Forever in Pain

The door to the tavern opened without anypony noticing. The usually excited, happy, and beautiful Rosella Petals dejectedly trotted in, pulling herself into a barstool and sighing. Known as the sparkliest crystal pony in Equestria and The Crystal Empire, she was unrecognizable. Her coat had lost it's sheen, her mane had flattened against her head and neck, and her eyes had dulled to a muddy brown.

"What can I get you?" asked the bartender, barely glancing at the mare.

"Your strongest," responded Rose, her voice lower and depressed. "Anything that can make a mare forget and possibly get alcohol poisoning."

The bartender turned back to prepare her a drink as she cried. This was the worst the mare had been since King Sombra, and for a very good reason. She had just learned that her only true friend, Recurve, was in fact shipping with a very beautiful unicorn. A secret longing for the surly crystal pony had started in the depths of her heart, but it had been crushed to smithereens when a remorseful McCallum Lily had told her.

Rosie looked absolutely horrible, if you couldn't see it yet. Ponies were giving her strange looks. Her mane was twisted and tangled, and some parts were shorter than others where she had ripped it apart in frustration. Her chest sported a heart-shaped cut where the mare had tried to chip out her heart with a chisel before a horrified Amina Abbasi had ripped the weapon away from her.

"Calm yourself, little flower!" the Arabian had scolded. "Good Faust, Rosella. You never even told me about zis stallion, other zan to mention you had once tried to cheer up ze pony. You have never expressed an interest in him. What is going on?"

Cloud Dancer had had the same reaction to the distraught mare. Only Calla had understood her pain just a tad, but she did not understand why Rosie was having such a reaction.

Rosie didn't know why, either. It wasn't even important. However, the mare had already booked a train to Trottingham. There was no need to stay in Ponyville, anyways, since the town was not her home. She had spent far too much time in the little town, and it was time for a change of scenery and ponies. This was her last night in Ponyville. Her dye was almost done. All it required was focus, and Rosie had none of that here.

Might as well make the best of it. Alcohol would make her forget the worst for at least the night.

The bartender handed her the glass, and she downed the thing in one gulp, slamming a hoof on the counter.

"Faustdammit!" she cried. "Another!"

Stargazer swung the door to the tavern open, her happy eyes sparkling in the dim light. She trotted up to the counter and sat down next to a disheveled looking pony who slightly shimmered.
Her mane was a mess and Star wondered what happened to make her look so terrible.
The bar-mare came over and asked what Star wanted,
"I'll have a glass of wine please." she replied. She turned to face the crystal mare and said
"hey there, you okay?"

Rose sniffed and downed a second of the bartender's drink.

"No," she said simply. She put her head on the table and tried not to let the tears leak out, but the alcohol was indeed clouding her thoughts already. "I'm alone. I'll always be alone. I'm too hyper, too seductive, too happy, too sparkly... I'm always in excess, see? Too much. Too extreme. Maybe that's why I'm not good enough for him..."

She screamed into her hoof in anger and slammed a few bits on the counter again.

"Get me another!" she cried. "Stronger! I need to forget!"

Star almost fell off her stool, startled by the pony's rage and passionate answer. She tilted her head in confusion. She frowned at the pony's reaction

"I'm sorry. I'm Stargazer by the way, but just call me Star." she said sympathetically, offering her hoof.

Star knew how it felt to be unwanted, how it felt to think you're unworthy of other's love. Star wanted to put her arm around the pony and let her cry, but of course, she didn't know her.

"Look. See, now I'm too enraged," she cried, weeping on the bar.

The other mare introduced herself, but Rose could see she was making her uncomfortable.

"I'm Rosella Petals, but ponies call me Rose or Rosie," she said. "I'm sorry, really, really sorry!!!!"

The effects of the alcohol on her emotions were becoming apparent. The poor crystal mare was losing her mind.

She downed the third cup and threw it at the bartender.

"Take it away!" she cried. "Don't let me drink again tonight."

Star's eyes widened in shock, she sipped her wine to calm herself.

"It's perfectly fine Rosie. I too have felt unwanted and unloved. Here, have one on me, it'll make you feel better." Star ordered two flaming whiz-bangs from the bartender and waited patiently for them to arrive. She drank more of her wine and debated how to comfort the distraught pony.

"No, don't," Rose said, her words slurring a bit. "I've had too much already..."

She cried more, but she could barely remember why she was crying. It had something to do with a stallion...

Recurve's face appeared, blurry, in her mind, and she burst into tears again, turning to the overwhelmed Star and pressing her face into Star's shoulder.

"Why is she so perfect? Why am I so ugly? Why am I so bad? Oh, Faust, I can't do this anymore!" she sobbed."

"Why is she so perfect? Why am I so ugly? Why am I so bad? Oh, Faust, I can't do this anymore!" the crystal pony pressed her tear stained face into Star's shoulder and cried even harder.
"There there. You aren't ugly, you are beautiful! and I'm sure whoever "she" is isn't perfect." she said, patting Rosie's shoulder. "A flaming Whiz-Bang isn't alcoholic, but it sure is fun!" she said, trying to take the mare's mind off whatever was upsetting her.
"Lemme show you." Star took a large gulp of the drink and after a few seconds, burped fire.
"See? Fun!" she giggled loudly.

