Rosa

by awf

Chapter 6: The Forbidden Kitchen

"So, if I can talk some human into getting us a couple of movies, they'll let us borrow the iPad," Rosa finished telling the story.

Amethyst was watching the ponies coming out of the school after their classes, as the two sat on a bench nearby. She didn't answer straight away.

"Please don't tell anyone, okay? It's not like anything really happened, I just had a taste of beer and watched part of a movie."

At long last the mare looked up. "I think Paolo has a crush on you," she pointed out.

It made Rosa lower her ears and heave a sigh. "I know, but we shouldn't. We could get in a lot of trouble."

"Yeah," Amethyst agreed, deflating a little. "It's still cute, though. Will you visit him again?"

Rosa opened her mouth to say absolutely not, but hesitated. Her friend was easily able to read the doubt on her face. "I... shouldn't," she said, but it sounded lame even to her.

Amethyst gave this some serious thought. "I think I'd like to watch a movie." She was silent for a while, obviously making up some kind of a plan, judging by the way she was staring into the distance. Rosa kept quiet and let her finish. "I might know a way... to get some stuff on an iPad..." she finally said, enunciating the words very carefully, as if she wasn't entirely sure herself.

"Yes?"

Rosa's heart was beating faster in excitement. That would give her an amazing treat for herself and the girls, something they all needed after Maribelle. Another thought, small and red and hidden, said she would have an excuse to visit Paolo after dark again.

"I've been helping in the kitchen and there's this part-time guy," Amethyst explained. "Student. We've been talking a little and I think he kinda likes me. I'll ask him if he can get us some movies for an iPad." The mare thought of something else and put both hooves on Rosa's shoulders. "Oh! You said they had a charger - is it one of those that has a separate USB cable? I mean- we'll have to hook up the iPad to a laptop somehow."

Rosa had to admit that she didn't know. She hadn't seen the charger and she didn't think to ask the colts. "I'll find out. What if it isn't?"

Amethyst shook her head. "Dunno. Maybe Will has one? Or maybe he can borrow one."

It was a fair guess that 'Will' was her kitchen friend. Rosa almost couldn't believe she was allowed to speak freely with some human who was neither a guard, nor a teacher, but maybe the people running the school hadn't expected a pony to volunteer in the kitchens. In either case, it was news to Rosa!

"Wait a minute! Since when are you helping in the kitchen anyway?!" she demanded.

Amethyst waved a dismissive hoof. "Oh, it just happened. I took my tray in one day, but everyone was busy, so I just washed the plates myself. Mrs. Evelyn gave me a cookie and thanked me. I've done it a few more times. It's not official or anything, but I don't mind if I have time, not for a cookie!"

"That was nice of you."

"Yeah! It's been what... about two weeks now. I've gone to lend a hand almost every day."

That showed initiative. Rosa couldn't help being proud of her roommate for her thoughtfulness. Instructor Martha was right when she said Amethyst was a sweet girl and deserved to be in the Helper Pony program.

"So," the young mare went on, "what do you wanna do until dinner?"

Rosa gave this due consideration. "Dunno really. Maybe read a little? I still haven't started on 'Waiting for Godot' for our English class."

"Yeah, that's a weird one," Amethyst said.

"You read it?"

She shook her head. "I started it," the roommate explained, "but it's just so... weird."

That gave Rosa a great idea. "What if we read it together?"

Amethyst didn't have to think about it. Her muzzle split into a grin and she nodded. "Yes! Yes! Let's!"

It sounded delightful. A fun, relaxing afternoon with one of her closest friends, and they would both do something productive.

Besides, it should take their minds off the test and the upcoming grade.

---

As the two ponies waited in Instructor Martha's office, Rosa couldn't keep a slight tremble from her legs. She thought about sitting down, but decided against it. The news was too important for that. The Instructor's expression still wasn't giving anything away and that worried Rosa. The woman was usually very open and friendly with her students.

Amethyst, on the other hand, was sitting on the floor beside, looking much calmer than Rosa felt. If it wasn't for the nervous flicker of her eyes as her gaze darted around the room, it would be quite easy to believe she was completely confident.

Rosa shifted her weight a little, trying to inconspicuously press her rump to Amethyst's shoulder in silent support. The mare acknowledged the gesture with a tiniest hint of a grin and pushed lightly back against her friend.

"Now girls, I have gone through ze tapes," Martha said, leaning on her desk. She seemed positively looming above the two.

