Happiness and Tears
RDcrystalheart
Chapter 18: Goodbye
A week later, Soarin trotted through the cloud mansion, his head hanging low as he recalled what his father had told him. That he would have to forget about Rainbow Dash if Spectrum was to forgive him.
It was... too big of a sacrifice. Soarin loved Rainbow Dash... and he also loved his father. He couldn't choose. He just... couldn't.
His father's approval had always meant the world to him. Without it, he never did anything. He always wanted his consent before going forth with anything possible, but now... now things were different.
He was almost willing to just grab Dash's hoof and take her away and-
No.
No.
No. He'd never resort to an elope. Something told him Rainbow Dash wouldn't be completely on board with that. Looking at her values... her family... she seemed like the type of pony who always would ask before doing anything out of the ordinary. She'd never agree to an elope. And frankly, Soarin wasn't too keen on the idea too.
Not only that... it would break his mother's heart. After all the support she gave him, after everything she did for him? He could never let her down like that. Never.
It was too much of a risk.
"Soarin?" a soft voice called out to him, snapping him from his thoughts. Soarin looked up and stared right at Speedy, who had tears in his eyes and was standing in the corner of the room.
"Speedy?" he asked, walking up to him. Speedy flinched. "What's wrong?"
"I... Dad... he..." Speedy started. Soarin's lips parted.
"What did Dad do, Speeder?" he asked with a cold tone; purposely using the colt's real name. Speedy tried hard to fight back his tears, not letting himself act vulnerable in front of his brother.
"He... he said... it's time..." Speedy said slowly. Soarin's eyes widened in understanding.
"Oh... oh man..."
"I'm leaving, Soarin..."
Soarin paused, looking away. Why was everything going badly for him all of a sudden?
"I... I..." he started, unable to form a proper sentence. Speedy gave him a hopeful look.
"Isn't there anything you can do? Anything you can do to stop him?" he asked. Soarin shook his head.
"I'm sorry, Speedy... but things between Dad and I aren't exactly clean at the moment... he'd never listen to me. He's too... he's too stubborn."
There.
He said it.
He said the only truth that was real. His father's stubbornness.
What dad would separate two brothers? What dad would make it his personal goal to make his sons' lives miserable?
What dad wouldn't take his children's feelings into account before his own? What dad would be so incredibly selfish?
It hurt, Soarin thinking about such things. He had never gone behind his father's back, viewing him in these ways. But right now, everything was just crumbling apart.
He had to forget Rainbow Dash.
He had to marry Spitfire unwillingly.
And most of all...
He had to see his younger brother go off to a place he didn't even want to go to.
Legacy be damned, the Skies' family was falling apart.
"College isn't that bad," Soarin tried as he and Speedy sat outside in a nearby bench on the outskirts of Ponyville. The young colt gave him a look.
"Really?" he asked. Soarin shrugged.
"It all depends on where you are, what time you're there... and who you meet," he said. Speedy nodded.
"What if I befriend the worst ponies ever and become a laughing stock for the entire school?!" he asked. Soarin shook his head.
"Speedy, that isn't going to happen. Just stay safe, and you'll be fine," he said. Speedy suddenly sniffed lightly.
"Soarin... I'm going away for ten years... what if things aren't okay here when I come back?" he asked. Soarin's eyes widened at the suggestion. He knew what his brother was talking about, with all the drama going on lately.
"Now... now you listen up," Soarin said, tears threatening to clog up in his eyes. "Nothing... nothing bad... nothing bad is going to happen... okay?"
"But what if-" Speedy tried.
"I'm... I'm Soarin Skies. Nothing is going to happen while I'm around," Soarin cut in. Speedy gave him a small smile, before gulping and looking away. Soarin did the same, not wanting the colt to see his tears.
"Are... are you going to be okay, Soarin?" Speedy asked softly. Soarin let out a breath of air, before shaking his head hard.
"NO!" he suddenly yelled, clasping onto his brother's figure and wrapping his hooves around him tightly.
Speedy gasped from his place in Soarin's chest. "Soarin..?"
"NO SPEEDY!" Soarin howled, tears slipping out hard and fast from his eyes. "I'm... I'm not going to be okay, alright? Everything... everything is just so horribly wrong! I want to be with Rainbow Dash... I want to make Dad happy... I want Mom to stop worrying so much... I want you to stay with me... I want everything to just go back to being okay."
Speedy suddenly relaxed and tightened his hold on his older brother.
"I do too, Soarin!" he said, tears falling freely. "I just want Dad to stop being so mean, I want Mom to get out of her shell... I want Scootaloo to... just be herself more often... and I want you... I want to stay with you... I don't want to leave you... you're... you're my only brother and I just-"
Both stallions, young and old, were broken. They cried and cried till there were barely any tears left. They held on to each other... they cherished every last second they had with each other.
Since both of them knew things weren't going to be alright.
Since both of them knew everything was about to fall apart.
Everything was about to change.