Buttercup Rose walked along a narrow path in the Everfree Forest, heading for the edge of the cliff that led to the Tree of Harmony. She didn’t smile this time. She was carrying a knife in her magic alongside her.
Buttercup sighed. It was the only way. She would only come back. It was too much to bear. Those were the thoughts floating around in her head right now. Why? Because Buttercup was going to kill herself. Truthfully, Buttercup knew it was extreme and ponies would miss her, but if she didn’t, SHE would come back. She’d be angry. She’d take Buttercup’s hope away. It was the only way.
Buttercup stopped when she reached the cliff. She sighed again and pulled the knife in front of her. She lifted the knife, pointed it towards her chest, and--
“WAIT!” Buttercup stopped. Turned around. Looked to see Sunset Flower and Lily Blossom standing there.
“Ha… ha… what are you doing here…?” Buttercup asked.
“We came to stop you. You don’t have to do this, you know. We could help you with whatever it is making you do this. You could be happy again.” Sunset didn’t smile. Buttercup grinned.
“Ha. ‘I could be happy again’. If I had a nickel for all the times I heard that line… ha. No, Sister. I'm not suffering from depression. I'm not doing this because I'm sad. I'm doing this because it’s the only way to stop her. She’d come back any other way. She’d be angry. She’d take my hope away. It’s the only way to know for sure she won’t come back.” Buttercup didn’t smile anymore.
“Whu… ‘she’? Who’s she? Who are you talking about? Is it somepony who’s abusing you, or…?” Sunset asked.
“Alright. Let me tell you a story. The once was a little unicorn filly. Every day, she would go out to the river by her school. And every day, she would listen to the birds and babbling brook to calm herself down before school, to prepare herself for two fillies, who were, at the time, bullying her. The fillies’ names were Diamond Necklace and Golden Ruby. every day, they would tease her, blackmail her, and even beat her up when she got to school.” Buttercup took a breath in.
“So, the unicorn would sit at the river until school started each morning to avoid the bullies until after school when she would have more preparation. But one day, the bullies found her at the river in the morning. They had been wondering where the unicorn went every day, and had decided to follow her. The bullies, when they found her, teased her again. The little unicorn gasped, tried to back away. She didn’t know why the fillies teased her every day. She didn’t know why they wouldn’t stop.” Buttercup sighed.
“So finally, after nearly a year of teasing, being punched, and blackmailing, the filly lashed out in a combination of pain, rage, and the awful feeling of being trapped. She punched the fillies to death that morning. When she realized what she’d done, she ran home as fast as she could, hid herself in a closet where nopony would check for hours. Later, when her older sister got home, the unicorn was found in said closet, crying. The older sister scooped the little unicorn up, comforting her and trying her best to help.” Sunset listened to Buttercup’s story with growing dread and horror.
“The teacher of the school came a few minutes later, and told the older sister the two fillies had been found at the river, dead. The unicorn, who had previously finally stopped crying, almost burst into tears again. The older sister held the unicorn tightly, telling her it wasn’t her fault, that it would be okay. The unicorn eventually calmed and told a lie about what happened. It was a timberwolf, she said. The adults believed her, having had experience with timberwolves themselves. The filly never told anyone what really happened.”
“Later that day, the filly created another pony inside her head because she couldn’t deal with the guilt and pain and sadness. Her name was Scarlet Knife. And she was the embodiment of the filly’s anger, rage, and pain. 22 years have passed since that day. That filly from the story, that was me. I killed the two fillies that day 22 years ago. And ever since, Scarlet Knife has killed innocent ponies, and I was unable to stop it.”
“Every night, she would torture and kill somepony, and then blackmail me into silence, telling that me if I told, I would be thrown in prison, or sentenced to death, or worse. And I believed her.” Buttercup sighed. She didn’t want to have to tell that story.
“Buttercup… what… EXACTLY… did Scarlet do to you?” Sunset reeled.
“She killed another pony every night. Sometimes she would hold off on killing for weeks or months at a time, only to kill multiple ponies and crush any hope I'd gained during the period without killing. And she broke me. Several times over, in fact. She broke me until I couldn’t muster up any will whatsoever to stop her, so I was left hopeless, helpless, unable to defend myself.”
“But today, I finally gained enough will to take this knife from it’s drawer, and come here to kill myself. Don’t try to talk me out of it, sister. I thought about going to the police or a psychologist, believe me, I did. But she’d only come back. She’d be angry. She’d kill you both and take my only hope of freedom away from me in one fatal swipe. I'm sorry. I wish had done this earlier. I wish I hadn’t killed those two in the first place. Ha. Can’t change the past, so I may as well put an end to it now.” Sunset couldn’t move. Couldn’t speak. Buttercup only smiled a broken smile.
“I’m going to do it now, Sunset. I'm going to get rid of you forever, Scarlet. Goodbye.” buttercup smiled and pierced the knife towards her chest. It had almost touched it, when a shield of red magic stopped it.
“Wha… what…?” Buttercup pulled the knife back tried again. The red shield stayed.
“Why… why won’t she let me?” Buttercup tried again.
“Buckit, why won’t she let me die?” Buttercup tried again.
“WHY WON’T SCARLET LET ME DIE!?” Buttercup frantically attempted to stab herself over and over again, getting more and more panicked and angry and full of despair with each stab. After several minutes, the knife dropped out of her magic and Buttercup broke down into heartbroken, despairing sobs.
