Hey people! My winter break is off to a great start, and I hope yours is too. Sorry this took so long. Having a break from classes has been wonderful. I've also been working quite a bit. I've gotta make money somehow, right? Also…HAVE YOU GUYS SEEN STAR WARS VII FORCE AWAKENS?! I got to see it the night before it came out, and holy crap, it was fantastic! Sorry, I'm just so happy that I was among the first to see it! But anyways! You're here for chapter 13, so let's get back to that. Just a warning, this chapter will be a little darker than the other ones. Apparently the last chapter hit you guys rather hard…which was intended, MWAHAHAHAH! But rest assured, there will be a happy ending! Or at least, there will be a point where we'll go back to the fluff that I know you all love. Honestly, I love it too, but it's nice to write about other things too. I'm a guy, and I like to write fluff…what the hell is wrong with me? But, I digress. Stick with me through the struggles, and I promise, you will be rewarded. I've got something really kickass planned for the future (or at least, I hope it'll be kickass). But for now, what will happen? Let's get this show on the road and find out! Thank you to my reviewers of the last chapter: D.N.S Akina, Sunstorm of freedom, Fluttershy 2059123, Starshine89, MMM, Webbowriter (PM), and bluecatcinema. I don't own any of the MLP FiM characters, but I DO own Coppermane and the plot. Enjoy!

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Loveliest of Trees

Ch.13: Memories

Time: 10:00 PM, Sunday, Flash Sentry's House

Man, what a day…

Flash Sentry was lying in his bed, reflecting on what had happened today. And wow…quite a bit transpired. His original intention was to help Coppermane come up with a plan to ask Fluttershy out to the formal. What happened instead was this: Flash went to the restroom, leaving Coppermane alone for a bit, and when he came back, his best friend looked utterly traumatized. Flash didn't see it happen for himself, but apparently while he was gone, Trixie (yes, the "Great and Powerful", Trixie) came up to Coppermane and began flirting with him. Coppermane claims that he tried to tell her politely that he wasn't interested, and that he already has a girlfriend…only to have Trixie respond with a kiss. The rest of the time they were at the mall, he vented about what happened, while periodically wiping his lips, presumably to get rid of the taste of Trixie's lips. Flash couldn't believe what he was hearing. Trixie, while very annoying, didn't seem like the type of girl to be so forward. She had a thick skull, sure, but it wasn't that impenetrable.

Now, it's not like they didn't talk about the formal. They got some dinner later on, and talked about it then, but for the majority of the day, Coppermane looked rather shaken.

As Flash pondered his thoughts, his phone began to ring. He picked it up and looked onscreen to see Rainbow Dash's name. Rainbow Dash? What would she need this late at night? Flash hit the answer button and brought his phone up to his ear.

"Hello? Rainbow Dash?" Flash said.

"Hey, Flash," Rainbow said, sounding stern.

"Um…are you okay? You sound angry," Flash said.

"Oh, we're all angry!" another voice, sounding like Pinkie Pie, said. Her voice came through so clearly.

"Am I on speaker?" Flash asked.

"Yep," all the girls said on the other end, surprising Flash a little bit. Apparently, it was all of them. Flash listened closely, and could hear someone…crying?

"Is…is there someone crying in the background?" Flash asked.

"Unfortunately," a voice, sounding like Applejack, said.

"Yeah, Fluttershy's crying," Rainbow said. Flash listened closely again, and Fluttershy wasn't just crying…she was bawling.

"Woah, why's she crying?" Flash asked, worried.

"You'll see," a voice, sounding like Twilight, said.

"I'm sending you some pictures," a voice, sounding like Sunset, said. "Check your phone."

Flash took the phone away from his ear, and put it on speaker so he could talk to the girls while looking at some apparently important pictures. His phone buzzed in his hand, and Sunset's name appeared at the top of the screen. There were four pictures attached to the message. Flash opened them up, and what he saw shocked him.

Apparently what Coppermane told him was true, because the pictures were of him and Trixie. One was of her with her hands on his shoulders, another of her holding his hand, another with her hand on his heart, and then, the real kicker, one of them kissing. Flash stared at the screen in disbelief.

"Did you get them, Flash?" Sunset asked.

