Pink

Twilight looked over her freshly stocked bookshelf, feeling rather pleased with her organization yet again. When the slow knocking came from outside, Twilight expected to see your average library visitor. As the door opened, though, what she found was a contradiction in many ways. Standing before her was Pinkie, but not in her usual mood, her hair had begun to straighten out and her colors began darkening. An ugly rash had begun making its way up her neck, her brow sweating

"Well good morning, Pinkie," Twilight looked over her distraught pink friend, "wow you don't look so good."

It was a surprise for Twilight, for Pinkie made no joke about her friend's obvious statement. She simply looked up with red eyes stained of tears as she said, "It's much worse than you think. Can I come in?"

Twilight looked over her shoulder, she knew she was prepared to catch this sickness but wasn't as sure for Spike. She turned back to Pinkie as she said with a reassuring look, "Of course, Pinkie, come on in."

As Pinkie slowly dragged herself through the room, she mumbled to her friend, "Twilight... I have some very bad news."

Twilight tilted her head, it wasn't very normal for Pinkie to be so realistic with her jokes, to make jokes about being sick was rather odd for her.

As Twilight examined her, Pinkie looked up with teary eyes and said, "Twilight... I need your help with something."

"What is it Pinkie? Do you need help finding a cure for whatever this is?"

"There's no point."

Twilight was beginning to worry, she had noticed the color of Pinkie's mane had begun to die off ever more as well as her fur turning a darker pink. Twilight moved a hoof onto Pinkie's shoulder as she said with a worrying look, "What do you mean?"

Pinkie calmly wrapped one of her own hooves around Twilight's and calmly moved away as she said, "My time has come, Twilight, for me to move on."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm going to die." Pinkie's eyes slammed shut as tears crept down her cheeks, she couldn't bare looking Twilight in the eyes at the shock that swept over her best friend. She couldn't tell what was worse, the excruciating pain in her headache or seeing Twilight tremble and quake in shock and anguish.

Twilight shook her head as she cried, "Don't say that Pinkie! This is just a joke right?"

Pinkie shook her head, "I wish it was," she began, "but I got a nasty bug that nopony else has ever had before. I wish I wasn't the lucky pants this time." Pinkie turned around and wept to herself, she listened to Twilight sniff and sob in anguish of the news.

Twilight quickly responded, "How much longer do you have?"

"About a month or two," said Pinkie, "the doc said that this might just feel like I closed my eyes and will never open them again. He said that this body bug won't hurt me, but won't give me much time either."

Twilight sniffed, she hugged her best friend not caring about touching the rash that has spread onto her. Twilight looked over Pinkie as she said, "I can see why you wanted to see me. You want my help breaking this to everypony else."

"That... and help with making my bucket list."

"Your what?"

It's a list of all the things I want to do before I buck the bucket. I like to call it the, 'Buck-it list' get it?"

Twilight smiled a bit, she looked up at Pinkie to see her smiling towards her with an empty piece of paper. Twilight then realized what had just happened, even in death Pinkie was willing to make a joke about herself. Twilight hugged her tightly once more as she said, "Pinkie. I'd love to help you, just name anything in Equestria and beyond and I will make sure that we get those things done.

**15 minutes later**

"Pinkie..." Twilight began, looking down at this list of tasks, "these are quite the odd things you want."

"Like what?" Pinkie's mane had begun to curl up once more, it had been fifteen minutes of laughter between the two about some of the ridiculous things Pinkie wanted. Yet all this laughter was half the reason why Pinkie was happy once more, she looked down at her list of things to get done and it was nearly covered in pen scribblings.

Twilight giggled as she looked over the list, "Stand up comedy? Marriage? You want to experience getting married?"

Pinkie snorted with laughter as she said, "Well maybe I'll find somepony that I'll like, I want to make sure that I live my life. OOH OOH add go to space!"

Twilight burst into laughter, "I know where you'll be wanting to go."

The two joined together in a loud howl, "ON THE MOOOON!"

The two fell to their sides bursting with laughter, their lungs and bellies hurting from having such a good time. Pinkie had to calm herself down before adding to the joke, "Dont forget my... banana bag!" the two continued to laugh at the top of their lungs, it felt like forever since they had lauded this hard. Pinkie wiped a tear of joy from under her eye as she said in a breathy voice, "Seriously though, I want to be one of the first mares in space exploration. Yes, Luna went to space a few years ago or so, but that was against her will."

Twilight added it to the list, the feather quill scribbling words onto the paper as she said, "Space... exploration. Is there anything else? Buck Aldrin?"

Pinkie smiled as she examined her complete list, it was filled with adventure packed tasks. She looked back up at Twilight with eyes filled with joy as she said, "Just let me add one more thing." Pinkie grabbed the quill in her mouth and scribbled something onto the paper, she then folded it up and put it into her saddlebag as she said, "That last one is for later and just in case none of the other ones get done. Come on," Pinkie said while motioning her head for the door, "I think we're ready to tell the others about me."

Twilight trotted along with Pinkie, she was in full admiration of Pinkie's strength to walk and talk as though nothing was wrong with her in the first place. Her colors had sprung back to life and were as vibrant and curly as ever. Her trot was her usual skipping and her smile was as warm and as sincere as possible. Twilight trotted up next to Pinkie as she said, "Do you think the others will be able to handle this news?"

Pinkie shrugged as she said, "To be honest, I completely forgot I was sick. I decided that since you are a smarty pants that you would know to back me up if anything happens." Pinkie turned around and lovingly nudged her head under Twilight as she said, "Thanks! You're the bestest friend everest!"