This is for Ryder. I miss you, pup.
This is also for anyone who’s ever had to give up a pet.
It was a day she had been afraid of for a very long time, but a day she’d known was coming whether she liked it or not. But that’s the funny thing about the future; it seems so far away, you can just ignore it. But before you know it, the future is today and today is the day you’ve dreaded.
She supposed she’d always known that she couldn’t keep him forever; he was just going to get too big. The Cakes were adamant; he had to go. The toothless alligator was already fifteen feet long from the tip of his snout to the end of his tail and he was barely in his teen years. Pinkie had fought long and hard and even started to pack her things, fully intending to move somewhere where she and Gummy could stay together.
In the end good sense, as well as a little counseling from good friend Twilight Sparkle, won out. With the help of her friends, she had started looking for a new place for Gummy to live. In this case, the obvious choice was the best choice; Froggy Bottom Bog. It was plenty big, wet, and swampy with a healthy stock of smaller critters the growing reptile could swallow whole when he got hungry (a thought that sent Fluttershy into convulsions.)
On the fateful day, she leashed him for the last time and led him down Main Street. Passers-by gawked at the tremendous reptile held only by a thin leather leash, but Pinkie herself did her best not to look. She knew that one look into those big purple eyes would lead to her calling the whole thing off.
Twilight, Spike, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity, and Fluttershy all accompanied them on their final walk, bringing along Owlowicious, Pee-Wee, Tank, Winona, Opal, and Angel respectively. Together they formed a strange parade of pony and animal that trekked slowly down the streets of Ponyville. Gummy, for his part, seemed completely unaware of what was going on and simply followed his ‘Mommy’ as he always did.
After a walk that wasn’t nearly long enough for Pinkie’s tastes, they arrived at the shores of the deepest part of the bog. A picnic lunch was laid out, toys were pulled from saddlebags, and the circle of friends and pets had themselves one final pet play date. Even Pinkie Pie laughed and sang and had a good time… until she looked over and watched Gummy chew on his favorite ball, now dwarfed in his mammoth jaws.
She began to sob, and the others took that as a signal that it was time.
One by one, the assembled friends bid Gummy farewell with scratches on his scales and more than a few light kisses on his nose.
Finally, only Pinkie herself remained.
She stepped forward and scratched him on his snout, right on his favorite spot. His eyes closed contentedly and his back feet beat the ground with pleasure. The pink mare flung her arms about his great scaly neck… and simply refused to let go. She sobbed into his scales, her tears flowing down his sand-paperish skin.
Finally, Gummy understood. The other pets, the ponies being slightly sad… it all made sense. He closed his jaws on Pinkie’s tail and gently pulled her away. Once she was separated, he released her, turned, and made his way into the muddy bog, the brown water splashing and rippling beneath him.
Pinkie tried to follow, but Dash and Twilight held her back, tears spilling from their own eyes. Applejack hid her own tear-streaked face with her hat. Fluttershy bawled into Angel’s fur, and to his credit the foul-tempered rabbit did not fight back.
He was too busy crying himself.
Rivers flowed from Pinkie’s eyes and she called desperately after the alligator, begging him to come back.
All of Gummy was submerged now, save the top of his head. He turned and his eyes met Pinkie’s. Her mournful cries ceased for a moment as she read a look there.
It was as though he was telling her everything was going to be alright. He was alright. She was alright.
And he would love her always.
A single crocodile tear leaked from his eye… and then he was gone, lost in the murky waters.
Pinkie called for him once more, then her knees buckled and she collapsed to the ground, weeping uncontrollably. Her friends all rushed to her and sat with her, crying with her and supporting her.
After a little while, the tears just wouldn’t come anymore.
Pinkie carefully stood and looked out at the waters. She inhaled, and slowly, sadly… she began to sing.
“Saying good-bye,
going away,
Seems like good-bye’s
such a hard thing to say.
Touching a hoof,
wondering why,
it’s time for saying good-bye.”
Her friends stood with her… and sang with her.
“Saying good-bye,
why is it sad?
Makes us remember
the good times we had.
Much more to say,
foolish to try,
it’s time for saying good-bye.”
They stayed there and sang a little while longer until the sun began to sink. One by one they bid their farewells and left until only Rainbow Dash and Pinkie remained.
“You gonna be okay?” The Pegasus asked her closest friend.
Pinkie thought about it, shrugged her shoulders, and forced a smile. “I dunno, Dashie. Maybe…” She thought a little more and looked back out at the bog. “Yeah… I think I’m gonna be okay.” She hugged Dash close. “Thanks. For everything.”
Dash hugged back. “Anytime.” She turned. “You ready to head back?”
Pinkie shook her head and waved a hoof. “Go on. I’ll catch up.”
Dash offered a little salute and was gone with a flap of her wings.
Pinkie looked back out at the bog… and saw several little bubbles break the surface. She smiled sadly and began again to sing.
“Don’t want to leave,
but we both know,
sometimes it’s better to go.
Somehow I know
we'll meet again.
Though I'm not sure quite where,
and I'm not sure quite when…”
She caught herself trying to cry again. She managed to stifle it, but wasn’t quite able to stop one tear from falling into the waters. It sent out a ripple… and, from somewhere in the dark waters, a ripple came back.
She didn’t have to force the smile that time.
She looked back out at the dark water and sang.
“You’re in my heart
so, until then,
wanna smile,
wanna cry,
saying good-bye.”
She blew a kiss across the water. “Mommy loves you, Gum-drop. Good-bye.” At long last, she turned her back to the water and began the long walk back to Ponyville.
Deep beneath the water, the toothless gator heard her… and smiled.
