Iron and Blood: We Dear Sisters

Pinkie giggled like a mad man, pulling her sister along as they ran through the busy streets. Marble stared wide-eyed at her sister, unsure if she was really related to her or not at this moment. Her sister’s manic expression haunted her so. How could anyone be so excited about cake? “Pinkie, slow down!” She huffed as she tried to keep up with her pace.

“No! Marble!” Pinkie giggled. “We are on a mission!” She looked back at her sister. “A mission to help design the wedding cake!”

“It’s only Wednesday!” Marble cried. “The wedding is two weeks away!”

“Oh… You’re right!” Pinkie stopped in her tracks. Marble’s momentum caused her to slam into her sister, sending them to the ground. Dazed, the twins lay on the ground, excepting their current situation with pained groans. Sitting up, Pinkie looked down and gave her sister a sheepish smile. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay.” Marble huffed as she stood up, fixing her yellow dress.

Pinkie got up and fixed her bonnet. “We’ll just walk to the bakery.” She stuck out her hand. Marble accepted her kind gesture and got back on her hooves. Laughing at themselves, they held each other’s hands as they continued on their way. “I’m just so excited!” Pinkie let out a squeak of joy.

Marble rolled her eyes. “I know, but we already have Maud going crazy! We don’t need you to join in.”

Pinkie rolled her eyes as well. “Maud’s just nervous.”

“And not handling it well.” Marble swung her sister’s arm as they walked. “So, unlike her….”

Pinkie’s tail swung side to side as she mulled over her thoughts. “True… But wouldn’t you?” She looked at her sister. “This is a big step in life.”

“But it's expected of us?” Marble stated matter of factly. “When we’re fifteen, we are expected to start looking for a mate, to marry, and to start a family.”

“Yeah…” Pinkie sighed as she put her right hand in her coat’s pockets. “I get that, but it’s still a big change.”

Marble raised her brow. “You’re not looking forward to it?” Pinkie shrugged her shoulders. “But you’re all excited about Maud’s wedding?”

Pinkie bit her lower lip. “Yeah, because it's Maud’s.” She looked up at the sky. “I don’t want to get married.” She saw the birds soaring through the air. “I just want to be an aunt. Auntie Pinkie. And be the greatest aunt there is!”

“Don’t tell me you’re thinking like Limestone?”

Pinkie blushed as she let go of her sister’s hand. “Well, I heard her talk to Ma and Pa… And she has good points!”

“Yeah, and her points are crazy!” Marble crossed her arms.

“Miss. Cheerilee is not married!” Pinkie groaned. “Is she crazy?”

Marble blushed as she buried her face in her scarf. “No…” She sighed as she kicked a pebble off the veranda. “I guess not.”

“I just have this feeling that I’m meant to do more than just be a mommy!” Pinkie cheered as she extended her arms out. Some ponies eyed her with questioning expressions. “Like Cheerilee!”

Marble quickly brought her sister’s arms to the sides and gently pushed her towards the direction of the bakery. “Low voices!” Pinkie rolled her eyes. “What do you want to do? What career do you have in mind?” Pinkie shrugged her shoulders. “Uh!” Marble groaned. “Of course!”

“What?” Pinkie groaned back playfully. “And you have everything planned out?” Marble hummed a response. “Really?”

“Yep!” Marble giggled. “I’m going to marry that cute colt I like at church!”

“Nickle? HIM!”

Marble nodded. “The wedding will be simple. I’m going to have four children like Ma. I have a feeling he’ll join the navy, so I’ll get to travel the world if that happens.” She sighed. “I even have the foals’ names picked out.”

“But you’re only ten?” Pinkie stared at her sister. Her mind was dumbstruck at her sister’s lofty goals.

“So!”

“Okay…” Pinkie shrugged her shoulders again. “Does he even like you?” Marble blushed and frowned at her sister. Seeing the bakery up ahead, Pinkie let out a giggle as she wrapped an arm around her sister. “Hey, look, we’re here!”

They entered the humble little bakery and were delighted with the smells of freshly baked cookies. With their previous conversation forgotten, the twins wandered up to the counter. “Hello, Pinkie. Hello, Marble.” Mrs. Cake called with a wave. “What brings you here?”