Rose shied slightly away from the mare.

"I'm flammable," she said, crying. "There's so much hic-alcohol in hic-me, and hic-I'm a hic-crystal hic-pony. I'd melt myself..."

It did seem rather fun, but burping was quite unbecoming... Hey, it didn't matter. She was leaving, anyways.

She pushed the drink away, but noted somewhere in her fuzzy mind to try it before the night was over.

"She's beautiful, that unicorn. I know her name, but I can't tell... She's a friend of Calla's. I couldn't... She's sweet, kind, pretty, and not hyper, not too seductive... I'm too weird for him."

Star pushed the drink back towards Rosie.
"It's not real flame, just a little magic trick!"
"She's beautiful, that unicorn. I know her name, but I can't tell... She's a friend of Calla's. I couldn't... She's sweet, kind, pretty, and not hyper, not too seductive... I'm too weird for him."
"Oh come on, I'm sure she's not as beautiful as you. You are a crystal pony! The most beautiful species in Equestria!" she replied, wondering who Calla was.
"And there is nothing wrong with being hyper. In fact, not being hyper is so boring."

"Calla's my landmare," she explained, sighing. "And thanks, I guess."

She giggled as she looked down on herself, at the heart chipped into her chest, and the halo of disheveled, dull hair surrounding her head.

"Pretty, huh?" she asked drunkenly, striking a pose and abruptly falling off the barstool. She lay where she fell, crying even harder.

Ah thought Star. She looked down at the heart Rose had carved into her chest, Star flinched at the self harm Rosie had inflicted upon herself.
Star was empathetic, she tried to stop her mind from wandering to her dark days. It didn't work. She distracted herself by saying-
"You are beautiful, you are just going through a sad phase. Come with me, we'll get you cleaned up." Star offered her hoof to the fallen Rosie.

Recurve was feeling thirsty tonight, and a bit social. He had to work on his social skills now that he decided to be more open than he once was. And a drink couldn't hurt, could it?

Recurve trotted to the local tavern, and probably the only one in all of Equestria. Seemed more likely to be in Manehattan or something. Anyway, enough of my narrative rambling. Recurve opened the door to the tavern and looked around.

There were a number of ponies staring at him. Not because he was so shiny, but that they knew who he was. Silence swept over the place for a few minutes. Then Recurve took a deep breath and trotted to the bar. Drink the pain away, I guess. Like the last time he came here.

At least this visit wasn't entirely painful. He still had the picture of Sweet Dreams in his mind. That was really the only thing keeping him happy. Recurve sat at the bar and ordered a drink. The bartender reluctantly gave him a strong glass of cider. Nothing dulls the pain like cider, right?

While he was drinking, Recurve looked over and saw a pony he met a long time ago. The first pony he showed any kindness to. Rosella... He hid his face from her and kept drinking. He didn't want any memories from his past, and he didn't know if she knew he was taken or not.

The tavern went silent. Painfully, horrifyingly silent.

Rose took Star's hoof and staggered to her feet. She looked up at the bartender and held out her hoof. Sighing, the bartender handed her a sobriety pill, and Rose's mind cleared as she gave the mare ten bits.

"I need to go," she said clearly to Star. Painfully, she finally looked over at the stallion who had caused her so much heartache.

'Recurve," she said slowly.

With slow, deliberate movements, she turned, letting the stallion see what she had done to herself as she picked up the flaming wizbang and threw it in his face.

Star dropped her drink in shock as Rosie chucked the drink at the pony who had just walked in.

"Rosie!" she gasped, "Rosie, I think it is time for us to go." she grabbed a hold of Rosie's hoof and tried to drag her out of the tavern. She didn't want things to escalate.

((sorry for the shortness! ^^))

Recurve heard Rosie utter his name. He looked over to her, and was greeted with a Flaming Whiz Bang to the face. Recurve wiped the drink off of his face and stared at her. She took it that badly? Recurve didn't even do anything wrong. But everypony has different feelings and thoughts

Recurve sat in his chair and looked at Rosie. She looked awful. Recurve must have destroyed her heart instead of just broke it. He didn't mean to. Although, if this happened around the time they met, he would have thought it was hilarious.

"Uh, hello to you too Rosella. I see you still remember me... And how much of a piece of crap I was."

Rose turned away and sobbed. Star tried to drag her away, but the pony was strong as a crystal mare.

"Go away, Recurve," she cried. "Leave me in peace for my last night here. I've been in Ponyville for far too long!"

She slapped the stallion with a resounding crunch.

"If your goal is to hurt me, mongrel," she muttered, "mission accomplished. I hope your perfect Sweet Dreams is your fantasy. Leave me be."

Too angry. Too emotional. Too hyper. Too seductive. Too happy. Too in love. Not normal. Not pretty. Not calm. Not magical. Not Sweet Dreams. All of this ran through her mind.

Rose shoved Star off and threw herself into the multitudes, making for the door. It was midnight.

