Pinkie Pie has a decent life, all things considered. Working at Sugarcube Corner, throwing parties, saving the world, making friends. She had a pretty good run. But when she comes face to face with the Grim Reaper and her own demise, she definitely doesn't want to let go. So she does the only thing she knows to do to avoid death itself, and challenges him to a game for her life.
But even if she wins, did she really escape death, or is she not out of his grasp yet?
The cover art was a commission courtesy of waxraven.
Chapters (1)
There is only one POSSIBLE CONCLUSION!!! Death Needs Cake! Give ole Grimmy a party!
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Possibly a party to celebrate his bajillionth birthday!
Reminds me of this song somehow
https://m.Cake’s -- Cakes
Okay, I admit, I didn't see that last part coming. Death coming for Pinkie because Death enjoyed playing games with her. That is somehow the most fitting ending I could imagine, though. I liked it, I really did.
The story ended up being less silly than I'd expected, but I think that may have been for the best. Pinkie Pie is good for things other than silliness, and I enjoy seeing that explored.
Incidentally, there's a RariPie story in which Pinkie is an amazing chess player. That's not really relevant, I just felt like bringing it up.
STORY SPOILERS:
I laughed so hard as the Reaper played pingpong. I don't know, I just found that funny. Although I kinda predicted the reason death kept trying to kill her. It seemed so fitting to Pinkie's lifelong ambition. A very good story (puts in bookshelf to reread later)
PinkieGrimmy best ship.
Don't worry Pinkie! Just slip on a Banana Peel and Death will surely let you go back. It's foolproof
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One of you didn't guess the ending, the other did?
There's only one solution to this problem. Pistols at dawn.
I could see a headcanon that Pinkie could also be good at chess, just because she manages to be good at many different things, and possibly could be a master at planning. But I didn't want basically an invincibly smart and planned Pinkie. She had to be vulnerable somehow.
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I also fixed this. Thanks.
The Unspeakable Pinkie Pie laughs at death!
...okay it's more laughs with, but still...
Magnificent. I did not see that ending coming, but I love it! I've seen a story or two where Death is afraid of Pinkie for whatever reason, but the idea of Death just being lonely and getting Pinkie killed just to enjoy a fun game with her is both sweet and creepy and I love it! Only one question: how can Death tweak the timeline like that? Is he like Sans?
I have a bookshelf called top 40 stories, but now it has 41 thanks to this story
Ah, good old TMBG; the only reason I read this was because I recognized the song title.
Still, this was well-written.
Okay...so when is Pinky going to break every physical rule possible and bring him to the real world to get some cake in him?
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Awesome. I'm more surprised someone else knows some of their recent songs. I mean, it's not like they stopped writing, but it's hardly their heyday.
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Nah, the powers of Death aren't really "well defined" in that way. Because Pinkie won, she didn't die, so things just sorta... worked out, instead of her having a lethal accident.
There should be a crossover tag, this is the plot of the Ingmar Bergman film "Seventh Seal"
I do not think hooves can form fists ... but then again, it's Pinkie Pie, but still...
I find these two words a bit weird. For one, you're trying to make skelepone show no emotion whatsoever, and two, the word "again" is implying that "he" glared at her a few moments ago, yet "he" didn't, sooo...
Typo.
I'm still reading, so I'll edit this comment if I spot anything else.I'm done reading, and it's pretty nice.
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Ah yeah, Pinkie definitely doesn't have a fist.
That's a fair cop. In that previous event, the word I used was stared, so I changed this second one.
And fixed. Thankya.
8899902 What's TMBG?
*looks up* Hmm, I've heard of the band... but I can't think of any one specific song I know. *examines wiki* Oh! They did "Particle Man", I do know that one, along with the "Malcolm in the Middle" theme song.
I recognized similarities in the title to "I'll be Watching You" from Sting and The Police from their 1983 album "Synchronicity".
