As Angel waits for Fluttershy to come back from an adventure, he starts thinking of how lucky he is to have her.
Fluttershy has been gone with her friends for a while now and Angel worries for her. On the night that she's supposed to come back, he waits for her outside in the rain.
Rain poured from the skies, and raindrops pelted the windows of Fluttershy’s cottage. The pegasus ponies had scheduled a massive rainstorm, to give the land some humidity, in contrast to the dry summer heat.
The cottage was completely full of animals, taking shelter from the storm. They were all wet, cold and uncomfortable, waiting for their caretaker to come home.
Every animal Fluttershy took care of was inside, except for one. Angel bunny refused to wait in the crowded cottage, angry that the other animals invaded his territory. He waited in the rain angrily tapping his foot on the ground, planning on letting her know how irritated he was, when she gets back.
Some time passed, but for Angel it seemed like forever. His foot went still, and his anger turned to worry. She’s been gone for almost a week now, adventuring with her friends. He didn’t like them. All the time Fluttershy was with them, she could’ve spent tending to Angel’s needs. Fortunately she would be there soon, just like she promised.
He really missed her when she was gone, even though he refused to let it show. Angel had been Fluttershy’s pet for ten years now. He remembered how much she spoiled him when he was little, devoting every second to him. Now he wondered if she had completely forgotten him, replacing him with her friends.
He knew, the moment he first saw them. He knew that they would do nothing, but try to steal his beloved owner from him and he did whatever he could to keep her with him. But was it the right thing to do?
The rain started pouring even harder than before as Angel looked down at his reflection in a puddle that had formed around him. It was not the first time he wondered if he should just let her go, to stop acting so selfishly and let her be with her friends. He was an old rabbit now, refusing to grow up. He wanted to be spoiled and pampered by that kind filly forever.
He never took his eyes of the path that led to Ponyville and kept telling himself that she’ll be there at any moment. But his conscience bothered him, telling him it would be better for her to stop coming back.
Why does she let him drag her away from what she wants to do? He wondered if he should make her understand that she doesn’t have to look after him all the time, but all the while his nature fought his conscience. A part of him wanted her all to herself. He felt tired, but didn’t want to leave his symbolic “post”. He lay down on the doorstep, not bothered by the rain or cold nor the noises coming from the overcrowded cottage. All he could think about was her.
He knew that if she didn’t come soon she had either decided to stay with her friends and forgot about him, or something happened to her, making her unable to return.
Neither of the two options thrilled him. So he waited, waited alone in cold and the rain, hoping for the best.
Angel opened his eyes. He didn’t know when it happened, but at some point he must’ve fallen asleep. Now he found himself in a warm bed, covered in multiple layers of soft blankets. It was his bed.
He was alone in Fluttershy’s room, which was strange due to the fact that it was completely overrun by animals the last time he had checked. It also didn’t smell like they were in there earlier.
He suddenly sneezed and noticed his nose was stuffed.
“Great” he thought. “Now I’ve caught a cold.”
He got angry and soon came to the conclusion that this was all Fluttershy’s fault. It was her after all, that he was forced to wait for in the rain. If she wasn’t away adventuring with her friends all the time and just stayed with him, none of this would’ve happen… He suddenly stopped. It all came back now. The realizations he had, while waiting in the rain for his loving owner, all came back to him.
He felt terrible. He had blamed it all on Fluttershy, when it was completely his fault. He wanted to make Fluttershy feel bad for making him wait for her. It was his decision that got him sick and he was not going to give her a bad time for it. Not this time. All his life he’s been acting like her only purpose was to serve him. And even though he always treated her badly she never objected. That wonderful filly never refused his ungrateful demands.
Then she entered the room. He knew she was the one who had found him sleeping on the doorstep and laid him to bed. “Oh Angel you’re awake!”
She rushed to his bed, carrying a bowl of soup. “Angel, whatever possessed you to take a nap outside in the rain?” Angel tried to respond, but he found his throat was too sore. He could barely make a sound and everything he tried resulted in a violent cough.
“Oh dear! Have you caught a cold?” She put a hoof to his forehead and quickly drew back. “You’re boiling hot! I need to get an ice pack immediately!”
She ran to the kitchen, but Angel didn’t care about that. He wasn’t going to let Fluttershy waste her time on him anymore. He had to learn to take care of himself and show her she didn’t need to worry about him all the time.
He tried climb out of bed to get the soup that she left for him on the table, but couldn’t get up. This wasn’t just a cold, that he was just going to get over in a couple of days and Angel knew it. When he tried to move, every muscle began to ache and his head started to spin. He felt nauseous and laid back down to avoid throwing up. “This is bad”, he thought.
For once in his life when he wanted to take care of himself and not be a burden to Fluttershy, he was completely helpless to do so. He knew that he had no choice now, but to let her nurse him back to health. Well… Either that or… pass away. He was struck with a crushing realization, that he might have just found his best chance to relieve his caretaker of her burdens. The thought lingered in his thoughts for a moment before drifting away as he heard hoofsteps coming his way.
Fluttershy came back with an ice pack and placed it on Angel’s head.
“There, that should help a bit, but you’re going to have to stay in bed for a while now mister.” Angel, who would normally be angered or greatly annoyed by this, lowered his eyes and avoided eye contact with her. He was angry at himself and fighting to hold back shameful tears.
“Don’t be sad Angel. I’ll be by your side the entire time. My friends can surely survive without me for a mere week. You’ll see. I’ll make you better in no time.”
A few days passed and Angel was still bound to his bed. The weather got better, but he wasn’t able to enjoy it. What was worse, that Fluttershy barely left the cottage.
