The Power of Goodbye

by Lise

Rating: everyone
Tags: Slice of Life, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Sad, Original Character
Length: 2812

Dealing with loss never is easy. Evening Twilight has been gifted with the ability to help others deal with such loss - a gift he wishes he never had...

It isn't easy being born with the power of goodbye. Ever since he got his cutie mark, Evening Twilight has been gifted with the ability to heal the pain of loss that ponies experience.

But what happens when his sister makes a promise on his behalf? Now Evening has to help the dying aunt of her sister's friend say her goodbyes and he is not certain he is up to it...

Participated in the Sad Fic Contest

Published 2015-06-06 02:00:01 UTC
Last updated 2015-06-06 02:00:01 UTC

The Power of Goodbye

Whispers, fear, regret. They were everywhere, bringing a chill to the summer night. Slowly, Evening Twilight stepped forward. The hospital loomed in front of him. He didn't like being here, he didn't want to be here, yet he had to...

The corridor inside was almost empty, a single nurse stood at reception. The instant she saw the pegasus she gave him a disapproving look.

"Visiting hours are over," she said politely but firmly. "Please come back in the morning."

"I..." he hesitated. "I am going to the wing."

The nurse's attitude changed. Of the entire hospital that was the only place that didn't follow standard regulations, and with good reason. Nopony talked about it. They didn't even give it a name. This was the place ponies didn't come back from, where visitors came and went all times of the day and night.

"Are you related?" the nurse asked.

"I was requested," the pegasus replied. "I'm Evening... Evening Twilight."

"Evening," a sad smile appeared on her face. "Bon Bon warned us to expect you. I cannot tell you what it means that you decided to come."

"Just one visit," he whispered. It was difficult enough being here at all. "I'm here for just one visit. No more."

"I understand, and am extremely grateful. Please, come this way..."

As they walked, Evening thought back to the events that had brought him here. Years ago he had promised himself he would never go through such experience ever again. How naive he had been...

* * *

"So, what is it?" Evening gave his sister a skeptical look. "You'd never invite me without a reason."

"Is it too much to ask that you spend some time with my friends?" Morning Twilight replied. "You cannot live alone forever, Eve. Sooner or later you'll have to open up. And the sooner the better."

Evening snorted. Easy for her to say! His sister was good with fitting in. Less than a month had passed since their arrival in Ponyville, and she already was friends with half the ponies. It had been the same back home. In the meantime, he remained an outsider.

"Here," she put a tray of cupcakes in front of him. "I'm sure you'll like it."

He didn't, but took one nonetheless.

"Relax a bit! It'll only be Bon Bon and Lyra. You've met them both already."

"Twice," he mumbled and looked out of the window.

Then he felt it - the unmistakable feeling of sadness - tears left uncried, fears left unspoken. The sensation made a lump form in his throat. It's happening again, he thought as bitterness filled his mouth. The source of Sadness was coming from a small orange filly sitting quietly next to a pile of suitcases. Her parents were nowhere nearby, neither was anypony else for that matter. A single white plushy - held tightly - served as her guardian and protector.

"Who's that?" Evening asked pointing outside.

"Who?" Morning asked.

"Orange filly," he said as his sister looked out of the window. "Next to the luggage pile."

"Oh, that's Orange Sweet - Candy Mane's little sister. She's going away for one year. Poor thing misses her friends already."

"It's just one year..." Evening tried to sound dispassionate. Deep inside he was hurting. He didn't even know the filly, yet her sorrow had drilled its way into his mind. "She should be alright."

"Don't you remember how things were when you were her age?" his sister frowned. "An year lasts for eternity, and saying goodbye to all your friends feels like the end of the world!"

"I'll go talk to her," Evening stood up and left the room. "Come up with some excuse for your friends. That's what you do best."

* * *

The air was choking him. Evening felt he had to stop. Was this the effect of the hospital wing, or was his mind playing tricks on him? Probably a bit of both.

So many doors - each door a room, each room a pony that would pass on. Were all of them full? Unlikely. However, whatever the amount, it was one pony too many. The nurse beside him didn't say anything. What her thought on the matter were, Evening could only guess. She's probably used to it by now, he thought. She works here, doesn't, she?

"Can you bring me a towel and some water?" he asked all of a sudden.

The nurse pony looked at him confused.

"Of course. But why?"

"I need to take care of something..." he glanced at his flank, where his cutie mark was supposed to be. At the moment there was nothing there - just a blank dark blue flank. In truth, his cutie mark was hidden under a layer of makeup. It wasn't something Evening wanted anypony to see. The pony he was going to, deserved that much, though.

"And some soap," he added.

