Tale of a Traumatized Pegasus


                                            Story written as a continuation to this: https://archive.moe/mlp/thread/18774752/#18775156


                                            >Butterscotch awoke with a gasp, shooting up from his bed.

                                            >It was the same nightmare that had tormented him for the past two days.

                                            >The worst part about it was the fact that unlike most nightmares he had, this one actually happened.

                                            >The pale pegasus wiped away the sweat that had built up on his forehead during the bad dream.

                                            >As he looked around the dimly lit room, he saw the first rays of the sun coming through the tiny spaces in between the boards over his windows.

                                            >He sighed.

                                            >Why did this have to happen? He thought he could trust those mares! Why would they betray him like this?

                                            >They even treated it so casually! Even so far as to bet on it! Why?

                                            >Again, he sighed.

                                            >That's all it seemed he could do lately; walk around his boarded up house and sigh.

                                            >And cry.

                                            >Butterscotch couldn't even take care of his animals anymore. Whenever he'd try to even approach the exit to his cottage, he'd start getting flashbacks and go into a near panic attack.

                                            >The rays of light began to get brighter as he sat in bed, finding solace only in the silk sheets partially covering his body.

                                            >Minutes passed as he tried to get the motivation to get out of bed, until finally, a thought crossed his mind.

                                            >He didn't really do much around the house now. His lack of appetite didn't leave him with much reason to cook. There weren't any animals to take care of now, save Angel, who refused to leave. He hardly had any good reading material, or any other form of entertainment, and would often end up falling asleep on the couch anyway.

                                            >"What's the use in even getting up now..?"

                                            >With that sorrowful thought in mind, he laid back down.

                                            >As he did this, he felt a warm, gooey spot under his sheets.

                                            >Butterscotch sighed.

                                            >The meek stallion tried his best to fall back asleep, but the wet reminder of his previous dream kept him from drifting back off.

                                            >"Guess I'll have to get up anyway..."

                                            >He proceeded to climb out of his bed, and remove it's covers.

                                            >...

                                            >It didn't take long for Butterscotch to finish cleaning his sheets, around half an hour at the most.

                                            >After replacing the fresh sheets onto the bed, he climbed back in, trying to pick up where he last left off.

                                            >He gently closed his eyes, ready to drift back off into a less stressful world...

                                            >Sleep never did come, though.

                                            >Butterscotch was already too awake, there was no use in even trying now.

                                            >With another sigh, he got out of bed, and headed for the stairs.

                                            >The house was absolutely silent, aside from the creaking of the steps as he walked, and muffled sound of the stream from outside.

                                            >Once he reached the landing, he walked out into his main room, and made his way to the couch.

                                            >This was the spot he was most familiar with for the past few days.

                                            >He'd spend his time here trying to occupy his thoughts, or do other things to keep himself entertained.

                                            >That really wasn't a lot, to say the least.

                                            >Often times he'd catch himself longingly staring out the cracks in his boarded up windows, yearning to once again freely roam outside.

                                            >It would be so easy to just unlock the door, open it, and walk out.

                                            >Yet, what if he ran into what he once believed to be his friends?

                                            >What if one of them tried to pull another stunt like Pinkie?

                                            >It's funny, most stallions would love to have that happen to them.

                                            >For him however, it was embarrassing, and humiliating.

                                            >Is this what mares felt like when they got raped?

                                            >He looked down at the floor, beginning to stare at a thin beam of sunlight reflecting off of the wood.

                                            >His trance was cut short when a portion of darkness blocked out the thin line of light.

                                            >Butterscotch's vision came into focus as he trailed the dark blob with his eyes.

                                            >The shadow eventually left the area of the light, seeming to go towards his front door.

                                            >His heartbeat increased by about three times the normal speed, and he could hear the organ pumping in his chest.

                                            >His forehead grew damp with sweat, and his teeth began to chatter.

                                            >The timid pony almost jumped out of his skin when he heard the knock on his door.

                                            >"SCOOOTCHY! Are you there? I haven't seen you in days!"

                                            >It was the voice of Pinkie Pie, the same pony who had violated him a few days prior.

                                            >As fast as he could, he jumped under his couch, fearing that the mare could find a way past his weak security.

                                            >He peeked out from under the couch, only to be met with the most horrifying sight had seen in recent days.

                                            >Pinkie, in all her physics defying greatness, had squeezed both of her eyes through the bottom of his front door.

                                            >He shot back under his hiding spot as fast as he could, as not to be seen.

                                            >Pinkie's eyes extended further, now looking like a pair of white snakes as they moved in different directions to observe the room.

                                            >"Boy, it sure is dark in here! Maybe Butterscotch isn't home."

                                            >The pair of eye snakes pulled themselves out from the room. Despite his fear, Butterscotch winced as they did this, the bottom of the door was pretty rough.

                                            >"Oh well, I'll just come back later!"

                                            >Butterscotch heaved a sigh of relief, and crawled out from under the couch.

                                            >Carefully, he approached the door.

                                            >He lowered his head down and looked under the door.

                                            >Pinkie's hooves could just barely be seen hopping down the path that led away from the cottage.

                                            >The yellow pegasus fell to his rump, letting loose a breath he had been holding.

                                            >Then, a pink hoof sliding a card of some sort shot out from underneath the door, stopping right as it bumped up against his testicles.

                                            >The shock of this, combined with his previous bad experience was enough to make him pass out on the spot.

                                            >Unconsciousness gave way to lucidness in time, leaving Butterscotch's vision to fade back in.

                                            >"Nnngh... What happened..?"

                                            >He sat up, still pretty woozy from passing out.

                                            >Looking down, he spotted a piece of paper just in front of where he was sitting.

                                            >For a few seconds, he eyed it, unsure if he actually wanted to see the contents of a letter written by Pinkie Pie.

                                            >What's the harm?

                                            >It's not like she could see him read it, right?

                                            >Maybe it would make him feel better to read it, give him a reminder on how things used to be.

                                            >Or maybe it would just make him sad.

                                            >With shaking hooves, he reached out for the letter and picked it up.

                                            >With the letter unfolded, Butterscotch read the sloppy, pink handwriting.


                                            To Scotchy:


                                            Hi! It's me, Pinkie Pie! The girls and I are having a picnic today, and you're invited to come! We'll be having it at 3pm at our usual spot. I'm not sure if you're home right now, so I decided to leave this message.


                                            From: Pinkie


                                            PS: It looks like you ARE home! No clue why you're sleeping in front of the door, though. By the way, I kind of touched your private area by accident. I just thought I should tell you, but you probably won't mind anyway after what happened the other day. Maybe you'd even like to do it again sometime, hm?


                                            Seeya!

                                            Pinkie


                                            >Butterscotch's heart sunk at the last line.

