//------------------------------//
// Chapter Two: Bump in the Road [Edits Made] 
// Story: Fractured Mind 
// by PoneStudios 
//------------------------------//

"We have an announcement about Peony Stem as requested by her family."
That’s Daisy Petal's sister. What happened?
"She, unfortunately, has been found dead in the Everfree forest."
Buttercup's eyes widened. She’s dead? Oh no...
"Miss Gardenia would like to speak now."
Daisy Petal's mother came up and began speaking. "There will be a closed-casket funeral on Friday, for those who want to come. She's-- The guards said she was too mangled to recover."
Too mangled to recover…? Oh, no… Scarlet's warning…! This is what she…
Buttercup shivered and turned around, heading back home, away from the guard. She couldn't go to work today, not after she'd just discovered-- Buttercup felt sick. She felt really, really sick. Scarlet had killed an innocent pony. Buttercup shivered as she walked, barely managing not to vomit.
I really should be used to this by now… She held a hoof up to her mouth, trying to hurry so she wouldn’t throw up outside.
Yes, you should, shouldn't you? Scarlet's voice came out of nowhere, and Buttercup held in a growl.
Scarlet! So this is what you meant.
Mm, yes, darling, it is. Congratulations! You've actually figured it out for once.
Peony Stem is...
Dead, yes, darling. And it's because of us. Isn't it wonderful?
Buttercup wanted to argue, she did. She wanted to say that she hadn't done it, that it was all Scarlet. It was her plan to kill her. But she knew Scarlet was right.


After all, she had created Scarlet, hadn't she?


Buttercup whimpered and hurried home, tears building up in her eyes. She yanked the door open and went inside, bolting down the hall to her room, where she kept a bucket because she knew this would've happened eventually. As soon as she got in the room, her will to hold the bile in relented and she vomited into the bucket, groaning and let her head fall into her hooves as she broke down into guilt-ridden sobs.
I did this...
"Buttercup? I'm home!" She heard her sister call from the front door.
Oh, no... Sunset's here! What if she sees me like this!?
Buttercup shivered and dragged herself into the closet, closing the door behind her. She couldn't let Sunset know about this, couldn't let her come in and discover that she was just a killer.
Buttercup shook her head and continued to cry, trying to forget what she'd done.
"Buttercup? Are you alright?" Her sister sounded closer this time. Buttercup shoved a hoof into her mouth in an effort to silence herself so Sunset wouldn't know, but the hiccups and gasps just kept coming and the tears still flowed down her face. She had to think of something - anything - to save herself. Sunset was coming closer, she had to think of something to say, something to explain why she was crying. Something to save her own life…
What was she going to do?
Buttercup froze when she heard the door to her room opening. "Buttercup? Are you in here? You sound upset…"
Oh, no...
"Buttercup? I know you're here, come on out," she heard her sister say, knowing it was the end. There was no way out.
"I…" Her voice was still shaky. "I'm here…"
Buttercup heard her sister sigh, moving about for a moment before the closet door was opened. Buttercup looked up at her, forcing a smile as tears once again filled her eyes.
Sunset looked at her. "What's wrong?"
Buttercup's eyes darted around nervously as she tried to think of a good excuse. "I'm… I'm fine. I just didn't sleep well last night is all." She coughed and looked at her sister.
Sunset didn't believe that. "Buttercup, don't lie to me. I know when you're upset."
Buttercup bit her lip, her ears folding back and eyes darting to the ground. She couldn't tell her about Peony Stem. She couldn't tell Sunset about how Scarlet had killed another innocent pony. She couldn't tell her she was a murderer. She couldn't.
There had to be something she would believe. "I… you heard about Peony Stem, right? How she disappeared?"
"Mhm. Her mother told me that was why she didn't make it to yesterday's appointment."
"They-- They found her… in pieces." She gulped, her voice shaking. "I-- ...ohhhhh…"
Buttercup broke down into tears. Just the thought of what Scarlet had done to Peony made her feel sick and guilty on the inside. Sunset brought Buttercup into her embrace, holding her gently and shushing her. "Shhh, it's alright, it's alright, it's alright…" Buttercup gulped and cried for a few minutes before running out of tears. She looked up at her sister.
"I'm sorry…" She whimpered as tears fell from her eyes.
Sunset looked at her, stroking her mane and holding her tight. "Shh, it's alright, you don't need to be sorry for this. You're upset, and that's alright, I promise." Buttercup cried for a little longer, holding on to her sister for dear life.
