“Spike, where did I put that timber wolf sap!?” Twilight yelled at her assistant.
Spike frantically looked around the lab, objects were flying everywhere in her magic that it was barely organized in the slightest. He looked high and low for the ingredient Twilight needed.
“Uhh… umm… Oh, there it is!” Spike pointed to a high shelf with a jar of yellow jelly-like fluids and a label taped to it saying 'T.W. Sap’.
“Ah, thank you, Eagle Eyes!” Twilight rushed over to Spike and pet his head. Or more so, clubbed him over the head with how frantic she was at the moment. Causing Spike to give and annoyed look and a nursing rub to the spot she unintentionally hurt. She lifted the jar off the shelf and brought it over to the pot of swirling chemicals and ingredients. She popped the lid off the jar, extracted the thick liquid out with a syringe, held it carefully over the brew, and squeezed a tiny drop out of it. When the sticky sap finally dropped into the pot, a small 'poof’ of yellow smoke make a tiny explosion out the pot.
The brew turned into a cherry red and Twilight's eyes lit up, a surefire sign she knew she did something right. She brought her endless notes over to her face, studying and double checking them to be absolutely 100% sure she had finally gotten this right. Spike stood beside her, fidgeting around and shuffling his claws together. He always hated it when she started one of her 'episodes’ and obsessed over something to this degree. Her mane was frizzy and out of place, she had a twitch in her eye, all the signs she was going 'Twilie-crazy’ as her brother would put it. But considering who this was for, he couldn't blame her for going into her crazy state.
After an eerily long minute with nothing but the bubbling of her concoction filling the silent void, Twilight finally broke the silence and started laughing. “Ha! Haha! HAHA! YES! Spike! Spike, I finally did it, I found a cure! Haha!” She started to eagerly hop around and celebrate, her wings flapping her into the air with each jump.
“Really? Like, really truly?” Spike questioned her ‘success’.
“Yes! After months of fails and trial and error, I think I finally did it! All the calculations are correct, the equations add up, it can't be wrong!” She used her magic to bring over a beaker, dipping it in the now finished potion and scooping up some of the serum, popping a cork on the top of it. “Come on. Let's not waste any time. We're not too late!” With Spike on her back, they both ran to the exit of the lab, opening the door to reveal a slight teary eyed Rainbow with a look of distraught on her face. Her hoof was raised as if she was about to knock.
Twilight didn't like the look of this. She looked like she bore bad news. Twilight knew what she was going to say, but believed with all her heart that it wasn't true. “Oh. Hello Rainbow Dash. What brings you here?”
Rainbow looked hesitant to say, especially now that she saw the red formula in her magic. Now she was even more pained to tell her what was happening.
“Twilight, it's… it's time.”
Twilight's eyes widened. No. It couldn't be too late. It can't be too late. Twilight's magic on the flying objects in her lab dispersed. Every ingredient, chemical, tool, all of them dropping to the ground with a hard 'clank’, 'crash’, 'shatter’, or 'thud’. She pushed past Rainbow and ran out her castle door, running through the night to get to Sugarcube Corner as fast as she possibly could.
Pinkie Pie has been extremely sick for months now. It started as a simple cough and sneeze, almost akin to the common cold. But then it developed into something worse. So, so much worse. She started to lose the feeling in her legs, she started having memory lapses, her coughs became more violent, she started having absolute head destroying migraines, any symptom you could think of, really. It was attacking her body at every angle. Muscle, mind, tissue, everything. No doctor in town knew what it was, not even Zecora could figure it out. But after some long and hard research, Twilight found out this was a very, very, very, rare disease that can occur randomly in any species of pony. Whether you were an earth pony, pegusi, or unicorn, you had a chance, albeit a very slim one, to get it. It was ancient, surviving through the ages since the dawn of Equestria itself, though it's name long forgotten. Only one out of every million pony will get it in their life, and Pinkie was the very unfortunate and unlucky one these past few months. No pony knows the cure. Twilight has been trying and trying, again and again, searching for an answer. After all this failure, she couldn't lose Pinkie now. She had to save her. She had to…
Twilight and Spike closed the distance they had to Sugarcube Corner. There was only one light on that was visible from the outside. It came Pinkie's bedroom window. She could see Mr and Mrs Cake outside the front door. Mr. Cake was holding Mrs. Cake close as she cried into his chest. She approached them.
“Mr. Cake! Mrs. Cake!” They looked up, very teary eyed. Twilight felt a lump in her throat, she knew what the looks in their eyes ment. “Is.. is she…?”
Mrs. Cake shook her head. She tried to speak as fluently as she could. “No dearie, n-not yet. But… it's very obvious she doesn't have much time left.” She couldn't hold back on her tears and pushed herself back into her husband. Mr. Cake held his wife close. They were losing somepony they saw as a foster daughter. They looked after Pinkie for years, they were her second family. The Cakes, the foals, they didn't know what they'd do without her.
Twilight still tried to keep positive. “Then there's still a chance! I have a cure, I know I do! Just please let me see her!”
Mr. Cake looked sceptical at this 'cure’ but nodded and directed his head to the door. “Help yourself inside. She's in her room, no one is up with her. Everyone already said their final words to her, they're dealing with their own grievances now.” Twilight nodded back and let the two to themselves as she trotted inside as calm as she could.
Spike hopped off Twilight once inside, the two of them looked throughout the bakery. It was very dim, only thing keeping the place alit were a few candles here and there. Both Pinkie's real family and the Apples were there. They had decided to skip both their harvests this week to come support Pinkie in her final days. A family reunion for the darker reasons. All the other Elements were here as well, all for Rainbow whom Twilight left behind. They were all looking as sad as the other. Twilight looked around, she could see different members and ponies talking about different things. All over the same subject.
In one corner were Pinkie's sisters. They were in the middle of an argument.
“No, YOU listen! I was her favorite, I always was!” Limestone was yelling at Maud and Marble. Her cheeks were streaming with tears.
