//------------------------------// // Happy Ending: Part 2 // Story: Swan Song // by TheFierySkyMare //------------------------------// I stole one last glance at the door before following the doctor once more. I was lifted into a bed, and soon I felt a mask over my muzzle. I almost started panicking again before the doctor reassured me. “Please, relax. It’s just something that will put you to sleep long enough for the surgery. Now count back from 100…” “100…99…98… zzzzzz….” ~* Hours later *~ I don’t know how long I was out, and I didn’t remember what happened. It felt like there were bandages covering my face. My heart started to pound, and I felt a pinch in my left hoof. “Petal, you’re awake!” “Mom? Is that you?” “Yes, it’s me. Your father’s here too, but he fell asleep. I’ll wake him up, and then go tell the doctors that you’re awake.” “Okay.” I heard her tap my father on the shoulder, and he woke up with a comical snort. “Huh? What? Whazzit?” “Dear, Petal’s awake. I’m going to go get the doctors so they can take the bandages off.” “Oh, okay! I shall stay here to keep watch over her!” “Heehee, you do that.” I heard her walk away again, and soon she returned with another set of hoofsteps. “Ah, so it’s true. You are awake. Let’s get those bandages off, shall we? Then you can test your new peepers.” “Yeah!” I felt my heart start beating faster. I was finally going to be able to see! My hooves itched to run freely. There was a moment of bright light, and then the bandages were gone. My eyes felt like they were sealed shut, and I was afraid that the operation had failed. Bit by bit, I was able to open them. I blinked several times. I could see my mom wave her hoof in front of my eyes, and I was able to follow it easily. She teared up and smiled. “It worked, Petal. It worked!” “I know! This… This is so wonderful!” I almost started crying myself before I heard the sound of hooves rapidly moving down the hall. I flicked my ear and tried to listen closer. “She’s dying, hurry up!” “I-I’m trying!” “Why do I have to bring you along, newbie?! Frankly, I don’t give a buck if the head honcho thinks you need the experience, you should not be in the same room as this mare!” “W-What’s her name, sir?” “Swan Melony, or something like that!” My breath hitched in my throat. Memories came surging back. The incident with the Timberwolves, crashing into a lake, saying goodbye to somebody. A tear fell down my cheek. “Swan… Oh Celestia, how did I forget?!” I threw the blanket off and stood on the cold tile floor. My legs shook and I nearly faltered. My mother tried to hold me back. “Petal, what are you doing?!” I grunted with frustration, my legs not yet used to moving after being idle for so long. “Remembering something important.” “What are you talking about?! Get back in your bed!” “No! Swan was my friend, and I just FORGOT about her! Now she could be dying, and you’re trying to keep me here!” I pushed her away roughly and staggered out of the room. I heard my mother slam a hoof down on a button. Nurses would be here any minute. I sped up my pace to a run and hurried through the hallways towards where I had seen Swan’s name on a plaque. I slammed the door open. The room was eerily quiet. There were no doctors except for one that had been leaving the room. He stumbled back, rubbing his now sore muzzle with a hoof and shooting me an angry glare. “Hey! What was that f- Oh.” He noticed my frantic look, and his gaze softened. He took a deep breath and put a hoof on my shoulder. “Look, I don’t know who you are, but you should say your goodbyes now.” My blood turned to ice and I swear to Celestia that I stopped breathing for a few heartbeats. “No… She can’t have just died, I never got to say I’m sorry…” The doctor lowered his head and stepped aside to let me into the room. I slowly made my way over to the bed where my friend was. Her usually pristine white coat was dirty, and her orange and gold mane was spread about on the pillow behind her head. She had a peaceful smile on her face, and what looked like scars across her eyes. I gently touched them with my hoof. “Swan, what did you do to yourself…?” I don’t know what I expected to here. I won’t lie, I was half-expecting her to jump up and scare me again, like she had done when we were fillies. The only response I received was silence. I felt tears begin to stream down my face and fall onto the blanket that covered my friend. I let my head fall onto her chest. I just closed my eyes, not wanting to see what had come of my failure at being a friend. Suddenly, there was a faint beeping noise. I focused on it. “No… No way…” *beep* There it was again! *beep* *beep* A very faint breath stir my mane. I felt my heart leap and lifted my head to look at my friend. Her eyelids were fluttering slightly. “Swan! Y-You’re alive!” I felt her place her hoof on my mane. She opened her mouth to speak, but seemed to be unable to. I quickly got her a glass of water and helped her drink it. A wide grin was spread across my face the entire time. “How did you survive?” Her ears flicked when I spoke so she could hear where I was. “Heh… You didn’t think I’d go down that easily, did you?” “Swan… Dear Celestia, I thought you were dead!” I wrapped my hooves around her, catching her in a tight hug. She let out a hissing breath, and I immediately let go. I lowered my head, looking down at the floor. “Hey. It’s okay, you’re excited.” “My parents will probably be coming here soon. I’m surprised they haven’t already.” As if on cue, hoofsteps could be heard coming towards the room. I clutched my friend’s hoof tightly, as if we could be torn apart by the slightest breeze. For the first time in years, I saw my parents’ faces. My mother’s emerald eyes, framed by her brown mane that was so much like mine, it up. She grinned widely and rushed over to give me a hug. I happily hugged her back with one foreleg. “Mom, look! She’s alive! Swan is alive!” She let go of me, her eyes wide. “You mean the filly you use to play with all the time when you were younger?” “Yeah, look!” I moved aside so she could see. Swan lifted a hoof and waved at her, one corner of her mouth moving upwards. “Hey. I’m not dead.” “I see. How?” She shrugged, and then smiled. “Dunno. But I’m glad I’m alive.” Her ears twitched once more, and I heard the sound of more hoofsteps. Swan’s parents, Bright Dawn and Dim Embers, rushed into the room. They were followed by a pair of serious-looking doctors. “I’m sorry you three, but Swan Melody needs to be kept here until she recovers. What happened is a miracle, but we need to be absolutely sure that she’ll live through the night.” I heard Swan gasp softly, an expression of horror on her face. My mom moved to take my hoof, but I jerked it away more harshly than I’d intended. “No!” “What do you mean, no?” “I’m not leaving.” “Why not?” I looked down at the bland tile floor. A spark of understanding lit my mother’s eyes. “Doctors, I think it might be best if she did stay here.” The younger-looking of the pair looked surprised, while the older one remained stone-faced. “Huh? But why?” “Swan Melody was my daughter’s best friend throughout most of her fillyhood, and the last time they parted ways, well…” “…Hm. I see. I’ll ask my boss to see If she can stay the night. But JUST tonight, okay?” I grinned happily. “Thank you!” I hugged my friend again, gentler this time. “I’m really sorry for forgetting you…” “It’s alright. I forgive you.”