"Y-Yeah, I got them alright," Flash said, still shocked.

"Can you believe him?!" Pinkie Pie said, sounding pissed.

Now, Flash knew why Fluttershy was crying. These pictures made it look like Coppermane was cheating on her.

"How could he do such a thing?" a voice, sounding like Rarity, said.

Flash was conflicted. Before, he had only heard Coppermane's side of the story. Now, he saw it from a different angle. Coppermane cheating on Fluttershy? No…it couldn't be. He wouldn't do that. Would he? He wasn't sure what to think anymore. He wanted to believe that he didn't cheat, but these pictures were rather convincing. Then again, before the event supposedly took place, Coppermane was going on and on about how in love he was.

"I can't believe this!" Sunset said angrily.

"Wow…" Flash said in disbelief. "Well…what do we do now?"

"I don't know, but we have to do something," Rainbow Dash said. "I don't think I've ever seen Fluttershy like this."

Flash could hear still hear Fluttershy bawling in the background. It tugged at his heartstrings. He hated to hear any of his friends crying. Flash wasn't sure what to believe. He wanted to believe that Coppermane wouldn't do something like this, but hearing his friends be so livid about the situation, hearing Fluttershy crying, and seeing the pictures of Coppermane and Trixie…he found himself siding with the girls more and more. He wanted to believe Coppermane, he really did, but with Coppermane's side of the story, he only had his word to go off of. With the girls…there was evidence.

Flash wasn't sure which side to take, but he did know one thing: he wanted answers just as much as the girls did. If siding with them would give him what he wanted, then he would comply.

"Well, how are we going to get our answers?" Flash asked the girls. It was silent on the other end for a couple minutes, assumedly because the girls were thinking. Flash began to think himself, but after a while…

"I have an idea…" Pinkie Pie said, almost deviously.

Flash was a little uncomfortable at her tone, but if there was anyone in the group who was good at planning, it was Pinkie Pie. They all listened to what she had to say, and were a little skeptical. Basically, it involved straight-up interrogation. The group would normally be opposed to an idea like this, but at this point, they wanted to know what the heck was going on. If this was true, then he not only betrayed Fluttershy, but also all of them. They trusted him to make Fluttershy happy, and now he's broken her heart.

They all agreed to the idea, and it would be put into action tomorrow. Only then would they find out if what happened is true.

---

Time: 2:20 PM, Monday, CHS (Hallways), Days Until Formal: 5

Something was off…

Coppermane couldn't quite pinpoint it, but something didn't feel right about today. It was just like any other day. Nothing was out of the ordinary. He got up, came to school, went to all of his classes, and now it was time to go home. It was completely normal, and yet, something wasn't sitting right. Maybe it was the fact that he walked to school today to save some money on gas. Maybe it was the fact that it was supposed to rain today, and it was a bit gloomy outside. Normally, Coppermane would find that kind of atmosphere relaxing, but not this time. Also, he didn't see any of his friends today. No sign of Rarity in Film Studies. No sign of Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, or Flash Sentry in English. No sign of Sunset in Physics. No sign of them in Calculus. They weren't at lunch either. None of them. He ate lunch alone. No sign of anyone. Not even Fluttershy. At first, he figured Rarity was sick or something, but everyone else too? That would be too much of a coincidence. Now, the day was over, and he didn't see any of his friends. Where were they?

Coppermane was walking down the hall towards the exit, until something happened that scared the daylights out of him. Out of nowhere, he was grabbed and roughly guided into a dark, empty classroom. Once inside, his kidnappers threw him into a rolling chair behind the teacher's desk.

"Whoa whoa whoa, what's going on?!" Coppermane asked in a panicked voice. He still couldn't make out who had kidnapped him. All he could see were five shadowy figures. One of the silhouettes walked over closer to him, making him grip the rolling chair harder out of fear. The figure reached up to a lamp on the desk, and turned it on. The light shined on his kidnapper's face, and Coppermane was surprised to see…

"Pinkie Pie?" he asked. As if on cue, the rest of the group stepped into the light, revealing themselves. Coppermane was surprised. Not only Pinkie Pie, but Rainbow Dash, Twilight, Sunset, and Applejack. No sign of Fluttershy or Rarity though.

