The Simple Life Chapter 32

                “So you don’t think she’ll care?”

                “Not at all, We are certain Our sister hasn’t even given thought to assembling a happiness committee.”

                “Cheer team.”

                “We are confused. Pray tell, what is the difference between a happiness committee and a cheer team? If they’re spreading cheer, are they not also spreading happiness?”

                “Yeah, but,” Thunderlane began before shaking his head, “you know what? Never mind.”

                “Then it is settled, you shall accompany Us to Canterlot, and inform Our sister that you have gathered a group of ponies dedicated to spreading happiness during the game. She shall be most pleased to see that not only have you taken the role of team coordinator seriously, but that you’ve gone above and beyond by tacking on this additional task on your own accord,” Luna replied.

                “About that,” Thunderlane began again nervously, but then backtracked, “yeah, I guess I could. I don’t really have much else planned.”

                “You seem conflicted stallion,” Luna inquired, picking up on his body language. “Is there something the matter?”

                “A little,” he admitted. “Guess there’s no point in hiding it from you. The whole reason I’m doing this is to put Cloud Chaser on it. Flitter thinks it help soften the blow when I tell her about… well… you and me.”

                “Why in Equestria would you tell her Stallion? I do not see the logic behind such an act.”

                “Because it’s the truth.”

                “While honesty is more often than not the best policy, We would argue, in this particular instance, that discretion stands the better part of valor.”

                “Yeah, but if I don’t tell her,” Thunderlane sighed sadly, “then Flitter will, and I’m pretty sure it would be better if it came from me.”

                “Fear not, stallion,” Luna chuckled. “Flitter will not speak of that night, I assure you.”

                “I’m fairly certain she will,” Thunderlane countered.

                “And what would make you think that?”              

                “She told me she would.”

                The two of them were sitting in the main area of Twilight Sparkle’s library home, and Luna had fixed herself a pot of tea while she had sought to aid Thunderlane with his conundrum regarding picking out a cheerleader team. However, this last piece of news forced her to set her cup down, gulp what she had in her mouth, and lose her pleasant demeanor.

                “Did she now?” she commented, her calmness cracking slightly under this announcement. The cobalt Alicorn doing her best to hide her anger as she knew the lilac pegasus’s game, and cared for it very little. “And why, do you suppose, she would do such a thing?”

                “Probably because she doesn’t want her sister ending up with a cheating slimeball,” Thunderlane lamented. “Can’t say I blame her.”

                “Perhaps. Then again, perhaps she would rather have such a fine stallion, who is far from a ‘cheating slimeball’ as you so eloquently put it, all to herself.” Luna countered and smiled at him. “For which We cannot say that We blame her.”

                “What?” Thunderlane scoffed. “That’s ridiculous!”

                “And why is that?”

                “Because there is nothing going on between me and Flitter, that’s why.”

                “You seem quite certain, and why is that?”

                “Because,” Thunderlane started, but then took a moment to think. “Because she doesn’t like me. You know, like that. I figured that out a long time ago when she told me she didn’t.”

                “She did, did she?”

                “Yeah, when she broke up with me. Believe it or not, I dated her, but she broke up with me and said she just wanted to be friends. So she doesn’t like me like that. But thanks for bringing up bad memories,” Thunderlane huffed.

                “I see,” Luna commented flatly, “And what if she was wrong? What if she regretted breaking up with you and wanted you back?”

                “I would think she would tell me.”

                “What if she couldn’t, what if you happened to fall for her sister before she realized her error? What if she was looking to correct the matter by keeping you two apart?”

                “Sounds complicated if you ask me,” Spike chimed in. The purple dragon had been reading a comic book across the room on Twilight’s couch. However, his proximity made it impossible for him to avoid overhearing their conversation. The two both gave him a stern look for interrupting, but it went ignored as the dragon was holding his comic book in front of his face high enough to miss the gestures.

