The Layers of Death Metal

“Five minutes, Miss Pearl.” A security guard said from the door, then closed it behind him. There were now seven assistants, all of them tending to different things around the wedding. All of them kept in contact with everyone else.

“Any word on what all that commotion was?” Pearl asked as she traced all along her face in the mirror, looking at every minor detail. Her hair was up, red roses planted into the locks of her mane as it stood in a style that made it look something like a crown, but with an air of femininity all through it. Her red hair was brighter than the roses, giving them a wonderful contrast.

“There was a small situation in the kitchen, but it’s been confirmed taken care of.” Coin Purse said, but then picked up a cell phone as it rang in her pocket. “Who is this? Whoever it is, you shouldn’t have this phone numb-- yes?”

Pearl looked at Coin Purse from the point of view of the mirror, the flabbergasted expression Coin Purse had gave the pink earth pony pause. Coin stood there for a moment, looking over at Pearl with a very strange, blank expression.

“Yes, yes, I understand. That’s all.” Coin Purse took the phone away from her ear and reached over to Pearl with it to hand it to her. “It’s for you.” The worried face Coin wore made her look at the phone with a blink as she took it. She furrowed her brow and held the phone up to her ear.

“Yes?” Pearl answered it and the response didn’t take long at all.

“Congratulations, Pearl. Way to forward the feminist agenda by marrying a fighting bum right off the streets.” Pearl’s face twisted in anger at the blunt, percussive comment. The female voice spoke with such calm clarity as Pearl gritted her teeth.

“Who is this?” Pearl asked as she raised her hand up at all of her assistants, instantly silencing them. She pointed for the door, motioning for them all to leave, which they did without question. “And how did you get this number?”

“What happened in the kitchen today was just a small greeting. From here on out, I suggest you count the days as they come.” The voice was still, with no wavering or sign of weakness at all. Pearl picked up on this immediately, knowing that whoever this was meant every word she said.

“What are you talking about?” Pearl asked the voice.

“I’m talking about having your own stranglehold on an entire city without a single drop of royal blood. I’m sorry, Pearl, but your father went through proper channels. You did not. If you want to play ball, you need to know who’s supplying.” The voice continued, not stuttering or pausing.

“And who is the proper channels, exactly?” Pearl asked, there was no immediate answer as there was before. “You?”

“That’s right, Pearl. You forgot about the Duchess.” As she said this, there was a click as she hung up. The pink Earth Pony felt a pang of fear at this. She held the cell phone which now read “Unknown Number Call Ended.”

“Miss Pearl,” A voice said at the door, drawing her immediate attention. It was the same security guard who nodded his apology to her. “Beg your pardon, miss. They’re ready for you.” He managed a smile, which brought one to her face. The mere fact that it was beginning was enough to bring a smile to her. Her former conversation went to the back of her mind. She knew she would have to deal with it at some point. Now, however, was not the time.

The pews were filling up to the very brim. Ma Bushel sat in the front of Death Metal’s side, along with a lot of people with net worths well over fifty times hers. She felt a little silly wearing her old style dress with all of the fancy clothes around her. She waved to Death just once, and motioned for her to breathe.

Death Metal gave her a nervous smile and a nod. She was stood up at the front of the room, beside the altar. Night Moon stood beside her, along with Fable, Winter, Spark and Splinter. All five of them stood in their tuxedos, with the organ music lingering in the air. The flowers could be seen throughout the room and the sparkling lights from every chandelier illuminated the ceremonial hall in a gentle light.

Death Metal, in her purely black dress stood with her hands held in front of her stomach. She glanced over at the Bride’s maids. Voltage stood in front of them, dressed very similarly as the others. Grem stood behind her, Lemon Square behind her, Frozen Pop behind her, with Cloudsplitter and Vineyard Shinolah heading up the back.

Between the two lines of the wedding party, there stood a very reddish purple unicorn with dazzling, starlit hair that showed all kinds of colors of the cosmos as it was shown in her enchanted locks. Her hair constantly changed shining colors, as did her blank, still eyes. Her eyes gazed forward, but she gazed into nothingness. The mare stood around six foot tall, and stood by Death Metal, holding her wooden walking stick before her as she listened for everyone to go hushed.

There came the music as Death Metal looked down the aisles. There she stood. She was so beautifully pink and her fiery red eyes met her greens. Pearl walked across that very crowded room. All eyes were on her in that wonderful moment. Her white dress was laced to absolute tailored perfection. Her upper chest was designed with patterns which accentuated the small pieces of diamonds. Her white dress dazzled the eyes of every guest as she made even steps toward the altar.

