Always there for youby Rising ShineChaptersChapter 3: The moment you need somepony at most ...Chapter 4: ... then somepony will come to helpChapter 1: Happy timesChapter 2: Bad timesChapter 3: The moment you need somepony at most ...23 years later "Ice? We need to talk." Ice looks up to her boss. "What is it?" "Your losing fun in it. More and more. The others making more and more a better job, Ice. Even the mare, who is here for a week to practice get's better ideas and results. I know, your little sister, but that's over 20 years ago, you can't stay here if you keep thinking about her." She rolls her eyes. "And that means?" "It wasn't easy, but I gave you a chance to proof already your still into it months ago, but you didn't got better, even worser. Sorry to tell, but your fired." Her eyes widen in shock. "No! Please, just one last chance, I have nothing to earn bits if you fire me, please!" "I'm sorry but you got enough chances already. Pack your things, you will get your bits for the month as usual, but then you have to find a new job." He walks out of the room, barely manage to avoid a book that she throw to him. "You can't do that to me! I have nothing! Gear leaved me years ago! My appartment is just some food and a bed! I need bits to survive, ARGHHH!" Ice throws the desk away and kicks the ice machine, before running out, tears in her eyes. She doesn't care anymore, kicking everypony in her way to the side and run out of the building. Ice looks to the mail she received, after she reach her appartment. She sits in a corner of her bedroom, more tears running down her cheeks. Dear Cream, We didn't received the rent for 2 months now. You came always, you will pay but we get the feeling you can't pay it and lie to us on purpose. If we won't receive alltogether 430 bits in the next 5 days, you immediately have to leave the appartment. If you know you can't pay it until then, tell us and leave the appartment in a good state. Your "Pony-Livings"-Company in Manehattan. She rips the letter into pieces and throws it away, glaring to the wall. "First my parents die! Then robbery! Then our house burns down! Then my sis dies! Then I got beaten up! Then Gear leaved me! Thenn I got fired today and now bucking this?!" She takes the picture with her and Vanilla and throws it against a wall, the glass breaking. "YOU TOLD ME TO BE ALWAYS THERE FOR ME!" She punch her hoof against the wall, hate and sorrow running trough her head. Tears falling down from her cheeks. "I'm so done with those horseapples ..." Ice looks up to the building, she and Vanilla where once in the past. "Weren't those 3 weeks not the best in your life? Like that big building in Manehattan, we were on it." "Yeah, that was awesome! I swear, I saw our little village in the distance!" She grins wide and Ice ruffles her mane. "Indeed, it was. I'm glad you enjoyed the weeks. Afterall, what happened, I tought, something like that would cheer us up." "It did, thank you sis." Vanilla hugs her and Ice hugs her back, sighing silently. "No problem." She feels a tear running down her cheek by the memory, before entering the building for another time ... and last time. She walks up the stairs, one by one, until she reaches the hoof and opens the door. The cold air from the height wishes over her body, her mane and tail shaking in all directions from the wind. "Time to end this ... huh?" She takes a step on the edge, 50 floors from the ground away. She notices guards and ponies, probably trying to calm her down. "Who could know what I going to do? Whatever ..." She takes her other forehoof on the edge, feeling sick beeing so high. She closes her eyes. "Good bye, you rotten world .." And with a swung forward, she made her decision. She feels free, no ground anymore, preparing to fall, but something pulls her back, biting on her tail and with another swung she suddenly lies on the roof again. "Don't ..." Ice turns around, seeing a mare. She has a coat on with a hood over her head, making it hard to see her actual face. "Why does a mare care for me. I'm worthless, my destiny is jumping down from here." "I want to help you. I ... noticed you today outside, you seem to be in a horrible mental state. I really want to help ..." Ice looks away. "There is nothing to help with. Let me jump ..." "No. Mayby it's true and nopony cares, but I got trough enough already. I uh ... want a restart with my ... life. And I want to help you. I can help you. We can work together making this a good life. Believe me." Something in her voice seems ... trustful. "What I got to lose ..." The mare nods. "Thank you. It means a lot. Let's get to my home, you should eat something. My name is ... Hope." "Ice Cream ... let's go already, before I change my mind again ..." Chapter 4: ... then somepony will come to help"Why? Why are you helping me so much? I knew you only for days and you tried so much for me already ... I don't deserve it." Hope rolls her eyes, her face still barely to see. "Everypony deserve a chance in my eyes. I sended the application to the ice cream company in Las Pegasi for you. But it's weekend, so don't expect an answer soon. I'm sure their taking you." "If you say so ..." Ice walks out of the building. Hope sighs and let herself fall on the bed. "I will help you, until you can stand alone on your 4 hooves again ..." "Why am I not surprised?" Short after Ice was out of the building, she feels raindrops falling on her. "Stupid pegasi ..." Ice starts walking trough the city, while ponies looking at her. Not a surprise, after she was in the newspaper, because of her nearly jumping from the building. "Can you guys stop staring?!" Some winces, others just looking away, while she keeps walking on the walkway. Everytime it's raining, her heart brakes more, because it reminds her, that Vanilla loved to be outside, playing in the rain. Ice lowers her head, tears starting to run down on her cheeks, but she doesn't cry ... there is nothing left to cry in her. There is nothing left for her future. The only reason she still breaths, is Hope, that mysterious mare, who want to help her. She knows as good as nothing about her and still she know, she can trust Hope. When she looks up, she noticed, that she straight walked into the newly opened "Mane-Green-Park". A big park with a lake, a lot of nature and places for fillies and colts to play around. She notices parents walking out with their kids, to get out of the rain, but her eyes where locked on two ponies. A mare and a filly, playing and running in the rain, jumping on rain puddles and laughing happily. Ice let out a little smile, imagine the two ponies where herself and Vanilla, playing outside back home. It took over 10 minutes to realize that she just standed there, watching the two playing. She shake her head, only to notice, that the ponies aren't there anymore, mayby walked home now too, because the rain starts to get more. Ice sighs sadly and keeps walking, nopony out there anymore. It was now hours ago, the rain still dropping to the ground and most ponies still already saved from the rain. She doesn't care at all, until somepony pushes her away. "Watch out, where ya walking, pony!" The impact of the push was strong enough to let her fall on mud next to her. "Exactly, that's where you belong, scum. Laying in mud, like earth ponies should be!" Ice is lying just on the maud, her body covered with it and tears running down, when the unicorn kicks mud onto her face. She doesn't care anymore, that's what she is afterall, mud. She closes her eyes. Just put me out of this cruel world, why wont nopony just end m- With a splash, something lands next to her in the mud. She open her eyes to see the same unicorn in it. "The only scum right now here, is you!" Hope is standing next to the mud, glaring to the unicorn, who looks surprised by the sudden attack. "Go already, you dirty-!" Beforeshe even could end, the unicorn stands up and runs away. Hope walks to Ice and helps her up. "You okay?" Ice just looks to the unicorn, running away, before something in her head makes *Click*. It's the same unicorn, that stole the money for Vanilla's class trip. Not even caring for Hope right now, she start galloping fast to the still running unicorn. The unicorn slowly calms down, stopping to run and just walk again, before he get pushed hard to the ground. "Ouch, hey-!" Ice just glares down to him with hate in her eyes. The unicorm whimpers, Ice raising her hoof to punch the hay out of him. "You tought I wouldn't remember you, huh?! You stole our bits, remember me?!" His eyes widen, his body shaking in fear. "Yeah, yeah, now fearing me, huh? Wasn't you just the big unicorn who pushes me into mud and laughing at me?" "I-I'm really sorry, please. I needed the money to live, or I would had kicked out badly for my failure. And years ago, I failed hard. I'm sorry for everything I did in the past, please don't kill me!" Ice feels a hoof stopping her own hoof to punch him. "Let him. He suffered enough. Just look ..." Hope motions to Ice to look on him closely. His horn has several cracks, making it impossible to use any magic anymore. On one of his eyes, the color faded, saying that he can't see on this eye anymore and he has a scar on his chest. "You told me how bad your life was, Ice. Told me about everything in your life. Now look to him. He suffered, had to fight to survive. He isn't a bad pony ... life just forced him to be one." Ice slowly stands up from him, her glare now filled with pity. "Go ... get your flank moving, before I decide different!" The stallion directly stands up and runs away. "You did