• Chapter Thirty-nine: Lost Promises •

…

The white unicorn filly tore through the house like lightning, grabbing ahold of a butcher's knife with her magic as she scooted through the kitchen. No questions asked as to why there was a butcher's knife in a house full of five immature foals who weren't even adolescents yet.

"Sweetie Belle!"

The unicorn heard hooves patter behind her, but she ignored them, as she darted to the door. For a pony of her size, especially a unicorn, whom weren't exactly the 'sporty' race, she could move incredibly fast.

"Sweetie Belle! Put the knife down! Now! You're going to hurt yourself!" Babs Seed stated the obvious, panting as she scampered after Sweetie Belle. She had been the first the unicorn had passed, since she'd been working in the kitchen. Babs Seed let out a frustrated grunt, before leaping up, and grabbing the knife's handle with her hooves. She dragged it from Sweetie Belle's magic's grasp, and landed on the ground, the knife securely out of Sweetie Belle's reach. "Knives are dangerous," she hissed, again stating the obvious. "What were you thinking?"

"No time to explain," Sweetie Belle lurched around, a fastened terrified look clenching her face. "I need to be somewhere- ASAP!"

"And why do you need to bring a butcher's knife?" Babs Seed interrogated, tagging behind the unicorn who was frantically opening the door to the house, for once using her hooves, out of unmitigated panic instead of her green magic.

Sweetie Belle paused, and sincerely shrugged. "Dunno- may come in handy."

Babs Seed added up all the equations to this situation- Sweetie Belle needed to go somewhere, and she may need to bring a knife with her. Sounded legit. "Wherever you're going, I'm going too. The way you put it, sounds dangerous. You may need help."

"Are you sure?" Sweetie Belle asked, as she stepped outside. Worry was clouding her gaze.

Babs Seed nodded honestly, before screaming indignantly out to the others in the house. "They shouldn't be long. Explain where we are going on the trip there, when you do have time."

Sweetie Belle joyfully gave a relieved nod. "Thanks. I may need all the help I can get."

"Don't mention it," Babs Seed mumbled kind-heartedly, before the antsy earth pony spun around again. "Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, Rumble! Get your lazy flanks down here this instant, before I come down there myself, and do something I may regret!"

Sweetie Belle considered all of her friends flawless in their own ways, and to define Babs Seed, she was that perfect combination of bittersweet. She admired that, and wished that she had the assertiveness to be able to do things like her and get away with them, while still being her loveable self.

Before long, the other three 'sloth-like' (by Babs Seed's opinion) Crusaders had arrived, and without no more than a simple explanation of 'we're going on an adventure,' they had all bustled out of house in a hurry, slamming the door behind them without a second glance.

Rain was pelting down from the sky, so thick, that it seemed like a long string just pooling from the stormy-grey clouds.

Sweetie Belle was in the lead, fighting against the wind with all of her strength, as she trekked through the Everfree Forest. It was difficult, as each step she took swallowed up a lot of energy, and took about five seconds to accomplish. That was a long time to step with just one hoof, and she had four. Her mane was waving behind her, droplets of water flinging off of it, with leaves and twigs intertwined between the strands. Her horn was the only light source around them, as it coruscated a vivid green in the darkness, drunk insects hovering around it psychotically. Celestia knew how the insects managed to avoid getting crushed by the loathsome rain.

The other four were trudging halfheartedly behind her, in the same gloomy conditions, but with a lot less inspiration.

"Where are we going?" Scootaloo shouted above the roaring thunder. "And why do we have to go in the middle of the night, during a rainstorm?"

"It would have been safer to wait until dawn," Rumble agreed, squinting, as whips of water lashed at his eyes ferociously.

"We don't have much time!" Sweetie Belle cried, feeling the water droplets dripping from her belly and onto the ground. "I have made the worst mistake..." She spun around, to see all of her friends behind her, drenched in water. One could easily guess that they had been swimming. During a tsunami. "We are going to the place where I was being held hostage!"

