Scootaloo fluttered her wings feebly, and she felt her back arch slightly. She felt a little lighter on her hooves, but she couldn't quite get off the ground.

She looked pleadingly at her mother, an pegasus orange mare with a brown mane. The mare's expression was hard and impassive. Scootaloo closed her eyes tight, wishing she would stop watching her fail. This was the fifth time she'd failed to fly in front of her mother.

She knew what was coming next. Her wings slowed to a stop. She faced the ground, and felt a burning in her eyes. She wouldn't cry; she wouldn't cry.

"Oh, Scootaloo, that was a good try," her mother said. "Maybe next time."

"I'm sorry..." Scootaloo choked.

"Don't be; just try harder next time, ok?" her mother said gently.

"I will, mom. I'm sorry, I love you," she said, lifting her head up to face the orange mare. Scootaloo's mother had a gentle expression on her face.

"I love you too, honey," she said softly. "Choose."

The little filly cast her eyes over the table between them. On it lay a broken broom handle, a belt, and a wrench.

She nodded towards the wrench.

She was stoic for the first few blows. As her mother beat her with the wrench, Scootaloo berated herself. All of her pegasus friends could fly, and she couldn't. She deserved this. That's why she chose the wrench. Her mother loved her so much.

"I love you so much, Scootaloo!" she screamed when she dropped the wrench.

Scootaloo started crying.

"I love you too, momma!" she cried, tears flowing freely from her clenched eyes. She cowered on the ground, in too much pain to stand, and too anticipatory of more to come.

Her mother picked up the wrench in her mouth again.

"You'll be a good filly!" she screamed. "You're a good filly!"

"I'm a good filly!" Scootaloo shouted in response.

"I'm a good filly," she whimpered.

She didn't think she was a good filly.

----------

27 times.

Some of them in the same places.

Fewer than 27 bruises. 2 days out of school to let the welts heal and the swelling to go down.

10 more days until the next time she had to try to fly in front of her mother.

Next time she would be a good filly.

Next time she would be a good filly.

She was a good filly.

A good filly.

Please