“You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.” Dr Seuss.
“Welcome to the Pony & Trap! How may I help you?” Beamed the bright blue earth pony, standing behind the counter within the hotel’s small reception area.
This fine living establishment had stood for at least two generations and was in fact one of the most highly praised stays throughout all of Canterlot, and it had been occupied by the same family since its very construction.
Although wrinkles had formed in the corners of his eyes, the stallion trotted several steps down the length of the desk to flip open the thick logbook perched precariously close to the edge with the same vigor he possessed during his younger days, smiling merrily to the grey mare as he idly flipped towards his most recent of entries.
“I am looking for a friend who is staying here,” came the monotonous reply, “it is important I speak with him.”
“Oh my, I hope it isn’t bad news?” The stallion raised his eyebrows as he directed his emerald-eyed gaze down to the logbook.
“There has been a passing in the family.”
Pressing a hoof to his chest, the stallion looked sadly upon the grey mare. “I am so sorry to hear that… what is the name of your friend?”
“Cheese Sandwich.”
The stallion’s face darkened only somewhat at the name. “That poor stallion… he seems like such a jolly colt as well. He had most of my customers busting a gut during breakfast with his jokes and songs. Such a tragic way to end the afternoon… I believe he just arrived home not too long before you came in from some kind of party he threw for a filly’s eighth birthday… I shall go and get him so you two can talk in the lounge, Miss…?”
“Maud. Maud Pie. That won’t be necessary. What room is he in? I would prefer to talk to him there.”
“Of course, of course; come this way, please.” Emerging from behind the counter, the stallion indicated a hoof to the staircase just off to the side that led up to the bedrooms, trotting softly up them while he cast a glance over his shoulder to make sure the grey mare was following behind him.
It was then, upon glancing back and observing the mare’s rather stoic demeanour that he noticed the curious, multicoloured necklace she wore around her neck.
“That is a very pretty necklace,” The stallion remarked as they made it to the hallway stretching left and right, trying to make light conversation despite the grim happenstance of her being there, “may I ask where you got it?”
“My sister made it. It is a rock candy necklace. It is very precious to me.”
“That’s a shame. I was hoping I could purchase one for my daughter.” The stallion frowned as he led Maud down the correct hallway, moving several doors down until suddenly stopping before one on the left.
“This is his room. I’ll leave you to it, okay? If you need anything, I’ll be right downstairs.” He announced as he turned towards her, pointing a hoof to the door next to him before moving past the mare, maintaining his respectful, somber air as he disappeared back downstairs to reception.
Maud turned her gaze left and right, making absolutely certain that she was alone before lifting a hoof and knocking upon the door, which caused an immediate reaction beyond the wooden portal.
She could hear a scrambling of hooves and various comedic sounds ranging from deflating balloons to rupturing whoopie cushions, which almost brought a smile to her face.
It sounded much like Pinkie Pie’s old room back on the rock farm.
When the door finally opened, a brightly smiling ecstatic yellow earth pony greeted her, wearing a pink tutu and a large fuzzy neon green wig, wearing a set of comedic glasses where the eyeballs extended from them with a set of jiggling springs.
“Why hello there, filly! How can I help you? Were you at young Cream Puff’s super fantasmic surprise birthday party? I don’t seem to recognise you as one of the parents… or… wait a minute,” Cheese Sandwiches leaned in close, “you do look familiar somehow. Have we met?”
Cheese Sandwich removed his glasses to give the mare a closer inspection.
Maud shook her head. “My name is Maud Pie. We have not met before.”
“Maud… Pie?” Cheese Sandwich’s smile grew to twice the size it had been before, quickly stepping aside while holding out a hoof towards his very messy, joke and pranking paraphernalia littered bedroom. “You must be one of Pinkie Pie’s sisters! Please, do come in! This is a very pleasant surprise! Whatever brings you all the way out to Canterlot? Is Pinkie Pie with you?”
Nodding, Maud silently stepped into the room, smiling to herself as she heard the door close behind her.
It was no wonder Pinkie Pie had found a friend in Cheese Sandwich. He was everything Pinkie Pie was, if not more. His room was an eerie mirror image to Pinkie Pie’s personality and purpose in life.
He almost even shared the same attitude as the mare.
Cheese Sandwich was indeed a perfect match for her sister, just as Pinkie Pie claimed in her most recent letter.
Maud Pie’s heart ached at such a prospect, but she had grown very adept at concealing her emotions from everypony, even Pinkie Pie herself.
“No,” Maud replied despite the sickening sensation of disgust swirling in the pits of her stomach at the mere mention of him speaking her sister’s name, “she is in Ponyville. I came here to talk you.”
Cheese Sandwich blinked. “Oh. Well, that’s okay! I was hoping to meet Pinkie Pie’s family at some point. So, what do you want to talk about? Would you like to go out for some cake? I have heard there is a very scrumptious carrot cake vendor close by—”
“Please stop seeing my sister.”
