//------------------------------//
// Depression 
// Story: Messing with Your Buttons 
// by Thunderous 
//------------------------------//

So... the Tom-Apple Bloom fell through a portal just yesterday, and things at school... got terrible.

"Oh jeez... I didn't know that one loss of life can result in the whole school to get depressed like this..." I glanced around, muttering under my breath as I walked through the school hallway, the only sound heard was silent murmurs and footsteps by students all around me. It kinda felt like I was walking through a dead silent graveyard...

I turned the corner and met with the blank eyes of my sweet girlfriend, Sweetie Belle, walking towards me without giving off any reactions to my presence. "Oh, uhh, hey there Sweetie..." I trailed off as Sweetie Belle suddenly bumps into my shoulder and continues walking the same path she was heading. I stared blankly at the surprising yet empty response I got from Sweetie Belle for a couple of moments before I snapped out of my surprise and ran after her, stopping right next to her.

We just continued to walk, probably no destination in thought as the last school bell of the day had already rung earlier. We walked, and walked, and walked... until I couldn't bear the silence anymore. "Sweetie Belle. Can you just stop ignoring me and please talk to me already?" I brought my hands up right to her shoulders as I looked her over in worry. Her dress was messy and dirty in some places, her hair dishevelled, no hairband was worn in her cotton-like hair and her skin looked a little... paler. Like 'vampire skin' pale.

After a minute standing there in the middle of the hallway, Sweetie Belle finally brought her eyes to look up at me, which made me widened my eyes in shock. Her eyes were... bloodshot red, and I could clearly see some tear stains on her face. Her eyes, before sported the brilliant sap green eyes, now bore duller versions of those beautiful eyes.

"What do you want, Button...? Can't you see I don't want to be disturbed...?"

Even her voice sounded chilling like ice instead of her normal cheerful self, it had given me shivers down the back of my spine. I gulped, steeling myself as I tried to console her for her recent loss: A close friend of hers. "Look, Sweetie Belle... I just... wanted to know how you're doing after what happened yesterday..."

She suddenly glared at me, hitting me squarely on the shoulders, causing me to yelp out in pain and surprise before she suddenly got real close to my face, huffing in anger. "Oh, I don't know! One of my best friends in the world just died yesterday, so what do you think I'm feeling right now, huh!?"

I stared with wide eyes at her sudden rage at me for a couple of moments before I snapped out of it, gulping nervously before I tried to grab hold of her hands, causing her to pull back her hands instantly, surprised by my sudden action. "Look... Sweetie Belle? I may not look like it, but I've felt what you're feeling right now... And it hurts, I know..."

Her furious expression then softened up as she looked up at me with a curious yet sad glint in her hollow eyes, pulling me to the side of a locker, sliding down against it as she sighed in sadness before looking up at me. "You do, Button...?"

I sat down as well, propping myself up with my backpack as I held her hand slowly, caressing it with my own. "Back then, I had a pretty cool friend... which, you probably didn't know about..." I quickly added as I remembered an event that occurred back when I was still young in my old world, an innocent yet happy Jonathan Rooke kid. 

"...He died in a car accident... Did I say that he was a cool guy too...? We used to play games all the time after we came back from school... He was probably my only friend back then... When the news of him leaving us forever reached my ears, I was devastated... I thought my life was ruined forever..." I sniffed, rubbing the moisture gathering in my eyes as I glanced back at Sweetie Belle, smiling sadly at her.

"But... sometimes, we lose people who love us... Friends, families... besties... Though, we have to keep on moving forward, Sweetie Belle... 'Cause, think about it, does Apple Bloom want you to be sad forever?" I asked, scooting over to her side and placed my arm around her neck, letting her lay her head on my shoulder.

We both said nothing for a couple of minutes, watching the students go by us, an endless procession of sad, miserable faces struggling with the devastating loss of one of their own. One of those faces happened to be Applejack, who was sporting a much messier look than the rest of the students, and I knew she was taking the loss of her little sister the hardest out of all of us. Hell, she'd rejected Apple Bloom when the revelation of her true identity had came out weeks before all this had happened.

Once those few minutes were up, Sweetie Belle mustered up the courage to speak up again, looking back up at me with a sad smile. "I... I guess not. Thanks, Button. I guess I needed that." As she slowly got up and went to leave, I realised we had a long road of recovery ahead of us. She looked back down at me, her face brightening a little as she nodded at me."Well, see ya later, Button. Maybe you should talk to the rest of our friends. Cheer them up a little, as you did with me." She said, sporting a little smile on her face before walking down the hallway, leaving me alone to my thoughts. 

I continued to look down the hallway where Sweetie Belle had taken before I sighed, standing up straight and took off in the opposite direction of the hallway. Outdoors, it was raining, as it always seems to be when something sad or tragic had happened, and today happened to be one of those days. I frowned, looking down at my hands as I could imagine my old Caucasian-skinned hands overlapping my brown ones. They're not the only ones to lose someone important. Apple Bloom - or, more specifically, Tom - was the only person I knew that came from my world... and now he's gone.

