A Belle-lessed Unionby Hopeful_Ink_HoofChaptersOne More LetterEven Dragons Get Cold FeetSpeech SpeechOne More LetterIt was a beautiful spring day in Ponyville, with the sun shining and the sky clear. Many of the town residence were outside of Twilight's castle, making their way inside. They talked among themselves excitedly about the event. The big day. The wedding between Spike The Dragon and Sweetie Belle. Between Spike's adventures and his role as Twilight's assistant, and Sweetie Belle's antics as a crusader and being a sister to Rarity -- as well as other reasons for both of them -- the pair were minor celebrities around town. None of the resident ponies treated either of them any different for it, of course, but between that and the smallness of the town, pretty much everypony knew the two of them. There were even guests from other cities and even kingdoms. Whether it was the largest wedding Ponyville had ever had, or second after Applejack (whose entire family showed up) and Soarin's (who had Wonderbolts retired, active, and freshly recruited), was a point of debate for some. One thing not up for debate was that it had to be the most meticulously and thoroughly planned out wedding that Ponyville ever had. Not because of the bride or groom either, but because of their older sisters. Between Twilight Sparkle's obsessive planning and checklist making, and Rarity's insistence that Sweetie Belle's wedding be "absolutely everything she wanted since she was a little filly," the two of them left nothing to chance if they could help it. Decorations, flowers, food, music, all of it was something the bride, groom, or both, wanted. Unfortunately, not everything could be done the same way when it came to matters outside of the wedding set up. Chewing on her lower lip as she made her way along the halls, Rarity stared at the envelope that she had been given. It was for Sweetie Belle, and addressed to Carousel Boutique. However, the mailmare thought that it was important enough that she brought it to the wedding instead. Given the name on the return address, Rarity understood why Derpy would come to such a conclusion and expressed her appreciation for the consideration. Although it would have been better for all if that had not been the case. As Rarity made her way to deliver the letter to its proper owner, a sense of dread filled her stomach. She wanted everything to be absolutely perfect for her little sister, and she could already tell that the letter was going to prevent that from happening. Why couldn't have you two thought about her for once? she thought, glaring at the letter. A part of her was tempted to set it on fire. Just burn the whole thing to ashes and pretend it never existed. Or, perhaps make up some story about what it said. Except she did not know what it said. As much as she wanted to, Rarity and Sweetie Belle had both promised to respect each others' privacy after the younger mare had found the older's diary. To that end, she would not open her sister's mail, even if it was to try and protect her from whatever may be written. As she approached the door to the bride's dressing room, she heard the sound of three familiar voices all talking in very excited -- and rather loud -- tones. Stopping, she listened for a moment. No specific words were noticeable to her, but she could tell there was a lot of enthusiasm. It brought a smile to her face. It also made her feel a little guilty that she was about to interrupt it. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath, then reached up and knocked. Not even waiting for an answer, she pushed it open and stepped inside. There stood Sweetie Belle, dressed in her lacy white dress, her curly pink and purple hair put up and styled, and a ribbon wrapped around her horn. On one side of her was the yellow earth mare Apple Bloom, dressed in a light purple bridesmaid dress. On the other was the orange earth mare Babs Seed, wearing a similar style dress in a pale pink color. Sitting on the vanity was Snowy Night, the albino bat filly that Rarity had adopted, and flower filly for the wedding. "Oh, look at you," Rarity said as she stepped closer, tearing up. "You look so beautiful. So grown up." She let out a sniff. "I still can't believe my little sister is getting married." "Rarity," Sweetie Belle huffed, blushing as she looked away. "You've seen me in the dress already. I mean, you designed it for me." "I know," Rarity replied as she moved closer to hug her sister. "It's just... It's just so hard to believe. It still seems like just yesterday, you were a little filly getting into trouble trying to get her cutie mark. Now you're all grown up, getting married, and about to do all sorts of amazing things." She sniffed again, rubbing the tears away. As Sweetie Belle stood there, blushing, Rarity turned her attention to Snow. Horn lighting up, the unicorn mare pulled the little filly off the table and toward her. "And what about you, young lady?" she asked as she adjusted the blue tinted sunglasses "Have you been having fun with your aunt and keeping out of trouble?" "Yes, Miss Rarity," Snowy Night answered as she was set down. Miss Rarity. It made Rarity's jaw tense a little. "She was an angel as always," Babs said. "Even helped me with Sweetie Belle's mane." "And it came out wonderfully," Rarity said as she stood up. "Now, forgive me, but I need to speak with Sweetie Belle alone. So if you all would give us some privacy, I would appreciate it." "Sure," Apple Bloom answered. "No problem." She turned to Snow. "C'mon. I bet Greenie would appreciate you saving her from her cousins 'bout now." "I'll come find you as soon as we're done," Rarity said to the filly as she left. As they left, Babs made her way out last. Stopping, she turned to look at the unicorns, raising one eyebrow. After several seconds, she left as well, shutting the door behind her. "So what did you want to talk to me about?" Sweetie asked as she turned to the mirror and leaned in close. Horn lighting up, she pulled the mascara brush closer, making sure to add some finishing touches. Rarity's watched as her sister continued to prepare for her big day. For a moment, she did not see the beautiful young mare that was there, but the adorable -- if sometimes irritating -- little filly that wanted to be just like her big sister, getting into the make up to do so, and making quite a little mess of the table and her face. It was then that Rarity felt like her mouth had gotten frozen. As much as her sister had frustrated her at times growing up, Rarity loved Sweetie Belle, and hated to see her upset. Add in that it was Sweetie's special day, and that Rarity was going to be the one to break the news, and it made Rarity feel a little sick. No, she thought to herself. Sweetie deserves to know. Besides, she's going to find out anyways once she makes her way to the altar and sees those empty seats. At least if she found out now, it would allow her to collect herself and be calm during the actual wedding. Taking a deep breath, she looked at Sweetie's reflection and said, "You got a letter. From Mother and Father." Sweetie Belle froze, her green eyes going wide. Shifting, she looked at Rarity in the mirror, then returned to her make-up. "Can you read it for me?" "...Are you certain?" Rarity asked, looking at the envelope in her magic. "Yeah," Sweetie answered. "The wedding is about to start, and I need to finish getting ready." She smiled. "Don't want to keep my handsome dragon waiting, now do I?" With a slight giggle, Rarity shook her head. "No. I suppose not." Turning her attention to the envelope, she tore it open and pulled out the letter. Once unfolded, she began to read. "Dear Sweetie Belle," it said. "We are having a wonderful time in Manehattan. You would not believe all the shows that they have on Bridleway. So far we have seen Hinny of The Hills, a musical based on your sister and her friends called The Longest Night, and something called The Feather Monologues which just seemed to be a pegasus talking on stage about stuff. Neither of us were really listening. "Anywho," -- and with that, Rarity knew her father had done the writing -- " we are absolutely enjoying ourselves up here. Unfortunately, it means we won't be able to make it back to Ponyville in time for your big day. Don't you worry none though. Soon as we get back, we'll go out to celebrate and make it up to you. "Happy..." Rarity