                                            >It was definitely leaning towards the later right now.

                                            >Pinkie didn't even feel any remorse for what she had done, and even showed a hint at possibly doing it again!

                                            >Maybe she was just teasing? It was hard to tell in writing.

                                            >It was hard enough telling while face to face.

                                            >He brought the letter back to his couch, and sat down with another long winded sigh.

                                            >At this point, he wasn't sure he even sure if he wanted to go to that picnic.

                                            >In the past days, he found himself longing to hang out with his friends like he used to.

                                            >After this letter though, he wasn't so sure.

                                            >He could always just try avoiding Pinkie, but then there was the rest of the girls and their teasing; as well as the possibility of it escalating.

                                            >It wasn't possible for him to avoid them for long, the town was too small. If they tried to start up a conversation, he couldn't stand to claim to be avoiding them.

                                            >It was almost like Stockholm Syndrome.

                                            >A thought stuck him out of nowhere.

                                            >How did he not realize this earlier?

                                            >Butterscotch couldn't live like this forever. Eventually, he'd run out of food, and that would mean having to go out and restock.

                                            >What was he going to do? He didn't want to die like this; when it felt like the whole town was out to get him.

                                            >That last thought echoed in his mind for a few seconds.

                                            >"Hold on..."

                                            >Something was brewing in the quiet pony's mind.

                                            >"What was it that the outlaws used to do when they were in trouble..?"

                                            >Leaping off of his couch, he galloped to his bookshelf.

                                            >He scanned the bottom shelf until he found what he was looking for.

                                            >Quickly, he pulled a book out of it's spot on the shelf.

                                            >Many pages later, he finally found what he was looking for.

                                            >"That's It..."

                                            >It was time.

                                            >He really didn't want to, but it was the only thing he could think of now.

                                            >Butterscotch had to skip town.


                                            >So, this was it.

                                            >There wasn't really much of a choice, either live in fear for the rest of his life, or get out now, while he had the chance.

                                            >The day was still new, and there was plenty of time to prepare, so Butterscotch got to work.

                                            >He would have to travel lightly, having a moving carriage outside of his house would raise suspicion.

                                            >Now then, where was there to go? He hadn't really thought of that yet.

                                            >Once again looking at his shelf, Butterscotch pulled out an atlas of the world and opened up the section of all the locations of Equestria.

                                            >Manehatten was too large and loud for him. Not to mention the lack of nature.

                                            >Cloudsdale was out of the question as well, it just wasn't the same as the ground.

                                            >Las Pegasus? Too seedy.

                                            >He moved his pale hoof to his chin in contemplation.

                                            >Something on the map where his hoof once was caught his eye.

                                            >To the far north of Equestria, was a place he had been before.

                                            >In fact, it had only just recently been re-established.

                                            >Butterscotch focused intently on the location of the Crystal Empire on the map.

                                            >"It's perfect!"

                                            >It was probably the furthest away from Ponyville than any place else that he knew of, it was on the ground, and it didn't look too bad, either!

                                            >This was his chance to start over, a new life, new scenery, possibly even new friends.

                                            >He looked around his room, already feeling nostalgic.

                                            >The chair he sat on squeaked as he got up and trotted towards the window, and peeked through a crack in the wood.

                                            >Memories of his life in Ponyville flooded his mind.

                                            >He felt a tear build up in his eye, but blinked it away quickly.

                                            >No. There wasn't anything here for him anymore.

                                            >In fact, there was nothing to begin with.

                                            >Butterscotch proceeded on to prepare for the long trip ahead.

                                            >The night seemed to fall quickly as Butterscotch made his final preparations.

                                            >He went over his stuff that he had ready for when he would leave.

                                            >A few personal items, all of the bits he had laying around the house, and his train ticket to the Crystal Empire.

                                            >Thankfully, the plan he had of going to the train station to pick up a ticket while the girls had their picnic went off without a hitch.

                                            >The train would leave first thing in the morning, just the perfect time to leave before his friends would come to investigate.

                                            >Friends...

                                            >Guess he couldn't really consider them "friends" anymore.

                                            >At least, not Pinkie, Rarity, Applejack, or Rainbow Dash.

                                            >Twilight hadn't quite done anything problematic yet.

                                            >Rainbow DID mention something about her "liking" him...

                                            >Twilight might not be as bad as the others.

                                            >Butterscotch could always write to her after he left.

                                            >"..."

                                            >That was too risky.

                                            >Best to just disappear completely, nopony would probably miss him much anyways.

                                            >With the last of his things packed, he went up to his bedroom to get some sleep.

                                            >Morning came even quicker than night did, thanks to Butterscotch's impaired sense of time while asleep.

                                            >His alarm broke the peaceful morning silence with a near deafening ring.

                                            >Groggily, he sat up in bed, surprisingly not having to recover from any nightmares from the previous night's slumber.

                                            >The room was still pretty dark; the alarm had been set for a few minutes before sunrise.

                                            >If he could get out before the rest of the town woke up, then he'd be scot-free.

                                            >"Better get going..."

                                            >He moved around his house, doing all of his typical morning rituals one final time.

                                            >It took most of his willpower to avoid choking up as he took in the sights of his beloved home.

                                            >Finally, everything was done, and the only thing left for him to do was pick up his satchel, and get going.

                                            >There he stood at his front door, as he often did the past few days.

                                            >This time though, his hesitation was for a different reason.

                                            >The last times were all from fear of being found. Now it was fear of leaving everything behind.

                                            >Yesterday was his first time in days that he left, and it was hard enough then.

                                            >Butterscotch took a deep breath, closing his eyes.

                                            >With a quivering hoof, he reached out and opened the door.

                                            >Still with his eyes closed, he stepped out, and closed the door behind him for the final time.

                                            >His eyes slowly opened, letting him see the path that led away from his home, and maybe even the rest of his life.

                                            >With one last sigh, he pushed forward.

                                            >...

                                            >"Um, y-yes. I have a one way ticket for the c-crystal empire."

                                            >The ticket taker took the piece of paper from his hoof.

                                            >"Alright then, have a good ride!"

                                            >The yellow pegasus proceeded to get on the train quietly.

                                            >The train doors closed behind him, and he heard the sound of a pony calling out.

                                            >"ALL ABOARD!"

                                            >The whistle sounded out across the station, and the train began to move.

                                            >Butterscotch gloomily looked out of the window of his seat as he saw Ponyville get smaller and smaller in the distance.

                                            >The train's breaks screeched, rousing Butterscotch out of a sleep that he didn't even know he fell into.

                                            >He didn't even notice the train going through the thick snowy area that it usually traveled through.

                                            >Yawning, he looked out of the window of the train, squinting his eyes at the reflectiveness of the Crystal Empire.

                                            >This would take a bit of getting used to, but it wouldn't be too bad.

