//------------------------------// // Devastation // Story: Depression // by ZombieBrony22 //------------------------------// Silence filled the room following Sky's first words to his mother, Abacus Cinch, in 3 months. She simply sat up and looked into his eyes. "What did you do that got you caught?" "I turned myself in." Cinch replied. Sky adjusted his seat. "I know you're lying. What really happened?" Sky asked, more aggravated than before entering the room. Cinch moved closer to the wall of glass separating the pair. "One of my graduates joined one of the big gangs, they traced him back to me, and here I am." Sky chuckled. "So how does it feel? Being busted by what you created? Does it feel good? Bad? I can never tell with you." Sky said. Cinch fell silent, starting to slouch in her seat. "How's Sugarcoat?" She asked. "After what she did to me? How should I know?" Sky said. Cinch looked shocked. "You think she... you think she set it up?" "It was obvious. The timing, the build-up." Sky said confidently. "You are your father's son. Sugarcoat wasn't involved, other than leading you into that office." Cinch said. Sky froze. "Now? You're telling me this now?" Sky asked, moving closer to the glass. Cinch was silent. Her head slightly hanging down. The door opened behind Sky. "Mr. Armor, you have 4 more minutes before Cinch gets transferred." A cop said as he shut the door as he left. Sky cleared his throat. "This is the last time I'm seeing you. You know that, right?" Cinch asked. "Si, I know." "Would you stop using that language?!" Cinch suddenly outburst. "It's how papa talked!" Sky shouted back, slamming the desk in rage. Cinch jumped slightly, it was the first time Sky ever yelled back. "Sky..." "No. I'm going to talk, and you are going to listen: You are dead to me. Year after year, I hoped you'd change, I hoped Dad would come back and fix you, but no. After... after this..." Sky points to his all-black eye. "...How do you ever expect me to forgive you? Forgive them?" "Sky, I don't..." "I'm the one talking!" Sky glanced at the clock and saw that he had 2 minutes left. "You know what? Let me say what you said to me that night, after my speech. You are no longer my mother, and I am no longer your son." Cinch started crying. Sky felt his eye dampen as well. "Goodbye, Cinch. Have a nice life without me." Sky got up and left the room, with one minute to spare. Sugarcoat sat on the steps of Crystal Prep, still shaken over what Sky said to her, more so how true it all was. "I never thought I'd be on these steps again." Sky said, taking a seat next to Sugarcoat. She remained silent, suspicious over how friendly Sky was being. "Why didn't you tell me that you weren't involved in my beating?" Sky asked. Sugarcoat sighed. "Cinch threatened to cancel my graduation, I had no choice. I wanted to tell you, Sky. I did." "So why didn't you?" Sky asked. "You never let me. You always gave me that look you have. That... death stare, it scared me. What if you thought I was lying or thought I wanted to fight you and you fought back?" Sky was taken aback. He started to notice tears falling down Sugarcoat's cheeks. "Come here." Sky whispered as he held her in an embrace. The two remained in this position for what felt like hours. Then the school's bell woke them out of their trance. "So, um... You and Fluttershy?" Sugarcoat asked, her voice still cracked from earlier. "What? N-no." Sky said, his face turning slightly red. "It's so obvious! The way you two talk to each other, how she looks at you. You two seem like a better couple than you and I did." Sugarcoat chuckled. Sky then started chuckling along, realizing that her statement held some truth. Wait... "The way she looks at me?" Sky quickly asked. Sugarcoat just giggled to herself as she rose up from the steps and started heading off. Sky, completely dumbfounded, decided to do the same. He decided to hit the Carousel Boutique and speak to Rarity about a problem he has. "What do you mean she's defenseless, darling?" Rarity asked Sky. "She's wearing leather, Rarity. I get that you're giving her the best you have, but she got carved like a pumpkin last week. I'm just saying... maybe you should invest in something stronger." Sky told Rarity. "Like what? She specifically told me she wants to be fast and agile." Rarity said. "I might have an idea." Someone behind the duo said. They turned around and saw Captain Shining Armor with Filthy Rich, stereotypical billionare, but when it counts, he's a state hero. "Filthy Rich. What do you got?" Sky asked. Rich opened a suitcase showing the two 4 large sheets of an orange material. "It's an Anti-Newtonian material, it disobeys the common laws of physics. It's completely impact-proof, stab-proof, it can even be made bullet-proof..." "What's it called?" Rarity asked. "It's called D3O. The military's been investing in it, but it can be found in motorcycle jackets, knee guards, that sort of thing." Shining said. "Why are we just hearing about this now?" Sky asked. "Originally, we didn't have the funding for sheets of the material, but now that we have a deal with FIlthy Rich, we can get as much of it as we need." Shining answered. "Sounds nice, but can we please change the color? That shade of orange is simply disgusting." Rarity cringed. "Of course. You can even place it under the original outfit. She'll just be slightly bulkier." Rich said. "I feel safer already..." The group turned around to see Flutterfly marveling at the material, slashing a knife at the sheet, only for not even a scratch to be shown. "That's incredible." Sky said. "There's just... one problem." Shining said. "What's that?" Sky asked. "The material's expensive, and hard to hide. You won't be as agile as you once were." Flutterfly looks at the material, sighs, and looks back at Rich and Shining. "I can survive with less mobility for now." Flutterfly said as she set the material back in the case. Rich closed the case and started heading out of the door. "The final product will be ready by the end of the month." Rich said as he left the boutique.