Author's Note

I'm so happy with this chapter, and I think it's a lot better than my last one! Hope you like it :3
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, by the way. I'm a bit late, but whatever

Sitting in a tree

The door opened to the boutique. Sweetie Belle stood in the doorway, hands tucked into her sides. She couldn't feel her fingertips, and she sniffed every few seconds from the cold. On her walk home, the clouds had taken over the sky, and a bitter wind had picked up.

“Oh thank goodness! Sweetie Belle, where have you been?!” Rarity came running from the kitchen to greet her daughter. She reached a hand out and touched Sweetie Belle's arm, sending pain signals to her brain. Her touch felt like a burning iron, and whether it was just in her mind, or if she was just cold, Sweetie Belle didn't know.

She smacked the hand away and shot her mother a glare. “Like you would care. Like you've ever cared!”

She slammed the front door and stomped away and up the stairs to her room, leaving her mother in a state of paralysis.

“Are you okay, darling? Is something wrong?”

Her only response was the slam of a door, no doubt Sweetie's bedroom. The last thing she wanted was to talk with her mother, no matter how many promises Rarity made to be there for her, or right her past wrongs.

Sweetie flung herself onto her bed in the corner of the room, and untied the drapes so that they fell over the window, obscuring all light.

She lay on her back, staring at the ceiling. There was no pain or anger inside her, only fear. Anxiety and nervousness tied her stomach into knots.

She remembered her bag she had thrown on the floor next to the bed. She reached inside and pulled out her sketchbook and diary. Part of her wanted to write what happened in her diary, but the other half screamed no. She could write in it later, if she wanted. Right now, she only wanted to chuck the thing out the window.

Sweetie set the diary on her nightstand and instead stared at the sketchbook in her hands. She opened it again to the picture she had drawn earlier that day, and gazed at the scene. Apple Bloom looked as cute as ever, and her smile, though drawn, still held the trait to melt Sweetie's heart. Sighing, she held it close to her chest and closed her eyes. She was exhausted, and she only needed a moment to think about things. About Apple Bloom.

She fell asleep, and a few minutes later, couldn't hear the knock at her door. Rarity hesitantly opened it and stepped inside. Noticing her sleeping child, Rarity stepped closer to the bed, quietly. With the help of a little bit of magic, she re-positioned her in a more comfortable manner, and drew a blanket over her, tucking it in. She gently took the sketchbook out of her hands and set it on the nightstand, leaving it open.

Sweetie Belle whimpered in her sleep and clutched her pillow, and Rarity sat down next to her. She stroked the forehead of her daughter, brushing the hair away from her eyes.

“I'm sorry... Love you, darling.” She leaned over and kissed her forehead in a motherly fashion, and stood up to leave. Halfway to the door, she remembered the sketchbook she had left open on the nightstand.

Wouldn't want to ruin the binding.

Rarity picked it up to close it, and happened to notice the drawing.

Wow, this really is amazing! She really has grown. A shame I wasn't there to see.

She bit her lip, and flipped through the pages of the book, hoping to catch a glimpse of how her daughter had improved since the Christmas before last, almost two years ago. She noticed however, that most of her drawings were of Apple Bloom. There were a few others, here and there, of other things and people. One was Scootaloo's wings, a few were of birds, and a few even showed her school. But most of the pictures were of Apple Bloom, and... Rarity's parents. There were a few details that were off, but Rarity easily recognized them. She fought back a tear, and almost shut the book. But it opened itself up to a page with a picture of Apple Bloom. Apple Bloom smiled in a mischievous way, and a bit of mistletoe hung from the ceiling, over her head.

Rarity frowned in confusion at the sketch, and looked at the corner of the page. It was dated last Christmas, and her daughters signature confirmed she was the artist behind it.

What? What does this-...

A little heart next to the signature confirmed Rarity's suspicions.

I-... I See.

Rarity closed the book quietly and set it on the nightstand. Turning, she walked to the door, then, before shutting it, looked back.

Sweetie... You really are growing up. I know I wasn't there for you before, but I hope-... I hope I can be there now.

She smiled at the girl laying in the bed. Sweetie Belle was curled up on her side, and for once looked like she was at peace. She wasn't scowling, crying, or yelling like usual.