"There's some in the storage closet," the nurse offered. "If you don't mind cold water."

"It doesn't matter..." he glanced at his flank again.

"I understand. No one outside the hospital will know, don't you worry."

"Thank you," he whispered. At least here they understood...

* * *

"Hey," Evening approached Orange Sweet.

No reaction. The filly remained sitting there, motionless, hooves wrapped round her plushy toy. She was just like a flood of tears ready to burst. If only more could see what she was going through. Only a child could understand how painful it was to be separated from everything one loves, be it a week, month or year. Her whole world was crumbling to pieces, and she was desperately trying to cling on to them while keeping a brave front.

"It will never be alright," Evening said.

That got her attention. The filly looked up at him, barely containing her tears. It was obvious somepony had talked to her, yet did a poor job. There was nothing more hurtful than hearing how everything would be alright, while deep inside she felt it wasn't. And that was not the worst of it. The lie, be it well meant, would cling to her. In time, it would sprout, helping her accept, then forget. Slowly it would make her numb to the pain, but to her past as well. Then the friends, she so desperately wanted to keep, would fade away, replaced by somepony new. Evening had seen it happen.

"But that doesn't mean you can't say goodbye," he continued, sitting beside her.

"Goodbye?" she asked in a quiet squeak.

"Remember it all - the good, the sad, the funny, your friends, the places you used to go," Evening sounded somewhat different. It wasn't so much his voice had changed, than the manner in which he spoke. "Think of all the memories you had here, then just say goodbye. They have served their purpose. They were part of you, but are also part of the past. Don't force them to be somewhere where they don't want to be. Thank them and say goodbye."

The moment was tense. For a while, it seemed that Orange Sweet would butst in tears. She couldn't stop sniffling, holding her toy so tightly, it was on the verge of being torn to pieces. Gathering all coursge she could muster, she closed her eyes, shouting out one single word.

"Goodbye!" her scream filled the air. Every pony on the street and in Sugarcube Corner looked in her direction to see what was going on.

"Good," Evening said. The experience had been just as exhausting for him as well. "Now they will always be part of you..."

"Well done, little brother!" Morning shouted behind him. Turning around Evening could see her looking at him proudly from the window at Sugarcube Corner. Her friends were with her...

* * *

"This is your cutie mark?" the nurse seemed surprised.

The effort Evening had put in hiding it made her think it would be something unusual, possibly even disheartening. Instead it turned out to be the white outline Of a cloud.

"Is that a cloud with silver lining?" she took the took the bucket of water and placed it back in the storage closet. "You shouldn't hide it. It suits you."

"It's not silver lining..." Evening sighed. "Which room?"

"For Bon Bon? Further down. We will be there shortly. Most of the wing is empty, thank Celestia."

Evening nodded slightly then continued forward. Every few steps, he would slow down. Every second, he would try to come up with an excuse to leave this place. He wasn't supposed to be here! In fact he absolutely promised himself he wouldn't be, swore to it even. His sister knew better, though. Come to think of it she had known all along.

"We are the same, my sister and I," he said, not Eve sure if the nurse was listening or not. "We both calm ponies. She is hope - the calming 'hello' that prepares you for a new day. I am the calming last goodbye."

* * *

"Why are you crying?" Evening asked.

The brown foal took no notice. He had been going on for over an hour, the sadness thick around him. It was obvious he was dealing with loss, but what kind? Evening was afraid to ask. It wasn't out of fear that doing so could further hurt the goal, It was he who didn't want to hear the answer.

"He lost a pet," a gray pegasus mare said flying down from the sky.

Evening relaxed slightly. The experience was painful, but not as much as he feared.

"A pet bunny," the pegasus added.

"He must have loved it a lot," Evening said.

"Yes. They had been together since he was a baby. Always happy. Now he only cries," she sighed. "I tried everything, but I can't cheer him up. I so much wish there was something I could do. His mother is really upset as well."

Don't say a word! the voice inside Evening's head shouted. It wasn't worth it! He didn't know the foal. And even if he did, it was not worth it! Pets came and went - it was the natural order of things. The only reason Evening was even considering it was because of the pegasus. She was his only friend in Ponyville, and it was normal he didn't want to see her sad.

"I could..." he said despite himself. "I could make him feel better."

And he kept his word. A few words and the crying had stopped. The sadness was still there, but it was normal sadness. A pony could get over that. The final goodbye had been said and the memory of the pet bunny was free.

"That is your gift?" the gray mare asked impressed.

"I didn't want it," Evening was quick to say. "I never wanted it."

"That is why you always hide your cutie mark?"

He nodded.

