Bittersweet Memories

It was bright Spring afternoon. The sky was clear of all clouds and everypony seemed to be out enjoying the sunshine. Lyra and Bon-Bon were taking a walk down one the many roads in Ponyville. Bon-Bon looked up at the sky and saw Rainbow Dash do a loop and then take off out of site. Bon-Bon smiled and then moved her attention back to Lyra.

"...and then Rose told me that when she went into Lily's shop she heard Lily talking to her flowers." Lyra finished and then the two mares broke out in laughter. Coincidentally they saw Lily outside her shop, waving hello to the couple. Lyra and Bon-Bon laughed even harder. Lily looked confused, but then she shrugged it off and went back to watering her lilies.

As the couple continued walking down the road they noticed that they were entering the country area of Ponyville. As they passed Sweet Apple Acres they could see Applejack and Big Macintosh in the orchard, bucking trees.

"I miss having them around all the time." Bon-Bon said. "They're such good ponies."

Lyra nodded.

Applejack stopped working for a second to wipe the sweat from her forehead. She saw Bon-Bon and Lyra from the corner of her eye. She turned to them. They both waved 'hello' to the farm pony. Applejack tipped her hat to them with a smile and then went back to work.

The two mares went on walking. The road started to go down the hill and at the bottom of the hill was a cemetery. Bon-Bon stopped walking and just stared at the many graves in the cemetery.

Lyra noticed that Bon-Bon wasn't walking beside her, so she turned around to see Bon-Bon at the top of the hill. She looked saddened and Lyra didn't know why. "Bon-Bon?" Lyra said. "You alright?"

Bon-Bon said nothing.

~16 years ago~

Bon-Bon was standing on a white fluffy cloud. The air felt cool on her face and it felt nice. The clouds she stood on were like a path. A path to the large castle up ahead. It was beautiful. The castle was white as the clouds and over it hung a bright rainbow.

Bon-Bon began walking towards the castle. As she was walking somepony began yelling from the castle. "Bon-Bon."

Bon-Bon turned her walk into a gallop. The castle just seemed to get farther and farther away. The clouded road turned black and began falling apart. "Bon-Bon!" The voice yelled.

The clouds collapsed underneath the running filly and she fell into total darkness.

"Bon-Bon, wake up." said her father as he shook her till she was awake.

"Wa...What's going on?" Bon-Bon said, while she rubbed her eyes.

"We got to go?"

"Why? Where to?"

"I'll tell you later, but right now we have to leave." Luck sounded very worried and anxious.

Bon-Bon slipped out of bed, tiredly. Luck galloped out of Bon-Bon's room. It was still dark. What could be so important that she had to get up this early. She walked out of her room and saw that her father had just woken up Starlight.

"Hurry kids, go get in the carriage." Luck said. "Your mother's already in there."

"But Dad..." Starlight began.

"Shut up, Starlight, and do what your told." Luck snapped at her daughter. The two fillies didn't want to test these waters, so they just galloped down the stairs, left the house, and got into the carriage. Their mother was sitting in her usual seat in the carriage, crying her eyes out.

"Mom, what's wrong?" Bon-Bon asked.

Life didn't answer, she just wept loudly. Soon the two fillies could hear Dutch talking to their father. "You ready to go, sir?"

"Yes."

The door to the carriage opened and Luck quickly gotten. Dutch closed the door and soon after the vehicle began to move quickly. Luck immediately began comforting his wife by rubbing her back and stroking her mane.

"Dad, where we going?" Starlight asked.

"We're going to the hospital." Luck said sounding annoyed. "Grandma's really sick, now be quiet!"

Starlight shut up and Bon-Bon dared not to speak, But now that they knew what was going on they grew worry, almost to the point of crying.

Within minutes the carriage came to a stop and Luck opened up the door before Dutch could. Everypony got out and quickly galloped into the hospital building. Luck left Life behind with the kids and went up to the counter. Life was crying even harder now. No pony seemed to be able to look at her, not even the pony sitting in the waiting room.

"Where is she?" Luck said anxiously.

"Mr. Luck." The nurse said a bit surprise. "She's just down the hall, but they're still trying to get her stabilized."

"What's wrong with her? What happened?"

"Well, umm..." the nurse started but didn't know how to say it.

"Come on, I need to know what's happened to my mother-in-law." Luck shouted. Everypony in the waiting room was looking at him, but Luck paid no attention to them.

"She went outside her home and just went into cardiac arrest. Luckily she wasn't the only one out there and she was rushed to the hospital."

"Will she be ok?" Luck asked, much calmer now that he was getting answers.

"It's hard to say." The nurse said. "Best to just wait for the doctor. There's some open seats just over there." She pointed at a large bench that could easily fit six ponies.

"Thank you." Luck went back to his family. They took a seat on the bench. Life's crying calmed, but was still going on.

