Starlight Glimmer
Spike lay on his side in the grass, staring up at the blue sky. A purple kite flew overhead, looping with the breeze, dipping and diving and catching thermal currents. It was a perfect day for this, by all accounts, and nopony knew it better than Starlight Glimmer.
Starlight was with Spike, leaning back against his side. The cool breeze tousled her mane and coat, and she smiled a serene smile as she watched her kite float. "Such a good day for it. We're really lucky, it's atypical for days like today to have such perfect conditions in this particular area of Ponyville."
"Yeah? We could move somewhere else, if you want better conditions," Spike said, his eyes following the kite string down to the little unicorn anchoring it.
"No, it's fine. I wouldn't want to go too far. They gave us special permission to be here, after all, I don't want to push my luck." Starlight cast Spike a soft smile, and Spike frowned. Starlight reached out with one hoof and gave him a gentle pat on the side. "This is good, Spike. I promise."
"Okay, it's up to you," Spike said, tearing his gaze away from her to the kite.
"Yep. All good. Thanks for checking, though. I really appreciate it," Starlight said, her gentle laugh shifting briefly into a cough. Spike's eyes shot back down to Starlight, and he frowned in worry, but she waved a hoof, wiping at her muzzle with one fetlock. "I'm fine."
"Do you need some water?" Spike asked.
"Mm, that sounds nice. Do you have any?" Starlight said, not looking away from her kite as she spoke.
Spike smirked. "You're speaking to the most organized dragon in Equestria. My horde is arranged alphabetically, from Agate to Zirconium. Of course I have some water." He reached down to a pack he'd set within reach on the grass and pulled out a decanter of water, setting it down beside Starlight. "Ice cold, thanks to a little enchantment from Twilight."
Starlight giggled, "Of course. She'd want to make sure everything was perfect."
"Yeah. Of course. You might not be her oldest friend, Starlight, but she cares. If the delegation from Griffonstone hadn't shown up unannounced today, you know she'd be here... but those Griffons never take 'no' for an answer," Spike said, sighing as he uncapped the decanter.
"Yeah, I know. It's not a big deal, I know she'll come see me tonight," Starlight said, a wistful tone entering her voice, and she sighed, "but she'll have missed this."
"Yeah," Spike said, unable to really say anything else. His gaze wandered from the kite, following the taut string, to the unicorn sitting against him comfortably as she reached out one shaky hoof and lifted up the decanter. The container trembled in weakened arms, and Starlight grimaced slightly as some cold water spilled down the corner of her lip. She drank carefully, sparingly, little sips at a time, the container resting against her chin as she tilted her head back and her eyes closed. Spike watched the droplet of water flow down her weakened neck, passing through patches of bare skin where her coat had become thin, and roll down her chest. Her ribs stood out, a sharp contrast of hardness against the weakened features of the little mare.
Starlight's eyes opened, catching Spike looking, and she set down the decanter with care. Spike reached out one clawed hand and gently took it from her and recapped the container. Starlight glanced down at herself, the emaciation obvious as she leaned against her friend, and she shook her head. "Pretty bad, huh?"
"N-no," Spike said cautiously, and Starlight glared up at him. He shook his head, correcting himself, "I mean, yeah. It's hard, seeing you like that... but the treatments are almost over, right? You're this way because your body is getting better, not worse, so it's... good? Even if it's bad looking, it means that things are doing what they're supposed to do."
Starlight smirked, reaching up with one hoof and bopping Spike on the snout. "Yeah. That's right. The treatments are almost over, and then after that, just one more procedure and hopefully I'll have bucked this thing."
"Yeah, just... just one more procedure." Spike swallowed. "Modern medicine is pretty cool, isn't it? We can do things with magic and technology that we couldn't possibly think of forty years ago."
Starlight nodded. "It really is. It's so... interesting. I mean, who would think to take my own cells and genetically alter them with magic to fight the things inside me that it normally wouldn't fight? It's incredible. We've come so far."
Spike smiled at Starlight. "It's cool."
"Very cool," Starlight said with an air of finality.
