Act V, Scene 6: ...It'll All Come Back to You
Coco Pommel’s life had become the best kind of blur. As she stared out into the city from the comfort of a twelfth-floor window, she couldn’t help but realize that what had seemed like a week had been an entire month. An entire month since fear had crossed into her heart, and since Mosely left her life forever.
Like an early spring after a long winter, the days seemed to melt away and flow together. She’d been a pony frozen in time, in the panic of the moment, and now she was finally free to blossom and to nurture her own little flower. The sentiment, however, was lost on the rose-colored mare sitting beside her, judging from the way she lowered her glasses to look at the costume designer.
Just another perfect little secret, she thought to herself, already realizing there were only four ponies in the world who would understand this feeling like she had. Maybe only one, for that matter.
After a few moments of looking out in disbelief, she finally acknowledged the other mare’s presence and flashed her an absentminded smile. For once, Coco didn’t feel any guilt at faking something like this.
“Did I space out again? Sorry. Where was I?”
The other pony just shook her head and smiled leisurely, as if staring out into space was a regular habit of Coco’s. As her companion opened her mouth yet again, she tuned out her speech and ran through the facts as if she’d woken from a long dream.
Coco had first entered this room, embellished with motivational posters and beaded chairs, two weeks ago. Twice a week, she’d take an early break from work to go to one of these seemingly pointless sessions, something she only really did for the sake of closure. Admittedly, without Scene’s constant badgering, she wouldn’t have ended up here in the first place, and she certainly wouldn’t have if Babs didn’t need as much psychological help as Coco did. Now, she spent at least two hours a week with Healing Heart, the overly-enthusiastic but well-meaning therapist, going over details of her life she would’ve rather left to the sands of time.
But there were three facts in her life now. The nightmare was over. She’d never have to go through anything alone anymore. The rest was up to her.
So if making things right again meant pouring her most vulnerable secrets onto a pony she barely even knew, she could take it. That was all it took for her to get through the final minutes of the session, straight onto the home exercises and applications.
And so she rattled on, giving a few more confessionals for the road. As she finally trotted out and plucked a lollipop from Healing Heart’s candy dish, she almost didn’t notice it.
Those few seconds, however, were all it took. Those few seconds of remembering what she’d fought for and how it’d fallen into place.
Just like she had in the courtroom, Coco looked out the window yet again and challenged herself to imagine all the eyes fixed on the sight in front of her. And as she walked away from it, just like she’d trotted away from so many other things, she knew that somepony else had saw. Babs shot her an intent stare the minute the two met up in the lobby, and Coco knew.
In Manehattan’s industrial district, a single wrecking ball was about to demolish the one place that’d started it all.
****
In a matter of hours, the factory would be no more. It was barely more than a specter of Manehattan’s past now, but by the time the sun rose again, its wandering spirit would finally find its death. Even in a city full of gossips and reporters, nopony could be bothered to give it a mourning glance.
Not even Babs Seed herself, the one pony who should’ve been the most overjoyed to see this come to pass. As she trotted towards the theatre, she shot a few glances at her mother’s particularly protective stance, but other than that, she simply took the atmosphere in like she always had. Similarly, Coco hadn’t exchanged any words with her since the session, pleasantries excluded.
“So…I’m guessing you saw it too,” Coco finally stated as the building became little more than a speck in the skyline. “It’s not exactly the best thing to bring up right now, but maybe they can finally make something better out of it. Either way, it’s just weird to think the next time we’ll pass by it, it’ll be gone.”
The nervous glance the costume designer gave told Babs everything she needed to know: that no matter what physical damage the factory went through, its curse would ripple through the area for years to come. But at least, like Mosely, it would only harm them in their thoughts now.
The filly replied with a grunt of recognition, forced herself to look at her own personal torture chamber one last time, and blew her mane out of her face. This time, though, she swore she could feel some of her demons releasing into the wind as they were swatted away like flies.
