Critical information by DCFTEF

(20/04/2021)

https://desuarchive.org/mlp/thread/36858137/#q36885070

---

It was not unusual for Ocellus to come running from the library with critical information so her classmates hardly raised their eyebrows when she did it this day.
>”Ohmygosh ohmygosh I just learned AWFUL news!”
Only Gallus looked up from his comic book. He replied, only half joking;
>”Brussels sprout casserole in the dining hall today?”
The joke was lost on Ocellus, who went on;
>”Every month Headmare Twilight sends my hive a recommended reading list.
>”Equestrian books that she thinks might help as we re-build our society after...you know who.”
Silverstream whispered to Smolder;
>”I think she means means Queen Chrysalis.”
to which the dragon muttered'
>”I know, Silver...I only sleep through classes.”

Ocellus went on with her frantic rant.
>”This month's list includes Baron Von Whippingstaff's Third Treatise on Educational Standards.
>”His THIRD TREATISE!”
The others looked at her, puzzled while Ocellus waited for their response.
At last Sandbar spoke up.
>”Eh, okay...what does that mean?”
It was Yona who answered;
>”That old book by gray beard pony who lived long time ago.
>”Gives much advices about how to build new school system from snow up.”
Surprised that she knew that they all stared at Yona.
>”Changeling room-mate talks in sleep.
>”Yona probably learn more listening at night than actually studying.”

>”So what are you so worried about, 'Cell?”
asked Sandbar, and the excitable changeling gave her answer;
>”There's a whole chapter on corporal discipline and the tools that teachers should use.
>”TOOLS! Like paddles, straps and canes!”
Nobody seemed as excited about it as her. Gallus asked;
>”So what are you worried about? It's not like you ever get in trouble.”
Ocellus got right up in his face, nose to beak, and gasped;
>”But what if I DO again?”

Again?
It caught her friends' attention for different reasons.
>”Wait, I can't believe this,”
Smolder was bursting with excitement
>”Goody four-hooves got spanked? For what? By who?”
But Ocellus shrank away and tried to avoid her questions.
>”It's embarrassing...”
>”I know, that's what makes it funny! Tell us!”
The little changeling was mortified but when she looked around at her friends' faces she didn't know what to think.
All 5 of them wanted to hear her story...not one stood up for her privacy.
But their eagerness felt supportive somehow.
At last, Yona made up Ocellus' mind for her.
>”Friends just keep asking until changeling tell us. You smart. You know this.”
She had a point. Blushing, Ocellus acquiesced;
>”My...my Mom gave me a spanking a few weeks ago, when we went home for the long weekend.
>”I changed a grade on a test and she caught me.”
Ocellus expected to be condemned for her dishonesty, scorned by her friends.
She expected at least a gasp upon the exposure of her scandalous behavior.
But Silverstream asked;
>”Uh? Why would YOU of all people change a grade? You get, like, straight A's!”
Ocellus turned her gaze downward and confessed;
>”I got a 96% and I was ashamed...so I changed it to 98%.
>”I got busted. My Mom noticed right away.
Sympathetic Sandbar asked;
>”How'd she find out?”
Ocellus sighed and told him
>”Well, I don't think any of you should ever change your grade...but if you do,
>”ALWAYS remember to use the same color ink as the teacher did.” 
Her friends shook their heads in disbelieve
When Ocellus was smart she was sooooo smart.
But when she was dumb she was sooooooooo dumb. 

It was Silvertream who turned the direction of the conversation.
>”So hang on...do you mean that was the ONLY spanking you've ever gotten. EVER?”
Ocellus' eyes grew wide (yeah, wider than usual) and she gasped;
>”Of course! Why would I ever want another one?”
The ditzy hippogriff shrugged her shoulders
>”Well nobody ever WANTS one...they just sorta happen.
>”I guarantee we're gonna get at least one when you come to visit Seaquestra & Mount Aris this summer! At least!”
Predictably, Ocellus was horrified by this.
>”WHY!?!?”
>”Because I'm a good host. I'll show you all the fun things there are to do!
>”If some of those things lead to us getting our behinds busted that's just the price of having a good time, right?”
Ocellus was already reconsidering her plans for the summer holiday.

