The Prima Donna and The Tailor

by L0rd0f7hund3r

9 A Month Before the Winter Concert

Stitchen Time has Gym after lunch on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. On this particular Friday, class has just finished. The colts were in the locker room, many getting in a shower before going to their next class. Stitches was getting ready to take one himself. The colts went running today, a five mile slog through the White Tail Woods and back. Everypony was exhausted and none were bereft of sweat. Stitches was hoping to get himself cleaned up before he started to really stink. He already was starting to get a fly swarm and he hoped that a shower would force the pests to go in search of a new target.

He hears a commotion before he visits the shower room. Some of the colts are yelling at somepony, but the intruder is louder. And strangely, it sounded feminine. As she spoke, he could hear the colts listening getting more and more riled. Whatever it was, he wanted no part in it. He was just reaching the shower room when a group of colts, all in the same year, rushed in ahead. They began to flank him on all sides. There was no exit, at least none Stitches could see. They had ganged up on him. He was about to get the beatdown of his life.

There were no words said. The string of colts surrounded Stitches in the showers and proceeded to wail on him. As they lay into him, they scream epithets about him, his sexuality, his mother, and his cutie mark. They charge him with getting too close to Sweetie Belle. The threatened him with even more serious abuses if he pursued the prima donna. The collective assault left Stitches with multiple abrasions, bruises, and at least two broken teeth. The intervention of Coach Time Turner stopped the brawl from causing more serious bodily injury.

Sweetie Belle heard about it as his broken form was carried off to the school nurse. She rushed towards the nurse's office as fast as she could. She wasn't the only one; Bloom, Scoots, Twist and Silver Spoon were running with her. They scramble through the corridors, trailing in the wake of Coach Turner and an upper classcolt. Once the reach the health care workers domain, they are met by Ms. Bee Flat. Her face is a caricature of worry. Miss Cheerilee comes in soon after, as well as Principal Strict Hoof. All three of the authority figures wore the unmistakable lines of worry.

"Who is responsible for this?" the school administrator demands.

"Principal Hoof, if he's unable to make the Winter Concert…?"

"I don't think that'll be a problem, Ms. Flat." Nurse Tenderheart says, "this poor colt has seen better days, but at least this time they didn't try to wring his neck…"

It was the first time Sweetie Belle had heard that Stitches was being hurt. She knew about bullying from years of torment from Diamond Tiara and her former associate, Silver Spoon. When Sweets looked at Silver, she was livid. Apparently, the former mean filly had reformed from her earlier life. The other fillies were equally as shocked as Sweetie Belle. None could conceive of the idea that Stitches was being hazed. Most certainly no to this degree…

Coach Turner said, "I know the foals who did this. I'll bring them to you at once, Principal Hoof."

"See to it," Principal Hoof commanded, "I shall inform his parents."

Principal Strict Hoof left the nurses" station, leaving Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, Twist, and Silver Spoon alone with Nurse Tenderheart, Miss Cheerilee and Ms. Bee Flat. The notion that Stitches parents were needed in this instance horrified Sweetie. She didn't even know if Stitches had a proper family. He did mention he had a mother, but in the weeks she had known him, he never once made mention of his father.

"What are you girls doing here?" Cheerilee demanded.

"We heard Stitchen was hurt. We came to see…"

"There's nothing to see here, Sweetie Belle. You and the others should head to your classes."

Sweets was on the verge of protest, but the look Bloom gave her stopped her short. They did as their homeroom teacher asked, leaving the nursing vestibule to trained professionals. Sweetie Belle couldn't concentrate on her classes, though. Her mind kept returning to the bleeding and broken image of Stitchen Time. She wasn't sure why she felt so awful for him; she was damn sure she felt pure outrage at the colts that did this to him. The student body would here of the attack in no time, especially after Stitchen's parents arrived. Sweetie thanked Celestia that, indeed, Stitchen had parents, plural.

Principal Hoof was there to meet them when they came. They also saw the colts believed to be responsible for the assault on Stitches. (In order of stupid: Ace, Vincent, Lancer, Atlas, Caramel Coffee, and Shady Daze.) Both of Stitches parents looked distraught and Sweets overheard Vaudeville moan about "trouble like what we had in the Hollows…" She had no clue what that meant, but maybe it had something to do with Stitches coming to Ponyville.

She wouldn"t really know until later that week. She decided she needed to know why Stitches family came here. She asked him numerous times, but he kept dodging the question. It was causing her female intuition to itch like crazy. A few days after Stitches was jumped, she followed Modiste home. She didn"t have a plan or any thought as how to approach her friend's mother. So, she kinda winged it.

"Excuse me, but are you Stitchen Time's mom?"

The austere unicorn mare turned around at Sweetie Belle's words and took notice of the filly. When she spoke, Sweetie heard an accent that she had never heard before.

"Yes, I am. Who are you, deary?"

"I'm Sweetie Belle; I'm a classmate of Stitches. I was wondering how he was doing. Nopony's seen him in days."

"Ah, I see now. Yer that filly Stitchy yammers on about. Well, do come inside. We can talk a little bit before me husband arrives. He's taken Stitchy to the doctor for physical therapy, the poor dear."

