A Little Alligator Friend.
The full moon hung high over Equestria, the stars dancing in the brilliant glow that radiated from its white surface. Its brightness spread to everything within reach and allowed a clear visibility for those resilient enough to stay awake. Especially at this hour, a pony would have to be in a coffee-fuelled study session to want to be up this late. That, or troublesome thoughts could be keeping one from sleep.
That was not the case of Pinkie, however. She was awake this late because she wanted to be, because she loved this time of night. She loved strolling through the streets of the dreamwalking town. She loved the moon, the calming light it wholeheartedly administered to the land and more specifically to the path she casually walked. Pinkie was heading to her favorite nighttime spot, guided only by the cool moonlight and muscle memory, as it was the very place she went every full moon—Ponyville Park.
While Pinkie was not one who felt happiest alone, she never did feel truly alone on these nights. All she had to do was turn towards the sky. The stars were her companions. She knew nearly every last one by name. And the moon was one of her closest friends. The kind of friend she could look up to and let all her troubles fade away. Pinkie could always stare at the moon and let its pure light bring tranquillity to her mind.
They would greet her—as they always did—with love and understanding. She would talk to them and they would listen. They were always willing to listen to her, even if she had nothing to talk about. That was what made them such good friends. They would always listen to her, they would always understand.
That's why her favorite place was the park. Without any houselights or buildings to pollute the view or anypony around to disturb the peace, it was the place where she could get the clearest, calmest view of her friends in the sky. It was a place she could go where the worries of everyday life would slip away. Under the illumination of her friends, she had no need for worry, nor had she anything to fear.
At least for a little while.
Pinkie weaved, almost gracefully, through the twisting path leading towards the middle of the park. From a distance, the sound of trickling water in a fountain wandered through the air. As she listened to the gentle melody of the fountain, the sweet smell of maple trees filled her nostrils, the same smell that welcomed her the day she first set hoof in the town. Memories of her friends, from the many adventures they shared to the simple picnic earlier that day, filled her head. And though no one was around to see it, Pinkie smiled, which seemingly brightened the darkness around her.
The path opened to the main area of the park. Pinkie stopped and scanned her surroundings—the same quiet park as always. The same empty benches along the perimeter, the same dull stone fountain, the same old leaves scattered upon the ground. Exactly the way she liked it. She stepped close to the fountain, looking into the silver pool, gazing at the rippled reflection of the sky it presented. Like fireflies in the sky, the stars danced in the choppy water around the giant wavy pearl in the center. As she stared amazed at the surreal beauty reflected across the water, Pinkie heard a low sigh. Peering up from the water, she saw that was not alone.
A familiar unicorn filly sat on the far edge of the fountain across from Pinkie. At first glance, a spark of excitement ignited within Pinkie, conceived from the thought of having some company—someone to share the beautiful night with. But as she examined closer, she noticed the white ears lying flat against the filly's head, which in turn was supported by her hooves as if it was a dead weight.
Without a word, Pinkie walked around the fountain and stopped just a few feet from where the small filly was sitting. Pinkie saw the distant look in her green eyes as they were fixed on the ground and how her shoulders slumped low. She recognized the filly, but something was off.
Pinkie knew something was wrong. She knew she had to do something.
"Hey, Sweetie Belle," she said with her usual happy-go-lucky attitude, "could I join you?"
Sweetie only shrugged in response, her eyes never leaving the ground. Pinkie smiled warmly then sat down close—but not too close—to her. After a few minutes passed as she gawked at the dancing night sky, Pinkie came to realize that Sweetie wasn't going to start any conversation, so she decided to take the honour upon herself.
"So, why are you out here so late all by yourself?"
Her question hung in the air like a bad joke. Pinkie wondered if she was simply talking to herself. After a long minute of silence, Sweetie Belle finally sighed.
"Well," she started in a deflated voice, passing a glance at Pinkie but letting her gaze drift back to the ground, "you know how Opal has been pretty sick lately?"
"Um... yeah I think I heard Rarity talking to Fluttershy about getting some special medicine or something," Pinkie said while scratching her chin in thought. "Is she getting better?"
A long moment passed before Sweetie finally spoke up again.
"She, uh..." another painfully long silence followed as she stared blankly at the cold ground.
"...She died... today."
Pinkie's ears drooped low as the news hit her. "Oh," she said, her voice much softer than before. "I'm really sorry." Pinkie felt her heart drop through her stomach as she imagined what Sweetie could be feeling inside. Losing a pet was like losing a member of the family for most ponies. While Pinkie didn't know if Sweetie and Opal were close, she couldn't help but worry about her. Pinkie wondered if there was anything she could say to comfort the filly. "Is that why you're out here all by yourself? Are you feeling okay?"
"I knew it was a possibility, Rarity even told me that there was a chance... but I didn't really think it would actually happen. Rarity told me it was just another part of life and that Opal is happier now. She didn’t seem to take it well, though…" She took a deep breath and sighed heavily before continuing. "It's nice to know that Opal's not hurting anymore. But that's not really why I came out here."
Pinkie’s ears perked up and she arched an eyebrow. "Yeah?"
"Well, it's just that I've been thinking a lot." She paused, picking her head up from her hooves. "It's just that... everyone is going to die at some point in their lives and…" Sweetie's words faded as tears formed in the corners of her eyes. She fought back a sob, sniffled, and finished her statement in a whisper, "...so will I."
