ROMEO WHERE ART THOU?
My love as deep; the more I give to thee, The more I have, both are infinite.
What is life? It's what many people have searched and longed as time flows like a river. Many discover different aspects of what it really is. Some says it's a gift. Others says it's a test. And a few selected people says it's not worth it.
What do you think about life?
For Cheerilee, it meant to be there for someone, even when things look really bad, or in this case, when an event is unavoidable. That was her final thought for the last three days. A certain red stallion sealed that thought. She knew what life meant when this red fella stayed with her until the very end. Everything seemed to go so well that morning....
Here's what happened...
"Hurry up kids! The mountain is just a few more miles away!" said Cheerilee as she encouraged her students to follow up. The kids, been unfamiliar with long treks, were panting on their way to the mountain.
"Miss Cheerilee! Could you pweeeaaase stop for a minute? I'm so tired!" complained Twist. Cheerilee saw the young filly tired, her legs shaking from all the walking she and her classmates had done. Cheerilee sighed and understood.
"Okay, okay. We can take a break here;" she said as she looked at the mountain once again. ";Well, it looks like the trip can wait a little..."
Cheerilee smiled and trotted to where her students had stopped, taking a break. The teacher grinned at this, for seeing her students that tired despite their age caused her to recall memories of her fillyhood. With her friends, she would often go to the the mountains and enjoy the majestic views the natural formed rock offered. The simple thought of her early days at the very same mountain brought an unforgettable joy to the mare's heart.
"Um, Miss Cheerilee? Are you okay? You seem distracted..." said Sweetie Belle, causing the teacher to snap back to reality.
"Um, what?" she said as she noticed the white filly looking at her with a concerned expression. Cheerilee shook her head as she finally focused on the cureent situation, "Yes, I'm okay, Sweetie Belle. Thanks for asking,". The white unicorn smiled and returned to where her classmates were still resting.
Cheerilee always enjoyed the mountain trip everytime they had the chance to. So, when she became a teacher, she proposed to herself that one day she would bring her own students to the very same trip so they can enjoy what Cheerilee nourished in her past. That day had finally arrived and the teacher could barely contain the excitement to visit her fillyhood once more.
After a nice break, the kids got back to their hooves and walked towards the mountain once more, this time with teacher keeping up to their pace. Within 15 minutes of walking on the mountain, the group stopped to have meal time. The kids brought their lunches with them and Cheerilee just brought a sandwich with an apple juice. Both Cheerilee and the kids engaged in conversation about music and experiences, mostly Cheerilee, being the oldest of the group.
Sure, there was a little bit of a heated discussion between her students. It wasn't rare that Diamond Tiara or Applebloom were involved, but Cheerilee handled the situation.
Before they knew it, a couple hours of venturing deeper into the mountain went by and the group was now ready to leave. Cheerilee always counted the fillies just to make sure no one was left behind.
"Okay, Applebloom, Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon, Pipsqueak, Sweetie Belle, Feather Weight,-"
"Hey, where is Scootaloo?" asked Applebloom, who just noticed her friend was missing. The whole group looked around to see if she was nearby. She wasn't in sight.
"Scootaloo!" yelled Cheerilee, hoping she didn't get into trouble, "Where are you!? Answer me!"
"Over here, Miss Cheerilee!" said an echoing voice over the distance. The teacher inmediately went to her rescue. As she arrived at the voice's location, she noticed Scootaloo was on a rock formed platform that stood out from the cliff. The cliff easily had 10 meters in height, with nothing other than the bare ground at the base of it. Some sharp rocks were spotted near the base as well. She would have screamed in panic if it weren't for the situation and the role she was in.
"Scootaloo!!! How did you get there!?"
"I'm sorry! I was just trying to get down to pick up my Rainbow doll I dropped earlier!" she replied, "I can't get back up! Can you help me?"
"Right away!", the mare looked around her to see if she could use something to help Scootaloo. However, she seemed a little distracted, "Just how did I miss her!? Focus Cheerilee! One of you students is in trouble!". Carefully planning what to do, her face shone as an idea crossed her mind.
"Hold on, Scootaloo!" she said, determined to rescue her student, "I'm coming down!". She carefully slid into the rock platform and nearly fell off the cliff after the platform shook a little, causing Scootaloo to jump as a scared reaction. The teacher made sure she didn't freak out as she pulled her closer to her chest. Fortunately, Scoots managed to calm down, bringing a relief to the teacher. The whole class was watching their teacher try to rescue her pegasus student.
"Okay, Scootaloo, this is what is going to happen," she stated while looking directly into the young filly's eyes, "You are going to get on top of my head as I push you up. Then you jump and get to safe upper ground, got it?"
The worried filly nodded, "Good, now get on my head". The pegasus did as she was told and stood on top of her teacher's head in order to get to higher ground. She prepared to jump, focusing on the perfect moment to do so. Once in range, Scootaloo jumped, causing her teacher to lose some balance, but remaining firm to her ground. The orange pegasus grabbed the cliff's edge, but began to slip. She tried using her wings to help herself out, but the panic took domain, causing her wings to freeze. Just when she was about to fall back, a yellow hoof reacted just in time to grab her leg. The other children helped as well, getting Scootaloo back to the higher ground.
"Well, now it's my turn," said Cheerilee as she prepared to go back up. However, a crack was heard. The next thing she knew, she saw how her students became smaller instantly. Cheerilee realized she was falling. During the fall, which seemed to last several to her, she witnessed her whole life again. The day she first went to school, her first crush, her parents comforting her during her grandma's funeral, the day she got her cutie mark, her school prom, and many other memories as well.
Her students watched in horror as she fell to her demise. Everything went black and several voices could be heard....
A beeping sound was echoing all over the room and a purple mare was resting across a rather large, comfortable bed. A basket full of 'GET WELL SOON' and 'THANK YOU' cards as well as some gifts were next to the bed. The sun pierced through the thin window as a gentle breeze flew right into the room. The sleeping pony shivered from the chilling wind and she slowly started to wake up. She noticed she was no longer at the mountain, but instead in a hospital; lying in very clean bed by the looks of it. The teacher looked around a bit more and soon decided to get up. She soon felt an excruciating pain on her body.
"OW! What the...." she said as she looked at the source of her pain. She managed to spot her sides bandaged on several areas of her body. Cheerilee wondered why she was bandaged and remembered the incident during the trip. Cheerilee was helping Scootaloo trying to get her up and the next thing she knew, she was falling. Then everything is hazy. Cheerilee was thinking about the fall when out of nowhere an extremely painful headache showed up, causing her to flinch, agonizing from the sudden pain.
"ARGH! My head...." she said while holding her head and rubbing it, trying to make it go away, or at least part of it. The purple mare remained in that position for some moments as the pain slowly disappeared not only from her head, but her body as well. Once it ceased, Cheerilee wondered why that had happened. Just when she was about to start to question the reason of the unknown suffering, the door of her room opened, revealing two figures.
One of them was a grey coated and black maned earth pony, with a stethoscope hanging from his neck and carrying a list in his mouth. Following from behind was a nurse, a unicorn and his assistant by the looks of it. The doctor was too focused on a thought that he had not noticed the patient was awake until the nurse made him look by poking his side. After witnessing the patient staring at him, a relieved smile shown on the doctor's face.
"Oh thank Celestia, you are awake..." said the doctor, "How are you feeling , Cheerilee?"
"Um, fine?" she replied, not sure if lying was the best idea.
"That's good to know, miss" he answered while checking his list that he had in his possession, "It was quite the hit, I tell you". His statement caused Cheerilee to tilt her head, starting to ache a little again, bewildered about the meaning of that. Not waiting around to figure out why, she went straight to the point.