Pinkie stood on her tippy-hooves and laid her arms on the countertop. “We are here to design the wedding cake!”

“You’re designing the cake?”

“Yep! Ma put us in charge!” Pinkie nodded her head. Marble nodded as well, humming softly.

Mrs. Cake smiled as she rested her head in her hands. “Are you two good drawers?” The twins vigorously nodded their heads. “Well then, let’s get to it!” The twins giggled to themselves as they followed Mrs. Cake to the back of the bakery. “Honey, could you watch the front of the store for me?”

Mr. Cake looked up from his bowl of dough. “Why not close the store for a bit.” He laughed at Pinkie’s wild expression. “I see we have more important matters at hand.”

Mrs. Cake nodded, looking at the twins. “You’re right….” She placed her hands behind their backs. “Let’s head into the office, fillies.”

Entering the small room. Mrs. Cake offered them a seat at the desk. Sitting down herself, she pulled out a sketchbook and opened it to a clean page. Pinkie eagerly climbed onto her chair and placed her head in her hands as she watched Mrs. Cake pull out a box of colored pencils.

“What are we doing with those?” Marble asked.

“We are going to draw out what the cake is going to look like.” Mrs. Cake hummed as she roughly sketched out a standard three-tier wedding cake.

“You’re getting the rough sketches done?” Pinkie hummed as she watched the rough outline of the cake take shape on the paper.

“Yes… You know your terminology.” Mrs. Cake looked at Pinkie. “You like to draw?”

Pinkie nodded. “Yeah. It’s my favorite thing to do.” She skimmed through the different colored pencils with Marble.

Mrs. Cake smiled as the twins picked the colors they were interested in. “So, how’s Maud?” She handed Pinkie her cake sketch and worked on another for Marble. “How is she handling things?”

“Not well.” Marble stated bluntly. Pinkie glared at her sister.

“Not well?” Mrs. Cake wondered.

“Yeah, she’s worried about every little thing.” Marble placed some blue-toned pencils in a neat pile.

“Well, sort of?” Pinkie giggled.

“Last week, she stayed up all night worrying about the invitations!” Marble stuck out her lower lip at her sister.

“Oh really?” Mrs. Cake hummed as she rummaged through her papers on her desk and pulled out the decorative card of black colored paper with silver and blue accents. “Well, to help her woes, tell her it’s a lovely card.”

“Thanks!” The twins said in unison.

“So, what is she up to today?” Mrs. Cake handed Marble her own sketch.

“She picking up her wedding dress and going to pick out a ring for Obsidian.” Pinkie hummed as she colored in where the decorative frosting should go.

“Well, is that so…” Mrs. Cake worked on her own sketch. “How is she going to pick one out without Obsidian finding out?”

“We have no clue?” Marble and Pinkie giggled.

“How am I going to pick out a ring!” Maud bit her nails. “He works and lives there!”

Limestone rolled her eyes. “Really?” She crossed her legs as she leaned into the couch. “His parents will help keep his prying eyes off the prize.”

“But he’ll know what’s up when he sees us there!”

“He knows what’s up already!” Limestone huffed. “You’re both getting married, for crying out loud!”

Maud played with her mane as she walked up to the mirror over the fireplace. “But I want it to be a surprise….” She stared at the reflection of her turquoise-colored eyes.

Limestone grumbled as she got up from the couch. “Look at me!” She pulled her sister’s face close to hers, their snouts touching. Maud stared into her sister’s amber-colored eyes, her cheeks blushing all the while. “My sister is no worry wort!” Limestone huffed. “Now start acting like yourself! You are going to that jewelry store, and you’re going to get a ring for your future husband at all cost!” She smiled, “And don’t worry, I’ll make sure he won’t find out!”

“Wonderful pep talk!” Their mother hummed as she walked down the stairs.

“Thanks!” Limestone smiled proudly.

“Like your sister said, she has a plan.” Cloudy Quartz hummed as she grabbed her bonnet. “He won’t even suspect a thing.” She said as she put it on.

