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Generosity's Gift

A Human, a Pony Princess, and a Mistake

Chapter 14: Generosity's Gift

Manehatten, the sights, the sounds, the people, the promise of an award winning musical…Rarity had done her level best to make sure their stay was perfect.

Rarity had found it no surprise that Tom and Fluttershy were chomping at the bit to see Hinny of the Hills, but that even Rainbow Dash was excited brought a thrill to her heart. Of course, Hinny of the Hills was being touted as the best Bridleway Play of the last decade.

“So, RD, what’s got you so wound up about this musical?” Applejack asked on the way to their hotel.

“I’m allowed to like more than just flying,” Rainbow sulked, “But you are kinda right. I’d normally never go for a musical. Ponies just bursting into song at the drop of a hat, who does that?”

Rarity didn’t miss Tom whipping his head around to stare at Rainbow in incredulity just as Rarity herself felt a Heartsong coming on. It took them all around Manehatten, from Times Square to the Statue of Harmony. All the while Rarity sang about the splendors of Manehatten and the chance to do generous works for all the ponies within while spreading some generosity of her own.

When the Heartsong concluded, they had somehow wound up on the opposite side of town with only ten minutes before entries for Fashion Week closed. Rarity almost panicked, but Tom plucked her up with his magic before she could run off.

“Teleporting will be faster than trying to hail a cab. We can pop back to the hotel to grab your dresses. Do you know where the registration is?” Tom asked.

“Yes, I memorized it so I didn’t get lost,” Rarity replied.

“Then after we get the dresses, I’ll feed you the spellform and power so we can use your knowledge of the location to arrive,” Tom instructed.

“Are you sure you can-?” But Tom had already popped them away, back to the hotel. Rarity dashed inside. To her surprise, the bellhop she had tipped earlier was already waiting with her dresses.

“What? How?” Rarity spluttered.

“It’s our job to know our guest’s needs before they do,” The bellhop said with a smile.

“Oh, bless your heart!” Rarity exclaimed before taking her dresses and giving the dear stallion a very large tip. She then dashed outside and met back up with her friends. Tom wasted no time in igniting his horn and bringing the tip to Rarity’s.

“Focus on our destination and your desire to be there,” Tom guided gently. Rarity did so and was soon rewarded with a satisfying ‘pop’ sound as they arrived at their destination. Tom leaned up against a nearby wall, seeming slightly out of breath.

“Oh Tom, you were magnificent, thank you-”

“Register now, compliment me later,” Tom ordered. Rarity nodded and rushed into the building. She managed to register and get on stage with two minutes to spare. Really, she’d have to do something extra nice for Tom for his efforts. It could have been a nightmare without his help.

Rarity greeted her competitors and in short order, Prim Hemline, the organizer of that year’s Fashion Week, came on stage. Hemline shot an unimpressed glare at Rarity, for which she could only assume was because of her near tardiness. Thankfully, Hemline said nothing.

“Once we are finished here, you are to set up backstage in order to prepare for your run through appointment,” Hemline stalked up to Rarity, “You will be going last. We keep a tight schedule here, so try to be on time by more than the skin of your teeth. Tomorrow is the contest to see which one of you gets to stay to meet top designers all across the city. The rest of you will go home early, isn’t that a shame? Dismissed.”

Hemline left and the other competitors calmly filtered backstage to take care of their own designs, all except one.

“I’m so glad you made it, Rarity!” A pale pink Earth Pony mare called out.

“Me too, if it weren’t for my friends, why, it doesn’t bear thinking about!” Rarity shuttered dramatically.

“Don’t you remember me? Suri Polomare from the Ponyville knitting league?” Recognition sparked in Rarity’s brain.

“Oh, darling, it’s been years since I last saw you! One day you just up and left Ponyville! How are you?” Rarity asked.

“I’m doing well. I move here to Manehatten to try my luck in the big leagues. I’ve yet to make that big break, but I’m hoping this year’s Fashion Week will be just the thing I need!” Suri exclaimed. She then rushed up to hug Rarity, “It’s so good to see you! And now here we are, competing, it’s like it was meant to be, right?”

“It does have a certain dramatic ring to it,” Rarity admitted, “Well, good luck, Suri.”

“Oh, I don’t need luck,” Suri waved her off, “Would you like some help with your things?”

“Oh, that would be wonderful, but you needn’t put yourself out on my account,” Rarity demurred.

“No trouble at all,” Suri returned and it was settled. They moved Rarity’s designs backstage to her private room.

“My, your collection is gorgeous!” Suri gushed when Rarity unveiled her dresses. Rarity blushed with the praise.

