Foalhood

by KMCA

Chapter 3 (rewrite): Stress and Requests

Chapter 3: Stress and Requests

Three weeks later

I hated Life Skills class with a passion, it was the last class of the day and we could only do two things, cooking or crafting. I know that I’m not any good at making things like clothes or sculptures and how many pegasi are legendary chefs? Then again you didn’t see many earth ponies with a talent for sewing but Seam Stress made it look easy… Stressful but easy.

I on the other hoof had no such luck, I opened the oven that my apple crisp was cooking in, then slammed it closed as smoke poured out the opening.

“Ms. Light, I did it again!” My teacher galloped over with a bucket of water in her mouth. If this had only happened once or twice I wouldn’t be so calm about it, but it had happened often enough that my teacher and I could probably put out an oven fire better than a team of fireponies.

She nodded to me and I opened the oven again, flames shot out this time before Ms. Light emptied the bucket onto the burning desert. My apple crisp was apple extra crispy now. Ms. Light put the bucket down by the oven as I closed the door.

“Maple how many times do I have to remind you not to turn your oven up so high?” Ms. Light didn’t even sound upset, we had done this too many times for that.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t think it was that hot.” My wings drooped, my primaries almost dragging on the floor. I was so sure I had got it right this time.

“Maybe you should try something else, something that won’t burst into flames if you make a mistake. Please?” I knew it was a bad sign that my teacher was pleading with me to stop trying to learn how to bake.

But I wanted to learn how to cook, I could cook things on the stove. My pancakes were the best in the class, I could make a good stir fry if I had no distractions but I couldn’t make anything in the oven. If it was possible to burn down a cloud house I could probably do it making a loaf of bread.

I abandoned my failed attempt at desert and went to check on my friends. Seam Stress was busy making a hat, I doubted that she’d even noticed my most recent failure.

“Hi Seam, how’s the hat coming along?” I could see a hole in it for a horn, sometimes I was sure that she had become friends with me and Angelic Note just so she could experiment in unicorn and pegasus fashion. She held the hat on her hoof and shoved it in my face, it was close enough that I could take a bite out of it if I wanted to.

“What do you think? Too simple? Or did I use too much glitter? Too many colours or two few? Oh, Celestia it’s terrible isn’t it? Tell me the truth.” The yellow filly always had a twitchy eye when she asked for an opinion, which didn’t make the rare criticism easy to deliver.

“Why are you asking me? I don’t wear hats and even if I did I’m not a unicorn. Shouldn’t you be asking Note?” Her eye twitched several times and she glanced at the unicorn trying to make a bit purse at another work bench across the room.

“No matter what I make all she ever has to say is that ‘it’s lovely’ I bet she’d say the same thing no matter what, how would you like it if she tried a bite of your baking and told you that it was good, you know she would!” My feathers ruffled at the insult, I know she didn’t mean it and I pretended to be deeply hurt by her comment.

“Hey, no need to bring my cooking into this.” Seam smiled at me, just for a second she looked perfectly happy. Almost like she enjoyed being stressed out by her work and having her friends cheer her up, how anypony could live like that was beyond me.

“Angel, can you come over here please?” Angelic always made time for us. I used to think it was because she had no other friends, but Angelic Note would make time for anypony who wanted her help. I was sure she’d get her cutie mark for helping out ponies or something like that. Then again Seam’s cutie mark didn’t really make her happier, did it? I was never sure. “I made a new hat for you, tell me what you think.” She put the hat on her friend, making sure the horn went into the hole.

“Oh, a new hat? It’s lovely. Great work like always Seam.” Angelic Note probably had the most soothing voice in all of Equestria but Seam Stress was not a pony that knew how to be soothed.

Seam let out a short little scream of frustration.

“You see, nothing! Tell me, how bad is it? Should I give up high fashion and go live as a nun in the Church of Celestia knitting tea cosies or can I be saved?” This level of drama was so normal for her that none of the other students paid it any attention, not even Ms. Light so much as batted an eyelash at the yellow filly, leaving us as her friends to calm her down.

I started to sweat as I struggled to find something small wrong with it, anything.

“Well, maybe if you put some sequins around the horn collar, that’d put it over the top. I mean I could see some noblemare wearing that to the Grand Galloping Gala, right Note?” It looked pretty fancy but I know that she puts a lot of effort into making things well too. I’d have to ask her for a favour later, I know it’d cheer her up.

“Oh, yes. I’m sure my father would agree, it’s perfect for Canterlot.” Me and Note struggled to maintain our poker faces. Actually it was a very nice hat and I was sure that Note would wear it somewhere. Seam stared at us for a minute before hugging both of us.

“You two are the best friends anypony could ask for, I don’t know how you put up with me sometimes.” I had no clue where this came from and Note seemed confused by it too. We watched as Seam Stress cheerfully started cleaning up her work station and I left the two fillies to do whatever it is fillies do so I could clean up my mess from my latest failed attempt at baking.

I managed to clean up most of the mess from my failure before the class ended, but when the bell rang Ms. Light said I could leave and she’d finish cleaning up my mess. I don’t know why she’s always so nice to me, I mean I’m just some new student who almost gets in fights and sets an oven on fire once a week.

I grab my saddlebag and head out, I had to catch Seam before she left, I was kind of embarrassed to be asking her to make me something. Besides she just finished a project... and she’d probably be upset if I just had my dad or aunt buy me something. I caught her right by the schoolyard gate, all the other ponies rushed to get home after school but Seam always took her time, almost like she didn’t want to go home.

“Hey Seam, wait up.” I flew over to her, wanting to just get this out of the way.

“Hi Maple, how are you?” She looked nervous, she always looked nervous when we hung out without Angelic, or was it guilt? I touched down in front of her and folded my wings against my sides. Now I was nervous.

“Umm... I was wondering. If.” I took a deep breath, “Winter’s coming soon and I’m starting to get cold when I’m flying around. I was wondering if maybe, you’d like to make me a vest for me. You know, so I could stay warm when I’m flying around?” This was the first time I’d ever asked her to make me something. Usually she had to threaten or beg to get me to try on her newest outfit. They were pretty comfy usually but I’ve been forced to put on more than one embarrassing piece of clothes. I wasn’t sure how she’d react, I know she’d make me something that I would like but I didn’t know if she’d have fun making something simple.

“You. Want me to make you a vest?” She didn’t sound very happy with the idea.

Oh well, it was worth a-

She screamed at the top of her lungs and grabbed me. I used to believe that a pegasus was just as strong as an earth pony, feeling her squeeze me so hard let me know that compared to an earth pony I was a wimp. I could barely breathe, then she kissed me.

The world froze for a second and we both realized what happened. Our eyes bugged out and we leapt apart. Seam looked at the ground and I looked at her, when she finally looked me in the eyes again she blushed. I took off in a daze and slowly made my way back to the farm, all the while not being able to stop thinking about that kiss.

Seam let out another happy squeal and started galloping home, over the moon at the idea of making her friend something he’d actually want to wear.

And Angelic Note stood watching the ground where it all happened with tears in her eyes before she too ran home, sobbing like a newborn foal.

Author's Note:

Again I'm splitting the chapter... Did I have any clue on how to play with emotions back then? Sheesh. Actually I intentionally avoided cliffhangers because as a reader I hated them.

The next chapter will take a bit of time, I'm going to be redoing it from scratch and pushing my limits on it. Or the chapter will be split into 3 rather than 2. I haven't decided yet.

Comments

[warpd]

It's a cute story.