“...U-Uhm...” Marble tried to intervene, her voice shaky from her earlier rack of sobs.
“SHUT UP, MARBLE! No one cares!” Limestone snapped at Marble. Marble flinched, stepping back and covering her face. The reaction forced a few tears out of her. “She may always agree with your quiet plot, but that doesn't mean a thing. A THING!” Limestone countered to the unspoken comment, stomping her hoof on the ground.
Maud had on her usual deadpan expression. Only this time, she looked more… somber. Not a tear to be seen on her, but she certainly looked more emotional. She calmly approached Limestone and put a hoof on her shoulder, her eyes carrying an unusual care in them. “Lime, stop. Just stop. She loved us all, equally. That's that.”
Limestone twitched back from Maud's touch but didn't move completely. “No! No she didn't! She had a favorite and it was ME! I was… I was…” Limestone started to calm down, her breathing becoming more choppy and her lip quivering. She closed her eyes and started to break down, collapsing to the floor and covering her face with her hooves. “I was a bad sister! She loved me unconditionally and I just pushed her away! Why didn't I love her when I had the chance?!”
Maud slowly slumped down beside her, hugging Limestone and comforting her the best she could. Marble did the same for Limestone's other side, softly sobbing along with her sis.
Twilight was saddened by the sight of Pinkie's sisters. As opposing the three of them were in personality, and as much as they argued with each other, they still came together when it counted. It was melodramatically wholesome. Siblings are so important. If you lost one, whatever the circumstance, it can absolutely devastating. It's what she felt during Shining's engagement, she felt she was losing somepony near and dear to her to somepony else. But actual death? She didn't even want to think of a life without her B.B.B.F.F.
She looked over to a different side. Over at a random table was Applejack sitting by herself. Her stetson lying to the side and her mane frizzed and disheveled. She obviously wasn't taking this well, seeing as there were a bunch of empty cider mugs surrounding her on the floor. Her brother was trying to talk to her, Sugar Belle by his side.
“No! Ah don't… hic… care! Ah'm a grown mare, Mac. Ah'll pass out dr- hic- drunk on dis very floor. If Ah want to, Ah will!” She took another large swig of her cider, a tear rolling down her cheek from the mix of emotions and the burning in her throat.
Mac looked to Sugar with a shake of his head. They've been trying for the last half hour to make her stop, less she poisons herself. She was already pretty wasted when she said her goodbyes to Pinkie, she was only making it worse for herself. He turned back to her with a stern look. It looked like talking sense into her wasn't cutting it at this point. He needed to use a bit of force. “AJ! This is no way to deal with this. Jus’ please stop, you've had enough!” He took the mug from her hoof and slid it across and off the table top. It crashed to the floor.
Applejack looked back at Mac with a angered look. “Consarn it, Mac! Why in all off sour apples did you-” She was cut off when she was suddenly pulled off her chair into his embrace. His strong, brotherly embrace.
“The best medicine iz talkin’. Jus’ talk, AJ.” He stroked her mane gently. She struggled to get out but settled in after a few seconds. Sugar joined in the hug on Applejack's other side, closing her into the couple's care.
Applejack soon leaned her head into Mac’s coat, matting it with tears. She spoke as best she could. “It's jus’... hic… whether we were actual cuzzins er not… she's… she's still family. A part uv… uv mah family. You couldn't find… anypony like Pinkie if ya… hic… if ya tried yer dernedest. Ah'm….” She started to get heavy with her tears, sniffs and hiccups. “Ah’m jus’ gunna miss 'er so much…”
Mac held his little sister close as he arched his head over her to touch foreheads with Sugar. They both closed their eyes as the gently rocked back and forth, holding AJ close. Mac let out a sad “Eeyep…”
Family. Pinkie was family, she always has been. Twilight thought about how many fun antics Pinkie would get everypony in. She was like a fun cousin or sister. She would always be there for you to turn that frown upside down and she could brighten the room with a flick of the hoof. She was near and dear to everypony that knew her. Twilight was not enthusiastic to think on what Ponyville would be like without her. Because Ponyville was Pinkie's family.
Twilight took one last look around, these scenes were starting to kill her optimism.
Fluttershy was in the middle of the room with the Cake twins, she was trying to keep them occupied from the depressed air and mood of the room.
“Pinkie!” Pumpkin babbled, raising her front hooves in the air.
“Pie!” Pound finished for Pumpkin, doing the same with his hooves.
Fluttershy was trying to keep her composure. She was very emotional from saying her goodbyes to Pinkie earlier, especially considering what Pinkie told her to do. She asked her to take up babysitting the twins after she was gone. Fluttershy swore through tears she'd do her best. She decided to try and get a head start.
“Um… Pinkie can't be here right now, little ones. She's um… resting! Yeah, resting...” Fluttershy put on a fake smile, doing her best to hold back her tears. It was the truth, a very harsh one she never wanted to explain to a foal. Especially two so young. “Here! Let's play a game. Let's play… um…” She turned away and covered her mouth with her wing. “What is it she always does...? Oh right!” Fluttershy knelt down and covered her face with her wings. “Where's Fluttershy?” She asked in a singsong voice. “Here I am!” She parted her wings and popped her head out with a smile. She did it again. “Where's Fluttershy? …Here I am!”
The twins were unimpressed. They just crooked their heads and blinked.
“Pinkie!” Pumpkin repeated.
“Pie!” Pound also repeated.
Fluttershy sat up. “Oh… I told you two, she can't be here. Please understand that!” She softly yelled. Seeing just how much the two of them looked up to Pinkie at such a young age broke her heart. She felt horrible that they were losing somepony so important in their life, somepony who's been there from the very start of their birth, at an age so young.
The twins just repeated yet again.
“Pinkie!” Exclaimed Pumpkin.
“Pie!” Exclaimed Pound.
