Oathbound

by ChronicleStone

Epilogue: Love for the Present

Canterlot Hospital
May 18, 7:58 PM

Stillness.

It’s not something usually found in a hospital. If anything, the hospital is in a constant state of hustle and bustle as doctors and nurses move from one room to another, checking in on their patients. Emergency responders race down the hall, hastily wheeling carts with injured ponies on board. As a general rule, hospitals were noisy, crowded, busy places that were all-too-eagerly avoided at any cost.

Not today.

At least, it didn’t appear that way to Sky Streak. Everything seemed so serene and calm, like the quiet that follows a snowstorm. It could have just been his imagination, but…nah. It felt too real for that to be the case.

He casually strode down the unusually empty hallway towards room 195. His perception of peace within the white walls of the hospital was made even more ironic when he considered that every visit he had made to this place prior to two weeks ago had been filled with thoughts of pain, sorrow, regret, and despair.

Not today. There was no room for grief today.

Today was a day for joy.

He stopped before the door marked with the numbers “195” and slowly pressed open the door, peeking inside. It was a single-occupancy recovery room. Balloons and flowers sat on either side of a white linen-covered bed, most with the words “Get Well Soon” prominently displayed upon them. A small smile rose to Sky’s face as he considered the outpouring of love and support that was evidenced there.

The far wall was comprised mostly of consecutive windows, looking out over the city like some kind of gigantic structural eye, watching diligently for any that needed aid within the security of the hospital. And there, seated just behind the windows, quietly gazing at the outside world, was the one he was looking for.

Her mane and tail were loose and unbrushed, but Sky didn’t mind. In his mind, there was probably nothing she could do to change his opinion that she was always beautiful. He slowly shut the door most of the way, leaving it just slightly ajar. He walked up beside her and sat down, taking a moment just to look at her.

She was really here. Awake. Alert. Alive. Several weeks ago, he never would have thought that any of those were possible. His life had been a wreck. He had been prepared to throw everything away because, as he saw it, he had nothing left.

Then, from somewhere beyond the reaches of his imagination, a miracle interrupted his despair and rewrote his story. He was supposed to live out the rest of his days as a scarred individual, wounded to the core by an event outside his control. But, cliché as it sounded, love found a way to do the impossible.

A miracle at the eleventh hour. A miracle of the most unpredictable and unbelievable kind. But one that was undeniable as well. As a result, here they sat: Sky and Lily, alive and well, and, most importantly, together.

But even that was unusual. Every test and scan they had run on Lily had revealed that she had made a full recovery and was in perfect health, and yet, Doc Trotter had not yet released her from his care. Everything would indicate to Sky that Lily should be good to go, but between himself and Doc Trotter, only one of them had a medical degree, so…well, here he was.

Besides, “recovery induced by miracle” probably wouldn’t cut it as a valid reason to release a patient without some other tests and procedures.

So here he was. Here she was. For what had seemed like an eternity, Sky would have given anything to just have had the opportunity to speak to her and have her hear him. And yet now, when she was perfectly capable of listening to his every word, he found that no words would come. What was there to say? What words or expressions could convey anything he was feeling or had felt since her accident?

Then, with a simple yet entirely deliberate gesture, she laid his head on his shoulder.

His face flushed instantaneously—partially from excitement, but also from embarrassment at a sudden realization: she could feel his emotions. It was one of the many amazing things about her.

If the Princesses thought that Sky was perceptive…well…he had nothing on Lily. Even without her magic, she was one of the most sensitive, kind, and compassionate ponies in Canterlot—probably within the whole of Equestria. But when you threw in her burgeoning magic talent to sense the emotions of others…

Sky smiled. If there was a title of “Equestria’s Best Listener,” she’d deserve it.

But what was more, apparently her magic was...“contagious.” Ever since Keeper had saved her life a few weeks ago, Sky had found that, in some small way, he had become able to feel a little of what she felt. It was a confusing new talent, though with the memory of Storm Emblem still fresh in his mind, it wasn’t an unfamiliar one. He had kept it a secret since then, not sure of what to make of it, or how it had even happened. He assumed that it had something to do with the magic spell to save her life, but…he had no evidence of that—just a theory.

He looked down at her. She had closed her eyes, and with her head resting up against his shoulder, it appeared as though she were sleeping. So beautiful…so peaceful…

Peace. It was a curious feeling to consider. For the last month, it had been the one thing he had never truly felt. He had been under a constant stream of conflict and turmoil, thrown from one struggle right into another—never given a moment’s rest. When coupled with the twin problems of Lily’s uncertain fate and her inability to soothe Sky’s anxiety…well, suffice it to say that “peace” had never felt so far away.

But that was past now, right? The conflicts were over. Every threat to the safety of those he cared about had been neutralized or eliminated. They had not only shaped the future: they had saved it. It was a time of peace.

Then why did he still feel so uneasy?

He looked down again, only to find Lily’s eyes trained up at him. They were innocent in appearance, but Sky could feel the concern emanating from her. She could sense his discomfort, no doubt. He couldn’t hide anything from her—even if he didn’t wear his emotions like a badge.

