Not skipping a beat for thought and unmoving from Fleur’s side, Coco’s face was merely one of understanding. ‘It’s okay; I already told you that I didn’t want you doing anything that you didn’t want to.’ The shorter mare nuzzled the seated unicorn’s neck as she spoke, whispering: ‘it’s their loss; I already know how beautiful you are.’ ‘It shouldn’t matter’ Amethyst said as she left for the long stage, not muttering but still only just audible, the words' quietness leaving doubts as to their reality. ‘Why does it matter?’ Fleur’s thoughts asked, as she looked at her mirror image, sitting amongst friends but more importantly with a brilliant and caring mare snuggling affectionately against her, whom she was both loved by and loved in return. She stood up, planting a kiss on Coco’s cheek and hovering the white taffeta dress from its rail. --- Coco peaked around the corner of the folds of the curtained corridor, snatching a look at the show as it reached its finale. Although it was her clothes on the catwalk she was no choreographer, making its content as much a surprise to her as it was to the audience. Her fellow viewers like her were also hidden, sat in shadowy rows beyond the bright lights of the catwalk. Their features becoming indistinct in the darkness, they looked like the outlines or spectres of ponies, silent against the rhythm guiding those they watched. Their eyes occasionally flared with captured light, but remained black as they stared, considered and judged. Normally all this would have sparked her inner voice, always ready to express her doubts, but right now she continued to ride her personal high, silencing its critical eloquence. The sources of this happiness all stood in motion on the catwalk. Her designs, weeks before merely being sketched lines in grey pencil, were now in colour and life, transformed from internal thought to reality. All the pieces flowed like the rainbow-coloured rivers which cascaded from the edges of Cloudsdale, ethereal and yet tangible, leaving Coco with a sense of accomplishment settled comfortably within her. Her creations however were at this moment less than secondary in her mind, mostly in the way of what she was really watching. A wave of white occasionally broke through the more tonally diverse swell, immediately drawing her eyes in pursuit. Coco’s gaze continued to pounce on every glimpse, tracking the object of her attentions unceasingly, until finally it came through the crowd in full view. Fleur was beautiful, no other word quite reaching the heights of the unicorn’s splendour, as she strode confidently with the rest, seemingly unaware of the shaded jury beyond her oasis of light. Fleur reached the catwalk’s end, striking a pose loaded with a degree of suggestion, which caused Coco’s heart to kick up its tempo a few notches, before spinning round to continue her strutting hoofsteps, now against the tide. Their eyes met through a storm surge of burning colour, ignoring all competitors for their joint focus, Coco watching a spark ignite in the depths of the purple irises she happily lost herself in. This time it was her turn to make a move in winking, Fleur letting her stage mask fall to return it and both continued staring into the warmth of one another’s smiles. Then in a final flourish it was over, the tide reversing to flow back whence it came, bringing a score of wearied models returning to the cave of backstage. At once Coco was subsumed in a sea of praise and congratulatory hooves. ‘We did it!’ Fleur’s voice was a beacon guiding her through all others, pulling her forward until the two mares fell into a hug. ‘Congrats!’ ‘Thank you’ Coco managed, overwhelmed by the sudden, collective and all-encompassing release of breath going round the whole room. ‘Time to take a bow’ Fleur smiled nodding back towards the catwalk. ‘Erm…’ ‘Come on, you’re not going to stay hidden back here, this is your victory’ Fleur insisted, pulling against the designer’s hesitation. ‘Victory?’ Coco queried, not wholly enamoured with the idea of her stage debut and therefore deflecting. ‘Yes, victory.’ ‘Thank you again, this has all been fantastic, but victory?’ ‘Yes! Out there you’ve got Prim Hemline, Hoity Toity and a whole bunch of other big names. That was the point of this: making a splash and with them in attendance everpony is going to take notice. Although it would be nice, it was never about their approval, 'cause take it from me they’re tasteless, but rather getting it so your talent could speak for itself, getting your designs through the door which tends to be made pretty impregnable. So yes, victory!’ ‘Thank you’ Coco repeated hugging Fleur all the tighter, whilst at the same time realising the height of the unicorn’s capacity for manipulation. ‘Remind me never to piss you off’ she giggled. ‘Unlikely’ Fleur concluded definitively, nuzzling lovingly into the smaller mare’s mane, leaving Coco feeling completely surrounded by her soft embrace. ‘Now, come on.’