You wave goodbye to the final student to exit your classroom. With a light chuckle, you start to gather your belongings while reflecting on the day. The School of Friendship is a shockingly nice place, and you're thankful that you were given the opportunity to become a teacher here. You may not know as much about friendship as your other teacher friends do, but hey, someone has to teach math.
You close the door behind you and step out into the hall. There are students going to and fro, though it's quickly starting to clear out. After all, that was the last class of the day, and it's a Friday. They're probably eager to go home, or to their dorms, or to... wherever it is that teenagers and young adults go nowadays. To be honest, you're pretty eager to go home, yourself. Your marefriend just moved in with you about a week ago, and you're eager to see her.
Also, you're just really tired. Teaching is harder than it looks.
But, before you can go home, you need to stop by the teacher's lounge. You're pretty sure you left some of your lesson plans for next week in there. You carefully begin to make your way towards the lounge, being sure to not get in the way of any of the students. Being the only human in Equestria, you have a bad habit of taking up more space than you realize.
Eventually, you reach the lounge and quietly step inside. The small, quaint room doesn't have much in it besides a few tables and chairs. There is a fridge too, but you get little use out of it. Now, if you remember correctly... ah, there it is! You retrieve your folder of lesson plans from one of the tables on the far end of the room. You must have forgotten it when you had lunch. With a satisfied nod you turn back towards the entrance. However, before you can reach it, the door opens. Your friends and coworkers Rarity and Pinkie Pie walk into the lounge, casually conversing about some unknown topic.
"Oh, hello Anon!"
Rarity greets you with her typical politeness, and you smile back at her.
"Hey, Rares. Hi, Pinkie."
"Nonny! You're never gonna believe this!" Pinkie zips up to you faster than you can process, the smile on her face so wide she looks like she's about to explode. "Guess who I saw on my way here earlier today!"
"Uhh... psh, I don't know. You know, like, everypony in Equestria. Was it... Octavia?"
"What? No! Well, I mean, I did see Octavia this morning, but she LIVES here! Sure I'm happy to see her, but that's not news, Nonny!"
You chuckle at your pink friend's antics. In the years that you've been friends with her, you've grown quite used to the way she is.
"Enlighten me, then. Who did you see earlier?"
"I saw..." Pinkie begins to vibrate in place before shooting into the air, an explosion of confetti and glitter appearing from seemingly nowhere as she does so. "MY SISTER!"
"I thought you said it isn't news if they live here?"
"Silly Nonny, I'm not talking about Maud! I'm talking about my BABY sister, Marble Pie! She's just the bestest, cutest, most perfectest little sister on the planet!"
"Hmhm, she certainly is a delight."
Pinkie's explosion of happiness comes to a sudden stop. Literally, she freezes in midair somehow as she looks down at you with a confused expression.
"You don't sound very surprised, Nonny. You do know how far the rock farm is from Ponyville, right?"
"Of course I do. But, again, you said it isn't news if they live here."
"Uhh, Nonny? Are you sure you aren't still confusing Marble with Maud? Because believe me, if Marble lived here, I would most definitely know about it! That would be the greatest news I'd ever heard!"
"Did she not tell you? She moved in a few days ago."
"..." Pinkie slowly descends back down to the ground, defying all laws of physics as she does so. Her eyes never veer away from your own, a growing look of confusion and curiosity on her face as she processes your words. "What?"
"Yeah, she moved in with me."
"WHAT?!" Pinkie tackles you to the ground, pinning you beneath her (while also making sure you don't hit the ground hard enough for it to hurt). "Nonny, you'd better not be lying to me!"
"It's the truth, Pinkie Promise."
"...You know better than to break a Pinkie Promise." Pinkie glares at you as she slowly gets off of you, allowing you to get back on your feet once more. "Wait a minute. If that's the truth, then... MARBLE LIVES IN PONYVILLE NOW?!"
"I assumed she told you?"
"I HAVE SO MANY THINGS I NEED TO DO RIGHT NOW!"
Without another word, Pinkie darts out of the room, comically leaving a cloud of dust shaped just like her in her wake. Rarity has to grab her mane, which is blown back by the whirlwind caused by Pinkie's sudden departure.
"Well, that was... something. Ahem." Rarity turns her attention back towards you. "Though I must say, this is news to me as well. I've only met Marble once or twice, but in that time she barely made a peep. And you say she moved in with you?"
"Yeah. I didn't really know it was a secret."
"But why would she do that?"
"Because she's my marefriend, and she got a job tending to a much smaller rock farm than the one the rest of the family lives on. I guess she did so at Maud's suggestion, or something. Let me tell you, Limestone was not happy to lose another sister to Ponyville, haha!"
"W-wait, hold on. She's your marefriend?!"
"Yeah? Is that a problem?"
"I... I'm just surprised, is all. How long has this been going on?"
"Oh, I don't know. A little over two years, maybe?"
"Two YEARS?! Anon, darling, you've never spoken a word about her in that time! At least, not to me!"
"You never asked."
"...I suppose you have always been a bit lacking in the social cues department," she mumbles. "Still, that is information a lady like myself tends to be privy to. You must tell me all about it!"