"That's not a very happy subject," Pinkie said with a quick laugh in a desperate attempt to lighten the mood. Sweetie only sighed and let her head fall back into her hooves. Pinkie quickly added, "But uh, yeah. It's just another part of life."
Pinkie studied the young filly, how her shoulders bowed and her ears drooped against the sides of her head. Her quivering lips and watery eyes really caught Pinkie's attention, however, carrying her own mood down with it. As the miserable image of Sweetie Belle tugged and yanked at her heartstrings, she knew she needed to say something.
"But you know what? Everybody knows they're gonna die," Pinkie said, looking up at the stars. "Everybody knows, but I don't think anyone really believes it."
She glimpsed over to Sweetie, who didn't move a muscle as she listened intently.
"Most ponies just kinda kid themselves about it. They live like it won't ever happen or they just try to ignore and forget it altogether. Everybody knows it has to happen at some point, though."
Sweetie turned her head to Pinkie—her puffy red eyes not quite able to make contact—and asked, "Is there anything wrong with that?"
"Well—" she glanced back to Sweetie "—no. There really isn't. You can still be happy if you live like that. But the thing is, when that day finally comes, when reality finally catches up to them, they won't be... ready for it."
Sweetie looked away towards the ground. Pinkie slowly returned her eyes to the moon, allowing its serenity to comfort her. "The only way to be fully involved in your life while you're living it is if you're ready for when it happens. That's the only way to be at peace."
"H-how could anypony be ready for something like that?" Sweetie's eyes were wide as saucers as she gazed upon Pinkie for the answer.
"I don't think anyone is ever truly prepared for it," Pinkie said with a small chuckle. "But—" she started scratching her chin "—well, you see, I have a little bird friend—"
"You mean Gummy?" Sweetie interrupted flatly.
"Gummy isn't a bird!" Pinkie said through a warm giggle. "But I guess it doesn't really matter what it is so Gummy could work!" She laughed to herself a second time before clearing her throat. "Anyway, I have an alligator friend who sits on my shoulder every morning. And every morning he asks me, 'Is today the day? Am I happy? Am I being who I want to be?'
"When I get reminded of these thoughts, that any day would be the last, it lets me remember just how special each day is. It lets me realise how important everything really is to me. When you know that any day you might not wake up to the next, you make sure that every day you live is meaningful. You learn to appreciate each and every minute you have."
Glancing over to Sweetie, Pinkie saw how the filly sat still, staring with hard eyes out to the ground as if she was trying to absorb what she had just been told. Pinkie took advantage of the quiet moment to gaze back up in the sky and let the glow of the moon calm her mind. She silently thanked her friends for the support they were giving.
"But... what's the point?" Sweetie asked as she sat up, staring at Pinkie, sincerity pulsing in every word. "If we're all just gonna die in the end, what's the point of living at all?"
Pinkie looked back at her; she felt the despair in her voice, her desperation for an answer. She knew that the little filly needed some kind of assurance, something to clear the storm clouds from her head. What would she say, though? Pinkie's mind raced. Her eyes quickly scanned the park in search of anything to help her. What could she say?
It was a tough question. What was the meaning of life? How could she possibly know the answer to that?
As her mind fought for the right words, Pinkie stared up at the shining white glow of the moon. Her mind gradually settled, distracted by the serenity of the full moon. As if a warm blanket had wrapped itself around her, Pinkie felt her worries melt into the night. A warm smile spread across her face and she sighed.
"I... I don't know," she finally said, her voice just above a whisper.
"Honestly, I sometimes wonder about that too. I think everyone does."
Pinkie turned from her friends in the heavens back to Sweetie Belle, who looked as if her eyes never broke from the heavy gaze on her. The two made eye contact and Pinkie continued, "You know what, though? The point doesn't really matter. Whatever it is, we're still here, right? We still have this life and only death can take it away from us. What really matters is what we make of it. That we make it good and worthwhile to us."
Pinkie leaned towards Sweetie Belle and put a hoof around her shoulder, pulling her in close. And though she felt her shiver under the cold hoof, Pinkie kept it there and pointed up at the dark sky with her free hoof.
"Do you see how pretty the sky is tonight?" Sweetie followed the hoof to where it was pointing. "Do you see how many brilliant stars there are? Or how about the moon, do you see how magnificent it looks?"
"Um, yeah. They're very... pretty," she said, nodding at each of Pinkie's questions.
"That is what makes life worthwhile," Pinkie said, letting her hooves fall to her side. "This beautiful universe around us. The loving relationships we have from family to close friends or even just small acquaintances. These are all gifts. The thing is, though, these are normally taken for granted. It's only in most ponies' last moments that they recognize these gifts all around them and the effect they have on our lives.
"But when we finally see them as gifts and truly appreciate them for what they are, they're what make life worth it."
Sweetie turned to the ground, then back up to the sky. Pinkie noticed how her eyes were open much wider than before, how they glistened with the light of the stars. She decided to join her in the consolatory gaze; the twinkling stars and the glowing moon only seemed to shine brighter than ever before. As the two shared the breathtaking view of the heavens, happy thoughts and fond memories danced and played freely within Pinkie's head. Pinkie could feel her own eyes watering up.
"Pinkie?"
"Hm?" she hummed through a big smile. Pinkie jumped in surprise when Sweetie wrapped her hooves around her and felt a gentle squeeze.
"Thanks for being such a good friend."
Pinkie looked down at the small filly and returned the hug.
As they sat in the embrace, Pinkie beamed up at the full moon. Her friends smiled brilliantly back at her.
She whispered to herself.
"Is today the day?"