Born To Be Mild.

( Morning of the Trip. )

"Limestone is used often in construction, added to other sources to often make them stronger." Maud spoke up out of the silence of the early morning, Pale blue eyes gazing over to Limestone who scrunched up her muzzle in confusion.

"What?" The eldest mare rolled her eyes, stretching her backside softly.

She loved spending the night with her sisters, yet it was a nightmare on her back. Her eyes darting to Marble snoring aloud on the cold surface of the earth, drool softly dripping out of the side of her mouth. She could not help but let out a giggle, it was times like these she regretted she didn't have a camera to tape this.

"I'm just saying Limestone is a important material, without it foundations wouldn't be as strong as they are." Maud walked over to her sister and gave her a warm hug.

Limestone felt her heart sinking within her chest, did her sister truly believe those words she spoke?

Or perhaps she just sensed something was wrong and decided to try and cheer her up?

Limestone frowned gently pulling away from her sister and sighing aloud.

"I'm not soft..." She huffed with a bit of exasperation to her voice.

"Never said you were, I just think you feel perhaps your contributions to the family farm are going..." Maud tried to take her point home, the perfect time presenting itself.

"Mmhmm?" Marble slowly sat up from the dirt, mane filled with all types of debris and tangled beyond repair.

The mare still had drool covering one half of her face, Limestone just couldn't help but explode out in laughter. A part of her happy she dodged a conversation with Maud, she knew deep within she was not ready to talk about what she felt inside.

"Awwww. You look like crap." Limestone inched closer to her baby sister, quickly ruffling her hooves through her mane playfully.

The slender mare blushed brightly, swatting delicately with her hooves, thinking it was just way to early for her sister to be teasing her. Maud watched her sisters act playful and sisterly on the ground, a faint smile forming upon her lips.

Perhaps Limestone wasn't as bad off as she thought, with Marble at her side she always seemed to be smiling.

( The Present. )

"Who needs this crap? I should've just stayed at The Farm, at least there I have respect!" Limestone huffed in a small fit, her mane was fluffed out as eyes gazed forward blankly.

She sat under a large oak tree in the middle of the Ponyville Park, watching has happy ponies played and chatted, even some enjoying each others company. Friends could share a day with ease, yet it felt like pulling teeth trying to hang out with her sisters.

The clouds gently floated across the pale blue sky. The grass below her hooves was lush, and a bit damp, Yet offered a cool tingle across her slender frame. This was a pleasant feeling at this moment, contrasting with her temper which made her feel aflame.

"Lemon! C'mon Lemon! I have a job to get to!!" Pinkie yelled aloud in lackluster fashion, hooves dragging a bit as dark blue eyes scanned the park for her sister.

Within seconds her hues fell upon Limestone, who had her eyes narrowed at the mere sound of her voice. The pink mare took a deep breath, quickly filling with peppiness before bouncing happily to her side.

"Who the buck is Lemon?" Limestone spoke through gritted teeth.

"You silly! Because to be honest you are acting like a total sourpuss." Pinkie shrugged her shoulders as she plopped down at Limestone's side with a thud.

"What do you want Pink?" The eldest mare simply let her voice fall flat, a part of her just not feeling up to fighting.

"I'm here to say sorry. I was wrong and should've thought about your..."Pinkie spoke as if reading lines off a script, her mind elsewhere.

Limestone continued to listen in silence, the faux tone her baby sister was using with her sounded strangely familiar. Her muzzle scrunching up slightly as her pale green eyes fell to the grass below.

Did she hear it from Maud before?

Perhaps Mom or Dad?

Marble...

That tone, so mocking and cold.

Had it been around her all along?

Yet she had simply failed to catch on to it?

"Hugs?" Pinkie smiled holding out her hooves, her scripted performance over and done with.

Limestone merely blinked long lashes and noded along, tilting inward slowly in silence. The ice cold embrace of her sister squeezing her body caused her stomach to flip a bit.

"Glad we could make up! C'mon let's go Par-Tay!!" Pinkie let a loud squee escape her lips as she shot up to her hooves, mane bouncing wildly on her head.

"Pink. I..." She wanted to bring up how she was sorry, if she ever pushed her away or if by any chance it was her own cold heart that had caused this rift among them.

Maybe she could try and make things right?

Before this wedge between them would begin to grow, she could let Pinkie know the old mare she used to look up to, was still alive. But the more she thought of it, the more she knew she would be showing weakness.

Father had always told her to be strong, not to show fear in the face of the unknown.

Not to show pride, when given something good in life.

Not to show...

"Nothing Pink. I'll be there in a bit." Limestone shrugged with a solemn gaze, her sister just smirking as she bounced off into the horizon.

Roughly pounding her hoof into the grass with a dull clunk. Limestone gritted her teeth in anger, it was flowing through her faster and faster. Why did she have to be the one to say sorry?

It was they who left.

It was Maud and Pink, who knowing full well the farm was in need of a group effort, abandoned her. Left all the dirty work to be done by the oldest mare, as if she didn't have dreams or wants.

It was her destiny.

"You promised to always be there! You promised..." Limestone swallowed the lump deep in her throat, if they wanted her to be a workhorse.

Then she would act like one.

And she knew just the place to start.