Rarity looks at you with a sparkle in her eyes.
"Are you sure you have time for this conversation?"
"Darling, I will make time if need be!"
"Well, if you're that determined, let's walk and talk. I need to go save Marble from Pinkie."
"Er, what?"
"I didn't know our relationship was a secret, but Marble did ask me to refrain from mentioning that she moved to Pinkie. She's not really a big fan of the spotlight, and she figured that as soon as Pinkie caught wind that she'd moved into town..."
"She'd throw one of her parties?"
"Absolutely. And Pinkie does not hold back when it comes to her sisters. So, Marble requested that she tell Pinkie on her own terms. Though, it seems like that idea has gone out the window." You exit the lounge, lesson plans in hand, with Rarity following alongside you. "I thought she had told her already, darn it! Ugh, I just hope they're not in a public space. Marble is terrible with crowds."
"Ah. The middle of town. Truly, the most private of spaces."
You and Rarity look around at the area surrounding the Ponyville Town Hall. Sure enough, tables, streamers, banners, and every other party essential are strewn all over the place. It's immediately clear that this is a "Pinkie Pie Party," and the dozens upon dozens of ponies present seem to be having a blast. At least, all do except for one.
With a rushed gait, you make your way over to Marble, who is doing her best to hide behind her mane and blend in as much as possible. She's having a bit of trouble thanks in no small part to Pinkie proudly showing her off to every random pony that passes by.
"Have you met Marble?! This is my sister Marble Pie, the greatest baby sister in Equestria!"
In her excitement, she's completely ignorant to how uncomfortable she's making said sister. You and Rarity approach the pair, and immediately upon seeing you, Marble breaks out of Pinkie's vice grip and sidles up next to you, doing her best to more or less use you as a human shield to hide her from the world around her.
"Hey, Marble."
"H-hi. Did... did you tell Pinkie about me?"
"She saw you this morning, so I assumed you had already told her. I'm really sorry, I should have kept my mouth shut."
"I-It's fine, I guess. I just really want to go home."
"I'll get you out of here as soon as possible, don't worry."
Rarity glances between the two of you with a look of complete confusion on her face.
"Anon, what are you-"
"Hiya, guys!" Rarity finds herself getting cut off by Pinkie excitedly jumping into the conversation, the massive grin on her face making it clear just how enthusiastic she is right now. "Nonny, this is Marble Pie, my baby sister!"
"Yes, I know, Pinkie."
"Wait a sec, I know that look!" Pinkie leans towards Marble, who isn't necessarily cowering away from her sister but is staying on the defensive so as to not get separated from you. "You're uncomfortable right now! What's the matter, Marble?"
"Pinkie, I told you I didn't want a big party like this. It's really not a big deal."
"Not a big deal?! Marble, you being here is, like, the BIGGEST of deals! Though, I suppose I could have probably thrown the party somewhere less public."
Pinkie puts a hoof on her chin and looks around, apparently only having just noticed that this is the worst possible place in town to hold a "small" party.
"I'm thankful for the effort Pinkie, but you know I've always preferred the quiet."
"I didn't know that! I've never gotten a chance to throw you a party outside of the farm!"
"...Oh, right."
Marble tilts her head down, realizing that she hasn't done a great job at really conveying her desires to Pinkie up until now. Pinkie looks at her with concern, but you speak up before she can.
"It's alright, Marble. This is just going to be a one-time thing."
Marble looks up at you and gives a gentle smile, her face still half-covered by her mane. Meanwhile, Rarity finally gets a chance to say something.
"Um, if I may?"
"Hm?"
"I-I apologize if this sounds rude, but... what is happening right now?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, it sounds like the three of you are having a conversation, but Marble here hasn't said a word yet! She just keeps nodding or shaking her head or mumbling, but you're responding as if she's speaking. Is there some sort of secret code here that I'm missing or something?" The three of you look at Rarity with confusion for a second, but said confusion quickly fades as you all begin to laugh out loud. The whole display just makes Rarity even more confused. "Wh-what?"
"Marble isn't a very vocal mare. It takes a bit of getting used to, but once you've been around her enough, you can understand everything she's trying to convey." You look down at Marble and smile, and she smiles back at you with a slight blush on her face. "Isn't that right?"
"Mm-Hmm!"
"Wow, Nonny." Pinkie looks you up and down, a prideful expression on her face all the while. "And here I thought I was the only pony in town that could speak Marble."
"It would be difficult for us to be in a relationship if we couldn't communicate, don't you think?"
"Woah woah woah, what?! You two are DATING?!"
"Pinkie, I told you she moved in with me earlier."
"How?! When?! Where?! Why?!" Pinkie begins to nearly hyperventilate, but in standard Pinkie fashion, it just gets her going more. "TELL ME EVERYTHING!"
"Slow down, Pinkie. This... isn't an appropriate place for that." Marble blushes again and looks at the ground with a sheepish smile.
"You could at least tell me how you met!"
"Pinkie, you introduced us a few years ago, remember?"
"Oh yeah."
