Day One: Cheerilee

I took a deep breath, sifting through my drafts. Everything was in order for my departure. Loose ends tied up, people notified, money distributed. I was free.

I set the notes down, looking around my office. The room was stripped of my possessions, bare save a desk and an empty bookshelf. It felt alien, sitting in my own home with this loss of personality. My books had all been donated, my paintings sold and the money put away for my last connection to this land.

A soft knock came from my front door. I stood hazily and walked down to meet whoever it was. The steps creaked underfoot, adding to the sense of loneliness that now permeated my home.

I pulled the door open, meeting the local teacher at the door. "Able...I came as soon as I heard." Cheerilee looked up at me, her eyes slightly glassy. "May I?"

I held the door for her, letting her trot in. "I uh...thanks for coming. I don't really know how I'd do this myself."

Cheerilee walked in and hugged my waist. "Able...it's okay...."

I felt my heart drop into my stomach. "I know...I know...I'm just worried about her is all."

Cheerilee let go and took a step back. "You haven't told her yet...have you?"

I frowned hard and looked to my kitchen. "No." I walked into the kitchen and found a seat.

"She's a growing filly...she deserves to know." Cheerilee stated warmly, joining me in the kitchen and taking the seat across from me.

I licked my lips. "She's still got her parents, that's the important thing."

Cheerilee shook her head hard. "Able...you've been there for her more than her parents ever where. You really think she'll just forget about you."

"I was hoping." Things grew quiet between us. Both of us trying to dodge the elephant in the room. "Five days." I stated dryly. "I've got five days to wrap this up."

Cheerilee swallowed hard and look me over. "Able...there has to be something they can do."

I shook my head softly. "They said they could give me a month, maybe two, but I'd be bound to a hospital bed." I tapped my fingers on the oak dining table. "Cheerilee...I don't want to die like that."

Things grew quiet once again.

It felt like an hour passed before she spoke. "What are you going to do?"

"About what?"

"Don't, about what, me! About Silver Spoon...." Cheerilee leaned over the table. "Able...you're like her father.... She talks about you in class...she stood up to Diamond Tiara, ever since you got here...she's been amazing!"

"She'll keep being amazing!"

"Able...." Cheerilee stared me down. "She needs you...."

"Like you said...she's a growing filly...she'll get over it!"

"Able...you have to talk to her." Cheerilee demanded, softly staring me down from across the table. "Please...if not for me, then for her."

I ran my hand over my face. "Maybe...I'll think about it."

Cheerilee smiled grimly for a moment before returning to her dour expression. "You know...it's okay to be scared."

"I'm not scared. I had a long time before this to be scared...I made my peace a while ago."

"Able...I don't mean about yourself...."

I swallowed hard, rubbing my lip with the meat of my thumb. "I uh...yeah...." I bit a patch of dead skin on my lip. "I worry about her every day...."

Cheerilee stood up and walked over to me. She threw her foreleg around my waist and nuzzled my chest. "Able...you've done so much for her...she deserves to know."

I could feel my eyes start to tear up. "I know...god damn it I know...but how the hell am I supposed to tell her!? Oh, sorry, I've gotta go die now! How fair is that!? What the hell am I supposed to say to her!?"

Cheerilee tightened her grip. "Able...you'll figure it out. I know you will...but you need to talk to her before you go...just remember that."

I gave in and hugged her back. "I'm scared...I don't know what's gonna happen...she might hate me...she might run away-- I mean...she's been trying to see me for the last week! Every time I have to lie to her, say I'm busy. I don't know what I can say that will make this right."

"Able...you'll figure it out. Just give it time...."

"Cheerilee I don't have time!" I snapped back, pushing her back a step. "I don't have time...this is it...I'm either going to do it...or break that filly's heart. And- I just...I don't know if I can do it."

Cheerilee frowned hard. "Able...you will." She turned towards my door. "I'll leave you alone...give you time to think."

"Wait...wait." I stood up in a rush, walking over and taking a note from my kitchen counter. "Here...this way I don't have to pay postage."

"Cheerilee let out a shaky laugh. "Cheapskate...." Things grew quiet once again. "...Goodbye Able...."

I leaned down and hugged her tight. "Goodbye Cheerilee...and thanks for everything."

Cheerilee, words can't express how thankful I am. When I arrived I was nothing. I came here hoping I could eke out an existence in the background, quiet, just passing through this land.

They used me like an animal, trying to learn what they could about humanity, and finally when I was spit out into this world, there you were. You offered me a job, a place to stay, a chance at life.