good, letting him leave, Ice. He got enough problems to care for ..." "I ... guess ..." Hope shakes her a little. "You look wet. We should go home now, before you get a cold." Days later "Sis, help me!" Vanilla cries loud, sinking more and more into the black mud." "Exactly, that's where you belong, scum. Laying in mud, like earth ponies should be!" "Vanilla!" Ice tries as best as possible to reach her hoof, but everytime she get's close, a black tendril slaps her hoof away from Vanilla. "You promised me to be always there, sis! You liar!" "Vanilla, I'm not lying! I want to help you!" Ice cries loud, but every attempt to get her get's stopped. "LIAR-MPFHHH!" Her head and hoof sinks into the mud. Red glowing eyes appear instead in the darkness around, somepony laughing evily. "Your next, pony." Tendrils catching her hooves, making her unable to move, slowly sinking into the black mud, while the red eyes forming under them sharp teeth, grinning to her. Tears running down, more and more sinking in, her hind legs, tail, belly, chest, neck ... when a light appears out of nowhere. The light pushes more and more darkness away, until she get blend by pure light. When she finally can see again, she finds herself on a pure white ground, no darkness, no black maud, only a silhouette of a mare, slowly walking to Ice. "Don't fear, I will help you ..." Hope smiles, slowly pulling her hood away, slowly maki- "Ice?" Ice winces, breaking trough her dream. She feels herself covered in sweat, but safe on her bed. "Nightmare again?" Hope stands next to her bed, looking worried. "I-I'm fine ..." "The mail came, as I said, they are ready to give you the job there. Their in a crisis and need any help of somepony to bring them out with new ice creations. The payment is the triple from what you told, was in your previous job. Congratulations." Ice blinks. She can't believe, that somepony would give her a job. "T-Thank you ..." "For what?" Ice jumps out of the bed and hugs Hope tight. "Bucking everything. You gave me a place to live, you helped me get a job, you showed me, their ponies out there, who has it worser then me. You don't know me and still you care for me. If there is anything I can help you with, tell me." Hope just shakes her head. "Nope, nothing. But ... your nightmares, you told me and the one you probably had right now. I think it's time." "T-Time?" Ice looks confused. "Time to let go from Vanilla. The nightmares will come over and over again, if you wont let go from her. You can't accept the fact, that she is dead, gone, forever. And from what you told me, I know where to do so." "But ..." Hope pulls out two train tickets, to her old home. Where she lived with Vanilla. Where she loved Gear, where they all played in the rain ... where the cave is, Vanilla died ... "It's time to go back, to finish with the past. What happened, happened, Ice. Nopony ever can change that. But you can make a different, by letting go. Remember the past, but live the future." Ice just stands there, slowly nodding. "Good. The train comes in 2 hours. You can do it." It looks like I remember it ... Ice looks around to her old home. Tears running down, by the ammount of flashbacks, the good and the bad ones. She take a deep breath and starts walking with Hope, where once her house was. It's raining a little, but the sun shines trough some free spots. After all the time has passed, a new house is standing in replacement of her old, burned house. The outside looks mostly the same as back in her past, just with different decorations from the new owner. She notices the tree nearby, that like a wonder, survived the fire back then. She walks to it, when her eyes widen. Scratched on the tree was a big heart, with something standing in it. ICE + VANILLA BEST SISTERS FOREVER ALWAYS TOGETHER ALWAYS THERE FOR EACH OTHER "W-We did that, when she was 6 ..." She feels tears running down again, when somepony walks to them. "V-Vanilla?" Ice frowns ... it's Gear. "W-What do you want, go away ..." "I-I will, but if you already here ... I'm sorry. I had enough problems to deal myself back then. Whatever reason I told to leave you, was a lie. I couldn't stand my problems and your problems at the same. I'm an idiot to let go from the mare I love ..." Ice looks unsure to Hope, but she nods. "Forgive and forget ... i-it was in the past, I did mistakes too. We should see it as a break to find ourselves, Gear. I still love you and guessing from your blush you still love me. You want a second try?" Gear just stares, before nodding. "I would love too." "Good. I will meet you later then, okay? I have ... one last thing to do." He nods. "Thank you, Ice. I wont disappoint you again, never ever." "I know. Ready, Hope?" She nods. "You can do it, Ice." They both start walking out of the village, heading to a cave. Even after 23 years later, it was still standing, still unused since then. Ice walks in, Hope following. A grave is standing, exactly on the spot, where Vanilla lived her last minutes. Vanilla Cream 14.01.2011 - 09.03.2019 Always be remembered, by the loving souls of her friends and family, for that she find peace in the world beyond ours. "Vanilla ... I'm so sorry ..." Ice starts to cry, before Hope puts a hoof on her. "Let it out, let it go, let her go ..." Ice keeps crying, for seconds, for minutes, for hours. She let out everything she has in, crying all the tears out she surpressed in the last 23 years inside her, the feelings, the past, Vanilla. Hope stands and waits, not stopping her. It was around evening, when she let out few snifs. Her eyes are red and wet from crying, but she doesn't cry anymore. Hope notices and walks to her. Ice let out another sniff. "Thank you for everything, Vanilla. For beeing part of my life ..." "Same to you, Ice. For always beeing there for me, when I needed you." Her ears perk up faster then light, turning around. Only Hope was standing there. "V-Vanilla?" Hope smiles and finally pulls her hood from her head, revealling her face ... Vanilla. "You promised me, to be always there for me and you where all my life. You stayed with me and made my life worth it. I enjoyed every second with you, Ice, the good and bad ones. And I also promised to be there for you, remember? I don't brake promises." Ice just stands there, unabe to believe what she sees. "V-Vani-nilla?" Vanilla gives her a hugs. Ice feels the warmth of her caring, but her body is cold and dead. "I was here to help you get back on your hooves. As you feel, I'm not alive. I'm a ghost, to help you back up, when you where down. I only can stay like this, until my promise is done. Remember me, but don't live me. I'm gone, but I'm with you. You deserve a good life, as you gave me once back in the past. I got te chance to help you getting it. Don't waste everything. I am waiting for your arrival, but when the time has come to say good bye ... not by jumping of a building. Promise me, promise me to stay until your time passed by." Ice hugs her tighter. "D-Don't leave ... not again ..." Ice feels hr cold hoof on her chest. "I'm gone, but there, in your heart, I'm still there, for you. Promise me." Ice pulls back and wishes her tears away. "F-For you ... I-I p-p-promise ..." Vanilla smiles a little. "Thank you, I know, from now on, it only goes up in your life. My promise is done, my time to leave has arrived. Thank you for beeing the best sister I could had wished for. Your stronger then you think. Good bye, Ice, until your time has come." "Vanilla ... thank you ... for beeing always there for me ..." She closes her eyes and feels a cold, but caring kiss on her cheek. When she opens her eyes, nopony was in the cave anymore. Tears running down again her cheeks, but this time, they are filled with happiness and proud ... proud for having such a wonderful sister. "Best sister ever ..." 46 years later "Everything alright with you?" Ice lays in her bed, looking to the mare, who cares for the old ponies in the building, smiling. "Everything is fine." The mare smiles, nodding and leaving Ice's room. Ice looks to the desk next to her bed and takes one of the pictures. She and Gear kissing on their wedding 43 years ago. She put it back and takes another photo from the desk. On it a pic from an old Gear smiling. 