"How can this be happening?" Life said. She grabbed a tissue from a tissue box that was on the table in front of them. She blew her nose into it. Luck began stroking his wife's mane again.

"It'll be alright." Luck said softly to the crying mare.

"She always looked so healthy, I don't understand how..." Life broke out in tears again, letting out a heartbreaking cry. She has always been known for being so cheerful so seeing her like this was almost unbearable.

Luck moved his hoof from her mane down and began rubbing her back. "Shhhhh." he said.

Bon-Bon leaned in towards Starlight. "Do think she's going to be ok?" Bon-Bon whispered.

"I don't know." Starlight said.

"But what if she dies?"

"She won't...she just can't die." Tears began building up in Starlight's eyes and she began to cry alongside her mother. Bon-Bon said no more to any of her family members. Not long after a man in a white lab coat came out into the waiting room. His mane was all scruffy and he had a stethoscope around his neck.

Luck leaped from the bench and galloped over to the doctor. "How is she doctor?" He said immediately but quietly. He did not want to let his wife hear.

"Oh, Mr. Luck." the doctor said. "We got her heart stabilizing and we got her on life support at the moment."

"Is she going to be alright?"

"Mr. Luck, there no easy way to say this, but she's dying. I'm not gonna lie to you, but your mother-in-law is dying. The heart failure she experienced has damaged her heart tremendously and it could give out any day now." There was a long pause between the two stallions. "You alright?"

"Yeah." Luck said, wiping a tear from his eye. "Just don't know how I'm going to break this to my family."

"It's a lot to take in, I know." the doctor said. "The hospital can treat you and your family to some therapy sessions, free of charge."

"Thanks, I'll let you know if we need them." There was another pause, but Luck began to speak once again. "So, what should we do now?"

"I suggest you take you and your family home and get a good night rest. Right now she's heavily sedated and won't be awake till tomorrow afternoon. You can come and see her then."

"Thank you, for all your help." Luck turned around and went back to his family.

"How is she luck?" Life said, looking desperate to know.

"Uh, umm..." Luck turned around and saw the doctor had left the waiting room. "Uh, she's fine. She's just weak. The doctor suggested that we go home and get some sleep. He said she'll be awake tomorrow afternoon."

Life let out a sigh of relief. She stood up from the bench and gave Luck a hug. Luck was not so happy though. She was happy now but how was she gonna react when her mother does die. Guilt built up inside of him as his wife hugged him tighter.

She's happy now, that's all that matters right now.

Luck began to hug back, but he couldn't shake off the guilt that hung on his shoulders. The two fillies were dancing and singing with joy. Soon the hug ended and the four ponies left the hospital and went home.

The next day had arrived fairly quickly. Everypony in the household had slept in till eleven that morning, but when everypony was up they immediately got ready and were out the door, heading to the hospital, by one. When they entered the hospital they were greeted by the doctor whom Luck talked to the night before.

"Oh, good morning, Doctor...uh..." Luck said, not sure that the doctor had shared his name with him the night before.

"Hearts, Doctor Hearts." the doctor said.

"Doctor Hearts. How is she doing this morning?"

"She's currently awake, but she's very weak. I recommend you all see her one at a time so that she isn't over whelmed."

Everypony in the family nodded. "I think you should go first honey." Luck said to his wife. Life nodded with a small smile on her face.

"Ok, if you'll follow me please, Mrs. Life." Doctor Hearts said. "The rest of you can sit in the waiting room."  The four other ponies went to go take a seat on the bench they sat on last night, while Life followed Doctor Hearts down the hall to her mother's room.

The doctor stopped Life right outside the room. "Now, she's hooked up to a bunch machines, so it might not look to pretty. I just wanted to warn you so your not so surprised when you see her." the doctor said.

"Ok." Life said. The doctor nodded and then opened the door. Life walked into the room to see her mother lying in a skinny bed hooked up to many monitors and an IV. There was a small tube that was just under her nostrils, feeding her air. Her eyes were barely open. It was hard for Life to see her mother like this, but she stayed strong. "Hello, Mom." Life said.

Life's mom turned her head towards her daughter and a smile instantly appeared on her face. "Life." She said with excitement.

Life walked over to her mother and hugged her delicately, as if her mother were now made of paper. "How are you?" Life asked, fighting to hold back her tears.

"I've been better." Life's mom said and then gave weak chuckle followed by a cough. "A bit sore and very tired, that's all."

"I love you, mom."

"I love you too, Sweetie." The gave each other one last hug.

"I'll visit you everyday until you're all better." Life said. "That's a promise." Life turned around and left the room. When she returned to her family she spoke to here husband. "Ok, your turn."

"I don't want to go." Luck said, looking really nervous and scared.

"Why not?"

"I JUST DON'T!" Luck snapped and then tears began to build up in his eyes.

