The stallion fumbled around with his tuxedo for the umpteenth time. Not even Pinkie Pie knew how many times he had messed around with it. He was nervous. Very nervous. It didn’t help in the slightest that the train decided it was going to be later than usual, just increasing the time before he met the ‘sisters’.
A nervous whimper made its way out of his mouth, his eyes wincing. Another rearranging of his tuxedo, along with his gentlecolt’s bowtie.
“Cheese, why are you so nervous?” a voice asked him from his side, clearly concerned for his health and well-being at this suspicious display.
But the train station wasn’t very crowded. Only a couple of ponies were around, far away from the scene, almost making the entire layout of the station bare and empty. They likely questioned his very awkward situation as well; even more considering it was Cheese Sandwich, one of the most known party ponies in Equestria. The stallion that was infamous for throwing birthday bashes all over the world? Why would he be shaking at Ponyville’s train station?
“It’s just... I...” he stammered, starting to get worried. The train still being late just made it worse. “I don’t want to make a bad impression.”
The way he saw it, the first few seconds of the initial meeting was the most crucial and vital, giving the sisters the exact idea of who he was right from the start. If he messed that up, he might as well just admit his defeat and have her sisters run him off.
Pinkie Pie approached his slightly twitching body, placing a hoof on him. “Calm down Cheesie, they’re fine. They know what you’re like.” Her voice was gentle, soothing.
He gulped. That only made it slightly worse. They already knew what he was like, that being the thing itself that he was afraid of. What if they didn’t appreciate that? Never once had three mares ever been able to give him the shivers before, not even mares on their birthday. But given that they were all related to Pinkie Pie, he didn’t want to let her down, or them either, whatever they were like.
“Please calm down,” Pinkie repeated, a worried frown on her, shaking her hoof a bit to get him to stop.
He didn’t like the way she was saddened by his nervous display. He took in a deep inhale, mustering a strong pose, trying to fight off the jitters. If it would make Pinkie Pie happy, he’d certainly oblige. “I’ll try.”
Cheese’s confidence put the smile back on Pinkie Pie, retracting her hoof from him. He was way tenser about meeting her sisters than her friends were. But at that time, it was only Maud.
But little did Pinkie Pie know, that it was actually Maud herself that was the primary reason Cheese was so apprehensive. He had heard stories about the mare’s stiff attitude, not reacting to a single thing she came across normally. She was also the oldest, so she was the main target for who he wanted to impress the most, given how protective she must be of her sisters. Pinkie had also told him she wore a dress, which spanned the idea for the tuxedo and bowtie getup in the first place. He wanted to blend in to Maud’s fashion sense, not wanting to disappoint her in the slightest amount, even if it was a little too much, or perhaps goofy.
Marble and Limestone were the others, but Pinkie Pie didn’t talk about them as hugely as he heard about Maud, given that she was the only sister to have visited Ponyville before, leaving him clueless and in the dark about what they were like or how they acted. Were they ‘dull’ as Maud, or perhaps just as active as Pinkie Pie herself? If he could first survive Maud within a few seconds, maybe he’d have a breathing chance to find out.
Overall, it was just another item on his fast growing list for reasons for getting hysterical. He was going to spend the entire day with these four mares, three of which he hadn’t met before, while also related to Pinkie Pie, her closest family. And he had a gut feeling that if he in any way did or said anything he might regret to Pinkie Pie, he might just be regretting it for another reason too.
Perfect. Just perfect.
He heard a chugging sound in the distance, starting to get louder as soon as the sound reached his ears, puffs of clouds emitting from the top. It was the train, without a doubt, nearing the station with each passing second, each chug only making Cheese the more scared. The train eventually came into view, the many carriages lugging behind it.
The train screeched to a stop, the metal wheels grinding against the rails. All of the carriages were still shut, but after only a few seconds, he would be met with those three sisters, the all or nothing moment soon upon him.
He took in one last gulp and movement of his tuxedo while he felt he still had the chance. Pinkie Pie’s attitude skyrocketed, looking almost keen on wanting to break down the doors and greet her sisters with no remorse. At least she was excited about such an occasion.
