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// A Party Cut Short 
// Story: One By One 
// by Hodd 
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It was a long time coming, and to be brutally honest, most predicted it. Pinkie Pie's health was failing. Whether it be her atrocious eating habits, her high stress life trying to please her friends, or just plain genetics, Pinkemina Dianne Pie was running out of time. She had always been so spry, and so youthful, but now... now she lays unmoving, eyes shut in a plain white bed. Gifts and cards were spread out on the window sill and on her dresser. Hopes for Pinkie remained high, despite the fact that her condition was for the most part, untreatable. She had developed a rare type of heart disease that causes the rhythmic pump in her chest to lose it's steady beat and pump erratically. The disease, doctors reasoned, would at best, leave her in a fragile, and sickly condition with little time anyway. They gave her several weeks, however, and she fought every step of the way. Every time she would teeter on the verge of complete collapse, she would bounce back, and hang on with what little strength she had.

The electrocardiogram beeped its steady rhythm as it always did. Pinkie's eyes moved ever so slightly under her lids. Twilight and Applejack had come to check up on her, and once again, gazed at the slender, pitiful figure that had only months earlier been a vibrant source of laughter and happiness for the small town of Ponyville. All Twilight could think to do was look at Applejack with tears in her eyes. The time had come, they knew. Pinkemina Dianne Pie had fallen into a deep coma and was growing thinner. She was miserable, Applejack knew. The only thing that kept her injured little heart beating was the falsely placed hope that she could coax out a laugh one last time. Twilight and Applejack were unable to speak, and instead, simply embraced each other, sharing the sorrow, and relying on each other to bear the burden of losing another of their closest friends. It was some 3 years since Flutershy had left them, but the mention of her name still sliced like a razor through their hearts. With such a strong friendship, wounds such as that never heal, and always remain easy to reopen. 

It was only when the doctor had walked in that Twilight and Applejack truly started to realize what this meant for their pink friend. Twilight couldn't hold it anymore, and drudged over to where Pinkie lay, embracing her familiar form one last time, before she would leave them forever. Applejack was so overwhelmed, that she found it impossible to do much other than sit on her haunches and stare at the cold tile floor before her. It was Twilight who finally managed to get Applejack to say her final goodbyes to their little pink friend. "Pinkie," Applejack said, voice well beyond breaking. "You've brought us more laughs than I care to remember, and I know that wherever you're goin, you'll bring em with ya. Try not to have too much fun without us," Applejack added, trying to make the best of it. Twilight ghosted a tiny smile, knowing that wherever Pinkie Pie went, smiles would follow.

"It's time," the Doctor said in a voice of genuine empathy for the grieving mares. "I'm so sorry," he added. Twilight forced a nod to the Doctor, before once again placing a forehoof around her now closest friend. The Doctor let out a slow, sad sigh as the cords leading from the heart monitor tugged, and then gave way. The steady tone of it was in actuality, little more than a hum, but for Applejack, it was deafening. So this is what heartbreak sounds like she thought as she tried to override the constant drone of the heart monitor. "I'm here, Applejack," Twilight said, embracing Applejack in the most prominent display of empathy that Applejack had seen from her. She didn't try to question it, but instead, simply accepted her friend's reinforcement, and responded with a simple, heartfelt "Thanks, Sugar Cube." The two remained locked in a mutual share of sorrow for what seemed like an eternity, until Twilight pulled back. "I think it's time we left," she said, obvious anguish in her voice. Applejack simply nodded, unable to speak through the tears in her eyes, and slowly made her way back to Sweet Apple Acres, tears still flowing.

It was a week before Rainbow Dash had gotten back from Wonderbolts junior flight camp. She was on top of the world. Her body was in peak physical condition, her attitude was better than ever, and the camp gave her something to stave away the ever present memories of Fluttershy. It was a warm Saturday evening when she was seen flying into Ponyville from the East. Applejack was the first to see her. She was, of course, excited to see her old friend again, but, unfortunately, there was the business of breaking the news to her. Before Applejack had any time to formulate a careful explanation of what happened, Rainbow Dash landed in front of here with a ferocity Applejack hadn't seen in years. Her emotions conflicted. How could she break the news to Rainbow Dash? How could she strike her down in such a glorious time for the young rainbow pegasus. Rainbow Dash immediately knew something was wrong. "Uh, Applejack... You ok? Did something happen?" Applejack couldn't stand the thought of telling Rainbow Dash the truth, but she had no choice. The next 5 words were the hardest she ever had to utter. "Pinkie passed on last week." 

Rainbow's eyes widened. Was it a joke? Was it some prank that Pinkie Pie had set them up to? In her heart, however, she knew the truth. Pinkie would never pull a joke so insensitive. A quick face of confusion was replaced with that of dread. The tears came immediately. Her emotions couldn't  be held up any longer, and she let out a throaty wail; one of pure anguish. The sound was enough to break Applejack. She put her arm around her battered friend, who had her hooves over her head, as if to try and drown out the reality that one of her closest friends had passed while she was gone. "How did she go?" Rainbow Dash finally managed between choked sobs. "Was it at least peaceful?" Applejack felt some sense of consolation as she nodded her head slowly. "Yeah, Rainbow. She was at peace."