The Best Day Of The Year
Chocolate Cream’s tenth birthday party was spectacular. His birthday parties always were. His friends were laughing and cheering, happy as could be. His mother and father were there, smiling and content with their only child’s joy.
In one corner of the living room was a mound of gaily-colored presents, some as big as ponies themselves. The huge chocolate cake that Pinkie Pie baked and delivered was a sumptuous work of art. Three layers of gooey brown delight. White chocolate icing swirls around the edges. In large red icing letters read “Happy 10th Birthday Chocolate Cream!!". There were at least a dozen cavities in the futures of Chocolate’s cake-craving friends.
It didn’t matter. As long as he was happy, nothing other than this party mattered. Every child needs joy in their lives, after all.
I asked to join the festivities, out of common courtesy. Chocolate enthusiastically agreed, as I knew he would. And why not? It’s not everyday that Princess Luna joins in a colt’s birthday.
Chocolate Cream was a very special colt and I always enjoyed his company. He had a cheerfulness that was infectious. He sensed that the world was not all sunshine and roses, in the same way that one is aware of the stars, but he never let that get him down. I needed that sort of uplifting spirit, now more than ever.
I felt a tapping on my shoulder. I looked down at Chocolate and smiled. He was such a cute earth pony colt. No cutie mark, but his frizzy tan mane and dark brown fur made him stand out in a crowd.
“Princess Luna! I’m glad you made it!” He looked around the living room and shrugged. “I thought Pinkie Pie was going to stay, but I guess she’s busy.”
I nodded, forcing a smile. “Oh, without a doubt. It’s good to see you again, Chocolate. Happy birthday.”
Chocolate tilted his head at me. “Are you okay? Is something wrong?”
“Oh, I just . . .” Had to say goodbye to a friend. “Have a rough patch. Things will get better soon.”
He perked up, his teeth gleaming like silver. “That’s what I always say!”
Swallowing a hard lump in my throat, I replied,“Yes, I know.”
“Come on, Luna! Let’s get those presents opened!”
He bounded over to the gifts and fidgeted, waiting for I and his friends to settle in. Mother was ready with the camera. Father was nearby.
“The camera’s ready, dear,” his mother said.
“Go ahead, son,” coaxed his father. “Tear that mountain down.”
Chocolate turned to his future conquest and rubbed his front hooves together, licking his lips.
Multi-colored ribbons and gift-wrap were flung in every direction as his bounty of childhood delights began to pile up.
A giant plush toy of me was the first to be unwrapped. Since it was made by a local fan and not mass-produced, it was a spitting image of myself.
His mother got him a bright blue metal pedal-car. I almost didn’t notice the half-moon on the hood.
His father got him action figures with two points of articulation, which didn’t allow for much action.
Coloring books.
Beach towels.
Within ten minutes, the mountain was laid waste. It was now a mere hill of shredded paper and crumpled boxes. Chocolate Cream had a proud grin that he just couldn’t lose. His friends admired his bounty, a few seething with barely-concealed envy.
I remember my earliest birthday parties. Some of the presents I got would make my sister Celestia frown and grumble with jealousy.
Who would have guessed that my eventual jealousy of her reign would cause so much pain? I shook my head, chasing those old dark memories away. I had enough recent misery to deal with as it was. Which is why I doubled my efforts to enjoy this party.
After the toys were admired and played with a bit, my plush self having been forced into servitude as a chauffer for the pedal-car, everypony gathered around the cake. Another mountain to climb.
We all sang the birthday song, off-key and with plenty of giggles. Chocolate ogled the titanic dessert with the same look of manic, ravenous determination. He wasn’t lacking for fun today.
Soon nearly everypony got a thick piece of the cake. I’ve had it before, so I politely declined. I knew what it would taste like, after all.
While the cake was getting decimated, I walked into the foyer. In the relative quiet, I thought about Pinkie Pie. This cake was one of her best creations. She would have been proud of all the happiness her immense chocolate cake gave these children.
I could still hear her laughter, still see her bouncing around Ponyville, giggling and cheerful as can be.
Why did she . . .
“Princess Luna?” said Chocolate Cream as he walked over to me, cake crumbs flaking off his chin.
“Yes?”
“Why are you crying?”
I snapped to attention. My nose was running. Tears pillowed and streaked down my cheeks. Oh, why did I risk coming here? One of my favorite colts was having his most special day and I was ruining it with my foalish weeping!