His last chance of escape, personal freedom, was stripped away as the doors to the many cars opened. A few ponies stepped out of the numerous carriages a few seconds later, his eyes searching down every single pony that exited, keeping an eye out for the sisters.
Pinkie Pie began her earthly bounce, joyful— no, ecstatic about the upcoming future. Many ponies had exited the carriages as the two looked on, and at last, through all of the constant activity, two mares emerged from one of the cars.
They stood side by side. One of them wore a faded purple coat, a bit grey, while the other was more brown, as well as grey. Both of their manes also seemed the follow the pattern, both looking rather... grey. It seemed a bit dull, though they didn’t look the word in the slightest.
“Marble! Limey!”
Cheese chased Pinkie Pie with his eyes as she sped up towards the two mares, presumably Marble and Limestone respectively. “Limey?” he asked himself, before shrugging it off. She called him Cheesie after all, something he had no problem with. It would only make sense to shorten ‘Limestone’ to ‘Limey’ if she chose to.
The two mares had mixed reactions. The browner one seemed to imitate Pinkie Pie, almost at the same level, rushing over and almost crushing the pink mare in a hug, who just as easily returned it to a similar degree. They both seemed to giggle right away, looking and acting almost identical. It was as if Pinkie Pie was hugging herself. “Pinkie!” the mare shouted, a rather youngish voice.
The other mare just walked over towards the pair, a smile on her face. “Hello Pinkamena,” she said as well, a calmer voice. She seemed more hunched back, closed than the apparent super active sister.
Pinkie Pie didn’t take any effort in dragging Limestone into their shared hug, making it a three-way. She didn’t seem to enjoy it on the same hyper level as the other two, but she gave into the loving embrace plentiful enough.
“She seems kind of reserved...” Cheese muttered to himself, instantly taking notes for each sister. He had also noted down that they both shared a similar style when it came to their manes. Limestone’s was rather short, but well-kept, while Marble’s had a free flowing style to it, hanging over one side of her head. After seeing Marble for less than a minute, he immediately wondered why her mane style wasn’t the exact same as Pinkie Pie’s. He always admired the puffy characteristic Pinkie Pie wore on her head, a symbol after his own.
But the idea of it came to him that the straightened mane looked almost exactly the same as Pinkie Pie’s when her pink mane got soaked or wet, which he had the accident of seeing after stumbling into her bathroom one time. If anything, she looked even cuter with straightened hair, and the glistening coat he saw at that point didn’t hide his growing blush from his... interesting surprise. Even her little squeal and jump to hide her figure back then was too cute. Of course, she playfully wacked him with a towel afterwards. It later evolved into a pillow fight, with a surprise assault from Applejack midway through, though neither of the two party ponies knew where she came from, or when she joined in.
But that wasn’t the important thing that was happening for him. He agreed to meet and spend a day with her sisters, and by Celestia, that is what he was going to do. Or at least he would be happy to, even head over hooves about the meeting, if Maud had decided to show up. She was the oldest, and yet she hadn’t made an appearance yet. She must be biding her time, working him up until he cracked under the pressure, and then expose him for the coward he was. But he wouldn’t give up!
Well played Maud, he thought to himself, Well played. Deciding to finally take action, he made his way over towards the three mares, which had now broken from the group hug. Pinkie Pie and Marble looked so full of energy they could run laps around the town, while Limestone just seemed happy to be there. She wasn’t depressed, but it was obvious she didn’t have that Pinkie Pie charm of sugar-powered fuel.
The three mares all looked over at him when he approached them, their eyes somewhat intimidating. Swallowing his last ounces of nerves, he was ready to begin his introduction and start the day’s activities with the mares.
He cleared his throat, about to announce himself, when Pinkie Pie charged by his side, wrapping a hoof around his neck, beating him to the punch. “Girls, this is Cheesie!”
He blinked his eyes a few times to comprehend the sudden activity, but he couldn’t argue against Pinkie Pie’s sudden outburst. She wanted to have the entire get-together in the first place anyway.
The two sisters glanced at him, both smiling, though Marble’s was more energetic. Limestone didn’t look threatening, actually rather pleasing. “Hi?” he said, unsure if he was actually asking it or not. Pinkie Pie had introduced him already, so...