"Why?" Apple Bloom shrieked in utter shock. "Why would ya' go back to that place? All it seemed like was a prison in mah' opinion!"

"Button Mash needs me!" Sweetie Belle choked, wiping the slick water from her face miserably.

"Hey, so the pony has a name now?" Babs Seed yawped, looking up in surprise. "Since when?"

"Since just earlier!" Sweetie Belle stammered, seeming just as shocked with herself as the brown-orange earth pony. "I finally recognised him."

"Hey, you've mentioned him before... didn't you know him when you were a filly?" Rumble called, ruffling his soaking wet feathers, only for new splashes of water to beat down on them.

"Yeah... I never realised that he was right there all along..." Sweetie Belle looked down, and her words could easily get lost in the breeze. She tilted her head, and spoke louder. "We have to save him- I abandoned him- I even promised him that I'd come back... I forgot though... I guess..." Sweetie Belle wasn't even sure why she had forgotten, but it was one of those things she was going to regret for the rest of her life. She just knew it. "He said goodbye to me! I think he's going to commit suicide!"

"No!" Babs Seed cried dramatically. "That's horrible! We have to get there to save him!"

"Ah' agree!" Apple Bloom gave a solemn glance, understanding the dire consequences with complete maturity. "When did he say goodbye to ya', by the way?"

Sweetie Belle sheepishly peered at the ground. "Just then. He told me through a book." She blushed, but the beads of water running down her face hid the redness effortlessly. "That's another story though, and I have no time to explain that one." It was a good thing that the water hid her blush, because of Sweetie Belle's white fur. When Babs Seed blushed, it was barely seeable, and Scootaloo, Apple Bloom and Rumble were a bit more fortunate as well. Whereas with Sweetie Belle, her whole face would change colour, and it was thoroughly humiliating.

"If you say so," Scootaloo mumbled, sliding a few centimetres in the mud, as the robust wind shoved her backwards harshly.

After ages of hiking through the poor, yucky weather, the five finally reached the mansion.

A tingling sensation, ran up Sweetie Belle's spine, and she shivered- not just from the cold. The looming mansion appeared threatening in the darkness. It towered over them, looking like the stereotypical haunted house. It is amazing what a little bit of daylight can do, Sweetie Belle thought, trembling as she remembered the mansion as her beloved second home.

Sweetie Belle courageously gulped back her hesitation, before boldly stepping hoof into the long wispy front yard.

"Shouldn't we check the perimeters first? Find a better route besides just walking in?" Apple Bloom mumbled, eyeing the grass suspiciously, which Sweetie Belle had to admit, looked longer than usual. Grass like that, was a habitat to snakes, but Sweetie Belle was pretty certain that snakes wouldn't be very active during this weather.

"This is a home, not a death trap," Sweetie Belle reassured the earth pony, but she was trying to convince herself as well- not about her safety, but about some pony else's.

The five ambled through the shrubby gardens, the grass tickling them all the way up to their tummies, as it hadn't seemed to have been looked after in a while, much to Sweetie Belle's discomfort. Eventually the grass thinned out, and lead to a long, mazy path. It wound its way to the massive door, which they were all quite familiar with, due to previous visits. Instinctively, Sweetie Belle allowed her magic aura to surround the door's handle, twisting it and creating an opening to the house. The five galloped in rapidly, no longer wanting to be out in the daunting front yard.

"Finally out of the rain," Babs Seed breathed, blowing a tuft of fuchsia hair from her eyes and turning to Sweetie Belle. "Do you know where he'll be?"

The white filly blinked in trauma. "The house is so big... it'd take forever for me to just get through the whole house, and I'd still have to check the gardens." She closed her green eyes bewilderedly. "Not to mention all of the secret passages!"

"That's why we're here!" Scootaloo yowled determinedly, giving Sweetie Belle an positive slap on the back. "You can count on us to help you find your friend!"