Rosa lowered her ears and she saw from the corner of her eye that the other mare did the same.

"D-Did we do w-well?" Amethyst asked.

"Quite well," the woman intoned and Rosa allowed herself to relax a little. Beside her, Amethyst exhaled and lifted up one ear.

Martha shuffled a few papers and read from one. "Zere was zat slight problem at ze start - Rosa, anything to say?"

The mare knew she looked contrite already, but she lowered her gaze to the floor. "I shouldn't have pushed the child's hand away. I'm sorry."

"Good, you realized your mistake right away, so I didn't deduct any points," the Instructor continued. "Also, zere was zat time you, ducked away and almost let zat little girl fall, Amethyst."

Rosa remembered - it had been the lollipop incident. "I caught her, Instructor. Amethyst went to get a tissue so we could clean the child up."

"Yes, zat was good teamwork," Martha agreed, "but you should not be afraid of a little dirt, Amethyst."

"Sorry," the mare intoned.

The woman studied both ponies for a moment. "It was not ze big deal, but I have to make note of zeese things, understand?"

Neither of the girls made a sound, holding their breath to receive the verdict.

"You have to understand, girls, zis is not up to me. The Agency is very strict about ze program."

"Yes, Instructor Martha," Rosa said.

"You did very well with ze drawing - ze both of you. So I've decided to give you, Amethyst a ten, and you, Rosa, a nine and a half. Congratulations, girls."

It took them a moment to process this, but then both mares squeed and hugged each other.

"D-Does that mean-" Amethyst asked.

Rosa already knew both her question and the answer: "Yes! We can go into the program!"

The woman nodded, smiling at the sight of the mares' joy. "Indeed," she confirmed, "you both did extremely well and made me, and ze school, very proud."

Rosa tried to find words good enough for the occasion, but couldn't think of any. She finally settled for: "Thank you, Instructor!"

Amethyst also added her own: "Yes! Thank you so much! We won't disappoint you, we promise!"

The chair rattled as the woman pushed it back and came around her desk. She crouched down so both mares could give her a hug and Rosa also licked her face in her exuberance.

"Very good," Martha said. "Now hurry off to your classes. You've skipped too many as it is."

"Of course, Instructor Martha! Thank you!"

Rosa didn't let go immediately, enjoying the moment of triumph for a few seconds longer. The woman leaned her face closer and whispered: "As a special reward, I will put a little something under your pillows today. You may have it for yourself, or share it with ze roommates, okay?"

The mare released the woman and beamed at her. "Thank you, Instructor!"

"Thank you, Instructor Martha," Amethyst echoed.

The woman stood up and walked over to the door. "You're both good girls, remember zat," she assured them as she pulled it open.

It was a bit cheesy, but Rosa couldn't stop herself from speaking up: "Only because we have such a fantastic Instructor!"

It made the woman laugh in delight and Rosa decided it was worth it. Even Amethyst grinned at the result.

"Oh you!" the Instructor said and ushered them out.

As the door closed behind them, Rosa glanced up at the hall clock. Five minutes until the current period finished.

"What's your next class?" Amethyst asked when she followed her gaze.

"Um, Maths. You?" She should have known that by now, but Rosa was bad with memorizing timetables of her roommates.

"English. I think we're reading poetry today."

It was a shame - some of their classes overlapped, but it seemed not today.

"Meet you for lunch?"

The young mare bobbed her head up and down excitedly. "Yeah! I'll introduce you to Will and we can ask about the iPod!"

Rosa wasn't as sure as Amethyst about spilling a big secret like that to a human. It could get them both in trouble, not to mention the colts. Martin would be really upset then, Rosa had no doubt.

"Well, maybe. Surreptitiously, okay?" she insisted.

"Yeah, sure," Amethyst agreed. She stepped closer and brushed her muzzle against her friend's. "Great work, by the way! I'm so happy we passed!"

"Yeah, you too!"

They stood like that for a moment, sharing a close bond with a friend, before pulling away with a sigh.

"Bye!"

Amethyst trotted away, head held high and a noticeable bounce in her step. Of course, if she had English and they were just reading poetry, she didn't need her class things right away. The books were on the shelves in the classroom.

Rosa, on the other hand, needed to get her notebook and pencil from the room, so she turned the other way and began her brisk walk. It wouldn't do to be late, not today.

