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BerryPAWNCH — Family Reunion: The Smarty Pants Finale

#cute #daughter #family #plushie #reunion #toy #goodytwoshoes #smartypants #twilightsparkle #babyknowitall #mylittleponyfriendshipismagic #flashsentry
Published: 2016-10-13 02:47:59 +0000 UTC; Views: 61751; Favourites: 996; Downloads: 230
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Description Be sure to check out 's fiction based on this very comic!
www.fimfiction.net/story/34761…

Part 1:


Part 2:


And here we are at the end of Twilight and Smarty Pants' journey...and at 25 panels in total, what a way to end it!  Smarty has been revived and now gets a new start on a new life with her childhood friend and mother figure...and now she has a whole new family and a couple of new friends to share some good times with!  It's a bit surreal to see something I've been working on for so long finally come to a conclusion, and even better to see this whole series end on a note that started out with tears of sadness and ended with tears of joy.  What a trip this has been, and thanks to everyone who enjoyed this little mini-series!

I've made a point of having each of these end on a profound and thought provoking description to top them off.  There was a lot of life experience and meaning I tried to include in the last two, to the point that I really can't think of much to add to the discussion of valuing friends and family that I haven't already talked about.  But there is one thing I'd like to end it on, and that's how it felt create and ultimately finish this whole thing.

I've often read a lot of comics and ongoing projects here on DeviantArt, as well as numerous comics throughout the Internet.  One thing I've always wondered was how people even work up the patience and motivation to work through demanding and time-intensive projects like webcomics.  For most of this comic I wasn't sure what motivated me to push through it at times...and I'll admit there were times I wanted to throw my hands up and quit altogether.  This was, after all, a conclusion that was never meant to be drawn.  I meant for the whole series to conclude after the first comic, with everyone hopefully gaining a new appreciation for their childhood and the friends they played with...and judging from the reactions I got, its purpose was definitely achieved in that respect, and so the series could have ended right there.

But then something happened.  I got a ton of comments begging for a happy ending and expressing sorrow for little old Smarty Pants.  The more I read them, the more emotionally attached I got to Smarty Pants.  Suddenly I wanted her to have a happy ending, and couldn't just leave it at the tragic fate that befell her at the end of the first comic.  I wondered how I could possibly end it on a happy note and mentally juggled Smarty's happiness with the sheer effort it would take two put out two more EXTREMELY time intensive comics just like the first one...including this finale, by far the longest of all three.

In the end, I decided I would give it a go.  I wanted to challenge myself to give Smarty an uplifting and happy ending that she deserved, because I grew attached to her so much as a character.  I felt I had created something...someONE truly special, and wanted the best for her, even if it meant sacrificing a lot of time and effort, and pushing aside a ton of ideas I've really been wanting to get done to do so.  As I'm sure everyone who has patiently stuck with me throughout this comic realized, this turned out to be a very long project in the making, and by far the most ambitious thing I've completed so far.  I've ended a former tragedy on an uplifting note, and I'm sure many will appreciate that Smarty Pants got the happy ending she was looking forward to.

It's a rather bittersweet feeling, knowing I won't be drawing any more of this series, and that something I've been artistically inspired to do for so long has finally been brought to an uplifting conclusion. I guess it's common for artists to feel this way, experiencing a sense of creative emptiness or perhaps exhaustion after completing a huge ambitious project, and then asking themselves, "What's next?"  I feel as though a miles-high mountain I've been struggling to climb for months has finally been conquered, yet now I wonder what other mountains there are for me to climb.

There are a couple ideas I've been juggling in my head for a while.  So far the biggest one is a webcomic about the adventures of Princess Berry Punch, this Princess of the Almighty Bottle from way back when:



But that's a story for another update.

In the meantime, I would like to say my final thanks now that this series has concluded:

Thank you to Twilight, for coming around and reuniting with your childhood friend, and giving her a new start on a new life.

