Scrap Basket

by Macgyver644200

Selecting a Patch

“Drgh!”

A young Suri Polomare threw the cloth against the living room wall and groaned, head in her hooves. Her mother walked in. “Is there a problem?” she asked.

Suri didn’t look up. “I used the wrong color accents,” Suri said. “Crimson would’ve looked so much better.”

Suri’s mother chuckled. “Oh, is that it?” She picked up Suri’s project and sat to feel it in her hooves. “It feels wonderful,” she said. “I don’t think she’ll mind your using cinnamon instead of crimson.”

“Well, I’ll mind,” Suri muttered.

Suri felt her mother patting her head. “And it’s great that you do,” she said. “That means you’re trying to make something better next time. However, it’s also important to know when it’s time to let things be and work on the next thing.” She chuckled, then pulled Suri into a hug. “She’ll love it. I promise.”

Suri frowned into her mother’s swollen belly. Then, however, she turned around and hugged her mother back. “If you say so,” she said.

Suri felt her little sister kick her on the nose. “You see that?” Suri’s mother asked as she rubbed her belly. “She likes it.”

Suri smiled. “Unless she’s really a boy. Then it’s going to be the wrong color.”

Suri’s mother tutted. “You and your father have got to learn to stop doubting me.” She got up on her hooves. “Well, it’s about time to light the Advent wreath.”

“Oh!” Suri exclaimed. “Can I do it?”

Suri’s mother smiled. “Of course.”

She moved to the side to let Suri pass. Suri walked over to the fireplace to grab the brass candle lighter and light it in the fire. Then she walked over to the window, hopping up.

The wreath was gone. In its place was a receipt.

Suri woke up, not in a fit, but gently. She looked up at the clock: it was only two in the morning. Suri pulled the cover back over herself, but she couldn’t get back to sleep. Thus, she stared at the darkened living room. At all of the decorations. At all of Coco’s decorations.

<<***>>

“Well, here we are.”

Suri looked up at the building in the morning light. It was a largish, light-grey building with a dome on the top, and it looked like it had never been very ornate. It looked clean, though not very well lit. Suri frowned at the sign: The House of Tomorrow. “This is the place?” she asked. “From what I heard, you worked somewhere else.”

“My last job was only temporary,” Coco said. “After that, though, I found a permanent job here. Come on.”

Coco produced a key and the two entered the front doors. The lobby was in the front of a curved hallway that extended both ways. “Have you ever been here before?” Coco asked.

Suri shook her head. “Never even heard of it.”

Coco walked to the door next to the ticket office. “I’ve known about it my whole life, and I’ve even been here once or twice.” Coco pushed the door open. “After you.”

Suri walked through the door. Past it was what seemed to be an enormous, darkened amphitheater, with stairs running up even over the exits. The stage was down in the center, surrounded by a small pit that was decorated with little ornate fountains. Overhead were multiple catwalks culminating in a small platform.

“This used to be an outdoor theater,” Coco said. “One of the first revolving stages ever constructed. It was originally an outdoor theater, and those fountains would serve as the curtain. Unfortunately, due to the war, it was shut down because of costs.”

“And then my father bought it,” said a rough but chipper voice.

Suri and Coco turned. One of the exits had a griffon standing in it. He smiled at them and began walking down the aisle. “He made a few alterations, such as enclosing the stage to make a theater in the round, but the building reopened. That was fifty years ago, and we continue to stage plays, comedy, magicians, anything that can entertain or amaze.”

The griffon stopped in front of them. His eyes and fur were gold in color, and in the light from outside, Suri could make out several grey hairs in his mane. “I take it you’re Suri. My name’s Grant.”

Grant extended his talon and Suri uncertainly shook it. “Pleased to meet you,” she said.

“Coco said you were good at sewing and finding good bargains.”

Suri frowned. “I’ll do my best, sir.”

Grant waved his talon. “Oh, you don’t have to call me sir. Just Grant is fine. And don’t worry, if Coco’s OK with you, so am I.”

“…thanks.”

“Ah, Coco?” Grant turned to face her. “Your props are ready. The last pots just came in yesterday.”

“Good!” Coco turned to Suri. “I’ve got to check on the props, but we’re about to have a meeting. Do you want to wait here and meet the rest of the crew?”

Suri’s frown deepened a little, but Coco’s glare stopped that. Suri nodded. “Yeah, I suppose.”

“Excellent,” Grant said. “I think…” Grant looked up in the rafters. “HEY GAR, YOU UP THERE?”

The two ponies leapt away from a sudden BANG. In one of the seats was a scrawny, tabby colored griffon. He casually stepped off of the chair and strolled into the aisle. “Here, boss,” he said dispassionately, with a voice much like wind chimes.

Grant motioned to Suri. “This is Suri,” he said. “Would you mind introducing her to the other members of the production team? Coco and I have to look over the new props.”

Gar nodded. “Will do, boss.”

“Good.”

Coco moved forward. “Suri, this is Gar,” she said. “He paints the sets and the props.”