"Girls?" Coppermane said, confused as all heck. He was almost relieved to see them. He hadn't seen any of them all day, and was wondering where they were. But why would they drag him into a room like this? They said nothing, and instead looked at him sternly, as if he had done something wrong. Their looks made Coppermane's relief fade, and be replaced by unease. "Um…girls? Wh-What's going on?"

"I think you know," Twilight said sternly.

This only made Coppermane more confused. He looked around, and could see nothing but the girls and darkness. The only light in the room was coming from the lamp on the desk, and it was pointed in his direction. It almost felt like they were…interrogating him.

"Um…no…I-I don't know…" Coppermane said bluntly.

Rainbow Dash slammed her hands on the table, making Coppermane jump. "Don't play dumb, Coppermane," she said, getting in his face. "You know what this is about."

Copper started to panic. "Wha…what the hell are you talking about?"

Pinkie Pie got in his face. "We can do this the easy way…or the hard way," she said with an ice-cold stare.

Copper was seriously starting to go nuts. Pinkie Pie looked completely serious, and he knew how crazy she could get. He was starting to sweat. This wasn't a joke. The girls were mad at him about something, and he had no idea what or why.

"Girls, I seriously have no idea what you're talking about!" Coppermane said desperately, on the verge of a breakdown. "J-Just tell me, please!"

Applejack reached for Pinkie Pie's shoulder and pulled her back. "Let's just show him the pictures," she said. Pinkie Pie glared at Applejack, and sighed. She went to her backpack to get something.

"Pictures?" Coppermane asked.

Pinkie Pie came back with her laptop, and opened it up. She messed around on it for a while before placing it on the desk, facing it towards Coppermane.

"Take a look," Sunset said, crossing her arms. "Maybe it'll jog your memory a bit?"

Coppermane looked at the screen, and what he saw made him drop his jaw in disbelief. Onscreen were four pictures, sent to Pinkie Pie by…Trixie? Apparently, someone had taken pictures of him and Trixie yesterday at the mall. He looked at these pictures…and was appalled. One was of her holding his hands. Another was of her with her hand over his heart. Another was of her rubbing his shoulders. And the last one was of her…kissing him. And the worst part…the way the pictures were taken…it looked like he was enjoying it, and nothing could be further from the truth.

Twilight crossed her arms. "And before you ask, yes, Fluttershy's seen them."

Coppermane's heart dropped. Fluttershy's seen these? Oh no…

"Someone…took pictures?" Coppermane said in disbelief.

"So it did happen?!" Sunset shouted.

Coppermane flinched at Sunset's voice. "Well…y-yes…b-but—"

He was cut off by Pinkie Pie slamming the laptop closed. She got right up in his face, making him recoil.

"Trixie?! Really?!" Pinkie Pie shouted.

"How could you do this to Fluttershy?!" Rainbow Dash yelled.

"I really thought y'all loved her," Applejack said sternly, sounding disappointed.

"You broke her heart!" Sunset shouted. "How could you?!"

"After everything she's done for you?!" Twilight screamed.

The girls all began to scream over each other at Coppermane. Every time Coppermane would try to talk, they would cut him off. They were furious, and it was driving him crazy. He couldn't even get a syllable in without being cut off. They continued to yell at him, accusing him of cheating on Fluttershy, and asking why he would hurt her like this. Their shouting continued for a couple more minutes, with Coppermane covering his ears, his face cringing more and more, until finally…

"QUIET!" Coppermane shouted at the top of his lungs, standing up from his seat. The girls finally calmed down, and stood silently with cold looks on their faces. Coppermane, for the sake of his sanity, took a few deep breaths before looking up at the girls. They all looked at him with ice in their eyes. "Just, please, let me explain what happened," he said desperately. The girls just crossed their arms.

"I think the pictures have told us everything we need to know," Sunset said.

Coppermane was about to retort, until a thought occurred to him. He remembered what Twilight said:

And before you ask, yes, Fluttershy's seen them.

Fluttershy has seen them? Oh no…

Coppermane started to sweat. He frantically searched for his phone, and navigated his way around to call Fluttershy. He had to explain himself. He had to explain what really happened.

"What are you doing?" Rainbow Dash asked sternly.