As the music ended, Pearl had made it all the way to the altar, two distinct pulses began to rise as the robed woman stood before them. Her blind eyes smiling at both of them as they gazed toward her.

“Ah, such a magical time when it comes to the combining destinies of two souls. They’re caught in the webs of eternity, forever bound in this moment as it lasts forever. What they do with it now is up to them and only them.” She said as she smiled, causing both Death Metal and Pearl Necklace to blush as they looked at each other.

Death Metal was still in a bit of denial about all of this. It was happening, but was it really happening? The two of them locked eyes and suddenly all of their past came back to them. From the night they shared in the Cloud Stone to all of the dates they went on. The fights they’d had and all of the differences they set aside to make this whole thing work. Their love for one another came at a price that they were both willing to pay.

Pearl Necklace could barely remember how it all led up to this. It would take a long time to recollect everything that had happened between them. The kisses they had shared and the comfort they gave one another when times got tough. It all led to that very moment.

“You have the rings?” The robed unicorn said as she held her walking stick with two hands, smiling as she did. Death got her ring from Night Moon. It was a white gold ring with a small but perfectly cut diamond, encrusted in rubies all around it. While Pearl got her ring from Sweet Voltage. It was a brilliant black opal with a tiny emerald stone at every point of its skinny octagon shape. They each took the other’s hand and slid the band upon their left ring finger and continued to gaze into one another’s eyes.

“Pearl Necklace, do you take this mare to be your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, til death do you part?” She asked the pink pony, whose eyes went wide. What she said was part of the plan when it came to weddings, but Pearl suddenly felt all of the weight of this moment all at once as she finished what she had to say.

“I do.” She heart herself say with a nod. Her entire body warmed straight up.

Death’s eyes blinked and watched as the lady looked over toward her.

“Daisy Meadow. Do you take Pearl Necklace to be your lawfully wedded wife? To care and to love her in the bad times and the good, til death do you part?”

“I do.” Death said in an instant before she even got a chance to finish. At first the wedding party started to wonder if the lady had gotten Death’s name wrong, but then her abrupt “I do” knocked them all for a loop. The robed woman nodded and held her walking stick close.

“Very well. From this day forward, let there be no qualms that can go unfixed, no problems that can hinder and no doubt that this love is true. By the power vested in me, as mayor of this fine city, Ranchtown. I now pronounce you wife and wife. You may kiss the bride.”

They did. Their lips locked as they wrapped their arms around each other. Flash bulbs, phones and anything that could take a picture started going off as the crowd began to cheer. The bride’s maids and bride’s men started clapping as well as white confetti flew from different spots in the room. All of that was dimmed down to the two of them who shared that instant. They kissed as if they were virgin school girls and kissed like the deepest of lovers at the same time. Their eyes closed and their hearts fluttered to a great degree. That beautiful moment came and went as the organ played its music once again.

The cake was finally revealed to thunderous applause. Pop Candy and Jasmine had poured their hearts and souls into making this cake and it truly showed. Its layers were held up by beautifully decorated plastic pillars and both the feline and the unicorn were heartbroken to watch Death Metal and Pearl Necklace cut it with the appointed knife. The two of them sliced their own pieces out of the top layer and the two bakers were somewhat crushed and ecstatic at the same time. Especially when both of them took their bites and agreed it was the greatest cake they had ever tasted.

From there, the festivities began. The meal was passed out to the guests and everything escalated from there. There was an open bar, and even the formal stop at nothing for some of the finest wines and champagnes on the market. After a great meal, came the entertainment.

“Ummm… I’m not really use to formal parties, so we’re gonna try and keep it somewhat classy.” The gray pony with his black and green hair in a ponytail stood in front of his three instrumentalists on the stage of the reception hall. He cleared his throat and reached into his gray tuxedo jacket. That was when he took out a folded sheet of paper and attempted to stretch out the collar of his dress shirt.It was quite obvious that the rest of his band was also thoroughly struggling to loosen their binds. “So, ummm we’re Mutagenic Discharge. I have a disclaimer.” He cleared his throat again and began to read.

“We are your entertainers for tonight, and as I, Grave Rush, am the lead singer. I hereby declare that--”

That was when the guitarist began to riff on her guitar in a low, sinister melody with a grim look on her face. The Neon Blue pony with dark eyeshadow under her eyes and pale makeup to give herself a somewhat skeletal look to go with her beautiful formal dress that was also in a sinister gray. Her yellow eyes glaring at the crowd.

