//------------------------------// // Chapter Four: Confrontations // Story: Rejuvenate // by Kody910 //------------------------------// This was it. Today was the day. It had been three months since you checked out of the hospital. Your regular check-ins with Dr. Coachen had passed more and more smoothly with each one. The progress on your leg was phenomenal, and Coachen couldn't help but comment on how you had barreled through this incident so well every time the two of you met for checkups. You chalked it up to the expert treatment you must have been receiving, both in and out of the office. It had been three months since you began physical therapy. As you progressed, the exercises became more difficult, more strenuous, and more unpleasant. That didn't stop you. You trudged on through the pain, with some help along the way. However, there was one session involving a certain trio of fillies you would like to forget. The Cutie Mark Crusaders Physical Therapists had offered to help you during one session. While at first you were less than ecstatic to accept, you decided to humor them, which you found to be a big mistake. Their plan for therapy included a chalkboard, two jars of Zap Apple Jam, and a startlingly ravenous badger. You never thought jam could sting so badly in wounds. It had been three months since you had met her. The mare you were so apprehensive of at first had grown to become one of your closest friends. The two of you shared secrets, told each other stories of your foalhoods, and so forth. You had actually grown to be able to....trust, her. And, quite frankly, that was fine with you. But you wondered if there was something more. Every compliment from her, no matter how simple or silly, never failed to summon a blush to your cheeks. You had grown to cherish each moment you shared with her, and too long a time away tore at your heart. However, these aching feelings of separation were somewhat staved off when Fluttershy offered to let you move in with her. She claimed it to be so she could "better monitor your health." You were a little afraid at first, considering if her story about the Manticore had been true, she might have other beasts around her home as well. But you eventually discovered the only "beast" was a demonic, little bunny named Angel who seemed to despise your very presence. This didn't stop you from accepting her offer. After all, she may very well be the mare of your dreams. All the help she had given you had been straight from her heart, and she was gracious enough to offer even more help. Help, that led to today. As this was the day. The day you could finally lose the wheelchair. You convinced yourself that the wheelchair came from Hell. You had never felt so constricted, so limited in all your life than when you were in that chair. Simple, everyday tasks became gut-wrenching toils of unnecessary labor. Half of the time you simply gave up on that jar of peanut butter because the chair simply wouldn't allow you to access it. Neither your home nor Fluttershy's were designed around you being in a wheelchair, so it was difficult to do most of anything. But now, you were free. Walking was a pleasure you had been robbed of for too long, and you wanted to enjoy every moment of it. However, you felt like a complete foal at first. It was almost like you had to relearn how to walk. It was made a little more difficult without the use of one of your hind legs, which was still in a cast. This leg would eventually need to go through the procedures your other had, but you were specifically instructed to not try anything until it was fully healed. You were happy to oblige, as any attempt at movement stung like a knife. At this moment, you were staring out a window in the living room of Fluttershy's cottage. Your time here had increased your appreciation for the beauty of the world, both in the forms of flora and fauna. You had grown fond of all the little woodland creatures of the abode. While they were reluctant to make friends with you right away, they had grown to accept you as part of the household over time. Well, most of them. Angel Bunny still kept a rather spiteful eye on you. While you were gazing out at the world, Fluttershy had been in the kitchen, preparing the daily meals for all of her animal friends. She had insisted you wait for her in the living room, as she did not want you to strain yourself helping her. How she kept track of every animal was beyond you, but you admired her diligence. As she worked, she hummed a simple tune. You loved hearing her sing, hum, or any other musical projection of the voice. The beautiful, harmonious sound graced your ears, and you compared it to that of an Angel. *BONK* Speaking of Angels... You turn around to find a rather angry-looking Angel Bunny. You quickly deduced the strike on your head had been a result of him tossing a carrot at your skull. It had been his way of telling you "I don't like you" ever since you moved in. Angel had started making gestures. This was his way of communicating with you without the use of projectile foods. You had grown to be able to interpret these more reliably as time passed. He started by pointing to you, then pointing to the general direction of Fluttershy. He ended it by tapping his two paws together, a questioning look on his face. "Are