//------------------------------// // Reunion // Story: The Shattered Remnants of My Mind // by Chivalry //------------------------------// Chapter 2. Reunion: "BROTHER!" He heard his little sister Windbreaker rush into the room. He noticed the hurt that laced her voice, and knew she had been crying. At this time, Leon wished he hadn't had the bandages removed. He hated seeing his little sister crying... "H-Hey there, lil' sis." Windbreaker gasped, her breath shook as she drew it in. Leon knew that he was a ghastly sight to behold, but there was nothing he could do. "Sorry I look like such a wreck. If I'd known that you would be the first one in, I would have had the doctor change my bandages," Leon said rather weakly, trying to make light of the situation. "W-wha... W-why did this happen?" Windbreaker whispered. She couldn't believe that somepony could do something like this to another, let alone her big brother. Leon was just barely able to hear her, but he felt her inner pain. 'The world is a much darker place than we remember,' Leon thought. Trying to comfort her he asked, "Would you come over here..." ignoring the pain, he patted the right side of the bed that she could lay on. "I would like to see my little sister." Slowly, Windbreaker flew over and gently landed on the bed lying beside her brother. Leon looked at her with loving eyes. 'I can't believe how much she's grown since just this last year, and she's making excellent progress with her physical therapy.' When she was born, there was a complication in the delivery that caused Windbreaker and her mother Moondancer to become extremely ill. Due to the nature of her illness, Windbreaker's muscular and nervous systems became warped and inconsistent. While she could still use her wings, she could not walk or stand without assistance. As she grew older, she was able to rebuild the damaged muscle in her legs making them strong enough to be able to walk on the clouds but not on the ground just yet. Since Leon got his job working for the Community Improvement Division of Canterlot, he was able to afford to have physical therapy sessions to help Windbreaker get stronger and stronger not only with her legs, but her large, gorgeous wings. The white filly gently nuzzled his arm and looked up at him. Her long, light-pink mane was disheveled with long strands covering her face. Her eyes were still their same beautiful, heart-melting blue, but it was clear that she had been crying recently. She was wearing a large, black trench coat and the red scarf that their mom knitted for her. 'Mom...' "Hey, sis. Where's Mom? Is she alright?" Leon asked concerned. He knew that Windbreaker couldn't have come to the hospital all alone, but his mom was supposed to be resting. The same illness that plagued his sister had also affected his mother, but in a different way. Although she could still walk and fly, her immune system was completely ravaged. If she went outside without being bundled up, she would catch a terrible cold, or worse. Due to her condition, Leon had to take care of both his mom and sister while still working and attending school. "She left to use the bathroom right before the doctor came out. She'll be here shortly," Windbreaker said, a tint of humor in her voice. "What's so funny?" Leon asked. "You're in a hospital bed cocooned in bandages, and yet your first thoughts are of me and ma." Both Leon and Windbreaker laughed at this, until he gasped in pain. One of his broken ribs had been aggravated by the sudden intake of air. Then the room was dead silent until some of the other visitors walked into the room, led by Dr. Grey. The first through the door after the doctor was their mother, Moondancer. She was covered head to hoof in burly, winter apparel even though it was only fall. The only thing that Leon could see of her was her dark blue eyes. Following his mother, there were two unicorns. One was a stunning lavender mare with dark purple eyes; her mane was blue-purple with streaks of pink and magenta. A tall yellow stallion with brown eyes and a spiky red and orange mane accompanied her. "Leon! Thank Celestia you're all right," Moondancer said after she moved the coat away from her mouth. She started to cry when she saw the condition of her son. 'My beautiful baby boy... What has happened to you?' She ran to her son's bedside and sat in the chair. With one hoof on her daughter and the other on her son's leg and started to cry her eyes out. Leon looked down at the two of them and also began weeping, but he did so quietly. 