Taken completely by surprise, Cheese Sandwich simply gawked at Maud, clearly confused at the demand.
A nervous laughed passed his lips. “I’m sorry, Maud, but I could have sworn you just—”
Maud Pie turned, regarding Cheese Sandwich with a stare that caused the stallion’s smile to completely dissipate. “You do not deserve her. Please never see her again.”
“L-Look, Maud, I understand that I may not appear like an appropriate match for Pinkie Pie, but, I do love her very much.” He blushed, despite the situation he found himself in. “I mean, I have not openly chased any kind of relationship with Pinkie Pie, but I am almost certain she feels the same way for me too.”
“She does not feel the same way and she does not want to see you again. She is sweet and kind and does not deserve a pony like you. She deserves somepony better. Somepony who can be there for her.” Maud’s Pie’s throat drew tight as she took a step forward towards Cheese Sandwich. “That pony is not you. She is not willing to admit that, so I have come here personally to tell you in her stead.”
Maud moved towards the door to leave, but Cheese Sandwich stepped in the way, still baffled and somewhat hurt by the mare’s words.
“What have I ever done to deserve this kind of reaction? Pinkie Pie told me herself you were a kind pony, so... she even told me her family would happily accept any kind of relationship between us, if we did happen to start one. So, how can you just stand there and lie like that? I might not be the brightest tool in the shed, but Pinkie Pie would never say such hurtful things to any pony without good reason! Not even me!”
Maud’s eyebrow twitched. “I know what is best for Pinkie Pie. That does not include you. Please move away from the door, I would like to leave.”
“No, I will not let you leave until I get a straight answer from you. I don’t want us to be butting heads together because I really do care about Pinkie Pie. I love her.”
Maud Pie took a step back so she could turn away to conceal the glare growing across her features, a hoof lifting up to play with the rock candy necklace around her neck. “Pinkie Pie does not love you.”
Cheese Sandwich pressed a hoof to his chest, remaining firmly in the way of the door. “Can’t we just talk about this? I don’t know what it is I have done but don’t you think it is Pinkie Pie’s choice to love who she wants? And if that pony is me, then, I am afraid you will just have to accept it. The last thing I want to do is to ruin your relationship with your sister, so, let us just pretend this conversation never happened? I won’t mention a word of it to her, I promise.”
“I am simply looking out for my sister.”
“I am not saying th—”
“Why,” Maud affirmed, emotion breaking through her usual monotonous disguise, as tears streamed down her cheeks, “did you ruin what we had? It was perfect. She only wrote to me. She only needed me. She does not need you… she does not need you at all.”
Maud, in her simmering rage that had yet exposed itself upon her face, accidentally yanked at the necklace just a little too much, breaking the string that held it all together.
Wide-eyed, Maud appeared stunned as the rock candies clattered to the ground.
Pulling her hoof back from her neck with the broken string resting upon it as tears swarmed at the corners of her eyes, realising what she had done to her most recent and most precious of gift from her little sister.
Upon hearing the door open, Maud turned, noting Cheese Sandwich’s irritated expression.
“Leave,” Cheese Sandwich firmly demanded, “right now.”
“I won’t.” Maud shook her head.
Cheese Sandwich sighed. “If you do not leave, I am going to tell Pinkie Pie just what exactly has happened here. Please, don’t make me do this… just go.”
“I do not believe you would do such a thing.”
“You are leaving me with little choice.” He pointed a hoof out into the corridor. “Out. Now. I do not want to see your face again until you have properly apologized both to me and to Pinkie Pie. This is something I did not expect to come from her older sister. She spoke so highly of you… maybe she doesn’t know her big sister all that well, after all?”
“You’re right… she doesn’t know me… or my feelings.” Maud Pie drew the broken string close to her chest with a trembling hoof.
Cheese Sandwich placed a hoof to the mare’s shoulder, attempting to guide her out of the door. “If I did not love your sister as much as I do, I would have said harsher things to you. I didn't, because I don’t want there to be bad blood between—”
The party stallion’s eyes widened as he felt a set of hooves smash up against his throat with a strength he did not expect from the smaller pony, pushing him back against the wall, constricting his yelp while Maud thrashed a rear hoof to the side to slam the door shut.
_____________________
Maud placed the letter side by side another written letter upon the desk, her half lidded eyes darting between the two pieces to confirm that the style of writing were similar, as well as Cheese’s rather eccentric signature, which she mimicked perfectly.
Calmly, Maud lifted a hoof up to rub against her muzzle, drawing the appendage back upon feeling a clump of solidifying moisture sticking to her furr.
She stared at the red smear for the longest of times before her lips curled into a genuine smile.
Author's Note
Next Chapter: Big Sister
Thanks guys who read it, even if you hated it.
Like, hate, love! Kill. Hate. Breed. Kill. REPEAT.
<3
