A tale of three sisters

by Widow Peak

Decision

One of Limestone’s eyes fluttered open. Her brain, still full of cobwebs from the sleep, briefly pondered getting up, but quickly decided she was far too comfortable to even try. The bed was too warm, and the covers were so warm and…

And she didn’t really have any reason to get up yet. Equestria could do without her for a few hours. With a small groan, the gray mare pulled the covers around her body, sunk her face on the soft pillow and let out a moan. Everything was perfect in the world.

Well, it was perfect until the door of the bedroom creaked open and two sets of hooves silently made their way across the room. That could only be her sisters. But Limestone wanted to sleep, so she decided that maybe if she stayed still, the two mares would pay no attention to her and just leave.

“Is she still asleep?” asked Octavia’s voice in a whisper.

Maybe not.

‘Stay still, stay still.’

“I don’t know.” answered Pinkie Pie, in a volume that was completely unsuitable when there is a sleeping pony in the same room. “Let me check.” Limestone heard the sound of hooves getting closer. Under the covers, the gray mare gritted her teeth and wished for Pinkie to leave. Perhapsif she didn’t move at all, she would think she was asleep and both sisters would leave her alone.

However, her plan broke into pieces when, instead of just checking, Pinkie decided to jab her hoof on her side. Despite her determination to feign sleep, that was something that couldn’t be tolerated. Limestone let out a yelp and sat up with a leap. “Wha-? What do you think you are doing?”

“Oooh, she was awake!” cheerfully said Pinkie Pie, pointing a hoof to Limestone. “What did I tell you, Octavia?”

“She may as well have been sleeping.” muttered the gray mare, amused. “But I think it was about time you got up, Limestone.”

“What? Why?” asked the other pony, annoyed. “What time is it?”

“Almost midday.” replied Octavia.

“What!?” repeated Limestone, searching for a source of sunlight. The angle of the sunbeams that got through the blinds told her that her twin was saying the truth: They were almost vertical. “Oh heavens. I’ve been sleeping for too long.”

“You had any plans for today?” asked Pinkie Pie, leaning in with interest.

Limestone shook her head. “No, not really. It’s just that I don’t like sleeping ‘till this late.” she said, letting out a sigh of resignation. There was not much she could do now.

Octavia and Pinkie shared a look and nodded. Both sisters sat on Limestone’s bed, one on each side. “So,” began Octavia. “Don’t you have anything to tell us?”

“Hm?”

“You know,” added Pinkie. “The date. The date with Steel. The date you had specifically with Steel. Steel’s date.”

Limestone let out a grumble. “I was hoping to get a cup of coffee before talking about that.” she said.

“There. I made you some already.” said Pinkie, pointing to a smoking cup of dark coffee sitting on her nightstand, which Limestone could swear was not there a second ago. However, the need for coffee got over her need for explanations, and she just grabbed the cup and took a sip of it.

The other two mares patiently waited for Limestone to finish her beverage. This time, it was Pinkie the one to break the silence. “Soooo…” she said, dragging the word for a few seconds.

“Alright, alright.” said Limestone with a sigh of annoyance. She placed the cup on her nightstand, sat on her bed and started caressing her mane. For a minute, she stayed in silence, trying to put order to her thoughts. “The night started like the other day. Go to the restaurant, order the food, chat for a bit while we wait, eat. Nothing special” Limestone’s lips turned into a smile. “Believe it or not, I had been thinking a lot about what you told me. You know, that Steel was in fact trying to arrange a date. And today he was wearing clothes, with his mane and coat brushed. He looked great, and it was obvious he had put a lot of effort in his appearance. So, I decided to ask him.” said the mare. She stared the floor in silence.

Pinkie and Octavia waited for a minute for her sister to resume her narration, but she seemed to be in deep through. It was Octavia’s polite cough what awoke her. “And?”

“Oh, I am sorry.” quickly apologized Limestone. “Well, um…I asked him if….if that was intended to be a date, and…” The pony blushed and let out a giggle, which only served to embarrass her further. “Turns out you two were right! He intended it to be a date. Oh, Celestia.”

