Not Them

by BleedingRaindrops

Green is the Rose

The bell over the door chimed pleasantly as a light turquoise earth pony with a light violet mane in a frilled aquamarine dress cantered in off of the street, and into the dazzling interior of Manehattan’s latest fashion boutique. Plumeria looked up at the twinkling of cleverly placed gemstones, the sloping racks, and the odd order to the color schemes that seemed to present a sense of both organization and spontaneity. The chill autumn breeze accompanied her briefly before the door closed behind her with a second jingle of the bell.

A cream earth pony with a cerulean mane looked up from the counter and walked gracefully out to greet her. “Hello, and welcome to ‘Rarity For You’. Can I assist you with anything today, Miss?”

Plumeria let out a short exhale and smiled warmly at the mare coming to greet her. “Coco Pommel, I wondered where you’d gotten to. After that scandal with Suri at Fashion Week we all thought you’d left town."

The cream mare in front of her gave a cordial smile; a subtle quiver in her tail betrayed how excited she truly was. Yet she wore a pained smirk. “You… recognize me?”

Plumeria laughed. “O-hoh Coco, my dear, don’t think I didn’t notice the true genius behind that awful fraud Polomare’s designs. True art grows from the passions of its artisan, and Suri never had a creative thread in her career. She had many of the big wigs fooled, but I know a stifling weed when I spot one.” She gave a charming wink, and Coco blushed.

“I… didn’t realize anyone but Miss Rarity had noticed.”

“Nonsense. After what you pulled off with the Summer Harvest Festival, how could anypony not notice you?”

Coco bowed her head, clearly to hide further blushing. The girl truly had a talent for handling stress with grace. She might have even fooled less keen eyes.

“Can I help you with anything, Miss?”

Ah, yes. A point for Miss Pommel.

“You can, actually. I’ll be hosting a large garden party at the west side park later this month, and I simply must have one of your latest designs. Do you have anything that can reflect the beauty of a rose garden without blending into it?”

A pause. Coco brought a hoof to her chin for a moment, then placed it down again. “You know, I think we might, hold on, while I check in the back.”

The cream mare disappeared around a corner, and Plumeria took a step or two, just to peer. Coco was back a moment later, holding a few folds of fabric and some wax sheets. Curious, It certainly didn’t look like a dress. Plumeria tilted her head and stepped closer with a stern expression as Coco laid the odd assortment out on the counter.

“Is this… a dress…. You’re presenting?”

“Well, yes and no. Rarity hasn’t actually approved this one yet, which is why it’s not on the racks, but since you said you wanted one of our latest designs, I thought you might enjoy an early look at it. Would it suit your needs?” Coco laid the fabric gently on the counter and arranged the different colors in loosely the arrangement described on the wax sheets. Those she laid flat with a few felt-bottomed gemstone weights.

Plumeria leaned close over the designs. Rarity certainly was a creative girl. In some ways it reminded her of the ball gown worn by Miss Fluttershy at the Grand Galloping Gala in Canterlot two summers back. And yet it moved with its own twists and curls, leaving spaces for gemstones to bedazzle it. One could almost see the petals she intended to create. My my, such an imagination, that girl. She glanced at the colors, then back at her own flank. Not bad. Not bad at all. She stepped back and smiled ad Coco.

“Well I certainly like the potential. I’d love to commission a reimagining of it. Is Miss Rarity in?”

Coco’s expression fell, just slightly. But she forced a smile back up, then politely shook her head “Miss Rarity only stops in once a month, as she lives all the way in Ponyville. She does have a visit scheduled today, but she’s not expected until later.”

Plumeria’s eyes widened. “So you run this whole store yourself?” She looked about incredulously. The whole place had Rarity’s personal flair to it. Coco was a brilliant girl, but to think that Rarity trusted her to actually run the store. Well, perhaps she wasn’t the only artisan with keen eyes. She saw the subtle shift in the way Coco looked out at the racks. Pride, but also nervousness. The kind you would find in anypony who was asked to look over somepony else’s belongings. Coco didn’t own these designs, she merely sold them and managed stock. But the free spirited energy with which she’d presented the rose petal dress…

“Miss Rarity didn’t design this dress, did she?”

“Huh?” Coco gasped, and jerked her head back in Plumeria’s direction. Her eyes flicked momentarily to the counter and… yes, there it was.

“You did.”

The deep red that washed over Coco’s face told the tale her lips could not. Yes indeed. No wonder Rarity would need to approve the design. It was not her own, but her newest Store Manager’s. Rarity had found a like minded artisan. A proper protege. Plumeria nodded slowly.

“Well, in that case I’ll take it.”