Suri put her hoof forward. “Pleasure.”

Gar just looked at it. Eventually, Suri put her hoof back down. “Don’t worry about him,” Grant said. “You’ll get used to it. Ready, Coco?”

Coco nodded, then turned back to Suri. “I’ll see you in a few minutes.”

Grant and Suri turned out of the theater and walked into the front of house. Suri watched after them for several seconds, then turned away with a grumble. “New props, right,” she grumbled. Then she turned to Gar. “So, I guess we’ll be working together.”

“Guess so,” he replied in the same gentle monotone.

Then he said nothing. For several seconds, neither did Suri. “So, I hear you do props,” she said.

“I do.”

Silence. “How is that?” Suri prompted.

“Very relaxing.”

Suri stared at him for a moment. “…so, anything interesting going on in your life?” she asked.

Gar shrugged. “I had chicken for dinner last night.”

“...I guess that's a no.” She looked out into the theater. “Is somepony gonna’ turn on the lights soon?” she asked.

“I GOT IT!”

All of a sudden, the lights started flickering on from random wings. Five seconds later, the whole theater was brightly lit. “Oh, drat,” the female voice noted. “Looks like I’m gonna’ have to work on the wiring again.”

A light green pegasus, all covered in soot, fluttered down out of the catwalks. On her back was a harness. As she came down, she smiled at Suri. “Sorry about the wait,” she chirped. “I guess I still got pregnancy brain. You’d think it’da gone away by now.”

Suri noticed that the harness on her back held a little blue foal. “Yeah, sometimes that can go on a while,” she noted.

The pony’s eyes widened. “Oh! You have kids of your own?”

Suri started. “Oh, no! Just my little sister. So, you’re…”

The pony grinned. “Candelia! You can just call me Candy. I do all the lighting and the electrical stuff.” She pulled off her harness. “And this is Lumen! He does adorable stuff to keep his Mommy entertained.”

Suri looked at the little blue colt. He was, in fact, adorable, even though Suri kept out of his hooves’ reach. “Hi,” she said.

Candy slipped Lumen back onto her back. “So you’re Coco’s old mentor?” she asked. “She hasn’t talked about you a lot.”

Suri’s frown set deeper. “Can’t imagine why,” she muttered.

Candy stared at her for a moment. “What’s that for?”

Suri blinked at her. “What? I mean, what did she say about me?”

“She said you taught her a lot of useful stuff and used to treat her to pizza.” Candy put a hoof up to her mouth. “Though whenever I asked why she left, she just said that part of her life was closed and changed the subject.” Her eyes widened. “You didn’t have a bad brea-“

Suri silenced her with a raised hoof. “I’m not that kind of mentor,” she hissed. “All I did was teach, m’kay?”

Candy recoiled. “OK. You get asked that a lot?”

Suri frowned as she caught herself. “Only once,” Suri told her in a much gentler tone. “I made sure of that.”

“-first thing you see is a dead body.”

Suri’s eyebrows rose as she turned around. Standing behind her was a bluish-black dragon that filled the exit. He stared at her for a moment, then smiled. “Sorry about that,” he said. “I was just practicing my... y’know, I’ve never seen you before.”

“I just started,” Suri told him.

“Oh? Well, pleased to meet you. My name’s Agate.”

He offered his claw and Suri shook it. “I’m Suri.”

He stopped for a moment, putting a claw on his head and drumming his claws. Eventually, he shrugged. “Sorry, thought I’d heard the name.

"Your brain appears to be catching, Candy," Gar remarked.

So, what is it you’ll be doing here?” Agate asked, a little more pointedly.

Suri took a moment to answer. “I’m Coco’s new assistant.”

“Not your ideal field of work, huh? Don’t worry,” he said when Suri moved to clarify, “I’m doing this to pay the bills, too. I’m the guy in charge of props, finding them, making them, all that stuff. And don’t get me wrong, it’s not a bad job, and I really like who I work with, but I really want to be an actor.”

Suri nodded. “Well, I hope you get a part soon.”

“He just might.”

Suri turned around. To her lack of surprise, Grant was standing there with Coco, Grant holding a large pad of paper and an easel. “Alright, everybody onto the stage, this meeting is now in session.”

Everyone walked down to the stage. Several other ponies entered the theater from the other exits, and everyone gathered in a circle. Grant walked through the others, standing in the center. “Alright folks,” he said to everyone. “Good news: our current production is already in the black.”

A ring of applause circled around the workers. “Yes,” Grant continued. “Yes. Well done, everyone. I’d especially like to thank Glissando,” he motioned to a grey unicorn with a conductor’s baton on his flank, “his work in the orchestra pit won us some good praise. And, of course, we can also thank the good publicity from everyone’s volunteer work.”

Suri noticed Grant looking at Coco when he said that, as well as Coco’s blush.

“Since our current play’s doing so well,” Grant continued, “I think it’s a good time to take risks. Shoenfeld’s production of The Blue Bird did really well last season, and my own asking around shows that there are a bunch of ponies who’d be interested in seeing a version of that a little cheaper.”