Maud held her breath as she looked at her mother and sister. “Okay…” She let out her breath.

“Wonderful.” Her mother smiled as she put on Maud’s bonnet. “Now grab your coat's fillies. It’s a little nippy out there.” Exiting their home, the trio walked down the hill to the town center. They turned left to the main street and walked along the verandas hugging the storefronts.

Maud allowed her calm demeanor to return as she let the town’s ambient sounds fill her ears. She smelled the winter air. She’s always loved the crispness of a winter breeze. Something about the ambiance that came with winter. It’s hard to describe, but it’s like a wall of calm, telling the earth to be still until it’s time to start anew. She crossed her arms and let out a sigh as she walked alongside her mother and sister.

Limestone hummed to herself as she saw the jewelry shop a few feet away. “Time to get your future hubby away from the scene of the crime!” She laughed as she ran towards the shop.

Cloudy Quartz put at hand on Maud’s shoulder, stopping her in her tracks. “And while she works, we shall be out here in the meantime.”

Limestone poked her head into the shop and looked around. Seeing Ruby helping her mother reorganize their inventory within the display cabinets, she smirked as she walked up to them. “Hey, Ruby!”

Seeing Limestone, Ruby smiled as she crossed her arms on the countertop. “Hey, Lime!” She looked at the archway that led to the back of the shop. “You ready?” She turned her eyes back to Limestone.

Limestone nodded. “Of course, I’m ready! So where is your brother?”

“Upstairs moving furniture and stuff?” Ruby rested her head in her hands.

Limestone rolled her eyes. “Well, go get him!” Ruby giggled as she ran up the stairs.

Limestone put her hands on her hips as she waited. Rose Sapphire glanced down at her and gave her a smile. “So, what do you have planned?”

“Simple.” Limestone gave the mare a smirk. “He needs my approval before marrying my sister, and I think a competition is in order.”

Rose Sapphire laughed as she looked down at her work. “Just don’t hurt the poor dear.”

“No promises.” Limestone held up her hands.

“Ruby, come on, I need to get this done before she moves in!” Obsidian protested as he walked down the stairs. Seeing Limestone, his posture stiffened as he studied her smug expression. “Uh, hey, Limestone. What are you doing here?”

“You need my permission before you can marry my sister!” She smirked, crossing her arms.

Obsidian raised his brow as he looked at his sister and Limestone. “Really?” He rolled his eyes. “Um, may I marry your sister?” He asked playfully. Limestone shook her head. “No?!” Obsidian sighed. “You know we’re already engaged?”

“I don’t recognize the engagement.”

Obsidian felt a twinge of pain shoot across his head. “Uh… What will make you?”

Limestone put her hands in her coat’s pockets. “A friendly competition.” She stated as she stood on her tippy hooves, her tail swinging side to side as she gave him a smug look.

“Uh…” Obsidian looked at the fillies skeptically. “What kind?”

“Just go with them and find out.” Rose Sapphire rolled her eyes and placed a flat cap on her son’s head.

Obsidian looked at his mother with a sheepish smile. Looking at Limestone and Ruby, he ordered them to follow with a nod of his head.

Rose Sapphire laughed as she watched them walk down the street through the windows. As they slipped out of view, she sighed as she looked at the display cabinet, admiring her work. Hearing the ring of the doorbell, Rose Sapphire looked over her shoulders. Seeing Maud and Cloudy Quartz, she smiled as she walked up to her future daughter-in-law. “How are you, sweetie?” She gave her a hug.

Maud returned the hug. “Doing alright.” She pulled away and looked at the door. “I can’t believe that worked?”

“Well, let’s make our time count before they come back.” Rose Sapphire stated as she guided Maud and her mother over to a small display box of uncut gemstones. “What gems did you have in mind?”

Maud scanned over the different colored stones. Their colorful, shimmering shivered her spine. Every one of the stones was equally beautiful to her, but she knew she had to choose only a few. Seeing a blue sapphire and a diamond that caught her fancy, she smiled. “Those two.” She pointed at them.

Cloudy Quartz smiled. “Wonderful choice.”