The other two ponies shared a knowing smile. They couldn’t help but lean forward as Limestone continued with her story.

***

“…and then he bid me goodbye, and gave me one last kiss, this time on the cheek.” finished the gray pony, letting out a dreamful sigh.

“That sounds like a night to remember.” muttered Octavia, who was sitting next to her twin with a small smile. “If only Vinyl was that romantic sometimes.”

“It was fantastic.” agreed Limestone weakly.

Pinkie Pie, who was draped on the pillow like a sack of potatoes, nodded approvingly. “Was it your first kiss?” she asked.

“Eh…h-honestly, it was.” admitted the mare, blushing slightly.

“Aaaand?” insisted Pinkie, crooking an eyebrow and giving her sister an impish smile. “How was it?”

Limestone blushed yet again. “It was…it’s hard to describe. Amazing would be a good word. Passionate. Awkward, too. I suppose you know what I am talking about.” she said, with a small smile on her lips. “It was not what I imagined. It was much, much better.” she said in a dreamy tone.

There was a short silence, that was interrupted by the pink mare. “I’m just a bit disappointed.” muttered Pinkie, pouting.

“How come?” asked Octavia.

“I kinda expected that Steel would hit the third base on the second try.” admitted the younger mare.

***

Dear Elder Scrolls

I hope this letter finds you in good health and…

No...it needs to be more direct.

Dear Elder Scrolls

I am writing you to present my formal resignation as professor of the University of Canterlot. As you are well aware, I never found myself too comfortable at teaching. It was a job I could do, but not as good as many other ponies. I was doing it because it as a source of income, and I thought it would open new paths for me to follow. And maybe, just maybe, it would be a job I would end liking. But as time went on, I found myself less and less prepared to it. I am just not made for teaching. I felt sloppy when teaching, and I always found my answers to the students were lacking something only true professionals could add. And there is nothing worse than a teacher that doesn’t have any passion on what she is doing.

However, I continued, Celestia knows why, until today. I don’t regret it, as I didn’t really have anywhere else to go. But this has changed. I have found something – and somepony – I truly feel passion for. And I am going to stick to this path. I don’t know if the change will be for better or for worse yet, but it is certainly is a positive change.

I hope you have no problem on finding a new geology teacher before the holidays end. I certainly hope not to cause too much disturbance. If that is the case, I am very sorry. Please say goodbye to my colleagues. I will probably visit all of you at some point. May an alicorn fly above you.

Limestone ‘Blinkie’ Pie

The gray mare dropped the pencil and re-read the letter once. Then a second time. With a sigh of annoyance, she crumbled the paper into a ball and tossed it over her shoulder. It bounced on the floor and rolled a short distance, ending its path next to another four discarded letters.

Limestone slumped on the chair. Three days had passed since his date with Flint ‘n’ Steel…the one where she learned about his feelings, and discovered her own. The idea of resigning from the University had been in her mind since that night when Pinkie Pie had pointed her – in a rather rude fashion – that she didn’t find much pleasure in her current life. It was time for a change.

However, it wasn’t until that night with Steel that she saw another possible path she could take. Why not come back to the farm where she was born, to do the same job Igneous Rock did until he retired? Why not stay with Steel?

That idea had gotten stronger with each day since the date, as Limestone found herself thinking about Steel all the time. At first it was just a tingle on the back of her mind, that insisted on remembering that first kiss. The second day, she had tried to meet with Steel, but he was busy on the mines. The third, today, she had walked to his house, only to find it devoid of any stallions. Limestone had a brief chat with Warm Light, and asked her to tell Steel to go to her house whenever he was available. After that, she had made her way back to her home.

That was six hours ago. Limestone was a patient mare, but even she had a limit. What was taking him so long? He didn’t seem to be that busy the previous days. What was different now? In dire need of something to keep her mind busy, the pony decided to prepare her resignation letter. However, even this had proven fruitless.

The problem was clear to her: She was completely certain she wanted to stop working at the University. However, she was not so sure if her relationship with Steel was going to work on the long round. But a pony had to take risks, right? And when it came to love, nothing was safe.