Fluttershy's lip quivered as she laid down in front of them, starting to let loose her bottled emotions. “Oh, why do you have to be so young?! You shouldn't have to experience this at such a young age! How am I ever going to compare to your Auntie Pinkie Pie?!” She buried her head in her fore legs, unable to keep her sadness and pity for the twins back anymore.
The twins didn't understand. But through some feeling of nature, they wanted to make her feel better. Just like they did for Pinkie the first time she babysat them. They tumbled and crawled to both sides of the sobbing Fluttershy and tucked themselves under her wing.
Pumpkin tried to babble out a previously unspoken word. “F-Flu-Flutter!”
Pound did the same. “S-S-Shy!”
Fluttershy calmed her sobs and sniffles to look up from her legs. She gave a weak smile and laughed a small bit while tightening her wings around them. “Heh… wow. Y-You… sniff… You two learn quick.” She could tell they were suddenly tired and starting to tucker out beneath her warm feathers, yawning and curling up to her side. She spoke as softly as she could as they drifted off. “I'll never be what she was to you two. But I swear, I won't let you two down. I won’t, I promise...” She sweetly promised the twins as she laid her head back down, closing her wet eyes and trying to find some feeling of peace in slumber after this sad and tragic night. The twins right by her side.
Twilight couldn't take the sight. It was too precious and sad for her heart to handle. Two sweet foals, losing such an important idol at their age. It made her think what’d she ever do without Cadance being there when she was just a filly. A life without a stand up role model, let alone stand up babysitter? She pitied what the two foals would do growing up without truly knowing and remembering Pinkie. That was the final nail, Twilight needed to save her, this cure needed to work.
She decided that was enough looking around, it was time to see Pinkie. While heading towards the stairs, she passed Pinkie's parents sitting on an indoor bench. Rarity was sitting with them trying to comfort and support them. Applebloom was lying to the side of the bench, Spike had decided to try and keep her company.
Spike approached Applebloom, who was looking quite down.
“Hey Applebloom. How uh… how you holding up?” Spike asked, trying to be as polite as possible.
“Not too gud. Applejack iz unstable right now an’ Big Mac iz tryin’ to calm 'er down. So Ah'm alone an’ not handlin’ this ok.” She said with a pout.
Spike frowned. “Oh…” He sat beside her and curled his legs to his chest. “I'm sorry. What about Granny Smith? Where's she?”
“At home takin’ 'er rest. She hates funeral type stuff. But she sends ‘er condolences.” Applebloom quietly said.
“Ah, good. Good.” Spike awkwardly replied.
“...”
“...”
They both sat there, not looking at each other. There was a long silence between them. Almost as if they didn't want to be near each other. Or, more accurately, didn't want to talk about the obvious.
Applebloom slowly turned her head, hesitantly opening her mouth. “Iz… Iz Pinkie really gunna… 'hit the hay’?” She looked directly at Spike for the question, wearing a pouty lip and some wet eyes.
A bead of sweat dropped down his face. He licked his lips and he tried thinking of something to come off as calm and collected. Applebloom was still just a kid, they both were. He didn't want to unintentionally upset her even more than she already was. “I… I don't know, Applebloom. Whether she does or not is entirely up to fate at this point. But I think the best thing to do is reminisce on the past, think of all the good times we had with her. Even…” He gulped. He hoped he was choosing his words correctly. “Even if we lose her now, she'll still be alive in our hearts and mind. That's something that can never die.”
Applebloom sniffed, and a few tears started to fall. “That… that makes me feel a lil’ better. But we're still losin’ 'er today. And Ah can't 'elp but…” Applebloom covered her face, trying to stifle back her tears and look like a big girl.
Spike extended his wing and brought it over her. Pulling her to his side and giving her a tender hug. “It's ok, Applebloom. You don't have to hide it. Let it out.” And let it out she did. She pushed into her friend's shoulder, letting out her suppressed sorrow. Sweetie and Scootaloo couldn't show up, they were already in bed by this time and Applebloom needed to come because this was a family emergency. So Spike was the only one her age that would understand her plight at the moment.
Spike felt distraught. Not only for this very moment, but the future. He didn't like it, but he needed to get used to this. He was a dragon. Which meant he was going to outlive all his friends, excluding Twilight and a few others. But the fact that it was starting already, that he was losing somepony so dear and impactful to his life, only kick-started a few tears to trickle down his cheeks as well. For Pinkie, and every other friend he'd outlive, he cried for right now.
On the bench beside them, Pinkie's parents and Rarity were… not taking this well.
“Why, OH WHY did it have to be Pinkie?! She's just a fun loving pony looking to live life to the fullest! She didn't deserve this!” Rarity cried out, her mascara running down her white cheeks at a rapid pace. She held a handkerchief in her magic, wiping up her onslaught of eye drops and blowing her nose into it every now and then. Her voice sounded like the tone she used when she was overreacting about something or when she was just being a drama queen. Only this time, it wasn't an overblown sob act, it was genuine. She was devastated, and Pinkie's parents were in no better condition.
Cloudy Quartz was snuggled to her husband, just as much of a mess as Rarity. Igneous wasn't as shaken up as the two mares, but had a cold and distant look on his face. Almost as if he was in shock. He literally couldn't believe what was happening.
Cloudy grabbed her own set of tissues to wipe up the fluids of sadness strewn across her muzzle. She tried to compose herself for her comment. “I couldn't say it better myself. Pinkie is… our light. Our pink bundle of happiness in the gloomy atmosphere of our farm. We didn't know of smiles. And then she was born, and lit our faces with true joy. And now she's gonna...” She started to choke up again, her eyes welling up yet again. Igneous gently pulled Cloudy's head into his chest, stroking her mane at a slow pace. “Oh, my sweet Pinkamena Diane Pie…”
Igneous picked up for Cloudy. “Our daughters… we love them all. But Pinkie, she… she changed everything for us. We don't…” He couldn't find words. That was all he could say before going silent again.