24.09.1995 - 10.04.2076 "Miss you, my love." She kiss the photo and putting it back on the desk. She then picks the third and last photo on the desk. A young Ice smiling, while a young Gear kissing her cheek and a young Vanilla stretching out her tongue happily. A tear runs down her cheek, holding it tight on her and letting out a happy sigh. She close her eyes slowly, slowly drifting away into her last sleep, the one, she will never wake up from, the one, who brings her to the ones, she loved, her parents, Gear and Vanilla, forever ... Chapter 1: Happy timesIce Cream is a 12 year old filly, that is reading a book right now, when she hears screaming from the living room. The white filly, with a mix of yellow and red mane and tail and blue eyes ears perk up directly, recognizing the screaming voice. "Mommy?!" Ice directly runs into the living room to look, why she is screaming so loud. Whe she reaches it, she sees her father with her mother, who seems in pain. Her father notices Ice and nods. Ice nods too and runs out directly from the house, running to the hospital. Her father explained, that her mother is pregnant and if ever something happens, that needs a doctor, he just nods to Ice, signaling to get a doctor. Ice reach the hospital and runs up to the counter. "Hello, little one. This is a hospital, no runni-" "My mommy needs a doctor, miss! She is pregnant and I think, the foal is coming!" The nurse on the counter nods, her horn glows and a message is to hear over the whole hospital. "Doctor Smile and Nurse Redheart, directly to the counter. Emergency." It took only a few seconds before both running up to the counter. So much about not running here. "The filly her needs you two, her mother is pregnant." They look to her and nodding. "Lead us." "Congratulation, Mrs. Swirl and Mr. Cream, you have a healthy filly foal." Ice Cream is watching her parents, looking stressed but happy. She herself waited outside, until it was done. She looks up, when the nurse gives the foal, mostly covered in a towel, to them. The foal looks similiar to Ice, only the fur has a more vanilla tint. Wow, she looks similiar to me. "And already an idea, how to name her?" The doctor gives a smile, while Ice's parents look to each other, nodding. "Vanilla Cream." "Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday, dear Vanilla, happy birth day to yoooouuuu!" Friends and family where come to celebrate Vanilla's first birthday. While everypony was talking and having fun, Ice sits on a chair, away from the rest and bored. Since Vanilla came into her life, the attention of everypony, especially her parents, where focused on the new foal. She feels left out of her family, only there to get stuff or to clean stuff. She puts the plate with the rest of her chocolate-nougat cake on the desk and stands up to get to her room, when her mother walks to Ice. "Hey, Ice, could you get the bottle with milk for Vanilla, please?" "Urghh, yes, mom ..." Annoyed, she leaves the living room to walk to the kitchen. At least the milk was prepared already, so she only fills the drink bottle from Vanilla with the milk and walks back. "Thank you, Ice Cream." Ice rolls her eyes watching her mother giving Vanilla the milk, before turning to leave the room. When Ice reached the door, her ears perk up in surprise. "Ice ... Cream ..." Ice turns around, to look, who was talking. Everypony is looking, changing there views between her and Vanilla. "Ice .. Cream." Vanilla looks happily to Ice. Her mother smiles wide, while Ice feels a tear of joy running down her cheek. Her first words ... where my name ... Ice smiles wide, walking to Vanilla and hugging her carefully, feeling Vanilla's little hooves hugging back. "Ice Cream." Ice Cream and Vanilla Cream where playing outside hide and seek. Ice where looking around for Vanilla. "For a 5 year old filly, she is pretty good in hiding." Vanilla hides behind a big bush, pretty much there, where Ice wasn't searching right now. Suddenly, something flies right on her nose. The little flying animal looks so beautiful, especially the wings. She don't move anything from her body, to not scare the little animal, just watching it with big eyes. She never saw something so beautiful before. "GOTCHA!" Ice looks trough the bush, that made Vanilla wince and the animal flying away. "Awww, you scared it, Ice ..." "Scared what? The butterfly?" Vanilla looks up to her. "B-Butterfly?" "Yeah. That's how those are called. Beautiful, isn't it?" Vanilla smiles and nods. She crawls out from behind the bush. "You don't catch me, sis!" Vanilla starts running, laughing happily, while Ice follows her, extra slowly to give Vanilla a chance. Then Vanilla slipped on the grass, falling to the ground, hitting her hoof on a stone. "Vanilla, you okay?" "Mooommyyyy!!" Vanilla start crying loud, holding her hurted hoof. Ice runs to her saddlebag, taking out a Wonderbolt-Design plaster and runs to Vanilla. She is still crying, when she feels a kiss on her wounded hoof. She sniffs and looks to Ice. "Doctor Ice here, to save hurted filly!" Vanilla chuckles a little, before Ice puts the plaster on her wound. "And another filly saved!" Both chuckling, when Vanilla boops Ice nose. "Boop!" They laughing and hugging each other. "Your the best sis ever!" "Feeling better, Vanilla?" Vanilla lies deep snuggled under her blanket, looking sick. "A little ..." "Come on, mom, she has only fever. She wont die in few minutes." Her mother rolls her eyes. "Am I'm not allowed to care for my daughter?" "I'm thirsty ..." Her mother nods and gives her the glass with water. Vanilla drinks a bit from it. "Thank you ..." "You can care for the day? I need to go to work soon." Ice nods. "Vacation. I can do that." She nods and walks out, while Ice looks to Vanilla. "You better try to sleep, sis. You want to be fit for the spa tomorrow, right?" Vanilla smiles and nods. "Okay ..." She closes her eyes, trying to sleep. "If you need me, just call me, I wont leave the house." Then a knock on the door. Ice walks to it and open it, seeing one of her best friends, Gear Break. He was a handsome brown stallion, with darker brown mane and tail and a wrench as his cutie mark. "Yo, Ice, I heard ya got a day off?" Ice nods, blushing a tiny little bit. "Y-Yeah, but my little sis is ill, I need to watch over her." "Aww, shoot! Ya have sunday time?" Ice nods. "Great, I know an awesome new restaurant here, I wanted to ask ya, if ya wanna come with me?" Ice nearly faints from joy. "I would love to go with you!" "Awesome, see ya then on sunday, 12 PM?" Ice nods. "Great! See ya!" Ice nearly grins when closing the door, sliding down by the housedoor, her heart beating fast. This is going to be the best sunday ever ... "Where is mom and dad, sis?" Vanilla looks a bit worried. It's nearly 10 PM now, usually there parents are back since hours. "Don't worry too much, Vanilla. Thee are some free days coming, where no shop has open. They sure need to carry a lot of stuff. Want to play-" Then they hear a knock on the door. "See? There they are already." Ice stands up to open the door, looking surprised, when she sees a royal guard on the door. "Uhh, hello, mister? What's wrong?" The guard looks nervous. "Well, you are Ice Cream and Vanilla Cream, right?" Ice nods nervously. "Y-Yeah." "The guard sighs, it can be seen in his face, that he feels really uncomfortable. "There was a fire ... in the market. Some of them didn't got out of it ... I'm sorry to tell you two, but your parents didn't got out alive ..." Ice feels tears running down her cheeks. "N-Nice joke, dude ..." The guard sighs. "I wish it would be a joke." Ice hears a loud crying from behind her. She didn't noticed, that Vanilla was behind her, listening. "Vanilla ..." "YOUR LYING! YOUR ALL LYING!" She runs out, nearly knocking the guard away. "Vanilla, wait!" "There you are ..." Ice, pretty exhausted walks slowly to Vanilla. She sits near the lake, throwing some stones into the water, her eyes red from crying. "Go away ..." "Vanilla ..." She glares to her. Ice winces, she never had look so hurted. Anger and fear was clearly seen on Vanilla's face. "You said, everything will be fine! Your a liar, I hate you!" "Vanill-" She stands up and pushes Ice on her back, ready to beat her like a punch bag. "QUIET!" "Please ... calm d-ouch!" Vanilla punches on Ice's cheek, but before she hit again, Ice stops her hooves withher own. "Calm down!" Vanilla glares, but stops, when she sees Ice eyes too. Ice sniffs, tears falling down. "S-Sorry sis ..." "I-It's fine ... not your fault ..." Then Vanilla hugs her tight. "I miss mommy and daddy ..." "M-Me too ..." Ice hugs her back, together crying trough the night. From today, there lives wont be the same anymore ... Chapter 2: Bad times"And how was school today, Vanilla?" Vanilla sighs and shows her a paper. Ice takes it and looks on the failed math test. Vanilla was always great in math, until the incident 6 months ago. "Vanilla ..." "I'm sorry, Sis ..." Ice takes her in a hug. "I going to help you for the next test, okay?" "R-Really? But what about-" She shakes her head and smiles. "Gear can wait, your my priority number one." Vanilla smiles wide and hugs her back. "Best sister ever!" They both chuckle. "I promise, I'm always there for you, Vanilla." "And I'm always there for you, Ice." Then the bell rings. Ice walks to the door and opens it to see, who is there. It was Gear. "Uhm, hey Ice ..." "You okay?" He nods and lifts his tail up, showing her a pair of beautiful flowers, that he holds with his tail. On it on a small paper standing *I love you, my beautiful Ice Cream*. Ice starts to blush heavily, before kissing him. That causes Gear to blush. "Urgh, really?" Gear and Ice start to laugh. Vanilla rollswith her eyes. "Can we learn now, the next test is in two days already. About history." "Sorry Gear, mayby during weekend." Gear smiles and nods. "No problem, Ice. Bye!" He waves and walks away. "It's about how Equestria was made." "Alright, let's get starting then." They walk both to the living room. "Happy birthday, Vanilla!" Vanilla smiles wide, when Ice walks in with a delicious looking vanilla cake. It has 8 candles on it, all glowing in different colors. "Woahh ..." Ice takes the cake on the table, directly in front of Vanilla. "Make a wish!" Vanilla closes her eyes, the blowing off the candles ... only to glow shortly after again. "Wha-?" Ice falls on her back, laughing. "Not funny!" Then a loud crash, the window breaks in pieces and a unicorn stallion jumps in, his horn glowing. "No wrong move, or I shoot!" Short after a pegasi mare and a earth pony stallion jump in, looking trough everything. Vanilla shivers, jumping to Ice and hugging her tight, sniffing. Ice glares. "What you want from us?!" "We just want money, that's all. We don't harm, until needed!" The pegasi finds a big sack with bits. "That are more then 200 bits!" "Alright, take it and let's get moving, before those annoying guards get a