stopped, staring at the next part. "It's okay," Sweetie Belle said. "Go ahead." "...Happy sixteenth birthday," Rarity read aloud. "Love, Mom and Dad." She then folded the letter up, sticking back in the envelope. As she did, she heard a bitter laugh from Sweetie Belle. "'Happy sixteenth birthday,'" she said with a huff. "Don't even realize my eighteenth birthday was months ago, and it's my wedding day. Guess that explains why I didn't even get a card for graduation -- which they also missed." "Sweetie Belle," Rarity said softly as she moved closer, "I'm so sorry." "Why?" Sweetie asked, staring at the mirror. "I don't care that they aren't here." "You don't me--" The magical aura around Sweetie's horn flared out, and there was an massive crash as the mirror in front of her shattered. Sweetie turned around, glaring. "Why should I care?" she yelled. "Because their my mother and father? So what?!" She turned toward the -- now shattered -- mirror again. "It's not like they care about me! It's not like the raised me or loved me!" "Sweetie," Rarity started. "No," Sweetie snapped, stomping a hoof. "It's true." Tears started to fill her eyes. "Soon as you were old enough, what happened? They left me with you and went off on a vacation who even knows where! They missed birthdays and Hearth's Warmings, even my Cute-cenera and graduation! They weren't there for ANY OF THEM!" She huffed and panted, tears now running down her cheeks and taking the eyeliner with it. "Well if they don't care about me," she declared, "I don't care about them. And I don't need them. I have Spike, and Twilight, and their parents. I have the girls." She turned to Rarity again. "And I have you. You've been there for me a lot more than our 'parents.' You were there for me when I needed somepony. You were there when I got my cutie mark. You even got muddy at The Sisterhoove's Social to show how much you cared. You were more a parent to me than they ever were. That's why I told you would be a great mother when you asked about adopting Snow. Because you pretty much adopted me. "So I don't care if mom and dad aren't here. I don't need them, and I don't want them. I have a family, and it's one that actually loves me and wants to be around me. I don't need them!" Moving closer, Rarity reached out and placed a hoof against her sister's chin, pulling gently to look at her. She then pulled out a handkerchief and wiped and her sister's face, removing the smeared make-up. As she did, Rarity tried to give a reassuring smile to Sweetie Belle. There was no problem with it that Rarity could not fix. Now that Sweetie Belle had it all out, she would be able to make it through the rest of the wedding without issue. "Thanks," Sweetie Belle said with a sniffle. "And... could we... keep this between us?" "Of course," Rarity answered with a smile. Damn you, Mom and Dad, she thought. Why couldn't you just have been there for her? It did not matter how much a pony said something or wanted it to be true, that did not make it so. Rarity knew that all too well. Even Dragons Get Cold FeetSitting up on his hind legs, Spike looked at himself in the mirror. He leaned closer, running a claw across the top of his head. "How are my spines?" he asked. "Do my spines look straight?" "They look fine," a raspy, feminine voice answered. Spike ran his claw over them again, chewing his lip. He then ran the palm down over his head and cheek. "What about my scales?" he asked. "Do my scales look properly polished?" There was a small snort of laughter from behind him which caused him to look at the reflection of the orange pegasus in the mirror. "They're also fine," the pegasus -- Scootaloo -- answered with a smile. "Even if they weren't, you wouldn't have enough time to polish them again, anyways." "I suppose," Spike sighed, looking at his reflection again. Leaning in closer, he smiled, showing off his teeth. "Do my teeth look okay? Should I grin? I don't want to scare any of our guests." This time, Scootaloo let out a snicker. "Your teeth are fine," she told him. "And everypony out there knows you, Spike. They aren't going to intimidated by you showing a little fang." She then chuckled. "The only ones who will be scared are the ones who might mess up the wedding and face your wrath." A small huff escaped Spike as he turned around. Eyes narrowed, he looked at the pegasus mare and raised an eyebrow. "Okay, what's with you?" he asked. Scootaloo looked at him and blinked. She put on her most innocent face, a halo practically appearing over her head. "What do you mean?" "The entire time I've been getting ready, you've been on the precipice of laughter," he answered. "So, tell me, Scootaloo, what's so funny?" Scootaloo looked at the dragon a moment longer, trying to keep her innocent face on. As she stared at him with her purple eyes, she finally broke into a grin and started giggling. "Okay, okay," she said, waving a hoof. "It's just... when I agreed to be your best mare, I was kind of worried that I would miss out on the fun of seeing the bride panic before the wedding. Turns out, I'm not missing anything." Her grinned widened. "If anything, you're probably panicking about it even more than Sweetie Belle." "Oh, har har," Spike huffed, rolling his eyes. "I am so glad that you could get a laugh out of my anxiety." He turned back to the mirror. "Oh, calm down there, groom-zilla," Scootaloo said as she moved up to him. "Look, believe me when I say this: none of this matters." "...what?' "I know, I know. Not what you expected to hear." Placing a hoof on Spike, Scootaloo turned him to face her and started messing with his bow tie. "Just hear me out. You, Sweetie, Rarity, and Twilight have all been worried about trying to have everything be perfect, right?" "Yeah?" Spike answered, shifting to look at the mare curiously. "Well let's be honest," Scootaloo continued, "the chances of everything being perfect are slim to none. Hay, given our track record, there's a pretty good chance that this wedding is going to be attacked by some monster or other... which is either brilliant or stupid considering the sheer number of powerful beings here. Either take them all out in one stroke, leaving a power vacuum that would be a lot easier to fill, or be blasted to dust in two seconds." "I think you're getting off subject a little here." "Yeah, but it's still true," Scootaloo stated as she stepped back. "Anyway, whether Luna performs the ceremony or we end up having the mayor perform it, whether the music is played perfectly or ends up off key, whether everything goes peacefully or we get attacked by Queen Insidious, in the end none of that is going to matter." Moving to stand beside Spike, Scootaloo wrapped a foreleg around the dragon and pointed forward. "When you see Sweetie Belle in her wedding dress, you will forget everything else," she declared. "None of it will have mattered. All you will think about is how beautiful she is." Her ears dropped as her lipped pursed. "...and how she is going to be with you the rest your lives. In the end, all that will matter is that you two end the day as husband and wife." The idea brought a smile to Spike's face. "That's really nice," he said. His eyes narrowed as he looked at the pegasus. "And surprisingly romantic for you. What happened to the filly that gagged and made faces over 'mushy stuff?'" Pulling her foreleg from around Spike's neck, Scootaloo elbowed him in the side, causing a grunt. "You can't spend your time around Rarity and not pick up something," she stated. "Besides, I may not do any sort of big, mushy, romantic gesture to show how much I love Babs, but I would like to give her some idea." This time, it was Spike who snickered. "Watch," he said. "I bet that now you said that, you're going to have to do something big." He looked in the mirror, making sure the bow tie was straight. "Like... she's going to be ponynapped, and you're going to have to go on an epic adventure to fight an evil monster and save her, or something." "That... sounds kind of cool, actually." Standing up on her hind legs, Scootaloo flared her wings out as wide. "Scootaloo, The Fearless Knight!" she shouted. "Facing monsters and rescuing damsels in distress. All while looking totally awesome!" "All in the name of love," a voice said from the doorway, causing the pair to jump. Standing there, giggling at the pair was a familiar looking pink alicorn. "Cadance," Spike