Rarity sniffled and wiped her face clear. “That name... Pinkamena. She's always hated that name. If it's not intruding, why so?”
It took a minute or two for Cloudy to calm down before speaking again. “We… we don't know for sure. I could only think it was because it reminded her of the gloomy days and nights she spent on the farm. She was a free spirit, she couldn't have been held down by the shackles of rocks. But it's such a beautiful name, just like how beautiful she is. I wish she didn't hate it. I wish I had given her a better life before she set off on her own. Maybe then she wouldn't be so resentful of it. Oh no...” Cloudy came to a realization in her mind and covered her mouth with her hoof. “Did… did I not give her a good life? Was I a bad mother for this? Oh Sweet Celestia, I was wasn't I?” That was all she could take before breaking down again.
Rarity related to Cloudy's doubts. While not exactly the same, Rarity looking after Sweetie Belle was a great echo of sympathy. She always doubted if she was a good sister, a good role model. She couldn't let Cloudy wallow in the sadness and regret of doubt. “No Cloudy, it’s a beautiful name. I'm sure deep down, Pinkie really does love it. It's not your fault, darling. Why, if I grew up raised on a gray land like a rock farm, I’m certain some repressed anger and unhappiness is sure to carry from generation to generation. You are a good mother. It's just… unfortunate circumstance.” She had hoped those were wise words. The last thing she wanted was to upset this distressed mother more.
Cloudy calmed down once again and wiped her tears. “Yes… yes, I suppose you're right. I- I just wish things had been different.” She sniffed, but leaned in to hug Rarity. It was sudden and took Rarity by surprise, but she accepted it and hugged back. Igneous, tears finally find their way to seep out of his eyes, hugged tightly behind Cloudy.
Twilight couldn't help but stay on the stairway to watch the scene. It was oddly mesmerizing to watch, to contemplate on her own thoughts. It pained her to watch Pinkie's parents like that. It made Twilight think about what her parents would do if something had happened to herself. Everytime she risked her life to save a friend or Ponyville or Equestria… what if things didn't go her way? She started to deeply think. She had changed so many pony's lives, like Pinkie. But through all of her dangerous quests and hardships... what if she had perished? What if she never found the Elements to stop Nightmare Moon? What if she didn't succeed in defending the Crystal Empire from King Sombra? What if she didn't stop Starlight Glimmer from changing the past, Chrysalis from ruining Shining and Cadence's wedding, Discord from corrupting the Elements and turning the world to chaos? What would everypony do? What would her family and loved ones do? What would Equestria itself do? The more she thought about it, the sadder she got. She cut the thoughts off, she didn't want to become an emotional and confused mess before even seeing Pinkie.
She shook her head and finally headed up stairs. The second floor hallway was dark, not a candle or light to be had. Everything seemed to become eerily silent, the only sound Twilight could find were her own hoof steps. The only thing lighting the hallway was the light seeping from the bottom of the door to Pinkie's room. She walked up to the door, the cure still by her side in her magic. She gulped, she didn't know if she was ready to see Pinkie again. Not with the state she was in now. She raised her hoof to the door to knock. All before a voice interrupted her.
“Twilight, wait.”
Twilight turned to the stairs to see Rainbow Dash, encased in the darkness of the hall. With the time Twilight had spent looking over Pinkie's family and friends, she would have thought Rainbow had made it by now. But here she was, late. Rainbow was never late for anything.
Rainbow slowly approached Twilight, a look of great hesitation on her face as she stared at Pinkie's bedroom door. “Hey. Looks like we're the only two that haven't become a sobbing mess yet.”
“Heh, looks like we are. But I gotta admit, it was hard holding back with all the scenes downstairs.” Twilight agreed. They shared a small and awkward chuckle together. Trying to lighten the mood before it turned back to a dark and sad undertone.
There was a stroke of silence between them. Rainbow rubbed her neck with a guilty and sheepish look on her face. She felt it was time for an apology. “I'm uh… sorry for taking so long to get here. Everypony knows I'm not too good with emotional stuff. I was debating if I should've even come back at all once I came to drag you out your lab. I'd go in there with you, but I just…” Rainbow went silent for a second. She tried her best to keep her 'tough girl’ attitude together before speaking again. “I can't see Pinkie like that again. It was hard enough seeing her go through the struggles these past few months. But now… she's a mess. I don't know if want to go back in there. And I don't know if that makes me a bad pony or some jerk who couldn't give two ponyfeathers about her dying friend. I care, I do! But I just…” Rainbow tried to stifle back her breaking voice and keep her composure. She didn't want to come across as 'weak’, even though she knew clear as day this wasn't weakness. It was her own fear of facing death, something she herself never feared. But tonight, it was getting to her. Immensely.
Twilight took a wing and put it over Rainbow's shaky body. She was really starting to choke up now. Rainbow continued. “What's worse is that I didn't even give a proper goodbye. Everypony was in there with her, all giving their final words and thoughts. But I…. Damn it!” Rainbow cursed to herself. Just the remembrance of her weakness started a flood of tears down her cheeks. “I just ran off! I was by her side, looking at her face. Her pale, almost lifeless face and I… Celestia damn me, I was a coward! I took off without a word!” Rainbow pounded her hoof on the ground. “I have so much I want to say to her, Twilight. So much I want to thank her for. But I can't see her like that again! I just can't…”
Twilight held her friend. She knew Rainbow hid her emotions with her attitude, but to see her show her vulnerability on her sleeve was a sight. A sad one, at that. “Hey, hey! Rainbow Dash, snap out of it!” She turned her friend by the shoulders and looked her in the eyes. “You are not a coward. This doesn't mean you're weak. This just shows you care as much as any other pony.” Rainbow sniffled and quickly wiped off her tears. Twilight continued. “If you can't do it, that's fine. You are a strong pony, Rainbow. Just please don't worry, this beaker holds the solution. It will save her, I know it.” She held the beaker up, showing off the red liquid sloshing inside the glass.
