Saturday, May 28, 2016

Today's Horoscope (Scorpio): Give it your all today and face life with no regrets.

Early Morning

We're staying at a pretty decent hotel that has a nice breakfast buffet! I'm about to head down to breakfast with the team.

As soon as I'm dressed and have my gear together, I head for the elevator. When the elevator doors open, I get the surprise of my life!

"Hello Pinkie."

"MAUD!" I drop everything and throw a big full-body hug around my sister! Maud gives me a small smile, gathers up my stuff, and pushes the button for the first floor.

"What are you doing here?" I ask excitedly.

"I came to watch you play," Maud says in that way she has that tells you it's the most obvious thing in the world. You know, like 'water is wet' or 'frosting has lots of sugar' or 'don't stick knives in people unless you really mean it'. "Are you hungry?"

"Uhh...yeah! The team's meeting downstairs for breakfast. You wanna come with?"

"Sure."

The elevator arrives at the lobby. "Oh my gosh, Maud, when did you get here?" I ask.

"Two hours ago," Maud says. "I've been in the elevator ever since I left the airport, waiting for you."

I laugh. "Yeah, that makes sense. I wasn't expecting you!"

"I wanted to surprise you."

"You sure did!" I hug Maud again as I gather up my things and head for the breakfast buffet. I can already see Coco and Coach Chrysalis and Tennis Match and all the others gathering around; some are already loading up plates. I rush over and join them, Maud following me at her usual pace. "Hey everyone! Look who came to cheer us on!"

Maud waves. "Hello. I came to cheer you on."

Chrysalis smiles. "Hello. I don't believe we've been introduced."

"This is my sister Maud!"

Everyone says hi to Maud. She simply blinks and nods at them, then heads over to the buffet to start making a plate.

There's some awkward fidgeting. I look over at Maud, then back at my team. "She's just a little jetlagged. She just flew in from Vanhoover and only got here a couple hours ago."

"That's quite a trip!" Chrysalis says. "Why don't the two of you sit together and catch up. We've got some time before we need to leave."

"Okay!"

While the rest of the team gathers around a few tables near the center, I lead Maud over to a corner table. "Oh my gosh!" I say. "We talk and text all the time but I didn't expect to see you again so soon!"

"This is a big day for you," Maud says. After taking a bite of toast, she adds, "Are you pregnant?"

She asks me that once a week. I laugh and shake my head. "Nope, not pregnant this week."

"Okay." She sips her coffee. "You'll let me know if you get pregnant, right?"

"I'm not planning on getting pregnant, but you know I wouldn't keep something like that from you," I say as I fold eggs and strawberry cream cheese into a croissant.

"Okay." Maud eats a piece of sausage. "I talked to Mom and Dad."

I tense up. "Oh?"

"It was a bad talk."

"Oh."

Maud regards me calmly. "I've decided not to go back home after I graduate." She sips her coffee again. "My professors have friends at the Canterlot Institute of Geology. If everything goes the way I plan, that's where I'll be working in a few years."

I gasp. "Omigosh MAUD! That's wonderful!" I pause. "But...but what about the rock farm?"

Maud frowns slightly. "They still have Inkie and Blinkie. They're just like Mom and Dad. They'll get along okay."

I sigh. Inkie and Blinkie. Yeah...

Maud reaches across the table and squeezes my hand. "Pinkie. You have a wonderful life in Canterlot, don't you?"

I sniffle and nod.

"Then don't worry about it. You're strong, and you have good friends. I'm proud of you." Maud smiles. A bigger smile than I've ever seen on her. "Be the best Pinkie Pie you can be. Okay?"

I feel tears filling my eyes as I smile and squeeze Maud's hand back. "Maud...thank you. Thank you so much!"

"And if you do get pregnant, make sure Twilight's the father."

I frown. "Uhh, Maud? That's...that's not how it works..."

"That was a joke, Pinkie."

"Oh. Oh!" I snicker. "Good one, Maud!"

We enjoy the rest of breakfast making small talk. Maud leaves to secure a spot in the stands at the venue, while I go back over to the team. We've got an hour to warm up.

I'm gonna do my best today and win! For Maud. For my friends. For my team!

For me.

Applewood Dorm...