I can never pay this back, but I have to try right? I mean, without you I'd already be dead, so this only makes sense.

Enclosed in this envelope is a key to a safety deposit box. Inside is fifty thousand bits in unmarked bonds given to me by the nation of Canada and Royal Equestria. I'll leave it up to you where it should go, but I'm counting on you to do the right thing with it.

-Able Hendricks

Author's Notes:

The banner makes me sad.....then this happened.

Day Two: Discord

I finished with my hair, letting it wash down the drain and leave my head bare. I climbed out of the shower, cleaning off my head and neck. I did my best to not look in the mirror, but my ghastly expression caught my attention. It was happening.

My body was beginning to fade right before my eyes. And I could only stand by and watch. Little by little my body would start to fall apart until I simply drifted away.

A loud knocking came from my front door as I was pulling my shirt on. I hurried over and pulled the door open to dead air. "Nyaha- gotcha." Discord laughed, popping up behind me and spinning me around. "Oh, shaving you head, how edgy!"

"Discord...."

"I mean really, aren't you being a bit mellow dramatic."

"Discord."

"You might have had the ponies going, but not--"

"Discord!" He stopped dead at my shout. "Four days."

He slumped over and started chuckling. "Is that what you told them? Boy are their faces going to be red!"

"Discord stop."

"Oh please, shaving your head really was too far." He snapped his fingers and summoned up a wig that matched my old hair. "Put this on and stop being so--"

"Discord...." I grabbed him by his arms, shaking him one hard time. "This isn't a game."

Discord slithered out of my grips and banished the wig to the ether. "...Able...it's not fair...."

"Discord stop." I walked up to him and put my hand on his shoulder. "Discord look at me."

"I'm the one who helped you open the portal...it's my fault...."

"Stop it!"

Discord looked up at me with a determined glare. "I have to try something!" he snapped his fingers at me, causing a poof of smoke to envelope me. "Come on!" he continued to try, attempt after attempt only resulting in failure. "Ooooh come on!"

"Discord...it's over."

Discord kept snapping his finger angrily. "No, no it's not! If these things would just work!"

I grabbed his paw and pulled it down. "Discord...opening that gate cut me off from magic. We knew this would happen eventually."

Discord started going down a path of sorrow. "But...you were part of the gate...you were magic." He fell to his rear and just sat there. "It doesn't make any sense. Have your tried shutting it off!?"

I sat on the floor across from Discord. "It's over...--"

"Stop saying it's over! I brought you humans here to add some flipping variety, you're not allowed to just die all of the sudden!"

"Just stop it!" I snapped, making Discord jump upright. "We knew this would happen for a year...it just decided to hurry along. There's nothing you can do, there's nothing doctors can do, I'm dying." Discord let his hands fall to his side. He just sat there, staring at his hooves as I let out a rough cough. "They're calling it Wither. A complete separation from magic. Apparently it's the same thing that killed Star Swirled."

"But that doesn't make any sense! You're a human, do humans even have magic!?"

I shook my head. "Discord...stop."

"You're all robot happy and crazy with the machine, you can't have magic!" He jumped up and started marching up and down the room.

"Discord...just stop. Please, just stop."

Discord stopped mid stride. "Able...I don't want to stop...." He started crying ever so slightly. "This shouldn't even be happening...."

"But it is." I stood up and walked over to him. "Now you can either accept it, and keep me company till the end, or you can pretend you had something to do with it and leave."

Discord glared at me. "You think I don't know this was my fault!? I gave you everything you needed, I made sure you would be the one to open that door! If it's not my fault, who's freaking fault is it!?"

"Nobody's." I stated, slapping my arms against my side. "And blaming yourself isn't going to solve a thing."

Discord charged up to me, fronting on me and puffing his chest out. I stared at him for a few seconds, watching as his boisterous attitude crumbled. "I'm my fault...." He muttered lowly, slowly reaching his arms around me. "I thought...maybe it'd be-"

"Discord...."

"-fun to have a new species to play around with...new people to manipulate...-" He continued to babble as he pulled me against himself.

"Discord stop it."

"-I...I killed you...I never thought...I never...I--"

I threw my arms around him. "Discord...stop. It's not your fault."

"Stop saying it's not my fault!" Discord yelped, her voice growing hoarse. "It is!"

"It's not your fault...you couldn't have known."

Discord pressed his face against my bald crown. "Please don't go...please...."

I rubbed Discord's back gently. "It's not your fault."

"Don't die."