Thank you to Spike and the Elements of Harmony, for growing up with Twilight and providing her the circle of friends and support network to see her through all times good and bad.

Thank you to Twilight's rockstar husband Flash Sentry and their daughter Starwish, for reminding Twilight of the importance of being there for your family and spending quality time together.

Thank you to Smarty Pants, for inspiring me to embrace the challenge of writing and drawing a comic as ambitious as this, providing me the opportunity to learn and grow as an artist in ways I never thought possible.

Thank you to Goody Two Shoes and Baby Know It All, you adorably wacky little Study Buddies you.

And finally, my biggest thank you to every one of you who commented, faved, and shared this little labor of love of mine, and provided me with the support that powered me through to the end.  I don't think I could have finished something this lengthy and ambitious if it wasn't for all your words of encouragement and appreciation.  You are what made this comic happen, you are the people who inspire me to contribute works like this, and I am deeply grateful for all the great support you've shown me throughout this project, and indeed, ever since that shaky day several years ago when I was browsing this site and wondering if I did indeed have what it took to even start a gallery here on DA.  Meeting all of you online and in person was well worth it...and man has all of it been a trip.

From all of us here at the Sparkle and Friends household...stay classy, everybody.

Related content
Comments: 351

Draco-Kitsune [2023-01-02 14:32:38 +0000 UTC]

👍: 2 ⏩: 0

audaekkusu [2022-11-12 22:53:51 +0000 UTC]

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

eta-gamma-14 [2022-08-03 14:42:14 +0000 UTC]

👍: 1 ⏩: 0

tfpandora [2022-07-11 17:44:24 +0000 UTC]

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

j-mike [2022-05-15 01:34:04 +0000 UTC]

👍: 1 ⏩: 0

goldorakx69 [2021-07-26 06:09:33 +0000 UTC]

👍: 3 ⏩: 1

tfpandora In reply to goldorakx69 [2022-06-30 18:33:25 +0000 UTC]

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

ilubatar [2021-05-06 03:45:41 +0000 UTC]

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

AJthekeldeo101 [2021-04-07 22:37:48 +0000 UTC]

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

FlareEmerald77 [2020-06-02 00:27:55 +0000 UTC]

👍: 2 ⏩: 1

BerryPAWNCH In reply to FlareEmerald77 [2020-06-02 21:41:54 +0000 UTC]

👍: 3 ⏩: 1

FlareEmerald77 In reply to BerryPAWNCH [2020-06-02 21:49:44 +0000 UTC]

👍: 2 ⏩: 0

StrandedGeek [2020-04-20 22:01:51 +0000 UTC]

I thought of this comic today again, having recently lost of a lot of my stuffed friends including my childhood teddy bear who was very much like the Smartypants to my Twilight due to mildew & major cleaning out of my home for heat treating, yeah it's invoking some feels for me in a different way.  sigh...

👍: 2 ⏩: 1

BerryPAWNCH In reply to StrandedGeek [2020-04-21 00:23:15 +0000 UTC]

I'm very sorry to hear that...it's very tragic to think of the life experiences shared with imaginary friends only to lose them due to circumstances beyond your control.  I remember many friends I had lost to similar circumstances, though nothing as intensive maintenance-wise as a heat treating for mildew...and I regret that I don't often have many Smarty Pants in my life as I used to.  Imagination and creativity can be tough things to maintain the older one gets, it seems.

👍: 2 ⏩: 0

BrightBulb13 [2019-11-05 01:22:49 +0000 UTC]

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

BerryPAWNCH In reply to BrightBulb13 [2020-03-19 22:21:26 +0000 UTC]

Thanks a bunch!  I was pretty surprised that Twi actually ended up being in a similar-ish role!  Even more so that the rest of the mane six didn't become alicorns like I'd been thinking/hoping...but I did like that the show ended on such a high note. 

