The Last Goodbye
"What do you mean it's getting worse!" A tall navy blue earth pony yelled. His voice was deep and held anger as he glared at the nurse who had to break the news to her.
The nurse shrunk back in fear from the volume of his voice. The tone's harshness didn't have to be heard for the nurse to know of his anger, but she had to break the news somehow and doing it through a letter would take too long. The nurse had to shield herself with her clipboard, her uniform was almost a pearl white along with the cover on her head. Her nameplate said "Redheart", but the veteran nurse has never had to give news like this.
"She's getting sicker by the day; we've tried everything to help, but nothing seemed to work. I'm sorry Mr. Blue Jay, I really am, but it's time you say goodbye," Redheart said as she left, the pounding in her chest from the adrenaline coursing through her veins felt like a river. Never in her life has she ever had to deliver such horrible news to a family member of a patient. It hurt her to know that this is how she had tried everything, but only succeeded in making it get worse.
Blue Jay couldn't help but let out a tear as he stood outside of the room his sister was currently in. The news minutes ago scared him as he thought about just how he promised his mom and dad that he'd look after her after they died of old age. It was a miracle that his sister was even born, but he did everything in his power to raise her correctly.
His teary-eyes looked a few feet in front of him – right where Redheart stood when he was given the awful news. He wanted to scream, he wanted to break down crying, he wanted to curse this Celestia damned planet for what it was taking away from him, but he stood there; silently sobbing as he tried to get it out of his system before he went to see his sister, Sunny Meadow.
He stayed there as cried, helpless to help his only remaining family from death. He could still remember how she smiled when she was initiated into the Cutie Mark Crusaders a few months before. That carefree smile he adored and that innocent laugh that she always did when she was playing with her friends. He remembered how she was the loudest to cheer when he got his degree in ornithology two years prior. He remembered everything he did for her and now he's about to see the most important thing in his life get taken away.
He eventually stopped crying as he dried his fur and covered his eyes with sunglasses. He didn't want his sister to see him crying after everything she's been through in the past few months. Each part of him wanted to hold on to her and never let go; spirit and all, but that was impossible. He buried his desires and put up a fake smile to complete his facade to not worry his little sister.
He looked at her and couldn't help but smile softly as the fading sunlight cascaded over her erect form. The young filly had to be about five or six years old now since her birthday was the next day. Her skinny, frail build was an outcome of staying in bed all day and not getting the exercise she use to. Her bright yellow fur was a stark contrast to her brothers that was almost black with how dark it was. The patient's gown she was wearing was a bluish-green which was what her eyes matched. Her silver mane reflected the sun's light easily and made her look like an angel in its glow.
Blue Jay walked in with his facade slipping a little as his sister admired the children playing outside. His hooves made light clicking sounds as they made contact with the white tile floors. He looked out the window to see an unbreakable pair outside.
"Snips and Snails are always up to something, aren't they?" Blue Jay said as the two reenacted a scene from one of Trixie's preferences, but he was fine with it as long as they didn't bring in another Ursa Minor, or Celestia forbid a Major.
Sunny Meadow's head faced in his direction as he gave her a smile that seemed to give her some hope. Her response was to beam the same smile he had as she held out her arms for a hug. He immediately did so as his sister tried to wrap her small arms around him.
Releasing her brother from the hug, she said, "Yup! They always play there and talk to me when you're at work, so I don't get lonely." He chuckled an almost hollow chuckle but kept up the fake face for her. His heart was breaking in two, but what good would it do him to lose it all now.
"I see that the class has been here." Blue Jay didn't know what he was talking about anymore. He did, however, notice that there was plenty of get well cards, flowers, and even balloons. He picked one up and read it to himself.
Hope you get well as soon as possible.
Fellow Crusaders,
Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo
"Yes, they were, and Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon weren't mean to me! I think they're " reforming"." She let out a laugh from the word. She never thought she'd use that word in the same sentence with Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon.
"They didn't harass you, did they?" He asked making sure that they didn't try to make her feel bad about the situation she was in. Those two had a mean streak that borderlines total sociopathic tendencies. He wouldn't be surprised if they bullied her without her knowing. His sister was just too innocent to understand most of their taunting.
"Har-ass?" She asked with that same innocent look and that head tilt. It was always the same when a word she didn't know. "No, but they did say that I should get my Cutie Mark here while I have the chance, but I told them that I can't walk." That made his blood boil at the two for telling someone to get something out of her reach. She wasn't even near the age of those who normally get them.
"Actually, since your birthday is coming up tomorrow, why don't I do something for you for this special occasion, I'll do anything," He said as he kneeled down to her level, his smile now genuinely happy since the entire visit.
"There is one thing. You promised something when you graduated from college." She paused for a second, her eyes downcast from the question that he's constantly told her no, but hoped that he'll say yes this time. "Can I see the birds with you." She felt a knot form in her stomach as she anticipated the answer and she didn't like it.
"I did say anything, didn't I. Sure I'll ask the front desk if I can take you tonight." He said before getting up, the birds he studied were skittish so he needed to prepare so she got something.
"But what if the doctors won't let you take me?" The seemingly easy question actually stumped him. If they said no, he wouldn't be able to help her.
