Noi giggled as she ran away from her best friend, Aura in a senseless game of chase. She screamed in glee when she looked back to see her friend gaining on her. “I’m gonna get you!” Noi juked to the side and rounded a large tree twice before skidding to a stop so sharp her rump touched the ground. A light purple hoof made contact with Noi’s butter yellow chest. “Told ya.”
Noi playfully growled and Aura yelped as the chase began anew.
“Noi, come in; it’s time for your bath.”
“Aw, mommy, do I have to? I was-”
“Yes! It’s sunset and all good little foals have to stay on a routine. Now, say goodnight to your little friend and come in.”
Noi huffed and went to her friend. “I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”
“Okay,” Aura said, “I wish you didn’t have to go home so early. I mean, the sun barely set. My mommy lets me stay up for almost another two hours.”
Noi stuck out her tongue at her friend. “Rub it in, why don’t ya?”
They shared a giggle and hugged before they split up and went to their own homes. “Noi, you know what time bath time is, why don’t you come in on your own?”
“Because I was having fun with Aura, mommy. She was the bear, then I was gonna be the wolf, but you made me have to come in.”
Noi’s mother patted her daughter’s tail to usher her upstairs. “You can tell me all about it while I wash your mane. Now, c’mon, let’s get you all cleaned up before bed. What did you have for supper at Aura’s?”
“Oh, yeah! We had spaghetti with bits of eggplant, it was super yummy and I had water to drink, because I didn’t want juice like Aura had. They had pear juice or apple juice, but I didn’t feel like sweet juice was gonna go good with supper.”
“That’s a very healthy choice for you to make, dear. Say, there’s a traveling show coming to town tomorrow, would you like to go since there’s no school?”
Noi hopped up the last steps and turned to her mother. “Yeah! That sounds like so much fun! Can Aura and Piña Colada come with us?”
Noi’s mother nodded toward the bathroom. “I don’t see why not. I’ll ask their mothers about it when I see them later tonight. Now, hurry up or the mud monster will get you.” She said and reared up to loom over her daughter. Noi giggled and shrieked as she ran to the bathroom, away from the monster her mind conjured.
Once bath time was done Noi was read a story and tucked into bed. “Snug as a bug in a rug,” her mother sang as she tucked Noi in tightly. Noi giggled and fought to get her forelegs free.
“Mommy, I don’t wanna go to sleep yet. Can’t I stay up late? It’s not a school night and I won’t be a bother.”
“Sorry, dear, but all growing fillies have to get their sleep to get big and strong. Now,” she said leaning down to kiss the yellow filly on her forehead, “sweet dreams.” She placed a plushie of Daring Do in Noi’s grasp and left the filly to sleep.
“I wish I was bigger so I would be the boss of when I go to sleep.” Noi groused. She turned the plush and sat it on her belly. “I bet you never had parents telling you when to go to bed or when it was time to eat. You always were the bravest and most daring pony, right?”
The plush didn’t answer and Noi yawned quietly.
“I’d be the best boss of everypony ever if I was in charge.”
“Noi, time to wake up, honey. I’ve got breakfast on the table and it’s gonna get cold if you don’t hurry up!”
Noi grumbled but sat up and blearlily opened her eyes to the morning. She barely felt like she fell asleep and now she had to get out of the bed when it was most comfy. It was warm and soft, her pillow still had her head indention; calling her back to it. With a herculean feat of strength and willpower, she fell to the bed and rolled twice to get out of the blanket warmness.
She yawned a little and licked her lips. Thinking of what could be for breakfast she moved on instinct to the kitchen through the house while bumping into a couple walls on her path. Finally she arrived to the kitchen and sniffed the air. Her heart sank. “Mommy, is that porridge?”
“Yes, it’s just what a growing earth pony filly needs to grow big and strong. Your bowl is ready on the table, eat up before it gets cold.”
Noi pouted and wanted to whine, but knew nothing would come of it. She went to the table and sat down by the bowl that was as large as her mother’s and just as full of the slimy mush she’d seen foals half her age dig into with fervor. “Mommy, can I have something else? I don’t like this stuff.”
Her mother looked at the filly pouting over her breakfast and sighed. “Honey, I know it’s not what you want, but it’s what your body needs. I mixed in some fresh hay and I think I have some oats left I can top it with.”
“Is there any fruit?” Noi asked, hopefully.
Her mother sighed quietly. “No, I still have to go to the market. Oh, I know what we can do. After we eat we can go to that traveling show I talked about. There should be some treats you can have that will make up for this… lackluster breakfast.”
Noi looked into the depths of the porridge and swore it looked back at her. She hated porridge. It was something little foals ate, not big fillies like her. Plus there wasn’t anything fun in it, either. She picked up the spoon and pressed it into the sludge, scooped a little, then lifted the spoon trailing slime behind it. She took a small taste and replaced the spoon into the muck. “I gotta use the bathroom.”
Her mother, having just taken a seat, looked at her despondent daughter with a little sadness. “Okay, wash up when you’re done, okay?”
“Yes, mommy.” Noi got up from her spot on the floor with more energy than she had earlier and rushed to the bathroom to get ready for the morning and day ahead.
Her mother watched Noi leave and sighed at her own bowl of porridge. She fought the urge to scoop the bowl into her hoof and slam it against the nearest wall in frustration at their situation, but she couldn’t let her daughter know.