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  

 
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!  

 
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.  

 
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