sniff from this!" The pegasi flies out with the sack of bits, followed by the earth pony and then the unicorn. Ice just glares in shock, while Vanilla cries into her fur. Ice sighs. "I guess, you can forget the class trip to Canterlot ... I'm sorry, I know how you wanted to go there for a week with your class ..." She sniffs but shakes her head. "I'm just glad, we are okay, that's most important ..." "If he dared to even touch you, I had kicked him personally to the sun." She smiles a little. "Nopony can stop my sis." "Hey ..." She looks up to Ice. "I try to talk to your teacher. And we will go to the guard office here. Mayby we can make it, that you still can go in three weeks." "Thank you." She smiles wide and hugs her tight. "Your more then welcome." Vanilla walks in the direction of their house, when Ice runs to her and hugs her. Vanilla smiles wide. "The class trip was awesome! We did-" But Ice puts a hoof on her muzzle. "I just came back from buying, when ... our house ... I'm so stupid, I forgot to-" "What happened?" Ice sighs. "Our house is just a big mess of ashes ..." "What?! Oh c-come on, why does stuff like that always happens to us!" Vanilla starts to cry, Ice can't hold back and starts crying with her. "I-I don't know!" "W-Where are we living now?" Ice wishes some tears away. "Gear allows us to stay, until we find a new home. Be strong okay? No matter how bad the times are, so long we keep together, nothing will stop us. I promised, I'm always there for you and I keep my promises." She feels her nuzzling on her neck. "I-I know, sis ..." Vanilla smiles faintly, when coughing loud suddenly. "You okay?" "Y-Yeah, just some coughing, it's fine." Ice nods and picks Vanilla on her back. "We better go then to Gear now. Hold on tight, the sister train is ready to start!" Vanilla chuckles, when Ice starts running, screaming *Choo-choo!* all the time. 5 days later "What?!" Ice sits in a waiting room in the hospital, the doctor looking nervous. "I-I'm sorry, really, but there is no therapy or medicine to stop it yet." "I PROMISED HER!" The doctor gulps, his ears splaying back. "Miss, we-" Ice jumps on the doctor, pulling him down on the ground, glaring with hate and fear to him. "You better heal her!" Then she gets off the doctor and starts crying. "I-I promised her ..." The doctor stands up slowly, sighing. "It's ... a really rare disease, that only appears on young ponies. Everypony has magic in them, some more, some less. Without them, they can't live. But there can be a genetical error in a ponies body cells. Imagine a room, a closed room full with ... let's say water. No way out of this room. That is a normal body cell. By her, the same room has a really, tiny hole, where slowly water drips out more and more. Until the room is nothing more then a room, without the water. The water is the magic and that drips out from her body cells. In my eyes, it's a wonder, it took over 8 years, until the effects started by her. Usually it already starts after 4-5 years, that they get sick." Ice shivers, slowly looking to him. "H-How long ..." "From what we saw, maximum a month left ..." Ice feels something in her body smashing into thousand pieces. She promised her to be always with her and now Vanilla has only a month left ... "If it kinda help you, there is no real pain for the month. She can still do most things. When the time comes, she get slowly more sick, until feeling tired and then falling asleep ..." She sighs. "... falling asleep forever ..." "Exactly ... I let you decide, if you prefer to tell her the truth or better keep her hidden, that she is going to die, to make her last month a good, happy one." Ice nods. "She should deserve a good end, I keep my muzzle shut." "She can go now, here is some medicine. That should help to make her feel better and not sick all the time. There is no danger, that she can infect somepony with it, so she can still go out and all." Ice slowly stands up and nods. "Thank you, doc ..." 23 years later That's it ... I can't live anymore, I have nothing left, nothing to live for. It's over, I coming home ... I take a step on the edge of the 50 floors high building. I see guards and ponies on the ground, trying to stop me, to calm me down. But there is nothing, no reason to stay in this rotten world. I take my other forehoof on the edge, feeling sick beeing so high. I coming home, Vanilla. I close my eyes and make a swung forward ... 23 years earlier "Urghhh, that tastes still gross!" Ice chuckles a little. "Hey, it keeps you fit, in a week, your back to awesomness!" At least I wish it would be ..... "Glad I can stop taking this gross medicine soon, after suffering already 3 weeks from it!" Ice chuckles. "Weren't those 3 weeks not the best in your life? Like that big building in Manehattan, we were on it." "Yeah, that was awesome! I swear, I saw our little village in the distance!" She grins wide and Ice ruffles her mane. "Indeed, it was. I'm glad you enjoyed the weeks. Afterall, what happened, I tought, something like that would cheer us up." "It did, thank you sis." Vanilla hugs her and Ice hugs her back, sighing silently. "No problem." "Having fun, huh?" Gear walks in, just coming back from buying. "I heard, ya lost your plushie, Vanilly?" "Huh? Stop calling me that." She pouts. "But yeah, lost it few days ago." "Great, then that's yours! I went to the guard station, they found it." He pulls out a pony plushie, but before he got it out, Vanilla catches it already. "YAAAAY!" Vanilla cuddles it tight and runs around happily. "Thank you, thank you, thank you, Gear!" "No problem!" We all start to laugh for minutes, before she hugs Gear. "Thank you, daddy!" We all wince suddenly and Vanilla frowns. "S-Sorry ..." She then runs back to Ice and hugs her tight. Ice and Gear looking nervous to each other. 1 week later "Urghh, I'm fine, no medicine anymore ..." Ice sighs. "Just today, okay? Then your *suffering* of medicine is over, promised." At least one promise I wished, I could break ... Vanilla sips it from the little spoon, shivering. "Urgh ..." "I make my way to my parents then. See you ... two ... next week. I buyed already for a week, so no need to buy for ya all." Ice smiles and nods. "See you then." Vanilla runs to him and hugs him. "I can show you my super secret cave then!" Ice and Gear looking surprised. "Super secret cave?" "Yeah, a empty little cave I found not far away! I show you later, Ice!" She chuckles. "Sure thing!" The Vanilla smiles wide. "How about we sleep over the night there? This is sure awesome!" "I don't knooow ..." She looks sadly. "Pwetty pweaseeeee!" Ice chuckles and nods. "Alright. We can camp there, bringing food and stuff with us there, something to sleep on and your favourite book." She just made the biggest smile in her life ... glad I can make her last day so happy ... "...And together, we knoooow ... nopony stops us foreeeveeerrrr! Forever togeeeetheeeer!" They both chuckle, after finishing the song. "Alright, the marshmallows should be done now." They pick the branches out of the campfire, eating the hot marshmallows on them. "Delicious!" Ice smiles and kiss her forehead, what surprises Vanilla. "Huh? You okay, sis?" She nods. "I'm fine. Tough I just needed to do that." Vanilla chuckles. "Silly filly." They keep eating, until they are filled with it. "Alright, want to read now?" "Sure!" Ice and Vanilla stand up and walking inside the small cave. Vanilla lies down on her camping bed, while Ice picks up the book and sits next to her. "Once, long ago, there where two beautiful sisters ..." Ice keeped reading for over 200 pages, before Vanilla yawns loud. "I feel tired, sis." Ice winces, her heart crashes into pieces. "... When the time comes, she get slowly more sick, until feeling tired and then falling asleep ..." She sighs. "... falling asleep forever ..." Ice stares into the emptiness, until Vanilla shakes her. "Sis, you okay? You where like that for minutes ..." "What? O-Oh, yeah, just, tought how, uh, Gear is doing." Vanilla smiles and let out another yawn. "Alright, let's sleep now, okay?" Ice frowns, but nods. "Sure, sure ..." Ice walks to her camp bed, when Vanilla grabs her tail, pulling Ice to her. "Can you sleep with me?" "Of course!" She nuzzles Vanilla, before Vanilla lies down on her side. Ice sighs and puts the blanket slowly over Vanilla's body. She then lies down on her hooves next to Vanilla. "Good night, Vanilla ..." She kiss her cheek, that causes Vanilla to smile a little. "I'm freezing, sis, can you hug me?" Without a word, Ice lies down on her side and hugs her tight. "Of course ... I promised to be always there for you, Vanilla ..." Her body get's colder ... "Thank you ... best blanket ever. I'm always there for you too, sis." Ice hugs her tighter, tears rolling down her cheeks. "I know ... I know ..." Colder and colder ... "Good night, my big sis ..." More tears rolling down her cheeks. "G-Good n-night, my little sis ..." Vanilla smiles, closing her eyes slowly, while Ice lays her head on Vanilla's chest. Ba-dum, Ba-dum ... Ba-dum ...... Ba-dum ........... Ba-dum ............................ "I'm s-so sorry, I c-couldn't hold m-my promise, Vanilla ..." Ice burries her face on Vanilla's cold chest fur, crying out loud. Her whole body is shaking, crying for seconds ... minutes ... hours ... "I'm s-sorry ..." She looks up trough a hole, where moonshine shines trough, looking into the clear night sky. "Y-You hear me? I-I'm sorry! I'M SORRYYY! SORRYYY! I couldn't hold my promise! My promise to be there for you! FORGIVE M-M-MEEEE!" Ice hugs Vanilla's cold body tighter, crying loud, until her body falls asleep with no tears left to cry and no hope left in Ice's soul .......