                                            >The train came to a complete stop, and after a brief wait, the doors at the front of the car opened up.

                                            >The conductor poked his head in to speak with the passengers.

                                            >"We hope that all of you here had a nice trip, and hope to have you back real soon!"

                                            >With a smile that could rival Pinkie Pie's he went back outside, allowing the passengers to exit.

                                            >Butterscotch got up, working the kinks out of his joins as the other passengers cantered down the aisle.

                                            >When everypony else had passed, he picked up his small bad, and made his way to the door.

                                            >The sun shone bright as his hoof left the last step of the train.

                                            >Even the air here was new, fresh.

                                            >This was the beginning of his new life.

                                            >...

                                            >A week had passed since Butterscotch had first arrived at the Crystal Empire.

                                            >Starting off was a bit rough; he had to stay in a hotel for the first three days.

                                            >He lucked out when he found a house that had just gone up for sale at the edge of the empire.

                                            >Everything had been going quite fine; Butterscotch had reintegrated into society quite quickly.

                                            >He was able to freely roam outside without worry, it was the greatest feeling.

                                            >Life was much happier, that was for sure.

                                            >Butterscotch recounted the events to himself as he sat in one of his new favorite restaurants in the city.

                                            >Idly, he munched on some hey that was served as a side dish to his main meal.

                                            >Not many ponies were here today.

                                            >Just the way he liked it.

                                            >It was hard to believe that only a week or so ago, he was boarded up inside of his old house.

                                            >He felt a small pang in his heart remembering his old home, but managed to get over it quickly.

                                            >His thoughts were interrupted when he heard the door to the building open behind him.

                                            >At first, he didn't pay much attention, brushing it off as just another customer.

                                            >That is, until four royal guards walked in, talking point in various parts of the eating establishment.

                                            >He turned his head to see a female alicorn, along with a white unicorn stallion who matched her in size walking through the door, along with three more guards.

                                            >Well, this was an interesting encounter.

                                            >It's not too often you randomly run into the ruler of an empire while you are out eating.

                                            >Well, he hadn't technically ran into her yet, but the statement still stood.

                                            >Princess Cadence of all ponies was here.

                                            >In all honesty, it wasn't too odd for Butterscotch; he had interacted with her quite often when he was here with his friends.

                                            >As soon as that thought crossed his mind, his jaw dropped, letting partially chewed food drop out of it.

                                            >Twilight kept in contact with Cadence quite often. Twilight knew the rest of his former friends.

                                            >If they were wondering where he was, which they probably were at the moment, Cadence could deliver word of his location.

                                            >All of his efforts would have been for naught if that happened.

                                            >He had to get out quickly.

                                            >The pink alicorn and her husband started traveling up the same aisle Butterscotch needed to use to exit.

                                            >That wasn't good.

                                            >He had to think quickly.

                                            >They were four tables away now.

                                            >He looked across his table for something, anything to help.

                                            >That's when he noticed his menu that was still there.

                                            >Faster than lightning, he brought the folded piece of plastic up to his face, keeping his identity hidden.

                                            >...

                                            >They passed.

                                            >Well, he thought so, at least. He heard hoofsteps.

                                            >He decided to keep the menu up anyway, just in ca-

                                            >"Oh, Butterscotch! How are you?"

                                            >Wait, what?!

                                            >He didn't even lower the menu!

                                            >"I thought I recognized your cutie mark!"

                                            >Sometimes biology just wasn't fair.


                                            >Butterscotch lowered his menu, finding no more need to hide.

                                            >"H-hello, Princess."

                                            >Cadence gave a light chuckle.

                                            >"I've told you before, just call me Cadence! You're a friend of Twilight's, so you're a friend of mine."

                                            >Wait, she still considered him a friend of Twilight's? Could she not have been told yet?

                                            >He nodded regardless.

                                            >"Yeah... s-sorry..."

                                            >The princess rolled her eyes with a warm adorning her muzzle.

                                            >As the silence fell, Shining Armor piped up from behind his wife.

                                            >"Hey there, Butterscotch! Haven't seen you in a while. What brings you here?"

                                            >It was time to find an excuse.

                                            >"Well, um... I came up here on business. Somepony needed help taking care of some animals."

                                            >Shining gave a murmur of understanding.

                                            >"Do you mind if we sit with you?"

                                            >Oh no.

                                            >He was hoping to just get out of here, now he'd have to stick with his story.

                                            >Looking down at his plate revealed that most of his meal was still there. He wouldn't be getting away with saying he finished his food already.

                                            >"S-sure."

                                            >...

                                            >It had been around twenty minutes since Cadence and Shining Armor had first arrived.

                                            >By some miracle, Butterscotch had managed to survive thus far.

                                            >Thankfully, most of the conversation consisted of small talk; they didn't want to get too personal. Something about gossips.

                                            >Eventually, the waiter brought out the food for the royalty.

                                            >The rest of the time went by relatively silently as both Cadence and Shining Armor ate.

                                            >This was his chance.

                                            >"W-well... I'm sorry I can't stick around, but I have to be going..."

                                            >The white unicorn lifted his head up from pigging out on his meal, as his wife looked at him with a hint of disdain.

                                            >"Alright, see ya later, Scotch! Come by the castle later, drinks are on me."

                                            >Not really a fan of drinking, and just wanting to get out, he nodded.

                                            "Mmhmm."

                                            >Cadence put down her fork, patted off her mouth with a napkin.

                                            >"It was nice seeing you again. Like my husband said, if you are going to be here a while, come visit."

                                            >He gave another nod.

                                            >"Thanks... I will."

                                            >Probably not.

                                            >After putting a tip on the table, Butterscotch rushed quickly to the checkout counter.

                                            >"So, you think we should have told him?"

                                            >Cadence shook her head with a smirk.

                                            >"He'll be fine. I'm not sure why he ran away from Ponyville, but I'm sure it's just a big misunderstanding. They'll be really happy to see each other again."

                                            >He looked at his food, a look of uncertainty on his face.

                                            >"But what if it isn't? You know how some of them can be."

                                            >The princess just took another bit of food and replied.

                                            >"Don't worry, they can be a bit odd at times, but they always mean well."

                                            >With a chuckle, the stallion continued eating.

                                            >"If you say so."

                                            >Paying didn't take long at all, there was no line, so he just dropped his bits and left.

                                            >Once outside the building, he sighed in releif.

                                            >If anypony ever asked Cadence or Shining about where he was, they wouldn't know that he actually moved here.

                                            >They'd only mention seeing him pass through, or something to that effect.

                                            >Maybe.

                                            >Sleep wouldn't come easily that night, but it would come eventually.

                                            >He turned to make his way back home.

                                            >...

                                            >A muffled thumping slowly cleared the fog that was covering Butterscotch's consciousness.

