Drowning Lessons - Ep. 2: Puke The Day Away...


                                            >Yesterday you left school before fourth period, after going to the nurse and telling her you had thrown up.

                                            >It wasn't a lie.

                                            >But it also wasn't because you were sick.

                                            >Today is Thursday.

                                            >Once again, you walk to school with your scarf wrapped around your mouth and your music cranked up in your ears.

                                            >It's colder today and the misery of autumn is thick.

                                            >There's a tap on your wither and you jump.

                                            >Coco Pommel pulls back and puts a hoof over her mouth.

                                            >You take your headphones out.

                                            >Of course, she looks amazing today.

                                            >Now she's wearing a pure white jacket with fur around the hood that looks like fresh snow.

                                            >"Oh, I'm terribly sorry, Miss Eri. I called your name, but you had your headphones in."

                                            >You eye the fuzzy white boots she's wearing, that probably cost more than your whole wardrobe.

                                            "Sorry."

                                            >Coco isn't wearing her usual serene smile today.

                                            >She looks a bit harrowed.

                                            >"Um, I was actually wondering if you wanted to come over to my house after school? To um, have some tea?"

                                            >Your eyes widen a bit.

                                            >This is a trick...

                                            >She's going to put nasty things in your mane!

                                            >You shake the panicked thoughts away and frown.

                                            "You want to hang out. With me."

                                            >It's not a question, but more of a statement of suspicion.


                                            *Journal entry 7 - Despite having known Coco for roughly three years now, we have only hung out once. It was during one of my mother's book club meetings she dragged me along to. Back then, Coco insisted on having tea with me in her kitchen while the adults cackled in the living room. I hate tea.*


                                            >Coco rubs her leg a little uncomfortably, "Well you see, my parents are going to be gone on an overnight trip to Canterlot until tomorrow evening and..."

                                            >A slight blush comes to her face.

                                            "And?"

                                            >She closes her eyes and gulps, "I wanted to know if you would stay the night at my place, because I'm scared to be in the house alone at night and you're one of my only friends, so please please please, will you stay over?"

                                            >You don't know what to say.

                                            >One of her only friends?

                                            >No way.

                                            >Coco is probably the prettiest mare in school and is ALWAYS surrounded by admirers.

                                            >All she has to do is smile and ponies will clamor to strike up a conversation.

                                            >You don't even know why she talks to you.

                                            "Coco, you have a lot of friends. Why would you want me to come?"

                                            >She looks confused and tilts her head, "Me? I really don't. You're like, the only pony from school I've hung out with before outside of school."

                                            >She's completely serious.

                                            "What are you talking about? Don't lie to me! You're DROWNING in attention constantly!"

                                            >She puts a soft hoof to her chin and looks up, "I guess I have a few casual aquaintances at school..." She looks back at you and smiles, "But none of them are as close to me as you are."

                                            >There is no sign of lying in her eyes.

                                            >It's not that she's trying to butter you up- that's not the type Coco is.

                                            >She's just an air-head.

                                            >A pretty, naive air-head.

                                            >The two of you rarely have more than a couple words worth of interaction.

                                            "Well, If you want me to, I guess I could come..."

                                            >Suddenly, you are in the embrace of your 'friend'.

                                            >You lock up and stare at the dying trees along the road, the fur from Coco's jacket tickling your nose.

                                            >She makes happy noises and squeezes you tight, "Oh, thank you ever-so-much! I was so scared of having to stay there alone tonight!"

                                            >She lets go and you breathe out heavily.

                                            >Now charged with giddy, girly excitement, Coco gallops back the way she came from, "See you after school, Miss Eri!"

                                            >Shaking your head, you call out to her.

                                            "Coco! We still have to go to school!"

                                            >She skids to a halt.

                                            >In the distance, you can see her bonk her hoof against her head.

                                            >She gallops back to you.

                                            >"I was so excited- Silly me would have galloped all the way home!"

                                            >Her naive, cute, air-headed personality is what garnered the affection of so many males.

                                            >It's what made you sick.

                                            >You put your headphones back in and the two of you walk to school in silence.


                                            ~~~


                                            *Journal entry 8 - Your crooked smile meets my crooked teeth under the sun's affliction. My insides rot away every day with my rotten addiction...*


                                            >Some smoke whisps up into your eye and you blink away the tears that follow.

                                            >It's lunch time.

                                            >Instead of eating in the cafeteria, you are in one of your usual spots in between the large dumpsters a ways away from the back of the school.

                                            >It's a good place to escape and write poetry while you smoke.

                                            >So far today, you haven't even seen Trixie and her friends.