“Oh, I’m sure your collection is equally lovely, if not even more,” Rarity said bashfully.

“It’s alright, but nothing like this! Take my culottes, they are just dying for the right accent, but for the life of me I just can’t think of anything,” Suri bemoaned, “But actually…this fabric, just a touch for an accent…would you mind if I borrowed a swatch?”

“Not at all, I brought plenty extra in case one of the judges wanted a more up close look at the fabric. I can certainly spare some for an old friend,” Rarity levitated some of her fabric to Suri, “Now, not to be rude, but I still have so much work to do, so if-”

Rarity looked around the room, but Suri had vanished without a trace. Rarity just shrugged it off. Suri was sure to be busy with her own ensemble, after all.

The next day Rarity immensely regretted her act of generosity. She had arrived early, only to find Suri had plagiarized her designs wholesale with the fabric Rarity had given yesterday. The worst part was Rarity knew she didn’t have proof to show the designs and fabrics were hers in the first place. That didn’t mean she was going to take it lying down.

“You stole my fabrics and designs!” Rarity snarled at the conniving mare.

“I didn’t steal you fabrics, you gave it to me yesterday, remember?” Suri said with a taunting grin.

“I gave it to you for accents! Not your whole collection! And the designs you stole?” Rarity tried to keep her temper under control.

“It’s not stealing, it’s ‘inspiration’,” Suri sneered.

“How did you sew up an entire wardrobe in one night with my fabric anyway?! How could you possibly be so fast?!” Rarity did not scream, but it was a near thing.

“Fast? Ha! Coco Pommel here took practically forever. She was so slow I was nearly disqualified,” Suri waved a hoof at her crème colored assistant.

“Well, I wanted to make sure you’d win, so I took a little extra time to-”

“Quiet!” Suri cut off Coco, “I pay an assistant to sew and get coffee, not talk.”

“So not only are you a thief, but you abuse your assistants as well? Truly, you disgust me,” Rarity growled.

“I’m, uh, I’m not abused, re-”

“I said quiet!” Suri barked again and Coco cringed in fear. Rarity knew she wouldn’t win this battle, so she left to get reinforcements. By the time she returned to the hotel room they were all sharing, Rarity was trembling and crying with rage.

“Rarity, what’s wrong?” Rainbow Dash, first to notice her come in, asked. All other heads turned to her.

“I met Suri Polomare, that’s what’s wrong! I gave her some of my fabric that I made and she turned around and used it to copy my whole ensemble! She went first so now it looks like I’m copying her! As if that wasn’t bad enough, she treats her assistant, who I am sure worked all through the night with no sleep, like dirt! My generosity has ruined me and brought misfortune on a poor, innocent mare!” Rarity cried out. That was all she could take. She started weeping in earnest.

She was so distraught she didn’t noticed Moon Dancer, Tom, and Twilight talking back and forth between themselves.

“Rarity, what you brought to Fashion Week can’t be all of your designs, right?” Twilight asked. Rarity sniffled a little.

“I suppose I have a few prototypes I could push forward for this emergency,” Rarity admitted.

“Then you aren’t sunk yet,” Tom said with certainty.

“But how am I supposed to create them all by the deadline?!” Rarity shouted.

“None of us are seamstresses, but fortunately, Moon Dancer, Tom, and I have found a few sympathetic mind spells in the course of our studies. With Tom and Moon Dancer using those spells, you’ll have three times the ability to multitask and enough mana to do it all!” Twilight was pretty pleased with herself.

“You all can go on ahead, enjoy Manehatten,” Tom waved the other Elements and Spike.

“Yeah, no. I wouldn’t be a very good friend if I didn’t at least offer to help when Rarity’s in trouble,” Rainbow said firmly and the rest agreed.

“Your offer is appreciated, but as Twilight pointed out, none of you are seamstresses. You’d likely only slow me down,” Rarity said apologetically.

“However,” Tom interrupted, “If you want to help no matter what, then maybe you could look over Suri for any slipups or see if that assistant Rarity mentioned needs help.”

“Coco Pommel,” Rarity supplied, “Suri treated her like filth to be wiped off her horseshoe. She said she wasn’t being abused, but anyone with eyes could see she was terrified of Suri and dangerously thin besides.”

“Right, sounds like everyone has their marching orders, let’s get down to business,” Moon Dancer said and everyone started on their assigned tasks.

The next day, the new dresses were finished and the others had returned with their report.

“That Suri is slipperier than a snake with suntan lotion,” Applejack said with a sour look on her face.