I am so glad that they're here. Sweetie Belle gave her friends truly grateful nods, before hardening her expression. "Alright! Everypony split up, and check as much rooms as possible! I don't want to see a speck of dust not examined. Got it?"

"Got it!" Everypony chanted back, before giving each other earnest nods, and splitting up into five opposite directions. Everypony was racing away from their own point of a pentagon, and they were going to find the pony eventually. It was only a matter of time.

…

Sweetie Belle ran to the kitchen first, feeling surreality flowing around her and hazing up her sight, as tears welled in her eyes. Why did I do it? What did Button Mash do to deserve this? It should have been me! The average kitchen supplies looked just as she'd left them, as she turned on the lights. Was it just déjà vu? Sweetie Belle swore that not a single thing had changed at all, besides the dust that had bleakly rested on the shelves. She ran to the fridge, opening it, and eyeing the same food that'd been there last time she'd left. She inhaled the smell of mould- some of the food had gone old and uneaten. All of the food had gone uneaten by a matter of fact. Button Mash had clearly stopped eating after she had left. He is insane! Sweetie Belle couldn't bear to look any longer, and whizzed away, closing the fridge door before it started irritatedly beeping. She opened the pantry in agony, diverting her gaze away from the untouched food, before closing the creaky door, and looking through all of the shabby cupboards. Sweetie Belle prayed for a single clue, as to if the pony had been here in the past few days, but there was no evidence whatsoever- not even the dishes had been cleaned and Sweetie Belle daren't take a whiff of their intoxicating odour. Besides the dishes and dust, everything else was spotless, which made Sweetie Belle feel edgy. Gliding out of the kitchen, Sweetie Belle prayed to find something- anything that could help her find the pony, because her anxiety had now reached a whole new level.

…

Babs Seed skimmed through the bathroom, breathing in the scent of soap and bubbles. She peered around, the cleansed tiles cool underneath her hooves, as she searched for evidence. She was unsure as to how extreme Sweetie Belle's case was, but the fact that there was somepony's life at risk, made her feel uneasy. Babs Seed was always tough and tomboyish, but she had a soft spot too, and if somepony was dead by the end of the day, she'd never forgive herself. She could have searched harder... she could have helped a bit more. Babs Seed brushed away the hazy thoughts, as she peered into the bathtub. It looked so clean, the whiteness clear like toothpaste. It was too clean. The shower was the same, before Babs Seed looked down to the ground, eyeing a silver drain locked into the checkered tiles. Babs Seed lowered her head, pressing her ear to the drain, hoping to hear the sound of gushing water, but all there was, were dull silence. There wasn't even any dripping. Babs Seed straightened, removing her ear from the drain, before plodding away. She had no thoughts whatsoever.

…

Apple Bloom surveyed the bedrooms, which seemed all too familiar. All and all, the house had about 3 bedrooms- but one of the bedrooms had seven single beds in it, whilst the other two had just 1 queen-sized each. Apple Bloom was in the room which she and her friends had slept in. The beds seemed tidy, well made, immaculate. Understandable, as Apple Bloom guessed that Sweetie Belle would have been occupied to one of the queen-sized bedrooms, and the pony to the other. Button Mash, it was. Apple Bloom wasn't sure how she felt about him- she had put an awful lot of trust into him for looking after Sweetie Belle in the first place- and he must have done a good job too. Was trust a way of showing friendship? Apple Bloom felt guilty, as even during a time like this, where somepony was in danger, she was still thinking of her past events as a gold-spinner. She had to give those two dimwitted colts the next friend she made- and she had an etching feeling that she was going to accept Button Mash as a friend of hers in the mere future. Anypony that Sweetie Belle was friends with, seemed to be a pretty decent pony, and Apple Bloom was always happy making new friends. But what if the pony already was her friend? Even a tad? Apple Bloom had been the one to convince her friends that Sweetie Belle had been in good hooves with him- she just knew that he was reliable, despite the fact that he had gotten on her, and everypony else's nerves a number of times. If they saved him- when they saved them, she was sure that he'd be immune to the nutty colts. She hoped that he was already, to some degree, her friend. Apple Bloom sighed, as she searched through another one of the bedrooms. Everything was exactly in place. All of the rooms seemed perfect, except for the tiny particles in the air, which had rested themselves down on anything that didn't move. These were all signs that nopony had used these rooms. In a while.