Sweetie Belle takes the invitation and enter into Stitches house. From outside, it appeared rather small and weather worn. Inside, though, was another matter. The whole house was cheerful and done up in bright pastel colors. Nothing clashed in the entire house. (A stray Rarity thought, Sweetie mused.) The house may have been small, but the delightful decor made the place so much larger. It was no wonder Stitches didn"t want to be late home from school. His home was a wondrous paradise of color. Modiste motioned for Sweetie to take a seat in the sitting room while she bustled around in the kitchen. Sweets took plopped into a cozy comfortable sofa set in front of a roaring fire.

"Do you take tea, deary?"

"Yes, I do. Nothing to strong, though."

"Methinks there's a coupla servings of chamomile round here. Ah, yes, here we are!" Coming from the kitchen, she asked, "So, what did ya wanna know about me Stitchy?"

Kicking at a scuff mark in the in carpet, not knowing what to say, Sweetie tried her best to stay composed.

"Well, my friends and I haven't seen him in a while. I was wondering if he was okay. Those colts did quite a number on him."

"Well, he's seen better days. He's obviously shaken. The cuts and bruises are healin' nicely; his teeth are the worst of it. My colt has been through worse. But his poor ego has been bruised beyond repair. He hasn"t walked on his own since the attack, the wee lamb."

Sweets gasped, "Oh, poor Stitches!"

Modiste nodded, while she used her horn to levitate a pair of saucers towards the kitchen. Sweetie took one of the saucers in her hooves. A teacup, filled to the brim, rested on it as well as a scattering of crumpets. She took a crumpet, dipped into the tea, ate. It was rather delicious.

"There are yummy!"

"Why thank you, deary! They're my Nana's recipe."

"I"m sorry if this sounds forward, but I overheard your husband mentioning some trouble in Hollow Shades. Can you tell me what that was about?"

Modiste's expression was hard to read. Sweets couldn"t tell if the mare was reproachful or merely flabbergasted.

"Well, somepony was bound to find out…" lamented the mare, "Stitchy seems to attract trouble. In the Hollows, he was mercilessly teased for kissing some filly in his class. He was assaulted there, as well. My colt has been a little romancer ever since foaling, it seems. Buck it all, it has caused all kinds of trouble."

"That doesn't sound that bad."

"Normally, I'd agree. But you see this wasn't any ordinary filly; she was the daughter of the mayor. He didn't take too kindly to my Stitchy making advances on his daughter. Caused us all manner of trouble that one did. It got so bad, we had to sell our house and find somewhere else to live. I'm hoping that history doesn't repeat itself here…"

"I don't think it will come to that." Sweetie Belle retorted.

"Well, I hope not deary. Ponyville is hooves above Hollow Shades; I rather like it here."

"So do I." said a gruff male voice.

"Ah, Vaudeville, there you are!"

Sure enough, there was Modiste's husband, pushing a wheelchair with the colt of the hour. A flicker of surprise went through Stitchen Time"s face before a silly grin settled on it.

"Sweetie Belle, what are you doing here?"

"I came to check up on you. We haven"t seen you in days…"

Mother, Father, and Son exchanged meaningful glances. Sweetie didn"t know what was going on then. She was just happy to see Stitches on the mend.

Whispering conspiratorially, Vaudeville said to Stitches, "She's a keeper."

With that cryptic message laid, both of Stitches parents swept the room, leaving him alone with Sweetie Belle. The two foals watched as the mare and stallion left.

"How are you doing, Stitches?"

"I've seen better days." Stitches muses, "How about yourself? You okay?"

"You mean other than besides myself with worry? Peachy keen, I guess."

"You"ve been worried? Why were you, Sweetie Belle?"

She didn't know how to respond to this. In the last few weeks, she has gotten to know Stitches rather well. He's told her some of his biggest dreams and greatest fears. She hasn't revealed as much, but with friends like Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, she really doesn't have to. There's also a small part of her being that wonders. It wonders whether she sees Stitches as more than a friend.

"Well, you're my friend. When I saw you all beaten up, I almost lost my mind. I kept asking myself, 'Why would anyone do that?'"

"I think they were jealous."

"Jealous? Of what?!"

"If I remember right, they wanted me to not get close to you. I think they heard about the duet we're doin' for the Winter Concert."

"But why would they-? URGH! Colts…!"

Stitches shares in her exasperation, giving a shrug, "I'm about as confused as you are."

Sweetie Belle takes a moment to answer then says, "I need to straighten this out… *Sigh* Stitches, I like you, as a friend. If there was anything else-" she stops herself before revealing too much, "I just hope you feel better soon. We miss you at school. I miss you, in choir. Your voice is so nice… I didn"t wanna say this, but, I look forward to our duet."

Taken aback, Stitches stammers, "I- I do, t-too."

Sweetie Belle stands to leave. Before she does, she takes a tentative step towards the invalid Stitchen Time. She hesitates for a little bit; she seems to struggle with some internal turmoil. She then leans forward and plants a kiss on Stitches cheeks. As she leaves, Stitches face turns palest scarlet.