Hello Again

by Flaring Dawn

Hello Again (Part 2: The Final Goodbye)

` I wake up in a room of white with flowers all around me. The sound of birds was all I could hear around me as I stood up. I looked around and frowned. I didn't have any clue as to where I am or what even happened. All I remembered was falling asleep and then I was here just staring into nothingness.

"Okay this is... strange..." Suddenly a small giggle was heard from behind me. I jumped a foot and turned around to see a sight that made my heart jump out of my chest. Standing a few feet in front of me was Fluttershy,Summerset, and my little Nimble Breeze. I tear up at the sight of them; and then I rush in to hug them.

"My girls.. My beautiful girls..." I run to hug them and as I do they stop me and smile. I was a bit confused about this until Summerset spoke up. "Are you happy with your life Storm? I mean really happy?" I thought for a moment and pondered on this question. was I happy? What did her question mean? All I could do was nod.

"Of course I am happy with my life Summerset.... I lived it to the fullest and I got to meet two of the most beautiful mares to grace me with their presence... let alone their love. But.... what of the others? I don't think i am ready to say goodbye..." Fluttershy nodded towards Summerset and her horn fired up;turning everything around me to a blinding light. I awoke from this trance to see I was in a room with a bunch of ponies. Ponies I knew all too well. My family was sitting in a vast room inside of a hospital. They were all crying and holding each other. A mare came into the room and spoke to them. It was Mystic.

"I am so sorry... I-I wish I could of saved him... I--" She was cut off by my now orphaned daughter Night Fire who tackled her to the ground. "YOU STOLE HIM FROM US!!! WHY?! WHY DID YOU DO THIS?!" She screamed and ran into my room;hugging me tightly as the heart monitor barely let out a ping. Star Gazer ran in along with my other kids and did the same. Mystic was helped up by my brother. Even as tough as he was he had tears stinging his eyes. My family went into the room and surrounded my bed. My youngest Daughter smiled weakly and held my now lifeless body close to her and what she said made me want to scream.

"Daddy we all love you so much... We will always love you... Please... Please wait for us up in heaven...? I want to see you again and have fun and play and laugh like we use to daddy... Don't let this be goodbye daddy... please..." I screamed and fell to my haunches as the doctor told them To leave the room so I can rest. They did as they were told and went home soon after. Mystic was still sitting in the waiting room;tears were stinging her eyes. I was then allowed to float down to her. I tried to speak.

"Mystic? Can you hear me...?" She teared up and walked out of the hospital without giving me a glance. That was when Fluttershy appeared behind me; startling me in the process. I looked at her and tears were stinging my eyes. She didn't hesitate as she wrapped me in a hug and held me there as I cried.

"I am not ready to go... It can not be my time....?" with that I was now in a endless void. I walked endlessly towards wherever only to be stopped by Summerset. "Are you ready to relive your past?" I gave a weird look only to be met by projections that looked like screens flowing past me. Tears stung my eyes as moments from my life flowed past me. My birth, my mother and fathers death, Nimble Breeze arriving at my home and changing my life forever. My tears began to stain the ground as these images kept passing my eyes. Summerset walked up to me and hugged me as I began to cry. She stroked my mane as I bawled into her chest like a foal. I Looked into her eyes and she wiped my tears away.

"Is this real...? Is this all for real? How can this be real... How can this ever be real..." Summerset frowned and placed a hoof under my chin. I looked deep into her sunset eyes and buried my head in her shoulder as i cried. She kissed me and then vanished into the white abyss. I Turn again to see the last memory slip away from me. all my friends and family surrounding me as they all laughed and smiled. All those happy faces and moments flashing by me like a record. I fall to my haunches and smile.

"I guess this is the end...my hello has come..." Another image this time I recognized the ponies walking up to me. I froze as they approached me; their smiling faces causing me to tear up and run up to them and bury my face into their chests. My tears fell to the clouds below my feet as they hugged me in return. Through the blinding tears and deafening sobs I could only muster a few words.

