//------------------------------// // 195. Maud Pie - Ending // Story: Blaze the Pony Tale // by Wolven5 //------------------------------// Pinkie Pie sadly watched the scenery pass her by through the window she sat by in the passenger car of the Friendship Express. Having chosen to go back to her hometown of Nickerlite to spend the rest of the week with Maud before her big research trip, Pinkie wondered, What did I do wrong? Bouncy and wacky as she was, Pinkie was aware that her sister wasn’t as socially expressive as others but because of how well she knew Maud, that particular fact seemed to slip her memory as she’d planned for her sister and friends to meet. She’d been so sure they would hit it off and that they’d all happily be making and trading rock candy necklaces, and just have an all-around good time hanging out. That was Pinkie Pie, always looking on the bright side and having a positive attitude and facing the future with optimism. Maud sat with her, also thinking about the events that had transpired. Although on the outside she didn’t express it, Maud felt guilty she hadn’t clicked with her sister’s friends as well as she’d hoped. That’s not to say Maud had been against meeting Pinkie’s friends but she was just a different pony. Not just from her sister but by other social standards. Despite Pinkie having gone to an extreme to help Maud bond with her friends (even if she’d unintentionally put herself at risk), Maud was appreciated the intention, as well as the fact her sister had such good friends to take care of her when she wasn’t home with their family. “Thank you for coming with me. I don’t know how long I’ll be gone on my rock research trip,” Maud finally broke the ice and fiddled with Boulder after removing him from her satchel. “I’m glad I still get to spend some time with you before I go.” “Me too. I’m sorry I put so much pressure on everypony to bond,” Pinkie replied in a way that Maud was relieved to confirm there was no hard feelings of any sort. “I only wanted my friends to get to know my amazing big sister.” The Pie Sisters shared a hug, however Maud felt there was still another topic to discuss. “I liked your friends. They were nice. Especially Cheese Sandwich.” This brought a smile to Pinkie’s face. “Yeah, he is pretty amazing. Ever since he decided to stay in Ponyville, it’s been really great getting to spend time with a pony so like me. I love all my friends and the ponies of Ponyville, but it feels really good to have somepony I can relate to.” “He is very brave. He helped me to save you from the boulder. Not many ponies would have risked themselves like that.” Pinkie nodded her head at Maud’s point, still nestled under her big sister’s chin. “Yeah, he is pretty brave. I owe my life to you guys.” Maud felt a little uncomfortable, but felt as a big sister, she needed to continue. “He must really care about you, Pinkie. He put his life at risk to save you.” Pinkie thought over the horrible scene in her head. Her trapped and scared, fearing the end as the boulder hurtled towards her. Then the strong protective grasp of Cheese, as he grabbed her, pulled her free and jumped to safety, holding her safely in his hooves as she had hers wrapped around his neck. It brought a warm feeling to her heart. A feeling that stirred the memory of her discussion with Mrs. Cake earlier that day. A slight blush came to her cheeks as she started to realize, just what that feeling might be. Seeing just what Pinkie might be thinking, Maud spoke on, her monotone voice filled with emotion that only a pie sister could hear, “Pinkie Pie. I have seen you interact with Cheese Sandwich. I see the connection you share. It is closer than the connection you have with your other friends.” Maud turned her little sister so that she could see her eyes. Pinkie needed to understand clearly what she had to say. “I am your big sister and I love you. Our family loves you. We worry about you sometimes. So far from the rock farm. How different your life is now. But I have seen how cared for you are by your friends. And by Cheese Sandwich. I am not worried anymore. He can take care of you. He can make you happy. As a big sister, that is important to me.” Pinkie paused a moment to consider Maud’s words. “If you feel something for Cheese Sandwich you should explore it. Remember Granny Pie’s song about fear.” The pink mare was silent for a moment, before she sung a line, deeply ingrained in her from important memories. Of a grandmother and of the fateful night the united her closest friends. “Giggle at the ghosties…” Maud nodded. The two stayed silent for a moment, before Maud said one last thing. “It is okay to be scared, Pinkie. But if you don’t face your fear, you will never feel the joy past the ghosties.” Arriving in Nickerlite, Pinkie and Maud stepped off of the train platform and started making towards their family rock farm when suddenly Maud stopped Pinkie (who had been busy thinking), and pointed ahead. Pinkie blinked and widened her eyes in surprise to see Cheese Sandwich, Blueblood, Rarity, Big Mac, and Rainbow Dash! All of them, smiling at the Pie