//------------------------------// // A New Day Awaits, Promising Fun and Excitement // Story: Burnt Orange Juice // by Mike the Red //------------------------------// Her words sounded a bit more harsh than I think she had intended them to -- but perhaps I needed such a jolt to my system, even though what she said sounded an awful lot like something my wife might have said to me; I let her know my displeasure, though perhaps I should have taken a more respectful tone. "Miss Twilight, I would appreciate it if you would not act like my wife," I declared, my words colored by my state of annoyance. I was truly starting to wonder if making a wish to visit Equestria and Twilight was such a good idea. Sure, I was thrilled to meet the one pony I favored over all others, but -- to be in Sweetie Belle's body and have my idol treat me like I was her daughter was something that got my back up. "Hmph, you already told me all about her and all the awful things she did to you -- I used fifteen sheets of parchment writing down everything you told me about her," the mare observed casually. "And I remember telling you I wouldn't act like that -- well, I'm sorry if my words sting, but you're my student now and you still have much to learn. That's the point of these study lessons I'm going to give you! Please don't waste my time -- I don't like that very much." "Yes, Miss Twilight," I muttered in resignation. She grinned and fetched several books with her magic and we began our studies -- or rather, I began as she taught me various things about being a pony and Equestrian history. After three hours or so of studying, it was time to go to bed. "Um, Miss Twilight, where will I be sleeping tonight?" I asked. I silently hoped she might let me sleep with her again, though I wouldn't have been surprised had she not. My hopeful expression fell when she answered. "I will fix you a bed in the guest room, Sweetie," she replied as she trotted up the stairs. She hadn't even bothered to look at me when she answered, though had she done so, she would have noticed a rather dour expression on my face. I decided not to correct her and trotted up the stairs behind her, though my diminutive size afforded me a look at a certain part of her anatomy I should not have chosen to stare at, pretty though it was. "Um, my eyes are up here, Michael," she stated in a rather annoyed tone of voice. "You should be careful about staring at me -- I don't care what you think of me, or how highly you regard me -- as your teacher, I demand you treat me with respect and not try to peek under my tail!" I involuntarily lowered my ears and hung my head in shame. "Yes, Miss Twilight. I'm sorry, Miss Twilight, I won't let it happen again," I offered in my best attempt at a reverent tone of voice. "You'd better not, or you'll be sleeping in Spike's basket!" "And where will he sleep?" "In your bed, of course," the mare chuckled darkly as she entered the guest room and prepared a bed for me. There was a part of me that wanted to ask something of her -- she must have noticed this, or my facial expression gave it away. "Something you wish to ask, Michael?" "Um -- well, uhhh," I began as I tried to formulate an answer. My eyes spoke more than my words did, though. "If you're thinking about joining me in my bed, forget about it. Unless you were a handsome stallion, I wouldn't even think of letting you sleep with me!" "Perhaps Princess Celestia can remedy my current predicament?" I asked half-heartedly. The mare paused to ponder my query before she answered. "I'll have to think about it, Michael," she stated as she trotted into her room and closed the door. "Sweet dreams, Sweetie Belle!" she called out to me from behind the door. I groaned in annoyance before trotting to the bed she had prepared for me and climbed into it to lay down. Sleep came fitfully for me that night. "My, my, aren't you a new one here?" came a distinctly male voice. Hearing this woke me immediately and I glanced around to see who it might have been -- it was still quite dark out and I couldn't make out anything. "Who's there?" I asked as I nervously looked around the room. There was something about that voice, something I should know... "Oh, no one special," came the response before I heard a weird zipping noise, accompanied by what sounded like a typical villain's evil laughter. I sat awake for a good half hour or so, waiting for him to return. I was tempted to go to Twilight's room and tell her what happened, but after considering that possibility, I changed my mind. I continued to sit up and wait for whomever it was to return, but fatigue overtook me and I fell back asleep. My mysterious visitor didn't return, but I found myself being shaken awake by a rather irritated librarian. "Sweetie Belle, wake up! It's half past nine and you were supposed to be up two hours ago!" Twilight declared in exasperation. I sat up and gave her a very bleary eyed look. "Something or someone or somepony came in here last night and woke me up -- when I asked who it was, he responded by saying he was no one special," I offered. The mare glared at me and narrowed her eyes. "Don't try to lie to me, young filly, you were up too late last night, weren't you?" "I didn't think you'd believe me," I replied sullenly. "I hope he doesn't show up again tonight." "Whatever. We have to get you ready -- I'm taking you to the school today!" she beamed, thrilled by the prospect of being rid of me. "Would have been nice if you had chosen to tell me this last night, Miss Twilight," I replied sullenly. "I thought I told you --" "That's immaterial, Michael -- you're going to school and that's that! Besides, you said you wanted to see the great outdoors, so here's your chance! Now follow me into the bathroom, you need to freshen up." I grumbled again and followed the mare into her bathroom and watched as she turned on the water in the tub. Using her telekinesis, she lifted me and placed me in the tub under the flow of water, which was too cold for my liking. "Miss Twilight, you could have made the water warmer, please," I complained. Without answering me, she increased the flow of hot water, eliciting a grunt of approval from me when the water reached the desired temperature. She shampooed my coat, mane and tail using a bunch of brushes and a couple of loofahs, making short work of cleaning my body thoroughly and rinsed me off just as quickly. "You impress me with your skills, Miss Twilight," I observed cheerfully, beaming a big smile at her. "You should be careful about flattering me, Michael, but thanks for the compliment!" she smiled in return. "Now to fix you up so you don't look like your doppelganger." She used a few more brushes to straighten out my mane and tail so it more closely resembled hers, then my coat to make it look presentable. She placed a set of saddlebags on my back and beckoned me to follow her downstairs. I had to focus my mind on the practice from yesterday and managed to make it down the staircase without falling. She was waiting by the front door for me by the time I reached the base of the stairs. "Come on, Michael, it's late enough as it is -- I should have woken you sooner, but -- let's just go, okay?" "Yes, Miss Twilight," I offered almost dejectedly as I trotted to her side. She opened the door and I got my first taste or whiff of Ponyville air -- a bit different and a lot fresher than the stale stuffy atmosphere of the library. How the library managed to maintain its particular scent despite having open windows all day long baffled me as I silently trotted beside Twilight. "So, you ready for your first day at Ponyville Elementary?" the mare grinned, lightly nudging me into acknowledging her presence. "As ready as I'll ever be, Miss Twilight," I responded. My mood should have been one of eager anticipation, but I was silently dreading the reaction I would receive, considering the fact that I looked almost like Sweetie Belle, the only difference being the style of my mane and tail. I was already garnering looks of puzzlement from some of the ponies who watched us trot towards the school. "Shouldn't you already be in school, little filly?" one pony asked. "That's where I'm taking her," Twilight responded as I remained silent, though I shot a glare at the pony who had had the temerity to ask such a pointed question. Said pony shrunk back from my harsh stare of disapproval. "S-sorry I asked," she offered timidly before turning away. I chuckled darkly at her reaction, earning a sidelong glance from the lavender unicorn. "... Perhaps you should be careful about that, Michael," she said softly. "I don't want to see you get in trouble." I raised an eyebrow and gave a mischievous grin before catching myself. "I won't cause any trouble if nopony causes me any trouble, Miss Twilight," I responded matter-of-factly, though my tone indicated I was annoyed at being treated in such a patronizing manner. She's still treating you like you're the filly she sees, I silently thought to myself, causing my frown to deepen.