Family Secrets

Family Secrets – Chapter 1

Walking through the front door, it only took me a second to realise something was wrong. Dad was home, and he was not happy.

My little sister Panda Bear was upstairs, hiding under her bed while Mum tried to keep Dad occupied so he wouldn’t come looking for us. I was still in my uniform, a constrictive white shirt with the school emblem emblazoned on, a grey pleated skirt, and a set of plain black horseshoes. I knew Dad would get even angrier if I wasn’t ready for my bending sessions after school, but it would be hard to get past my arguing parents to the stairs without being noticed.

Panda’s small moans drifted down from her room, and I knew she was upset. I made a dash for the stairs, no longer caring if Dad saw me. His head whipped around at the sound of my hooves, and his voice thundered towards me. “KATYA! Where are you?”

“Dad?!” I squeaked. Oops. He’d seen me.

“Katya! Do as your father says, please ...” My mother’s weak voice drifted into my ears, and all plans of escape dissolved.

“Yes Father?” I smiled innocently at Dad as I strolled into the kitchen where my parents stood, my mother cowering in my father’s massive shadow. This had worked well in the past, when Dad had been cross. I wasn’t sure if it would work on a hurricane force Dad, though.

“I’m tightening the discipline around here. If your mother was in control of things-” he threw an indescribably angry glare at the quivering figure that crouched behind him “-none of these atrocities would have happened. You and that thing you call a sister will not be so pampered. Expect changes around here. Changes!” I backed away slowly, making for the door but never losing eye contact with the monster currently giving me a look that could burn holes in me, if that was possible, which with Dad I was never sure. I was inching ever closer to my goal, as Panda’s moans grew ever louder, until finally I turned and bolted, severing the invisible bonds with Dad to gallop to her aid.

-

“Panda, Panda, shhhhh now, I’m here! I’m here!” I whispered as I ran into her room. “Why are Mummy and Daddy shouting?” she sobbed. “Make them stop, make them stop!” I didn’t say a word, and instead pulled Panda into a big hug. “Make them stop ...” she whispered into my arms. “Make them stop ...”

We clung to each other in silence until the raised voices subsided, and I glanced at the clock. “Oh hay! I’m late for bending practise ...”

“Kata, Daddy will be cross if you aren’t ready!” As if he wasn’t already. I rushed into my room with Panda at my side. I made sure she had sat down on my bed before frantically changing into my bending clothes. Panda, having seemingly forgotten our parents’ argument, was bouncing on my bed and chattering happily to me.

“Hey Kata! Guess what, guess what? I got my cutie mark, I got my cutie mark, I got my cutie mark ...” she chanted again and again.

“That’s lovely, Panda Bear, but I have to ... wait, what? You got your cutie mark? Today?” I asked, confused. “Let me see ...”

Panda obliged, and stuck her flank up for me to see. “Ta-dah!” she said proudly, waiting for me to praise her. However, all I could do was stare in amazement. “You ... you ... you got your cutie mark?! ...” I stuttered. There, stubbornly yet cleanly imprinted into her very skin, was Panda’s cutie mark.

“What ... what is it?” I managed to regain some composure as I asked Panda. I guess the question seems a little dumb, but Panda was waving around in a sort of victory dance, making it hard to see.

“It’s a bending cutie mark, silly! Daddy was so surprised when he found out, he rushed straight home and went into the dining room to talk to Mummy about it! They ended up talking really loudly, though ...” Panda trailed off, and looked at the floor. “Why did he shout at Mummy, Kata? Why wasn’t he pleased I could bend?” I was stunned. So that was why Dad was home! I hated him for ruining Panda’s big moment. At least one of his daughters could bend, for Equestria’s sakes! At least Mum seemed pleased with it, I guess.

“I don’t know, Panda. I think Dad is pleased with you, in his own way. Maybe he was so happy he was shouting in joy?” I told Panda, eventually answering her questions, however flakily. “Here, can I see your cutie mark again? Just keep it still this time, OK?” Panda nodded, seemingly satisfied with my lies. She raised her flank once more and tried her hardest to steady it. After getting a good look, I realised what it was. A black-and-white circle, the symbol of peace, Equestria’s saviour symbol, the yin and yang sign, was neatly breaking Panda’s smooth flow of white fur.

I thought I knew why Dad was upset. I mean, he’s wanted me to bend first since we were little fillies – it’s just another one of his peculiarities. But this wasn’t even a bending cutie mark. It didn’t add up. What could Dad possibly be mad about? I guess that’s what he is though, mad. Of course he wouldn’t be happy about anything.

Suddenly I just couldn’t take it anymore. I was fed up of being part of Dad’s firing line, one of his punch bags. I decided to do something unthinkable, irrational and completely crazy. Hey, maybe I was a little like Dad after all. I was going to run away.

-

I planned quickly and carefully. I would tell Mum I was going to the market after bending so I would be home late. I would pack my saddlebags upstairs, and levitate them through the window and into our front garden before I left – if Mum saw me with saddlebags, she would smell a rat. I would have to go to bending; my teacher would be round here in seconds if I didn’t turn up. I would really go to the market: I couldn’t steal supplies from home, Dad watches the cupboards like a hawk. I would only bring a cloak clothes wise, I needed to keep warm if this was going to work. I knew enough about my family tree to know who would take me in and keep me safe from Dad.

They lived a day’s journey away, though, so I would head for the Canterlot Castle ruins: there would be enough rubble to sleep rough until I could get to my relatives’. Tomorrow, I would head straight there and figure out how to sort out this mess.

I was in the middle of packing my saddlebags when Panda came in. “Kata, Mummy wanted me to tell you-” She stopped when she saw the saddlebags. “You’re not going to ... But you wouldn’t ... Kata?” Panda’s voice began to waver. “Don’t Kata, don’t! Don’t leave me here!” I sighed. I hadn’t wanted Panda to find out like this.

“Panda, you don’t understand. You have to stay here. I would take you if I could but this is not something I can do with you. Please, Panda, stay with Mum and keep her safe from Dad.” Panda’s upper lip trembled, but she nodded solemnly. “Panda ... I love you. Stay alive, and I will come back for you.”