Limestone Pie: a 20-year-old homeschool graduate who can't imagine life outside of working her father's quarry.
Flash Sentry: an 18-year-old senior at Canterlot High with no bloody clue what he wants to do in life.
On the surface, these two seem like an unlikely pairing. But when a chance encounter over heavy music pulls them into an unexpected love triangle, the pair find a spark of attraction that rocks.
An early version of chapter 2 appeared in the November 2015 Writeoff, "Like the World Is Ending." Custom cover art by Captain Wuzz! Pre-reading by Dubs Rewatcher, 621Chopsuey, and Soufriere! Featured on Equestria Daily 25Apr.2017! 
Also featured by Seattle’s Angels! 
And at long last, featured on FimFiction 06Jun.2019! 
Chapters (13)
Huh. Not only is this a novel pairing, an engaging read, and a nice break from princesses behaving badly, it also has elements of a Writeoff I missed. Lovely.
Definitely looking forward to more.
Yay! It's finally coming out! I've so been looking forward to this one. One of the most interesting pairings I've ever seen.
This is pretty good. I'm keeping my eye on this one.
Did..did Maud just shipped her own sister?!
Cadence would be so proud!
Soufriere sent me to check out this story. Does he get a commission or something?
8038103 You're too kind.
I hope today's updates live up to expectations.
8038112 Your confidence gives me strength!
8038511 Wonderful to hear, and thank you. We'll start to get into the thick of things with today's chapters.
8039203 Well, it'll turn out to be a little messier than that. Have a look at chapter 3 in a bit here.
8039214 Awesome.
Yes, we have a profit sharing system worked out with all these sweet, sweet Horse Bucks. 
I like this Maud.
I am the fish. This story is a hook.
I am going to spend my last moments being photographed by people as I gasp for air.
Also, I am hooked.
Not to nitpick, but is this perhaps supposed to be amused? Because bemused means confused, bewildered, lost in thought or preoccupied.
s6.postimg.org/5ul2jmext/continue_Monkey.jpg
AHAHAHA! Oh, that was good! I like this story a lot already! Though I have to say...why does this have 3 downvotes?! This is great!
8040323 Thank you for pointing that out. I had three editors, two rounds of editing, countless times going over it myself, and yet things still can get missed.
Why does he sound like he's Amish?
8040422 That would probably be because he's Amish.
I'm even more interested now. Please continue.
8040435
There are two more chapters slated to go up later today, three more tomorrow, and... I forget the rest of the schedule, but the nice thing here is that it's all written, so it's just a matter of hitting the post button.
8040362
Yes sir, ma'am sir!
8040251
8040264
Delightful to hear! I hope the rest does not disappoint.
8040415 Thank you! I've been wondering about that myself. Without intending any sour grapes toward readers who might legitimately find the story wanting, I've known since day 1 that I was facing an uphill battle by casting everyone's least favorite blue-haired waifu stealer as a romantic lead. But I believe even more strongly that he's the right choice for this story, and I hope to bring people around by the end.
8040422
8040424
All I can say is that he talks that way in Hearthbreakers, so I made him talk that way here as well. But the things he says are actually pretty normal for the most part; it's just that he says them in an unusual way.
8040594 I hate to say it but those downvotes are probably people who didn't even read the story.
8040594 Yes! I'm so excited.
You missed a golden opportunity to use "begat" here.
"Especially when she becomes like unto a wild horse herself."
"Yeah, the whole mutation thing's kinda weird."
In any case, interesting to see Limestone already have some glimmer of sympathy for Flash. That could develop into something much greater.
Also, I can understand how this is progress for Muad, but it's still kind of creepy.
8040641 Maud has always been best creepy pony. You just usually don't realize it.
8040641 Of course. I totally should have used "begat." Wasted opportunity!
I may have to go back and put that in. Also:
8040669
An inevitable part of being a dad is giving out advice. That doesn't always mean it's good advice, mind you. Sometimes things can backfire even if you have the best intentions...
Maud likes Flash, too? Does he have a thing for older girls!?
8040722 True. Very true.
8040723 I think older girls have a thing for him actually.
8040723 Fundamentally, the story asks readers to accept one bit of background headcanon: Maud nursed a crush on Flash for a couple years in high school but never acted on it. Flash himself was with Sunset for however long, and likely didn't break things off with her until after Maud had graduated. There's some other headcanon floating around in here, but the bottom line is that if you can accept that one, not much else should faze you.
Does Flash have a thing for older girls? I dunno.
Probably not necessarily. Some of the roots of this story come from my wife and I's relationship, where we met pretty young and she was a couple years older than me, which of course is a much bigger deal when you're young than when you're not. In that case, she was the right person even though our ages didn't quite line up. So in this case, I'd say that age is a factor that they'll have to deal with eventually, but it's neither a specific turn-on nor an insurmountable impediment.
8040594 - I was disappointed to see the early downvotes as well, but, like you said, it's the risk a writer takes when they cast Little Boy Blue in a lead role, especially if it's romance. I worried the same thing when I wrote my Flash story, and in the extremely likely event I put him in another story I expect it to happen again. A shame, really, as I enjoyed writing him.
I'll take the blame for the lack of "begat". I did a lot of checking and tweaking of Igneous Rock's KJV-style speech and, even though I tried to do the research, my Bible-speak is certainly not up to snuff (I feel particularly dumb as I read Matthew 1 in a previous life, so I should have caught that).
8039214 - Like Coffee said, wonderful horsebucks
(legal tender only in Equestria). On a more serious note, he asked me to help with this story, and I ended up penning a one-shot story about burritos in return.
8040759 I don't mind if the couple is five years or even eight years apart, but I do care if a ship has a very significant age difference like one of those marriages from the Middle East.
