> Generosity Travels
>  by Bookish Delight
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> 1: One
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The train pulled into Ponyville Station, and Coco Pommel disembarked. She closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. 

It was true. The air was cleaner. 

No mystery smells. No city funk. Unlike Manehattan, there was only sweetness. She couldn't tell if it was just the "country air" she'd heard so much about, or the apple orchards in the distance. Or maybe it was the large building that looked like a gingerbread cupcake house? 

She exited the station, looking out at the active rural town. It wasn’t just the smell that set this place apart from Manehattan. There were so many small shops and homes. The tallest building she could see was a clock tower.

The oddest thing Coco noticed, however, was the lack of ponies. Oh sure, they were around—carting wagons, buying things from tent shops, and generally going about their lives—but it was far less crowded than where she'd just come from. 

Not that Coco minded. As much as she loved her hometown, it was nice to get away from its bustle every once in a blue moon.

So this is where Rarity and Suri come from, Coco thought. It's so peaceful. I can actually hear myself think. No wonder they had such great ideas.

Coco wished she were here under better circumstances. Unfortunately, this was not the case. She reached inside her saddlebag and pulled out a worn scroll, reading it again. 

She still didn't recognize the hoofwriting, but the message was the same as the last dozen times she read it: Rarity was in trouble. Meanwhile, the letter's author suspected Coco was the only pony who could possibly help.

Coco had no clue about either assertion, but Rarity had saved her life in more ways than one. There was no way she was going to turn down the opportunity to repay such kindness.

Drawing herself up, Coco embarked on a brisk trot to Carousel Boutique.

---

"Okay," she said. "Turn down Mulberry Lane and…" Coco lowered the map printed on the back of the letter, and smiled as she realized she probably could have found her destination without guidance. 

She'd heard about it from coworkers, and read about it in magazines—but to see it in person, Carousel Boutique was nothing short of grand. 

The overall structure lived up to its name, looking like a park merry-go-round, yet avoiding the indignity of looking like some sort of foal's amusement. Instead, with its rounded edges and flourishing lines, it was more like a fairytale castle. Coco was happy to see that Rarity's ability to blend styles extended past her outfit designs. 

In addition to its striking appearance, Carousel Boutique also had ponies at its entrance. Naturally, Coco thought to herself. Of course someone as well-known, popular, and creative as Rarity would have ponies beating down the door to her—

Wait a second.

It looked like one of them wanted to literally beat down her door! An orange pony stood with her back to the entrance, one leg raised and primed to buck. 

Coco rushed over. "Stop!" she cried out. "What do you think you're doing?" 

"What I'm doing is gettin' us inside so we can finally—" The orange pony stopped, looking at Coco closely. "Hold on, now. I recognize y'all from somewhere. You one of my rich kin from Manehattan?"

"No, Applejack!" A violet mare ran over. "That's Coco Pommel! You know, from Fashion Week, and the theatre?"

Coco let out a huff of relief. Some ponies here still remembered her. Thank goodness.

The orange mare peered closer. "Well, I'll be," she said. "So it is. You're a long way from home, missy. We ain't get to talk much back in the city, but I'm Applejack, Rarity's friend." Applejack extended a hoof, which Coco shook. "And that there's Twilight, 'nother one of the same," Applejack added, pointing to her companion.

"Pleased to meet you both," Coco said. "Well, again, I guess." 

"It's nice to see you again, too," Twilight said. "What brings you here all the way from Manehattan?"

"This." Coco presented her scroll to Twilight. "I was asked to come see Rarity, by, um... actually, I still don't know. All the letter says is that it's from 'a worried friend.’"

"May I?" Twilight asked.

Coco nodded, and Twilight took the scroll in her magic.

"I figured it was you or one of the other girls," Coco said, while Twilight read. "Either way, it says Rarity's in trouble, and I'm the only one who can help. Not that I know how."

Twilight tilted her head, reading the scroll again. Her eyes went wide, and her eyebrows shot up as she did a double take. Then, with a knowing nod and chuckle, she returned the letter to Coco. 

"Well, your timing couldn't be better," Twilight said. "Or worse, depending on how you look at it." 

Both mares turned and looked at the building. For the first time, Coco saw its windows, and noticed that all of them were shut tight, the blinds closed. On a hunch, she ran around the circumference of the shop. Indeed, the innards of the entire boutique were completely concealed from inside view. 

Perhaps Rarity had simply overslept? Or maybe she was away on assignment and forgot to tell her clientele? Had Coco come too early or too late? An uneasy feeling formed in the pit of her stomach. "Twilight," she asked, "What's going on?"

Twilight looked at Applejack, then back to Coco, and sighed. 

"Rarity's locked herself inside Carousel Boutique," she said. "She's blinded the place up, and hasn't come out for days. She refuses to answer anything or anyone. We’ve tried knocking, signaling magic, even telepathy." 

Coco gasped, her heart twisting. It was far worse than she imagined. "Oh, no! How awful."

Applejack nodded. "Yeah, she's had spells like this before, but what tipped us off here is that, if nothin' else, she's always kept open for business hours. And she always lets us know when she'll be takin' off." 

Applejack looked up at the boutique. "Girl's almost as stick-to-it about her livelihood as I am. Worst case, she usually puts out that danged 'Closed For Inspiration' sign. But she hasn't even done that. And it's been a whole week!"

Twilight nodded. "Rarity gets busy sometimes, but she's always been the quickest one to let other ponies inside her shop, and into her heart. For her to be this guarded..."