you asking if me and Fluttershy are...together?" You inquired. He rapidly nodded his head, and looked to you for an answer. "Well..." you started. You weren't exactly sure how to answer. "I don't think we are...she probably wouldn't want it to be that way between us anyway." At that moment, Fluttershy entered the room, adorned in an apron. Angel simply rolled his eyes and bounded off to his little hut on the other side of the room. "What's his deal?" You ask. "Oh, he's always little grumpy." Fluttershy responded. "Anyway, how are you feeling today?" "Well, why don't I demonstrate?" You begin to stand up on your three good legs. At first, it took you a little bit to get you bearings, but you're finally able to find your balance. Fluttershy's face lit up, and she was ecstatic, to say the least. "Oh my goodness! This is simply wonderful!" She starts, surprising you with the volume of her voice. "So, it doesn't hurt or anything? Can you balance well?" "Well, to be honest, it isn't exactly the most comfortable thing, but I can manage. It's not too hard to balance." You reassure her. "This is great! We need to celebrate!" "Celebrate? What do you mean?" "Why don't we go over to Sugarcube Corner? I'm sure we can pick up a cake or something!" You weren't too big on sweets, but the look in Fluttershy's eyes always could control your responses. "That sounds great! When should we head out?" "Let me just finish up with the animals, then we can get going!" "Cool!" Fluttershy turned and walked back into the kitchen. Your eyes drifted down to her flank as she walked, swaying to and fro. An extreme blush on your cheeks, you attempted to tear your gaze away with little avail. Luckily, a projectile carrot brought your attention back down to a little, less-than-amused rabbit. "Yeah, I guess I deserved that..." *************** Once Fluttershy had finished up her duties, the two of you went into town. Normally the sight of you hobbling along on three legs would have been embarrassing, but you didn't care. The mare at your side was all the reassurance you needed. Fluttershy asked if the two of you could stop by the library before heading over to Sugarcube Corner, which you were more than happy to oblige with. It felt like forever since you had last spoken to Twilight, and you were eager to catch up with her. With you having moved in with Fluttershy, you had met all of her closest friends, from the elegant Rarity to the ever-hyper Pinkie Pie. Walking through town had been nowhere near as bad as you anticipated it to be. In fact, you felt kind of proud. With you having been in a wheelchair for the last few months, you felt stronger than ever to finally be on your legs. A few ponies threw surprised expressions your way, having grown used to the sight of you in a wheelchair, and you reveled in the attention. Fluttershy seemed to take note of this, giggling at your triumphant stance. Your leg didn't exactly hurt, but rather just felt very tight. It felt as though your muscles were wound up, and desperately needed to be released. As you walked, they gradually loosened to the point where they would at least cooperate. You had finally made your way to the library. It never failed to impress you upon seeing it. You couldn't help but wonder how exactly they could make a tree into a viable home, let alone a full-blown library. But then again, Fluttershy's home is partially a tree, so what did you know? Fluttershy knocked on the door. After a few moments, and hearing what sounded like a stack of books collapsing to the floor, Twilight answered with a smile. "Oh, hello Fluttershy! And hello..." Twilight's words trailed off as she saw you. "...Oh my gosh! You're walking!" "Yup. It's been three months, but I'm finally back on my game!" You proudly exclaim. "But, it is a little awkward. I'm not entirely used to it yet myself." You quickly added. "Oh, well, please come in! You must be tired after walking for the first time in months!" You and your companion trotted inside, only to find a bit of a disastrous scene. Books were scattered all over the floor, with no clear pattern or organization to them. You and Fluttershy cast a glance to a very sheepish Twilight. "Ah, heh heh...I forgot to mention today is Re-shelving Day for me." While you were still lost, Fluttershy's wore a 'that explains it' expression on her face. You figured this must be some sort of regular thing for Twilight. Twilight was about to continue when a muffled voice from behind her beat her to it. "I still don't get why we have to do this so often, Twilight." The voice started. "It seems kinda pointless!" "Because Spike," Twilight retorted, "if we don't do this every few weeks or so, the books will be so badly organized I would never be able to reorganize them again!" You had forgotten that Twilight had a dragon companion. He hadn't spoken to you very often, but then again, you didn't see him around much. From what you gathered, he was always either in the library working, or over at Rarity's place helping her. Briefly popping his head out of the mound of books, he cast a glance towards the three of you, with a rather bored look adorned on his face. "So you're finally walking again, huh?" He asked. "Yep!" You happily reply. "Glad to see you're finally getting better!" Spike quickly re-submerged into the