//------------------------------// // That Final Night. // Story: Hey Brother // by Wolf-Baron //------------------------------// I don’t know how long I stayed crying at my desk; maybe it was only a few minutes, maybe several hours who knows I wasn’t keeping track. Personally, in the current emotional mood I was in, I probably didn’t care. A thousand moons could’ve past and I wouldn’t of notice. The thing that finally made me realize the time I was in was a loud knocking at the door to my office. “Come in!” I practically shouted still sobbing. I tried my best to wipe away my tears, but my eyes were still wet and puffy. I heard the door creak open following by the sound of hoof clops as I wiped my eyes with my sleeves. I then turned to look up at my visitor and…. Holy shit! It was General Night Striker, the head administrator of the Wonderbolt Academy! I tried my very best to hide the fact that I had been balling my eyes out this past couple of minutes. Or hours, or ah hell I don’t know! Like I said earlier, I wasn’t keeping time. I stood on all fours in a very upright position and saluted, putting my right hoof up to my head. I also secretly tried to cover my eyes to hide the fact I was crying. It was bad enough that Jet Blast and many others saw me the last thing I needed was my boss to see me in this emotional state. No matter what emotions I was going through, I was still a Captain in the Wonderbolts and I was the head trainer at this facility. I couldn’t risk having my own boss see me crack under emotional stress. “At ease kid.” He responded back in a rather low yet calming voice. He walked into my office, shutting the door behind him as I sat down myself and tried to put a fake smile on as if I was happy to see him. “Wha…what brings you here general?” I stuttered horribly “How are you today?” I wanted to punch myself in the face. How was he today? Really? That was the best question I could come up with! But General Night Striker seemed very calm as he walked around my office just staring at random knick knacks and decorations on the shelves of my office. I kept my head slightly away towards him breathing and praying to Celestia and Luna that he wouldn’t see my face. I felt so ashamed. “Jet Blast came by my office this morning and told me about your little outburst in mess hall when you arrived,” Night Striker said as he took a small silver plated Pegasus medal and examined it in his hooves. My heart skipped a beat and my red puffy eyes widened with horror! Jet Blast did what! That fucking imbecile! MY LIFE IS RUINED!!! I screamed internally to myself! Note to self, after the general scolds me for that, I need to pay Jet Blast a visit and tell him not to be a fucking tattle tale! “Sir I can explain…!” I began as I got up and desperately walked towards with a practically begging gesture. Keeping the medal in his left hoof he looked at me and held up his right hoof as if to block me. “Hey it’s alright,” He explained and I was shocked to notice he had a friendly smile on his face “I didn’t come here to scold you. I just wanna talk.” I lowered my hoof and tilted my head towards the ground. Perfect, my life just kept getting worse. I sat back down in my chair and just fiddled around with my hooves. General Night Striker put the Pegasus medal back down and then turned towards me. “I heard what happened to your brother.” He explained calmly. I didn’t look at him. I didn’t want to. If it wasn’t for the fact that he was the General and my own boss, I would’ve screamed at him and demanded that he leave. But I kept enough self restraint to not do so. Instead I just kept my head lowered, remaining silent. He then looked at me and took off his hate revealing his black mane which was starting to gray in several areas. “I’m sorry Spitfire,” he said very calmly. “I know what it’s like to lose someone close and dear to you.” Then why did you have to bring him up! I bit my lips as I felt the tears coming back. Dammit I can’t cry in front of my boss! But then the general approached me and pat my shoulder with his hoof almost as if he read my mind. “Look, Spitfire, I want you to take some time off of your duties. Take a leave of absence” I jumped up and gasped at this statement. “But sir I can’t just abandoned my duties!” I tried to explain. Sure I was going through a minor emotional inconvenience but that was no excuse for me to just pack up my bags and fly off to Las Pegasus. But the General just smiled at me. “Spitfire, it’s just a little leave of absence,” he explained “I really want you to take some time off. Trust me, coming from a pony that has lost many friends throughout his life, sometimes you need to slow down and take some time.” I nodded even though I personally disagreed with him. I didn’t need R&R, I needed to work, I needed something to distract myself. The General returned my nod and put his hat back on as he got up and headed to the door. “Good. And don’t worry, we have your position covered,” he said as he opened the door. “Also, I’d highly recommend you take