//------------------------------// // Prologue: The Wounds Run Deep // Story: The Music of Betrayal // by Echo Breeze //------------------------------// 'It still hurts like shit when I do this, but damn I feel better afterward' Sunset thought to herself as she drew the blade across the exposed flesh of her wrist. 'I genuinely thought that the girls care for me, but now I see that I am just a charity case thrust upon them by Princess Twilight that they can abuse as they see fit.' By now, fresh, hot tears were running tracks down her cheeks. She had just run straight from the band room where the Rainbooms were practicing and come straight to the now familiar bathroom on the third floor of the school. __________________________________________ 'Something is wrong, I can feel it.' I thought to myself as I watched Sunset turn and walk out of the band room. I took out my phone and sent her a text. Hey Sunny, where'd you go? I saw you walk in and then walk out again with tears in your eyes. Are you alright? Fluttershy. After five minutes, there still wasn't a reply, so naturally, I started to worry. "Hey girls, you don't mind if I quickly nip off to the ladies' room, do you?" I asked them in general. "Oh, of course, Fluttershy darling. Just hurry back." Rarity replied, not really looking at me. The other girls just gave a noncommittal grunt in assent. So I just got up and walked out. It wasn't hard to figure out where she headed. It was a place that I frequently ran to, just to get away from all the hurtful comments that she had once levelled my way. I got to the third floor and made my way over to the door of the ladies toilet that is seldom used. As I got to the door, I could hear quiet sobbing coming from inside. __________________________________________ I had just tucked my pocket knife back in the inner pocket of my leather jacket that I had gotten back from Rarity a few months ago after staunching the blood i drew from my forearms with it. I got up and locked myself in the stall farthest from the door. I checked my phone again. It was five minutes after I got the text from Fluttershy asking if I was alright. I still didn't feel like answering. I heard the door to the bathroom open and hurriedly got up onto the seat and held my breath. "Sunset, I know you're in here. It's okay to come out." said the person who sounded exactly like Fluttershy. Just my luck that she would worry enough to come looking for me when I didn't reply to her text. "Go away, Fluttershy. I want to be alone right now." I replied halfheartedly. "No. You need help. I've been there." Fluttershy said. All her shyness gone, replaced with a hard set determination. I got up and paced angrily over to the door. "You haven't been to this point!" I said angrily as I ripped the sleeves of my jacket up to reveal several scars, all in various stages of healing, as well as three new ones that had started bleeding again with the aggravation of ripping my sleeves up my arm. "Oh my goodness, Sunset. I had no idea you were this far…" Fluttershy said as she made to lift her own sleeve. __________________________________________ "I wonder what is keeping Fluttershy. She is taking an awfully long time to get back." Rarity said as she put her keytar away in it's protective case. "Yeah, ah'm pretty sure she should be back by now." I said as I put my bass back in it's case. Suddenly, all our phones went off at the same time. To: Applejack; Rainbow Dash; Rarity and Pinkie Pie. From: Fluttershy Friendship SOS. Third floor bathroom. Best come in one at a time. 'What the hay could that be abou- SUNSET. What has the girl done now. Surely she didn't do something stupid. God, I shoulda done more.' "Girls, ah think we should head on over there and see what's goin' on." I said as I ran to the door. I ran as quick as I could, not caring if the others were following or not. I saw Dash out of the corner of my eye with a worried look on her face. 'Good. She's made the connection too. Hope we get there on time.' I thought as I put on another burst of speed. Dash maintained her pace with mine until we got to the stairs to the third floor. She dashed ahead of me and burst through the door. What we saw there was gut wrenching to say the least. __________________________________________ I burst through the door, hoping to not find a brutal scene awaiting me, but what I saw was a whole lot worse. Sprawled out on the floor, sobbing while being wrapped in a tight embrace from Fluttershy, was Sunset, the strongest girl we've ever known. The worst part wasn't that she was crying, it was the fact that her arms were cut and bleeding. "Oh thank goodness you guys are here, Dashie, AJ. I believe I have done all I can here. She needs time and good friends to help her pick up the pieces." Fluttershy said as she heard me walk closer to them. "It's okay, Flutters. You couldn't have done more. She just needs time, like you did." I said. Almost in tears myself. Here was the strongest I knew, on the floor, unable to get her composure back. I could see that AJ was struggling with the same thing I was. "Th-thank you F-Fluttershy. I-I was f-feeling worthless b-before you f-found me. I j-just hope that I w-wasn't the one who c-caused you to do th-that to yourself." Sunset sobbed as she regained her composure. "Oh no. This was from when Dash and I were in junior high. A couple of bullies pushed me to this, and if it wasn't for her, I wouldn't be here now." Fluttershy said matter-of-factly, causing Sunset, Applejack, Rarity and Pinkie to gasp in unison and look at me. "It's all true. I got into a lot of fights protecting her from them, spent a lot of nights with her or on the phone with her consoling her. I don't take credit for saving her though, she was strong enough to pull out of it on her own." I said, heat creeping up into my cheeks.