“I-i j-just wa-ant t-t-to get rid of-f-f her…” Buttercup’s words were broken by her sobs. “T-this is-is-is t-the on-l-ly… way…” Buttercup couldn’t say anymore. She fell to the ground, sobbing. Sunset walked over to Buttercup and picked the knife up. She put it in her saddlebags. She then sat down in front of Buttercup. She pulled her younger sister into a hug. Buttercup didn’t even try to resist. She just sobbed. When she finally stopped, she just sat there. Her voice was raspy and quiet when she spoke again.
“Why… why did you take the knife from me?” Buttercup asked.
“Why won’t you let me die?” Buttercup asked.
“Because nopony wants you to die.” Sunset gently rubbed Buttercup’s back and neck.
“But… Scarlet will only come back…” Buttercup was shushed by Sunset’s hoof.
“Everything will be okay, Buttercup. You don’t have to die to get rid of her. I’m a psychiatrist, remember? I can help you.” Sunset smiled at Buttercup. Buttercup only buried her face in Sunset’s chest.
“Lavender?” Sunset looked at Lavender.
“Yeah, Sunset?”
“Could you help me get Buttercup home?” Sunset asked.
“Yeah.” Lavender helped Sunset carry Buttercup home. On the way there, Buttercup fell asleep. Sunset put her in her bed when they got home.
“Oh, Buttercup… why didn’t you tell me?” Sunset asked as she sat by Buttercup’s bed.
Buttercup woke up in her bed, with her sister, Sunset sitting beside her bed.
“Ugh… sunset?” Buttercup groaned. Sunset smiled when she heard Buttercup’s voice.
“Ah, you’re awake!” Sunset smiled.
“What…” Buttercup then remembered all that had happened several hours ago. She sighed.
“Ugh… why… did you stop me? Scarlet… she’ll only come back now…” Buttercup groaned.
“I should’ve just jumped off the cliff… then Scarlet would be gone.” Buttercup muttered.
“I stopped you because I’m your sister. I love you. And… I don’t want to lose you.” Sunset looked down. There was a long silence. Sunset spoke again.
“You know… for the longest time, I thought everything was fine. You had gotten your job as an RN, I had my Psychology practice… I guess it turns out I was wrong.” Sunset sighed. “Oh, if only I’d seen you needed help sooner…” Buttercup laughed a mirthless laugh at Sunset’s statement.
“Sunset, I was trying to make it so you WOULDN’T see that I needed help. I don’t think you would’ve noticed even if you were stuck to me like a magnet.” Buttercup sighed.
“So… what do you want to do now? And no, you may not hide again.” Sunset said.
“Oh, i don’t even know right now. Probably later…” Buttercup put a hoof up to her forehead and shut her eyes.
“You know, you could just go to therapy.” a startled scream came from both Buttercup and Sunset.
“W-who are you?” Sunset looked at the mirror which now showed Scarlet Knife, leaning on the edge of the mirror with her cheek on her hoof.
“Sorry, Darling, I didn’t mean to startle you. I’m Scarlet Knife. I’m sure Buttercup’s told you ALL about me.” Scarlet smiled. Sunset took in a nervous breath.
“You’re the thing that’s been torturing Buttercup for the past 22 years!” Sunset almost growled.
“That I am, although I don’t prefer being called a thing. But anyways, yes, I’m the pony who drove Buttercup to suicide. I didn’t necessarily mean to do that, but it happened all the same, which is why I stopped you, Buttercup. I know you may think I couldn’t care less if you died, but even I, a psychopathic murderer with a lust for screams, have my limits. You dying is past them.” Scarlet sighed.
“Although I do admit it was for sinister reasons.” Scarlet shrugged. Sunset face-hoofed.
“Well, at least she’s alive.” Sunset sighed.
“Now, as to my suggestion from before… you could just go get therapy. I mean, nopony knows except me, you, and Sunset. Therapy isn’t that far-fetched.” Buttercup sighed. She shook her head.
“Ugh… Scarlet, you know why we can’t do that. Even with our split personality, I was the one who killed those fillies all those years ago. Even if it was accidental and in the heat of pain and rage, I would still be killed or locked up for the crime. It would likely be for life as well. Not to mention murdering over 500 ponies in the last 22 years...” Buttercup looked down. “Oh, I don’t want to do that to you, Sunset…” Sunset sighed and smiled at Buttercup. Scarlet looked down.
“You won’t, Buttercup. No matter what happens, I won’t let them do that to you or to me.” Sunset hugged Buttercup.
“Thanks, Sunset.” Buttercup smiled. “So… about the therapy option…”
One week later
Buttercup sat in the lobby of the Manehatten Professional Mental Therapy building, waiting for her first appointment with Dr. Stable Mind. Sunset sat next to her, reading a magazine she’d brought with her.
Buttercup looked at the time and at Sunset. Sunset looked up at Buttercup and smiled.
“It’ll be okay, Buttercup.” Buttercup smiled. Sunset went back to her magazine. Buttercup looked up when a mare came out from behind the desk.
“Buttercup Rose!” Sunset and Buttercup both stood up.
“Dr. Mind will see you now.” Buttercup looked at Sunset, who nodded.
“Come on, Buttercup. Let’s go see her.” Sunset and Buttercup followed the nurse down the hallway, not only to therapy, but to a new start for the both of them. Buttercup, for the first time in 22 years, was able to genuinely smile at the fact that she would be able to get help with her problem. She walked into the room with Sunset, happy at the fact that she would finally be free of Scarlet for good. She sighed. This would be a good day.