I sat by a fire, my back to a massive tree. The Everfree had gotten dark some time ago, and I was freezing. I pulled the cloak around me and stared into the crackling flames, lost in thought.
I almost didn't see the glowing eyes at the edge of the fire's flickering light. But I definitely heard the rumbling, gravelly growl of whatever creature was staring at me. I stood, the hair on my arms and neck standing ramrod straight.
The glowing eyes at the edge of the fire's light were large, and spread too far to be a timberwolf.
...A manticore. It just had to be a manticore. I inwardly groaned and stood, grabbing a partially-burning log from the fire and holding it out towards the creature.
"Back...the fuck... off. I am NOT in the mood." Of course, the stupid beast only growled in response. So, I did what any sane, reasonable man would do.
I threw the burning log at it, turned around, and ran into the night as fast as I could. "WOOP WOOP WOOP WOOP WOOP!!!"
It just didn't fucking matter anymore, it was all meaningless. The cancer, the despair... the fucking god awful ponies everywhere. Maybe I did die and I'm trapped in purgatory? God who fucking cares, i got some goddamned crossbreed following my ass.
Its rancid breath just clarifies that it probably wont stop to let me consider my condemned way of life. Which is probably good, considering it's probably too focused on me to see the approaching ravine ahead.
Letting out my arm, I catch it on a tree next to me and quickly swing out of the way of the charging manticore, the latter who failed to stop and slammed its face into the other end of the relatively short jump, and falling down into the very deep bottom in a dazed, and soon to be dead, state.
It felt so satisfying watching the big, bad kitty get whats coming to it.
"That's what you get for messing with the Jason!" I screamed at the potentially lifeless bottom, the victorious moment being ruined by an itching sensation I had become too familiar with.
This cloak was so god damned itchy, like that one blanket that grandma has for some reason. Unfortunately, it was the only thing I had to keep my dumb ass from freezing. Those fucking ponies, first my dignity, then my will to live, potentially what could save my ass from my cancer, and now my god damned clothes.
'Had I accounted for the cold to be this bitter I would have shaved on of those furry bastards and duck tape there fur to this cloak.' I thought.
'Maybe the corpse of the one you strangled to death has enough.
"SHUT UP", I shrieked to myself, that fucking voice from the corner of my head just didn't know when it wasn't welcome. It wasn't welcome at all, but it still didn't seemed bothered by that fact.
On the bright side, I doubt those pussies will come looking for me after I showed them how sick of them I am.
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"We need to find him now, I don't care if it takes you the rest of the week, you aren't leaving the area until he has been found!" Twilight shouted at the guards she had Celestia send over for the search of Jason.
Thankfully the claim of him killing Berrypunch was barely over exaggerated, with a fractured skull, she was expected to recover. The same could be said for the barely breathing Thunderlane, the likes of which had suffered a collapsed throat, just barely survivable. Thankfully, Jason's shouting gave them a good idea as to where to look.
'It was very close to becoming a tragedy,' Twilight though grimly, 'it's not like it isn't already but still.'
Twilight was absolutely exhausted, and it showed. Her very visible baggage under her eyes made it clear to all that she hadn't slept properly in days. Thoughts of what has transpired over the last few weeks has mostly annihilated any resemblance of rest.
This was all just too much for her, she rather deal with Discord, King Sombra, and Chrysalis, all at the same time. But noooooo... it just had to be some evolved monkey who has gone off the deep end. Literally anything would be better than this.
'Speaking of anything better than this,' Twilight thought to herself, 'I should see if Applejack is doing ok tomorrow.'
Perhaps helping Applejack get out of her funk could help her forget about this whole situation.
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Jason was having quite a bad time, especially considering the cold was really starting to get to him. It was all he could think about, and right now, he had thought about sneaking into Ponyville to steal some form of sheets, or towel.
Well...
Jason wasn't the stealthiest person on the street, as proven by the sound of a trashcan crashing to the floor of an alleyway, followed by the brief curse he muttered under his breath. Luckily however, most ponies were asleep, only one light turned on in the building next to him, before light chatter could be heard, and the light went out.
"I really hope this doesn't take long, just in and out. In. And. Out"
Navigating through the empty streets wouldn't have been a problem, save for the fact that it was a new moon, therefore, it was almost pitch black, the only thing really visible was the outlines of houses around him.
"Would it kill them to install some fucking magical street lamps or something, how can any of those bastards see like this" Jason said whilst sticking his arms out, hoping to stop himself from running into anything. His freezing form shuffling through the dark, on a mission to find some warmth.
Eventually after many close calls with carts in the middle of the street to some lost filly's rubber duck, the among of buildings around him started to thin, becoming more and more open. Jason was pretty concerned about the lack of buildings around him, thinking he made a wrong turn.
Before the idea to stick to the outer edges out town crossed him mind, that was if he gets caught, there won't be as many of them to cause too much commotion, then he could make a quick escape. He smirked, knowing that this is probably the most fool proof plan he has had since coming here. There was absolutely no way he could fuck this up.
The buildings started to become far and few in between, giving away to trees that surround the path Jason walked upon, until one large structure was visible near the end of it.
By now, Jason cared very little about any cloths from any structure, and more of a place to hunker down to keep from the cold, and to sleep.
Slowly, He pushed upon the doors, they gave way to an abyss inside, lacking any light. From the reverberations of the creaking doors, he could tell the inside was hollow, having very few or no internal walls. Maybe some type of shed?
It didn't matter the Jason where he was at the moment, he was cold and tired, seeking some form of resting place. Feeling his way through by scraping his hand along the wooden walls.
"Shit!" he quietly shouted as he tripped upon some unseen object on the ground, his fall being broken by some unknown materiel. It was scratchy, stiff, and smelled like hay.
That didn't quite matter to Jason however, his eyelids already dropping from there position, to tired to get back up from this strange stuff. Jason, as ever stressed as he was, found himself in a dreamless sleep.