Steam Snowflake shivered, frowning as she trotted into Princess Luna's School for Gifted Ponies. She couldn't take Mr. Woofs in with her. She had to wear a uniform. She had to have her mane in a certain style. She wore a black jacket with a white shirt and black skirt, a light gray tie as well. Her mane was pulled back into a pony tail very tightly.
She trotted in. She had been in this room many times, but never got used to it. She'd only been in her and her mother's home and the cafeteria for the most part. True, she'd been there for a year and a half, but she kept to herself. Steam walked in with her head up high, biting her lip. No pony turned to look at her, they only stayed in their seats and drew, wrote, or painted. The like.
The young Alicorn walked to an open seat, sitting down and placing her saddlebag by her side. She looked around, unaware of what to do today. Steam bit her lip as she saw nothing but older ponies doing their own thing, leaving her to stand out. She gulped and stood from her seat, walking to the front of the class.
She looked around, but found no teacher or any pony to help her. She sighed and walked to the balcony, opening the door and looking around. Sighing again, the eight year old Alicorn put her front hooves on the balcony's gate, looking out towards the Everfree Forest. Steam looked all around her, but found nothing of interest.
She spread her wings and popped them, rolling her shoulders comfortably. Steam jumped off the balcony, folding her wings against her flanks before opening them to soar to the Gardens. She landed gently, folding her wings back against her body. She liked the uniform, but the mane pulled back so tightly was horrible.
Steam looked around, sighing with a smile. She preferred being alone rather than being in the classroom. The Garden was just awesome. Steam looked around again, walking around slowly as if it would make something happen. She rounded a corner and found her. She smiled and trotted over to her, bowing before standing to meet her smile.
"Hello, Princess Luna." Steam smiled.
"Hello, Steam Snowflake. Why are you not in class?" She tilted her head, a smile still present.
"I didn't want to be there. I mean... I just don't like being around other ponies except you and Princess Celestia. And a lot of other ponies have their Cutie Marks. Paint brushes, palettes, paper, quills, parchment, stuff like that." Steam said, poking at the ground.
She held her face up with a hoof and a gentle smile. "How about you draw something in the dirt again? I loved the portrait of my home you drew."
"Okay," Steam smiled.
She turned around and looked at the dirt paths of the Gardens. She frowned. She'd been working with dirt for a year. She wanted something new, a new medium.
"Princess Luna?"
"Yes, my dear?"
"Can I try something different?" She asked, looking at her teacher.
"I suppose." A bell rang and she spread her wings. "My sister needs me. Help yourself to the mediums in the castle."
"Thank you, Princess Luna!" Steam called.
Steam Snowflake backed up, looking at her creation. It hadn't taken her too long, maybe eight hours, but it was finished, finally. She looked at the mannequin, inspecting her work. It was a lovely dress, much like one you'd see at a steam punk gala. It was bronze and silver, only two colored metals and some fabric.
It had a bow on the right ear, silver in color, and a chest plate that was bronze with silver engravings. There was a soft, silky like fabric underneath, which spread out around the wing holes and flank so the metal didn't scratch the fur. A silver dress coated this fabric, and a bronzed cage fit over it like enlarged nylon. It had four horseshoes, all silver with bronze engravings.
Steam Snowflake smiled, happy with it. She walked out of her room to her mother, who was cooking dinner. She ran over to her mom and pulled her hooves.
"Mom, come look at what I made!"
"Okay, I'm coming, I'm coming." Lenora smiled. She stared at the armor, dumbfounded. "Steam... did you make this by yourself?"
Steam nodded with a smile. "Yeah, is it good?"
"It's wonderful, sweetie! I'm so proud!" Lenora smiled, hugging her close. "How about you go tell Princess Luna?"
"O-Okay," Steam flustered, biting her lip.
It wasn't that she didn't like Luna, it was that she looked upon her so fondly she was afraid to upset her. Steam trotted down the stairs, towards Princess Luna and Princess Celestia's Throne Room. She knocked and entered, bowing before the Princesses.
"P-Princess Luna, I want to show you something."
"Okay," She smiled gently. "Lead the way."
"May I see as well?" Celestia asked with a smile.
"Y-Yes, of course, Princess." Steam nodded.
Princess Celestia and Princess Luna looked at the dress, gaping mouths as they looked at the dress, to Steam Snowflake, to the other princess.
"You made this?"
"Y-Yes."
"It's wonderful."
"Amazing."
"T-Thank you, Princess Celestia, Princess Luna!"
"There's one other thing, Steam." Luna smiled, looking at her own flank.
Steam blinked and looked at her flank, smiling as she saw her Cutie Mark. "My Cutie Mark! It's a gear!" She hopped with a smile, continuing to look at her Cutie Mark with a smile.