A Friend to the End

by Altoid

Rating: teen
Tags: Human, Sad, Main 6, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Length: 5364

How far will a father go just to see his daughter happy? How far will he go if the world is bent on dragging him down? There is no greater test to have someone you love fade away when you can't do anything except hope.

How far will a father go just to see his daughter happy? How far will he go if the world is bent on dragging him down?

There is no greater test to have someone you love fade away when you can't do anything except hope.

-
Art by totallynotabrony

Published 2014-02-15 05:50:05 UTC
Last updated 2014-02-15 05:50:05 UTC

Chapter 1

Author's Note

Hello everyone. Due to a lack of editors there might be mistakes. Please point them out to me. I also didn't have many people to give me opinions on the story itself so I need to know how much is wrong with the actual plot.

Thank you- Altoid

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

She smiled at me from across the restaurant table and I smiled back. I had finished my egg sandwich but her pancakes were only halfway gone and she didn’t seem to be finishing them. I playfully snuck my hand across the table, though she could obviously see what I was doing, and tried to steal her breakfast. Her smile widened and she pulled her plate away from me and started to eat.

“My food!” she giggled with her mouth full.

I acted like I was sad and pouted out my bottom lip. “But Sarah, I’m hungry.”

My daughter frowned. “I guess you can have a little.”

She let me cut a bite of her pancakes. I rubbed my belly. “Mmm, those are good.”

Sarah turned towards the third member of our party; a small My Little Pony plushie that I had bought for her several months ago. I didn’t watch the show but Sarah did and she brought the stuffed toy, which apparently was named Pinkie Pie, everywhere. A plate full of jelly toast sat in front of the toy, untouched.

“Are you not hungry?” she asked the toy. “You need to eat, Pinkie Pie. Daddy, I think she isn’t feeling good.”

“Uh oh,” I said. “Well she did have a big supper last night.”

Sarah nodded. “Oh yeah, she did.”

I smiled softly. “Are you ready to go sweetheart?”

She nodded then asked the pony, “Are you ready to go too?”

Sarah waited for an answer that only she could hear, then picked the pony up and hugged it closely. I stood and picked my daughter up and she gave me a kiss on my cheek as I set her down in her wheelchair.

Seven Months Earlier

She lay motionless on the hospital bed next to me. I held my little girl’s hand as the doctor gave me the news.

“Eric, we found tumors on her thalamic and several other locations in her brain and brainstem,” He whispered, afraid to wake her. “We don’t believe she will ever walk normally again and it will most likely get worse. By the looks of it, she has had the cancer for a while. She will start to develop many problems as the months go by.”

I looked at Sarah’s face, so peaceful. I readjusted a strand of her brown hair and sighed, fighting the tears.

“Are you sure there is nothing you can do to help her?” I pleaded.

He shook his head. “Kemo might help but it’s too far into the stages that it wouldn’t fix anything. I am sorry.”

“Daddy,” I heard my daughter whisper. Our conversation must have awakened her. “My head hurts again.”

I kissed her forehead. “It’s okay, I’ll get you some medicine then later we can go to the store and buy you a toy. Whatever kind of toy you want.”

She closed her eyes and smiled. “Okay, daddy.”

Present Day

“Pinkie Pie wants to go see a movie,” Sarah said as we pulled out of the parking lot. “Can we daddy?”

I looked into the rearview mirror at her. “Of course we can.”

She gave a happy cheer and started up a one sided conversation with her toy. I listened to her talk to her pony about silly little topics. The words chimicherry and cherrychanga popped up occasionally.

“Daddy,” she asked. “Can you make me and Pinkie Pie some cherrychangas? Or, chimicherries?”

“I don’t know what those are sweetheart.” I smiled back at her. I had my suspicions though and a chimicherrychanga thing sounded good.

“Is it okay if I tell daddy your secret recipe?” Sarah asked the toy. “I can? Daddy, a chimicherry is a chimichanga with cherries in it.”

“Oh,” I couldn’t help but admire how well she was saying such long words. “Those sound tasty.”

Sarah nodded. “Pinkie Pie says they are.”

She went back to her previous discussion with the toy. To anybody else who witnessed her conversations with the pony would most likely believe that she was a child with a wild imagination.
I wish that was true.

