These Heartbreak Times

by Arcelia

Chapter 2 - A Chance Encounter

These Heartbreak Times

By Arcelia

~ * ~

Chapter II A Chance Encounter

Still feeling a bit perplexed, Rarity tried to regain her senses as she took in the sights of the bustling sidewalk, which was now crowded with ponies and food-stand attendees. The rich smells of warm cinnamon bagels and freshly brewed coffee wafted through the cool air – the perfect touch for the fall season.

As she stood there, her mind wandered back to the boutique behind her. She needed to formulate a plan; the enormous task ahead of her was certainly too much for one pony to handle, especially with the small amount of time she had on her hooves. From her saddlebag, Rarity retrieved a notepad and pen and started writing out a to-do list.

Naturally, the first task would involve cleaning the shop interior from top to bottom so it could be restored to its once spotless state. Afterwards, she would need to find somepony who could help her design and renovate the boutique. As confident as she felt in her own design capabilities, Rarity knew that designing the inside of a shop and designing her new Fall collection were two completely different things. Hence, somepony with a more architectural eye would definitely be useful.

It would then be up to her to decide on the boutique’s overall style and theme. The Manehattan boutique couldn’t possibly emulate the style of decorum of its predecessors – it needed to be bold and exhilarating, much like the great city itself.

Rarity took a few deep breaths; she had learned over her years of running her boutique to take time to breathe and recentre herself. Now that she had written herself out a list of tasks and the order in which to do them, she felt much calmer.

Surely if I complete everything on this list, then hopefully I’ll be able to have the boutique open on time. Even if it is only six...days away.

“Stay calm, Rarity. You can do this. You just have to stay focused on the task at hoof,” she said aloud, once more taking another deep breath before yet another wave of rich coffee aroma wafted over her.

I should probably get something to eat before I tackle any more boutique business. Perhaps I could find a nice cafe to stop at?

“Hmm…” Rarity pursed her lips while slowly pacing along the footpath, completely oblivious to the ponies that needed to weave out of her way. She kept her eyes peeled for a nice looking restaurant or a cozy cafe as she strolled along – before slamming straight into somepony.

Rarity toppled onto her back with a squeal. Her vision was momentarily blurred from the impact, but before long she was able to see a pair of light cyan eyes staring down at her, a growing look of worry on her face.

“Are you alright?” the mare asked, lending her a hoof.

Rarity reached out and grabbed the mare’s hoof before quickly realising who she had just bumped into. “Coco Pommel?”

Coco beamed at her. “Omigosh, Rarity! I’m sorry for bumping into you. I didn’t see you there.”

“Well, I certainly wasn’t paying attention myself, Coco.” Rarity said as she brushed some of the dirt of her shoulders.

The pair started down Saddle Row once more, trotting along as they talked.

“What brings you to Manehattan Rarity?” Coco asked as they turned towards an intersection, stopping at a set of lights.

Rarity cleared her throat, trying her best to contain her excitement, but despite her best efforts, a wide grin spread across her face. “As you may have heard, I’ve opened a rather successful boutique in Canterlot and so I thought it wise to set up my next flagship boutique here in Manehattan.”

“How exciting! I’m so happy for you Rarity.” Coco’s eyes dazzled with joy as she beamed up at her friend.

They watched on as the taxi carts hurried along the road in an endless blur, the city streets certainly never sleep in Manehattan. Even long after the sun has set, the city is still buzzing with life as ponies continue to take in the sights, meet up for late night drinks or simply enjoy the cool Autumn weather with a stroll in Central Park.

“Thank you, Coco. I do appreciate that,” she replied just as the traffic came to stop. “I’m actually on my way for a cup of coffee if you’d like to join me.”
The lights at the intersection turned green, and the pair joined the crowd of ponies as they crossed over. “I would love to. Where were you thinking of going?” Coco asked with a gentle smile.

“Well, to be perfectly honest I don’t really know. I was actually looking out for a nice cafe when I bumped into you.”

