A tale of three sisters

by Widow Peak

Changes

An avalanche of fur and hooves slammed against the floor. At some point of their hurried descent, one of the sisters had tripped over the other and made both of them fall into a mess of limbs. Later they would blame each other, but at the moment they were too busy trying to get up.

“This is not a good way to wake up.” grumbled Inkie, finally managing to get on her hooves. “If every day is going to be like this, I may never return to Canterlot.” She turned around and offered a hoof to her sister, which she accepted.

“I agree with you there.” said Pinkie as she rubbed her forehead, still smiling.

“Are you two okay?” asked Cloudy with worry, trotting to them and quickly checking for injuries.

“They’re fine, Quartz. They’re tough gals” said Igneous, walking to the door. After a small pause, he pulled it open.

On the other side of the threshold there was a pony. A mare of gray mane and coat, golden eyes and a pair of saddlebags draped over her back. Blinkie Pie smiled and spoke with a thick Canterlonian accent. “Father, mother! Sisters!” She trotted inside and gave each one a hug.

Pinkie was the last one, and when her turn arrived, she clamped her sister into a rib-crushing hug. “OhMyGosh, I am just soooooooo happy to see you again!”

Blinke grumbled. “P-pinkie…Air.” she managed to choke out.

“Oh, sorry!” the pink mare apologized, quickly releasing her sister.

“For heaven’s sake.” muttered Blinkie in annoyance, rubbing her pained ribs. “I expected you to have stopped doing this.”

“I’m sorry!” said Pinkie with a culprit smile. “I just couldn’t help myself.”

Her sister gave a small eye roll but smiled. “It’s fine. I am just as excited to see you all again.” she said, looking at her family reunited once again. An idea seemed to pop in her mind. “Oh, just one second!” She rummaged inside her saddlebags and extracted an elegant camera with a shutter connected with a long wire. “I bought this specially for this moment. Could you please stand over there?” she said, making a gesture to the middle of the dining room.

The other four ponies obeyed and formed a compact group, with the two parents standing behind and Pinkie and Octavia sitting on the front. Meanwhile Blinkie put the camera on a shelf and set it up. Then she trotted to her family, holding the wire on her mouth and sat next to their sisters. “Alright, say cheese!” she said, dropping the shutter and stepping on it with a hoof.
The camera flashed, and for a moment the word went white.

***

“-And then the queen was gone, and they married, and lived happily ever after. Well, I guess they are happy. Twilight would have told us if things had gotten wrong.” finished Pinkie. She had started telling the story at the beginning of the dinner, and had finished just before the desserts.

“I was out of Canterlot that day.” added Blinkie. “So we didn’t know anything about that pink wall of light until some days later.”

“Me too.” said Octavia. “I was shopping in Manehattan, and when the wall of light went through it felt…” she made a pause as she rubbed her hooves together. “It was weird, yet nice.”

Igneous grumbled something under his breath. “Are we really so in the middle of nowhere that we didn’t know what had exactly happened until now?” he complained, slamming a hoof against the hardwood table. “That day, a messenger came to the town and said that Canterlot had been attacked, but they have dealt with them already. But that’s all! Anything else were just rumors.”
Cloudy Quartz put a hoof on his shoulder. “Ingeous…” she whispered with worry.

The stallion let out a sigh. “Yeah, yeah. It’s just that I think we deserved to know what exactly had happened, darn it.”

There was a moment of silence, that ended when Cloudy got up and walked to the kitchen. “I’ll bring the desserts.”

“Yay, desserts!” Pinkie hopped on her seat. Even before going to Ponyville and starting working in the Sugarcuber Corner, Pinkie had always loved helping her mother make sweets. The Cakes were better bakers, but there was something special about the way her mother made chocolate pudding.

Cloudy also let her lick the chocolate bowl, which was a plus. The Cakes usually told her to wash it immediately. Party poppers.