“Wait, what? You mean…. But, it’s not…?”

“You’re not selling a very good image of a professional artist, Miss Pommel.” Plumeria allowed a stern chide to flavor her response.

Coco responded as expected. She swallowed. Nodded. Stood up straight. Let out a breath which returned her face to normal, and walked with near perfect poise behind the counter, pulling out a small stack of paper.

“Yes of course. Normally an alterations order such as this would cost about 80 bits, but given the unfinished nature of the dress anyway—”

“Don’t sell yourself short, dear. This is the first of your designs, is it not?”

Coco paused, looked down at the dress, and ignored the color rising in her cheeks again. “I… yes. It is my first official, Rarity For You, design.”

“Well then you can't sell it at a discount! Are you mad?” Plumeria set her hoof down hard. “I won’t allow it. A dress such as this is not only one of a kind, it is the premier of an upcoming fashion prodigy.”

Coco’s face turned even more red.

“I insist on paying for an article of prestige. What is Miss Rarity charging for her most recent signature ensemble?”

“I-I-u-ummmm…” Coco’s eyes seemed to be staring at nothing, and while her mouth opened and closed several more times, no further sounds escaped. Plumeria gave a small frown

“I see. Well, perhaps I will need to wait until—”

The bell over the door chimed pleasantly as a white unicorn with a deep Violet mane coiffed in long cascading curls, cantered in off the street. Plumeria turned to face her and smiled.

“Ah, Miss Rarity, at last, I was just…” Plumeria trailed off. Beside Rarity trotted a cream colored earth pony mare with a cerulean mane and…

Plumeria’s entire head swiveled with blinding speed as she looked back and forth between the two identical mares at either end of the store.

“Ah, good to see you-WHA-HA-HAA!” Rarity, exclaimed. Her eyes darted much more gracefully between the two Cocos. “What. Is…”

“No.”

All eyes turned to the Coco behind the counter. All embarrassment or excitement or even her ripe cream color had drained from the shriveling mare. A look of shock, and despair paled her face. Her head shook slightly, mimicking the green pinpricks of her eyes.

“No, no no. I…”

Her breathing became ragged, and tears welled in her eyes. She stepped backward, disappearing toward the back of the store and crouching lower with each step. Plumeria stepped cautiously after her. The two mares at the door followed as well. Everypony was silent, save for the crying mare.

“No!” She choked, sobbing now, with a river of tears. “I… I thought I was me.”

Her form flickered, for an instant, a pair of gossamer wings sat atop her barrel, then they were gone. Plumeria’s eyes widened.

“I really thought I was me this time. I… I got everything right.”

Her eyes darted around the store. Plumeria easily recognized the look of a frightened creature looking for an escape. She turned and ushered Rarity and Coco away from the door. They obliged silently, still mostly frozen in shock, then Plumeria turned back to the quivering, sobbing, flickering mare behind the counter.

She was fully seated on the floor now, head rested on her hooves, staring down with blank, pinpoint green eyes. A low wail carried out from her mouth, and grew in intensity.

“I got it right. I got it all right. It’s not… I d-don’t... it’s not fair. It’s not… I was meeee!”

She buried her face in her hooves and simply screamed down at the ground. Her cream coat flickered to jet black, then to cream, then black again. Holes appeared in her limbs, and green gossamer wings flickered stronger with each flash. Plumeria stepped lightly closer, reaching out a hoof to touch the sobbing mare’s snout.

“It’s not FAIR!” She lashed out, suddenly, swatting aside Plumeria’s hoof, and leaping up over the counter. Plumeria ducked as the stricken mare flew overhead with buzzing wings, before landing with barely a sound and all but melting through the door. The bell didn’t even chime as she cracked it slightly and slipped through, disappearing down the street.

Plumeria stared slack-jawed after her. A changeling. She looked at Rarity and Coco Pommel, similarly transfixed. Plumeria swallowed, and rapped on the counter loudly enough to catch their attention. Both mares turned to her, still stunned.

Plumeria pointed to the unfinished dress on the counter. “I have to go, but I want that dress. I’ll be back to discuss price and terms. Good day.”

Then she raced out after the fleeing black streak.

Comments

[Reese]

I continue to find this interesting. :)
And it looks like our mysterious, apparently even to themself, person may be getting some help soon!

[Adamastos]

Just finished with "Green is the Rose". An interesting tale you've crafted so far. I'm interested in what will happen next.

[BleedingRaindrops]

10575521
I appreciate the encouragement. No promises on the next release, though. I am working on it but between working 11 hour days and trying to forge an engagement ring for my gf, writing has become a low priority.