Marble tilted her head, while Limestone lowered an eyebrow. “Well hi there!” shouted Marble, before she closed the gap, offering out her hoof. Not wanting to disappoint at all, he took the offer, shaking hooves with Marble. “I’m Marble,” she said, still furiously shaking Cheese’s hoof, “It’s nice to meet you.”
Marble retracted her hoof; Cheese’s still wobbling a bit from the fast force. “Cheese Sandwich?” he heard Limestone ask. She leant out her hoof as well, his initial thought of worry of repetition from what had happened prior with Marble.
“I’m Limestone,” she said, shaking his hoof much slower than the previous sister, “Likewise, it’s nice to finally meet you.”
“Same here,” he cheerfully replied, thrilled already that it was going better than expected. He could tell by the hoofshake alone that Limestone wasn’t the type of mare to mess around. He might have been worried a bit too much about Maud overall, but this one could probably break his bones if he wasn’t careful, which of course, was always a good thing to know.
“Where’s Maud?” Pinkie asked, scouting the rest of the train station, unable to find the older mare.
Limestone turned and faced the train. “She lost Boulder when the train stopped. He fell out of her hoof and landed under a bench.”
“What!” Pinkie exclaimed in horror, her hooves up to her cheeks. Without retaliation, she sped over towards the open car, ready to assist her sister, fading from view.
Meanwhile, Cheese zoned out of reality for a moment to fully contemplate what he had just heard. Boulder? Who was that? Pinkie had told him that her family grew up on a rock farm, but a pet named after a rock? He was curious, mystified, yet at the same time, a little frightened. Boulder sounded like a tough going name, and considering it seemed to belong to Maud, the oldest, it might spell trouble.
Pinkie Pie disappeared for a few seconds, only to reappear with her hoof around another mare, happy again.
Cheese knew it instantly. It was Maud, the one he was most tense about meeting. She had the dress on that Pinkie Pie mentioned; a simple, dull dress. Her cyan eyes, the violet mane, looking exactly like Limestone’s, but a bit longer flowing. She was definitely a Pie.
But she didn’t look happy. Or sad either. Or... anything. It looked like she displayed no emotion at all.
Pinkie Pie walked by the side of Maud, unbearably happy, while Maud didn’t. Cheese wandered his eyes around the place, a brief thought of the entire thing being a joke. “Hi?” he said, really not keen on continuing, closing a portion of an eyelid.
Maud blinked her eyes, her expression non-changing. “Hello.”
Cheese stared at the mare and her very unhealthy voice. It was like she didn’t care about anything, but the way her eyes blinked sent shivers down his spine just from watching it. Although she didn’t look emotional at all, he could tell that she was analysing him with every second that passed. Whatever he said or did, whatever he was getting from her gazing eyes, it was all being taken down by her.
She was dangerous.
Limestone interjected a bit after the awkward pause of the stallion and mare staring each other down, stepping in. “Right then, should we go?”
Pinkie Pie sprung up again, taking full charge. “Let’s go everypony! To Sugarcube Corner!”
She set off a trail, the stallion and three mares following closely behind, though Cheese took another cautionary look at Maud. Marble seemed incredibly excited to see Pinkie Pie, or just to be there, though Cheese did not know if the sister was merely a duplicate of the pretty mare he already knew. He couldn’t make out her cutie mark either. He could see it very clearly, stealing a quick glance, but it was unbeknownst to him.
A bottle. A simple bottle, which spanned countless possible talents. A wine tester would have been his first guess, though she didn’t look the high-class type, unless she put on a façade, which admittedly, he found the very idea of funny.
“Hey Pinkie,” Marble said, closing in on her sister as they all continued to walk down the street towards the sugar house.
“Yeah?” she excitedly replied, turning her head around towards her sister, the two of them mere inches apart.
Marble giggled, before tapping Pinkie Pie a few times. “Tag. You’re it!” She ran off down the road in no time, in a fit of laughter.
Pinkie Pie gasped, before furrowing her brow. “Oh yeah?” She sped off too, running to catch up with her sister.
Cheese smiled at the display. Even at their age, they can still act playful towards one another. They likely had a very close foalhood together, and considering Pinkie Pie, that was saying a lot. So much, that two of the sisters were so electric and energetic. Limestone seemed a lot more introverted, tending to herself, though he could tell she loved her sisters deeply.