"I'm calling Fluttershy," Coppermane said, sounding panicked. He walked to the corner of the room behind the desk to get some privacy. He brought the phone up to his ear, and waited anxiously, hoping with every fiber of his being that she would pick up. He heard the ringing sound stop, making him gasp with hope.

"Fluttershy?" Coppermane said desperately.

"Hello, Coppermane," the voice on the other line said. Only…it wasn't Fluttershy's voice. It was Rarity's.

"Rarity? Where's Fluttershy? I need to talk to her," Coppermane said.

"I'm afraid she's not available at the moment," Rarity said, sounding rather stern. Coppermane was about to say something, but heard something that made his heart practically stop. He heard crying in the background. Crying which he recognized…from their very first date.

"Rarity…I need to talk to her…please…" Coppermane said, choking up. Hearing Fluttershy cry…it was almost too much.

"Coppermane, how could you do such a thing?" Rarity asked.

"It…it's not what you think…" Coppermane said.

"Oh, I'm sure!" Rarity said in a sassy tone.

"Rarity, no, it's really not…it's not what you…that's not what…arrgghh," Coppermane growled in frustration. "Just let me talk to her. I can explain all of this, please!"

He heard the phone on the other line move around a little bit, and he heard Fluttershy's crying get louder. The next voice he heard was Fluttershy's…and she sounded completely broken.

"Copper…there's nothing to explain…I saw the pictures…" Fluttershy said, choking up.

"Fluttershy?" Coppermane said, surprised to hear her voice. "Fluttershy, please, you don't understand…"

"Coppermane…did…did you kiss Trixie?" Fluttershy asked painfully. The thought of him kissing another girl made her sick.

Coppermane grunted in frustration. "Yes, it happened, but Fluttershy, please, listen to me—"

"There's nothing to explain, Copper," Fluttershy said, being unusually cynical, "It happened…you said it yourself. You…you like Trixie now…"

"Fluttershy…no I don't…please, you don't understand…" Coppermane said, practically begging at this point.

Fluttershy sniffled. "I…I understand, Coppermane. Just…what did I do wrong?"

Coppermane's heart ruptured when she asked that. "You did nothing wrong. Fluttershy, I'm begging you, please listen—"

"I…I don't want to hear it," Fluttershy said sternly, choking up. "We're…we're done, Coppermane. I…I'm sorry." She heard Coppermane gasp on the other end, before bringing the phone away from her ear. She just looked at the phone screen, hearing Coppermane practically begging on the other end, unable to bring herself to hang up on him. She saw Rarity's hand reach over to hit the hang up button for her. It felt like her heart had been ripped out of her chest. Tears were streaming down her face. Rarity and Flash Sentry were there with her to give her comfort…but they couldn't do much to ease her pain.

Fluttershy had done it. She broke up with him. She didn't want to…she really didn't want to…but she had to. He cheated on her. He betrayed her. She's never felt this much pain in her heart before. Fluttershy looked at Flash, who had a sympathetic look on his face. She looked at Rarity, who had an equally sympathetic face. Rarity put her hand on Fluttershy's shoulder.

"It had to be done," Rarity said. Fluttershy looked at Rarity for a moment before she started bawling on her shoulder. Rarity rubbed Fluttershy's back, and looked at Flash, who had a worried look on his face. Rarity had a similar look, because neither of them had ever seen Fluttershy this upset before.

---

"You did nothing wrong. Fluttershy, I'm begging you, please listen—"

"I…I don't want to hear it," Fluttershy said sternly, choking up. "We're…we're done, Coppermane. I…I'm sorry."

Coppermane heart dropped. Did she just say…?

"Wait, Fluttershy, I'm begging you, please don't do this!" Coppermane pleaded, practically on his knees at this point. "Listen to me, please! Fluttershy!" He heard the background noise on the other line cut out. "Fluttershy?" he said, choking up. He could no longer hear Fluttershy. He could no longer hear Rarity. It was just silence. He grasped his broken heart as he took his phone away from his ear, and saw that she had hung up on him. "Fluttershy…" he said weakly, choking up. He fell to his knees, grasping his heart, and staring at his phone screen. His eyes began to quickly well up as he tried calling her again. This time…no answer. "Fluttershy…please…" He tried again…and again…every time, no answer. "Fluttershy…don't go…" he said weakly as a teardrop ran down his face. He continued trying to call her…but eventually, it went straight to voicemail. "Please. I…I love you…"

Coppermane sat on the floor on his knees. His breathing was shaky, as was his entire body. His unstable hand dropped his phone, and he curled his fingers up remorsefully. He grasped heart tightly, feeling like it had been ruptured beyond repair. This couldn't be happening.

