The Student from Warpla

by SparkStone

Part 10 - Cooking

Valiant and Fluttershy arrived at the school. She passes another packed lunchbox to Valiant before they begin the day.

“Here you go! I hope you like it!” Fluttershy tells the human boy. “I hope you have a wonderful day at school Valiant!”

“Thank you mo-”

Valiant choked on what he was about to say. His face turned red and his eyes went wide. Fluttershy’s face turned a bit red as well before, not expecting to hear what she was about to hear. Valiant slowly turned over to see Smolder and Sandbar grinning at the poor boy.

“Aaah… Thank you, Miss Fluttershy,” He quickly said before scrambling to his class. Fluttershy watched him go as his friends were chasing after him.

---

It was lunch time once more, and Valiant opened up his lunch to find a fruit salad, a bowl of sweet potato soup, and hay fries. In the corner, he spots a little piece of paper with something written inside of it.

Have a great day at school!
- Fluttershy

“Awww!” Smolder and Sandbar teased, causing the human boy to blush immensely.

“What’s going on?” Yona wondered.

“Fluttershy was giving Valiant another packed lunch, and he called her ‘mom’,” Sandbar explained.

“I didn’t call her that,” Valiant corrected him. “I called her ‘mo’, completely different.”

“Aw! I think that’s sweet!” Ocellus thought aloud. “She’s been cooking a lot for you lately, hasn’t she?”

“I do appreciate the efforts she’s done for me,” Valiant admitted. “But I don’t want to rely on her efforts forever.”

“Why don’t you try cooking then?” Gallus suggested. “You have your own kitchen, you can probably make something if you go get some ingredients.”

“Hmm… That’s quite an interesting idea. I could use some new skills.”

“You could even get someone to teach you!” Silverstream added. “Remember Professor Pinkie works at Sugarcube Corner?”

“Perhaps the other teachers can help me as well,” Valiant pondered in thought. “Alright then, I’ll get to work on this as soon as I can.”

---

The next day, Twilight Sparkle, Spike, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack were in Valiant’s house. They each had a bag of ingredients and Twilight had several cookbooks. The countertop has all sorts of appliances from mixers to cutting boards. The human cook-in-training had on an apron, a chef’s hat, and a hair net.

“Thank you all for coming,” Valiant said graciously with a polite bow. “I’ve gathered you all here because you told me that you’ve each told me your confidence in the culinary arts.”

Spike, Pinkie, and Applejack looked over to Twilight. The violet princess noticed this and scoffed. “I’ve gotten better!”

Applejack went back to the task at hoof. “So, how about we start with baking a simple, apple pie? Once we finish prepping it up and put it in the oven, we can work on other recipes!”

“Sounds good,” Valiant agreed. They begin the cooking session with teaching Valiant the basics. They showed him every step and he proceeded to show his quick learning, able to absorb their wisdom and follow the instructions appropriately. He went from putting ingredients into the mixing bowl for the pie to eventually placing the contents in the oven. With the pie cooking, they move onto preparing cookies, cupcakes, soup, stew, frying hay fries, salad decorating, even preparing their own whip cream. By the end of their long session, the teachers have realized that they practically skimmed through everything they were planning to teach Valiant in the course of a few days to a few hours. With the pie baked, the cakes ready, the treats out of the oven and set across the dining room table, they look at Valiant’s work. The human boy felt a bit nervous about how it tasted.

“Wow, this looks absolutely, positively scrumptious!” Pinkie Pie declared, mouth watering about what to eat first.

“You sure this is your first time cooking sugarcube?” Applejack asked curiously. “You seem to have a pretty good handle on everything from the cookbook.”

“I’ve only worked with fire and food at the same time to make some meals from my missions edible,” Valiant told her. “Your explanations have surely helped me understand how to function from the cookbooks and operate the tools necessary to perform each task.”

“When you say it like that, that’s how Twilight likes to think of cooking,” Spike japed at the alicorn. “The only difference is how it all came out!”

“Hey! I’ve made some really good food!” Twilight stated. “They just don’t look pretty the way they turn out.”

“Alright, let’s not hold off anymore!” Applejack told everyone as she picked up a spoon. “Time for a taste test!”

They all did into the first bite. Each dish they try had them present a clearly satisfied expression. They continue and fight each dish working to their expectations.