Then, she wiped her eyes and looked back up at her. "I… I really love you, sis." She gave a weak smile.
"I love you too, Buttercup." She nuzzled her head into her sister's warm neck. After a few minutes of silence, she looked up at her.
"Hey, Sunset?"
"Yes?"
"I…" Buttercup paused, unsure. "If I… if I did something… bad, would you still love me?"
Sunset looked at her, confusion written on her face. "Of course."
"No, I mean, would you love me if I killed someone? If I was a murderer?"
Sunset looked at her for a moment, processing. "…Are you?" She finally asked. Buttercup frantically shook her head, squinting her eyes shut and whimpering when Scarlet made her presence known to Buttercup.
"No, no, no, no…" Buttercup buried her face in Sunset's fur. I... I'm sorry, Scarlet, I know I shouldn't push it...
Sunset held Buttercup tighter. "Of course I would still love you. You're my sister. I'd be very upset with you, but… I'd still love you."
Tears filled Buttercup's eyes once again. She looked up at her sister, the love they had for each other clear as day. I'd do anything not to hurt you, Sunset. "…Thanks."
Buttercup felt a hoof cup her cheek, turning her head slightly.
"You're welcome, love."
Sunset smiled at Buttercup, before standing and heading towards the door to Buttercup's room. "I need to work on closing Peony's patient file." She said as she headed out of the room. "If you need me, I'll be in the dining room."
Buttercup nodded. "Alright. I'll just be in here for a while." She watched Sunset leave, waited for the door to close, and then collapsed on the ground, burying her face in her hooves and letting out a shuddering sob.
Scarlet... Scarlet, why? Why are you doing this? What joy do you get from this?
You know, partner, I would tell you, but that would be spoiling the fun, wouldn't it?
FOR FAUST’S SAKE, JUST-- JUST TELL ME! WHY DO YOU DO THIS TO ME!? Why do you kill ponies!? Is this FUN for you!? Do you ENJOY THIS!?
A heavy silence rang through Buttercup's mind as she took in heaving breaths, and then Scarlet's reply cut through her calm.
Really, darling, you ought to know by now… Buttercup felt the mental leash tightening around her, rendering her immobile and unable to even think. There's no good in snapping at me. It only makes me angry, after all. And you really, really wouldn't want me upset, now would you? Imagine… just a slip of the tongue and I could kill your dear older sister. Would you want that on your conscience?
Buttercup felt her blood run cold as she silently shook her head.
Good. Then you'd do well to remember this. Do not test me, partner. I can make your life miserable, remember that.
The mental leash tightened even more, and a choking noise came from Buttercup's mouth. Still, she nodded, not willing to risk Sunset's safety. She'd do anything to make sure her sister was safe. Anything.
"Please let Sunset stay safe..." She mouthed silently with her eyes squinted shut.
Another tightening of the mental leash and the prayers that she mouthed were barely audible as they shook from her mind.
Good girl.
Buttercup whimpered, her bottom lip quivering as the words resonated through her mind. The choking feeling slowly faded away as her mind adjusted to the lack of pressure on it, and she panted, shaking still gripping her.
"Please… god… I can't..." She quietly whispered in between her heavy breathing. "I... I can't..."
Her words were cut off as she choked on her own twisted dread. Tears streamed down her face as she trembled, struggling to breathe, shivering as her whole body tensed up.
I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…
It took a moment for her trembling to slowly release its grip. Buttercup wiped the tears from her eyes, breathing out shakily as she looked down at her hooves. She lifted them up to her eyes, rubbing them as she squinted her eyes shut. Her breathing finally slowing down to a more manageable pace, she felt the tears subside.
A sickly sort of regret twisted inside her, and she had to resist the urge to vomit again.
Why do you regret this, partner?
She didn't want to think anymore. She didn't want to feel. Her mind felt like mush. She didn't want to think anymore…
With a quiet little sigh that was choked up with remorse, she stood up and trudged over to her bed, laying down on it and burying her face in her forelegs. There, once she had the covers safely over her and the curtains closed, she forcefully shut out Scarlet's thoughts as well as her own, trying to get some peaceful rest for once.
It didn't come naturally to her, but as she lay there she did feel a faint sense of relief wash over her.
Sunset was alive.
Sunset was still alive.
Sunset, at least for now, was safe.
And that made her feel a little better.
A few minutes later, she stood up.
