//------------------------------// // Chapter 14: Goodbye // Story: A Sparkle of love // by Silentpegasus //------------------------------// Chapter 14 Goodbye Echo felt the familiar warmth all around him, he felt happy and at peace. He saw his old friend waiting for him. Hey. You did it. Just like you always do. So what happens now? Now..the others can live in peace. So I’m.... Dead? Yeah. Looks like we both lost. I wouldn’t say that, you helped the ponies of Detrot free themselves from Ace’s tyranny. But at what cost? Many died today, myself included. So was it worth it? Yeah, if I could I’d trade places with those poor souls I would. Good answer. Star suddenly punched him in the chest. He felt an intense pain corse through his body. Ouch! Why’d you do that? That hurt. he said as he grasped his chest in pain. Don’t be such a baby! she hit him a second time, this time the pain was stronger. Seriously! why are you hitting me and why does it hurt? Star put a hoof on his shoulder and smiled at him. It’s not your time yet, Now get going! You’ve got a pretty mare waiting for you and one more thing.Star then gave him a quick peck on the cheek. Live a happy life, for me. I think I can do that. Thank you and I’ll always be with you. Till the end? Till the end. Star punched him a third time, Echo felt the pain pass through his body. His eyes snapped open and his head shot up, his muscles tensed and ached he looked around to see a teary eyed Twilight looking at him with a smile on her face. She hugged him tight, soon Sky and Turner entered the hospital room with smiles on there faces. “Welcome back.” the earth pony said with a grin. “You reckless son of a bitch.” “What happened?” “In a nut shell, you died.” the pegasus said with a smirk. “And now I’m back.” “Yup.” “What about Ace?” “He’s dead. Electrocution.” Turner said with a flat tone. Echo took a deep breath and looked at Twilight with a smile. “So where am I?” “Detrot General. After you fell, I teleported you and I in front of the hospital, you’ve been here for three days” Twilight responded. “Three days!” “Yeah, it was touch and go there for a while.” “What about the gangs?” “They agreed on a temporary cease-fire until you made a full recovery.” “Why?” “Because you killed Ace, you now control every gang in Detrot.” Turner clarified. Echo’s and Twilight’s jaw dropped at the news. Echo got to his hooves and looked out the window. “I’m the gang lord of Detrot?” “Yeah, welcome to the top of the food chain.” Sky said as he put a hoof on his friends back. Echo looked back at Twilight who had a sad look on her face. “Well, time for me to make my address then.” Echo said as he began to trot towards the door. Twilight blocked his path with tears in her eyes. “What? So that’s it, you’re just going to go ahead and lead your army of goons and forget about me?” “Of corse not, I have a plan so this works out for everyone.” he said as he gave her a peck on the cheek. As he was discharged Echo caught a few glances from passing ponies. The four ponies trotted to the old clinic they were more then surprised when a mob of ponies and griffin’s were waiting for them. When they came into view the mob started to cheer as the group made their way through. The three stood on the steps of Echo’s old clinic and looked out to the crowd of gangsters waiting with anticipation for his decree. Echo raised his hoof and the crowd quieted down. Echo took one last look at Twilight and smiled. “I would just like to honor all those who gave their lives so that we can be free from the Red Talon’s cruelty.” the crowd fell silent at these words. “If I could take their places I would. As most of you know, since Ace fell by my hoof the rules dictate that I am now Gang Lord of Detrot.” the crowd started cheering again, Echo raised a hoof to silence them. “I did not want to kill Ace, he didn’t deserve it no matter how low of your opinions of him might have been, no-pony or griffin deserves to die.” the crowd started to look at one another in confusion. “I killed him because my concise was telling me that he was not fit to lead and now my concise is telling me that I’m not fit to lead either.” Every one’s jaws hit the floor and looked at the stallion in shock, even Twilight was taken back by this statement. “Some of you believed that if I had killed Ace’s brother Black Beak many years ago, that is fight may not have come to pass. A wise pony once said, ‘True courage is knowing when to spare a life, rather than take it.’ That has been my principle for many years, but do not be discouraged because I am leaving you in the care of one of my most trusted advisors, Time Turner.” Echo looked back at his friend with a smile, Turner was frozen in place until Sky gave him a quick nudge and the tan earth pony stepped forward. “I am but a humble doctor, Time Turner knows how to lead a gang and I trust him completely, he’s a strong leader and will take over operations effective immediately. I only came here today to bid you all a farewell, good luck fillies and gentle-colts, this doctor is checking out.” a still silence fell over the crowd until a little colt started to clap their hooves together, soon the crowd erupted in applause and cheers. Echo looked over to Twilight and Sky who had tears in their eyes and were clapping along with the crowd. He trotted over to his friends and gave his mare friend a kiss. “C’mon let’s go home.” the crowd parted a single path and watched the four ponies trotted out of the alley way and onto the street. “Hang on I have to sop somewhere really quick.” Echo said as he deviated from the road. The other three ponies followed him to a cemetery, there on a lone hill a lone gravestone with a tulip tree planted behind it, it was Star’s grave. Echo bent down and put something around the stone where his friend was buried, Twilight saw that it was an old locket holding a picture of the two together. “Echo you don’t have to-” “Yes I do, it’s