                Thunderlane turned his attention from the small dragon and began to stare hard at Luna. Her gaze was unflinching and certain, and it bothered him greatly because it was as if she knew what she said to be true.

                “How could you possibly know that?” he asked.

                “Where is Flitter now?” she replied with another question.

                “At home probably,” Thunderlane answered.

                “Then two matters have been settled today. First, you will accompany Us to Canterlot this Friday to meet with Celestia, and second, We will accompany you to your home now to meet with Flitter. For I wish to have words with the mare and for you to be there to hear them.” Luna then called out to Spike, “Dragon, tell your mistress, that I will return before the sun sets.”

                “Yeah, yeah,” Spike waived, not bothering to look up.

                “Hmmph, why are good slaves so hard to find?” Luna commented at Spike’s lethargy.

                “Probably because, for the last time, I’m not her slave, I’m her assistant,” Spike grumbled.         

                “Po-tay-toe, Po-tah-toe,” Luna countered.

                “More like Apples and oranges,” Spike shot back. “Or in the case of a mare who apparently missed the turn of the millennia, Appelth and ye ole’ Orangeth.

                “Come Thunderlane,” Luna continued, her annoyance rising, as she began to make her way to the door. “Let us take our leave from this crass reptilian servant that knows not his place.”

                “Yeah, I love you too,” Spike tossed out sarcastically as he flipped a page in his comic.

                Luna rolled her eyes, but before Thunderlane could make his way to the door beside her, there came knock from the other side. Luna shot a look at Spike but saw him make no effort to move.

                “We suppose you are not going to move are you?”

                “Not while her ex-highness is right by the door and can open it herself,” Spike replied.

                Luna gave up and opened the door to reveal Rainbow Dash standing on the other side. Her ire grew ever higher as she took in the sight of the cyan pegasus.

                “What brings you here?” she asked coldly.

                “Oh, uh, hi, I was looking for Twilight,” Rainbow Dash answered.

                “Indeed. Dragon!” Luna called back out to Spike. “Inform your mistress that there is a strumpet at the door that wishes to speak with her.”

                “Strumpet?’ Rainbow Dash questioned.

                “TWI!” Spike shouted, not bothering to get up, “THERE’S A STRUMPET AT THE DOOR FOR YOU!”

                “WHAT?! SEND HER AWAY! I DON”T NEED PONIES LIKE THAT IN MY LIBRARY!!” Twilight shouted back  down from her room.

                “Twi says ‘get lost’,” Spike repeated, again, not bothering to look up.

                “TWI IT’S ME!!” Rainbow shouted.

                “RAINBOW?!” Twilight shouted back, a moment later she came barreling downstairs and immediately began yelling at her assistant. “Spike! That’s a horrible thing to say about Rainbow! She’s is not a strumpet!”

                “Luna called her a strumpet,” Spike commented calmly as he flipped yet another page. “I’m just relaying a message.

                “Luna!” Twilight admonished. “First of all, stop teaching my baby dragon bad words!”

                “I’m not a ba-”

                “And second of all, Rainbow Dash, isn’t a strumpet!”

                “That is your opinion,” Luna replied.

                “Okay, time out!” Rainbow Dash cried out, “What the heck is a strumpet?”

                “A promiscuous female, or for the lack of a better word…” Twilight moved next to Spike and quickly cupped his ears with her forehooves. “A whore.”

                “I can hear you,” Spike said flatly.

                “Go to your room Spike!” Twilight huffed, before turning her attention to Luna. “And that was horrible thing to say.”

                “Dash?” Thunderlane interrupted. “Long time, no see, how ya been?”

                “Oh, hey Thunder,” Dash answered. “Not so good actually, but I did make into the Wonderbolts.”

                “That’s great!” Thunderlane congratulated her, “but what happened?”

                “She threw herself at the speedster, Sonic, and bedded him with the sole intent of infuriating another mare. Her intention was drive a wedge between the other mare’s relationship so she could take the other mare’s stallion. She cared not that she dashed the blue hedgehog’s heart asunder in the process,” Luna answered before Dash could reply, the Alicorn’s words sharp and filled with venom.

