//------------------------------// // Chapter 7: The Last Day // Story: Buttercup Rose: the Breaking // by PoneStudios //------------------------------// “Gee, you really freaked out, Partner! I mean, you even screamed! I haven’t gotten you to scream at all until now!” Buttercup was currently hiding in her closet from the horrible voice of Scarlet that taunted and tortured her. “G… go away…” Buttercup buried her head in her hooves. She didn’t want to hear any of it right now. Scarlet didn’t seem to care. “Oh, poor baby… am I scaring you?” Scarlet giggled. Buttercup moaned in despair. Scarlet only laughed at Buttercup’s sorrow and fear. “Darling, you should really learn to grow a spine. You starting to bore me with your fear. Nonetheless, it is still… mmm… delicious~” Buttercup shivered. She didn’t reply to Scarlet’s taunting. That would only make things worse. The emotions in her head were spiraling around in a tornado of fear and despair and anger and panic. Multiple parts of her brain were screaming for her to start sobbing. Buttercup desperately resisted, knowing that sobbing would only make Scarlet jeer at her more. But the emotions still tossed her around and tore her up inside. The spiraled and swirled and jumbled up inside, making impossible to think. After several minutes, Buttercup couldn’t take it anymore. She stood up and went to her vanity after making a decision. “Finally grew a spine, my dear Partner?”  Buttercup pulled the drawer out of the vanity. “What are you doing?” She lifted a knife out of the drawer. She placed a letter on her vanity desk. “Oh. oh, you’re… oh, you’re not. You’re not…?” “I am.” Buttercup turned to leave. “But you can’t! What about Sunset?” Scarlet tried to reach Buttercup. She failed. “I’m doing this for her.” Buttercup smiled. She laughed a broken laugh. “Hah… Scarlet, when you finally die, just remember… you pushed me to this.” Buttercup’s grin when she said that was almost as psychotic as Scarlet’s. Scarlet couldn’t help but shiver an involuntary shiver. Buttercup left. Scarlet disappeared, not knowing what to do to stop Buttercup. Sunset looked up to see Buttercup walking out of her bedroom. “Oh, hey, Buttercup! Feeling better?” Buttercup didn’t reply. “Buttercup?” there was no answer. Buttercup just walked out the front door and closed it behind her. Sunset stared after her for a few minutes after she left. “Huh? That’s not like her…” Sunset shrugged it off and sat back down. Lavender came in the kitchen a few minutes later. “Did you see Buttercup?” Lavender asked. “Yeah. she ignored you too, huh?” Sunset nodded and stood up. “Yeah. it’s not like her…” Lavender looked down. “No, it isn’t. Maybe we should check her room.” Buttercup walked down the streets of Ponyville, heading to the Everfree Forest. She ignored the beautiful day outside. She ignored the various ponies saying hello to her. She ignored the sun shining down on her. Nothing mattered to her anymore except doing what had to be done. She had to do this. She had to finish it. Otherwise, nothing would be fixed. And that wasn’t an option, for anyone. Sunset and Lavender searched Buttercup’s room for any clue as to Buttercup’s strange behavior. They had searched the bed, the bookshelf, the closet, and the dresser so far. They had found nothing. Sunset was looking around the nightstand and on the floor and Lavender was searching around the desk. “Sunset! I found something! Come here!” Buttercup wondered what would happen hen Sunset and Lavender found out. Would they cry and sob for her? Or would they laugh and cheer? Or would they not say anything at all? Oh well. She thought. At least Scarlet will be gone. “What is it?” Sunset went over to the vanity. She looked at Lavender. Lavender’s voice was hurried and full of worry. “Look at this!” Scarlet… Buttercup’s thought’s were tainted with anger when she thought of the cruel mare who tortured her every day and night. She almost growled, but managed to restrain herself from doing so. If only this had never happened. Lavender pointed at a letter that lay on the table. The wrapping read: for Sunset and Lavender, hope you never have to read this. Sunset took a nervous breath. Lavender did the same. Sunset’s face became determined. “Open it!” Ha… you can’t change the past. Buttercup smiled a broken smile and continued walking. It was too late for anything else. Buttercup knew that. She knew that most of all. Lavender hesitated. “Should we really…?” Sunset nodded. “Do it.” Buttercup’s smile faded. She took the knife out of her saddlebags now that she was at the edge of town. It was now or never. After several seconds of hesitation, Buttercup took a breath, grit her teeth, and walked out of town. Lavender opened the letter. She carefully, slowly, took it out of the wrapping. She unfolded it carefully, making sure it didn’t rip. Sunset held her breath. After several minutes, she finally gained the courage to speak. “...what does it say?” There was no going back now. Buttercup knew that. Sunset watched as Lavender gave her the letter. Her voice was shaky. “Y-you should read this…” Sunset nodded. She let her breath go. This was it. Buttercup looked at the Everfree Forest entrance. Once in there, there really was no going back. Buttercup sighed. But it’s all worth it in the end… Sunset carefully took the letter and began to read. With each sentence she read, her mind grew more and more panicked. With each word, her eyes grew wider. …For Sunset and Lavender. Sunset finally put the letter down when she was done. She sighed a shaky sigh. Lavender put a hoof on her shoulder in comfort. “It’ll be okay…” “...” …Sorry. After several seconds of silence, Sunset spoke. “We have to find her.” Sunset’s voice was a whisper. Lavender strained to hear. “Huh?” “WE HAVE TO FIND HER, LAVENDER!” Sunset ran out of the bedroom. Lavender followed her out of the house and down the street towards the Everfree Forest. As Sunset ran down the streets of Ponyville, she couldn’t help but hope Buttercup was okay.