A few days later, Noel is no longer bedridden, so she is taken by her brother on a nice day out for just the two of them. The two go to the zoo, go for lunch, and even go out for ice cream together. Noel couldn't be happier. She's glad her big brother is back in her life for good after so many years away. Even so, she still doesn't know how he didn't hear that she had brainus fillius. To her, that seemed a little odd, yet, it could just be that he was off at college and didn't get the call from her after she was diagnosed. She's hoping that's what it was, but yet, she doesn't know for sure and that bothers her.
"Gav," she asks as they walk through the zoo, "how come you didn't know that I had brainus fillius until just recently? Did you never get my phone call?"
"Oh, I got the call, little sis, I just didn't know it had gotten this bad," responds Gav. "You called me and told me you were diagnosed with it. Not that you had a severe case of it that causes you to collapse every so often."
"Yeah, sorry about that," responds Noel. "I should've given you more details."
"It's okay," responds Gav with a smile. "I'm here for you now."
"Yeah, and I'm glad," responds Noel as she gives him a hug. "Now can you gimme a piggyback?"
"Sure," responds Gav with a smile as he lifts her onto his back and they trot off to the lion exhibit. He knows how much he loves lions. That's one thing he's never forgotten.
A few minutes later, the two arrive in front of the lion enclosure and Noel hops down off of Gav's back and begins to look at the lions. "I love the lions," says Noel with a smile. "They're my favorite."
"I know," responds Gav with a smile. "That's why I knew to come to this enclosure in the zoo first."
Meanwhile, back at the house, Rosalee makes up Noel's bed and does some dusting, sweeping, and cleaning up. She then runs to Sugar Cube Corner and gets more of the cookies and scones that Noel enjoys along with some freshly made lemon parsley muffins, her personal favorite. Once done there, she goes to the store and picks up a birthday present for Noel as Noel's birthday is in a few days. She gets Noel a Daring Do Adventures in Arabia action figure and book and has the shop wrap them up in birthday wrapping paper. She then returns to the house where she hides the birthday present and puts the goodies in the kitchen. She can't believe her best friend will be 22 in a few days. She can still remember when they first met. She was twenty and Noel was seventeen and they hit it off like nopony would've expected and now, she can't remember a day Noel wasn't in her life and for that, she couldn't be more grateful.
Meanwhile, back at the zoo, the two go and see the monkeys and then loop their way back from the giraffes and to the goats. All the while, Gav can't help but enjoy the smile that he sees on his baby sister's face. He's so glad she's happy. To him, her happiness means everything and that is something that is never going to change.
A few hours later, the two leave the zoo and go to the cafe for lunch. At the cafe, Gav gets a hayburger while his sister gets her favorite, a filly's grilled cheese with horseshoe fries and a giant soda. "So, did you enjoy doing the zoo with me today?" he asks Noel as she stuffs some fries into her mouth.
"Mmhmm," responds Noel, "I loved seeing the lions."
"So," says Gav, "I can't believe you're going to be twenty-two soon. Where has all the time gone?" Noel shrugs as she takes a sip of her soda.
"I dunno," responds Noel. "Have you bought me anything yet?"
"Yes, I bought you something very special from where I used to live," responds Gav with a smile, "you'll love it."
Noel takes a bite of her grilled cheese. "As long as it's from you, I'll always love it no matter what it is."
"That's why you're the best little sister in the world," responds Gav. "You love me and everything I do for you and everything I get for you. No other pony I know is as supportive and loving of their big brother as you are. I can guarantee that." Noel blushes a little bit before finishing her sandwich.
"Thanks, big brother," she says with a smile. She then embraces him in a hug. "I'm glad I mean so much to you."
A few minutes later, the two pay for their meal and go and get some ice cream before heading home. As they walk, they munch on their ice cream cones. As they're on their way home, they even pass the balloon animal pony and Gav buys his little sister a balloon lion. About fifteen minutes later, they arrive home where they are greeted by Rosalee. "How'd it go today you too? Did you have fun?" asks Rosalee with a smile on her face.
"We sure did," responds Noel.
"Oh yeah, it was great," adds Gav. "She's the best little sister in the whole wide world and I enjoy hanging out with her."
"Awe, I enjoy hanging out with you too," says Noel as she embraces him in a hug. The two then turn on the TV to Noel's favorite movie: Daring Do and the Sapphire Statue, which is also her favorite book of all time in the Daring Do series. The two then cuddle up and watch it together and Rosalee watches it along with them on the couch. They love spending their nights watching movies together. To them, that is the best way to relax and rewind that was ever invented, and that is a fact that is not soon to change.