…

Scootaloo trotted down the halls, peering at all of the doors. "Boring- isn't a mothball one of those things which you put in closets to ward off moths? Who'd have a whole room for them? They must smell awful! Boring... wardrobe? Supplies like vacuum cleaners? So boring..! Who even needs a lawnmower in their house?" She paused. "Boring." She reached another door. "Games room? That's more like it!" The orange pegasus opened the door, and found herself in a pitch black area. She nudged at the wall with her hooves, using her touch senses to locate a light switch, before turning on the lights, allowing her mulberry eyes to adjust to the brightness. "Oh... my..." she let out a stereotypical filly squeal. "Goodness!"

The room was like an arcade, as different game consoles lined up along the walls, just asking to be played. What was more amazing, was that they were all for free- you didn't need to pay a bit to play them. Scootaloo quickly fought against her temptation to just sit down on the ground with a controller and delve into a pixilated world- no she'd never played a video game, but they looked fun, and she envied the foals who had the time to just sit down and play. She shook her head. She was here to search for Sweetie Belle's friend. She glanced at all of the screens- all having faded to pitch blackness. Game over.

…

Rumble flew through the living room, his wings brushing lightly against a chandelier as he passed, and the little twinkling beads on the ornament shimmered slightly. He hadn't found much- all he had seen was a completely clean house, but it was lifeless- almost boring. He could easily mistake the house for vacant, despite the furniture, and it could be another one of those abandoned places in the woods. He knew better than to confuse houses for being unaccommodated- he'd learnt from previous mistakes with another pegasus, who just so happened to be his best friend in the whole entire world who was most likely more than a best friend. Rumble closed his eyes, as he descended to the ground, and peered at the carpet. Even the ground seemed to have not been walked on in a while, and everything appeared so bland. He wondered if Button Mash was okay? Sweetie Belle must have felt strongly for him, to want to come back to this place, but he guessed he'd do the same if somepony was tempted to kill themselves. Rumble trotted a bit further through the living room, with similar results. He lowered his head in grief. What he loved about the Cutie Mark Crusaders, was that there was always an adventure to go on- so much drama that you never got bored, but through circumstances like this, it just felt depressing. And that was why he wanted to change that. They all wanted to change that. They had to find this pony.

…

After a while of searching, the five, nervous Crusaders gathered in their original spots again to share their findings. All of them seemed uncertain, fear clinging to their faces.

"Thank you everypony, so much," Sweetie Belle feebly stated, her watery, emerald eyes glistening in the flickering light. "Did anypony find anything... because all I saw was plain, stale dust- and everything as it was before I left."

Babs Seed meekly patted her friend on the back, sorrowfully glancing everywhere except for the unicorn. "I'm so sorry Sweetie Belle... I found nothing either."

Sweetie Belle distantly blinked for a few seconds, devouring all of the information, before pessimistically beginning to cry a little harder, her eyes wide with dismay. "What have I done?"

"Sweetie Belle, ya' did nothing wrong," Apple Bloom glumly reassured her friend, dull hope shining in her sunset eyes. "Ya' didn't know..."

"But I did!" Sweetie Belle stammered in morose, a new spite arousing towards herself. "I knew what he was capable of- I told him I'd come back! I lied!" She wept in ire. "And now look what has happened. It is all my fault."

"You don't know that," Scootaloo whimpered, her words seeming pitiful. "Maybe he fled- maybe he just abandoned this home."