"Mom...Dad....." The words were lost to me as they chuckled and held me closer. My dad Cyclone Breeze ruffled my mane and smiled. The look of his smiling face gave me a comforting feeling. Before I could speak my dad placed a hoof over my mouth causing me to smile.

"Hey soldier none of that now. I told you we would see each other again. " I chuckled and released the hug. "Of all the people I thought would be at my intervention... I am glad you all came... Witch must mean I am dead..." My mother Nighttime Rain giggled and kissed my cheek. I Sighed as she hugged me close.

"My dear you are not dead. You are...in storage...." I gave her a look and then sighed as I looked into the last moment as my kids were still surrounding me. I Teared up and my mother hugged me close. "Your kids are very beautiful... Especially that little colt~ He looks just like you" Star Gazer was screaming at the doctors to do something;and then threw a cart when they said there was nothing more for them to do. I chuckled and shook my head as I spoke.

"From his nose to his tail...He is my kid. Especially with that attitude..." Nighttime giggled and then looked at the one filly in the room not crying, not frowning but smiling...Wild Wind smiled and kissed my forehead as a single tear fell from her eye. What she said next broke me like the glass from a mirror.

"Goodnight daddy sleep well see you soon!!" I bawled as my mom held me close and stroked my mane. I began to speak but it was barely audible over my tears. "My baby...Only three...what is going...to happen...to them...I miss them...So much..." Nighttime smiled weakly and hugged me tightly.

"They will be fine my son...They are strong like you..." Her words cause me to smile a bit as she embraces me in her hooves. I began to cry again;though the tears were not of sorrow but happiness. My dad walked over and embraced me as well. I took one final look at my family as the clouds began to twirl and show me other visions. The whole time this was happening my parents cradled me as they did when I was young. I looked up to them and smiled.

"Thank you...Thank you for giving me this life...Thank you for everything...I love you...I love you so much...." The words were barely audible over my choking sobs. I looked up as the next memories appeared before me. My childhood flashed before me. I watched as some of the most happy memories that I held deep inside flowed around me like a painting. My parents stood before me and smiled as they opened their wings to reveal a memory that brought be to tears. It was when I was a colt. Me and my sister were playing in the park and laughing as loud as we could. She tackled me to the ground and in an echo like voice she said 'I love you big brother.' Then the memory disappeared and was replaced with the vision of my parents smiling.

"You were such a cute little colt back then...What happened?" My mother said with a giggle. I grinned and then sighed. "I grew up mom..." She nodded and then walked towards me;my father following her. They sat by me and smiled warmly as they each wrapped a wing around me. I looked up;my eyes still flooding the ground beneath me.

"You know...I'm scared...." They both smiled as if they knew I was going to say that. My mother kissed my cheek and held me as close as she could and sighed. My father placed a hoof on my head and ruffled my mane. It was a feeling I honestly missed. It made me feel that everything was going to be okay and that nothing bad was going to happen. I felt...at peace. This feeling of peace made me close my eyes for a brief moment and when I opened them again my parents were gone;leaving me to the flood of emotions and feelings I never thought possible. I looked to the now only remaining image before me. All my kids surrounding me as the heart monitor pinged a few times then a single long beep. Night Fire grabbed my hoof and bawled as the rest of my family tried to pull her away only to have her fight her way back to the shell that was once me. They all embraced each other as the vision faded from my sight. I smiled warmly as a blinding light overtook me as I slowly faded into nothing; The only words to escape my mouth came out as a whisper as this happened

"I am home...I am finally home....My family...please..don't mourn me for too long for I am happy to have raised you..Through good time and bad I am glad to have been your father...I will miss you all so much...I want you all to know...I am okay...So please no tears for I will see you again... I love you all...." As my body disappeared a single rose fell from my heart and floated to the world below;landing directly in front of my youngest daughter. When she picked it up she let out a small giggle and spoke with such innocence. "I love you too daddy!! See you soon!!~"