Rainbow pulled back and gave a few deep breaths. She regained her composure, wiped her tears off with her wing, and spoke steadily again. “Ok. Ok, you're right. Just, please…” Rainbow set one of her hooves to Twilight's shoulder. “Please tell me the cure works this time.”
Twilight smiled at her before reassuringly placing her hoof over Rainbow's and gently placing it back down to the floor. “It will. I've checked and looked over all my notes. This one will work.”
Rainbow shakily sighed with relief before cracking a slight smile. “Heh… ok. I trust you.” There was another small silence between them until Rainbow suddenly hugged Twilight. She softly spoke. “If anyone can save her, it's you. So go get’em, ya egghead.” That was all Rainbow wanted to say before pulling back and turning to walk back down stairs. Before reaching the first step, she turned for one last comment. “And if you tell anyone I was this vulnerable, I'll make sure your library isn't as tidy as you normally like it when you get home.” With a small chuckle, she turned back and promptly disappeared downstairs for a much needed drink. Her voice softening the more she walked down stairs. “Hey Applejack! Can I have a few swigs of that…”
Twilight gave a smile as Rainbow trotted downstairs. Only to be slowly replaced with a frown as she turned her head back to the door. Did Pinkie really look that bad for Rainbow Dash of all ponies to run out? She was hesitant to find out, but soon raised her hoof to give three light knocks to Pinkie's door.
… no response.
She panicked a bit inside, but kept her cool. Maybe she was just sleeping at the moment. Maybe her pain meds knocked her out. Anything. She took a deep breath, directed her magic to envelop the doorknob, and slowly opened the door.
With a creek, Pinkie's door slowly cracked opened. Twilight peeked her head inside. She spoke gently. “Hello? Pinkie Pie?” She looked around her room. It was still colorful with that classic Pinkie flair, only with more somber elements. Balloons were hovering low or straight up deflated. Banners and streamers were unhooked and dangling everywhere. And somehow, even the room itself was more lifeless with the situation. But what lied in the bed was anything but eye candy.
There she was. The Element of Laughter. Pinkie was laying in bed with a blanket over her midwaist, her eyes shut. She looked absolutely ghastly. Her coat and fur were nothing but a pale, almost grayish pink now. Her stomach was slimmer, almost like her body was eating itself. Her earth pony physique was gone at this point, the muscles in her legs untoned and thin. She had bags under her eyes, most likely from the restless nights as her affliction woke her again and again. Her mane was falling out and dishevelled, almost identical to when Rarity accidentally used hair removal on her mane. She looked just as horrible as Rainbow said.
Surrounding Pinkie's bed was a portable IV stand, a trash can, a small counter top, and a heartmonitor. To the right side of the bed, the heart monitor was still beeping and was at a steady pace so it at least confirmed she was stable and only napping. To the left side of the bed, the small counter was covered in medicinal bottles and a glass of water. A fresh box of tissues, prescriptions, cough drops, painkillers, sleeping pills, headache medicine, anything to help or stop her pain, even for a moment. The trash can was filled to the brim with tissues, stained with the awful history of her illness. At this point, Pinkie was probably just waiting for the inevitable. And yet through all of it, she still looked so peaceful.
She still held a small smile to her face, like she didn't care about the state her body was in. Even though her mane was destroyed, it was still puffy and poofy, as if it was refusing to die. She was lightly giggling in her sleep, like she was being tickled or being told a joke. It's as if she knew that if she kept positive, things would be alright. She was a trooper.
Twilight turned away. It was painful to see. Everytime she came back for Pinkie to test one of her cures, she just kept deteriorating. Her puffy, pink self was gone. She was in a body that was a shell of her former self, a body that couldn't fit her needs. Pinkie needed to jump, skip, run, play. Not to be stuck in a bed waiting for her own death. It was unfair, truly it was.
She found the courage to slowly and collectively approach the dreadfully ill mare. Taking her time as she approached Pinkie's bedside and sitting down, looking over her. She didn't know if she wanted to wake her or just watch over her as she said her final goodbyes. Maybe Pinkie deserved rest after all of this. Deserved respite. But no, Twilight felt in her duty as a princess that if there was one final pony Pinkie should ever see, if fate couldn't be changed at this point, it should be her. She steadily brought a hoof to Pinkie's shoulder and shook it a tiny bit, speaking softly. “Pinkie… Pinkieeee… Oh, Pinkie Pie…?”
Pinkie lightly groaned shifted a bit, starting to open her eyes. She blinked them a few times to clear her blurry vision and adjust to light of the room before weakly turning her head to have her pale and cloudy baby blue irises land on one of her best friends. Her smile only grew a bit wider as she gasped a small bit. She spoke slowly and shakily. “Oh… Hey Twilight! W-what brings you here…?”
Twilight's heart sank. Pinkie sounded nothing like her original self. Her squeaky, high-pitched voice was nothing but a hoarse whisper at this point. She sounded like she was eternally choking on the very fabric of death. But Twilight kept her composure. She placed the beaker on the table beside Pinkie's bed and spoke. “Why, to see you of course! What kind of friend would I be if I wasn't here when you needed me most?”
Pinkie was overjoyed. If her final hours were going to be with anypony, Twilight was a definite pick. Pinkie started to giggle with giddiness. “Hehe! That's nice! I- I always appreciate company. Hehe, hahaha! Heh- Hrk… cough cough!” Pinkie's laughter started to put her in a painful and violent coughing fit. Her body ached as it forcefully lunged forward with each cough. Her lungs wheezed with each contraction, sometimes refusing to even fill with air. The fit was so bad the heart monitor started to beep at a more constant frequency and blood started to spit out of her mouth. She held her hoof up to her mouth to block it from projectiling onto her sheets, which were a bit bloodstained already. She blindly reached over to her table, frantically swiping her hoof around to find her tissues. Knocking a bunch of different pills and bottles off it in the process.
