I can hardly contain myself as I sit in the foyer, watching the door intently. “You know, staring won’t make her get here any faster,” Mom says with a chuckle as she enters.
“Yeah, but she’s supposed to be here at noon, that’s now and I want to be here when she arrives. A good host always greets their guest at the door, right?” I reply, not even remotely persuaded from my vigil. When the playdate was scheduled yesterday, I had begged mom to take me to the library so that I could look for a book to enjoy with Moondancer, the two of us having agreed to have one completely new book to share with the other.
With Dad taking Blueblood to one of his friend’s house for the afternoon, it's up to me alone to entertain Moondancer, and I will not fail.
“Well, aren’t you a proper little hostess,” says Mom, nuzzling the top of my head.
I preen a little as I answer, “I learned from the best.”
“I’ve already baked cookies for the two of you for when she arrives, no need for flattery.” Mom giggles when I grin up at her and we both end up jolting when there is a knock at the door.
“They’re here!” I cheer, jumping to my hooves. “Open it, open it!”
Mom rolls her eyes with a smile, but complies. I’d do it myself, but with no magic and being as little as I am, doors still pose quite the obstacle for me. As the doors swing open under the command of Mother’s aura, I calm myself and stand straight, schooling my expression. “I’m so glad you could make it… Moondancer?” My greeting trails off as I see the blushing filly dressed in what I think is a blue tutu and ballet slippers.
The pegasus mare next to her smiles as my mother greets her. “Ornate! Sorry if we’re a bit late. I’ve never been to this part of the city before. The lawns are simply huge!” she replies, wings fluttering at her side.
Mom giggles. “It’s alright, Stepping Star, homes here are spaced quite far apart, why simply walking from the front door to the street can be exhausting sometimes.” Moving aside, Mom gestures to the interior. “Please, come in.”
As I shake off the confusion and offer my friend the same invitation, the peach yellow mare does just that, looking around the interior slightly awed, pushing her tangerine and dusty red mane away from her eyes to get an unobstructed view. “Wow, I dare say it’s bigger on the inside. Must be an absolute nightmare to clean.”
“Oh, it is. Even working alongside the staff, it can take hours,” confirms my mother. “Please, won’t you follow my daughter and me to the kitchen? We have refreshments I’m sure you’ll appreciate after the trek to get here.”
She nods and the two set off, Moondancer and I following behind. “So, nice… dress?” I say, looking after the still blushing unicorn filly. I give a forced chuckle and joke. “Heh, I feel kind of underdressed now. Didn’t realize we were supposed to wear clothes.” And isn’t that still an odd thought?
“Mommy made me wear it,” Moondancer finally speaks. “I didn’t want to, but she said I should look my best.”
“And it looks good on you!” I declare, hoping to cheer my friend up. No luck apparently.
“I hate it.” Her frown deepens. “Mommy got it for me for when she tried to teach me dancing, but I don’t like dancing and the tutu itches.”
“You know how to dance?” I find myself questioning, trying to imagine the bookish filly performing ballet. What does pony ballet even look like? Maybe I’ll ask Class Act about it. She’s been wanting to ‘broaden my cultural horizons’ after all.
“I don’t,” Moondancer says. “All I do is fall a lot and get sweaty, so Mommy stopped making me do lessons.” Her frown deepens as she adds, “But she kept the tutu and slippers because I don’t have any other dresses.”
“Oh…” Not even ten minutes into my first playdate and my guest is already having a bad time. Come on, Pure, turn it around. “Hey, maybe you can take one of mine.”
Moondancer looks up. “What?”
“Mhmm, I have a few dresses, and I only ever wear them for parties and stuff, so why not give you one?”
“Oh, I couldn’t do that,” argues Moondancer with a shake of her head. “Those are yours.”
“Well, why don’t we trade, then?” I counter, giving her getup an appraising look. “Yeah, that’d work. All of my dresses are pink, so I think it would be kind of nice to have something in blue instead.” I look up at our mothers as they chat amiably and add in a whisper, “Don’t tell my mom I said that, she really likes me in pink.”
Moondancer worries her lip. “I don’t know…”
“I’ve got some really comfy ones~” I sing, tempting the filly. “Just think about it, No more itchy tutu.”
That works as her eyes immediately sparkle. “Deal!”
I giggle at her eagerness and she quickly joins in just as we finally reach the kitchen. Phew, playdate crisis one averted. Hopefully there won’t be anymore.
Ornate was doubly happy at the moment, both for the bliss on her daughter’s face as she and her friend ate their cookies with milk and the dramatic behavior of Stepping Star. “Sooo good,” she moaned around her own chocolate chip cookie. “And you said you made these?”
The pink mare hummed in the affirmative. “It’s the one thing I can bake better than our chef, and he’s been trying to sneak the recipe ever since he realized it. Too bad for him though, it’s a family recipe.”