But then, why did she feel like she was making excuses and avoiding her responsibilities?

Limestone let out another sigh and slumped further on her chair. She needed to talk to somepony. She turned her head back and scanned the room, which had a distinct lack of sisters. Octavia had left about half an hour ago to take a stroll. She even suggested Limestone to go with her, arguing that a bit of fresh air could help her clear her mind. Now the light gray mare regretted her decision to stay.

And Pinkie Pie…well. Limestone was desperate enough to rely in her younger sister for advice, but she was missing too. The bubblegum pony had disappeared after lunch, who knew where she was, or what she was doing.

“What am I going to do with my life?” asked Limestone to the ceiling. She got no answer, as expected. “And when did my life become a mess? I take my time to think of my actions, and plan ahead. How did this happen?”

But the planks of the ceiling still refused to give her an answer, or even acknowledge her questions. Defeated, Limestone decided that maybe a walk across the valley would be just what she needed.

Limestone lazily got off the chair and dragged herself to the door, almost literally. She felt burn out, both physical and mentally. But she couldn’t just sit on her chair for the rest of the evening, so she used all her determination of climb down the stairs, cross the sitting room, put on the saddlebags and open the door.

Steel stood on the other side, visibly surprised and with a hoof raised, ready to knock. There was a brief moment of silence. “Uh…hello.” started the stallion, with half a smile. “Mom said you wanted to see me.”

The gray mare needed a second to react to his presence. “Oh, yes!” she sputtered. “Come, I need you now.” She grabbed his hoof and pulled the surprised stallion into the house, up the stairs and into her room. Then she pushed him onto her bed, and locked the door. Only then Limestone paused and let out a sigh.

“Um…H-hey, Limestone?” stammered Steel behind her. “M-maybe you’re taking things a tad too fast for my taste.”

The mare turned around and frowned, not understanding the reason for that comment. “What are you talking about? I just need to talk to somepony.”

“Oh. Jest talk.” repeated Steel in a tone that conveyed both disappointment and relief, but mostly the latter. He let out a sigh and relaxed visibly. “Sorry, I just though…um…nevermind…” he muttered, waving a hoof dismissely.

Feeling confused by his reaction, Limestone pondered insisting on the matter, but decided to let it go. She made her way to her bed and sat next to the stallion, giving him a nuzzle on the neck. He tensed for a moment, but then returned the gesture. It felt nice, to bury her face on her neck. Warm. It was something so simple and small, and yet, carried so much meaning.

Where to start? She knew what worried her, but she wasn’t sure how to say it to not sound crazy. After all, it was a silly concern, wasn’t it? Even she knew she had no responsibility, no obligation to stay in the university. But she couldn’t shrug off the feeling that she was doing something wrong, and needed somepony else to tell her that everything was fine. And Steel would be perfect for it.

“What are those?” asked Steel. Limestone opened her eyes and followed his hoof. Of course, he was pointing the collection of discharged resignation letters.

‘I guess that solves it’ though Limestone, biting her lip. “I…am going to resign from my job in Canterlot.” she confessed.

“Ah, so you took a decision.” said Steel with a small smile. “How come?”

“U-hu.” nodded Limestone. “I’ve wanted a change for a while now, even if I didn’t realize it. I guess you made me take a decision.” she whispered.

“Uh…does that mean-?”

“It means I am going to stay here, in the rock farm.” interrupted Limestone, looking at him with a smile. “With you.”

Steel looked at the mare with a perplexed expression. “Wow, you’re dead serious.” he muttered.

“What do you mean?” asked Limestone, confused by his tone.

Steel shuffled awkwardly in the bed. “Eh…um…I wasn’t sure how serious you were with me. Like, I didn’t know if we were going just to be a small affair or something more…more serious.” admitted the stallion, his eyes affixed in his hooves. “That’s why I’ve kinda…avoided you. We were busy on the mine, but not that busy. I ain’t event told my family about you either, but I think my brothers suspect.”

Limestone backed away from him. “Steel, are you saying-?”

