> When Maud Met Boulder > by Cora Zone Unicorn > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > My Pet Rock > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- It was a new day in the town of Nickerlite. Although Celestia's sun was shining brightly in the sky, the town still seem to have the look of dull grey, brown and purple colors. Yes, the town didn't seem to look all that exciting or happy but never judge a book from its cover. A little ways from the town was a farm. It was property of the Pie family, Igneous Rock Pie, Cloudy Quartz Pie and their four daughters. Maud Pie was the oldest of the four. She was grey with a straight purple mane and tail. She wore purple eye shadow to differentiate from the color of her fur coat and deep teal blue eyes. Her other three sisters, Pinkamena "Pinkie" Diane Pie, Marble, and Limestone were all quite different. Especially Pinkie, who was her best friend. She was the one little pony who stood out from the entire rest of the Pies. She didn't have a muted yellow coat like her father Igneous, or a dark grey mane and tail like her sister Marble. Oh, no... she was pink all around. Pinkie had a light pink coat but an even darker shade of pink in her mane and tail. The strangest thing, however, being how curly and poofy her mane and tail were. Her hair wasn't always like that though, for her mane used to be as straight as the rest of her other sisters. She claimed that a rainbow had caused her hair to end up like that. Nonetheless, ever since then, the Pie family has been much happier. There was more smiling and talking amongst them than there ever was in years. "Alright," said the stallion with a straw of hay in his mouth. He was a tough-looking stallion with a muted yellow fur coat and a dark and light grey mane and tail. He wore a neck tie around his neck and the kind of hat a scarecrow would wear. "Girls, why don't you go and harvest the rocks from the South field while your mother and I go harvest the rocks from the west field?" The four fillies looked at each other, then looked at their father in return. "Yes, dad," the sisters said in unison. Igneous Rock nodded before going back inside the house to get his wife, leaving only the girls to hear the sound of the front door closing. Maud, Pinkie, Marble and Limestone began to trot over to the South field. All except for Pinkie, who uncharacteristically began to hop all the way over to the field. Her now curly mane and tail bouncing along with her. As soon as the Pie sisters reached the South field, they agreed to harvest the rocks from different sections, so that way they could get the job done a lot faster. Maud had took the section that was farthest away from her other sisters. She had harvested about 100 pounds of rocks so far. All among the three types: Sedimentary, Metamorphic, and Igneous. She was the fastest of the Pie siblings when it came to harvesting rocks. She was probably the only earth pony in all of Equestria most passionate about rocks. As Maud began to harvest more from her section of the field, she noticed from the corner of her eye, far, far away from all the others was a rock all by itself. This made her curious. She forgot about all the other rocks in her section as she went straight towards the little rock. Each hoofstep being heard and each step being poked by the grainy, pebbly dirt. She finally approached the rock, staring at it intently. Her bland expression non-changing. Maud sat on the dirt ground, her facial expression still remaining the same. "Hello," she said in a monotone voice. She continued to stare at the specimen. This particular rock intrigued her. It was different than all the others that she came across in her life. How it was farthest away from all the other rocks in the field. Truly, it wanted some private time. However, what fascinated Maud the most about it, was its shape. The rock was shaped in a perfect oval. Maud then brought her head down and sniffed it, wanting to know the type of rock it was. "You're a metamorphic rock." Suddenly, the corners of her mouth began to lift upwards. Her mouth forming into a smile. She then began to play with it, rolling it around on the gravely-dirt ground. Its sides getting specks of dirt. After playing with it for a few moments, Maud picked up the rock with her hoof. As she stared at the rock in her hoof, she realized that it fit perfectly. "I like you," she said to it. "Let's be friends." The young mare was suddenly interrupted by the sound of hopping. She turned around to see her little sister Pinkie Pie. "Hi, Maud," she greeted her sister, glee all in her voice. "What'cha got there in your hoof?" She looked at her new friend before extending her arm toward her sister. She watched Pinkie's eyes widen in amazement. "Ooohhhhh!!! Cool rock!" Pinkie exclaimed, her blue eyes becoming bigger as she spoke. "Where'd you find it?" "It was sitting over here, away from all the other rocks." "Ooh! That must be one independent rock." Maud took in what her best friend had said. Yes, it is rather independent, indeed. "Hey, Maud, do you think its a boy or a girl?" The eldest looked at the rock in her hoof. "It's definitely a boy." Pinkie looked at the rock more closely before nodding her head. "Well, he is very handsome. You know, I bet he would be a great pet." The mare thought about what her little sister had said. I always wanted a pet. She looked at the rock again before looking at Pinkie Pie. Her blank expression remained. "I'm keeping him," Maud said, her voice still very monotone. "Eeepp! This is great, Maud!!! You've always wanted a pet!!! What are you going to name him?" The grey earth pony thought for a moment. She thought of possible names that would fit her new pet. Rocky? No. Carbonite? No. Boulder? Boulder... "I'll name him 'Boulder'." Pinkie smiled, extending her arm for her sister to place her new pet rock in her hoof. "Well, hello there, Boulder. My name is Pinkie Pie. I'm your owner's sister. Welcome to the family." The little pink filly embraced the pet in a hug. Maud blushed as another smile appeared across her usual blank facial expression. Her best friend always was the loving type. She let go of the embrace before looking up at Maud. "C'mon, big sis. Let's go introduce your new pet rock to Marble and Limestone."