The Pony of Smiles

The sun is shining and the birds are singing as I bounce towards my first destination of the day, the house of my best friend Swift Shot. She was the first friend I ever made in this town and I make sure to see her first thing every day. As I made my way up the small path to her home I couldn’t help but let out a big smile while looking over her front yard, a well manicured grass lawn, a path framed by metal arches painted white and flower beds bursting with color. As I reached her front door I went to knock and as always she beat me to it. The door opened and my best friend in the world was standing there waiting for me with a smile on her face.

The dark green unicorn mare looked me over as I did the same, her short black and acid green mane resting above a pair of bright red eyes that scanned over me in seconds.

“Hello Sanguine, you’re here right on time as always.” She said to me with the same smile she greets me with everyday.

“Swifty! You’re looking so good this morning. I guess you had a lovely nights sleep.” I answered while bouncing up and down, so happy that my friend had a good night.

“Sanguine, please call me Swift. We are getting a little old to keep the old nicknames aren’t we?” She scolded before smiling at me again and continuing. “But you wouldn’t be you if you didn’t hold on to the old ways, you’re still the same little filly I grew up with.”

“Of course! Why would I change? If I wasn’t me then I wouldn’t be happy all the time and if I wasn’t happy all the time I wouldn’t be able to spread smiles to everypony!”

“I really don’t know how we seem to have this same conversation every morning.” She said again for the -I don’t remember how many- time. All I know if that we have been repeating almost this exact same conversation every single day for what seems like years, but it never fails to bring big smiles to both of our faces.

“Ohh Swifty, we shouldn’t question it. It brings us smiles and that’s all that matters.”

“Hehe, you’re right Sanguine. Anyway do you have my newspaper?” She asked.

“Of course Swifty, like I would ever forget to do my job.” I answered while opening my saddlebags with my magic. The silver aura easily opening the latch and pulling out the daily paper before floating it over to my friend. She took the paper in her red aura and lay it softly onto her back before replying.

“Well you better get a move on before you’re late delivering to everypony else, I know you always rush over to give me the paper first instead of making it here on a proper route.” She scolded me again, just another part of our fun little daily routine.

“Of course you should get it first Swifty! What kind of friend would I be if I didn’t make sure you had everything you needed for your day? I know how you like to read the paper during breakfast every morning.” I answered with even more cheer in my voice.

“Alright off you get.” She said with a big smile.

I galloped off quickly towards my home before going to the house next door, the first house on my proper route.

Two hours later I had finished my job for the day, making sure that every home in Hollow Shades had the daily paper, it was a big job but I took it seriously. Ponies loved to know what was happening in our beautiful country and it was my job to make sure they knew every single day.

As the day had progressed though I noticed that things today were very different, after getting the paper their smiles would fall. What was wrong? I thought bringing them the news were meant to make them happy? I was giving it to them personally like every other day with a big smile on my face, but it wasn’t helping. As I neared the end of my route around the town I could see groups of ponies starting to gather together and talking in hushed tones with frowns on their faces.

Once I was done I could see that the groups were getting bigger. Spotting Swift I galloped up to her, she had the same frown on her face that everypony else in town seemed to have taken to.

“Swifty whats wrong? Nopony today was happy to get the newspaper and they have been joining in groups all over town.” I asked, a worried frown breaking out onto my own face.

“Something really bad has happened Sanguine. You know of the Elements of Harmony, right?” She asked me, her frown deepening.

“Ohh you mean those heroes from Ponyville? Of course I know them, everypony knows the stories of how they brought back Nightmare Moon and reformed Discord, how Princess Twilight became an alicorn and all that other cool stuff like saving Equestria. What about them?”

“Maybe it’s best that you read this.” She said simply, the paper I handed her this morning wrapped in her magical aura. I looked over the front page and gasped before reading further.

ELEMENTS FALL

Today dear readers it is with heavy heart that I must report that the Element Bearers are no more. A terrible accident occurred in the small town of Ponyville that hosted some of the greatest heroes Equestria has ever seen. Reportedly the friends were helping one of the bearers, Rarity the Element of Generosity, searching for gems for one of her upcoming fashion lines they were beset by a group of Diamond Dogs and taken prisoner. During a rescue attempt by Princess Twilight’s personal assistant Spike Sparkle apparently a few of the foul beasts decided that their prisoners were too much trouble when one of them realised who they had taken prisoner. Word around town is they had taken Rarity prisoner already on a previous occasion.