Both Octavia and Blinkie smiled as well. “I don’t know when was the last time I felt so full.” commented Blinkie. “Don’t let anyone fool you: Canterlot cuisine may be over the top, but it will cost you a fortune to actually get full. It’s just not worth it.”

“So, what do you do now, Blinkie?” asked Pinkie, resting her chin on the table and looking at her sister.

The gray mare raised an eyebrow. “Really, Pinkie?” she said with amusement. “I thought you were old enough to have stopped with those names.”

“Actually,” responded Pinkie, smiling. “I changed my name some years ago. I am legally called ‘Pinkamena Diane Pie’.”

Her sister just stared at her for several second before frowning. “Huh. Well, it is your choice, I suppose.” She leaned back on her chair and looked to the ceiling. “As you know, I got into the Canterlot University shortly after leaving Gravelpit. I don’t like to brag, but I finished my studies with excellent marks.” A small smile of pride spread on her face. “After that, I found a job as a geology teacher in the University itself. My colleagues say I am one of the youngest professors in the story of that institution.”

“Whoah.” muttered Pinkie. “That’s awesome!”

Limestone let out a chuckle. “Not the word I would have used, but thanks nonetheless.” She gave a flick to her light gray mane. “It is a nice job. Boring at times, but the check at the end of each month makes it worth.”

“I don’t mean anything by it, but…” Octavia fidgeted with her hooves before speaking again. Pinkie looked at her with surprise. That was a habit she didn’t have before. It was cool seeing how her sisters had changed over time, and yet were still the same. “Isn’t it somehow a waste of your talent, finding gems? And I do remember you liked working on the mines.”

Limestone let out a sigh and closed her eyes. “Yes, you are not mistaken, sister. I miss being on the mines. Just look at me!” She extended her forelegs and studied them with a frown. “I have lost so much muscle mass.”

“You were the strongest of the three.” nodded Pinkie.

“But yes, things are like they are now, and I am not going to change them now.” Limestone shrugged and crossed her forelimbs.

“Well, I think you are wrong there, Lime.” grumbled Igneous, who had been silent for the conversation. The three sisters had almost forgotten about him. “Money is always good to have, but it ain’t the most important thing. Doing what you like is much, much more important.”

The mare let out an annoyed sigh and rolled her eyes. “Look dad, I am not-” However, she was interrupted by Cloudy walking back to the dining room with a silver tray on her mouth. On the plate, there were five bowls of dark chocolate pudding. She placed one in front of each pony, and then took a seat next to her husband.

“Have I missed anything?” she asked, completely oblivious to the conversation that had just taken place.

“No, nothing.” replied Limestone as she grabbed a spoon and dunked it on the dessert. After a moment, Octavia decided to imitate her and let it go. Pinkie was already busy tracing circles on the dense substance with her spoon. She was postponing the moment just a little more to enjoy the smell and texture of the pudding.

Cloudy blinked and looked at the stallion, who just shrugged and proceeded to attack the dessert.

“Yummy!” said Pinkie through a mouthfull of chocolate. “I don’t care what anypony may say. This is the best pudding in Equestria!”

***

After the dinner was over, Limestone went upstairs to unpack her luggage, while Pinkie and Octavia helped her to clean the dishes. Igneous had left the house, saying something about checking the tool shed.

“I hope you find your old beds comfortable.” said Cloudy Quartz. “We have moved some of the boxes so you have more space.”

Octavia seemed to freeze for an instant. “A-actually.” she stammered. “I was going to stay in an hotel, in Gravelpit itself.”

“Oh? Why’s that, dear?” asked Cloudy.

“Yeah! I wanted to make a pillow fort with you!” lamented Pinkie. “And just with Blinkie, it will be half the fun!”

Octavia rubbed her hooves together. “W-well, it’s just that I…I rented a room in Gravelpit and-and…” the mare’s voice dropped to a whisper.

Pinkie and Cloudy shared a look. “And what, dear?” asked the older mare.