"...even Twi an' I are worried," Applejack finished, then pointed to the scroll, still held aloft by Twilight's magic. "Looks like we ain't the only one, neither. So Twi, y'all ready to get in there and remind Rarity what sunlight is?" she said, thrusting out a hind leg and bucking air.

Twilight held up a hoof. "Hang on. While I still haven't ruled that out that option, Coco did make the trip here. I think we should at least let her give things a shot."

Applejack rolled her eyes and huffed. "Always treatin' that gal soft, I swear. But I trust you on this." She turned to Coco. "You’re up, sugarcube."

With a determined nod, Coco turned, then took the lead as the three ponies stepped up to Carousel Boutique's locked entrance. Coco knocked. "Rarity?" she called out, praying her voice could be heard through the door. "Are... are you inside?"

For several moments, there was silence. Then Coco heard a voice.

"C-Coco? Darling, is that you?" The voice was faint, shaking and desperate. "I... why are you here in Ponyville?"

Coco yelped, jumping back. That was Rarity's voice! She'd remember it anywhere! But where was she?

Twilight quickly put a hoof on Coco's shoulder. "Don't be scared," she said. "It's just telepathy, a kind of mind-to-mind magic. This is a good thing. It's the first we've heard out of her in days!"

"O-oh," Coco said, recomposing herself. To Rarity, she replied, "I’m here to see you."

Rarity responded with a mental sniffle. "Oh, Coco. As much as I regret to admit it, I am in no condition to entertain. I'm so sorry you made such a long trip for nothing." 

"Actually, it works out," Coco said. "My next assignment isn't for a month, so I've got time to stick around." Putting every ounce of sincerity she could into her voice, she added, "I don't need to be 'entertained' to enjoy your company, Rarity. Just seeing you is enough." 

More silence. She looked towards Twilight, who gave an encouraging nod. Coco turned back to the door one last time.

"So while I'm here, I'm here to help," she said. "I... I'm not sure what I can do to help, but I can try—"

The door to Carousel Boutique audibly unlatched, and opened a single inch. Coco stepped back in surprise. She then took two steps forward, and tapped the door with her hoof. It gave further.

"Looks like bringing you in was the right call," Twilight said, beaming. 

"No kiddin'. We'll... we'll hang back," Applejack said, looking to the side. "Y'all just did something none of us could do, and we're her closest pals. Remind her of that, could you? We're out here if she needs us."

"I understand," Coco said. "I'll do what I can."

Taking a deep breath, Coco stepped inside Carousel Boutique, and closed the door behind her.

With all of the blinds closed, only the tiniest slivers of light allowed her to see where she was going. The low light alone was enough to give the silent fashion establishment a haunting feel. 

Squinting, she stepped carefully, and promptly stumbled into a ponniquin. Yelping, Coco shook herself off and huffed. It wasn't too often that she had unicorn envy, but right now she would have given anything to be able to light the way with a spell.

Treading even more carefully, she continued to the center of the boutique. As her eyes adjusted to the low light, she saw disarray everywhere she went.

She made out more ponniquins, most of them toppled. Pieces of outfits and scraps of fabric lay strewn about. Scattered jewels, given less than the bare minimum of light to work with, failed to sparkle. Tailor's tools and makeup sprawled out of their drawers and containers.

Amidst the chaos, she spied what she guessed was Rarity's main work desk. Fortunately, it was where the most slits of light converged, allowing Coco, just barely, to see what was atop it. 

It was a scrapbook, opened to magazine clippings of Rarity's most recent accomplishments. Being subscribed to most popular fashion publications, and having studied up on Rarity after first meeting her in Manehattan, Coco recognized all of them. 

There was the Canterlot Wedding between Princess Cadance and Shining Armor, which Rarity had devised the dresses for. There was the triumph of hotel-based garments at Manehattan's last Fashion Week. There was even Sapphire Shores at her latest concert, wearing the most outlandish of outfits by design.

Next to the clippings, Coco discovered a piece of white paper. It contained a sloppily scrawled note one sentence long:

"You Can Do It Again."

A whimper sounded behind her. Startled, Coco dropped the note. Turning to the source of the sound, she saw... a large marshmallow? 

Wait, no. 

It was a pony. 

A pony who looked a far cry from how she did when Coco first met her. 

In Manehattan, Rarity had been absolutely radiant. Confident. Benevolent. Here, her mane and coat were frumpled, frizzled, and clearly neglected. She was also lying on her stomach, face down and barely moving. 

Alarms rang in Coco's mind. "Rarity!" she cried, running over. "Rarity!" She lifted up Rarity's face, looked into red eyes, noticing the bags a second later. "Are you all right?"

A low groan escaped Rarity's lips. "No, no I am not. Coco, I... I can't do this anymore."

"Do what?"

"This." Rarity gestured around the boutique with a shaking hoof. "All of this. Oh, but I tried. Celestia knows I tried."

"I still don't understand." Coco pulled Rarity up to a sitting position. "Maybe you should start from the beginning."

A long, sad sigh. "Must I?"

"I'm sure you didn't let me in just so we could sit here," Coco said, smiling indulgently. "Like I said outside, I'm here to help. But you have to let me know how."

Coco sat across from Rarity, and took hold of her hooves. 

"Even if 'help' means just listening."

Rarity was quiet for a long time, simply staring at Coco. Just as Coco was about to speak again, Rarity finally opened her mouth. 

"If I had to guess," she said, slowly, deliberately, "it would have started not long after Sapphire Shores's concert. She gave me a plug after her set, and in all of the entertainment papers." 

"I saw them," Coco said, nodding. "You had to have been proud. I know I was."

Rarity chuckled sardonically. "I was actually the last to find out, but when I did, you'd best believe I was on cloud nine. But yes, I remember. That was exactly when and where my problems began."