“We wouldn’t have been able to find anything if it weren’t for Spike,” Fluttershy added. Normally the praise would have gotten Spike to puff out his chest, but what he had seen was still weighing on his mind.

“I was looking around Suri’s studio when I found Coco about to eat dinner. It was just a hayburger, some fries, and a salad. Then Suri came storming in, saw Coco with the hayburger in hoof, and knocked it away from her. She kept telling Coco she was fat and useless and ugly. Suri told Coco that she was lucky to be working for her and how Coco would be nothing without her. It was awful…” Spike balled his hands into tight fists.

“Oh, I’m sorry you had to see that, Spikey-wikey,” Rarity cooed and snuggled the young dragon.

“Well, we definitely have to get Coco away from Suri, if absolutely nothing else,” Twilight said, her calm tone belying how much she would love to have Suri arrested on the spot.

“We have time to deal with that, as cold as that sounds. Right now, Rarity has a competition to win,” Tom stated.

“But what if I do win? What would Suri do to poor Coco if she lost? I can’t stomach the thought,” Rarity worried.

“If you do win, we keep a camera on Suri. That should get us proof of abuse and land her in jail for a long time to come,” Tom didn’t like it, but he was choosing to be stone cold practical, “Hopefully it doesn’t come to that and we can convince Coco that she is being abused and she deserves better treatment and to be rid of Suri.”

“Actually, I have an idea for that…” Twilight began.


The fashion show was underway and Coco was backstage in the waiting room reserved for Suri. She could barely stand upright, but she pushed past it and the way darkness was playing at the edges of her vision. She had to at least try and be thin and beautiful, even if it was impossible for a fat, ugly mare like her. If that meant skipping a few meals, then so be it.

There was a knock on the door and Coco’s heart skipped a beat. Had she lost track of time? Was the show over? Had Suri lost?! Coco’s trembling now had nothing to do with her empty stomach. The door opened and Coco was sure she had to be hallucinating. Not one, not two, but three princesses walked in the room. Rarity came in too, but Coco didn’t notice that. Hallucination or not, Coco threw herself to the floor.

“Rise, my little pony. Please, it is just about lunch time, why don’t you join us?” Princess Celestia levitated a basket into the room. The basket opened and a heavenly smell rose from within. Coco had to keep from drooling. She dry swallowed.

“I…I can’t!” Coco shut her eyes, sure she was about to be smote.

“Why ever not?” If Coco had to guess, it was Princess Luna who asked.

“Suri said I wasn’t allowed to eat until after the show and I don’t want to get fatter than I already am,” Coco answered sadly.

“Sister, mayhap standards have changed since my banishment, but Miss Pommel here seems quite thin,” Princess Luna commented.

“Average healthy weight for an Earth Pony Mare is 95 kilograms,” Princess Twilight reported, “Do you know your weight, Coco?”

“85 kilograms,” Coco whispered.

“Then why do you believe you’re fat? Coco, 10 kilograms underweight is dangerous!” That was Rarity in a pleading voice. Coco opened her eyes.

“I’m fat and ugly and I can’t do anything right!” Coco screamed, “I have to listen to Suri because she’s the only one who will take me!”

“No one said anything about Suri,” Princess Twilight said quietly. Before anyone could say anything further, a voice shouted from the hallway.

“I lost! How could Rarity beat me? Coco, you stupid bitch!” It was Suri. Coco collapsed in on herself. It didn’t matter that three princesses and Rarity were there and would surely protect her. Years of ingrained responses sent Coco fleeing to the nearest corner to shiver in fear.

“I’m going to-” Suri walked in the door to find three very angry princesses and an even angrier winner of Fashion Week.

“Suri Polomare, I believe you, the police chief, and I need to have a discussion,” Princess Celestia said in her most imperious voice.

“What? No! Whatever Coco told you is a lie! I found her, took her in, taught her everything she knows and this is how she repays me?! Arrest her, not me!” Suri blustered.

“Coco Pommel hasn’t accused you of anything,” Princess Luna said, affecting a disinterested tone. The fire in her eyes told a different story.

“I did,” Rarity spoke up, “I told my friend Twilight that you had stolen my fabrics and designs. She brought it to the attention of the other princesses. However, making threats against another is quite a serious matter.”

“Indeed, such intimidation is certainly punishable by law. Even if Coco refuses to testify against you directly, theft and terrorizing as witnessed by all four of us will guarantee you serve jail time. Make it easy on yourself, come along quietly, and there may be some leniency,” Princess Luna stated.

Suri knew that she wouldn’t be able to worm her way out of it, so she heeded Princess Luna and allowed herself to be taken away by Princess Celestia.