When they reached the other side of the intersection, they stopped on the street corner, ponies dodging around them, rushing past in a hurry. A comfortable silence lingered between them as Rarity waited for Coco to speak, she noticed the particularly fashionable attire of the ponies that walked past: from the mares wearing posh, tailored coats with embroidered hems, to the stallion’s donning their finest suits and fedoras. The ponies of Manehattan seemed to dress up whether they were seeing a fabulous Bridleway show, or just catching up with friends over lunch. Rarity noticed the ponies with impeccable taste and those who chose to make a statement, from the boldest of patterns to the simplest frock, each pony had a distinct sense of style.

Coco Pommel rubbed a hoof against her chin. “I do know a place that does some of the best coffee in all of Manehattan. Chester’s Diner, it’s this cozy little place tucked away on thirteenth street. It makes some rather fine coffee and scrumptious pastries. Even so, it’s usually rather quiet and I can’t work out why. I guess ponies in the big city really do judge purely by appearances.” Coco let out an exasperated sigh, her brow furrowed into a frown as she glanced at the ground.

Rarity placed a hoof under the mare’s chin. “Is everything alright Coco?” she asked softly.

As Coco met the mare’s gaze, her eyes were briefly filled with sorrow, quickly followed by a soft, half-smile. “Yes, Rarity, of course everything’s fine. It’s just saddening to know how superficial the ponies in Manehattan can be.”

“Well,” Rarity paused for a moment, allowing herself a moment to think before continuing. “Don’t let the ponies in this town get you down, Coco. You and I both know a good cup of coffee when we smell it. Why don’t you show me the way to this Chester’s Diner?” she asked giving Coco a gentle smile.

Coco brightened up as she gave Rarity a sincere but gentle smile. It was then that Rarity could tell that she had lifted her friend’s spirits. “Of course. It’s a bit of walk from here, but I assure you, you’ll be glad you made the trip.”

“So Rarity, have you decided on a name for your new boutique?” Coco asked as they trotted along the sidewalk.

Rarity took a deep breath and sighed. “No, I haven’t even chosen a theme yet, let alone a name. I’ve actually only just inspected the site of my new boutique.”

Coco Pommel’s brow furrowed slightly. “Well...how did that go?”

“Horridly. You should’ve seen the state that the building was in, Coco. Entirely unkempt would be putting it nicely.”

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that, Rarity,” Coco replied, giving the mare a concerned but warm gaze.

Rarity smiled back at her. She appreciated Coco’s efforts to comfort her, she truly did, but she hadn’t even told the mare the most crucial detail: the insurmountable obstacle that stood in the way of her achieving her dream.

“That’s not all, Coco. When the property manager showed me the boutique, she made it very clear that I had to have my new boutique up and running by the end of the week.” Rarity eyes glanced at the concrete paving beneath, counting the little cracks in the sidewalk as she went.

When she looked up again Rarity noticed that Coco’s eyes widened with shock and her mouth hung ajar. She was quiet for a moment, searching for words. “But...but, Rarity that’s only six days from now! How could she possibly expect you to renovate, decorate, and have your entire business running by then?” Coco asked, speaking more quickly than before.

By the surprised expression on her friend’s face, Rarity could tell that Coco was still trying to wrap her around the entire concept.

“That’s just it Coco. I don’t know how I’m going to do it either.” She paused for a moment to contemplate the events from earlier. “But that doesn’t mean I get to just sit around and feel sorry for myself. I’ve already begun to formulate a plan.”

Coco’s cyan eyes brightened up as Rarity spoke. “Really?” she asked, perking up.

Rarity smiled. “Indeed I have. My first order of business will be to clean the entire boutique – it’s in desperate need of a makeover.”

The mare giggled. “From the impression you gave me Rarity, I’d have to agree.”

“Then I would begin my search for somepony who is – how do I put it?” She rubbed her hoof against her chin. “Somepony who has a deep understanding of architecture to help me design the boutique.”

Coco Pommel grinned. “You know, Rarity. I do know somepony who might be able to help you,” she said gleefully.

Rarity looked at Coco, her eyes filled with eagerness and anticipation. “Really, who?”

“Her name is North Point. In fact, you might’ve met her already. She was one of the patrons at your Canterlot boutique.” Coco said, glancing over at Rarity.

Rarity rubbed her chin, she always made a conscious effort to get to know all of her customers on a personal level. Surely, she would remember her. Thinking for another moment, Rarity’s eyes lit up.

