Amber: Momma! Momma! Wake up!

Isis: Hm? Oh, hi baby. What’s up?

Amber: I wanna go to the park!

Isis: The park? Which one?

Amber: The big field one!

Isis: Oooh I like that one. You want to go now?

Amber: Mmhm mhmm mhmm hops around the room

Isis: Okay! Sounds fun! slowly gets up Let’s go!

Amber: Yay!

Herb: Where do you think you’re going?

Amber: !!! hides behind Isis

Isis: We’re going to the park. Would you like to join sweetheart?

Herb: Isis, you should be resting. You know that.

Isis: But I want to spend time with my daughter

Herb: You can spend time with her here.

Isis: But

Herb: Isis. Please.

Isis: ………………………. nudges Amber onto her bed and lies down next to her

Herb: Thank you. I’m gonna head up to the Crystal Mountains. Hopefully I can find what I’m looking for there. I’ll see you later okay?

Isis: nods

Herb: kisses Isis and Amber

Amber: Bye daddy

Herb: Bye leaves the room and walks out of the house

Isis: ………………………..

Amber: Sorry Momma, I didn’t mean to get you in trouble….

Isis: Hold on sweetie………………… stares out the window and watches Herb leave

Amber: Huh?

Isis: ……………………. Okay, let’s go

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Amber: It’s so pretty today!

Isis: Sure is. Glad you decided to come to park

Amber: giggles

Isis: smiles

Amber: gasps Look Momma a butterfly! Let’s go get it!

Isis: Oh, it’s a pretty one struggles to get up Go on. I’m right behind you

Amber: chases after the butterfly

Isis: tries keeping up with Amber but starts breathing heavily A-Amber sweetie, hold on…

Amber: Momma, are you okay? walks over to Isis

Isis: Mmhm. Just a little tired is all.

Amber: looks at her with worry

Isis: Oh no, the butterfly got away. I’m sorry…

Amber: It’s okay. We can sit by the flowers under that tree.

Isis: That sounds lovely. walks over with Amber to the large tree

Amber: Momma, are you sad?

Isis: What? No of course not. What makes you say that?

Amber: Your coat and your mane aren’t shiny anymore.

Isis: Oh…. it’s just um……… uhh

Amber: Is it because you’re sick?

Isis: I…. yeah.

Amber: frowns

Isis: But I’ll be better soon. Daddy’s gonna make me all better.

Amber: …………. mane and coat dulls

Isis: …………. H-hey everything’s going to be alright. Understand?

Amber: nods

Isis: Smile sweetie. It makes me really happy to see you all sparkly and smiley.

Amber: smiles and starts glowing again

Isis: Promise me you’ll keep sparkling no matter what, okay?

Amber: nods

Isis: smiles ……………….. Amber, don’t move

Amber: holds breath What is it Momma?

Isis: points to Amber’s rump

Amber: slowly turns around and gasps A butterfly!

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Amber: That was really fun, Momma! Can we go again another day?

Isis: giggles Definitely

Herb: Where have you two been???

Isis: Herb, we just went to the park

Herb: You were supposed to be here, resting

Isis: We were just relaxing in the park. Nothing crazy.

Herb: What if something happened and I didn’t know where you were?

Isis: I told you where we were going this morning.

Herb: Nothing can hurt you here and I would like to be able to go out and know for sure that my wife is safe resting at home!

Isis: ………………. Amber, go to your room please.

Amber: But Momma……

Isis: It’s okay Amber. Me and daddy just need to talk. It’s your bedtime anyways.

Amber: Okay… walks over to her room

Herb: I can’t believe you would just leave the house like that after I told you to stay home.

Isis: Herb, I’ve been in this house for way too long. I needed to get outside. It’s suffocating in here.

Herb: Well why didn’t you tell me you’ve felt this way? We could have all gone out one day!

Isis: Because Herb, you’re always working. Would you really have tried to find time to go outside?

Herb: ………………… You know it’s only because I want you to be okay, right? Don’t you understand how seriously sick you are???

Isis: Yes, I

Herb: This…. disease or whatever you have, there’s no telling what it is or how it works!

Isis: I know but

Herb: Anything could trigger it! It could get so much worse if you don’t rest!

Isis: Herb, please

Herb: This is serious Isis! I

Isis: I GET IT, OKAY? I’M DYING!

