The the night was clear and cold, with a crisp breeze. It was late enough that there was little traffic, but still too early for the night life of the city to be put to bed. A girl with red and orange hair limped down a quiet, dark street by herself. Her hair was matted with sweat, her clothes were tattered and torn, and yet her face remained blank. She tried to push out all of her thoughts, refusing to think about her failure. Her feet seemed to move of their own accord, leading her down the street towards a place she only had an idea of in the back of her mind.

I'm such a failure. she thought to herself, I can't do anything but make a mess. Twilight Sparkle really does deserve that crown.

Tears fell from her eyes, but she paid no attention to them. Emotions now were useless; all she felt was an icey numbness.
When her feet finally stopped, she realized with a sinking heart that she had walked across the city and into the Everfree forest. In front of her was a silver lake that reflected the clear night-time sky. The illusion made it seem empty. She had been here twice before, being comforted by a familiar-yet-not sight. Tonight she would find comfort here once again.

Celestia was right. I'm not destined for greatness. She fell onto her knees, a soft sob escaping her throat. The pain of rejection made her body feel as heavy as lead. So what good am I? She couldn't think of anything to keep her going. She had no family, no friends, not even her high school following. She was alone. Twilight had tried to pass on her friends to her, but Sunset could see the hate and even fear on their faces whenever they saw her. And it had been a week since the formal... She wasn't escaping this one.

I'm dangerous. She thought to herself, Dangerous to myself, and to others. I can't ask Twilight's friends to put up with me. I don't deserve forgiveness.

She looked up at where the moon was. It shone down on her calmly and quietly, not unlike Luna's moon, and yet still not the same. She glanced out towards the lake and considered what she would do from there.

There's no way I can go back. She thought, But I don't think I could start over... Not again... She sighed, exhausted, Maybe... Everyone would be better off without me?

This thought made her heart skip a beat. With another look at the lake, she figured No one would miss me. They would be glad that I was gone. These thoughts had crossed her mind before. Sometimes it had seemed like just giving up would be the best option, but she had never thought of... Actually going through with it.

Only when the bitter cold hit her did she realize she had taken off her jacket. Or, rather, the torn scrap of faux leather that her jacket had become. She stared, shocked, at the garment she held in her hands.Her socks and shoes followed, and were put in a pile with the jacket.

I'm sorry, Twilight. And Applejack. And Rarity. And Fluttershy. And Rainbow Dash. And Pinkie Pie. She made a mental list to herself, of everyone she had wronged, as she walked towards the shimmering water. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. As the list grew into the tens of people, she stepped a foot into the water.

A few minutes later she found herself in the middle of a freezing cold lake, staring up at the moon.I'm sorry, Celestia.

She swam through the water lethargically, exhausting her already tried body. She felt her muscles seize up before going numb, and she gasped for air. Never before had she realized how much her body desired oxygen, but at that moment, as her head dipped below the water, she realized how important those small molecules were to living creatures.

But it was too late now. Even if she wanted to, her body was too tired to fight. The stale air in her lungs made her body burn almost as much as the attack she had earlier endured. Tears streamed from her eyes and disappeared into the water around her as she slowly lost consciousness.

A good distance away, there was a splash as someone jumped into the water after her.

Author's Notes:

This idea has been buzzing around my mind for a while. It feels a bit rushed, but hopefully I can fix that later somehow.

Also: I'm unsure about pairings in this one. Maybe Sunset/Applejack, but do you guys have any suggestions?