She broke up with him. They were no more. No…no no no…

Fluttershy…

He slowly, and shakily, stood up, still grasping his heart. He turned around to face the girls, hoping that they would give him a chance to explain himself.

"Girls, I can explain everything, just please listen to m—" his heart stopped when he turned around to see…nobody. He walked over to flip the light switch on. The lights came up, and there was no sign of them. They were gone. They must've left the room when he was on the phone, and he didn't notice. No…no, not them too. It felt like Coppermane's world was crumbling beneath him. This couldn't be happening…

"Hey kid," an unfamiliar voice said behind him. Coppermane turned around to see a janitor with all of his equipment. "School's over. You can go home now."

Coppermane looked down at the ground, trying his best not to cry in front of this stranger.

"Right…right…" he said weakly, choking up a bit. "S-Sorry…" He walked over and picked his phone up off the ground before exiting the classroom. The hallways were completely deserted. He sorrowfully walked to the exit, hanging his head down the whole time as tears fell down his face. He grasped his heart with his hand, as if to hold the broken pieces together.

Coppermane walked outside, and was greeted by a dark, overcast sky, along with strong winds, and cold temperatures. And then…he felt a cold drop of water his face. Then another…and another…and another. The sky lit up with lightning, and after a wave of thunder, it began to pour, soaking Coppermane. He put up his hood, and let out a depressed sigh. He stood still for a moment, allowing the cold rain to drench him, clenching his broken heart with his hands. He lost Fluttershy. She broke up with him. All because of…Trixie. That…bitch. His mind filled with anger, but was soon washed over with depression and sorrow. He couldn't be angry right now…not when his heart was in a million pieces.

He began to walk home, clenching his heart, and crying his eyes out. It felt freezing cold with the strong winds and frigid rain, but he took this as punishment. Punishment for ever thinking he deserved a girl like Fluttershy. Punishment for ever thinking he could be happy.

---

Time: 5:30 PM, Monday, Carousel Boutique

Fluttershy had not stopped crying since she broke up with Coppermane. Rarity, Sunset, and Applejack had brought her to the boutique to try and cheer her up. They made a stop at the Sweet Shoppe to get some snacks, trying everything they possibly could to make her feel better, but nothing was working. Even holding Angel, Fluttershy's go-to method for cheering her up, wasn't working. Fluttershy had never felt more heartbroken in her life.

Rarity was holding Fluttershy, trying to comfort her. Applejack and Sunset sat around them, watching Fluttershy cry her eyes out, unsure of what to say. Rarity and Applejack have never gone through a breakup before. Sunset has, with Flash Sentry, but she never harbored any real feelings for him, so when they broke up, it didn't really affect her at all. They were good friends now, sure, but she never felt anything for him in that way.

But this was different. Fluttershy had true feelings for Coppermane. She loved him, and they all knew it. Fluttershy didn't want to break up with Coppermane, she really didn't, but her friends told her that it had to be done. He cheated on her. He betrayed her. If he just went out and kissed another girl like that, then he wasn't worth it. Sure, she followed through with breaking up with him, but even after all of that, after seeing the pictures, she still loved him.

Fluttershy lifted her head up from Rarity's shoulder. "What…what did I do wrong?" she asked, her voice, very shaky, "I…I thought…I thought he liked me…" she laid her head back on Rarity's shoulder, continuing to bawl.

"Shh…you did nothing wrong, sweetness. It's okay…it's okay…" Rarity said softly, rubbing Fluttershy's back.

Rarity looked around at Applejack and Sunset, who had faces of concern, but she could also see skepticism. It was similar to what Rarity was feeling. They've all seen the pictures. They've seen the evidence. Even so…it was hard to believe. They all knew Coppermane. He was very damaged inside. They had a rough idea of what he's gone through. The bullying, the isolation; everything. But despite all of that, he was one of the nicest guys they've ever met. They've seen Coppermane and Fluttershy interact, and always saw something very unique. They saw happiness. Fluttershy was happy, and Coppermane was happy. They've seen his face when he looks at Fluttershy. How his face lights up. How he smiles at her, and how she smiles at him. When Coppermane and Fluttershy are together, they see true love.

