I slowly walked from school that day, the report card in my backpack reminder of the trouble to come. And it did come. Mom knew that we were getting our report cards today. I had seriously considered forging mine to where it look like all A's or A's and B's, but I didn't. It just wasn't my style.
High grades like that are usually normal from me. Not anymore, though. Last couple semesters involved my grades slipping. And boy, they slipped hard. This began not long after I witnessed Mom spilled her guts about how she felt about me to Field and Varsity. Looking back, I think I was subconsciously crying out for help, but it was a cry I knew nopony would hear.
Last semester, there was a parent-teacher conference between Ms. Cheerilee, Mom, and Field. It was pretty much what you would expect. Ms. Cheerilee, being the teacher she was, explained the problem and offered Solutions. Mom was upset and expressed her displeasure by yelling at me.
Field, for his part, thought it would be appropriate to call me names. Things like "slacker", "lazy", and "good-for-nothing." What was disconcerting about that was that nopony seem to mind him doing that very much. Fun times.
When we got home that day, Mom promised a whole lot of trouble and another grounding if I didn't raise my grades. That would be motivation enough for any other colt, but not me. I simply wasn't motivated anymore.
Not exactly wise, I know. But for a fourteen year old being treated how I was, why bother? If I could go back, knowing what I know now, I would have kept up with school, regardless of consequences or rewards. But when you're a kid and no one takes you seriously, you stop taking yourself seriously.
Sweet Celestia, had it really been two years?
Now as you can imagine, Mom kept her promise. I was grounded again and everything was taken out of my room. And what luck, it was the end of the school year, which meant a whole summer of being grounded. Which consisted of no books, no friends, and being forced to stay in the house with my two tormentors.
Well, that's not entirely true. In fact, I went outside quite a bit during that summer. Unfortunately, it consisted of being Varsity's practice dummy during his hoof ball training. And as cute and funny is that might sound, it wasn't. I was being forced to do this against my will . They both knew I wouldn't dare use magic in retaliation and they used full advantage of that.
I'll give this to Varsity, he's every bit the athlete Mom is. The guy hits like a truck and is about as hard as one to boot. I, on the other hoof, not so much. I was tall for my age, sure, but he was taller. I was also kind of lanky and clumsy. He hit me as hard as he could without actually breaking anything. And that's not an exaggeration. They purposely chose to do this on days when Mom was at work and did it in a place on the outskirts of Ponyville.
Fortunately, mom decided about a month and a half was enough. Unfortunately, when my room was refurnished, I immediately noticed something was amiss. I went to the living room where my mom was.
"Mom, where are my books?" I asked.
"Oh, umm... Well, you see... Varsity needed supplies and well..." She began mumbling while scratching the back of her head.
"We sold 'em." Field spoke up. I hadn't noticed him sitting on the other side of the room
"But... What?" I started out.
"And all your other childish mess." He almost smiled when he said that.
"Why, Mom? Why did you get rid of my stuff?"
"Because thirteen-year-old Colts should be out playing hoofball, not doing any of the gay crap you like doing. Your mom has been letting you get away with being prissy and mouthy. It ends today." He said with contempt in his voice.
"Besides, it was cluttering up my garage." It was this one simple sentence from him that sent me over the edge. That, and the fact mom I was letting him get away with it.
"You're just a loser and a has-been who enjoys torturing ponies weaker than himself. That, and you're living vicariously through your meathead son." For once, Field was speechless. Mom on the other hoof...
"Astral! What's your problem?!" She shouted. It was at this point I realized what I done. Before I could say anything, Field found his voice.
"I'm going to beat you within an inch of your life, punk!" He growled in a low voice.
"Field! No, I'll take care of this." She shouted.
"How?! By grounding him again? You've already done that several times. Has it worked?! No! Plus, you always let him off easy!" He said as he walked up to her.
"In order for us to be a family, we need to be able to instill discipline... I need to be able to instill discipline." He said in an uncharacteristically calm voice. My mom looked at him and then looked at me. Closing her eyes and sighing, she made her decision.
"You're right... Do what you need to do, Field." I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
Actually, yes I could. That didn't make it any less horrifying, though. He had beaten me a hoofful of times before, a few of which she knew about. But now she was pretty much openly permitting it
He grabbed me and began dragging me to the back door. I had a few pretty good guesses about what he was about to do, so I began struggling.
"Get off of me! Mom, make him stop!"
"Kid, this is for your own good. You need this." She said, giving me a stern look. He dragged me out to the backyard and into the shed he had built ( yes, it's a cliche, I know.) and began beating me.
I wasn't grounded that day. But I wished that I had been.
Saturday came around, and I made my way to Sugarcube Corner. I wasn't feeling up to it, I had missed so many sessions due to being grounded. I let myself inside like I had so many times before and went to the basement. I saw Pumpkin and Pound down there. It seemed the others hadn't got here yet.
"Astral, what are you wearing?" Asked Pound. Oh yeah, I was wearing clothes. A blue, full body jumpsuit. It was part of a Nightmare Night costume that came with the mask and a toy chainsaw, but I didn't need those.
"Dunno, I just felt like it. I'm probably not going to be able to wear it next Nightmare Night, and it's a nice piece of clothing. Might as well wear it."
"... Why do you have a black eye?" Why, Pumpkin? Why did you have to ask that?
"Oh just an accident with the door handle. Hey, I lost my dice. Do you guys have any I could borrow. I..." The next thing I knew, Pound had me on the couch. Unfortunately, I was still sore. Really sore.
I screeched in pain and Pound immediately backed off. I looked at him and I could see the guilt and shock in his eyes. Even look down at my barrel and his eyes grow even wider. I followed them until I saw what he was looking at.
The buttons on my jumpsuit had come undone and my bruises were exposed. Pumpkin came running when she heard me yelp. She looked like she was about to give Pound the business when she saw me. She look so horrified, it seemed as though she were about to break down crying.
"What happened?" Asked Pound. I quickly covered myself.
"Nothing! It's not what you think!"
"It looks like you've been beaten." Was all Pumpkin managed to say.
"Look, while I was grounded, Field had me be Varsity's training partner." Technically I wasn't lying.
"So what?! You're his personal training dummy?! Is that what I'm hearing?!" Pumpkin shouted. She was shaking at this point.
"We've got to tell somepony." Said Pound.
"What?! NO! No, no, no! Please no!" I began begging. In hindsight, I'm not sure why. I mean, this needed to be reported, right? Why was I so agianst the idea? Well, maybe it was a combination of things.
For one thing, I loved Mom and I didn't want to make things hard for her. For another, I didn't think anyone would listen, no one who could do anything about it, anyway. Previous experience gave me that impression. And then there was the fact that things would just be worse afterwards. The yelling, the beatings, and my relationship with Mom wouldn't fair too good either.
"Look, if you tell anyone, that'll only make things worse. Please, don't do it." I begged.
The two of them looked at one another and then back at me. I could tell they were worried sick, and had more questions. Unfortunately, I was too tired, both emotionally and physically, to do or say much of anything, including what I'd come there to do in the first place.
"Guys, I'm tired." I said. Pound gently nudged my shoulder, making me lay onto the couch.
"Just... Just lay down." He said. His voice was uncharacteristically quiet. To be honest, it was a little unnerving. I did as told and laid down on the couch. He walked out of the room and Pumpkin came over to me. I looked up at her as she draped a blanket over me.
"Get some sleep, Astral." She said, softly. She walked out, cutting off the light as she left.