//------------------------------//
// Matters of the Heart 
// Story: Pinkie Pie's Number One Fan 
// by CapNTilfy 
//------------------------------//

Pinkie Pie and Star Tracker walked to the side of her house. Gathering up his courage, Star Tracker slowly turned around to face Pinkie, who had her back turned to him. He could hear a barely audible sigh. "Pinkie...I-" He began, before being cut off.

"I know you have a crush on me." She said, plain as day. "I've seen the looks you've given me when you think I'm not looking, and I recognize them because I've seen them on the faces of my friends." 

Star Tracker's eyes widened and his jaw dropped. He stood in place, stammering.

Pinkie slowly turned around, revealing a tearful face. She walked over to Star Tracker, and put her hands on his shoulders. "Star Tracker." She said, tears streaming down her eyes. "You seem like a great person, but..." She trailed off and sniffled. "I-I think we should just be friends, okay?"

Star Tracker blinked as several emotions hit him all at once. Sadness, loneliness, frustration and confusion battled for dominance over him, with confusion being the victor. "I...I don't understand. If you're turning me down, then why are you crying?"

Pinkie Pie looked straight into Star Tracker's eyes. "Because I like making people happy. And this is the first time I've ever had to make someone sad."

Star Tracker averted his gaze from Pinkie. "I...I see." He said, feeling a lump in his throat as Pinkie took her hands off of his shoulders. "Well then." His voice began to quaver. "Thank you for at least hearing me out." A car pulled up near the driveway. Pinkie held back her tears as she watched Star Tracker enter the car, then watched it speed away.

Pinkie's hair went completely flat, and she walked back inside the house. She closed the door and locked it, then walked into the living room where her sister Maud was waiting.

"Are you okay, Pinkie?" Maud asked. Summoning all of her willpower not to run over to her, Pinkie walked to the couch and sat next to her sister. Without any warning, she shot towards Maud and hugged her tightly, bursting into tears.

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It had taken a while for Pinkie to calm down. Fortunately, Maud was the patient type. Once she had no more tears left in her, she shuddered. "That was the hardest thing I ever had to do." She said, barely at an indoor voice level of volume.

"But you had to do it." Said Maud.

Pinkie looked at her sister.

"Pinkie Pie, heartbreak is a part of life." Said Maud. "There will be times you'll have to break a heart, and there will be times your heart will be broken. It can be a painful experience for both parties involved, but it's also an essential experience." She cupped Pinkie's chin. "It's part of growing up, and like growing up everybody goes through it." 

Pinkie sniffled. "You're right, Maud. Thanks for the talk. I really needed it." Pinkie hugged Maud tightly and her hair bounced back to its state of poofiness.