                “Sounds like a strumpet to me,” Spike commented.

                “Room! Now!” Twilight ordered.

                “Fine,” Spike grumbled as he rose from his seat and headed up stairs.

                “We will take our leave as well, come Thunderlane, and steer clear of the strumpet, the last thing you need is more mare troubles, and this one is abound of them.”

                “Oh, uh, sure,” Thunderlane replied and followed Luna out the library.

                “Sorry about that,” Twilight sighed now that the two mares were alone. “Luna’s a bit blunt.”

                “No, it’s alright, I sorta deserve it after I what I did, but if you gotta second, I kinda need to talk to you.”

                “Sure Rainbow,” Twilight acknowledged and guided her friend to her couch were they both sat.

                “So, how are things with you, Flash, and Foxtrot?”

                “Confusing, but I doubt you’re here for that.”

                “Yeah.”

                “So,” Twilight sighed, “What happened last Friday? Did you really mean all those things?”

                “No!” Rainbow answered emphatically. “I didn’t mean a word of it. I just… I was trying to get under Spitfire’s skin. She’s been driving me up a wall since I met her and I was just trying to get back at her. I guess I got really carried away and ended up making a complete foal of myself. That’s why I came over, I wanted to say that I was sorry and ask if you could forgive me for being so stupid.”

                “Oh Rainbow,” Twilight cooed as she reached over and hugged her friend. “Of course I can forgive you for what happened. Trust me, I know first hoof what kinda pressure Spitfire can put on a pony. So I don’t blame you for acting a little crazy. But it isn’t me that you need to apologize to. It’s Sonic you really hurt.”

                “I know,” Rainbow moaned. “I’ve been thinking about it nonstop and I don’t know what to do about it. I mean, I really think he was in love with me. Not like the ‘I’m gonna say nice things and do nice things so you raise your flank’ sorta love me. But the ‘I want to take care of you and protect you from bad things’ sorta love me. Like I was the best part of his day sorta love. The real love. And then I go and do something stupid like this. I can’t get the image of him on his hands and knees outta my head.” Rainbow buried her face in her hooves, “I was so important to him, and I practically ripped his heart out and stepped on it right in front of him.”

                Twilight thought hard on what to try and say to fix Dash’s problems, but nothing came to mind so she settled for rubbing Dash’s back with her hoof as her friend lamented.

                “I don’t think there’s anything I can do to fix this,” Dash continued. “I screwed up big time.”

                “Well,” Twilight began as her mind raced. “Maybe there isn’t something you can do right away by yourself, but what if we all help?”

                “What do you mean?” Rainbow said looking up at her friend. “I doubt the other girls will help, you’re the first pony I’ve talked to, I still don’t know how to tell them.”

                “Hmm,” Twilight thought for a moment before perking back up. “Tell you what, right now, I got my hooves full with trying to figure out this whole Foxtrot mess. Once I’m finished, I’ll help you break it to the girls.”

                “Thanks Twi,” Rainbow beamed.

                “Once we get them on board, we’ll all go and talk to Sonic and get everything sorted out between you two.”

                “You think that will work?”

                “It’s worth a shot. I’m sure when he hears the truth, that everything should go back to normal.”

                “I’m not sure,” Dash questioned, “I wasn’t really supposed to talk to him.”

                “Who in Equestria told you that?”

                “Spitfire.”

                “And you’re gonna listen to that crazy psycho mare? She’s the one who put you in this predicament to begin with!”

                “Well, she was right about coming to you first, she told I should stay away from him or I’ll make things worse.”

                “She may have been right about coming to me, but even a broken clock is right twice a day. Now you tell me, what could go wrong by you telling him the truth and apologizing?”

                “Yeah, you’re right,” Dash said cheering up before shooting Twilight a sideways glance. “As always.”

                Twilight rolled her eyes.

                “You think the other girls will really help out?”