Twilight was paralyzed from the scene. It was so sudden. So quick. Did Pinkie really suffer this way? With pain coming and going as it pleased, with no warning or hints for her to prepare? Twilight quickly snapped out of it though and grabbed a few tissues with her magic. She quickly rushed them to Pinkie's mouth and held a hoof to the back of her head to support her. She grabbed the hoof Pinkie was using to search for her tissues before she knocked anything important off her table, especially the cure. She held it with both her hooves, hoping that the fit stopped in time.
Pinkie slowly calmed down and the beeping of the heart monitor went back to a steady pace. Twilight wiped up the excess traces of blood from Pinkie's lips before throwing the tissues in the trash can. Pinkie settled back down into her bed. “Woof. T-those attacks are reeeeally starting to hurt. Heh, nothing… n-nothing your Auntie Pinkie can't handle though!” Pinkie obliviously reassured.
Twilight held a face of concern. “Pinkie Pie, you really need to watch yourself. You can't do as much as you used to, you know!” Twilight warned her friend. She didn't want Pinkie's endless giddiness to be the early end of her.
Pinkie lightly giggled again, not enough to put her into another fit, but enough to lighten the mood. “Heh, I-I know, silly. I… I guess I'm still too eager to relive my past, partying life.”
They briefly paused before Pinkie calmly spoke up again. No waver in her words. “I like thinking about the past. It makes me excited for what's to come. You remember the first ever party I hosted for you?” She looked to Twilight.
Twilight smiled as she thought back on it. She giggled at the remembrance. “Heh, yeah, I do. You broke into my house before my house was even mine. Just so you could welcome me to Ponyville. You were pretty persistent back then.” Happy memories came back to her first introduction to Pinkie. She remembered how they didn't even exchange words the first time they saw each other. Pinkie just gasped and ran off. It was so Pinkie to do that for a first impression.
Pinkie smiled widely at the memory. “I was excited to see what became of our friendship. And before we knew it, we were laughing, singing and dancing through the forest. Man, those were good times!” Pinkie and Twilight both gave small laughs for the remembrance of their journey through Everfree Forest to retrieve the Elements. Pinkie gave a content sigh before she continued, a bit more melodrama in her voice. “I can't help but miss those times. I mean hay, how can I not? I miss hopping around, putting a smile to everypony's face. It made my day.” She shook her head and scoffed. “It's a bit funny, isn't it? The pony who loves to make everypony laugh is the one making everypony sad right now. It's a pretty cruel joke.” Pinkie, slightly pouted. But she quickly smiled once again. “But hey, it's not like I have any regrets! I put a light to this world and my friends. I'm happy. But in a way… I'm not sure if I'm ready to go. At least, not while everypony is still sad.”
Twilight just kept holding Pinkie's hoof in her own as she listened. Pinkie continued. “You should have seen everypony. They were all surrounding my bed, every single one of them with the exact same sad expression that I hate. My sisters were as gloomy as ever, but they seemed more… emotional? Dramatic? I don't know, all they really cared about was getting Limestone to stop pressuring me to say which one of them was my favorite. Rainbow Dash just fled out the window without a word, Applejack was a drunk mess, and Fluttershy and Rarity were crying like they had landed in a pit of onions. My parents and the Cakes were no better. But I think the saddest part were the twins.” Pinkie sighed. “They don't even know. They think their Auntie Pinkie Pie is just sick with the Flew. Heh, they were kind enough to draw a picture of me and the two of them saying at the top, ‘gid beddr sonn!!’. With two exclamation points and a bunch of spelling errors.” Pinkie gave a light laugh before sighing. “I love those two foals.” Pinkie kept her smile as a tear trickled down her cheek. “But I let them keep it. Something to remember me by, and something to make them smile when they're older. When I'm no longer there to look after them.”
Twilight thought back on all the scenes she saw downstairs. All of the sad faces she saw. All of their different plights. She could only imagine what it was like for Pinkie, being on the receiving side of the sentiment. Seeing all the ponies she cared about cry for her must have pained her more than them. She didn't want to put herself in Pinkie's shoes, that would make her sadder than she already was.
“Well Pinkie, maybe they won't need anything to remember you at all.” Twilight directed her magic to the beaker and held it up, popping the cork off it. “This beaker right here holds the cure.”
Pinkie playfully groaned and rolled her eyes. “You said that last time.”
“Ha ha, at least your sense of humor hasn't changed.” Twilight looked on her table and saw the glass of water. “May I?” She asked, picking the glass up in her magic. Pinkie shrugged with agreement. Twilight dumped the water the trash can and refilled it halfway with the cure before handing it to Pinkie. She carefully and shakily grabbed it with both hooves.
Pinkie scoffed with a smile and shook her head. “Twilight, I'm not sure if it's really worth it at this point…”
“It is!” Twilight said rather loudly. “Ahem… It is. Pinkie, no one will have to grieve for you anymore once you drink this. Everything can go back to normal. We can all be happy again. Just… please. It works this time, I know it does.”
Pinkie looked skeptically at the drink before giving it a few sniffs. It didn't smell like anything. Pinkie dryly gulped before shakily raising it to her lips and giving it a sip. This was it, the moment Twilight had waited for. She was going to save Pinkie. She didn't show it, but she was hopping around like a school filly on the inside. And when Pinkie took that sip… she hummed a pleased “m'm!” before eagerly gulping the rest down. That's all Twilight needed. That had to have meant it worked! Pinkie was finally going to be her puffy and partying self again!
That was until Pinkie gave her verdict.
She finished the drink, her throat a tad more clear than it was before. But her sickly body didn't change a bit, yet Pinkie's words were full of excitement. “Ohmigosh, Twilight… Cherrychanga punch? It's… it's delicious!” Pinkie excited but weakly exclaimed, squirming a bit in the bed.
