//------------------------------// // Sky Charger // Story: Princess Luna’s Anthology of Final Wishes: Little Angels // by Drunk Luna //------------------------------// An orange pegasus foal lay in his small bedroom, surrounded by his parents, grandparents, and three older siblings, all of whom were weeping. The colt was eleven years old, and he was fading fast. His mane and tail were virtually nonexistent, and the unsettling gurgle of his death rattle filled the room. Luna shook her head in dismay and entered the dream realm, where the colt, whose bright purple mane and tail were now completely restored, frolicked in an endless green meadow of flowers. The sun smiled down on him as he laughed and rolled in the cool, soft grass. “Sky Charger,” Luna called gently. The foal’s head jerked up, and he looked around frantically. When he saw the princess, he raced over to her. “Hi, Princess Luna!” Sky Charger said cheerfully. “Wow, I feel great! I can run and play again, Princess! I’m all better, aren’t I? Did you cure me? How did you do it when I was so sick just a minute or two ago? Thank you, Princess! Wait till my mom and dad hear about this!” The colt danced with excitement, fluttering his wings. In that moment, Luna wanted nothing more than to curl up and die. “Sky Charger,” the alicorn explained softly, “after today, you… you will not see your parents again for quite some time, but fear not; I am here to take you to your beautiful eternal home, where you will never again know sickness, nor will you ever feel any more pain. You will never cry again, and you will be happy forever and ever.” Sky Charger’s face grew serious with realization. “Princess,” he said quietly, “I’m not a little foal; I’m eleven years old, and I’ve been receiving treatment for two years. Please don’t talk to me like I’m five. I know I’m dying. The doctor told me last week that there was nothing more he could do. We talked about hospice care and stuff. I’ve watched so many of my friends die from the same disease that I have, so if I’m going to die today, just tell me. Don’t sugarcoat it. I’ve fought this cancer like hell since I was nine years old, and I’m tired. I know exactly where I’m going, and I know it will be just like you described it, so I’m not afraid. So, I’m going to ask you straight up: Am I going to die today?” He looked Luna dead in the eyes. Luna nodded, shocked and moved by the colt’s maturity and courage. “Yes, child,” she replied. “Your suffering will end long before the night does. You will be dead in no more than an hour’s time. Do you have any last wishes? Why don’t you give me three of your greatest ones?” Sky Charger didn’t hesitate. “I want my mom, dad, and baby sister to remember me this way,” he said. “If it’s possible, could you bring them here and let them see me as a strong, healthy foal? I don’t want them to have to watch my mortal body die. Their last memories of me should include the real me. Leukemia has stolen so much from me, but I won’t let it take away their knowledge that I’m gonna be okay, and that they’ll see me again someday. My second wish is to be my little sister’s guardian angel. I know she’s only two, but I want her to know how much I love her. I want her to know that her big brother will always watch over her and protect her, even though she won’t be able to see me. My third wish is for my parents. Luna, if it’s possible, please take away as much of their pain as you can. Help them remember the way I lived and not how I died. Make sure they know how much I love them.” Luna nodded, no longer able to conceal her tears. Such sensitivity and kindness were rare in a foal so young. “You are wise beyond your years, Sky Charger,” the princess of the night said, drying her eyes. “Everything that you have requested shall be done. In fact, I would like to reward your incredible selflessness with a knighthood. How does that sound?” The colt’s mouth fell open, and he nodded in shocked silence. “A knight you shall be, then,” Luna declared with a nod. “Kneel.” Sky Charger did as he was told, and Luna conjured a sword with which she gently tapped both of his shoulders. “Rise, Sir Sky Charger, Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Lunar Order.” Luna draped the colt in a navy blue sash and pinned the order’s insignia to his chest. “Now,” she said, “let me get your parents.” Luna swooped her horn upward in a graceful arc, and two ponies appeared. They ran to their son, holding him close. The three of them clung to each other for a long time. “I love you both so much,” Sky Charger told them. “I need you to be strong for Liberty, okay? She needs you guys now. I’m going to be all right. I’m gonna watch over you forever. Please, don’t cry for me; you’ll see me again.” The dream lapsed, and Sky Charger bowed to Luna, spread his wings, and soared through the gates of Heaven. Luna ensured that Sky Charger’s wishes were carried out. His funeral rang with the music of laughter through tears as his family and friends shared happy memories of the colt. His life was celebrated, and his parents found much peace and comfort in the knowledge that they would one day reunite with their son.