"What happened to me back then? All I rememberer was blacking out after I...." she halted her sentence as she began to remember what happened back then, but resulted futile. The doctor remained silent, as she continued to process her thoughts.
"You mean you don't remember what happened when you had the accident?"
"Precisely," she was holding the pain for she thought it was nothing to worry about.
"Hm, this I didn't expect, but since you don't remember what happened, let me give you my point of view," said the grey stallion as he gave the nurse the list he was holding to, "When you had the accident, a group of fillies came to town yelling you had an accident near the mountain. The whole town was in complete horror as they heard what happened to you...". Cheerilee listened carefully as she saw the doctor explaining the details after the blackout.
"According to what they told us, after you successfully rescued Scootaloo from that dangerous situation, the platform you were on collapsed due to the sudden movement on it. During the fall, apparently you crashed into a body of small rocks as you rolled your way down, knocking your head into a rather large boulder soon after. Celestia knows how you managed to avoid the sharp rocks. Then the fillies ran towards town, knowing they couldn't help you from there. It's a miracle you recovere-", before he could finish his sentence, Cheerilee grabbed her head and leaned, obviously reacting to an unknown pain.
"Cheerilee!? Are you alright!? What's the matter!?" said both ponies as they approached the teacher in agony. After a few more moments, the mare finally stopped twitching to the reaction she just earlier. The doctor sighed in relief and changed his expression into a serious one.
"Cheerilee, what is the meaning of this?" he asked, upset that the patient hid an unknown symthom. Cheerilee sighed and decided to give an explanation.
"Well, you see doctor-"
"NO SIR, YOU CAN'T GO IN! IT'S NOT VISITING TIME YET!"
"Nope."
That famous phrase made Cheerilee froze in place, "Could it be...?"
Without further notice, a stallion entered the room as if nothing happened happened earlier. The stallion, wearing a red coat, and possessing green eyes, looked at the teacher with surprise as he gasped in shock. The red stallion, went into a big hug for the purple mare, ignoring any kind of presence in the room.
"Big Mac!?" said Cheerilee as she looked at the hugging stallion with joy. The teacher didn't waste any more time and returned the hug. A few seconds later, a nurse came rushing into the same room, looking at the stallion that broke in.
"Sir! I'm gonna have to ask you to leave!"
"Let him stay," said the doctor as he gave a approval stare at the other nurse, "He just witnessed a friend waking up from a coma, can't you let a pony have a nice break?", the words pierced the nurse's heart and she lowered her head, apologizing from the noise she just caused. The doctor accepted the apology and allowed Big Macintosh to stay as long as he desired to. The stallion kept hugging until he noticed she was agonizing about something. Big Macintosh broke the hug and looked at Cheerilee. He had a fear in his eyes, hoping she wasn't going to-
"Big Mac?", that voice snapped him out of his mind, focusing on the purple mare, "Why do you look so.... frightened?"
"Uh....Ah'm sorry..."
The mare smiled and rubbed his cheek, comforting him. "Don't worry about me, I'm just glad you came to see me,"
Big Mac smiled, absolutely relieved that his beloved friend was fine. An intentional cough from the doctor broke up the intimate expression between both ponies. The doctor asked Big Mac to move aside, since there was something still in the air. He did as he was asked to.
"Big Mac has been visiting you ever since you had the accident. You must be really lucky to have such a wonderful stallion", she blushed at the statement given by the doctor. So did Big Mac. Being very good friends after the love potion incident, they developed sorta crush with each other, but the shy factor had the whole fault to why they weren't together.
"Well then, Cheerilee," he changed the subject and gave her the serious look, causing the mare to feel a bit intimidated, "I want you to be completely honest with me. What exactly do you feel?"
Cheerilee looked down, trying to avoid the question. "Well?", she sighed, looked at Big Macintosh who was unaware of the current situation and turned her gaze into the doctor's dark red eyes.
"Everynow and then, I feel a terrible headache, causing my body to feel completely numb and paralized. That's it.", her answer terrified quite a bit the red stallion. The doctor stepped away from the mare, closed his eyes grabbing his chin and went into a deep thought. After a few mere moments, he reopened his eyes and stared into the teacher. He suddenly nodded and turned his attention to his assistant.
"Blue Cure? Prepare a CT scan, we need to check out if there is any problem with the patient", Blue Cure did as told and all he got was a worried stare from both ponies.
"Don't worry, we are just going to check on you if have any kind of problem. It's not something about life and death", these words calmed down the duo, but that couldn't heal the worry in theirs hearts, "Big Mac? I'm going to need you to help me with something..."
"That can't be! It ain't true!"
"I'm afraid that is the truth... Sorry, Big Macintosh..."
"But... but.... HOW!?" yelled Big Mac.
"We diagnosticated her the moment she arrived after the accident. Not only did she lost huge amounts of blood, but we also noticed a deadly tumor on her brain. It was unactive, but when she recieved such heavy blow to the head, the process started unconsciously..."
"What is this disease, Specter!? Please tell me!" he demanded, only to be silenced by the raised hoof of the doctor.
"BIg Mac, remember to address me as doctor. We aren't colts anymore."
"Sorry! But please tell me!", 'Specter' sighed and prepared his speech.
"It's the famous cancer. Somewhere, at some point in her life, she developed this tumor and it remained there unactive. Celestia knows how long has it been there..." he explained as he feared for her health. Big Mac was frightened by this sudden notice and stared at the doctor with begging eyes. Big Macintosh tried to ask something but he didn't have the courage to speak up. The doctor sighed, as he prepared to explain further the disease.
"This tumor is something we have only witnessed in very few selected cases. It's rumored to be a new kind of tumor, apparently uneffective to today's medicine. It's.... unknown how does it develop and when, but we think- no, we BELIEVE it's throughout the victim's life. We don't have a name yet since it happens it very rare occasions, but from a few selected cases, we discovered that some symthoms are: Severe Headaches, Paralizing body, Numbness in some areas of the body and random pains in the body, increasing with the flow of time. We were terrified by this unknown disease, but we hoped that it was temporary. What Cheerilee just did before our eyes just confirmed the disease."
"And did you do something about it?" he raised his voice to a worried tone. The Doctor gave a him a serious, piercing stare.
"What didn't we do? We tried all sorts of medic technics. Medicine through a tube, magic medicine, pills, even rituals for crying out loud! But nothing seemed to work. I'm so sorry to let you know this Big Mac."
He was extremely affected by this as he looked at the ground in horror. The doctor couldn't help it but to feel sorry for him, despite being the Big Macintosh everypony knew and respected. Big Mac lifted his head, trying ot get a better view of the one who took care of Cheerilee. Barely having any will, he spoke once more.
".....how long does she have?"
The doctor bit his lips roughly, trying to think of a way to say it without sounding too hard on the poor stallion. He gave up, knowing that he would eventually find out sooner or later. It was going to be very harsh, but there was nothing he do to avoid it.
"3 days....", that did the trick, "If we ignore this day, she has three more days ...."
The red stallion was known for his strength and resilience, but deep down his heart was a... a very fragile heart, according to his family. He looked like he could cry and crawl into a corner. Everypony had a breakdown every now and then and this wasn't the exception. Big Mac broke into a chain of sobs, with tears flowing on his broken face. The doctor gave a pat on his back, hoping it would help at least. Sadly, it didn't. The sobbing could still be heard. It was hard to see such a resilient pony break down like that.
Soon after, Big Mac stopped the crying and cleared his face. The same couldn't be said about his heart and mind however. He composed himself and looked directly into the doctor's eyes once he gained enough willpower to lift his head. Big Mac's mouth opened everynow and then, whispers coming rarely. Using a small amount of his will, he spoke once again.
"Doctor, Ah... ah would like to stay with her all the time Ah need to. Please."