Stepping Star shook her head with a chuckle. “I shouldn’t be surprised you have a chef,” she said. “My husband would be so jealous. He’s been trying to teach me how to cook for years now, but he’s still stuck on solo kitchen duty until I can figure out how to boil water without setting the stove on fire.”
Both mares giggle even more when the pegasus adds. “Really though, I keep a cloud in the kitchen in case of emergencies. Fire extinguishers were getting too expensive.”
Once Ornate caught her breath she patted her acquaintance’s hoof understandingly. “Now, now, don’t be too ashamed about it. I could barely scramble an egg without burning it before Cutting Board started giving me lessons. Really, that stallion's a miracle worker, maybe I’ll let you borrow him sometime.”
“Ed would definitely appreciate that,” Star said before looking down, her daughter having approached. “Yes, Moondancer?”
“Can I get my new book? Pure and I want to go read,” the filly asked, getting a slight frown from her mother.
“Of course, dear, but wouldn’t you rather play outside some first? You can read anytime and they have such a large yard here.”
Moondancer glanced over to her friend who was busy licking the chocolate off her hooves when she gave a shrug. “Um, maybe later…” the beige filly answered. “Can I just have my book?”
Sighing, Stepping Star nevertheless reached into the saddlebag hanging from her chair and pulled out a decently thick book to hand to her daughter. Balancing on three legs as she held the book to her chest, the filly smiled and gave a quiet 'thank you' which Star returned with a small smile and 'you're welcome'.
“We’re going up to my room, Mommy,” Pure said once she had cleaned herself of chocolaty goodness. “Um, can we have some more cookies for while we read, please?”
“Now Pure, you know three cookies is all you get before dinner.” Ornate answered sternly.
“But reading is so much better with snacks,” whined the white filly, bottom lip jutted out.
“Well then, I’ll bring you up some carrot sticks and cucumber slices in just a bit,” was the counter offer, getting Pure to flinch and Moondancer to perk up.
“I like carrot sticks,” the latter foal spoke up, getting a look as if she had just sprouted an extra horn from her friend and a broad smile from Ornate.
“I’m glad to hear that,” said the pleased unicorn. “They’ll be up shortly, so why don’t you two get settled in.” Looking to her disappointed daughter, she added, “And you can take one more cookie to split between you since it’s a playdate.”
Levitating the golden brown disc down from the table, Pureblood’s head appeared underneath it in a flash and she shouted a quick, “Thank you, Mommy, I love you!” before taking off, cookie bouncing on her noggin.
Moondancer struggled on three legs to keep up and the two foals soon disappeared behind the corner. Rolling her eyes good-naturedly, Ornate looked to her fellow mother to see a tired smile. “Is something wrong?” she asked.
“It’s nothing,” Star answered. “I was just hoping that being at a friend’s house would finally pull Moondancer away from her books for once, but I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised that’s not the case. From what my daughter has told me, your little filly is quite the little bookworm as well.”
“Yes,” Ornate confirmed, “though she also enjoys her time in the garden exercising with her grandfather and brother, to my occasional worry. My father-in-law can be a bit… intense at times, but he has been getting better.”
“Really?” Stepping Star leaned forward, eyes slightly wide. “You must tell me your secrets.”
Ornate snorted into small bout of laughter. “What?”
“I’ve been trying to get Moondancer interested in something other than books for nearly a year now, but it’s impossible,” Star explained, suddenly waving a hoof. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad she enjoys them, she’s a little genius and I couldn’t be prouder of that. It’s just, I’m worried. I’ve tried getting her to play with other foals, but before your daughter, she just wasn’t interested in their games.
“Not to mention her health. Spending all day inside reading might be good for the mind, but not so much for the body. I’m already worried she’s going to ruin her eyesight.” she continued, picking up her cooled tea and taking a sip. “I love my husband dearly, but darn it all if our daughters haven’t taken after him in the most frustrating of ways.”
Ornate drank some of her own tea, listening to the mare. She may not have known Stepping Star all that well yet, but she could understand the need to vent once in awhile. “You have another daughter? Does she go to a different school?” asked the pink mare.
“Hmm? Oh yes, Dawn Blend is the older by five years,” Star explained, a touch of pride coming to her features. “She actually just got her cutie mark a few weeks ago.”
“Really? How exciting!” Ornate responded honestly, a new mark was always something to celebrate. “How did she get it?”
To this, the pegasus sighed. “It’s actually quite the funny story, and by funny, I mean infuriating,” she began, “For one, I wasn’t even home at the time, visiting some girls from my old dance troupe outside of Canterlot. And if missing my foal’s big day wasn’t enough, she got it by Ed letting her stay up ‘till morning on a school night.”
Ornate gasped at that. “He didn’t.”
