Late
by PonyCommander
I am flying as fast as I can. I have never maintained these speeds for this long I still have a few hundred miles left but I am making record time. If it wasn't because of the circumstances I would be gloating...more. But, things are serious. I just wish I had know how serious sooner. I fly past another land mark and I correct my flight path and flap my wings harder and my rainbow colored mane flashes in front of my eyes for a moment before being swooped back behind me. I find my self thinking back on my life.
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I had just finishing up my schooling and thought I was ready for anything. I was top of my class and the fastest flier in Clouldsdale. My mother had been very proud of me. Me and her were more like friends then child and parent and we had decided that we were going to start our own business together. Nothing too fancy just a speedy courier service but with my speed and her know how I thought that we had it made.
But my mother had a weak body and tended to get sick easy though her illnesses were usually very mild they were a near constant. Her death was sudden and came on as a unforeseen side effect of treatment for one of her more persistent aliments. I gave up on our business having no desire to do the more boring tasks like (shudder) paper work. I decided to stay with my father for a few months to help him around the house but the constant reminders of my mother around our large now empty feeling house was too much for me. The only thing I could think to do was to run. So I moved away from home and then a year after that out of my home town.
I had always tried to keep in touch with my Pops. Sending letters every few weeks and sometimes even being able to use a crystal ball to call him. I told him of my adventures and about the friends I was making and he would tell me about his job and how he was keeping busy. He found he had a love for painting and would often send me little pictures he had done along with his letters. I visited him a few times over the next few years and then I had an offer to move across the country with a friend.
I remember he had been devastated when I had first told him I was moving with a friend to Ponyville.
“Dashie!” he had said “you can't move all they way across the country!” He proclaimed, and then he dropped a doozey that almost made me stay “it's my heart Dash... The doctors are great here and I'm ok now but I don't want you that far away in case something happens to me.”
“That isn't fair!” I told him “It's only 2000 miles and it's not like I can't fly back here in less then a day!” I cried out. “I could come see you when ever I wanted!”
My father sighed and nodded “That's true I suppose and I guess your right you aren't really that far away with how fast you can move” Looking up he gave me a smirk. Oh that smirk, he got me good. I had just promised to visit.
“I'll visit soon Pops!” I told him and left.
It was only 6 months later I got a message telling me my dad was sick so I used Pinkie's crystal ball and called my dad. His cutie mark appeared on the crystal letting me know that the connection had been made.
“Hey Old Guy what is this I hear about you being sick and why didn't you tell me when I talked to you last week?”
“I feel fine these doctors around here are just idiots, HA!” I could hear the smirk in his voice.
Deciding that he was okay we began to talk about things that had been happening in my life. I told him about my recent attempt at becoming a Wonderbolt and he chuckled. “You will make it someday sweetie.” he said.
“DAD! Don't call me that Pinkie might hear you!” I shouted standing upon my back legs and leaning into the crystal.
Pinkie's muffled voice comes through the wall at that moment “Hear what sweetie? Hahaha”
I facehoof as pinkies giggles die off. “Well anyways, if you are okay I am going to let you go. Just let me know if anything comes up okay?” I asked looking at his cutie mark glowing on the crystal.
“Sure thing Dashie.”
I had then promptly forgotten about the conversation and went about my life doing my daily tasks and what have you. Well for 3 days anyways.
I was given a note by the very excitable baby dragon Spike who told me that it was an emergency.
I opened the letter and my heart sank. Words like cancer, blood clot, hospice, and final rights. I couldn't breath. And when I finally composed myself I flew home.
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And now here I am.
As I run in through the door I stop at the desk and ask the nurse pony there “What room is Spectrum Dash in?”
The pony looks at me and shakes her head as she stands “You are Rainbow Dash?” she asks.
I feel a lump form in my chest as I nod.
“He knew you were coming... he said you would be here,” she says looking away down for a moment.
“WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO SAY!?” I shout growing frustrated.
“Sorry dear, your father has passed.” She says as she looks back up.
“When?” I choke out.
“Less then an hour....”All sound drowns out. I hadn't made it. I had flown so fast... so hard... for nothing 2000 miles in 6 hours and I still wasn't fast enough. If only I was a little faster.
I'm the Fastest flier in all of Equestria and it doesn't even matter... All of the speed training and I'm late to the one thing I never want to be. I was too late to see my dad and too late to say goodbye.
“Sweetie, are you okay? Do you need to sit down?” I finally hear and numbly shake my head.
“Can I see him?” I ask my voice barely a whisper.
“Yes, he is still in his room.”
I'm sure we walked to the room, but I don't remember it as the next thing I hear is a door clicking close and the nurse pony saying “take your time”
Time...“I thought I had more time... I thought I could make it...” as I speak the words tears begin flowing down my face. I lift my hoof and wipe a few of the tears away making my blue coat slightly darker.
Before me on the hospital bed was the most important pony in my life, my father. His coat had gone nearly gray his mane which had once been as vibrant as my own now was replaced by soft receding gray scale. It was surreal it was almost like I was looking at an old time black and white photo of him. Looking at his face a choked back a laugh on his face was that trade mark smirk.
“Pops, you're so awesome” Walking closer to the bed I bent down and touched my forehead to his. “Pops, I love you so much... I don't know how right now, but I will be okay don't worry about me and give Mom my love.” Lifting my face I placed a single kiss on his forehead in the same place.
In Loving Memory
DLR
4/22/1950-10/01/2013