“It’s ‘bout time, though,” she muttered as soon as it was out of her line of sight. “I hadn’t been by these parts for so long, I figured it was gone already. It still being there didn’t even occur to me ‘til you brought it up before the trial. Speaking of that, you never did tell me how all that ended up.”
From the tiny shudders forming on her fur, Coco could tell that no matter how quickly the years had gone by, Babs was still far from comfortable acknowledging the things that’d happened to her in the abandoned factory. Even when Coco had started visiting her in the foster home, she’d refused to speak about the other atrocities that had to have happened to her when the older pony wasn’t around. But, just as her mother was about to give up hope on that front, Babs tilted her head yet again, this time towards the large skyscraper even farther in the distance.
That, above all, was why Coco still bothered airing out her worst secrets and talking about the darkest parts of her life. That one lingering hope that maybe, just maybe, she wasn’t the only pony she’d end up helping.
She gave Babs a tiny pat on the head, knowing without asking that she really was making a difference. Likewise, her filly nodded before she opened her mouth to ask if Scene’s idea had worked. As they trotted down the street, however, a curious look still crossed Babs’ face.
“I swear, nothing else happened,” Coco replied, allowing her voice to ease into a teasing tone. “Everypony brought their best game, the Spellshock writer’s really an insufferable snob who’s lucky we’re still using his manuscript, I’m still not sure if I can trust Torte Framboise, and I shut down an engagement before it was even put in the books. Business as usual for the two of us, pretty much.”
For the first time all day, Babs cracked a smile, and Coco couldn’t help but wonder if that would be something she’d see from her daughter more often. If this month was any indication, though, who knows what else could happen?
“You weren’t always like this,” Babs mocked right back. “Any other time, you’d be freakin’ out right ‘bout now.”
Coco gave her best performance and pretended to stiffen where she stood, looking out to the road beyond as if somepony suspicious could cross their path at any moment. At first, her companion didn’t realize what she was trying to pull, but as soon as she did, she pulled Coco’s hoof forward towards the little corner of Bridleway both of them now called a second home.
“But really, what could happen? Mosely’s out, Midsweet’s on her way, the Oranges are slowly getting whipped into shape—“
“Maybe next time it’ll be the government up against us!” Babs chimed in.
As the two crossed the endless array of theatres to reach their own, Coco couldn’t help but think about the times she’d almost left it behind. The times when she wasn’t strong enough to do anything else except go through the motions and live in fear. If Mosely would have won and everything would’ve been taken away from her, would she have become the same pony she was now?
“Then I’d just have to become a spy. If it means saving you again, anything would be worth it. But so far, there’s been no Oranges, no ex-directors out for revenge, no anonymous letters or anything. Just peace, for once.”
“Never thought I’d hear you say that. But I guess what I’m trying to say is, I know not everypony would go to all this trouble, and for a while, I wasn’t sure if you could. But I definitely like the way you’ve changed, Mama.”
Babs turned to flip her mane in a sweeping gesture that couldn’t differ more from the usual way she blew it out of her eyes. Even then, a slightly less energetic glance crossed her eyes, one that caused more worry than relief.
“I figure, if I can get somepony to be even better than before, maybe I’m not such a bad seed of misfortune or whatever.”
“If you were, then I’d have to be one too,” Coco replied, “because everything I did, you did a million times more.”
She squeezed Babs into a final hug before approaching the steps of the theatre, knowing this would be her last time entering it before the wrecking ball went down. She’d felt this way throughout the month, but she couldn’t help thinking that tomorrow would be a completely different era for everypony involved. It was then that she realized that she’d never answered Babs’ real question, or thought to consider the obvious.
“For the time being, I’m almost tempted to say…I don’t think we have anything to worry about.”
****
Sure enough, in Coco’s life, there was always something new to worry about. The very second she trotted through the theatre, she was greeted by one of the last ponies she wanted to see after airing out her past to everypony. Yet somehow, for once, the costume designer wasn’t actually intimidated.