Chapter 3: The moment you need somepony at most ...23 years later "Ice? We need to talk." Ice looks up to her boss. "What is it?" "Your losing fun in it. More and more. The others making more and more a better job, Ice. Even the mare, who is here for a week to practice get's better ideas and results. I know, your little sister, but that's over 20 years ago, you can't stay here if you keep thinking about her." She rolls her eyes. "And that means?" "It wasn't easy, but I gave you a chance to proof already your still into it months ago, but you didn't got better, even worser. Sorry to tell, but your fired." Her eyes widen in shock. "No! Please, just one last chance, I have nothing to earn bits if you fire me, please!" "I'm sorry but you got enough chances already. Pack your things, you will get your bits for the month as usual, but then you have to find a new job." He walks out of the room, barely manage to avoid a book that she throw to him. "You can't do that to me! I have nothing! Gear leaved me years ago! My appartment is just some food and a bed! I need bits to survive, ARGHHH!" Ice throws the desk away and kicks the ice machine, before running out, tears in her eyes. She doesn't care anymore, kicking everypony in her way to the side and run out of the building. Ice looks to the mail she received, after she reach her appartment. She sits in a corner of her bedroom, more tears running down her cheeks. Dear Cream, We didn't received the rent for 2 months now. You came always, you will pay but we get the feeling you can't pay it and lie to us on purpose. If we won't receive alltogether 430 bits in the next 5 days, you immediately have to leave the appartment. If you know you can't pay it until then, tell us and leave the appartment in a good state. Your "Pony-Livings"-Company in Manehattan. She rips the letter into pieces and throws it away, glaring to the wall. "First my parents die! Then robbery! Then our house burns down! Then my sis dies! Then I got beaten up! Then Gear leaved me! Thenn I got fired today and now bucking this?!" She takes the picture with her and Vanilla and throws it against a wall, the glass breaking. "YOU TOLD ME TO BE ALWAYS THERE FOR ME!" She punch her hoof against the wall, hate and sorrow running trough her head. Tears falling down from her cheeks. "I'm so done with those horseapples ..." Ice looks up to the building, she and Vanilla where once in the past. "Weren't those 3 weeks not the best in your life? Like that big building in Manehattan, we were on it." "Yeah, that was awesome! I swear, I saw our little village in the distance!" She grins wide and Ice ruffles her mane. "Indeed, it was. I'm glad you enjoyed the weeks. Afterall, what happened, I tought, something like that would cheer us up." "It did, thank you sis." Vanilla hugs her and Ice hugs her back, sighing silently. "No problem." She feels a tear running down her cheek by the memory, before entering the building for another time ... and last time. She walks up the stairs, one by one, until she reaches the hoof and opens the door. The cold air from the height wishes over her body, her mane and tail shaking in all directions from the wind. "Time to end this ... huh?" She takes a step on the edge, 50 floors from the ground away. She notices guards and ponies, probably trying to calm her down. "Who could know what I going to do? Whatever ..." She takes her other forehoof on the edge, feeling sick beeing so high. She closes her eyes. "Good bye, you rotten world .." And with a swung forward, she made her decision. She feels free, no ground anymore, preparing to fall, but something pulls her back, biting on her tail and with another swung she suddenly lies on the roof again. "Don't ..." Ice turns around, seeing a mare. She has a coat on with a hood over her head, making it hard to see her actual face. "Why does a mare care for me. I'm worthless, my destiny is jumping down from here." "I want to help you. I ... noticed you today outside, you seem to be in a horrible mental state. I really want to help ..." Ice looks away. "There is nothing to help with. Let me jump ..." "No. Mayby it's true and nopony cares, but I got trough enough already. I uh ... want a restart with my ... life. And I want to help you. I can help you. We can work together making this a good life. Believe me." Something in her voice seems ... trustful. "What I got to lose ..." The mare nods. "Thank you. It means a lot. Let's get to my home, you should eat something. My name is ... Hope." "Ice Cream ... let's go already, before I change my mind again ..."
Chapter 4: ... then somepony will come to help"Why? Why are you helping me so much? I knew you only for days and you tried so much for me already ... I don't deserve it." Hope rolls her eyes, her face still barely to see. "Everypony deserve a chance in my eyes. I sended the application to the ice cream company in Las Pegasi for you. But it's weekend, so don't expect an answer soon. I'm sure their taking you." "If you say so ..." Ice walks out of the building. Hope sighs and let herself fall on the bed. "I will help you, until you can stand alone on your 4 hooves again ..." "Why am I not surprised?" Short after Ice was out of the building, she feels raindrops falling on her. "Stupid pegasi ..." Ice starts walking trough the city, while ponies looking at her. Not a surprise, after she was in the newspaper, because of her nearly jumping from the building. "Can you guys stop staring?!" Some winces, others just looking away, while she keeps walking on the walkway. Everytime it's raining, her heart brakes more, because it reminds her, that Vanilla loved to be outside, playing in the rain. Ice lowers her head, tears starting to run down on her cheeks, but she doesn't cry ... there is nothing left to cry in her. There is nothing left for her future. The only reason she still breaths, is Hope, that mysterious mare, who want to help her. She knows as good as nothing about her and still she know, she can trust Hope. When she looks up, she noticed, that she straight walked into the newly opened "Mane-Green-Park". A big park with a lake, a lot of nature and places for fillies and colts to play around. She notices parents walking out with their kids, to get out of the rain, but her eyes where locked on two ponies. A mare and a filly, playing and running in the rain, jumping on rain puddles and laughing happily. Ice let out a little smile, imagine the two ponies where herself and Vanilla, playing outside back home. It took over 10 minutes to realize that she just standed there, watching the two playing. She shake her head, only to notice, that the ponies aren't there anymore, mayby walked home now too, because the rain starts to get more. Ice sighs sadly and keeps walking, nopony out there anymore. It was now hours ago, the rain still dropping to the ground and most ponies still already saved from the rain. She doesn't care at all, until somepony pushes her away. "Watch out, where ya walking, pony!" The impact of the push was strong enough to let her fall on mud next to her. "Exactly, that's where you belong, scum. Laying in mud, like earth ponies should be!" Ice is lying just on the maud, her body covered with it and tears running down, when the unicorn kicks mud onto her face. She doesn't care anymore, that's what she is afterall, mud. She closes her eyes. Just put me out of this cruel world, why wont nopony just end m- With a splash, something lands next to her in the mud. She open her eyes to see the same unicorn in it. "The only scum right now here, is you!" Hope is standing next to the mud, glaring to the unicorn, who looks surprised by the sudden attack. "Go already, you dirty-!" Beforeshe even could end, the unicorn stands up and runs away. Hope walks to Ice and helps her up. "You okay?" Ice just looks to the unicorn, running away, before something in her head makes *Click*. It's the same unicorn, that stole the money for Vanilla's class trip. Not even caring for Hope right now, she start galloping fast to the still running unicorn. The unicorn slowly calms down, stopping to run and just walk again, before he get pushed hard to the ground. "Ouch, hey-!" Ice just glares down to him with hate in her eyes. The unicorm whimpers, Ice raising her hoof to punch the hay out of him. "You tought I wouldn't remember you, huh?! You stole our bits, remember me?!" His eyes widen, his body shaking in fear. "Yeah, yeah, now fearing me, huh? Wasn't you just the big unicorn who pushes me into mud and laughing at me?" "I-I'm really sorry, please. I needed the money to live, or I would had kicked out badly for my failure. And years ago, I failed hard. I'm sorry for everything I did in the past, please don't kill me!" Ice feels a hoof stopping her own hoof to punch him. "Let him. He suffered enough. Just look ..." Hope motions to Ice to look on him closely. His horn has several cracks, making it impossible to use any magic anymore. On one of his eyes, the color faded, saying that he can't see on this eye anymore and he has a scar on his chest. "You told me how bad your life was, Ice. Told me about everything in your life. Now look to him. He suffered, had to fight to survive. He isn't a bad pony ... life just forced him to be one." Ice slowly stands up from him, her glare now filled with pity. "Go ... get your flank moving, before I decide different!" The stallion directly stands up and runs away. "You did good, letting him leave, Ice. He got enough problems to care for ..." "I ... guess ..." Hope