It was July 21st at 1:42 PM. After two and a half months of nonstop construction, it was finally launch day. All of Ponyville was invited to Pinkie Pie’s ‘Completing My Sister Maud’s Dreams By Launching Ourselves To The Moon’ party at Sweet Apple Acres to watch the takeoff, with even the princesses attending.
“Hello! I would like to thank you all for attending our launch day celebration!” Twilight Sparkle called as she stood upon a raised stage, using a voice amplifying spell to address the large crowd in front of her.
Twilight, Maud and Pinkie were suited into their specially designed space suits, created by Rarity of course. The suits shined brightly with a corresponding color to the pony wearing them, dark blue for Maud, pink for Pinkie and purple for Twilight.
“It has been quite the experience building this rocket for Maud. And while it may seem… rickety, it is the first rocket built in pony history, so maybe they’re supposed to look like that.” Twilight chuckled. “But through any tribulation, I’d say we came out the other side with something extraordinary. Now I think it’s time I have the floor to the brains of this operation.”
“That’s the first time I’ve heard someone other than her be called that.” Rainbow Dash snickered as she bumped Fluttershy on the shoulder.
“Hello everyone. Thank you for being here. This is truly the most exciting day of my life. I want to thank my mom and dad, my sisters, everypony that helped with construction, Princess Twilight, Princess Luna and especially my sister Pinkie Pie. I would not be standing on this stage if not for them. I’ll be sure to bring back a postcard while I’m up there. That was a joke.” Maud spoke to the crowd, Twilight using the same voice amplification so everypony could hear.
“That’s our girl!” Cloudy Quartz shouted from the audience.
“Hi mom.” Maud smiled.
“Hi ma!!” Pinkie called out.
Maud stepped back from the front of the stage and motioned towards Twilight.
“Alright everyone, it seems the time has finally arrived. We’ll see you all when we come back!” Twilight announced.
The three ponies began to board the rocket, the crowd cheering them on. Princess Luna flew up from her spot next to her sister and gracefully landed upon the stage. As the space faring mares got strapped in, Twilight made her horn glow to tell Luna they were good to go. Luna assumed her heavily practiced stance.
“Alright everypony, stand back.” Luna cautioned. She aimed her horn and enveloped the rocket in a blue glow. Before long, the rocket sparked and suddenly vanished in a flash.
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A tiny blue spark flickered on the moon’s surface before fizzling out. Then again it appeared, slowly fizzling and growing until eventually it fully expanded and popped with a splash of light. Right where the spark was lit now stood the hoofmade rocket, confirming Luna’s transport successful.
A large sliding door slowly slid upwards until it locked into place, allowing a small ramp to extend out and create a path for the mares to walk onto the moon’s ground. Twilight Sparkle began to walk down the ramp, followed by Maud walking closely behind and Pinkie bouncing out, not factoring in the lack of gravity.
Maud felt the moon beneath her hooves, staring down at it as everything around her faded out. The rough terrain almost exactly matching what she imagined it'd feel like. Maud snapped back into reality and took her eyes off the ground as she noticed something rolling off in the distance.
“This is one small trot for Equestria, one giant le- wow there’s a lot of trash here.” Twilight stopped mid sentence as she took note of all the items laying about that Luna previously tested her spell on.
“And the health inspector said MY place was dirty.” Pinkie huffed as she continued to float away.
“PINKIE!” Twilight shouted when she noticed Pinkie’s continued ascension. She quickly activated her horn and grabbed Pinkie’s tail, pulling her back down. “You’ve got to be careful Pinkie! One wrong move and you’ll be stranded in space forever.”
“That sounds fun! Not forever fun, two hours at most, but still fun!” Pinkie beamed. “Hey Maud! Do you wanna be stranded forever with… where’d she go?”
Twilight looked over her shoulder and confirmed Pinkie’s observation. Maud had completely vanished.
“Uh.. Maud? Maud, where’d you go?” Twilight called out.
“Oh no I hope she’s alright! What if a moon monster got her but we didn’t hear because you can’t hear screams in space! What if she slipped and flew away forever! What if she forgot something at home and went to go get it!” Pinkie panicked.
“Pinkie calm down, I’m sure she’s alright. She was probably just eager to explore.”
Twilight rationalized.
“Well then we better catch up!” Pinkie said as she grabbed Twilight and ran in a random direction.
“Hold on slow do-“ Twilight hurriedly tried to calm Pinkie before being pulled away.
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“Pinkie! Pinkie slow down!” Twilight chased after the crazed pie.
“MAUD!! ARE YOU DOWN THERE?!?” Pinkie screamed into a giant chasm that seemingly went down forever.
“Pinkie please listen!”
“Are you down here!?!” Pinkie called out as she looked under a pebble she picked up.
“PINKIE!” Twilight yelled.
Pinkie’s head shot up and she locked eyes with Twilight. Twilight took in a deep breath and placed a hoof on Pinkie’s shoulder.
“Pinkie. Why don’t we think rationally and check places Maud could actually fit into first.” Twilight suggested.
“Oh. Yeah, that might work.” Pinkie said.
“Yes. It would. Now, if you were Maud where would you wander off to?” Twilight asked.
“Do you want the top twenty spots or just the top five?” Pinkie asked in response.
Twilight answered her question with a mix of silence and an unimpressed look in her eyes.
“You’re right let’s just skip to number one.” Pinkie sat on her haunches and placed a hoof on her chin. “Hmm, I’d probably go to a big hole with a lot of rocks if I had to guess.”