                                            >It sounded as if it was coming from the door in the living room.

                                            >Who'd be at the door this early, anyway?

                                            >Not even the Blueblood's witnesses came out this early!

                                            >Still in a half stupor, he got out of bed, nearly tripping over some discarded items on the floor.

                                            >He needed to work on getting cleaner.

                                            >The knocking continued as he walked down the hall.

                                            >It was actually pretty nice having a single story house, stairs were a bit inconvenient at times.

                                            >Finally, he arrived at the slab of wood that kept out the elements.

                                            >The knocks were getting faster, starting to sound like the pounding of a woodpecker.

                                            >Somewhat irritated, Butterscotch yanked the door open, only to be assaulted by a high pitched squeal.

                                            >"SCOTCHY! YOU'RE HERE, IT'S REALLY YOU!"

                                            >Butterscotch was immediately tackled to the ground by a pink ball of fluff.

                                            >"Pinkie! You're scaring him!"

                                            >The timid pegasus looked up, somewhat blinded by the light shining through the doorway.

                                            >Twilight Sparkle stepped through the light and into the house.

                                            >This was bad.

                                            >How did they find- no.

                                            >Somepony must have talked.

                                            >Cadence and Shining Armor must have known he was missing. Maybe they didn't expect him to be right in their empire, but when they found him...

                                            >It didn't matter now.

                                            >What was done was done.

                                            >Having Pinkie so close after what she did was really starting to wear on him.

                                            >His muscles were tensed up to the point of being as hard as a rock.

                                            >Thankfully, nothing else was hard...

                                            >"Pinkie, I said get OFF!"

                                            >Twilight took Pinkie in her magical grip, and attempted to pull the hyperactive mare off of Butterscotch's stiff form.

                                            >"Need some help in here, Twi?"

                                            >Uh-oh.

                                            >He'd recognize that southern accent anywhere.

                                            >Another pony walked into his house.

                                            >Butterscotch was correct, it was Applejack.

                                            >And then, as if on cue, two more mares walked in, each looking like they were stepping out of some sort of portal.

                                            >The last one in closed the door behind them, leaving him with a clearer view.

                                            >Rarity, the one who had started it all, and Ranbow Dash, the one who was not as bad as Pinkie, but worse than Rarity.

                                            >Applejack got Pinkie off of him with the assistance of Twilight's magic. She made it look easy.

                                            >On the floor and still just as stiff, Butterscotch questioned the intruders.

                                            >"W-w-what are you doing here..? W-why..?"

                                            >Rainbow looked at him as if he were the one asking the stupid question.

                                            >"What are we doing here? What are YOU doing here?! Do you know how worried we've been? You just up and left without another word!"

                                            >She looked like a buffalo about to begin a charge.


                                            >Applejack stepped forward in an attempt to calm down the worked up pegasus.

                                            >"Now, now, RD. I'm sure he had his reasons. Why don't we just calm down, take a seat, and discuss this calmly?"

                                            >She didn't really look like she was willing to comply.

                                            >The cyan mare stepped away from Applejack, and spoke once again.

                                            >"How's about we-"

                                            >She was abruptly cut off by Twilight.

                                            >"She's right, Rainbow. We need to take it easy. Do you honestly think he'd want to keep being around you if you keep acting like this?"

                                            >Dash prepared to protest again, but was interrupted once more.

                                            >"Twilight and Applejack are right, dear. You need to be more considerate!"

                                            >This time it was Rarity.

                                            >"Yeah, we'll never hear what he has to say if we just keep drilling at him!"

                                            >Pinkie bounced over to where the rest of the mares were gathered.

                                            >Finally, Rainbow relented.

                                            >"Okay, okay. I'll calm down. I'm still upset about what you did, though! I mean, we've known each other since flight school!"

                                            >It took them all until that moment to realize that Butterscotch was still laying on the ground like a statue.

                                            >Seeing this, Applejack galloped over to her friend.

                                            >"Here, let me help you up."

                                            >Images flickered through Butterscotch's mind as Applejack got closer and closer.

                                            >Various things flashed through his mind; surprisingly violent things.

                                            >She was the root of the incident.

                                            >If it weren't for her and her stupid bet, this wouldn't be happening right now.

                                            >The rage began to build up in his gut.

                                            >It shouldn't have been him that had to run away.

                                            >She was right up on him now.

                                            >A grim expression grew on his face.

                                            >His tensed muscles loosened up, allowing him to move again.

                                            >Butterscotch got up from the floor, causing Applejack to back off a bit.

                                            >The pale pegasus stared at the apple farmer with a more than a hint of anger.

                                            >"Uh... y'all okay, sugar cube?"

                                            >He was silent.

                                            >The rage spread throughout his body now.

                                            >Now wasn't the time for him to be a scared little foal.

                                            >This was it, he was done being afraid.

                                            >Without hesitation, he turned on his front hooves, brought his back legs closer to his body, and thrust them out into Applejack's face.

                                            >The orange mare was flung backwards several feet, landing on her back.

                                            >"YOU LIKE THAT, PERVERT?!"

                                            >The rest of the mares looked on in shock.

                                            >"Why the hay did you do that, Butterscotch?!"

                                            >Rainbow flew past him, over to help Applejack.

                                            >Twilight looked at him, a mix of shock and curiosity on her face.

                                            >"Okay, we definitely need to talk."

                                            >Shaking his head, he replied.

                                            >"No, no talking. Let's just check on her, then you can all leave."

                                            >twilight frowned, and proceeded on wordlessly.

                                            >When they all got up to Applejack, Butterscotch's rage was still going strong.

                                            >That is, until he actually looked at her.

                                            >She was laying on the ground, dazed, with a bleeding nose.

                                            >His emotions faltered, as memories of happier days flooded his mind.

                                            >What had he done?

                                            >Tears began building up in his eyes.

                                            >All he wanted was some peace of mind.

                                            >Looks like he wouldn't get that here.

                                            >This whole time, his body was taken over by fight or flight.


                                            >Now that the "fight" was over, it was time for the flight.

                                            >Butterscotch began to slowly back off, the tears starting to overflow.

                                            >Wordlessly, he made a break for the door, and busting it open.

                                            >Rainbow made an immediate bolt for the door, but was stopped when it came crashing into her face.

                                            >Quickly, Butterscotch took flight, away from his home.


                                            >Butterscotch didn't know what to do anymore.

                                            >Here he had just gotten all settled in, and now he had to flee again.

                                            >He wandered around town for a while, doing his best to keep out of sight.

                                            >Why did he do that?

                                            >It was almost as if his actions weren't his own.

                                            >Looking down at the ground gloomily, he shook his head.

                                            >What was done was done.

                                            >Now he had to come up with his next course of action.

                                            >Where would he go now?

