The Prima Donna and The Tailor

Lunch at Ponyville High was like lunch at any other cafeteria in Equestria. The cliques kept to themselves at certain tables and the loud, raucous sound of high schoolers complaining about life, the opposite sex, parents, social dilemmas and other minutiae filled the air. Sweetie Belle had just sat down to lunch when Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Silver Spoon waltzed in. (Silver Spoon's mane was now perfectly coiffed, which was a far cry from the nightmare it was now more than fifty minutes ago.) The gang was joined by late comer Babs Seed, who was coming from across campus where her Life Art class was held.

Babs had moved to Ponyville when her sister took a job in town when she was laid off from her post in Manehatten. At the time, four years ago, she hadn't gotten her cutie mark yet. She did report that the Manehatten branch of the CMC was growing strong. Now a sophomore like her cousin, Babs had her cutie mark; she and Apple Bloom got theirs on consecutive days. The Apple Family member approached the others and merged into the lunch line. Sweetie Belle didn't have to worry about that. With her parents back in town, she brown bagged it to school.

Babs, Bloom, Scoots, Silver, and Twist, who joined them while buying a soda from the soda machine, approached Sweets while she ate. They all sat down and tucked in to their lunches. Babs was all atwitter about some new gossip that had reached her ears. Sweetie wasn’t interested, but she tried to follow the conversation anyway. Eventually, the topic up for discussion was brought around to the new colt in town.

"I heard he's from some hick town up north. Supposedly, he's here because he ran into some trouble up in Shady Hallow or something."

Bloom corrects her, having seen said colt, "He's from Hollow Shades and Ah think his name is Stitchen Time. Ah ain't heard much about him yet."

"Yeah, that's right, Bloom. I have him in my homeroom and in Choir. He sings really well. I invited him to come sit with us today."

Twist adds, "That was cool of you, Sweets. We can be his 'Welcome to Ponyville' committee."

"Speaking of the changeling, here comes the colt now." Scootaloo says.

The group looks in the direction of Scootaloo's outstretched hoof. They see Stitches as he nervously navigates the floor of the cafeteria. The jocks don't bother him, which is good; same goes for the goth crowd. The nerds give him a glance and return to their trading card game, Hominid: The Apex Predator. Stitches was passing the popular crowd when he stops. To everyponies consternation, it was Diamond Tiara that stopped him. The two exchanged words for a brief few moments. She seemed intent on getting him to sit with her, though it was anypony's guess what she was saying. Stitches body language suggested that he wasn't interested and after a bit, he continued to where Sweetie Belle and her friends sat.

He approached their table apprehensively. Sweetie's initial judgment of Stitchen was that he was anxiety ridden. His face showed how nervous he was, with sweat beads forming on every spare inch of it. His lunch tray jittered slightly; he didn't look too steady on his hooves, either.

"Hiya, Sweetie Belle! You said I could sit here?" Stitches asked.

His voice still wavered, but it was stronger than when he spoke with her before. She thought the idea of sitting among such pretty fillies may have encouraged him some.

"Sure, go ahead. Bloom, Scoots, could you make room?"

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo slid away on the bench to make a space for Stitchen Time. He files into the spot, smile unwavering.

"So, let me introduce to the girls. To your right is Apple Bloom," the farm filly shakes his hoof, "at your left is is Scootaloo," the stunt Pegasus offers him a salute, "to my right is Twist," the carrot-topped Earth filly in glasses smiles sheepishly, "and on my left is Silver Spoon."

"Hiya!"

"Hey, all."

For a minute or two, nopony says anything. The only sound heard at the table is the chewing food. At length, Twists's curiosity gets the better of her. (As the school newspaper star reporter, curiosity was second nature to her.) She asked the question the rest of the fillies had been begging to ask.

"So, Stitchen, inquiring minds want to know, just what does your cutie mark represent?"

"It's- uh, it represents my skill in tailorin'."

"Tailorin'? Ya mean like sewin' and stuff?"

Stitches nodes tentatively. It appears some of his fellow colts don't hold such a skill in high regard.

"How did you get it?" Silver Spoon asks.

"Well, ya see, I got when I made my first Nightmare Night costume. Hollow Shades doesn't really have a costume shop, so it makes to mighty difficult to get a good one before then. My mama always made mine for me. That one year, though, she had injured herself at work and couldn't sew it up for me. My mama is really handy with a needle and thread! I've watched so often when she was working, that I thought I could do it too. So I set up what I needed: clothe, thread, patterns, needles and such. I thought it was gonna be harder then when my mama does it… Once I threaded that first needle, though, I was off! I think spent hours, just gettin' the measurements right and makin' all the stitches nice and tight. When I debuted my costume at the local Nightmare Night Costume Contest, I won first prize! I couldn't believe it!"

"Pics or get the fuck out!" shouts Silver Spoon.

"Uh, yeah, I think I have some…" Stitches says nervously.

He rifles through his bag and pulls out a sketch book that full to bursting with photos and loose pages. He opens the notebook with a blast of raspberry magic and flips to a certain page. On the page, on top of designs for the costume itself, is a lightly faded photograph of a younger Stitches wearing an expertly made Night Mare Moon costume. The fillies simultaneously coo over the image.

"Aww, that is so cute!" squeals Sweetie Belle.

"Yer costume is so adorable, Stitchen!"

Scootaloo remarks, "Aw, it's Widdle Woona!"

Twist is a little agog, but manages to to say, "D'aww…!"

Silver Spoon is a little less impressed, but can't help but nod at the fine effort the colt did.

"Not bad."

"Anyway, I didn't notice the cutie mark until the next day. Got kinda swept up in the excitement of my victory, I guess. I've been stitchin' up clothes ever since."

Sweets says, "It goes well with your name."

The colt blushes, which given his scarlet coat, makes his cheeks a little paler. He puts the sketch book away and the rest of lunch goes by rather pleasantly. His nerves about meeting new friends gets set aside. When the bell rings, the fillies drop off their lunch trays off at the trash bin after depositing any trash. Sweetie gets up to put away her lunch bag in her locker. Stitchen follows her. She hasn't quite decided if she thinks the scarlet colt is cute or not. Not that she would normally think of these things. High school colts are so immature…

Absentmindely, Sweetie asks, "What class do you have next, Stitchen?"

"I think I have Chemistry next." the skittish colt answers, "What's your next class, Sweetie Belle?"

"I have a study hall coming up. I'm thinking I should get started on my Geometry. My mom is gonna blow a gasket if I can't pass it."

"Oh, I see." he says, dejectedly.

"I'll see you later, then." she coos.

"Okay, bye."

“♪Bye-bye!♬”