She pulled the sleeves of her hoodie down to cover her forelegs fully (They had slid up her forelegs while she had tossed and turned) and went into the dining room to talk to Sunset. 
"Think I'm going to call in sick at work," She mumbled to her sister. Her mouth felt like sand, but she forced herself to speak. She couldn't let anypony get suspicious.
Scarlet would get angry if she let anypony know about her. She might hurt them, or worse...
Sunset looked up at Buttercup, smiling a little and nodding. "I think that would be a good idea under the circumstances." She looked at Buttercup more closely, and her face turned sympathetic when she saw the remnants of tears. "I'm sorry about what happened with Peony. She was a friend to both of us, but you more than me."
"It's… not… your fault." The words came slowly and hesitantly, and Buttercup felt her entire body just aching with repressed grief and remorse.
"Buttercup…"
"No… it's okay. I'm fine…" She took a deep breath and exhaled shakily. Her forelegs were burning… A pain she remembered well. "I just… can't believe it… Peony is… is gone… Just…" A slight tremor of despair leaked into Buttercup's voice, and she fought not to cry, holding her body stock still so she couldn't even shiver.
Sunset put a hoof on Buttercup's shoulder, her face looking a mixture of worry, sadness, and pity. She looked at her younger sister, putting a foreleg around the rose unicorn's neck and nuzzling her a little. "It'll be alright, sis, I promise you."
But… it's… my fault she's dead…
Buttercup forced herself to nod and smile weakly, but her face paled just a little as fractured memories of Peony's death came to the forefront of her mind.
Thought you ought to know how I killed her, partner.
A memory forced its way into Buttercup's thoughts and she shivered as she remembered watching from somewhere locked deep inside their mind as Scarlet did the terrible deed.
Peony looked up at us when we… she looked so terrified… and I couldn't… I just did it… and I enjoyed it… I-- we enjoyed watching her bleed…
Yes, partner, we did. She begged us to stop, and yet you still… Scarlet's gleeful laughter could be heard from the back of Buttercup's mind.
The memory faded away, and with it the feelings that accompanied it. The guilt, the rage, the sorrow. All of it gone, replaced by the numbness she felt whenever she thought about it.
I... you made me...? You made me kill...?
No, you wanted to kill. You enjoyed killing. That's why you killed her...
Buttercup shook her head. No, I'm not like that, I... I don't want to kill anypony...
No, you're not, which, quite frankly, I can't understand. No, you didn't kill her... we BOTH did.
Buttercup's head sank down, and her mane slumped limply forward as her muscles and ears sagged. The numbness had taken hold, and she was left with thoughts that weren't hers.
We both killed her, partner... But you were the one to give the final blow.
Buttercup felt herself shaking, and she clenched her jaw tightly. No, I didn't! I didn't do that! You did! I... I was just watching you...
Oh, I assure you, darling, you're the one who gave the killing slash. Oh, we had so much fun with her, didn't we? Such a screamer, that mare. Or, well. She was. I think all of her throat was cut.
The memory of the blood-tinged horror that was Peony's final moments flooded into Buttercup's mind and she almost couldn't stand it. I... I didn't want to do it...
Buttercup was shaken out of her thoughts by the touching of a hoof to her shoulder. "Buttercup?" Sunset asked. "Buttercup? Are you alright? What's wrong?"
At the touch, Buttercup went still, her body trembling as she fought back a powerful sense of guilt, and rage. She breathed heavily, her mind awash with thoughts that weren't her own.
In the moment, all she wanted to do was lash out at her deranged other half, but a tug on the mental leash reminded her of the precarious position she was in.
One wrong move, partner, and Sunset could die...
With that reminder at the forefront of her mind, Buttercup forced herself together, shoved her rage and her guilt down deep inside her, and looked down at the floor blankly. "I'm... I'm fine..." Buttercup mumbled numbly. It took all of her focus just to keep the rage from leaking into her voice.
"Are you?"
"Yes. Just… Just a very… vivid dream."
"Do you want to talk about it?"
Buttercup didn’t answer.
Sunset raised an eyebrow. "Buttercup?"
Sunset gently tapped Buttercup's shoulder. "Buttercup, please. Talk to me."
Buttercup heard but didn't listen to Sunset's worried plea. She could feel Scarlet twisting around in the back of her head, watching her every move and preparing to take control if Buttercup even gave the tiniest hint that something was wrong.
"Buttercup!"