Specter's eyes went wide for a small portion of a second, only to be replaced with a soothing stare of his. "Of course, Big Mac. You can stay. I'll make sure your stay here is the most pleasant one. Please, feel free to make yourself at home, okay? After all, you are one of my oldest friends ever since I remember. This is the least I can do to help."
"Heh, Ah know, doc. Ah know...."
"Well, I have to get back to work, those patients aren't gonna save themselves!" he turned around and walk to walk away, only to stop a few feet farther and slightly turn his head to the red stallion, "You know... it was nice to see you again, Mac."
"Yah too Specter..... and thanks...."
Big Mac walked to Cheerilee's room, where the mare was in her bed, reading some letters sent by some of her students. The stallion showed a sad expression as he recalled what the doctor said about Cheerilee. The teacher diverged her attention from letters as she spotted a red stallion in her room. She smiled with glee and signaled him to come closer. Not wasting any time, he did as he was asked to.
"Look at the letters my students sent me!" she pointed out, showing Big Mac the letters she was holding on to, "I can't believe my students have so much appreciation for me..."
"Eeyup."
"I always thought the fillies just saw me as a teacher only. But with these this basket full of cards and letters," she turned her attention to the basket, smiling wider in the process, "Now I know the impact I've in their hearts...."
"Eeyup."
Cheerilee has known Big Mac for a some time and he has used his singular phrases only when he has something else on his mind around her. She knew this wasn't the exception.
"Big Mac,", this caused the stallion to jump a little, "What's on your mind?". He didn't know if he should tell her the truth. If he did, she would probably get depressed the rest of her remaining life. If not, he would be lying about the time limit. He was just confused. Big Mac remained silent, for he didn't answer Cheerilee's question. The mare simply raised an eyebrow. Soon after, she understood it was something that he didn't want her to know. She closed her eyes and looked to her bed.
"If you don't to tell me, I'll reveal your secret about your doll at the farmhouse~" Cheerilee said as the red stallion jumped in surprised and looked at her worried.
"Nah, I'm just messing with you," she teased while slightly waving at him, "I wouldn't reveal your secrets, so I won't make you reveal yours if that is what you want."
Cheerilee's kindness is one of the many things Big Mac likes about her. It's what makes her unique among other ponies. She may be a bit older than other ponies, but she sure was a whole lot better in Mac's definition of love. The teacher gleed at her teasing, causing Big Mac to smile at her.
"Um, there is one thing Ah want to tell though..." said Big Mac as Cheerilee looked at him with wonder, "Ah wanted to tell yah that.... Ah... uh..."
"Yes?"
"....Ah'm staying with yah this weekend!" said Big Mac. Cheerilee smiled and hugged him.
"Oh, that's so wonderful! Thanks so much for your support! You are such a gentlecolt!"
"Eeyup!"
FIRST DAY, 72 HOURS REMAIN
"Good morning, Big Mac!"
The warm and gentle breeze of the wind touched Big Mac's worked body as he slowy started to wake up by the beautiful and caring voice of Cheerilee. The red stallion gazed upon the everlasting mare sitting on her bed. Big Mac smiled after seeing her and got into stance, stretching out his legs as he usually does as the farm every morning. One thing that bothered him was that he didn't know why did he woke up so much later than he used to back at the farm, but he was glad Cheerilee was okay despite her remaining time.
"Good morning Cheerilee," he replied after stretching out, "Did yah have a nice sleep?"
"Oh don't worry about me, I'm just fine." the statement sounded honest, but this is Cheerilee we are speaking about. Big Mac didn't look too convinced about that, but since he wanted her to have the best 3 days of her life, he ignored the doubts on his mind and smiled at the teacher.
"Okay, good to know". The teacher looked at the open window with a troubled expression all over her face.
"Well, I guess I'm stuck here with more treatment. You shouldn't stay here with me all weekend. We both know running a farm isn't exactly the most easy going job, especially with your family," she said still looking at the window, having a glimpse of the stallion every now and then.
Big Mac thought that would be the case, but a sudden flashback came to his mind, changing completely the sad expression on his face. "Cheerilee? Ah think that won't be the case..."
YESTERDAY, NIGHT TIME
Just when things were settled, just after the doctor gave Big Mac permission to stay, the doctor immeditely rushed back to locate the red stallion he just saw.
"Big Mac!" he called between gasps for air. Big Mac turned around to see the same medic running towards him, "I forgot to tell you something!"
"What is it?"
"There is one major detail about this illness, and a good one this time"
Big Mac raised an eyebrow at his phrase as he unexpectedly began to feel relieved, "Tell me everything."
"As you know, this disease is deadly and without a cure for the moment.... and.... there hasn't been a single case where the patient.... makes it.... BUT! There is one thing that this disease doesn't affect."
"And that is?"
"Cheerilee can go out of the hospital these last three days." the doctor said, expecting to shine a little bit of hope for the stallion. You bet it did the trick.
"Really!? But how!?" he replied.
"Apparently, the host may have a mortal tumor on the brain, but it doesn't affect the kinetic system. She could climb a mountain and not feel a thing. That is, if she has the stamina to do so, but that's another history," the doctor explained, as Big Mac smiled knowing Cheerilee could finally do any kind of dreams or goals left on her mind. The ones that are actually reachable, that is. However, the doctor's smile faded as he looked directly into the farmer's eyes,
"There is a drawback though," Big Mac listened carefully, his smile fading just like the doctor's, "It's true she won't feel a thing, but in the last 2 hours of her life, the tumor will take action, causing her body to... let's say she will have a lot of pain on her whole body and she'll need to head back to the hospital. That's where.... things tend to become really emotive. I don't even need to explain that part... but, as I said before, Cheerilee can leave the hospital, but she needs to go back the following Saturday before 10 p.m. strikes, okay?"
"Eeyup!" replied the red stallion as he walked with a confident smile. He suddenly stops and looks back at the doctor, "Don't worry, Ah'll make sure she has the best three days of her life!"
Back at the patient's room
"...No way. Really? I can leave?"
"Eeyup."
"That's grea- wait, why? I thought I needed to get some rest, not the opposite." she asked, presumably eavesdropping some nurses near the room, "Also, I heard something is happening in three days, do you know something about it?"
"Um, maybe yah heard wrong?" he hyphotized, knowing the truth behind the conversation, "And about the three days... a get-well party? Yah know, a..... a Pinkie Party... yeah that!"
"Hmm, maybe you are right," she replied, apparently not focused at all as she didn't notice the nervous tone in Big Mac's voice, "Pinkie does know how to throw a party after all."
"Can't say the opposite," said the red stallion, "She knows no limits. Well, now that we cleared that, how 'bout we go outside? What's more, we will do exactly what yah want, how 'bout it?"
"Oh, no. You couldn't possibly do that. I would bore you to death. Let's do something you want,"
"Ah insist. Yah just had a... well, Ah would say 'horrible' experience, but-"
"You don't wanna make me feel like I'm some sort of special pony, right?"
"You are a special pony, but not the way you think..." he thought before coming up with a reply to her comment, "Not really what Ah had in mind, but let's go with that." finished Big Mac as he nodded.
"Well, I can go with it." she looked at the hospital's window for a few seconds and sighed, lowering her ears in the process, "Although, I have no idea what to do."
".... Ah have an idea" said the red stallion, causing her ears to perk up, "Wanna go for a snack at the Sweet Apples Acres? Mah treat of course." Cheerilee suddenly blushed at the chivalry and continued to look away, smiling in a very cute way (according to many ponies).
"Oh no, I couldn't possibly-" she was interrupted by a deep and frowned stare from Big Mac the moment she set eyes on him. Judging by the serious look, he was upset by the repetitive rejection of Cheerilee every time she was offered something. She closed her eyes and sighed, only to look at the stallion once again with a comprehensive look as response, "Okay, lead the way, big boy."