Five Months Ago

I had been unable to deliver on my promise to buy Sarah any toy she wanted for two months due to her rapidly deteriorating condition. Hallucinations, nightmares and seizures plagued my little girl until miraculously her health started to improve. She gained enough strength to act a little more like a child once again and the days were filled with a little more laughter. Sarah was far from healed but the large majority of the problems lapsed to the point where I could finally take her out of the house without fear of her seizing, going unconscious or screaming in terror from something that didn’t exist.

We went to her favorite toy store and she looked around excitedly at the countless items that I could buy her. Sarah bounced up and down in her wheelchair as I maneuvered through the aisles. Everything she showed the slightest interest in I picked up and put in the basket. My daughter deserved more than just one toy.

Then Sarah went silent and stared wide eyed at a lone, pink, stuffed toy on a shelf. I watched her, slightly worried. But she seemed to be listening to something.

Then she cheerfully spoke to the toy, “Hi, Pinkie Pie. My name is Sarah.”

My daughter picked up the pony, listening to the silence once again. “I think you can come live with me. Daddy, can she come live with us?”

She held up the toy and peered up at me expectantly. I thought she was just playing around. My little girl had a vivid imagination so this seemed normal.

“Of course you can take Pinkie Pie home.”

Present Day

It was a weekday so the theatre wasn’t busy. Sarah pointed excitedly at a poster for the new My Little Pony movie. We approached the window where a teenager was standing with a bored look on his face.

“Can we see the 3D one?” Sarah asked.

I shook my head. “3D makes you sick, remember?”

“Oh yeah,” she sighed sadly. “I don’t like it when I get sick.”

I booped her nose. “I don’t like it when you get sick either.”

“Welcome to Big Studio Cinemas, “ the teen greeted.

“Three tickets for My Little Pony in 2D,” I said, handing him thirty dollars. Two for me and Sarah, the other for Pinkie Pie.

He looked at the pair of us, obviously confused. Then decided that the third part of our group would probably be coming in later and that is why I had ordered an extra ticket.

“Thank you,” I said and we entered the theatre.

Four Months Ago

“She thinks it is alive,” I explained to the nurse as we stood outside of Sarah’s hospital room. My daughter sat inside the room with her toy, having a conversation with it. “I-I don’t know what to do.”

The nurse shook her head. “I don’t think there is anything you can or should do. She seems perfectly happy with her new friend. I believe it would be best not to take away something that brings light into her painful world.”

I understood what she meant. Sarah had been a completely new girl after the pony joined our family. She rarely complained of headaches and the seizures were happening less often. And there was her smile, something that rarely happened before I bought the toy now was a daily event. I would do anything to keep my daughter smiling. Sarah even told me one time that Pinkie Pie told her that smiles make you feel better. I always told her yes and that staying happy would make her better.

But it didn’t alleviate the pain I felt to see my daughter slowly lose her mind.

Present Day

Sarah seemed to be enjoying the movie, with her small bag of popcorn and drink. The pony sat in her own seat next to her, staring blankly at the screen with its own bag of candy. I didn’t watch a large percentage of the show. Most of my time was spent keeping an eye on Sarah to make sure that she didn’t laps into a seizure due to the multiple, bright colors flashing on the screen. Typical young girl movie. Whenever Pinkie Pie was on screen though I could see the excitement in Sarah’s eyes double.

I couldn't help but feel at ease that the character she heard in her head was such a fun and happy individual.

The show was nearing the end when suddenly she let out a pained gasp. I looked and saw her start to shake uncontrollably. Damnit, she almost made it through the whole thing this time. I lifted her up and took her out of the theatre. Her seizure soon stopped and she looked around anxiously for her toy which I handed to her.

She hugged the pony. “That was scary, wasn't it Pinkie Pie? Can we see the rest of the movie daddy?”

“Sorry sweetheart,” I pushed her wheelchair towards the exit, immensely happy that the seizure was only a minor one. “I will rent it for us to finish when it comes out on DVD. Okay?”

She shrugged, downcast. “I guess so.”

The ride home was mostly uneventful other than the happy conversations Sarah was having with her toy. I hadn’t listened to the radio for several weeks. Her imaginative discussions always kept me entertained. Though at the same time it reminded me of the whole thing behind it all.