Grant set up the easel and pad of paper. “Since we’re obviously going to have to scale down a bit,” he continued, “we’re going to have to spend extra attention on the props and set. Don’t worry, Agate,” he said, “I think with Gar and Coco helping out, you should have enough time for your lines.”

Suri looked at Coco. “You do sets?” she whispered.

Coco shushed her. “I learned a little from… a friend.”

Suri frowned.

“Everything look doable?” Grant asked. Three heads nodded. “Excellent.” He flipped over the paper. “This is the idea for the costumes.”

Everything left Suri’s mind as the sketches were revealed. Growing up, her mother had left her very detailed instructions about what not to do when making clothing. The designs she saw in front of her were an almost careful destruction of all of them, to a colorblind and misshapen end. Her eyes, ears, and other thoughts were ignored as Suri tried to organize her complaints. Multiple times she tried, but then she had to start again.

Finally, something shoved her. Suri turned around to see Coco frowning at her. “Problem, Suri?” Grant asked her.

Suri faced forward again. Grant was frowning at her, but softly. Suri stalled, running through her options. Finally, she politely said “…yes, sir.”

“Just Grant, Suri,” he said. “Want to tell me what you’re thinking?”

Suri walked to the other side of the sketchpad. Suri took a deep breath. “Grant, with all due respect, I can’t put my name on these designs.”

Grant’s frown deepened. “What’s wrong with them?”

Suri tried to organize her thoughts. “Is it something that can be easily fixed?” Grant asked.

Suri bit back the first thing that came to her mind. “It’d be easier if we just started from scratch,” she told him.

Grant looked over at Coco, who nodded at him. Then Grant glared back at Suri. “Can you come up with something by next week?”

Suri froze. She had never even heard of the play before. Suri looked at Coco, who held her hoof up and shook her head. Suri looked back at Grant. She cleared her throat. “I think so.”

Garth smiled. “Great. Have them on my desk by the end of the week.” He flipped the paper over. “Now, Glissando…”

Suri stared at Coco, but Coco did nothing. Thus, Suri got back in line and waited for the presentation to finish. “Alright,” Grant finally said, “everybody to your duties.”

Everyone turned around and walked off of the stage. “Oh, Suri.” Suri stopped and turned around to see Grant beckoning to her. Coco stood right next to him. “Come over here,” he said.

Suri frowned at them, then slowly walked back to the center of the stage. “Did you plan that thing earlier?” she asked.

“Yep,” Grant said. “Don’t feel bad: I do that to everyone who works here. I just wanted to know how you’d react to an impossible demand. I’m happy to say you're doing well so far. Just deliver on the designs and you'll pass with flying colors.”

“Well, thank you, si-Grant. What was it you wanted?”

“I just wanted to show you something.”

Coco stomped on the stage and the very center of it started to sink. Suri looked up, but neither Coco nor Grant said anything. The three descended into a large open room, empty for a space around the sinking platform, but shelves and worktables were arranged further out. Suri saw the other workers walk in from spiral staircases near the walls. Finally, the platform stopped.

“Isn’t that great?” Coco asked.

Suri nodded. “Yeah, I suppose.”

“Oh, Coco?” Agate asked as he walked up. “I have that thing you wanted all polished. It’s waiting on your desk.”

“Huh? Oh, great! Thanks.” Coco stepped off of the platform. “We work over this way, Suri,” she said.

Suri stepped down and followed her, ignoring Agate’s question about Garth’s color vision. “As you might’ve noticed,” Coco continued, “there aren’t any really any walls, so it might get a little noisy when somepony’s working on the heavy machinery. You’ll get used to it.” Coco turned between some shelves and Suri followed her into a little enclosure of shelving. “Everything you’ll usually need is here: pencils, fabric, scissors…”

Suri looked around the enclosure, but then she stopped. For several moments, she stared at the desk in the center. Then she stepped towards it, slowly and unsurely. On the desk was a sculpture of a gold-colored fir tree, with little discs arranged in its branches at varying heights. The highest of all of them was at the top of the tree. Suri’s mouth fell open.

“…my Advent wreath.”

Coco nodded. “Yeah, I saw that a few days ago while I was looking for props and I thought you might want it back. I’m sorry I couldn’t find anything else.”

Suri tilted the pyrite wreath. Under the base was the year 1943 and the words ‘All wealth pales next to a clean spirit.’ Suri set the wreath down and stared at Coco. Her breath caught in her throat several times before she could speak. “Thank you.” Tears started to roll down her cheeks. “Thank you.”

Coco shrugged. “What’s Hearths Warming for?”

Author's Note:

Well, here it is!

Comments

[howard035]

Interesting flashback to Suri's childhood. Since she was a childhood friend of Rarity, presumably Suri grew up in Ponyville, and her parents probably still live there too. I wonder if she still keeps in contact with them, and if Rarity does as well.

[Macgyver644200]

6762382 Thank you! I'm planning to answer your questions and suspicions in due course.