Having your worst enemies work for you as your immediate inferiors tended to do that. Therefore, Coco’s feelings towards seeing Suri blocking her way to the auditorium were annoyed at worst and ambivalent at best. To her surprise, however, Babs’ emotions didn’t seem any worse than her own, but she still stood in front of the filly anyway. After all, she knew all too well how uncomfortable Babs still was with expressing her emotions sometimes, and it was probably best not to trigger too many bad memories anyway.
“Aren’t you supposed to get ready for the meeting?” Coco asked, staring straight into Suri’s eyes with an intensity that, honestly, shocked even herself. Stage meetings were never a huge deal, and this one didn’t start for another half hour, but if distracting Suri for that long meant getting a good chunk of today’s work done, Coco would take it.
Instead of obeying her boss’s orders, Suri just gave an annoyed scoff and brandished a strange letter none of the others had seen before. Their curiosity, however, only lasted for a scant few seconds before the pink earth pony felt the need to explain.
“Look, you’ve already stolen enough things in life from me,” she said, rolling her eyes. “But before you dare look at this, I’m going to let you know that you’re not stealing her, okay?!”
Coco could practically feel a question mark form above her head, and from the looks of it, just about everypony present felt the same way. Before, any time Suri yelled at her would’ve been cause for alarm, but all she could hear now was illegible gibberish. Gibberish that became slightly more legible when Coco got close enough to the letter to see the signature at the bottom.
A Pink Lady letter had to have been the absolute last thing she was expecting that day. However, as she snatched it from Suri’s grasp, she couldn’t help but notice that the hoofwriting was all too familiar and not at all like the Pink Lady she remembered. For one, from what little she’d been able to see of past anonymous letters, the penmanship on this one was immaculate and unimposing. And from there, she barely even had to read it to know why Suri felt the desire to snoop through her mail.
“For the last time,” Coco sighed, “Cameo is Babs’ biological mother. As Babs’ adoptive mother, the two of us have agreed that it’s best for us to maintain contact and share parenting duties. I understand that the two of you are good friends, but sometimes that may mean that I have to spend more time with her than you do.”
She felt tempted to mention that Suri had spent so much time mooning over Tangerine that she’d practically forgotten about Cameo in the first place, but held her tongue. Some things, it seemed, were too far below the belt for even the new Coco.
Still, she expected some sort of dignified response from Suri, especially in such a public setting. Even now, though, what Coco expected and what she got often diverged wildly.
“Didn’t you even read the thing?!” Suri retorted. “This is so much more than your ‘spending time together’ stuff! Either way, I’m done. I figure I should probably take the high road and leave you alone to your celebrations, but don’t think I’m not watching.”
She placed a cursory hoof to her eyes and pointed it straight in Coco’s direction before slinking into the theatre. Every step and gesture of hers was just as dramatic as before, and likely just as much so as it would always be.
“Ever get the feeling that even I’m more mature than she is?” Babs muttered as soon as she was out of earshot.
It took all Coco had not to drop the letter as she laughed, yet finally, she found her eyes shifting towards the text yet again.
Dear Coco,
I know it’s only been a month since we saw each other last, but it’s seemed like an eternity for me. I really have enjoyed my time with you and rekindling with a family I thought I’d lost for good. However, after the trial, I was put to work repairing a family I never thought I’d willingly join again: the Oranges. As you can imagine, doing so and operating a business in my spare time kept me out of the public eye for quite some time, but I can genuinely say we’re making progress here. I think you’ll see the next time you see them that, while the Oranges still have quite a bit of the nuisances you knew in them, there’s a bit more to them now as well. I have a feeling they’ll be even more motivated to change once another new Orange business moves into the community, as Valencia and I have been negotiating spaces for her new flower shop. Since she’s helping the new Orange leader adjust right now, she’ll probably be even busier than I was from now on, but she wants you to know that she’s slowly feeling better about her new life and moving forward every day. The new leader herself isn’t public knowledge yet, but I’ll let you know now that she’s somepony you know, she practically volunteered for the hardest position in all of Manehattan, and I’ve never been so proud of her.