"What do you mean?" Coco asked.

"Well, once I saw those articles, I put two and two together," Rarity explained. "You see, the weeks prior I'd noticed an uptick in orders which I couldn't explain. At first, I thought perhaps the busy season had somehow shifted without anyone telling me... but no. Suddenly, I knew."

Slowly, Rarity stood. 

"I've always had a clientele, Coco," she said. "A number of trusted customers who I knew, and who knew me, and who loved what I could do from the beginning. I always had a niche. But it was at that moment, when I read those magazines, and saw the orders, saw the praise, saw my business not simply 'doing well' but flourishing, that I realized had something on my hooves that I could never have anticipated."

She turned and looked at Coco straight on, staring intensely through her. 

"I had an audience, Coco," Rarity proclaimed. "And in turn, I had a duty to serve that audience. And, if I was to have any hope of fulfilling that duty—"

Coco suddenly felt herself getting sick as she heard Rarity's words. They were a preamble. The preamble to a rant she had heard once before. Over coffee. 

"...you had to adapt?" Coco asked, suddenly tasting the bitterness of that coffee from long ago.

Rarity stopped. "Why... yes, exactly that! I had to adapt."

She paced around the boutique. "So I did all I could to double my production. To mine the deepest recesses of my mind for designs. To tend to as many walk-in customers as possible. Fulfill every order, polish every single idea I had, throw out ones that clearly weren't up to snuff, make sure every product was of the utmost quality!"

Coco winced at the word 'product', but allowed Rarity to continue. And continue Rarity did, pointing to, then walking through, scattered piles of books and magazines.

"I conducted painstaking research on tastes and trends," Rarity said, her voice rising in pitch. "What do they like in Manehattan? What's hot, what's not? Follow the herd, but keep it original just the same! Oh, but anything that might offend someone, take it out. Anything for the business. My ship had finally come in, and if I dropped the ball now, I might never have the chance again, to live like a queen simply by following my passion-!"

All the steam left her at once. The climax of her speech aborted, Rarity flopped limply back onto the floor, on her stomach.

"'Passion' can jump off the highest tower of Canterlot Castle," she growled. "And so can my damned audience." 

She gestured to the books and magazines again, tossing some towards the earth pony mare. "You read these more than I do, Coco. Have you seen what ponies do to each other? What they say? The consumers, the creators, the critics, the competition, the chaos! The loud, brash arguments on everything, from important things like label favoritism to things as trivial as what makes a 'good' fall dress!"

Coco nodded. She had seen. Every spring, every autumn, the same thing. It was the same rush, then squabbles during the slow seasons as those who followed the fashion scene got restless. Opinion columns tended to be especially cringe-worthy. Many a month had passed when Coco was glad it was Suri Polomare, her old mentor, who had to deal with the whims of the market, and not herself. 

But while they had worked together, Coco and Suri hadn't lived together. As Coco looked at the scene before her, she now wondered just what she missed when Suri closed her doors every night.

"If... if this is what it takes, I..." Rarity's breaths went staccato. "I don't have it. I just don't. Everypony else in this racket might, but I don't. And yet, in the end, still I must, so that I may live. The ultimate punchline." 

Rarity buried her head in her forelegs. 

"I must," she sobbed. "But I can't. But I must."

The boutique was quiet. Rarity didn't move. 

Coco took a step forward. The alarms in her head were sounding again. "R-... Rarity?"

"Coco," Rarity said, her voice muffled, "I was wrong. Fashion is naught but sorrow. Tomorrow, I promise, I will resume doing what I have always done... but the love shall be gone. I have no more left to spare."

She raised her head, her expression desperate. 

"But you shouldn't follow in my footsteps, Coco. I implore you: find any other line of work. This is the lot I've made for myself, and you hardly deserve the same." Rarity paused, thoughtful. "I suppose it could have been worse." She shuddered. "We could have gone into modeling."

"Rarity..." Coco began, but Rarity cut her off.

"And yes, I know you're here because my 'friends are worried about me,'" Rarity said, sighing. "They always worry. I'm used to it. And just like all the other times, they'll see that it's worth it. I just need to get everything done. I'll move fashion forward as a medium. Once I've done that, then perhaps, just perhaps, things will be better."

"Rarity!" Coco said, more sharply this time.

Rarity jumped to her hooves, looking at Coco as if she'd just noticed her for the first time that day. She gasped. "Coco, that's it! You can help me!"

"Rarity, listen to me!" Coco tried, once more without success.

Rarity darted around, lighting the boutique's lamps with her magic. More unfinished scraps and disorganization than Coco would have guessed at appeared.

"Moving fashion forward begins now!" Rarity exclaimed through ragged breaths. "I'll make my mark yet! Even if it takes my last ounce of strength!" She gestured around the dilapidated shop. "Be a dear, help me pick a place to start. Something wild? Conservative? Oooh, perhaps a journey into the risqué—"

Coco's patience finally ran out. Before she knew what she was doing, she ran over to Rarity. Shutting her eyes tight, she reared her hoof back... 

...and slammed it forward.

The sound that followed echoed through Carousel Boutique.

> 2: Two
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cringing, Coco opened her eyes. 

She looked at Rarity, and saw the unicorn's reddening cheek. She then looked down at—and felt the sting of—her own right hoof. She promptly darted back, panicked. 

"R-R-Rarity!" Coco stuttered. "I-I didn't, I..."

Rarity continued to stand where she was, stunned, a look of clear disbelief marking her face. 

