Fellow petshoppers, this was it. Judgement Day.
Penny Ling was now hooked up to a heart monitor Buttercream had found in one of the cupboards. Buttercream and Sugar Sprinkles watched and waited anxiously for Blythe's return with a glimmer of concern in their eyes. Outside the exam room, the restroom door opened and Blythe calmly exited the restroom, her arm positioned on her midsection from her bout of vomiting.
She steadily walked back to the exam room; as soon as she opened the door, however, she could sense Pepper's strong-smelling stench blow in her direction, causing her to dry heave again and rush back to the restroom. This was due in no small part to Buttercream using her ears as a propeller to fan away the stench. Buttercream blushed and chuckled nervously.
Penny Ling's voice stuttered, as she still felt very weak. "Wa...was that… Blythe?"
"'Fraid so," said Sugar Sprinkles, somberly.
Penny Ling groaned, and gently flailed her arms. "What about Zoe… and Minka?"
Buttercream gasped in surprise. "They're here too?"
"I certainly hope so," replied Sugar Sprinkles.
A minute later, Blythe returned to the exam room, holding Zoe and Minka in their arms. Just to make sure, she took a sniff at the air and was generally relieved. "Phew… good that the smell's finally cleared up."
Penny Ling slowly turned her bloodshot eyes to Blythe. "Bl...Blythe?"
Blythe turned her eyes to Penny Ling and bared a look of shock and awe, placing Zoe and Minka back on the table. "Penny Ling, you're… you're awake!" She then directed her attention to Pepper, sleeping like a baby skunk. "Pepper's asleep. I think I'd better wake her up." She went over to Pepper with the intent of waking her up before Penny Ling feebly waved her down.
"Let her rest," said Penny Ling. "She looks peaceful when she's asleep."
With that being said, Blythe smartly backed away from Pepper and spotted Buttercream and Sugar Sprinkles. "Buttercream? Sugar Sprinkles?"
"In the flesh," said Sugar Sprinkles.
Buttercream then had her say. "I hope you're not in a strife, dear Blythe, but Penny Ling is feeling as meek as a leak."
Blythe turned her head back to Penny Ling and watched on as the heart monitor steadily beeped, monitoring the panda's weak heartbeat. She then slowly walked up to her and gently stroked her fur.
"How…" said Blythe, "...how do you feel?"
Penny Ling gave Blythe the death stare. "Weak… I feel… weak."
Blythe was concerned for Penny Ling, but at the same time was curious to hear her side of the story. "Can you tell me what happened?"
Penny Ling's voice was incredibly weak, but she kindly obliged. "Okay… I imagined I was in a lab… and I was in charge of capturing Pepper's scents." She coughed in-between sentences. "Further along the way… my chest hurt. I begged Pepper to stop... before something b-bad happened… but she insisted I keep going. I c-can't blame her, really. After all… all she wanted to do… was to find her happiest scent."
Zoe and Minka awed as they huddled up together, whereas Buttercream and Sugar Sprinkles followed suit.
Penny Ling continued. "Then… all of a sudden… I felt like a dagger… was being rammed through my heart. I felt like… I was suffering an eternity of unbearable pain." She teared up a bit. "I laid… on the c-cold, hard floor of the lab… and I felt weak… then… I saw myself… as an infant."
Blythe quietly gasped at Penny Ling's comment.
"I saw my relatives… rocking me to sleep… and telling me they loved me… always have… always will." Her voice started breaking as tears rolled down her face. "Then… everything faded. All I heard was poor Pepper crying… apologising hysterically. Then… my body just… gave out."
Zoe and Minka started tearing up themselves, and Buttercream gently stroked Pepper as she remained fast asleep.
Penny Ling, feeling gradually weaker, carried on. "The moment I met her… I knew… I just knew breathing in her fumes… would kill me one day." She paused. "But I forgive her." Blythe awed and continued stroking the poor panda's fur.
Penny Ling then began crying almost apologetically. "I'm… I'm sorry! I underestimated… P-Pepper's sense of humor! All she wanted... was to b-be my friend… make me laugh! And I was d-d-dumb! I d-didn't understand her… all b-because I was t-too damn... sensitive!"
Blythe got slightly closer to the panda. "Penny Ling… it's okay. I know Pepper didn't mean it. The anticipation just got to her head, that's all. It was just a freak accident."
Penny Ling feebly whimpered as tears streamed down her face, drenching the table she laid on. She slowly moved her hand to her chest, feeling a similar sharp pain she felt in the aforementioned fantasy. There on, she just stared at Blythe, deep into her soul and past it. Blythe felt chills as Penny Ling stared at her, fearing the worst.
"Bl-Blythe?" Penny Ling stuttered, continuing to cry. "I-I'm scared. I d-don't wanna d-d-d-die! I have... so much t-t-to live for!"
Blythe quietly shushed the weeping panda. "It's okay, Penny Ling. It's alright. I'm here." Blythe moved closer to Penny Ling and kissed her on the cheek, holding her hand along the way.
Suddenly, Penny Ling twinged and grunted, clutching her chest and clenching her teeth, prompting Blythe to let go of her hand. Zoe, Minka and Blythe were all startled by this, and their concern grew more prominent thereafter.
"Penny Ling?" said Blythe.
Penny Ling's voice strained as she felt immense chest pain. "I see… my ancestors… c-calling me home!"
Blythe started to panic as Penny Ling finished her sentence. "Oh, no. Penny Ling, whatever you do, stay away from the light!"
Not much else could be said to describe how Zoe and Minka were feeling; they felt just as panicky as Blythe. Penny Ling clutched her chest and gently flailed her legs, nearing death's door as she turned her head to Zoe and Minka.
"I… I love you all. Always have… always will."
"We love you too!" exclaimed Zoe and Minka, as their eyes watered. The three all watched Penny Ling let go of her chest as she took her last breath. In less than a minute, she slowly closed her eyes and her body went limp. Her ears drooped, and she let out one final, prolonged sigh.
Blythe, Zoe and Minka were left shocked and horrified. Buttercream and Sugar Sprinkles turned around and spotted Penny Ling's limp body, with Blythe holding her hand. They both walked over to the panda, going past Zoe and Minka, and stared long enough at her body to realise what had happened.
Penny Ling... had died.
Blythe simply stared at Penny Ling's body, utterly floored. Soon after, her eyes began to tear up. Just watching Penny Ling die before her eyes triggered PTSD-inducing memories of her mother's death.
Her mother, Lauren Baxter, passed away from a severe lung infection relating to pneumonia when she was younger. Her passing influenced her to start doodling clothes designs to try and escape the pain. The trauma still lingered with her, however, and Penny Ling's death was the straw that broke the camel's back.
Without warning, Blythe burst into tears, crying almost as hysterically as Pepper. She laid her head on Penny Ling's chest, sobbing loudly. Zoe and Minka turned and pulled each other in for a hug, all the while tearing up themselves. Buttercream began quietly weeping, and Sugar Sprinkles consoled the poor rabbit and cuddled her.
Minka cried softly in Zoe's arms and looked on at a sleeping Pepper. "How do we break the news to Pepper?"
"Let her sleep," replied Zoe, gently patting the crestfallen monkey's back. "Right now… we need a moment to ourselves."
Zoe, Minka, Buttercream and Sugar Sprinkles stayed put and listened to Blythe's uncontrollable sobs as her head laid over Penny Ling's body. They all began mourning their fallen panda companion, as the bone-chilling sound of Blythe's cries filled the room. They all stared at her lifeless body, their tears soaking into their fur.
Zoe spoke as she comforted Minka. "Farewell, Penny Ling."