“No, no!” interrupted the stallion, shaking his head in panic. “I want us to be a thing. I really, really like you.” He said, feeling his face warm as the words left his lips. “But I wasn’t sure if you wanted the same. You’ve got your fancy life in the fancy capital, why would you want to stay with somepony like me for more than a few days? I got nervous and started overthinking, so I focused in my work.” Steel continued speaking without thinking, stammering and fidgeting with his hooves. “My brothers say they think a lot when they mine, but I don’t, I just go blank. So I gave myself a couple of days, and if you didn’t show up, I’d assume you didn’t really care about me, and end of story. But then I went home today, and mom told me you were there and asked about me, and I was like ‘What the heck am I doing?’, and I came over.” he finished. Slowly, he raised his head and his eyes meet Limestone’s.

“Who gave you such a stupid idea?” whispered Limestone, slightly shaking her head.

“That’s how Father met ma.” muttered Steel, shrugging.

“And what if I had decided to use the same strategy?”

The red pony opened his mouth to reply, but promptly closed it. “You know?” he finally said. “Now that you mention it, I can see how it could backfire very badly.”

“You featherbrain.” chuckled Limestone as she dug her face on his neck. “You could have messed everything up.”

The stallion nuzzled her back, and wrapped a hoof around her waist while he caressed her mane with the other. “So you’re not mad?” he asked after a minute.

“Maybe I should.” said Limestone, looking at him. “But I can’t be mad at such a sweet featherbrain.” she whispered, leaning forward and stealing a kiss from Steel’s lips. The stallion was caught by surprise and tensed at first, but then responded to the kiss with passion.

The mare broke the contact and snuggled against his body, enjoying the heat that he irradiated. The stallion wrapped a foreleg around her body and pulled her closer. For a while, the two ponies just sat there, blissfully absent from the rest of the world, just with the presence of each other.

Several minutes later, Steel spoke up. “So, um.” he started with a whisper. “As much as Ah like snuggling, that is not why you called me.”

Limestone let out a groan and once again buried her face on her neck. She didn’t want to worry him. She just wanted to stay like that, forever. But at the same time, he was right. Letting out a defeated sigh, the mare backed away and gave him a smile. “I am concerned.” said the mare. Steel nodded but said nothing, inviting her to continue. “I feel like I shouldn’t be resigning.”

“How come?” asked the stallion.

The gray mare shrugged her shoulders. “I can’t stop having the nagging feeling that I will be failing everypony in the University of I leave.” she said. “I know it is silly, but…I can’t stop it. I can’t bring myself to finish the letter. Every time I write it, I re-read it and suddenly why reasons are like the silly dreams of some little filly.”

Steel pondered her words for a moment, and took her hoof in his. When Limestone looked at him, she found a warm smile. “I think I know what yer going through. Some ponies don’t want to disappoint anypony, and get very anxious when they have to take a decision that is going to cause a problem to one side or the other. But sometimes, you just have to.” The stallion shrugged his broad shoulders. “Such is life.”

The gray mare blinked and her eyes fell into her hoof, the one the stallion was holding in his. She could feel the warmth emanating from him. Steel was right, but…he made it sound so plain, while the whole matter was a complete mess in her head. Had she been worrying over something so simple? Perhaps. It all came to a single point: She had to choose between one or the other, between Flint ‘n’ Steel or the University. There was no way she could follow both paths. And for Limestone, the choice was easy.

“I will stay.” she said in a barely audible whisper. She looked at Steel, and couldn’t help by blushing. He was looking at her so intensely. “I will stay.” she repeated, this time loud enough for him to hear.

The stallion grinned, and once again their lips met.

Comments

[danisanerd]

Aw, This chapter whas really good! Really glad that limestone has decided to change her life for the better.

Just one thing:

any passion on what he is doing.

if limestone is writing this then she probably wouldn't refer to herself as he.

[Widow Peak]

5355235 I am veyr glad to hear that!

Thanks for pointing that out. She's not actually refering to herself, but to any teacher. However, it does sound better with 'she'.

[danisanerd]

5355337 yeah, that makes since. It seems better with she, or they, if you want to be gender-netural.