Creating A Hive

It's Just Rocks

Raspberry was friends with Princess Mi Amore Cadenza and her husband, Shining Armor. Her daughter was friends with Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle. She heard that Fluttershy's brother lived in Cloudsdale, though by Fluttershy's carefully worded stories she was in no hurry to meet him. Rainbow Dash was an only child according to Scootaloo (though the filly herself could count as a baby sister). If you checked, Raspberry Stardust was friends with the siblings of everypony in the friend group.

All except for Pinkie Pie.

Also Fluttershy but we're ignoring that for later.

Raspberry didn't consider herself a social pony. There was a limited circle for ponies she interacted with in a given day, and Raspberry was okay with that. She had the kids, and her sister, and Thorax. The Mane Six were just bonuses. Discord was also great for a chat. Luna was fine once a week.

It was a toss up for if Raspberry wanted to be Maud's friend too. While Raspberry knew that the mare wasn't one for conversation, Raspberry was willing to bet she would find a way to fill the silence.

Not that everypony else in their friend group was content with that. Pinkie admitted that she wanted everypony to be best friends with Maud, so everypony tried to be best friends with Maud.

It went as well as all their plans did.

Honestly, why do they think Raspberry stuck around them so long?

They met up near a pond with their pets. No regard that Raspberry had no pet. Cookie didn't count...well she used to be a cat, and she had trouble counting beyond eight, but she didn't count as a pet. That's the important bit here. Raspberry brought no pet.

And she argued with Killjoy all morning that Thorax didn't count as a pet either.

Still. Sitting beside Maud, Raspberry kept herself quiet. Let the others be wild and rambunctious. She wanted to sit on a blanket, enjoy some tea and muffins in relative quiet. Her kids were out playing with friends or enjoying their hobbies in solitude. Thorax was having his Equestrian Games team over for practice. Killjoy decided to take the day to visit Lilac for a fishing trip. It felt like a chaotic mess of a day. Raspberry was happy for the distraction of things progressing in the show.

Raspberry wanted to stay distant during the game to find Boulder. She was too good at those games. Killjoy stopped playing with her sometime before middle school. Raspberry played Hidden Object video games instead of- what was that other thing people did?- making friends.

Twilight made her play.

She spotted Boulder in two seconds.

Maud came up to her side, after a while of Raspberry standing in one spot. "Are you giving up?"

"No." Raspberry only gave up on herself. "You never took him out of your pocket."

Maid blinked, slow and steady as always. She checked the pocket of her simple frock dress. "Found him!"

==CAH==

So the friendship picnic was a dud. Raspberry was content to head home, enjoy a good book in bed until dinner time. The rest of the group was less okay with that. They decided one on one time with Maud was the best way to go.

Pinkie told everypony what they would bond with Maud over. Twilight: books/poetry. Rarity: fashion. Fluttershy: nature. Rainbow Dash: games. Applejack: honest. Raspberry: rocks.

Just rocks.

Raspberry could work with that.

If she was going to go along with their insane plan to befriend a pony, she was going to find a way to benefit from it. She decided for her trip with Maud they would visit the Diamond Dogs.