I found myself being nudged awake in the middle of the night by something soft and warm snuggling against me, wrapping legs around me. I pondered the significance of this, but my state of fatigue was such that I gave it no further consideration and tried to go back to sleep. It took a little while to adjust to this presence but eventually I drifted into a deep sleep. I don't know how long I was out for, but sunlight streaming in through the windows woke me once again. I heard hoofsteps on the staircase before a female voice stridently commanded me to wake up.
"Ugh, just five more minutes, please," I groaned. I noticed I had been entangled in the embrace of a certain filly, a big smile plastered on her face. Rarity came over and unwrapped me from my blanket, dumping her sister onto the floor.
"Ow, what was that for?" she asked in a hurtful tone.
"Sweetie Belle, how could you do this? Why?" asked her sister. She shot me a dirty glare, one I returned with equal fervor.
"I didn't wanna sleep alone," she replied, maintaining the wounded tone to her voice and giving her sister the big sad puppy-dog eyes look.
"Aurora, darling, why didn't you turn her away?"
"Um, I was too tired to protest, Miss Rarity -- and truthfully, I don't like sleeping alone, either," I replied softly. I mimicked my doppelganger's sad puppy-dog eyes.
"Hmm. I guess that can't be helped -- Sweetie Belle, please, don't do that again. Aurora, I am going to prepare breakfast -- and after eating, I request you return to Twilight's house -- I think you're a bad influence on my sister," the fashionista stated matter-of-factly. My face fell upon hearing this. "It's for your own good, Aurora," she added as she noted my dour expression. She left the room to get started on breakfast, leaving the both of us to have a brief conversation.
"Sorry about my sister, Aurora -- she can be like that. Don't worry, I'm sure we can do more stuff together!" she chirped.
"I'd like that, Sweetie -- I'm just worried about giving the wrong impression, though," I said. "I just wish there was some way I could convince your sister that I'm not some kind of pervert or something. I'd like to think I have at least some honor, some sense of propriety, some sense of dignity, or -- or -- something," I added as exasperation began to creep into my voice.
"I know you're a good pony, Aurora -- I guess I'll have to talk to my sister some more -- perhaps I can get her to change her mind about you, that you really are a good pony -- and if nothing else, maybe she'll be nice enough to let me play with you more often!"
"I hope so, Sweetie -- I want to make more friends, I want to be happy more often -- I want to do so many things but I don't know where to start," I opined glumly.
"Well -- since today is Saturday, maybe you could help me and my friends get our cutie marks!" she beamed. I could have sworn I saw her rear up onto her hind legs and gleefully rub her forehooves together as though she were plotting something sneaky. I grinned at this display, then saw her stop as her sister returned.
"Breakfast is ready, you two," she offered cheerfully before turning around and going back into the kitchen.
"Thank you, Miss Rarity," I noted as I followed her in, the filly trotting by my side and adding a vocal thanks to her sister as well. Once again, a large plate of hay pancakes had been set for me. "Really, Miss Rarity, was it necessary for me to have five?"
"You need your strength, Aurora, darling! Can't have you trotting around Ponyville on an empty stomach!" my "sister" chortled as she levitated the syrup over to me. As if to answer her reply, my stomach growled loudly in anticipation of more food, causing the mare and the filly to giggle. My face fell at this, as I knew I was going to finish the plate -- I know I didn't want to get fatter, but my hunger was such that I felt compelled to eat all five pancakes. I poured a liberal amount of syrup on them to enhance the flavor further and tucked in heartily, my magic working the knife and fork almost effortlessly. Upon finishing, Rarity set another three pancakes on the plate for me. Those disappeared just as quickly as the first five. I belched in approval again and apologized for doing so. The mare and her sister finished eating about the same time, the three of us discussing the day's plans during our breakfast.
"Aurora, darling, I trust you know the way to Twilight's house from here?" asked the fashionista.
"Yeah, I guess -- I just need to look for the big oak tree," I replied. "Thanks again for breakfast, Miss Rarity. I hope I can come back and visit again some time."
"Of course, Aurora, darling -- you're welcome any time," she offered warmly. I nodded my head, smiling warmly at the mare before turning away and trotting through the front door, closing it behind me. I began trotting around in order to get my bearings, looking for the large oak tree I remembered.
"Do you think she'll be okay by herself? The library's kinda far away from here," Sweetie noted, a look of concern on her face.
"She'll be fine, Sweetie -- we've already trotted back and forth at least twice since she's been here, so she should have no problem finding her way back," her sister stated confidently before returning to her work room.
"I'm gonna help her anyway," the filly replied before leaving out the front door herself.
"Try not to come back covered in tree sap this time," her sister called after her.