---

Lunch had been very good. On top of that, Rosa had the afternoon off, because it was Friday and she had no classes on Friday afternoon. No such luck for Amethyst, but at least they got to have lunch and an hour after it to spend together.

Perhaps Rosa had overeaten a slight bit, but she burped as she stood up which made the pressure in her belly lessen. She saw that Amethyst wasn't doing any better. She seemed a bit unsure as she picked up her tray.

"Ugh, a couple more meals like that and we'll all have heart attacks before we're thirty."

"Meh," Amethyst said. "We don't get fried stuff all that often, quit being dramatic." She glanced over at her own tray. "Besides, you practically licked the plate clean. We might not have anything to do in the kitchen today, you know? I don't think they really need to wash these."

Rosa was forced to agree. Deep fried food was a rare treat in the School so every pony polished their plates until they shone.

"Um, may I?" Amethyst asked.

Following her gaze, Rosa could see that she was staring at the small dish of tartar sauce. There was a tiny bit left in there.

"Huh? There's nothing left, what are you gonna dip?" Rosa asked.

Her friend took that as a yes and simply came around the table to lick it up directly.

"Yuck."

The mare grinned, a tad shame-faced for her display of gluttony. "What?! It's just so good."

Rosa agreed, the sauce was good, but not on its own. The mayo was a bit too rich and oily for her taste. "It's good if you have something to dip in it!" she asserted.

Her roommate just shrugged, apparently quite willing to disagree. Not that Rosa minded, really. If it made Amethyst happy, then she could drink the stuff straight, if that was how her fancy took her. Rosa began to wonder what other little snacks she might have enjoyed while she was helping in the kitchen. Maybe the cookies weren't even half of it!

She was already walking away and Rosa shifted her plate to her back and followed. It was the big day - Amethyst had said her friend, Will, had an afternoon shift today. Thinking about telling a member of the staff a secret like the colts' iPad still made Rosa uneasy, but she decided to go along with it.

Her roommate had promised she wouldn't say anything until Rosa had had a chance to meet this Will and see what he was like.

The mares passed by a table with two of their classmates, who waved in greeting. It would have been polite to stop and say hello, but Amethyst was already eyeing their tartar sauce dishes, so Rosa just gave their friends an apologetic smile and pushed her roommate along.

"I don't believe you sometimes," she grumbled.

It made Amethyst laugh. She knew the complaint wasn't meant in a bad way.

"Maybe if you spent some time in our room, instead of sneaking away all the time to be with colts, you'd know us better," she countered.

"Shhh!"

Rosa looked around to see if anyone had overheard, but the ponies were quite busy with the rare treat. Amazing how deep frying improved broccoli, which was already delicious on its own. The french fries were an added bonus.

While Amethyst was trying to muffle her excited giggling, they finally made it to the kitchen entrance. There was a sign on the door and Rosa hesitated. The picture showed a silhouette of a pony overlaid by a red circle and a line. No ponies beyond this point. Right beside it was the opening with the shelf where they were supposed to drop their trays for someone in the kitchen to take. There weren't many ponies left eating, so the window was empty. One of the staff probably checked it occasionally and took the trays as they came.

Rosa looked around the mess hall until she spotted the guard. He seemed to be talking with one of the cooks and wasn't paying the ponies any attention. Meanwhile, Amethyst just nudged the swinging door open with her muzzle and shouldered it aside so they could enter. It was amazing how she managed not to drop the tray from her back during her tricky little maneuver. The mare had good balance!

"Are you sure?" Rosa whispered urgently. "The sign..."

"It's fine. No one complains when I go in to help. I don't think anyone really cares, it's just the kitchen."

As Rosa walked past her friend into the Forbidden Place she couldn't help hunching her shoulders and flattening her ears in apprehension. She was expecting an outcry at any moment. It didn't happen and the door swung shut behind Amethyst. Rosa still couldn't relax and her legs trembled a tiny bit as her roommate took the lead again.

There were two humans in the white-and-stainless-steel room up ahead. All around them were large, bulky machines and tall counters, entirely unsuitable for ponies. The young mare watched everything with a mixture of fear and curiosity.

"Hi Mrs. Evelyn!" Amethyst announced cheerfully as she deftly lifted up her tray to a surface above her.

The larger human - Rosa saw it was the rather plump cook whom she remembered to have a permanently red face - turned around and smiled.