“He did,” Star responded with a firm nod. “I suppose I shouldn’t complain, considering the results, but that didn’t keep Ed from getting an earful when Dawn told me the story.” She shook her head. “Anyway, after putting Moondancer to bed, the two of them ended up stargazing together the whole night, my husband’s favorite hobby, until sunrise and it was time to get ready for school. As it happened, Ed actually fell asleep before his daughter and she decided to surprise him with breakfast.”
“Oh no,” Ornate moaned, thinking she could see why the pegasus before her was upset. “She used the kitchen by herself.”
Surprisingly, Stepping Star waved a dismissive hoof. “I know what you’re thinking, but my Dawny’s a responsible filly and didn’t make a mess or burn down the house. No, she kept it simple with a couple of bowls of cereal. The one appliance she did use that was even remotely dangerous is also what got her her cutie mark. The espresso machine.
“She’s seen us use it plenty of times, and has apparently been paying pretty close attention, because when she finally woke her dad up, it was with, and I quote, ‘The absolute best cup of coffee he’s had in ages.’ Which is quite the compliment coming from my caffeine fiend of a husband.”
“A coffee making cutie mark, then.” Ornate said, trying to imagine what it would look like before simply smiling. “I’m sure it’s lovely.”
Stepping Star gave her own smile, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Yes, it is, and neither my husband nor I have been able to touch the espresso machine ever since. She’s up before us these days making coffee and she practices so much that Ed’s nearly bouncing off the walls by sunset. He’s talking about getting her the complete setup for Hearth’s Warming this year, she loves it so much, though I think he’s a little infatuated with the idea of getting lattes and cappuccinos at home.”
“Oh, I can imagine,” Ornate sighed dreamily. “Caramel macchiato on demand sounds like a dream to me… and a nightmare to my blood sugar levels.”
While both mares giggled, those of the pegasus sounded slightly forced, prompting Ornate to ask, “Is something wrong, Stepping Star? It doesn’t sound like you’re as pleased as your husband is about Dawn’s special talent.”
“Oh no, I’m very happy my Dawny’s found her talent and she’s so enthusiastic about it,” Star defended. “I remember when I discovered my love of ballet when I was a little filly. It was simply magical. I would dedicate every moment I could to practice; bug my mother constantly for lessons. She would always make time for me, the two of us spending hours together. It’s something I always dreamed of sharing with my own foals one day… Looks like it’s going to stay a dream.”
It was silent, one mare looking on with empathy while the other stared into her cold tea. “I’m a horrible mother, aren’t I? I should be overjoyed that my daughter’s found her mark and loves it, but with little Moondancer showing no interest in ballet either, I find myself brooding.”
“That doesn’t make you a bad mother,” Ornate stated, placing a hoof atop the other mare’s reassuringly. “You love your foals deeply and wanted to share your passion with them, there’s nothing wrong with that.” Seeing the unconvinced look on Stepping Star’s face, Ornate tried a different approach. “Think of it like this, from what I’ve gathered, your husband probably loves astronomy, right?”
Stepping Star blinked a few times in confusion, but answered, “Yes, he even owns his own shop he sells his custom telescopes from.”
“And you love ballet. Does the fact that you don’t share the same interest make the two of you love or enjoy each other’s company any less?”
Pulling her hoof away, Star looked offended. “Of course not!”
“Then it won’t be any different with your daughters,” Ornate concluded matter-of-factly. “I’m sure your girls will learn to appreciate your dancing just like you’ll appreciate Dawn’s coffee making talent and whatever amazing talent Moondancer discovers.”
After a few moments, Stepping Star finally began to smile again and the two shared in an air of understanding. It was like this for all but ten seconds while Ornate gave herself a mental pat on the back when her companion blushed and her smile dropped. “I can’t believe I just unloaded on you like that and we barely know each other. I am so sorry, Ornate.”
“It’s okay,” the pink unicorn told her, but Stepping Star shook her head.
“No, I really mean it. I grew up in a small town where everypony knew one another, but I know Canterlot’s not like that and I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable practically being a stranger opening up like that and-”
“Star,” Ornate interrupted. “It’s okay, really. Don’t let the house fool you, I’m not some stuffy noble without empathy. I come from a very close, crazy family that was very big on the touchy-feely stuff. Really, I’m sort of honored you were comfortable enough to share your worries with me like that; it's kind of like we’re sisters, or something.”
“…You really aren’t bothered by it?” the pegasus hesitantly asked.
“Not a bit,” Ornate insisted, getting her new friend to heave a huge sigh and slump over.
“Oh, thank goodness. For a second there I thought I had just went and made things weird with the mother of Moondancer’s first best friend. Would have really made any future playdates and birthday parties awkward as all get-out.”