                                            >Train tickets were too expensive on his current budget.

                                            >He wouldn't be able to afford a better house without selling his current one.

                                            >So, it was either go homeless, or deal with his former friends.

                                            >Could he even go back there after what just happened?

                                            >He could, but he couldn't deal with what might happen once he came back.

                                            >They might do worse than tease or rape him this time.

                                            >The only thing left to do was flee. Again.

                                            >Butterscotch sat down against a wall, formulating a plan.

                                            >Hiding out here until the rest of the mares left his house would work well, he thought.

                                            >The Crystal Empire was a big place, it would be near impossible to find him if he hid well.

                                            >In fact, what was keeping him from just doing this until they left the empire entireley?

                                            >A smile grew on his face.

                                            >He could grab supplies from his house when it was clear, and move back in completely when they left!

                                            >Skipping town could wait for now.

                                            >Right now, all Butterscotch wanted was a quick nap.

                                            >When he awoke from his nap, the sun was slightly lower in the sky.

                                            >Feeling a bit more refreshed now, Butterscotch got up onto his hooves.

                                            >What to do now?

                                            >His house was probably clear by now, but did he really have a reason to be there right now?

                                            >A growl from his stomach gave him an idea where to start.

                                            >It was time to see just how well his theory would hold up.

                                            >...

                                            >The trip didn't take long at all, he opted to just go to a place a few roads down.

                                            >Unfortunately, once he got inside, he realized that all of the indoor seating was taken.

                                            >That only left him with the seats outside.

                                            >This was only a minor inconvenience, all he had to do was find a seat in which he'd be able to keep a sharp eye out for any living thing that might recognize him.

                                            >Simple, right?

                                            >After placing his order, he took his food outside and began looking for a good place to sit.

                                            >Finally, he found the perfect spot.

                                            >A table in the corner of the outdoor area gave him a perfect view of the entrance.

                                            >There was also a hedge surrounding that part, meaning he only had to observe a limited area.

                                            >As he sat his food down, he realized something.

                                            >This was how his life was now. Having to watch his back at every turn.

                                            >Butterscotch shook his head.

                                            >No, this would all blow over soon. They'd give up eventually, then he could have his life back.

                                            >Right as he was about to take his first bite of his meal, a bombastic voice almost blew him out of his chair.

                                            >"BUTTERSCOTCH! LONG TIME NO SEE, BROTHER!"


                                            >Butterscotch turned his head, only to be met by a wall of blue.

                                            >His eyes traveled up with mass, resting on the face of a minotaur who was holding what looked to be half of the empire's rations in food.

                                            >"Iron Will..?"

                                            >A grin grew on his face.

                                            >"That's right! Iron Will's my name, training ponies is my game!"

                                            >The blue furred beast gave a thumbs up, freezing that way for a few seconds.

                                            >"O...kay..."

                                            >Ignoring the confusion, the minotaur sat down across the table from Butterscotch, shaking it as he dropped his tray full of plates down with him.

                                            >"So, friend, what brings you here?"

                                            >Why did everyone seem to ask him that?

                                            >Oh well, no use in hiding it anymore.

                                            >They both ate as Butterscotch told his story.

                                            >Surprisingly, Iron Will stayed quiet throughout the whole thing, picking up on each detail.

                                            >When all was said and done, the stallion sighed.

                                            >"I just don't know what to do, Iron. I'm mad at them, but at the same time, I don't want to be. Sometimes, I feel like I made the wrong choice coming out here."

                                            >The minotaur put a piece of food in his mouth, and started to talk while chewing.

                                            >"Well, I wouldn't really know, mister. Iron Will personally wouldn't mind that happening to him. As far as I remember, aside from being pretty crazy, that mare that got you off wasn't half bad looking."

                                            >Butterscotch raised his eyebrow.

                                            >"But you're a minotaur, why-"

                                            >Iron Will cut him off with a deadpan look.

                                            >"Any hole's a goal, brother."

                                            >The pegasus shrugged.

                                            >"Anyways, if it's really bothering you so much, stand up for yourself! Show them who's the boss!"

                                            >The timid stallion shrunk in his seat a bit.

                                            >"I kind of already did, though.. I... I hit one of them... Maybe I should just apologize..."

                                            >Iron shook his head.

                                            >"That's NOT the way to go. Remember..."

                                            >Butterscotch interrupted the horned creature.

                                            >"Never apologize when you can criticize... I know, I know..."

                                            >A response.

                                            >"I know it's hard, but it's true. In this case, at least. Iron Will's just saying, do you really want to live like this for the rest of your days? No closure? Wondering what COULD HAVE BEEN?"

                                            >He had started leaning closer in the last three words, bringing them near nose to muzzle.

                                            >Butterscotch began to sweat.

                                            >"W-well, n-not exactly..."

                                            >Iron Will sat back down.

                                            >"The next time you see one of them, grow a pair and tell them what needs to be told!"

                                            >Something caused Iron's ears to twitch, and he turned around.

                                            >He smirked.

                                            >"Looks like now would be a great chance, brother."

                                            >Butterscotch reeled back.

                                            >"Wait, wh-what?!"

                                            >He looked over, noticing two new patrons.

                                            >They were Pinkie and Applejack.

                                            >Like a bolt of lightning, Buuterscotch jumped into the hedge beside of him.

                                            >Iron Will smaked his face with his palm.

                                            >Two eyes poked out of the bush, looking on at the mares as they looked around the area, presumably searching for him.

                                            >Eventually, instead of heading inside, they left the restraint.

                                            >Iron looked on as the pony slithered out of the bush, back into his seat.

                                            >"Boy oh boy, you're going to need a lot of work..."

                                            >"You aren't ever going to go anywhere acting like this."

                                            >Iron Will leaned over the table.

                                            >"If you don't stallion up now, you'll be walked on for the rest of your life."

                                            >He stabbed a fork into a cob of corn on Butterscotch's plate, and brought it over to himself.

                                            >The stallion didn't even react.

                                            >Iron cocked an eyebrow.

                                            >"...This is yours."

                                            >"I know."

                                            >"I took it from you."

                                            >"You can keep it, it's okay..."

                                            >The blue minotaur hit himself for a second time.

                                            >"Listen, we're doing something about this. Iron Will offers this to you, free of charge."

                                            >It was Butter's turn to look confused.

                                            >"Why are you helping me? You wouldn't turn down a sale."

                                            >Iron Will leaned back in his seat.

                                            >"Because it's a challenge. Iron Will never turns down a challenge."

                                            >In return, he got a blank stare.

                                            >"And... there's a bit of free publicity to it as well. Imagine the papers! 'Iron Will gives the embodiment of the Element of Kindness a backbone'! Ponies would be lining up to get trained by yours truly!"

                                            >He leaned on the table.

