ChortleView OnlineWhen Laughter Turns to a SobChortlePinkie was sitting in the park on a bench. The sky had a few clouds, and she'd actually requested a few extras to be put along her route to and from her current location to Sugarcube Corner. She laid down taking the whole seat for herself as she sighed heavily. Her smile had left her several minutes before and she looked flatly across to the pond,where the few birds and ducks swam freely. She let a quiet whine leave her as she rolled over and winced while squeaking loudly in restrained pain. She placed her hooves to her left side and exhaled a pained breath as the ache faded. "These aren't as fun as I said they'd be when they started..." She looked to the blue sky and took in a deep breath, regretting it slightly as a different pain stung under her sternum this time. "I guess I should go to the doctor and have them look me over. I bet I've been eating cupcakes for too many meals again. The Cakes keep telling me to have a variety, but they're so good." She smiled finally as she raised her left legs and let the weight roll her off the bench with much less pain. Walking oddly calmly she made her way back to Sugarcube Corner, under as many of the clouds as she could. The heat of the sun had recently started to make her feel nauseous which was one of the last things to drain her exuberant energy. "Hi Pinkie," a stallion cheerfully chimed as he passed, only to get a nod in return. He glanced around to a few other ponies who began to murmur. Typically a reason for Pinkie to perk up and bounce to the group asking her way into the conversation. Her response was what they were worried about and several ponies nodded in response. Why is everypony nodding? I wish I could ask but I feel so tired. "Pinkie, can you help me with something? I really need your help," an elderly mare, dressed in a light yellow dress and purple hat, asked walking up to the pink mare. "Sorry but I'm really tired today." "Oh dear it won't take but a minute," she quipped back, turning and pushing Pinkie to her right and at a house with it's shades drawn. That's kinda silly to have the windows closed on such a nice day, Pinkie thought as she felt a slight surge of energy. She hopped but when she landed she regretted it greatly. Pressing a hoof to her left side she stopped and hissed at the pain. "Darling, is everything alright?" "Yeah, just a cramp," Pinkie said exhaling and calming herself, "I'll help how I can." The door creaked open as the elder mare used a spell from a horn hidden under her hat. The purple aura didn't even go noticed by Pinkie who was focusing on taking each step forward. "Surprise!" The lights and curtains shone light across the room and two dozen ponies popped out of every place there was to hide, all throwing party favors and confetti at Pinkie. A hush fell over the crowd as they looked at her in the light. Her body looked fine but her face was slightly thinner, her eyes wore bags under them, and her smile wasn't present. "Pinkie?" Rarity said softly, disrobing and casting her hat and dress aside like an old towel, as her friends came to look closer at her. "Wow Pinks, you look really, uh, great?" "Hush Rainbow Dash," Applejack scolded, "Pinkie, ya look sicker than a dog that's eaten a dozen salads. What's wrong darlin'?" Pinkie started to raise her head to stand taller as her rear became heavier than her legs could hold and she fell to her flank. Barely supporting herself with her forelegs she forced a smile as her face seemed to drain of color and life. "Th-thanks ev'ry pony. I feel better already." Her eyes rolled up as her eyelids closed and her forelegs gave. Falling to the floor she was caught by Twilight's magic and surrounded by a dozen ponies all wondering what had just happened.