pile, leaving you and Fluttershy slightly confused. Twilight led the two of you around the mass of books to a nearby couch. Using her magic, she started pouring tea for the three of you. You absolutely loved tea, and though you would never tell Fluttershy, Twilight's tea was always your favorite. "So, what were you two up to today?" "Well," Fluttershy started, "we were just heading over to Sugarcube Corner to celebrate!" "Celebrate? Oh! You mean about not needing a wheelchair anymore?" "Yes! We were going to see if we could get a cake from Pinkie or something." "Ohhh, I getchya!" Twilight wore a rather sly look on her face before taking a sip of her tea. Before you could question, she continued. "Anyway, what brings you two here today?" "Well, I was actually coming by to pick up a few books, but..." she glanced over at the mountain of books behind Twilight. "I'm guessing now isn't a good time?" "Heh heh, yeah....sorry about that Fluttershy. If I'd known you would be coming by, I would have held onto anything you were looking for." "Oh, that's okay, I can always come back later." You loved how Fluttershy was always so agreeable with everything. You always found it cute. "Alright then...unless you want to take a crack at it and find what your looking for in THAT!" Twilight points toward the mound, and Fluttershy visibly cringes. "Um...no, no thank you, I'm good...." You couldn't help but snicker along with Twilight at Fluttershy's response. Setting down her glass, she continued, "Well, I would love to stay and chat Twilight, but we need to be going before the, um, rush." "Oh! Of course, I know how busy Sugarcube Corner can be at this time of day! You two run along and enjoy yourselves! And as for you!" She exclaims, poking your chest with her hoof. "Congratulations on such great progress!" "Thanks Twilight, but I couldn't have gotten to where I am had it not been for Fluttershy here." You say, eliciting a blush from Fluttershy. "Oh, it was nothing, really..." You loved that humility she always carried. "Well," Twilight began, "I don't want to hold you two, now run along before-" At that moment, the door of the library burst open, and a loud, familiar voice filled the air. "Hey, Twilight babe!...Sweet Celestia, it's a disaster in here! What have you been doing in he-" The ranting from this new guest immediately stopped when he spotted you. The two of you locked eyes in silence for several minutes. You couldn't believe what you were seeing. You weren't certain if he was still in town after what had happened, but you didn't plan for the moment of you seeing him again, if you ever did, that is. The same dark blue coat and even darker mane as the day he abandoned you. Standing before you was Russ. "...R...Russ?" You begin. He didn't respond, only being able to stare back at you, mouth agape. Fluttershy was giving you an incredulous look from your left, and Twilight had quietly slipped away, avoiding confrontation altogether. You stared in silence for the better part of a minute. "...Russ..." You say again, with more force in your voice. "...D-dude? You're....you're alive!" Russ replied, with disbelief in his voice and a very, very nervous smile on his face.. "...Yes, Russ...Yes I am. I'm alive." "Oh my g- I thought you were dead!" "No. No, I didn't die. No thanks to you." Your words grew angrier as you spoke. "Wha...Dude, c'mon! I didn't have a choice!" "You've had plenty of choices Russ, but you always seem to be drawn to the worst of them." "Dude, please, if I didn't run, I could've died!" "Way to think about your friends, huh, Russ!?" "Yeah, well...I-if it weren't for me, you might not have had any friends, right??" He replied, sounding unsure of himself. "If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have spent the last three months in a damn wheelchair!" At this point, you were yelling. "H-hey, buddy, c-c'mon!" "No, no, I'm not your 'buddy,' I never was!" "Oh, is that how it's gonna be then!?" Russ began to take a more offensive stance. "Well, what about all those years ago?" "Don't you go there..." "After your little incident at Manehattan High School?" "Russ, shut up!" "I was the only one who helped you, the only one who cared! And now your gonna toss me aside, like he did, all those years ago?" "Like how you did to me, three months ago!?" "Well, that's different-" "Yeah, you're right. It is different. I could have DIED, remember!?" "Well, maybe you should-" "Russ." "What!?" "...Get the fuck out of my sight, before I do something I'll regret." Your blood was boiling from rage, and you knew that if Russ didn't leave now, you wouldn't hesitate to hurt him. Badly. Even in your injured state, you knew you were still much stronger than he was. Luckily for the both of you, he got the message. With a look of genuine fear on his face, he slowly began to back up towards the door. As soon as he was within the frame, he bolted out. You let out a long, depressed sigh. With your former best friend no longer at your side, you had to fight back tears. Just when you think you're about to burst, a gentle hoof comes to rest on your shoulder. You look up to see the comforting smile of Fluttershy. Even in a situation as bad as this, her gaze never failed to bring a smile to your face. "Um..." she started, "Are you okay?" "Yeah....yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry