//------------------------------// // The truth hurts // Story: Limestone and the Digging Unicorn // by Miner //------------------------------// A crash could be heard from the bathroom, which got the attention of everypony in the house. When they look at the sound, to see Limestone running out of the bathroom with a stallion they don't recognize chasing after her. They chased each other until they were outside of the house. When the ponies inside the house came outside, they see the two ponies in a tug-a-war with their hooves for something that they couldn't see. As they argue back and forth, the other ponies turn their heads side to side depending on which one was talking. "Let go!" Limestone shouted angrily to the stallion, "Are we really doing this again?" He replied with a shout of anger. "Yes, we are. And now I know why I didn't like you." "Why?" "Are you kidding me? Did you forget what you did to me already?!" "That wasn't my fault, and you know it!" "Regardless, this stone is Mine!" "No, it is mine!" "Mine!" "Mine!" "MINE!" "LIMESTONE PIE!" Igneous Rock shouted to his daughter, which stop both ponies in their tracks. They stare at each other with wide eyes and gulp. Igneous Rock just shouted at them, but it wasn't just any shout. It was the kind of shout that every child knows and fears. It is the shout a parent uses when you are in big trouble. Both ponies slowly turn their head to look at him, "Yes, dad?" Limestone replied, not letting go. "Stop this foolishness and let go of whatever you two are fighting over." He turns his attention to the other stallion, "That includes you colt." Both ponies let go of the jade stone at the same time and look to the ground in shame. Cloudy Quartz tilts her head to the side. She knew that Limestone listens to her father but was a bit surprised that it also worked on the stallion. He must have been brought up similarly to Limestone to respond the same way even though he wasn't family. She moves between them and picks up the stone to closely inspect it. "A jade stone?" She looks to her daughter, "We don't grow these stones here, Limestone. Where did you get it?" Limestone nervously looks at her mother, "I found it on the ground a long time ago, but it was stolen shortly after I found it," She frowns looking to the stallion on her left. "by him." "Is that true?" Cloudy Quartz asked the Digging Unicorn, He glares back at Limestone before lifting his head to Quartz, "I was digging for the stone first and tossed it out of the ground by mistake, and when I went to retrieve it. Limestone had got to it first." "But did you steal it from her?" "No." "Explain." "I got the stone shortly after she left it behind on the ground." This confused her. This stallion, for all she knows, could be lying to her, but so far, their stories match up except for the stallion's last comment. Uncertain, she looks to her daughter to clarify this, "Limestone. Why would you just leave a stone behind that you care for so much?" Limestone blushed a little and replied to her mother rather quickly, "I was preoccupied!" Taken back by her daughter's outburst she pushes for more information, "With what?" Limestone was looking at everything but where her mother was, "Can we change the subject?" "No." She said firmly, wanting to know the truth behind all this nonsense, "I drop the stone because he-" Limestone mumble the last words. "What was that?" "Because he- kiss me" "Speak up, dear." "It's because I kissed her." Everypony looks at the blue unicorn with a sizeable blush on his face. He composed himself and spoke up, "It was an accident. Another pony nearby shoved me into her. We kissed each other, and she dropped the stone." "But why didn't you get it after you clobbered him, Limestone?" Maud asked from the sideline of the other ponies nearby the house, "I thought you would beat up anypony that would steal your first kiss. Also, why have we never heard of this?" Every other Pie member nodded at this. A blush spread across Limestone's face. She never wanted her family to know what happened, but now that everypony in her family knows. There is no need to hide it anymore. "Because I went after the colt who made us kiss in the first place. By the time I got back, he and the stone were long gone. And I was too embarrassed to tell you guys." Cloudy Quartz nods at this and moves next to her husband, "It sounds like the stone belongs to both of you. So settle this like adults, or neither of you gets the stone." The Digging Unicorn didn't waste any time speaking up, "Miss Limestone, I will give you a thousand bits for the stone." She scoffs at him, "You could say a million bits, and I would still refuse." "Why you-" The parents cough to get his attention. He composed himself and tried again, "What would it