What was he supposed to say now? He couldn’t explain the restlessness he felt even to himself, so how was he going to tell somepony else what he was feeling? But he had to say something. He owed her an explanation of some kind. Denial would have been an idiotic move: she knew better. He took a breath and opened his mouth.

But before a single word could pass by his lips, Lily’s hoof pressed up against his mouth, silencing him and earning his undivided attention. She continued to stare at him with those pure, innocent eyes, and Sky understood the message as clear as day.

Hush. Peace.

He could only imagine that his face was the perfect image of some kind of idiotic stupor. Of course Lily knew what to say. She always did. An involuntary smirk pulled at one corner of his mouth. It was basically her lot in life to cover for Sky’s “derp” moments. And they happened frequently.

It was a good thing Lily was such a good sport about it.

She regarded his smirk with a serene smile of her own and laid her head back against his shoulder. He slipped his wing out from between their bodies and draped it across her back. She responded with a slow, contented sigh. He felt her relax beneath his wing, and he flexed it to draw her closer to himself. He could feel her heart beating, her every breath…even a small shiver as a cold chill presumably ran along her spine.

And in that moment, he realized the truth: this was peace.

Looking ahead, he had every right to be worried. The reorganization of the Alicorn Guard into this new entity—the “Sentinels of Harmony,” they were to be called—was sure to be a painful and trying process. Trucker had been appointed as its commander, but both Nighthawk and Sky had positions of authority within the group. And while Sky was slowly coming to terms with his meteoric rise through the ranks, he couldn’t help but notice that Nighthawk seemed even more unsure of his abilities as a leader than Sky did. It was a cause for concern, to be sure.

Celestia and Luna had their hooves full with all manner of requests for answers in regard to the Alicorn Guard, as well as the planning of logistics for the Sentinels as they prepared to begin their work all across Equestria and beyond. Twilight had graciously offered her assistance (and, by inference, Spike’s, as well), and they had recruited the ever-capable Cubic to aid them, but it was still a daunting task that had them up to their eyeballs in work.

And then there was Ghost. There had been little word of him from Vanhoover. All indications were that he remained locked within his fortress of solitude, only leaving for short periods of time to get food or other such essentials. Sky couldn’t help but think about him. He had made a promise—a dying promise, in a sense—and he fully intended to keep it. He needed to make a visit to Vanhoover. He didn’t expect to be welcomed with open hooves, but…well, he had to start somewhere.

But in spite of all these concerns, Sky felt content. Did he think about the future? Of course. It would have been foolish not to. But in this moment, he found solace in an overwhelming sense of love. Love for his friends. Love for his family. For his comrades. For his home.

For Lily.

Love. As he reflected upon it, he slowly came to realize—love had been the foundation for every miracle that he had experienced. His victory over Nighthawk, but also his mercy upon him. Ghost’s defeat. Lily’s salvation. Princess Luna’s redemption. Every victory he had achieved had come as a direct result of his own (or even somepony else’s) love for another. His own power and determination had helped to see him through each trial, but apart from love, he never would even have had a reason to fight. Love was his compass: it led him to where he needed to be.

Maybe that was why the Princesses thought he was so perceptive.

So here he was. Steadied by a hope from the past, steadfast in his faith for the future, and sustained by his love in the here and now. He could leave his guilt and worry behind. Only the joy of today and the bright possibilities of tomorrow remained.

It was only then that Sky realized that he still hadn’t said a thing since walking into Lily’s room. His mind had been so aflutter with thoughts of things to come that he hadn’t even perceived the continuous quiet around him. His eyes drifted down to where Lily’s head pressed against his shoulder. Even after everything she had been through, she didn’t need an explanation from him. It was enough for her that he was here, and that they were together.

Sky smiled and let his chin rest upon her head. Maybe there was something to this peace thing, after all.

Maybe sometimes, the perfect thing to say was nothing at all.

Author's Note:

I DID IT!!! I FREAKING DID IT!!!

I wrote an entire chapter without one word of dialogue! Take that, naysayers!

...OK, to be fair, I think I was actually the only naysayer. So...take that, me! I guess...

But to be fair, this was the plan from the beginning. I wanted this chapter to exist. After everything that had happened, it was only right that it should end with Sky and Lily surrounded by silence. Utter peace. Just the two of them, together in loving embrace, needing no words: to be together was enough.

And it's only fair that in a story called "Oathbound," the end comes with an unspoken promise. Because love, true love is an unconditional vow made from one to another to honor, cherish, and respect them until their final breath.

And while Sky and Lily haven't gone and tied any knots yet, the love is there. And the promise lives on.

The Sentinels are coming...

Comments

[Starlight Nova]

The Chimera is or at least is related to Discord, right?

[Starlight Nova]

3570307 Don't you hate it when your comments don't get a response?

[ChronicleStone]

6980221

The Chimera is actually a character I decided to insert because I needed a new villain, but one that didn't have any connection to the canon. I actually created it before it made an appearance in the show! Though I'm glad that it did...it validates it in my mind. But the Chimera actually isn't connected to Discord at all. The Chimera's backstory is explained a bit in Oathbound, but the full truth of the Chimera won't be revealed until the next story. Stay tuned!