"But you have it," a new voice said. Evening turned around, and to his horror saw Bon Bon standing there. Had she been there the entire time? If so, she had seen it! She had seen everything!

"I really need your help, Eve!" she said. This was not good. Evening could feel the waves of sadness around her. "I... There is somepony I'd like to talk to."

"No," he said under his breath.

"Please!" Bon Bon pleaded. "you have to! I saw what you did here, and also at Sugarcube Corner a few days ago. Please, help me! I'll do anything!"

"No!" he shouted. "You can't make me! Just because you are friends with my sister, you can't..." words had difficulty coming out. How could evetypony be so self centered?! Couldn't they understand what they were asking him to do?!

"Please!" Bon Bon persisted. "My aunt doesn't have long. They already moved her to the wing. If anyone could..."

"You can't ask me!" Evening darted into the air.

* * *

A plain green door. He imagined it would be dark gray. More fitting somehow.

"Is there anything else you need?" the nurse asked.

"No..." he took a deep breath. I truth there was, but it wasn't something she could provide. "I'd like to be alone for a while."

"I will be at the front desk."

The sound of hooves echoed, disappearing down the corridor until silence remained. This was it. He could still turn back. Once he opened the door, however, he would pass the point of no return.

"Why, sis?" he whispered bitterly. "Why did you have to put me through this again..."

* * *

"I cant believe you told her!" Evening shouted at his sister "Do you know what would happen now? You were supposed to keep this a secret! The one thing you weren't suppose to tell!"

"She is hurting!" Morning countered. "Even you can see that! Bon Bon was the first pony that made us feel welcome here! you can't simply..."

"I can and I will!" he shouted turning his back to her. "I am sorry for your friend, but I won't do this! Something else, probably, but not this! … I can't believe you even offered without asking me. You know how painful this is for me!"

"Oh, its not the first time you've done this," his sister snapped back. "I heard from Bon Bon how you helped a young foal. And what about the Orange Sweet? We all saw you talk to her."

"That was different! You made me talk to Orange Sweet! You made a big deal out of it! All that talk of wanting me to meet friends. You wanted me to do this and you wanted everypony to see!"

Evening was breathing heavily. How weber, it was not rage burning inside him, it was fear. He stood there glaring at his sister, all shivering.

"Let's talk about this," she said gently, trying to place a her wing on him.

"I don't want to listen with you!" he pulled away. "You'll say your words and I'll calm down. I might even feel better for a week or two, until this surfaces again. What happens then? We talk again? Until when? Until you are gone? That's why I hate doing this!" tears rolled down his cheeks. "Every pony I get close to, one day I'll have to talk to them... have them say goodbye to the world. And when all that is over and it is my turn, who will talk to me?" he was sobbing on the ground. "Who will talk to me when my time comes."

Nothing more was said. Evening continued crying, while his sister stood beside him, a wing gently on his head. Both knew she had the power to take away his sadness. That was his gift - a few words of hope and even the darkest thoughts would subside. However, that was not what he wanted...

* * *

Evening reached for the door. Before he could touch it, however, it opened. Bon Bon was standing in the doorway. She looked exhausted. No longer the cheerful pony the town knew her to be, the stress she had been through was showing. Fear, regret, anger, sorrow... Evening could sense the emotions circling around her like a swarm of para sprites.

Seeing Evening, Bon Bon got startled. Clearly, she wasn't expecting him,not after his display earlier. That made her feel both pleased and ashamed.

"Hello, Evening," was all she managed to say.

"Hello, Bon Bon," he replied.

Neither smiled. They just looked at each other silently for several seconds. What else was there to say? He had come - that answered all questions she could ever have. Was she thankful? It seemed so. Grateful? Definitely. Would she ask for his forgiveness? Only time would tell.

"I didn't think you'd come," she finally spoke after a while.

"Almost didn't."

"I'm sorry..."

"You aren't," he sighed. "You can't be, not until you have said your goodbyes. Then you will be, and I'll forgive you," Evening closed his eyes. Seeing her in such a state was painful. "Is your aunt ready?"

"Yes," she nodded. "She's awake. Must I do anything? Go get something, or..."

"No," he interrupted. "There's nothing more I need"

Evening took a deep breath and walked into the room. A pony was lying on the bed. Even without his gift, he could tell she didn't have long to live. In a way she reminded him oh his own aunt, whom he'd seen pass away years ago. Dying goodbyes were the most painful. How else put a lifetime in a single word? All those experiences, all those memories and sensations to be let go forever...

"Hello," Evening said in a loud clear voice. The old pony cracked open an eye to take a look at him. "I am Evening Twilight, and I've come to talk to you... Both of you..."