And The Stars Shone Brighter
The day Blue Lightning got that letter, his soul splintered again. His father, a pegasus by the name of Mercurial Thunder, was very ill. His parents had never seen eye-to-eye after Red had manifested, and they split up. He loved them both dearly, however. Despite everything, despite every reason they might have had to worsen his life, they took steps to ensure it impacted him as little as possible. Between sharing custody until Blue was fit to go out on his own, to his dad teaching him to fly, to every tender moment they shared. Each and every second was dear to Blue. So when Blue received a letter saying his father had terminal cancer, he was broken. He took leave from weather patrol, and went to stay in Cloudsdale for as long as it took.
Every day, Blue sat by his father's side. Between getting him things, changing ice packs, and whatever else Merc asked him to do, he obeyed without a second thought. His father was always kind, strong, and dependable. He was probably the best dad in Equestria, if not the world. Of course Blue did everything in his power to make his dad's last days comfortable. Once even, the otherwise evil and ambitious Red came through and spoke tender words to who was also his father, and his coming was met without incident. Teary-eyed, he willingly relinquished control without argument. It was all a testament to Merc's kind demeanor that it happened. It would all pass eventually, given he had but a month to live.
His family, usually distant, materialized frequently over the stretch of time Merc was unwell. Over less than a week, each and every member of their family had visited, or at least found a way to contact the ailing pegasus. Relatives once thought too detached for much suddenly became caring faces in the household once so empty. Blue seldom left his father's side, except on errand on his behalf. He rarely even slept, except when Merc did. None of that mattered. All he wanted to do was repay what his father had given him.
It was several weeks later. Though some miracle, Merc had survived two months. However, this was not to last. His condition suddenly worsened, and he was transferred to a care facility better equipped to treat his symptoms. Blue, of course, stayed by his side whenever he could, but his leave time was wearing thin. One day, Merc's condition worsened again, very suddenly.
In the dimly lit hospital room, a lone bed rested. Nested amongst various IVs and other assorted medical equipment lay a blue and red pegasus stallion. He was graying slightly, and was woefully thin. Sheets covered a large portion of his body, halting at the middle of his chest. He hardly moved, save for the feeble motions of his breathing. He was sleeping shallowly, occasionally spasming and emitting weak cries of pain. Eventually, his eyes flicked open, revealing irises of an ocean blue hue. There was a light knock on the door.
“It's open!” the pegasus called. The door clicked open, and another blue pegasus stallion walked in. This one had a teal-and-blue mane, and bright green eyes. Once the visitor saw the room's occupant, he bore a small frown.
“Hey, Dad.” the visitor said.
“Blue!” the bedridden stallion exclaimed, bearing a newfound grin. “How are you doing today?”
“I'm doing alright...” Blue started. “...but I'm afraid I've got bad news.” He stepped over to his father's bed, before sitting in a small chair bedside. Merc looked concerned. “It's just... I've been away from work for two months now. Rainbow's been covering for me for most of that, but I might get fired if I stay in Cloudsdale much longer.” Blue choked, and tears started to well up in his eyes. “But... I don't want to leave you! I want to make sure you're ok, and... and...” Blue broke into a fit of sobs, resting his head on the pillow beside his dad's. Merc's hoof slowly moved, and began to stroke Blue's mane.
“You'll be ok, Blue.” Merc said. “You've done more for me than I could have asked, and I can't expect you to leave your job for me. You're the best son I could have asked for, and you've grown into a fine stallion. I couldn't be more proud of you, Blue Lightning. Do what you gotta do, and know I'll always love ya, buddy.” Merc did his best to hug the still sobbing stallion, and Blue gently nuzzled him back. “I love you so much.”
“I love you too, daddy...” Blue choked. “I'm so sorry...”
“There's nothing for you to be sorry for.” Merc said. “I couldn't be prouder.”
A couple more weeks passed by, and Blue returned to Ponyville. It wasn't long, however, until news of his father's passing reached him. There wasn't going to be a large funeral; Merc had explicitly spoken against one, but the family still came together and held a small service in his honor.
“May Celestia watch over him, in Paradise and forever.” A mare said, before stepping down from the impromptu podium. Over the course of the last hour or so, more than a handful of ponies had come up to say something about their brother, ex-husband, son, cousin, or friend. The last one to come up to the podium was Blue Lightning. He wore a simple black vest, but his entire coat had almost lost color, and his usually vivid eyes were a dull teal.
“I know that I'm one of the youngest here.” he began. “But when I say I have a lifetime of experience, know that that means more than most. I've had my ups. I've had my downs. But through it all, I could count on my dad, Mercurial Thunder, to be there for me. Whether it was when I flew for the first time, or when I got my cutie mark, he was always there. He never faltered when I needed him, and as I'm sure you'd all agree, he was a good pony. I'm not a stallion of many words, but know that each one of them is coming straight from the heart. I loved him dearly. Nothing in my life has hurt me as much as his passing has, but I will be the stronger for it.” He rose slightly, his coat and mane regaining some semblance of their tone again. “He wouldn't want us to mourn for him forever. So what do you all say we honor his memory and do our best to make sure all he did for us isn't wasted. Never before in the world has a place in Paradise been so justly earned, and though we'll miss him dearly, we'll see him again when it is our time to join him.” Blue's eyes flared brightly, one green, the other orange, and from him, lightning shot skyward, twin bolts, red and blue, climbing into the starlit sky, twisting about each other before exploding in a brilliant flash of light. When it was done, colorful sparks fell from a bright new star in the sky. “May my last gift to you serve you well, Dad. Thank you, everypony, for coming here tonight. Thank you for everything you've done. It means so much. This concludes the service. Goodnight, everypony.” Blue, restored to his normal colors, stepped down, as a single tear dropped from his eye. “Goodnight, Dad.”
Author's Note
And with this, my soul is free, visible to the denizens which dwell here on the internet. I'm understandably upset right now, and this is how I vented. If you want to leave a comment for me and my dad, feel free. Otherwise, hope this sloppy little piece didn't depress you too much. It was written in an hour in the most sincere state of mind I could ever write in. This story is straight from the heart. I love each and every one of you readers so much... And any support you could show would be greatly appreciated.