"You... you hit me!" Rarity said, finally. She held her hoof to her cheek with widening eyes. "Not even my own mother—"

"I-I'm sorry!" Coco said, quickly. "It's just that you..." She shook her head quickly, back and forth. "...you were sounding like Suri. You were sounding so much like Suri just now. I couldn't stop myself!" Coco's breaths went deep, and her voice became fearful. "I've seen all of this before! I couldn't let it happen twice!" 

Rarity stepped back, her expression falling quickly. In seconds, she was completely deflated. Tears shimmered at the corners of her eyes. 

"Thank you, Coco," she said, sniffling. "You're completely right. I needed that. Though... now I know. I truly can't do this anymore."

"But why?" Coco asked. "Just what is stopping you?" 

And Rarity's face turned deadly serious. 

"Coco, you just showed me that I am heading down the path of one of my most despised competitors in recent memory," Rarity said. "Should I not stop before I am completely lost?"

Coco walked over, and sat before Rarity. She motioned for the white mare to sit as well. Rarity did so, rubbing the tears from her eyes.

Hooves gripped and caressed hooves. Coco’s actions were soft and caring, but her face was just as serious as Rarity's had been moments ago. 

"Rarity?" Coco said. "I want to ask you a question, and I want you to be as truthful as you possibly can."

"And that is?"

"Why did you get into this? Into fashion, I mean," Coco said. "What made you start, and what kept you going after you did?"

Rarity put her hoof to her chin in thought. 

"What keeps me going?" Rarity mused. "Well, I... I suppose it's my wanting to show the world that it's possible to shine, or have talent, no matter who you are—or even more so, where you come from."

She sighed. "There are certain... stereotypes which float around those who do what we do, Coco. Certain expectations. You're assumed to be born in a certain place, be brought up a certain way, behave a certain way, have a certain amount of wealth, have certain sets of skills. 

"However, simply by existing, I break all of these rules. My upbringing was decidedly unfabulous, ponies are forever shocked when they learn I operate out of Ponyville, and every time I pay a visit to Canterlot... well, let's just say things never go to plan." She shrugged. "At this point, I doubt they ever will."

The smallest of smiles tugged away at a corner of Rarity's muzzle. 

"And truth be told... I rather like that."

Coco smiled in return. "But... what if all of that went away? What if the fashion industry, today, made it clear that they didn't want to give your design skills the time of day?" Coco paused, then delivered the kicker. "What if Ponyville was your only customer?" 

"Heavens!" Rarity gasped. "You wish to destroy me?"

"Humor me?" Coco asked. "Please?" 

Rarity closed her eyes. Coco relaxed in relief—Rarity looked to really be taking this seriously. 

Then Rarity spoke, and, for the first time that day, she sounded strong. 

"I still wouldn't stop," she said, her voice small, yet steady.

Rarity rose, walked around the boutique, picked up a single piece of fabric, and held it to her cheek. 

As Rarity did so, even though she was still completely unkempt, Coco could see it. A tiny piece of that glowing radiance, borne of love and confidence, had reappeared. It was faint, but unmistakable. Coco allowed herself a pang of hope.

"I can't not design," Rarity said, voice gaining further strength. "I can't not accessorize. I can't turn down any pony—any species—who comes into my establishment, and asks to leave beautiful." Rarity gestured around the boutique. "I read ponies. Back to front. Their wishes, their needs, their loves, their vices. I decorate them, on the outside and the inside. I make them smile. And their smiles make me smile."

She turned to Coco, walking back towards the mare with a practiced, deliberate pace.

"It's the one thing I've ever been able to do, better than any pony I've ever known. And up to this point, I've done so in relative obscurity... but I’ve done well enough for myself. Even been happy. Lived within my means.

"But even if it were to all to disappear today, Coco? The muse would go on, whether or not that would mean leaving the rest of me behind. That is the one thing I have always been sure about. For better or worse..." 

Rarity sat back down in front of her confidante. 

"...I am myself. No more, and no less." 

Coco smiled, warmth rushing through her. This was the Rarity she remembered. She just needed Rarity to remember herself as well. 

"I have an idea, then," Coco said. "Why not just follow that muse? You know it won't quit."

Rarity scoffed, waving a hoof. "Oh, but the muse comes up with terrible, terrible ideas. At least half the time. Ideas that nopony would ever, ever like—"

"—like Hotel Chic?"

"Yes, like that garish piece of—" Rarity stopped, then blushed, then... giggled. "You know, thank you for finally being the one to say it? I mean, nopony else would. I thought I was going crazy. Don't take this as a complaint, but between you and me, I could never understand how that last-ditch rush job ever garnered the praise it did!"

"How do you think I felt?" Coco giggled in kind. "It was super-popular on the Garment District for an entire month! I just avoided Fashion Avenue until it was out of everypony's systems."

"It... it made it to... to Fashion... " That was as far as Rarity got before the giggles became uncontrollable, and turned into infectious belly laughs. 

"It did!" Coco said, amidst her own laughter. "Ponies kept stealing linens! Hotel managers actually kind of hate you now!"

"Oh, please!" Rarity snorted. "Their jobs are to hate anyone who isn't pouring money on their table by the satchel!"

The girls laughed for a full minute after that, tension draining out of them with each exhale.

"I do know something put together in one night when I see it," Coco said, when she had herself under control again. "But that's just it. In this world, you never know just what'll hit. And nothing hits if you don't try. For one night, you believed that curtains and room keys could be runway material. Why not anything else?"

Rarity 'hmm'ed. "I... don't know if I can. Oh, Coco, I'm so sorry you've had to see me like this. This is how I truly am when no one's around, you know. Ever afraid, ever scared. Especially right now. If only you knew what it was like to put a piece of yourself out there, every time, only to be picked apart by those who really, in the end, care for their own satisfaction and naught else..." 