said, running over to give her a hug. "Glad to see you." He then pulled back. "What are you doing here, though?" "I'm the princess of love, and your sister-in-law," Cadance -- Princess Mi Amore Cadenza -- said, "and you're a hero to The Crystal Empire. So I felt it was my duty to check on you before the ceremony and make sure everything was okay." Grinning, she turned to look at Scootaloo. "Although it seems I don't need to, seeing as Scootaloo, The Fearless Knight, is here." She gave the other mare a wink. A blush formed over Scootaloo's face as she took a step back, looking at anywhere but the princess. "Well I'm glad to see you," Spike said. "Is Shining Armor here too?" "Here at the wedding, yes," she answered. "His little brother's getting married. No way he's going to miss it." She smiled gently. "I had him stay at the staging area though. You know how he gets at weddings. I didn't think it would be a good idea for you to show up in a tear-soaked tuxedo." "Yeah," the dragon said softly as he looked down at his outfit. "Well you look handsome," Cadance stated, "and everything seems to be under control." She looked at Scootaloo. "By the way, I could always use a student of my own. How does 'Scootaloo, Apprentice of Love' sound?" Scootaloo's ears pinned back as her blush grew brighter. "I'm only teasing." She then turned back to Spike. "Anyway, good luck." Leaning up, she gave him a peck on the cheek. "I'll see you at the altar." Stepping away, she headed for the door again. After watching her go, Spike turned to Scootaloo. "So, oh Apprentice of Love," he said with a smirk, "is there anything left that I'm forgetting before heading out?" Scootaloo turned to face him, glaring. "Go ahead and laugh it up, scaly," she growled out. Snickering, he brought a claw up to his chin, tapping it as he looked up at the ceiling. "I wonder what kind of letters you would write as her student." His eyes widened, as did his grin. "Positions, maybe?" With a chuckle, he pantomimed having a scroll and quill. "Dear Princess Cadance, thank you for your suggestions. Last night, Babs and I tried the one called--" "Boutonniere!" Scootaloo blurted out. "You don't have your boutonniere on." Looking down at the pocket of his jacket, Spike noticed that there was a lack of flowers on it. Before he could even ask, Scootaloo appeared in front of him with the boutonniere, pinning it to the pocket of the jacket. She managed to point it out and have it ready pretty fast. Almost too fast. Spike could not help but feel a little suspicious. "Did you have that with you the whole time?" he asked. "Were going to hide it from me and watch me panic?" "Would I do something like that?" "Yes." Scootaloo looked up at him, putting a hurt expression on. In less than a second, it broke into a smirk as she gave a shake of her head. "Okay," she relented. "You got me. Sort of. I did have it on me to hide. I actually wanted to see how long it would take you to realize it was missing though. I would have shown it to you as soon as you asked." She stepped back. "Or after the first couple drawers were rummaged. No more than three... or four." Spike let out a sigh and gave a shake of his head. "Such a supportive friend," he grumbled. "Hey, you need somepony to keep you from getting too swelled a head," Scootaloo declared. She then gave Spike a pat on the shoulder. "Now you're ready. Go out there, and get married." "Yeah!" Spike cried out before heading for the door. Speech SpeechThe wedding had gone off exactly as had been expected. Princess Luna took her place and performed the ceremony. The music was on time and in tune. Spike stood at the altar, looking perfect as he waited. Snowy Night was an excellent flower filly, and Little Green Smith Apple was a great ring bearer. Then The Wedding March started, and Sweetie Belle appeared, making her way down the aisle. It turned out that Scootaloo was right. As soon as Spike saw Sweetie Belle, everything else was forgotten. The music, the decor, the guests, it all fell away. All that he saw was the most beautiful mare in all of Equestria walking toward him. Her dress, her mane, her eyes, all beautiful, all perfect, and all coming closer to him. He felt like he could stare at her forever. It was only when Princess Luna started to speak that he broke from his reverie. He smiled at Sweetie Belle, looking at her up close. Now, he could see the blush on her cheeks, and a bit of redness around the eyes. Had she been crying? Tears of joy? Did something go wrong? Unfortunately, it was not something that Spike could ask about. He would have to wait until they were alone, provided he could remember that long. After the chance for objections -- of which there were none -- came the wedding vows. Spike went first. "Before I came to Ponyville, I didn't really have much in the way of friends. And when I came to this town, I didn't think I would ever call it home. As I lived here, I found a place where I was accepted -- even though I was different -- and even loved. Since moving here, I've done a lot of growing and learning, and I've also done a lot of exciting things. I've gone through a lot of changes and taken a lot of steps in life. Now, standing here with you, I want nothing more than to take the next step, to have the next big change in my life have it becoming our life, together. I love you, Sweetie Belle, and I want us to be together for whatever happens for us next." After taking a moment to collect herself, Sweetie Belle went next. "Before you came to Ponyville, if anypony had told me that I would fall in love with a dragon, I would have thought them crazy or silly. After you moved to Ponyville, if anypony had said I would fall in love with you, I would have said it was ridiculous. Practically every pony in town could tell how madly in love you were with my sister." She shook her head, letting out a chuckle. "Then time passed and we actually started spending time together. Sometimes it was even just us. We went from Twilight's assistant and Rarity's little sister to friends. Then, it became more. And now, here we are, taking the biggest step in our relationship. When I was just a filly, the was not what I would have imagined. It is much, much better, and I wouldn't change a thing." With that, Princess Luna was proud to pronounce the pair as officially married. There was lots of loud cheering from the crowd shared their first official kiss as husband and wife. With the wedding itself done, the reception came next. The couple led the way as they and the guests made their way outside. A dance floor had been set out, and music was already playing. Tables were set up all around for ponies to sit down, eat and talk. There were also buffet tables, filled with beverages, the wedding cake, and treats including those from Sugarcube Corner, Sweet Apple Acres, and Bon Bon's Bon Bons. Some included gemstone on or in them for Spike and the visiting dragons, or whomever wished to try eating them. There were even volunteers who spent time with (the well guarded) Queen Chrysalis and her remaining changelings, allowing them to absorb the love in the air while being well observed. Music played, creatures danced, food was eaten, wedding cake was cut by the couple and smashed into each others' faces (which Sweetie had an advantage in thanks to her magic). Soon, all became relaxed, enjoying themselves and sharing conversations. A flare of light blue magic and a musical note caused the crowd to grow silent, turning toward the source. "If I could have your attention, please," Princess Mi Amore Cadenza said. "We have reached the part of the event where those who know the newlyweds give speeches. Now, traditionally it is the best mare or stallion who gives the first speech." She looked at Scootaloo. "However, if there are no objections, I would like to speak first." Scootaloo gave a wave of her hoof, then leaned in close to Apple Bloom and Babs Seed, whispering something. "Thank you." Cadance turned to face the crowd and cleared her throat dramatically. "As the princess of love," she stated, "it is always a joyful occasion whenever loves come to full bloom. Having the opportunity to see such a time, to hear two declare their love for each other, brings warmth to my heart and a smile to my face. As a princess -- and on behalf of us all -- I congratulate you on finding each other and wish you a long and happy marriage." There