//------------------------------//
// Tempting Trixie 
// Story: Losing Her Marbles 
// by Jhoira 
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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.