//------------------------------//
// Original Ending 
// Story: Don't Go Into the Everfree Forest, TD 
// by BronyWriter 
//------------------------------//

I smiled happily as the warm Ponyville sun beat down on me, warming up my fur and giving me the energy to start up my day. I trotted in the direction of the Ponyville market so that I could pick up a little breakfast before heading off to work. Town Hall wasn't going to clean itself up, after all. 

The various vendors were milling about, a few still doing the final things to set up their stands, though not my particular target. Whistling a tune whose origins I couldn't quite place, I walked up to the stand of an orange earth pony selling the best apples in all of Equestria.

"Hello, Applejack," I said cheerfully as I reached her stand. "How are you today."

Applejack looked over to me with a smile. It looked like a really tired, sad smile. Guess farm work had been hitting her pretty hard lately. Harvest season, and all that. Maybe Big Mac was sick, or something. 

"Ah'm doin' okay, TD," Applejack finally said after a moment. Huh. She didn't sound okay, but again, maybe she just felt tired. I know I can look pretty down when I'm exhausted. 

I shrugged and looked down at her wares. "Alright, then. Well, can I have three Red Delicious, then? They do look particularly..." My ear twitched and I felt a sudden rush of... fear? Panic? Something weird. Foreign, almost. It left as soon as it appeared, though, so I didn't think anything of it. "Particularly enticing today."

"Sure thing, TD," Applejack said. She took three Red Delicious apples and put them in a brown paper bag, which she hoofed to me. I put it in my saddlebag before reaching for my bit bag, but she oddly waved me off. "No charge, TD."

I frowned and raised an eyebrow. "But you didn't charge me yesterday either. Or the day before that." I tilted my head. "Come on, Applejack. You run a business. It can't be good for you if you just keep giving away your apples like this."

"They're mah apples, yer a good friend, and Ah say no charge." Applejack nodded as if that settled the issue. 

"But Twilight and Rarity and all the rest of your friends pay for their apples."

"TD. No. Charge."

I flinched back, blinking rapidly as I did. "Oh... uh, okay. Yeah, thanks, then. Means a lot." I began walking away. "I'll talk to you later, okay?"

"K," Applejack mumbled, not looking at me. 

I continued walking for a moment before turning back to Applejack. "Feel better, okay?" Whatever it is that's bothering her. 

Yep, I knew something was wrong. The moment I said that, a big tear streaked down her face, though she quickly raised a foreleg to wipe it away. Dang, something was really off. Maybe Granny Smith had come down with something recently?

pleasehelpme

My ear twitched. Weird. 

Well, whatever the case, I'm sure it would all be okay in the end. For the moment, though, I had a job I needed to get to. 


*  *  *  *


"I can't do it, Princess Celestia," I moaned, wiping tears from my eyes as I leaned into her embrace. "I can't look at him anymore. I can't see him and know that, that... I don't know, that it used to be TD." I sniffled and nuzzled Princess Celestia's chest. "We failed him."

"I know this is difficult, Twilight," Celestia said, wrapping her wings tighter around me. "I still have my top scientists searching the Everfree Forest for any trace of what could have done that to TD. I think we may be close."

"That's not true and you know it," I whimpered. "You don't have the next clue of what did that to him. No dirt samples from the Everfree Forest are going to change that. TD's dead, Princess. He's dead, and I don't know how to handle that thing pretending to be him. I don't want it living in my house anymore! I can't constantly be surrounded by this lobotomized imitation of TD that just drives in how I c-could have done more to help him!"

"Such as?"

I sniffled and looked up at Celestia. "Huh?"

"What could you have done to help him?" Celestia wiped my eyes with one of her feathers. "By the time he had come to you for help, he had mere hours left. You searched the Everfree Forest, you came and got me for help, and I've never seen you move so fast as when you found out that his clothes held a sample of what he was exposed to. You tried everything in your power to save him."

"But it wasn't enough," I muttered. "We couldn't help him in the end."

"You don't know that," Celestia pointed out. "As I said, we are working day and night to discover what he was exposed to. Should we find it, we may very well be able to save him from his fate. All hope is not yet lost."