"I mean... it's got a really good chance of making sure it doesn't come back, right?" Spike said, looking up at the kite and failing to pick up on Starlight's tone.
"Mm," Starlight hummed, before agreeing, "Yeah, if it works, it's got a very high success rate... and if it doesn't, then it doesn't really matter, does it?"
Spike glanced down at Starlight, frowning slightly. "I... I guess?"
"One way or another, this will all be over pretty soon, and that's the most relieving thing of all," Starlight said softly.
Spike swallowed hard. "Yeah." Starlight sighed, leaning farther back onto Spike, her hoof tugging the kite tether gently, making the wings flex and causing the kite to loop and dip in the air, performing little acrobatic pirouettes. Spike's eyes were on Starlight, now, and he watched her. If she noticed his stare, she didn't respond. He looked up at the kite, and back down to his friend. "So..."
Starlight smiled. "Fifty-fifty."
Spike looked back up at the kite, words failing him. Starlight glanced up at him. "I'm really happy you're here, Spike. You've always been a good friend to me, and you were always so generous, sharing your home and your friends and Twilight with me. You never got jealous, and you always were... kind. Not everypony was as kind as you were to me, but you really made efforts when I first came to Ponyville."
Spike blushed, one claw digging into the grass in an embarassed circle. "Oh, well..."
Starlight continued, "And... I know it's a lot to take in... and I know you have all these questions, but... I'm tired of having to answer questions that break my loved one's hearts, or be strong, or be the one that offers up a hug when they can't handle the news. I can't handle that, and so I've been looking forward to spending time with you and Twilight and flying kites for... weeks. It's really kept me going." She exhaled slowly, her ears drooping a bit. "So... can we just go back to flying kites, and not talking about things? I might not have a lot of kite flying left in me, here, and so I want to make this count."
Spike was silent, taking in Starlight's words, and Starlight allowed him his contemplation as she focused on flying her kite. She sat forward a bit, gripping the line in two hooves, her horn glowing fitfully as she added a third point of manipulation to the line, and she began to maneuver the kite through the air, dipping down and rolling up, down and up, increasing the speed as she worked the line. Spike watched her, as her tongue stuck out a little bit and one eye winced closed as she concentrated. For a moment, the patchy coat and the thinning mane and the dull colors of her eyes fell away, and Spike saw Starlight. She clenched her teeth and tugged on the line, and the kite swooped dramatically towards the ground, a fast dive, and then a quick twist of the line, releasing slack... not quite fast enough. The kite plopped into the ground, and Starlight laughed a genuine laugh, leaning against Spike for support as she cackled at the failure, coughing in between each giggle. Spike laughed along, a deep bass sound that rumbled against Starlight and made her laugh harder. Starlight pressed herself against his side, breathing hard, exhausted. "That would have been awesome if it'd worked!"
"Yeah, would have!" Spike said, gently prodding her in the side with one claw.
"Pfft, I'd like to see you do better!" Starlight said, smiling at him.
Spike got up off the ground, settling Starlight on the grass with one claw, and his wings spread open. "I could. Rainbow Dash taught me to fly, after all!"
"They don't call her Rainbow Crash for nothing, Spike," Starlight said, her eyes challenging as much as her tone.
Spike broke into a trot and launched himself across the field, a few loping four-legged strides getting him up to speed before he felt his wings catch air. He began to flap, powerful strokes setting the grass whirling and Starlight's mane blowing back, and he was in the air. Spike smiled, wheeling up into the sky, catching a thermal updraft that brought him higher with relative ease, and he whirled around, looking down at Starlight. Starlight was standing up, walking unsteadily to her kite. Spike watched her as she brought the kite into the air once more on sputtering bursts of magic, and soon he had a companion in the air. The purple kite fluttered near him, and Spike matched its position in the air, grinning down at Starlight. Starlight steadied herself, sitting down, and grabbed the line. She shouted something that Spike couldn't hear, but he knew what she wanted.
