Warning: Please note that the following chapter does contain thoughts and actions involving suicide towards it's end. If this is a sensitive topic for you, or if you otherwise can't handle reading it, feel free to skip that part of the chapter. Thank you, and otherwise, enjoy!
Princess Celestia was sorting through papers or something when she heard a knock at the door. Then a pony came galloping in. That pony was me.
Celestia's top assistant, Raven came strutting up to me. "And what do you think you're doing? Do you have an appointment?"
"No, but I have something to help solve the case of numerous disappearances, stop a serial killer, and expand upon the threat of changelings. I do hope you'll forgive me for barging in. However, I think you'll find what I have to show doesn't disappoint." I smiled.
I walked up to the princess and showed her the scroll. "Um... Could you please elaborate, Spunk Light?" She asked. I quickly explained it to her, which was met with a satisfied look. "That would make much sense. Thank you for bringing this to my attention. And speaking of, a Mr. Cheese Sandwich has agreed to help step in as the Element of Laughter, and it seems he will work as the temporary bearer."
I grinned widely. Things were finally going write today! This... This is where it all goes horribly wrong...
"Thank you, Princess. I have to go. I need to check some things."
And off I went.
...
I was finally at the hospital, where everypony else was gathered around. "Sorry, everypony. Had a bit of trouble on my way. Are we ready?" I got nods from around the room. I nodded back. "Let's do this." I stepped back.
The elements locked hooves and a glow emitted, first from Twilight's horn, then from the group of ponies. The room was engulfed in sparks, and when it was over, I opened my eyes. Everypony was breathing heavily.
"Did it work?" Fluttershy asked anxiously.
"One way to find out." We rushed to the scanner. Everything seemed to be fine. We kept her under a little bit, but no relaspe. We finally woke her up, restraints and all.
Pinkie's eyes opened slowly. "What... happened?"
Two Months Later...
Things had been going swimmingly. Absolutely perfect. Then, of course, it all went to Tartarus.
Pinkie had gone missing. Naturally, there was a general panic. After flying around, Rainbow Dash finally found her at the edge of a cliff. And she was about to jump.
Pinkie stopped for a moment when she heard her friends. But her mind was still set.
"Don't come any closer!" Pinkie said shrilly. "If you do, I'll back up. I swear, I will!"
"Pinkie, don't do this!" Twilight yelled, tears in her eyes.
"After everything I've done, all the lives I've taken, it's only fair if I do the same for myself! I waited for 2 months, picking a spot where I thought you wouldn't find me! Why did you have to look for me, Dashie?! Why?! After what I did, you should hate me more then anypony else! So why?! Why don't you hate me?! Why can't you just HATE ME!?"
I trotted forward, finally catching up. "Pinkie, don't!"
"If you come near me, I'll jump!" Pinkie warned.
"You're planning on jumping anyway, so if you really want to, then do it."
Everypony was appalled. But I knew exactly what I was doing.
Pinkie was caught off guard. "W-what?"
"You slaughtered so many ponies, and you're a horrible one yourself! So you owe it to let me talk to you." I didn't wait for a reply, and trotted over. Though I did slowly, just in case.
I sat down beside her. "Please don't."
She shook her head. "Nopony will miss me."
"If you really think that, you're thicker then a brick. You honestly think your friends and your family won't miss you? You've got to be kidding me."
Tears started flowing. "They shouldn't miss me. I don't deserve it." Pinkie whimpered.
"But they will!"
"How do you know?"
...
Years and years ago...
I ran around, chasing Cloudy Wish through the Ponyville fair. We were just foals. "Come and get me, Cloud!"
"Don't think I won't, Spunk!"
We giggled as we chased each other, until he finally tackled me. I shrieked as we rolled around in the grass.
The scene changed. We were older, and were browsing by a shop. He stopped me and ran inside, and when he came out he was holding a yellow scarf.
"For you, my queen." He bowed playfully as he wrapped around my neck.
I bowed back. "Thank you, good sir. A scarf this fine simply must be accompanied by a picture."
We took one, smiling as we tried to fit both our heads into the frame.
The memory transitioned to the day after that. Cloud was trotting up to me.
"Spunk Light, I'd like you to meet Sea Star! She's new in town."
Nopony was there. "Uh, Cloudy, don't you think you're a bit old for an imaginary friend?"
Cloudy Wish looked at me curiously. "What do you mean?"
I rolled my eyes. "Fine, I'll play along. Nice to meet you, Sea Star."
A few months went by, and Sea Star was always there. Well, never there for me, but always there for him. Then, one day, Cloudy Wish jumped.
I rushed to help him up. I asked him why he would do something like this. He was NEVER suicidal! But it was like he couldn't even hear me. He just kept murmuring to himself. "That hurt, Sea Star. You said it wouldn't hurt. That hurt."
He was in the hospital. But he hadn't made it.
"You did well, Mrs. Light. You got him here very quickly." One doctor tried to comfort me.
I shook my head. "But I was too late... If I had just trusted my senses... Gotten help sooner..."
"You had suspicions of this? That's very impressive, Mrs. Light, very impressive indeed. Especially since things like this are pretty obscure in Equestria. No doctors for this sort of thing at all."
"But... Aren't there more cases like this out there?"
"There could be. Who knows?"
I took a deep breath. "I promise I won't fail anypony else. I-I promise." I whispered to Cloudy Wish, hoping by some miracle he heard me.
There was a ringing and a small flash of light, and when I turned around, I had gotten my Cutie Mark. It was then that I really started crying.
Back to the present...
"I know because I've been there, Pinkie. And when I say they'll miss you, that's an understatement. They'll be crushed, heartbroken, they'll shut themselves in."
"You got past it." Pinkie said.
"Yeah, 15 years later, great huh? Listen Pinks, I know what it's like to be overwhelmed by guilt. I know what it's like to feel like you don't deserve to live, and to even take action on those feelings. But ya gotta trust me when I say this is NOT the answer. You just gotta find a way to keep going."
"How did you keep going?"
I managed a small smile. "My sister." I looked at her seriously. "If you can't find a way to live for yourself, live for them. And pretty soon, they'll make you see just how great life really is."
"How do you know things will get better?"
"I don't. But think about it this way: things can't get worse."
Pinkie let out a half-chuckle, half-sob. I stood up and extended my hoof to her. She took a shaky breath, stood up, and locked hooves with me. I smiled, and she smiled back, and together, we walked back. And for a moment, just a moment, just that single moment... everything was perfect.