Chapters Marble sat in their farmhouse, glancing out at the front porch where Limestone sat, watching the path to their farm like a hawk. Marble thought back on her life so far. She was happy, but goodness if the pairing stone didn't get off its butt she was going to just... Go tip it over! Ok, she'd never do that. Not only would that produce a mob out for her head it wasn't the stone's fault she hadn't met the right mare or stallion yet. But she would really appreciate it if something happened. Maud got paired with Mudbriar. And Pinkie, though she had chosen for herself, had a marefriend named Zecora in Ponyville. But Marble knew she had to wait for the pairing stone's guidance before she could do anything...
Marble had always done her best to emulate her father and take on his values of the way of rock. Rocks were simple and did not seek fame and fortune. Rocks were calm and detached, not running after whatever new shiny thing caught their eye. Rocks were hard and defiant in the face of adversity. Rocks were unchanging and stalwart in the face of changing times. Rocks were mighty and a symbol of strength, a reminder that a good days work was its own reward. And just as the rocks obeyed the laws of nature so too must ponies obey the will of the community and the pairing stone.
Marble had gotten most of them. She worked hard, she obeyed her parents, she was happy with the simple, quiet, happy on the rock farm life. The only major shortcoming she had was her obsession with new things. It had taken her family a while to notice if since Marble was so naturally reserved but they had noticed when they caught Marble holding hooves with a pegasus colt that had been visiting the farm with his parents. His parents were doing some ariel surveys for hers and she, like so many other times had taken a shine to the new exotic visitor. Igneous Rock Pie had been furious Marble knew, though he never raised his voice, that wasn’t his way. He had insisted that their humble home was not a suitable place for the visiting pegasi and set them up at the inn in town.
Then Igneous Rock Pie sat down with his daughter to explain the importance of not doing relationship things when they hadn’t been approved by the pairing stone. He once again told her the story of the founding of their great town, far less great back then. The reason it suffered was there had been much fighting for mates. There was one extremely beautiful mare and one extremely handsome stallion. There had been not just arguments, but outright fights. The town was destroying itself and despite the best efforts of the elders they were barely able to keep it together. They appealed to a passing unicorn since they felt like they had no other option. The unicorn was Starswirl the Clean Shaven! Later to become Starswirl the Bearded.
He enchanted a large stone to seek out and find the best pairing for any given pony in the area, be it stallion or mare. Despite their misgivings, the elders thanked him for his assistance. They brought it to the town who all mocked the elder's council as the pairing stone started to display paired cutie marks. Most of the town people went back to their scheming and fighting. However, four of the paired townsfolks so fed up with the fighting were willing to take a chance. One of them being the beautiful mare, she was so very tired of all the unwelcome attention and not being able to trust other ponies. The two couples decided that if it could bring peace to the village it was well worth trusting the stone, and if not, well they could always leave. They'd get made fun of for trusting a stone but that was about it.
After a few months, the two couples (as well as a few others) were the only peaceful families in the town, and everyone started to take notice. Though there was a lot of hemming and hawing, over the next few months people came to accept that the pairing stone was not only good at its task, but it seriously cut down on strife within the town. So for the good of the community people started to accept its decisions. There were, and still are outliers, but most accept it willingly, for the good of the community, as well as their own. The handsome stallion never accepted it and left town, a lesson that vanity was the truest enemy of all.
Ignatius Rock Pie had then taken his daughter up to her room to think on the lessons that he had imparted. It was from that day forward that Marble vowed not to act on any of her urges until the pairing stone set her up with another pony. She made the vow in good faith, and she did her best to upkeep the vow, causing the previously reserved pony to become outright timid for concern of stepping out of line. Marble knew that this had not been her father's intention but that was the path she had chosen. He did not wish any of his beloved daughters to be unhappy, when Pinkie had completely gone against tradition he assured her she'd always have a home and let her find her own path in life. But that path wasn't for Marble, she'd do her best to not go against the will of the pairing stone.
The family, mainly her father and Limestone had watched her over the years. Limestone to protect her little sister from herself, and her father to help her stay on the right path. She loved her father for that, he was doing what he thought was best for her. Despite that it could chafe her a little, she was still fairly certain she agreed with her father. Trusting the pairing stone would be best. The pairing stone had served their town well for generations, it put mother and father together. The problem for Marble was her obsession with new things, her crushes made her want things she shouldn't have! Like when Pinkie first introduced her to cupcakes, she had gorged herself until she was sick. Then her father banned cupcakes until Marble could control herself, she know enjoyed a single cupcake or piece of cake on celebration days, no more.
Marble smirked to herself, over the years she had a few close calls when she had jumped over the line of propriety a time or two... With that pretty mare from the next farm over, they had held hooves too! And then the colt of that traveling merchant, he had had some very high quality picks father had been interested in. The colt had called her pretty and she thought he was very handsome. They had stolen a quick cuddle in the back of his father's cart. Marble had been mortified when she thought her mother had seen them. But she hadn't done anything about it or brought it up, so Marble guessed the surprised gasp had to be at the quality of the picks and other items in the cart. That had been the only two times that she had tiptoed over the line, then that pretty blue unicorn showed up...