Flash would make an awesome guitarist...and their entire family would have awesome rock and roll hijinks in between all the Equestrian office work

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

Shredder1004 [2019-09-16 10:56:35 +0000 UTC]

Dah feels, dah feels, oh my god dah feels.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

BerryPAWNCH In reply to Shredder1004 [2020-03-19 22:19:17 +0000 UTC]

Thanks Shredder, glad this one had a profound impact with you!

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Shredder1004 In reply to BerryPAWNCH [2020-04-14 14:51:55 +0000 UTC]

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

fanfics4ever [2019-04-24 02:35:49 +0000 UTC]

why does flash dress like Thor?

👍: 1 ⏩: 1

BerryPAWNCH In reply to fanfics4ever [2019-05-11 17:42:20 +0000 UTC]

He...rocks out in an electrifying style, would be my guess?  Dunno why I gave him that outfit really, just thought it looked cool on him at the time.  D:

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

fanfics4ever In reply to BerryPAWNCH [2019-05-11 20:03:03 +0000 UTC]

he's a Rockstar and not a guard?

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

goldorakx69 [2019-01-23 02:34:11 +0000 UTC]

everytime i see this comic to the part 1/3 to the part 3/3 i cry of happyness! i love this comic! i


i am sorry for my english!

👍: 0 ⏩: 2

Battle765 In reply to goldorakx69 [2019-03-22 14:38:01 +0000 UTC]

*tearful eyes* I love this ending. *Sniff* 

👍: 1 ⏩: 1

goldorakx69 In reply to Battle765 [2019-03-23 09:48:30 +0000 UTC]

yeah and twilight can flash doll plus the one of thier dauther! is so cute! 

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Battle765 In reply to goldorakx69 [2019-04-10 11:15:56 +0000 UTC]

Indeed

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

BerryPAWNCH In reply to goldorakx69 [2019-03-20 00:41:51 +0000 UTC]

Thank you very much Goldorak!  I'm glad the impact has stuck with you for such a long time

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

goldorakx69 In reply to BerryPAWNCH [2019-03-20 05:28:47 +0000 UTC]

you are welcome! hey if you make a other story like this , give a the news and i will show it and give what i think and i hope is will be good! Twilight is favourite Alicorn Princess and in the mane 6, oh and i like fluttershy and Pinkie pie but i hate this stupid serie call cupcake, use the born name of Pinkie pie(Pinkamena Diana Pie) as evil persona, were she got only one! i can't never call her by her born name wont hear Pinkamena turn pony to Cupcake plus i look cupcake the same way i use to be! Thanks of them!*i want say some bad but i will not*

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

GiovannaBolo [2018-12-16 01:44:07 +0000 UTC]

Congratulations. You make me cry.  
I even cried for your description(text part)! How is this possible?
This comic strip hit me inside my heart. I found it fascinating,a masterpiece! You got Twlight's toy, and I like him so much. That´s a shame that he was not mentioned in the series anymore.
It reminded me a lot of Toy Story.



////thanks for the story,i am happy.
 




-------sorry my english.

👍: 1 ⏩: 1

BerryPAWNCH In reply to GiovannaBolo [2019-03-20 00:41:26 +0000 UTC]

Thank you Giovanna!  I'm glad it had the impact that it did, considering the entire series was meant to pay respect to all the friends I had as a kid that I wish I never abandoned.

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

rds98 [2018-11-27 04:22:37 +0000 UTC]

Just because you enter the adult world, doesn't mean you have to forget the good things about childhood.

👍: 2 ⏩: 2

BerryPAWNCH In reply to rds98 [2019-03-20 00:34:34 +0000 UTC]

Very much agreed.  The hardest part of being an adult is realizing that it's okay to be a kid once in a while.

👍: 2 ⏩: 1

rds98 In reply to BerryPAWNCH [2019-03-20 01:39:07 +0000 UTC]

As long as you don't neglect the progress of humanity. 