It reminded Rarity of the girl she used to know. Sweet, innocent, and happy. The girl that only wanted to make her sister happy. But she had lost that girl. Every time they argued, yelled, and fought, that girl grew more and more distant.

It's my fault. It's all my fault. I have to find a way to make her happy again. Or at least give her the peace and rest she needs so desperately. But at least, Twilight has helped me with that so far. She should be happier soon. Thank you, Twilight.

Rarity left the room, shutting the door behind her.

~~~

Sweetie Belle stood alone in the streets of Ponyville. The sky was blue and cloudless, and there was a warm, gentle breeze flowing about. The air was thick with the aroma of flowers, and the colors of the town seemed to be far more saturated than normal. It all looked vibrant and lively, yet nobody was around.

She started to walk, her footsteps muted. There was some kind of music in the background, guitar, or piano. Or maybe a violin? Harp? It didn't matter.

The shops seemed to be closed, but instead of “closed” signs, they were all signs with big arrows on them, pointing to the distance.

Following them, Sweetie found herself at the gate of the Apple's farm. A smile started to form in her lips, and she let herself into the farm.

Winona ran to greet her. She pet the cute dog, stroking her long fur.

“You wouldn't know where Apple Bloom might be, would you?”

The dog stared at her eyes for a second before barking and taking off in a sprint.

With a laugh, Sweetie chased after the enthusiastic dog, her skirt bellowing behind her.

Winona led her to a grassy hill in one of the orchards, and stopped. Sweetie finally caught up, panting for breath. The area seemed to be void of people though, Apple Bloom was nowhere in sight.

Winona barked up at a tree, and Sweetie looked up to find Apple Bloom sitting among the branches.

“Hey! What're you doin' here?” Bloom looked down at her. Sweetie smiled and waved. Bloom leaned down and grabbed her hand, pulling her up into the tree. She felt as light as a feather, and Apple Bloom didn't show any sign of of effort.

Once she was hoisted onto a branch and could support her own weight, Sweetie Belle stared at the ground, wondering how she had been lifted so high. Her wondering was interrupted when she remembered her acrophobia, and she clung to the trunk of the tree, unable to look down any longer. The ground seemed to fall farther downward every second. Or maybe the tree was getting taller.

“What's wrong? 'Fraid of heights?”

Sweetie nodded, and her face grew paler than usual. Apple Bloom chuckled softly.

“It ain't nothing to be 'fraid of, you won't fall.” Bloom wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close.

The tree grew and grew, and the entire town was visible now from above. The sun started to set, and it cast the last light of day onto the turning leaves of the tree, making purple and red light shine over the small village.

Sweetie relaxed and leaned against her friend's body for comfort.

The tree started to slow as it neared the clouds of the sky. When Sweetie could have sworn the sky was clear a second ago, there was now a giant white blanket above their heads.

They broke through the thick clouds, and a light mist settled on her skin. The tree stopped growing, and the clouds became the ground below. She knew the ground was far away, and clouds would do nothing to stop her plummet, but seeing something that looked solid set her mind at ease.

An overwhelming feeling of drowsiness and fatigue swept over her, and she found herself laying in Apple Bloom's lap, staring up into her eyes. The sun was gone, below the horizon, but Sweetie could still see the golden light in Bloom's eyes. She smiled down at her, and Sweetie smiled back. Her eyelids felt as heavy as lead, but she fought the feeling to sleep. Bloom stroked Sweetie's cheek, as if wiping away an imaginary tear.

The moon was high in the sky now, and the stars shone brightly, above the cloud floor. And to add to the beautiful effect, a few shooting stars shot through the air. Time seemed to mean nothing here, and it flew by when it pleased. The music in the background grew louder, but was still soft and smooth. Almost sad, but also happy.

Sweetie Belle looked up into Apple Bloom's face, and she knew exactly what she wanted to do. Bloom seemed to know as well. The stars sparkled in Sweetie's eyes.

“I love you...” Sweetie Belle whispered, her voice confident, but soft.

Apple Bloom smiled and leaned forward. Sweetie closed her eyes, knowing what would happen next.

Their noses touched. Their lips were an inch apart. She could feel how close she was, how warm her breath was, and how she smelled of sugar and cinnamon.

Half an inch. Sweetie reached up and held the back of Bloom's head, stroking her long hair. A quarter of an inch. Something inside Sweetie Belle screamed “Lean forward! Fast! Do it now!”, and something else whispered “It's okay. Savor the moment. Slowly...”.

Apple Bloom brushed a lock of Sweetie's hair behind her ear. They were so close to a kiss, and Sweetie Belle didn't register the cracking sounds she heard underneath her.

Before their lips touched, the tree branches dropped out from under her, and she could feel herself falling.

She screamed, and her last sight was Apple Bloom reaching out to catch her. Then the clouds overtook her vision, and all she could see was the darkness of the night. All she could hear were the muffled cries for her name and her own screaming. All she could feel was the stickiness of the mist around her, so cold it felt like she was falling through a pile of pins. The nightmare should've ended there, but it didn't.

She struggled to turn in mid-air, and she flailed about as if it would slow her rapid descent. She now faced the ground, growing neared and nearer with every passing second.

Adrenaline pulsed in her veins, and she felt like she couldn't breathe; an issue she didn't seem to have when she was nestled in the tree with Apple Bloom.

It looked like she was going to land on a street in town square, away from any foliage to soften her fall. It grew closer and closer, and she still screamed. Sweetie Belle probably should've closed her eyes for the impact, but couldn't find the strength or courage to.

So she screamed and watched as she hit the ground in slow motion, feet first. She could feel the snap of every bone as they hit the asphalt, one by one. Excruciating wasn't an appropriate word for the pain. Normal people would have blacked out or died instantly, but her brain denied her that relief.

She lay in a heap in the road, nobody around to rush to her aid. She couldn't see herself, but that was probably for the better. She couldn't see at all, in fact, nor speak or move. But she could still feel. Everything was black, and she was left to suffer in what was left of her body.

Sweetie finally found solace after what felt like hours. She started to go numb, and couldn't feel the horror of what had happened anymore. It was a dull throbbing pain, and felt more like a bad headache through her entire being.

That's when the nightmare started to end. Sweetie could feel her own body, in one piece. She struggled to pull her mind from the nightmare, but was finally successful. Everything was still black, but she managed to open her eyes, awaking into a new kind of nightmare. This one, inescapable.