shakes her a little. "You look wet. We should go home now, before you get a cold." Days later "Sis, help me!" Vanilla cries loud, sinking more and more into the black mud." "Exactly, that's where you belong, scum. Laying in mud, like earth ponies should be!" "Vanilla!" Ice tries as best as possible to reach her hoof, but everytime she get's close, a black tendril slaps her hoof away from Vanilla. "You promised me to be always there, sis! You liar!" "Vanilla, I'm not lying! I want to help you!" Ice cries loud, but every attempt to get her get's stopped. "LIAR-MPFHHH!" Her head and hoof sinks into the mud. Red glowing eyes appear instead in the darkness around, somepony laughing evily. "Your next, pony." Tendrils catching her hooves, making her unable to move, slowly sinking into the black mud, while the red eyes forming under them sharp teeth, grinning to her. Tears running down, more and more sinking in, her hind legs, tail, belly, chest, neck ... when a light appears out of nowhere. The light pushes more and more darkness away, until she get blend by pure light. When she finally can see again, she finds herself on a pure white ground, no darkness, no black maud, only a silhouette of a mare, slowly walking to Ice. "Don't fear, I will help you ..." Hope smiles, slowly pulling her hood away, slowly maki- "Ice?" Ice winces, breaking trough her dream. She feels herself covered in sweat, but safe on her bed. "Nightmare again?" Hope stands next to her bed, looking worried. "I-I'm fine ..." "The mail came, as I said, they are ready to give you the job there. Their in a crisis and need any help of somepony to bring them out with new ice creations. The payment is the triple from what you told, was in your previous job. Congratulations." Ice blinks. She can't believe, that somepony would give her a job. "T-Thank you ..." "For what?" Ice jumps out of the bed and hugs Hope tight. "Bucking everything. You gave me a place to live, you helped me get a job, you showed me, their ponies out there, who has it worser then me. You don't know me and still you care for me. If there is anything I can help you with, tell me." Hope just shakes her head. "Nope, nothing. But ... your nightmares, you told me and the one you probably had right now. I think it's time." "T-Time?" Ice looks confused. "Time to let go from Vanilla. The nightmares will come over and over again, if you wont let go from her. You can't accept the fact, that she is dead, gone, forever. And from what you told me, I know where to do so." "But ..." Hope pulls out two train tickets, to her old home. Where she lived with Vanilla. Where she loved Gear, where they all played in the rain ... where the cave is, Vanilla died ... "It's time to go back, to finish with the past. What happened, happened, Ice. Nopony ever can change that. But you can make a different, by letting go. Remember the past, but live the future." Ice just stands there, slowly nodding. "Good. The train comes in 2 hours. You can do it." It looks like I remember it ... Ice looks around to her old home. Tears running down, by the ammount of flashbacks, the good and the bad ones. She take a deep breath and starts walking with Hope, where once her house was. It's raining a little, but the sun shines trough some free spots. After all the time has passed, a new house is standing in replacement of her old, burned house. The outside looks mostly the same as back in her past, just with different decorations from the new owner. She notices the tree nearby, that like a wonder, survived the fire back then. She walks to it, when her eyes widen. Scratched on the tree was a big heart, with something standing in it. ICE + VANILLA BEST SISTERS FOREVER ALWAYS TOGETHER ALWAYS THERE FOR EACH OTHER "W-We did that, when she was 6 ..." She feels tears running down again, when somepony walks to them. "V-Vanilla?" Ice frowns ... it's Gear. "W-What do you want, go away ..." "I-I will, but if you already here ... I'm sorry. I had enough problems to deal myself back then. Whatever reason I told to leave you, was a lie. I couldn't stand my problems and your problems at the same. I'm an idiot to let go from the mare I love ..." Ice looks unsure to Hope, but she nods. "Forgive and forget ... i-it was in the past, I did mistakes too. We should see it as a break to find ourselves, Gear. I still love you and guessing from your blush you still love me. You want a second try?" Gear just stares, before nodding. "I would love too." "Good. I will meet you later then, okay? I have ... one last thing to do." He nods. "Thank you, Ice. I wont disappoint you again, never ever." "I know. Ready, Hope?" She nods. "You can do it, Ice." They both start walking out of the village, heading to a cave. Even after 23 years later, it was still standing, still unused since then. Ice walks in, Hope following. A grave is standing, exactly on the spot, where Vanilla lived her last minutes. Vanilla Cream 14.01.2011 - 09.03.2019 Always be remembered, by the loving souls of her friends and family, for that she find peace in the world beyond ours. "Vanilla ... I'm so sorry ..." Ice starts to cry, before Hope puts a hoof on her. "Let it out, let it go, let her go ..." Ice keeps crying, for seconds, for minutes, for hours. She let out everything she has in, crying all the tears out she surpressed in the last 23 years inside her, the feelings, the past, Vanilla. Hope stands and waits, not stopping her. It was around evening, when she let out few snifs. Her eyes are red and wet from crying, but she doesn't cry anymore. Hope notices and walks to her. Ice let out another sniff. "Thank you for everything, Vanilla. For beeing part of my life ..." "Same to you, Ice. For always beeing there for me, when I needed you." Her ears perk up faster then light, turning around. Only Hope was standing there. "V-Vanilla?" Hope smiles and finally pulls her hood from her head, revealling her face ... Vanilla. "You promised me, to be always there for me and you where all my life. You stayed with me and made my life worth it. I enjoyed every second with you, Ice, the good and bad ones. And I also promised to be there for you, remember? I don't brake promises." Ice just stands there, unabe to believe what she sees. "V-Vani-nilla?" Vanilla gives her a hugs. Ice feels the warmth of her caring, but her body is cold and dead. "I was here to help you get back on your hooves. As you feel, I'm not alive. I'm a ghost, to help you back up, when you where down. I only can stay like this, until my promise is done. Remember me, but don't live me. I'm gone, but I'm with you. You deserve a good life, as you gave me once back in the past. I got te chance to help you getting it. Don't waste everything. I am waiting for your arrival, but when the time has come to say good bye ... not by jumping of a building. Promise me, promise me to stay until your time passed by." Ice hugs her tighter. "D-Don't leave ... not again ..." Ice feels hr cold hoof on her chest. "I'm gone, but there, in your heart, I'm still there, for you. Promise me." Ice pulls back and wishes her tears away. "F-For you ... I-I p-p-promise ..." Vanilla smiles a little. "Thank you, I know, from now on, it only goes up in your life. My promise is done, my time to leave has arrived. Thank you for beeing the best sister I could had wished for. Your stronger then you think. Good bye, Ice, until your time has come." "Vanilla ... thank you ... for beeing always there for me ..." She closes her eyes and feels a cold, but caring kiss on her cheek. When she opens her eyes, nopony was in the cave anymore. Tears running down again her cheeks, but this time, they are filled with happiness and proud ... proud for having such a wonderful sister. "Best sister ever ..." 46 years later "Everything alright with you?" Ice lays in her bed, looking to the mare, who cares for the old ponies in the building, smiling. "Everything is fine." The mare smiles, nodding and leaving Ice's room. Ice looks to the desk next to her bed and takes one of the pictures. She and Gear kissing on their wedding 43 years ago. She put it back and takes another photo from the desk. On it a pic from an old Gear smiling. 24.09.1995 - 10.04.2076 "Miss you, my love." She kiss the photo and putting it back on the desk. She then picks the third and last photo on the desk. A young Ice smiling, while a young Gear kissing her cheek and a young Vanilla stretching out her tongue happily. A tear runs down her cheek, holding it tight on her and letting out a happy sigh. She close her eyes slowly, slowly drifting away into her last sleep, the one, she will never wake up from, the one, who brings her to the ones, she loved, her parents, Gear and Vanilla, forever ...
