"Are you sure it's okay for our pets to be around Angel?" Angel heard Rarity ask from downstairs. Angel grunted as he pretended to sleep on Fluttershy's bed. On a normal day, he would have taken that as an offense. He would have marched downstairs and given that giant, walking, talking marshmallow a good stare down. He maybe would have got Fluttershy to say something, but he wasn't feeling like it today. In fact, he didn't feel like doing anything nowadays.
For the past three days, Angel had been laying on Fluttershy's bed. He lost his appetite a long time ago. Whenever Fluttershy would try to feed him he wouldn't eat anything. She even made him his favorite salad, but he still wouldn't eat anything. Angel could barely even drink water now either. So the rabbit continued to rest on the yellow Pegasus's bed.
"Gosh, I wish this virus would just be over with already," Angel said to himself. He soon heard the conversation going on downstairs pick back up again. Since he had nothing better to do he decided to listen in on the conversation between Fluttershy and her friends.
"The doctor said it wasn't contagious so I'm sure they can be around him," Fluttershy said.
"Well, if the doctor says so. Ah'm sure ah can let Winona stay for a lil' bit." Applejack said. Angel's ears drooped slightly. That overly hyped dog would have been the death of him one day.
"I guess something else is beating her to it." Angel chuckled to himself.
"Don't worry Flutters!! Angel will cheer up when he sees that Gummy will be there," exclaimed Pinkie Pie. Angel had a small smile on his face. While he didn't like Gummy all that much, he admitted that the gator was an extremely good prankster. He was almost better than his owner.
"Tank can stay for a while too." Rainbow Dash chimed in. Angel didn't know what to say about Tank. The tortoise never really talked much.
"Don't worry darling, my Opal will also be there to comfort Angel." Rarity said. Angel grimaced at the thought of that cat coming into the same room as him.
"I'll change Owlowiscious's schedule to where he can come," Twilight said. They talked some more about some other topics. Angel even heard someone say 'My condolences'. He didn't know what it meant, so he stopped listening.
"Oh great! Now the old man's coming too!!" Angel said to himself. What was with Fluttershy and getting all his 'friends' to come visit him. He didn't want to see them anyway. All he wanted was some sleep. Angel closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.
His dream was the same as it had been the past three days. Angel curled up next to Fluttershy on the soft grass outside the cottage. The mix of the warm sun and the cool breeze made it easy to relax. The smell of honey penetrated Angel's nose. It wouldn't be long now until Fluttershy would collect the bees' honey. She would then store some of it for herself and then sell the rest in the market in Ponyville. Angel sighed happily. This was what he liked. If it were possible he would stay right here with Fluttershy. Angel chuckled a bit. When was the last time he had any honey? It seemed like forever ago since Fluttershy let him taste some. Maybe this year's honey will be better than last years. Angel chuckled ago. Of course, it would be better than last years. The bees here were raised by Fluttershy. Why wouldn't their honey be as sweet as her?
Just as Angel was enjoying the dream, he was interrupted by a slimy tongue licking him. Angel opened his eyes in anger as he looked at the culprit who ruined his dream. A brown dog with a white muzzle started at him with eyes full of sympathy. Angel could have been mad at Winona for ruining his dream, but looking in her eyes made him calm down for a bit. He looked around him and found the other pets there with him. Opal sat facing the windowsill, which had Owlowiscious perched on it, with her back towards him. Tank sat on the bed next to Angel, while Gummy was sat on his shell.
"Oh hey, guys. Why are you here?" asked Angel tiredly. He could feel his energy drain from him as he spoke. He really wished he could go back to sleep again.
"We came to see you, imbecile," said Opal. Angel looked back at the feline.
"And why would you do that?" asked Angel.
"We came to say our goodbyes, young Angel," said Owlowiscious.
"Why? You guys going somewhere?"
"Stop playing coy you dumb rabbit!" yelled Opal, "You know exactly what's going on!" Angel flinched at Opal's yelling. In all honesty, he deserved it ninety percent of the time. Though this time there was something more behind her yelling other than anger. Where there... sadness hiding being that mask of fury?
"Angel." said a voice Angel hoped he wouldn't have to hear. Fluttershy had walked into the room now. She walked in and sat on the bed next to Angel and held him close. "I...... I wish it didn't have to be like this. I really really wish it didn't have to be like this."
"Fluttershy? What are you saying?" asked Angel. He was feeling even more tired now. His eyelid seemed to be getting heavier as time went on.
"You're dying A.B," Winona said. Her voice carried a heavy sadness with it. Angel looked confused for a minute. He had been sick, but he didn't think it was that bad. Just a little virus, another day or two and he would be back at it. Though Angel guessed that deep down he knew this was the end for him. But that didn't mean he would have to accept it.
"I guess the cats outta the back...huh?" Angel said jokingly. He shot a slight gaze towards Opal.
"You can stop with the cat puns Angel," Opal said.
"Oh, you're not feline it today?" Angel said with a chuckle. Opal fumed for a bit before regaining her composure. "Anyway, I guess I beat you to the punch on kicking the bucket, old man." Owlowiscious looked down at the rabbit.
"I guess you have. Though I wish you didn't. You're much too young to be like this." Owlowiscious responded.
