Happily Ever Laughter

Chapter 9


Clyde didn't bother to go upstairs and comfort the filly that he believed was his daughter. Neither did any of her 'sisters'. When Sue asked for Pinkie, they simply stated that she was feeling very tired and was resting. The day passed sluggishly, as Bellamina and Isabella finished up the farm work. The overturned bowl of soup still lay on the floor, the meal now congealed and smelling. Nopony cleaned it up; why should they? It was Pinkie's fault. She should clean it up.

Yet when dinner fell, the pink pony was not present. Dinner was a simple carrot broth, thin and tasteless. Dirty bowls piled up in the sink, waiting to be washed. When the Pies retired, Pinkie crept down the stairs towards the kitchen. The mint and cucumber soup caused her to gag as she wiped it up with a napkin, throwing the soiled cloth away. After that, she moved on to the dishes, and made sure each bowl and plate sparkled. She found some leftover carrots and cucumbers, and prepared a fresh salad for herself, garnishing her dinner with a few mint leaves. It was tasty - much tastier than whatever her 'family' could concoct. After she had finished, she cleaned up after herself, like a normal pony. The moon was peeking over the edge of the horizon now. Luna did a good job tonight. The ivory light bathed the farm in a silvery, magical glow. The rocks were no longer plain old gray; they were ebony, platinum, diamond. It looked so beautiful, so serene, and so peaceful…

It reminded her of one night in Ponyville, when she was having a late night picnic with her friends. It had taken a lot of coaxing to get Rarity to give up a few hours of beauty sleep for this event, and it turned out to worth it. Sitting under the stars, snacking on moon shaped treats that Pinkie had prepared…it was perfect, a perfect way to spend the night with friends. So perfect…

The memory only depressed Pinkie more, so she turned away from the scene and made her way towards her bedroom, getting ready for bed. She hoped that her dreams would be more colorful than her world.

When morning came, the atmosphere hadn't changed. Yet…it was deadly silent. Pinkie crept down the stairs, surprised not to find Clyde at the kitchen table, chugging down his daily mug of sludge. The sink was untouched; the table was bare, except for a single piece of paper. Funny, to think all her troubles started with a single piece of paper. She walked towards it and bent down to read it:

Pinkamena,

You sisters and I have taken your mother to the doctor's for some tests. She needs a check up. That is all.

We will be back by sunset. There is a list of chores that need to be done while we are gone. I expect you to be responsible and carry them out.

Clyde Pie

Pinkie flipped the page over, revealing another sheet, a list of her chores. Pinkie groaned and began preparing her breakfast – a bowl of some surprisingly still fresh and edible Golden Grains. As she ate, her mind began to wander. Poor Sue…having to suffer…she's not going to last long, Pinkie thought.

She wasn't a foal. Pinkie knew the facts of life and death. Everypony dies at some point. It was just sad that some ponies didn't get to enjoy life. They wouldn't get to experience love, success, happiness, a smile…

A smile.

A smile!

That was it! It hit Pinkie like a flowerpot, a stack of hay, an anvil, and a grand piano. Why not throw a party for her mother so she could smile more? It was perfect, oh, so perfect! There was no time to waste. Pinkie shoved her breakfast down her throat and read over the list of her responsibilities. First, gather the rocks from the East field and stack in piles of three…easy enough. Pinkie sped out to the fields and began to work. It was time for Operation Smiley Sue, and nothing would stop her. Nothing at all! She would have to work doubly hard if she wanted to plan this party!

It took exactly 34 minutes and 19 seconds to finish that job. Of course, that was because Pinkie was on hyperactive mode. Next on the list…gather the rocks from the piles you have made and move them to the South field.

Oh, come on! Pinkie rolled her eyes. Ugh, her family was so lame. She trudged out of the house and continued to carry out her duties. By the time she was finished, sweat was drenching her pink pelt. The sun was reaching its peek. Thank Celestia there was still time left. The party pony took a quick water break, then began reading the next chore: Ensure all tools are in working condition and clean. That would be simple and fast to complete…

…If it wasn't for all the tools being rusty and chipped. Yet Pinkie pushed on; all she needed was some oil and a cloth, and those tools would be (not quite) perfect! She located them in the deep dark corners of the barn and got to work. The pile of dirty tools eventually shrunk down to only one, and soon enough, Pinkie was done. As she recalled, she only had one more job left: cleaning the family house.

And that was a perfect last job, because not only would Pinkie clean, but she would also be decorating! As quick as a certain unicorn would be if there were sales on this season's fashions, Pinkie raced into the house and began to pull out various goodies from her suitcases. Streamers, balloons, a marker and banner, party plates and cups, confetti and glitter, bright tablecloths…everything was being hung and draped and placed and thrown everywhere, turning the orderly gray living room of the Pies household into a wonderful array of colors and festivities. Now all she had to do was prepare the feast and get ready herself. Climbing up the stairs two at a time, Pinkie dug through her suitcases yet again and produced cake batter and tins, sprinkles, boxes of treats and pastries, a giant blueberry pie (how it survived all this time is still a mystery to many), and her special cupcakes. They would be especially for Sue…and nopony else. She lugged them downstairs and artfully arranged them on the tables. There. Now, to take a shower!

