Aurora Moonlight had been looking at the clock impatiently.
Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.
Her two sisters, Caroline and Scarlett have been awake as well. Making hot cocoa for their younger sister. Aurora gave a long sigh.
“When are they gonna be home!” She complained. She looked at the clock once more and groaned. “They’re gonna miss my birthday...”
Caroline looked at Aurora with amusement and giggled. “Aww, Ari, look our parents will be home soon, just you wait. They usually come home midnight right!” Carol smiled and Aurora gave a half-hearted smile. “Heh, I guess you’re right.. but still, It wouldn’t hurt for them to come home right now!”
Scarlett slowly crept up the door and looked at the peephole. She gave a smirk and looked at Aurora. “Oh, I wonder who’s on the front door?” Aurora’s eyes sparked. “Mom? Dad?!” Scarlett opened the door and two sillohouttes were standing there. Aurora squealed and ran to them. “Yay! I thought you‘d be gone!” Their parents suddenly turned into dust and she looked confused.
“H-Huh..? Mom? Dad?” Aurora looked around as everything went black. She panicked and tried to find her sisters. “Scarly! Carol!” She started tearing up. “MOM! DAD!” She fell to the ground and curled up.
“Aurora....”
“Aurora..?”
“AURORA!”
Aurora gasped, looking around to where she was. She was in her bedroom. Jasmine Dawn and Minty Stardust were waking her up. “Aurora, you’re shaking..” Minty gave him hot cocoa and smiled warmly. “Do you need this?” Jasmine sat next to her and hugged her. “What’s wrong, sweetie?” She said.
Aurora looked at the cocoa and took a sip. “J-Just.. something personal..” Aurora wiped her tears and sighed. “L-Look, it’s something stupid that happened 16 years ago..” Jasmine sighed. “Aurora, it’s okay, you can talk to us.”
Minty sat next to Aurora as well. “We’re here to listen.” He smiled once more and patted her head. “It’s.. okay, my nightmare was about my parents...” She gave a sigh. “They were supposed to come home.. they never did...”
Jasmine tilted her head, confused. “Where are the now..?” Aurora looked up.
“Dead.”
Minty and Jasmine’s expression darkened. “Oh...” They both said. “I’m so sorry, Aurora.” Minty hugged her. “My deepest condolences.” Jasmine did the same.
“Guys, I’m fine...” She said, her tears rolling down further. “What about your sisters? What did they do?”
......
Two years after to her parents death
Aurora was in her bedroom, crying. She grabbed a pillow and started screaming on it.
“Ari.. please, you’ve been in there for two days.. We’re really concerned.” Caroline’s soothing voice was muffled by the door. “Yeah, look, we know you don’t want to be a royal guard but it’s our job, and you have to do it with us!” Scarlett’s rough voice didn’t seem to convince otherwise.
“Leave me alone!” Aurora yelled out. She looked at her window and ran to it. “Ari, please, don’t make this difficult on us..” Caroline’s voice started to faulter, sobbing quietly. “We’re bucking the door down, Aurora..”
There was no response.
Scarlett looked at her older sister and she gave a nod. Caroline backed away as Scarlett turned around. She bucked the door open, the hinges popped off and Caroline ran in.
“Aurora!”
“Auro--“ Scarletts words were cut off once she saw the open window. Scarlett ran out, trying to find Aurora. Carol stayed put, observing her room. She noticed she had a blade and small drops of blood on the floor. Mugs were strewn across the room, her glasses were left behind. Caroline teared up as she saw a shattered picture frame with her family picture. Aurora’s face was ripped off.
“Aurora, we’re so sorry..”
Aurora was crying, tired, and brusied. Running deep into the woods. She hit a branch.
“O-Ow..” Aurora stood up, her vision blurry.
......
