EoH Evolution: Season 3

by Bahamut0


Episode 18: Dragon Knight's Sorrow

The Elements of Heroism were worried. Burst Stream, their friend and leader, had barely come out of his house since yesterday. And they had a pretty good idea of why. News of Celestia's engagement to Shining Dawn had traveled fast, and the noble wanted all of Unity to know of his coming ascent to the throne.

"That. Literal. Bastard!" Inferno Flare screamed as he tore apart the newspaper that bore the unfortunate headline! "I don't believe this! He gets his ass handed to him by Burst, and somehow he lands a ring on our ruler's finger?! There's gotta be something rotten going on! In all the times I've asked Burst about his relationship with Celestia, he's always said that they were as happy as they could be!"

"I'm with you on this Inferno." Steel Edge said with a nod. "Why break it off if things are going so well? It doesn't add up." He then looked in the direction of Burst's house. "But instead of listing off how we'd like to beat Shining Dawn within an inch of his life for hurting our friend and leader like this, how about we actually try tending to his broken heart?"

Akage nodded. "Indeed. Burst's current state doesn't suit him well. It's a perfectly natural response considering his asshole half-brother just stole his girl. However, we can't just leave him the way he is. We need to help him move on."

"Agreed." All the Elements of Heroism said in unison. They headed to Burst's house. Each of them were hesitant. Finally, after some minor deliberation, Inferno stepped forward.

"I should be the one to try first." Inferno said with a determined air about him. "He's my best friend. I owe it to him." Inferno knocked on the door, and Burst answered. "Hey Burst! We all heard about, well, what happened. We're not going to tell you to just get over it, but you can't just sulk inside like this! It's not going to solve any problems, or make the hurt go away. We all just wanna talk. Okay?"

Burst slowly nodded. "Yeah. Fine. Let's talk at Sugar Cube Corner. Getting a kick of sugar might get me in a more sociable mood." The group made their way over to Sugar Cube Corner, and Pinkie Pie quickly got a round of sodas out for them. Burst being the exception since he opted for a root beer float.

"Listen Burst." Inferno said as he grabbed a seat next to his best friend. "I know how much it hurts to see the one you love taken from you. Remember when Rarity got manipulated by Night Terror?" Inferno looked at his soda in reflection upon those particular events. "It hurt me so much to see her being used and so easily discarded. But if Celestia matters to you even HALF of much as Rarity means to me, fight for her! Get her back!"

Burst immediately set his root beer float down, and stared coldly at Inferno! "Inferno. Tell me. Were you and Rarity together when Night Terror tricked her?" Inferno shook his head, and was about to answer before Burst cut him off. "Steel. Were you and Rainbow Dash actively dating when Discord showed her the vision that made her abandon us?" Steel shook his head.

"THEN HOW CAN ANY OF YOU POSSIBLY KNOW WHAT I'M GOING THROUGH NOW?!" Burst screamed at his team! "I KNOW I CAN'T STAY LIKE THIS!" Burst clenched his fist. "Rarity and Rainbow Dash were tricked by forces that could easily manipulate their minds. You two were getting close to them, but you WEREN'T together. No, those incidents are what cemented your relationships. But Celestia? We fell in love fast. Since the Nightmare Forces were destroyed, we'd been getting closer together. We shared so many milestones, and she was my first love to boot. And now? She's broken up with me. All because my asshole brother just decided to waltz into my life!"

Burst slammed his fist on the counter for emphasis! "But the worst part is? I KNOW she's not happy with him. I could see it in her eyes when she lied to my face about it." Burst's eyes began to tear up. "And she's lying to me for a good reason. But I don't care! Why?! Just for once, why couldn't she be selfish and just tell me what was wrong?!"

"All of you. . . please. Just leave me." Burst said with a tired sigh as he felt his whole body get heavy. Especially his heart. "I don't like being seen like this. I want to get past this. I really do. But I've already gone through denial and bargaining. You guys have already seen my anger. I just. . . want to process the rest. If I can."

Burst gulped down the rest of his root beer float, and got up to leave. "I appreciate what you're all trying to do. But the fact remains, none of you have experienced a real break-up before." Burst stopped when Shadow Thunder hugged him tightly and Fang made an offer to scratch his ears.

"Again. Thanks guys. It's great to know that you're here for me." Burst said with a sad smile. "But I think I need to be alone. I hope you can understand that." Burst's team and friends nodded. "Thank you." As soon as Burst left, rain clouds began to gather. But there was no storm scheduled to come in. Tears falling from Burst's eyes as rain began to burst from the clouds. "I guess the weather matched my emotional state."

And Burst Stream just stood there in the rain. His head tilted up towards the heavens. He lost complete track of time as the rain kept pouring down, and it wasn't long before he started to get soaked. That was when Nightmare Moon noticed Burst Stream standing in the rain. The Element of Power had a significant place on the fallen princess's heart, and she immediately scooped him into her arms as she flew him back to his house!

"Burst, what's wrong with you?!" Nightmare Moon asked as she grabbed a towel. "Any longer out there, and you'd have gotten sick! Just what were you thinking when you were standing out there?" As Burst turned to face her, Nightmare Moon could see marks where trails of tears had been falling.

"Moon? Have you ever had your heart broken before?" Burst asked. "It's something that happens when you get hurt by someone close to you. Someone you love. Or when you're the doing the hurting. . . and you don't mean any of it. The point is, Celestia broke up with me. And I know that she didn't mean to. But I just don't understand why! I know Shining Dawn's got something to do with it, and Celestia's scared I'll get hurt or worse! But me just sitting it out gets me so mad!"

Burst Stream let out an exhausted sigh. "I think I'll take a hot shower now. I just don't want to deal with anything else today." Soon enough, Burst had showered and was changed into his sleeping clothes. "If you need me, I'll be in my room." Burst headed off to his bedroom, and didn't even bother to close the door.

All the while Nightmare Moon was shaking certain thoughts out of her head. Specifically, thoughts that told her to take advantage of Burst's current situation. "No." She said to herself. "Not like this. I'd never forgive myself if I did something that disgusting." And I should know better than anyone not to do that. Not when I know exactly how he feels.