Ornate had to playfully roll her eyes at that as she stood up. “Speaking of playdates, I think I promised our daughters some healthy snacks a while ago and I’m sure they’re well over halfway through their books by now. Why don’t you help me make a plate?”
Looking nervous, Star’s eyes darted fervently as she tapped her hooves together. “I don’t know, I told you how horrible I am in the kitchen and I wouldn’t want to ruin anything.”
“I highly doubt you’ll be able to ruin this,” Ornate responded. “Come on; consider it a lesson in basic cooking. Lesson one, peeling carrots and slicing cucumbers.”
Standing, the peach yellow mare’s wings twitched nervously, but she still smiled. “Alright, that sounds easy enough, let’s give it a try. What’s the worst that could happen?” As soon as she uttered those words, Ornate got the strangest premonition that perhaps she should keep the pegasus away from the kitchen after all, but she pushed it away.
Because really, what’s the worst that could happen?
Moondancer and I are just finishing up the book she had brought, What Do Ponies Do All Day, when our mothers come bursting through the door, looking tired, but triumphant as they hold a platter over their heads between them. “Snacks are here!” Mom declares, levitating the plate from their hooves to set it between us. “We made them special just for the two of you!”
Looking from the plate to her mother, Moondancer asks, “You helped make this?” When the mare nods, smiling widely, Moondancer follows up with, “Is it safe?”
Examining the plate myself, I do notice that half of the carrot sticks have the texture of gnarled oak and some of the cucumber slices are a bit mushy, but overall, I don’t see the problem. Veggies are veggies, they’ll pale in comparison to sweets no matter the shape.
Moondancer has higher standards however, as she gives the plate a wary glare until her mother says, “Of course they are, that’s the best of all the batches just for my little scholar.”
“Two bushels of carrots and five cucumbers,” Mom says. “But we finally got enough to fill a plate.”
Persuaded enough to not fear for her life, Moondancer leans down and grabs a green slice in her mouth before slowly drawing it in as she chews. Stepping Star waits with baited breath, eyes staring wide at her daughter until the filly gives a surprised smile. “It’s good!”
Leaping into the air with a cheer and flutter of her wings, Star exclaims, “I knew you’d like it! Oh, Ed is going to be so surprised when I offer to cut up the vegetables for the stew tonight! Maybe I’ll even bring the pot to a boil!”
“Foal steps, Stepping Star, foal steps,” Mom says, placing a hoof on the other mare's withers and pushing her back to the floor. “We don’t want to bother the fire department tonight, do we?”
“I guess you’re right.” the pegasus response with a yawn. “The exhaustion’s got me a little loopy, I think. Kitchen work is hard.”
“That it is,” Mom agrees. “How about we go rest in the parlor for a bit, hmm?” When Star agrees, Mom looks back to us. “Do the two of you need anything else?”
“No, we’re good,” I answer, pulling my head away from the proffered carrot stick Moondancer offered, getting her to shrug and stick it between her lips. “We’re going to finish this book and read mine, then I think I’m going to show Moondancer the garden.”
Mother beams at this, always happy to have her hard work appreciated. “Okay then, sweetie, just come tell me when you’re ready and we can all go out together. Maybe we’ll have a light lunch while we’re at it.”
As the mares leave, I remember something Mooney and I were discussing earlier and call out, “Wait!” When they turn around curiously, I continue. “Moondancer and I were talking, and we were wondering, well, can she and I trade dresses?
“What?”
“See, I just think her tutu is really cute, but she thinks it’s itchy and I don’t think any of my dresses are, so why not switch? I get something blue and she can get something comfier. Win-win!”
While Mom ponders over this, Stepping Star looks a little hurt. “Do you really not like your tutu, Moondancer?” she asks, which gets her daughter to look down with a guilty blush. Even still, she nods and her mom looks on for a few more seconds before sighing. “Well, tutus can get pretty itchy. If Ornate agrees, I don’t see why the two of you couldn’t trade,” saying this with a smile, Moondancer looks surprised, but still gives a hopeful one of her own.
“They are about the same size,” observes my mom, mulling it over for a few seconds more before giving her consent. “Okay then, we can look through your dresses before they leave. I’ve been meaning to get you something to contrast with your eyes instead of matching them for your next birthday, so this might do wonderfully.”
Much to everpony's surprise, Moondancer runs forward and hugs her mother’s leg. “Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!”
“Why, you’re welcome, dear,” Star finally says, smiling fondly and rubbing the top of her daughter’s head. “Really, you should be thanking your friend and Ornate.”
Quickly throwing a couple of thanks our way and returning to the book, the filly snuggles close, still beaming, and grabs another carrot stick, becoming the absolute picture of contentment.
I can’t help but feel the same as our mothers leave and we happily return to reading. I dare say I’m a natural at this hostess thing; my guest is in soaring spirits, and I barely even know what I did.