On a happier note, I’m sure you’ve noticed the new development going into Manehattan’s industrial district. After the trial, several city politicians rallied to finally have the sorry place removed, and while I hope the ponies who suffered there will be remembered for everything they’re worth, I can understand if the city doesn’t wish to dwell on it. The last thing we need is to be remembered as the most corrupt place in Equestria, after all. Every time I saw that factory and how the Oranges used it for their wicked purposes, I’ll admit even I wanted to move to the farthest corners of Equestria. But, truth be told, I’m glad I didn’t.
What I am trying to tell you is that now that it’s gone, I feel as though I’m finally ready. I’ve already talked with Bambi, and the two of us feel it’s no longer necessary for our family to be so spread out. I would like nothing more than to live alongside the three of you for good, and now that the last physical traces of my pain have been removed, that’s about to come true very, very soon. The next time we see each other again, we won’t have to say goodbye anymore.
--Pink Lady Cameo Citrus
****
Even a half hour after receiving the news, Coco still felt as though she was about to burst. She’d even slipped up a few times when she told Babs about it, and the filly still swore she was more excited about the prospect of living with her new friend than about their family being united. Coco, however, barely saw a difference between the two ideas.
In her eyes, the line between friends and family had never been finer. It’d been one that’d practically blasted into smithereens during her darkest moments. And so, yet again, she felt as if nothing Equestria-shattering could ever happen to her.
For the second time that day, she couldn’t have been more wrong. As Scene addressed the crew, he said quite possibly the last words Coco had been expecting.
“Ladies and gentlecolts,” he enunciated, “after the enormous success of our benefit dinner, and with everypony in Equestria clamoring to see us after our successful trial, Silver Phoenix Productions and Spellshock are about to have their first tour!”
As he said this, he winked for all it was worth, playing up his performer side as far as it could go.
“And we are even happier to announce that we will be skipping Trottingham!”
Coco could practically hear crickets chirping, probably a result of hanging around the sound crew one too many times. Most ponies would never know, and would never feel the need to know, just how close she’d been to leaving Manehattan for good. Still, she felt the need to let out the biggest cheer she could muster, if only so the others knew it was meant as an inside joke between the two lovers. Though, personal drama considered, at least part of it was genuine, and at least part of her never wanted to step hoof in that city as long as she lived.
“We take off in a week, so I’ll make everything short so preparations can get under way. This is a mini-tour, so we’ll only be hitting seven cities in two weeks. And something that’s always been true for our tours, but that I feel deserves reiterating for our newest members—family is most certainly allowed onboard. Just one disclaimer, though: within reason. So unless a particularly generous pony decides to stock up on refreshments, ninety Apples can’t fit in our tour bus.”
Perhaps, within time, she’d grow to be offended by ponies making jokes about her absurdly large family, but for now, all Coco could do was laugh as Scene went on. Most of the things he spoke about were standard protocol, but she couldn’t help but snag on a particular detail.
One that, in the midst of controversy after controversy, she’d almost forgotten about altogether.
“For those of you who may be asking why we’re only covering seven cities, we at Silver Phoenix would like the second day to be a vacation day. Now more than ever, I know we all need it, and I know there’s one pony who’s been wanting to visit a particular place.”
He could’ve been referring to anypony, but Coco couldn’t help but remember the first time she’d stepped hoof in Ponyville, when Babs had been fantasizing about this very thing. To a pony who’d been chained to one city for so long, seeing anything other than a hard floor had to be an adventure. But even now, she could remember the one her daughter had latched onto more than anything else, and without thinking, her hoof shot into the air.
“Are we stopping in Canterlot?”
For just a few seconds, the silence was palpable and every bit as agonizing as any Coco had ever felt. Yet, just like everything else, every second had been worth it as soon as Scene opened his mouth.
“Well, we won’t be performing for the princesses. Not yet, at least. But there’s no way we could tour Equestria without seeing the capital at least once, right?”