                “Of course they will. You just got them and talk to them like you talked to me, and they’ll jump right onboard. Trust me, everything’s gonna be perfectly fine.”

                “Sounds good to me.”

                “Then it’s settled. Glad I can help. Now, if you wouldn’t mind, I’m gonna get back work.” Twilight said.

    “Sure thing, hey,” Rainbow interjected as she hopped off the couch but before she began to head towards the library door. “I wanted to say thank you Twi. For everything. I just can’t believe you’re the one who’s helping me with boy troubles instead of Rarity.”

                “What can I say, it’s a gift. Solving problems is what I do,” Twilight said proudly.

                “Yeah, speaking of which, how’s Foxtrot? You and him doing good?”

                “Well, Flash is still here so we’re still having him act like a dog for a little bit longer. But I’ve been building up a pretty good case for Celestia, so I think we’ll be through with all this nonsense pretty soon. So truth be told, we’re not really doing anything. We can’t really hang out, or do anything, we can’t even talk to each other. So it’s kinda hard. But I think he gets what’s going on and he’s being a really good sport about it.”

                “Really?” Dash questioned. “A good sport about it? You’re making him act like a dog, you two aren’t doing anything, and you say he’s being a good sport about it?”

                “Well, yeah, sorta of… I mean, he’s not really complaining about it.”

                “Probably because he can’t talk,” Rainbow replied flatly.

                “Oh hardy har har, well what am I supposed to do?”

                “I don’t know Twi, you’re in a really crappy position, and I know right now I’m not in the right position to give you advice, but…” Rainbow bit her lip, “I’d just be careful Twi. I mean, you’re askin’ a lot from him.”

                “I know,” Twilight replied sadly, “trust me I know. All the more reason I gotta get back to work so I don’t have to anymore.”

                 Rainbow nodded, turned, and took her leave. Once gone, Twilight returned upstairs, to resume her reading which prompted Spike to return to the now vacant couch, comic book in hand.

                “Finally,” he sighed as he allowed his comic book to fall, exposing a magazine titled ‘RUSTLER’ that hid been hidden behind it. “I don’t care what these mares say, you’re alright in my book Flash,” he spoke aloud as he chuckled to himself. Upon finding one particular page, he turned the magazine sideways and allowed the pages inside to fold out, revealing a three page display. The small dragon let out an appraising whistle. “And you got good taste.”

<->

                Flitter had milled about Thunderlane’s home, keeping herself busy with cleaning up from Thunderlane’s welcome home party, after which she decided to draw herself up a nice relaxing bath. However, before she could begin to run the water into the tub she heard a knock at the door and with a disappointed sigh moved to the front door to open it. She was slightly surprised to see Thunderlane back so soon, but far more surprised and a great deal angrier when she laid eyes on the Alicorn beside him.

                “Thunderlane?” she asked, bitterness in her voice, her eyes not leaving the Alicorn. “Why is she here?” the question forced, as she truly did not care, and far rather the Alicorn disappear from the doorstep and out of her life forever.

                “Well, ya see-” Thunderlane began, however he was quickly interrupted as Luna stepped forward and closed the gap between herself and Flitter, in doing so, imposing her taller stature upon the smaller pegasus and forcing Flitter to look up at her.

                “You shall address Us pegasus,” Luna replied, her tone harsh and filled with authority. “For you and I shall have words.”

                “Fine, here’s a couple. Fuck. Off.” Flitter seethed.

                “You made a promise to Us pegasus, one that it would seem you are quick to break now that the opportunity presents itself,” Luna continued.

                    “You wanna talk about breakin’ things, how about I break your neck?” Flitter threatened.

                    “Whoa! Easy Flit-” Thunderlane moved to intervene, but was stopped by Luna placing a hoof against as she moved to deal with the lilac twin without his aid.