was a brief round of applause. Cadance's eyes narrowed as she smirked. "On a more personal level, as the sister-in-law of the groom, I would like to ask on behalf of his family: 'when are we going to see children?'" This got some laughter from the assembled, including Spike's adoptive parents, Twilight Velvet and Night Light. "Now if the best..." Scootaloo and the other two had vanished from their table. "Well... it seems they're up to something," Cadance said. "Let's hope next time we see them isn't during an explosion." She chuckled, but was alone in the matter (as several felt that it was a legitimate concern). "Anyway, let's go ahead and open it up more. If any out there would like to say something next..." Rarity held up a hoof before standing up. "Oh, come now," she purred out, running a hoof through her mane. "Surely, you did not expect that I would get through this without trying to steal the spotlight at least once." She grinned, getting some laughter in response. She then turned to face Spike and Sweetie Belle, the smile fading. "As she is my little sister, I have known Sweetie Belle her entire life. I have changed her diapers, and put out many fires when she attempted to cook. There have been times when she frustrated me to no end, and times when I would do anything to make her happy, even if it meant shaving myself completely bald from head to hoof. When we had those rougher times, we still loved each other very much and always patched things up. Even if it meant getting... a lot dirty." The last line got a confused look from the married couple, to which Rarity sighed and shook her head. "While not since birth, I have known Spike -- 'my little Spikey-Wikey' I used to call him -- for quite a long time. As many of you were already aware -- and the rest heard during the vows -- he did have quite an infatuation for me. One admittedly I did take advantage of at times even if I never returned it." Spike slumped down in his seat, blushing while Sweetie Belle giggled. "Anyway," Rarity continued. "As Spike grew, I watched him develop some absolutely wonderful attributes. He's a very kind, gentle, and affectionate dragon, who will protect any whom he cares for, or even those he doesn't. As such, I could not think of any other creature on this planet that I would trust more to take care of Sweetie Belle." Her eyes narrowed. "That being said, let me remind you, Spike: should you ever harm my sister, I shall skin you alive and use your scales to make a lovely suit of armor." She raised her glass. "To the bride and groom." The room was silent, staring at Rarity as the threat at the end of her speech loomed in the air. It was broken by a cough as Twilight Sparkle stood up. "Well, seeing as this is my home, I guess it's up to me to break the tension," she stated. "And considering the groom," she grinned "I guess it's also my turn to embarrass him with 'gushy girly gunk,' as he would put it." Spike groaned as he sank lower in his seat. "Much like Rarity with Sweetie Belle," Twilight said, "I have known Spike for his entire life. I was there the day he was hatched, and he's been by my side ever since. He's been my friend, my little brother, and my loyal assistant." Tears started to fill her eyes. "He has been by my side through it all, cheering me on at the greatest moments, and comforting me in my darkest moment. He was even there when I got pretty crazy, trying to keep me from going too far." She let out a laugh. "Not that it did much good. But he tried." The tears now started to flow freely from her eyes. "And now look at you," she said, her voice rasping a little. "All grown up and getting married. It still seems like just yesterday you were the little dragon that was helping me, learning how to write and cook. I... I..." Her horn flickered with magic and in a flash, she was over by Spike, pulling him into a hug. "I'm so happy for you," she said, "and so scared. I don't know what I'm going to do without you." There was silence at the two hugged, none gathered wanting to interrupt the moment. It was well over a minute before Twilight pulled away. "There... probably was to be more," she said as she wiped her eyes, "but I can't remember it now. So, just consider my speech done." She soon flew back to her seat. That was when Apple Bloom and Scootaloo appeared, picking up a squealing Sweetie Belle above their heads and running toward the stage where Babs Seed already stood. "Alright, mares, gentlecolts and all ya others," she said into the microphone. "Now that we got all them sappy speeches over for ya, we have a special treat. Let's hear it for... The Cutie Mark Crusaders!" There was a round of -- rather confused -- applauds at the announcement. As the audience watched, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo hopped up onto the stage, setting Sweetie Belle down between them. "Hey!" Scootaloo shouted. "You're in for a special treat tonight." "For those of y'all who don't know," Apple Bloom picked up, "the three of us are --" "The Cutie Mark Crusaders!" all three of them shouted, including Sweetie Belle, who was now grinning. "When we were younger," Scootaloo continued, "we tried anything and everything we could think of to try and get our cutie marks." "And often failed," Sweetie Belle added. "Horribly and with lots of property damage." "But we had fun," Apple Bloom said, "and always stuck together." "Not just because we were covered in tree sap either," Scootaloo interjected, getting a laugh from the three of them and the crowd. "Now some of our failures were pretty spectacular," Apple Bloom said, "but some of 'em were worked out pretty well in other ways." "And one of those, was when we entered the talent show. We failed as a music band, and didn't get our cutie marks, but we had a lot of fun, and won first place for COMEDY!" At Scootaloo's words, Sweetie Belle tensed, eyes going wide as it dawned at her. She looked at one side of her, where Scootaloo stood, then at the other, with Apple Bloom. They were both looking at her with wide grins. "Wait," she said. "And now that we know that Sweetie Belle's special talent is singing," Scootaloo said loudly to the crowd, "we thought it was time to perform our prize winning song again. Only this time with her being the lead." "Girls, no!" Sweetie Belle cried out. "It's been years since we sang that. I don't even remember the words anymore." Apple Bloom and Scootaloo looked from Sweetie Belle to each other and grinned. Opening her jacket, Scootaloo pulled out something and unfolded it to reveal several sheets of paper. "Lucky for you," the pegasus said with a smirk, "we know the original author, and she still had the lyrics. Even made extra copies." Her eyes narrowed. "You know, in case anything happened to them. Like an 'accidental surge' of magic setting these on fire." She then held a sheet out to Sweetie Belle, who took it in her magic, rolling her eyes. "You two aren't going to let me out of this, are you?" "Nope," Apple Bloom and Scootaloo both said at the same time. Sweetie Belle looked at the paper, then at her friends. A smile spread across her face before she began giggling, giving a shake of her head. "Okay," she said. "But... if we're going to do this, we should do it properly. All of the crusaders." The magic around her horn grew stronger as she took a hold of Babs Seed, pulling her up onto the stage. "What're ya doin'?" Babs cried out as she was set down next to the others. "I wasn't here for this. Don't think I was even a crusader at the time." "Doesn't matter," Sweetie Belle declared. "You were and are a Cutie Mark Crusader. That means you are singing with us." "Yeah!" Apple Bloom and Scootaloo cheered. Scootaloo then pulled out another sheet of paper and passed it to her. "Told you she'd want you in it." Babs rolled her eyes, but took the paper and looked at it. "Ready?" Sweetie Belle asked. "Ready!" the others cried out. Taking a deep breath, Sweetie Belle stepped forward. She looked at the sheet, taking in the lyrics, and remembering how hard Scootaloo had worked on it all those years ago. It was funny, it was all so obvious in retrospect now. Although the fun had been in the journey anyways. There were no other ponies in the world she would have wanted to share those adventures with. However, there would have to be one minor change to the lyrics. The music started. Sweetie Belle took a deep breath, and started to sing. "Look, here, are four little ponies..."