"We agreed that we felt a sort of kinship then, and we started writing letters to each other for a while after that. It wasn't long before I started going back out to the farm for a visit every now and then, and vice versa. Eventually, Maud discovered a place just outside of town with the perfect conditions for another, smaller rock farm, and the next thing we knew, Marble had a perfect opportunity to move in. That's... where we are now, I suppose."
Darn it, now you're blushing. You love Marble to pieces, but telling others about it feels a little embarrassing.
"That. Is so. CUTE!!!" Pinkie pulls both you and Marble into an extremely tight hug. "I'm so happy for you!"
"P-Pinkie. Too... tight!"
"Well," Rarity interjects, "I must say, though you aren't exactly a conventional couple... you do look awfully cute together."
As Pinkie finally lets go, you both find yourselves blushing even harder.
"Alright you two," Pinkie says with just as much energy as she's had all night, "I'm not gonna be mad if you leave the party early. Buuuuuuuuut, I would still recommend checking out the snacks before you go! I made Marble's favorites~!"
Pinkie points to a nearby table, which is lined with all sorts of dishes. You're going to be honest, many of them look completely inedible, but one glance at Marble tells you all you need to know. The poor girl is almost drooling, and her pupils have expanded to take up nearly her entire eyeballs.
"..."
"...Hehe," you chuckle. "Don't worry, I'll go with ya. Fight off any potential social interactions you aren't ready for, you know?"
Marble doesn't even say anything in Marble-Speak, she just nods without ever taking her eyes off of the table before practically making a break for it. You can do little but laugh as you and Pinkie chase after your marefriend.
Rarity stands back and smiles as she watches the chaos unfold. Marble, in what seems at first to be an uncharacteristically bold manner, begins stuffing her face with all of her favorite goodies. Meanwhile, you watch over the poor mare like a hawk and Pinkie ends up helping herself to some of the snacks too, leading to the Pie sisters practically scrambling to eat what they can before the other beats them to it. Maybe they are alike after all.
"Well," Rarity mumbles to herself, "strange though they may be... I'm happy for them." She begins to trot away from the party, content to leave the lovebirds (and Pinkie) to their own devices. "Even if I can only hear half of their conversations."
A few hours later, the sun has nearly set as you carry your poor, nauseous marefriend in your arms. Her face is as red as can be, and she covers said face with her hooves.
"I'm so sorry!"
"About what?"
"That was so embarrassing!"
"Marble, it's not embarrassing to enjoy a party. Especially one where you're the guest of honor."
"I should have better manners than that, though! And that's not even mentioning how this reflects back on you!"
"Marble, you don't need to worry about me. First of all, Ponyville isn't as judgemental as you're making it out to be. Second of all, even if it was, I certainly wouldn't care. Getting to see you happy is well worth it." Marble buries her face in your chest, unable to hide herself any more than she already has. "Also, you aren't exactly used to parties, dear. I don't think anypony would blame you for indulging yourself a little bit."
"To the point where I can't even walk by myself without nearly vomiting?!"
"Have you seen Pinkie when she gets hyper?"
"...Fair point."
You finally reach the front door of your shared house. Carefully, you place Marble back down. She has to take a few deep breaths, but she manages to regain her composure without succumbing to her nausea. With her no longer in your arms, you're able to pull your keys out of your pocket and open the door, allowing Marble to enter before you do.
The house is dark and quiet. Even setting aside the fact that no one has been home all day, it's usually kept this way regardless. Marble prefers it like this, and frankly, you do too. You set your bag down on the kitchen table before looking back at Marble, who seems unsure of what to do with herself.
"I take it you wouldn't be able to stomach dinner right now no matter what I made, right?"
"Mm-Hmm."
"...You need a nap, don't you?"
Marble looks away from you, a sheepish expression on her face as she does so.
"I... I never really had time to take naps back at home."
"Well, you do now. And I doubt you're going to be getting much else done tonight feeling like you do."
"That's probably true." She starts to walk down the hallway, but she stops and looks at you before she disappears around the corner. "Would... would you like to join me?"
You stare at Marble for a moment. She caught you off guard with that one. You cannot properly express how much you love each other, but you're both a bit shy when it comes to initiating physical intimacy. It's not like you've never done so before or anything, it's just rare for Marble to ask for it outright like that. Frankly, the notion causes you to blush about as much as she is right now.
"...Mm-Hmm."
Marble chuckles and continues down the hallway. You waste no time following her, relishing the warm feeling building up in your chest as you climb into bed with her. She carefully gets comfortable before reaching out to you, and you happily embrace the gray mare, doing your best to hold her tight (just as she likes it) without upsetting her stomach. Once you're confident that you're both nice and comfortable, you look down at her and smile. She does the same, and you both close your eyes before sharing a quiet, tender kiss.
It's true that the two of you make an odd couple. In many ways, you couldn't be more different. Plus, most folks wouldn't even be able to tell how you're able to converse in the first place considering how little is actually said between you. Yet, you can't find it in your heart to care about that.
When you love someone this much, there's no need for words.
Author's Note
I wish Marble got more screen time.
As always, I appreciate any and all feedback!