“Ummm… Shrap? I’m not done with the disclaimer yet.” Grave said, pausing as he started listening to her guitar buzz low with a chord of dismal under and overtones. “Shrapnel? Come on, I’m…”

The crowd began to wear strange looks on their faces. The guitar riffing mare earth pony didn’t budge in her patterned strumming with her bare hand. Many of the formal, rich ponies had never heard of the Grindhoofing, headbanging metal crowds of the underground rock community. However, they could smell trouble almost immediately when the lead singer pony, an Earth Pony near and dear to Death Metal’s heart threw down the disclaimer paper and started bobbing his head as his bassist and drummer began to play along with her in a soft, but rising tune.

“Ah, whatever, talk to my lawyer.” Then the band began shredding deep, dark tones of death metal, the Grindhoof essential sound that gave very bad vibes to the spiritual. The drummer began to bang on his very large, oversized drum set with every percussion instrument mounted upon it all around him as his sticks began to blur as they moved all over every surface, beating the hell out of his cymbals.

The crowd looked in astonishment as they played, blasting eardrums and destroying the atmosphere with hard licks and explosive surface-shattering quake of beating drums. The lead singer was doing something other than singing. He was blaring his voice in a low, guttural croak. If he was saying any profanities, no one would know. Whatever he was saying would have had to either be translated, or ran through a search engine.

Fable and Letty stood and watched as the metal band destroyed the air particles around them with their sound pollution. Their eyes widened and unbelieving. Winter immediately covered his ears, dropping his cup of punch as he stood directly beside the speaker. He tried to say this was a bad idea, but his voice was nonexistent in comparison to the soundwaves blasting into him. Ponies got nervous and disoriented, thinking this was supposed to be a classy party of the highest magnitude, only to have their eardrums blasted into a thousand pieces.

From the main table, draped in each other’s arms, Death and Pearl smiled. Their heads were not there at that moment. Their minds were gone and their hearts were already on their honeymoon. The brides were intertwined on a luxurious loveseat, far away enough from the blasting music to speak in a relatively low voice.

“You know what this means, right?” Pearl asked her wife. Death was somewhat still lost in that wondrous moment. Never in a million years did she ever think that Pearl would ask a death metal band to sing at their wedding. Even she wouldn’t have been stern on having such a group play at a formal shindig. However, here they were. Their heads were on cloud 9.

“No, Pearl, by all means, enlighten me.” Death Metal said as she gazed at the miracle of marriage. Her somewhat punkish accent made that comment hilarious to Pearl, but she couldn’t bring herself to laugh more than a small chuckle.

“Next we need to talk babies.” Pearl’s smile stretched across her face as Death’s face grew grim. In fact, she was showing more emotion in that moment than she had ever shown in their relationship’s entirety.

“I’m sorry, did you just say--” Death was cut short as the devilish grin turned her way from those beautiful red eyes. She nodded and grabbed her hand, pulling her off of the loveseat.

Now in Pearl’s personal room with guards on watch out in the hall, Pearl backed Death Metal into a wall. She smashed her lips against Death’s and began undoing her upper dress lace in a somewhat hurried and gasping fashion. The white pony in the black dress gave equal pressure snogging as Pearl groped her and kept undoing her dress. Both of their breaths were heavy as she worked her way all the way down the stress which just had to be buttons and not a zipper.

“Damnit, Death, who picked this damn dress?” Pearl said as her fingers worked their magic to open the most amazing dress (and almost only dress she had ever worn in her life) Death Metal had ever been presented in. She had to stop kissing so that she could concentrate on the toggles.

“You did…” Death said as she smiled big at the pink pony. Pearl was given pause at the statement. She blinked and shrugged.

“Fire me, then.” Pearl finally got the blouse open and opened up to her corset. “Damnit. Why is formalwear so complicated!” That was until she finally noticed that the corset did not cover up her ample breasts with the dark white nipples which were now standing as hard as they could be. “Oh, that’s a start.” Pearl attached her mouth to Death’s nipple, causing the white earth pony to shiver.

“Don’t act so codependent.” Death said this, but her hand was already pressing against Pearl’s very expensively styled mane. She even felt some of the rose pedals in her hair as she pressed. The feeling of real flowers in someone’s hair was strange, but Death Metal liked the texture. She closed her eyes as Pearl ravaged her boobs with her hands and mouth, sucking and pinching the nipples one after the other.