Two Months Ago

The pictures on the wall showed nearly a dozen large masses in her brain. That morning Sarah had difficulties waking up. An increasing problem the past few weeks.

“They’re growing again,” the doctor told me. “More rapidly than before and a few small ones have also popped up.”

My breathing and heartbeat quickened. It was too soon! I wasn’t ready for our time together to end. “How much longer does she have?”

“Weeks, maybe a month.” He wiped sweat from his forehead. “If you are lucky, maybe more.”

My mind was going numb. “What should I do? I’m so lost.”

He put his hand on my shoulder. “Take her home and make the last months of her life the best time for both of you. Live like everyday is her last one.”

I took his advice and that was exactly what I did. Even though I still cried every night as she slept in her often nightmare filled dreams.

But her pony was always next to her. Occasionally, when Sarah would toss and turn in some painful part of her mind, I would see her hug the pony closely and her breaths would quickly calm. Whenever one of my actions to soothe her pain failed, somehow that wonderful toy succeeded.

If only it could cure her.

Present Day

Sarah hugged me one last time before I tucked her into bed. I then placed the pink toy pony next her and she cuddled with it. I prayed, like I always did, that this night would be free of nightmares and that I would be able to wake her up easily tomorrow morning. I kissed her forehead and stood to leave but she stopped me.

“Daddy,” she said. “Pinkie Pie says that we are going on a vacation soon and I am sad.”

I was puzzled at this. I had no plans to go on vacation because I would be too far from her doctor if something went wrong. But perhaps I could think of something if that was what she wanted to do.

I was also confused on another topic. “Why does that make you sad?”

She hugged the pony close to her chest and sighed. “She says that only I can go on this vacation and you can't come with me. I don’t want to go anywhere without you, daddy.”

My heart caught in my throat. I screamed in my mind that she wasn’t talking about the end. I tried to reassure myself that it was a vacation, that we were going to have fun and she was going to be fine.

Tears started to form in my eyes and I tried my best to hide them from her. “Don’t worry, Sarah. I will meet you there a little while after you arrive. We will go on the best vacation ever.”

“I like that idea. I don’t want to go without you.”

I knelt down and pulled my daughter into a hug. I didn't want to let her go, ever again. The tears ran down my cheeks freely now.

“No, that vacation doesn't sound like a bad idea.” I whispered through my shaky voice. “It doesn’t sound like a bad idea at all.”

I kissed her forehead when she eventually drifted off to sleep in my arms and hesitantly walked out of her room, fearing that this would be the last time I would see her alive.

That night I prayed harder than I have ever before for something, someone, to help her. For one last miracle before I lost her.

-

I lay in bed with a mind too full for sleep. On the edge of my thought there was a soft noise, like a church bell chiming midnight. In my sleep deprived state I took the tolling as an evil omen. But through my thoughts I realised that the nearest bell tower was downtown and I tilted my head over to look at my alarm clock to read the time as 10:17. A time that no bell ever told.

The bell continued to ring. Sounding at first like a distant echo but progressively growing louder. I sat up and peered out of my window, expecting to see the source of the ringing but only a passing truck met my eyes. Delirium brought on by lack of sleep became the next possible cause of the bell. Perhaps it was only my stressed mind.

Then the ringing stopped and I returned to bed. No sooner had my head hit the pillow did it start up again. But now it sounded like it was all around me and growing louder. It felt as if I was inside the bell itself. The walls started to shake as I stumbled out of my room and towards Sarah’s. I threw open the door to find her sitting up and staring at the wall at some invisible spectacle. I rushed to her side and wrapped my arms around her just as the bell reached deafening pitch.

Suddenly, silence. I looked up and noticed my daughter was still watching the wall. I followed her gaze and my heart stopped. The wall had disappeared! Beyond I could see a flowering meadow with distant hills and a the beginnings of a soft sunrise. I was dumbstruck and frozen in my wonder. Clearly I had lost my mind.

Sarah squirmed her way out of my arms and grabbed her pony plush before I could stop her. I jumped up after my daughter but she came to a halt anyway at the edge of her room and the unknown land beyond. I stood next to her and looked out over the meadow with confused and bewildered thoughts running through my head.

I felt Sarah put her hand into mine. “Come daddy.”

She hobbled ahead on weak legs but I stayed at the edge. “Sarah wait!”

