Hiding behind a smile.

by MLPonyPals

Rating: everyone
Tags: Dark, Alternate Universe, Applejack, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Pinkie Pie, Twilight Sparkle, Cake Twins
Length: 2200

The sad truth of being the happiest pony in Ponyville.

Pinkie Pie is everyone's favorite happy go lucky party pony, striving to make everyone happy. But sometimes, it's best to make sure you're happy doing it too. Since hiding your true emotions, doesn't make anypony happy.

Published 2021-04-06 04:40:00 UTC
Last updated 2021-04-13 02:26:51 UTC

Smile! Please?

Morning hit Ponyville again as the Princess Celestia rose the sun, making an incredible array of colors made off from the rising sun allowing everypony to wake up and see it's wonders, before the spectacle was over and the sun had fully risen. The sunlight found it's way through the smallest of cracks, forcing the darkness to make way for light. That was unfortunate for Pinkie Pie, who, while she had kept her curtains closed, it was no match for light. The blazing rays of sun slowly but surely bled through the windows of Sugarcube Corner. As said, the curtains did very little to help Pinkie in her sleep.

It was time to get up. The pink mare unwillingly escaped the warm hug of the blanket that surronded her. Pinkie always loved hugs, it made a lot of ponies happy.

Happy...

A word that people thought Pinkie, out of all people, would know the meaning to. But, did she really? Pinkie was a great party planner, and no doubt one of the best in all of Ponyville, only ever one upped by the likes of Cheese Sandwhich. But, was happy really the best word to describe it? Sure, Pinkie's parties would know doubt make other ponies smile, as well as Pinkie herself, but, was that really happiness?

Pinkie shook off those thoughts as she walked down the hallway and knocked on the pumpkin twin's door. "Pumpkin? Poundcake? You two up?" No answer. Pinkie cracked the door open when a bucket of cold water was poured down onto her head. "Hey Pinkie Pie!" Pumpkin waved. "Sorry about the mess." Pumpkin said, chuckling. "We just, uh," Pinkie, not wanting to scold them and make them sad, painted a fake, but convincing smile on her face. "Aw, well, I was going to take a shower anyway!" Pinkie chuckled. "Looks like you've got that covered for me!" The three shared a heart laugh, at least Pumpkin and Poundcake shared a genuine laugh. "Anyway, let's head down to breakfast." Pinkie said. "At least let us clean up the water spill." Pumpkin said. "Alrighty then!" Pinkie said, still trying to keep her smile seem genuine.

Pinkie walked down the stairs, as Pumpkin gave Poundcake a concerning look. "What?" Poundcake asked. "Nothing," she replied in return. "It's just, Pinkie seems a little...off." Poundcake laughed. "She's Pinkie Pie! When does Pinkie not seem off? It's just Pinkie being Pinkie. She'll be fine." Pumpkin gave a small smile. "Yeah. She'll be fine."

Unknown to them, Pinkie happened to have come back up to see if they were done, and overheard their little conversation. Pinkie felt a little twinge in her heart, but thought nothing of it. Pinkie didn't blame Pumpkin for thinking she felt off. She herself felt a bit more, not as happy. For the past few days, she had been overworked with tons of party's she'd hosted. Normally, she'd weigh off half of the parties to Cheese Sandwhich, but he was booked at the Crystal Empire for a little filly's birthday, and some. Stop thinking about that Pinkie. Just, smile and make everypony happy. Pinkie gave a sigh. "Well, I don't want them knowing I was spying on them. I'll just tell Mr. and Ms. Cake that Pumpkin and Poundcake will come down when they're ready. In the meantime, I'll take a quick stroll through Ponyville."

Author's Note

Hey, this is my first fanfiction, so no hate please. I'm just hoping that this fanfiction will be entertaining to some people, so if you did enjoy, please comment and rate the story. Also comment if you have any tips to make the story better. Thanks!

No..I can't...