                                            >"So, what do you say, brother? Do you want to finish this once and for all?"

                                            >For a while, Butterscotch looked unsure.

                                            >Was this what he really wanted?

                                            >Iron did have some pretty good points.

                                            >The least he'd want is an apology.

                                            >What harm could there be? He already wasn't going to see them ever again this way.

                                            >Finally, he steeled himself, and stuck out his hoof.

                                            >"Let's do it."

                                            >Iron Will grinned.

                                            >"That's the spirit, brother!"

                                            >He took Butterscotch's hoof, and shook it firmly.

                                            >Iron let go, then pulled out a piece of paper and wrote on it.

                                            >"Iron will has business to attend to, but go to this location at this time. We'll meet in a few hours."

                                            >The paper was handed to Butterscotch, who took it in one hoof.

                                            >"See you then, brother!"

                                            >And with that, the minotaur got up from the table and left.

                                            >Butterscotch quickly finished his meal, and exited the restaurant.

                                            >He observed the paper he held in his hooves.


                                            Meet me at the Crystal Park at 12 PM


                                            >That was three hours from now.

                                            >"Guess I have some time to kill..."

                                            >...

                                            >Butterscotch sat on a bench in the middle of the crystal park.

                                            >Contrary it's name, the park had no crystals to be seen in it.

                                            >It was 11:55 AM, and iron Will had yet to be seen.

                                            >He was probably the type to show up right when the clock ticks over.

                                            >Five minutes passed as he began to dose.

                                            >Just as he was about to close his eyes, he saw the large form of Iron Will off in the distance.

                                            >Butterscotch patiently waited until the minotaur reached his location.

                                            >"Um, hello..."

                                            >Iron grinned.

                                            >"Greetings, brother! Are you ready for the most intense training OF YOUR LIFE?"

                                            >As the loud voice shook his body, Butterscotch tried to respond.

                                            >"M-m-maayyybe-e-e-e..!"

                                            >He clapped his hands together.

                                            >"Good! Time for your first lesson. Stand up."

                                            >Butterscotch did as he was told.

                                            >"Alright, now, follow me!"

                                            >The pair traveled up to a nearby carrot dog stand, where a small line was waiting.

                                            >"Now then, take this bit, and buy a soda."

                                            >"Why?"

                                            >Iron Will gave him a stern glare.

                                            >"Do not question Iron Will."

                                            >With a deadpan stare and a sigh, the pony got into line.

                                            >It seemed to take forever as some ponies had larger orders than just a soda.

                                            >When there was only one pony left in line, Butterscotch's vision was obscured by a deep blue.

                                            >"Huh?"

                                            >He backed up, and found out the source of his unexpected blindness.

                                            >"Iron? What are you-?"

                                            >"I cut you off in line."

                                            >The pegasus stared at him, confused.

                                            >"Stand up to me.", the blue wall said.

                                            >"Wha-"

                                            >"STAND UP TO ME!"

                                            >After gathering his words, Butterscotch began.

                                            >"Um, you seem to be in my... my spot..."

                                            >Iron responded.

                                            >"Oh, your spot, huh? I'm not one of those pushovers! You need to be forceful, assertive!"

                                            >The expression on Iron's face softened up a bit, and a smile crept onto his lips.

                                            >And so the training began.

                                            >https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btPJPFnesV4 [Embed]

                                            >The next step of training was to hone his anger.

                                            >Both of them sat in the middle of the park.

                                            >"Now then, tell me about the the things in life that make you angry!"

                                            >Butterscotch though hard on this.

                                            >"I... I really hate when ponies chew loudly."

                                            >"Great, now focus on that! Think about those loud smacking noises, and how mad it makes you! Get mad about it!"

                                            >The stallion let the thought settle in his mind. He let the anger build inside.

                                            >"Are you mad?"

                                            >"I.. I think?"

                                            >"NOT CLEAR ENOUGH! ARE YOU, OR ARE YOU NOT MAD?!"

                                            >"YES!"

                                            >"GOOD! NOW HARNESS IT! YELL TO THE TOP OF THE SKY!"

                                            >Butterscotch did what sounded like his best impression of a mewing cat.

                                            >"LOUDER!"

                                            >He tried again, but this time, it sounded more like a whimpering dog.

                                            >"COME ON, LOUDER, BROTHER, LOUDER!"

                                            >One last noise was released from Butter's throat, and this time, it was a shout of pure rage.

                                            >"Now that is what I'm talking about!"

                                            >Next up was training him to stand his ground.

                                            >"Now then, Iron Will's gonna yell at you! Point out all of your flaws!"

                                            >"Isn't there some sort of alternative?"

                                            >"Nope, tough love, brother!"

                                            >Butterscotch was near deaf by the end of the session.

                                            >Finally they went to the hotel room that Iron Will was staying at, and practiced yelling at pictures of his former friends.

                                            >"C'mon, add some emphasis! Eye of the tiger!"

                                            >Butterscotch told the pictures everything he thought.

                                            >At the top of his lungs.

                                            >Management didn't take kindly to that.

                                            >"Alright brother, you're ready!"

                                            >The sky was starting to turn a dark indigo as Butterscotch exited the hotel.

                                            >He felt renewed, and ready to take on the world.

                                            >Confidence swelled in his body as he walked with no real destination in particular.

                                            >This was it, the next time his friends showed up, he would be ready to give them what they deserved.

                                            >A yawn escaped his mouth.

                                            >Going to bed didn't sound too bad, actually.

                                            >Butterscotch remembered his initial plan to sleep on the streets.

                                            >He chuckled to himself.

                                            >That wasn't going to happen anymore.

                                            >While whistling a carefree tune, he turned to the direction of home with a smile on his face.

                                            >...

                                            >Butterscotch strutted up to his front door, finally back home.

                                            >"Home..."

                                            >The thought echoed in his head.

                                            >After this, he could go back to his real home.

                                            >He stood there on his doorstep, and pumped his hoof.

                                            >Tomorrow, this predicament would be resolved.

                                            >Maybe.

                                            >...

                                            >Butterscotch woke up normally that morning.

                                            >He had a new routine to practice.

                                            >Iron Will told him that this would keep his assertiveness to an appropriate level.

                                            >All it really was was the same training that he was put through the day before.

                                            >Thanks to his house being on the outskirts, he could make all the noise he needed to.

                                            >Sure, he was assertive now, but he wasn't going to be as much of a jerk as last time.

                                            >The morning training ended without a hitch, leaving him to contemplate what to do for the rest of the day.

                                            >The rest of the morning passed surprisingly quietly, with no real interruptions occurring.

                                            >Butterscotch decided to stay in his room, awaiting the inevitable confrontation.

                                            >It wasn't until around half past two that he heard a knock on his door.

                                            >He smirked, closing the book he was reading.

