“Twilight Sparkle.” It was not a query, it was a statement. A bland, emotionless statement.
“Where are you.” Maud continued, as she wandered into the library. “I want books. On rocks. You have books. On rocks.”
No response. Then Maud spotted a letter on the table.
Out with friends. Back in an hour.
Though her face remained impassive as ever, deep down, Maud felt a flicker of something which might have been annoyance. This was the entire reason she’d come to Ponyville, after all: they supposedly stocked a book (on rocks) which would be crucial to her studies. On rocks.
Maud was about to turn and leave when she spotted something else on the table. A small piece of paper, along with quill and ink. She wandered over, not quite curious, just observant.
“Starswirl spell prototype.” Maud stated, reading the title of the document. “Not rocks, but still interesting.”
As she idly skimmed over the document, she noticed something. “There should be a period behind those two words there.” She said blandly. Being the courteous geologist she was, she picked up the quill in her mouth, dipped it in ink, and dotted the period into its proper place.
As soon as the quill touched the paper, Maud felt a tingling in her body. As she set the quill down, she glimpsed her hooves, and saw them to be fading away.
“This is rather unusual.” Maud said blandly as ever, even as her body rapidly vanished into nothingness.
XXXXXXXX
Maud found herself in a world of stars and ethereal mist. To any other pony, they would be astonished and amazed.
Maud just wondered if this would interfere in her rock-studying duties.
She saw a large, shadowed figure, a little ways off in the distance. As the figure drew closer, It was revealed to be Princess Celestia.
Maud just stared at Celestia as she began singing. “You have come such a long long way – wait… who are you? What’s going on?” the princess tilted her head.
“I am Maud Pie.” Maud stated. “I like rocks.”
There was a silence as the two stared at each other.
“Um… how did you get here, Maud?” Celestia finally said.
Maud just stared at her. It was starting to creep Celestia out.
At last, Maud responded: “I just made a spelling correction on one of Twilight Sparkle’s spells. Now I am here. I want to go back to my rocks now.” With that, she began walking away.
“Wait, where are you going?” Celestia cried, rushing over to Maud.
“Finding the exit. I have studies.” Maud said simply, not even looking at the princess.
“But – how did – why are - …wait.” Celestia paused. “Did the spell you corrected… happen to involve Starswirl the Bearded?”
“The title was ‘Starswirl spell prototype’, so that is probably the case.” Maud stated.
Celestia groaned. “I told Twilight not to leave that out in the open…” she muttered. “Don’t worry, princess… nobody will find it, princess… nobody will complete it, princess… I swear. Now I owe Luna twenty bits.”
“Can I go home yet.” Maud said, emotionless through Celestia’s rant.
“Well, um… I guess…” Celestia said hesitantly. “Are you sure you don’t want to stay? I mean, I have a musical number all planned out for just this situation-“
“No thanks. Sending me back would be nice.” Maud stated.
Celestia sighed. “All right…” she said, and her horn glowed. Maud began to disappear once again.
“Thank you.” Maud said simply, nodding at Celestia. Then she was gone.
Celestia sighed, and put a hoof to her forehead. “Now I have to buy another stained-glass window… those things are blasted expensive...” She mumbled to herself.
XXXXXXXX
“Well, another crisis averted.” Applejack stated as she and the rest of the mane six trotted into the library.
“There wouldn’t have been a crisis if not for princess egghead here.” Rainbow Dash said, jerking a hoof at Twilight not-so-subtly.
“How was I supposed to know the spell would attract every manticore within a twenty mile radius?!” Twilight cried indignantly.
“I think that the fact that it was entitled ‘ultimate catnip spell’ would have been precaution enough, darling.” Rarity said gently.
Twilight was about to snap back a response, when there was suddenly a bright light in the center of the room. “What in the-“ Twilight said as the light cleared. Then her jaw dropped. “Maud?!”
Maud stood, looking back at Twilight. “Hello.” She stated simply.
The other girls stood there, shocked. “You’re… you’re…” Fluttershy stuttered.
“Do I have something on my frock. Is it a rock.” Maud said, glancing over her shoulder at her frock. She then noted, with mild surprise, that a slate-grey wing was poking right out from the side of her frock. “That’s new.” She commented idly with her usual emotionless tone, as she turned back to the girls.
“T-that’s not all!” Rainbow cried. “You – you have-“
“Thassa HORN on top a’ yer head!” Applejack cried, pointing a hoof at Maud’s forehead. Maud felt her bangs, and found a conical protrusion.
“So there is. That is also new.” She said, still emotionless.
“Alicorn – but – who – huh – why – how – wha…” Twilight stuttered, utterly bamboozled at what she was seeing.
“WHEE-HEE!” Pinkie said, bouncing up in the air and rushing over to Maud. “I have an alicorn siii-ster! I have an alicorn siii-ster!” She cried, bouncing around in a circle around her emotionless sister. “Ooh, I should start a club with Shining armor! The we-have-alicorn-sisters club! Wait no, I have an even BETTER idea! A my-sister-is-now-an-alicorn PARTY! No, a super-party, one that makes Rainbow’s birthday look tiny (no offense, Rainbow) and there’ll be tons of cake and ice cream and presents and-“
“It’s really not a big deal.” Maud told the others as Pinkie continued to list things that her giant party would have.
“Not a big – YOU JUST BECAME A GOD! HOW IS THIS NOT A BIG DEAL?!” Rainbow roared, throwing her hooves in the air.
“Maud, how did this even happen?! How did you-“ Twilight gasped and rushed over to the table. “Did you edit this spell? DID YOU?!" She cried, waving the paper in Maud’s face.
Maud didn’t even react. “Yes.” She replied.
“Ohhh, I can’t believe this is happening! I worked on this spell so long and YOU were the one to activate its effects! Now I need to start over from scratch!” Twilight cried, flopping over on the ground and covering her face with her hooves.
“I think your wings are very pretty, Maud.” Fluttershy said, trying to inject some light-heartedness into the conversation.
“Thank you.” Maud stated. “Also, this doesn’t affect my studies, so it really isn’t a big deal.”
“Studies?” Rarity suddenly cried. “STUDIES?! Darling, you simply cannot be serious! You are a princess! A symbol of Equestria, the pinnacle of royalty! Anything you want is yours! And you just want to study ROCKS?!”
“Yes.” Maud replied.
“Maud, I’m afraid you don’t understand.” Twilight said, stepping forward. “Becoming a princess means that you now have a responsibility as a protector and ruler of Equestria. It is your patriotic duty to rule the country alongside me and the other alicorns.”
“I don’t want to.” Maud said. “Now, may I have that book on rocks which I requested?”
“Maud, this is important! Your entire future is about to change-“ Twilight said.
“No.” Maud said, blinking slowly. “I don’t want to. Now if you won’t lend me that book, I should get back to my rock studies.”
And with that, the newly-created alicorn trotted out the door.
She had barely gotten a few steps, though, before she felt a pressure on her side. “Maud?” Came a small, squeaky voice. “Can you be a princess? Please? For ME?”
Maud looked over her shoulder. Pinkie stood there, hugging her side, her eyes wide and wet with tears.
A long, low sigh. “Okay.” Maud said at last.
“YAYYY!!” Pinkie cried, hopping around in circles once more. “Now I can throw a my-big-sister-is-an-alicorn-PRINCESS party! And it’ll have dancing and games and cake and punch and ice cream and-“
Maud sighed again. “I hope nopony makes a big deal out of this.”