Marble squinted out the window of the farm house. Was that a pony coming down the road? Yes... She thought at least, it was still very far away. She smiled as she thought that it might be mother and father coming home, perhaps the meeting of the elders had been uneventful and quick. That would be a blessing, nothing bad happening in town. They could all settle in for a nice calm night. Instead of being left alone to stew in her own thoughts she could get her mother to sew with her, or perhaps father would go out prospecting with her! They rarely found anything new but she knew her father appreciated spending time with his youngest daughter, and Marble liked spending time with him as well. Limestone was... Limestone was her beloved sister, but less than good company at most times. She was a bit of a grump really.
But right now Marble could either try to get Limestone to do something, or just stew in her memories... Stewing it was. Marble remembered when she had met Trixie, or rather, had seen Trixie. She had watched the pretty unicorn working out in the fields. Since it was Trixie’s first day Igneous Rock Pie had sent Limestone out to with Trixie to show her the basics. While Igneous Rock Pie went into town tend their rock stall Marble had been tasked with helping Cloudy Quartz in the house. The entire family knew it was to keep Marble away from the pretty new mare that was at the farm.
Cloudy Quartz had had a few tasks for Marble to do, but after that, she'd let her daughter go do whatever she wished. Marble was convinced she saw a twinkle in her mother's eye when that was said. Marble had immediately gone up to her room to spy on her newest crush. Marble hadn't risked getting too close to Trixie, she wouldn't defy her father or the pairing stone so blatantly, but she did pretend from a distance!... Even if it wasn't fair.
Marble gave a small harumph as she finally let herself think something she hadn't been willing to think much. She didn't care that the pairing stone hadn't said anything yet. There's no danger in holding a hoof... Or a bit of cuddling! She had done both and she was still a respectable mare who obeyed her father and lived happily on the farm! There had been no great blight!... Though she admitted you couldn't really blight rocks. It's not like I'd try to kiss her or anything, she knew where the ultimate line was! That was a no-no until marriage... Marble sighed, she never got the chance to do anything about it though... Her father had let Trixie go after just one day working at the farm.
Marble looked up at the sky, remembering the only night that Trixie had spent in the house. She had snuck out to stand outside of the room that they'd given Trixie to stay in. She didn't plan to burst in or anything. But she had wanted to talk to the pretty unicorn! She knew, then and now that she should just obey her parents and trust the pairing stone. But she'd always had that defiant streak that showed up when she wanted something new. She had just wanted to meet and talk to the other pony! She hadn't wanted much else... Maybe some hoof holding. But she knew that that would have likely gotten the poor mare fired. She had managed to work up enough courage to talk to the unicorn, but that thought was what had stopped her in the end. She didn't want to lose the mare a job. So she had left it at that, letting her crush on Trixie go completely unrequited.
Marble found out the next day that Trixie had been let go, she wasn't sure why but her father said something about inappropriate influences. Though father assured them that he had given her enough money and food for the road. He was generous like that, even if she was just there a day she was a recipient of their home's hospitality. Marble, however, thought maybe that was a good thing though, as they had found out a week later in a letter from Pinkie about the very same mare wrecking up Ponyville.
Marble thought about how unfortunate it had been that Trixie had been fired, but not for her own sake, for Trixie's. From the other letters, Pinkie Pie sent it had been a rough road for Trixie, and though she was ok now, it had been a hard path. Marble thought Trixie could have really benefited from her father's teachings on the way of rock. Being calm, satisfied, and hard working would have really made a difference for that unicorn.
Marble snickered to herself, thinking of the look on father's face if the pairing stone displayed her three marbles and that magic wand of Trixie's cutie mark on its surface the day after Trixie showed up, and he would be forced to let her meet the pretty unicorn! Well, she knew he wouldn't have tried to keep them apart. He just thought that what was best was best for Marble was to do what he, his mother, and Maud had done, wait for the pairing stone to act. So he would never defy the pairing stone, no matter what the pairing stone said.
Marble let out a slightly louder laugh, but flushed and quieted down when Limestone shot her a glare. Marble mildly resented her elder sister. She wouldn't admit it to anyone else but in the privacy of her own mind Limestone intimidated her. When she was with Maud... Well, not Maud, Maud enjoyed companionable silence and Marble respected that. However, with Pinkie and her mother Marble could hold a conversation. And while her father was more like Maud in that he liked the quiet he was happy to hold a conversation so long as it wasn't pointless small talk.
Though Marble had her ways of poking back at Limestone. She would sometimes do -exactly- what Limestone had said instead of what they both knew was desired when Limestone was being especially obstinant and grouchy. Though Marble did know that Limestone loved her sisters and family, she was always a grouch! Marble snickered again, though this time quieter so that Limestone couldn't hear her. Limestone wondered if even the pairing stone could match Limestone up with someone.