My daughter gave me no heed as she continued to half run half stumble, barefoot through the flowers as the sun crested over the distant hills. I decided to follow after her. I too was barefoot and the dewy grass was cold yet soft under my feet.

“Sarah, hey-wait for me!” I caught up with her as she was picking a few flowers. “Don’t run off like that!”

I couldn’t help but feel happy as well. But that joy was quickly diminished when I looked back the way we came. The bedroom had disappeared leaving us in this unknown land. Since I was coming to the realisation that this was nothing more than a dream, though one that was very vivid nonetheless, no panic came to my heart. The sight of my daughter happy made me happy and only that mattered.

We picked flowers and played for what felt like hours until the sun had risen high above. I hadn’t seen her this joyful and healthy feeling in a long time. It was as if the place we found ourselves in held some magical property and it started to affect me. I felt younger, happier and all my cares had fallen away. But it all came screaming back when I heard her give a watery cough.

“Sarah!” I knelt down beside her and saw the onset of another bloody nose. I wiped it away and picked her up. “Come, lets go home.”

“But our vacation...” she started to speak but fell silent. She twitched slightly before drifting into unconsciousness.

“Sarah?” I lifted her eyelid and her pupils drifted up: unseeing. Her breaths were quickly becoming labored and slow. Panic finally gripped my heart.

This dream was turning quickly into a nightmare. I willed myself to wake up but to no avail. Even in a dreamlike place of beauty and peace, my daughter was dying.

Chapter 2

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I had drifted off into thoughts about what my dream could have waiting for me when I felt Sarah start to shake. Her muscles were tense and eyes rolled back.

Twilight gasped. “What’s happening to her?”

“A seizure.” I tried to take her plush to set it under her head as a pillow but her hands held onto it tightly. I pulled it free, causing the left front leg to rip. A small amount of stuffing fell to the floor as I placed the toy under her head.

“What do we do?” Twilight whimpered.

“Nothing really that we can do except wait for it to pass.”

Thankfully the seizure didn’t last long but Sarah remained unconscious.

‘That’s it,’ I thought to myself. ‘I’m done.’

I stood, quickly left the car and made my way to the back of the train. I opened the rear door and stood on the platform that overlooked the rails passing quickly below. I wondered if it would hurt before I stepped forward and fell.

“No!” someone screamed from behind me.

I stopped in mid air, a purple glow suspending me. My face hovered mere inches from the tracks. I cursed loudly as I was pulled back onto the train. This dream really didn’t want me to go! The purple glow released me and I spun around to face a horrified Twilight.

“Why did you do that?” I spat.

“Why did you do that?” she shot back.

“I need to get out of this place and you won't let me!”

“You still think- this isn’t...” she struggled to find words. “Look, I don’t care if you think this is a dream, and I don’t think I can convince you otherwise. But your daughter is in there and she needs you. Are you really going to abandon her so easily?”

“She isn’t real!” I screamed. “You're not real! This place isn’t real! Next thing I know my wife is going to appear next to me and I’m going to have to watch her die all over again! This nightmare seems to want only to torture me. I am done!”

The pony’s mouth hung open. “Your- your wife?”

“Yeah, my life is shit. I don’t need the pain to follow me into my mind.”

She remained silent but I could tell that she was about to cry. I suddenly felt bad for my words and actions. I didn’t understand why. I still believed it was a dream and the figments of my imagination, who had no feelings, meant nothing to me. Or so I thought.

I sighed. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” she replied. “I can’t begin to try and understand the pain you must be in. But you can’t just give up.”

I opened my mouth to argue the fact that this was still just a dream but decided against it.

“Will you come back inside?” Twilight asked, her voice full of hope.

I chewed my lip and responded slowly. “Yeah, sure. I’ll come inside.”

Sarah was awake when I entered the car. I sat back down next to her and she looked up at me with sad, questioning eyes.

“Where did you hurry off to?” Applejack inquired.

“He just went out to get some fresh air,” Twilight answered for me.

“Daddy.” Sarah held up the toy pony. “Pinkie Pie’s leg is ripped. Can you fix it?”

“I can fix it!” Rarity rummaged around in one of her bags before trotting over magically holding a needle and pink thread.

Sarah handed her toy to Rarity and the pony looked over it for a minute.