One More LetterIt was a beautiful spring day in Ponyville, with the sun shining and the sky clear. Many of the town residence were outside of Twilight's castle, making their way inside. They talked among themselves excitedly about the event. The big day. The wedding between Spike The Dragon and Sweetie Belle. Between Spike's adventures and his role as Twilight's assistant, and Sweetie Belle's antics as a crusader and being a sister to Rarity -- as well as other reasons for both of them -- the pair were minor celebrities around town. None of the resident ponies treated either of them any different for it, of course, but between that and the smallness of the town, pretty much everypony knew the two of them. There were even guests from other cities and even kingdoms. Whether it was the largest wedding Ponyville had ever had, or second after Applejack (whose entire family showed up) and Soarin's (who had Wonderbolts retired, active, and freshly recruited), was a point of debate for some. One thing not up for debate was that it had to be the most meticulously and thoroughly planned out wedding that Ponyville ever had. Not because of the bride or groom either, but because of their older sisters. Between Twilight Sparkle's obsessive planning and checklist making, and Rarity's insistence that Sweetie Belle's wedding be "absolutely everything she wanted since she was a little filly," the two of them left nothing to chance if they could help it. Decorations, flowers, food, music, all of it was something the bride, groom, or both, wanted. Unfortunately, not everything could be done the same way when it came to matters outside of the wedding set up. Chewing on her lower lip as she made her way along the halls, Rarity stared at the envelope that she had been given. It was for Sweetie Belle, and addressed to Carousel Boutique. However, the mailmare thought that it was important enough that she brought it to the wedding instead. Given the name on the return address, Rarity understood why Derpy would come to such a conclusion and expressed her appreciation for the consideration. Although it would have been better for all if that had not been the case. As Rarity made her way to deliver the letter to its proper owner, a sense of dread filled her stomach. She wanted everything to be absolutely perfect for her little sister, and she could already tell that the letter was going to prevent that from happening. Why couldn't have you two thought about her for once? she thought, glaring at the letter. A part of her was tempted to set it on fire. Just burn the whole thing to ashes and pretend it never existed. Or, perhaps make up some story about what it said. Except she did not know what it said. As much as she wanted to, Rarity and Sweetie Belle had both promised to respect each others' privacy after the younger mare had found the older's diary. To that end, she would not open her sister's mail, even if it was to try and protect her from whatever may be written. As she approached the door to the bride's dressing room, she heard the sound of three familiar voices all talking in very excited -- and rather loud -- tones. Stopping, she listened for a moment. No specific words were noticeable to her, but she could tell there was a lot of enthusiasm. It brought a smile to her face. It also made her feel a little guilty that she was about to interrupt it. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath, then reached up and knocked. Not even waiting for an answer, she pushed it open and stepped inside. There stood Sweetie Belle, dressed in her lacy white dress, her curly pink and purple hair put up and styled, and a ribbon wrapped around her horn. On one side of her was the yellow earth mare Apple Bloom, dressed in a light purple bridesmaid dress. On the other was the orange earth mare Babs Seed, wearing a similar style dress in a pale pink color. Sitting on the vanity was Snowy Night, the albino bat filly that Rarity had adopted, and flower filly for the wedding. "Oh, look at you," Rarity said as she stepped closer, tearing up. "You look so beautiful. So grown up." She let out a sniff. "I still can't believe my little sister is getting married." "Rarity," Sweetie Belle huffed, blushing as she looked away. "You've seen me in the dress already. I mean, you designed it for me." "I know," Rarity replied as she moved closer to hug her sister. "It's just... It's just so hard to believe. It still seems like just yesterday, you were a little filly getting into trouble trying to get her cutie mark. Now you're all grown up, getting married, and about to do all sorts of amazing things." She sniffed again, rubbing the tears away. As Sweetie Belle stood there, blushing, Rarity turned her attention to Snow. Horn lighting up, the unicorn mare pulled the little filly off the table and toward her. "And what about you, young lady?" she asked as she adjusted the blue tinted sunglasses "Have you been having fun with your aunt and keeping out of trouble?" "Yes, Miss Rarity," Snowy Night answered as she was set down. Miss Rarity. It made Rarity's jaw tense a little. "She was an angel as always," Babs said. "Even helped me with Sweetie Belle's mane." "And it came out wonderfully," Rarity said as she stood up. "Now, forgive me, but I need to speak with Sweetie Belle alone. So if you all would give us some privacy, I would appreciate it." "Sure," Apple Bloom answered. "No problem." She turned to Snow. "C'mon. I bet Greenie would appreciate you saving her from her cousins 'bout now." "I'll come find you as soon as we're done," Rarity said to the filly as she left. As they left, Babs made her way out last. Stopping, she turned to look at the unicorns, raising one eyebrow. After several seconds, she left as well, shutting the door behind her. "So what did you want to talk to me about?" Sweetie asked as she turned to the mirror and leaned in close. Horn lighting up, she pulled the mascara brush closer, making sure to add some finishing touches. Rarity's watched as her sister continued to prepare for her big day. For a moment, she did not see the beautiful young mare that was there, but the adorable -- if sometimes irritating -- little filly that wanted to be just like her big sister, getting into the make up to do so, and making quite a little mess of the table and her face. It was then that Rarity felt like her mouth had gotten frozen. As much as her sister had frustrated her at times growing up, Rarity loved Sweetie Belle, and hated to see her upset. Add in that it was Sweetie's special day, and that Rarity was going to be the one to break the news, and it made Rarity feel a little sick. No, she thought to herself. Sweetie deserves to know. Besides, she's going to find out anyways once she makes her way to the altar and sees those empty seats. At least if she found out now, it would allow her to collect herself and be calm during the actual wedding. Taking a deep breath, she looked at Sweetie's reflection and said, "You got a letter. From Mother and Father." Sweetie Belle froze, her green eyes going wide. Shifting, she looked at Rarity in the mirror, then returned to her make-up. "Can you read it for me?" "...Are you certain?" Rarity asked, looking at the envelope in her magic. "Yeah," Sweetie answered. "The wedding is about to start, and I need to finish getting ready." She smiled. "Don't want to keep my handsome dragon waiting, now do I?" With a slight giggle, Rarity shook her head. "No. I suppose not." Turning her attention to the envelope, she tore it open and pulled out the letter. Once unfolded, she began to read. "Dear Sweetie Belle," it said. "We are having a wonderful time in Manehattan. You would not believe all the shows that they have on Bridleway. So far we have seen Hinny of The Hills, a musical based on your sister and her friends called The Longest Night, and something called The Feather Monologues which just seemed to be a pegasus talking on stage about stuff. Neither of us were really listening. "Anywho," -- and with that, Rarity knew her father had done the writing -- " we are absolutely enjoying ourselves up here. Unfortunately, it means we won't be able to make it back to Ponyville in time for your big day. Don't you worry none though. Soon as we get back, we'll go out to celebrate and make it up to you. "Happy..." Rarity stopped, staring at the next part. "It's