Marble looked out the window and shook her head. No, the figure coming up wasn't her parents, because obviously, it was one pony.
Marble scowled slightly as she remembered a very similar event with Big Mac. She had gotten oh so very close to talking to the big red stallion when Pinkie had jumped in the middle of them and spoken for her. Very usual around others and Marble did appreciate the effort but that had just torpedoed all her courage to talk to the stallion! Marble smiled as she rested her head on her forelegs in the windowsill, brooding over her past crushes. She puffed out her cheeks slightly. Why was she feeling so melancholy right now!? Marble sighed gently, why was she wondering why she was feeling melancholy? She was making herself feel melancholy!
She had looked forward to meeting Big Mac again but apparently, he had gained a marefriend since she's seen him last! Which made sense, it had been... What? Two, three years? She wasn't entirely sure how long but it had been a while. Marble smiled to herself, taking a deep, calming breath. She still had the hope of the pairing stone! Though she also might have been able to actually talk to Big Mac if it hadn't been for the infernal pairing stone! Marble shook her head and frowned at herself, she really should accept that the pairing stone was the best decision maker in these situations!
Marble looked at her sister Limestone, scowling out at the world, or probably more accurately scowling at the pony coming down the road, whoever it was. Limestone didn't like most other ponies... Maybe even any other ponies. Marble trusted Limestone loved her family... But Marble wasn't entirely sure that Limestone liked them. Though Marble thought that Limestone might have actually taken a liking to that little foal Apple, Applebloom, she had seen Limestone actually be nice to the foal! It was quite surprising. Marble opened her mouth to ask her sister then closed it, shaking her head, that would have been a very bad idea... Worse than asking her father to shave.
Marble giggled gently, causing Limestone to glance back at her again, but this time Marble just stuck her tongue out at her sister. She couldn't take her sister seriously whenever she thought of Limestone sneaking Applebloom her own cinnamon roll. Limestone blinked, giving her sister an odd look before looking back out at the creature that kept getting closer to the pie family farm. Marble smiled to herself, Limestone would probably forget about it in the next five minutes but that little sliver of defiance made Marble feel better.
Marble thought over the process she'd gone with Big Mac again. She hadn't spoken to him... She had barely spent any time with him... And yet she still had developed a huge crush on him! She let out a small sigh as she looked up at the sky, thinking more about the pairing stone. She wondered mildly who she was going to get paired with. Her big red ship had sailed, the pretty blue unicorn had disappeared, and her two fillyhood crushes were somewhere in Equestria but Marble had no idea where. She'd be happy with either a mare or a stallion, but she was pretty sure that Limestone would prefer a stallion, if she preferred anyone. And would it be an earth pony, a unicorn, or a pegasus? Most likely it'd be an earth pony due to them being the most of them around, but there are a few pegasi and unicorns that lived in town, and traveled through it.
Marble smiled, ooh, a traveling pony? Maybe one who she could travel with!? But of course, come back to visit her family a lot! Then maybe settle down on a nearby farm so they could see her family often! Marble smiled and bounced gently before she frowned. Wow, she was really getting into this theorizing about her romantic future. Was she getting reckless? No, she was happy with her life on the farm, she really was. She licked her muzzle and looked up into the sky, contemplating. It was probably the letter from Pinkie and Maud getting paired with Mudbriar. She was... She wasn't lonely, most of the time. She was... Anxious? Impatient? Perhaps just... Longing?
Marble shook her head and sighed, staring back down at the road and nodding to herself. She should focus on being happy, finding something around the town to keep her occupied? Oh! A new hobby! Marble smiled a bit wider. Actually, that was a good idea! She should find a new hobby to spend her time on! She thought, she could start another rock collection... She shook her head, that wouldn't be new... She frowned before she looked back to Limestone, did Limestone have any hobbies besides glaring at things? Marble shook her head, she couldn't think of any.
As she was thinking about that she looked to back to the road to see the other creature had turned up the path to their farm. Marble blinked, she hadn't looked at the creature for a good bit and now the other was a lot closer. It was... A pony...? Marble thought at least, she wasn't sure if that was actually a pony though. It might be a kind of unicorn? It had a horn, but the horn was more of an antler? And its mane was more of a... Uh... Well, it was more like a lions mane than a pony mane. It was a pale canvas color with a brown mane, nothing unusual there but... It had scales!? Or... Something like scales.
Marble's eyes widened, what was that creature!? She sat up a little straighter, staring at the creature. She'd never... That wasn't... Assuming the creature was nice it was super fascinating! She'd... It had scales! And a fluffy mane! Wanted to talk to it!... Oh, but she couldn't... It would think she was weird and... What if it didn't like her? She wanted to know what the fluffy creature was! And... Well, most people seemed to like her after they got to know her so... This creature would probably like her too...? She looked over at Limestone. "Who's that?"
