//------------------------------// // Score Three // Story: Troubles By The Score // by ADRNEL //------------------------------// Maude managed to find Sugarcube Corner with little trouble, she knocked on the door. The door was soon answered by Mr Cake. They just quietly stared at each other for a moment. "Pinkie!" yelled the stallion. "Your sister is here!" No answer. "She must be in her room doing her work-out routine...it's upstairs, third door to the left." stated Mr. Cake as he showed Maude inside. "Thank you, this is a very nice establishment you have here." noted the gray mare as she looked around inside. She quickly made her way upstairs, she did not bother to engage in small talk or any of the other pleasantries, she was here for one reason, and that was to see her sister. She reached Pinkie's room and heard work-out music from the other side, she opened the door just a crack to see Pinkie, in her work-out clothes, doing aerobics, cardio and dancing. "Oh yeah! Feel that cupcake burn away." exclaimed Pinkie to herself. The work-out music soon ended. "That was fun! Can't wait to do it again next week!" Maude decided that it was a great moment to enter. "Uh...hello?" dryly stated the gray mare to her pink coated sister. Pinkie turned around and saw, to her surprise, her sister. She gasped. "Maude! OH MY GOODNESS!" quickly ran up and hugged her. Maude showed a bit of shock and surprise on her face, but not much, from the tight hug. "Hey sister." "It's really really you! You came all this way to visit me!" Pinkie was super giddy and hyper. She still had energy even after breaking a sweat during her exercise. "Just thought I'd come over and visit you seeing as you visited me last time with you friends." Maude stated as Pinkie stopped her hug so she can let her sister breathe. "It is so super-duper that you did! So how's the family? How are our other siblings? How's the rock farm? Boulder?" she asked quickly. "Pretty well, doing good, off-season and a bit under the weather." the gray mare answered all of the questions in one sentence. "That's awesome! Tell them I said that Pinkie loves them and misses them so much!" "I will." "Oooh....I almost forgot! Something amazing happened to me since we last saw each other!" exclaimed Pinkie as she literately ripped off her work-out clothes in a fit of boundless energy from here sister being here. "Uh...what was it?" Maude, emotionless, asked. "I have a very super special special-somepony!" she excitedly announced. "Wow...that's awesome." a small tiny smile formed on Maude's lips. "IT IS!" Pinkie gasped. "I'm going to visit him and his friends to Ponytones rehearsal later when I deliver them their deserts!" "I would be glad to meet this special somepony of yours. I always thought you would scare away stallions with your...impossible...behavior." on the inside, the gray mare was proud of her sister. "OH COOL! Then let's go! The cakes are almost done!" Pinkie grabbed Maude's hoof and dragged her downstairs. "Okay...break time...rest your voices everyone!" Rarity announced to her group mates, Toe-Tapper, Big Mac and Torch Song. The three ponies dispersed as they went on break. Toe-Tapper and Torch Song began a conversation, while Mac began to read his magazine. "So, Mac darling," began Rarity as she sat next to Mac. "how are things between you and Pinkie going?" "Goin' good so far." Mac simply answered. "Yeah, I never seen Pinkie so happy...well...more happier, if that was possible." chuckled the mare. As if right on cue, Pinkie busted through the door and zoomed in. "Snacks are here!" announced the pink pony. "Pinkie never misses a cue." smiled Rarity at her friend. Pinkie sat the food up on a nearby table, as Maude calmly walked in. Maude's eyes briefly went wide when she saw...him "There he is...that stallion with great genetics...stay cool Maude." she said in her mind. Maude just took a deep breath before calmly walking up to Pinkie and the members of the Ponytones. "Oh Maude...it is nice to meet you again." greeted Rarity. "The same...how's Tom?" asked the gray mare. Rarity immediately blushed. "Who's Tom?" asked Toe-Tapper. "Uh...no one important." nervously blushed the unicorn. "Just an old one flame from several years ago." took Maude to the side. "No one must ever know that I once dry humped a rock." she whispered to the gray pony. "I dry humped rocks many times, there's no shame in that." "Just don't tell anyone...it's between you, me and my friends." instructed the unicorn. Maude just nodded. "Oh Mackie!" chimed Pinkie as she trotted over to Big Mac. "How's practice going my super special special-somepony?" Maude's ears perked up and her eyes briefly went wide in shock. "That's her special-somepony? This is awkward." "Doin' pretty well...we'll be performin' several new songs next week." explained the crimson stallion to his marefriend. "Ooh...I would love for you to meet my sister...Maude!" grabbed Mac and dragged him to her sister. On the inside, Maude was nervous, but it did not show on the outside. "You're that nice stallion who directed me to Pinkie." stated the mare. "Howdy...again." greeted Mac. "Nice to meet you again." greeted Maude back. "So...you sing?" "Eeyup, bass." "I write poetry, want to hear one?" Mac just shrugged his shoulders, "If ya want to." "Okay." Maude began Is there anything I love more than rocks? anything more than the gray and the grain? someone who can steal my heart like a hawk so that my love will never be in vain. I have always loved rocks since I was young they always listen to what you are saying but I am looking for someone that's sprung and finding love is so worth surveying. Is there someone that is better than rocks? someone than can make me forget the gray? love can always be sneaky like a fox need someone who can always make me say: "I am so in awe of you my lover, I wonder what new things we'll discover?" "That was good." stated an impressed Rarity. "I know right...she's good." agreed Pinkie. Little did anyone knew, but Maude made that sonnet up on the spot in response to the big handsome stallion in front of her. "Eeyup." agreed Mac with Pinkie. "She's good." "Anyways, I must get going, have to show Maude around to my other friends." Pinkie kissed Mac on the cheek, before zooming out of the room. "Pleasure meeting you again Mac." dryly stated Maude. "Eeyup." Maude walked out and caught up with Pinkie outside. "So Maude...where to?" asked Pinkie. "Uh...can I tell you something first?" Pinkie was instantly intrigued and what her sister will tell her.