As Pinkie headed out of Sugarcube Corner, she couldn't help but think over of what Pumpkin had said. "Pinkie seemed a bit...off." Was it really becoming that noticeable? She immediately felt the eyes of Ponies staring at her. "Well, now it sure is." Pinkie thought bitterly. "It's fine. Just smile and it'll be fine." Pinkie almost on instinct plastered a fake smie on her face as she headed through Ponyville. She didn't even know where she was even going. All she cared about was to seem normal. "It's fine Pinkie. Smile and it'll be fine " As soon as she felt the eyes of other ponies fall away from her, the pink mare gave a sigh of relief.

She then immediately looked around to figure where the hay she was. "Sweet Apple Acres."
Pinkie said. "Well, at least, in a part of the massive farm of apple trees at Sweet Apple Acres. I hope Applejack is out apple-bucking so she can find me." Then, right on cue, she instantly heard the orange mare approach from behind. Pinkie repainted the smile back on her face as she faced Applejack. "Hi Applejack!" Pinkie said, cheerfully. "Hey sugarcube." Applejack said back with a nod. "Say, what are you doing here? Not that I don't enjoy your company, but, why are you in the middle of the apple farm by yourself?" Pinkie gave Applejack a little chuckle. "Well...I kinda wasn't paying attention to where I was going and..." Applejack rolled her eyes. "Well, follow me sugarcube. I know this place like the back of my hoof." "That's Great!" Pinkie said cheerfully.

Please...stop smiling for once. Pinkie Pie, please...

She mentally begged with herself. Despite how cheerful, and happy go lucky Pinkie seemed on the outside, that was far from the case. Pinkie was still the party planner of Ponyville, and still enjoyed bringing joy to other ponies, but for the last few months...She had overworked herself. Too much. There was a time in the past where Pinkie would never turn down a chance to host an epic party, but...

Pinkie always attempted to look at things from a positive outlook, but this was too much. If she kept up the strict party schedule, she would work herself into the ground. She hadn't been able to get nearly any sleep for the past few days...

Pinkie Pie you need to stop. You work so hard to make other ponies happy, but never try to check and see if you're hppy doing it.

"If you keep this up, you'll work yourself to the ground..."

"Excuse me?" Applejack asked, turning to face the mare. Pinkie realized that she had said the last part out loud. Her overly cheerful exterior and fake smile buckled. She couldn't take it...She was too tired...

"P-Pinkie Pie?" Applejack asked, concerned. They were at the main section of Sweet Apple Acres at this point, when Pinkie began to breath heavily . Please...smile and make everypony happy... Pinkie collapsed. "T-too tired.." Pinkie croaked. Smile...I'm begging you. Don't make them worry... Applejack scrambled to get Pinkie back onto her hooves, but Pinkie didn't comply, and eventually lost consciousness.

"Somepony, HELP!"

Twilight turned and watched aghast as Applejack ran in her direction, with Pinkie slumped over on her back. She had simply come to buy some Apple Jam, as they had run out during breakfast earlier that morning. The jam issue was immediately pushed to the back of her mind as she noticed the terrible condition Pinkie was in. "What happened?" Twilight asked, as AJ came to a halt. "I dunno, but I found her near the edge of the Apple tree farm, and as I was leading her to the barn, she collapsed!" Applejack was talking so quickly, she might've broken Pinkie's words per minute record. Twilight looked at Pinkie's unconscious body and noticed how tired she looked. "I think it's fine, as far as I can tell, she just needed a big power nap, but we should probably take her to the hospital, just in case."

Author's Note

Sorry if this chapter seemed short, but I was having writers block. Hoped you enjoyed anyway!

A talk with your other half.

Author's Note

Just wished to notify: for those who have read this story previously, I have updated Chapter 2 to clarify and add some more context for this chapter. Also, Pinkie's other half, Pinkamena, is just a figment of her past, and th future she would have had. So no, Pinkamena is not an evil demon. Just a split personality.

A talk with your other half.