I sighed one more time, placing my hands inside my pockets as I pulled the hoodie over my head and glanced around the hallway, still walking down it with a slow pace. The death of Apple Bloom didn't just affect the rest of the school, even I got affected by it as well, though only a small amount of it. I didn't wear my propeller hat, which was now replaced by a dark blue hat, sticking out like a sore thumb (which had surprised some of the students). My hair was also all over the place as well since I didn't feel like fixing my hair in the morning earlier, even when my mom had asked me to do it.

After a couple of minutes just minding my own business, walking past expressionless-worn faces of students, my eyes landed on the former boyfriend of the student we had lost yesterday and one of my best friends: Pipsqueak. I winced, noticing that most of his features were almost as terrible as Sweetie Belle's earlier. He had bags under his eyes that would rival the largest packing cases, and his eyes were bloodshot-red from the tears probably. His hair looked as if it hadn't been washed in days, and his shirt was covered in dirt. They hadn't seen a washing machine in a while, I guessed. It was a real no-brainer that he was affected really badly from Apple Blooms' supposed death.

I walked on over to his right side, leaning my back against the wall as I let my presence known to him. We stayed silent, just as I did so with Sweetie Belle, watching the students pass by us, though not so much as from earlier, probably because most of the students had already left for their houses. I thought a minute or two was enough time to let him be left with his thoughts, so I turned my body towards him and scratched my head, clearing my throat before talking in a nervous stutter. "S-So... Umm, hey there-"

"SHUT UP!"

I was suddenly slammed into the wall I was leaning against, being held there from a very angry Pipsqueak, his bloodshot eyes piercing into my soul. My whole body shook with fear, shutting down as I just stared back at my best friend's piercing eyes, no option left for me to do. 

"My fucking girlfriend just died yesterday, Button! I think that's enough clues for you all to know that I shouldn't be disturbed right now, you dick!" He spat out in a raged shout, still holding me against the wall. Though, one thing stood out for me in how Pipsqueak was acting right now as I stared back with wide eyes at him, still scared like hell at Pipsqueak's outburst. Holy crap. I didn't think Pipsqueak can curse that badly.

I was suddenly brought out of my thoughts as I felt a pair of hands grabbing hold of my collar, making me look down at those hands in a panic. I quickly grabbed hold of Pipsqueak's arms, which is now currently gripping tightly at my collar, lifting me up against the wall, my hoodie and blue hat knocked off my head as I gasped, struggling to take a breather. "P-PIP! G-GAH! F-FUCKING LET GO, D-DUDE! I-I CAN'T BREATHE!" I stuttered out in a panic, flailing my feet around as I try to force his hands off my collar, still gasping for some air. I looked around us, now noticing that the hallway we're in was now empty before I looked back at Pipsqueak snarling at me.

"I thought I made it clear that I wanted to be alone! Look what you made me do, you dick! So fuck you!" He shrieked out at me, tightening his grip around my collar, now literally blocking my airway of air, causing me to start choking, doing all my might to get his hands off of me but failing miserably.

"P-pip... f-fuck... c-can't...." I managed to wheeze out before my arms fell limp, my vision starting to go blurry and dark as I let my head go limp as well, no energy left inside me. I was at the edge of unconsciousness when I was suddenly dropped down to the floor, my airway now unblocked, letting the air fill my lungs again. I took a mouthful of air as I looked back up at what had happened and widened my eyes in shock. Pipsqueak was being held back by another close friend of ours, a certain student with light grey skin and greyish cornflower blue hair: Rumble. 

"Pipsqueak, snap out of it! What the hell has gotten into you!? You almost killed Button, dude!" Rumble grumbled out as he managed to pin Pipsqueak against the wall opposite to where I was at, struggling as Pipsqueak tried to lash out at Rumble himself, thrashing his body against him.

"HE DIDN'T LEAVE ME ALONE! LET ME AT HIM, RUMBLE! THAT DICK DESERVES TO DIE!" Pipsqueak spat out at Rumble, still focusing on me, the air being cut off from my lungs making me heave in the air with my hands across my chest area.

After getting enough air, I slowly sat back up straight, leaning back against the wall as I stared back at Pipsqueak with not only fear but concern towards my best friend. "P-Pipsqueak... why would I leave you alone when your girlfriend had died just yesterday...? You said it yourself back then in your room... I'm a good friend of yours, and no good friend leaves his friends behind to mourn his girlfriend all on his own..."