some time to visit your parents. They are probably going through the same emotionally pain as you and they are in need of your love. Spend some time with them. And that’s an order.” I nodded with a faux look of understandment as General Night Striker exited my office. “Fuck!” I cussed as I was left alone in my office. I didn’t want a vacation! I needed to stay here! I needed something to take my mind off my brother. But as much as angry as I was, I couldn’t disobey a direct order from Night Striker. I rarely ever go to the largely Earth Pony village of Ponyville unless I have a reason to do so. Sure, Rainbow Dash, my absolute most favorite cadet lived there, but that was about it. I hadn’t been to Ponyville since the time RD organized the pegasi living there to break the cloud rain water record and helped her friend Fluttershy realize the value of helping your team no matter how scared you are. That event wasn’t the first time I was in Ponyville though. Mustang and I used to come here all the time when we were fillies. Every hoofstep I took brought back happy memories. I saw the pink Earth-Pony known as Pinkie Pie entertaining diners at Sugarcube Corner. Mustang used to buy me ice cream there with his paper delivering money when we were fillies. I can still taste the Rocky Road! Because I rarely traveled to Ponyville, I thankfully wasn’t recognized by many ponies. Which is good, I really wanted to be by myself right now; that was real difficult because ever since my team mates got the news, I was constantly getting bombarded by Soarin and Fleet Foot to invite me to go drinking or partying with them. I guess they thought that would cheer me up. But no, I had a special place I wanted to go to in Ponyville. I was heading for the large lake at the edge of town. I just laid there at the coast of the lake relaxing and letting the cool watered air splash against me. It was very therapeutic although depressing at the same time. Out of all the places I had visited on my trips to Ponyville with my brother, the lake was my absolute most favorite place. There was a small beach near the edge of the water were me and Mustang used to build sand castles and have sand fights. Sometimes we would also watch the baby turtles flip flop their way to the lake to their new home. I sniffled a little as I watched the sun’s light reflecting off of the lake’s waters. This was the last place where I saw my brother alive. “I’m going to miss you.” I spoke sadly to him as we watched the sunset over the horizon. The lake’s waters churned and waved giving its magical rhythm. Mustang turned to me and gave me his brightest smile; a smile which I would give my left hind leg to see again. “I’m gonna miss you too Spitz.” He answered. Spitz was a pet name he would always call me. “But this is something I always wanted to do!” I looked at the sunset with a look of sadness on his face. I know he was an adult pony and it was his decision, but I didn’t want him to go. I turned back to him, “I still don’t get why you chose to volunteer for a human military rather than join the Wonderbolts. General Night Striker said you were a damn good flyer!” He frowned at my statement however. “Spitz, I am so proud you lived your dream, but joining the Wonderbolts was your dream, not mine.” He explained with a sad frown on his muzzle. “I want to do more in my life than just fly and perform stunts for ponies.” I remember scowling at him and raising an eyebrow. “Not that there is anything wrong with that!” he quickly corrected with a weak smile on his muzzle. He then turned back with his serious look. “Spitz, I am so proud of you that you joined the Wonderbolts. Really I am,” he explained, “but, I always wanted to be a doctor. I’ve always wanted to help people.” He then turned towards the lake watching the setting sky kiss the horizon. “I wanna help people. Both humans and ponies alike!” he then turned to me. “Spitz, the Romancian Foreign Legion is something I want to do!” I remember looking away from him, trying to hide the tears that were building up in my eyes. “Spitfire, I was always there to support you. You are my baby sister and I love you. But now, you need to support what I want to do.” He told me as he gently touched my shoulder. I turned around and gave him the biggest hug a little sister could give her big brother. I sobbed heavily into his chest. “I’ll miss you too much!” I sobbed into his chest. He hugged me back and rubbed my head and back. I felt a few tears trinkle on my mane. He was crying a little too. “Shhhh, I know Spitz. I’m gonna miss you to.” He answered trying his best to comfort me. He lifted my head to me and wiped away my tears. “But remember baby sis, I’ll always be with you, even if you can’t see me!” he told me and his closed his eyes and hugged me again. Never in all my life had I felt so warm and safe. Once the sun had set and the moon had risen, we headed back home to our parents were we spent one final night together as a family. Sadly, I never saw Mustang alive in person after that day….