"You know...I'm getting really sick of these woods." I mumbled, carried along by George as was the new norm. "Are you not--"

Yes, I hate them too! For the love of god...stop.

I let out a long sigh. "So, if this works out, you're going to leave?"

Yes. Again, yes.

I looked around the path, overly familiar, slowly driving me towards insanity as we passed the same curve in the road every time. "Why?"

George passed through the opening of the grove again. Why? Jason, I really don't think you want to hear the answer to that.

I looked up at my neck. "If we're going to be sharing this for a while longer--"

George stopped and leaned against a tree with his free arm. Jason.... I'm not attracted to her, Dust, Cosmic, ponies...mares....

I felt my eyes go wide. "Uh, gay? But...I'm not--"

Oh Jason, really?

"Shut up! Fucking...one time in basic, you asshole!"

George rubbed his shoulder, sending a pleasant ghost feeling through my neck. I'm not judging, and if it makes you feel better you know I'm not about to take it.

I took a deep breath. "Fine, fine, that's fine." I looked off into the woods. ".... George, am I stupid?"

I felt a strange sensation run across my face, like someone was trying to take over my tongue and add a little moisture to my chapped lips. Jason, you just don't think before you do. You're not dumb, I mean, I can tell you all the steps to making a meat pie, treating shrapnel wounds, and how to pleasure your little mare friend. We're most definitely not stupid.

I looked deeper into the grove. "Then why are you leaving?"

Why are you so curious?

I turned up and glared at my stump. "My body just told me he's going to leave, what did you say? Something mea--"

I'll apologize for that, but I will not apologize for wanting to leave! You've run us through the desert, you've poisoned your liver several times, Jason, you've been terrible to me!

I felt my throat go dry. "That's not...entirely true. I mean--"

And you came to Equestria for a chance at having some fun.

I felt my face tense up. "I came for wor--"

Jason, sweetheart, you came because you were lonely. Don't lie to me...that's like giving me a pint of piss and telling me it's beer. I'm not an idiot.

I lowered my eyes to the dirt. "Look...I know, I took advantage a few times since I've been here--"

I'm not about to hold it against you. And I know what you're talking about, and that mare did need a tumble.

I took a deep breath. "I just feel like I rushed in a bit."

You did. But, your reasons weren't bad. I could feel George's hands run through my hair. It's okay to be lonely.

Things went quiet in the grove for the first time since I'd first found Cosmic. "Do you think she--"

Not a doubt in my mind. You've been doing everything in your power to help her, and you do care. It shows in how you fight with her, banter more than anger. I mean, I know when you're angry, you cry when you're actually angry.

I turned up to him. "You shut your lack of a mouth!"

Am I wrong? Go ahead, tell me I'm wrong!

I felt my eyes start to burn. "I've gotten better about it." I pulled it back, letting the burn dissipate. "I uh.... But you're not going to stay?"

George pushed off the tree and started off towards where we'd find Cosmic. Because you've kept me confined to that damn island, Spain, and now a few Equestrian Houses. And no...I'm not counting the army. Hardly an adventure when you're worried about being blown up.

I took a deep breath. "You could stay with us though--"

And do what? A stick cracked loudly under our feet. You're going to go back to Canterlot, you're going to live years and years in that town without--

I felt my cheeks burn. "Storm Side." I looked up and watched as we passed into the clearing. "We could go back to Storm side. That's where all this started, right? We could go...I mean, we took a lot, but that tower had so much more. We could--"

Jason, maybe focus.

I frowned softly. "I've been thinking about it for a while. What to do after we fix this, and if we can't."

And you want to go back to the ruins?

"I want to build something." I looked through the trees, spotting Cosmic's clearing. "I've put this mare through so much. I've put everything through so much--"

Jason.

"If I can take that place, if we can take that place, and turn it--"

Jason.

"What?"

George put me forward, showing me the mare I'd come to expect. "No no no no, please no!" Cosmic was whimpering, half hidden by something strange. "Please, no."

A dog started barking, slowly circling the bodiless mare. "George, what the fuck, go-- pff!" I fell into the brush, left to lay there as George snapped a small tree and charged in. I listened, my face roughly slapped against the dirt. The dog's barking quickly changed to a loud whimper as it dashed away, limping slightly.

"No! Gods please no!" Cosmic cried, "Please, don't!"

Jason...she's fine. She's her, just her.

"Cosmic!? Cosmic!" I heard sticks snap again as George slid over to me and hastily snatched me up from the dirt. "Cosmic, can you hear me!?"

"What's going on!? Please, just go! I've had enough-" her voice cracked hard, falling into a solid cry, "-I can't...no more...I can't."

George scrambled over, falling to his knees before the mare on the ground. I stared at Cosmic, bright orange eyes slammed shut and teary. "Cosmic...it's you, normal you."

Cosmic's eyes slowly popped open. "If you're going to kill me...just do it--"

"Cosmic you're okay!" I felt my cheeks hurt. "Oh my god, Cosmic, you're okay!"

She's okay!

"Cosmic's okay!"

We found her, we fucking found her!

"It's over, it's probably over!" I smiled at the teary mare. "George, come on, let's go!"

Cosmic stared at me, fear darting through her eyes. "Don't touch me! You fucking monster! I can't- I won't let you touc--"

George grabbed her, tucking her in the same arm he was holding me. "Cosmic, you're okay!" I pressed my nose against her muzzle, forcibly leaned against her. "Cosmic...you're okay."

The sharp whimpers and sniffles of my mare slowly petered out. "Kill me...I can't do this anymore. It's been too long...I can't--"

"You don't have to!" I felt us lift off the ground. "Cosmic, I've got you...you're okay."

"A fucking monster thing has me, I don't--"

I kissed her lower lip. "Cosmic...it's okay--"

"Don't fucking touch me!" Cosmic thrashed around wildly, ears slapping against my face. "I'm not your fucking toy, you freak!"

I pressed my forehead against hers, resting cradled in George's arm. "Cosmic...I've got you." I felt my eyes start to burn. I had lost track of how many times I'd walked the same path, how long George had been with me, the time I'd spent with Cosmic and Dust felt like forever. "It's over...it's gotta be over."

Jason...isn't Cosmic a unicorn?

I felt my eyes shoot wide. I slowly looked down the crying mare next to me. No horn. "Cosmic...look at me, look at me please!"

Cosmic's chin fell low. "How do you know me?!"

I stared at her, keeping my eyes locked as she slowly calmed down. "Cosmic, I crossed worlds to find you again." I kept myself steady, staring, lost in orange. "Cosmic Dust, military mare, unwilling subject, but still my mare." I felt a deep frown settle over my jaw. "Please, I need you to come with me."

Cosmic stared back at me, the world closing in until all that was left was me, and that set of orange eyes. "Why? So I can be some slave, some science project again!?"

"Because I need you damn it!" I screamed, eyes jammed shut hard. "Because I need you, because I have people that need you too! Because I can't let this keep going on! I need you to come back with me, I need this to be over. Please?"

Author's Notes:

As always