The voice of reason quieted the noise in her head, if only for a moment, and she found herself leaning into Sunset, holding onto her older sister and fighting back tears.
Sunset looked at Buttercup, worry and sorrow on her face. "Buttercup, what's wrong?" Sunset asked her. "I know you're upset about Peony's death, but this...? This is..."
"I'm fine..." Buttercup mumbled into Sunset's fur.
"No, you're not. Talk to me, Buttercup."
"I... I can't. I'm sorry."
"Buttercup, please!"
Buttercup didn't say anything, but she whimpered a little and buried her face in Sunset's fur. 
Sunset nuzzled Buttercup, pulling her up against her side and speaking again. "Buttercup, please. I know you. You get very upset when someone dies, yes, and especially from unnatural causes, but not like this. There's something else bothering you, and I would like to know what, if you're willing to tell me."
"I..." A sob came from Buttercup. She buried her head in the softest parts of her older sister's chest, not wanting to look into her face any longer. Her eyes watered up and she felt hot tears streaming down her face. "I... I..."
"Hey. Shhhh. It's alright, little sister. Please, tell me what's wrong."
Buttercup had no words. She just kept on crying for the longest time and wouldn't stop.
"I..." She started to say, before the words caught in her throat and wouldn't let go.
Sunset waited a moment for the words to come. When they didn't, she began gently walking Buttercup towards the living room, nuzzling her on the forehead and smiling at her. "Let's sit down on the couch and talk, huh? Let's just take a breath and then we can talk. Is that alright?"
Buttercup nodded and let Sunset gently guide her to the couch. The sisters sat down together, and Sunset rubbed Buttercup's back slowly to calm her. "Alright, love, just breathe for me. In and out slowly, okay?"
Buttercup did as she was told, her breathing becoming more regular and calmer. She gradually began to calm down, her body's trembling slowing and then stopping altogether.
Sunset gazed into her eyes. "You know, you can tell me anything, you know that don't you?"
Buttercup looked down to her lap, the words catching in her throat again.
You can't tell anyone, partner, not even her. She'd hate you... not to mention all the lovely things I could do to her if you say a word...
"Yeah, I... I know..." Buttercup's voice was raspy and croaky from crying, but understandable. "I just... I'm not ready to tell you... I... I'm sorry..."
"Hey." Sunset put her hoof on the side of Buttercup's face. "You can tell me anything, hon. You know that, right?"
A small nod. "I... I know."
Sunset smiled a little. "Okay. You're not ready. How about we give it a while then? Give you some time to process?"
Buttercup nodded, looking down at the ground, avoiding eye contact with her sister. In the back of her head, she felt Scarlet's presence seeming to calm. The purring feeling of satisfaction sent a chill through her, and she bit her lip.
Good job, partner, Buttercup heard Scarlet say. You've managed to buy us a few days. Do that again, and I may reward you.
Buttercup nodded, albeit weakly.
Sunset placed a hoof on her sister's shoulder. "It'll be okay, Buttercup. It'll be alright."
The sisters sat in silence after that, Buttercup staring blankly at the carpeted floor and Sunset sitting next to her, gently rubbing her back to comfort her.
It was then, a few minutes into the heavy silence, that there was a knock on the front door of the house.
"Hello? Buttercup? Are you there?"
Buttercup felt her ears twitching when she heard the familiar voice.
"It's me! Lavender! Are you home?"
Sunset's ears perked up at the same time as Buttercup's folded back.
"I'll get the door, alright?" Sunset stood up.
Buttercup nodded and watched cautiously from the couch as Sunset went to the front door to greet Lavender.
"Hey, Lavender! What's up?" Sunset smiled a little at Lavender as she opened the door.
Lavender smiled back at Sunset. "Hey, Sunset. Is Buttercup here?"
Sunset nodded. "Yes, she's here."
"Can I talk to her?"
Sunset nodded, smiling more now.  "Yeah. Come in, come in! She’s just in the living room."
The front door opened, and Lavender walked in. Lavender looked at Buttercup and smiled. "Buttercup, there you are! Are you alright? I got worried when you didn't walk with me to work today."
Buttercup nodded a little, still looking down at the floor. "S-sorry, Lavender, I just... Peony's death hit me kind of hard, so..."
Lavender sat down on the couch next to Buttercup, looking at her sorrowfully. "You heard about that?"
Buttercup nodded. "Yeah. I saw the guards announced that they'd found her on my way to meet you this morning. They said the funeral was going to be closed-casket, so..."
