Maud Pie’s gaze was long and indeed that of a thousand yards. No movement was to be seen, no quiver of the pupil, no flutter of the eyelashes. There was a perfect lack of motion just like that of a finely shined piece of marble, but without the interesting glossiness that one might lose themselves in. Maud was, in a word or perhaps even two, motionless. Without motion, if it was your desire to use two.
Ever so slowly, like the continents of Equestria shifting from their home, her stony silence quaked, “It is indeed quite the long and hard shaft, I suppose,” There was a pause that was to only barely affect the speed at which she spoke. Small and slow it may be, it was there none the less and none the less visible, “But, it is no metastable allotrope of carbon that has formed with a diamond lattice. I would go far as to say I find it hard to grasp it’s a rock, mineral, or otherwise of any sort of interest to myself. Perhaps it is an organ of your own,” She blinked slowly as was the only way she knew how, “Of which, I am afraid to say, I am wholly unqualified to examine.”
Turning rock cutie mark to canine face, she ignored the company that she found herself with and continued. “I hold a rocktorate, not whatever it is that is the equivalent is in the field of biology. Good bye.”
Her clip clop of equine hooves was the only reply to be found as she left the normally raucous Diamond Dogs, petrified into their namesake now, behind her finely formed firm flank.
“I just don’t know any more, Starlight,” If there was a Richter scale made to determine tone of voice, it would be dead lining as Maud was speaking, “I just feel like there is nothing left to discover around here. Maybe I was wrong to place companionship of ponies above that of the companionship of a fine piece of granite.”
A hoof caused tremor caused the third and yet to be mentioned member of the café’s table to jump in alarm. Despite his leap, Boulder quickly settled back down into a comfortable position in time for the unicorn’s words.
“I take it the so-called lead was a bust?”
“It crumbled just like arenite, which is to say, sandstone.”
“Well, I suppose I know what it’s like to be stuck in one place and kind of become …stagnant. I mean,” Starlight lifted a hoof to ruffle her own mane, “You saw what happened to me last time. I think maybe I could help you, make sure you don’t, you know, enslave an entire village in a forced attempt of friendship and equality?” The last part was rushed out in one single breath and followed by a weak laugh.
“I suppose you have a point, Starlight, though I am not sure how Pinkie would feel if I was to take over Ponyville.”
Her friend’s laughter was stronger this time and with it a bit more volume. Ponies seated nearby turned to see what it was that was so funny, “As long as your town’s cupcakes are better than they were in mine, she might not have too many grievances with your rule.”
A ceramic platter clattered to the floor with a noise impossible for even the most oblivious of patrons to ignore now, and with it spilled daisy sandwiches and cucumber salads.
“Oops.”
“I know-“ Starlight paused, lowering her voice so the rest of the patrons wouldn’t be necessarily staring at the two, “I mean, I might have an idea of how to help. How about you come with me for a little trip? I was going to go up to the Crystal Empire soon to visit my old friend, Sunburst. You could come with, it could be the perfect way to break out of your rut! I’m sure Twilight would say there’s some sort of friendship lesson that can be learned even.”
“I’ve never been to the Crystal Empire. That would be nice,” A gentle bump to her hoof reminds her, “May Boulder come along?”
“And this, my dear Maud,” Starlight sweeps her hoof in front of Maud in dramatic anticipation of a reveal, “Is the Crystal Empire.”
The blue-green seas of Maud’s eyes shrank away in regards to the sight, to be replaced by the deep black abyss of her pupil, “Oh… oh my.”
With a practically Pinkie Pie like bounce in her step, Starlight whirled around to face her friend, “Tada! It’s actually made of crystals, what do you think? Isn’t it just perfect for you!”
“Is…is it all made of crystals?” Maud gasped out.
“All the buildings, all the ponies, all the streets. Well, not all the ponies, but all of the Crystal Empire natives for sure. What do you think, think this can break you out of your rocky rut?”
“I have so many questions…”
“I bet Sunburst could help answer some of those! He’s the magical advisor at the castle, it’s practically his job to know everything about the place.” With a hush she continues, “Secretly, just between the two of us, I think he might be a bigger bookworm than Twilight!”