"P-Pinkie Pie?" Applejack asked, concerned. They were at the main section of Sweet Apple Acres at this point, when Pinkie began to breath heavily . Please...smile and make everypony happy... Pinkie collapsed. "T-too tired.." Pinkie croaked. Smile...I'm begging you. Don't make them worry... Applejack scrambled to get Pinkie back onto her hooves, but Pinkie didn't comply, and eventually lost consciousness.

"Somepony, HELP!"

Pinkie awoke with a major headache. She had no idea how long she'd been out, but from her surrondings, she could guess she still was. She was on her family's old rock farm. Well, it was a big open field of rocks, so not quite the Pie familyrock farm, but if you add the shed, some windmills, it might as well be.

Pinkie has...been here before. Just once, and it wasn't pleasant. Not the rock farm, since it was always fun to see her family once and a while! No, this section of her mind. The last time Pinkie ever remembered setting hoof here was when she thought all her friends didn't want to be friends with her anymore and didn't like her parties. (No thanks to Spike, either.) She didn't really remember what happened to well, but from Rainbow Dash's account on her "mental state" at the time...it wasn't pretty.

"What are you dojng back here?" Pinkie spun around to see her good pal Pinkamena. Well, as good of a pal as your split personality can be to you. Which varies on how you think of them. "Well..you see..uh.." Pinkie blanked. Her secondary personality face hoofed. "You overworked yourself too hard this time, Pinkie." She said. "I know you enjoy making people happy. It's your special talent, I get it. But does that really mean you expect you can put other people happiness before yourself 24/7 and expect your mental health to stay intact?" Pinkie shuffled her hooves. Mena really did make pretty solid arguements.

Pinkamena took quick notice of how ashamed Pinkie looked and softened her tone. "Look, you're not supposed to be here. You shouldn't be here. You have a future. I don't. I'm the old memories of the life before, and what you could've been. I don't wish this on you. So please, I get it, you want people to have happy lives, and a happy future, but, make sure to lok out for yourself. Look out for your own future. And if you need help? You have friends who care about you."

Pinkie jerked up from the hospital bed in the Ponyville Hospital. AJ and Twilight were stood over her bed. They gave her soft smiles. "See? What did I tell you Applejack? She just needed a good power nap." AJ gave Twilight a small chuckle. "And ah'm glad you were. I was about to go notify the others that Pinkie Pie was in the hospital." She glanced down at Pinkie and smiled. "Glad ah didn't have to."

Pinkie smiled herself and chuckled. "Well, so, about the lack of sleep lately..."

A Small Epilogue

It was a good few weeks since Pinkie's "incident" at Sweet Apple Acres, and ended up having a good talking to from her split personality. Weird, I know. Recently, Pumpkin, Poundcake and the rest of her friends have been helping her out with her packed party schedule. Things got even easier when Cheese Sandwich returned from the Crystal Empire. During that time, Pinkie spent her time, ironically, having her good weeks worth of missed sleep that she owed herself. Pinkie never wanted to trouble her friends, but Rainbow Dash said that she deserved a good few nights of chillaxing, especially after what happened previously.

Her schedule was now free of most major parties, and now only small birthday parties remained. Not that Pinkie was complaining. After all, while she loved making others happy...

You have to remember to make sure you're happy too.

Pinkamena stayed in Pinkie's mind as she watched her, cheerful, and beloved other half enjoyed her life. Pinkamena couldn't help but smile. She was the manifestation of Pinkie's childhood, and what she would've and could've become. She was the past. Pinkie was the future. For once, she smiled at the thought that she would be alone, that she wouldn't have a future. Because, at least someone better would be able to make things more worthwhile then she ever could.

When you're rife with devastation
There's a simple explanation:
You're a toymaker's creation

Trapped inside a crystal ball

And whichever way he tilts it

Know that we must be resilient,
We won't let them break our spirits
As we sing our silly song...

Author's Note

And, that's the end! Just decided to throw this small epilogue to tie the bow on my first Fimfiction! Hope you enjoyed it! I have more soon to come! However, if anypony wishes to be a proof reader for my other stories I have planned, please let me know!