~~~

Sweetie Belle's eyes snapped open, and she looked around in a crazed manner, everything blurry. She lay in a curled up heap on the ground, next to her bed. Her right leg was asleep, still on top of her mattress, leading to a lack of blood flow. Her left arm was under her, and felt like pins and needles. A blanket was wrapped around her in an uncomfortable way, and she could feel a lot of blood in her head.

I must have fallen out of bed.

Sitting up, she was almost unable to stand, and she grew incredibly light-headed. Still, she was grateful to be free from the pain of her nightmare, left only with a slight headache and temporary pain. Light streamed in around her drapes, and she was grateful to not have the full sun in her eyes.

Stretching, she walked to the door before turning to look at the mess she had left behind. She threw the blanket from the floor onto the bed, not caring if it was made or not at the moment. Her sketchbook lay on the ground, knocked off the nightstand when she fell.

Sweetie picked it up and remembered what had happened the day before. A knot started to form in her stomach and she set the book down on her nightstand.

It was Wednesday, but there wasn't any school due to a holiday, to Sweetie Belle's relief. Now she didn't have to sit awkwardly next to Apple Bloom during classes, unable to apologize for what had happened yesterday. Instead, she could go straight to the farm to talk with her.

Sweetie left her room and stepped down the stairs. There was a note from Rarity on the kitchen table.

“Darling, I have gone shopping. I will be back shortly! Love – Mom.”

Her fist clenched at these last words, and she crumpled the note, throwing it at the nearest wall. It bounced off harmlessly, and she made herself some cold cereal for breakfast.

She tried to dress, but realized all of her dress were dirty. So she opted for a pair of jeans and a purple T-shirt she found in her dirty clothes hamper. They didn't smell bad, so she decided to wear them.

She almost left the house before remembering something. She grabbed her diary and sketchbook, deciding on whether or not to take them along. Something told her to, in case she wanted to share some of it's contents with Apple Bloom. It wouldn't hurt, so she grabbed a bag and stuffed them in.

Sweetie Belle left the house, locking the door behind her, and began her walk to the farm. She was scared, but determined to ask Apple Bloom about her thoughts. After her dream, she wanted nothing else but to lay together in real life, and share a real kiss.

She shivered, and it wasn't because of the cold.

~~~