You'll Need This
The tired sun was beginning to rest, its orange rays peeking over the trees of Saddley Park as it gradually went down. Tied-up boats lightly bobbed about by the pier as the sunlight's reflection shimmered in the lake. The beams shone through the warm colours of the many leaves on the trees, painting the grass in a wonderful orange and yellow hue. Ponies joyously trotted with their friends and family up and down the gravelly path. Some were choosing to head back into the city of Vanhoover, finished with their visit for the day. The rest, on the other hoof, chose to stay behind to watch the glorious sunset.
To a pair of sisters on a picnic blanket near one of the trees, this was part of tradition.
"Oh, Maud, hasn't this been the best PSSSD yet?!" The pink teenage mare practically refused to keep still on the blanket, her poofy raspberry bangs bouncing with each sharp movement she made. "I mean, I knew that Vanhoover was amazing... Well technically, I haven't actually been here but deep, deep, deep, deep, deeeeeeeeeep down, I just knew it was amazing! And to finally come here and see the sights with you has officially made this the most amazing-est day EVER!"
The grey pony on the opposite end simply sat there, never bouncing or cracking so much as a grin as her neatly cut violet mane fluttered lightly in the breeze.
"I agree. The detail of the limestone tiles with noticeable specks of oynx in the grout was especially breathtaking." Maud's monotone didn't come close to the extremity of her sister's jubilant tone. That didn't stop Pinkie's smile from growing with anticipation.
"Buuuuuut you know what would make this PSSSD even breathtaking-er?"
"The gift exchange."
"YEAH!" Pinkie gave a gravity-defying bound, punching the sky with a hoof before gently floating back down like a feather in the wind. "But first, you know what we have to do before we open our presents, right? I did it with Limestone last year and with Marble the year before that!"
"The Pie Sister Swap Day song." Maud replied with a slow blink. "I remember them telling me."
"You got it! But don't feel bad if you forget the words. I mean, it's a really tough song to remember all the way through!" With that, Pinkie bounced from hoof to hoof behind her elder sibling as she began the lyrics at the top of her lungs:
"It's the Pie Sister Swap Day Soooooong!"
She then held a hoof out toward Maud as if to say 'your turn!'. The blank-faced mare concluded the cheerful number with a single lyric.
"Hey."
She knew Pinkie Pie was still in the process of improving her songwriting. But nonetheless, she and her sisters knew how much this tradition meant to her so they all agreed to keep up the song part.
"Okay, gift giving time!"
Digging her hooves deep into the fluff of her mane, Pinkie Pie finally pulled out a flat rectangular box, neatly wrapped into purple paper with Maud's face on it for good measure. Her eyes somehow went wider as her sister pulled out of thin air her own present. Encased in brown paper with a string bow tied around it, Maud's gift was just as big as her.
"Wowie! You sure went all out this year, huh, Maud?"
"Yes." Pushing each other's presents onto the opposite ends of the blanket, Pinkie tapped her hooves together ecstatically as Maud tore off the wrapping on her gift in two tears. She then lifted off the blue cardboard cover and looked inside. Her eyes never widened nor narrowed but Pinkie was just trembling with glee. Neatly folded inside was a cerulean-coloured frock with a thin black belt slotted down the side.
"Do you like it, Maud? Oh, who am I kidding? I can tell you do!" the pink pony squealed as she pressed her hooves against her cheeks, "I thought with you going away to Manehattan University to study rock geology, there's no reason you can't look fancy while studying! Look, there's even a little pocket where you can put Boulder!" Looking up at her sibling, Maud pulled her new outfit out of the box and, in one swift motion, put it on.
"Thank you, Pinkie." She stated flatly as she fastened the belt. "I'll treasure it always."
"Yeah, the look on your face says it all, Maud." Pinkie replied, wiping a tear from her eyes before perking up instantly. "Okay, my turn!" Stripping the paper off her own gigantic present in just one rip, the sides of the box fell away, fully displaying the item inside. Pinkie's eyes grew wider, as did her smile.
"Oh, my gosh! Oh, my gosh! Oh, my GOSH! This has to be the most awesomest, spectacularest thing I've ever seen, Maud!" Her elated demeanor quickly vaporised into a look of puzzlement. "Uhh... what is it?"
"It's a party cannon."
Cocking an eyebrow, Pinkie trotted all around her present as her eyes scanned across each detail intently. Its turquoise painted body shone brilliantly in the sunlight, its barrel-shaped chassis balanced on two single wheels with a bright yellow flower engraved on each. And on the top, a purple button with a fake cannon fuse attached to it.
"A... what?" Pinkie asked, turned her attention back to her sister.
"It can decorate a room for a party in a single shot when you press the button." Maud explained in her wooden tone, looking straight at the pink button on top. Now completely captivated, Pinkie gave the button a quick whack with her hoof. She flinched as the sudden sound of a party horn went off and confetti, streamers and multi-coloured puffs of smoke erupted from the barrel. The poofy-maned equine gazed in pure amazement as the decorations gently floated down onto the grass.
For the first time in her life since that rainbow that granted her her love for all things happy, Pinkie Pie was completely speechless.
"This is... you... I mean, it... I ju... wh-where did you get this?"
"My friend Jury Rig is coming with me to Manehattan to study science." Maud replied, "I thought I'd get him to help me with your gift before I go. I know how much you love all things party-related. But I wanted this present to be more than just balloons or cake. So I came up with the idea of something to make expressing your talent easier and he agreed to build it for me free of charge. We've been working on this for the past month."
Pinkie's mouth hung open as she looked back at the cannon, delicately running her hoof along its smooth surface as if it were a delicate piece of china that could crack at the slightest amount of pressure.
"You did all this... for me?"
For the first time that entire day, the corners of Maud's mouth curled up into the tiniest yet sweetest smile.
"With you leaving for Ponyville next week to become the best party pony Equestria's ever seen, I think you'll need this."
Those final words were all it took to get Pinkie to launch herself at Maud, wrapping her forelegs around her with all her might. Her body convulsed with each joyful sob as tears poured down from her eyes like waterfalls, drenching her sister's new frock. Maud didn't mind though; she just closed her eyes and gently returned the hug, her warm smile still present.
"Maud... you really are the best sister a pony could ever have." Pinkie choked through each word happily as the cuddling continued. "I promise I'll never, ever, ever leave home without it."
The embrace between the two sisters never broke even when the last rays of the sun faded away over the distant buildings.