Imbalanced

by Nameless Narrator

The Worst Two Days Ever: Punishment

[Blazing's Entry]

You know the feeling when right after you do something you realize how terrible the idea was and now all you are waiting for is finding out how does it come back to bite you?

Yeah... that.

Perhaps the paperwork on my table will let me indulge in the bureaucracy required to keep the world going and forget about the crappy morning. Or I could grab a snack.

That sounds better.

[End Entry]

---

Too late for breakfast and too early for lunch, Canterlot castle mess hall is practically deserted aside from it's employees. I wave at the mare at the counter to get her attention. Tea or death!

"Yo!" yells a way too familiar voice from the entrance.

I will snap your neck if you stand between me and my wannabe morning drink.

"Wanna work out before lunch?" asks the voice responsible for my crappy morning.

Choking has no idea what hole she's digging for herself but it's not a terrible suggestion. I delay the food order and just ask for some fruit tea. When the cup finally stands before me I acknowledge Choking's presence for the first time with a small nod.

"Sure. I need to dust off my hoof-to-hoof skills," I agree with her proposal. Unfortunately, she knows my moods better than anypony.

"Eeeeeh, now that I think of it I'm kinda attached to all my teeth. How about lifting some weights and stuff?" she repels the impending doom.

I just grunt non-commitally after losing my potential punching bag.

"I'm really sorry for forgetting to tell you about Rising Thunder. Here, let me pay for your drink," she says and throws the requested amount of bits on the counter.

"Thanks," I say gloomily.

"Wow, you sound more depressed than usual."

I'm not really in the mood for her jabs no matter how innocent they are so I ignore her and huddle around my cup of tea at the nearest table. She joins me.

"Oh c'mon. I said I was sorry," she says.

"It's fine. Don't worry about it," I just wave her off.

"What's bugging you then?"

I sit there in silence and just keep sipping my tea. Sharp told me stories about Choking's recruit days and she might be the right one to confide in but on the other hoof it's none of her business.

"Remember, my door is always open."

"Celestia's mercy," I breathe out and roll my eyes. The dumbest of sayings makes me grin with the passing thought of her bedroom life. Always open, right.

"I lashed out at a recruit," I admit hesitantly.

"So? You are pretty soft compared to other drill sargeants, even Heavy Hoof is harder on his recruits and he often wears rainbow socks at the gym."

The image makes me choke a bit on my drink.

"Ehm. I think she's in the infirmary now and will have hard time later today."

"She? Got any misplaced hostility towards me for this morning?"

"Yes. I have a punching bag in my office and I'm thinking about slapping your photo on it."

"How amusing. Why don't you try your comedy stand-up at the party tonight. Oh wait, you won't be there you mighty protector of the princess."

"Don't even remind me. I just think I overreacted a bit. Well... a lot."

"Beating up a recruit during practice isn't really a crime so why don't you tell me what the real problem is. Getting something out of you is like pulling cat hair offa carpet."

"Well I kind of set it up so her group would be pissed at her. I had Rising's group face my unicorns in combat practice, they got smashed and I made it look as if she provoked it, which she totally did," I try to end my explanation with a small excuse. Unfortunately, this is a personal thing for her and the drop in temperature is almost tangible.

"Are you serious? You do realize fresh recruits do some really dirty things and you fuel it?"

"You are the one to talk."

"That just means I know what I'm talking about. I think I'll visit the recruit barracks later, just in case. Our practice will have to wait."

"Should I come too?" I try to be as helpful as I can.

"Heavens no! I don't want to cause MORE damage," she says completely seriously.

Hearing that from her hurts, a lot. I just watch her leave and sit there. I really should have been more patient but I knew that as soon as my other voice spoke, he is usually right. Perhaps some pills could help ease the mood swings or at least help controlling myself?

At least I'm able to leave the endless circle of blame now but I have no idea how long I've been sitting here. The tea is cold, damn. Working out some sweat, despite doing it alone, seems more and more inviting but the pile of paperwork in my office is reaching Cloudsdale height.

That might not be a bad thing as such.

The pile of letters in my office doesn't need immediate attention but losing myself in ink and paper is also fine. I pull out a bottle from the lowest drawer of my table and take a long swig, effectively shutting down my higher mental capabilities. Thankfully, the paperwork required to do my job could be done by a crowbar lobotomy victim so there is no problem on the horizon.

