Rosa

by awf

Chapter 5: The Test

"Now zis is really important," Instructor Martha was saying for the fourth time in the past half hour. "Say it back to me!"

Both Rosa and Amethyst were quick to obey. This was the most important test of their life and they had to ace it. "The children come first," both intoned at the same time.

"Good. I cannot stress zis enough, girls. Being a helper pony means putting ze human first."

"Of course, Instructor Martha," Amethyst said in her sing-song voice. She really did sound sweet.

"Even if zey grab you too hard, or poke, or even bite. You understand zat?"

"We've trained for this, Instructor."

Finally the woman relented and gave them both a smile. "You two will do a wonderful job. Trust in yourselves."

Just to be on the safe side, Rosa repeated the instructions once more to herself. Be polite and kind. Let the children pet her and touch her as much as they want. If they get too violent, she would endure it.

She was allowed to protect herself from being really injured, but never by harming the child. If it came to the worst, she was to free herself gently. She had to remember that she was much stronger than most humans. If that happened, she was to go to the Instructor for help. That all sounded super scary, so Rosa's heart was hammering in nervous anticipation.

"All good?" Martha asked.

Rosa nodded and saw from the corner of her eye that Amethyst was doing the same. Despite her trepidation, they were both eager to get started. It probably wouldn't be so bad. The children would be enthralled to see a pony and all they would think about would be petting and hugging them. Both of those things were fine.

"Okay, let's go," the Instructor said and stood up from behind her desk. Amethyst and Rosa followed suit and slid from their chairs. Amethyst caught her friend's eye and they shared a small grin. They would be there together, that was the important bit to remember. They had each other's backs.

The woman went to the door and grabbed the handle while Rosa took the initiative and stepped in front of Amethyst. She had just enough time to take a deep breath before Martha opened the door and ushered them into the play room.

Immediately there were delighted squeals and several children yelled 'Pony!' at the top of their lungs. It was only a bit unnerving and nothing Rosa hadn't imagined beforehand. This was where her future would be decided. She put on her best, most charming, most disarming smile and stepped forward.

"Hi kids!"

Amethyst was right on her hooves and joined her friend in the room. The clamoring intensified and the nearest children rushed forward to touch both ponies. Many small hands grasped her coat and her mane, but Rosa kept her smile even while she was reeling a little inside. She was quickly surrounded by grinning faces.

"Now, now," Amethyst was saying, raising her voice a little to be heard above the din, "calm down, children. We have a lot of time to play with you!"

Rosa couldn't help noticing that some of the children were sitting by themselves and peering at her with distrust and suspicion. They could wait a little until the current excitement died down, but she was determined to go and meet all of them. The quiet, shy ones probably needed her attention more than the others.

Meanwhile, there was a girl tugging at her mane and Rosa stepped closer before it was ripped out. "Hello little girl," she cooed to her, trying to get her to let go. It worked and the child clapped her hands together in delight.

Rosa caught Martha's approving glance and her heart soared in delight. It was working! She was doing well! That made her even more determined and she sat down with no less than three children holding on to her. One of them had his face buried in her side and was drooling a bit, but she don't mind. She would have a shower before bed anyway.

"What is your name, little girl?"

Now the child was all shy and bashful as she blushed. It was kinda cute.

"Don't be afraid, we ponies are really nice, you know?"

"Anna," she vouchsafed.

Rosa had practiced this and gave her a big smile. "Oh, such a lovely name! How old are you?"

More blushing and this time she lowered her gaze to the floor. "Six," she said, quietly.

On her other side, one of the boys was waving a crumpled piece of paper, trying to get her attention, so Rosa let the girl relax for a moment to get more comfortable around a pony and focused on the boy. As soon as she looked, the intrepid child stuck his paper right in her muzzle, which made her eyes cross as she tried to see.

"Look, pony, I drew you a picture!" he bragged.

It was crude, but the thought warmed her heart. "Oh my, thank you!"

