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// Epilogue: Slipping 
// Story: Falling Petals 
// by BronyWriter 
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It was five hours before anybody managed to locate Cheerilee. A search party had been organized about an hour after she had run off. They had split into groups of five, each searching a different section of Ponyville. It was the group led by Twilight that eventually located her in the outskirts of the Everfree Forest. She was leaning against a tree, shivering like it was ten below. The only words that anypony managed to get out of her were 'I failed them.' She repeated them like it was the most important mantra she knew. 

Twilight carried her back to Ponyville on her back and led her into her cottage. Throughout the entire trip, Cheerilee never lost the blank stare that had been plastered on her face the entire time. When Twilight put her in bed, Cheerilee curled up into a ball and began stroking her tail, still repeating that she had somehow failed her students. 

Twilight had sent the rest of them off and had promised to keep an eye on Cheerilee for the night. She set up a small mattress not far from the bed and sat on it, her eyes never leaving the shivering form in front of her. She slowly reached a hoof out to Cheerilee and gently stroked her mane. "It's okay, Cheerilee. You're safe."

"I failed them. I yelled at them. I made them sad."

"You didn't, Cheerilee," Twilight insisted. "They love you."

"I failed them. They don't trust me anymore. I'm a terrible teacher."

"Cheerilee, that's not true! They adore you!"

"I failed them!"

"Cheerilee--"

"I failed them!" 

"Chee--"

"I FAILED THEM!"