"Ah, thanks you old fart." Angel's eyes dropped down slightly. He took a minute to realize the scene he was in. He liked it, but it wasn't perfect just yet. "Hey, Flutters. Do you think we can move this outside?" he asked. The yellow pegasus smiled and agreed. She took Angel, Tank, and Gummy in her arms. The others followed behind her. The group went outside to be greeted by the warm afternoon sun. Angel smiled a bit.
Fluttershy put Angel in her lap while Tank and Gummy sat beside her. Winona sat to Fluttershy's right along with Opal. Owlowiscious perched himself on a low tree branch nearby. Angel sat on Fluttershy's lap and enjoyed himself for the first time in three days.
"It sure is nice out today isn't it?" Opal said. Everyone nodded in agreement.
"Hey, Angel? Yah still awake?" asked Winona. Angel grunted. "Oh good. Well since y'all is still awake ah just wanna say that I think that you're an amazing friend. Even if you can be a little bit of a pawful."
"I agree with Miss Winona. You sure can be annoying when you want to be, but you can also be quite fun once in a while." Owlowiscious said. Angel chuckled lightly as Fluttershy started to rub his back.
Tank and Gummy remained silent as Fluttershy spoke. "Do you have anything you want to say Opal?" she asked. Opal huffed before she spoke.
"Angel Bunny, you are the rudest, selfish, and most annoying rabbit I have ever gotten the chance to meet. Being around you has made me age faster than I can keep track. Almost every day it seems like you go out of your way to annoy me. If it weren't for you I would still be in my owner's boutique and not going out almost every day, getting my pristine fur coat messy." Opal confessed. She took a pause before she continued.
"And I thank you for that. While I hate to admit it, I do enjoy those Mondays and Thursdays you planned for Winona, Tank, Owlowiscious, Gummy, and I. It got me out of the house and into the world. If it wasn't for you I would have never met... Sefur Le." Opal sighed longingly at the mention of the cat's name. All of the other pets chuckled to themselves at the end of Opal's sentence. Realizing what she just did, Opal blushed and turned away from them.
"What I'm trying to say is, even though I can't stand you sometimes, it has really been a pleasure to have known you, Angel Bunny." Opal finished.
"Well, I guess you made some wonderful friends Angel. I'm so proud." Fluttershy said with a smile.
Angel sat in Fluttershy's lap as still as a board. He took a while to let it all sink in. He was outside in the warm sun, curled up in Fluttershy's lap. His friends were all sitting beside him. They had said their piece and now it was time for Angel to say his. He opened his mouth to let the words come out, but they never did. Instead, it was a sniffling cry. Everyone looked towards the bunny in concern. Tears poured out of Angel's eyes like a stream and showed no signs of stopping. All of Angel's dormant emotions rushed towards the surface as Fluttershy held him close.
"I... I don't wanna go!!" Angel yelled, "I wanna stay here!!!" Angel's screams of sadness rang out through the field. Everyone gathered around the bunny as he continued to cry his heart out. They never saw him cry like this before, not even Fluttershy. Angel had always been a tough bunny, but to see him cry like this was hard for them.
This wasn't fair. Angel thought. He had it all; a place he could call home, food in his stomach, and friends and family that cared for him. All of it was being taken away from him and there was nothing he could do about it. He was going somewhere where his friends wouldn't be there to back him up. He was going somewhere Fluttershy wouldn't follow him.
That last realization hit him harder than anything else had in his entire life. Fluttershy, the mare that had taken care of him ever since he was a too young to hop on his own, would be forever lost to him. It was then that Angel finally found his voice again.
"Mommy..." Angel said weakly through sniffles. Fluttershy gasped as she heard him that word. How long had it been since he called her that? A month? A year? She couldn't remember the last time her little angel called her mommy. Now that Angel was knocking at Death's door it would be the last time he would. Fluttershy's heart was at its limits. She could feel the hot tears just waiting to let free and roll down her cheeks. It was then that Angel finished what he was saying. "... do I... do I have to go?" he asked.
Fluttershy's heart seemed like it couldn't break any further. But Angel's question didn't just break her heart, it shattered it into pieces. Fluttershy wanted nothing more than to say that everything was going to be okay, but she couldn't. She wanted this to be nothing more than a bad dream, but it wasn't. Fluttershy held Angel close one last time, tears rolling down her cheeks like rivers, and whispered, "It's okay Angel Bunny. We're all here for you. You don't have to be scared."
Angel relaxed in Fluttershy's arms. He looked around once more as his eyelids began to close more and more. He saw the birds in the trees. He saw the squirrels and the beavers. The weasels, the snakes, the mice, even Harry was there. They all stood around him as he began to take his last breaths. As his vision began to blur, he saw his friends one last time. Winona, Opalescence, Tank, Gummy, and Owlowiscious grouped around him. All wearing a face of concern, sadness, and caring mixed into one. Angel felt happy again.
He didn't want to leave them this soon nor did he want to leave them this way, but he couldn't have chosen a better way to go out. The sun was warm and the air was cool. He had his friends and family with him in the end. With a smile, he let his eyelids close. The world around him began to disappear as he took his last breath. As he did, one last thought went through his head.
"I wonder what the honey will taste like this year?"