Rarity took a deep breath. "I understand everything you say, Coco," she said. "It's just that at the same time, I always feel as if I need to get better. Creative types always have to get better, Coco. It's how we stay relevant."

Coco grinned. "Funny you should say that. Because I agree."

"You do?"

"Uh huh." Coco went to her saddlebag, rummaged around, and took out a magazine. 

Rarity looked over at its cover. "Is that the new issue of Fashion Unbridled? I don't think I have that yet."

"I'm sure you don't. The press is in Manehattan, so city residents see the new issues at least a week before everypony else. But you actually got a feature this month."

"What?" Rarity rushed over as Coco turned the pages. "Let me see!"

Coco showed Rarity the page... and Rarity's face fell upon seeing the headline picture. 

"Oh, no. No, no, no! Someone from Fashion Unbridled was actually at Rainbow Falls? If only I'd known! Those outfits weren't ready for public consumption, they were specialized, customized for—"

Coco shook her head and sighed. "Rarity? Hon? Read it."







Sending Style Skyward
by Beau Contraire

Rainbow Falls is not normally a place one would think to look for fashion inspiration—until one realizes that uniforms are always in style at the Equestria Games. Its tryouts are no exception.

Even so, one would expect uniforms to follow certain design principles. Certain rules of color, symmetry and theme. One needs to only look at, for example, the Wonderbolts' signature uniforms across the generations to understand.

In contrast, one would not expect the above. At all. Ever.

Doing a small amount of digging reveals that these ensembles were the work of Rarity, who stole the show last Fashion Week with clothes cobbled together out of hotel room scraps. At first glance, this would look like an attempt to improve on the formula. Indeed, both outfit lines very clearly play up the "curtain" aesthetic, whether the designer wished them to or not.

And on the surface, these look garish, hastily pasted together and ultimately throwaway, to say nothing of overly frilly. Look closer, however, and you find the complementing colors, the curves on the small yellow pony's outfit which accentuate her features, the concentration on tassels which actually works surprisingly well on her larger subject... and a flower motif that is out of place on neither.

What you find are two outfits that absolutely would not work for anyone but the ponies Rarity designed them for, and elicit emotions of joy and serenity if one looks at them for more than five seconds. And in the process, the designer has created an ensemble that, somehow, perfectly straddles the line between natural and pop. Bravo.

Hunches were present before, but now they are confirmed. Rarity is one to always watch. Rarity is a pony who will always surprise. Even when she attempts something mundane, something novel ever springs forth. Let us hope she continues along this path—the day she tries to live up to some of the outdated notions of "objective quality" running rampant across today's fashion scene is the day she dies as a designer.

Meanwhile, It's little wonder she crafts Princess Celestia's Grand Galloping Gala dresses every year. Royalty needs to stand out, after all.



"Well," Rarity said, still blinking in awe at the page. "That was unexpected."

Coco giggled. "Not for me. I'm right in the thick of things."

Coco put the magazine away, and looked imploringly at the mare across from her. "Rarity, fashion needs you, but trust me, it doesn't know it yet. You talk about 'getting better,' but... I've seen you work. You're already the best I know. Simply because you are just a little bit different."

For several moments, Rarity was silent. When she spoke again, she sounded pensive, yet hopeful.

"There are things I want to do," she said. "There are designs I wish to create... that I know nopony will like. I will sometimes craft things that ponies will detest. Quite a lot, actually."

"Good," Coco replied. "Some people won't like Rarity. You can't enter the spotlight of an industry and be everypony's friend. The worst thing you can do is try not to be offensive to anypony. Looking around this place, though, it looks like you already know what happens when you try."

Rarity shuddered and rolled her eyes. "Yes, well. One must try everything at least once, I suppose." 

"Of course." Coco walked about the room, picking up some scattered jewels. "While you're trying everything, though? Don't lose yourself to everything you're trying." Coco presented the jewels to Rarity. "Because there's only one of you to go around."

Rarity smiled, taking Coco's hoof.

"I won't. Nor will I lose the ones who stay by my side," Rarity said. "They're the ones who remind me that if I want to be better, I should simply aim to always be a better me." 

Her horn glowed, and magic shot from it, hitting the jewels. Light refracted in all directions, illuminating the room with soft, colorful hues. 

Coco looked around, awed at the sight. "I guess you're feeling better?"

Rarity let out her longest sigh of the day. "Somewhat. I still need to calm down, but you have done wonders." She looked into Coco's eyes. "Thank you so much, Coco. I don't know what would have happened had you not shown up."

"Think nothing of it," Coco said, feigning poshness. More seriously, she leaned close to Rarity. "Do you... feel like coming back outside?"

Rarity shook her head. "Not yet. I'm still rather shaken. It will take me some time to re-center. To say nothing of cleaning this place up. I know I brought most of this on myself, but what has happened has happened."

Coco nodded. "I understand."

"So... I can't face Ponyville just yet," Rarity admitted. "Just the same? I don't want to be alone, either." She tilted her head nonchalantly. "Coco?"

The dull, queasy feeling Coco had experienced repeatedly today was replaced with butterflies. When had Rarity’s eyes become so easy to get lost in? "Y-yes, Rarity?"

With another glow of her horn, Rarity summoned her trusty couch. Sitting, she stretched out her forelegs.

"Could you do me a favor and just... hold me?" Rarity asked, softly. "Quite frankly, I'm having trouble believing you're not a dream. And there's no one else I'd rather have by my side right now."

With a warm blush, Coco sat on the couch, faced Rarity, and wrapped her own forelegs around her, completing the embrace.