"I don't know if I can believe that." I leaned into Princess Celestia's chest and nuzzled her. "I don't know how I can handle it anymore, Princess."

"I know, Twilight," she said softly. "I know."

Just then the door to the library opened, and I flinched back with a whimper when TD walked in, whistling a tune that I recognized as one of his Earth songs. I quickly pulled out of Princess Celestia's grasp and got to her hooves before TD could notice my position. When TD walked into the room, he saw Princess Celestia and sunk to his knees in a low bow, as he always did these days. 

"Princess Celestia, it's an honor to see you again." 

Celestia stood up and forced a smile on her face. "And you as well, TD. How are you this lovely afternoon?"

"Pretty good," TD said, dropping his saddlebag onto the table. "Just taking my lunch break." He grimaced and sighed. "Few customers at Sugarcube Corner were particularly grumpy today. Dunno what their deal was. I thought Pinkie might come out to cheer them up, but, she was just focused on baking, I guess. Gonna be busier with the weekend coming up, amirite?"

"Of course, TD," Celestia said, her smile becoming a bit more strained. "So you're doing well?"

"Can't complain, wouldn't help much if I did, even if I had anything to complain about." He smiled at Celestia again. "I dunno. Been pretty happy these days." 

For a brief second, his smile fell, and I saw something flash in his eyes. Fear, maybe? Something not right. It was gone so quickly I thought I might have imagined it. 

"Anyway," he said, turning to me, "I'm going to go take my afternoon walk, alright? I'll be back..." He tilted his head in a sort of shrug. "When I get back, I guess."

I forced my own smile on my face and gently nodded. "Ok--" My voice cracked and I cleared my throat. "Okay, TD. I'll see you later, alright?"

"Sounds good." With one more bow to Princess Celestia, he turned around and walked out of the library, whistling that Earth song again.

The second the door shut behind him, I began quietly sobbing. I felt Princess Celestia's wing drape over my back, and I leaned into her once more. 

"We'll help him, I promise you," she said. "I will do whatever it takes."

I could only continue crying. 


*  *  *  *


Such a beautiful day out. Should be for the next couple of days. I don't think the pegasi have any rain scheduled until next Tuesday. As such, I could see the depths of Ghastly Gorge stretching out for miles. It was my favorite area in Ponyville. I came here for my walk every day, just to walk the edge of it. It never got old looking down into the depths, seeing those rock eel thingies popping out of their caves, and whatnot. Though I did have to be careful. Sometimes I'd find myself drifting pretty close to the edge. Guess I just get lost in thought sometimes. Happened a lot when I first started my walks near Ghastly Gorge, but I guess I was becoming more aware of my surroundings, because those instances went down a lot. It only ever happened every once in a while now. 

Still, I found it strange that it happened at all. I mean, geez, if I did ever fall down, the drop would kill me instantly. I'd want that. I mean... wouldn't want that. Weird. 

I picked a nice spot and sat down, right near the edge of the gorge. I looked down into its rocky depths and nodded, impressed. I guess that's why I liked coming here. It reminded me a bit of... I... wait, what would it remind me of? There's nothing else like it in Equestria. Maybe some trip I took with my parents? Can't remember what that'd be, though, or when. 

Just lean forward a little bit more. Please. I can't do this anymore. Let today be the day.

Today. What was today? I didn't have some appointment, or event that I had to attend, right? I didn't think so. 

Just a little more. Then it'll all be fine. 

Sheesh, this is strange. Maybe I should stop coming to Ghastly Gorge if it's going to be dangerous like this. Yeah, I think I'll do that. It's beautiful and all, but Whitetail Woods would be safer. Or just stop the walks. Relax during my lunch. 

It hurts. Just a little more. 

Got a lot to do this week. Princess Celestia has been coming by a lot. Guess that makes sense. Twilight is her student. 

Lean forward. 

For some reason, I began slowly leaning forward. If I leaned too much, I'd go right over the edge to my death. I didn't want to do that, but something told me I should. That I needed to. But that was silly, wasn't it? Ponyville was my home. Equestria was my home. Where I'd lived my whole life. I loved it here. 

Just a little more.