On her first day of preschool, Stella was hiding behind her mother, Princess Luna. They were in the foyer of the school, which doubled as one of the many playrooms. Peering out from behind Luna, Stella saw all the other foals playing everywhere in the room, doing things such as stacking blocks, playing with dolls, and rolling balls to one another.
Luna turned her head to look at Stella. “Do not be afraid, my daughter.” She spread her legs apart, refusing to hide Stella from the other ponies. “You are safe here.”
Slowly, Stella hovered her head into clear view and allowed a purple filly to get a look at her light blue horned face. As soon as the other foal saw her, Stella stepped back behind her mother, her straightish, light blue mane bouncing from the sudden motion, the slightly curled edges flying upward as she moved.
“Oh. It looks like we have a new arrival.” A golden yellow mare whose wildly poofed orange mane almost covered one eye walked over to greet the new arrivals.
Luna turned back to face the mare and nodded, smiling, her eyes sparkling with health. “Miss Orange Block. It is good to see you again on this fine day.”
“It’s good to see you too, Princess Luna. This must be little Stella behind you.” Miss Orange Block peered around Luna to get a better look at Stella.
Stella closed her eyes tightly, grimacing at the noise the other foals were making. She did not want to so much as get near any of them, let alone talk to them. And this new mare in front of was going to make her do just that. She sat down on the floor, hiding her head between her hooves. Too many ponies.
Luna turned back to Stella. “Greet your teacher.”
Stella looked up at Miss Block, but her voice was nothing more than a whisper. “Hello.” She turned her head away.
Luna and Miss Block had a small laugh at the timid response.
Luna lifted a rear hoof, trying to make Stella stop hiding. But even though she only had the shelter of three thin legs, spread widely apart, she still refused to come out. “Daughter, do you not want to play with the other foals?”
“No.” Stella squeezed her eyes shut even tighter. I can't! I don't know these ponies!
Miss Block raised an eyebrow. “But Stella, playing with others is always a good way to make new friends.”
Stella was close to tears. “No.” Even now her heart was racing and her chest was tight. They just don't understand. What if they don't like me? What if I don't like them? What if they're mean? What if I just don't want to make friends, period? I'm just fine playing on my own. That's what I've always done.
Miss Block, because of her many years of experience, knew how to handle students that were just as timid as Stella. All she needs is the proper encouragement to join in the classroom activities. She tilted her head to one side, trying to see all of Stella without immediately approaching her. “Stella, do you know why the sky is blue?”
Stella looked up hesitantly. “No.”
“Do you know where Saddle Arabia is?” Miss Block took a step closer Stella, hoping her questions would distract her from noticing her approach.
“No.” Stella looked down again. I don't know anything. What if all the other fillies make fun of me for it?
Miss Block took a deep breath. Third time's the charm. I hope this works. My reputation will soar if I hit it off right with her. She took another step forward. “Do you know how to read?”
Stella looked up again, and hesitantly stood up. “Read?” Mom reads to me all the time. Her stories are always so much fun.
Miss Block nodded. She had caught Stella's interest. “Yes. In my class, foals learn how to read.” Now, to build her confidence to join in. “When you know how to read, you can learn lots of fun things that you’d never heard of before.” Miss Block risked yet another step forward. “And you can read fun stories that will take you to all four corners of Equestria.”
Stella took one small step out from behind her mother. She can teach me to read. I want to read. But what about the other ponies? What if they make fun of me for not knowing how to read yet?! She turned to look at Luna, who smiled and stepped out the door. Her heart skipped a beat. Why's Mommy leaving?
Stella's soon forgot about Luna, however, as Miss Block interrupted her thoughts. “Let’s go introduce you to some of the other foals.” Miss Block turned around and pointed to the fillies and colts playing just five yards away.
The… other foals? I don't know…
But as Miss Block gently guided her over to the play area, she saw a toy a colt was playing with that distracted her from worries. It looked like a three dimensional maze inside a clear plastic ball. The colt was turning the ball, making a smaller ball inside it go on the maze.
Stella pointed to the colt and looked up at Miss Block. “What's that?”
“That's a Perplexus. You turn it to make a tiny ball inside go on a track and try to make it cross the finish line without falling off. Let's go get you a beginner’s one. Miss Block led Stella to a creaky wooden toy box and gave her a Perplexus smaller than the one the colt was using. The track was shorter and less complicated, and the sides of the track were higher, to help keep the little ball inside from falling off.
“Why don't you go over to that colt and have him show you how to use this?”
“Um, ok.” Stella walked over to him and sat down next to him. She saw that he was a pegasus with a light orange coat, almost peach colored. Atop his head was a red mane that was cropped into short spikes. I wonder if he farms grapefruit. Maybe he Is a grapefruit. Stella chuckled quietly.
The colt heard her and jolted, his concentration having been broken. The ball fell off the track and he looked up at her. “Hello.”
Stella smiled sheepishly, shuffling her hooves. “Hi. Can-- can you show my how to use this please?
The colt grinned, his orange eyes gleaming. He held out a hoof. “Sure. I'm Copper Flame. What’s your name?”
Stella hesitated for a moment, and shook his hoof. “I'm Ste-- Stella.”
Copper snickered, covering his mouth with his hoof. “Well, Stestella, first you turn the Perplexus so the small ball rolls to the starting line, like this…”
Now, Stella’s first day at school was about to begin.