It just seemed too far out of Coppermane's nature to cheat. He wouldn't throw Fluttershy away, would he? Sunset remembers Copper asking her if Fluttershy had a boyfriend, and how his face lit up when she told him she didn't. Rarity remembers the conversation she had with Copper the night before his first date with Fluttershy. She remembered how worried he was about disappointing her, and coming across as boring. Applejack remembers her talk with Coppermane when they were spending the night at Pinkie Pie's house for his birthday. She remembered witnessing him watch Fluttershy sleep. She remembers the talk she had with him, and his Fluttershy list, possibly one of the sweetest things she's ever seen any guy do. Proof that he's thought long and hard about how to make her happy. She remembers how much he cried over his fear of Fluttershy getting hurt. On top of all this, Fluttershy's gone on and on about all the things Coppermane has done for her: the necklace he bought for her, how he protected her from the bullies, telling her that she's beautiful while holding her in his arms; the list goes on. The three of them knew very well how much Coppermane cares about Fluttershy. He adored her, and she adored him.

What Coppermane and Fluttershy shared was special. After everything Copper's been through, after everything Fluttershy's done for him, and after everything he's done for her, none of them could even imagine him cheating. The girls found themselves conflicted about what to believe. The pictures gave evidence to say that Coppermane betrayed Fluttershy, but at the same time, knowing his personality, and how much he's been through, it seemed so unnatural for him to do something like this. Nevertheless, Fluttershy's heart was broken, and they were questioning their friendship with her ex-boyfriend.

---

Time: 9:00 PM, Monday, Coppermane's House

Still nothing…

Coppermane was sitting in his room, desperately trying to reach his friends to explain things. He tried calling all the girls, and every time, he got no response. They all eventually just went to voicemail, not even bothering with ringing, meaning they either turned their phone off, or just blocked his number. Either way, Coppermane has never been more depressed. Even worse than how he felt before that fateful day when Twilight and Fluttershy helped him with his things.

He couldn't reach any of his friends. They were gone…along with Fluttershy. They were all gone. The more he thought about it, the worse his headache got. It was a mix of sadness and rage. He didn't do anything. Trixie kissed him, sure, but he pushed her off immediately. He asked her nicely to back off because he had a girlfriend, but she wouldn't listen. And some nosy bastard took pictures.

Every time there's something good in his life…every time…something comes in and ruins it. If he ever found out who took those pictures, Coppermane was going to make their life miserable, because, whomever it was, ruined his life. Fluttershy was gone, and now to make matters worse, he couldn't reach any of his friends. They were gone too. Coppermane has experienced torment, neglect, and physical abuse, but he's never experienced…abandonment. Never having friends is one thing, but having friends and then losing them? This felt worse than any form of bullying before this.

Coppermane put his phone down, officially giving up. There was no reaching them. He relaxed on his bed, and glanced up at the collage they had given him for his birthday…and started to cry at the memories. He could remember singing for them for the first time, and all of their praise. He remembered the birthday party they threw him. He remembered the mall. Then, he shed more tears as other memories surfaced. Memories of Fluttershy. Their first date, where he revealed the details of his past. Their second date, where they shared their very first kiss. When he took her to the cherry blossom grove; his sanctuary. Then…there was last weekend. Sharing his first dance with her. Falling asleep with her in his arms. Making breakfast for her the following morning. And then…when she sat in his lap. He smiled at the wonderful memory. Holding her in his arms…holding her hand…getting lost in her eyes, just admiring her beauty. Her smile…her hair…her eyes…her soft, velvety skin…and…her lips. He remembers…kissing her. He could still taste her sweet, candy lips. Her kisses were like magic. He could be having the worst day, but then, Fluttershy would kiss him, and suddenly, all of his troubles faded away. For just that moment…all was right in the world. Even simply holding her hand would make him feel better.