There really hadn't been any reason for Martha to be worried. Yes, the children were all trying to touch her, but they weren't mean. They just liked the feel of soft pony fur. Who wouldn't?

Movement caught Rosa's eye and she saw that Martha had taken her seat. The class was going splendidly! A hand grabbed her hind ankle and she almost tried to shake it off before the mare caught herself. It was just one of the overexcited children, trying to pull her back, closer to them. Rosa sought out the boy, who refused to meet her eyes, yet still tugged on her leg.

Normally she wouldn't have minded, but if he didn't stop she was liable to fall back and possibly trample one of the other kids.

"Little boy-" she tried to say.

Before Rosa could get his attention, someone tugged hard on her tail and she nearly stumbled.

"Gently now," the young mare gasped, "there's enough of me for everyone!"

The two children, almost literally fighting over her, were liable to get themselves and the others hurt with their antics. Rosa gently dislodged a pale-haired girl who was hugging her neck.

"Just a moment, sweetie," she told the child, "I'll be right back with you."

It was a bit of an effort to turn around, but she managed to flop on her rump without sitting on a human. The grip around her ankle didn't lessen and now her leg was being painfully twisted. Her breathing was getting rapid and Rosa was desperately trying to stay calm, as she looked for a way out of that situation. She laid a careful, gentle hoof on the hand which was gripping her with quite some strength.

"You don't have to pull, little boy. Come, let me give you a proper hug!"

The boy apparently didn't hear and tugged again, more strongly. It slid Rosa a few inches over the carpet.

"Hey! That's not very nice, young man!" she tried to make her voice stern but nonthreatening.

He still didn't want to look at her, so Rosa gripped his hand between her forehooves - gently so she wouldn't hurt him - and pulled her ankle free. The result was immediate and startling. Thwarted, the boy started screaming at the top of his lungs. Some of the children near him shuffled away, looking around in alarm, but most of them just ignored it and kept poking or holding her.

It had been a big mistake! Rosa came closer to try and nuzzle the kid, all the while apologizing. "No, no, don't cry sweetie. I'm not mad, here let me give you a hug!"

He didn't want one and a flailing hand smacked her hard on the muzzle. She hardly even felt any pain in her sudden panic. She saw Instructor Martha getting up with a disapproving frown on her face. It made Rosa's throat constrict. Not sure what to do for the crying child, she brought her muzzle closer and gently touched his hand.

"There, there, it's alright," she cooed in her best, friendliest voice.

Success! The fingers spread and patted her nose. The boy stopped yelling and finally focused on her face. She gave him a big smile and lightly licked his wrist.

"Eww!" the human grimaced and wiped his hand on his shirt, but then he reached out again. This time Rosa let him grip her mane and pull her closer. It looked like the hug would be on his terms, or not at all. The tugging was painful, but she don't mind, not when she had come that close to failing!

"There you go. What's your name, little boy?"

There was no answer and Rosa started to suspect he had one of those illnesses she had learned about with the Instructor. That was fine, too. Some of the children afflicted with those just liked to hold on to something soft. If her presence made the kid calm, then that's what she would do.

Anna would have to wait, and the few children around the edge of the room as well. That was okay, Rosa had time. At least until lunch, Martha had said, and possibly longer if the class went well. There would be plenty of time to meet all the younglings and make a good impression.

These children would spend their afternoon babbling happily about 'the ponies' to their parents, this Rosa swore to herself!

Martha was still keeping her eye on the mares, but she slowly sat down again. It seemed the danger was over.

"My name is Rosa," she intoned with correct pronunciation. "Would you like to play a game?"

She caught Amethyst's glance. The other mare seemed to be having an easier time and was actually talking with one of the boys. She looked to be enjoying herself and Rosa returned her grin. The child who was still gripping her mane pulled her a little closer and brought his face right up against her neck. He inhaled, smelling her gentle perfume. Rosa hoped it would help him relax.

"That's right," she praised, "nice pony. I'll be your friend, okay?"

