Author's Note

It's Fireflower again with the eighth installment of my first My Little Pony fanfic going beyond the typical oneshots I'd made from before and already using canon characters as human beings instead of their normal forms; however, this is nonetheless a Mature fimfic for this chapter here will deal with certain subject matters considered unsuitable for those under eighteen, easily offended, and/or quickly nauseated.

In addition, I'd like to take this time to inform you this chapter's also only a nightmare but it can and will bring shock, awe, and outrage out of you in ways too horrible to imagine so it's with a generous heart and mind that yours truly has uploaded another chapter after this as well on the same day no less: for those of you amongst themselves wishing to skip ahead, please do so; I promise, it'll help calm your nerves a bit for the most part.

In any case, I'd like to apologize for having this chapter feel forced since I had to make a quota all the same: the words alone were tedious to put onscreen so I had to use filler to finish it all the same, especially considering the past; nevertheless, I hope you can stomach this, despite everything that has happened recently all the while.

Misery

“Why do lovely flowers bloom from the cherry tree…?” a stray voice had emerged from the dark backward which was deemed to be nothingness itself, a void soon dissipating within moments at an end when some more colors came into the picture, most of which were lacking in saturation but otherwise unnoticeable so to speak of no less.

There was a light emanating from a screen as it’d touched a fraction of the emerald splashed flooring adjacently now exposed: obstructing the path was a brown dresser with a lamp bereft of light and a small frame up against the hot pink partition as it were; the source was a little girl with bright skin and blood red eyes dressed in a uniform mostly matching her jet–black tresses.

Frankly speaking, she’d went unnoticed before being met with some soft muttering about, quiet and humble as it was further away from the surface area already dominated by the likes of her nevertheless, especially considering how strained the words were being sent out into their general direction, “nuh, stop it… leave me alone…!”

Children of seven waking smile at the sun
Why do fragrant blossoms stir in the mountain?

The ruby–eyed maiden in jet–black had sang softly, unperturbed by the occupant’s struggled breathing all the while

Children of seven laughing, run through the wood.
Why do crimson branches dance for the village streets?
Children of seven singing, call down the wind.
Why do wilting flowers fall from the cherry tree?
Children of seven, dying to wake once more.

“Hah…!” a gasp had now escaped into the dark spacial fold, belonging not to her but rather its corporeal occupant from out here: with one small step into the light, a giant leap of logic followed after, a barefoot already attached to another bright skinned woman; instead of solid darkness was but a jasmine nightgown as a silver lining came with the rest of her mauve tresses.

It didn’t take much for the emerald splash to emerge from its owner’s eyelids as both were staring deep at the girl onscreen: in spite of being unaware, the heartbeats were increasing in volume as the latter faced off in a leftwardly direction in any case; nevertheless, the former found a dial next to the warm and fuzzy surface area and turnt it, constricting its image to a bead.

Just when the blackness was about to claim victory at long last, a new batch of colors interceded into the dark territory as it were: despite its coolness, beads of white twinkled about before the woman’s eyes as a barrier between themselves had stood its ground; nevertheless, the similar material felt cool and crispy to the touch, a stark contrast to where the maiden resided long ago. There was nothing much more she could see underneath the crystalline nighttime sky and the crescent moon of silver chariot; on the other hand, its radiance alone was enough to give her more visibility compared to what she’d awakened to earlier as is: the fact that the rectangles were now awash over her had been a more pleasant experience to gain from the ordeal easy as it’d be. Viewing what little had remained was a valley and ridge of blue ridge mountains bereft of both smoke and candy on the horizon: in front of them were a series of houses off in the distance, few of which had the lights on but no conclusive proof for occupancy; speaking of which, the range may as well be deserted to a fault, devoid of sugar, spice, and everything nice, even chemical X.

At first, the woman in jasmine felt all alone in the universe, more so than the scarlet–eyed girl whom was onscreen earlier ago: the nocturne the former had awaken to served as evidence, especially considering how colorful it was compared to the very dark; however, a similar voice entered its absolute territory, belonging to neither female so to speak of, “hello, Cheerilee…?”

“Hmm…?” the corporeal tenant gasped softly as emerald orbs darted away from the external landscape instantaneously as is: on the surface, she’d looked calm and ready yet her recent recollection had taken much of the focus away from it all generally; nevertheless, her voice was strong enough to answer back at the secondary speaker gently as she could, “Cherry Blossom?”

“Are you okay, sister: you haven’t responded to me since you and Sweetie Belle returned home; can I come in, please…?” the aforementioned visitor had spoken to her respective kinsfolk almost immediately more confidently than the latter.