As the Elements were released however some of the Diamond Dog tunnels became unstable and a cave in occurred. When Spike reached the scene half the connecting system had already fallen and by the time he left and returned with a large amount of citizens from the town it was far too late. Witnesses who helped with the recovery effort that were capable of speaking told us here at Equestria Daily that the group of friends were crushed underneath the earth hours before anypony could reach them.

Princess Celestia was petitioned to give an official statement but has refused to speak to her ponies in this time of great loss and tragedy.

Anypony who wishes to may attend a memorial held in Ponyville in a week's time outside the castle of our fallen Princess Twilight Sparkle where Spike will be holding the service for his lost friends.

“How?” I asked, not believing that such great heroes could fall to such a terrible fate.

“I don’t know, but it’s true.” Swift answered before wrapping me in a hug.

“I-I think we will be ok. We still have Princess Luna, Princess Celestia and Princess Cadance. We will be ok Swifty, even though things are bad now things will get better.” I said to my best friend, pushing a smile onto my face.

“Yeah, you’re right Sanguine. We can’t give up hope.” She said with a small smile.

“Of course not, no matter how dark things get there will always be a light. Even if we have to create that light for ourselves. As your best friend I’ll always stand by you so if you ever need that light I’m here, okay?” My smile grew bigger as I comforted my friend.

“Thank you, I really needed to hear that. Hey, how about we go grab lunch? You’re probably hungry after all those deliveries.” She offered.

“That sounds like a lovely idea! Let’s go Swifty!” I said as I bounced towards the nearby bakery, my best friend at my side.

The days flew by after that, Swifty and I made the best out of it and the town slowly returned to normal. I continued my job delivering the news to the good town of Hollow Shades, but the ponies started to pay less attention to the news. Instead I started to talk to them more, helping them smile everyday. Sure it took an extra 3 hours to complete my route but it was worth it to see the smiles on everypony when I showed up at their homes and businesses.

I still read the paper everyday, seeing the stories get sadder and sadder. It began with ponies speaking out against Celestia, saying that she should have sent guards to protect them or that she knew long ago about the Diamond Dog nuisance and could have dealt with it long before it came to this. Soon every day there was a new story speaking out against the princesses and they were appearing in public less. Celestia’s court was only filled with ponies asking why she hadn’t acted sooner or telling her she should stand down and Cadance refused to leave the Crystal Empire regardless of who requested her presence.

I wouldn’t let that get me down though, what kind of pony would I be if I wasn’t trying to make everypony happy? I wouldn’t be myself, that’s who.

A few weeks after all of this started Swift asked to come live with me, she didn’t want to be alone and I told her it was fine. I was always happy to have my best friend around. She even helped me out on my route, every morning she was up and ready to walk all around the town bringing smiles to the ponies of our town. When she first came she looked so down, but after a few days her smile grew. She was always thanking me but I couldn’t take all the credit, her smile made me happy and I just wanted to spread it back.

When the papers stopped being delivered I didn’t stop working, my job had long stopped being about delivering the news and I was now the Pony of Smiles as everypony around town had started calling me. That made me happy, all I ever wanted to do was make ponies happy and now it was my job! The mayor kept paying me the same wage so I wasn’t having any troubles with expenses and Swift was helping me so she was getting paid too.

One day a few months after everything began to change the air in town was suddenly different, stories had begun to spread throughout the town and the dark atmosphere was back. Swift went around to everypony to find out what had happened and when she came home she looked even more down than ever. Apparently some bad ponies had started to gather and were travelling the country hurting other ponies, she called them raiders.

“Swifty, I bet those are just stories made up by scared ponies. I doubt there would be anypony in Equestria that are mean enough to do that. Sure, some bad things have happened but no matter what this is a good country and we almost pull through. Even when big, dark and scary forces like that meanie Tirek came we always beat them and Equestria was bright and happy again.” I told her with a big smile on my face.

“You’re right Sanguine, I’m sure they are probably just stories.” She said with a small smile before walking off.

“Hey Swifty, why don’t we go out and practice with your bows tomorrow? I’m sure that will put you in a better mood.” I offered my still downcast friend who looked back at me as she was about to enter her room.

“That sounds like a good idea.” Swifty said, her smile growing a little more before closing the door behind her.

“I’m sure that no matter how bad things get, I’ll always take care of you Swifty” I whispered to myself before heading off to bed to get a good nights sleep.