                                            >"It's time..."

                                            >A few seconds later found Butterscotch at the door.

                                            >Extending his neck up, he looked through the peephole.

                                            >He was correct.

                                            >It was time.

                                            >"Okay, remember, be assertive... Never apologize when you can criticize... Let's do it."

                                            >Using one hoof on the handle, Butterscotch opened the door to greet his guests.

                                            >It was definitely them, again.

                                            >Five mares, and as usual, headed by one Twilight Sparkle at the front.

                                            >Not one of them looked particularly happy.

                                            >Twilight looked unsure, Pinkie looked just plain sad, Rainbow looked like she would rather be doing something else, Rarity appeared to be contemplating the situation, and Applejack was stoic, despite the reminder of their previous encounter still evident on her nose.

                                            >The purple alicorn spoke with a worried tone that matched her expression.

                                            >"Hello... again, Butterscotch."

                                            >He kept a straight face as he replied back to her.

                                            >"Hello."

                                            >"May we come in?"

                                            >Butterscotch looked back in at his room, then back at the group.

                                            >"Okay."

                                            >He stepped aside, keeping his eyes on them as they entered his room.

                                            >Once they were all in, he closed the door behind him.

                                            >They all turned to face the yellow pegasus.

                                            >Twilight was the first to speak, big surprise there.

                                            >"So... about yesterday... we think we know what happened."

                                            >Butterscotch cocked his head.

                                            >"Really now?"

                                            >A few of the mares looked a bit taken back by his demeanor.

                                            >She continued.

                                            >"Yes... Pinkie told us about something that really seems to point to why all of this is happening."

                                            >Nodding, Butterscotch replied.

                                            >"Go on..."

                                            >"Well, she said..."

                                            >Twilight's cheeks reddened a bit.

                                            >"That she and Applejack..."

                                            >She faltered once again.

                                            >Fed up from the lack of speed in the conversation, Rainbow Dash spoke up.

                                            >"She and Applejack had a bet that involved Pinkie sucking your cock!"

                                            >Applejack could be seen adjusting her hat uncomfortably.

                                            >Pinkie just nodded sullenly.

                                            >The sound of choking was heard as Twilight was cut off guard.

                                            >After she recovered, she spoke.

                                            >"Thank you, Rainbow... But yes, would that happen to have anything to do with the way you've been acting, Butter?"

                                            >Silence overtook the room, all the occupants turning their heads to the pony in question.

                                            >He looked at the group, at each of their faces individually.

                                            >Just as everyone though he wouldn't speak, he opened his mouth.

                                            >"Yes. Yes it was."

                                            >His words hung in the room. Not one of them really knew how to respond.

                                            >When he was sure none of them were going to speak, he continued.

                                            >"Do you know how it feels?"

                                            >Rainbow Dash was the first to respond.

                                            >"Well, we're not guys..."

                                            >"I didn't mean it that way! I meant, do you know how it feels to be violated like that?! Completely humiliated like that, and then just have it treated so casually?"

                                            >This time, it was Applejack's turn to speak.

                                            >"Now, I know what me an' pinkie did was wrong, and we're both sorry-"

                                            >Pinkie cut in, tears flying from her eyes.

                                            >"SO SOOOO SORRY!"

                                            >Realizing that she wasn't quite supposed to speak yet, Pinkie backed away sheepishly.

                                            >"Anyway, what I was sayin' is that ya just up an' left town before even confrontin' us! All ya had ta do was say that it wasn't okay, and we would have stopped!"

                                            >Butterscotch was getting irritated now.

                                            >"But I was home for a few days! Not one of you came to check on me, and when Pinkie finally came over, she had little more than a care in the world!"

                                            >He paused to take a breath.

                                            >"And besides, how do I know that I could trust that? With all of the sexual teasing going on lately..."

                                            >He glared at Rarity and Rainbow Dash.

                                            >"How do I know that it wouldn't happen again with somepony else in the group?"

                                            >Applejack turned to the two mares that were receiving the glare.

                                            >"Y'all have been messin' around, too?"

                                            >The light blue speedster scratched the back of her head.

                                            >"C'mon, we've been friends since we were foals! I didn't think it was a big deal!"

                                            >Applejack brought a hoof up to her face, turning to Rarity.

                                            >"And you?"

                                            >Caught a bit off guard, Rarity froze up.

                                            >Only slightly recovering, she spoke with a nervous smile.

                                            >"W-well, i-it's just like Rainbow said! I didn't think it was that big of a deal, really. Butterscotch is a stallion, and they usually like that sort of thing. Knowing how shy he was, I thought it would only bug him for that moment, not to this extent!"

                                            >The timid stallion didn't take too kindly to this.

                                            >"Oh, just because I'm male, means that every sexual act is okay?"

                                            >Rarity backpedaled.

                                            >"Dear, please calm down! I've learned my lesson, it was a mistake I intend to not make again."

                                            >Butterscotch stepped closer.

                                            >"Good, you better have."

                                            >Rarity reeled back even more once she saw him coming up on her.

                                            >Sensing bad things about to happen, Pinkie snapped out of her stupor, coming to assist Rarity.

                                            >"Hey now, that isn't very nice! We're all trying to say we're sorry!"

                                            >The mares formed into a group again.

                                            >"She's right, Butterscotch. All we want to do is apologize, and patch up our friendship."

                                            >Butterscotch sighed and shook his head.

                                            >"I'd like to, but I can't. My trust has already been broken once. It won't be so easy to fix."

                                            >Rainbow flew forward.

                                            >"But-"

                                            >"No. I know you are all sorry for what you have done, with the exception of Twilight, who didn't do anything. But for right now, I just don't feel like I can be around any of you."

                                            >He began to walk to the door.

                                            >A multicolored blur zipped up in front of him.


                                            >"Now hold on there, don't you think you're being a bit irrational? No offense to AJ or Pinkie, but they did the worst of the damage, but the thing is, they're trying their hardest to make it up to you! Just, please... Give us a chance."

                                            >Butterscotch had stopped when she blocked him off.

                                            >They all had some fair points.

                                            >Both choices were easy.

                                            >He could either walk past Rainbow, open the door, and tell them to leave, or give them the chance they wanted.

                                            >What should he do?


                                            >Memories of what happened to him surfaced in his head, as well as memories of his training.

                                            >No, he wouldn't let them get the best of him, not this time.

                                            >Silently, he pushed past Rainbow Dash, and opened the door.

                                            >"I think we're done here. It's time for you all to leave."

                                            >Shocked, the rainbow maned pony looked at him with he jaw hanging open.

                                            >"You can't be serious!"

                                            >Butterscotch tilted his head towards the exit.

                                            >Then he turned his gaze to look at the group of mares gathered at the center of his room.

                                            >The girls looked at each other, unsure whether to push for a better outcome for themselves.