This happy memory soon turned into a somber one, taking the current circumstances into consideration. That memory would forever be a memory now, along with all the others. He and Fluttershy were no longer an item. Tears began running down his face again. All he could do now was reminisce about when he was happy. When he had friends. When he had Fluttershy.

Maybe it was always meant to be this way. Maybe he should accept this as reality and move on. He's always been the loser. He's always been the lesser one. Maybe Fluttershy would be happier this way. He was probably a terrible boyfriend anyways. He would always worry her, and never gave back for any of the things she's done for him. He was selfish. He should just accept this, shouldn't he? It was naïve of him to ever think he deserved to be happy. At least now, Fluttershy wouldn't have to put up with his crap anymore. If she really would be happier without him, maybe it was for the best. As long as Fluttershy was happy…

No…no, he couldn't give up. He couldn't let his friends get away that easily. They meant too much to him. He didn't do anything wrong. Trixie came onto him. He asked nicely for her to leave him alone, but she didn't budge. She kissed him. He pushed her away immediately. He did nothing wrong. He had to go find one or more of the girls and explain himself. Win them back. More importantly…win Fluttershy back. She meant too much to him. He still loved her. He never stopped loving her. He had memories with her, but he wanted to make more, and keep making them. Coppermane wasn't going to let this amazing phase of his life end so easily. He wasn't going to go down without a fight.

He pondered for a moment…they usually hung out at the Sweet Shoppe. Maybe they would be there? It was late, but it was worth a shot. He had to try. Filled with new-found determination, he headed for the Sweet Shoppe, desperate to win his friends back. Desperate to win the girl of his dreams back.

---

Time: 9:30 PM, Monday, The Sweet Shoppe

Coppermane walked up to the shop and looked in the window. Much to his dismay…no sign of the girls. Damn. He let out a depressed sigh. He was about to throw in the towel and go home for the night, until somebody turned the corner of the block that reignited his hope.

"Flash!" Coppermane called out. Flash looked up at him, and gave him a cold look.

"Oh, Copper. Hey…" Flash said.

"Flash, I need your help," Coppermane said.

Flash stared at him coldly, folding his arms. "With what?"

"I need to find the girls. Fluttershy broke up with me because of what happened with Trixie yesterday. I need to explain what really happened," Coppermane said.

"With Trixie? You mean how you kissed her?" Flash said coldly. "You mean how you completely broke Fluttershy's heart?"

"Huh?" Coppermane said.

"Dude, don't act stupid," Flash said. "The girls showed me the pictures. Seriously? Why would you do something like that to Fluttershy?"

Coppermane was surprised. "Wait…you…you're siding with the girls?"

Flash sighed. "There's evidence with the pictures, dude. Why should I help you if you're just going to betray her again?"

"Betray her?" Coppermane said, starting to tear up. "I…I would never betray her…"

"Well, what was going in those pictures, huh?!" Flash said, raising his voice. "Why should we trust you? I don't see why we should if you're just going to hurt her again." He started to walk away, but Copper ran in front of him to block his departure.

"Flash! Please listen to me!" Copper shouted. "Just hear me out! You want a reason, then damnit, I'll give you one. I'm begging you…just five minutes…that's all I'm asking…please…" he said desperately, almost tearing up.

Flash didn't want to talk to him, but there was still that level of skepticism about the whole debacle. He looked into Copper's eyes, and saw desperation. He's probably had a really crappy day since Fluttershy broke up with him. All things considered, as much as Flash wanted to get the heck out of there, he figured he could at least humor the poor guy.

Flash sighed. "Fine…"

Coppermane sighed with relief. He took a deep breath. "Flash…it's not just Fluttershy. It's all of the girls. I've tried calling every single one of them, desperately trying to tell them what really happened. None of them have answered. None. They hate me now. You were at the mall with me. You remember what I told you? About Fluttershy and I? Remember how I was talking about her? I told you that I love her. I still do. I never stopped. I had nothing before I met Fluttershy. She's given me so much, and made my life worth living." Coppermane's eyes were welling up with tears as he vented his emotions. "You know me, Flash. Do you honestly think I would take someone as amazing as Fluttershy and throw her away like that? Do you think I would betray her trust like that? Flash…I love her with all my heart. She's my princess…or at least…she was. I would never do anything to hurt her, you know that." Tears were streaming down Coppermane's face. "Flash…I want her back. No…I need her back. It hasn't even been a full day yet, and I already miss her more than I can bear. Not just her…but I miss the girls as well. I…I can't lose you too. The girls are gone, Flash. You're all I have left. Please…I need you. Help me…"