about it." "I'm so sorry this had to happen..." You realized Fluttershy was on the verge of tears. "It's okay, you have nothing to be sorry for. You couldn't have known we would run into...him, today." You said, trying to comfort her. "Okay then...but, are you sure you're okay?" She looks up to you again with that pleading gaze of hers. "Yeah, I'm fine...don't worry, I've been through worse..." Your words trail off as you remembered that day. At that moment, Twilight steps back in from wherever she had ran off to, with a somewhat anxious look on her face. "What was that all about?" "Oh, him?" You start, "He's just an old friend of mine...or he was, anyway." "Ugh, that guy really gets on my nerves!" Twilight exclaims, frustration dripping from her voice. "You know him?" "He comes in here every now and then just to bug me. Asking me for a night on the town and whatnot. It gets really irritating. With his attitude, it doesn't surprise me that you hate him too..." She suddenly looked ponderous. "How did you know him?" Fluttershy cringed when she asked, but you answered anyway. "I'd known him since High School, and well, long story short, it's his fault this happened to me." "Oh my! I-I had no idea, I'm so sorry for asking!" "It's alright, really, you don't need to worry!" You reassured her. A long silence passed as though everyone had to collect their thoughts. This was nothing short of 'awkward,' and you yourself couldn't believe that this had just happened. You never planned on speaking to Russ again, and this certainly was a wrench in your plans. After a few minutes, Fluttershy spoke. "Um...do you, still want to go to Sugarcube Corner? I mean, I can understand if you don't..." "Fluttershy, I would love to go. It's just the thing I need to get my mind off of this whole thing." This elicited a small smile on the pegasus' face. "Alright," Twilight started, "Again, I'm sorry about all of this. I hope you two enjoy yourselves!" "No sweat Twilight." You say, "We'll get out of your hair now. After all, it looks like you have some unfinished business to take care of!" You gestured towards the books, causing a blush to arise on Twilight's face. "Ah ha, yeah...I'll see you two later!" And with that, you and Fluttershy headed out for the confectionery of Ponyville. *************** The trip to Sugarcube Corner had been a long one. You ran into a few familiar faces along the way, including Big Macintosh, who had become a good friend since you met his sister, Applejack. He never talked much, but he was just 'cool,' as you put it. Regardless of all the kind attention you were receiving, you couldn't take your mind off the events that just played out. Russ abandoning you was a knife in your back, but him bringing up that incident was equivalent to him twisting the knife. You never thought one of your oldest friends could turn out to be so cold-hearted, especially after what he did for you. "Um...is something bothering you?" You hear from your side. You look over to Fluttershy to find a genuinely concerned look on her face. She must have sensed your anxiety. "No, no, I'm fine. Trust me." You reassure her. "Well, alright...um..." She begins. "If you don't mind me asking, what was Russ talking about?" "What do you mean?" "I mean, he said something about Manehattan High School...what was he talking about?" You cringed. You knew that you would need to explain this sometime, but you weren't quite ready to do it. Not yet, anyway. "Um...It's a long story. I'll tell you some other time, okay?" "Okay then...Oh! We're here!" You look up to find the candy coated building directly in front of you. All of the craftsmanship, from the frosting-coated roof to the peppermint stick pillars surrounding the door, never ceased to amaze you. It almost looked as though the building was edible, but an embarrassing taste test one day proved otherwise. Despite what Twilight had said about this being rush hour for Sugarcube Corner, there weren't many ponies around. A nagging suspicion in your mind told you something was up, but you kept it to yourself. "After you!" Fluttershy says. Now you're certain something is up, but you went along with it. As to why, you weren't certain. Slowly pushing on the door, you find all the lights are off, and there appears to be no one inside. Cautiously making your way in, you begin to notice the layout had changed since the last time you had been inside. There had been more tables than before, and decorations were strung about. Just as you were about to turn and leave... "SURPRIIIISE!" Your heart jumped into your throat as you let out a somewhat high-pitched yelp. The lights came on and dozens of ponies had suddenly appeared out from behind tables, the counter, and various other locations. Confetti rained down from seemingly nowhere, and music began blaring. Needless to say, you were surprised. Once you had regained some control on your heart rate, Pinkie Pie bounded up to you, party hat adorned on her head. "Hi! Were ya surprised? Were ya? Were ya?" She fired off questions at rapid pace. "Y-yes!" You reply, still struggling to breath. "I was! What's all this for?" "Well, duh silly! Look!" She pointed a hoof to a banner hanging above that you hadn't noticed before. On it read the words 'Back on your Hooves, buddy!' "You