But Maud. She was so... eccentric. She was following behind the two of them, not speaking a word. She would look around, turning her view around the town of Ponyville, likely taking in the sites, though she didn’t show it. She would sometimes make eye contact with Cheese at times, that meaningless stare gaping into his very soul, as he saw it.
She didn’t say or do anything, though he could tell she was different. Was she just pretending, testing him? If that was the case, he’d be a fool to back out of it. An overprotective sister maybe? He will play her devious game, and he will come out on top!
Limestone giggled almost silently from the sight of Pinkie Pie perched on top of Marble on the street, the pink mare having caught her sister, Marble cracking a nervous grin. Cheese didn’t know why, but Limestone’s giggle sounded... cute, to say the least. Did each of the sisters each have some form of attribute from Pinkie Pie’s beauty? Marble would take her activeness, Limestone her voice and Maud...
Actually, he scrapped that idea very quickly. Maud didn’t inherit anything.
Pinkie Pie tapped her sister on the ground, a voice sounding out “tag” in the distance to Cheese, before she ran off again, Marble giving short chase.
“Is Marble always like this?” Cheese asked the two other sisters, his curiosity taking over. She really did seem like Pinkie Pie to him, but only from a few minutes of meeting the mare.
“What do you mean?” the purple-y mare replied, bringing her attention to him.
“Well...” he thought out, “She seems exactly like...”
“Like Pinkamena?” she finished, almost like she was expecting it.
“Yeah...” he concluded, narrowing his eyes a bit, before they opened from the sudden name realisation. “Wait, Pinkamena?” He had heard it back at the train station, but at that point, he was more focused on impressing Maud.
Limestone nodded. “I’ve always called my sister by her birth name. Pinkamena Diane Pie. Always have, always will. That’s just me, everypony else just calls her Pinkie.”
“Oh...” He let it go into his mind for a while. The sisters almost seemed nothing alike, exempt for Marble and Pinkie.
“But to answer your question,” she continued, “Marble might seem like Pinkamena, but she isn’t. Though she acts similarly like her, it is just the result of her young mind. She is the youngest, and she has the heart of a filly.”
“So she’s a... kid?”
Limestone mumbled, thinking about the right words. “Kind of. I wouldn’t say it exactly, but she’s really playful and active. But sometimes, it can be a little too much. She’ll usually do or say things without thinking, not always for the better. But on the other hoof, she gets along with kids well. It’s only why she’s a babysitter after all.”
Cheese tilted his head back, the talent dawning on him. So that is what the bottle was for. From just looking at the mare, as well as her behaviour, he could believe it and take it in. She certainly seemed like she could play the part.
But now he was even more interested in Limestone’s talent, whatever it was. Two pieces of paper, one folded diagonally crossed over the other. It would be rude for him to just come out and ask what her purpose in life was, but he stole a few looks at her flank, unaware if Maud noticed him or not. Not like she would say anything anyway, he mused.
He let out a thought, a mumble, something that Limestone heard; checking to see what had him spooked. He stared at her cutie mark again, caught right in the act. She chuckled, bringing his attention back to reality. He was about to apologise straight away for his invasive behaviour, having been caught staring at a mare’s figure, but Limestone got in before him.
“You’re curious aren’t you?” she asked, a grin on her.
“Yeah...” he said, exhaling from embarrassment with a small blush, “Sorry.”
“Don’t be,” she reassured him, “It’s ok. In your place, I might have done the same thing. But since you want to know, I’m the chief editor for the top newspaper stationed in Manehatten.”
Cheese’s eyes didn’t believe it. That sounded so... so... big. And in his home city too, though that was meaningless to him. Just another city.
Limestone anticipated his shocked reaction, chuckling again. “Yeah, sound huge huh?”
“Yeah...” Cheese agreed, the words just floating out of him, still amazed, “That sounds incredible.”
“It is...” Limestone said, but retreating to a more defensive posture, “But to be honest, it’s been getting a bit boring recently. I want to make a change, so I’ve been thinking of moving somewhere else, or just doing something different.”