                    “That’s quite the mettle you posse pegasus.” Luna replied to Flitter, doing her best to keep her temper, but further inflicting her height difference on the smaller mare. She did not care for Flitter’s attitude, and while she had no intention of hurting her, she sparked up her horn with magic as she felt the need to remind her of her place. “However, We can’t help but wonder if thine backbone has grown fortified from our last encounter. If that were so, We cannot begin to fathom how foalish you would be to think you could suffer the likes of Us here in the waking world. For a princess I am no longer, but assure you, an Alicorn I shall always be.”

                  Flitter’s eyes remained locked with Luna’s, and as the cobalt Alicorn issued words, she felt a preternatural chill rush over her body which forced her wings to clamp down to help cease her body from shivering. She guessed it to be the Alicorn’s magic, and while doing very little to dwindle the anger in her heart, it did do wonders for keeping her tongue firmly in check.

                 “However, as We were saying,” Luna digressed, comma ceasing the cold spell she had lightly casted once she saw the results she was looking for and continued her prior point. “We regret to inform you, that is not how promises work and as such we feel to need to burn your web that you spin to ensnare this stallion with such little regard for his feelings.

                “What?” Flitter replied, partly because she didn’t understand what she was saying, but mostly because she caught the gist of it. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. But I do know you’re the last mare in the world who should be talking about ‘regard for Thunderlane’!” Flitter swiftly turned to the charcoal pegasus beside Luna. “Thunder, I don’t know what Miss I-got-kicked-outta-Canterlot has been telling you, but she’s done more than enough to ruin your life. So I suggest whatever it is she’s trying to pull, that you get in here, we shut the door in her face, and you not listen to one more thing she has to say.

                “Hey,” Thunderlane tried to interject, “Easy Flitter, Luna’s been sayi-”

                “And let me guess, you listened! You listened to the mare that you went behind Cloud Chaser’s back with!”

                “I never went behind her back!” Thunderlane shouted defensively. “We were never dating to begin with!”

                “So why don’t you tell her?! How about when you ask her out, you open with, ‘guess who I slept with the other day?!’”

                “Because it’s none of her business!” Thunderlane retorted. “I didn’t do anything wrong!”

                “Really now? So how about I tell her right now?!” Flitter barked back as she pushed her way past Thunderlane and began to head out the door.

                “That would make it far easier for you, now wouldn’t it?” Luna replied calmly.

                Flitter stopped in her tracks.

                “Indeed, raising the ire of your sister would certainly clear the path for you win back this young stallion’s affection, would you not agree?” the cobalt Alicron continued.

                Flitter turned, her mouth slack with fear as she quickly looked at Thunderlane. His own serious look confirming that this Alicorn had spilled out the secrets that she garnered from invading her dreams. The thought made her sick and furious as her jaw began to bunch tightly and her back teeth ground together as her gaze moved to Luna.

                “Shut your mouth Alicorn…” Flitter gurgled out in her rage as she stared daggers back at the taller mare.

                “You see stallion,” Luna replied, a slight grin on her lips as Flitter’s rage confirmed her accusations. “Winning back your heart was her scheme all along.”

                “I said shut your mouth!” Flitter spat out, fully turning and facing her, taking three, slow and deliberate, paces towards her. Her mane prickling and her feathers ruffling as she extended her wings involuntarily.

                “We can see thou are angry?” Luna replied, her posture unchanging, as was her haughty tone. “It does not feel well when secrets are spilled out into the open. However this is the cost you shall pay for breaking your oath to me.”

                “Wait,” Thunderlane spoke up, “What oath.”

                There was a moment of silence, as Luna, knew she would have to confess to the deed, but still dreaded doing so.

                “Yeah Alicorn!” Flittered roared. “Tell him! Tell him how you broke into my dreams! And then dragged me into his. Tell him how you showed me his deepest secrets! And then tell him about those feeling of his that you regard so much!!”

                “Luna?” Thunderlane asked, his head spinning at what Flitter said. “Luna, is that true?!”

                Luna sighed.

                “It tis,” she admitted quietly.

                “Wait hang on!” Thunderlane began, his own anger rising. “You got in my head!”