“Why yes, of course! She was the mare that bought my In-spire-ation gown! Oh, yes that was most certainly a lovely dress and it suited her to a tee!” Rarity exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear.

Rarity began to feel a little more optimistic about the boutique opening on time, if she could get the right ponies to help her, then perhaps her goal wasn’t too far out of reach.

“You know Coco, it really does seem like fate that I bumped into you today.” Rarity said, a warm feeling growing in heart.

Coco looked a little puzzled by the mare’s statement. “What makes you say that, Rarity?”

“Isn’t it obvious? Had I not bumped into you, I wouldn’t know about North Point and how she might be able to help me renovate the boutique. To be quite honest, I’m going to need all the help I can get.” Rarity replied, smiling back at her.

Coco’s eyes widened a little, “Gee, I never really thought about it that way. But I’m pretty sure North Point will be more than happy to lend you a helping hoof. She’s always been quite charitable with her time, especially when it comes to design and renovation projects.”

“That’s exactly what I was hoping to hear, Coco. I’m so glad you’re here with me today. How did you and North Point meet?” Rarity asked curiously.

Coco gazed off into the distance, happily reminded of the memory. “It’s quite simple really, she was the architect working on the sets of many famous plays, one of which I helped design the costumes for.”

“Darling, that’s wonderful! I’m so glad that I gave you that job, especially since you’ve now made a new friend.” Rarity smiled at the mare now, her heart filled with joy.

Coco blushed, “Thank you, Rarity. It has certainly opened a lot of doors for me here in Manehattan. In fact, since I worked on those costumes, production designers from all over the city have been asking me to come and design their costumes. It’s been really exciting, working on some of these bridleway shows. I’ve only recently been able to have some time off, which means I’ll be able to help you open your boutique.” She beamed up at Rarity with a brilliant smile.

“That’s incredible, Coco. I’m so happy to hear that you’re doing well here. If you wish to help me with my boutique, you’re more than welcome. I’m sure that together, we’ll be able to turn the rundown little shop into a boutique worthy of being on Saddle Row in no time!” she exclaimed, a triumphant feeling growing in her chest as the two mares shared a mutual smile and trotted along the bustling streets of Manehattan’s business district.

As they finally approached the diner, Rarity could see how it was tucked in between a small travel agency and an apartment building. Chester’s Diner certainly stood out, but not for the right reasons.

The wide windows that faced the street were a little grimy, the once brown bricks had faded away to a terracotta red. Everything about Chester’s Diner screamed Makeover! It was clear that it was in desperate need of renovation, but perhaps the owner wasn’t able to afford such an expensive undertaking?

“Look Rarity! We’re here!” Coco called out, as she pointed up at the sign that hung above the cafe’s wide front windows.

“‘Chester’s Diner, home to the finest coffee in all of Manehattan,’”

Rarity read aloud from the dingy little sign, which hung off an even dingier building. “Are you sure about this, Coco? I mean, there are far classier cafe’s in Manehattan than this.” But it was then when that same, rich smell of freshly brewed coffee wafted over her. Her nose perked up as she breathed in.

Coco watched her friend and smiled knowingly. “See, I told you the coffee was good here. Just wait until you taste it.”
Coming out of her entranced state, Rarity looked at her. “Darling, I can hardly wait to try it.”

“Well then, we best be heading inside then,” Coco replied as she pushed on the heavy glass door that led into the diner.

Rarity let out a giggle of excitement as she followed the mare inside, not knowing who or what awaited her. Well, other than some of the finest coffee that Manehattan had to offer.

To be continued…

Comments

[Ice Star]

There’s an instance where Broadway should be Bridleway.

[Quinch]

Hmmm, interested where this goes. I can certainly see Savvy's angle, though - by forcing Rarity into a hard, but not impossible situation, she also forces her to prove that she's not just another bright-eyed amateur that's all dreams and no experience or ability, and someone running a boutique will face far worse challenges than this.

[Arcelia]

9998974
I appreciate your feedback, I'm glad you're enjoying the story so far. I've not been able to work on the story as I have been overseas and I've been busy prepping for the festive seasons.

Please enjoy the holidays

[Arcelia]

9973349
I didn't think of that Ice Star, thank you I'll make that correction right away

[My Sister Tia]

“Well then, we best be heading inside then,”

It would probably be better if you took out the second then.