The water was warm and alluring, and as much as Pinkie wanted to stay and drift in her bath, letting the bubbles gently caress her legs and melt all the tension and pain in her muscles away, she had a duty to finish. A quick glance out the window indicated that it was almost sunset. It would be dinnertime soon, as well. They would be back any minute. A fluffy towel proved to be her best friend as it dried up every it of water from her coat and hair, leaving them gleaming. Her hair was still smooth and straight, framing one side of her face, yet something in the air was making it stand on end. She hoped it was a good omen.

She trotted downstairs, admiring her handiwork. The banner read 'I love you Mom' and everything was in place. Heart shaped balloons floating against the ceiling, the confetti cannons was in place and ready to be triggered by the opening door. Pinkie drew back the curtains and gasped. She could make out a small figure on the horizon. They were back!

Pinkie squeaked with excitement, and hid under the table. A nagging feeling told her that her father and sisters wouldn't be too pleased, but it would be worth the scorn and mockery when she put a smile on her dear old mother's face. She hadn't gotten a chance to see her since the soup accident, and to tell you the truth; she had almost forgotten Sue's face. She did recall having a special moment with her mother, however brief it was. Now it was time to get it back.

The door handle jiggled, and the door creaked open, letting pale sunrays into the dark room. The lights flickered on and…bam!

"Sur-PRIIISE!" yelled Pinkie, blowing through a party horn. Colorful papers burst from the cannons, showering the ponies with circles and other shapes.

"What in Equestria?" murmured Clyde, staring in horror at his living room. "Pinkamena?"

"I was just thinking, and I decided to throw a party for mom! So, where is she? What did the doctor say?" Pinkie looked over the shoulders of her sisters. "Where is she? Where's mom? Where is she? Where is she? Where is she? Where is she?"

Bellamina stepped forward and stared into Pinkie's eyes. "Pinkamena…we…we…" Tears pooled around her eyes, and spilled over the rims. "We had to…to…p-p-put her down."

Pinkie stopped. Her mind stopped. She was pretty sure her heart was stopping as well. "W-what?"

"She was euthanized…quick and painless," spoke Clyde, his voice devoid of emotion, yet his eyes were just as red as the others. "It was the only thing we could do…she was suffering."

Pinkie staggered backward before falling on her rump. It was silent…before the screaming began.

"Why didn't any of you tell me?" shrieked Pinkie, glaring at the ponies. "Why didn't you let me say good-bye to my own mother? Why do you hate me so much? Why don't you want me to be a part of this?" She dropped her head while the tears streamed down her face. "Why did you bother asking me to come when all you did was treat me like dirt?" she whispered, her voice cracking.

"Pinkamena, don't start some useless drama now," snapped Isabella, her own face contorted with sadness. "Stop being so selfish and clean up this mess."

"No."

"What? What did you say?"

Pinkie stood up, her cheeks dripping with salty droplets. "I said no. If you want something done, do it by yourself. I finally see what's wrong here. I'm not a part of this family, and I never will be. And so, with this, I bid you farewell."

Pinkie turned and stomped upstairs. She reached her room and threw open the door. The pretty rocks she had collected sat on her bedside table. With a scream, she kicked the table, knocking the rocks off. She whipped around and wiped the picture frames off the shelves, pained sobs wracking her body. She zipped up her bags and strapped them to her back.

Back downstairs, she was greeted with the scene of three strange ponies huddled together, sobbing and sniveling.

"I'm glad you're leaving," snapped Isabella. "Get out and never return."

Pinkie grinned through her tears. "That's exactly what I plan on doing."

The dusty plains of the farm were cold against her hooves. There was a chilling breeze in the air, and the moon was climbing up. There was a single star in the sky, shining brightly above the farm. It looked almost gray…like the coat color of a particular pony.

"Mother…" gasped Pinkie, dropping to her knees. "Oh…mommy…I'm so sorry. Please…forgive me."


AN: If I died, this is what it would be like. No updates. I'm sorry, I deserve a slap on my face. I recently watched The Crystal Empire and I just fell in love with ponies all over again. Cue the shipping of OCs with King Sombra...ugh. I liked his laugh though. I bought Oblivion. Woohoo! I'm so bad at it though. Pinkie is quite OOc here, isn't she? I apologize. I found a new obsession: Amy Lee. I...I...I need her. I love her. I listen to her beautiful voice all day. I'm gonna write a poem about her. I'm gonna make a fictionpress account and write poems about her. Yes I will. Any mistakes here, please point out, I'm very sleepy.