>”Yaks have thing like pony spanking
>”It called 'Rump Smash'!
>”When little yak does bad, Papa or Mama yak give great big whack on rump.
>”And again, and again, and again, and...
Yona would have gone on, but Gallus interrupted;
>”Lemme guess: Again?”
Yona nodded her big head and concluded;
>”More agains than Yona want.”
A shiver ran through her great bulk, rustling every hair.
Smolder muttered;
>”That is EXACTLY like pony spanking.”
Yona just nodded and replied;
>”Yes. But Yaks do better.”
She looked to Sandbar on her right and shook her head dismissively.
>”Pony would not survive.”

She went on to tell a sad story;
>”Last holiday, Yona at home, having fun...smashing this, smashing that.
>”Good time smashing.
>”But Yona made bad mistake...smash neighbor's firewood shed by accident.”
Ocellus was distraught;
>”Awww, if it was just and accident you shouldn't have gotten punished for it.”
But Yona shook her head and confessed;
>”Yona do big time wrong thing though. Got scared...ran away and hid instead of admitting mistake and helping fix damage.”
>”So stupid anyway...all grown ups have to do is follow fresh yak-prints in snow... find Yona hiding.”

Yona continued;
>”Papa is not happy...give Yona great big rump smashes for very much long time.
>”Worst part; did not set good example for younger brother & sister.”
The big yak girl seemed sad about that, so Sandbar offered a supportive bump.
>”Yeah, it's rough when we let our little siblings down. Feels bad man...”
The others didn't believe it.
Silverstream challenged;
>”When have YOU ever let down your baby sister?
>”You're crazy about your baby sister.”

Now it was time for Sandbar to tell his embarrassing story, and he did not resist.
>”Well...I kinda did.
>”I was foalsitting Coral and I thought it would be funny to teach her some bad words.
>”It was kinda cute to hear her repeat them back.”
Smolder was already laughing out loud, she loved this.
>”You're right, that is hilarious!”
With a sheepish grin, Sandbar continued;
>”Yeah, well I didn't think she'd remember them...or repeat them.”
Gallus was starting to giggle too;
>”Lemme guess...she repeated them?”
Sandbar groaned and told all.
>”Oh yeah, at the worst time possible. 
>”Right in front of all the mothers and all the other foals at day care.”
Gallus & Smolder were laughing openly now, but Sandbar didn't mind.
>”Dude, nopony could have known it was you.”
>”He probably confessed to it all! Dweeb!”
Getting more annoyed at their delays than their ribbing, Sandbar snorted and continued;
>”I didn't get the chance, really. 
>”Let's just say the list of suspects was short and led straight to me.
>”So yeah, I 'fessed up...what was the point in lying and making it worse?
>”Dad made me pick a switch and he WORE MY ASS OUT with it.
>”That damn switch lasted soooo long before it broke.
>”Why am I so good at picking out switches? That's not a skill I want to have!”

Sandbar's funny finish had even nervous Ocellus laughing, but Smolder need no help.
>”Making your little sister say bad words she doesn't understand! Classic!
>”But my big brother got the prank right...he made sure I got my butt roasted for it!”

Silverstream gasped;
>”Your brother intentionally gets you in trouble?”
All of her friends seemed worried, but Smolder just mocked their concern.
>”Awww, that's just how dragon siblings razz each other.
>”Believe me, I dish out as good as I get.
>”You shoulda heard Garble last time I pranked him.
>”Made Dad think he got into his special stash of aged gems.
>”Adults only kinda stuff...like your pony cider.
>”He was all like...”
Smolder made her voice sound squeaky and pathetic as she mocked her brother being dragged to his unearned punishment.
>”oh please, oh please I swear I'm innocent!
>”please I'm begging you, don't do this to me, I swear I didn't do it, whhhhaaahhh!”
But the young dragoness blushed a little before admitting;
>”But in fairness, I cry a whole lot worse when he pranks me good and I get a roasting.
>”But I'm the Little sister, right? It's my prerogative. Big tough teenager should learn to take the heat better.”

>”Yona not understand something.
>”Dragon say 'roasting'.
>”This same as rump smash spanking?”
Smolder waved her off
>”No way, dude.
>”Think about it, both my Mom & my Dad are the size of mountains.
>”When Garble pranks me...or when I legitimately get caught doing something I shouldn't...they can't whack my butt the way you little creatures do it.”
Yona snored in displeasure;
>”Who you call little?”
But Smolder continued her explanation;
>”If you're unlucky enough to get roasted...and I've gotten unlucky a LOT...your Mom or Pop holds you face down, doesn't really matter where, pulls your tail up and blows a thin blast of fire right at the tender spots.
>”Hurts like crazy!”

