//------------------------------// // Chapter 5 - Quite the Catch // Story: Artist's Block // by Hot Dog Jones //------------------------------// After I got home from detention, I dropped my stuff in my room and layed down on my bed. Jeez. Just a colt of 14 and I’m already being used by girls. Where’s my life going? “Oh, there you are,” my mom said, popping her head in the door, “I was getting worried. Have fun with your friends?” Assuming she had heard about the sleepover, I nodded. “Well that’s good. Dinner will be done in half an hour, I’ll call you down when it’s finished,” she concluded, heading downstairs to the kitchen. Looks like I have some time. I picked up a piece of paper, ready to draw. But, what exactly would I draw? I sighed and started on an outline of a pony. But would this pony be a filly or a colt? Filly. Hair long or short? Long, most definitely. Face? I, uh.. Don’t know. Who was I drawing? Was it someone I knew? Well, so far it could be anyone. But who was this anyone? Was it Applebloom, or Scootaloo, or Starshine, or.. “Ugh!” I yelled, crumpling the paper. My mind froze up, and I forgot what was important to me. Is.. this what my life is now? I threw the crumpled paper aside. It could go anywhere, hell if I cared. It was that moment when I heard my mom call for me. I sighed and went downstairs. I didn’t eat, I couldn’t eat. I just picked at my food with my fork, waiting for dinner to be over. Ugh.. Now things are all weird with Applebloom and Cheerilee, and now I'm all awkward with Scootaloo and Fluttershy.. Why did she have to pin me down like that? And why did she blush so much? ..Why did I blush so much? “So, uh, how was school, son?” my dad said to me, interrupting my thoughts. “Fine,” I responded, hoping he couldn’t hear my lack of enthusiasm. After a small silence, my mother said, “Oh, yes! We wanted to let you know that your father got a job with the Ponyville guards!” “Cool,” I muttered back. “Also, Rarity said she wanted to thank you about saving Sweetie Belle the other day, so she’s treating you to a suit and a fitting, totally free!” she added with a smile. I stared back. “Save? When did I save Sweetie Belle?” “Why, when you caught her of course! She would have been quite injured if you didn’t,” my dad said, “and I’m so proud that you did.” They think I saved Sweetie Belle intentionally.. It was all just a big mistake though! Why would I save somepony I don’t- “Saving somepony you don’t even know, now that’s my boy!” my dad added, ruffling my hair. Well, at least they’re not expecting anything else out of me. I’ve already been through enough since we got here. “May I be excused? I’m not hungry,” I said to my parents. “Oh, ok. Be sure to rest up for tomorrow, I doubt you got any sleep at that little stay over of yours,” my mother said with a concerned look. I nodded, washed off my plate, and went upstairs. I don’t feel like drawing. I don’t feel like anything. I sighed and flopped on my bed. I took off my glasses, but didn’t even bother with the covers. It was just one of those days. *** I awoke the next morning to the sound of my alarm clock. These things need to go die in a pit. I slammed my hoof down on the bells and they stopped abruptly. I sighed and grabbed my glasses. Groggily trotting downstairs, I heard the sound of hay bacon frying. “Well, I guess today won’t be all bad,” I said to myself with a snicker. After I ate, I grabbed my stuff and went out the door. Well, I had to give mother nature credit, it was a good day outside. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and somepony was running straight in my direction. Wait, what? Who is- My train of thought was stopped suddenly by a hug from a white filly. “There you are! The stallion who saved my life!” she exclaimed, still not breaking the hug. “I-It was nothing, really, Sweetie Belle,” I said in protest. Yet she hugged tighter. I noticed I was blushing and broke the hug. “Heh, sorry if I freaked you out or something,” she said, blushing as well, “but I’m just really glad you were there to catch me. I’ll admit that the pole vaulting was a stupid idea, but thanks.” I smiled and said, “We better get to school.” She nodded and we started walking. “Y’know, we actually haven’t formally met,” she said with a chuckle. “Well, I’m Sketch,” I replied, shaking her