Big Mac changed his expression into a genuine smile and helped led Cheerilee to his family's farm. With a little help from Mac everynow and then, they eventually reached the Sweet Apple Acres and entered. Little they did know and the day went by in a blink of an eye.
SECOND DAY, 48 HOURS REMAIN
Thanks to the huge (and somewhat dangerous) amounts of apple pie both ponies ate the other day (They have more in common than they look like), the couple went to an early sleep. Big Mac, being the stronger one, managed to stay awake all night thanks to his normal routine at the Sweet Apple Acres. He made himself a promise than no matter what happens in these three days, he will make sure Cheerilee enjoys them the most. He has never failed to fulfill a promise and this won't be the exception. That's his hope for the moment.
A shivering Cheerilee was all that it needed for him to snap back to reality. After thinking what was the cause, he spotted the window was somehow open, letting a chilling wind enter to cause some shivering (Oh, the shivers). Big Mac got up from his position and proceeded to place an extra layer of bed sheets (located in the hospital's supply locker near the room) over her. She sighed and shuffled in her laid position, feeling the gentle touch of a warmer spot. The red stallion smiled upon this and got back to his guarding sitting stance he was holding, looking out for the purple mare in case of any trouble.
As time flew by, a couple of hours passed and Cheerilee woke up. Much to her surprise, she noticed Big Mac with his eyes closed resting next to a wall. "Perhaps the fatigue finally got him. After all, he does kinda like to overdo things. I guess the Apple family have more things in common than they look like..... He looks.... cute..." were her thoughts as a notable blush appeared on her cheeks.
"Well, I guess it's time to wake him u-", out of nowhere, an incredible pain began to appear on her chest. Cheerilee placed her right hoof on her chest in reaction and tried to endure the pain without making so much noise, "..... guh....Ughh....".
The noise, however, was audible enough for the red farmer to wake up and look in horror as his illed love began to show a suffering expression all over her face. Wasting no time, he got back to his feet and rushed towards her.
"Cheerilee! Are yah alright!?" said Big Mac as he did a full scan on the mare's body to see if there was anything wrong, "What is happening to yah!?"
"Oh, it's... nothing. Really..." she replied back, struggling between the pain on her chest and her recently accelerated breathing, "It's just a little ache. That's all..."
"No it's not! Cheerilee, please, for yer own sake, stop lying and tell the truth!" Cheerilee was taken back the sudden outburst of her very concerned crush, causing her to fold her ears back and look away, still enduring the pain altogether. She tried to keep things under control but the ache on her chest was still burning.
"Alright, alright! My chest hurts a lot!"
"Got it! Doc!" he yelled across the room, hoping the doctor heard him and came rushing towards the room. His hopes were slowly dying as nopony entered through the room's door. He didn't want to leave Cheerilee on her own, but if she didn't get enough medical attention, she could-
Before he made a rash decision, Specter came crashing into the room. Looking by his appearance, he looked like he hasn't gotten any sleep for the past 5 days. It's that way because, in fact, he hasn't gotten any sleep for the past 5 days. Mac could tell by experience. Besides, the doctor himself told him that, just when he brought Cheerilee yesterday earlier than he expected.
He knows that his job knows no breaks, but he would rather sacrifice those sweets hours of rest just to make sure his patients doesn't have any kind of problems.
"Dedicated as ever, doc." were Big Mac's thoughts as he focused on the task at hand, "Doctor! Cheerilee is having a severe chest pain!"
With some serious bag under his eyes, the brown stallion nodded and pulled out of his medical coat a pack of pills. He rushed towards Cheerilee and forced her to swallow a couple of pills. Big Mac would have thought of his methods as extreme if it weren't for the situation at hand. After what it seemed to be hours, Cheerilee was finally having some well deserved break and laid back on her bed. She was sweating bullets and panting heavily. The doctor did some basic checkout on her and couldn't comfirm why did it happened. He simply stood, dumbfolded by his results.
"Um, Doc?" the stallion behind made him snap back to reality as he turned to see a sick worried Mac staring at him, "What happened? Yah said she wouldn't have this sort of problems until... yah know..."
"Until what, Big Mac?"
The two stallions focused on the commanding voice of Cheerilee as they looked at her. She looked like the pain was never there in the first place. Big Mac inmediately trotted to her and gave her a big hug. However, she didn't give return the hug back, which caused Big Mac to look at her with concern. She didn't look very happy to say the least and her tone was compatible with her expression.
"Cheerilee, what's the matt-"
"I said, Until what, Big Mac?"
"Whatcha' mean?"
Cheerilee frowned at him, for she knew Big Mac was hiding something. "Big Mac, Doctor." the doctor flickered his ears at the sudden call, "What are you hiding from me? And don't you even dare to lie because I know you are hiding something!"
Both stallions looked at each other with worry. They didn't want Cheerilee to discover she only had today and the next day as her life span. Big Mac thought of lying, but she would eventually discover the whole truth. He turned towards the doctor and nodded. The brown stallion understood perfectly what he meant with the nod and walked towards the purple mare.
"Well, if you really want to know, then I guess there is no other choice but to tell you the truth..." he sighed, looking at the ground for a few as he tried to gain both energy and guts to reveal the truth behind everything, "Here goes nothing..."
With just five minutes of explaining the whole ordeal to Cheerilee, the teacher remained there, motionless to what she just heard. It was something she had expected, but didn't want to happen. Without any more hidden news for her, the purple looked down at the bed sheets, still keeping her thoughts for herself. Both stallions looked very worried about her reaction, especially Big Mac. He didn't know what to do say or do next. He was about to speak, but the mare beat him to it.
"S-s-so... I... I only.... have 2 days left....?" she began to shake, for the news where becoming unbearable for her, "W...why? I... I don't believe this.... No.... Noooo......". Her voice was faint, almost unhearable if they didn't pay attention to it. Her hooves inmediately approached her face as tears where forming on the edge of her lime-colored eyes.
Big Mac walked next to her bed and hugged her tightly. She didn't hold back anymore and began to cry and cry.
She wasn't stopping. But he had to be there for her. He had to.
It only passed like half an hour of crying, but it actually felt like several hours. The doctor hung his head in symphathy, for he knew what it felt to know that death was just by the door. His experience with other patients taught him that.
Big Mac felt like crying as well, but he knew he had to stay strong. For her. After all, he had already shed his tears yesterday, there was no need to repeat that again.
The crying began to slowly fade away and the only sound that remained in that room was her constant sobs. Cheerilee began to pull away from the hug and looked at her favorite stallion with sadness. He felt that stare was one sight he wouldn't forget in his life. He smiled back at the teacher and gave her a quick peck on her forehead. Cheerilee's sad expression was gone and replaced with a weak smile. She looked down once more, still close to the red stallion, and felt the need to cry again. However, she rejected that need, shaking her head and focusing on the stallion who was looking at her with a comforting smile.
"BIg Mac... I....I need some rest.... Can I..." she sighed as she looked at her window, "Can I please a glass of water?"
"Right away." responded the doctor, who seemed to ignore the the lack of sleep on his body. He began to trot his way out of the room, when suddenly he felt someone pull him back. He tried to break free, but his strength was as lacking as his sleep. He turned to Big Mac, who was the only one capable to pull him in that room, and frowned at him, "Let me go, Big Mac. I have work to do."
"Nope."
"Aren't you listening? Let go of me!"
"Nope." he said with a higher tone.
The doctor sighed , placing a hoof on his face, "Mac, we have known each other for a long time, but please WILL YOU LET GO OF ME?". He tried to remain as professional as possible, but some things just don't remain the same.