>”Hold on! There are irregularities with your story!”
Gallus was just being a dick, but there was one major question on everybody's mind.
Ocellus gave voice to it;
>”Umm, yeah...Smolder, that doesn't make sense. Your rear-end is fire proof. We ALL know it's fireproof.”
The rest of her friends nodded in agreement. They'd all seen the proof.
>”Yeah...that.”
Smolder's voice had a genuine annoyed growl.

It had happened at a school bonfire.
All the students and staff gathered around to sing songs, tell stories and roast marshmallows.
Smolder had been helpfully handing out sticks when, on the other side of the blaze, Goldylinks accidentally set her marshmallow ablaze. When she shook her stick in panic it launched the flaming confection across the fire pit on a graceful arc that ended with a splat on the side of Smolder's rear.
There it continued to burn as the whole school, students and staff, even Headmare Twilight watched in silent, fascinated horror until all of its sugary energy was finally expended and the flame flickered out.
Smolder never even noticed it.

>”You jerks coulda told me.
>”I didn't find out until I sat down in that mess.
>”I had to use sandpaper to get it off my scales!”
But her friends were focused on their main question;
>”So Smol...how do your Mom & Dad punish you like that if your butt is fire proof?”
Smolder rolled her eyes.
>”Seriously, dudes, what do you think packs more thermal power?
>”Goldylinks' marshmallow?
>”Or my full-grown dragon Dad's direct fire breath? You do the math...all I know is it HURTS!”

Silverstream wondered aloud;
>”I wonder how dragon fire stacks up against fire coral on your heinie...”
>”Ohhhhhooohhhooo I hate that stuff so much!”
But she shook her head as if to shake the distractions out and turned on her dragon friend.
>”But YOU are a bad sister! Trying to get your brother in trouble then laughing about it!”
Smolder dismissed her objection.
>”Aww, if you were a dragon you'd understand.”

>”Well I NEVER try to intentionally get my little brother in trouble if I don't have to.”
Gallus saw an opportunity to tease Silverstream a bit.
>”If you 'don't have to'? You mean you sometimes tattle on him?”
Silver puffed up her feathers in indignation.
>”I would NEVER tattle on Terramar!
>”But, I mean, sometimes young griffs do things that are bad, or things that are unsafe.
>”I feel awful about it but sometimes I have to tell our Mom or Dad.
>”And I NEVER laugh about it! I only do it because I'm his protective loving sister.”
Gallus gave a snarky grin and asked;
>”Does he ever tattle on you?”
She practically squawked in anger.
>”YES! ALWAYS! But HE does it because he's a HORRIBLE TURD LITTLE BROTHER who hates me because I'm older and I have a BIGGER BEDROOM!”
Silverstream returned to normalcy as quickly as she stepped into insanity.
>”But seriously, we get into trouble together more than anything.
>”Sometimes it's because we're fighting, sometimes we're just up to the same mischief.

Always eager for information, Ocellus asked;
>”Who do you think gets spanked more? You or your brother?”
Silver gave an excited, toothy grin.
>”Oh! Oh! We actually kept score last summer...counted every time we got a spanking! Just Terramar and me. Just us two!”
>”Sooooo...”
Ocellus asked awkwardly
>”who...umm...won?”
Silverstream chirped with complete dingbat sincerity;
>”Cousin Skystar.”

The others just shook their heads. There was no deciphering Silverstream so they didn't try.
Because he was the only one left the group turned to Gallus, but the griffon crossed his arms in a bit of a pout and turned his back to them.
>”I know you're expecting some cute and funny story from me, but I don't have one.
>”In Griffonstone, when somegriff hits you it's a reminder of who's Boss.
>”Don't get outta line or you might have an accident.
>”I'm strong, you're weak...don't forget it.
>”Yeah, I've gotten plenty of beatings back home in Griffonstone, but none of them were cute or funny.”

Although he would never admit it Gallus was right on the verge of tears.
As dumb as this conversation was, it was yet another thing he felt left out of because he hadn't experienced the loving upbringing the others had enjoyed. Gallus was a pragmatist, he knew the world wasn't fair, but having reminders of that fact thrown in his face every day made him want to...

>”Hey, I don't know, bro...I can remember a pretty funny whacking you got.”
Just as Gallus had been slipping down the rabbit hole of despair he was caught by his friend Sandbar, who put a welcome arm around his neck.
>”I doubt that seriously.”
>”Remember the scones incident?”