"It's not your fault."

"I won't let you!"

"It's not your fault."

Discord locked up for a moment before bellowing into my shoulder. "Able why!? Why!? It's not fair, I don't want you to die, I never wanted anypony to die! I just- I- I--"

I continued to rub his back as he lost his composure. Eventually his sobbing broke and I managed to sit him down.

"Discord, I need you to watch someone for me. I know this might be a bit much...but she's like my--"

"I know what you want...I might have read your letters before you gave them out."

I rubbed my eyes and shoved him. "Well than, you know...so...I guess this is it." I walked him to the door, pulling a letter from a table along the way. "Here. I don't think you could have read this one."

Discord took the note from my hands, carefully holding it in his paw. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be."

Discord took a deeply shaken breath. "But if I hadn't tore open the door...you wouldn't--"

"I wouldn't have had the best year of my life, I wouldn't have helped a filly grow up on the right path. I might be dying, but I've done more in Equestria, than I ever had on earth!"

Discord played with the letter before suddenly grabbing me and pulling me tight. "Goodbye...."

"Goodbye Discord...you've been a good friend."

Discord, you're an idiot.

I could tell you were blaming yourself for what was happening for a month. You'll realize eventually that even if it was your fault, I'd rather die like this, than live another forty years doing nothing. I made my choice, now I have to deal with it.

And you blaming yourself is only going to make it harder for me to deal with. So please, remember me fondly, and move on.

-Able Hendricks

Day Three: Celestia

I sat in my living room, trying to stay awake as the fatigue tightened its grip on my body. I was failing fast, each day growing weaker and weaker, each hour losing more and more of my memories. I was slowly losing my connection with my body.

A soft tapping came from my front door. "It's open!" I yelled, feeling lightheaded from that little bit of exertion. "It's...it's open...."

"Able...where are you?" Celestia's voice cut the soft shuffling as I tried to get up. "Dear god, there you are!" Celestia bolted over. "Able...I think I found--"

"Celestia...don't...start...."

"No, listen to me! I found a way to--"

I waved her off, clutching my heart as it started fluttering. "Celestia...it's over...look at me." I held my arms out weakly. "I'm done...I'm ready to rest a while."

Celestia paced around me. "Stubborn ass! Stop being so damn selfish!"

I just watched her as she paced around the room. "Do you realize how much time I've taken out of my week, to come see you! And still you just sit there, denying treatment, pretending to be some kind of martyr!" She charged over to me. "You think it's fair!? You think it's okay to be doing this to me!?" Celestia shut her eyes hard, trying to keep from crying. "It's not fair...." She laid down before me, resting her chin on my thigh. "It's not fair to anyone...and you know it...."

I slowly put my hand onto her head. "Celestia...I'm sorry. But I'm not about to prolong the inevitable."

Celestia turned her head, refusing to meet my eyes. "I don't know what happens when you die in your world...but here...you're not going to remember anything. You'll- ...you won't be you anymore...."

"Celestia...it doesn't matter.... It's going to happen." I took a deep breath. "I don't care if I never wake up...I just...I need to leave this behind."

Celestia snapped upright. "What about me!? You're leaving me behind too!" She caught herself mid wince. "What about the filly, the one you always talk about...you're not just leaving, you're leaving everyone, everything!"

"Good."

"Good!?" Celestia ran over and planted her hooves next to my head, staring me down. "What about this is good!?"

I took a deep breath. "Moving on."

Celestia lowered her head, letting go and collapsing against my shoulder. "Able...why...."

I took a shaky breath, my lungs compressed by her body. "Celestia, you've dealt with death before...this is nothing, a grain of sand in the desert."

Celestia pressed her cheek against my head. "It's different...it's different...."

"It's not...you'll move on."

"It is...Able...don't leave me...." Things got quiet as she nuzzled against me. "Able...Able, Able!?"

Celestia, I remember when we met. You were the first pony to treat me like a person. Noble after noble poked and prodded me, told you I should be in chains, but you didn't listen to them.

Without you I would have been treated like a beast. They would have closed the portal, humanity would have never come to Equestria, and I would have been sent to a quarantine and studied because of my illness. Without you I would have been dead a year ago.

You gave me a chance, a chance no one thought I deserved. I could never repay you, and I'm sorry to leave you like this.

I'm so tired. I just need a rest.

Be kind to your subjects. Be good to humanity in kind. I don't know why you care about me so much, but I won't question it. Having you watch over me has help me connect with your people, it's let our races come together. Without you, humanity would never have achieved what it has in Equs.