"NOPE" he yelled back, causing the doctor to look back with shock. He has seen Big Mac angry, and he really didn't want to get Mac in a bad mood, "Ah'm not going to let you overdo things again. Ah know how yah are sometimes Specter, but yer taking a break whetha' yah like it or not!"
With that said, he stopped the pulling and walked towards the door, leaving a confused stallion on the floor behind him. The farmer opened the door, looked at both sides and waved for someone who happened to be there. A nurse, Blue Cure by chance, appeared on the door.
Big Mac leaned to her and whispered something. Specter knew exactly what was he doing and tried to pull himself off the floor. This would have been possible if he had rested long enough. Specter met the ground again and looked at couple of ponies who just finished talking. The red stallion trotted back to Specter and lend him a hoof. He thought of pushing it away, but he knew that was only going to cause trouble. He sighed and got back to his legs after accepting the offer.
"Let me guess," he stated in a cold tone, "You just gave me a day off, didn't you?"
"Eeyup", Specter sighed and looked down.
"You know how much I hate when you do things for me...."
"That is why we are still friends," he replied, turning his attention to Cheerilee, "Ah'll bring the glass of water right away."
Cheerilee, still afected by the sudden news about her life, didn't look back and sighed, ".... thanks".
Big Mac returned as fast as he could with the glass of water within his grasp and rushed into the room. He spotted Cheerilee resting on her bed and the doctor next to her, who happened to be sleeping on the floor . Big Mac smiled at the sight, "Well, I guess the fatigue finally got him."
He moved towards the other side of the bed and shoved the teacher a little, just about enough to wake her up. The nudging worked and the teacher's eyes were slowly opening until she spotted a red figure next to her.
"Sorry to wake yah up, but here is yer glass of water" he offered and the teacher silently recieved the glass. However, she didn't drank it right away, for she simply held it and stared at it with no big interest. Big Mac looked puzzled by this and extended a hoof that caught her attention.
"Hey, what's the matter?", she didn't reply back. Her looked down to her bed once more and sighed.
"What reason do I have to drink it anyways?", her voice was softer than before, giving a sense of disinterest, "I'll be gone soon..."
"Cheerilee...."
"I'll be gone by the next two days, Mac. You guys told me, remember?" she said while looking at the red stallion.
Big Mac kept his mouth shut as she continued talking. No matter what he could, it would only make things worse. Knowing it was for the best, he remained silent as he has always been with the town's folk. But Cheerilee...
"I always thought I would die as an old mare, but this.... this is not fair...." she gripped the glass of water tighter and began to shake, causing the water to be spilled on the bed sheets. Big Mac remained unfazed by her attitude and stared at her fiercely, "Why did I do to deserve this!? I was never a bad pony! My students think of me as a good friend and I was having a great life! Why!? Why.....why..."
"Ah don't know and, frankly? Ah don't care." Big Mac's response caused Cheerilee to snap out of her complaining and looked at the stallion with confusion.
"Wha...?"
"Ah said Ah don't care what yah did" he repeated, as firm as ever.
"Big Mac!" she yelled, with anger this time, "How could you!? How can you say something like that!?"
"Dangnabbit, 'Cause it's the darned truth!"
"Oh!? So, is the truth going to help me!? Because it's certainly NOT helping!" she replied from the top of her lungs. Big Mac thought this was a side of Cheerilee he had never witnessed before, but he wasn't to allow it to dominate him.
"Then what!? Yer staying here the rest of yer days!?"
"Well, if that is what LIFE wants for me, so let it be!"
"So yah are givin' up already!?"
"Yes I am!"
"Then yer not the Cheerilee I know!"
"Oh!? So now it turns out that you know me better than I do!!"
"Well, it happens to be that way looking at it!" he replied, stomping a hoof on the ground firmly. Cheerilee didn't seemed amused by this, for it only fueled her anger.
"You senseless stallion! That bravery is just foolish and childish! If you truly knew what I'm going through, you wouldn't be saying stuff like this!"
"Ya think Ah have no idea wha'm saying!? Unless ya had forgott'n, I have no parents! Take care of mah younger sisters, look out for the farm, tak'ng care of the fancy mathemathics! All on mah own AS A SIMPLE COLT!!!"
"That doesn't relate to this Big Mac, and YOU KNOW IT!!!"
"Yah wanna know the relating stuff!?"
"Yes, of course I want to... I JUST TOLD YOU!!!"
"You are the relation!!! 'CAUSE AH KNOW YAH!!!"
"THEN TELL ME!" she replied, inches away from the stallion, "TELL ME WHO I AM!"
"YAH ARE CHEERILEE, AN IDOL TO MANY CHILDREN, AN INCREDIBLE FRIEND, AN AMAZING TEACHER, AND A PERFECT COMPANION! YAH ARE ALSO ONE OF THE MOST AMAZING MARES IN THE WORLD, AND I LOVE YAH!"
Before Cheerilee could reply back, her lips suddenly met his and they remained there for a few more minutes. Soon after, Big Mac moved away slowly from the kiss and looked deep into the Cheerilee's eyes. He was panting, perhaps from the sudden confession, and held a worried expression all over his face. Cheerilee didn't reply back, she just simply stared at him in awe.
"You... love... me?"
"Yes.... Yes Ah do...." replied Big Mac, recovering his breath, "Ah loved yah ever since Ah began to know yah better..."
"But... why-" before she could even continue, Mac placed a hoof on her mouth, giving away a hint of silence. Cheerilee objected at first, but she obeyed in the end. The red stallion took a deep breath as he began to process and form his following talk. Taking it's required time, he looked deep down Cheerilee's lime colored eyes.
"At the beggining, Ah thought t'was the potion's after effects, but later on, after knowing you better, Ah realized t'was more than just a spell. Yer loving smile.... yer amazing laugh... the way yer eyes shine while doin' yer job... all and more is the reason Ah can assure that Ah love yah, and that will never change. Not even when yer gone...". the farmer placed his forehead on hers and closed his eyes.
"Ah love yah Cheerilee...."
The purple mare closed her eyes as well and felt the warm forehead of the red stallion touching her. For a long time, she thought she would never find a stallion who loved her as much as she hoped. Clearly, she was wrong. And she was happy that she was wrong this time. Cheerilee smiled again and nuzzled with the farmer even closer.
After staying like for a few more minutes, Cheerilee suddenly remembered that the doctor was in the very same room as them.
"Mac?"
"Yes, Cheerilee?" he replied with a pleasant tone, feeling like he just pushed tons of weights off his back.
"Did we... by any chance... wake up the doctor?"
Mac suddenly remembered that his old friend was still in the room, which caused him to break away from the nuzzle and check up on him. Nope, he was out like a rock.
"Don't worry, he is still asleep." he replied, with sigh of relief escaping his lips.
"How!?" asked Cheerilee, impressed by that fact, "I mean... we raised our voices so loud that he must have least-"
"Don't worry, it's normal."
"How is 'Not waking up to the sudden shouts of a couple of ponies' NORMAL?'" she said with a huge grin on her face.
"Well, to mah buddy here," he pointed at the doctor lying on the ground, snoring a little in his sleep, "Trying to wake him is a one heck of a tough job. Ah'm sure he will wake up in a few hours"
"Oh, okay...."
Silence reigns once again as the two of them remained silent for the truth that has been recently revealed. Just like the silence, the room was filled was awkwardness. Every bit of the room had an awkward touch. Even the window. Cheerilee began to process what the stallion just told him a few minutes ago, about him loving her and everything. Clearly, she never expected him to fall in love with her, much more less to confess like that. It was rather a strange confession, but she was glad to confirm that HE is in love with HER.