If it were possible for Gallus to turn pale thru his feathers he would have done it.
>”You said we would never speak of that again.”
But Sandbar chuckled and said;
>”Come on, dude, it's funny in retrospect.
>”I don't remember either of of laughing at the time.”
By now he was outnumbered; the girls had all told their stories and they wanted to hear Gallus' now.
>”Ugh...fine!”
Sandbar got them started;
>”A few months back Gallus came to my house and stayed with my family over the school holiday
>”We had this brilliant idea to combine the recipes for chocolate chip cookies and griffon scones.”
>”Chocolate chip scone already been invented. Yaks make best.”
Gallus finally spoke up, getting them back on track.
>”Well it was a DISASTER. We totally trashed that kitchen.”
Sandbar, laughing, added;
>”We wasted all the flour and half the sugar in the house. Then, Mom got home...”
>”And your Mom was PISSED! She chased us all around that kitchen with a wooden spoon.”
>”Then she made us clean up everything...spotless.”

The girls laughed and tried to imagine the sight as the two boys dashed around the kitchen, yelping as the terrible spoon stung their backsides.
>”You two got lucky”
Smolder opined,
>”you coulda gotten a lot worse.”
Sandbar replied gravely;
>”Oh, we're not done.”

He continued the terrible tale.
>”After the kitchen finally got Mom's seal of approval we went on the March of Doom.
>”Straight up to my folks' bedroom.”

The others gasped. Ocellus muttered;
>”That can't be good...”
Silverstream clenched her teeth with worry and added;
>”My parents haven't shared a bedroom in years and even I know that's bad!”
Gallus finished up
>”And that's when I learned all about pony mane brushes. Specifically the back side.
>”I had to stand there and WATCH while doofus over here got his butt blistered by that horrible thing...knowing I WAS NEXT.”
Sandbar laughed with no shame.
>”Aww, dude, it must have been terrifying too because I am a total wimp when Mom gets to swinging that mane brush. I must have been howling!”
>”Yes! It WAS terrifying. That thing should be banned by War Crimes Treaties.” 

Sandbar waited a moment before saying;
>”But you didn't run away.”
Gallus cocked his head sideways and asked;
>”What do you mean?”
>”Bro...you could have escaped. You're way faster than my Mom and she can't even fly. If it was so awful why didn't you just high-tail it out of there?”

Gallus had to think about it for a moment. Sandbar had a point, he could have flapped his wings and evacuated to safety at any time but he hadn't.
>”Well, I figured that might make things worse for you.
>”and seriously...it was just your Mom. I knew she wasn't gonna kill me or really hurt me.”
He thought about that for a moment and the others let him think in silence
>”I guess I never experienced that back home in Griffonstone.
>”Sure, it was awful. I'm telling you, that mane brush is evil.
>”But I always knew I'd be okay...except for my rear-end.”

He turned to Ocellus, whose worries had been the start of this conversation.
>”I don't think you have anything to worry about.
>”Even if your people adopt spanking to the terrifying extreme that these ponies have, you'll be okay.”

Ocellus had reached the same conclusion some time ago.
>”I hated getting my spanking, and I'm really afraid of getting it with anything worse than my Mom's hoof,
>”but you guys have all gotten it lots and you're okay.
Silverstream chirped supportively;
>”That's the idea! Soon you'll have you're own funny spanking story like Gallus!”
The blue griffon cocked his head and replied;
>”My agony is funny to you?”
Silverstream just put her arm around him and said;
>”They're all funny as long as they're not happening to me.”

Ocellus blushed a little and admitted;
>”I might already have a story:
>”After Mom punished me for changing my grade, Dad said he wanted to have a talk as well.
>”I was terrified that HE was gonna spank me too, so I kept finding reasons to delay.
>”I washed all the dishes, I watered the vegetable garden, I read to my brother & sister.
>”Finally, Dad says 'Ocellus, are you trying to stall until you're too old for a spanking?'”
The others were already laughing as the changeling sheepishly asked
>”Was that funny?”

Yona pointed at the clock.
>”School over for 20 minutes now. Another studyhall past with no studying done.”
Smolder pumped her fist in the air and have a little hop of celebration.
>”Yes! We did it again!”
Sandbar asked
>”So what do you wanna do now?”
Ocellus had one requirement
>”That conversation has me kinda spooked.
>”Could we maybe choose something safe that doesn't involve us getting in trouble?”
Silverstream answered for all of them;
>”Not a chance!”

END