"That's just it though!" Sweetie Belle snapped, bitterness nipping through her gaze. "I wish he could leave, but he is unable! He is cursed- not only does he earn an obsession, and the ability to become unrecognisable, but he is also cursed into this place. He can't go beyond the confinements of his yard!"

"Dreadful," Babs Seed murmured wholeheartedly, devastation clouding her mind.

"But that means that he will be here most definitely," Rumble offered, seeming to be the only one left of the Crusaders who had a flare of faith remaining. "We just haven't found him yet."

Sweetie Belle paused unsurely, before gallantly hardening her expression. "You're right. We could still have time- and there's one place we haven't checked yet."

They peered at her in confusion with slivering doubt.

"The backyard." Sweetie Belle overflowed with melodrama as she heroically wiped away her tears, breaking free from her misery over the tragedy. "And we have no time to lose. C'mon Crusaders."

"That's the spirit!" Apple Bloom yapped, as they dashed towards the see-through glass door to the backyard.

…

Sweetie Belle wasn't sure how she felt about frolicking through the gardens again. It had stopped raining, but the sky was murky and bleak- the dawn sun invisible above the cloudy cover. Mist swirled through the backyard, crawling wispily among the Crusaders who bunched together out of panic. The dusky trees slanted over them, the branches grasping out like fingers, and caressing the Crusaders as they tumbled passed. The leaves whistled ever so softly in a cool breeze, which wafted throughout the gardens desolately.

"I don't like this," Scootaloo snivelled staggering so close to Rumble that their fur brushed.

"We all don't," he mumbled affectionately. "You're just brave enough to admit it."

Sweetie Belle smiled, as she watched Scootaloo's confidence begin to return. Rumble was good for Scootaloo- the orange pegasi was unfortunately one of those ponies who was commonly misunderstood or underestimated. Rumble had a way of renewing her physique towards herself, and towards others.

Sweetie Belle glanced at her other two friends, who were pressing close to the bunched up group as well, both pairs of yellow and green eyes glowing in the dimness.

"Are you two okay?" Sweetie Belle tilted her head in a kindhearted and worrisome manner.

"We're fine," Apple Bloom pressed, irritation flickering in her gaze. "No need t' baby us."

Sweetie Belle knew she was right, but she couldn't help it. Now that she had a feeling of lostness swivelling through her heart towards Button Mash, she was growing extra protective over the other ponies she loved- the ones who she knew were all right.

Babs Seed noticed the restrained look in Sweetie Belle's eyes, and spoke up. "It is okay Sweetie Belle- everything will turn out fine. Trust me."

Babs Seed's words comforted the reserved unicorn a little- but that was still a little of a lot. They had been sauntering through the gardens for ages now, without a single sign.

Flower buds reached up to the sky, desiring to find a speck of sunlight for them to be able to branch out their petals, but the sun was invisible- almost non-existent. It was almost as though Celestia had forgotten to raise it. "I swear it should be a tiny bit lighter than it is right now," Sweetie Belle dubiously stated. "I know the sun could just be hiding behind the clouds, but it just seems a bit... queer."

"Ya're right," Apple Bloom admitted in skepticism. "It is a bit strange."

"Could it be an eclipse?" Rumble offered, glancing out at the low cloud cover ambiguously. "None were scheduled recently, but it is just a suggestion."

"Doubt it," Babs Seed neutrally pointed. "Odd events like that are always made clear. Besides, we haven't had an eclipse since Chrysalis came into reign."

"Also the fact that we can't even see the moon," Scootaloo gave a cheesy grin, but her point was worth consideration.

Sweetie Belle shrugged dismissively. "It doesn't matter now... we can sort that out later. We need to find Button Mash now, and fast. Has anypony found any clues?" Her hopeful eyes shattered the other Crusaders into fragments, as they avoided her innocent gaze.

"Let's just keep lookin'," Apple Bloom spoke, her voice pained as though she was a father telling their foal that they'd taken their pet dog to the farm. Forever.