"Ok." Life said, not sure what's gotten into her husband. "Starlight, why don't you go? It's the last door down the hall on the right." Starlight got up from the bench and quickly galloped down the hall to her grandmother's hospital room. "Honey, what's wrong?"

"I don't know, I don't know." Luck said and he then burst into tears. Life held him tight, trying her best to comfort him. Bon-Bon just sat there on the bench, watching, not wanting to talk to her father about why he was crying, yet she felt guilty for not. So she kept to herself. She felt like she was waiting forever. Eventually Starlight came galloping back to the waiting room. Bon-Bon's dad had stopped crying, but the look of guilt and depression was still printed on his face.

No pony really noticed Bon-Bon getting up and slowly making her way down the hall. She entered the room and was immediately introduced to the sounds of machines beeping and pumping. Bon-Bon saw her grandmother, wired up to these machines. In a way it broke her heart and made it a bit difficult to continue looking at her. But she didn't turn back, she walked closer into the room.

"Bon-Bon?" her grandmother said in a soft tone.

"Hi, Grandma." Bon-Bon said. She walked up to her grandmother's bed side. Her head was just above the mattress and was just able to see her grandmother. "How are you?"

"Oh, I'm good. Just a bit tired that's all." There was still a smile on her tired face. Bon-Bon always loved that about her grandmother, no matter how bad things are she can still work up a smile.

"When will you be better?"

Bon-Bon's grandmother chuckled and then let out a violent cough. She reached and grabbed a glass of water from the side table and took a drink. "I don't know yet, Sweetie, but when I do, you, your sister and I will go get some ice cream from the ice cream parlor. How does that sound?"

"Awesome!" Bon-Bon was now jumping up and down with excitement. "I love you, Grandma." Bon-Bon jumped up to her grandmother's bed and gave her a big hug.

"I love you too, Bon-Bon." She hugged back. Bon-Bon let go of her grandmother and got off her bed. "Now why don't you go find your mother and father, I think I'm gonna take a nap."

"Ok, Grandma." Bon-Bon left the room and returned to her family. When they got outside the sun was setting and the sky was a light orange and purple. They got into the carriage and headed home.

Bon-Bon was standing in the center of one of Canterlot's streets. She looked around and saw that there was no one around. Not a single carriage or a single pony was on that street.

"Hello." she shouted out. She began to walk down the road, yelling out 'hello' every other minute. She took a turn onto Trotting Avenue and there at the end of the road was a figure of a little old pony. "Hello." Bon-Bon shouted again.

"Bon-Bon?" the pony shouted back. It was such a familiar voice. Bon-Bon drew closer to the figure and was soon able to make out who it was.

It was her grandmother, standing there with a smile on her face and looking better than ever. "Grandma." Bon-Bon shouted. Bon-Bon found herself galloping down the road towards her grandmother who was just standing there, smiling with joy.

"Come here, Bon-Bon." her grandmother said with such a sweet voice. Bon-Bon galloped faster, the sound of her hooves clopping against the stone road echoed through the city. She was so close to her, but then something happened. A wind picked up and her grandmother disintegrated into dust and blew away with the winds.

"GRANDMA!" Bon-Bon shouted in fear. She stopped galloping and broke down and cried.

Bon-Bon woke up. Her mother was holding her tightly in her arms. The filly could feel the tears running down her face and falling onto her bed.

"Shhh," Life said to her daughter while she stroked her mane. "You were just having a nightmare." Bon-Bon buried her face into her mother body and cried.

The next morning Bon-Bon woke up in her parent's bed. Her mother was sleeping on her right, but her dad was not in the bed. She got out of the bed and went down stairs to find that her dad was on the couch reading the paper, as usual. Dutch was over in the kitchen making breakfast, which smelled like eggs and toast. Luck looked up from his newspaper and saw his daughter standing there quietly looking back at him.

"Morning, Bon-Bon." Luck said, turning the page to his newspaper.

"Good morning, Dad." Bon-Bon said back to her father.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Yes." Bon-Bon lied.

"Well, we better get your mother and sister up. We're leaving right after breakfast, which should be ready in about ten minutes. Can you go wake them up?"

"Yes, Dad." Bon-Bon said almost emotionless. She went back up stairs, woke both her mother and her sister and went into her bathroom to take a shower. The warm water felt good on her face and woke her up. After her shower she blow dried her hair and went down to eat breakfast with the family.

After breakfast the family got into the carriage and headed towards the hospital. The family entered the building and were once again greeted by Doctor Hearts, who didn't look to happy this morning. In fact he looked rather depressed.

"Morning, Doctor." Luck said, smiling.

"Mr. Luck, Mrs. Life." the doctor said in a low tone of voice. "May I have a word with you two in my office?"