I present to you: Pinkie, the Master of Subtlety.
That was funny and I'm already liking the dynamic here. Flash takes the 'abuse' of Limestone and isn't a womanizer or a wimp about it. He just accepts it and is cool about it. Smooth guy. I like this.
Depends on what kind of lime we're talking about. Still, cracking a joke is definitely a positive sign.
Limestone may scowl, but she wants this to work on a subconscious level. She's making so many Freudian slips, it's like she's walking on especially phallic banana peels. Here's hoping she doesn't sabotage herself irreparably.
Great keep going.
I have crossed out that which should not be.
8040196
8040796
I predict that one day HorseBucks will be the single world currency!
...or DogeCoins. That wud be awesome!
8040594
he certainly did NOT live up to expectations as stealing all the waifus, as word is Twilight will make very few future EG appearances, SciTwi has made it clear she doesn't like him (im more angry at Timber 
), and his dealings with Sunset are cordial at best. He serves as a plot device, like any other secondary character who gets a featured role from time to time.
i cant figure out why people still hate on Brad.
And readers who downvote just because of his presence is silly. There's some of the Mane6 or other popular pones im not crazy about (who i won't mention here so as not to cause a brouhaha), but im not gonna offhandedly (offhoofedly?) dismiss a story just cuz theyre in it.
Some people are just dumb as fabric
Well if theres anyone who can raise Flashy's rep, its Limestone. And if people dont like it... she'll make them regret it
Oh, and regarding Flash and older ladies, don't forget that Sunset is also several years older than her human-high-schooler status indicates. I don't remember if that's canon, but it's certainly the accepted theory.
So yah, seems like Brad's favorite team is the Cougars
8041126 FixXxed!
8041173 ...
It's like you want me to go all Limestone Pie on your favorite possessions.
Rock On! YEAH!!!
That was great. Continue.
Though I have to say, this story is coming out really fast. Three chapters in a day? Wow...not that I'm complaining.
Also, please tell me this eventually happens but with Flash included:
derpicdn.net/img/view/2015/10/28/1011170__safe_artist-colon-underpable_limestone+pie_marble+pie_maud+pie_pinkie+pie_badass_band_bracelet_drums_electric+guitar_flying+v_fuck+yeah_grin_g.jpeg
8040607 It's possible, but I'm not gonna spend time worrying about it. I'mma go write the best story I can and trust it'll come out in the wash.
(And I'll beg people to read it. I'm willing to do that too.)
8040796 Naw, don't worry about it. I was impressed as it is that you actually dug in and checked on the proper KJV styling. I was just eyeballing it based on what I've picked up in church over however many years. We've been going to a much more contemporary place these last few years, so my ear for it is getting rusty.
8040835
It does take a detour over the next couple chapters, but it all makes sense in the end.
8041596
The good news is that if it's worked for you thus far, the rest will probably not disappoint.
8041782 Well now I'm curious. I'm definitely reading the next chapter.
8041782 Well, at least make sure that what I commented earlier happens. You know, the one with the image.
8041733
8041987
I've never seen that picture before and I have no idea what you're talking about.
vintage.ponychan.net/chan/files/src/135074837872.png
8040804 Also, I love this comment. Yes, as I see it he has goodness and strength that compliment his flaws. And he's flawed, don't get me wrong; he's clearly prone to falling hard, fast, and easily.
8040824 Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. Probably not here, though. Definitely not in Maud's poetry.
8041156 They're either his favorite team, or he's their favorite cheerleader.
8041188 I say thee neigh, t'was a reference to the 1997 Metallica track "Fixxxer", which wasn't terrible compared to some of the other stuff on Reload. It's like there was one album's worth of strong material spread out across Load and Reload. But I digress.
8042210 Thanks.
And I'm loving this story. Please keep it going!
That was an amazing Pinkie Pie on all levels. There is as much darkness as light in the Pink. And yeah, all of the Pie siblings seem to have some degree of emotional imbalance. Though that could be nurture as much as nature; not exactly the most demonstrative household to grow up in.
I also really like Sunset's wisdom here. This is wisdom earned from experience, and the bit at the end keeps her from seeming impossibly perfect. Still, I think Princess Celestia would be very proud if she could see Sunset right now.
(Also, Platinum's Secret is one of the better EQG name-brand puns I've ever heard. I may need to
stealborrow that should the right circumstances come up.)Pinkie is trying really hard to beat Maud as my favorite character in this. That was funny!
gifsec.com/wp-content/uploads/GIF/2014/04/oh-yeah-reaction-gif.gif
This story keeps getting better and better. Keep going.
8043114 Glad to hear it! There are 4 more chapters to go...
8043001
8042881 I'm glad that Pinkie came across well. Ditto about the issues that the sisters all suffer from. Nature or nurture is an interesting question there. I don't necessarily have a definitive answer, though I have some thoughts about the family's dynamics that are hinted at in tomorrow's chapter. One thing I'll say is that the way the family is characterized in this is intended to be consistent with their portrayal in Baby Limestone Rides To War even though the stories are set in different universes. There are even some random details shared by both stories, such as Igneous liking coffee and Limestone hating it but wanting to try to like it because he likes it.
Pie family headcanon is something I find fun to pick at now that I've gotten started.
I think a sequel to this would be an even harder sell than this already is, but I'd enjoy coming back and doing more with the famiily at some point.
As for Sunset: I think it's fun to ponder if her pony form has become that of an alicorn following the events of the first 3 movies. Celestia likely wouldn't have chosen her if she didn't have the potential in her, and she certainly grew a lot to be able to demonstrate the level of wisdom and confidence she had during LoE.
Ah yes, and Platinum's Secret was just too perfect.
Stealborrow away.