                                            >Soon enough, they all nodded to each other with sullen expressions on their faces.

                                            >One by one, they headed for the door.

                                            >Applejack was the first to leave, next was Pinkie, who had to be dragged out by the pony in front of her.

                                            >Rarity was next, stopping at the door, opting to turn to Butterscotch one last time.

                                            >"Are you sure you won't reconsider, dear..?"

                                            >Her only response was a shake of the head.

                                            >The white unicorn just sighed and left.

                                            >Rainbow Dash zipped out without another word.

                                            >Element of Loyalty, huh?

                                            >Afterwards, the only pony left was Twilight.

                                            >The alicorn stopped at the door before turning to Butterscotch, staring at him with quivering irises.

                                            >"So... This is it? I'll... I'll never see or talk to you again?"

                                            >His resolve faltered a bit.

                                            >Again, she didn't do anything to him, and acted like she wanted to help.

                                            >He took a moment to gather his thoughts.

                                            >Being assertive didn't mean that he had to be irrational.

                                            >"I'm... thinking about moving back to Ponyville soon. Maybe we could meet up again sometime."

                                            >Twilight got in a bit closer.

                                            >"Promise?"

                                            >Butterscotch looked into her eyes.

                                            >Maybe talking to her again wouldn't be so bad...

                                            >Something inside of him told him not to make any promises, but something else told him to make this one.

                                            >"I'm not so sure, but... I'll do my best."

                                            >He swore he saw a small smile on her face.

                                            >Twilight leaned in, giving him a one hoof hug.

                                            >"I'd really like to see you again. I hope you can do that."

                                            >He slung a hoof over her neck.

                                            >"I think I'd like to see you again, too."

                                            >Twilight lingered for a bit longer, before separating.

                                            >With one final look, she left through the door.

                                            >The skies were clear and sunny over the track that led to Ponyville.

                                            >For once, the weather matched how Butterscotch felt.

                                            >His confidence had been restored, and he was ready to take on his old home head on.

                                            >As the train neared his stop, he looked out the window and thought.

                                            >What would he do first?

                                            >His first priority was to check on all of the animals he had left behind.

                                            >Sure, he let them all out before he left, but he was still worried about them.

                                            >He was jarred out of his thoughts by the sound of the breaks of the train screeching.

                                            >Butterscotch smiled.

                                            >It was time.

                                            >He grabbed the small sack of items he brought with him, and slung it over his back.

                                            >When the train had come to a complete stop, he stood up, and walked to the exit.

                                            >Familiar sights flooded his eyes when he stepped off the last step.

                                            >It was good to be back home.


                                            END.


                                            Optional non canon epilogue


                                            >In front of a magnificent crystal tree stood a group of ponies.

                                            >Five of them were mares, one was a stallion.

                                            >Each one of them wore a golden necklace with a jewel embedded in each one.

                                            >The only alicorn of the group looked at them and spoke.

                                            >"Everypony ready?"

                                            >Unsure affirmations were exchanged amongst the group as their jewels were removed from their necklaces.

                                            >"Twilight, are you sure using the elements will work?"

                                            >"Well Butter... I'm not so sure..."

                                            >None of them were, really.

                                            >"Well, it had better, otherwise these black vines will take over all of Equestria!"

                                            >The orange pony in a stetson hat placed her hoof on the back of the pegasus that just spoke.

                                            >"All we can do is hope for tha' best, Rainbow."

                                            >A white unicorn approached her other side.

                                            >"Yes dear, Applejack is right."

                                            >Rainbow Dash was knocked flat after a pink mass landed on her.

                                            >"And Rarity is right about AJ, too! We just gotta hope for the best!"

                                            >The flattened pony was able to giggle.

                                            >"You always are the cheeriest around these times, Pinkie."

                                            >By this time, Twilight was flying towards the tree with the six jewels in her magical grasp.

                                            >Several dark black vines shot at her, entangling her limbs in their clutches.

                                            >By some miracle, she managed to fight the elements away from the impending vines, and into the many slots of the tree.

                                            >As she did this, the vines overtook her body, engulfing her completely.

                                            >The ponies below let out panicked gasps when they saw this.

                                            >When they thought all hope was lost, the center of the tree, which just so happened to be where Twilight inserted her own element, began too glow.

                                            >The bright light began to spread, traveling up each branch of the tree.

                                            >It also began traveling down the vines that encased Twilight.

                                            >They dissolved, dropping her to the ground.

                                            >The crowd of ponies cheered in relief, which was soon cut short when one of the jewels on one of the branches went dark.

                                            >The glowing magic that was spreading outside of the cave slowly dimmed, then fizzled out.

                                            >"That don't look good..."

                                            >Twilight got to her hooves, a bit disoriented from the vines.

                                            >"I-I don't get it... What happened?"

                                            >Butterscotch pointed to his own Butterfly shaped jewel on the tree.

                                            >"My element! It's not lit up like the rest!"

                                            >Rarity looked at it worriedly.

                                            >"But whatever for? It has always worked before..."

                                            >Pinkie Pie hopped up and down.

                                            >"Could it be defective? Is it still under warranty?"

                                            >Rainbow Dash hit her face with her hoof at hearing this.

                                            >"Could it be..."

                                            >Twilight carefully stepped towards the tree.

                                            >"Could it be that because Butterscotch doesn't consider you friends anymore, that the elements no longer function as they're supposed to?"

                                            >Without warning, the tree went dark again.

                                            >For a time, everything was silent.

                                            >Then, the ground beneath them began to shake.

                                            >More vines sprouted up, taking the tree back as their own.

                                            >The vines just kept sprouting, as the cave was slowly being overtaken.

                                            >Rainbow Dash called to the rest of the occupants of the cave.

                                            >"We need to go, now!"

                                            >Without another word, they all ran as fast as they could.

                                            >...

                                            >It had been a week since the elements had failed and Equestria was taken over by the black vines.

                                            >It turned out, it was all because of something Discord did long ago. He wasn't able to reverse it, however.

                                            >The princesses never were freed, and the sky remained in a perpetual state of twilight.

                                            >Twilight was doing her best to fill their place.

                                            >The rest of her friends did what they could to help, but it didn't change much.

                                            >Months passed as the citizens of Equestria tried to return to their normal lives.

                                            >One day, a strange creature wandered into Canterlot, and began to absorb the magic of unicorns that it ran into on the streets.

                                            >The demon was eventually known to go by the name of Tirek.

                                            >This persisted until he was able to absorb magic from other ponies as well.

                                            >Tirek teamed up with discord for a while, but soon betrayed him

                                            >Eventually, he was able to find Twilight and her friends as well.

                                            >They were powerless to stop him from taking their magic, too.

                                            >From that day forward, Equestria was under new order.