I love you, but it's time to say goodbye.

Day Four: Silver Spoon

Author's Notes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uv_2x6JmuaE

Able...wake up....

Able...it's time to wake up....

Able, wake up.

I fluttered awake in a hospital bed. A sympathetic looking pony watching over me. "Able...we...we figured you'd want to be awake for this." The pony looked around. "When the princess brought you here...we...we did what we could. But you've got hours at best." The pony looked horrid. "I'm sorry...but...we--"

A shadowed man with a pair of black glasses walked behind the mare. "Your daughter's here." He slowly moved the pony out of the way. "Go on...I'll explain it." The man ushered the crying mare off. I simply tried to catch my breath, my mouth horridly dry. "Do...do you want to know what happened?"

I glared at the man. "Water."

The man left for a bit, coming back with a glass of water. "Careful...."

I yanked the glass from his grip and downed it. I took a moment to collect myself, shutting my eyes hard. "What...happened?"

"Medically induced coma...it was either this, or you would have just...well, you know." The man scratched his neck. "She said to try and keep you alive until your daughter got here." He looked over his shoulder. "I'll be outside, if...if you want to go back to sleep...just let me know." The doctor left, quickly replaced by the one face I dreaded more than anything.

"Able!?" Silver Spoon pressed her hooves hard against the bed. "Able...no...no no no!" She pushed off the bed and started running around. "No!"

"Silver...Spoon...stop it." I croaked, my body utterly exhausted.

Silver ran over and glared at me. "I hate you! Why-why-why wouldn't you tell me sooner!?" She screamed, pushing off the bed again and running head first into a wall. "I thought you hated me! I didn't see you for a month!" She slid down the wall, face slowly sinking down as her sobs filled the room. "And now you're actually leaving...."

"I...needed...to be ready...." I wheezed, my lungs struggling to expand. "Please...Silver...please." I swung my hand off the bed and let the IV rip out of my numb body. "Silver...please."

Silver Spoon refused to look at me, walking over and lifting my hand with her crown. "It's not fair." She hissed. "It's not fair!"

"Silver...stop it."

"But it's not! You- you're my best friend, who decides you just don't get to exist anymore!?" Silver put her hoof on my hand, sandwiching me between her hoof and head. "Don't leave...not yet."

I took a deep breath, trying to stabilize me encroaching death-rattle. "Silver...I'm sorry...god I'm so sorry." I pet her mane watching as her lavender eyes popped over the short bed. "Little filly...I'm so sorry."

"Able...stop it...."

I simply kept moving softly against her head. "I know...what it's like. You feel...trapped...no where...to go."

"Stop it!" Silver screamed, pulling free of my hand.

"But it's okay," I continued, "I know...you'll do what's right. With...or without me...." I took a deeply pained breath. "With...or without...your parents...."

"Able...why...?" Silver moaned, crawling onto my bed. "Don't leave...please don't leave."

"You'll do good. And...that's all I can ask." I put my hand on her cheek, feeling a soft dampness crawl down my thumb as she curled up. "You'll go far...little filly. And...I know...it's because...I was there...when you had questions." I remembered back to when I first found her. Hesitantly bullying a human child.

"You...and your friend, were...harassing a girl. I stepped in, remember?"

Silver grabbed my hands between her hooves. "Yeah...."

"You remember what I said?"

"...You asked about my parents."

I let out a short laugh, followed by a bloodied cough. "I- I- I remember how mad you got...you said you hated me." I covered my mouth between bouts of coughing. "You walked away."

"Able...please stay." Silver cooed, rubbing the top of my hand with her hoof. "I don't want you to go...ever...I take it back...I- I didn't mean it!" She shouted, holding my hand against her cheek and nuzzling my palm. "I'm scared...I'm scared Able."

"You...you came back the next day. To my lawn." I laughed hazily. "You just sat there...glaring at me."

"I'm sorry!"

"You started yelling at me when I walked over. You...you were bright red." I ran my thumb across her soft cheek. "Look at me Silver."

She slowly leaned her head against my hand, opening her eyes and looking at me as tears dampened my hand. "I'm sorry...I'm so sorry."

"You said...it was non of my business. Your parents...your life." I let out a short laugh as I wiped her eyes. "I asked you why you were in my damn lawn.... You just got madder."

"I never meant it!"

"You said...why do I care...and...I said...I- ...I..." I tasted blood as I tried to speak. "I said...because you're cute...." I laughed crazily as I leaned my head back. "You...you were so embarrassed. You kept coming back and yelling at me.... Then...you brought you friend...she left...and you just sat there."