She felt like everything in the world didn't matter as long as she had him by her side. The teacher had read several stories, romance to be specific, and in most of the stories, either the boy or the girl (Actually there were times where the romance involved the same gender, but that didn't matter) felt like world was never there or didn't matter as long as his or her love was there with him/her. She finally felt that experience and she was enjoying every single moment of it.
An odd thought crossed her mind, causing her to snap back to reality. She remembered that her students were waiting specifically for her to return, but who was running school in the meantime? Was there another teacher in town that took her place? What if the fillies weren't attending school? How were they doing? Those and several more thoughts crossed her mind, only to be left unanswered.
That is when she realized something. She was giving up already at life and her students were going to wonder what happened to her.
Cheerilee felt a wave of anger travel across her body as she began to punish herself mentally for ignoring such important things that made her life complete. She wasn't going to allow such thing to happen. Not while she was still around. As long as she can move even a hoof, she will not allow herself to leave this world without at least saying goodbye.
The purple pony smacked the side of her bed as she made a decision while thinking. She didn't even need to look at Big Mac to know he was staring at her with confusion, wondering what suddenly got into her.
"I've made a decision. If I'm leaving this world, then I'm leaving it without regretting anything. Big Mac," she turned to him, as the stallion flickered his ears at the sudden call, "You are absolutely right. I behaved like a little filly back then and I'm sorry for it. That wasn't me AT ALL."
She turned her attention to her hoof as she held it in front of her, "... I don't know what happened to me back then, but right now, I really don't care... If it was part of the illness or not, it doesn't matter anymore, do you want know why?", the red stallion nodded, "Because if there is one thing I learned as a teacher is that no matter what you do, you can't change the past, but you can change your future. That's why I won't let this illness defeat me, even if it is just for one day. Also, we are heading to the school today"
"Huh? Why?" asked a confused stallion as he didn't get the message entirely. Cheerilee giggled at this and caused Big Mac to tilt his head sideways, not comprehending what was her plan.
"Oh, it's really simple, you silly colt. We are going to gather the kids so I can properly say goodbye to each and every single one of them!"
And just like that, they gathered the kids from Ponyville and headed to school. Every filly and colt were wondering why were they summoned or what was going on. All doubt suddenly vanished as the fillies spotted a purple mare entering through the main door. Everypony halted whatever they were doing and went into a full group hug towards the teacher, who was smiling to see every single one of them were okay. Specially Scootaloo. All sorts of voices were mixed as they tried to talk to their teacher all at once.
"It's nice to see you too, guys...." thought Cheerilee as a wide smile appeared on her face. She calmed down her class with a commanding, yet motherly tone. Once things were quiet and settled, she asked them to take a seat in their respectively places. After doing so, she closed her eyes and sighed.
"Well, here goes nothing...", she opened her eyes again and focused on the children in front of her, "I'm so happy to see you guys are okay. As a teacher, I believe you all continued your studies while I was gone, right?"
The children remained silent, for none of them actually did that. Some were looking everywhere, others were rubbing the back of their heads in embarrasment and a few selected ones were banging their heads in their respective desks. Cheerilee expected such thing to happen and giggled at the awkward moment they were having. Just when she was about to speak, a tomboyish voice interrupted her, "Um, Miss Cheerilee?"
The teacher turned towards this tomboy voice and noticed an orange pegasus staring at her with worry. Cheerilee felt tears at the edge of her eyes the moment she noticed Scootaloo, her student she went to rescue, perfectly fine. The purple mare hesitated, trotting to her spot pulling her into a big hug, causing the filly to yelp in surprise, only to return the hug moments later.
"Oh Scootaloo, I'm so relieved to see you unharmed!" , the purple mare pulled away slowly and took a good look on her, only to discover she had a bandage right across her nose, "Oh my, Scootaloo! What happened to you?"
"I think that goes to you, Miss Cheerilee! What happened to YOU?"
"Yeah, Miss! You got all of us worried!" said Featherweight who happened to be a seat behind the orange filly. Cheerilee looked to the colt, only to notice that everypony in the class were staring at her with an expression that matched Featherweight's. She sighed and realized things were going to be shorter than she expected. She released the filly from the hug and moved towards the chalkboard, wearing a serious face the moment she looked around.
"Well, children. It appears you all want to know what happened to me. But instead of that.... I...." , she knew it. Telling the truth to the whole class wasn't going to be easy. Words were trying to leave her mouth, but the weight of reality blocked those words. She didn't want to tell them exactly what happened, but at the same time, she wanted them to know she wasn't going to be around anymore.
Just as the teacher struggled to speak, she felt a hoof on her shoulder. She looked to the hoof and then to the owner of that hoof. Figures, Big Mac was there to support her. She smiled at him and sighed, "Here goes nothing" she whispered.
"Guys, I... I know you are worried about me and I really appreciate it, but....there is something you have know...."
I won't be avaiable to teach you guys anymore....
"Wha....?" said Sweetie Belle, looking absolutely confused about what she just said.
"N-... No way..", "What?", "You are kidding.... right?" were a few comments she managed to hear from her students. The hard part was about to arrive.
"Miss Cheerilee, what do you mean?" asked Applebloom.
"It means what I said Applebloom. I won't be here anymore..."
"But... but.... BUT...."
"I know... i-it hurts a lot, but..." she said, barely holding her sadness back.
"But how can that be!? I mean, why? Why are you leaving!? Where!?" said Scootaloo, completely taken back by the new truth. She looked like she was about to cry, "Is it my fault? Did I do something the day she got injured? WHY!?"
Cheerilee could feel that filly believed the reason she was going was because of something she did. She merely gave a weak grin and shook her head, "Scootaloo, I can assure you that it wasn't your fault. It never was. None of you has the fault. You could never have the blame."
"Then why are you leaving!?" said Peachy Pie from the last row of seats.
"...I'm sure you guys will understand when you are older..."
"No, Miss!" said Diamond Tiara, stomping her seat with force, "If it's something about money, then I can ask my daddy to help you out!"
"Yeah! I'll ask my Dad to help too!" added Silver Spoon, backing up her friend.
Cheerilee looked at the two fillies and gave them a smile, for she thought that the two girls, deep down their bodies, were lying a couple of golden hearts, waiting to be unleashed to the world. After seeing them offering things for the sake of her teacher, her suspects were finally cleared. The purple mare was more than glad be their teacher, for she was a friend as well.
"Sorry, girls. But this isn't something money is going to solve. I'm afraid to say this..... b-b-but... I just... can't..." she closed her eyes, trying to hold back her tears. A pair of hoofs on her leg was all she needed to open them again. She saw Snips and Snails, with a sad expression. Immediately, they went into a full hug. The other ponies joined moments later and they started crying.
Cheerilee knew her students. Each one had tremendous potential and she was sure she knew them like the back of her hoof. But never she expected them to be so attached to her. Cheerilee, ever since she remembers, always thought they saw her as a great friend, especially after recieving that basket full of letters the day she was examined. Of all the things she was wrong about, she was glad this was a mistake.
Before she knew it, tears were streaming through her face. Everyone, except for Big Mac who was a little far away from them, was having quite a moment. The hug continued as track of time was lost.
After Cheerilee carefully explained her 'Reason' to her 'bound to be' absence, she told the children that she needed to go to the hospital. A new pain was rising in her body and she wanted it to be taken care of as soon as possible. Just before she left the building, she stopped and turned towards the group of children, remaining in their respected seats, almost like if they were in class. As the teacher looked at her students once last time, she heard a small voice in her head. She somehow smiled and returned to the front of the chalkboard. The children were interested in what she was about to do or say. Before any of them tried to spoke, Cheerilee held a hoof in front of the entire class.