But Maud wasn’t listening, not to a single word uttered. In fact, by the time that Starlight had leaned over to share her gossipy opinion, her friend wasn’t even there at her side to hear about Sunburst’s bibliophilic tendencies. Maud was off with the speed of a rock seen leaving a medieval trebuchet. To where Starlight could not see, and as to why, she could not care. She found herself just happy that her friend was so entranced with the new scenery.
And, anyways, it gave her and Sunburst some one on one time together. It was going to be a magical day, night, and day again. Maybe longer, depending on some of the spells cast! With a whinny she found herself rocketing to her own destination.
Maud’s sights were set on a trio of ponies ahead. Obviously a group of Crystal Empire natives, their coats glistened under the frozen tundra’s sun and they sashayed with the knowledge that their coats were shining so brightly. They were the utter picture of crystal pony perfection.
But that’s not what Maud Pie saw in them.
She saw moving crystals, crystals with the very potential of life! This was a property never before seen, these were crystals of the unknown. Maud Pie had her rocktorate already, she had travelled all of Equestria to do her dissertation to earn it. And in all that time she had never seen anything like this. Absolutely nothing, in all her years, resembled what she saw before her today. More than the Diamond Dogs, the Crystal part was not just a name.
What Maud Pie really saw in them was something worth further research and a way out of her rut.
Her head tilted downward, enough so that locks of purple started to brush against the cobbled streets of fine Crystal city. But despite the slight nuisance she was now able to get a better view with which to properly examine for research purposes. It would have been better if she had had her equipment with her but that could not be helped at the moment. She would have to settle for rudimentary hoofwork, perhaps she could receive a grant from that alone and get even more specialized equipment.
A bright light refracted off of something, causing Maud to draw back, as it directed itself to her eyes. Celestia’s sun was strong normally and while some may argue it was weaker in the north, it certainly did not seem so when surrounded by so many crystals. Pinkie Pie might like the effect of so many lights refracting off-
Maud finds herself wincing as the light drew itself back up, searching once more for a tender spot to blind. Shielding her eyes with a raised hoof, Maud conducted her own search and there it was. At the source of her eyesore was a small gem. It was maybe the size of a pea and cast the sun’s light with a diamond like perfection. But whether it was a diamond, a common gem lacking its color, or something new entirely would only be known by her scientific study! A hint of a smile tugged at her lips.
This was going to be a good trip.
First and the easiest test to try without any proper equipment was to see which would scratch first, her hoof or the gem. If a diamond, there would be a scratch on her hoof, if it was something lesser, the reverse would be true. No reason to dawdle further, she dove forward with the kind of finesse that Rarity would be awed with. Her hoof danced over the surface. While this would be a test of its hardness, it helped to first see if there were any obvious edges, it would make things simpler.
The rock seemed to produce a slight amount of heat, warming more under her touch. This was cause for excitement and with it her hoof quivered.
Clink, clink, clink.
“Hey!”
She was jerked out of her studious stupor of the stone with that startled statement, “Hmm?”
“Just what …what do you think you’re doing?!”
“Oh, hello there,” Maud greeted the voice pleasantly enough but did not look up, quite contrary, she was twisted her neck to follow the mysterious stone. Whatever it was attached to moved as soon as the pony spoke, “Would you mind keeping down? I’m trying to study.”
“Stu-d-d-d-dy?!”
“Yes, quiet please.”
The rock had halted once more and had actually seemed to have grown a little from her first look, if she wasn’t very much mistaken. Touching it confirmed this growth. What kind of rock could it be? Her touch proved it to be solid, in a way very much similar to her own hooves. Definitely not a diamond. Fondling it with an absent mind, she considered what steps to take next. Examine the surroundings? Test for familiar minerals in the area? Smell, perhaps, and the all-important taste test.
Definitely the taste test first, logically it made the most sense. Maud’s head bobbed in a nod, humming slightly in agreement of herself.
The pebbled surface of Maud’s tongue dragged over the smooth surface, lingering for any subtle change in flavor or surface texture. A very equine smell was present, one of sour sweat and sweet apples. Not an entirely bad smell but not one Maud cared for in most cases. In this case though she found herself inhaling it like nectar of the Princesses. Her tongue already found itself on another course across the gem, Maud did not even consciously realize what she was doing.