okay," Sweetie Belle said. "Go ahead." "...Happy sixteenth birthday," Rarity read aloud. "Love, Mom and Dad." She then folded the letter up, sticking back in the envelope. As she did, she heard a bitter laugh from Sweetie Belle. "'Happy sixteenth birthday,'" she said with a huff. "Don't even realize my eighteenth birthday was months ago, and it's my wedding day. Guess that explains why I didn't even get a card for graduation -- which they also missed." "Sweetie Belle," Rarity said softly as she moved closer, "I'm so sorry." "Why?" Sweetie asked, staring at the mirror. "I don't care that they aren't here." "You don't me--" The magical aura around Sweetie's horn flared out, and there was an massive crash as the mirror in front of her shattered. Sweetie turned around, glaring. "Why should I care?" she yelled. "Because their my mother and father? So what?!" She turned toward the -- now shattered -- mirror again. "It's not like they care about me! It's not like the raised me or loved me!" "Sweetie," Rarity started. "No," Sweetie snapped, stomping a hoof. "It's true." Tears started to fill her eyes. "Soon as you were old enough, what happened? They left me with you and went off on a vacation who even knows where! They missed birthdays and Hearth's Warmings, even my Cute-cenera and graduation! They weren't there for ANY OF THEM!" She huffed and panted, tears now running down her cheeks and taking the eyeliner with it. "Well if they don't care about me," she declared, "I don't care about them. And I don't need them. I have Spike, and Twilight, and their parents. I have the girls." She turned to Rarity again. "And I have you. You've been there for me a lot more than our 'parents.' You were there for me when I needed somepony. You were there when I got my cutie mark. You even got muddy at The Sisterhoove's Social to show how much you cared. You were more a parent to me than they ever were. That's why I told you would be a great mother when you asked about adopting Snow. Because you pretty much adopted me. "So I don't care if mom and dad aren't here. I don't need them, and I don't want them. I have a family, and it's one that actually loves me and wants to be around me. I don't need them!" Moving closer, Rarity reached out and placed a hoof against her sister's chin, pulling gently to look at her. She then pulled out a handkerchief and wiped and her sister's face, removing the smeared make-up. As she did, Rarity tried to give a reassuring smile to Sweetie Belle. There was no problem with it that Rarity could not fix. Now that Sweetie Belle had it all out, she would be able to make it through the rest of the wedding without issue. "Thanks," Sweetie Belle said with a sniffle. "And... could we... keep this between us?" "Of course," Rarity answered with a smile. Damn you, Mom and Dad, she thought. Why couldn't you just have been there for her? It did not matter how much a pony said something or wanted it to be true, that did not make it so. Rarity knew that all too well.
Even Dragons Get Cold FeetSitting up on his hind legs, Spike looked at himself in the mirror. He leaned closer, running a claw across the top of his head. "How are my spines?" he asked. "Do my spines look straight?" "They look fine," a raspy, feminine voice answered. Spike ran his claw over them again, chewing his lip. He then ran the palm down over his head and cheek. "What about my scales?" he asked. "Do my scales look properly polished?" There was a small snort of laughter from behind him which caused him to look at the reflection of the orange pegasus in the mirror. "They're also fine," the pegasus -- Scootaloo -- answered with a smile. "Even if they weren't, you wouldn't have enough time to polish them again, anyways." "I suppose," Spike sighed, looking at his reflection again. Leaning in closer, he smiled, showing off his teeth. "Do my teeth look okay? Should I grin? I don't want to scare any of our guests." This time, Scootaloo let out a snicker. "Your teeth are fine," she told him. "And everypony out there knows you, Spike. They aren't going to intimidated by you showing a little fang." She then chuckled. "The only ones who will be scared are the ones who might mess up the wedding and face your wrath." A small huff escaped Spike as he turned around. Eyes narrowed, he looked at the pegasus mare and raised an eyebrow. "Okay, what's with you?" he asked. Scootaloo looked at him and blinked. She put on her most innocent face, a halo practically appearing over her head. "What do you mean?" "The entire time I've been getting ready, you've been on the precipice of laughter," he answered. "So, tell me, Scootaloo, what's so funny?" Scootaloo looked at the dragon a moment longer, trying to keep her innocent face on. As she stared at him with her purple eyes, she finally broke into a grin and started giggling. "Okay, okay," she said, waving a hoof. "It's just... when I agreed to be your best mare, I was kind of worried that I would miss out on the fun of seeing the bride panic before the wedding. Turns out, I'm not missing anything." Her grinned widened. "If anything, you're probably panicking about it even more than Sweetie Belle." "Oh, har har," Spike huffed, rolling his eyes. "I am so glad that you could get a laugh out of my anxiety." He turned back to the mirror. "Oh, calm down there, groom-zilla," Scootaloo said as she moved up to him. "Look, believe me when I say this: none of this matters." "...what?' "I know, I know. Not what you expected to hear." Placing a hoof on Spike, Scootaloo turned him to face her and started messing with his bow tie. "Just hear me out. You, Sweetie, Rarity, and Twilight have all been worried about trying to have everything be perfect, right?" "Yeah?" Spike answered, shifting to look at the mare curiously. "Well let's be honest," Scootaloo continued, "the chances of everything being perfect are slim to none. Hay, given our track record, there's a pretty good chance that this wedding is going to be attacked by some monster or other... which is either brilliant or stupid considering the sheer number of powerful beings here. Either take them all out in one stroke, leaving a power vacuum that would be a lot easier to fill, or be blasted to dust in two seconds." "I think you're getting off subject a little here." "Yeah, but it's still true," Scootaloo stated as she stepped back. "Anyway, whether Luna performs the ceremony or we end up having the mayor perform it, whether the music is played perfectly or ends up off key, whether everything goes peacefully or we get attacked by Queen Insidious, in the end none of that is going to matter." Moving to stand beside Spike, Scootaloo wrapped a foreleg around the dragon and pointed forward. "When you see Sweetie Belle in her wedding dress, you will forget everything else," she declared. "None of it will have mattered. All you will think about is how beautiful she is." Her ears dropped as her lipped pursed. "...and how she is going to be with you the rest your lives. In the end, all that will matter is that you two end the day as husband and wife." The idea brought a smile to Spike's face. "That's really nice," he said. His eyes narrowed as he looked at the pegasus. "And surprisingly romantic for you. What happened to the filly that gagged and made faces over 'mushy stuff?'" Pulling her foreleg from around Spike's neck, Scootaloo elbowed him in the side, causing a grunt. "You can't spend your time around Rarity and not pick up something," she stated. "Besides, I may not do any sort of big, mushy, romantic gesture to show how much I love Babs, but I would like to give her some idea." This time, it was Spike who snickered. "Watch," he said. "I bet that now you said that, you're going to have to do something big." He looked in the mirror, making sure the bow tie was straight. "Like... she's going to be ponynapped, and you're going to have to go on an epic adventure to fight an evil monster and save her, or something." "That... sounds kind of cool, actually." Standing up on her hind legs, Scootaloo flared her wings out as wide. "Scootaloo, The Fearless Knight!" she shouted. "Facing monsters and rescuing damsels in distress. All while looking totally awesome!" "All in the name of love," a voice said from the doorway, causing the pair to jump. Standing there, giggling at the pair was a familiar looking pink alicorn. "Cadance," Spike said, running over to give her a hug. "Glad