                “Stallion We ha-”

                “You got in my head and you showed Flitter! What’s the matter with you!? What goes on in my head is private! What you did, it’s… IT’S WRONG!” Thunderlane roared.

                “Stallion you must unde-”

                “How dare you!?” he shouted back, not caring to hear her explanation. “How dare you! How could you do that!?”

                “We had little choice!” Luna tried to reply. “How else were We to show her that you truly do care for her sister!? We had no other way of reaching her Stallion, you mu-”

                “What did you show her!?” Thunderlane cut her off once more.

                “The truth!” Luna declared. “All that conspired between you and Us. That We had lured you to bed and that we had all intention of ending our courtship after the Gala. And in doing so We saw that she still loves you! Her heart has grown black with jealousy of her sister and she is doing all she can to prevent you from being with her! We give you Our word stallion, she had promised she would not speak of all that had occurred, but she now uses it to gain proper leverage!”

                “Oh that wasn’t why I promised her!” Flitter quickly tossed in, seeing the chance to turn Thundelane’s anger towards Luna and away from her. “Tell him! If we’re laying everything out on the table! Tell him everything! Tell him what else you showed me!”

                Thunderlane was growing beside himself, his breath heavy as he glared at Luna with accusing eyes that demanded to know the full story, but feared it all the same.

                Luna swallowed.

                “Stallion, you must understa-”

                “WHAT ELSE?!” Thunderlane screamed, his anger of such an egregious break in trust erupting. “WHAT DID YOU SHOW HER?!”

                Luna back pedaled a step. Thunderlane had yelled at her once before, for her to see him so angry at her again, brought back the hurt of the night that she had wronged him so deeply before. Never-the-less, she knew he deserved to know, despite what he might think of her once hearing it.

                “When she ended your relationship,” the cobalt mare began softly. “It was why she made the promise. She asked to feel what you had felt that day. She asked, and We allowed it to be so. She felt the pain that you had felt, the hurt that you had hurt and all the despair of the broken heart you suffered that day.”

                For moment, nopony spoke. The only sound was Thunderlane’s heavy breathing through his nostrils as he struggled to maintain his sanity. Luna glanced at Flitter, the pegasus was intently watching Thunderlane as she too was gauging if she should speak. Lucky for both mares, it was Thunderlane who broke the silence.

                “Go away.”

                The two stood as they were unsure of who he was speaking to. However, that mystery was short lived as the charcoal stallion raised his head and his furious gaze to Luna.

                “Go away and stay away.”

                “Stallion, ple-“

                “Just go away!”

                “We know you are upset, but you must understand! We were trying to help you! Believe Us when We say We are your friend Stallion, We promi-”

                “STOP CALLING ME THAT!! YOU’RE NOT MY FRIEND!” he roared. Luna back pedaled another step. “YOU’VE DONE NOTHING BUT RUIN MY LIFE! EVERY STEP OF THE WAY! I WISH I NEVER MET YOU! YOU’RE NOT MY FRIEND! YOU’RE A…A… WRECKER! THAT’S WHAT YOU ARE! A WRECKER. CELESTIA WAS WRONG! YOU’RE NOT POISON! YOU’RE A WRECKING BALL! ALL YOU DO IS BREAK AND RUIN THINGS! AND YOU DON’T CARE! AS LONG AS IT BENIFTS YOU! YOU DON’T CARE! YOU DIDN’T COME HERE FOR ME! YOU CAME TO CLEAR YOUR OWN CONSCIENCE!  WELL GUESS WHAT?! YOU RUINED MY LIFE! JUST LIKE YOU RUINED YOUR SISTER’S LIFE! NO WONDER THAT OTHER GUY DOESN’T LIKE YOU AND YOU NEEDED ME TO TAKE YOU TO THE GALA! YOU PROBABLY RUINED HIS LIFE! IT’S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE YOU RUIN TWILIGHT SPARKLE’S. YOU SAY YOU’RE MY FRIEND, BUT YOU KEEP CALLING ME STALLION BECAUSE YOU PROBABLY CAN’T EVEN REMEMBER MY NAME!! SO STAY AWAY! STAY AWAY FROM ME! STAY AWAY FROM MY BROTHER! JUST STAY AWAY FROM MY ENTIRE FAMILY!”