“MMM! Dis ish rewwy good!” Pinkie spat as she stored a mouthful of hay fries in her cheeks.

“It’s delicious!” Spike commented.

“Outstanding!” Twilight praised.

Applejack pats Valiant on the shoulder and says, “You got yourself a natural talent! Keep working on this, and you’ll make something even more scrumptious I reckon!”

“That means a lot to me, thank you,” Valiant responded gratefully.

“Hey! We’re having a little cultural exchange at the school,” Twilight remembered. “You should try and make something for all of the guests! We have many creatures coming to visit and share their recipes from their homes!”

“That’s a great idea, Twi!” Applejack raised her voice in agreement. “We’re gonna have folks from all over! It’d be perfect if you cooked for them and get to know other kingdoms!”

“Plus, you can try out all the food you can’t find in Ponyville!” Pinkie mentioned.

Valiant drooled at his imagination, thinking about all of the exotic food he may find there. “That does sound quite nice… But I don’t have any homeland recipes other than… bread.”

“Hey! That’s totally fine!” Spike assured him. “I’m a dragon, but all of the food I’m going to cook is from Pony culture.”

Valiant nodded at the prospect. “I see, so it doesn’t have to originate from where we come from or who we are. Thank you, Professor Assistant Spike.”

“Eh, just… Spike is fine.”

The four continued to enjoy the meal as Valiant thought about what to cook for the upcoming cultural exchange. He saw a few recipes he thought that Fluttershy would appreciate.

---

The day when the cultural exchange came. Valiant had prepared all of the food last night and requested the assistance of his companions. The six of them carried an assortment of cakes, a batch of potato carrot soup, and homemade hay burgers. The friends were in awe of the collection of food Valiant had prepared.

“Wow! All of this looks so GOOD!” Silverstream exclaimed. “I can’t wait to try all of it!”

“Which one is your favorite?” Gallus asked the human boy.

“I do enjoy all of them, but the hay burgers was an interesting discovery,” he claimed.

“Yona loves hay burgers too! Hey burger is not Yak food, but still good food!”

Sandbar looked at Valiant and noticed that he was carrying a pink lunchbox. He inquired about the somewhat out of place item. “He, is that your lunch, Valiant?”

Valiant twists his hair somewhat playfully as he says, “It’s for… Miss Fluttershy.”

The group of friends “Aww’d” and teased the human about it. Once they arrived at the town plaza where the Cultural exchange was taking place, they set down the food at the table labeled, ‘School of Friendship’. They all look around to see the marvelous display of food from all kinds of places. The Hippogryphs, the Yaks, the Griffons, the Changelings, and even the dragons. Though, there was only one dragon chef and he only brought Lava cake. It was exactly how the seven of them imagined it.

“Oh! Valiant!” Fluttershy called out, emerging from the crowd with Angel bunny on her shoulder. “I heard from Twilight that you were going to participate in the Cultural Exchange! I would have helped if you were going to try something like that.”

Valiant looked to the corner, trying to think of the right way to say his reasoning for that decision. “I wanted to… surprise you from the progress I’ve made from my culinary skills. I also wanted to give you something...”

He takes out the lunchbox and opens it to reveal carrot cake cupcakes, shaped like the heads and faces of her animals. Fluttershy and Angel were in awe by the mastery of the work and how it was carefully crafted.

“Oh! Valiant, this it-” Fluttershy was about to give praise until someone picked up one of the carrot cake cupcakes and took a bite out of it.

“Hmm, decent craftsmanship,” Prince Risen admitted as he continued to eat more and more of the cakes from the lunchbox. “I suppose this is a neat little surprise, but I’d prefer you train your abilities to be something other than an amatuer chef.”

“Those weren’t for-” Valiant uttered only to once again be interrupted.

“Dragon Slayer, I am willing to forgive you disrespectful transgression last time we’ve met.” the Prince remarked, pointing his finger at Valiant’s forehead. “You must be relieved, that I was so kind enough not to inform the Chief of such a pitiful request.”

“Um, I don’t think you should talk to him that way, Prince Risen,” Fluttershy softly warned him.

“Your concern is unnecessary.” He said quite boldly. “You two maay relax yourselves for now. Take comfort knowing I’m here on less urgent matters.”