Silver spoon stayed quiet, gentling petting herself with my hand. "Able...I'm so scared...."

"Do you...remember...what I said when you sat there? I asked you...inside." I felt my heart start to slow down. "And we talked...and talked...and talked...."

"Able...I want to keep talking...please...I- I don't know what to do next!" Silver bit my hand, stifling herself. "I need you."

I cleared my head for a final time. "And...the first time you left...you remember what I told you?"

Silver's voice caught in her throat. "Be strong little filly...."

"And look at you now...you have to be strong...without me.... And...I know...you...will be...." I took a gentle breath, feeling my lungs start to empty. "Be strong Silver Spoon. I trust you to be strong...."

I felt my hand gently drawn over her soft silver mane, the last bastion of warmth as I settled down. I was so tired. My body was done.

I was ready, lulled away by soft whimpers from the filly I was leaving behind.

Day Five: The Box

Author's Notes:

Be sure to follow me for more content!

"Mark it."

"Time of death...three-nineteen."

"Do...do you want someone to see you home? Ma'am...ma'am?"

I walked sullenly away from the hospital, my world shattered in seconds. My life torn off track mere months after getting some semblance of normalcy. All I had left now was a house, a broken family, and memories. But I had to stay strong, I needed to, for him.

I did my best not to cry in public, utterly failing and garnering the attention of half the town as I walked home. I was tired, so tired, I missed him carrying me, I missed his touch, his voice. But he was gone, forever, and no amount of crying or sadness would bring him back.

I could only move on. Only walk away and try to live with his lessons. Kindness, tolerance, forethought and strength. But it was going to be hard. It was going to be traumatic. And without him, I'm not sure if I can do it.

"Hello there." A grey maned stallion walked over with a mail carrier's outfit. "Silver Spoon? Of course you are, here." The stallion pulled a large box from his side and plopped it down in front of me. "I suggest you take that inside, quickly." The stallion trotted off dapperly, making me resent him for his joyful pose.

I simply stared at the box, looking it over. It was just a plain cardboard box, no stickers, no address. I debated leaving the box, but eventually I started pushing the box towards my house. People started to stared, someone eventually offering to help me. I hesitantly accepted, walking with the mare towards my house.

The walk was horridly quiet, no words exchanged during the walk. I just waited until we reached my house, the mare unloaded the box from her back and walked off. I opened my door to a loud yell and a vase shattering in another room. I did my best to ignore it and started pulling the box open.

The tape came off easily, revealing a stack of papers and a few sealed envelopes. I slowly sorted through the strange documents, eventually running my hoof along something hard. I fished it from the depths of paper forms, pulling out a small wrapped frame.

I tore the wrapping away, revealing a pair of photos pressed against each other. I pulled them apart, one a simple white card behind glass. "Be Strong Little Filly." In raised black letters. I felt a horrid surge of pain striking my gut. I curled around the photo and pressed my forehead against the box.

Another loud bang rang out over my sobs. "You cheating bitch! It was some human, wasn't it!?"

I ignored my parents yelling, setting down the frame and moving on. The next picture was yet more pain concealed by glass. A picture I had no idea existed, of Able cradling me. My laughing face punching through my heart and filling my eyes once again. We looked so happy, so calm. It hurt so bad to see him so happy. My mind flashed to his gaunt and ghastly form, slowly fading away in that hospital bed.

I rocked left and right with the picture against my chest. An ear shattering scream sounded another bout of fighting. "Well maybe if you ever touched me, but apparently you're a colt cuddler!"

I set the pictures down and moved on to the sealed letter.

Silver. I know I've said everything I could have. I'll be blunt with this. There's enough money in this box to get you through college. Paid for by the government and a small trust I set up before my sickness. There's a small house on the edge of town, I had all my things moved there, it's yours.

I set up the bills to be paid for by the trust. You're the only one who can get anything in or out of it, okay?

I know how hard it was for you, I know how hard it's going to be without me. But I know you can do it, you just need a little help is all.

That's all it took little filly, a little nudge in the right direction.

These files are all copies. The originals are in Canterlot's archives. Now I know you're scared, I know you're lonely, but I think you'll make it.

Be good little filly. I believe in you.

-Able Hendricks

I curled around the letter, listening as my tears fell on the crisp paper. I could leave. I had an out.

I had a new life waiting for me. And it was all thanks to him.

"Thank you...for everything."