Pony's First Whipping (slave pone short, abandoned)

>It was just a plate.
>Only a plate.
>There are a dozen left in the cupboard.
>Why is he so angry?
>"PONY! GET OUT HERE!"
>He's too angry to even use your name.
>You curl up even tighter, trying to make yourself disappear.
>"DON'T MAKE ME LOOK FOR YOU!"
>It was only a plate.
>It wasn't your fault.
>"YOU'RE ONLY MAKING THIS HARDER ON YOURSELF, YOU STUPID FILLY!"
>He's the one that told you to set the table!
>It's not your fault!
>"WHEN I FIND YOU, YOU'RE GOING TO WISH YOU HADN'T RUN!"
>His voice is getting louder.
>You don't know if that's because he's getting closer or even angrier.
>It's not your fault.
>He *knows* you don't have complete control over your magic.
>And it was only a plate!
>It was just *one* plate!
>You whimper quietly - as if your life depends on staying silent - but your body can't stop itself.
>He's never been this angry before.
>He's never hit you before.
>"NEVER MAKE ME CHASE YOU!"
>Why is he so angry you ran?
>He's never hit you before. Ever.
>Of course you ran! You were scared! You *are* scared!
>He's never kicked you before.
>You hear footsteps.
>Despite the sharp pain in your side, you push yourself further into the corner, as far from the sounds as you can.
>The bed's leg digs into your sore ribs.
>It hurts. It hurts more than anything you've ever felt before.
>Something gives.
>You don't scream.
>Not because you can endure it, not because you're scared he'll find you.
>Your body *tries* to, but nothing comes out.
>It hurts too much.
>The steps come closer - and you push yourself back further.
>Tiny hooves scrabble at the floor, doing nothing more than stir up the heavy dust.
>There's nowhere to go.
>Nowhere else to hide.
>Nothing to do but pray to whoever is listening that -
>"John, no! You can't do this to her!"
>"The hell I can't!"
>"She's mine, John! You can't -"
>"AND IT'S MY HOUSE!"
>Each furious stomp makes the floor shudder.
>"It was just a plate!"
>It *was* just a plate.
>He's never hit you before.
>"IT WAS MY MOTHER'S! THAT CHINA HAS BEEN IN OUR FAMILY FOR GENERATIONS!"
>It was only a plate.
>"John, I don't care! That doesn't give you the right to -"
>"She doesn't *have* any rights! She's just a stupid pony!"
>"Yeah, but she's *my* pony and I -"
>You shudder at the sound of flesh hitting flesh.
>He's never hit her before.
>He *loves* her.
>He doesn't love you.
>He's going to kill you.
>He's going to kill you because of a *plate*.
>It was *just* a stupid plate.
>The only thing between you and him is a dust ruffle and -
>"That's it, John! I'm calling the police!"
>Bare feet slap against the wooden floor.
>Just a dust ruffle.
>"FINE! DO IT!"
>He's going to kill you and he doesn't care.
>"THEY'LL SIDE WITH ME!"
>No one cares.
>You're just a pony.
>"Now, you stupid filly..."
>Only a pony.
>"... I know you're in this room."
>No one will care if he breaks you.
>"I saw you run in here."
>No one will mind if he shatters you into a hundred pieces.
>"Come out now and I'll go easy on you."
>A tiny whimper escapes your throat.
>You don't mean to let it happen; it just does.
>Everything stops, even the dust you had stirred up freezes mid-air.
>You wish the moment would last forever.
>Nothing lasts forever.
>Not Equestria, nor the Princesses. Nothing. Not even this moment, no matter how hard you wish.
>The dust begins to fall again.
>Any second now, he's going to drag you out from under the bed.
>He knows where you are.
>"I'm going to count to ten. If you're not out here by the time I reach it..."
>Tears begin to join the dust coating the floor.
>"One."
>Maybe... maybe he didn't hear you.
>"Two."
>Maybe he doesn't know where you're hiding.
>"Three."
>Under the edge of the bed skirt, you can see his foot.
>"Four."