It didn’t take much for the woman in jasmine to walk away from the windowsill at once, albeit more carefully than ever before: considering everything which has been unfolding afore herself, it was the least she’d do for the time being as she were no less; at the very least, even she’d been quick to answer the secondary speaker all the same, “I don’t see why not; I’ll go get the door…”

Cheerilee couldn’t do much at all since her vision was next to nonexistent from her perspective, not for lack of trying of course: the recent memory of the screen’s light had been enough of a clue as to what she’d gotten herself into ever since she’d stood up; still, the cold steel making contact with flesh was enough to compel her hand into turning the object, a click entering ears. Henceforth, the woman in jasmine had been presented with a sight for sore eyes, especially considering her was included too: Cherry Blossom was standing right up in front of her, sharing the same scheme in skin, hair, and eye color right down to the detail; this alone was enough to assume that another barrier was in place for the both of them, if not for a light abaft of the latter. In any case, Cheerilee was quick to tell the difference between herself and her visitor afore, moreso from what can be seen: unlike the former, the latter’s hair was cut off from the top, showing more curvatures by sheer comparisons alone as it were; additionally, a set of purple pajamas covered up much of their wearer’s body more than the otherwise modest nightgown.

“Cheerilee, is there something you want to tell me about, that is if you want to…?” Cherry Blossom had asked her sister in jasmine instantly as is, the latter stepping away from the former slightly, “Sweetie Belle has been asking of you as well recently: you’ve been very reclusive lately for quite a while so to speak of; have you got something on your mind…?”

“Sorry, I’ve just been tired lately, that’s all: I haven’t been able to get a goodnight’s rest lately; it’s been a long time since I had it, Cherry Blossom…” the titular tenant told the twin tiredly, turning away to face the glass surface the former’s eyes were staring from not too long ago no less.

It didn’t take long for the eponymous onlooker to enter the room its occupant in jasmine had gone into retreat lately as it were; afterwards, both of the women heard a small click resounding into their ears as the darkness within was vaporized into a flash: compared to what the maiden’s light had shown, the bulbs above themselves did more to show the environment by comparison. All throughout the way was a background painted in a hot pink err ton within the approaching spring rolling in the deep space; the only downside were the finite dimensions surrounding the twosome, confining them away from the outside world beyond: of them, Cheerilee couldn’t resist see them close up on her despite standing in place, something her sister was unable to do. Nevertheless, the newfound illumination on a larger scale meant more could be seen by both occupants almost instantaneously: a bed in disarray with a yellow comforter and white sheets as well as a pair of wooden doors next towards a wood panel electronic; of course, Cherry Blossom could also see patches of crimson strewn across the flooring in a trail with a rather frank source.

The woman in purple was quick to exclaim to her jasmine dressed counterpart immediately as is, “Cheerilee, are you alright?!”

“Huh… why, of course I am, Cherry Blossom; why wouldn’t I be: saw a ghost or something…?” the aforementioned woman said to her sister in confusion before looking down at the splotches, “oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make a mess…”

“I hope it’s not that time of the month too soon; we’d already dealt with Sweetie Belle a few weeks ago and she’d to clean up after herself: she’s still reeling from what had happened years ago…” the titular talker told timidly as she’d stepped away from the woman in jasmine without any kind of hesitation whatsoever.

In any case, Cheerilee zeroed in on the doorway her sister had walked into not too long ago and yawned freely without resistance all the same so to speak of, “it’s not menses; I should know this: my body’s not the only thing that has yet to be completely healed after all that has happened years ago. As a matter of fact, I still can’t even get thought of their faces out of my mind after what that monster did to my classroom; even now, the survivors bring me cold comfort knowing they didn’t meet it. Now that you’d brought it all up anyway, I may as well need to clean myself up as it is: I don’t want to end up sleeping the rest of the night in these clothes realizing what had happened now; I’m going to go take a shower now, so don’t wait up…”

“Just don’t stress about it too much: menstruation is nothing to be ashamed of; I’ve been able to carry myself like I did before…” Cherry Blossom just said to the woman in jasmine whom had left the room the latter had been in from the very beginning no less, “poor girl, it’s so fucked up knowing what had happened to both my sister and her student in the very same war so to speak. Even now, I still don’t understand why that schoolhouse in Ponyville had to be attacked with herself inside of all places as is: she was a nice schoolteacher and everyone in town had looked up to her, especially her students, including Sweetie Belle as well; who’s idea was it to go up and do such an awful thing to them, especially to my sister of all people, let alone shoot it all up?! Nowadays, it seems there’s not enough pain in the world to go around without having to stir up so much shit to sling around here; now, they had to take her virginity away all for trying to save her own students from an atrocious abomination of a living being: oh, how I should’ve killed that monster had I got my hands onto his wretched neck, professional wrestling isn’t just for show!”