"Oh, hello sweetheart!" she replied, as her face split into a happy grin. The woman stepped closer and patted the mare on her head while Amethyst closed her eyes and pushed against the hand, very much like a kitty. Rosa was a little surprised she didn't purr!

"I brought a friend, I hope that's okay. She'd like to help me with the dishes today and I'd like to share one of the cookies with her!"

Rosa knew her face was properly fearful, which she hoped added to the illusion of a pony out to get some forbidden sweets. "H-Hi," she said, not even having to fake the tremor in her voice.

"Oh, but of course," the cook said, coming over to give her a pat as well. Rosa didn't push back, but Mrs. Evenly didn't seem to mind. "Heaven knows we could use a hand - or a hoof, as it might be!"

While she was being welcomed, her roommate lifted the remaining tray as well and set it next to hers. The woman leaned a bit lower to whisper to Amethyst, but her voice was loud enough for Rosa to hear as well, which was probably the intention.

"Tell you what - you two do a good job and I'll give you each a couple of cookies, okay? And maybe a few more for your friends in the room."The woman gave both mares a deliberate, theatrical wink, as if they were in on some conspiracy.

Amethyst smiled beatifically and Rosa followed suit, happy that it all seemed to be going well.

"I'll just say hello to Will and then we'll get started!" Amethyst roommate promised, but the cook was already straightening up and just waved her hand dismissively.

"Of course, dear," Mrs. Evelyn answered, before studying Rosa in some detail. "Hmm, what's your name, sweetheart?" she asked.

The young mare opened her muzzle to tell her, but the lady held up a finger. "Wait, I think I remember."

It would make sense for the kitchen staff to know all the ponies. They had to make a note of who turned up for what meal and when. There was a big ledger with all the names and faces at the start of the lunch line and one human or another was always there with a pen.

"Rose-ah, right?"

Then again, seeing it written down meant they didn't know how it should be pronounced. Rosa knew she had to correct the lunch lady, but tried to smile as disarmingly as she could.

"A-Actually it's pronounced 'Rosa', Mrs. Evelyn. It's not, uh, not a usual name."

She was afraid the woman would be offended, but her grin just widened. "What a lovely name! Now excuse me, I have the cooking pots to clean before we start getting ready for dinner. Your friend can show you what to do."

The lady went back to the tall sink and Rosa started to wonder how she would ever reach that high to offer any help at all. She looked around for Amethyst to ask her and saw an unexpected sight. The mare was sitting on the floor with a young man crouching down beside her. He was tickling her chest fluff with one hand and patting her mane with the other, while she was whispering something to him. They were both smiling. It almost felt wrong to intrude, but Rosa made her way there, stepping heavily to give them some warning.

When they spotted her, the young man removed his hands and Amethyst blushed a little. "Oh, um," she started, unable to find words right away. "Rosa, this is Will. Will, my roommate Rosa. She's in the Helper Pony program, too."

The human politely reached out his hand and Rosa placed a hoof in it for a shake. "Nice to meet you," she said, shifting her gaze from him to Amethyst. Rosa couldn't decide what exactly she had seen, but she put it out of her mind. They were there for another reason.

The man seemed friendly enough. He didn't look much older than her or Amethyst, even though she had said he was in college. Probably his first year, Rosa guessed. Some humans took part time jobs to earn a bit of extra money. She wondered why he chose to work at a pony school.

Actually, she didn't have to wonder. She was trying to get to know this guy! "So - Will - why a Pony School?"

He shrugged a bit and straightened up. It looked like his moment with Amethyst was over. "Well, the pay is good and I'm studying Culinary Arts, so working in a kitchen counts towards my extra credits."

That sounded reasonable, even if the young man didn't really answer her question.

"How about you," he countered, "why Helper Pony?"

Well, it was only fair she returned the favor of answering. "I like working with children and that's my best chance," she replied, shrugging a little.

"Why not something like Day Care Assistant Pony, or nanny? I heard there's always a demand," Will asked.

Rosa had been through that with Instructor Martha, as well as with Maribelle, several times. "There's not a demand. A lot of mares want that job and it's hard to get a good assignment. A brighter-colored coat and mane are preferred." Without a nice, colorful fur she wouldn't be picked, or would end up in a bad school with mean children. While Rosa thought she could easily handle one impolite child, twenty of them would be like...

Well, like the previous day, for a start! She didn't want to risk ending up with a job like that every day. At least a Helper Pony was only ever assigned to one child, with the rare exception when the needy little human had siblings.