Rose Sapphire looked at the stones. “You want to take a look at some of our samples.” She hummed as she nodded her head to the other side of the store. “I can show you some designs that go well with these stones.” She pulled out a seat for Maud and her mother. They took their seats and watched her pull out several rings. “I’m thinking a sterling silver ring will go well with the stones.” She set down four ring designs in front of Maud.

Maud checked the intricate designs of the rings. She chewed her bottom lip as she picked up one of the rings and ran her fingers over its floral design. “So hard to choose….”

“A what?”

“Malt drinking competition!” Limestone answered as she walked into the soda shop.

“What’s the matter, brother?” Ruby tilted her head, studying Obsidian’s stunned expression. “Are you scared?”

Breaking his haze, Obsidian glared at his giggling sister. “No, I think I can handle a simple malt.” He huffed as he walked up to Limestone. Ruby rolled her eyes while placing her hands in her coat’s pockets. “So how big is this glass of malt going to be?” Obsidian asked as he stood next to Limestone.

Limestone smirked as she tapped on the bar. “Sandy!”

A tan-furred earth pony mare walked out from the back of the bar. “Hey Limestone, what’s up…” She looked at Obsidian and Ruby. “Uh, Hey Obsidian, hey Ruby. What are you two doing here?”

“Obsidian is here for a friendly competition, and Ruby is here for moral support.” Limestone interrupted Obsidian.

Sandy raised her brow. “What…” Her eyes went wide. “Oh, yes, that….” She smirked at the three. “Pick a table. I’ll get it ready.” She walked to the corner of the bar and rang the bell hanging on the wall. The shop’s occupants looked at the swaying bell. Their ears perked up with excitement.

“What’s going on?” Obsidian asked as he took his seat at one of the many tables.

“You’ve never done Sandy’s malt mania?” Limestone pondered.

“No… I can’t say that I have?” He looked over his shoulders at the bar. His eyes widened as he saw Sandy walk out of the kitchen holding a large tray containing ten malts. “Is that?”

“Why yes, it is.” Limestone smirked. Ruby giggled at her brother’s shocked expression.

The soda shop's patrons gathered around the trio as Sandy set down the drinks on the table. “Mares and stallions. Fillies and colts. I give you the Malt Mania!” She placed five malts in front of Limestone and five in front of Obsidian. “The rules of the game are simple. The first pony to drink five malts in under three minutes wins!” She placed a square-shaped timer on the table. “The winner gets their picture taken and placed on the wall over there.” She pointed at the wall to her right. “So, any questions?”

Limestone shook her head. Obsidian looked at Sandy, Limestone, his sister, and the crowd. With a sigh, he shrugged his shoulders.

Sandy smirked and turned the timer’s dial to three minutes. “Ready, set, go!”

The timer ticked away. Limestone quickly grabbed her first glass and began devouring the thick icy liquid. Obsidian grabbed his own glass and began chugging away. Ruby smiled wide as she put her hands to her side. “Chug! Chug! Chug!” The crowd began joining in as Limestone and Obsidian finished their first glass.

Obsidian gave Limestone a cocky smirk as he picked up his second glass. Limestone returned the gesture as she picked up her second as well. Obsidian playfully rolled his eyes as he looked at the timer. Seeing that only forty-seven seconds had passed, he hummed to himself as he quickly drank the chocolate malt in his hands.

Seeing that he was pulling ahead of her, Limestone threw her head back, taking large gulps of the thick ice cream. Sandy watched in horror as Limestone finished her second glass in a blink of an eye. A twinge of pain danced across Limestone’s skull. Hissing, she rubbed her head to dull the pain.

“Drank too fast?” Obsidian mocked.

“Watch what you say?” Limestone giggled. “We got three more to go!” She held up three fingers with her right hand and grabbed her third drink with her left hand.

Obsidian frowned as he scrambled to finish his second glass. Limestone hummed to herself as she put the glass to her lips. Obsidian slammed his second glass on the table, startling Limestone and the others gathered around them. He laughed as he picked up his third glass and downed it in thirty-eight seconds. Limestone stared wide-eyed as he picked up another glass. “What’s the matter?” Obsidian said through clenched teeth.

