Issues, Issues

Coco was trying to ease her body after Suri’s attack on her. She wanted to sleep, but she couldn't stay here in Manehatten. She could get killed. She was wanting to cry, but Suri would find out and hurt her worse. “Why me?” She whimpered. She wasn't able to sleep easily ever since she quit working for Suri.

For some strange reason, her heart was saying for her to go to Ponyville. She then understood why. Rarity was there in Ponyville. Rarity could help her, she realized. Rarity wouldn't hurt or judge her.

She packed a bag and she grabbed a few bits from her table as she ran out of the door to leave the house. She ran in the deep rain. She shuddered from the cold rain. She released a whine when she forgot to check the weather. Luna dang it! She thought. She ran towards the train station. “What's your location, sweetie?” The older mare asked Coco.

“Ponyville,” Coco breathed out, hiding her bruises from the outside world. The mare eyed her, wanting to ask what she was hiding, but she decided not to ask.

“You're just in time, miss. That'll be 300 bits,” She told Coco. Coco looked at her money and she flinched. That’s all the money I have. Coco thought in horror. She gave the mare the money and she received the ticket. I'm broke. Coco thought sadly.

“Thank you,” Coco tells the older mare. The mare nodded at Coco.

“All aboard for Ponyville!” Coco heard her train being called as she grabbed her ticket and her bag. When she walked to the train, she saw a glimpse of Suri and she whimpered. No. She doesn't know. She… Coco stopped processing her thoughts.

Coco wordlessly walked on the train and into an empty seat. She relaxed her body and she fell into another nightmare sleep, this nightmare worse than all of the others she had. She whimpered in her sleep and she was alone in her seat. There was no one to comfort her.

When she woken up from her sleep, Coco saw Ponyville in distance and she sighed in relief. She then remembered that she was broke with no food and no way to pay for rent. She sighed sadly and she left the train and the train station.

As she walked around Ponyville, she saw how friendly the other ponies were to each other. I wish Manehatten was like this. Everypony tries to hurt each other. She thought. When she passed by Sugarcube Corner, she saw one of Rarity’s friends. When the pink mare saw her, she decided to see what was wrong. “Coco Pommel, is that you? Rarity told me about you,” Coco had heard the mare, but she had fainted due to strong fear and her careless attempt of healing her wounds. “Coco. COCO!” The mare had shouted in worry for the younger mare.

~~~~~~~

When Coco had awakened again, she saw the same pony from before. “Are you alright? You’ve fainted,” she tells Coco. Coco’s stomach rumbled and the young mare looked around, ashamed.

“My bruises are bandaged,” Coco commented. The mare nodded her head and she bit her lip.

“Um, Miss Pommel, I'm Starlight Glimmer and I want to ask you something,” Starlight tells Coco.

“Call me Coco, please. What do you want to ask me?” Coco asked.

“Did somepony inflict these on you?” She asked as she watched Coco’s reaction turn to horror.

“They are self-inflicted from an accident,” Coco quickly answers, unknowingly adding a spiteful tone to her voice. Starlight noticed and she quickly dropped the issue. She didn't want to freak out the poor mare with her questions. When Starlight left her alone and Coco laid back in the bed, with her face from view. She cried herself to sleep.

~~~~~~~

Rarity was just closing her shop when Starlight ran up to her. “What's the rush, Starlight?” Rarity asked the once evil mare.

“Coco. Pommel. Hospital. Bruises,” Starlight tells Rarity. Rarity was shocked that Starlight was talking fast, but she did understood. Coco was in the hospital and she had bruises.

“Were the bruises caused by anypony?” Rarity asked. She had a gut sucking feeling that she knew who hurt Coco.

“She said that she hurt herself,” Starlight answered. Rarity growled to herself and she sighed at Coco trying to protect that mare. She's a great liar, but I know somepony did this to her. Starlight thought. She didn't know why Coco would lie through her teeth.

“Hmm. She lied,” Rarity says, not really surprised. Starlight was shocked by Rarity’s not surprised answer.

“Why are you not surprised by this?” Starlight asked Rarity.

“I know Coco's former boss. She was a vile mare. She always verbally hurt Coco around me,” Rarity answered Starlight. Starlight was shocked about that.

“What? Why would she do that?” Starlight was genuinely concerned.

“To make me angry,” Rarity answered Starlight’s question. Starlight gasped at this.

“Why would she do that to make you angry?” Starlight asked.

“Because I care for her,” Rarity’s short answer gave Starlight a slight pause as she tried to figure out why Rarity sounded like she wanted to kill the mare that hurt Coco. Does she like her? Starlight thought.

“Forgive me for asking this, but do you like Coco Pommel?” Starlight asked Rarity, who didn’t even give a start at her question.

“In what way?” Rarity asked.

“Romantically”, Starlight answered without stuttering. Rarity was expecting Starlight to stutter, but she didn’t, which surprised Rarity.

“I can’t explain it”, Rarity answered in total honesty. Starlight stayed silent in understanding. Rarity didn’t anymore on the subject.

~~~
Suri was watching Rarity and Starlight Glimmer outside of the hospital. Coco didn’t tell, but she still knew that it was me. Suri wasn’t shocked. She didn’t think that Rarity was dumb, but she wasn’t thinking that Rarity would guess her correctly and quickly, at that. “Coco, I will relish in hurting you beyond compare.” Suri tells herself. She wanted her submissive assistant back so she could abuse her. Suri knew that Coco was weaker than her and that was why she abuses her. Coco wouldn’t fight back. That was what made her the perfect outlet.