“What are you doing here, if I may ask Prince Risen?” Valiant asked respectfully to the Prince.

“Is it not obvious? To participate our chefs in this Cultural Exchange.”

Valiant felt mystified as to why they would do this. All they would have is bread. The only other things in the desert and homeland of the tribe were cactus and bugs, and they definitely didn’t sound appetizing when compared to all of the other wonderful food.

“Oh, that sounds nice!” Fluttershy stated. She turned to Valiant with a warm smile. “I’d love to know more about your home, Valiant!”

“Then come this way! I’ll not have our tribe be outclassed when it comes to our culture,” the prince boasted. Valiant and Fluttershy followed the Prince to the table. Valiant was preparing for the shame when Fluttershy sees the lack of variety when it comes to their food. However, when they approached the table from the Tribe, Valiant sees the opposite. He saw cinnamon rolls, Bundt Cake, Desert Rose Chocolate, and even shaved Cacti ice cream. The assortment was well presented and not a single roll of bread or bug in sight.

“Is this… food made with the help of other cultures?” Valiant asked the Prince.

“What?” The Prince scoffed. “Of course not! This is genuine, Dune Star Tribe cuisine! We chose what we believed to be the best of our recipes.”

“I’ve never seen any of this before,” Valiant stated. “Where could they have been found?”

“Well, of course not! These foods are merely to enjoy ourselves with. It isn’t enough to replace the bread and their nutrient boosting markings. This is a food meant to be eaten among the nobility and sometimes by the citizens for festivals like birthdays or safe returns of our platoons.”

Valiant was unsure what to think of this. How was all of this hidden his entire life? He’s acting like it has always been available. Valiant was never offered any of this in his lifetime in his own home.

“How is it that I’ve never seen any of these before?” Valiant questioned.

Prince Risen raised an eyebrow at the boy before answering him. “Because, you are the Dragon Slayer. Your main objective is to focus on upcoming missions and not be distracted by trivial pleasantries. The barracks never receive nothing more than bread to pool our resources accordingly and effectively. You’ve all had your stomachs filled to live another week, month, and so on.”

“But you said when platoons return from their missions, they also receive this reward?”

“You concern yourself over nothing, Dragon Slayer,” The prince belittled the child soldier. “You are the Dragon Slayer. Your growth of strength and efficiency is far more important than anything else. How many times must I remind you of that when you were so compliant before?”

Valiant gripped his fists, holding himself back. When Fluttershy comes over with a cup of Shaved Cacti Ice cream, she offers it to Valiant.

“Valiant! They told me this is one of their sweetest treats!”

“Go ahead and try it for yourself, Dragon Slayer,” Prince Risen allowed him. “Treat yourself to the blessings of our homeland.”

Valiant held the cup of cacti Ice cream. A treat that apparently existed in his homeland among other foods. Something that his own home has kept hidden from him. He takes the spoon and eats a scoop of the ice cream. Once he swallowed the cold treat, he handed it to Prince Risen, catching by surprise.

“... I hate it...” He tells them before walking away.

Fluttershy and Prince Risen watch him walk away, once again leaving himself to his own thoughts.

“Valiant?” Fluttershy called out, not getting a response.

“Honestly, Dragon Slayer has become so immature ever since he came here,” The prince retorted as he threw Valiant’s ice cream into the trash can.

“... Excuse me?” Fluttershy spoke, a hint of aggression can be detected from her tone.

---

Valiant was sitting at the bench, deep in thought about the revelation he had just witnessed. Despite there being so much food to try, he was distracted by the ramblings in his mind. Twilight passes by and sees the downtrodden child, approaching him with concern.

“Valiant? What’re you doing, sitting around?” Twilight asked him.

“Oh… Hello, Twilight,” He greets, still sullen. “I’ve met with Prince Risen and found out a bit more from my homeland.”

“I did get a good look at their assortment of food they had on display,” Twilight recalled. “But it didn’t match up with the diet you had mentioned before.”

“Those were my thoughts exactly,” Valiant huffed. “I feel… like my own home has kept so many things from me. I suppose I was perfectly fine with the way things were before I came here. Yet the more I learn, the more I realize how shortsighted I was. I feel like a fool, not even knowing about this. I feel like there’s so much more I don’t know about my home either.”