Star fell backwards, landing on her back. she heard a crack and felt pain in her left hoof. She looked apologetically at Recurve before standing up and running after Rosie.

"Rosie stop!" she commanded in her most command-y voice, stopping in front of Rose "Rosie, let's talk. Come back to my place, some peace and quiet, okay?" she asked sweetly, lowering her voice.

Recurve tried talking to the mare, but in return, got a slap straight across the face. It was loud, and hurt like hell. Left a real mark on his face too. Why would she do that?

Sounded like she was really upset that he found another mare. How could she really blame him? They've only met one time, and haven't talked since. True, he did have some feelings for her at the time. But the feelings died due to the negligence.

Recurve felt terrible now. Not just from the pain. Why did he keep hurting other ponies? When will the misery end? Is Recurve doomed to this pain forever? He decided, even though it was probably a death wish, follow Rosie. He could at least try to comfort her.

"Rosie, wait!" Recurve followed her out of the Tavern. "I'm sorry I hurt you like that. And I'm sorry that I caused another pony to hate me. I didn't think you would actually like me in any sense. As for Sweet Dreams? She was there when I needed somepony the most. I'm sorry Rosie.... I'm sorry"

Recurve hung his head in shame and depression. Why was it that he always had this problem? He held back tears, thinking of what a horrible pony he was. No matter what he did, ponies always seemed to hate him.

Rosie stumbled out into the street.Recurve, curse him, followed her.

"You've changed," she noted quietly. "Apologizing? That's new."

She turned to him and wiped the moisture out of her face.

"I'm off to Trottingham come morning," she said, scratching the street with her hoof. "It's true. I don't belong here in this town. I'm a crystal entrepreneur. It's time to go."

Not good enough.

"I'm sorry, Recurve," she sobbed. "I'm sorry for tonight, I'm sorry for not being there for you, and I'm so sorry I showed up in your yard that day."

She knelt on the ground, waiting for Star to appear.

"I had this dream that we had been in this fight to the death. We had teamed up, and I was so mean to you... Then I got eaten by a manticore."

She laughed harshly. "Serves me right. I'm too much. Goodbye. I can't hide what has come, and I just have to go and leave you alone now."

"Come on Rosie." Star began dragging Rose towards her house, she turned back and shot a glare at Recurve. He had really hurt Rosie. Star may have barely known her, but she knew they would be great friends, and Recurve had hurt Rosie. Star didn't like ponies who hurt her friends.

She took hold of Rosie's front hoof and dragged her away.

"Rosie, we're gonna get you cleaned up. Everything will be okay. Got it?" she stared sternly at Rosie, awaiting her response.

Recurve watched and listened to what Rosie had to say. He had no idea he did that... He felt terrible. And Rosie was leaving in the morning. Well, there goes all hope of repairing the relationship.

Recurve saw how the other mare looked at him. He had never met her, and she looked like she hated him. The feeling of sadness and hatred was too much for Recurve to bear. He collapsed in the street and began to sob.

Recurve sat in the street, crying his eyes out, repeating to himself how pathetic he was, and how everypony has and will always hate him. He wanted to go after Rosie, but that would be a total waste. Instead, he lay there, crying. Who would have thought big bad Recurve would end up like this?

Rose was being dragged away when she heard sobbing. She turned back. Yes, indeed, Recurve was crying.

"Oh my Faust," she cried, pulling away again. "No, no, no, please don't cry..."

Yet, being hypocritical, the tears were pouring from Rose's own eyes as she kneeled next to her tormentor and laid her foreleg around him.

"I don't hate you, Recurve," she cried. "I hate myself, Rosella Petals. It's my fault for messing it up. I-I'm sorry... I did this to us."

She shook her head.

"Mina was right. I'm so emotional! I shouldn't have had such a reaction. It's just s-so painful! I still love you, Recurve, m-much as I shouldn't, but it doesn't m-matter anyways. We've got sep-separate paths to take, a-and I j-just can't forget."

She turned up to look at Star.

"Thanks for at least trying to help my wounded soul," she said. "I-I'm grateful."

Star sighed, exasperated. She waited patiently while Rose apologized to him, even though she hadn't done anything wrong. Star shook her head solemnly, cursing herself for not dragging Rosie now.
She let her cry though, and Recurve. She left them to their tears and went back to the tavern for a bottle of water. She sipped it as she strolled back out to the street, drinking quietly and waiting for Rosie.
She got impatient.
"Rosie....." she said quietly, not even sure if she would hear her through her tears.

Recurve looked up and saw Rosie. She came back to comfort him, and apologized? He didn't know what she did wrong. It was rather unfortunate for her that she still loved him. Recurve could never break Sweet's heart.

Recurve got up from crying and saw the other mare come back. He ignored her, and gave his attention to Rosie. He felt bad for her. He decided to do something nice for her and gave Rosie a quick nuzzle.

"At least you don't hate me... And, I'm sorry we can;t be together. I just can't break Sweet's heart like that... And she knows everything about me, and helped me try to get rid of my dark side. I can't just leave her... But, I'm sure you'll find somepony much better than I. Unless you like dealing with sadness, isolation, and depression..."