When I feel the alcohol leaving my bloodstream I realize I missed lunchtime by a decent margin and that all the sounds of hoofsteps usually plaguing the castle halls at that time are already gone. Somehow the paper avalanche on my table is sorted out and I feel insanely hungry. I could go on fine using the energy absorbed by my changeling side but I'm not going to risk being more irritable than earlier. Eating before a workout is a bad idea but a small and sweet honeyed hay bar shouldn't be too big of a problem.

It really hits the spot and my desire to eat somepony's children drops drastically. Pumping some irons is more and more inviting and when I get to the empty gym I just do a short stretching and strap myself to one of the torture machines. Most castle residents are resting after lunch so I have at least an hour of blessed peace. The pain in my muscles is the only indicator of passing time.

"Ow ow ow ow," I breathe out as I pull a muscle. My workout isn't overly hard but designed to evenly test strength and stamina so I don't end up suddenly lacking in one area.

I slow down and massage the pained spots to alleviate the pain when a red and black batpony comes through the gym door and begins slowly running on a treadmill without a word. I'm curious about what she found at the barracks but considering the aura around her I don't think the answer would cheer me up.

"Wanna do the combat practice you promised me?" she asks when she's done running.

Aching from exhaustion I'm not really excited about it but the difference in skill is high enough for me to at least break even so I agree and the face-off begins.

Oh crap.

I realize my mistake when I catch a glimpse of light reflected from a hoof about to make an impact with my face. She is wearing combat horseshoes - heavy, hard and covered in small knobs to do as much damage as possible without killing. Still, I lean back fast enough to soften the blow as much as possible.

But that's about it. The second hit connects with my stomach and my weak muscles are not enough to protect me so I lean down in a perfect angle for her kick to send me flying. I gather myself from the ground while she's waiting and when I'm halfway up I realize she was baiting me. The onslaught resumes and all I can do is protect myself as much as I can from a much faster enemy. My strength lies in reading my opponent but Choking is too quick to let me react and with combat horseshoes she hits like a hammer. I could use my changeling abilities but that would mean I lost to her in a contest of skill or I could accidentaly cause lasting wounds so risking it seems unwise. I don't know what to do. I don't want to lose to her but the only way out is unleashing way more destructive power than an exercise of this scale needs.

Is that all you've got? Pitiful.

There is more bloodlust in that voice than usual. Perhaps it's not always right and can fall victim to emotions just like me. No excuses though, going down this easily isn't an option. Unfortunately, my body has been beaten down way too hard during last hour so when I try to counterattack I just put myself in position to be totally destroyed when she kicks my hind legs and smashes me on the ground. I don't even try to get up and just stare at the floor.

Not begging all stars for a second chance this time? I'm surprised.

Every time I fail. Every time I make a mistake, even the simplest one. Every time I see the bottom of a glass and every single time I actually try hard and inevitably freaking fail I hear this voice. I want to drown it in anything strong enough to strip paint but the fact of it being right won't change if I do it.

"Wooo that was nice!" a cheery voice breaks my blame-train. I look up in disbelief and eventually manage to stand with my perseverance rewarded by HORRIBLE PAIN! Well, maybe not as bad but it still hurts like heck.

"Not really," I offer a contradicting opinion, possibly clouded by being on the beaten side.

"Go hit the showers, you big filly. Or should I come with you?" she winks at me playfully. I curse my face going red despite us showering together quite often. Damn we used to have a guy with us and I still feel embarrassed when she jokes like this.

"No thanks, somepony might come," I pull out an excuse in a second.

"Too bad, seeya later!" she says and goes to the mare showers with uncharacteristic tact.

So she just came to bash my skull in. Well I did deserve it.

Comments

[Anonymous Critic]

And once again, pain dealt out is balanced out with pain dealt to himself. My sense of karma is satisfied. In other news, this chapter seems somewhat boring. Not as bad as the first one, but nothing of interest really happens.

[SWEETOLEBOB18]

"Ehm. I think she's in the infirmary now and will have...a…. hard time later today."

[JazzyWaffles]

"So? You are pretty soft compared to other drill sargeants, even Heavy Hoof is harder on his recruits and he often wears rainbow socks at the gym."

Oh my heck