An idea came to mind since he was beginning to lose his sense of the law. "Then I'll sneak you out. I'll show you those birds one way or another." With that, he left to do what he needed to do. First off, he needed to visit one of his partners to help. Next, he would have to close off the area to his other partner. Finally, he had to get Sunny Meadow there.
He came upon the front desk, the receptionist typing away at the newest invention created by the Griffin Kingdom. It was called a computer and it allowed a multitude of information to be stored on it. The receptionist was a black-furred female thestral with the same uniform as Nurse Redheart.
"Excuse me ma'am, but I was to take out a patient later tonight. Her name is Sunny Meadow." The receptionist stole a glance for a second before returning back to her computer and typing a few keys.
"Sorry, sir, but she isn't registered for temporary leave." She responded as her flat look didn't help to relieve the growing dread in his heart.
"Please, tomorrow is her birthday and her condition is getting worse. She asked me to take her to see the birds I study. Please, please, let her leave." She mare looked up, the slightest hit of sadness spread across her face, but she knew she had to remain with her principles.
"I'm sorry sir, but I could lose my job by doing this." Her concern was understandable since he knew the hard work nurses had to go through to become nurses. But he was willing to risk it all for his sister.
"Then lie and say I snuck her out!" His loud whisper was easily heard, but no one in the room could make out what he said. Some didn't even acknowledge him while others looked at him for a second before going back to their business. "Please, this could be her last birthday and I want her to enjoy every second of it. She's been asking for years to come visit me while I work and watch them. Please, just let me do this for my sister."
"Sir, your not just going to possibly take a slap on the wrist, but probably twenty years in prison." It was true, unlike in most countries, Equestria would force the individual to stay there for their own safety and it was a hefty price to pay if someone got caught.
"I don't care. I'll take anything the law will throw at me. I just want my sister to be happy." She stayed quiet as she began to think about what she should do. She began to think of the negative outcomes if this went wrong, but luckily, there wasn't any way for someone to spy on them unless it was a talented unicorn.
"Fine, but I won't back you up if you get caught." She thought the world glowed brighter from his smile. He was extremely happy with his answer, even if he would be thrown under the bus if caught.
"Thank you. I'll make it up to you someday Nurse..."
"Silent Care. I hope everything goes well Mr..."
"Blue Jay, and thanks." Now all he needed to do was talk to both Fluttershy and Twilight Sparkle. Hopefully, they wouldn't just do the exact opposite of what he asks this time as they've done in the past when they first joined.
There were a million ways for this to go wrong, but that didn't matter to him, so he began to enact his plan with a happy skip in his step.
Everything was done, he got his sister out, and as he walked down the street with his sister on his back, he couldn't help but notice some of the dim lights coming from the houses. He didn't see anything within, but that could be attributed to the late hour he had decided to take his sister.
It was almost midnight and he needed to get to White Tail Woods as fast as possible without attracting attention. That was the main reason he left at such a late time, but there were a few who had a bit of a nightlife with the most known being Pinkie Pie and Vinyl Scratch; the resident party ponies.
Luckily, he didn't run into either as he walked to his observation ground where he observed the behaviors of the Blue Jays and many other birds. It was a place where he came to relax when he needed to the most and it helps from time to time. The moonlight cast a light blue glow over the small clearing as birds of all shapes and sizes came to greet the young stallion.
"Hey," Jay said as he slightly moved the sleeping filly to wake her up. "It's time to wake up." Said filly began to stir in her sleep as she slowly woke up. Her tired mind never fully waking up as she got weaker by the second.
"Where are we?" She said, her soft voice sounding horse form lack of moisture she could feel in her mouth. It was a far cry from her normal happy and innocent tone she always had.
"You said you wanted to see the birds I loved to watch, so here we are." He slowly put her on the ground as the animals got closer to her. They're curious gazes we're transfixed on the young filly as they got closer and closer.
Many flew in to inspect her and see why she was there, but when seeing that she couldn't hurt them that began to land on her gently and some even nuzzled her affectionately. It helped that the stallion they always saw was behind her and keeping her proper up since she was too weak to do so her self.
She struggled to pull up an arm and allow a bird to land on it. Her blurry vision could only make out the dark blue and small amounts of black it had on it.
"Jay, what's this bird?" Sunny asked as the older sibling looked at it for a second and chuckled. Tears rolled down his face as gave a smile to alleviate any fear. It was mostly meant for him instead of her.
"It's a Blue Jay. A newly hatched one at that?" The bird flew away as she lowered her finger as a content smile seemed to brighten up the clearing. Blue Jay's heart ached as her breathing became more labored.
"Hey, Jay," Sunny said without looking up, but she didn't need to. He looked down at her with that same smile; tears fell on her neatly brushed mane.
"Yes." He answered without a single moment of hesitation.
"Can you sing me something?" His heart ached even more as he thought of the perfect song. He would sing it to her when he was away and had a babysitter look after her.
"Sure."
"I have a dream,
I hope will come true,
That you're here with me,
And I'm here with you.
I wish that the earth, sea, and the sky up above
Will send you someone to love."
"Thank you, big brother," Sunny said as she slowly lost all feeling in her body. His brother hugged her tight as if it would keep her there with him. "I love you."
"I love you too." She slowly went comply limp as he dropped his fake smile and her out a whale of despair as the town bell rang as the hour and minute hand struck twelve. Softly, he said something, "Happy birthday, my shining sun."