to see you." He then pulled back. "What are you doing here, though?" "I'm the princess of love, and your sister-in-law," Cadance -- Princess Mi Amore Cadenza -- said, "and you're a hero to The Crystal Empire. So I felt it was my duty to check on you before the ceremony and make sure everything was okay." Grinning, she turned to look at Scootaloo. "Although it seems I don't need to, seeing as Scootaloo, The Fearless Knight, is here." She gave the other mare a wink. A blush formed over Scootaloo's face as she took a step back, looking at anywhere but the princess. "Well I'm glad to see you," Spike said. "Is Shining Armor here too?" "Here at the wedding, yes," she answered. "His little brother's getting married. No way he's going to miss it." She smiled gently. "I had him stay at the staging area though. You know how he gets at weddings. I didn't think it would be a good idea for you to show up in a tear-soaked tuxedo." "Yeah," the dragon said softly as he looked down at his outfit. "Well you look handsome," Cadance stated, "and everything seems to be under control." She looked at Scootaloo. "By the way, I could always use a student of my own. How does 'Scootaloo, Apprentice of Love' sound?" Scootaloo's ears pinned back as her blush grew brighter. "I'm only teasing." She then turned back to Spike. "Anyway, good luck." Leaning up, she gave him a peck on the cheek. "I'll see you at the altar." Stepping away, she headed for the door again. After watching her go, Spike turned to Scootaloo. "So, oh Apprentice of Love," he said with a smirk, "is there anything left that I'm forgetting before heading out?" Scootaloo turned to face him, glaring. "Go ahead and laugh it up, scaly," she growled out. Snickering, he brought a claw up to his chin, tapping it as he looked up at the ceiling. "I wonder what kind of letters you would write as her student." His eyes widened, as did his grin. "Positions, maybe?" With a chuckle, he pantomimed having a scroll and quill. "Dear Princess Cadance, thank you for your suggestions. Last night, Babs and I tried the one called--" "Boutonniere!" Scootaloo blurted out. "You don't have your boutonniere on." Looking down at the pocket of his jacket, Spike noticed that there was a lack of flowers on it. Before he could even ask, Scootaloo appeared in front of him with the boutonniere, pinning it to the pocket of the jacket. She managed to point it out and have it ready pretty fast. Almost too fast. Spike could not help but feel a little suspicious. "Did you have that with you the whole time?" he asked. "Were going to hide it from me and watch me panic?" "Would I do something like that?" "Yes." Scootaloo looked up at him, putting a hurt expression on. In less than a second, it broke into a smirk as she gave a shake of her head. "Okay," she relented. "You got me. Sort of. I did have it on me to hide. I actually wanted to see how long it would take you to realize it was missing though. I would have shown it to you as soon as you asked." She stepped back. "Or after the first couple drawers were rummaged. No more than three... or four." Spike let out a sigh and gave a shake of his head. "Such a supportive friend," he grumbled. "Hey, you need somepony to keep you from getting too swelled a head," Scootaloo declared. She then gave Spike a pat on the shoulder. "Now you're ready. Go out there, and get married." "Yeah!" Spike cried out before heading for the door.
Speech SpeechThe wedding had gone off exactly as had been expected. Princess Luna took her place and performed the ceremony. The music was on time and in tune. Spike stood at the altar, looking perfect as he waited. Snowy Night was an excellent flower filly, and Little Green Smith Apple was a great ring bearer. Then The Wedding March started, and Sweetie Belle appeared, making her way down the aisle. It turned out that Scootaloo was right. As soon as Spike saw Sweetie Belle, everything else was forgotten. The music, the decor, the guests, it all fell away. All that he saw was the most beautiful mare in all of Equestria walking toward him. Her dress, her mane, her eyes, all beautiful, all perfect, and all coming closer to him. He felt like he could stare at her forever. It was only when Princess Luna started to speak that he broke from his reverie. He smiled at Sweetie Belle, looking at her up close. Now, he could see the blush on her cheeks, and a bit of redness around the eyes. Had she been crying? Tears of joy? Did something go wrong? Unfortunately, it was not something that Spike could ask about. He would have to wait until they were alone, provided he could remember that long. After the chance for objections -- of which there were none -- came the wedding vows. Spike went first. "Before I came to Ponyville, I didn't really have much in the way of friends. And when I came to this town, I didn't think I would ever call it home. As I lived here, I found a place where I was accepted -- even though I was different -- and even loved. Since moving here, I've done a lot of growing and learning, and I've also done a lot of exciting things. I've gone through a lot of changes and taken a lot of steps in life. Now, standing here with you, I want nothing more than to take the next step, to have the next big change in my life have it becoming our life, together. I love you, Sweetie Belle, and I want us to be together for whatever happens for us next." After taking a moment to collect herself, Sweetie Belle went next. "Before you came to Ponyville, if anypony had told me that I would fall in love with a dragon, I would have thought them crazy or silly. After you moved to Ponyville, if anypony had said I would fall in love with you, I would have said it was ridiculous. Practically every pony in town could tell how madly in love you were with my sister." She shook her head, letting out a chuckle. "Then time passed and we actually started spending time together. Sometimes it was even just us. We went from Twilight's assistant and Rarity's little sister to friends. Then, it became more. And now, here we are, taking the biggest step in our relationship. When I was just a filly, the was not what I would have imagined. It is much, much better, and I wouldn't change a thing." With that, Princess Luna was proud to pronounce the pair as officially married. There was lots of loud cheering from the crowd shared their first official kiss as husband and wife. With the wedding itself done, the reception came next. The couple led the way as they and the guests made their way outside. A dance floor had been set out, and music was already playing. Tables were set up all around for ponies to sit down, eat and talk. There were also buffet tables, filled with beverages, the wedding cake, and treats including those from Sugarcube Corner, Sweet Apple Acres, and Bon Bon's Bon Bons. Some included gemstone on or in them for Spike and the visiting dragons, or whomever wished to try eating them. There were even volunteers who spent time with (the well guarded) Queen Chrysalis and her remaining changelings, allowing them to absorb the love in the air while being well observed. Music played, creatures danced, food was eaten, wedding cake was cut by the couple and smashed into each others' faces (which Sweetie had an advantage in thanks to her magic). Soon, all became relaxed, enjoying themselves and sharing conversations. A flare of light blue magic and a musical note caused the crowd to grow silent, turning toward the source. "If I could have your attention, please," Princess Mi Amore Cadenza said. "We have reached the part of the event where those who know the newlyweds give speeches. Now, traditionally it is the best mare or stallion who gives the first speech." She looked at Scootaloo. "However, if there are no objections, I would like to speak first." Scootaloo gave a wave of her hoof, then leaned in close to Apple Bloom and Babs Seed, whispering something. "Thank you." Cadance turned to face the crowd and cleared her throat dramatically. "As the princess of love," she stated, "it is always a joyful occasion whenever loves come to full bloom. Having the opportunity to see such a time, to hear two declare their love for each other, brings warmth to my heart and a smile to my face. As a princess -- and on behalf of us all -- I congratulate you on finding each other and wish you a long and happy marriage." There was a brief round of applause. Cadance's eyes