“A-Are you okay?” Her ears fell flat.

“Never better!” He grinned as he began his fourth. Sandy looked at Limestone and Obsidian with raised brows. Limestone shrugged her shoulders as she went for her fourth. “Someone wants to win?” Obsidian gave her a cocky smirk as he drank. Limestone rolled her eyes as she chugged her glass.

Obsidian laid face first on the table. His eyes stared off into space as he clutched his stomach with one hand. Limestone laid back in her seat. Her eyes’ painful expression echoed out her world of dairy-induced pain. Obsidian painfully lifted his head and looked over at her, trying his best to give her a playful smile. “So… who wins?”

Limestone stared back and tiredly shrugged her shoulders.

Ruby stood next to Sandy as they stared and the ice cream drunk duo. “You think they overdid it?” Ruby asked as she looked up at the young mare.

Sandy shook her head as she crossed her arms. “I think so.” She looked at the timer resting on the table. “They did complete the challenge in time.”

“But who wins?” A pair of fillies and colts asked. Clearly, the suspense on who the winner will be nipped at their fetlocks.

Sandy looked at the children behind her and let out a sigh. “Usually, I would bring out a pint of malt to break the tie, but I’m not too sure that’ll be a smart thing to do?” She looked at Limestone and Obsidian skeptically.

Limestone looked at her with drunken eyes and only gave her a slight shrug of the shoulders before her eyes drifted off and stared into space. Obsidian let out a burp and a moan as he forced himself to sit up and rest his head in his right hand. “Limestone?”

“Yeah?” She replied weakly.

“Do I have your permission to marry your sister?” He fought to urge to let out a particularly nasty burp.

Limestone stared at the ceiling. The competitive side of her didn’t want to just give up. She wanted to win. She liked winning. But in the end, he was going to marry her sister. And besides, this was just a diversion to get him away from his home. Looking at the clock in front of her, she let out a burp. “Sure… You win…” She half hardly gave Obsidian a playful smirk.

Obsidian gave her one in return. “Thanks…” He fought the urge to let out a burp. “Oh, heartburn…” He laid his head in his arms and let out a sigh.

Limestone let out a sigh as she looked at Sandy. “Never let me do another malt mania ever again….”

Sandy smirked as she picked up their empty malt glasses. “Oh, but you two drew quite a crowd.” She nodded her head at the children and teens who were mulling about around the board games and billiard tables. Limestone glared at Sandy before leaning her head back and letting out a tired sigh.

“What do you mean my dress is not in?!” Maud’s voice cracked.

The mare on the other side of the counter folded her ears back from her tone. “Miss, please.” She continued with her task of orders. “I told you that the fabrics and colors you’ve ordered are in short supply.”

“But why?” Maud crossed her arms.

“Well, I don’t know.” The mare glared at her. “Maybe it’s the war our Republic finds itself in.” She lifted a box with a huff and wandered to the back of her shop. “Deliveries have been all over the place, and everything is going to the war effort.” She huffed as she put the box away. “We’re lucky this town gets what little supplies the government sends. We are a mining town. We export more than what we import. The front lines need raw goods more than we do!”

Maud felt a slight twinge of pain dance across her brow. “Why didn’t you send me a letter telling me?” She put her hands on the counter. “I could’ve made other plans!”

“Not my responsibility, sweetie!” The mare huffed with a fake smile.

“Don’t talk to my daughter like that!” Cloudy Quartz glared at the mare as she placed her hands on her daughter’s shoulders.

The mare looked at Maud and her mother with skeptical eyes. “Isn’t she too young to be getting married anyway?”

Cloudy Quartz returned the mare’s gaze. “I was the same age when I married.”

The mare looked at both mother and daughter. “That explains a lot.”

Maud felt her chest get heavy as her eyes narrowed. “Well then!” She grabbed her mother’s hand and stormed out of the shop.

“Hey!” The mare shouted. “You better pay the shipping fees!”

Maud let out a growl as she threw a few tokes at the mare. “I’m not paying for the dress!” She walked away, putting her hands in her coat’s pockets. The mare rubbed the spots where the coins had smacked into her with a groan.