"Oh, no... they didn't find her like...?"
Buttercup nodded a little, feeling her face pale. "They said she was... s-she was mangled..."
Lavender looked at Buttercup, her face grim and sympathetic. "I'm so sorry... Now I wish I'd spent more time with her than I did..."
Buttercup nodded, her eyes going back down to stare guiltily at the ground. "Me too. I mean, I know she asked us for some distance, but... now I wish I'd been there with her..." If only I'd been strong enough to stop Scarlet...
"No, don't say that. You know she was a strong pony. It wasn't your fault, alright? Nopony ever wants to see anypony they love dead, but nopony will blame it on you."
Buttercup nodded but didn't say anything. Oh, if only that were true...
"So..." Lavender said, changing the topic. "How have you been doing? Anything interesting happen?"
Buttercup thought for a moment and then shrugged.
"Not much since yesterday," She said, numbed out by guilt and grief. "I don't really have anything interesting to tell. I'm doing okay."
Lavender nodded, smiling sadly. She looked at the hallway to the kitchen as if wanting to get up and go somewhere.
"Hey, I'm gonna be right back, alright? I need to talk to Sunset for a minute." Lavender stood up after receiving a nod from Buttercup and went out of the living room and into the kitchen, where Sunset was sitting.
Buttercup watched her go, her face written with worry and regret. She sighed, turning back to look at the ground and rubbed one foreleg with the other, her ears folding back in sorrow. "I hope Peony's alright... wherever she is..."





Lavender trotted into the kitchen, where Sunset was sitting and reading the paper, worry on her face. "Hey, Sunset?" She asked.
Sunset looked up at Lavender. "Yes, Lavender?"
"Buttercup's been acting a little weird," Lavender said as she came over to Sunset. "I mean, she seemed really broken up about Peony's death when I talked to her just now. I know she gets affected badly by the death of a friend, but this is..."
Sunset nodded. "I know, Lavender. She's acting more upset than she normally is by it. We both know how sensitive she is about deaths, especially unnatural, but this seems just a little much for her. I asked her what was wrong, but she told me she wasn't ready to tell me. I know, though, that she must've seen something really awful for her to be this upset about it. Did she tell you anything?"
Lavender shook her head. "No. She told me about Peony's death, said she wished she'd spent more time with her. She said she wished she'd been there with her, too. But... nothing else." Lavender shrugged, a confused, worried expression on her face. "It-- it almost seemed like she was holding something back... something important. The look in her eyes was just... haunted by something."
Sunset frowned, nodding slowly. "She wished she'd been there with Peony... been where?"
Lavender opened her mouth to say something, but stopped. All she did was continue frowning and sighing heavily. "I dunno, Sunset. I have no idea what's going on. But we need to talk to her about this. It's not just going to go away."
Sunset sighed, standing up. "I know we do, Lavender. But when I asked her, she just brushed me off. And if even I can't get her to tell us what's wrong..."
Lavender stood, nodding. "Alright. But we need to do something about this. I don't think I can just sit by and watch her get worse..."
Sunset shook her head. "Oh, neither can I. Buttercup's my sister, I love her. I don't think either of us could bear the heartbreak. But what can we do? She seems set on not telling us... We've tried in the past, you know."
Lavender hummed for a moment, putting a hoof to her chin, and then her eyes widened a little. "Hey, isn't Princess Twilight doing personal interviews this week?"
Sunset nodded, smiling a little now. "Yes, she is. We could sign up for one for Buttercup and find out that way!"
"That's exactly what I was thinking. If we take her to an interview, she might be able to tell us after she tells someone in private."
Sunset nodded. "Well, it's as good an attempt as any..."
Lavender nodded. "We can ask her to come with us tomorrow. I'll go with her since I know you're busy, and wait outside for her."
"Good thinking, Lavender. I'll go talk to Princess Twilight about it."
Lavender smiled then. "Alright. I'll go tell Buttercup about this."
While Lavender went back into the living room, Sunset let out a sorrowful, anxious sigh. She hoped this would work. She refused to think about what would potentially happen if it didn't.



The next day, after getting ready for the day, Buttercup looked at Lavender, who was waiting for her in the living room. "You really think this will work?"
Lavender nodded. "We hope so."
Buttercup sighed and then nodded. "Okay..." She followed Lavender towards the front door, and sighed, feeling guilt combined with desperate hope bubble in her head.
I hope this works...