Wallflower Blush found herself just outside of her home's living room. A sense of dread filled her, and each step forward only made it worse!
What was she getting herself into?
Wallflower swallowed as she felt a chill down her spine. Something told her that she should turn back. That she was at great risk.
Yet at the same time, something else was telling Wallflower that she should move forward. That whatever was going to happen in there was meant to happen.
That she was going to get what she deserved.
Wallflower slowly and cautiously entered the living room, and all lights suddenly turned off. She yelped at the abruptness, then stumbled around blindly.
Wallflower hated being in the dark. It was terrifying. She began to hyperventilate and sweat. She took her phone out of her pocket as she shook with fear.
"Wallflower," a voice said.
Wallflower yelped and dropped her phone causing it to fall into the darkness and out of her sight.
"Crap," Wallflower muttered.
The lights suddenly turned back on and Wallflower cried out in pain, shielding her eyes.
"Wallflower," a familiar voice called out.
Wallflower uncovered her eyes to see her parents sitting on the couch.
Erica and Palette loomed over Wallflower, who felt very small at the moment.
Palette tented his hands. "Wallflower," he said in a rare solemn tone. "Why did you do it?"
Wallflower froze up in fear. As badly as she wanted to speak, she couldn't!
Erica fixed a disappointed gaze at Wallflower, who could only let out a whimper at the look on her mother's face.
"Wallflower, answer your father," Erica said in an uneven tone.
Sweat began to form on Wallflower's forehead. She was too afraid and ashamed of herself to even speak!
"Answer me, dammit!"
Wallflower jumped and yelped, then shrunk in size.
"I... I-I..."
Palette seethed with fury. "What were you thinking, Wallflower Blush? Sending a whole mob against someone who was trying to change their ways just because you couldn't get over what happened in the past!"
Wallflower felt frustration. "You don't understand! She-"
"No, Wallflower, you don't understand. You saw how broken Sunset was. You could have stopped it before it got worse. But you didn't."
Wallflower remained silent.
"Oh, my little sprout," Erica said softly.
Wallflower blanched when she saw the tears in her mother's eyes.
"How could you have done something so... so cruel?"
Wallflower covered her mouth in shock. She had never seen Erica cry before!
"W-We raised you to be better than that. I... I'm so disappointed with you."
Wallflower's heart shattered into pieces, rendered speechless. It took her a great deal of strength to find her ability to speak.
"M... Mom... I..."
Erica sniffled, and Wallflower felt a lump in her throat.
"Go to your room, Wallflower," Palette said in an unnervingly even tone.
Wallflower stood still, staring at Erica in shock.
"I said go to your room," Palette shouted.
Wallflower jumped, and Erica burst into tears.
Wallflower froze for a moment, then slowly walked towards the stairs to her room as Erica's sobs echoed throughout the halls.
Wallflower felt tears roll down her cheek as she ascended the stairs. She could barely bring herself to move, but she had to! The sounds of Erica's crying was shattering her soul!
Wallflower was inches away from her bedroom door when her mother let out a wail, causing her to collapse into tears of her own.
Wallflower entered her room and closed the door, then slid down it and hugged herself. "I... I-I'm sorry," she said between sobs. "I-I'm so sorry!"
At the moment, it didn't matter to Wallflower that Erica couldn't hear her. It mattered that she was remorseful, and she had to apologize regardless of who or what heard her.
Wallflower covered her ears. "Make it stop," she whimpered.
"If you only knew how many times I said that earlier today," a familiar voice said, just barely audible over Erica's crying.
Wallflower looked up to see Sunset Shimmer, glowering in fury.
Wallflower blinked in surprise as her tears continued to fall.
"Sunset... please make it stop," Wallflower pleaded.
Sunset shook her head. "Not even if I wanted to... and I don't."
"What?! Why?"
Sunset's glare intensified. "Do you really have to ask? After everything you put me through?"
"How did you survive this?!"
"I'm not going to give you the satisfaction of an answer," Sunset said as she began to levitate.
"Please, I'm begging you!"
"I begged too," Sunset roared. "But you know what?" She became enveloped in a tornado of fire, then emerged as her demon self. "It didn't stop. Even with the help of my friends." She grinned maliciously. "So I'm just going to leave you here with your parents."
"Sunset, please!"
Sunset disappeared, and Erica wailed again.
"Oh god... "
Wallflower covered her ears, but Erica's crying was still audible.
Wallflower whimpered in desperation. She had to flee from the noise! It was driving her mad with guilt!
Wallflower ran to her window and opened it, then climbed out. Once on the ground, she ran. She ran fast and far, but no matter where she went, Erica's crying followed her.
Wallflower knew she was engaged in a war of attrition. A war she was losing fast and hard. Another wail from Erica chipped at what little resolve she had left.
Wallflower had slowed to a crawl, her mobility only affected by her immense guilt. Erica's crying had not stopped, and no help was coming her way.
Wallflower whimpered again, desperate to find some sort of solace. She dragged herself to a nearby edge.
This is the only way, Wallflower thought. Her suffering would finally end. She would at last be free!
Wallflower crawled over the edge, and fell. She fell until she felt a pair of arms grab her, and she began to rise.
Wallflower looked up to see Sunset's demon self. If she had any energy left in her, she would have screamed in despair.
"You're not getting off that easily!"
With all hope lost, Wallflower Blush went limp as Sunset's demon self carried her back to the living room.
"I'm so very disappointed in you, my little sprout..."
Those words were the final blow for Wallflower, who felt every fiber of her being shut down.
Wallflower Blush woke up, then ran to the bathroom as a massive wave of guilt and anxiety clutched her stomach hard.