Herb: ………………………….. Isis….

Isis: …………….. I know. I know this is serious. I know that I’m dying. I feel it. And because I know, I want to make sure that I spend my last days or hours or maybe even seconds! Who knows! I want to spend them showering my daughter with love and making sure that her last memories of me will be good ones. I want her to… no… NEED her to know that even when I’m gone, I still love her. I don’t want to stay locked in my room all day and risk my relationship with her!

Herb: …………… Isis, I’m going to find a cure, okay? And then everything’s gonna be good again. We can all be happy together. But I need your cooperation

Isis: I……… I don’t doubt that you’ll find one. You’re the smartest stallion I know. And trust me, I’m trying to stay as positive as I can but… we do need to plan for the worst. What if I do die, Herb? Do you see how Amber looks at you?

Herb: W-what?

Isis: She’s scared of you Herb! Your relationship with her is so broken already. What happens when I’m gone? You’re going to have to love her for the both of us. Are you capable of doing that?

Herb: Yes! I can but

Isis: She needs to know you love her too. The last thing I want is for you two to not have a relationship. You’re going to need each other if…….. this doesn’t work out.

Herb: But it will! And if I just work harder There’s no way it won’t work out!

Isis: I’m done talking about this, Herb. I don’t have the energy to argue. Please just understand that you’re not helping anypony by overworking yourself like this. Me and Amber want to spend more time with you. It doesn’t hurt to take a break every once in a while.

Herb: sighs

Isis: gives him a kiss I love you. And I’ll see you in the morning.

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Herb: ……. Gah, why are none of these working??? This is hopeless…..

Amber: Daddy?

Herb: Ah! A-Amber? W-what are you doing up? It’s so early.

Amber: I just heard you making noise

Herb: Oh, I’m sorry. You can go back to bed. I’ll try being more quiet.

Amber: …………………………. Daddy?

Herb: Yes Amber?

Amber: sniffles Is Momma…… dying?

Herb: turns around to face Amber N-no sweetie! What gave you that idea?

Amber: I heard you arguing starts tearing up

Herb: ………… Oh Amber sits on the floor by her, come here. Please don’t cry

Amber: Is she?

Herb: sighs Y-yes BUT………. she won’t! I promise. I’m going to find a cure and she’s gonna be all better, okay?

Amber: nods

Herb: Hey, maybe you could help me.

Amber: gasps Really?

Herb: Yeah! I’ve been having a hard time finding some of the plants I need

Amber: What do they look like?

Herb: They’re these really pretty white flowers indigenous to the Crystal Empire and Crystal Mountains

Amber: In indigiindigous to the Crystal Empire? What does that mean?

Herb: chuckles It means that they can only be found right here.

Amber: Oh. Do you have a picture?

Herb: Sure do hands Amber a picture of the flower

Amber: Hey! I saw these!

Herb: You did???

Amber: Yeah! I saw them at the park me and Momma went to!

Herb: How did I not know? This is wonderful! I guess we’ll all have to go to the park today huh?

Amber: Yay! Yay! Yay! Let’s go now!

Herb: chuckles Shhhshhhshhh. Momma’s still asleep. You must be tired too. Why don’t you sleep for a couple more hours?

Amber: yawns O-okay………. cuddles up to Herb

Herb: Oh…. next to me?…. okay…… smiles

Isis: Not so hard, huh?

Herb: O-oh, Isis. You’re awake.

Isis: I heard a happy Amber. Had to see what it was all about.

Herb: Ah, well, I just told her that when we’re all awake we could go to the park.

Isis: Really now?

Herb: Y-yeah. Look, Iris, I’m really sorry about last night.

Isis: Me too. I didn’t mean to get angry at you. I really have no right to especially since I know you’re trying your best to keep me alive.

Herb: smiles Yeah, but, I also should be spending time with you and Amber. You two are all I’ve got and I want to make sure that you guys know that I love you. More than anything.

Isis: Thank you Herb. That means a lot to me. gives him a kiss

Herb: ………………………

Isis: What’s wrong?

Herb: I don’t know what I’m gonna do if you’re not here

Isis: …………….. We won’t think like that for now. I’m gonna live and we’re gonna be okay. Just like you said.

Herb: smiles