Bruised Apples, Lightning Storms

Disobedience

This is bullshit. She was only trying to break the school record. Her latest tricks and maneuvers were enough to trigger the not-so-legendary Sonic Rainboom, smashing the old record and, subsequently, destroying half the Academy.

Her punishment? Expulsion. No talk for her future, no meeting, just swift, cold justice. Apparently her previous screw-ups tallied into their decision-making process. An irresponsible student, they called her. A menace, they whispered when they thought she couldn't hear. Or maybe they just didn't care enough to conceal their opinions.

The chariot taxi ride home was brutal, because she knew what was about to happen. If she was expelled, that meant no graduation. Rainbow knew exactly who wouldn't be happy with that, and the very idea of what they would do made her want to jump out of the vehicle and run as fast as possible in the opposite direction.

In the front seats, her parents did what they could to keep each other calm. Her mother wrapped a wing around her husband, holding him closer. Wrapping a leg around his wife absentmindedly, Rainbow's father stared out into the setting sky.

The image almost made her vomit. To some passerby, this display might look cute and pure, but she knew all too well the reality of the situation. Her father was seething, grinding his teeth and clenching his partner roughly. Too fucking roughly. Not that it was unusual.

She would've stood up for her mom, but knew there was no point. Neither of them payed attention to anything she said, viewing her as the by-product of an unholy marriage. Same cliche shit as in the movies; abusive husband, submissive wife, rebellious kid. No one could change it, especially a dumbass flight-school dropout.

Arriving back at the house, Dash sped through the living room and up the stairs, almost shutting and locking her door before hearing an overly composed yell.

"Rainbow Dash, get back down here, now!"

A pit in her stomach dropped. God dammit. I was so close to avoiding it...

Trudging out of the safety of her bedroom, Rainbow plastered a blank expression to her face before descending the stairs and into the common area.

Keep your cool, don't let him get under your skin. It'll be over quicker and easier if you just tune him out, like usual.

There was her dad, sitting obnoxiously in his recliner, leering as if his daughter was a piece of gum on the bottom of his shoe. He usually took on this hateful expression in her presence, and it barely even crossed her mind anymore. Tense silence filled the air.

"Do you have anything to say for yourself, Ma'am?" He spat, looking me up and down.

"Nothing in particular, Sir." She shrugged, scratching her chin and gazing around the room. Though she knew it'd piss him off, it was only natural habit.

"This isn't funny, girl. You just got expelled."

"Oh, is that what happened? I must have not been listening."

His hoof clenched on the arm of the chair. It was caved in from all the previous conversations which were all suspiciously similar to this one. "Of course you weren't. When God gave all ponykind ears, he must've missed you."

"Who says God is a he? Maybe they're gender neutral, or trans." Rainbow pondered.

Okay, so maybe her plan to stay neutral was failing. Her dad, of course, despised everything to do with things like gender. She was now deliberately winding him up; a tactic which never boded well with her future. But for reasons unbeknownst to herself, Rainbow found her motivation for maintaining the peace pretty...slackened.

"Don't you even start that crap with me. The topic you are so desperately avoiding is hanging over your head like an anvil. I'm just trying to make you see the consequences of your actions."

"Is there some point you want to make other than to let me know I fucked up? That's the only reason you ever talk to me, to tell me again and again the mistakes I've made my whole life."

"You're a loose cannon. I can't trust when you when I think you're just going to explode."

"You've never trusted me! It's not my fault that you're a terrible dad, and I don't open up to you because you always treat me and your wife like objects."

"Stop bringing your mother into problems that you brought onto yourself. I don't appreciate the attitude, Rainbow. Apologize right now for insulting me."

"No."

"Excuse me, am I hearing you correctly?"

"I'm sorry, I misspoke. I meant I'd rather jump off the highest building in Cloudsdale than tell you I didn't mean every word and more. You are the worst father in Equestria, and the most misogynistic, egotistical pony I've ever had the displeasure of being related to."

He sat, stunned. She'd never said anything so disrespectful towards him in her entire life, and it felt exhilarating, finally having a one-up on him.

Then he jumped out of his recliner, kicking it over with a back leg, advancing on her with mad, raging eyes.

"How dare you speak to me that way in my own fucking house. You are my daughter, and will regard me with respect and reverence. I will not tolerate this impotence for any longer."

This was new. He got much too close, wings flared, grabbing her by the shoulders.

"Your life has been nothing but mistakes and neglect. The second Windy told me she was expecting, I knew you were going to be terrible. I wanted to get rid of you, before you became the plague you are today. But no, that was terrible, she said. So here you are, the miserable sack of shit you are, finally dropped out of school. No future, no friends, and a family who couldn't give a damn if you were alive or dead. Here's something you should consider; Kill yourself. All you are is a burden to everyone, and a useless pegasus."

Reflexes kicking in, Rainbow bolted up the stairs, successfully fleeing her violent father by locking herself in her room. Stumbling to her bed, she curled up into a ball, vision blurry with tears she wouldn't allow to escape.