After ages of searching through the gardens, hope began to slowly but surely shrivel. It had been three hours now, and it was all the same. Searching through the thick undergrowth, with not a single trace or anything to give them even an idea that the pony had been here. Even the rare rosebushes seemed bare, as though nopony had bothered to admire the prickly plants. The roses brought up a mixture of different emotions. For Sweetie Belle, they brought back the blithesome memories of the sunny days she and Button Mash had spent together, although thinking of them made her heart ache. For the others, the roses brought back the claustrophobic memories of being trapped down metres beneath the earth, and being slowly but surely drowned. It just so happened that the only rosebushes in the garden were sitting atop of a trapdoor.

"Who's going to tell her?" Babs Seed solemnly questioned, peering ahead to see Sweetie Belle trekking among the flora in the distance, her head hanging low. "We can't keep walking- I know we're all exhausted and..." She stopped talking as her voice began to strain with affliction. The earth pony wheezed slightly, her solid image melting with pity and compassion.

"Ah' don't think ah' really want t'," a crestfallen Apple Bloom rasped.

"Me neither," Scootaloo and Rumble spoke in unison, disappointment dancing in their matching purple eyes.

Babs Seed winced, before closing her eyes. "This is something we all need to tell Sweetie Belle together." She opened her eyes again, and peered ahead at the white unicorn. "She'll need everypony to comfort her."

Apple Bloom approvingly nodded. "Let's get it over and done with- Sweetie Belle is hurtin' herself more, fighting against the fact that she needs to accept the truth. It'll be better for all of us once she well and truly knows."

"I couldn't agree any more," Rumble turned patiently to Scootaloo. "Ready?"

"You bet!" The orange pegasi's optimism was undeniably fake, but it managed to give them each an ounce of boldness to face their friend.

They were unsure how she was going to react; Sweetie Belle could be very unpredictable, and the amount of mood swings she had on a regular basis were alarming. The fact that she was a unicorn didn't help, as during rage attacks, unicorns could cause a whole lot of damage just by using their magic. They could turn the world into a sea of igniting fire and creative, yet, sanguinary torture. Nopony wanted that to happen.

"I'm sure she'll react fine," Rumble whispered as they approached their friend, who was sniffing at a daisy.

"Wanna bet?" Scootaloo jeered, her voice muffled to prevent Sweetie Belle from hearing.

"You're on," the grey pegasi sniped back, persistently.

Ignoring the two pegasi, Apple Bloom spoke up. "Sweetie Belle... can we please talk?"

Sweetie Belle jumped slightly from taking a whiff of the flower, before delicately turning around. She seemed so pristine and oblivious. "Yes Apple Bloom?" The unicorn seemed a bit surprised to see the rest of the Crusaders there, but didn't say anything.

"Well, you see..." Babs Seed's voice wobbled, and she was physically shaking. "It's getting really cold and..."

"We're all so tired..." Scootaloo gave a yawn as she stuttered. "And well..."

"It's been a while..." Rumble faltered. Even easygoing Rumble was struggling to keep his placid appearance. "And we haven't really... had any... luck..."

"With finding," Scootaloo spluttered, before repeating herself. "With finding... without... we haven't found... anypon- anything..."

"And we think that now..." Apple Bloom's voice went up a whole entire octave or two. "We should..." The squeakiness of her voice was depressing to listen to. She closed her eyes and cringed, before she stifled out two words, in the most hushed, pitiful, mouselike voice. "...Give up."

Sweetie Belle didn't say anything. Her whole form was as stiff as a statue; she didn't even seem to be breathing. Her eyes were wide, mixed with shock, confusion, grief and terror. It was lamentable.

There was an eery silence, for about a minute or two. Sweetie Belle no longer seemed to be staring at them, but through them, as though she could see the flora that spindled in the distance. The other members of the Cutie Mark Crusaders could hardly speak too, as they sat there, all of their gazes locked on the unicorn, waiting in agony for something to happen.