As far as Cheerilee was concerned, she’d found herself in the darkness once again, this time with feelings of expectation and embarrassment: the recent discovery of the blood trail had left her in shock due to her sister’s instantaneous observation of what had been shed anyway. Even though that the woman in jasmine was all on her lonesome, she couldn’t resist being reminded of Cherry Blossom’s occupation; of course, it wasn’t the latter that was making the former alone so to speak, especially considering the very situation at hand no less. In any case, Cheerilee had one thing on her mind and it was guiding her away from the bedroom she’d awoken from not too long ago as is; considering her very own options, if any, what kind of incentive could be found in staying in there as if nothing happened whatsoever? Out of all the colors the woman in jasmine could find in the jet–black void, she could see some midnight peering in from the sidelines from her left, dark enough to remind her of the nighttime sky previously seen with both emerald splashed eyes before to her sister’s arrival. Under no circumstances was Cheerilee deterred by the darkness, even with how far removed she was from her own bedroom; despite this, both feet were still moving more steadily all the same, moreso due to how vast and ambiguous the new environment was all the same.

Sure enough, the woman in jasmine had found an open door, greeted by a cyan glow within a more confined space compared to what she’d awaken to recently. As soon as Cheerilee started to walk in, her hand had caught a glimpse of another steel knob, cold to the touch much like Cherry Blossom’s interaction before. This was enough information for the woman in jasmine to close the door abaft herself, quickly sequestering it from the remaining unknowns of this area at large. In mere seconds alone, Cheerilee’s hand had now ran across a flat surface adjacent to the closed entryway briefly before making contact with a stray object here. Now that the woman in jasmine could tell it was the very same implement her sister interacted with earlier, illuminating the newfound dark territory even more. Soon, Cheerilee had been treated to the sight of fixtures in an otherwise pristine environment: a white sink, toilet, and bathtub standing against the sunflowers.

As far as the woman in jasmine was concerned, the larger fixture on her left was of most interest after locking up the area from the inside as is. If progress wasn’t enough to cement this reality as it were, then the moment of Cheerilee being far away from Cherry Blossom made it all so. Using this room was more than just a necessity for the woman in jasmine as her hands had rested now onto other steely knobs under the nozzle. Effortlessly turning them both around, Cheerilee was now treated to sights and sounds of water flowing up in front of her as an oblong arcing. Only then did the woman in jasmine had felt relief that the heat and scent was filling her mind with what the near future had in store for her.

In the meantime, Cheerilee had to cast aside her jasmine nightgown already in order to progress; afterwards, the otherwise chilled oxygen begun to lay claim to the bared integumentary system: now, her supple bosoms with outward nubbins, inner umbilicus, and ruddy sheath were all out.

I’m singing in the rain
Just singing in the rain
What a glorious feeling
I’m happy again

A lyrical tenor echoed into the lonely woman’s ears, louder and resonant than the pitter–patter precipitation partaking afore her emerald splashed eyes.

Cheerilee was quick to cover herself with a white curtain after jumping into the pathway of the running water, embracing the heat from beyond and within almost immediately with growling, “what the Tart; where is that sound coming from: did my twin sister turn my television back on…?”

I’m laughing at clouds
So dark up above
The sun’s in my heart
And I’m ready for love

The new voice sung into her ears unperturbed, wearing down the lonely woman’s newfound resolve as she’d peeked out from the curtain to find the source, only to turn up nothing at all,

Let the stormy clouds chase
Everyone from the place
Come on with the rain
I’ve a smile on my face

“No, it could be, not at all: none of our televisions can get this loud enough to pierce through the bathroom walls; besides, how can I be able to hear it while the shower is still running no less?!” Cheerilee cerebrated as she’d slunk back into the naked space entered hastily before, eyes becoming assaulted with thin scarlet streaks no less.

Even though that the lonely woman struggled to remain focused onto the air and water around herself, she couldn’t shake out the singing out of her head so to speak as it’d still continued on,

I walk down the lane
With a happy refrain
Just singin’
Singin’ in the rain

It was at this point in time Cheerilee felt something growing within the pit of her pain, causing her to clutch the wet area as she was heaving about no less. As the lonely woman was doing so, her flat abdomen grew slowly but surely in the very process with a sharp sting making its way to the point of inversion. Cheerilee’s emerald splashed eyes began to watch what little colors painting the room fall out of place as many ripples and wrinkles in time–space swirled. Even though the lonely woman shut them away, her throat become warm and bitter as a great discharge was already in action, gurgling and plopping on. Following a few intervals, Cheerilee quickly opened her very eyes back up and couldn’t believe what she was seeing: a mixture of lukewarm hues spattered. While the wayward cluster started mixing in with the rank blood underneath the lonely woman’s legs, her nostrils couldn’t resist picking up their scents as is.

