Youngblood

by Centurion Pike-Wall

41~Fall (PT. 1)

April 22nd, 3096 Imperial Calendar (1523 AD)
Scootaloo's House

DJ finally looked up from his glass, taking a quick sip as he looked at his friends. Given the circumstances, he had convinced Depressi to sneak a bit of wine for him. He felt that he would need it, and continued to work up the nerve, even as the cool, harsh liquid ran down his throat.

He gasped deeply, breathing and looking back down at the coffee table. "Sorry. This is... it's hard, as I assume you can guess."

Depressi nodded. "You know you don't have to do thi-"

"Depressi, shut the fuck up", DJ said. "I called agreed to talk with Flurry, I got our friends here, I want to get this off my chest." He set the glass down, before leaning back against the couch.

All of the others were silent, their interest focused on their drinks, the floors, or any of the other myriad of things in the living room that wasn't him. The only ones that looked at him were Flurry and his brother, with the latter only really doing it out of the corner of his eye.

DJ sighed, looking at each one in turn before his gaze lazily listed back to the middle of the coffee table. "Don't worry. I shouldn't have another attack. I took my meds, I've done my exercises; I'm fine."

"Wait; 'Attack'?", Soundboard asked. "As in, this is-"

"Normal? Yes. Yes, it is", DJ said.

Pound Cake asked, "Um... Why-"

"The Shrinks call it RAM. Random Aggression Malady. At times, I just... explode. I can't really help it, and the episodes can happen at nearly any time", DJ said, shifting the bottle of pills back and forth in his paw. "This one helps deal lessen the length and intensity of the outbursts. I'm supposed to take one every other day; hence why I was panicking this morning. I have another bottle upstairs; those I take every week, and they help me with the physical effects."

"Physical? It ain't just the rage... stuff?", Southern asked.

DJ shook his head, the rough approximation of a bitter grin on his face. "Nah. Can't just be that simple, can it? Most of this stuff comes with the attacks, but I get them randomly sometimes as well. I get twitches, my chest feels compressed, I can barely think straight, and... my heart beats faster. Like, marathon fast." He gave a gruff chuckle. "And, well... Then there's the War Shock."

"When were you in war?", Pumpkin asked.

"I haven't been", DJ answered.

Pumpkin cocked her head. "Then, why-"

"That's just the official term used", Depressi explained. "It can apply to things outside of war, but that's what we call it."

"Right", DJ said. "It's why I'm so jumpy and panic at loud noises." He took another sip of the wine, before leaning over and putting it on a side table, just out of reach from his normal position. "Now... I guess it's onto story time, eh?"

+++++~+++++

April 7th, 3088 Imperial Calendar (1515 AD)
Cruei, Pryhan Empire

DJ sighed, flipping a page in his book. He had been sitting there for at least an hour, and yet there was no sign of his dad. He flipped another page, barely paying attention to the words as his boredom-addled mind desperately searched for something to occupy himself. Of course, with him not having finished his homework about twenty minutes ago and everyone else already gone home, he had nothing.

He was drawn out of the book by a hoof being placed on his shoulder. Looking up, he saw one of the school's maintenance staff, an older Bighorn with greying black fur and chipped horns. He leaned on the mop, asking, "Kid. Schools over. You can go."

"No, I can't", DJ said, closing the book. "Dad has to take me home."

The bighorn looked at him curiously. "Why not? You seem old enough to walk home on your own? Is it far away?"

"No", DJ said.

The janitor looked even more confused. "They why-"

"I don't know", DJ said. "My dad just said I had to wait for him. When I didn't one time he-" DJ cut himself off, remembering another one of his dads "Lessons".

The bighorns face turned from confusion to concern. "He did what?"

"Nothing", DJ said quickly.

"Kid, I-"

"Is something wrong?", another voice cut in. Looking up, both saw a Demigryph approaching the two. Another bighorn was behind him, keeping enough of a distance as to not appear overly threatening, even with the somewhat obvious weapon tucked into a long coat.

The janitor cleared his throat, replying, "Uh, no sir. I was just wondering why this student was still here. It's been over an hour and a half since the last classes let out."

"Right", the demigryph said, looking at the Janitor with a harsh glare over a pair of small, dark-tinted glasses. "Well, I'm here now."

"You're his dad?", the Janitor asked.

"He's my junior, yeah", he said, tapping his hind paw impatiently. "Now, I'll be going. I'm sorry if this was a distraction." He looked down at DJ, the scars running across his face glinting against the red light of the setting sun. "It won't happen again."

The janitor nodded, looking at DJ. "Alright then. Have a good night, kid."

He walked off, limping slightly as he dragged the bucket and mop behind him. DJ put his book into the old bag he had, closing it and getting up from the bench. He stopped in front of his dad, not really looking at him. A paw grabbed him by the base of the beak, lifting it up so as to have them be eye to eye. "Did you tell him anything?"

"No, dad", DJ said quickly, trying not to look at him yet unable to properly look away.

"You've been sitting here for an hour?", his dad asked.

"Yes, dad", DJ said.

His dad sighed, rubbing his head. "Alright. Well, at least you have some obedience in you."

DJ nodded, saying, "Thank you, dad."

"Look, Dermot", the bighorn said. "Are we gonna work this out, or am I going to have to bring this up with-"

"Oh, shut your fucking trap, Barclay", his dad said, looking at the bighorn and shooting him a rough, hateful sneer. "Just shut the fuck up. We'll go to my place. That whore I call a wife will make us some dinner. Then, we'll work out the... details. Capice?"

The bighorn grunted, before nodding. DJ looked up at his dad, who flicked a scarred paw in a gesture, indicating he was to follow. "Alright, Junior. Let's go."

Author's Note:

Note: "Random Aggression Malady" is an in-universe name for the real Psychological disorder called "Intermittent Explosive Disorder", while War Shock is a derivative of Shell Shock, a.k.a PTSD.

Comments

[THERDSTORYWHISPERER]

Great chapter!

[Silent Wing]

It's always great to get some background infos, especially in such an interresting story.

[Darksoul85]

Love the chapter can't wait to see how part two plays out

[Alex the Gryphon]

DERMOT is his dad? Holy *wow*.

[The Blacksmith]

" Look, Dermot ", the bighorn said. " Are we gonna work this out, or am I going to have to bring this up with- "

Y las voces en mi cabeza dicen: MÁTALO
(And the voices in my head say: K*LL HIM)

I thought we were done with this a*shole three books ago

[Moonlight Tome]

Dermot is DJ's DAD?

So... DJ... he called him Junior... Dermot Junior

Holy shit.