Chapter 1: Happy timesIce Cream is a 12 year old filly, that is reading a book right now, when she hears screaming from the living room. The white filly, with a mix of yellow and red mane and tail and blue eyes ears perk up directly, recognizing the screaming voice. "Mommy?!" Ice directly runs into the living room to look, why she is screaming so loud. Whe she reaches it, she sees her father with her mother, who seems in pain. Her father notices Ice and nods. Ice nods too and runs out directly from the house, running to the hospital. Her father explained, that her mother is pregnant and if ever something happens, that needs a doctor, he just nods to Ice, signaling to get a doctor. Ice reach the hospital and runs up to the counter. "Hello, little one. This is a hospital, no runni-" "My mommy needs a doctor, miss! She is pregnant and I think, the foal is coming!" The nurse on the counter nods, her horn glows and a message is to hear over the whole hospital. "Doctor Smile and Nurse Redheart, directly to the counter. Emergency." It took only a few seconds before both running up to the counter. So much about not running here. "The filly her needs you two, her mother is pregnant." They look to her and nodding. "Lead us." "Congratulation, Mrs. Swirl and Mr. Cream, you have a healthy filly foal." Ice Cream is watching her parents, looking stressed but happy. She herself waited outside, until it was done. She looks up, when the nurse gives the foal, mostly covered in a towel, to them. The foal looks similiar to Ice, only the fur has a more vanilla tint. Wow, she looks similiar to me. "And already an idea, how to name her?" The doctor gives a smile, while Ice's parents look to each other, nodding. "Vanilla Cream." "Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday, dear Vanilla, happy birth day to yoooouuuu!" Friends and family where come to celebrate Vanilla's first birthday. While everypony was talking and having fun, Ice sits on a chair, away from the rest and bored. Since Vanilla came into her life, the attention of everypony, especially her parents, where focused on the new foal. She feels left out of her family, only there to get stuff or to clean stuff. She puts the plate with the rest of her chocolate-nougat cake on the desk and stands up to get to her room, when her mother walks to Ice. "Hey, Ice, could you get the bottle with milk for Vanilla, please?" "Urghh, yes, mom ..." Annoyed, she leaves the living room to walk to the kitchen. At least the milk was prepared already, so she only fills the drink bottle from Vanilla with the milk and walks back. "Thank you, Ice Cream." Ice rolls her eyes watching her mother giving Vanilla the milk, before turning to leave the room. When Ice reached the door, her ears perk up in surprise. "Ice ... Cream ..." Ice turns around, to look, who was talking. Everypony is looking, changing there views between her and Vanilla. "Ice .. Cream." Vanilla looks happily to Ice. Her mother smiles wide, while Ice feels a tear of joy running down her cheek. Her first words ... where my name ... Ice smiles wide, walking to Vanilla and hugging her carefully, feeling Vanilla's little hooves hugging back. "Ice Cream." Ice Cream and Vanilla Cream where playing outside hide and seek. Ice where looking around for Vanilla. "For a 5 year old filly, she is pretty good in hiding." Vanilla hides behind a big bush, pretty much there, where Ice wasn't searching right now. Suddenly, something flies right on her nose. The little flying animal looks so beautiful, especially the wings. She don't move anything from her body, to not scare the little animal, just watching it with big eyes. She never saw something so beautiful before. "GOTCHA!" Ice looks trough the bush, that made Vanilla wince and the animal flying away. "Awww, you scared it, Ice ..." "Scared what? The butterfly?" Vanilla looks up to her. "B-Butterfly?" "Yeah. That's how those are called. Beautiful, isn't it?" Vanilla smiles and nods. She crawls out from behind the bush. "You don't catch me, sis!" Vanilla starts running, laughing happily, while Ice follows her, extra slowly to give Vanilla a chance. Then Vanilla slipped on the grass, falling to the ground, hitting her hoof on a stone. "Vanilla, you okay?" "Mooommyyyy!!" Vanilla start crying loud, holding her hurted hoof. Ice runs to her saddlebag, taking out a Wonderbolt-Design plaster and runs to Vanilla. She is still crying, when she feels a kiss on her wounded hoof. She sniffs and looks to Ice. "Doctor Ice here, to save hurted filly!" Vanilla chuckles a little, before Ice puts the plaster on her wound. "And another filly saved!" Both chuckling, when Vanilla boops Ice nose. "Boop!" They laughing and hugging each other. "Your the best sis ever!" "Feeling better, Vanilla?" Vanilla lies deep snuggled under her blanket, looking sick. "A little ..." "Come on, mom, she has only fever. She wont die in few minutes." Her mother rolls her eyes. "Am I'm not allowed to care for my daughter?" "I'm thirsty ..." Her mother nods and gives her the glass with water. Vanilla drinks a bit from it. "Thank you ..." "You can care for the day? I need to go to work soon." Ice nods. "Vacation. I can do that." She nods and walks out, while Ice looks to Vanilla. "You better try to sleep, sis. You want to be fit for the spa tomorrow, right?" Vanilla smiles and nods. "Okay ..." She closes her eyes, trying to sleep. "If you need me, just call me, I wont leave the house." Then a knock on the door. Ice walks to it and open it, seeing one of her best friends, Gear Break. He was a handsome brown stallion, with darker brown mane and tail and a wrench as his cutie mark. "Yo, Ice, I heard ya got a day off?" Ice nods, blushing a tiny little bit. "Y-Yeah, but my little sis is ill, I need to watch over her." "Aww, shoot! Ya have sunday time?" Ice nods. "Great, I know an awesome new restaurant here, I wanted to ask ya, if ya wanna come with me?" Ice nearly faints from joy. "I would love to go with you!" "Awesome, see ya then on sunday, 12 PM?" Ice nods. "Great! See ya!" Ice nearly grins when closing the door, sliding down by the housedoor, her heart beating fast. This is going to be the best sunday ever ... "Where is mom and dad, sis?" Vanilla looks a bit worried. It's nearly 10 PM now, usually there parents are back since hours. "Don't worry too much, Vanilla. Thee are some free days coming, where no shop has open. They sure need to carry a lot of stuff. Want to play-" Then they hear a knock on the door. "See? There they are already." Ice stands up to open the door, looking surprised, when she sees a royal guard on the door. "Uhh, hello, mister? What's wrong?" The guard looks nervous. "Well, you are Ice Cream and Vanilla Cream, right?" Ice nods nervously. "Y-Yeah." "The guard sighs, it can be seen in his face, that he feels really uncomfortable. "There was a fire ... in the market. Some of them didn't got out of it ... I'm sorry to tell you two, but your parents didn't got out alive ..." Ice feels tears running down her cheeks. "N-Nice joke, dude ..." The guard sighs. "I wish it would be a joke." Ice hears a loud crying from behind her. She didn't noticed, that Vanilla was behind her, listening. "Vanilla ..." "YOUR LYING! YOUR ALL LYING!" She runs out, nearly knocking the guard away. "Vanilla, wait!" "There you are ..." Ice, pretty exhausted walks slowly to Vanilla. She sits near the lake, throwing some stones into the water, her eyes red from crying. "Go away ..." "Vanilla ..." She glares to her. Ice winces, she never had look so hurted. Anger and fear was clearly seen on Vanilla's face. "You said, everything will be fine! Your a liar, I hate you!" "Vanill-" She stands up and pushes Ice on her back, ready to beat her like a punch bag. "QUIET!" "Please ... calm d-ouch!" Vanilla punches on Ice's cheek, but before she hit again, Ice stops her hooves withher own. "Calm down!" Vanilla glares, but stops, when she sees Ice eyes too. Ice sniffs, tears falling down. "S-Sorry sis ..." "I-It's fine ... not your fault ..." Then Vanilla hugs her tight. "I miss mommy and daddy ..." "M-Me too ..." Ice hugs her back, together crying trough the night. From today, there lives wont be the same anymore ...
Chapter 2: Bad times"And how was school today, Vanilla?" Vanilla sighs and shows her a paper. Ice takes it and looks on the failed math test. Vanilla was always great in math, until the incident 6 months ago. "Vanilla ..." "I'm sorry, Sis ..." Ice takes her in a hug. "I going to help you for the next test, okay?" "R-Really? But what about-" She shakes her head and smiles. "Gear can wait, your my priority number one." Vanilla smiles wide and hugs her back. "Best sister ever!" They both chuckle. "I promise, I'm always there for you, Vanilla." "And I'm always there for you, Ice." Then the bell rings. Ice walks to the door and opens it to see, who is there. It was Gear. "Uhm, hey Ice ..." "You okay?" He nods and lifts his tail up, showing her a pair of beautiful flowers, that he holds with his tail. On it on a small paper standing *I love you, my beautiful Ice Cream*. Ice starts to blush heavily, before kissing him. That causes Gear to blush. "Urgh, really?" Gear and Ice start to laugh. Vanilla rollswith her eyes. "Can we learn now, the next test is in two days already. About history." "Sorry Gear, mayby during weekend." Gear smiles and nods. "No problem, Ice. Bye!" He waves and walks away. "It's about how Equestria was made." "Alright, let's get starting then." They walk both to the living room. "Happy birthday, Vanilla!" Vanilla smiles wide, when Ice walks in with a delicious looking vanilla cake. It has 8 candles on it, all glowing in different colors. "Woahh ..." Ice takes the cake on the table, directly in front of Vanilla. "Make a wish!" Vanilla closes her eyes, the blowing off the candles ... only to glow shortly after again. "Wha-?" Ice falls on her back, laughing. "Not funny!" Then a loud crash, the window breaks in pieces and a unicorn stallion jumps in, his horn glowing. "No wrong move, or I shoot!" Short after a pegasi mare and a earth pony stallion jump in, looking trough everything. Vanilla shivers, jumping to Ice and hugging her tight, sniffing. Ice glares. "What you want from us?!" "We just want money, that's all. We don't harm, until needed!" The pegasi finds a big sack with bits. "That are more then 200 bits!" "Alright, take it and let's get moving, before those annoying guards get a sniff from this!" The pegasi flies out with the sack of bits, followed by the earth pony and