Rarity's apprentice

by Digiquill

Exile

Rarity and Coco sat on the couch in the foyer of the Carousel Boutique, in between sips on hot tea Coco retold the events that brought her to Ponyville.

"After I made the dresses you designed for Hinny of the hills, the head of the props department was so impressed with my work that he gave me a job making the costumes for seven more plays, the job lasted a few months, until I decided to head off on my own and try to launch my own fashion carrier. I used the bits I earned from my job at the theater to purchase a small studio apartment, I started simple to begin with, hats and scarfs, those sold well enough for me to be able to support my self but just barely." She paused briefly to take a sip of her tea.
"So I decided to move on to dresses, I'd sewn lots of dresses, I'm a rather skilled seamstress, but I found it hard to get inspiration for original designs, I've always just followed a pattern that some other pony put in front of me. My early designers were plain, they sold but the critics weren't kind, they said my work was bland, and uninspired, clothes for the commoners, but they sold well enough and I was able to make a meager living. But that wasn't enough, I wanted to make it big, I was living in Manehattan after all. If you don't want to go to the top that's not really the place for you. So I tried fancier, more ambitious designs, the fabric was more expensive so I had to take out loans to afford the fabric, thinking I would just make the money back but...." She stopped and sat silently staring down at the cup of tea.

"The dresses didn't sell did they dear?" Rarity asked, leaning over and placing a gentle hoof on Coco's leg. Tears began to well up in Coco's eyes, she shut her eyes tight and turned her head, wiping away her tears with her hoof. Rarity offered her a handkerchief. She wiped away the remainder of her tears before continuing.

"No they didn't, the critics were relentless, it also didn't help that many were either friends with or payed off
by established designers. I fell into debt, the sales I did make were only enough to cover my living costs, the interest on the loans kept piling up. Then one day I heard a knock on my door, it was Suri, she said she forgave me for going against her orders, and she wanted to help me, she gave me some designs and said I could use them, I didn't know whether to trust her or not, but I didn't have a choice, I was in debt and my usual designs didn't sell for enough to cover my payments and my usual costs. So I made the dresses, and they were a big hit. They sold so well I was able to pay off my loans, and was actually looking into buying a penthouse. But as quickly as everything took a turn for the better, it all fell apart right on top of me."

"Let me guess, Suri" Rarity replied, a note of utter disgust permeated her voice. Coco nodded,

"I never should have trusted her. She presented designs identical to the ones she had given me and claimed I stole them." Coco was shaking with anger, as she struggled to keep her voice at an appropriate volume.

"Calm down dear, tell me exactly what happened," Rarity said, trying to get the young mare to focus on something other than her anger toward Suri.

"I was summoned to meet with the Manehattan fashion guild council, they asked me where I got the designs for my clothes from, so of course I told them Suri came to my apartment and gave them to me. I remember one of the guild board members saying to me, so you admit the designs are Suri's, a few days later I received word from the guild that my license as a seamstress had been repealed on the grounds of dishonest business practices. Without that license I can't legally work as a seamstress in Manehatten." Coco began to cry again as she placed her face between her hooves, "I never should have trusted her."

Rarity was fuming after hearing this, "WHY, THAT NO GOOD, MANIPULATING, EVIL LITTLE, I SWEAR IF I EVER GET MY HOOVES ON THAT SURI POLOMARE." Rarity paused briefly to compose herself before continuing. "We are going to fix this dear, I don't know how, but we will make this right, I promise we won't let Suri get away with this. " Coco looked up at Rarity, smiling as she wiped her eyes. "In the meantime you're more than welcome to stay here." Coco's face brightened up a little at hearing this.

"Great, maybe I could learn some things about dress design from you, I still feel like I may need a mentor, just not Suri." Rarity nodded smiling.

"That's just what I was thinking, Dear."

Comments

[SuperPinkBrony12]

So Coco said she got her designs from Suri and no one asked for Suri's side of the story? They just assumed Coco confessed to plagerism? Honestly how stupid are they? You would think that the fashion industry would not be one to make such assumpations. But I'm guessing Suri "convinced" the fashion board to look the other way during her dishonest practices.

[Digiquill]

3867116 it was implied by the maritime that Suri had already stated he case. Remember were it said Suri claimed Coco stole them? There's also another reason for the questionable judgement but I'll get to that later.

[Satto Kez]

yay new chapter!
your doing good so keep it up! cant wait for the next chapters!

[Shadow_Wolf]

I'm liking where this is going

[Digiquill]

Hey guys sorry for the absence. February is the month of my birthday so took a bit of a vacation. Then early this month Nightshade my proofreader and friend told me he was leaving the site so I've been hesitant to continue. However my cowardice isn't fare to you my fans so I will continue wrighting, updates will be quicker however there may be a slight decrease in spelling and punctuation. It's not easy being a Wright er with dysgraphia. Anyway Thank you for your patience.

[Blast]

But I'm guessing Suri "convinced" the fashion board to look the other way during her dishonest practices.

It is war.