A rose by any other name...but not in this case!

by Ruby Throne

Welcome to school

When Fjord dropped her off at the school, she almost wished he hadn't. This place was very big and imposing and she felt small. Whatever had possessed her to come here?

"I could have been happy as a small town tailor." she told herself.

Well, maybe, but she also knew she would be plagued with what-ifs the rest of her life if she didn't give it her best shot. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and she wanted to represent Clopville and every small-town tailor out there.

The building was painted white and had dark brown trim. There were curtains at every visible window and the door had a brass knocker, doorbell and silver doorknob. Everything about the place betrayed its prestige.

She took a breath and trotted up the steps. She rung the doorbell, hearing a faint ring inside the building. She tried not to pace while she waited for an answer. The mare who came to the door was a dark blue color and wore her hair up. She quickly looked Ruby up and down.

"New student?"

"Yes, my name is Ruby Throne."

The mare squinted. "Don't remember that name. But I'll take your word for it. We've had so many new students coming in this month I can't keep track."

She stepped aside. "Come in, and I'll show you to your room."

Ruby stepped inside, hearing her hooves click on marble.

The mare shut the door behind Ruby and turned to face her. "My name is Tourmaline. I'm the housekeeper of this establishment, I do not teach classes. But I make sure every pony is fed, their rooms kept clean and their supplies are filled. Part of all that will be your responsibility, but most of it is mine."

Ruby nodded. "Thank you. What do I call you?"

"Every pony calls me Miss Tourmaline, you may do the same."

Ruby thought it a little strange to call her that, especially since she usually associated the term 'miss' with a young mare, but she nodded anyway.

"I'll take you to your room," she repeated. "You live on the third floor."

Ruby followed the mare, almost breaking into a trot to keep up with her. She didn't complain, though, as she assumed Miss Tourmaline had many duties to complete that day.

Miss Tourmaline showed her room, gave her the key and bid her a good day, saying she probably wouldn't see her again that day. Ruby barely had time to reply in kind before the mare was gone.

She took the time to survey her room before unpacking her bag. It was a large room, with two beds. One had a thick, yellow and white blanket and lots of yellow, white and brown throw pillows. The other was stripped bare.

Apparently she had a roommate. The roommate had a desk filled with folders and notebooks, a tall bookshelf by her closet and a nightstand with a silver lamp. She also had a dresser with several different kinds of perfume and a jewelry box on top, and a chest at the foot of her bed.

The middle of the room and Ruby's side of the room were bare. The only other things she spotted were several posters on the other side of the room and a full-length mirror on the door.

She was anxious for her luggage to arrive from the train. She wanted to decorate her side of the room so it wouldn't look so drab. All she had was a bed, dresser, nightstand, desk and closet.

She unpacked the bag she had with her, glad to brighten the walls with her own pictures. Some were family, others were famous tailors she was inspired by. She set a framed photo of her and Lemongrass on her nightstand, and and the rest of the necessities in the bag she put in the top drawer of the dresser.

The only clothes she had to put in the closet was her coat and scarf, which she hung neatly, side by side.

A sharp knock sounded at the door, making her jump. She quickly went to open it.

She found two white stallions waiting for her. Behind them were her trunks.

"Are you Miss Ruby Throne?" one asked, glancing at his clipboard.

"Yes."

"We've brought your luggage."

"I see that. You brought it very promptly, so I thank you."

The stallion holding the clipboard grinned. "Want us to help you bring it in?"

"Please."

The two helped her haul in the heavy trunks and she made sure that she brought in the smallest one with her fragile items inside. She signed the clipboard, thanked them again and shut the door behind them.

Now she could really make this place look like home.

She didn't consider herself much of a interior designer, she'd much rather work on creating new outfits. But she made the place look as nice as possible.

On the bed she put her purple blanket and purple, white and blue throw pillows. On the dresser she set another framed photo and her own collection of jewelry and perfume. On the nightstand she set her rose-gold lamp and in the drawers she put extra notebooks and paper.

On the desk, she put another, smaller lamp, a pencil holder full of pencils and pens, and one of her sketchbooks. She put the rest of her notebooks and sketchbooks in the drawer.

She had saved the best for last. She put her clothes in the closet, arranging them by style and color, like she always had. She put smaller items in the dresser.

When she finished, she was glad to step back and relax, now that everything was in place.

Her nerves soon returned when the door opened and a green mare bustled in. When she saw Ruby, she grinned and dumped her things at the foot of her bed. "Hello! Are you my new roommate? Well, I'm assuming you are, since you decorated your side of the--wow, it looks so nice! I love the posters! Ooh, are you a follower of Peppermint Mill as well?"

Ruby blinked, startled at the rapid fire of words. "Well thank you, and yes, I love her work."

"Oh so do I. It's so good to finally meet you! I'm Evergreen Hyacinth--pardon my parent's love for vegatation."

"I think it's a lovely name."

"Well thank you. And you are Ruby Throne, right? I think that name is the coolest thing ever. You must be cut out for training as a Royal tailor...even your name goes with the theme!"

Ruby smiled. "Thank you."

Evergreen shed her coat and scarf, throwing them on the bed, and put her books on her desk. Her mane was up in a high ponytail, and its colors were bright blue and pale purple.

"So, did you just get here?"

"I did. I was very lucky to find it."

Evergreen laughed. "Yes, I think we all had that struggle when we first got here. Unless you lived nearby...but I lived on the other side of the city. How did you end up finding it? And where do you live?"

"A soldier brought me here. I'm from Clopville."

Evergreen frowned. "You're from out of town? That's unusual."

Ruby nodded. "I know, I'm not even sure why I was excepted, but I'm glad to be here."

"That's pretty neat. Must mean you got some skills on you!" Evergreen's smile returned. "And you say a soldier brought you here? Now that is cool. I've lived here all my life and never talked to a soldier until I came to this school."

"He was very nice, but I doubt I'll ever see him again. This is probably the only encounter I'll have with one."

"Well, you never know. In certain classes you can talk to soldiers once in a while."

"So, when does school start?"

"Well, you got here just in time. The new semester starts tomorrow. I was out at the library, brushing up on my history. I'm terrible with history, even fashion history."

"I love history. If you have questions, I wouldn't mind trying to answer them."

"Seriously? A history lover as my roommate? Someone must like me."

Ruby smiled. She liked this pony.

"Well, do you want the grand tour? Or would you rather relax until the craziness starts up tomorrow?"

"I think I'd love a tour," Ruby replied, taking her coat and scarf out of the closet. "May as well know my way around."

Yes, she might as well know her way around and prepare for the first day of what she'd always considered her biggest dream.