He patted a hoof on one leg assuringly. “It’s okay, Luna. You can tell me. My parents will never know.”
“I know they won’t.” I sighed, took a deep breath and said, “Chocolate, somepony close to me died recently. She was very old and it didn’t really surprise anybody, but it’s always hard to say goodbye to those you love.”
We both sat on the foyer rug. The party was in a low murmur, but no one checked in us.
“I know what you mean,” said Chocolate. “How old was Pinkie Pie when she died?”
I could only stare at him. “I never said . . .”
He shook his head. “You don’t have to. I may not be the smartest colt in Equestria, but I pick up on some things. You never turned down a slice of Pinkie’s cake before. When I mentioned her, you had to pretend-smile. I’ve seen those a bunch of times.”
“She was seventy years old.”
“I’m sorry to hear that, Luna.”
I wiped away another tear, looking away from Chocolate Cream. “Let’s talk about your party, all right?” I asked, half-pleading.
He chuckled. “All those toys are great. They’re going on my shelf tonight.”
“I can’t help but notice that half of your presents are based off of me.”
“Well, you are my favorite Princess. Have been for years.”
“Thank you.”
“Every time you come to my birthday party, you look a little sadder. I thought maybe seeing some Princess Luna toys might cheer you up.”
I nuzzled one of his ears. “You didn’t have to do that.”
“Sure I do. I can do whatever I want at my parties. After all, I’m ten years old.”
He dragged a hoof across the carpet and shrugged. “I’m always ten years old.”
My eyes widened. “When did you find out?”
“A while ago, but only you’re the only one I’ve told that listens to me. Mom’s babysitters are nice, but they don’t pay much attention to a kid. They think I’m dumb about everything, but I’m not.”
I frowned. “Are they calling you dumb? I’ll have some sharp words for them if they are.”
He shook his head. “No, don’t do that. It doesn’t matter.”
“Yes, it does, Chocolate! You are a very special pony. I care about you. That’s why I attend every one of your birthday parties.”
He studied me for a moment. “Are you sure that’s the only reason?”
I almost asked him what he meant by that. But deep down I knew the answer.
“I needed to be here. When Pinkie Pie died, it put me in a . . . dark place I haven’t felt in a long time. Your party was coming up at just the right time to hopefully cheer me up. I recalled the cake she made for you on your first tenth birthday. I figured if I saw that cake again, saw you and your friends enjoy it once again, maybe that would brighten my mood.”
“Did it?”
Smiling for real this time, I said, “Yes. I still miss Pinkie, but I’m glad I came to your party.”
Chocolate looked behind him towards the living room. “This party is all I have left. It’s the best day of my life, but it’s also the only day I can remember all that well.”
“Which is why you dream about it on your birthday.”
“Before mom got too sick to visit me, she told me that she loved me before the traffic accident and even more so after it. That keeps me going more than she’ll ever know.”
I nodded. When I first visited Chocolate in the children’s ward, the doctors told me the accident gave Chocolate a massive blow to the head. His learning abilities were severely damaged. He was locked into his childhood, even with lifetime hospice care.
Yet this now middle-aged colt had his most vivid memories in a dream that only happened once a year. Not even the doctors could explain that.
A giant pile of presents. A cake made by a party pony that could only be remembered now. A loving mother that never aged or sickened. A father that didn’t die in the accident. Childhood friends now grown up and spread out across Equestria. Only I was consistent in the waking world and in his dream.
That was all he had. But he was happy with what he had.
I have dedicated my life to help children through their dreams. But sometimes the children help me.
It’s children like Chocolate Cream that remind me that no matter how depressed I get, no matter how sad I feel about, say, the death of a friend, there’s always someone who has it worse than I.
My sister was once envious of the birthday presents I got, but now she only has sisterly love for me. His mother’s love for him was just as strong. Just as uplifting. Chocolate knew how lucky he was. No wonder he’s always so cheerful, eager to make me smile.
He was just like Pinkie Pie.
“Hey, Luna?”
“Yes, birthday boy?”
Chocolate snickered at the nick-name. “There might be some cake left. After that, we’ll drive your mini-me around the backyard.”
“I call front seat!” I cried as I got up.
“It only has one seat, silly!” He called behind him as he joined his young friends.
Pinkie would have been proud of how well her cake was received. A cheerful thought. One that helped me rejoin the festivities.
Chocolate Cream’s tenth birthday party was spectacular. His birthday parties always were.
And always would be.