One Last Smile

by SFC Ponycron

Chapter One

One Last Smile
Chapter One
by
SFC Ponycron

---

The sun shone brightly and the powder blue sky was clear. Twilight took a deep breath of the fresh spring air. The feeling of vitality that would have normally followed didn’t come, and she let out a defeated sigh.

It was one of her last requests, Twilight mused sourly, shutting her eyes hard against the brightness of the day.

It didn’t seem like the type of weather and general atmosphere one would want for their funeral procession.

She tried to shut her eyes harder, both to fight back and to encourage tears. She couldn’t tell which feeling she wanted more.

“I don’t think I can do this,” she murmured.

“Ah don’t either,” Applejack concurred from beside her. “Dun seem right t’ me.” She sighed as well. “A-course, Ah was never one t’ dishonor somepony’s last request.”

“No,” Twilight breathed with a shake of her head, “neither am I.” She looked to her other friends. “Are you ready?”

Rarity and Rainbow Dash traded uncomfortable looks. Fluttershy, on the other hoof, looked ahead of her silently, grim determination in her eyes and her mouth set in a tight line. She didn’t make eye contact with Twilight but nodded.

“Who wants to start?” Twilight asked.

“I will,” came the reply from the yellow pegasus, much to surprise of the others. The four exchanged glances before looking collectively to Fluttershy.

“When you’re ready, ‘Shy,” Rainbow Dash said. “We’re right with you.”

Fluttershy took a moment before taking her first step, leading slowly but surely into a slightly quick canter. The five of them were able to keep the pace despite the weight of the cart bearing the pink casket behind them.

“Her name was Pinkie Pie...” the butter-yellow pegasus began, her voice equal parts melodic, steady and melancholy.

“And she was here to say...” Twilight continued, closing her eyes.

“She was gonna make us smile and help us brighten up our day,” Applejack continued.

“It didn’t matter then,” Rainbow Dash picked up, a touch of defiance in her voice, trying to fight off her sadness.

“If you were sad or blue,” Rarity sang steadily.

“‘Cause cheering up her friends was just what she was here to do,” they sang in unison. Their voice rose with feeling.

“‘Cause she loved to make us smile, smile, smile.”

“Yes she did.”

“It filled her heart with sunshine all the while.”

“Yes it did.”

“‘Cause all she needed was a smile, smile, smile, from those happy friends of hers.”

Twilight opened her eyes to see some ponies making way for them as they continued their procession down Mane Street, smiling and crying at the same time, the occasional unicorn wiping their eyes with a magically-held kerchief.

“She liked to see us grin.”

“She liked to see us beam.”

“The corners of our mouths turned up was always Pinkie’s dream.”

From the corner of her eye, Applejack saw two colts give each other an unsteady hoof-bump.

“But if you were kind of worried, and your face had made a frown...”

“She worked real hard and did her best to turn that sad frown upside down...”

Rarity caught sight of Apple Bloom and Big Mac, tears streaming from the former’s eyes unashamedly. She turned to her towering brother and sobbed on his foreleg.

“‘Cause she loved to make us grin, grin grin.”

“Yes she did.”

Rainbow noticed that some of the ponies that they passed began to follow in perfect step.

“Busted out from ear to ear, we let it begin.”

“We just gave her a joyful grin, grin, grin, and it filled her with good cheer.”

They slowed to a stop and Fluttershy bowed her head.

“It’s true some days were dark and lonely. And maybe we felt sad, but Pinkie would be there to show us that it wasn’t that bad.”

“There was one thing that made ‘er happy, and made ‘er whole life worthwhile.”

“And that’s when she talked to her friends and got them to smile.”

They resumed their brisk pace, gradually increasing in speed.

“She really was so happy.”

“Our smiles filled her with glee.”

“She gave a smile, she got a smile, ‘twas special to Pinkie.”

The five of them were in a brisk trot. Applejack looked back, and noticed that a throng was following them.

“‘Cause she loved to see us beam, beam, beam.”

“Yes she did.”

“There was nothing left to say to make us see.”

“That she did.”

Twilight chanced a glance behind her, and it seemed the entirety of Ponyville was following them.

“It made her happy when we beamed, beamed, beamed. Yes, it always made her day!”

The five of them slowed down to a canter. As if on cue, the crowd that followed broke into song with them.

“Come on, everypony, smile, smile, smile. Fill her heart up with sunshine, sunshine.”

“All we really need is one last smile, for our beloved Pinkie Pie!”

The voices grew both in volume and in feeling.

“Come on, everypony, smile, smile, smile. Fill her heart up with sunshine, sunshine.”

“All we really need is one last smile, for our beloved Pinkie Pie!”

“Yes, a perfect gift for Pin-kie...”

“...was a smile as wide as a mile.”

“It made her happy as can be!”

“Smile, smile...”

“Smile! Smile! Smile!”

“Come on and smile!”

“Come on and smile.”

The journey, and the song, ended at the gates of Ponyville’s cemetery. Twilight looked at her closest friends, each of them with tears in their eyes and wavering smiles threatening to break at the slightest provocation.

“Even now, even after she’s gone, she still managed t’ gitta smile outta us,” Applejack quipped, chuckling and wiping her tears away with a hoof. “...Consarn it,” she muttered under her breath.

Twilight took a deep breath and saw the designated site, the tombstone covered in balloons and streamers, a small mountain of candy by one side of the hole dug into the earth.

“Come on,” she spoke softly.

=[ End Chapter One ]=

Comments

[FangPrincess]

very interesting concept- both touching and creative.

Good job!

poor pinkie

[Mooshbah]

well shoot...
I'm having trouble figuring out weather to love you or hate you.
you killed off my favorite character but made her funeral just the way she would have wanted it.
bravo sir.

[flame5768]

do you guys get som sick kick makin' us cry

[re- Yamsmos]

Dammit, I