"That's fair. I mean- not that you look ugly or anything, but I can see how little kids would prefer someone a bit more... colorful."

She gave the young man a nod, then glanced at Mrs. Evelyn who was still busy with her pots. "Um, maybe we should get to work now?" Rosa suggested. After all, they could still chat while they were washing dishes. That brought her to her original question for Amethyst. She turned to her friend, who had been watching approvingly as Rosa spoke with the human. "So, how do we reach the sink?"

The mare pointed with a hoof. "Stool. Um, Will, is there another?"

There was just one round, backless chair in the place. The temp nodded. "I'll get the one from the pantry.

Amethyst smiled at him with gratitude. "Thanks! We'll get started on the dishes in the meantime!"

True to her word, the mare pulled the chair over and jumped up on it. Rosa could see that the seat could rotate, but Amethyst seemed well used to it and deftly balanced on her hind legs until she could grab the counter. There was a clink as she put a dirty plate into the sink and the burbling of running water as she began to wash.

Feeling a little left out, Rosa reared up and leaned against the smooth, shiny surface. That brought her head just above the counter so she could see what her roommate was.

"So, what do you think?" she asked.

"Doesn't look difficult."

The mare giggled a little. "No, silly! About Will?"

Rosa looked around to make sure Mrs. Evelyn wasn't looking in their direction and that the human hadn't sneakily come back yet. "You like him!" she whispered accusingly.

Amethyst just smiled. "Yes. He's nice. You'll like him too, if you hang out with us sometimes."

That wasn't the way Rosa had meant it. She was worried her friend might have been getting romantically involved with the boy, which would cause them both a whole lot of trouble. It wasn't her place to tell Amethyst she should stop, though, just as it wasn't hers to tell Rosa to break it off with Paolo. That was, if she even had anything with Paolo. Maybe her friend was the same way with Will? Anyway, it wasn't a good time to talk about it, so Rosa decided to put it out of her mind for now and have a heart to heart with Amethyst later tonight, when they were alone. As alone as they could be, anyway. Rosa could snuggle with her tonight. The others wouldn't find it strange, since it happened quite often that two, or even three roommates slept in the same bed for warmth, or for comfort, when one of them got a bad grade or got yelled at by her Instructor.

Rosa returned to the present just as Will lowered another stool next to her. "Oh. Thanks!" she murmured to him and clambered up. The rotating seat nearly threw her off, but he grabbed the mare around the waist to steady her. His fingers were impossibly warm and the sudden touch made Rosa squeak faintly in surprise.

"Oh, sorry!" the human apologized.

"It's fine! It's fine. Thanks!" She knew she was blushing and so was the young man. The best way to keep her mind out of the gutter was to get busy and she found a dry cloth on the counter, close enough so she could reach it. Now that she was holding on to the stainless steel surface it was easier to balance on the rotating chair.

"Hand me that plate please?" she said and nudged Amethyst's leg with a hoof.

She obediently passed one of the clean plates over and Rosa wiped it dry. She looked around for a place to put it, but Will took it from her and added it to a stack nearby. With the three of them, Rosa realized, the job would be done in minutes. She cheered up a little. Amethyst had classes soon, but it didn't look like she'd be late.

There really was nothing to this helping and being on good terms with the kitchen staff promised treats and seconds in the future. Amethyst was an extremely smart filly to have come up with the idea! Speaking of the mare, she was humming a simple little melody, one Rosa recognized from the previous day. It had done wonders to calm the children down and now it was helping her relax as well. On her other side, the lad began to whistle in surprisingly good harmony with the mare. Rosa guessed they must have been practicing.

She was starting to believe her friend that this particular human could be trusted. After they were done done, she decided, she would ask him about getting her a movie or two and putting it on the colts' iPad. Then Martin would have no choice but let her borrow it sometimes to watch movies with the girls! Rosa could almost imagine it- huddled on one bed under a blanket to hide the glow, ears all focusing on the headphones, eyes glued to the screen...

Something funny and romantic - a love story. It was going to be so much fun! She caught her reflection in the shiny surface and saw that she was smiling widely. That was perfectly fine. Between the 'unofficial' benefits from helping out in the kitchens, some flirting with Paolo, training for the Helper Pony program, and an occasional movie night, Rosa's final year of school was shaping up to be quite spectacular!