“P-p-p-pleeeeaase!” the pony’s voice came back, from almost right above her.
In a reaction most unlike herself, Maud found herself startled. Her tongue drew back and her lips closed tight. But between them her treasure was not lost, entrapped between her moist lips.
“Mmmm mm mmm!” Maud’s muffled response to stay quiet did not come clearly through as she would think, to most it would be just the same as her earlier humming in fact. The result was not what Maud thought she desired, though it did make her curiosity inside her flutter strangely.
The gem of Maud’s eye seemed to be becoming softer underneath her examination and through the slits of half-closed eyes, there seemed to be a gentle glow emitting from it now. It was almost impossible to notice in the Crystal Empire’s harsh sunlight, if not for the fact it was colored the same hue as the gem. It must be magic really, because Maud found herself feeling drawn now to the gem with something that was more than just professional curiosity. Something inside her was a flutter, bringing her to a whole new realm of feeling.
It wasn’t a half bad discovery.
New found feeling or not, she was obliged by her rocktorate to delve further. For science! It was just by happenstance that her gut, or perhaps it was located a bit lower down, feeling also told her the same thing. So too did the gem, as it enticed her scientific method. She still had other properties to study but she couldn’t leave behind the taste. Steadily sweeter, it had a slight tang reminiscent of pineapple. But, the study, she must…
Her two front hooves rose to action. First her left found its prey and then with it her right. Together her hooves were resting almost alongside her head on some beautifully carved curves. This position allowed her to burrow her head closer to the gem and what turned out to be a small cervice just behind it. That, it seemed, was where the nectar was being secreted. Like honey on a hot Equestrian day, it was leaking forth slowly. Some of it came towards the gem, while most clung to the entrance of the secret cervice.
A drop fell, slow and heavy and a slip of pink darted out.
Maud had caught a droplet with her tongue as it detached itself from the folds. The taste, pineapple was an understatement now. Sweetness was the strongest flavor now, the tang an afterthought. She wanted more, more, more. It was sweeter than even her beloved sister’s best rock candy. Her tongue, now finished with its exploration of her own lips, demanded a new exploration. It was time to go spelunking.
First a little tease, a tickle at the gem, the jewel of her eyes. Slowly, her tongue is electrified meeting the flavor once more and it is a pain almost to continue on. The pain dissipates entirely as she drags past the gem and into the small ravine. There, the flavor is anything but small, it was almost as good as the droplet caught and it spoke of further delights yet to come.
She could hold back her professionalism no longer. Now that that was forsaken, her tongue darted right into the center of the deepest part, the blackest pitch. And that is where she found her nirvana, her heaven, her very own version of the griffons’ Valhala. This cave harbored all of her desires. Every twist her tongue made, every wrinkled laid forth by her tongue’s search, it was here that she belonged.
With this cave’s road to heaven, she realized something. The feeling in her, what had her all aflutter, wasn’t just an unfamiliar form of curiosity but instead what most mares find themselves feeling around attractive males in the heat of Spring. Maud was feeling the first stirrings of arousal, not in her gut, but in her own…
Her own cave. Her head drew back, longing to remain in place but curiosity winning out over arousal. Purple obscured her vision but it took just one hoof swipe to see. It was indeed what she thought. That pony’s voice, its quiet protests, they were one with the gem. It- no, she corrected herself, she was both a living, breathing pony and yet at the same time she was also what Maud loved best. Rocks. A crystal pony.
Curiosities were now easily explained. The warmth and its slight increase, just a normal body’s reaction to sexual arousal…
Maud’s mind turned for one form of curiosity to another. Her muzzle thrust forth, inhaling the now known scent deeply as she buried herself in her favorite cave to spelunk yet. She had thought it smelled equine before and now she breathed it in once more. The apples seemed sweeter and so too did the slightly acrid smell of sweat, now that she knew what she had found and the treasures she had discovered within.
With a mouth full of nectar she found herself musing, maybe there had been something she had missed upon her dismissal of a Diamond Dog’s rock related properties.
Author's Note
If you liked this, I hope you'll look forward to the upcoming story featuring Starlight and Sunburst's time together!
This is kinda unedited since I don't have an editor. I'd love to have your help.