“Doesn’t exactly narrow it down in this situation, but it’s a start. Let’s get to searching.” Twilight said as she pulled Pinkie up and traveled to the closest crater.
There was a beat of silence between the two mares until Twilight took the opportunity to get an answer to the question that’s been eating at her for a while now.
“So, Pinkie… this might be a weird question, especially from me, but do you think me and Maud are.. friends? I understand she doesn’t present her feelings like how other ponies do, but I still can’t shake the feeling there’s something not connecting between us.” Twilight admitted.
Pinkie looked at Twilight with a glare of endless regret, before promptly replacing it with a fit of uncontrolled laughter.
“Hey! I’m being serious!” Twilight huffed.
“I’m sorry! It’s just silly that you’d think you two aren’t friends.” Pinkie calmed herself and regained her composure. “I mean, Maud’s the one that said we should ask for your help from the start.”
“Wait, really?” Twilight raised a brow.
“Yeah! She said you were the only pony with the heart and dedication we could depend on, the way you never let anypony down and are always determined to give a hundred percent into everything you do. Something like that at least, she used a lot of big words.” Pinkie smiled.
“She.. she really said all of that?” Twilight asked.
“Yes.” Maud answered as she poked out of a nearby crater. “Pinkie was right though. I did use bigger words.”
“AHH!” Twilight yelped as she fell back.
“MAUD!!” Pinkie jumped forward and wrapped Maud into her tightest bear hug.
“Hello Pinkie. Sorry if I made you two worry, I saw an anorthosite rolling away and couldn’t miss my chance to meet it.” Maud explained.
“Maud, do you.. really consider us friends?” Twilight asked.
“Of course I do.” Maud confirmed with a smile.
“OhthankCelestia that is a HUGE relief.” Twilight relaxed. “Well, I’m glad to also call you my friend, Maud Pie.”
Pinkie began to tear up as she watched her Best Sister Friend Forever and her Best Pony Friend Forever finally bloom a connection.
“I just loVE YOU TWO SO MUCH!!!” Pinkie squealed as she squeezed the love out of her Best Pony Sister Friends Forever.
“We love you too, Pinkie Pie.” Twilight and Maud said in unison through bated breath.
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“Alright girls, it’s time for the exciting part of this trip. Researching!” Twilight squeed.
“I’m practically brimming with anticipation.” Maud said.
“Who knows what amazing advancements in science can be made with the samples we bring back! Oh the possibilities are endless!” Twilight beamed.
“Is this a good sample Twilight?” Pinkie asked, holding an ovoid item that seemed to have a dim green glow within it.
“Pinkie, where’d you find that?” Twilight asked.
“There’s a big pile of them right over there!” Pinkie happily answered, pointing a hoof at a nearby crater.
“I think it’d be best if we leave this.. ‘rock’ with the other ones.” Twilight awkwardly smiled.
“Eh, I thought it was neat.” Pinkie shrugged as she threw the ‘rock’ over her shoulder.
“Right… anyway, what have you found Ma-“ Twilight turned around before stopping immediately upon seeing Maud’s large array of rocks she’s already collected.
“This is the anorthosite I found earlier, It’s made of plagioclase feldspar, most of it at least, and judging by the density, is most likely an igneous rock. I also have a basalt formed from lava, it is rich in iron and magnesium in addition to plagioclase feldspar.” Maud throughly explained.
“Wow, that is.. and you.. how did you figure all that out already?” Twilight questioned.
“I can just tell.” Maud said plainly.
“Right, I probably should’ve guessed that.” Twilight figured.
As Twilight continued to ramble on with theories and studies of anything that crossed their path, Maud was quickly zoning out as she just stared at the surface she was walking upon. She had spent years fantasizing about the very moment she found herself living, and yet something still didn’t feel entirely right to her. Sure, she was on the moon, that was her ultimate goal, but it all felt fleeting.
“Heya Maud, you ok?” Pinkie leaned over to ask, noticing the look of disassociation in her sister’s eyes.
“Uh, yeah Pinkie. I’m fine.” Maud answered.
“Not so fast, don’t think I didn’t catch that! You hesitated. You never hesitate! What’s really going on?” Pinkie asked again.
“I guess I’m feeling a little.. empty. Like I’m missing something. And I think I know what my heart wants, I just don’t know if I want it.” Maud sighed.
“Well what is it? You know you can tell your lil sis anything.” Pinkie winked.
“I.. I think I want to.. stay here. For awhile at least.” Maud revealed.
“Wait.. like, here here? Like on the moon here? Like I’ll never see you again here?! Like we’ll literally be worlds apart here?!? B..but you and me and.. how will we.. I ju-“
“I know, Pinkie. It’s a lot. But.. it feels right. It makes me feel happy.” Maud smiled.
“But.. but I..” Pinkie looked at Maud and could see the sincerity behind her eyes. She was telling the truth, not that Pinkie thought her sister was lying, she was just hoping Maud was mistaken somehow. Pinkie slumped over, losing some bounce in her mane.
“But I… I guess it’s fine. If it’s gonna make you happy.” Pinkie gave a melancholy smile. “Just hope you know this means you’re getting ten times as many letters from me.”
“I don’t think the mail pony delivers this far.” Maud replied. “That was a joke.”
Pinkie laughed at Maud’s joke, regaining her energy and the poof in her hair. Regaining her composure, Pinkie put her front hooves around Maud’s shoulders, holding her close.
“I’ll be missing you, and I’ll always be loving you.” Pinkie whispered, holding back tears.
Maud placed a hoof on Pinkie’s back.
“I love you to the moon and back.”