"Maybe we should get you a scooter," Twilight suggested. "Then we could hook it up to another wagon, and you could pull us all over town too."
"I don't think I could," Pound Cake replied. "Besides, I would probably crash the thing."
"Are you tired of walking already?" Pumpkin asked, looking toward her friend.
"No," Twilight answered. "I just think it would be more fun. Besides, it would also be faster." She perked up. "Ooh, and we could also have Pound and Scootaloo race each other."
"Bet Scootaloo would win," Pumpkin said.
"Gee, thanks," Pound replied. "Nice to know my sister has so much faith in me."
"You know I love you," Pumpkin said with a grin as she bumped her shoulder into her brother, "but 'sporty' is not a term I would use to describe you."
"I could totally be sporty," Pound stated. "I mean, I bet I could be a really great hoofball player or something if I wanted."
"What about the last time I tossed a cupcake to you?"
"Threw!" Pound said, narrowing his eyes at his sister. "You threw a cupcake at me after yelling 'head's up.' It was like a frosting covered missile or something. Probably would have put my eye out."
"You still didn't catch it," Pumpkin said. "Way I remember it, you screamed 'Oh Celestia No!' and swung your hooves wildly."
Pound let out a huff and looked away.
"Hey," Twilight said, moving ahead of them. "We're here."
The three of them looked up, seeing Carousel Boutique up ahead of them. Twilight took off first, running toward the shop. The two started chasing after her. Soon they three of them reached the door, a closed sign hanging in the window. Twilight reached up and knocked.
"Sorry," a voice called out, "we're closed. Rarity is out of town."
"Sweetie Belle," Twilight shouted back. "It's us."
There was a moment of silence before the door opened. Twilight, Pumpkin Cake, and Pound Cake all let out a gasp.
Sweetie Belle, a white unicorn with a two-tone pastel pink and purple mane and tail, stood in the doorway. The filly's mane and tail were a mess, and she had several scratches on her.
"What happened?" Twilight asked.
"Opal?" Pumpkin asked.
"Yeah," Sweetie Belle said with a nod. "My sister asked me to watch her stupid cat while she was at the gala. I swear that thing hates me.... Actually, I'm pretty sure it hates everything."
"It can't be that bad," Twilight said. "I mean it's just a cat right? Hey! Maybe we can help. Come on."
"I...I don't think that's a good idea," Pound said, causing all three fillies to look at him.
"Why not?" Twilight asked.
"Well..." Pound shifted, looking at the ground. "I... I think Sweetie Belle is right. I don't think we can handle Opalescence."
"Aren't you supposed to be learning how to take care of animals from Fluttershy?" Pumpkin asked.
"Yes," he replied, "but I'm still just learning. I'm nowhere near as good as she is."
"Oh, come on," Twilight said, heading inside. "It's just one cat. How hard can it be?"
The filly froze as she heard a hissing noise. She turned just in time to see something white and fuzzy before whatever it was grabbed onto her face. Twilight let out a shriek of terror.
"It's got me!" she screamed, running around the boutique. "Getitoffgetitoffgetitoff!" She crashed into something, knocking it over with a loud thud. Twilight struggled to get back up and keep running, trying to get away from whatever was blinding her.
Pumpkin, Pound and Sweetie Belle chased after Twilight, trying to stop her so they could get the fluffy white cat known as Opalescence off of her face.
"It's trying to eat my brain!" Twilight screamed, stopping long enough to stomp her hooves in place.
Pumpkin Cake tackled Twilight, pinning her to the ground and knocking the air from her lungs. Pound moved around and took a hold of Opal, trying to work her loose from Twilight's face without causing the cat to scratch the filly more.
"I think I-"
Whatever Pound was going to say next was lost as Opal released Twilight and turned around to claw at him instead. Pound Cake let out a shriek of his own, wings fluttering as he jumped backwards to get away from the cat.
Opalescence stood and stared at the ponies. Her thick white tail was straight and puffed out as wide as it could go. Her back was arched as she let out a long, drawn out hiss. Pound and Twilight both stared at the cat in horror, fearing the possible onslaught that would occur. Pumpkin was moving to get in a position to attack the cat herself.
A ball of yarn flew past the cat, getting its attention. Forgetting all about the ponies, Opal lunged at the yarn, attacking it.
"Thank you for trying," Sweetie Belle said, "but I don't think you can help me on this. You better go before she loses interest in the yarn and starts attacking again."
The other three gave their assent before heading toward the door. Pumpkin stopped and turned around.
"When you're done," she said, "Twilight is sleeping over tonight at our house. You can come over and stay too if you want."
"Thanks," Sweetie Belle said with a smile. "I'll try."
Pumpkin gave a nod and joined the other two outside the boutique, door shutting behind her.
"So what now?"
Twilight let out a sigh and rubbed one of the spots Opal's claws had dug into her skin. Apple Bloom was busy helping her brother take care of the farm while Applejack was gone, Scootaloo had to do some things with her family, Sweetie Belle was dealing with Rarity's furry little demon, and they had just been brutally assaulted by the fluffy little ball of death.
"Let's forget about crusading," Twilight said. "Let's just go to the store so we can pick up things for the sleepover and go back to Sugarcube Corner.... and some disinfectant." She ran her hoof across one of the scratches. "Dumb cat."
Pumpkin and Pound looked at each other, shrugged, and followed after their friend once more.