Flash looked into his eyes. Coppermane looked straight at him, never looking away…never faltering. He pondered for a moment. Would it be in Coppermane's nature to cheat? No…he would never even consider doing something so cruel…especially to a girl like Fluttershy. Coppermane was closest to her, and knew, more than anyone, how delicate and fragile she is. He remembered his face when he was talking about Fluttershy at the mall. That smile that graced his face as he went on and on about how much he adores her. He remembered every single time he's seen the two of them together. When they were with each other, they were always smiling…lost in each other's eyes. Coppermane would always hold Fluttershy in his arms whenever he could, and she loved it. They always looked so happy together. Fluttershy has also gushed to the group about all the amazing things Coppermane's done for her. Things that a guy only does for a girl when he…loves her. Flash knew how much Fluttershy meant to Coppermane. He wouldn't cheat on her. He wouldn't. As Flash thought more and more, he found himself believing Copper's side of the story. Everything, from Coppermane's personality, to his history with Fluttershy, were leading Flash to believe that those pictures were indeed fake, and Copper was telling the truth. He could see it in his eyes. And the whole gang knew about his past. They knew how lonely he was before them. The whole point of Copper's birthday party was to show him how many people are here for him. Now, after this mess, only one remained. As mad as Flash was with Copper before, one thing never changed. Coppermane was still his best friend, and he couldn't leave him alone like this. Not in his time of need.

Flash walked towards Coppermane, who was in tears, and placed his hand on his shoulder. "Come with me."

Coppermane glanced at Flash's hand, and then back at him. "W-Why?"

Flash smirked. "I have to help my best bro win his dream-girl back."

Coppermane's face lip up. "Wait…r-really?"

Flash took his hand off Copper's shoulder. "I'm not sure I totally believe you, about the pictures, but I'm not about to leave my best friend in the dust."

Copper's hope was renewed upon hearing Flash say that. "Flash…you're the best."

Flash chuckled, and motioned for Copper to follow him.

"So, what exactly did you have in mind?" Flash asked.

"Well…that's why I need you. I have no idea where to even start," Coppermane said. "I just need something to show her how much I care about her. Something personal. Something to show her how much I love her."

Flash smiled. "I think I might already have an idea."

"Really?" Copper said.

"Mmmhmm," Flash said, "But it's not going to be easy. In fact, it'll take some practice."

"Practice?" Copper asked curiously.

"Copper, would you be interested in becoming my band's new keyboardist?" Flash asked.

Coppermane's eyes went wide. "What?"

Flash put his arm around Coppermane's shoulder. "Just hear me out. I'm guessing you still want to take her to the formal, right?"

"Do I ever…" Coppermane said.

"Well, here's what I'm thinking. So, at the musical showcase…"

And with that, Flash began to explain what he had in mind. As he spoke, a smile graced Copper's face. Even so, there was still that seed of doubt in his mind. Would Fluttershy forgive him? She was his entire world, and if he lost her for good…

He could only hope…

---

And that's chapter 13! I hope you liked it. Sorry if it wasn't that uplifting or anything, but the next chapter will be. Hopefully. You'll just have to wait and see! I hope they characters weren't too OOC. I don't know. I feel like I might've bent their characters a little for the story's sake, but that's just me. I'll let you all be the judge of that. Alright, let's go off on a tangent really quick. Freaking Star Wars Episode VII! That movie was so good! Not without its flaws, of course, but still, I haven't had that much fun in the movie theater in my life! One more tangent! I noticed that chapter 7 is in second place for most views in this story, first place going to chapter 1 (obviously). I guess I must've really nailed it with that chapter, huh? I noticed that while I was at work today. Alright, enough tangents. Now, if you'll excuse me, it's tomorrow, so I need to get some sleep. All reviews are greatly appreciated, so don't forget to leave one letting me know what you think and…until next time…peace!

And if I don't upload before Christmas…Have a Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays!

To see a picture of my OC, there's a link in my profile.