were in that wheel chair for soooo long! So we threw you a super-duper, spectacular party to celebrate you walking again!" "Wow, I..." You were about to thank her, when something in your mind clicked. "...Wait, 'we?' Who else helped with this?" "All of our bestest friends helped set everything up! But it was Flutters here who came up with the idea for the party!" Pinkie responded, never stopping her bouncing. You look over to Fluttershy, who was bearing a small blush on her cheeks. "Um...I hope it's alright...I just figured you would be happy about finally walking again, so I thought we should celebrate!" She explained. "Wow...I, I don't even know what to say..." You reply. "Oh, I'm sorry, if you don't like this, we can always-" "No, Fluttershy, I mean to say this is incredible!" "Y-you really like it?" The pegasus' smile slowly grew as you spoke. "Yes! I can't thank you enough for all this!" "Oh, well..." She paused a bit, before pulling you into a tight hug. "I'm glad you're happy..." Her sudden forwardness had caught you off-guard, but you soon returned the embrace, placing your hooves on her back and taking in the scent of her mane. It reminded you of oak, but had a sweet hint of honey. Her hooves gently wrapped around you, and the warmth of her embrace was otherworldly. You hoped it didn't have to end. "Thank you so much Fluttershy..." The two of you held the embrace for several moments, until Pinkie Pie pitched in to break the silence that had settled in the room. "Well? What's everypony waiting for? Let's party!!" And with that, the party began. Ponies began mingling, helping themselves to the snacks, and so on. Several came to you asking questions about your condition. Some were a bit hesitant, worried about how you would react. You didn't mind though, and had actually been expecting this. "How does it feel to walk again?" A yellow mare with an orange mane asked. "It was a bit awkward at first, but it's not too tough once you've gotten used to it again. Even when you're only using three legs!" You reply, invoking a few laughs around you. Up next was a sea-foam colored unicorn. "What was it like not being able to walk for so long?" "Terrible," you reply rather bluntly, "and I hope I never end up in a wheelchair again." "Is your other leg going to be okay?" A blue colt asked. "Well, to tell the truth, we're not sure." You respond, somewhat sullenly. "But hey, gotta keep my hopes up! I'm sure it'll turn out fine." You add, hoping to dispel any negative vibes. The questions kept coming, spanning all sorts of topics. After you answered more than enough questions to make a test out of, you hobbled toward the punch table. Helping yourself to a glass, you look back at the party unfolding. Ponies went about their own, talking with others, drinking and eating, and a few were participating in some games, including the old-time favorite 'pin the tail on the pony.' Taking a sip of your punch, you realize there's something different about it. It didn't taste like it did normally did. It took your brain a second to register, but you realized Pinkie must have spiked it. Almost as if she could read your thoughts, Pinkie suddenly appeared next to you. "Wellllllll? What do you think?" She asked, slightly singing her words as she said them. "I think the punch may be a bit strong for my tastes." You never were much of a drinker, and when you did, you only drank in small quantities. "No, I didn't mean that! But wait, really? I thought I should make it super strong, since this IS a party about a guy with broken legs! I said to myself 'what if ponies think it's in bad tastes throwing a party for this?' But then I thought 'that's silly, it's a party! Everypony will love it!' But then I worried 'but what if they aren't happy about it?' So I thought 'hey, maybe this will help keep the mood light and happy!' So I added my own Pinkie Pie Zing to the punch!" Your head was reeling trying to process all the information Pinkie fed you at light speed. Shaking your head in an attempt to regain your senses after her rant, you continue. "Er, yeah...but what did you mean then?" Pinkie tapped her hoof to her chin, as though she didn't know what you meant, before exclaiming. "Oh! I meant what do you think of the party!" "...I think you did an awesome job with it, Pinkie." *************** The festivities continued late into the night. Ponies began saying their goodbyes, congratulations, and other friendly messages to you as they shuffled out the door. Several apparently had a little much to drink, and needed some escort from a friend. A certain, purple mare had to be carried out on the back of another pony. A few ponies were still hanging around at this point, talking among themselves. To say the place was an absolute mess was a severe understatement. The streamers and confetti from your arrival had still been about, but added to it was the remnants of the party-goers. Cups, plates, various silverware and food items, along with an assortment of other objects were strewn about the floor. Many drinks had been spilled, as many sections of the floor were uncomfortably sticky. Snacks, including cakes, candy and other morsels, lay across the ground all over the place as well. The antics some of the ponies had gotten into were downright hilarious. Rainbow Dash had been covered in