SmirkView OnlineWhen Laughter Turns to a SobSmirkPinkie woke up at Fluttershy's cottage and sighed. The world was slightly greyer than it usually was or ever had been before. She tried to sit up but it hurt too much. All of her body hurt, and when she laid her head back it began to throb in a most not fun way. She groaned softly until she heard Fluttershy's soft voice beside her. "Stay still Pinkie, you're very sick. Drink this, all of it." Pinkie felt her head being lifted and tried to reach to clasp her head in her hooves as her heartbeat sent pounds to, and around, several spots in her head at once. She felt a cup at her lips as she opened them and felt a warm liquid slide over her tongue she tried to swallow but her body wouldn't allow it. She coughed several times, each time screaming inside at the pain throbbing in her head. She let her body fall back to the pillow soft bed. She wanted to apologize and help clean her chest from the spittle but she lost sight of everything behind the pain in her body. Every cough made her start to cry a little more until tears began to stream down her face in a steady flow. Voices around her came and went in muffled hums as she felt her head lifted and another attempt to get her to drink. This time is went down her throat and her tensions lightened slightly. The first thing she's drank in almost two days and it was really good herbal tea. She felt it hit her stomach and stay, finally she felt a smile cross her muzzle. She felt her headache recede as she drank more of the tea until it was a dull throb at her temples. The world became slightly clearer and she could see Fluttershy holding the cup to her lips; it was nearly gone. "M-more," she choked out. Fluttershy gently laid her back and moved away, returning she began the process again. "Pinkie Pie? Wake up." Fluttershy's voice rang in Pinkie’s ears. Pinkie's ears were ringing slightly but she could still make out the voice. Opening her eyes her headache returned and pulsed as she opened her eyes to take the artificial light in. "Pinkie, you're in the hospital now so don't be scared alright?" Pinkie opened her eyes wider so she could see around. The room was actually pretty dark and all her bestest best friends were there. Rarity and Applejack to her right, Fluttershy and Rainbow to her left while Twilight stood at the foot of her bed. "I-is it night time? Why's it so dark?" The others began to weep and sob lightly as she looked around. Applejack was the only one not crying but she was hiding her head under her hat all the same. "Pinkie Pie, the doctors talked with us and I decided I'd be the one to tell you; you have serious internal injuries. Pinkie," Twilight asked placing a hoof on the bed beside Pinkie, "you can use magic and no other earth pony can. It's killing you and, and," she quickly pulled back and turned to gallop from the room. "And what?" Pinkie asked. "There's no way to stop it sugarcube. You've been using magic so long that they can't fix ya." Pinkie looked straight ahead and smiled. "Go out with a bang, right?" Rainbow sniffled and composed herself for a second. "Right on, Pinkie," she squeaked before turning to fly out after Twilight. "Pinkie darling. Is there anything we can do to make you better?" Pinkie laughed and squinted her eyes from the pain. "Tell young me to not find out how to use magic?"
SighView OnlineWhen Laughter Turns to a SobSigh"Pinkie, you have a few days left; After that you're going to die, do you understand?" the doctor said flatly. Pinkie looked at the doctor and nurse in the empty hospital room and sighed. She'd heard the assessment from Twilight but to hear it from a doctor was so much more impactful. Pinkie smiled weakly. "Thanks for the pain killers and all that but I'm gonna go home now." "Miss Pie, you can't just leave. There are too many things that can go wrong." "Oh! Look at that," Pinkie shouted pointing to the door. When the doctor and nurse looked back Pinkie was gone. "Mommy, Daddy? I'm home." "Pinkamena? I didn't get a letter saying you were returning. C'mere and- oh my." "What is it Iggy?" "Cloudy, c'mere. It's Pinkamena and she's not well." "Mom, dad. It's so nice to see you again. I, I don't have long and I needed to see you and the sisters again before," Pinkie looked at the floor as her head swam, "before I have to go far away." "Pinkamena, you're always welcome here and we really miss seeing you," her mother, Cloudy Quartz, said as she reached a foreleg out to hug her. "I haven't gotten a letter for a couple weeks. With all the adventures you do I was worried you'd been hurt." "I'm not hurt, just wanna say goodbye for a while. I-I have to go on a long trip and wanted to see the family. Is everypony here?" "Well, Marble and Limestone are out in town but'll be back in a few hours, I guess. Maud is away on a study for school. Ya look thirsty, can I get you some water or tea?" Pinkie smiled and limped into the house while her parents watch with concern. "I'll just go to my old