“Coco, it’s alright, dear. You never have to see that awful mare again,” Rarity cautiously drew closer to Coco, who was still shivering.

“But- but what’ll I do? Suri was all I had! I can’t do anything! I’ll lose my job, my apartment, everything!” Coco was just this side of hyperventilating.

“Coco, listen to me, I wouldn’t blame you if you never wanted to sew another stitch in your life. I can offer you a place to stay with me in Ponyville. If you insist on working, well, I imagine now that I’ve won Fashion Week I’ll have plenty of orders to take care of,” Rarity offered.

“I can’t. I’ll just make everything worse for you,” Coco moaned.

“I will be the judge of that. Suri did say that you were the one who put together the entire ensemble she stole and in one night to boot! You are certainly a capable seamstress. If you accept my offer, then I want to see what you can really do when you’re not being hounded and starved half to death. There are ponies that care about you Coco; you are a beautiful and talented mare. Never forget that.” Coco couldn’t take it anymore; she threw herself into Rarity’s embrace and sobbed her heart out.


Coco cried herself to sleep and reluctantly Rarity had left her in the care of Twilight and Luna while she had accepted her prize as quickly as it was possible to do politely. Afterward, they had roused Coco for long enough to get her to tell them where her apartment was and helped her pack what she needed. Before they left, Coco gave something to Rarity, a spool of rainbow thread.

“I know it’s not much, but I used a spool of thread just like that when I discovered my Special Talent while sewing a dress for one of my older cousins. I hope you like it,” Coco said nervously.

“Coco, I love it. Thank you very much,” Rarity knew she would treasure that spool always.

Currently, they were all on a late night train bound for Ponyville. Everyone was asleep except Rarity, Tom, and Twilight.

“I do believe I hate Suri and will never be able to forgive her,” Rarity confessed, “I could overlook her stealing from me, even if it was a terribly underhoofed thing to do, but what she did to Coco…” Rarity shook her head in anger.

“Forgiveness must come from a place of sincerity or it is pointless,” Tom shrugged, “Seeing Coco look like an abused puppy…I might just agree with you Rarity.”

“How terrible must I be, to be able to forgive Discord after all that he has done, but not Suri for what is comparatively minor?” Rarity wondered.

“Discord is trying to be a better person. The only thing Suri is sorry for is getting caught. I’m not going to say one is more worthy of forgiveness than the other, but I will say it is entirely understandable why we are able to forgive one and not the other, even if the scope of their sins are vastly different. We are not perfect, and expecting perfection from yourself will only lead to heartache,” Tom counseled.

“I suppose you are right. I am also sorry you all missed Hinny of the Hills. I know you in particular were looking forward to it,” Rarity apologized.

“There will be repeat performances and other musicals. If I were really that worked up about it, I probably can find the time to swing by Canterlot when they take it there. Helping Coco, on the other hand, is a performance that can’t be repeated, is the only one of its kind, and will change the life of a pony forever for the better. I’d say that’s a worthy trade and I’m sure the others would agree,” Tom said confidently.

“My, did you always have such a way with words?” Rarity teased.

“I’ve been known to have my moments; part of being an actor is an eloquent delivery, after all,” Tom replied with a smirk.

“I will admit, I was surprised when Princess Celestia showed up alongside Luna,” Rarity commented.

“Celestia and Luna haven’t exactly made up, but they aren’t about to start yelling at each other in dead languages now either,” Tom confided.

“That’s good to hear,” Rarity’s eyes drifted to Coco’s sleeping form, “I hope I can do right by her.”

“I’d say you’re doing a pretty good job. You’ve offered her work, a place to live and perhaps more importantly, friendship,” Twilight spoke up for the first time in the conversation.

“To think I cursed my generosity! I nearly let Suri make me doubt one of the very cores of who I am, my Element! I am glad it is still intact enough to offer that generosity to one who so richly deserves it,” Rarity said warmly.

“We won’t reach Ponyville till morning, so let’s try and get some sleep like the others, yeah?” Twilight suggested and soon the trio joined their friends in dreamland.

Author's Note:

If anyone tries to sit there and tell me Twilight couldn't have found a magic solution to help Rarity sew and not abuse her friend's kindness, then I'll call you a liar. It is simply the kind of narrative contrivance that I can't abide.

The original plan was to have Chrysalis show up as Celestia, but I figured with everyone on speaking terms again, there was no reason not to bring the real thing.

I quite enjoyed typing this chapter, even if it was difficult. Unlike with Moon Dancer, I didn't have to take creative liberties in there being a serious problem. I only elevated the level of that problem, with keeping more in line with the overall tone of the story.