"Just between us?" Coco said, closing her eyes and resting her head on Rarity's shoulder. "That was exactly what I thought when I first met you."

> 3: Three
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Coco stepped out of Carousel Boutique, and once more marveled at the town around her.

In the evening, Ponyville was little different from the afternoon. There were slightly fewer ponies, and a few places of business were closed. However, a fair amount of bustle still remained in the center of town, and other stores remained open, lights shining in the night.

Coco looked at the open shops, and realized that she should have asked Rarity just where it was possible to grab a suitable meal. She briefly considered going back inside, but Rarity was still in the middle of cleaning up her shop. Coco didn't want to interrupt her, especially given how trashed the boutique had been just hours earlier.

Besides, now that Rarity's crisis had been handled, it was a good time as any to explore while she looked for food. 

The gingerbread house she saw earlier that day caught Coco's eye, still lit and still appetizing. Its menu likely wouldn't be very nutritious, but perhaps it would be a good place to get dessert—plus its staff would likely know the location of a proper eatery. 

Coco wiped her brow as she changed direction. Even after a nap and a refreshing shower, she still felt a little tuckered. Doing damage control was tiring, but she'd certainly learned some valuable things about herself and Rarity in the process. While she would always be willing, affairs such as today's were ones she hoped she wouldn't have to undergo too often. 

On the way to the gingerbread house, Coco passed a large, hollowed-out tree, and she stopped to look up at it. By the lights and furnishings she could see through the windows, someone clearly lived inside. This was interesting in itself; Manehattan homes were pony-built and rigidly structured. Using a tree as a home was… so charmingly refreshing. Like something out of a storybook. Once they were both better rested, Coco really would have to ask Rarity to take her sight-seeing.

Just as she was about to resume her quest for food, the tree's front door opened and Princess Twilight stuck her head out.

"Coco? Is that you? Hang on a sec," Twilight said, running forward to meet her.

"Oh! Hi, Twilight," Coco said.

"Hi! How are you?" Twilight said, stopping in front of her. "And how's Rarity? This is the first time I've seen either of you outside since earlier today." Twilight prodded the ground nervously with her hoof. "Were you able to get through to her?"

Coco nodded. "I was. It turned out she was having..." Coco paused, looking for the right words. "...business troubles. I guess she just needed to talk to somepony who knew where she was coming from. She learned some hard truths about the fashion world this week, and I've seen what happened to Rarity happen to other ponies. She told me to tell you she'll be back open soon enough. But she needs to decompress first."

"I understand," Twilight said, relief crossing her face. "Thanks so much for your help. I’ll be sure to pass it along to Applejack too." 

"Seeing Rarity back to herself is thanks enough," Coco said, smiling.

"Yes, but we still really appreciate it. In fact, I have someone to introduce you to who probably appreciated it more than anyone else." Twilight turned in the direction of the tree house. "Spike, could you meet me out here, please?"

"Spike?" Coco asked.

In a blink, a small purple dragon exited the house and ran up to them. The first thing he did when he saw Twilight was give her a mock-challenging stare. 

"Twilight, you're not going to postpone this by—" Then he saw Coco, and did a double-take. "Whoa. She showed up!"

"Yep!" Twilight said with a big smile. "And she brought Rarity around, just like you thought she would!"

Spike shrugged, and put a claw behind his head. "Ehhh. It was more like an educated guess, really."

Coco pointed to Spike. "Wait. You were the one who wrote the letter?"

Spike's face tinted a darker purple. "Yeah, but I didn't know where to send it, and the postal service would've been too slow. I've got a direct line to Princess Celestia, though, so I attached an extra note explaining things, and sent everything to her! Looks like she was able to track you down." Spike's embarrassment melted away, and he puffed himself up. "Not that I didn't think she would. She and I go way back. Like, me being born way back."

"Of course." Twilight giggled. "Anyway, I'm sure you two have things to talk about, so I'll leave you alone. Spike, are the ingredients ready?"

"Yep! They're all inside!" he said, proudly. "Cheese, sauce, lettuce, tomatoes, beans..."

Twilight's grin went toothy. "Aaand...?"

"And enough chips to feed an army!"

"Ooooor...?"
 
Spike rolled his eyes. "Or a princess." 

Twilight outright squealed, wings ruffling excitedly. "Perfect! Just you wait: I'm going to make a mountain of nachos that'll knock your socks off!"

Spike snorted. "That's what I'm afraid of."

Twilight manifested a pair of goggles and slid them over her eyes. "You doubt me now, but give me half an hour and you'll be calling me Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Dinner! Tonight, Spike, we feast!" Cackling, she ran inside of the house.

Spike and Coco watched her leave. "So, I think I've got about ten minutes before I have a fire to put out." He extended a claw. "Hi. I'm Spike."

Coco shook his claw. "Coco Pommel. And you're the dragon that was with Rarity and the others in Manehattan." She gasped. "She talks about you all the time in her letters! You've been saving her flank long before I showed up."

Spike suddenly looked more sheepish than normal. "I guess? We go back and forth. I owe her a whole lot, too."

"But that's just it," Coco said. "You two are already such good friends. What made you call me?" 

Spike looked around, found a less populated patch of Ponyville, and walked towards it. Coco followed. 

"So you know what's pretty great?" he said. "Being able to hang around a princess and a bunch of her friends who save the world all the time. I mean, sure, I carry bags, but I also get to see a whole lot of things, travel a whole lot of places, and eat a whole bunch of different foods and jewels. All for free. Meanwhile I've got diplomatic immunity, I'm a celebrity in the Crystal Empire, I've got Princess Celestia on speed dial—" He stopped. "Do me a favor? Let me know when it sounds like I'm bragging?" 