then the unicorn. Ice just glares in shock, while Vanilla cries into her fur. Ice sighs. "I guess, you can forget the class trip to Canterlot ... I'm sorry, I know how you wanted to go there for a week with your class ..." She sniffs but shakes her head. "I'm just glad, we are okay, that's most important ..." "If he dared to even touch you, I had kicked him personally to the sun." She smiles a little. "Nopony can stop my sis." "Hey ..." She looks up to Ice. "I try to talk to your teacher. And we will go to the guard office here. Mayby we can make it, that you still can go in three weeks." "Thank you." She smiles wide and hugs her tight. "Your more then welcome." Vanilla walks in the direction of their house, when Ice runs to her and hugs her. Vanilla smiles wide. "The class trip was awesome! We did-" But Ice puts a hoof on her muzzle. "I just came back from buying, when ... our house ... I'm so stupid, I forgot to-" "What happened?" Ice sighs. "Our house is just a big mess of ashes ..." "What?! Oh c-come on, why does stuff like that always happens to us!" Vanilla starts to cry, Ice can't hold back and starts crying with her. "I-I don't know!" "W-Where are we living now?" Ice wishes some tears away. "Gear allows us to stay, until we find a new home. Be strong okay? No matter how bad the times are, so long we keep together, nothing will stop us. I promised, I'm always there for you and I keep my promises." She feels her nuzzling on her neck. "I-I know, sis ..." Vanilla smiles faintly, when coughing loud suddenly. "You okay?" "Y-Yeah, just some coughing, it's fine." Ice nods and picks Vanilla on her back. "We better go then to Gear now. Hold on tight, the sister train is ready to start!" Vanilla chuckles, when Ice starts running, screaming *Choo-choo!* all the time. 5 days later "What?!" Ice sits in a waiting room in the hospital, the doctor looking nervous. "I-I'm sorry, really, but there is no therapy or medicine to stop it yet." "I PROMISED HER!" The doctor gulps, his ears splaying back. "Miss, we-" Ice jumps on the doctor, pulling him down on the ground, glaring with hate and fear to him. "You better heal her!" Then she gets off the doctor and starts crying. "I-I promised her ..." The doctor stands up slowly, sighing. "It's ... a really rare disease, that only appears on young ponies. Everypony has magic in them, some more, some less. Without them, they can't live. But there can be a genetical error in a ponies body cells. Imagine a room, a closed room full with ... let's say water. No way out of this room. That is a normal body cell. By her, the same room has a really, tiny hole, where slowly water drips out more and more. Until the room is nothing more then a room, without the water. The water is the magic and that drips out from her body cells. In my eyes, it's a wonder, it took over 8 years, until the effects started by her. Usually it already starts after 4-5 years, that they get sick." Ice shivers, slowly looking to him. "H-How long ..." "From what we saw, maximum a month left ..." Ice feels something in her body smashing into thousand pieces. She promised her to be always with her and now Vanilla has only a month left ... "If it kinda help you, there is no real pain for the month. She can still do most things. When the time comes, she get slowly more sick, until feeling tired and then falling asleep ..." She sighs. "... falling asleep forever ..." "Exactly ... I let you decide, if you prefer to tell her the truth or better keep her hidden, that she is going to die, to make her last month a good, happy one." Ice nods. "She should deserve a good end, I keep my muzzle shut." "She can go now, here is some medicine. That should help to make her feel better and not sick all the time. There is no danger, that she can infect somepony with it, so she can still go out and all." Ice slowly stands up and nods. "Thank you, doc ..." 23 years later That's it ... I can't live anymore, I have nothing left, nothing to live for. It's over, I coming home ... I take a step on the edge of the 50 floors high building. I see guards and ponies on the ground, trying to stop me, to calm me down. But there is nothing, no reason to stay in this rotten world. I take my other forehoof on the edge, feeling sick beeing so high. I coming home, Vanilla. I close my eyes and make a swung forward ... 23 years earlier "Urghhh, that tastes still gross!" Ice chuckles a little. "Hey, it keeps you fit, in a week, your back to awesomness!" At least I wish it would be ..... "Glad I can stop taking this gross medicine soon, after suffering already 3 weeks from it!" Ice chuckles. "Weren't those 3 weeks not the best in your life? Like that big building in Manehattan, we were on it." "Yeah, that was awesome! I swear, I saw our little village in the distance!" She grins wide and Ice ruffles her mane. "Indeed, it was. I'm glad you enjoyed the weeks. Afterall, what happened, I tought, something like that would cheer us up." "It did, thank you sis." Vanilla hugs her and Ice hugs her back, sighing silently. "No problem." "Having fun, huh?" Gear walks in, just coming back from buying. "I heard, ya lost your plushie, Vanilly?" "Huh? Stop calling me that." She pouts. "But yeah, lost it few days ago." "Great, then that's yours! I went to the guard station, they found it." He pulls out a pony plushie, but before he got it out, Vanilla catches it already. "YAAAAY!" Vanilla cuddles it tight and runs around happily. "Thank you, thank you, thank you, Gear!" "No problem!" We all start to laugh for minutes, before she hugs Gear. "Thank you, daddy!" We all wince suddenly and Vanilla frowns. "S-Sorry ..." She then runs back to Ice and hugs her tight. Ice and Gear looking nervous to each other. 1 week later "Urghh, I'm fine, no medicine anymore ..." Ice sighs. "Just today, okay? Then your *suffering* of medicine is over, promised." At least one promise I wished, I could break ... Vanilla sips it from the little spoon, shivering. "Urgh ..." "I make my way to my parents then. See you ... two ... next week. I buyed already for a week, so no need to buy for ya all." Ice smiles and nods. "See you then." Vanilla runs to him and hugs him. "I can show you my super secret cave then!" Ice and Gear looking surprised. "Super secret cave?" "Yeah, a empty little cave I found not far away! I show you later, Ice!" She chuckles. "Sure thing!" The Vanilla smiles wide. "How about we sleep over the night there? This is sure awesome!" "I don't knooow ..." She looks sadly. "Pwetty pweaseeeee!" Ice chuckles and nods. "Alright. We can camp there, bringing food and stuff with us there, something to sleep on and your favourite book." She just made the biggest smile in her life ... glad I can make her last day so happy ... "...And together, we knoooow ... nopony stops us foreeeveeerrrr! Forever togeeeetheeeer!" They both chuckle, after finishing the song. "Alright, the marshmallows should be done now." They pick the branches out of the campfire, eating the hot marshmallows on them. "Delicious!" Ice smiles and kiss her forehead, what surprises Vanilla. "Huh? You okay, sis?" She nods. "I'm fine. Tough I just needed to do that." Vanilla chuckles. "Silly filly." They keep eating, until they are filled with it. "Alright, want to read now?" "Sure!" Ice and Vanilla stand up and walking inside the small cave. Vanilla lies down on her camping bed, while Ice picks up the book and sits next to her. "Once, long ago, there where two beautiful sisters ..." Ice keeped reading for over 200 pages, before Vanilla yawns loud. "I feel tired, sis." Ice winces, her heart crashes into pieces. "... When the time comes, she get slowly more sick, until feeling tired and then falling asleep ..." She sighs. "... falling asleep forever ..." Ice stares into the emptiness, until Vanilla shakes her. "Sis, you okay? You where like that for minutes ..." "What? O-Oh, yeah, just, tought how, uh, Gear is doing." Vanilla smiles and let out another yawn. "Alright, let's sleep now, okay?" Ice frowns, but nods. "Sure, sure ..." Ice walks to her camp bed, when Vanilla grabs her tail, pulling Ice to her. "Can you sleep with me?" "Of course!" She nuzzles Vanilla, before Vanilla lies down on her side. Ice sighs and puts the blanket slowly over Vanilla's body. She then lies down on her hooves next to Vanilla. "Good night, Vanilla ..." She kiss her cheek, that causes Vanilla to smile a little. "I'm freezing, sis, can you hug me?" Without a word, Ice lies down on her side and hugs her tight. "Of course ... I promised to be always there for you, Vanilla ..." Her body get's colder ... "Thank you ... best blanket ever. I'm always there for you too, sis." Ice hugs her tighter, tears rolling down her cheeks. "I know ... I know ..." Colder and colder ... "Good night, my big sis ..." More tears rolling down her cheeks. "G-Good n-night, my little sis ..." Vanilla smiles, closing her eyes slowly, while Ice lays her head on Vanilla's chest. Ba-dum, Ba-dum ... Ba-dum ...... Ba-dum ........... Ba-dum ............................ "I'm s-so sorry, I c-couldn't hold m-my promise, Vanilla ..." Ice burries her face on Vanilla's cold chest fur, crying out loud. Her whole body is shaking, crying for seconds ... minutes ... hours ... "I'm s-sorry ..." She looks up trough a hole, where moonshine shines trough, looking into the clear night sky. "Y-You hear me? I-I'm sorry! I'M SORRYYY! SORRYYY! I couldn't hold my promise! My promise to be there for you! FORGIVE M-M-MEEEE!" Ice hugs Vanilla's cold body tighter, crying loud, until her body falls asleep with no tears left to cry and no hope left in Ice's soul .......