narrowed as she smirked. "On a more personal level, as the sister-in-law of the groom, I would like to ask on behalf of his family: 'when are we going to see children?'" This got some laughter from the assembled, including Spike's adoptive parents, Twilight Velvet and Night Light. "Now if the best..." Scootaloo and the other two had vanished from their table. "Well... it seems they're up to something," Cadance said. "Let's hope next time we see them isn't during an explosion." She chuckled, but was alone in the matter (as several felt that it was a legitimate concern). "Anyway, let's go ahead and open it up more. If any out there would like to say something next..." Rarity held up a hoof before standing up. "Oh, come now," she purred out, running a hoof through her mane. "Surely, you did not expect that I would get through this without trying to steal the spotlight at least once." She grinned, getting some laughter in response. She then turned to face Spike and Sweetie Belle, the smile fading. "As she is my little sister, I have known Sweetie Belle her entire life. I have changed her diapers, and put out many fires when she attempted to cook. There have been times when she frustrated me to no end, and times when I would do anything to make her happy, even if it meant shaving myself completely bald from head to hoof. When we had those rougher times, we still loved each other very much and always patched things up. Even if it meant getting... a lot dirty." The last line got a confused look from the married couple, to which Rarity sighed and shook her head. "While not since birth, I have known Spike -- 'my little Spikey-Wikey' I used to call him -- for quite a long time. As many of you were already aware -- and the rest heard during the vows -- he did have quite an infatuation for me. One admittedly I did take advantage of at times even if I never returned it." Spike slumped down in his seat, blushing while Sweetie Belle giggled. "Anyway," Rarity continued. "As Spike grew, I watched him develop some absolutely wonderful attributes. He's a very kind, gentle, and affectionate dragon, who will protect any whom he cares for, or even those he doesn't. As such, I could not think of any other creature on this planet that I would trust more to take care of Sweetie Belle." Her eyes narrowed. "That being said, let me remind you, Spike: should you ever harm my sister, I shall skin you alive and use your scales to make a lovely suit of armor." She raised her glass. "To the bride and groom." The room was silent, staring at Rarity as the threat at the end of her speech loomed in the air. It was broken by a cough as Twilight Sparkle stood up. "Well, seeing as this is my home, I guess it's up to me to break the tension," she stated. "And considering the groom," she grinned "I guess it's also my turn to embarrass him with 'gushy girly gunk,' as he would put it." Spike groaned as he sank lower in his seat. "Much like Rarity with Sweetie Belle," Twilight said, "I have known Spike for his entire life. I was there the day he was hatched, and he's been by my side ever since. He's been my friend, my little brother, and my loyal assistant." Tears started to fill her eyes. "He has been by my side through it all, cheering me on at the greatest moments, and comforting me in my darkest moment. He was even there when I got pretty crazy, trying to keep me from going too far." She let out a laugh. "Not that it did much good. But he tried." The tears now started to flow freely from her eyes. "And now look at you," she said, her voice rasping a little. "All grown up and getting married. It still seems like just yesterday you were the little dragon that was helping me, learning how to write and cook. I... I..." Her horn flickered with magic and in a flash, she was over by Spike, pulling him into a hug. "I'm so happy for you," she said, "and so scared. I don't know what I'm going to do without you." There was silence at the two hugged, none gathered wanting to interrupt the moment. It was well over a minute before Twilight pulled away. "There... probably was to be more," she said as she wiped her eyes, "but I can't remember it now. So, just consider my speech done." She soon flew back to her seat. That was when Apple Bloom and Scootaloo appeared, picking up a squealing Sweetie Belle above their heads and running toward the stage where Babs Seed already stood. "Alright, mares, gentlecolts and all ya others," she said into the microphone. "Now that we got all them sappy speeches over for ya, we have a special treat. Let's hear it for... The Cutie Mark Crusaders!" There was a round of -- rather confused -- applauds at the announcement. As the audience watched, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo hopped up onto the stage, setting Sweetie Belle down between them. "Hey!" Scootaloo shouted. "You're in for a special treat tonight." "For those of y'all who don't know," Apple Bloom picked up, "the three of us are --" "The Cutie Mark Crusaders!" all three of them shouted, including Sweetie Belle, who was now grinning. "When we were younger," Scootaloo continued, "we tried anything and everything we could think of to try and get our cutie marks." "And often failed," Sweetie Belle added. "Horribly and with lots of property damage." "But we had fun," Apple Bloom said, "and always stuck together." "Not just because we were covered in tree sap either," Scootaloo interjected, getting a laugh from the three of them and the crowd. "Now some of our failures were pretty spectacular," Apple Bloom said, "but some of 'em were worked out pretty well in other ways." "And one of those, was when we entered the talent show. We failed as a music band, and didn't get our cutie marks, but we had a lot of fun, and won first place for COMEDY!" At Scootaloo's words, Sweetie Belle tensed, eyes going wide as it dawned at her. She looked at one side of her, where Scootaloo stood, then at the other, with Apple Bloom. They were both looking at her with wide grins. "Wait," she said. "And now that we know that Sweetie Belle's special talent is singing," Scootaloo said loudly to the crowd, "we thought it was time to perform our prize winning song again. Only this time with her being the lead." "Girls, no!" Sweetie Belle cried out. "It's been years since we sang that. I don't even remember the words anymore." Apple Bloom and Scootaloo looked from Sweetie Belle to each other and grinned. Opening her jacket, Scootaloo pulled out something and unfolded it to reveal several sheets of paper. "Lucky for you," the pegasus said with a smirk, "we know the original author, and she still had the lyrics. Even made extra copies." Her eyes narrowed. "You know, in case anything happened to them. Like an 'accidental surge' of magic setting these on fire." She then held a sheet out to Sweetie Belle, who took it in her magic, rolling her eyes. "You two aren't going to let me out of this, are you?" "Nope," Apple Bloom and Scootaloo both said at the same time. Sweetie Belle looked at the paper, then at her friends. A smile spread across her face before she began giggling, giving a shake of her head. "Okay," she said. "But... if we're going to do this, we should do it properly. All of the crusaders." The magic around her horn grew stronger as she took a hold of Babs Seed, pulling her up onto the stage. "What're ya doin'?" Babs cried out as she was set down next to the others. "I wasn't here for this. Don't think I was even a crusader at the time." "Doesn't matter," Sweetie Belle declared. "You were and are a Cutie Mark Crusader. That means you are singing with us." "Yeah!" Apple Bloom and Scootaloo cheered. Scootaloo then pulled out another sheet of paper and passed it to her. "Told you she'd want you in it." Babs rolled her eyes, but took the paper and looked at it. "Ready?" Sweetie Belle asked. "Ready!" the others cried out. Taking a deep breath, Sweetie Belle stepped forward. She looked at the sheet, taking in the lyrics, and remembering how hard Scootaloo had worked on it all those years ago. It was funny, it was all so obvious in retrospect now. Although the fun had been in the journey anyways. There were no other ponies in the world she would have wanted to share those adventures with. However, there would have to be one minor change to the lyrics. The music started. Sweetie Belle took a deep breath, and started to sing. "Look, here, are four little ponies..."