I must have gotten lost trying to find the library -- try as I could, I was having difficulty locating the large oak tree. I continued trotting seemingly aimlessly, trying to find somepony who could point me in the right direction. My reverie was rudely interrupted by a couple of fillies who called out to me.
"Hey, blank flank!" called out a pink filly with a tiara on her head. I instantly recognized her and flashed her a scowl.
"I'm not a blank flank anymore, Diamond Tiara," I commented as I quickened my pace to try to get away from her and her grey friend. They followed me and sped up their pace, succeeding in overtaking me. The pink filly blocked my forward progress and the grey one blocked any attempt for me to turn around and go the other direction. I tried turning around, but they moved with me, further frustrating my attempts to escape.
"Hey, I was talking to you, blank flank," she reiterated, a harsher tone to her voice. I didn't realize she was so much bigger than me and now worried for my safety. I tried to turn around yet again, but was rewarded by Diamond striking me upside my head with her right forehoof. "Don't try to run away -- unless you really want me to beat you up," she hissed.
"What do you want?" I asked meekly, trying to shield myself from any further physical attacks. My attempts to parry their attacks were brushed away almost effortlessly -- I mentally cursed myself for not having tried to get more practice in self-defense.
"I'm gonna make you pay for embarrassing me in class the other day," she replied venomously, her eyes narrowed and her ears pinned back.
"Yeah, nopony makes fun of my friend," Silver Spoon added, hitting my left flank with her left forehoof for added measure. "Oh, so you do have a cutie mark! Looks like you got it out of a cereal box," she sneered.
The sight of my cutie mark distracted Diamond Tiara long enough for me to make a break for it as I galloped as swiftly as my legs could carry me. Unfortunately, my physical conditioning was sorely lacking as the two chased after me. I stumbled and fell as I glanced over my shoulder.
"Running away isn't gonna help you," the pink filly shouted at me as she quickly caught up to me. I was silently hoping somepony or other would see what was going on and step in to help -- I caught sight of a few ponies, but none seemed willing to intervene.
"Help! Help me please!" I shouted in a vain attempt to attract attention to my plight. I was rewarded with another right hook to the side of my head and stumbled briefly before losing my balance and hitting the ground hard on my right side. The two fillies approached me slowly, grinning evilly.
"You know what we do to trouble-makers like you?" Diamond asked rhetorically. I scrunched up my face, concentrating magic through my horn in an attempt to teleport away from them. My spell failed, my horn emitting a small shower of sparks. "What was that? A feeble attempt to blind me?" she asked in a condescending tone of voice. She struck me in the face again before punching me in my belly, with Silver Spoon joining in as well. The two of them struck me several times, causing me to cry out in pain, which seemed to embolden them further. They continued to pummel me with their forehooves, drawing blood from my muzzle and blacking my right eye, bruising me severely. They also struck my horn several times, causing me to cry out sharply in pain.
"Somepony please help me!" I screeched, writhing on the ground as I tried to shield myself from their blows. I whimpered in pain as they continued to beat me without mercy.
"Nopony's gonna help you, worm," the pink filly sneered before striking me in the face once more. "You should be thankful that's all you're getting -- now get up and run home to mommy, I'm sure she's worried about you," she added, a mix of contempt and derision dripping from her words. The two of them turned and left, laughing to each other about how what they had done and how easy it was. I laid on the ground, moaning and crying in pain, my thoughts dark as I mentally swore revenge. I don't know how long I stayed on the ground, but no pony came to my assistance until a certain white filly found me.
"Aurora! What happened to you?" asked Sweetie Belle. I saw her eyes go wide upon seeing me in my condition. She tried to lift me but I was too heavy. "Um, I'll see if I can get you some help," she offered as she galloped away as swiftly as she could. I tried to rise to my hooves, finding it particularly difficult to do so -- the pain inflicted on me was almost too much for me to bear. I spat out some blood which had pooled in my mouth and a couple of teeth went with it.
They're going to pay for this, I swear it! was the thought that ran through my mind immediately. I gingerly tested my hooves, luckily finding that I could trot, albeit slowly. I started making my way back towards Rarity's boutique, since it was relatively close and I could see it from where I was. I noticed my "sisters" galloping towards me, looks of deep concern etching their faces. They reached me just a couple of moments later.
"Aurora, darling, I'm so sorry this happened to you! Who was the ruffian responsible for this?"
"Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon," I replied wearily, still sniffling from my earlier tears. My balance was unsteady, the pain I was in causing me to limp on my left foreleg. Sweetie sidled against me, allowing me to use her body for support.
"I'll have a word with their fathers, Aurora -- I will see to it that those fillies are disciplined for their actions," Rarity noted solemnly. "Sweetie, let's take her to the hospital -- I think she needs some medical attention."