take for you to give up ownership of the stone?" She puts a hoof to her chin, thinking about it. True, she never thought of ever giving up the stone, but something about this situation intrigues her. Making her open to negotiation, "An apology would be a good start," A smug grin spreads across her face, "And for you to say that it was mine first." The Digging Unicorn grits his teeth and hits the ground making sizeable cracks form from the impact zone. He lets out a low growl trying to calm himself. He looks to the parents, "I will fix it later." turning to face Limestone, "So an apology is what it will take for you to give me the stone?" "And I want you to kiss my hoof." "Limestone!" Her mother said, "Sorry," Limestone coughs, "Okay, forget that last part. But I still want to hear you say it." He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, "I am sorry." "What was that?" She said with a grin on her face and leans in close to him, "I am sorry." "Sorry I didn't catch that," She puts a hoof to her ear, "Could you speak up louder?" "I am sorry! I stole your stone when you weren't looking!" He shouts at her making her mane fly and her ears hurt. As she rubs her ears, as the stallion huffs at her, "Happy?" "Quite, and don't forget the bits." The Digging Unicorn uses his magic to get the stone from the mother and pulls the cloak to him she brought from the house, "You will receive your payment in due time. Red Comet, we are leaving!" He said, putting on his cloak and grabbing the toolbelt he left outside the house. "But I haven't finished-" "Now!" He said, putting the stone inside his cloak, pulling out his tools with his magic, and glaring at Limestone "Out of the mares I ever had to deal with. You are the second most infuriating one I had the displeasure to deal with. Don't expect anything from me in the future, Limestone." "I doubt that I would need it." Limestone watches as both stallions go into the ground as the Digging Unicorn makes a new tunnel for them. Limestone smiles to herself, so she didn't get the stone, but she got something even better than it. She got self-satisfaction and a side of bits to go with it. It made her feel very happy, which she lost instantly when she looked at her father and saw the anger and disappointment in his eyes. "What?" "Filly, you have no idea the damage you just caused with that stallion." "What do you mean?" "Limestone," Cloudy Quartz spoke up, "That was the pony known as The Digging Unicorn. He is head of the stonework production in Canterlot. He specializes in finding rare and valuable gems all across Equestria. And has enough bits to buy a city if he wants to. And he was going to be a new customer of the Rock Farm and expand our business to Yakyakistan with a multi-million-bit contract. We were going to discuss the terms of the deal after dinner. And you made him destroy his pride to get his most precious stone back." Limestone's eyes grew, and her mouth dropped as her mother explained how vital that stallion would be to the rock farm. "What?" she said dumbly, "We will discuss this later, everypony," The father said, "For now, I believe everypony need to cool off and think about what has happened. In the morning, I will try to talk to him again to see if there is any way for us to continue our business with him." "What?" "Maud, help your sister to her room." The mom said, "I think she is out of it." Maud nods at this and pushes her sister into the house. "What?" Meanwhile, down in the mines in a safe area, Red Comet looks concerned to his friend. "You okay there?" "Never better," he said over his shoulder, Comet sighs at this and steps in front of him, stopping him in his tracks, "Look. I know that you are upset with what happened earlier. But if you continue acting like this. I will pull you out of these tunnels and drop you in a lake to cool off." The Digging Unicorn sighs at this and looks down in shame, "Sorry, Comet." "It is alright." He hugs his friend on the side. "You had a bad day it happens to all of us." They shared a hug and broke off to begin their work when Comet spoke up, "SO, how was it?" "How was what?" "You know the kiss. You never told me that you kissed a mare before." The Digging Unicorn let out a sigh and look at him, "You know what, because you calm me down. I will give you a three-second head start." He said, lifting a small pile of pink rocks behind him with his magic. Comet sees this and slowly backs away. "Hay, hay, not Corundum that hurts." "Two." "Hay, come on, I was just teasing." "One." "You will never get me!" He shouts, sprinting down a tunnel with the rocks following after him. "You are a pain in the flank, but you somehow always know how to make me smile." "Now, if I can only stop you from hurting me. That would be GREAT!"