Pinkie's 'Pinkie Sense' has ceased to function in this story, I see.
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Actually, the concept of challenging Death (or some other supernatural being) for your life or the life of a loved one dates back far into antiquity. There are examples in Greek and Egyptian mythology, and even one of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales touched on it. It's become common enough that it's considered a trope.
I love this. This is an amazing concept. I've seen various stories about Pinkie and the figure of Death interacting with each other; the ones where Death is afraid of Pinkie seems to be the most common version. (I mean, who can blame him?) This is the best one I read. Congratulations.
Signing out, VShuffler42
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I can't remember where exactly I first got into the band, but I'm subscribed to their official youtube channel.
Good thing, too, with their dial-a-song program; I can't think of many bands who could write 52 songs a year... at least not more than once.
Vem är du?
Jag är döden.
Har du kommit för att hämta mig?
Jag har redan länge gått vid din sida...
Det vet jag.
Är du beredd?
Min kropp är redd! Inte jag själv.
...
Vänta ett ögonblick.
Så säger ni alla, men jag lämnar inga upskov.
Du spelar ju schack, inte sant?
Hur vet du det?
Aah. Jag har ju sett det i målningar och hört det i visorna.
Ja, jag är en ganska skicklig schackspelare....
Varför vill du spela schack med mig?
Det är min sak.
Det har du rätt i.
Villkoret är att jag får leva så länge jag står dig emot. Spelar jag dig matt, frigör du mig.
*Shuffles pieces*
Du fick svart.
Det passar ju bäst så, inte sant?
Sorry... I just had to.
So that's why Pinkie never dies!
Figures that Pinkie could even cheer the Grim Reaper up.
Pinkie grimaced a little. “So… I guess the biggest question is… why did you let me win? Why did I get in more accidents in 3 weeks than ever before? Why is any of this happening at all?”
The skeletal pony chuckled unexpectedly. "Oh Pinkie, playing against you is the only fun part of this entire job."
"Wait, is that... Twilight?"
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Well, that's two references to "The Seventh Seal" now in my comments, now.
But I was clearly referencing Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey.
Five minutes of Google-Fu later.
Which, given that Death looks exactly like he does in "The Seventh Seal" means that they were referencing The Seventh Seal in Bogus Journey. Huh.
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Wow, people really hate this comment.
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Maybe they took the "you gotta add this tag" seriously? I dunno. I agree with the commenter that followed you that playing a game against death for your life is a wider part of myth than the one movie, but I appreciate broadening my knowledge to include that movie as well.
This might explain how Pinkie cheats death on a regular basis.
For the record, I figured out what Death was up to when he tipped his king in the chess match. In his place, I probably would have done the same thing. Great story, would read over and over again.
Rather sweet. Death just wanted a friend.
Silly author, ponies don't have hands. They have hoofses!
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Silly me, indeed. It has been fixed.
I kind of had the inkling after the first death, where Death entertained her notion by playing a game with her, and it was solidified by the time he played her as second time: Death just wanted a friend. One who could play games with him, and could usually keep him entertained, too. So it's classic Pinkie Pie, to be able to make friends with even the ponyfication of Death, which is really rather quite touching. And of course that got proved by the time he let Pinkie go back after playing chess, though now she'll have to brush up on playing chess so she can give him a challenge as well.
Still, very fun read. It's definitely in-character for Pinkie to be able to smile and even bring cheer to Death.
Great to gain a new friend. Even though setting up play-dates is a bit of a chore.
This likely should have been in italics, but somehow it was missed.
Anyway, this was a delightfully weird idea done seriously in a satisfyingly wholesome way. Thank you for writing this!
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It should! I edited it. And... I also removed the last comma as it is not punctually correct.
And thanks! It's a melange of all these pop culture tropes about death that all goes in a different direction, and I'm happy with that.
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As you should be. I hope you write more one day.
A nice piece Rad, attention holding from start to finish ^_^