time I stopped living in the past and start looking to our future.” he said as he looked at Twilight with a grin. “Our future?” she asked teary eyed. “Yeah. Let’s go home.” he gave her a quick kiss, the four ponies made their way back on to the street, soon ponies started to follow them, Echo looked at Turner with a raised eyebrow. “What? Consider it your farewell party.” he said with a chuckle. Echo shook his head and just accepted the situation, as they got to the train station Echo looked back to see a mass of ponies and griffins waving goodbye. Echo looked at the tan earth pony and stretched out his hoof. “I guess this is goodbye.” Turner slapped the hoof away and hugged the dark stallion. “No it’s just the beginning, good luck. I’ll miss you guys.” “Same here and don’t worry we’ll come and visit.” Echo said as he and the other two ponies got on the train. He gave a final wave to the crowd and got on the train, he sat down next to Twilight and put his hoof around her. Twilight then noticed an old mare in a cloak, It was the same one she met in the alley way was motioning her to come over. Twilight excused herself and trotted over to the old mare, she looked up at the lavender unicorn with a smile. “What are you doing here?” “I came to see Echo off.” “Why?” “Call it nostalgia or what ever you want dear, I’m just glad that he met you.” “What?” “The way he looks at you, I’ve haven’t seen that look on his face since Star passed. Keep him close Twilight Sparkle.” “How do you know my name?” “Call it mother’s intuition.” the mare gave a wink to the mare. Twilight’s eyes lit up at the realization. “Hey Twilight you coming back?” Echo said. “Yeah in a minute.” Twilight looked back to the elderly mare who was making the ‘shhh’ motion with her hoof. “You must never tell him.” “Why?” “I know he’s better off without me. I was never there for him growing up and now he has you to look out for him.” she removed her hood to reveal her faded yellow fur, flowing black mane and bright green eyes. “I don’ want him to be ashamed.” “Why would he be ashamed of you?” “I was a prostitute, working the street corner. I can’t even remember the boy’s father, could you imagine how that would make him feel his mother was a whore.” she said with a sad look on her face, Twilight put a hoof on the mares shoulder. “I think he deserves to know that he has a mother who loves him, he doesn’t need any details.” the mare pondered the unicorns words for a moment and gave a heavy sigh “I suppose your right, can you help me get to my hooves?” Twilight helped the mare up and trotted back over to her colt-friend and Sky. “There you are Twi I was beginning to worry......who’s this?” Echo said as he looked at the mare. “Echo this is.......She’s.......Um.” “What your mare friend is trying to say is that.” the mare took a deep sigh and locked eyes with the dark stallion. “I’m your mother.” the air in the small train car became still and thick. Echo rubbed his head with his hooves and finally broke the silence. “So my suspicions were correct.” the two mares looked at each other in surprise. “Y-you knew?” “I suspected, that day when I fixed your leg I found it odd that we had the same blood type and eye color. I ran a blood test on both of us and it read a 60% compatibility. I thought it was a mistake. But seeing you now I know that the result’s were correct.” he started to cry. “Why didn’t you tell me?” “I was ashamed.” “Of me?” “No Celestia no, I couldn’t be prouder of you. I was ashamed to what I did to you. When you were three I couldn’t support you and myself. One day I dropped you off at the orphanage just for the day, I was going to get more money. When I came back......you were gone.” the mare said as she held her son in her hooves. “I spent weeks looking for you, I assumed that you were dead, until I saw you that night. The night you fought those gang members during the great war.” she looked at the dark stallion. “I was going to tell you then but then I saw you had a made a family of your own, your friends I mean. I knew that if I came forth that you would look at me in disgust and anger as you probably do now. I was a coward, I’ve always been a coward, I hurt myself on purpose just so I had an excuse to see you.” she backed away from the hug and looked down at the dark stallion. “I don’t expect you to forgive me, I just want to let you know that I love you. I wouldn’t even know where to begin to say how sorry I am.” she started to trot away when she felt her hoof being pulled by the teary eyed Echo. He wrapped her in a hug. “Well we’ve got a long train ride ahead of us, why don’t we start at the beginning? What’s your name?” the mare looked back at him with a smile across her face, Twilight and Sky were bawling at the scene. “My name is Sunny Day.” she began. When they reached Ponyville Echo and Twilight’s friends were waiting for them at the library. Fire started by smacking both stallions across the face with her hoof. “ASS-HOLES! WHAT WERE YOU TWO THINKING? I HAVE HAVE HALF A MIND TO-” she was cut off by Sky pressing his lips against hers. Fire was lost for a few seconds then broke the kiss. “OH DON’T THINKS THAT’S GONNA WORK ON ME MISTER, I AM GOING TO MAKE YOU PAY TONIGHT!” she ended that last thought with a seductive look in her eye. “Can’t wait.” Sky said with a smirk. The other ponies crowded around Twilight, Echo Sunny. They introduced themselves to Sunny and welcomed Echo back to Ponyville, Pinkie Pie style. Later that night Echo opened his bedroom door to find Twilight laying there with a seductive look on her face. “Don’t think I forgot about your punishment for ditching me.” Twilight said as she used her magic to lock the door behind him. Echo glanced back at her with a sly grin. “Well I can’t escape my punishment now can I?” “Nope, now get over here.” Echo made his way over and kissed the mare passionately, he reached over and blew out the candle sitting on the nightstand.