Twilight's eyes widened while her pupils dilated and her smile vanished. She heard an audible shatter in her head. She couldn't find words. A cherrychanga punch? That's was what her calculations made? That's what all her work and dedication produced?! No… no, she couldn't believe it. With her lip quivering and her body starting to shake with fear and anger, she asked. “Pinkie Pie… please tell me that was a joke. A cruel and sick prank, please! Please tell me that wasn't what it was!”
Pinkie simply shook her head. “Nopity-Nope! Just a delicious cherry refreshment. Heh, and all this time I thought you were making a cure, not making the best punch I've ever tasted! Oh, you prankster!” Pinkie said with wholeheartedness. Twilight however, wasn't taking this well at all.
“You… you don't feel even a-a-a twinge better? Not even a… a tiny sliver of rejuvenation?! Nothing?!” Twilight frantically stuttered, starting to sporadically breathe.
Pinkie shook her head again. “Na-uh. But my taste buds sure feel better! Hehe!”
Twilight's eye twitched and everything went silent for her. All of her research, her nonstop quest for a cure… was it all for not? Was this all leading up to a big farce? A beverage with no out come? Out of everything Twilight experienced tonight, this was what pushed her over the edge.
“DAMN IT!”
With suppressed tears finally finding their way out her eyes, Twilight turned and yelled, throwing her head and launching the beaker from her magic to the wall. A loud 'crash' and ‘shatter’ filling the room as the beaker was destroyed and the failed cure dripped from the wall.
Twilight collapsed. All of the emotions from tonight and the past few months rushing through her. She had wasted her time. Wasted her effort for a failed cause. She failed. She had failed the Cakes. She had failed Pinkie's family. She had failed on her friends. But most of all, she failed Pinkie. She couldn't help but sit there and let her river of tears flow. All of her calculations and equations leading to nothing but a liquefied chimichanga.
She was lost in her sadness, lost in her failure. Her best friend was going to die and she was going to feel like it was her fault. For the rest of her life, she was going to have to carry this burden. She cried even more just thinking about it, pounding her hoof to the floor.
Pinkie could do nothing but watch her friend create a puddle of her own tears. For the first time tonight, she fully frowned. Saying goodbye to her friends and family was truly painful. But she always held a smile to her face through it all, to let them know that she was ok. No matter how sick or close to death she was, she didn't want them to worry about her. She wanted them to be happy, remember the good times. Not be stuck to swallow in sadness because of her. But this scene, this scene of a broken and defeated Twilight Sparkle, was the low point of the entire experience.
“Twilight!” Pinkie softly yelled, as not to strain her voice or body. No response, Twilight just kept crying. Pinkie tried again, a touch more volume. “Twilight!”
Twilight took a few seconds to give a sign she heard. She sniffled and wiped up her tears before turning her head around to Pinkie.
“Come here.” Pinkie gently said.
She begrudgingly got up and trudged over to Pinkie's bedside, sniffling and re-dampening her cheeks with tears on the way. When she got to Pinkie's side, she sat down on her haunches. Hanging her head as she grabbed Pinkie's hoof in both of hers. “I'm sorry. I'm so sorry…” Twilight said with guilt in her voice.
Pinkie slightly giggled. “Sorry? Sorry for what?”
Twilight snapped her head up at her. “For everything! I wasted my time, Pinkie Pie! I spent all the final days I'll have with you in hypothetical tests! The only time I ever visited you was to see if my cures worked. And now I realize that I was chasing a lost cause…” She hung her head in shame, her tears making soft 'pliks’ as the hit the floorboards. “What kind of friend am I? I should have been here. I should have looked after you, making sure you were happy. Instead I cared more about saving you than spending time with you. Than making final memories count! And now…” Twilight started to rack with sobs and sharp gasps. “Now your leaving us. And I won't have any final memories of you. No final laughs. No final parties. Just the remembrance of you like this... I'm so sorry…”
Pinkie did nothing but stare blankly at Twilight before wheezing with laughter. It was hilarious to her, and she had to physically fight back the urge to throw another coughing fit. Twilight just skeptically looked at her. “What? Why are you laughing?!”
Pinkie had to catch her breath before answering. “Y-You! You, Twilight. You're hilarious!”
Twilight was in a daze. “I… I don't understand…”
Pinkie then suddenly felt a sharp pain in her heart. She jolted up, her face scrunching in pain as she reached to clutch her chest. Pinkie gasped and exclaimed painfully. “AHH! Ahh… owie…” The heart monitor spiked in pace before slowing down and picking up a pace much too slow to be stable. Both of the ponys looked over to it, an expression of fear on Twilight's face, an exhausted one on Pinkie's. The monitor was yellow, and was slowing down by the minute. “Uh oh.” Pinkie whimpered, slowly laying back down. “Twilight… I think my time is up.”
Twilight started crying again, squeezing Pinkie's hoof as if she was hanging off a cliff. Holding on for dear life that she could pull her back up. “N-no… no! No, Pinkie! I can't let this happen! I-I-I can run home real quick! I can fix my calculations, I can make another cure! Just please, please hold on! Pl-please…” Twilight prayed and pleaded. But it wasn't going to work. She knew it wasn't.
“Hah… Twilight. Twilight, calm down.” Pinkie softly said. Her words starting to get more airy. Twilight tried to calm her sporadic breathing and stop the choking she was doing on her own tears. She looked to Pinkie, her vision a watery burr. “It's ok, Twilight. I'm… I'm happy. I changed all of your lives. My parents, my sister's, our friends. My greatest wish was to give everyone something to smile about, and I did that. I don't have a single regret in my mind.”
“No… no don't say that. You aren't dying, this is just… Oh, Sweet Celestia…” Twilight wasn't able to make coherent sentences. Her mind was in a fog, her thoughts jumbled and her train of thought crashing hard into a brick wall. Her denial was getting the best of her.
“Twilight… all I have is… one last request.” Pinkie weakly asked.
Twilight, never letting go of Pinkie's hoof, jerkily shook her head. “Yes. Yes, anything Pinkie…” Her cheeks were flowing down tears, she could barely see at this point.