“Oh my, this will not do.” Rarity tossed her thread back into the bag. “The color of the thread and the toy don’t match.”

‘So?’ I asked mentally.

Pinkie Pie plucked one of her curly hairs from her mane and gave it to Rarity. “Will this work?”

“Oh most definitely!” Rarity quickly started to mend the plush.

I watched her work while occasionally taking glances at Twilight. The unicorn looked back with thought filled eyes.

“There,” Rarity exclaimed as she cut the makeshift thread. “All it needs is some final touches.”

The fashion pony took a purple ribbon and tied it around the toys leg, like a makeshift bandage. She inspected it for a moment longer before returning the plush to its owner. Sarah took her best friend happily and gave it a hug.

“Thank you, Rarity!”

“Yes,” I said. A smile was returning to my face. “Thank you very much. You have no idea how much that thing means to her.”

A door behind me slid open and a voice called through the car. “We will be arriving at the Canterlot station in five minutes!”

That was another thing that was starting to bother me with this dream. Usually your mind would skip to the important parts of the story but not this time. Everything was happening and my brain was actually creating filler for what usually would have been a blackout.

“Eric.” Applejack pulled my attention back to the situation and I saw that she was pointing at my daughter’s eyes. “Somethin’ isn’t right.”

‘Something isn’t right’ was an understatement. Sarah stared blankly into the distance. The tired expression she had worn the entire time we had been here was more evident now than ever.

“Sarah, baby?” I caressed her face in my hands but she gave no reply. “Sarah? Speak to my, honey.”

Her eyes slowly moved but they were unseeing and stared off into the space behind me. A thin stream of blood started to trickle from her nose.

“My...” she slowly said. “head...hurts.”

Almost immediately Sarah’s eyes rolled back and she went limp. I laid her back down and felt for a breath and pulse. I was relieved when I felt both.

“The train is stopping,” Rainbow Dash stated.

I didn’t move. Twilight approached and stood next to me. Despite focusing most of my attention on my daughter I could still notice that the pony was hesitant about speaking to me. She was probably worried that I was going to run off and kill myself.

Twilight placed a hoof on my shoulder. “We should take her to the palace as quickly as we can.”

“Of course,” I hissed. In my mind I was raging at the dream. At how it was tearing me apart.

I lifted Sarah and followed the ponies out of the train and into Canterlot. We started at a swift walk but we soon broke into a jog. Ponies watched us pass but I gave them no heed. Sarah was starting to feel cold and heavy in my arms.

“Halt!” A stern voice demanded and the eight of us stopped. I glared at the two pony guards that barred our way.

“We need to see Celestia!” Twilight nearly screamed.

“I am sorry Twilight Sparkle,” the armored stallion replied all the while eying me suspiciously. “Celestia is currently busy right now. We didn’t expect you to arrive so soon. You can come back in two hours.”

“But we don’t have two hours!” Rainbow Dash growled.

I was no longer going to sit back and let this dream have the last laugh. There was no way I was going to let my daughter die in my arms when we were so close to the goal. Even if the plan forming in my head didn’t work perhaps I could be killed, and released from the dream, by one of the spears the ponies on the ramparts above were carrying.

Without hesitation I shoved one of the guards into the wall, knocking him unconscious, and rushed past the second. Before anyone could react I was through the doorway and running through the hall.

Somewhere in the building a bell tolled and a voice rang out, “Intruder in the palace!”

I had no idea where I was going but I carried on through the white stone hall. The fractured light from the stain glass window danced across the floor and my daughter’s pale face. A wide door stood at the other end and I reached it quickly, threw it open and was unexpectedly knocked to the ground by a guard that had hid himself on the other side.

Trying my best to protect Sarah, I turned and fell onto my back. My vision blurred with rage as more guards entered the room and surrounded me. I rose up onto my knees.

“Come on!” I stood still cradling Sarah in my arms. “Kill me already! I just want out of this hell!”

All I got was confused glances from the ponies. A few stepped forward uneasily but the rest stayed back. My anger quickly gave way and I sank back to the floor, defeated. I laid Sarah softly on the floor and brushed away her short messy hair with my hand. My little girl looked like she was sleeping. Her cold face was so peaceful and a barely noticeable breath escaped her lips.