“So.. you ran away..?” Jasmine clarified. Aurora nodded. “I didn’t go to school for two years after my parents.. well... then I was in the forest for, Celestia knows how long. I passed out and I ended up being carried by ponies in the middle of the night on the other side of Canterlot.. where the rich ponies lived,”
“I saw everyone was looking at me. They didn’t help me. It didn’t help that I looked so homeless... and bloody...”
Jasmine and Minty’s pupils shrunk. “Wait.” Minty stopped to process what she said. “B-Bloody..?” Jasmine asked, scared.
“Yeah..”
.....
Aurora heard whizzing. She turned around and looked up. There was a silohoette of a pony. Aurora squeaked and flew off. But she kept hearing the pony get closer and closer.
“Little pony...” The pony cooed.
“Little pony... you can’t be in my forest..”
Aurora was suddenly pinned. She struggled. “H-HE--“ She was immediately shushed. “It’s bad to be in these forests, little one.” The pony’s eyes were bloodshot. It sneered, fangs appearing on its mouth. Aurora panicked, trying to escape her grasp. The nine-year-old’s attempts were futile. The pony leaned in and plunged its fangs on her neck. Her pupils shrunk as the pain registered. She screamed loudly, as the pony kept drinking her blood.
What seemed like forever, Aurora was close to passing out. She tried to extend her wings, finding anyway to distract the pony. The pony’s eyes opened, when that happened, Aurora’s wings opened, she swiftly jabbed his eye, the pony let go of her. She used the last bit of her energy to grab a rock and lunge at the distracted pony.
She yelled as loudly as she can as a rock hit his face. The man kept screaming, until there was silence. The years of Aurora’s anger and pain was released. She panted heavily. Then promptly passed out.
“Hello..?”
A faint voice was heard. She felt herself being lifted up, then heard hoofsteps appoaching.
“Scarlett.. Carol..” The bat pony muttered, delirious from blood loss. “Don’t worry.. we’ll bring you somewhere.. You’ll be safe.”
A few hours later Aurora groaned in pain. Her neck was burning from the bite. Aurora felt that she was on a bed. She sat up and saw two familiar faces.
“Scarly..? Carol..?” Her two sisters looked sad. But they manage to give a half-hearted smile. “Hey, Aurora.. We um, some ponies found you...” Scarlety eyed the two bat ponies guarding her hospital. “They want us to be a royal guard.. They’ll give us training, and they’ll even take care of us.” Aurora shook her head in disagreement. “N-No! I don’t w-want to fight! I want to be at home!”
“Hey.. we’ll all be together.” Caroline finally spoke, hugging Aurora, then Scarlett joined in. Aurora gave a sigh. “O-Okay.. I love you guys..”
“We love you too Aurora,” both said in unison.
......
“Jeez, Aurora.. must’ve been hard on you...” Jasmine said, looking shocked. “Well, I guess I just.. snapped...” She said shamefully. “And I was praised for it, and the consequence was..” She closed her eyes.
She then gave a sigh and shook her head. “I was in the hospital, they had to check if I was fine physically. Then five years. I was in that stupid army.” Aurora gritted her teeth remembering the memories. “I wanted to escape. I did everything to escape.”
“And I did, and it was a stupid reason. I had to do a lot.“
Minty tilted his head and looked confused. “Um, so.. you had an actual job?” Aurora glared at him, which in turn Minty looked down. “No...”
....
“AURORA, YOU’RE WHAT!?” A pony dropped a positive pregnancy test. Aurora cowered in fear. “I-I just w-w-wanted to get out okay!” She yelled shakily. “That means I’ll be removed too! Dear Celestia, I knew I shouldn’t have been in the bar!” Aurora looked down in shame. And the pony sighed.
“When did you plan this?“ The pony stomped his hoof at Aurora. “A long time ago! I don’t want to be here anymore! I’m bringing my sisters with me, I don’t want to be alone!” Aurora stormed off.
“Hey, Aurora ar--“ A cyan colored dragon flew down and looked at her. She looked confused when she saw Aurora panting, sweatin,and panicked. “G-GAH! D-Diamond?!” Aurora fell back and looked at her. “W-What are you doing here, you’re not allowed to be here!” She looked around to look for the guards, but she saw none. “Hey, Ari, calm down!” Dia put her shoulders on Aurora. “What’s wrong?”