It wasn’t even long until Cheerilee, despite clenching her teeth tightly, had bawled out a hoarse gurgling moan, “UUUUUUUUUUUWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!”

At long last, a child was borne into the whole wide world yet there was no joy found inside the plane of existence, not even from the lone woman whom had bore witness to it all in its entirety. Like Cheerilee herself, it was in the altogether, albeit clothed in bile and blood from the likes of her; in addition, no amount of water running freely could wash away the stains great and small. Much difference in size alone was made apparent to the lone woman watching it all take place: the newborn's mass being diminutive added to her pain and agony she was still enduring already. Slathered underneath Cheerilee's filth was darker skin, more colorful than the rather once sterile environment she was in but otherwise bright enough to match her in its entire being as it were.

“Assault, wasn’t it?” a gentle baritone had interceded as the lone woman now started to falter and sink deeply into the bloodstained fixture at long last, “that’s gonna look real good on her gravestone in Ponyville: here lies Cheerilee Bloom, honored sister, beloved schoolteacher; killed for assault in Jerkwater, Equestria…”

“Help me…” Cheerilee groaned while hearing nearby cries, still lying awake in a puddle of their own wastes therein as they were all alone, watching the ceiling above themselves now fading out back into the blackness gradually in the meantime before her eyes as her strength was now starting to leave her very weakened body slowly but surely no less.

Eventually, the lone woman had subsided into inactiveness, no longer even able to fight back whatsoever as images flashed on: so little attention was being paid by the likes of her as they were moving far too fast to be worthy of clear focus since she’d fizzled; afterwards, her own eyes succumbed to the dark territory from within, moreso compared to what had happened afore. Either way, the running water stopped flowing for either Cheerilee and the newborn so to speak of, not that it’d matter anyways: though the air was still warm and humid, its density started to decrease at once as the last drop had fell on the flat surface area; all that had remained were the scents of both solid and liquid wastes emanated from where they’d lain out across the bathtub. Embedded into the blackness was the present corporeality of the two bodies left inside the fixture for anyone else to see them both; although out of sight, they wouldn’t be out of mind, but out of body and soul instead all the same nevertheless due to their statuses: the lone woman bleeding out and about, her newborn bled on within its moist surface area with nowhere else to go or stay. Exacerbating the dank and dire situation was the past stardust memory of Cheerilee locking the door abaft to sequester herself; despite starting out alone, the voices came to her in one direction and dimension, invading both the peace and sanctity of mind: even the second one did little, if any, to mitigate the small miniseries of unfortunate events unfolding from within the body alone. Eight minutes have now passed as the room was now illuminated once more, this time with a deeply crimson hue as everything within the area had been thrown into a solid state society of professional chaos and general disarray, stained by the streaks of scarlet which were strewn about with reckless abandonment, courtesy of the lonely woman’s newly emaciated formation.

It wasn’t long until a new pair of eyes had flashed open from an unlikely source: the offspring with orbs of slate dull and listless as the rest of its face was still riddled with the same lifeblood Cheerilee had discharged; in any case, all it could do was cough out softly yet sorrowfully no less since she was without strength or speed for that matter to be found in and out, “mommy…?”

Speaking of which, the lone woman remained silent as a dormouse, deader than a doornail to the point in which life was a burning memory: her once lively body reduced to a stagnant compound of solids, liquids, and everything else in between so to speak, not that the newborn could see; of course, she couldn’t see anything or anyone either, not since she’d met up with Cherry Blossom. Eventually, it was now time for Cheerilee’s offspring to expire as well, due to the lack of care and attention from anyone here; as such, it was a tragedy from start to finish within the same perigon, for the lack of a better assessment as they all were now: the epitome of health in essence reduced to a cold, unmoving, limitedly animated, breathless cadaver with young following suit. At the very least, there was nothing more than peace and perhaps more waiting for them beyond this plane of existence no less; still, their own bodies were all devoid of such things, especially considering the state they’d been in recently from not long ago: the little solution which had still clung to their bared skin outmatched by the vast colors from within the likes of the lone woman.

Either way, there was nothing more either of the two could do for that matter now since it was all over for themselves no less: their flesh lingered on and about before started to dissolve in such a synchronicity unlike how Cheerilee had started it up; like the water shooting out from the nozzle, their entire being began to swirl down the drain, leaving behind the jasmine nightgown she wore.