After a couple of moments filled with silence past us by except the sound of Pipsqueak thrashing against Rumble, Pipsqueak slowly stopped lashing out against him, dropping down towards the ground with a quiet sob accompanying him. Rumble looked down at him, gulping in gallons of air before turning back towards me. "You alright, dude? Thank god I came down this hallway when that stunt happened... otherwise..." He shook his head, his body shivering as he looked down at me, offering his hand towards me.

I looked down at his hand before I looked back up at him, smiling weakly as I grabbed hold of his hand, being pulled up to my feet. "Thanks, Rumble. I owe you one." I thanked Rumble as I now looked back at the defeated Pipsqueak, wondering how he had gotten so violent all of a sudden when all I did was just ask how he was doing.

I heard Rumble let out a sigh of his own, leaning against the wall I was backed up against earlier as he scratched his head, probably wondering the same thing too. 

"You thinking about Pipsqueak and why he attacked me?" I asked, my throat still sore from Pipsqueak's failed choke-out as I glanced towards him, raising a curious eyebrow at him. 

"Yeah, I'm still thinking about it... I mean, damn, he never got violent like that with us before, but now..." He shuddered with a shiver going down his spine as I myself let my back rest against the wall as well, crossing my arms as we both looked back at Pipsqueak, who had never stopped sobbing into his jeans, his backpack left by his side unconsciously left zipped open.

I sighed, scratching the back of my head as I looked towards both ends of the hallway, seeing nobody walking nearby before I looked back at Rumble, shaking my head in sadness. "Just one death... and all this negativity at our school just skyrocketed ... It's just... holy crap..." 

"Yeah... But, are you okay though?"

That sudden question made me jump in place as I wore a very surprised look and glanced towards Rumble. I shook my head, my messy brown hair shaking loose as well, as I again looked at Rumble, coughing a little. "I... have no idea what you're talking about, dude..."

Rumble just sighed, looking back at the broken state our third friend was in as he just crossed his arms, his eyes downcast towards Pipsqueak. "Look at him. Just a few days ago, he was as happy as you were getting a new game for your birthday... But now, well..."

I glanced towards Pipsqueak and took in what I'd seen before looking back at Rumble with a scratch on my head and sighed sadly. "Yeah... No crapping it now... I'm infected with the depressed infection as well... You've got everyone figured out, great job." I gave out a weak humorous laugh as I slowly slid down the wall into a sitting position, sighing sadly as I rested my head against the wall, looking up at the ceiling with my eyes closed.

I could hear Rumble sitting down next to me, giving me time to calm myself down. A couple of minutes later, I finally looked back at Rumble with a sad sigh. "It's just... gosh, only Apple Bloom could understand what I'm facing through right now..."

"Err... what do you mean, Button? Is there something I'm not getting at?" Rumble quickly asked, tilting his head to express his confusion even more.

I shook my head quickly as I glanced over to Pipsqueak, who still hasn't moved an inch from where he slid down at before I looked back at Rumble. "Apple Bloom and I... we had a common bond only the two of us had... And now that she's gone, who's gonna be my player two...? Who's gonna be my partner...?"

Rumble widened his eyes and opened his mouth to reply back to my statement before I managed to shush him first, shaking my head. "No, I'm not secretly dating her. My only true love is my Sweetie Belle, no one can change that. I'm just saying 'player two' and 'partner' as a metaphor for 'close friend who shares a common thing'."

Rumble raised an eyebrow, scratching his head as he tries to think for a while before giving up, letting out a sigh. "Care to tell me what this 'Common Bond' you two had?"

I leaned back against the wall again as I placed my arms against my knee, resting my head on my arms whilst I looked back at Rumble's confused face, letting out a sigh of my own. "Both Apple Bloom and I didn't have any friends during our freshman years... We were probably invisible to other students too back then..." 

Rumble looked up at the ceiling, diving deep into his mind for a couple of moments before tilting his head in confusion, looking back down at me. "What? I thought you and Apple Bloom registered late for freshman year and had to skip a year. Are you sure you're not just messing with me?"

I grumbled, looking away from Rumble as I looked to my left, down the empty hall of the school, pouting a little. "You all don't even remember... We were both pretty quiet, never did we get noticed by all of you... Well, not until the second year, when you and Pip asked me to join your table at recess, and probably the same for Apple Bloom when Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo asked her the same question too." I glanced towards Pipsqueak and noticed that he too was listening intently by the way his body posture was now straight and he had stopped sobbing loudly.

I snorted in amusement as I remembered, back in my old life as John Rooke, that the same situation had happened as well back in high school. "I even remembered that I used to hum and sing a song that I made up just for fun... I think it goes like this..."

Suddenly, the music of an upbeat lively song started playing in the background as I got ready to sing the old song I had always sung back when I was ignored as a teenage John Rooke in my old high school.

My school life's a big bust,
trying hard to just fit in!
Why can't I just roll,
then maybe I could finally win!
The big mistake is me,
I think I'd belong in a bin!
Just trying hard to impress the girls,
or am I just making a fool out of me?