And finally, Sweetie Belle's soul seemed to return to her body, as she blinked once or twice, and looked everywhere but her friends. "Okay."

The others exchanged glances, and stared, as she wallowed towards the house. She was absolutely expressionless.

There was an exchange of glances between the others, and the dumbfounded orange pegasi passed ten bits to the smug colt next to her, before they all lumbered after the unicorn.

None of them daren't say anything in case they provoked her. She seemed to be taking things good as of now, and they didn't want to change that. Not now.

They neared the house, the dreary weather cascading around them, and wordless they be, the moment seemed so unnatural.

Sweetie Belle reached the door, and she reached forward to open it with her hoof, when she felt something touch her shoulder lightly. She jumped, spinning around, to see a little object having fallen on her back. The crisp rose petal was bright yellow, with red at the tips. Happiness and love. But the more Sweetie Belle looked at the petal, the tighter her throat got. Her face was white before, but now it was full out pale, unbeatable by any higher shade, except ones which were impossible to see. The red tips of the petals now looked like blood, and the innocent little rose brought a world of horrific gore to her vision.

"Sweetie Belle, what is it?" Babs Seed bleated in confusion. Sweetie Belle had been staring at the petal that had fallen from the sky for a while now, and it was luring tension to her fellow Crusaders.

Sweetie Belle shook her head swiftly, her eyes still wide, before she craned her neck and looked up to the roof of the house. She couldn't see anything from beyond it, but she could hear the nearly mute sound of tapping, perhaps hooves on top of the house.

"Button Mash," she shouted at the top of her lungs. "I know you're up there! In the rose garden! It's me, Sweetie Belle."

There was silence, before a head bobbed over the side of the roof, the twinkling golden eyes unmistakeable. "Sweetie Belle! I am pleased to see you here to join my ceremony! And you brought your friends! How..." he paused, his eye twitching. "Delightful."

"I finally recognise you!" Sweetie Belle called in glee, bouncing once or twice. "Button Mash!"

"Great! I was wondering how long it'd take you. Funny you only come back when you realise that he is me, and not the pony you'd been spending your life with for the past week." Scorn leered in his voice, which made Sweetie Belle feel shaken. "But do excuse me, milady! I am unto continue. Do watch, the ceremony was meant for thou after all."

"C-ceremony?" Sweetie Belle faltered, panic-stricken. "What do you mean?"

"It's a tribute to my death!" He cackled maniacally. "And finally, thou have arrived unto watch! I'll miss thee!"

"No!" Sweetie Belle screamed, turning to her friends who all had wide eyes. Rain was showering down from the sky.

"Do ya' know how t' get up there? We can still stop him!" Apple Bloom shouted above the thunder.

"No- the only time he ever took me there, I had a blindfold on," Sweetie Belle cried in dread. She stared at each friend in turn. "Rumble, can you fly up there?"

The pegasi nodded, flapping his wings and leaping up, only to fall back down again, the opposite way of gracefully. Splashes of water drizzled through his grey feathers. "Mother Nature has cursed us!" He wailed, breaking down into a heap of sobs. It was Scootaloo's turn to reassure him.

"It isn't Mother Nature," Button Mash yowled down at them again like a lunatic. "It is fate!"

"Your fate isn't to die! Not now!" Sweetie Belle whined in fear, having to strain her neck to see him properly.

"Oh yeah, then how come thou left me in the first place? Thou knew that this would happen! Thou said a day! Bam- a day is up! It's thy fault Sweetie Belle, and thou know it!" The pony gave a narcissistic shrill. "As my mum always said, 'if I'm not the hero... I must be the villain.' And don't you dare tell me that it is the other way around!"

Sweetie Belle looked broken, tears streaming down her face. "Please..."

Button Mash peered down at her curiously, almost desperately. "Y'know, you always confused me Sweetie Belle. I was never sure as to whether we were friends or not. And then you gave me this." His head disappeared from the side of the tower, before reappearing, as he dropped a rose down to the ground.