She would make him soup, but it did nothing to help his burning throat and she gave him medicine, but it did nothing to help his aching head.
Angel was in constant pain, both mental and physical. It hurt him more to watch Fluttershy waste her time on him, but he knew he had to get better so he could live on his own, without Fluttershy her constantly worrying.
As time passed, his suffering grew and soon the thought that constantly kept popping in his head for the last couple of days grew more and more alluring.
Fluttershy’s friends would occasionally come and check on them. Angel ignored them, for he knew of their selfish reasons. They were here to convince Fluttershy to hurry up and heal him, so she can come with them again. Their selfishness disgusted him, but then he realized that he wasn’t much different from them, or at least he used to be.
Another week past and there were still no improvements in Angel’s condition. Fluttershy was getting desperate. Nothing like this has ever happened before. Never was she unable to cure a sick pet before and it wouldn’t give her rest. She barely ever left the cottage, staying by Angel’s side and trying everything she could to make him better.
Angel was getting more depressed every day. He vowed to himself that he would get healthy again, retaining hope and kept fighting. He managed to push the thought of giving in back, but it never quite stopped presenting itself as the better option. He had thought it over time and time again and it was clear that a burden to her or not, Fluttershy loved him and would be devastated if he gave in. The idea that dying to free her of him was pointless, if it would hurt her so much, was the one thing that kept him going.
Fluttershy, not sure of what to do next, took him to the hospital. It’s been days, even weeks since Angel left the cottage and the sunlight blinded him as he was carried out. He looked at the other animals playing happily. He never liked their company, preferring to spend his time with Fluttershy. When he gets better he’s gonna have to make some new friends. Angel frowned at the idea, but knew it would be necessary.
Nurse Redheart shook her head in disapproval. “Not good, not good at all.” She had thoroughly examined Angel and was now pacing in her office reviewing the results.
As each minute passed and the nurse kept mumbling to herself Fluttershy grew more worried until she couldn’t take it anymore. “Is Angel going to be OK? I beg you, tell me please!” Nurse Redheart stopped her pacing and looked at Fluttershy. “I’m sorry Miss, but you have to calm down, I know you’re worried but please be patient.” Fluttershy’s hooves were shaking. “Sorry. I am just so worried for my poor Angel. I just can’t stop thinking of all the terrible things that could be wrong with him.” “I can understand that, but you have to sit down and try to relax as I conclude the diagnosis. I’m sure it’s going to be just fine.” Fluttershy tried to smile, but could only manage a barely audible “sorry” and “thank you” before sitting down shakily.
Angel looked around the office, observing the various medical tools. After finishing the diagnosis Nurse Redheart took Fluttershy to a different room, leaving Angled by himself in her office.
He could hear talking, but it was too muffled by the walls to understand anything. He simply waited. He didn’t know what he should expect to hear when they come back, or how he will feel about the news. He wasn’t scared, but definitely felt uneasy although not knowing why.
He kept waiting and as they seemed to take forever he started to feel his eyelids becoming heavy. Before he knew it he was asleep, breathing uneasily, for the expectation of the news they would bring back still troubled his mind.
Angel woke up, opening his eyes to a wide grinned Fluttershy. She just sat there with a smile bigger than anything he’s ever seen. Angel looked at her quizzically.
“I've got some great news Angel! You’re going to be OK! The nurse told me so!” He’s never seen her so excited and couldn’t help but smile. “The nurse said you must have caught a cold, while you were out in the rain and that made it easier for you to catch some sort of virus. Once she found out what it was she easily figured out how to cure you. Isn’t that great?” Fluttershy was glowing now, filling Angel with relief. He was finally going to leave the cottage and spare Fluttershy's worries. “All you have to do is take this medicine she gave me every day and you should be yourself in one week! I was so worried for you Angel, but now you’re ok and I promise I’ll never let this happen again.”
Angel froze, focusing on what she was saying.
“This all happened because you weren’t with me that day, but don’t worry. I promise I’ll never leave your side again. I’ll take you with me when I go out with my friends and if it’s going to be anything dangerous, we’ll just stay home and do something together just the two of us. Doesn’t that sound great Angel?” She kept smiling all this time. Angel fought his tears back, hiding his face from Fluttershy.
She just won’t let him go. He knew know what he had to do and was more determined than ever before in his entire life. He managed to push back the tears and looked at Fluttershy. “Does that sound ok Angel?” He painfully managed to put on a smile and nod.
The week passed quickly. Fluttershy was her cheerful self again, attending to the other animals which she has been neglecting for Angel’s sake all this time. All she did for Angel now was bring him food and give him the pills that Nurse Redheart gave her. There were no visible changes in Angel’s behavior, but he was seemingly getting a bit better.
A week passed before she knew it and Fluttershy found herself excitedly getting out of bed and started preparing breakfast for Angel. She had already planned a picnic with her friends and their pets too. She was sure Angel would love seeing them again.
She grabbed his breakfast and made her way To Angel’s bedside. “That’s strange, he’s still asleep. Was he so excited to get better that he was up all night?” She looked around the room to see if there was any indication that Angel was out of bed earlier. That was when something caught her eye.
She approached the nearby flower she had laid her eyes upon, but suddenly froze when she identified what had caught her attention. There were small white pallets partly buried in the dirt of the flowerpot. She shivered as she brushed the dirt off and her hooves gave out when her fear was proven to be true.
“A-a-a… Angel?” she nudged him, but he didn’t stir. Her eyes started to overflow with tears and even though her vision was cloudy, she could still make out a faint smile on her precious Angel bunny’s now stone cold face.