Coco giggled, not having the heart to roll her eyes. "Not just yet. But what does all this have to do with me?" 

"Oh, right, sorry. See, my point is, even with all the perks? I still have six awesome ponies who care and look out for me. From where I'm standing, I've got it pretty sweet.

"But if I want to keep all that sweetness, then I've got to do my part. And my part is keeping an eye on those six ponies. Because as powerful as they are? As awesome as they are? They're not perfect, and they can't do everything."

Spike sat on the grass, with Coco following suit.

"And if there's one thing I've learned after all these years, it's that for all the bad guys and disasters they've faced down, those mares are their own worst enemies. It's like, they can handle anyone and anything, except for their own hangups. Which always make them go nuts. It'd be funny if it weren't so scary to watch, you know?"

"After today?" Coco nodded. "Do I ever." 

"Yeah, I figured." Spike turned to Coco, and took a deep breath. "Since you made it here, and did what you did, I wanna tell it to you straight. Being Rarity's friend takes a lot of patience. If things don't go just right, she'll just... stop. She'll treat herself badly, and tell off everyone around her. There's almost no reaching her when she gets like that, and it's those times when you wonder if knowing her at all is even worth it." 

Spike paused, and looked up into the star-filled night. 

"Then she learns what she needs to learn, somehow, from somewhere. And she comes out of it. And you see her smile, and she showers you with gifts. Just out of nowhere."

Coco looked upwards as well. The sky may as well have been the world's biggest jewelry box, its gems sparkling out of the darkness. 

"Like a new lease on life," she said. 

"Or hope to hold on to," Spike said, shrugging. "It's... it's just what she does. That's why she'll always be special to me. 'Cause even when she's going crazy..." 

"... you know your friend's still inside, somewhere," Coco finished for him. "And that friend is priceless." 
 
Spike smiled and exhaled. "You do get it." 

Coco blushed. "I've been there before."

"I was counting on that."

Spike bobbed his feet back and forth, watching them for a bit. "Could... you do me a favor then?" he said, finally. "I have no problem with being there for her, but since your lives are so similar, there's a whole lot you can do for her that I can't. So... could you be there for her too?" Spike blushed. "I've already got one world hero to look after, and she's a clawful."

Coco smiled back. "I would even if you hadn't asked." She looked to Carousel Boutique in the distance, and sighed. "It's always the creative types, isn't it?"

Spike looked to the tree house. "I think it happens to anyone with a big brain that never shuts off. The difference is, mine's a thinker. Yours is a dreamer."

A large boom sounded from the direction of the tree house, causing Coco to jump to her hooves. "What was that?" 

"Dinner, I'm guessing," Spike said, with a sigh. "Twilight would actually be a pretty good cook if she didn't love to turn everything into a magic experiment." He got to his feet. "Time for me to get back, before another explosion goes off."

Coco gasped, stomping a hoof. "Oh my gosh, dinner! Spike, do you know any places to grab a meal in this town?"

"Cloverleaf Cafe's open for another hour!" He pointed to a lit building that Coco could see was covered in shrubbery. "Oh, and you can probably get some dessert from Sugarcube Corner, too. It's the big gingerbread house."

"Hah! Called it," Coco said, in triumph. "Thanks, Spike. So, you work on yours, and I'll work on mine?"

"Sounds like a plan to me," Spike agreed. "At least until we think of a better one. Oh, and, uh, by the way? We never had this conversation." 

"What conversation?" Coco asked. 

The two shared a mutual grin before jogging off in separate directions. 



> 4: Four
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Finally, nearly an hour later, Coco was on her way back to the Boutique, her mission accomplished and then some. 

Beside her was a catering wagon, towed by a poofy-haired pink pony that Coco had recognized as another one of Rarity's friends. Atop the wagon were two large tins holding deluxe salad dinners, two vials of salad dressing, and one more extra-large tin the pink pony had brought out from Sugarcube Corner. 

"Thank you so much for your help, Pinkie Pie," Coco said. "I'm sure Rarity is going to love this."

"No problem! Thank you so much for bringing Rarity back from Crazytown!" Pinkie singsonged. "I've been there. Nice place to visit, buuuuuuuuuut..."

Coco chuckled. "Point taken." She pointed to the largest tin. "So what's in this, anyway?" 

Pinkie beamed with pride, and took off the lid by its handles. Beneath was a towering, majestic, brown cake. 

"This is Rarity's favorite dessert: triple-mousse-whipped double-chocolate single-serve ice cream cake! The way you can tell it's her favorite is that it's the cake she always says she can 'neeeeeever eat' when you put it in front of her, yet always accepts anyway, saying she'll put it in the cooler for Sweetie Belle, and then completely devours when she thinks nopony's looking!" She replaced the lid. "I always keep one around for emergencies like this." 

Coco held back her mouth's watering. They were nearly back at the Boutique, after all, and it wouldn't do to have Rarity see her a drooling mess. 

When they arrived, Coco knocked. Rarity answered the door, and her mane, coat and tail were no longer rumpled. She was back to her normal style.

"Welcome back, Coco," Rarity said, all easy confidence again. "And Pinkie! Good to see you too, dear." She looked at the catering wagon. "Oh, my. This looks professional. And expensive. Coco, please tell me you didn't break your budget on my account."

"I'd have been okay with doing so," Coco said, "but everypony told me not to pay."

"They told you what?" Rarity blinked, then looked to Pinkie, who was unhooking herself from the wagon. "Pinkie, explain please?" 