In that moment, Coco couldn’t help but feel she’d been wrong about yet another thing. It wasn’t Scene’s confirmation that brought her so much joy, but the excited glint in Babs’ eyes. It was imagining the smile coming back onto her face after the trials she’d undergone, and the knowledge that, as her mother, Coco would never let Babs suffer again. That, in and of itself would always be enough to make sure all was well for good.
Their final dream had finally come true, together.
FINAL CURTAIN
~end of Act Five~
~end of Book One~
For a coherent Author's Note, please check the Postscript on my blog in a few hours. Right now, the author is too emotional to respond.
I really, really can't believe I did this. Know that together, you made my dream come true, too. 
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And so a fantastic story comes to a close. This was an absolute pleasure to read, and I'd love to see the occasional one-shot follow-up or something if you feel like it's a possibility.
8587067
I'm glad you enjoyed it so much! I'm going to write a lower-key oneshot series involving this called If You Have a Little Hope, so stay tuned!
I also have an idea for a Scene/Coco fanchild, but I still don't know if I want them to have kids or prioritize Babs. But the idea behind him is really cool: his name is Blue Blazes (for now at least), and he's a unicorn who uses lasers in performances. If you've seen dance teams on America's Got Talent with light-up costumes, that's what he does.
8589059
Oh I always love those acts. And with that in mind, you've earned yourself a new follower. I gotta stick around, after all.
And I'd say prioritize Babs first. Short-term stuff, then you can show off Scene and Coco's eventual really cool son
>> 250,932 words
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...I have a great deal of catching up to do...
8627231
Then I hope I can provide you with the optimal experience to catch up on!
8833312
! I can't wait to see how the rest of the story goes
! And when I'm done, I'll certainly be checking out the Sequels
!
Oh I'm enjoying it alright
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Very nice touch
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!
Nice one
Yes, yes it did...and it's about time too!
Well done, Quill
. This was truly a beautiful story with love, drama, and tension all over the place! I enjoyed every single apart of this and I have to say that it's one of the best Fimfiction stories that I have ever read
! You truly are an amazing author, yes you are
!
8841520
I’m glad to hear all of that, and especially glad to hear it’s one of your site favorites! This was a three-and-a-half year labor of love for me, so I’m always flattered to hear how people are affected by it.
I just released a bit of a lower-key sequel for it called If You Have a Little Hope, so if you want to see more from me, please check it out! Thanks for all your support!
I had to work on this one for a while. In the words of Timon and Pumba, "Slimy, yet satisfying."
8846326
! Gotta wear them shades
!
Eeyup
8846881
Those are the best kind of references though.
This was sweet, deeper than I expected, and was a great fill in on mysterious backgrounds of two great characters.
9265149
Thank you! I’m glad to hear that you enjoyed it!
PaulAsaran’s going to review it this November, so honestly, you caught me at just the right time! I was feeling a little nervous about this story, so you really helped.
I don't like reading long stories. But I'll make an exception for this one. This is the best story I've ever read. Great job!
9268751
That’s amazing to hear! I assume you’ve finished it?
9268893
Actually I just started reading it and I'm already hooked up on it.
9270280
Cool. Hope you keep enjoying it!
You can has review!
Just finished reading it. It's awesome! Best fanfic I ever read, after Past Sins! Fav!
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Quillamore.exe is not functioning. Cause: extreme compliment-induced ecstasy.
9352999
XD
9352999
Hmm. Past Sins, huh? High praise. I'm adding this to my read-it-soon list.
Well, not what I was expecting when I first marked this for imminent reading. But the occasional criticism as I read through aside, not bad, Quillamore. Not bad at all.
Interesting story, but which characters are involved with romance in this fic?
10385391
Scene and Coco were teased some. I admit it may not be my best shipping work.
I am so glad I found this story amongst the chaos that is Fimfiction. A fantastic story that really played with my emotions.
11339293
I'm glad you found it! I've largely retired from fic to work on my own novel-in-progress Imperfect Storm, but I'm still really proud of this story and I'm always happy to see that people are still reading it!