Sweetie Belle watched it hit the floor, and bounce up slightly before settling and going limp. She stared at it, and remembered handing him the yellow flower on that merry day. "I gave you this to signify friendship..."

"Ha!" Button Mash ridiculed, finding this a game. "Well look at the tips of the petals!"

Sweetie Belle examined closer, and to her shock, she noticed that the yellow faded into scarlet. It was so little, so easy to miss, but once you'd seen it, you couldn't look away. She couldn't help but blush. "I didn't realise." She paused. "I know that killing yourself isn't fate, but I do know that this flower is fate. Maybe not now, but maybe..." She turned away from her puzzled friends and stared at him.

Button Mash avoided her gaze. "No. You were too late. And now I am to die the way I want to."

"How?" Sweetie Belle yelled, squinting as rainwater whipped her eyes.

"I'll jump," was all he said.

Sweetie Belle swallowed her pain. She kept her green eyes locked with his golden one for about a minute, before she spoke, her voice only a feeble whimper. "Please no..."

He tilted his head, before disappearing behind the ledge. "Goodbye Sweetie Belle."

The unicorn couldn't take it no longer. After the times she had spent with this colt, she couldn't imagine even forgiving herself after what could happen. It wasn't fair. Nothing was fair these days, but she wasn't going to let the only good thing that happened in her life disappear from her clutches. Not now. Not ever. Not for all eternity. "You're not going!" She screamed, feeling all of her fury building up, before swirling around her horn, to create a blinding light. Her magic beamed as bright as the sun, before devouring her up in a split second, and reappearing on top of the mansion. Finally, Sweetie Belle's horn died of magic, and she found herself on the roof. Teleportation spells were some of the most difficult and sophisticated spells to conduct- and she had succeeded using one. Sweetie Belle felt her pounding heart beat harder with pride, before she searched the rooftop for the pony. It didn't take long for her to see him, standing now far from her, his jaw agape, before she pounced forward and bowled into him. The two rolled across the roof, feeling the prickles of rosebushes snap at them. Finally, they stopped rolling, and Sweetie Belle stood dominantly over him. "You're not going anywhere."

He stared at her, his eyes clouded with shock, before regaining enough of his confidence to talk. "Why can't you ever let somepony just go?" He whispered weakly. "You hurt me in so much ways possible, and have damaged me beyond repair, yet, you still come back. Is it only to torture me? Why do you do this to me Sweetie Belle?"

She found herself losing words, and her hold on him went softer. "I don't mean to..."

"But there's so many broken promises. You say you don't mean to, yet you still continue to harm me. I don't understand." He peered up at her in fear and Sweetie Belle's heart cracked. He's afraid of me.

She closed her eyes, and wiped away her tears. "I'm far from perfect, and I admit, I have made some pretty awful mistakes." She stared at him in pain. "But this mistake has made me realise how much I can lose... this is the one mistake which I want to resolve. Please, you don't ever have to forgive me again, just forgive me this one, last time, and I promise I will never do anything like this again." Her eyes glistened.

He paused, thinking it through, before looking up. "Why should I?"

She felt her heart beating, and she closed her eyes. She'd been hoping he wouldn't say that, but he had. And she had to reply. The truth was the only answer remaining. "Because... I've had a crush on you since we were infants... and... I still have a crush on you now. I guess I liked you, even when I didn't know it was really you... I just didn't realise it." She paused, giving him a solid hard look. "Because I love you."

Shock erupted through his gaze, and he was silent for a few seconds, what seemed like years, before he finally replied. "I never knew you liked me back."

Sweetie Belle inhaled heavily, and felt her hammering heart melt into something beautiful. "So you forgive me, and you're not going to brutally massacre yourself by jumping off of a house which is the equivalent to a building?"

He paused, humour sparking in his gaze. "I forgive you."

This chapter was to sort out the issues of the CMC. Snow Flutter will be seen to in the next chapter.