Cheese instinctively felt sympathy for the mare. “Really? Well uh... good luck?” He internally hit himself, already regretting his choice of words. It was a stupid thing to say.
Limestone didn’t seem to take offence, rather laughing again at his supposed mistake. “Pinkamena was right. You are cute.”
He was now intrigued at what Pinkie Pie had been sending her sisters in her letters, blushing again from the compliment. She never let him see them, playfully hiding them and blushing whenever he attempted to sneak a peek, usually followed with a silly “Stop it”, gently pushing him away in the process. He liked to mess with her a little, but he certainly respected her privacy.
It was only because of the letters that the sisters knew of him. Each one lived in different regions of Equestria, though they all received the same message about the gathering. Taking times from each of their schedules, they met up before catching the train to Ponyville, the highlight and focus of their day to spend it with Cheese Sandwich, the stallion she felt something strong for.
Though he wasn’t aware of that.
But Maud’s constant unreactive side didn’t bode well with him. Every gaze he felt from her cold, staring eyes just made him feel like he was one step closer towards banishment from Pinkie Pie. He knew little to nothing of the older sister, her dress even covering up her cutie mark. He was in the dark about her, and he didn’t even know if he should say or ask her anything.
The group of three neared towards Sugarcube Corner throughout their conversation and Cheese’s inner thoughts, the building right in front of them. Being the first to enter the house, Limestone walked through the entrance, Cheese right behind her, with Maud taking up the rear. None of them knew where Pinkie or Marble was after their supercharged tag game, until only a few seconds afterwards, when Pinkie loudly tapped Maud’s side.
“Tag!” she shouted at her older sister, before taking her place next to Cheese. He was unsure of what was about to happen. Maud didn’t seem like the joyful or the kind of pony that would like to party. Did she even care about the game of tag at all?
All eyes focused on the oldest sister, Cheese the only one to actually move his head. He checked out the other sisters’ reactions, all expressing the same. Marble and Pinkie’s were, unsurprisingly, huge grins showing off their teeth, while Limestone had a gentle smile. He joined in their staring contest, facing Maud.
She blinked her eyes a few times, a little predictable, before she simply walked over towards the stallion. He mentally screamed, likely from the immediate reaction, Maud only walking towards him, each step telling him to run away, or face his demise. Her eyes seemed soul-piercing, and when she was positioned just in front of him with an unchanging expression, it made him tense up.
She extended her hoof, all the while staring right at him, before bringing it up and prodding him with it gently, lowering it to the ground again. Her face did not change. “Tag,” she dryly said, still staring right at him.
What in the name of Celestia just happened?
He couldn’t answer his own question; Maud having caught his gaze. Although she didn’t display anything recognisable, if he could guess, she would have been laughing inside, even enjoying their small game. That was what he wanted to think anyway.
Still bedazzled, he twisted his head towards the other three, the lot of them staring at him. Pinkie and Marble gasped. “Cheese it girls, Cheesie’s it!” Pinkie shouted, before she bolted away, Marble hot on her tail. The two sets of hooves climbed the stairs in record time, the racket not at all discreet.
Maud walked past Cheese and Limestone, also heading towards the stairs. She didn’t look at all affected, and the way she walked made it seem like she didn’t have a care in the world. She took one last glance behind her towards the pair, before she too ascended the stairs, ready to join her sisters.
Cheese and Limestone looked at each other, Cheese with a rather puzzled expression. It was odd, Maud was odd, the entire thing was odd. With some doubt, he leant out his hoof, tapping Limestone’s skin. “Tag?” he doubtfully said, even retreating a minor step. It was a tentative action, though not upholding.
Limestone copied her sister’s trademark routine, blinking her eyes, before she reacted. She shook her head, her grin growing. “Oh Cheese, I can tell already that this will be a great day.” She looked towards the stairs, before taking a step, “Come on, let’s go.”
Cheese pulled his lips together, nodding in agreement, following the mare through the house of treats.
“Why’d you wear the tux by the way?” Limestone asked, looking back while walking forward.
“I uh... I don’t know...” he stammered, thinking back to how stupid he must have looked already, his eyes having widened.
Why did he wear the tuxedo and bowtie? He wanted to impress Maud, but she... well... didn’t say a thing about it.
She didn’t say a thing about anything.