-This is my story that I wrote a prequel to. The prequel is simply a three-shot about Jack and Jill's parents, Jack(Toy) and Dia from HoLF. Anyway, I have other stories from this same universe/story line/family tree that I'm working on, some others I'm actively working on that include ClairexGray, ChelseaxVaughn, Angela(Akari)xGill, and Molly(Hikari)xWizard, as well as many more to come. Please stay tuned and maybe even check out my little prequel :) Thank you darlings!

And sorry, guys, no Skye yet. He won't appear for another couple chapters or so. I'm sorry if it's too much reading, but come on it won't be that bad. . . maybe.

Chapter 1

I woke up to the sound of silence. The back of my ears hurt, and I removed the giant headphones I had over them. I keep them on during thunderstorms, playing loud music to block out the booming noises that prevent me from sleeping.

Ever since I was a little girl, I hated thunder. I like the rain, but not thunder. There's really no particular reason, I just hate the loud noises . . . it sounds like there are bombs going off. I just want to sleep, and the headphones' pressure on my ears makes them hurt for a while in the morning. So, naturally, I don't like thunderstorms. It's not some weird deeper meaning. It's just me being too sensitive.

I massaged my aching ears, stretching as I awoke more. Although this sounds contradictory, the silence was too loud now, ringing around in my ears and piercing my brain.

I rang my bell beside my bed and waited for about a minute before my chambermaid/godmother, Gina, arrived.

"Good morning, Jill. Did you get enough sleep?" the teal haired woman asked. I nodded in response. She had a pretty good complexion for her age, but her stress was showing through her white-streaked hair. She wasn't that old. She came over to where I was standing in my nightgown, a robe in her hand, and shooed my hands away from where they were starting the undressing process.

"No, no, dear, you must not strain yourself. I tell you this every morning," she chided. I sighed as she helped me to undress, feeling like a helpless little girl. There was no point arguing, every morning I tried but she would never hear any of it. It wasn't just my father that treated me like a little china doll, but almost everyone who knew me—it was tiring. I guess they couldn't help feeling that way when even a common cold could potentially kill me.

Gina folded my nightgown, placing it on my bed, and put the fluffy cotton robe on my almost bare body. I put on my slippers and headed into the bathroom connected to my room, where Gina was drawing a bath for me. I went into the water closet in the bathroom and relieved myself while she set up the aromatherapy. I washed my hands before getting into the bath, having to be extra careful with cleanliness.

Gina took off my robe and helped me into the steaming water almost overflowing with lavender scented bubbles. I started to lie down with her help, and put my back against the soft towel laid out at the edge of the tub, floating in the water. Gina patted my head, smiling, and left me alone for my bath. I sighed as I lay there, letting the bubbles crackle around my naked body.

This was one of the only times I could be alone in this stupid villa, and I relished in the momentary freedom from fussing.

Gina called the time for me to get out of the bath too soon. I had begun to snooze off a little, though, so I guess it was for the best. Gina came in and helped me dry off quickly, then slipped on my robe for me while she got my clothes. I put my cold feet into the slippers to free them from the glacial grasp of the hard tile. Gina came back quickly with a cream-colored dress with flower designs. She took off my robe and replaced it with the dress, which ended about mid-thigh on me. Gina led me back over to my bedroom where she sat me down in an armchair with a footstool, going to retrieve some socks and shoes. She came back with white thigh-highs and brown slip-ons with a strap across the width of the shoes, putting them on me carefully.

I sighed and thanked Gina, heading downstairs to eat quickly. Gina was right behind me, and headed straight for the kitchen to prepare food. I sat at the dining room table, still feeling a little drowsy, and dozed off a little.

"Jill, did you really get enough sleep?" Gina startled me into a straight-up position, and I smiled wryly.

"I'm just a little restless from the storm," I replied. Gina nodded and set down a bowl of nasty, tasteless porridge. She also set a bowl of fruit, which I was tremendously thankful for. Gina went back into the kitchen to set out the rest of the food, and then sat beside me to eat. I ate pretty slowly, repulsed by the bland dish I had to choke down with only the help of some blueberries and strawberries.

Gina finished rather quickly, and immediately picked up the dishes to wash them. I forced down the rest of my food, and brought my dishes to the kitchen to be washed. I tried to rinse them, but Gina took them away quickly. I sighed and left to go check the mail box for any letters from my brother. I peered inside, and smiled as I saw a white envelope. I looked at the front, and smiled even wider when I saw Jack's name on it. I went back inside, opening the letter as I went.

I sat down in an armchair while I read Jack's brief letter.

Hey Pony,

How's Dad doing? How are you doing? I'm doing okay, I suppose. Farming is a lot harder than Dad made it seem. I'm still awesome at it, though. . . just less awesome than I thought I would be. Whatever, you should still come visit (with Dad and Gina, of course). They've gotta let you come visit for our birthday. And when they tell you that I should just come visit you guys, tell them I sprained my ankle, or something. I want you guys to see my farm. Anyway, I don't really know what else to write. There really isn't much going on here. That's why I need you guys over here to help relieve my boredom. Oh and so I can gloat in my overwhelming success. Ha. You better come soon!

P.S. seriously come soon

I set down the letter on my lap, wanting to leave this place even more. Jack was such an idiot. I got up, put the letter in my dress pocket, and told Gina I was going to visit the horses at Gwen and Bob's. She chuckled and waved at me.

"Always coddling those ponies, aren't you?"

I hurried to Starling Ranch, running through the plaza in case my father decided to come back from the ranch for a moment and spotted me. He didn't really like me running about just to go see some dirty horses.

I arrived at the wide plot of land, Gwen racing one of her horses around the track. She was going crazy fast, doing some jumps along the way. I clapped as her horse's galloping slowed into a canter, then a trot, then a walk, until she appeared right in front of me. I recognized the horse almost right away. The big white star in the middle of her head gave her away as the simple Pony. Gwen had let me name her right after she was born. That was her first mistake.

Her second mistake was letting me ride her. I was awful.