There was still no visible response, but the death grip on her hair had relaxed. Free, she made sure she didn't leave immediately, but stayed near the needy kid.

"Very good! Would you like to pet my mane?"

For the first time the child looked her in the eyes and his face transformed into an expression of wonder. He put his hands on her head and stroked her mane, if a little jerkily. Rosa's heart went out to him. All he needed was a soft pony to keep him company. Who knew, maybe in time she could get him to respond. Maybe even talk. There had been some stories about the healing powers of ponies whispered around the school.

"Mmm, that's nice."

Rosa remembered the drawing she had been offered earlier. Sometimes these ill children preferred to express themselves through art, rather than words.

"Here, come with me. Do you like to draw? Let's go draw you a nice picture to take home, okay?" She stood up, but the boy instantly whined and grasped her again. He pulled on her mane to keep the young mare in place and she sighed inwardly. "Okay, okay, I won't go anywhere!"

It seemed she was not getting away, not for a while. Her only hope was that the child would get bored or tired, and then she could go and speak with Anna some more. She also prayed that Amethyst could pick up the slack with the other children in the meantime.

The test might not be as easy as Rosa had first assumed, but it was nothing they couldn't handle together. Martha was watching her critically and Rosa beamed to reassure her she had the situation in hand.

The other boy - the one who had pulled her tail - came around to her other side and she focused her smile on him. "Hey! Come sit with us." Rosa invited and patted the floor next to her.

The boy flopped down and started stroking her back. He was a bit rough, with his fingers digging in, but at this point she didn't mind. Just as long he didn't pull on her tail anymore. Martha had been very strict about the 'rear' area. The Instructor hadn't said anything, but Rosa glanced up on a whim and quickly spotted a couple of cameras. They were probably there to help the Instructor grade them later.

"There you go, isn't that nice? A bit more gently, please!" Her words had exactly zero effect, so Rosa just sighed and accepted the rough treatment. It wasn't like they could really hurt her.

Encouraged that the two children occupied with her mane and coat were now happy, the young mare sought out the boy who had brought her the picture.

"I love your drawing. Would you like to make me another? Oh, why don't you bring the crayons and we'll draw together, okay?"

It worked and the boy clapped his hands together in excitement and rushed off. There were a few low tables against a wall with all the supplies they might need. Some of the other children got the idea and joined him, jabbering in excitement.

It looked like Rosa had salvaged her misstep from before and she allowed herself to relax a little. The class would go perfectly fine. She would get a good grade!

She and Amethyst both!

---

Rosa didn't know how well she did, which was the worst part about a test. She didn't even mind the mess her mane was in, nor the fact that there was a piece of chewing gum stuck to the fur on her chest, but she really wished Instructor Martha would have at least given her a clue. Instead, she told both mares to get cleaned up, get some lunch and take the rest of the day off. The grading would come the next morning, after she had had a chance to review the tapes.

It made Rosa anxious, not knowing how she did.

After that incident with the boy right at the start, things had gone well. At least she thought so. She was not absolutely sure, and that was the part that irked her! She kept going over it in her head to try to gauge how well she did.

She had sat with the child for almost an hour, until her entire rump was numb, but at long last he grew tired and let her go. Stretching had felt nice, but Rosa didn't indulge too long. There were a couple of shy kids who had needed her attention and she also wanted to spend more time talking with Anna. There were hugs to be shared, names to be learned and pictures to be drawn.

Instructor Martha had pulled both ponies out of the room after about four hours and Rosa was completely exhausted by then. So was Amethyst she couldn't help but notice. By unspoken agreement, they both decided to skip lunch, at least for the moment. They needed a shower, first. Rosa had just enough presence of mind to swing past the Bursar's office and pick up a new bottle of shampoo. Blueberry, just like Amethyst had wanted.

By the time she made it to their room, Amethyst was already standing under the water and Rosa hurried to join her roommate.

"Don't lean against me!" Amethyst cautioned. "Sticky."