'No need to make them feel any worse than they already do.' Sunny and Twilight just stood there, dumbstruck. Twi looked up at Sunny, her eyes full of hurt, pleading, "How could they do this to him... to them. What did he do to deserve this?" Sunny could only nuzzle her and whispered, "I don't know, but it isn't right..." Leon stopped crying and looked up at the two standing by the door. "I-I'm sorry, b-but who are y-you two?" Leon asked, fearful that they were friends of Clyde and the others who nearly beat him to death. Sunny and Twilight jumped a little as all of the attention in the room was turned to them. This is when Dr. Grey stepped in. "Leon, this is Sunny and Twilight. These two are the ones who rescued you," she explained. "Oh my!" Moondancer brought a hoof up to her mouth. "So you two saved my boy from those... Monsters?" "Yes Ma-am," Sunny said looking down regretfully. "I'm just sorry that I couldn't have done anything sooner." "You saved my big brother. We owe both of you a huge debt," Windbreaker said, looking from Sunny to Twilight. "Yes, thank you both. We are forever in your debt for saving his life. Without him, I wouldn't know what to do," Moondancer said. Dr. Grey was studying Leon as they all talked. She noticed that he was becoming sluggish and detached from the room. 'The medicine must be kicking in.' She walked over to Moondancer. "I'm sorry for interrupting, but we should leave now. Leon needs his rest and I'm sure it would be easier for him to sleep if we continued this conversation outside.", she whispered in her ear. "All right, I understand... but I have a few questions for you when we are outside. Windbreaker, honey, we need to go out to the waiting room. Leon needs his rest." "Ok, mommy," she replied. Sunny and Twilight turned to head out of the room with Leon's family. "W-wait…" Everyone turned to the bed. Leon was lying there, looking at Sunny. "Why did you help me?" he whispered. Sunny was completely dumbfounded. "Why? Because it was the right thing to do. I would expect anypony else to do the same for me, regardless if they knew me or not." "Th-thank you," Leon said. "You're an amazing person because I know not just anypony would have helped me out there." His voice was shaking as he spoke. "Thank you so much." Sunny couldn't help but tear up. "You're welcome." As they walked out of the room, Leon closed his eye and slept. Dr. Grey gently closed the door and huddled in the hallway with Moondancer to talk. Meanwhile Sunny and Twilight were left with Windbreaker. Windbreaker spoke first, " Thank you again for helping my brother. You saved our whole family when you saved him." Sunny blushed deeply and murmured a quiet "It was nothing." Sunny wanted to change the subject by asking, "So… Where do you go to school?" "Oh, I don't. Leon home schools me every day. Due to my condition it's better for me not to try to maneuver around a large school campus. He's a great teacher." Sunny and Twilight exchanged glances. "What does your mom do?" Twilight asked, concerned. "Well, she's sick most of the time, and Leon takes care of her too. He is always working… I wish I could help him," she said, looking disappointed in herself. "…But that is why I am working extra hard in therapy. I want to help." She looked up smiling at the two of them. Sunny thought, 'Oh Celestia. He does all of this on top of his normal life? How can he manage it?' He kept quiet now, feeling like he never said the right thing. Just as Twilight was about to say something Windbreaker asked, "So how long have you two been together?" Seeing the stunned expressions on their faces, it was Windbreaker's turn to be embarrassed. "We… we're just friends," stuttered Twi. "Oh, I'm so sorry! I'm always sticking my hoof in my mouth. It's just that you seem so… perfect together. I can see the connection the two of you have… it's very special." Just then, Moondancer appeared next to Windbreaker, "Come on, love, we need to go now." She then turned to Twi and Sunny, "Bless you both. I can't thank you enough for what you did. Please come by to see Leon. He could use friends—especially ones like you." Both ponies replied, "Of course" and "it would be our pleasure." As Moondancer and Windbreaker walked away, Sunny stared after them and then glanced up at the clock. 10:00 pm… "Oh horseapples… We need to hurry up and get home," Sunny said, pointing at the clock so Twi could see. "OHMYGOSH! MY PARENTS ARE GONNA KILL ME!" Twilight gasped, and sprinted down the hall. "H-hey! Wait up!" Meanwhile, in Leon's room Leon was writhing on the bed, not in pain, but from his dreams… "N-no… No more… Please… Leave her alone… N-no… Stop… Stop! NO! MOM!"