                                            >It's a rare treat.

                                            >You think back to yesterday.

                                            >Those scissors coming to your bangs.

                                            >Then that human, Anonymous, bursting in and-

                                            >A small laugh escapes you.

                                            >His stupid antics had actually saved you from having to crop your mane.

                                            >The bell rings in the distance, signaling the end of lunch.

                                            >With a sigh, you snuff out the rest of your cigarette and pack up your journal.

                                            >Making sure the coast is clear, you trot out from inside the dumpster fortress and back toward the school.

                                            >As you walk by the drama room, there's a sound that makes you look up.

                                            >The human Anonymous is up ahead, alone.

                                            >It appears his backpack strap has just broken, letting the pack fall off his back.

                                            >His supplies have scattered over the pavement.

                                            >You stop and consider turning, moving quickly back the way you came and choosing to miss fourth period instead of facing another interaction with him.

                                            >He mutters curses and bends down to gather his things.

                                            >*RIP*

                                            >The seam in his pants rips as he bends down, leaving you staring at his green underwear.

                                            >He snaps back up quickly and covers his butt.

                                            >"Fuck!"

                                            >Before you can hide, he turns around and spots you.

                                            >The two of you lock stares for what seems like a full minute.


                                            *Journal entry 9 - The human gaze. It is that of a predator. I know he is a meat eater and that I am not. Therefore, he must be a natural predator of ponies like me. In that gaze, I am gripped with fear. Paralyzed, while at the same time, I know I should be running. He will chase me. And if he catches me, his teeth will rip my flesh from my body. I will become just another meal to keep his strong predator body going on to the next kill. My puny, frail body won't fill him up much, most likely. I find it a bit disappointing, In an odd way, that I won't satisfy his appetite.*


                                            >Your heart is racing and it feels like you're going to throw up from his sharp gaze.

                                            >He breaks the tension with a laugh and rubs the back of his head, "Yet again, I make an ass of myself in front of you."

                                            >You look away and stammer.

                                            "I'm s-sorry..."

                                            >What do you do in this situation?

                                            >Anon turns back around, stooping so his exposed underwear stay parallel with the ground, and begins collecting his supplies.

                                            >"I've had horrible luck these past couple of days."

                                            >He's talking to you, not to himself.

                                            >You know that Anon is a captain on the soccer team and a swimmer.

                                            >You know that jocks don't talk to ponies like you.

                                            >So why is he doing so?

                                            >Your hoof picks up a history textbook and offers it to him.

                                            >When did you even move next to him?

                                            >He looks up at you, then smiles and accepts the book, "Thank you um, I never got your name?"

                                            "Efmblmm..."

                                            >"What was that?"

                                            >Here comes the vomit.

                                            "I'm E-Eri... Miss Eri."

                                            >With all of his stuff packed back up, he shoulders his pack with the good strap.

                                            >"Miss Eri, that's a cool name. Thank you."

                                            >He holds out a hand to you.

                                            >You flinch, expecting pain.

                                            >When it doesn't come, you stare at the extended hand.

                                            >What does he want?

                                            >Oh buck, what does he want?!

                                            >You reach out and touch his hand with a hoof.

                                            >His fingers wrap around you.

                                            >HE'S GOING TO EAT YOU NOW!

                                            >Instead of biting, he shakes your leg, then lets go, "I hope I don't continue embarrassing myself in front of you."

                                            >The flips in your stomach only worsen when he chuckles and smiles at you.

                                            >You notice the pointed teeth near the sides of his mouth.

                                            >An image of him holding you down in the dirt and sinking those teeth into your neck comes to mind.

                                            >Your blood is running down his jaw and his powerful hands are pressing you hard into the soil as you bleat out the death cries of a good prey.

                                            >"Well, I suppose I should go change into my gym shorts. See you around, Miss Eri."

                                            >Coming out of your confusing thoughts, you watch Anonymous jog away toward the gym.

                                            >His green underwear are the last thing you see before he enters the building.

                                            >Now all you can think about is him in a gym uniform, covered in sweat and pumping his long arms as he chases down helpless ponies around the gym.

                                            >You have to go to the bathroom.

                                            >Now.


                                            ~~~


                                            >As fate would have it, Trixie and her friends are already waiting outside the bathroom.

                                            >"There's our 'bestie'!" Flitter flies over and throws a leg around your neck like a friend, guiding you toward the bathroom.

                                            >Your hooves skid over the tiles as you fight against her.

                                            >Trixie follows you into the bathroom as Flitter pulls you in.