chocolate sauce after losing a bet with Applejack, and Rarity was no better off. After a freak accident in the kitchen, she was going to be scraping the soda and lemon chunks out of her hair for weeks. All in all, you had very much enjoyed yourself. At this point, you were feeling quite tired, and wanted to retreat to Fluttershy's abode. You had lost track of her shortly after the party began, and were now searching the building for her. Asking around, you got a tip that she was in the kitchen with Pinkie. Trotting to the entrance of the kitchen, being careful not to step in any stray puddles of punch or other liquids you weren't sure of the identity of, you stop short when you start hearing a conversation. "C'mon, when are you gonna tell him?" It was Pinkie's voice, and she sounded very prodding. You kept listening. "Oh, I don't know, I'm just not sure if I should. Not quite yet..." This one unmistakably belonged to Fluttershy. She was going to tell you something? "Well you can't wait forever, otherwise it might be too late!" "I know, I know...I just think I should hold off a bit." "Alrighty, then! And if he tries to say no, I'll make him pay!" She'll make you....pay? You think to yourself. What does she mean by that? And slowly it dawned on you. Your eyes widened as you realized just what was happening. This whole caring for you, helping you recover, everything, it had all been part of her plan. No one, mare or stallion, was this kind naturally. You cursed to yourself. Why didn't you see this coming? You got a feeling in your gut when you first met her, and now you were bashing yourself for not having listened to it. Unable to simply harbor your anger, you walk into the kitchen to confront her. With a sullen look on your face, you silently approach the mares. Fluttershy spotted you, and Pinkie whirled around to meet your gaze. You never take your eyes off of the pegasus. "Pinkie, I would like to speak with Fluttershy. Alone." You try to keep all emotion out of your voice, with only a sliver of anger slipping through. "Okie dokie loki! I hope you absolutely loved your super-duper party!" She said, as she bounded towards the door. "Yes, I did. And thank you again." You replied, still holding your gaze on Fluttershy. "So, did you have fun?" Fluttershy asked, as if she didn't notice your new behavior. "Well..." You waited until Pinkie had closed the door and was out of earshot before continuing. "Yeah, it was fun. I had a few laughs, met a few ponies..." ".....learned a few secrets." You added through gritted teeth. "O-oh? W-what do you mean?" She asked, slightly stepping back. "I heard you and Pinkie talking." As you said that, Fluttershy takes a small gasp, and a light blush rises to her face. "And I don't know how I didn't see this coming...I mean, the care, the food, letting me stay with you, it was all so clear..." "Oh, um...." At this point, Fluttershy was trembling, and her blush had grown quite a bit. While this would have been cute to you before, it was nothing but a facade to you now. "W-well, um....w-what do you th-think?" What do I think? You mused at the question. This mare, who had the nerve to do this to you, was treating it like some sort of game? A prank? It's not like you haven't been tricked before. You knew better than anyone the pain of being betrayed by someone you care about, and she knew that. Now she had the nerve, the gall, to play it off like a joke? You weren't about to have it. "I'm downright pissed off is what I am." "Wh-what!?" She looked at you with fear and anguish in her eyes. You weren't about to let that fool you. "I thought I could trust you, I thought you really cared about me...But now I see you for what you really are." "What...what do you mean?" She had begun to slowly recede towards the floor. "Don't act like you don't know!" At this point, you were shouting. "All the care, the food, everything, it's not because you cared about me! You were simply using me! The moment I was better, the moment I was out of the cast and walking home, you were gonna slap a bill in my hooves and expect me to pay!" "What!?" She looked incredulous, as if she had no clue what you were talking about. You were disgusted by her attempt to play this off like nothing. "I've been used and fooled before. I'm not about to let it happen again." And with that, you made your way toward the exit. "B-but, but I...!" Fluttershy sounded as though she was trying to plead something, but her words trailed off. You didn't care, and were too busy navigating your way out of the building. Exiting the kitchen, you began to trot toward the front door. A few of the remaining ponies cast you wide-eyed stares as you left. Whether or not they had heard your conversation didn't faze you. All you wanted was to go home. To YOUR home, not the home of...her. Walking out the exit of the building, you hear faint sounds resembling that of crying. To think, you might have actually l....lo.... To think, you might have actually trusted her. --------------- A/N: If you happen to be in a wheelchair and were offended by this chapter, I would like to apologize. And for those who think this is unnecessary, I've accidentally offended people with the smallest things before, so I'm kinda touchy with this sort of thing. Also, for some reason, I feel like I'm getting worse.