Sisters while standing next to large bags of rock candy, one of which was spilling somewhat. “Wh-what’re you all doing here?” Pinkie asked, confused by their very presence. “Pinkie Pie, we’re so sorry we hurt your feelings by not bonding with Maud right away,” Blueblood responded. “And Maud?” Cheese stepped and spoke up next, “We’re sorry that you felt the only way to spare Pinkie Pie’s feelings was to leave Ponyville early.” “Mm-hmm,” the others added although Big Mac did his usual ‘Eeyup’ before saying ,”We’ve seen how much ya care fer Pinkie Pie first-hoof. “Pinkie Pie’s happiness means as much to us as it does to you,” Blueblood concluded, “and we’re sorry we didn’t realize that sooner.” “Yeah! Because it’s how much we all love Pinkie Pie that forms a special bond between all of us!” Cheese declared with a big grin. Cheese and Pinkie shared a private exchange of looks but both blushed and said nothing, even though they were both smiling. “Cheese Sandwich is right,” Blueblood agreed, “and it’s a fine example of common ground, wouldn’t you say, Maud?” “...Sure,” Maud replied. Her expression, facially and vocally, as flat as ever. Although she did blink and make the barest of nods as she said so. Even so, the almost-imperceptible emotion caused Blueblood, Rarity, Big Mac, and Rainbow Dash to all look confused. Cheese was first to noticed but Pinkie was the one who asked, “What’s wrong?” “Sorry darling, it’s just…” Rarity answered, “we all just thought she’d be a tad more… excited about this.” “Are you kidding me?!” Cheese popped up with a zany smile. “Yeah! I’ve never seen her more excited in my entire life!!” agreed Pinkie. Pinkie and Cheese started clowning about while Maud said, “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I don’t show my enthusiasm for things quite in the same way my sister does.” The fact Maud had said that in her monotone manner while Pinkie was cartwheeling and Cheese somersaulting behind her oddly emphasized that in just the perfect way, that Rainbow Dash said, “Uh, we noticed.” She looked to the others, who all had their own looks of agreement as she added, “And we’re totally cool with it.” “Uh-huh!/Eeyup!” they laughed and agreed while Pinkie popped some confetti and Cheese was bouncing while playing his accordion. At the train station, everypony gathered around Maud while Cheese announced, “Maud, we’ve all got something for you to take with ya on your research trip; little something-somethings to help you remember all your new buddies in Ponyville!” One by one, each of them placed around Maud’s neck a rock candy necklace, each of a different design yet reflected the pony who’d made it for Maud. “Thank you,” Maud said flatly when Pinkie popped up beside her. “Try not to eat all the candy before ya leave!” Pinkie held out hers, Maud reaching into her satchel to pull out the one she’d made for Pinkie for them to exchange. While Pinkie stepped away to enjoy the rock candy necklace Maud had made, she didn’t notice Maud pull out a box and set it on the platform. Opening it revealed many more rock candy necklaces as she added the one Pinkie had just given her. “Are those all the necklaces Pinkie made for you?!” Maud looked to see it was a flabbergasted Cheese Sandwich, and she closed the lid of the box while saying, “Mm-hmm.” “Wh- Bu- You- You haven’t eaten any of them?!” Cheese stuttered in confusion. “I don’t really like candy,” Maud admitted before pulling a very small but definite smile as she looked to her sister and said, “But I do love Pinkie Pie.” Cheese looked to Pinkie and couldn’t help but smile as the pink mare scarfed down the last piece of rock candy on the necklace she’d gotten from Maud. “Cheese Sandwich?” Cheese looked to Maud as she looked at him and said, “I’m sorry about putting you and Pinkie on the spot before. I should not have made assumptions.” “Well, uh, it’s no big, Maud, I-” Cheese chuckled, a bit nervous when Maud went on. “You risked your life for my sister. I am glad that she has somepony like you to look after her.” Cheese didn’t know what to say so Maud spoke more. "I hope you keep looking after her. She is very special. To the both of us it seems." She gave a slow wink that the others would have dismissed as nothing. Cheese however could see the teasing for what it was. Cheese blushed, babbled a bit, unsure of what to say when- “ALL ABOARD FOR PONYVILLE!” “Uh- Bye Maud!” Cheese said as he grabbed Pinkie and made for the passenger car. “Do your best on your trip, Maud!” Pinkie called out to her sister as the train pulled out. Maud waved them goodbye and Pinkie kept waving out the window until she couldn’t see Maud anymore. She then sat down, smiling and glad things had worked out, when she noticed Cheese was sitting in front of her. He had too. As the moment became awkward, Cheese and Pinkie looked away, their faces slightly blushing, but neither could stop their lips from pulling into bashful smiles as they peered at each other through the corners of their eyes. Finally, Cheese stood up and went over to sit by Pinkie Pie. They looked at each other, and smiled as they held hooves.