                                            >Vinyl laughs and closes the door behind you, "I'll wait out here. Have fun, fillies."

                                            >Flitter pushes you roughly to the ground.

                                            >Instead of fighting, you go limp.

                                            >Going the whole day without seeing them should have been a warning sign.

                                            >Trixie bends down and grabs your mane, "Where did we leave off yesterday? Oh yeah!"

                                            >The sound of scissors slicing together makes you flinch.

                                            >A long lock of your black hair dangles from Trixie's hoof in front of you.

                                            >"No need to thank Trixie, this is what I would do for any mare with such horrible mane care."

                                            >You can feel your tail being pulled.

                                            >From the sounds, you can tell Flitter is using her own pair of scissors to snip big chunks of your long tail away.

                                            >The two continue like this for a bit, and soon you're laying in a pile of your own hair on the grimy floor.

                                            >You tune out their insults with the thought of the first time you went to Coco Pommel's house.

                                            >She has such a cozy home.

                                            >There are many books that her mother collects.

                                            >Coco has her own room where she makes clothes.

                                            >And in the garden, there are always animals of all types-

                                            >Trixie grabs your head and yanks.

                                            >You're forced to stand up and look in the mirror.

                                            >Before, you had quite a long mane and tail.

                                            >Now you stare in anguish at the mess they've made of you.

                                            >Your mane is much shorter and un-even where they've snipped ugly crops in it.

                                            >You know your tail looks the same.

                                            >Tears slide silently down your face and you close your eyes.

                                            >Trixie slaps the back of your head, "Look at yourself! Look how pretty we made you! Thank us!"

                                            >You open your eyes, tears now seeping out.

                                            "Th-Thank you..."

                                            >Flitter mocks you, "Oh fank you! Fank you! Hahaha!"

                                            >Trixie wraps a leg around your throat and pulls you away from the mirror.

                                            >"Now that it's all trimmed, we have to wash it properly!"

                                            >She pushes you into a stall and you collapse in front of the toilet.

                                            "N-No, please no..."

                                            >Trixie grabs your chopped mane and yanks your head back, so that your eyes meet hers.

                                            >"I am going to teach you proper mane care. Because I care."

                                            >Before you can hold your breath, your face is slammed forward into the toilet water.


                                            *Journal entry 10 - I must deserve every bit of pain I recieve. If nopony has helped me yet, I must actually deserve it and not have realized it... Right? I'll be just fine. Yes, It's not so bad. I guess it's okay that I puked the day away.*


                                            >A mixture of bile and swallowed toilet water splashes down into the bowl.

                                            >You gag and gasp, brushing your now short and wet mane out of your eyes.

                                            >It has been at least two hours since Trixie almost drowned you in the dirty toilet.

                                            >It lasted long enough for her to dunk your head in five times, holding you under for a while each time.

                                            >You almost passed out a couple of times.

                                            >Eventually, she grew bored and they left you leaning against the toilet.

                                            >For at least an hour you sat there, silent and dripping over the place where you were almost drowned.

                                            >Then you threw up.

                                            >At first, it was all swallowed toilet water.

                                            >After most of it came out, you forced yourself to vomit (something well practiced) and it turned into a mix of water and bile.

                                            >Wiping your mouth, you lean over against the wall and pant, trying to catch your breath.

                                            >Your throat is sore from heaving and you know your watery eyes are bloodshot.

                                            >School is over.


                                            *Journal entry 11 - Drowning lessons are done for the day.*


                                            >Not physically able to cry for yourself, you gather your wet bag and leave the bathroom.

                                            >Thoughts of predators chasing helpless ponies fill your mind.


                                            ~~~


                                            >"Eri! My goodness, whatever happened to you?!"

                                            >You give Coco a hollow stare.

                                            >Though your mane dried somewhat in the chilly air on the way to her home, you still look like a drowned rat.

                                            >She puts a leg around you gently and guides you into her home, "Come, come! You're wet! You must be freezing!"

                                            >Only now do you realize your legs are shaking feebly from the cold.

                                            >Coco pulls you into the warmth of her living room.

                                            >She produces a blanket and throws it around you.

                                            >"Eri, what happened? Are you okay? Say something, please?"

                                            >You look at the ground and gurgle.

                                            "I 'unno..."

                                            >Seeming to grow more panicked by the second, Coco guides you to the bathroom.

                                            >"Oh Eri... Oh Eri... Oh my..."

                                            >Once in the bathroom, she closes the door and guides you over to her large bath tub.

                                            >"We have to get you warmed up!"

                                            >She turns on the faucet.

                                            >Your eyes grow wide and you pull back, bucking and shaking free of Coco's grasp.