As Starlight pulled on the kite, maneuvering it into a new dive, Spike followed it down, allowing gravity to tug on him. He whooped, and he could hear Starlight cheer as well. The kite plummeted, Spike right behind it, and together Starlight and Spike both maneuvered at the last moment. The kite whipped upwards, nearly hitting Spike on the nose, and Spike flapped, pulling up as well, allowing one back leg to dangle a bit and brush the grass as he flew level with the earth before swooping upward on his momentum. He backwinged, killing his forward speed, and landed on his back legs with a gentle bounce near Starlight. Starlight smiled up at him, delighted. "That was cool."
"Very cool," Spike said, beaming down at her.
Starlight reeled in her kite, smirking as she began to disassemble it and put the pieces into a saddlebag. "So... uh... I had an idea."
"Yeah?"
"You, uh... ever have passengers?" Starlight looked up at Spike hopefully.
Spike stared down at her for a moment, taking her in. "You... think you could hold on?"
Starlight giggled. "I'm not gonna ride on top of you, silly dragon. Do you think you could carry me?"
"Yeah," Spike said, relief evident in his smile.
"So...?" Starlight grinned, stepping closer to Spike. Spike picked her up, tossing her saddlebag into his own, and he inhaled. With a flash of green flame, he hit the bag, sending it spiraling away on the wind. Starlight giggled. "Oh, man, I'm so glad you figured out how to control your sending flame. So easy to—woah!" Before she could finish, Spike shifted her into the crook of his arm and took a running leap, his wings beating hard as he flew up into the sky.
Starlight clung to him, her eyes wide despite the firm grasp he had on her, one hand reaching up and securing her along her back as the other cradled beneath her. She relaxed after a few long moments, peering down as the world spiraled away, Spike flying up and out over the field. She gasped as they flew through a low cloud, coughing slightly at the increased moisture in the air, and then laughing as they popped out the top. Spike held her close, angling his wings as he flew, taking her on a slow and circuitous route over Ponyville. Starlight pressed against him, sighing happily as she stared out at the town. After several long minutes, she spoke up. "Thank you."
"Of course," Spike said.
They flew over the town, flying around the top of Friendship Castle once, and then Spike turned towards the edge of town, flying in for a gentle landing before the doors of Ponyville Hospital. Starlight stepped down onto the earth with shaky legs, and Spike steadied her with one hand, letting her get her balance. She beamed up at him, and waved a hoof. "C'mere."
Spike bent down, and Starlight reached up and wrapped her hooves around his face, hugging him tightly, before she planted a soft kiss on his nose. "Today was amazing."
Spike blushed, staring at her. "Yeah?"
"Yeah. You're the best, Spike. Thanks for... just letting me be normal for a little while."
Spike nodded, swallowing. "I mean... what are friends for?"
Starlight nuzzled him gently, before releasing him from the hug. "I need a nap after all that excitement. I'm gonna head inside. I'll leave the window to my room open, if you want to peek in, okay?"
Spike grinned. "Cool. Have a nice evening, Starlight."
Starlight turned, facing the double doors of the hospital's front entrance. "I will. You too, Spike."
Spike watched the mare carefully walk into the hospital. She disappeared inside, the doors shutting, and Spike stood in place for a long moment before he turned and launched himself back up into the sky, heading for home.
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So, Starlight is suffering from cancer. Twilight, being Twilight, has done the impossible to try to save her but there is still a good chance that her body has just suffered too much. That's sad but this is offset by the fact that she still has her friends and those comforts will always be around her no matter what happens going forwards.
Damn....going to guess it's cancer without it even being said. Seriously impressive. This was a bit of a hard chapter to swallow but damn it if it was not a damn great one, really awesome job.
Damn… I knew Spike was going to have to cope with all the girls dealing with their own mortality, but… I didn’t even consider…
Well played, sir. Well played. A very nice depiction of someone coping with something of that calibre, and just wanting to NOT deal with it for one afternoon.
I half expected Starlight to be coping pretty well with age; given her magical prowess… but damn.
I’m glad I found this story.
Starlight certainly knows how to live with hard facts but still staying optimistic at the same time. That's quite the strong personality right there.
Still, it was no wonder that she appreciated the day she had with Spike. Such a shame that Twi couldn't send the griffons away... or at least delay them.