Rosa puffed out her chest so her friend could see. "Not gonna. Bubble gum," she explained.

The other mare looked at the mess then started chuckling. There was nothing particularly funny about the situation, but Rosa couldn't help joining in. It was either that or start crying.

"Tell me that wasn't awful."

Amethyst shook her head and put a gentle hoof on Rosa's withers. "Well, there were a lot of kids. It was meant to be hard, Rosa. You did great, by the way."

She got a grateful smile in return. "So did you. I swear, if you hadn't come to grab that one - what was his name again? Peter? Yeah, if you hadn't grabbed him, he might have dislocated my leg." Rosa shuddered at the memory. She hadn't dared free herself and risk another outcry.

"Well," Amethyst pointed out, "you took a lollipop in your mane for me. I say it makes us even."

That reminds Rosa of the failed maneuver. "I was trying to catch it before it got either of us," she explained.

"Well, I'm still grateful. Okay, let's see about your gum."

Rosa was afraid to even touch it, lest she ground it further in her fur. She didn't even know how to begin getting it out. "What do I do about it?" she asked.

"Here, lemme get water out of my eyes. You step under the shower," Amethyst offered and the mares switched places. She examined the problem in minute detail while Rosa soaked up some welcome warmth. "Hmm," she frowned a little in thought.

She was cute that way, muzzle all scrunched up and head leaning sideways, Rosa thought to herself.

"It's not stuck very deeply," Amethyst pointed out. "Hold still. This may sting a bit."

To Rosa's surprise, Amethyst reached forward and grabbed the thing with her teeth. Despite her warning, Rosa give a little squeak as she pulled a few of her hairs out together with the sticky ball.

"I can't believe you did that!" Rosa exclaimed when her roommate spat out the mess.

The gum landed in the toilet and Amethyst made a face. "I can't either. Okay, lemme see now."

Rosa spread her forelegs and leaned back, so the other mare could get a better look.

"Almost," she murmured. "Let's shampoo it and see how it looks. Maybe I'll need to cut a bit of fur, but I think I got most of it."

It was a relief. "I'll never be able to repay you."

Amethyst grinned and rubbed her hooves in anticipation. "You will if you tell me where you went last night!"

The question made Rosa gasp in shock. "You saw me?!"

"I couldn't sleep. I almost said something, but I didn't wanna wake up the others. I saw you leave, but I must've fallen asleep before you came back. How long were you out?"

Rosa shook her head in wonder. "Why didn't you say before now?!"

"Didn't want you to worry before today's test."

That sounded very reasonable and Rosa was glad to have a friend like Amethyst. She wasn't too sure about telling her about the secret excursion, but it didn't seem as if she had a lot of choice. The young mare already knew Rosa had gone somewhere and done something. Who knew what she might imagine if she wasn't told the truth? Besides, she was right. Rosa did owe her. Amethyst had had to do most of the work with the kids once the grabby one had caught her.

"Okay, deal," Rosa agreed.

Amethyst squeed with delight and reached for the new shampoo bottle. "Okay, hold still, maybe it will come out."

It probably wouldn't, not with how sticky it felt, but Rosa was happy her friend was willing to try. She would also need her help with the scissors, if it came to that.

Heh, when it came to that, actually.

For now, she resigned herself to a few minutes of spirited rubbing. In a way it was almost like a massage.

Comments

[NicieLunar]

Beautiful story

[awf]

11612766

Many thanks! I hope it won't disappoint in later chapters.

[DarthEquus]

This reminds somewhat of The Promised Neverland. Reading with interest.

[Fapman]

>To Rosa's surprise, Amethyst reached forward and grabbed the thing with her teeth. Despite her warning, Rosa give a little squeak as she pulled a few of her hairs out together with the sticky ball.
>"I can't believe you did that!" Rosa exclaimed when her roommate spat out the mess.
>The gum landed in the toilet and Amethyst made a face. "I can't either. Okay, lemme see now."

Hah!