room and rest until everyponies here." Pinkie went to the stairs and up to her room to rest. Hours passed while she reminisced about her old life at the farm. The first party she threw. The years she had spent travelling the land until she ended up in Ponyville. The friends she had made. The way she had learned to use magic to make others happy. The things she had done, and learned, to help the entire world stay the way it was. The one pony who she'd have made love with, if he wasn't so weird, crossed her mind briefly before she looked out the window. She'd lost the ability to see color after her last jump and the world was grey and hazy so it always looked dark for more than a few lengths. She imagined that whatever time it was the sun was out, the sky was blue, the birds were chirping somewhere in the forsaken land she had grown up on, and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. She began to feel sleepy, her eyelids became heavy; she shook her head to keep herself awake, thankful the throb was only dull at this point. Rolling over she was glad she had taken the last tabs of the medicine the doctor had given her for the pain. She took three paces before she fell to the floor and the world went darker than it had yet. She felt the floor vibrate and her being picked up and placed onto the bed. She couldn't see or hear what was happening but she could smell her family. All of them except Maud. She was so happy her older sister could fulfill her dreams. "Y-you're all here? I'm s-so happy," she said weakly as her vision returned, allowing her to see a length ahead of her. Her color returned very slightly and she smiled wider than she had in days as she looked around her bed. Mother and Marble to the right. Father and Limestone on the left. "I-I'm going to go on a long trip everypony and, and I wanted to say goodbye. And I love you. And I'll always remember you in my heart." The family looked at each other in deep concern, her father sighed, a sad expression spread across the others. They each reached across the bed to join hooves. In unison they began to sing. "Hush now, quiet it now, it's time to lay your sleepy head. Hush now, quiet now, it's time to go to bed. Hush now, quiet now, close your sleepy eyes. Hush now, quiet now, my how time sure flies. Drifting, drifting off to sleep the days excitement behind you. Drifting drifting off to sleep let the joy of dreamland find you." Pinkie exhaled one last time, a genuine smile across her muzzle, as her family lowered their heads and began to cry softly.
SobView OnlineWhen Laughter Turns to a SobSobFluttershy sobbed while Rarity and Twilight stood side by side looking to the open hole in the ground where Pinkie was laid to rest on her families farm. Applejack stood farther back and wept softly, holding her stetson to her chest looking to the blue sky. A single cloud with a rainbow hued tail hanging over the edge; a drop of water fell every so often to the ground. The Pie sisters were to the left while Pinkie's parents stood to the right, each holding a small stone while looking into the open grave with Pinkie, wrapped tightly in pink linens, laid at the bottom. "Family and friends. We are here to lay our second and most energetic daughter, Pinkamena Diana Pie, to rest. She lived a happier life than most ponies could understand and was able to do things that no other pony could. She brought joy and laughter to all she knew and all that knew her and the world is going to miss her." Cloudy held her stone in the palm of her hoof. "Pinkamena, Pinkie Pie. I love you and we'll always remember you." Igneous held his stone in the palm of his hoof. "You were always the light in the darkest nights and the reason for us to laugh." Maud held out her stone. "I love you and so does Boulder. He's going to keep you company on your journey." Limestone held out her rock, as large as her head, shaped into a rough heart. "I'll miss ya, sis," she grumbled, a tear leaving her eye, "the farm won't be the same without you visiting." Marble held out her stone. "I didn't get to know you as much as I wish I did. Mom and dad said you had the best parties and they never laughed until you taught them how. They said that every time a rainbow was out, it was a time you made somepony's day better. I-I really wish I could have seen one of your parties," she cried as she held her pebbles and let it fall into the grave to Pinkie's body. The other's let their stones and Boulder fall as every pony began to cry as the realization that Pinkie was gone settled in. "I, the other elements of harmony, and the rest of Equestria, are sadder now that you're gone, Pinkie. I wish I could have done something, but where ever you are, I know you're making them laugh," Twilight said sniffling, "and we'll always love you." "Look!" Marble shouted pointing to the horizon. "One final gift. Always thinking of others, even in death. We'll miss you, Pinkie." Author's Note I nearly cried writing this, hope you got some feels.