“You win!” My anger returned again but this time it was directed at any greater power that controlled the universe. “You win! Quit toying with me! Just end this nightmare already!”

“No one is toying with you.” A kind voice cut in.

I looked up as a tall white pony approached through the crowd of armored guards. She stared at me with a stern yet kind expression. Twilight and her friends filed in behind her.

“I’m inclined to believe otherwise.” I wanted to stand up and punch somebody but instead remained calm.

Celestia nodded. “I understand why you would believe that. Twilight and her friends told me what has been happening as we hurried here.”

“Then put me out of my misery.”

“I will not.” Celestia approached and stood next to me. “All you want in life is to see your daughter healthy and happy.”

“More than anything.”

The princess looked down at Sarah and gave a sad smile. “I am not promising a miracle but I do believe we can help you and more importantly, help her.”

A cruel chuckle escaped my lips. “Perhaps in this dream but she is still going to die someday after I wake.”

Celestia’s expression didn’t change. “All you need in life is faith and hope that your daughter will be healed.”

“Faith and hope has gotten me nothing but a broken heart.” I couldn’t believe how hard this dream was trying.

“Please, Eric,” I looked into her eyes and saw sincerity. I could feel my pain fall away slightly. She continued, “have hope one last time. For the sake of your daughter. That is all I ask.”

I nodded slowly as Celestia motioned for Twilight and her friends.

“I will need your help,” Celestia said. “We will need the Elements of Harmony.”

I lifted Sarah into my arms. Suddenly Pinkie Pie chimed up.

“Oh! You dropped this!” She trotted up and gave me Sarah’s toy. “Don’t want to leave this behind when you guys go home.”

“Thanks,” I replied as I placed the plush into my daughters arms. I kissed Sarah’s forehead and whispered, “we're going home.”

My eyes didn’t leave her face, even as the room filled with light. I felt my pain and hurts start to fall away as the light washed around us.

I sat up out of bed and looked around my room. I was home and a wave of relief rushed over me. After sitting in silence for a while I jumped up and made my way towards Sarah’s room. I took a calming breath before quietly opening her door.

She lay in her bed in a deep sleep and her Pinkie Pie plush wrapped firmly in her arms. I walked over to her bedside and kissed her forehead.

“I will never give up hope for you.”

Fourteen Years Later

The photo was of me and Sarah. She sat happily on my knee holding her Pinkie Pie plush with a smile of simple happiness. I tried not to think of the old days. They brought back too many painful memories. I sighed then put the photo away.

After sitting on my bed for a while I stood and made my way to Sarah’s room. It had changed little. Her Pinkie Pie plush was still sitting on her bed and the sight of it pulled forth another memory. I still didn't know if that was a dream or what but life was never the same after it. I picked the toy up and looked at it. On its leg was a purple ribbon hiding skilled needlework.

“Maybe one day I can go back and thank them,” I whispered. “If they were real.”

The sound of the front door opening and nimble footsteps running up the stairs snapped me out of my thoughts. I turned around just as a lovely young woman appeared in the doorway. A puzzled expression flashed across her face before she started to laugh.

“Oh, dad!” Sarah ran up to me and gave me a strong hug. “The college is only forty miles away. There’s no need to get all sentimental now! You can come visit me whenever.”

I hugged her back. “You know me, I worry too much. Promise me again that you will go to your doctor appointments.”

“Do I have too?” she pouted. “The cancer is gone and no sign of has been seen of it for years now. Can I skip a few appointments at least?”

“No.”

“Okay, fine.”

I held up the Pinkie Pie plush. “Do you want to bring this with you?”

She took it from me and stared at it. I could tell a memory was flashing behind her eyes.

Sarah never told me if she had the dream. She also never asked where the ribbon came from. I believed she put it there and she probably believed that I put it there. But I couldn’t help but wonder If somebody else we met at a faraway town put it there.

“Nah.” She gave it back to me. “I have often wondered why I still keep it. I guess it has always been such a good friend to me.”

“Yes it has.” I placed it carefully back onto the bed. “It was always your best friend.”

“Not my best friend,” Sarah said as she gave me one last hug. “It has never been a better friend than you.”

Author's Note

So concludes another story/experiment by me. Please give me feedback as long as it's information that can improve my writings.

Thank you so much again- Altoid