                 “We…” Luna choked out, trying to hide her shock and sadness from his outburst but found herself unable. “We… I… I am sorry. Truly I am sorry, and surely you don’t mean what you say!”

                “GO AWAY!!” He screamed once more. “AND STAY AWAY YOU… YOU… YOU BITCH!!”

                Luna hung her head low, turned, and trotted from his doorstep a full six paces before spreading her wings. Mournfully, she looked back Thunderlane and saw the fervor in his eyes and that there was nothing she could have said to erase all that she done to him.

                “As you wish, Thunderlane.”

                Then with a flap of her wings, she was gone.

                Seconds passed as Flitter stood silent. She hadn’t expected Thunderlane to blow up like he did and she certainly didn’t want him to do so at her. She half expected him to continue his tirade in her direction, but was shocked when all he did was turn around and head further into his home.

                “Thunder,” she dared as she slowly trotted after him. However, the stallion did not acknowledge her. “Thunder, wait.”

                Thunderlane moved through his kitchen and began to make his way to bedroom.

                “Thunder it’s all true!” Flitter called out, the mare now desperate to get an answer from him. She was rewarded by him pushing open his door, entering and shutting it behind him and locking it. Flitter’s heart twisted as she pressed herself against the other side and yelled to the stallion within “It’s all true. I don’t know when, but I was wrong. I do love you. I want to be with you. You and only you. I broke up with you, because Cloud Chaser had gotten her braces and was having a hard time. When she told me that she liked you, I figured it wouldn’t be a big deal. That you weren’t as important to me as you were. But I was wrong. And then when I saw you and Cloud Chaser growing closer and closer it tore me apart. I mean, I dated Score simply because he reminded me of you! You gotta believe me! And then w-when you saved me,” Flitter found that she was crying, “W-when you saved me… I knew I had to get you back. But y-you were in love with Cloud Chaser. I’m sorry for everything I did. I just… I just wanted you back so badly! Please…please, you gotta forgive me! I promise! I swear on everything that I won’t tell Cloud Chaser about you and Luna! Please just open the door and talk to me Thunder!”

                Flitter heard the sound of Thunderlane sitting and guessed him to be other side of the door.

                “You told me that you just wanted to be friends. And even though it hurt, I did it. I don’t even know why. Probably, because after all we had been through together, I couldn’t imagine living my life without you. So I did it, no matter how much it hurt, I settled for just being friends… Then when I started to fall for Cloud Chaser, everything seemed like it was gonna be okay. But now… now I’m having a really hard time thinking that you could ever be my friend. I can’t even take you at your word anymore.”

                Flitter sniffled at the stallion’s words that cut deep but were well deserved. She slunk to the floor and leaned against the door.

                “I felt everything Thunder,’ she explained. “I felt what I did to you, and I can’t ever forgive myself for that. I won’t… I can’t ever hurt you like that again. I just… I just want to go back to way things were before. When were foals, back in the treehouse. When you told me we’d be together forever.”

                “I really did love you back then.” Thunderlane’s voice replied, soft and full of anguish.

                “I know,” Flitter sighed through her tears. “I’d give anything if we could just go back.”

                Silence.

                “I wish we could go back to then too,” Thunderlane spoke, his voice a whisper, barely heard through the door.

                “We can,” Flitter exclaimed, “Thunder we can! It’s not too late!”

                “No, things are different. We’re not foals, we’re not the same ponies. Things are different.”

                “Cloud Chaser…You really like her now. Do you really like her that much more than me?”

                No reply.

                “So what are you gonna do now Thunder?”

                Silence.

                Flitter buried her head in her hooves and cried.