Pinkie was starting to talk slowly, as to conserve her final bits of energy. Her breathing starting to get slow and her air intake getting shorter by the minute. “Please. When you're… done with your crying… promise me. Promise me that you'll smile. That you won't… think back on this day… as a day of sadness. Think back with joy. The day Pinkie… found peace. And that she passed… with no regrets.”
“I...” Twilight hesitated. She didn't know if she could keep that promise. But she had to try. For Pinkie. “I promise. Cross my heart…” Twilight made a crossing motion with one of her hooves over her chest. “Hope to fly...” She did two sad, pathetic flaps with her wings. “Stick a cupcake in my eye.” She directed the free hoof into her eye, completing and sealing the Pinkie Promise.
Pinkie's smile widened at this. “Good… Good.” She gave a small and short chuckle. “You… you better keep it. Or else my… my ghost will have to come down and… give you what for! Heh… heh…” Pinkie joked. She still played around, even on the brink of death. “It's funny. I always pictured myself… bombastically going out… with balloons and confetti flying everywhere! But you know what?” She glanced to Twilight. “I'm ok with this.”
The monitor's frequency lessened again. Beeping every five seconds or so. Her heart was coming to a stop, and Pinkie was definitely looking weak. Taking long breaths to accommodate for the air she wasn’t getting. Twilight was quietly bawling at this point, clutching Pinkie's hoof with all the strength she had. “Please… please don't go. I... I love you, Pinkie. I love you! Everypony loves you! Nothing will be the same without you! Please don't go!” Twilight begged. Begged that the cure did work and was just taking its time. Begged that Pinkie would miraculously recover. Begged that she would stay. But life still took it’s course, and Pinkie was ready.
Pinkie looked to the ceiling, her vision getting blurry and her breathing coming to an ever steady stop. With her final breath, she gave her parting words. “Just remember. Smile. Smile… S-Smi- ...” Pinkie gave one final, weak exhale. A single tear running down her cheek as her body lightly jerked, her lungs unable to find air. All before her heart suddenly stopped and her body froze. Her muscles untensed and relaxed, her eyes lulled and peacefully closed. The grin on her muzzle never ceasing as she slowly slipped away. The heart monitor flatlined and a long, continuous beep rang through the room.
Pinkie was gone.
Twilight pressed her head into the bed, the sheets soaking up her onslaught of tears. Small, muffled sorrows of forgiveness being spoken into the mattress. “I'm sorry… I'm sorry…” Twilight couldn't believe it. Her best friend just died right in front of her. And she wasn't able to do a thing about it. All she could do was weep. Weep, cry, sob, grieve, any synonym you could think.
She felt like staying like that for the rest of her eternal life. She was deaf to the world right now, from that accursed and prolonged beep that the monitor gave. Her eyes stung and were red from the hot tears, not like she'd want to see what was happening. She felt like throwing up, like her body itself was denying the events unfolding before her. She was every definition of what an emotional wreck was.
She stayed like that. She didn't know how long. It felt like minutes. Then like days. Then years. How long has she been crying? It felt like time itself stopped. Like it was frozen for a moment of silence for Pinkie. And through it all, it felt like an eternity passed. Twilight suddenly felt… calm. Serene. Like she had just gone through the longest period of grief in the shortest time frame possible. Before she even knew it the crying had stopped, her tears had dried, and she took some deep breaths.
She slowly raised her head from the wet splotch she had created on the bed, finally hearing the monotone beep enter her head again. She wiped the last of her tears out of her eyes and blinked to clear her vision. She kept them closed for the final blink, not sure if she was ready to face reality again. But with courage in her heart, she opened them.
There lying comfortably in the bed was Pinkie. Not breathing, not moving, and as cold as ice. She truly was gone. She had fought so hard and for so long, it was a miracle she even held out for as long as she did. But death is inevitable and life just had to take its course. But she looked at peace, that contagious smile was still more prominent than ever across her muzzle.
The sight would have put Twilight in another sobbing fit. But instead, she felt… relieved. Relieved that this whole thing was over. Relieved that Pinkie finally wasn't suffering any more. And in a way, as gloomy and as tragic as this night was, that truly was something to smile about.
“Promise me that you'll smile. That you won't think back on this day as a day of sadness. Think back with joy. The day Pinkie found peace. And that she passed with no regrets.”
Slowly, the ends of Twilight's lips started to curl upwards. All the way until they formed a light smile. She still felt awful for Pinkie's fate, but if this was Pinkie's final wish, she was going to keep it. She wasn't forcing it. It wasn't fake. This was genuine, she was happy for Pinkie. Happy she didn't need to feel anymore pain, happy she was content with her life. Happy she was happy.
She gave a deep breath and an equally deep exhale before steadily standing up. Her horn glowed and her magic flipped the off switch on the monitor, the beep cutting off and the room filling with silence. It was erie. Not a sound could be heard. It truly was as if the world itself was taking a moment of silence for the most wonderful and special pony it just lost.
She turned around, the only sound to be heard was the soft clip clop of Twilight's hooves as she slowly strode to the door. In the back of her mind, she was afraid. How was she going to break this to everypony? How was she going to tell them that Pinkie was no longer with them? She didn't know. What she did know though was how she would ease them. Tell them how Pinkie was as happy as could be. How everypony, no matter how dire or grim the situation was, could find something to be happy about. Snapping out of her thoughts, Twilight had reached the door. She sighed, unsure if she was ready to face a Pinkie-less world. But whether she liked it or not, she had to be strong. For her.
She looked back one last time to Pinkie's body. She closed her eyes, her smile still prevalent as one final tear fell down her cheek, before turning off the light to the room and walking out. As she closed the door, she gave her final words to Pinkie. Whether she heard them or not was up to the ponies above. But somehow, she knew Pinkie would hear them.
“Goodbye, Pinkie Pie. May you give the skies above a party to never forget.”