The Long Road to Normal

by scifidude47

Chapter 7: Pains from the past

"I'm going to die, Iron. There's nothing we can do." Robin Feather said.

Her heart monitor's beeping began to slow in the middle of the night. The doctor had previously told both of them that all of the drugs they had given them reduced their immune systems, and Robin Feather had gotten horribly sick. She had not been able to sleep the night before this one, as she could not stop vomiting. And the previous night, she had muscle aches all over her body. She knew she'd be dead soon.

"Honey, don't talk like that... please... you're just sick.. you'll be ok!" Iron Wing had already begun to cry.

"Iron, I'm sorry. I've tried so hard... but it's just too much to bear. I don't know how I've gotten this far alone."

"Robin, you're strong. You survived a manticore attack for Celestia's sake!"

"I know. I know that you want me to survive this, and to get out of this hospital, and go home... but I just can't, Iron. I don't want to survive. Don't you get it? I've been in so much pain for what's felt like forever. Just let me go..."

Iron Wing had no words, only more crying.

"What am I going to do? I have nothing without you. You were my heart and joy... My love... My beautiful Robin..." He recalled her past pet name.

"I know, Iron. I love you too. You brought happiness into my life that nopony else could deliver." She had begun to weep.

"What am I going to do? What'll I do..." Iron Wing stared at the wall blankly as tears left his eyes and dripped onto the white floor.

"Live life. Move on. Just let me go. Don't let me eat you away..."

Don't let me eat you away

let me eat you away

eat you away.
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She died around 2 o' clock in the morning the following day. She died peacefully, but Iron Wing still was pained for weeks. At first, he would only leave his bedroom for some food or a sip of water, but then he just laid there. His friend visited him and got him help, but the memory of her always pained him, even worse now.

He woke up, the place he was laying was moist and his face felt wet. He felt the salty taste of tears in his mouth. He also felt a warm line going around his wings and chest. He looked down and saw the palish-yellow hide of Fluttershy. He looked behind him and saw that her face was tear-stained as well, but less than his. She had fallen asleep on him, probably hours ago. He looked around and saw Rainbow Dash, who looked to him with sympathy in her eyes; the first somewhat positive look she had given him since he found them.

"You just started crying in your sleep. It got so loud it woke both of us." She got up and moved closer to him.

"What happened?" She asked quietly.

"I don't think you want to know." He said with a hint of sadness in his voice.

"Take it from me, If you don't tell somepony your feelings, they only get worse." Her ears flopped down.

"I'm... I'm..." She closed her eyes, as if she was going to be ashamed for what she was about to say.

"You're what?" Iron Wing asked her."

"I'm sorry... for being a jerk all this time... I guess the end of the world doesn't do wonders for your mood..." She laughed a little.

"No, it's alright. I was stupid, hell I was a moron for what I did to you two." He looked down.

"I know, and I'm not sure if I can forgive you for getting mad at us all the time, but at least you didn't beat us. I know I can forgive you for kicking us out though."

"Why?"

"Because if you hadn't, I never would've become the element of loyalty,and I never would've met all of my greatest friends..." She looked out a window into the grey sky.

"Even if they are dead now..."

"Maybe they're not.. maybe they're somewhere..."

"I don't know, maybe." She shrugged.

"So... why were you crying?" She asked him.

"It's a long story."

She pointed out the window with her hoof.

"We have all the time in the world. Might as well start talking, buddy."

He sighed and began to explain to her.

"In my dream, My wife died."

"You had a wife? Then why'd you-"

"She's already dead."

"Oh..."

"When she died, I was broken. I had nopony to love. I literally had no reason left to live. I didn't have a lot of money, I didn't have many exciting things to do, and I only had a few friends. My friend said I ought to adopt a foal or two. It took some convincing, but I did it eventually."

"That's how you found me and Fluttershy in the first place." Rainbow Dash said aloud.

"Yep... anyway, I guess that my anger problems flared up at that point. I really wanted a child, but Robin Feather dying was just too much. I regretted everything I said to you two whenever I woke, but it just repeated itself because I was bucking stupid-"

"You couldn't help it. I know that now..." Rainbow commented.

"Well... maybe that's why I sent you both away when you were almost mares. I made yet another stupid decision, and now I'll never be able to forgive myself for it." Iron Wing simply looked down. He was too tired to cry.

"Hey, you've found us again.. that's what matters, right?"

"I'm only going to make it worse."

"No you won't, I know you'll do better." Rainbow Dash made small smile.

"Yeah... maybe..." Iron Wing got up and roused Fluttershy from her sleep. Rainbow explained the story, and she just cried. None of them ate breakfast as they continued south.

Comments

[DawnBreeze]

Bringing a tear to my eye brony...