Is it so hard to be just normal~?
All that I'm asking for are some mates~!
So why can't I stop being abnormal?
Maybe I could start slamming on the brakes~?

Just fit in, just fit in!
Is it too much for my sake?
Just fake it, just fake it!
Or not I'll just fade~!
Just wanted some friends that I could make~!
Before I die, drowning myself in a lake~!

Rumble suddenly gripped my shoulders, causing me to look back at a worried look from my grey-skinned friend. "Wait, you were thinking of suicide!?"

I shrugged nonchalantly as I snorted again, shaking my head in amusement. "I was a kid back then, dude. I could've been kidding, but who knows? That was a long time ago. But, anyway..."

I walk the halls of my school,
unheard by everyone~
I stare at the nerdy couple,
or the jock and his miss perfect one~!
I waved, I weaved and I spoke,
but I never stepped out of the sun~
Will everyone forget who I am,
or will I be found by someone?

Is it so hard to be just normal~?
All that I'm asking for are some mates~!
So why can't I stop being abnormal?
Maybe I could start slamming on the brakes~?

Just fit in, just fit in!
Is it too much for my sake?
Just fake it, just fake it!
Or not I'll just fade~!
Just wanted some friends that I could make~!
Before I die, drowning myself in a lake...

Just fit in, just fit in...
Is it too much for my sake...?
Just fake it, just fake it...
Or not I'll just fade...
Just fit in, just fit in...
Is it too much for my sake...?
Just fake it, just fake it...
Oh, wait, I've already faded...

I shook my head, sighing as I looked away again, frowning as I rested my head against my hand, supporting it up. "And now, well... with Apple Bloom gone, I don't know what to do now... Now I'm just half of a pair that's missing its other half..."

The hall went silent, Pip and Rumble probably thinking what the hell they should do to cheer me up. I shook my head again, hiding my face behind my arms as I sighed. 

I mean, there’s that other common thing we both shared... That we never belonged here in the first place... But they’d never understand if I told them the truth, and they’ll probably kick me away from the group if I did tell... Uggh crap, this is just annoying... 

Suddenly, I could feel two hands grabbing hold of my shoulders from behind, causing me to look back up at the owners of those hands. Both Pipsqueak and Rumble’s eyes met up with mine, a sad hopeful smile on their faces as they knelt down, making me turn my body facing towards them, uncovering my face from behind my arms.

“Well... It won’t mean much, but we’re still here Button... I might’ve lost my girlfriend, but it’s certain that Apple Bloom meant as much for you as for me. So, I know what you’re feeling right now...” Pipsqueak spoke up, patting me on the shoulders as he nodded, before smiling sheepishly, scratching his head. “And... I’m sorry that I tried to choke you out earlier... You really had me at a bad time...”

The edges of my mouth lifted up at Pipsqueak’s apology before I cracked out a snort, nudging him softly against his shoulders, making both of them stare at me with confused expressions on their faces. 

“Are you fucking serious? I was perfectly fine earlier! You didn’t even leave a scratch on me, Pip.” I said in an amused tone, crossing my arms as I rested my head on the locker I was sitting against, a sly smirk now worn on my face as my features brightened up for the first time today.

Both Rumble and Pipsqueak looked back at each other before looking back at me, crossing their arms as they themselves sat down as well, chuckling a little at my shift in demeanour. "You sure about that, Button? I thought you were yelling out for help or something earlier, and here you are, bragging as though you didn't need my help? Well, I'll just keep that in my thoughts for later on then." Rumble said in a sarcastic way, rolling his eyes in amusement as Pipsqueak fixes his backpack, slinging it on his right shoulder before looking back at me with a smirk as well.

"Yeah, I'll choke you out much stronger if I get the chance. Thanks for the reminder." 

All three of us stared against one another in complete silence for a couple of moments before we all broke down laughing, all three of us lying down against the floor. Slowly, one by one, we all calmed ourselves and sat back up, facing against each other with a small but happy smile on our faces. "Thanks for this, guys. I guess I really needed it, after all the stress I've been getting today." I thanked them with a now-cheerful tone decorating my voice as I looked towards both Rumble and Pipsqueak, who were probably feeling the same way as I am right now.

"Hey, what are friends for, am I right?" Rumble spoke up, slinging his backpack as well before bringing forward his right hand, which is balled into a fist. "Friends?"

Almost immediately, Pipsqueak's white hand, balled into fists too, joined Rumble's hand in the middle with a happy smile sporting his face too. "Definitely friends. I really owed everything to you all for today."

Both of them glanced towards me, signalling me to join in with them, their features looking slightly brighter and better than before. I snorted in amusement, rolling my eyes, before I balled my hands into fists and joined the pile of fists, smiling cheerfully for the first time today. "Friends. One-hundred-percent."