As usual, the pie was damn good. The glass of fresh-squeezed apple juice was delicious as well, and had quenched a thirst I didn't know I had. But I couldn't enjoy it fully with this eating at me. "Why did you do it?"
Applejack looked up from her own meal to stare at me. "-Oo whaar?" She licked the pie-crumbs off her muzzle and gave a loud belch. In any other situation, I would've laughed. "Pardon. Do what?"
I opened my mouth to speak, but the words were lost to me. I silently and fruitlessly gestured with my hands, flapping my arms about like a lame bird. "Just...this! You saved my life—which I AM grateful for—but you just...don't stop. Don't you hate me? I'm still that same 'freak of nature' I was before I tried hanging myself. Doesn't it...bother you, me being here?" I'd buried most of my anger deep down over the last month. It would've done me no good to lash out while I was healing, but now I couldn't help the edge that crept into my voice. "I can't accept that you just went from hating my guts to trying to coddle me like a baby overnight."
Applejack seemed just as lost for words as I was. Finally, she sighed and pulled the Stetson off her head. "Remember our talk at the hospital?" At my nod, she continued. "When ya told me you were all alone here, it...it got under mah skin. Ah wouldn' wish never seein' yer family again on mah worst enemy. Ma n' Pa still hurt, and Ah've still got Granny, Big Mac and Apple Bloom ta help me cope." The orange mare lowered her head, her ears flopping back. "It got me thinkin'. When Ah saw ya, Ah never really had a reason ta chase ya off. Ya never did nothin' ta me or mah kin. Ah just...acted."
I don't anger easily. But after the last few years, I'd been given plenty reason to be pissed. I stared incredulously at the mare, then scoffed. "And here I thought I'd actually done something to make you hate me. Well, now that I know it was just thoughtless abuse, everything's just hunky-fucking-dory." I stood and started walking towards the door, pushing past the downcast pony. A hoof wrapped around my arm stopped me, but only until I shrugged it off and walked away.
-----
It took me an hour to reach the road back to Ponyville, and another three to reach my old cave. I wrinkled my nose as I entered, the uneven rocky surfaces holding stagnant moisture. I hadn't noticed the smell for years, but the luminescent mushrooms were rancid. The pile of filthy clothing I'd used as a bed these last three years weren't any better, but they were all I had. Taking a seat, I put my head in my hands and took a deep, shuddering breath.
What was that back there? I didn't mean to—well I meant every word of it, but I didn't mean to let it all come out like that. Applejack's guilt was the best chance I had at getting back in a warm bed, and I'd essentially given here a massive 'fuck you'. I drew my knees to my chest and wrapped my arms around, resting my chin on my knees and closing my eyes. Applejack used to be my favorite pony. I adored her. I'd wanted to get away from the city since I was a kid, but it had never worked out. Applejack and the rest of the Apple family were a way to live out that fantasy, even if it was romanticized.
I gulped, taking a deep breath to try and get myself under control. Applejack had always been the most painful to be rejected by. Pinkie Pie was bearable, Rainbow's lighting bolts were more annoying and painful than upsetting, and I'd never gone back to Twilight after getting the door slammed in my face. I laid back, trying to force the tears back. I just wanted to sleep.
-----
The first thing I noticed was soreness. A deep soreness, throbbing in my back and limbs. Standing was agonizing, and every limb popped and creaked in protest. Damn I felt old...
Walking out of the cave, I tightened the towel I had wrapped around my waist. I would've preferred my old clothing, but I hadn't seen it since the hospital. Squinting against the light of the sun, I examined my choices. I could return to the farm, visit Ponyville, or take a walk in the Everfree Forest.
Starting off towards the treeline, I gave a slight smile. A nice walk to clear my head would do me wonders. I just hoped I didn't run into any manticores. I'd never seen one up close, and I was perfectly happy to keep it that way.
As soon as I was more than ten feet in, the lighting seemed to shift. From outside, it looked like any other forest. The sunlight shone through in spots, creating beams of light in an otherwise dreary green expanse of vegetation. From the inside, however, there was no light. The trees took on a menacing, hostile appearance, and the air was stifling with humidity and the smell of rotting leaves. It felt like I was trying to walk in water, as if the forest itself was pressing down on me and trying to halt my advance. I kept going because I'm an idiot with a deathwish.
I lost track of time after the first half hour. I'd found and begun following a river so I knew I wasn't going in circles, but I could've sworn I'd passed this same group of trees at least four times. Thankfully, I hadn't run into any animals out here. I was beginning to think I should start looking for a path, but I had no idea where to start—
...Huh. That was odd. I could've sworn there was a river there a second ago. Maybe the forest was messing with my head. To my side, I saw a well-worn path, even and wide enough to walk on comfortably. Shrugging, I stepped onto the new path, and...nothing happened.
I continued on down the path, when I began to feel a bit...dizzy. My chest burned, and I felt almost weightless. I shook my head, trying to shake off whatever was affecting me, but it failed. I opened my mouth to speak, but as soon as I did I felt water rush in and down my throat. My eyes widened, and whatever bewitchment I had fallen under lifted.
I was under water. The water was murky, and I couldn't see the top. Thrashing about, I began panicking. The current was carrying me along, bashing me against rocks and debris, a long, thick tentacle wrapped around my torso—
Okay. NOW I was panicking. I shrieked under the water, all my remaining air bubbling up to the surface as I struggled and thrashed about. It did me no good, as I felt the massive tentacle tug me along, and out of the water. I gasped for air, scratching and pulling at the scaly limb around me.
"Sir! Sir, would you PLEASE calm down before you scuff my scales?" The inflection of the voice was...well not exactly effeminate, but...let's just call it 'fabulous'. Despite the voice itself being a bit high, it was still undoubtedly masculine. I forced myself to calm down, though my breathing was still out of control, My eyes shot open and I was unbelievably tense, looking at...
Steven Magnet, the river serpent. Of all the characters from the show, this was the one who didn't hate me? I would've laughed if I weren't terrified for my life. "Thank you. Now, what was a little thing like you doing trying to swim in the rapids?" It asked, depositing me on shore.
It took me a few minutes to compose myself, but eventually, I managed to organize my thoughts. "Forest...it-it was playing tricks with my mind." I coughed, doubling over. The serpent rested one arm on the riverbank, dropping his chin down onto his forearm. "Made me think the river was a path."
The serpent made to speak, but was interrupted by the rustle of some brush behind me. I barely turned around in time to see Applejack leap over the bush, Stetson in place and lasso in her jaws. I stared for a moment, unable to think of anything to say. Instead, the purple river-serpent waved enthusiastically. "Helloooo! Is this one yours? I found the poor thing at the bottom of the river, no no, please, don't thank me." He swooped up dramatically, a hand against his forehead. "It was simply the right thing to do, leaving such a poor creature to such a monstrous end would be unthinkable!"
Applejack stared on silently, before cocking one eyebrow. After the serpent had disappeared below the surface, the orange mare stalked up to me with the most rotten glare I'd ever seen. "Ya insult me, run off for the whole day, then when Ah find ya, it's only after ya try drownin' yerself?" As I was still on the ground, it wasn't difficult for her to press her forehead to mine, glaring straight into my eyes. "We're. Leavin'."
Applejack pushed me up and immediately started headbutting me in whatever direction she wanted me to go, shoving me forward again every time I tried to stop. "It was a mistake, the forest—"
"Ah don't wanna hear it."
"But I didn't mean to—"
"Ah said zip it!"