👍: 1 ⏩: 0

MillenniumShadow In reply to rds98 [2018-12-09 18:46:21 +0000 UTC]

Yeah, but living the adult life can make you forget what you loved and held sacred as a child.

I believe the reason why we don't want to "grow up" is because we're scared of abandoning what we enjoyed as a kid and living a life where all you had worry about was having fun and transitioning to a dehumanizing and unfulfilling lifestyle were you're just an expendable pawn and a money slave, if we're honest...

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

ColonelBSacquet In reply to MillenniumShadow [2019-01-09 20:39:20 +0000 UTC]

"I believe the reason why we don't want to "grow up" is because we're scared of abandoning what we enjoyed as a kid"


Too damn right, me man.

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

chefmac10 [2018-10-23 01:39:52 +0000 UTC]

It takes the smallest story to hit the heart the hardest. Well done, you really know how to tug at the heart strings don't you?

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

BerryPAWNCH In reply to chefmac10 [2019-03-20 00:34:03 +0000 UTC]

Thank you Chefmac!  This was a fun little experiment in storytelling and I wanted to pay tribute to all the toys I grew up with that I lost somewhere later in life...an even worse fate than Smarty Pants and I kind of get misty eyed thinking of it now.  I'm glad you enjoyed this work, it sounds like it had quite an impact. 

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

TheLostPikachu [2018-10-21 15:36:49 +0000 UTC]

Omgggggg my heart!!!!!!! 😭

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

BerryPAWNCH In reply to TheLostPikachu [2019-03-20 00:19:51 +0000 UTC]

Thank you Lost Pikachu, I am glad you found this touching

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

Royal900 [2018-10-21 00:15:54 +0000 UTC]

Woow..

So cute nwn

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

BerryPAWNCH In reply to Royal900 [2019-03-20 00:19:25 +0000 UTC]

Thank you Royal!

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

SmilesPerHour [2018-10-21 00:10:02 +0000 UTC]

Okay, you win. You can have my heart. Keep it. You earned it. <3

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

BerryPAWNCH In reply to SmilesPerHour [2019-03-20 00:19:17 +0000 UTC]

Thank you!  I hope you have another to give to another new friend you make someday too

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

SmilesPerHour In reply to BerryPAWNCH [2019-03-20 00:44:46 +0000 UTC]

Thank you, my heart keeps growing back so I can share them with my friends

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

The1King [2018-10-20 23:57:26 +0000 UTC]

 

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

BerryPAWNCH In reply to The1King [2019-03-20 00:18:12 +0000 UTC]

Ah, Kill la Kill, always the source of delightfully adorable (even though sad in this case) GIFs.  <3

Or...at least I THINK that's KLK.  XD

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

PurpleAmesty [2018-09-07 15:59:05 +0000 UTC]

Here comes the water works...
This touched right there in my childhood when my dearest friend was a plushie duck <3
We went through so much when I was growing up and discovering the world... I wish I could do like Twilight and have my toy back... <3
Thanks for the memories

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

BerryPAWNCH In reply to PurpleAmesty [2019-03-20 00:16:46 +0000 UTC]

I get a little misty-eyed myself thinking about all the old friends left behind as well...sorry for your duck friend man.  I'm glad this turned out touching for you though

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

avonacolyte [2018-07-26 07:53:46 +0000 UTC]

This series is technically and imaginatively excellent. Well done, it moved me. 

One question: I can't work out what A.B. stands for. Could you explain?

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

BerryPAWNCH In reply to avonacolyte [2018-07-27 05:11:31 +0000 UTC]

Thank you very much Avonacolyte!  Glad you enjoyed this little experiment I had in more serious work. 

A.B. stands for After Banishment...it's a kind of weird choice I had to identify years in Equestria, and stands for "After Banishment" when Luna was first banished to the moon.  Probably not my wisest of choices in retrospect, since naming them that would constantly remind Celestia of her past mistakes especially now that Luna is back...but it was just the first thing that came to mind.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1


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