Cloudy Quartz let out a sigh and shook her head at the mare before leaving. Catching up to her daughter, Cloudy Quartz looked down at her, studying her tense demeanor. Even though her bonnet covered most of her face, she could see the hurt expression on her face. She let out a sigh as they quietly walked back to their home.

Limestone moaned as she lay on the couch. Her mind swam around in thoughts of ice cream dominance. She let out a burp as she rolled over, letting her right arm hang off the couch as she stared at the fire burning softly in the fireplace.

Hearing the front door open, Limestone lazily looked up and saw her older sister and mother. “Hey!” She let out a sigh. “How did it go? Did you…” She noticed Maud defeated demeanor. “Maud? What’s the matter?”

Maud looked at her sister. “It's nothing….” She shrugged her shoulders as she headed up to their room.

Watching her sister ascend the stairs with slouched shoulders and a slow stride. Limestone looked at her mother with a raised brow. “What’s wrong?”

“The dress she ordered didn’t come in.” Cloudy Quartz stated as she patted her on the head. She looked at the top of the stairs and let out a sigh.

“You gonna talk to her?”

“Yes,” She looked at Limestone with a small smile. “Yes, I am.”

Cloudy Quartz gently opened the door and saw her eldest daughter sitting on her bed. Maud’s posture was downtrodden. Her head hung low as her eyes looked out the window, studying their neighbors and their homes. “Sweetheart?” Cloudy Quartz stepped into the room. Maud didn’t respond as she fidgeted with her fingers. Cloudy Quartz sighed as she walked up to her daughter. “What’s on your mind?”

“Am I making a mistake?”

Her mother sat beside Maud and laid her head in her lap. “Do you really think you are making a mistake?”

Maud played with her tail. “I…” She looked at the many planks that made up the floorboard of her room. “I’m not sure?”

Her mother looked out the window as she ran her fingers through her daughter’s mane. “Do you love him?” She felt the slight nod of her daughter’s head. “I know you’re mature for your age, sweetheart.” She watched one of their neighbors hanging up clothes to dry. “I know you’re ready for marriage.”

“The mare at the boutique didn’t think so.”

Cloudy Quartz looked down at her daughter with a raised brow. “Maud Pie?” Her daughter looked up at her. “When did you let other ponies’ opinions get in the way?” Maud shrugged her shoulders as she looked out the window. Her mother sighed as she ran her thumb across her daughter’s forehead. “I know a lot of things have been weighing on your mind, but don’t fret, sweetie.” She patted her head. “I know you wanted things to go smoothly, but sometimes life has hills and valleys. It's how we deal with them that makes us the ponies we are.”

“I know…” Maud sighed as she sat up. “Thanks.”

Her mother smiled as she wiped her daughter’s tears. “Come, I have something that will cheer you up.” Maud stood up and followed her mother to her parents’ room. Entering the small space, her mother walked up to her closet and opened the door. She watched as her mother pulled out a rather large box. “I know it's not the color you wanted for your wedding, but I think my friend from church can help make some last-minute alterations.” Cloudy Quartz hummed as she held up her old wedding dress.

Maud felt her chest tighten. She timidly walked up to the dress and touched the old fabric. “But Ma… This is yours.” She put her hands behind her back. “This is your special dress!”

Her mother rolled her eyes. “I know you wanted your own. You’ve been saving up for it ever since you’ve started dating Obsidian, thinking he was the one.” She let out a happy sigh. “But deep down, I always wanted to give my dress to one of my daughters.” She looked at Maud with a smirk. “And now that time has come.”

“But it holds a lot of memories.” Maud pointed at the dress.

Cloudy Quartz stared at the gown. “It does. But those memories are in my thoughts. Besides, I’m not using this old thing. Better to put it to good use before the moths eventually get to it.”

Maud smiled as she took the dress and placed it over her body. Looking at herself in the mirror, she studied it, picturing how it would look. A heaviness seemed to lift off her shoulders as she moved side to side. “I think it will look beautiful on you.” Her mother stated as she placed her hands on her shoulders.