//------------------------------// // Chapter 38: Maud Pie // Story: The Cassandra Chronicles // by CassandraMyOCisBestpony //------------------------------// Pinkie's sister Maud Pie was coming over for a visit. "I need you all to test this rock candy" said Pinkie Pie. Most of the ponies were all too happy to stuff their fat faces with junk food, but Cassandra knew she had to be a good influence to young foals. “Pinkie, it’s not good for ponies to eat that much sugar. That one over there is the best, pick that one." said Cassandra, pointing to one pile "B-but you can't possibly know which one tastes the best if you haven't tasted them!" stammered Rainbow Dash. It was intimidating to contradict Cassandra, and everypony who had ever done so was proven humiliatingly wrong. "Oh can't I?" asked Cassandra defiantly. "This one over here has the sharpest crystallization, smoothest surface, and best mix of flavors, given the coloration." Pinkie Pie hopped over to the pile of rock candy and popped a piece into her mouth. "Gasp!" exclaimed Pinkie, "Cassandra was right!!! This is the bestest rock candy ever!" “Cassandra, you saved us from having to overeat rock candy!” gushed Twilight, “with 50 flavors and every possible combination, I can’t even calculate how many we’d have to try.” “1 quadrillion, 125 trillion, 899 billion, 906 million, 842 thousand, and 624,” replied Cassandra. “Don’t worry Twilight, I’m sure someday your math skills will measure up to mine.” “Three cheers for Cassandra!” declared Rainbow Dash. They all hoisted Cassandra up and tossed her in their air, while Pinkie sang “Cassandra is a ge-nius whoopee! whoopee! She’s the cutest smartest all around best pony, pony….” Later that day, they all stood in anticipation. waiting for Maud to arrive. "She'll be just like Pinkie, I bet," said Twilight. The other agreed because Twilight was smart and they were susceptible to peer pressure. "I'm not so sure" said Cassandra, "Pinkie did grow up on a rock farm, and even with her embellished storytelling, it sounded like they were all dull and grey, like some kind of poetic dichotomy." "Sorry Cassandra," said Rarity "but we don't have the mental capacity to understand what you're saying, and have no choice but to disregard it." "Don't feel bad" said Cassandra, "you're cute, and that makes up for it." Rarity blushed. Cassandra only gave compliments to the worthiest of ponies. Maud came up to them. She was a dull shade of grey with straight hair, and was wearing a very smart sweater. "Hello. This is my rock, Boulder." she said in a monotone voice. Then she saw Cassandra. "Pinkie. Your friend is sedimentary." Cassandra winked at her. "Maud, show them one of your games!" said Pinkie Pie "Very well. This is called camouflage." She threw Boulder into a pile of rocks, "now we proceed to find him." "Is this your rock?" said Pinkie cheerily. "No" said Maud. They continued to search, and nopony could find Boulder until Cassandra spoke up, "Is this Boulder?" "It is. You have defeated me at camouflage." said Maud, "you are a worthy opponent." They all went off and did separate things with Maud, however they all found that they didn't have the same hobbies as Maud. "Maud said she don't like apples" complained Applejack, "Have y'all ever heard such a terrible insult?" "Well at least we learned a valuable lesson" said Twilight, "we can still be friends with Pinkie even if we can't be freinds with Maud." "Wait a minute" said Cassandra, "you can be friends with somepony even if you don't have the same hobby. Twilight, she like peotry just like you." "That's true..." said Twilight "And she likes clothes like you, Rarity" "Oh my, she does" said Rarity "And Rainbow, Maud's the only earthpony that comes close to your athletic ability." "Hey, that's right! I need somepony to keep up with me in the Running of the Leaves!" "And Fluttershy, she likes being outdoors just like you." "I don't have to be shy around her anymore!" cheered Fluttershy. "And Applejack," continued Cassandra, "she, um..... actually I can't think of any good reason that Maud, or anypony for that matter, would want to be friends with you." But they all agreed that that was no big loss. "HEEEEEEEELP!" cried Pinkie Pie. She was trapped in a pile of rocks and about to be crushed! "I do not want my sister to get crushed by rocks. That would not be sedimentary." said Maud. Luckily, Cassandra was there to save the day. She swooped in and smashed the pile of rocks to pieces, saving Pinkie in the nick of time. "Please Cassandra, allow me to compensate you for savign my sister by helping you practice kissing." "I think that sounds like a sedimentary idea!" agreed Cassandra. Are ya gonna get yer rocks off?" joked Applejack. "Shut up, Applejack." said Maud.