                                            "No! I'm not getting in there! No!"

                                            >Coco fumbles with the knob and cuts the water, "Okay! It's fine! No bath, okay?"

                                            >You close your eyes, pressed against the door and breathing heavily.

                                            >"I'll just use a cloth and some warm water in a bowl, is that okay?"

                                            >You nod quickly.

                                            >Coco takes a large bowl from above the tub and starts the sink faucet, allowing it to warm up.

                                            >She watches you as she fills the bowl and places a soft looking white towel into the warm water.

                                            >"Eri, can you sit please? I'll wash you."

                                            >You collapse onto the fluffy shag rug.

                                            >Coco takes the towel and begins to gently wipe it over your brow after wringing it out.

                                            >"Oh, Miss Eri... What happened?"

                                            >You lean against her effort, the warm sensation feeling sublime.

                                            "Drowning lessons..."


                                            ~~~


                                            "And that's when I got up and walked here..."

                                            >You finish telling Coco about the years of torture leading up to this day that you have been subjugated to at the hooves of Trixie Lulamoon and her friends.

                                            >Though she has finished scrubbing you clean of toilet water and vomit, Coco sits beside you and gently rubs her hooves into the base of your neck.

                                            >"I... Why did you never tell anypony? Why did you let them do those horrible things to you? Oh Celestia, Eri- why?!"

                                            >She sounds disgusted and horrified at the revelation of your times with your tormentors.

                                            >Years of it has made you numb to any disgust or horror.

                                            >All that remains is bitter emptiness and dread.

                                            "If I tell somepony... It will only get worse. Coco, you can't- You can't tell anypony."

                                            >Your eyes meet.

                                            >She looks helpless.

                                            >"We have to tell somepony, Eri! This has to stop at once! Trixie and the others need to be punished for what they have done to you!"

                                            >You look down at your hooves in silence.

                                            >Coco's hooves gently take your muzzle and bring you face to face with her.

                                            >She looks determined.

                                            >"Eri. I will help you. I will make sure they can never hurt you again. We're going to get help."

                                            >You open your mouth to argue.

                                            >Coco's lips suddenly press against yours.

                                            >Your eyes almost bulge out.

                                            >Coco Pommel is kissing you tenderly, her touch as soft as a foal's coat wherever she touches you.

                                            >She quickly pulls back, her face flushed, but still set in a stern look.

                                            >"We're going to get you help."

                                            >You have to look away from her.

                                            >That was your first kiss.

                                            >You didn't want it to be with a mare.

                                            >You didn't like girls that way.

                                            >You wanted it to be with Anon.

                                            >Wait-

                                            >Why did the human suddenly come to mind?

                                            >Coco stands up, "First though, I'm going to make your mane and tail look absolutely adorable. And we can even re-dye them."

                                            >You let Coco take control, still reeling from the kiss.


                                            ~~~


                                            >Before Trixie and Flitter got ahold of your mane and tail, both almost reached the ground.

                                            >After Coco got ahold of your mane and tail, well...

                                            >Your mane is short and more a style to your liking now.

                                            >Coco even re-dyed the bright pink portion of your bangs.

                                            >Your tail looks like a normal mare tail now.

                                            >The two of you lay on two of the large couches in her living room.

                                            >The room is dark, the only light coming through the window by way of the moon.

                                            >"Hey Eri?"

                                            >You pull your blanket tighter around you and roll onto your side.

                                            "Yeah?"

                                            >"Thank you for coming here. I am ever so frightened by the dark when I'm alone."

                                            "Thank you for inviting me. And... Taking care of me."

                                            >The room goes silent again.

                                            >"Hey Eri?"

                                            "Yeah?"

                                            >"Is there anypony you like at school?"

                                            >There's the image of Coco's face so close, while she presses her soft lips against yours.

                                            >Was it just her way of comforting you?

                                            "Have you ever felt what it's like to be stalked by a predator?"

                                            >"Oh! Hehe~ It's funny you should mention that! I have to admit I feel a little flustered whenever Anonymous comes around. You know, the human?"

                                            >You gulp.

                                            "Yeah... Anonymous."

                                            >Coco giggles and you can hear her kicking her hooves against the couch.

                                            >"Goodness! Anonymous? Oh Miss Eri, you have an exotic dangerous side! Do tell!"

                                            >Until you fall asleep, you tell Coco Pommel the finer aspects of your views on predator/prey relationships.

                                            >For the two of you, there will be no school tomorrow.

                                            >Drowning lessons are canceled.


                                            https://youtu.be/xvsTvcpU_yA