"Well kids. I guess this is goodbye, isn't it? I enjoyed every moment I spent with you. Those are memories I wouldn't never change for anything in the world, an I'm must be the luckiest teacher for having you guys as my students. We all know we had our differences every now and then, but nevertheless, you are my most prized memory of all. I'm going.... to... miss every single one of you..." Cheerilee closed her eyes just before her voice broke down again, only to be opened again with a distinguished look on it, "Just before I leave, there is something I would like to say to each of you. Could you guys come one by one, please?"
And so, every filly and colt went as their ex-teacher asked them to, giving them a deep encouragement speech just before they saw her one last time, hugging her every time she finished her speech. The last ones, three to be precise, were The Crusaders: Applebloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle.
The teacher knelt down until she was facing the three fillies, each one holding a sad, but happy as well, expression.
"Girls, there is nothing more satisfying as a teacher to see how its students grow everyday, specially if those students look forward into being a better pony with each passing day. You three are the most amazing and courageous Crusaders I have ever seen in my entire life and I'm pretty sure you girls will become even more amazing mares when you grow up. As a teacher and a friend of yours, I can gladly say that I'm very proud to have you girls as my students and that I will always keep you in my heart. Always."
With a barely audible sobs from the Crusaders, they looked at her with tears rolling down their faces.
"Miss Cheerilee...." said the fillies in unison. Cheerilee smiled back, despite knowing what was waiting for her tomorrow.
"Come here you girls...", without waiting for a response, the Crusaders did that and hugged the teacher. The teacher held them in her hooves and whispered something to them, something they will make sure to remember the rest of their lives.
"Every time you girls think of me, remember that I will always be there for you, even when you don't see me. I will be watching over you and I'll always remember you girls.... Never forget that....."
And just like, the children went back to their homes, with a void in their hearts for the loss of a teacher, a guide and a friend. After they left, the teacher couldn't handle the stress and fainted. Big Mac carried Cheerilee the rest of the way towards the hospital. Maybe it was his imagination, but he probably saw a smile on the purple mare right before she lost conciousness. And so, the day progressed in a blink of an eye. Now, tomorrow was the only thing that stood between Cheerilee and her fate...
LAST DAY, 24 HOURS REMAIN
To believe that things would turn out like this.... Many would have given up by now. Other would have simply blamed it to something in order to avoid feeling guilty, but the most wise ponies would embrace the changes despite the consequences. Sometimes it is a blessing, sometimes it is a curse. Depends on who visualizes it. But Cheerilee? She knew exactly what was about to happen. Ever since the truth was revealed to her just a day ago.
How would she react? Is this the way things are meant to happen? Can a miracle save her? What.... would others gain by this?
Like many wise beings said, 'Everything happens for a cause. The truth may hurt, but it is always for a good cause'
BIg Mac pondered upon all this, as he stared directly into the sleeping teacher, watching over her for any kind of trouble. A heavy sigh escaped his lips, turning for a few moments to the window next to him and gazing once again to Cheerilee. The farmer may not be the smartest pony around, heck, he didn't have the education that fillies and colts enjoyed in their childhood, but his golden heart was his most fascinating attribute and that very same heart is the one that Cheerilee fell in love with.
Remembering the life quote his parents taught before they passed away, the red stallion decided to accept Cheerilee's fate, despite all of the pain that he shared with the purple mare. However, there was a certain difference ,and at the same time a connection, between embracing changes and moving on.
The difference between these two facts is that one of them accepts things the way they are and the other lets you hold on to something more. But the most important factor lies in the connection. If you don't accept or connect both facts, you are back to square one.
Big Mac knew that from the bottom of his heart, and yet.... he wasn't sure sure if he was capable of doing so. He has doubted his strength before and this isn't the exception. It's thanks to his calmed and relaxing expression that nopony other than a few selected family members has noticed.
"Well, I guess now it ain't the time to worry about that..." he murmured as he had his sight fixed on the sleeping mare. Cheerilee suddenly shifted her position as she slowly began to wake up. The only stallion in the room watched in relief as he noticed his lover waking up. He didn't consider things cute, but dangnabbit, that yawn Cheerilee just gave threw that concept out the window. He chuckled a little and smiled at her.
"Good morning, my wonderful stallion..." she said in a weak tone while rubbing her eyes.
"Good morning, Cheerilee..." he replied back, "How are you feeling today?"
"I..... I...." she tried to form the words, but nothing came out of her mouth. Big Mac shifted into a concerning expression.
"...Cheerilee? Are you oka-"
"Mac....." the stallion seal his lips as the mare called him in a rather low voice, "I can't feel my legs..."
"You can't what!?" he repeated with a slight panic behind his voice.
"Please, tone it... down a little..." she said, moving very slowly from the bed. Big Mac blinked at the reply and lowered his ears back, embarrased. She moved the sheets out of her way and proceeded in positioning herself in order to sit up, but her body wouldn't listen. She tried and tried, only to fail each time. Eventually, she stopped and rested her head in the pillow once again. Cheerilee began to breath heavier, almost like if she just tried lifting a truck carrying nothing but blocks of concrete inside the cargo.
"Are you okay!?" he whispered to the teacher, which her only response was a head shaking, "Okay, Okay, I'll get Specter! Just.... I'll be right back!"
"No need, I'm already here" said a familiar voice as Big Mac turned to incoming sound. Specter, with stethoscope hanging from his neck and a list on his hoof, looked at the duo from the door of the room with a small grin. Big Mac wasted no time as he carefully explained what Cheerilee was going through. The doctor didn't seemed fazed by this, instead, he placed a hoof on his chin and emitted a audible 'Hmmm'. He got closer to Cheerilee and leaned towards her head.
"Anything else you are feeling?" he asked with his eyes fixed on hers. Cheerilee looked at her hoof and sighed.
"... Everything feels... wobbly... like if I had no strength at all..." she answered as she closed one eye and flinched right on the spot.
"Okay, thanks for telling me. I'll be back with you in a minute, okay?"
"Oh... o-okay...". Specter did a 180 degree turn and approached Big Mac with a confused face. The doctor tried to hold his professional face as long as possible, but he eventually gave in and sighed.
"Big Mac? Remember when I told you about the last day effects?" the farmer took a few moments to remember, for he forgot that important detail. Once he regained that memory, he nodded in response, "Well, it seems it's starting to kick in faster than predicted. I'm sorry."
The red stallion stood, motionless and not showing any kind of emotion. Specter felt a little concerned about his sudden actions and waved a hoof in front of him. Nothing. His body nor his face moved an inch. The brown stallion felt something was wrong and tried to speak one more time, but the inmovile stallion beat him to it.
"Doc?" Specter's ears tilted up, alert of anything, "Ah.... Specter,"
Mac shifted his eyes towards his long-timed partner and smiled, "....Thanks for everything..."
Specter, moving his ears down, smiled at his praise, "Well, thanks Big Ma-"
"Hold on, Ah'm not finished. Besides, what Ah'm about to tell yah never leaves this room, okay?" interrupted Big Mac.
"Uuuh, o-okay." he stammered a little, "But, are you sure you want to say it to me with her around?". The red stallion sighed and looked over at Cheerilee, witnessing the conversation. He closed his eyes and darted his sight to the ceiling.
"It's okay. Ah want her to hear everything. Ah want her to know what Ah have learned these last couple of days" he stated with a smile on his lips. The doctor nodded and looked at the patient, noticing that she was staring at them.
"You know, Spec? In the beginning of all this, Ah've always considered myself a strong pony. Not that Ah loath about it, but yah get the point. In any case, as these days went by, Ah slowly noticed that Ah still have a lot to learn. Heck, I'm starting to sound like Grandma Smith."
"Heh, you got that right...." the doctor replied.