“Well, I paid in advance because I-I though there wouldn’t be beds for all of us, so…I will have to sleep there.” she muttered, her lavender eyes fixed on her hooves.

Cloudy smiled and shook her head. “Oh, I am sure you can ask for a refund, dear. Nopony here is going to-”

“No!” interrupted Octavia, perhaps a bit more loud than necessary. She hurried to amend her slip. “S-sorry. I mean, it is fine. I’ll sleep in the town, and be back in the morning.”

Cloudy looked at her in confusion. “Uh, well if that is what you want, then sure.” she said after a moment. “But I don’t see why-”

“Thanks!” interrupted Octavia, rushing to the front door. “I love you mom, bye!” She waved goodbye and slammed the door shut.

The two mares stood there, trying to process what exactly had just happened. “Well, that was weird!”said Pinkie, crossing her front hooves over her chest. “She didn’t even finish her dessert!”

Quartz let out a sad sigh. “It was very unusual, yes. I wonder what got onto her.” After a few more seconds, the gray mare shook her head. “Let’s not think more about it, alright? We’ll ask her tomorrow. Now, go upstairs and help your sister. I’ll take care of the rest here.”

“Yes ma’am!” saluted Pinkie before bouncing to the upper floor.

As she climbed, however, her prancing went slower and slower, and she was merely walking as she reached the door and peeked inside. There was Limestone, carefully unpacking her stuff and neatly placing it on the mattress. The camera, two dresses, one ivory brush and a wooden mane comb; a small sack of coins, a two books and a couple of packages of unknown content. The gray mare noticed Pinkie and smiled to her, while grabbing the packs and placing them inside a drawer with a smooth movement.

Pinkie tilted her head. “What is that?” she asked, walking closer.

“It’s a secret.” replied Limestone with a small smile. “And you better not rummage in my things; I will know.” she warmed as she took the comb and started brushing her mane.

It was true. Since they had always lived in the same room, it was very hard for one sister to keep anything hidden from the others. While Octavia had preferred the use of locks and Pinkie simply managed to find amazing hiding spots, Limestone somewhat just always knew when any of the sisters were trying to uncover her secrets.

Pinkie pouted. “Fine then.” She walked to her bed and lacily draped on the cold sheets. “Octavia is gone.”

Limestone’s hoof froze. “What now?”

“She just left.” explained Pinkie. “She said she had already paid for a room, so…” Pinkie shrugged. “I was really looking forward to spend this night with the two of you.” she lamented.

“How strange.” commented Limestone, resuming her brushing. The room fell into silence for a few minutes, the only sounds the soothing brush of the wood against her mane and the muffled breathing of the pink mare. For a mare so used to activity, that moment of silence was surprisingly pleasant. However, it didn't last long.

Pinkie raised her head “Limestone?” she muttered.

“Mmh?” hummed the gray mare, not looking up.

“Do you wanna build a pillow fort?” she started singing softly.

“What now?” Limestone looked at her, confusion plain on her face.

“Come on let’s go and play. I haven’t seen you in ages. Come to have fun” Pinkie rolled to her back and grinned. “You have been away so long. We used to be best buddies. And now we’re not. I wish you would tell me why.”

“Pinkie, that’s enough.” said Limestone, frowning.

“Do you want to build a pillow fort?”

“No, I don’t!” said curtly the older sister. Pinkie’s ears went flat on her skull. “The three of us are grown-up mares now, and while both Octavia and I have matured, you’re still a child.” she made a pause, disapprovingly shaking her head. “We’re too old to be horsing around, Pinkie. I don’t know how you’ve managed to know, behaving like that.” With that, she turned around and continued brushing her mane in silence, a frown still on her face.

“Oh.” whispered Pinkie. “Then I guess I will…go to sleep. Like a grown-up mare. Yeah.” Feeling rejected, the pink mare slided under her covers and went to sleep. Some minutes later, Limestone turned off the small oil lamp and went to bed too.

Comments

[Grif_Bladefeather]

my geuss.... vinyls back at the hotel.