The pony ran to Aurora and pinned her. “You’re going to pay for this.” He three his hoof at her before being stopped by Diamond. “Woah, woah, woah! You do not hit a mare, what is wrong with you?!” Diamond lifted him up and pushed him away from Aurora’s reach.
“What’s wrong, what did she do to you?” Diamond said calmly. The pony stepped up. “Why don’t ask her?” He glared at the bat pony, and she looked down. “Dia, I’m...” Her mouth failed to work, she took a huge gulp before speaking up.
“...pregnant.”
Diamond looked at her, she chuckled nervously. “You’re joking right? Please tell me you are.” She backed away, Aurora sighed and teared up. “I-I’m s-sorry! I want to leave! I need to leave please!” Aurora broke down infront of her girlfriend. “Hey! Calm down!” Diamond felt Aurora’s misery as she watched her broke down, she went on her knees and hugged her. “Just,” The pony stepped in and growled. “You got anymore business here?”
A few more guards stepped in. “What’s going on here? Why is there a trespasser!” One yelled. They all pointed their spears at her. Diamond hugged Aurora tightly. “I’m sorry, close your eyes.” Aurora looked confused, “W-What..?” She looked up at her and was suddenly met by the dragon’s lips on hers. Aurora gasped and held her tightly. Diamond pulled back and sighe. Aurora looked flustered, confused, and scared.
It was silent, until a hoof stomp was heard, the royal guards looked back, and stepped away, a navy blue alicorn stepped in and looked at the two. “What is this commotion all about?” She took small steps.
“Aurora Moonlight, explain.” She glared at her. Diamond stood up.
“Um, your majesty. I’m Diamond Sparkle. I’m Aurora’s girlfriend,” She looked back at the bat pony, then back at Princess Luna. “Aurora wanted to leave this place, she’s been in pain for too long. She’s still a teenager. Please, let her go and let her leave in peace..” Diamond’s words were enough to give the princess a sigh. She stomped her hoof, the guards put down their spears.
“Leave now. For you have broken a sacred oath. Leave now, before I change my mind. I want you and Diamond to leave before dawn. And you.”
She looked at the stallion that was with Aurora. “Lightning Speed, you have also broken a sacred oath. Leave with Aurora Moonlight and Diamond Sparkle before dawn.”
The pony growled at Aurora and Diamond, and walked away.
.......
Aurora sighed. “Lucena is with my sisters... I don’t see her that much anymore...”
“Oh my... I’m so sorry Aurora, I’m pretty sure Lucena misses you.” Jasmine looked at her with despair. “Wait, how did your sisters get out? Did they get pregnant too?” Minty said, half-heartedly. The comment seemed to offend Aurora. “No. They quit. They did something I couldn’t do because I was scared...”
“Well, maybe, you could take Lucena? And take care of her with Diamond? Don’t you want to have a happy family?” Minty suggested. “Diamond and I are not ready to live together okay..? It’s still too early, it’s fine.. She can live with me still, I’ll have to talk to Dia though.” Aurora sighed. “Just.. thank you guys, for letting me vent..”
Jasmine and Minty both hugged her and smiled. “We’ll always be here, Aurora!” Jasmine chimed. “Do you need to go to bed?” Minty asked. Aurora nodded and sighed. “I just, I need to get the cocoa out my system..” Aurora’s eyelids started to get heavy. And then she passed out.
”Dude, what did you do..” Jasmine asked, concerned, looking at her snoring friend.
”She needed to sleep, I slipped one sleeping pill, let her rest. She’s been busy.” Minty explained. Jasmine stood up and growled lightly. “Hmph, that’s not right..” She walked out her bedroom and Minty followed after.
Aurora was snoring lightly, twitching a bit, but she had a peaceful sleep.