"Anyways... As Cheerilee slowly began to develop this illness and everything, Ah noticed that there are things where we aren't going to endure easily. After yah told me how long did she have, Ah broke down. Ah tried my best to hold the tears, but Ah guess the years made me soft again.... " Big Mac chuckled at his statement and shook his head, "That's when Ah started to doubt about my strength, you know? As the oldest right after Grandma, it was mah duty to protect mah family and lead the family business harder than anyone. Yet, Ah know things about to happen and mah mind doesn't accept it, yah know what Ah'm trying to say?"
"Crystal clear." answered Specter.
"Well, take for example when mah folks passed away. Ah stayed in mah room for a whole week before Ah accepted they were long gone. Even when Ah knew the truth, mah mind rejected such thing. Growing up, Ah came around and let go of it, accepting that my folks were in a better place. That stage has been one of the hardest moments of mah life." he looked to the floor and a weak smiled formed on his lips, "Been a colt back then helped me realize that Ah must be stronger in order to protect others. And that's why Ah always come up with such short answers to others. To hide mahself from others."
His eyes averted at his childhood friend and a subtle frown appeared, "But Ah was clearly wrong. Being strong isn't just about becoming distant and colder. It isn't either about gaining muscle or suffering for others, quite the contrary. Being strong means to be there for others, to suffer whatever is going happen, together..."
He walked past the doctor and approached Cheerilee who looked at him with surprise.
"That's why Ah'm staying with yah until the very end," he said to Cheerilee, causing her to look surprised, yet happy, "Ah know Ah said that before, but this time Ah mean it with all that´s left of me. Yah helped me, Cheerilee, even when it didn't seemed that way."
The red stallion averted his eyes from her and looked at the open window next to him, "Lately Ah have been feeling that Ah'm not strong enough, that being me wasn't good enough. Everytime Ah thought that an unusual thing happened, either it was a villian or a entity, my sister Applejack or her friends would always comes to the rescue. Heck! Even Applebloom has her share of adventures! But me... Ah was the one who wouldn't amount to anything. The one left behind, taking care of the farm, as he watched her siblings moved to something better. That was how Ah thought things were meant to be that way."
"Ah, right. The Mane Six, perhaps one of the greatest group of heroes in all of Equestria. Their deeds and rescues from several incidents involving the demise of Equestria are what made them famous, along other things." the two ponies turned to Specter, who had the list in his hoof, avoid eye contact, "Everyone see them in different ways. Nobles see them as both as heroes and as a bunch of teenagers with a lot of luck. Others see them as national heroes, and the cities sees them as celebrities at some point. However, in Ponyville, we see them as friends, nothing else. With or without the title."
He lowers the list from his sight and switches it towards the bulky stallion, "But you do have a point, Mac. They have done things that we wouldn't have accomplished without the required help. It's both incredible and powerless for all of us. At least, that's what I believe. Wow! NOW I feel old."
This gained a laugh from both specting ponies, looking down after doing so. Big Mac recovered first and looked at Cheerilee.
"Don't worry, Ah felt the same thing,", Big Mac looks to the ex-teacher with love-struck eyes, "I guess the youngest of all and most beautiful one would be you, Cheerilee..."
If red had any darker colors, then Cheerilee's face just made a discovery with the blush on her face.
"Ah love with all mah heart, never forget that...", in a blink of an eye, both ponies's lips met, Mac taking the lead. Cheerilee was taken back by this, but she happily returned the kiss. They embraced each other as they continued their kiss. Specter understood completely what was going on and he left the room to give them some required space. Walking down the hallway, he turned to the room where he had walk away and smiled.
"You are very lucky, both of you." he murmured under his breath. He proceeded to keep walking down the hallway, making his way to his usual routine as doctor.
LAST DAY, ..... ..... ..... .....2 HOURS REMAINING
"b...big...M...Mac?" Cheerilee whispered at the stallion next to her. The red farmer looked at her with a sad expression on his face, but a smile on it nevertheless.
"Yes, Cheerilee?" he replied, with a bit of sorrow in his voice. She closed her eyes and barely exhaled, having heavy breath soon after that.
"There.... is actually.... one last thing... to do.... before I leave..." Big Mac went ahead of himself and grabbed her hoof.
"Anything for yah..."
"Can... you please...." she coughed a little and stared to the ceiling, "get my saddlebag? ...I have... a book.... I want to... hear one last time..."
"Cheerilee, Ah would cross all of 'Questria just for yah... Be right back..." he let go of Cheerilee's hoof and grabbed the saddlebag, where he searched for this peculiar book. Big Mac managed to a hold of something rectangular and pulled it out. He inmediately noticed what was she refering to and smiled.
Remember when I said that Cheerilee had read a lot of stories, espcially romance ones? Well, it happens that one of her favorite books, Romeo and Juliet, was there.
Surprisingly, that was the only book in the saddlebag. Big Mac wondered why, but he ignored that and walked up to the dying mare. Cheerilee's eyelids were half-way closed and a small bump from the red stallion was she needed to notice him.
"This one, right?" Big Mac asked, obviously knowing the answer.
"Of course...." she replied, "So... one last time... I... want to... hear it..."
Big Mac positioned hiimself in a comfortable location and opened the book. He inmediately knew that some words were foreign to him, since they were Old Equus. However, he wasn't going to allow his ignorance to stop him from reading the book.
·"Here goes nothin'... Ah'm reading everything... for her..."
.........................................
.........................................
.........................................
.........................................
A bit of Shakespear for you. Actually, the whole play.
.........................................
.........................................
.........................................
"My favorite...."
"I.... I love you.... Big Mac... thanks... for everything..."
With tears on his face, he simply nodded. Words couldn't be described to what he was feeling. I bet some of you felt the same. I did. "Oh... please.... don't cry... I'm going.... to... a better.... place..."
Using all of her strength, she gently lifted her hoof and stroke his muzzle, "One day... I hope... to see you.... again... when it's your time... Please, always be yourself Mac. Never change..."
"... Ah Pinkie promise..." he used his free hoof and made the promise, tears streaming on his face, "'Cross My Heart, Hope to Fly, *Sniff* ...Stick a Cupcake in my Eye..."
"Good..." her hoof slowly began to fall to the gravity's favor, "...good.... This is it..... My time has.... arrived... Mac?"
He couldn't speak clearly, his voice clearly bailing on him, "Y-Y-.....Yes?"
"One last thing...."
".... W-w-what.. is.. *Sniff* it?"
Using every ounce of her strength, she gently murmured.
"I......."
"love...."
"....you..."
........
........
........
........ Me too...
That night.... Big Mac cried until he couldn't cry anymore, his sobs audible to anyone nearby. Many heard he spent crying the whole night. He may have lost track of time, but it didn't matter to him. All he knew, was that he needed to live for her. Cheerilee left a huge mark on his life and he was glad he could spent the last minutes of her life with her. Soon after, the disease was named the "LOVE'S FINALE".
After Cheerilee's experience, Specter dedicated his days to find a cure for the disease, using what he learned from her. He is still working on it unavaiable to find a cure up to this day, but he won't give up, even if it takes his whole life to do so. Big Mac eventually returned to the farm, to his daily life where he harvested apples with his family. Some say he has actually changed. Some other say the contrary. His family, on the hand, were there to console him some specific nights where he bursted into tears during his sleep. But in the end, all that mattered was that he could finally understand what life meant. He would never forget her and soon, when his time finally arrived, he would see her again...
Author's Note
A... comment would be nice.. and... I'm sorry, it's just that...
Darn it... I actually cried while making this.... Mom.... I hope you are in a better place now....
This is by far the longest chapter I have ever done in my whole life and I can gladly say it's a masterpiece for me. I placed some much effort and emotion to it that words doesn't describe it... Also, I spent two whole months doing this, repeating the story over and over, until I got it right.
I sincerely hope you enjoy this story and I'll see you later... Right now... I need a tissue or two...
...See ya soon...
