I know this couple isn’t by any means a favorite in the fandom, but I for one hold this ship in high esteem because of what they and they alone prove: That there’s a someone out there for everyone. Even for those as awkward and overly literal as Maud and Mud.
 
That, and their colors are so eye-pleasing. I mean, just look how well they compliment each other! The earthy browns and cool stoney shades blend together so naturally while speaking volumes about their character dynamics.
 
This, this is the color coordination I aspire too.
 
Anyway, enough about color~ Onto character!
 

 

 
2. Months after the whole “Maud has a boyfriend” phase, things continued as smoothly and uneventfully as before. Despite being an official ‘couple’ now, the two didn’t feel pressured to get all snuggly and cuddly with each other. They expressed love differently, usually by helping each other with their work, leaving each other little poems or jokes to find in their saddlebags, or just sitting together quietly as those who have found their soulmate. It got to the point where their lives had become so effortlessly intertwined with each other that marriage seemed inevitable. What was also inevitable was having to inform Pinkie pie of the event. They lost no time in telling her; like ripping of a bandaid, the sooner you get it over with the better. It went….better than they thought.
 

 
3. As tempted as Pinkie was to make a big deal out of the wedding, with some time to reflect and a good dose of reality from Mud, she realized that a small wedding would be more enjoyable than a big shaving like her wedding was. So the event ended up being on the Rock Farm with just the family and a few select friends. It was simple, quiet, yet truely beautiful and of course, Pinkie cried the entire time.
 
Oh, and as a little bonus, sticky and boulder dressed for the occasion and played the important role of cake toppers. When Cheese remarked that the two looked like they were saying their own vows, the newleds just smiled.
 

 
4. One accurately long and uneventful year after the ceremony, the moderately content couple had long since settled into their new life together. Mud usually spent most of his time researching and writing for his third book in an 8 part series on The History of Trees and Other Related Plant Species. Meanwhile, Maud conducted her own research on rocks (what else) for a popular scientific journal and when she had the time she would occasionally babysit her nieces, Caramel and Taffy. For as fun as studying rocks is, she particularly enjoyed being with the sweet, cheery fillies, and the more time she spent with them, the more her desire for one of her own grew. Until one day, she finally brought up the subject with Mud who, surprisingly, took it better than she expected. In fact, he said in a bland yet caring way, that if that’s what she wanted, then he would be more than happy to give her one. Since personal intimacy was never a priority for them, they did what they had never done before and on their first try, Maud was granted her wish. Upon hearing the news of the pregnancy, the couple could barely contain their unfathomable joy in their own…unique and inexpressive manner.
 

 
5. Due to Maud being, well, Maud, every pony naturally assumed the pregnancy would reflect her simple, unassuming demeanor. This was correct…for the most part. She didn’t experience any wild cravings or off-the-charts morning sickness like ‘normal’ mares do, no, she underwent something much weirder. For no explainable reason, Maud would suddenly feel an uncontrollable urge to smash something, typically a rock, just out-of-the-blue. Her sudden smashing was made only more confusing by the fact that she wasn’t in pain or hormonally imbalanced. She just..needed to smash…repeatedly…until every rock in sight was crushed to dust. Only then would the feeling would stop. It got to the point where if Maud was inside, there were rocks placed in every room just in case. Aside from this, everything went as smoothly as pie.
 

 
6. As for Mud, he never saw himself as father material. I mean, he didn’t even envision himself married before he met Maud. But just as she was a pleasant surprise, so was the prospect of having his own child. Although he’s not the kind of stallion to get emotional, seeing how he’s always approached life from a practical, sensible point of view, there was something about the way his felt foal kick that made him feel…happiness? Technically, he was just feeling small, unusual doses of dopamine and serotonin, but this thought never occurred to him for once. All he could think about was him and his soon to be son or daughter bonding over camping and recording tree rings together.
 

 
 
I also really like their aesthetic and plan on fleshing out Mud a bit in the KOPverse just fyi