Rainbow, Fluttershy, and Applejack tuned the low E strings of their instruments down a step to D. It took a moment to fine-tune everything so as to avoid technical difficulties.
Fluttershy and Applejack opened with a clean instrumental while Rainbow intermittently strummed the bottom strings with low gain. Pinkie accompanied them with a foreboding groove.
During the crescendo, Rainbow cranked up the distortion. Pinkie's drumming became slightly more progressive, intensifying the atmosphere of unease. Fluttershy muted her guitar, leaving Rainbow and Applejack to take the reigns. Applejack strummed the low D string, occasionally moving up the neck to spice up the rhythm while Rainbow topped it off with heavy, high-gain chords. Fluttershy changed her own settings in preparation for the opening riff...And then...Madness erupted.
Twilight shouted as hard as she could into the microphone. She moved in tight, precise contractions to bring her frustration to the forefront.
"I BLEED, AND IT CHEAPENS MY PRIDE! IT'S JUST ANOTHER WAY TO ESCALATE! ANOTHER PATH LEADS ME NOWHERE, BUT I CAN CLEAR SO MANY MORE!"
Pinkie, Applejack, Rainbow, and Fluttershy transitioned into the breakdown.
"FOR YOU, MY TIME IS NOT WORTH THE PAIN!"
Twilight's friends increased the tempo.
"I PICTURED ONE DAY, I'D LET IT GET THE BEST OF ME! MY DREAMS ARE ALREADY BROKEN, UNTIL MY SEVERED HEART BECKONS ME! MY DREAMS ARE NEVER BROKEN! I FOUND A NEW RELIEF TO MAKE CHANGE! My dreams, it seems, WERE NEVER REALLY BROKEN!"
The breakdown repeated.
"FOR YOU, MY TIME IS NOT WORTH THE PAIN!"
Twilight smashed her snout with the mic, fracturing the bone and causing her to bleed. The others reversed course, returning to the opening instrumental.
Twilight mended the damage to her snout, but didn't bother wiping the blood away. A knock came from the front door.
"It's probably Cadance," Rainbow stated, "I asked her to come."
Twilight nodded. She followed Rainbow to the living room. The Pegasus opened the door.
"Hey, Rainbow. I came as soon as I got your mess-"
The princess of love was shocked into silence by the sight before her.
"Oh, my God! What happened to Twilight!?"
"Guess I got a little carried away." the Alicorn admitted.
"A little!? I can taste it from here! What in Equestria were you girls doing!?"
"Letting off some steam." Rainbow said bluntly.
"Maybe tone it down a bit, will ya? Jeez..."
"I'll go get cleaned up." Twilight voiced. She left the room.
Twilight shut off the water in the bathroom. All visible traces of the red fluid seemed to have been removed. In a way, she was disappointed. Bleeding her feelings out felt so freeing. She felt alive for the first time in days.
"Oh, well. All good things come to an end eventually. That's what got us here."
She looked in the mirror, and walked away...
Cadance, Rainbow, and the others conversed among themselves until Twilight returned.
"I'm back."
"We need to talk." Cadance said sternly.
"What's there to talk about? The guy I thought I would spend the rest of my life with left me for someone else. No. I'm done talking."
"You're not the first pony to find solace in self-destructive behavior, and you won't be the last, but that's not the way to go."
"What am I supposed to do? Bottle it all up until it kills me on its own? Or should I drink myself to death to numb it out? Neither of those sound particularly appealing."
Cadance strolled over to her stepsister. She placed a hoof on her shoulder.
"The only thing that can heal a broken heart is time."
"How much time? Because I promise you, there are still people out there crying their eyes out years after being split up with their significant other. Telling someone to get over it is the biggest crock of shit I've ever heard. I actually feel good letting it out this way."
"I do have one idea."
"May as well spill it."
"Do you still have anything of his?"
"Just a binder with a bunch of photos."
"I have a plan."
Cadance whispered into Twilight's ear.
Twilight knocked on Flash's door. He opened it, uncertain of what to expect. The Alicorn ensured the memory stuck.
"Hey, fuckbag. Remember me?"
"What are you doing here?"
"I brought your shit. I don't want it anymore."
Twilight levitated the binder as though she simply planned to return it. However, just as it came within Flash's reach, she dumped the pictures over his head.
"Hey, what's the big idea!?"
Twilight's stare turned deadly with indignation.
"You're lucky I don't crush your larynx. You lost the right to criticize me when you tore my heart to pieces. Now you can live with the humiliation of being a disingenuous cocksmoker."
Flash was gobsmacked. His eyes were wide with terrified confusion. He couldn't believe the unfettered rage seething inside his former partner. Twilight turned away.
"Every time you see me, you'll remember what you did, and you'll hide your face in shame. You've been condemned to a fate far worse than anything I could muster. Welcome to hell, maggot."
Twilight and her friends prepared their instruments for one last session. This time, Cadance was around to observe and prevent injury if necessary.
Applejack opened with a bassline. Rainbow, Pinkie, and Fluttershy chimed in with half rests before transitioning to the first riff.
"IT TAKES ALL MY STRENGTH FOR ME NOT TO CUT MY THROAT WHEN YOU'RE OUT OF SIGHT, BUT FOREVER IN MY MIND! Put your pride aside! Let emotion take over! THESE SCARS HAVE FADED AWAY WITH ALL THE TEARS!"
The breakdown immediately followed.
"MEMORIES BURN HOLES IN MY HEART! LET THE BLACKNESS SHINE THROUGH!"
The tempo slowed.
"Cold. Numb in my mind. BURNS RIGHT THROUGH THESE EYES...Slowly over time...BLEEDING OUT MY SICKNESS!"
The second breakdown began.
"I'M STILL WAITING! DRAINED! Stumbled over a piece of my past, only wanting...TO FORGET! SACRIFICE THIS LOVE! SACRIFICE OUR LOVE! Sacrifice my love! UNCONDITIONAL LOVE!"
Twilight fell to her hind legs. Rainbow and the others finished the outro.
Cadance outstretched her hoof to her in-law. She pulled Twilight into a firm embrace. All Twilight could do was cry...