hoof. “Ooh, cool name,” she said, “You must be into art then.” I nodded and replied, “Yep. You can ask Applebloom, I drew her at the sleepover the other night.” “Wow, a colt who’s a hero and an artist,” she said with a smile, “Rarity was right when she said you were quite the catch.” Realizing what she had said, she caught herself. “Wait, I mean, uh-“ “It’s ok,” I said back with a chuckle, “I understand.” She smiled as we kept walking. After a while we made it to school and took our seats. “Okay class,” Miss Cheerilee announced, “Today we’ll be talking about Equestrian History. Everyone take out their textbooks and flip to page 394.” I took out my textbook, but also my sketch book and a few pencils. This was one lesson I was definitely not going to listen to. *** After class, I had no gained knowledge and a lot of doodles in my book. Suddenly I hear, “Sketch!” I turn around to see Sweetie Belle. “Rarity wanted me to tell you to stop by the boutique today,” she said, “She’s giving you a reward for, y’know, saving me,” she finished with a blush. “Okay,” I replied, “We can go now if you want.” “Alright,” she said back. We started down the road. After a short walk, we reached the boutique. “Welcome to Carousel Boutique, we have a special on- Oh, it’s you!” Rarity said with a smile, “How good to see you again, Sketch.” “You too, Rarity. My parents said you had something for me?” I responded. “Oh, yes! Step this way, please,” she said, pointing to an arrangement of suits and some mirrors. “To reward you for saving my sister, I’m giving you a suit and a fitting, totally free of charge!” she added, still smiling. I trotted over to the rack of suits. “Now, let’s make you look like a gentlecolt,” she said, picking out a few suits. “Let’s see.. Something dashing, to express your heroism, but something also simple to humor your other features..” Well, someone’s really passionate about their work. She pulled out a black suit with a red tie. “Now, this is a good one! It’ll compliment your fur, and your eyes!” she exclaimed, handing me the suit. After putting on the shirt and tie, I put my hooves through the jacket holes and looked at myself in the mirror. Rarity was right, it did bring out my features. The tie wasn’t so bad, either. I smiled and said, “Y’know, I really like this one. Thanks so much, Rarity!” “You’re ever so welcome, little Sketch,” she replied, “how about you go upstairs and show your ‘damsel in distress’ your new suit, eh?” She winked and nudged me with her hoof. I laughed and thought I’d humor her. It was a nice suit, after all. I went upstairs to show Sweetie Belle. “Hey, Sweets,” I announced, approaching her. “Oooh, awesome suit,” she said coming forward, “Do you mind if I take a quick look at it? I.. kinda wanna be a designer someday.” “Oh, sure, no problem,” I replied. She smiled and started looking at different parts of the suit, with me as her mannequin. “You’re 15, right Sweetie Belle?” She nodded. “Have you looked into any internships or anything like that?” “Well, I’ve done some work for my sister before, I was hoping I could get a job with her. I mean, she is one of the biggest designers in all of Equestria, and it could be really big for me.” “Well, I hope you get it. You deserve something that good,” I added with a smile. I could hear her muttering designer stuff to herself, like, “Good blanket stitch over here, though it collides with the cross stitch on that side..” After around 10 minutes of this, she finally said, “Okay.. done! Thanks for modeling.” She smiled at me, and I nodded. “No problem, any time,” I said back, returning a smile. “You’re lucky,” she said, “It’s a very nice suit. Rarity wouldn’t give that away to just anyone.” “Well, she keeps saying I’m a hero,” I replied with a chuckle, “and she thinks you’re my ‘damsel in distress.’” “Well, in a way, I guess I am,” she replied with a giggle. I laughed and said, “Well, I better get home.” “Okay, bye hero,” she said back. She then did something totally unexpected. She came up to me and kissed my cheek. “Um.. uh.. Okay then!” I said, head spinning. “I’ll, uh, see you later, Sweetie Belle.” *** I turned and left the boutique, only to see Sweetie Belle waving at me seductively from the second floor window. What the hell have I gotten myself into. ---- Cookie for you if you get the reference! -HDJ