Pinkie bounced. "When Coco and I told everyone how super duper down in the dumps you'd been all week, everypony at Sugarcube and Cloverleaf went straight to work!" 

"But why?" Rarity asked. "I-I mean, I'm grateful, but this all seems so out of the blue." 

"Du-uuu-uh!" Pinkie said. "Because you're good for our businesses! Rarity, ponies from all over Equestria come here just to get styled by you! And once you're done, salads are, like, the only thing they feel comfortable eating without messing up what you've done for them. Then they have dessert at Sugarcube Corner! Usually something small. With small bites."

Pinkie stepped closer to Rarity and placed a hoof on her shoulder. 

"Rarity," Pinkie said, softly, "I know it's easy to forget when you're working, but this town loves you. That includes us chefaroonies. You don't let us down, and we won't let you down. 'Kay?"

Coco watched Rarity blush. 

"Flattery will get you everywhere, Ponyville," the unicorn replied. "Very well—I'll do all I can to stay in the game. One last question, though: why is the Sugarcube Corner tin so large?"

"Oh, come on, Rarity," Pinkie said, lifting the tin just an inch. "You know what this is... "

Rarity's reaction upon seeing even the barest hint of the cake was immediate and obvious. Her lips quivered and shone with drool, prompting Coco to wonder why she had even bothered with restraint herself. 

"H-haaah... w-well, I-I suppose I do," Rarity uttered. "A-and honestly, I have no idea why you keep bringing these over. All I do is give these cakes to Sweetie Belle and her friends. Into the cooler it goes, I suppose—"

"But didn't you tell me last week that the Cutie Mark Crusaders left for filly camp for an entire month?" Pinkie said, mock-dramatically. "This cake totally won't keep that long! I'll just take it back—"

Rarity's hoof darted onto the tin, hitting it with a clang. She fixed Pinkie with a manic glare. 

"I. Said. I'll. Take. It," Rarity uttered through clenched teeth.

"If you insist!" Pinkie backed away from the wagon, winking at Coco as she passed by. "I gotta go. The Cake twins need a bath, and that's always an adventure."

"Do join Coco and me at the spa tomorrow?" Rarity asked, stroking the cake tin like nothing had happened. "It sounds like all of us could use a refresher." 

"Sure thing!" Pinkie replied. "I'll see you then. G'night!" 

Coco waved at a departing Pinkie, then turned to Rarity. "Spa?"

Rarity scoffed. "Oh, dear, I've gone and spoiled the surprise. Yes, Ponyville has its own world-class, luxury spa. It's where I go to melt my cares away on a weekly basis. Hot tubs, mud masks, and oh! You have not lived until Aloe and Lotus have put their hooves on you! A grander massage you will never receive."

Coco gasped happily as she pushed the cart inside the boutique. "Oh, that sounds fantastic! I can't wait." Once inside, she raised one of the salad tin's lids. "I'll start putting dinner together." 

The lid snapped shut, and all three tins shimmered with a magical aura. 

"You'll do no such thing," Rarity lectured. "Coco, you've already done so much, and I will no longer stand and simply watch. What you will do now is sit on my couch until I call you into my kitchen."

"But-"

"Ah, ah, ah! Out here. It won't be long, I promise. Relax, for Celestia's sake." 

Using her magic, Rarity wheeled the cart through the kitchen door, humming to herself. Soon, Coco was alone in the main boutique hall.

Looking around, she could see things were a lot cleaner now. Fabric and garments were neatly hung on racks, the books and magazines were nearly stacked in a corner, and Rarity had even cleaned the mirrors. 

Coco went to Rarity's work desk, which she could see was also a lot more organized too. The book of clippings was still there, but now closed. 

Perched atop the book, Coco spotted a familiar, multicolored, spool of thread. 

"Coco?" Rarity's voice sounded from the kitchen door. "Dinner... is served."

Coco left the table and walked to the door. Rarity took Coco's hoof and opened the door, gesturing for Coco to pass.

When Coco stepped through, a candlelit dining room greeted her on the other side.

Salad dinner and dessert cake lay on the table, prepared and scrumptious-looking. Every so often tiny lights would twinkle over the table itself—more of Rarity's magic, Coco guessed. 

Not only could Rarity improvise when needed, but she really had a talent for true beauty. "Rarity..." a stunned Coco eventually managed.

A gentle hoof to Coco's mouth was Rarity's reply. She walked behind Coco, draping a green shawl over her made of the lightest and smoothest fabric Coco had ever felt. 

"I don't live in Manehattan," Rarity said, her voice low, "but the impression I always got is that it's not a place where one is able to enjoy luxury without paying exorbitant prices. Now, I most certainly did not show you a welcome befitting a lady earlier. Therefore, the least I can do, in apology and gratitude, is to make the rest of your stay in Ponyville as lovely as possible... and start by providing the atmosphere you do deserve tonight."

Coco's heart swelled. "Thank you," she said, soft as a whisper. "I love it all."

"I'm glad," Rarity said, her tone showing that she meant it. She started walking to her side of the dining table, when Coco held up her hoof. 

"Rarity?"

Rarity turned to look back. "Yes, Coco?"

Coco expected the words to be harder to form, but in the end she barely had to think as they rolled off her tongue.

"I never asked for your generosity. But you still showed it to me, and showed me what it meant. Not a day goes by when I don't thank Celestia for that. That's why I was here for you today... and why I'll continue to be. If you want me."

Rarity turned around completely around, walked back to Coco, and stepped in close. Very close.

One more time, there was that smile. That smile that spoke volumes. That smile that leaned in closer still.

Lips brushed against Coco's cheek—and as warm shivers rippled through her, she heard a whisper in her ear:

"I do."