They did not schedule a meeting, after all. Then again, diplomacy... sigh. Maybe next time. Really hoping there will be a next time for them.
This was a deeply moving chapter of an overall moving story. Thank you!
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GET YO FEELIOS EV'RY BODY!!!
Ouch, right in the feels...
Rainbow, AJ, Fluttershy, Starlight... Pinkie, Sunset, and Rarity to go. And Twilight, of course, it's in the cover art and those always tell the truth!
The feels are off the charts on this one. Anyone who has gone through a difficult time involving stays at the hospital can relate with this. Anyone who has had to hold on to hope that the hospital would not be there last stand and that all the treatments they've gone through can relate, too.
This reminds me of when I was hospitalized in 2012. I had no vision and only promises they may get some back as a result of a massive post-surgical complication. I thought I'd never leave. I was so many miles away from my wife and son and only wanted to get back some degree of life that wasn't looking forward to when I didn't need such drastic treatments and could leave the hospital.
Like Starlight, I'll never forget when they allowed me to leave the hospital. I still had no vision but being in the sun felt amazing. Hearing traffic and just feeling alive. To forget about the recovery and forthcoming treatments meant a lot. Heck I was eager to get a genuine shower for the first time in over two weeks! The simple things can really mean the most when you don't know what will come of you as a result of a condition / affliction never foreseeen.
Despite everything I still lost all my sight just a few years later. However I've learned to better cope with it with the time I was afforded to get some affairs in order.
Starlight, to me, has a history in thecanon show that I feel I relate with due to how her past never seems to stop haunting her. Just as my lifelong struggle against blindness has a way of biting me in some sort of way. You'd think, like Starlight, that once you move on / makes motions to move on that thepast you'd ratherforget all the dark parts would just stay in the past. However it does come back and you have to roll with the punches with hope a time will come that past situations don't keep assaulting you as you do what you can to move on in life.
This chapter just reminded me of the importance ofhaving someone who would focus more on 'you' instead of the condition / limitation you are experiencing. It's really hard tofind people who can do that. Spike is definitely believable in performing this role and how he helped Starlight have a special day is heartwarming. :)
Do you want me to cry?
'Cuz that's how you get people to cry.
cdn.meme.am/cache/instances/folder371/50193371.jpg Another splendid addition to this feels train you have made.
I want to cry...but I cant
Fuck is wrong with me
Damn. Pull though, Star. And good looking out, Spike!
Really hoping, Pinkie is next and in better shape. Because I know to many things that go bad with her and aging that I really don't want to say as to jinx myself.
Another great chapter. Keep it up!
Great chapter ....
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You gave Starlight cancer... congrats, you have now made her Woobie Sue.
Now I hate her more than I ever thought possible.
This was really sweet! And I'm glad you found a way to mix up how he ended up carrying one of the ponies; the last few were kind of similar, where he was helping them home from a tiring day and them initially protesting, but this time it was just because Starlight asked and wanted a fun, normal flight. Also very touching again, pointing to how victims of illness sometimes want people to ignore the illness and just let them remember what it's like to be normal for a little while. Very nicely done. =)
every chapter in this story is like an emotional fucking wallop and I love it
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Hey, just want to give you a little shout-out. Thoughtful critique and commentary on my stories give me life, so thank you for taking the time to read and leave these long comments.
All the rest of you are awesome, too, and I love getting comments. <3 You the real MVPs.
My father died two days ago after having spent six years fighting cancer, so this one was especially poignant for me. That said, it was well written.
A chapter about Glimmy? Oh boy! This is gonna be—
...
... why you gotta do this to me, Props?
my...heart.
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Goddammit, Glim Glam. You go fly your goddamn kite, goddammit.
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Look at that red. You just want to be a crochetey old geezer yelling all the kids to get off your lawn eh Alondro?
I will remind the audience that Starlight once fought an series of AERIAL(sp?) duels agianst an alicorn. Granted the tactical situation seemed to favor her (many ways to disrupt the rainboom), but... it underscores how far she has fallen.
These chapters keep pulling at my heart strings (‘:
You're a master at show-not-tell
and stealing my tears 