The smiles disappeared from Life and Luck's faces. "Um, sure." Luck said. "Kids, why don't you go over to the bench while me and your mom talk to the doctor?"

"Ok, Dad." Starlight said and the two sisters galloped quickly to the bench. Life and Luck followed the doctor down a different hall and into a well organized, office. There were bookshelves filled with medical books and a few fictional books as well. The desk had a few folders and papers on it, but they were neatly at one side of the desk. The doctor went around to the back of the desk.

"Doctor, what's wrong?" Life asked.

"Mrs. Life, you best take a seat." the doctor said. Both Life and Luck took a seat in the two comfy red chairs that faced the desk. "Mrs. Life, you mother passed away last night."

Life's mouth dropped and her entire body went cold. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"She did die peacefully in her sleep and she wasn't in any pain at the time." There was a long pause. Both the doctor and Luck looked at Life during that pause. "Are you alright?" the doctor said softly. Life nodded but didn't say a word. "Now the hospital is willing to help in anyway possible. There are many therapists that will gladly help you and the rest of your family through these rough times."

"She's gone, I can't believe she's gone." Life said. She burst out into tears. Luck held onto her tightly, rubbing her back and stroking her mane like he usually did when she was upset. The doctor didn't say anymore. Luck looked over at him and told him 'thank you'.

The doctor nodded.

The couple got up from the chairs and left the room. When they entered the waiting the room the two fillies sitting on the bench took notice of their crying mother. Their hearts sunk, what ever happened can't be good. They went up to their parents and asked what was wrong.

"We're leaving." is all Luck said to his children.

~2 days later~

Bon-Bon stood in a cemetery, under a canape with dozens of other ponies. They were all talking to one another, most were crying. An adult mare walked up to Bon-Bon and spoke.

"I'm sorry for your lost."

"Thank you." Bon-Bon said. Her heart ached. She felt like her life was now empty.

"Hey, Bon-Bon." came a voice from behind her. She turned around and saw standing Ditzy Doo standing in front of her with a frown on her face. "I..." Bon-Bon launched at Ditzy and wrapped her hooves around her tightly. Bon-Bon was in absolute tears now. Ditzy returned the hug. Once the hug was broken they noticed every pony was bowing. The two fillies turned to see Princess Celestia standing right in front of them.

The two fillies bowed down before her. "Bon-Bon, I knew how close you were your grandmother." Celestia said. "you have my sympathy."

"Thank you, Princess." Bon-Bon said as she rose from the grassy ground. Everypony else also rose from the ground.

"Alright everypony, I'd like to get this started." Celestia said and at the end of those words everypony took a seat in their chairs. Up at the front was a coffin, inside it was Bon-Bon's grandmother who was now resting peacefully forever. Another tear fell from Bon-Bon's eye. Celestia moved to the front, just in front of the coffin.

"Welcome, everypony. Today we are here to say goodbye to a pony we all knew and loved for so many years. A pony which has shown the light of everyday of every week of every month of every year. But like saying hello, we must say goodbye, even when it seems like the hardest thing you can do." Celestia paused for a moment. Many ponies, Bon-Bon included, were crying. She spoke again. "If any pony would like to say a few words before we give her body to the earth."

Bon-Bon's father stepped forward. A tear fell from his eyes, but he stayed strong, for both his wife and his two daughters. "I'd like to say a few words. Love was always there for me, even before I met her wonderful daughter. As a child she would ask me about my days at school, she always listened to what I had to say, and if it weren't for her, I wouldn't have the incredible family I have today. Thank you Love for always being there for me and my family. Bless your soul." He took a step back and his wife whispered a complement in his ear.

"Thank you, Luck for those beautiful words." Celestia said. "Anypony else want to say a few words?"

An older mare stepped up. She was actually much older than Love. She spoke. "Ten years ago I was put into a retirement home. I thought my days would be nothing but lonesomeness, but then came Love, who spent hours upon hours talking to me. Making me feel not alone. She did this three times a week and for that I thank her. I thank her for those many hours of talking, making me feel not so alone. Bless her soul."

"Thank you, Ms. Stitches." Celestia said. "Now we lower this body of a good soul into the earth, with a happy heart, knowing her spirit is out there watching over us."

Bon-Bon jumped out of her seat and yelled. "NOOOOOOOOO!" She galloped over to the coffin and leaned up against it, shedding more tears than she's ever shed in her life. "She can't be dead, she can't be."

"Bon-Bon..." Celestia started but Bon-Bon began yelling again.

"She's not dead! She's alive! She's Alive!" Luck galloped over and dragged his daughter away from the coffin. She screamed louder. "NOOOOOOOOO! She's alive, she's not dead. She can't be dead." The ponies still in their seats began to cry as well. Everyponies' heart ached, even Princess Celestia's.

After the funeral the family went straight home. Bon-Bon went up to her room, slammed her door shut, and cried herself to sleep.