“Well, there’s a lot of things we don’t know about our own kingdoms,” Twilight told him. “Each kingdom or Tribe has a long history, spanning over hundreds of years and developing differently across the lands, even if they’re ruled under the same crown. There’s a lot you don’t know about your kingdom, but that just means there’s a lot more to explore.”

“Do you think a fool like me can experience so much the world has to offer?” Valiant wondered. “Even if they know nothing about their home or what goes on around their own Tribe?”

“Believe me, I know what it’s like to learn more about the places around you and see that even Princess Celestia can’t show it all to me. It’s something I have to discover on my own and place into my own experiences. It’s part of the change necessary to grow.”

“I feel this would be difficult to do on my own...” Valiant admitted.

Just as he said that, his friends started to call out to him.

“Hey! There you are!” Smolder called out with a slice of lava cake. “You have to try this! Trust me, it’s actually good!”

“Yona thinks Valiant should try Yakyakistan Food first!”

“These Griffon Scones are good too,” Gallus mentioned.

“You have to try this!” Silverstream said, holding some sort of dessert served on a seashell.

“What are you waiting for?” Sandbar asked the human.

Twilight smiled and answered Valiant’s question. “You never had to do it alone.”

Valiant’s friends surrounded him with a piece of their world being offered to him. He looks at their cheery faces as he takes a plate and tastes the discoveries that await him. There’s so much to see, even in his own home. He just needs to take the first step doing it.

“Twilight!” Rainbow called out, flying up to her. “You gotta come with me!”

“What’s wrong Rainbow?”

“It’s Fluttershy! She’s totally going ham on that Prince guy!”

---

The group rushed over to see Fluttershy shouting angrily at the Prince, flying above him and looking down at the human noble. The Prince held up his hand in defense, clearly shocked by the outburst of the yellow pegasus as she continued to dig into the Prince’s attitude.

“You may think it’s okay to tell Valiant whatever you want and call him whatever you think is okay!” Fluttershy told him quite aggressively. “But if you think it’s okay to not give him all of these nice things just because he doesn’t need it, you’ve got another thing coming!”

“Food like this is used purely for entertainment and the nobility,” he reasoned.

“So you get to tell him what to do and choose what you want to eat, but he can’t have any of the food you get even though he’s working so hard for you?! He does so many dangerous things and you still treat him so poorly, despite you saying he’s so important and despite him being at such a young age when he was working for you?!” She lectured him further.

The prince was taken back and caused him to step back a bit from her. He stood back up straight and coughed to clear his throat, trying to respond to all of the points she said to him, not sure why he was so disturbed by the yellow pegasus in the first place. “I see that… you raise some compelling points. I will… see to it that I make some special arrangements for the Dragon Slayer-”

“That’s not his name!” She tisked. “He prefers that you call him, Valiant.”

The Prince clicked his tongue but gave in for this meeting. “I will make some special arrangements for our valuable asset and representative who refers himself as ‘Valiant’ . I will make no more promises than to present the rewards and vouch for his commendable efforts thus far.”

“Good.” She huffed at him.

“Then I shall take my leave,” the prince told her, tired of this bickering. “Do enjoy the rest of the food. We will leave it here for you all to enjoy yourselves or dispose of. It’s all up to you.”

The prince goes away and Valiant checks up on Fluttershy. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“No, I had to. I definitely had to, Valiant,” She told him. “Sometimes, others need to listen more. Your prince wasn’t treating you nice at all. I can’t stand for that behavior, especially for my friends!”

Valiant smiles as Fluttershy took two slices of the bundt cake and gave him one. “Besides, you definitely deserve at least a friend who will stand up for you.”

The two have a happy moment as they take a bite of the Bundt Cake. They however pause and slowly swallow the cake. Valiant looked at the food and said...

“This is awful.”

Comments

[Mr_Den1999]

Just like a quarrel between parents.(Rus-Eng)

[redandready45]

“This is awful.”

MIND BLOWN!

[HF Fury]

....But bundt cake is awesome.....

[SparkStone]

10191750
*Comment for Part 10*
It is, Valiant just hates his Tribe's Bundt Cake

[Truthseeker]

About time! That guy is a complete richard!