This was their wedding night, so there was no way that Pearl was going to take it slow. The first date’s sex was legendary, but she aimed to make this night just as substantial! With one swift movement, Pearl locked her fingers onto Death Metal’s thong which covered very little to begin with, and pulled her dress straight down to reveal a beautifully shaved mound and a pulsing wet outer labia from her efforts.

“Whoa, there was nothing holding it up?” Death asked, making Pearl cackle.

“Of course not, it was a small change I added to the dress.” The pink pony winked and latched her mouth onto Death Metal’s sweet pink marehood with gusto. Her tongue went to work immediately, causing the white earth pony to twitch her entire body! She could barely stand! She almost told her to stop, but she held strong against the onslaught that caused her to weaken.

“Fuck! Pearl! You’re gonna make me blow my load too soon!” As soon as Death said it, Pearl stopped her volley of attacks on her sweet spot. She wiped her face as she stared up at her bride as she still stood on shaky legs. Death almost kicked herself for real. The fact that she literally just asked her to stop and give her pussy the deprived effect.

Pearl pulled Death Metal down onto the floor with her. With one flip, Pearl pulled her own tits free of her blouse. Her excessively large tits flopped into Death Metal’s face, pushing her flat on the floor next to the wall.

Grem held onto Diamond Sword, both of them in their planned wedding formal attire. The white unicorn was able to zap their armor onto them, then afterward, he quickly changed them back to normal. The two of them had thought about getting married for some time now. They more or less agreed that it was going to happen eventually. When would it happen? They didn’t know. However, it was days like this that made them think about it for very obvious reasons. Grem was in a very dark black dress that hung over one shoulder, and fit her form in a very loose fashion, keeping it simple.

The brass band had come in after Death Metal’s band. The two completely different styles of music were a great deal off putting. However, after a moment, the party calmed down and all of them mingled and talked. While Grem and Diamond Sword danced on the floor with some of the other couples, and the ten instrument brass band started playing their old time, smooth music as the wedding reception mingled.

Some had already left the party, as their schedules made it hard for them to stay. However, there was still a very large reception on the dance floor and at the food tables.

“Alright, sweetheart, I think it’s about time we finished this.” Vineyard said as she sat at one of the smaller tables near the open wine bar. The purple pegasus filled two wine glasses to near fullness and picked up her own. “It was such a torturous five years, but I guess now we can lay it to rest. I suppose now is the best time as any.”

“I was hoping you’d say that. I can only come up with so many words that share the same meaning as ‘slut.’” Jet Stream picked up a wine glass as well. “I can’t wait to hear about your ummm…” Jet opened her notebook and wrote down what Vineyard had said so far. “‘Illustrious life partnering alongside Crystal Ball Inc.’ Not to mention the details of being Pearl Necklace’s bridesmaid.”

Jet and Vineyard clicked their glasses together and drank. It was some of Vineyard’s more expensive sweet wine. The white pegasus had had it before, but it had been a very long time ago. The two smiled and sat in a comfortable silence.

“I’m glad you called it off early. Public feuds can get a little hectic. We can finally kiss and make up and get some money out of it.” Jet smiled at her and they held each other’s hands. “Acting like a total skank to you was hard work.”

“If this makes your career, we’ll consider it a win. I don’t really need anymore money. Go ahead and start, I’ll order us some more wine.” Vineyard said as Jet pushed record on her phone as she held her hands together on top of the table. Vineyard flagged down a waitress and whispered her order into her ear. The waitress nodded with a wink and went back to the bar.

“Well, obviously, the first question has to be the first one on everyone’s mind. Is there a guy in your life? If so, tell me who now.” Jet giggled as she finished off her glass. Vineyard Shinolah raised an eyebrow at this statement. It was more a demand than a question, it seemed.

“There is one guy.” Vineyard looked off to the side. Jet leaned forward and waited for her to spill the beans.

Spark was dancing with pretty much every mare that came his way. Right now, he was dancing with Lemon Square, who smiled at him. The two of them were somewhat silent through it, but they both seemed content.

Off to the side, among the chairs, there was Fable holding Letty in his arms. She seemed exhausted, almost loopy. She was going to sleep, and then waking up five minutes later, only to fall asleep again. Fable had undone his bowtie, leaving it hanging down his chest.

Winter was in a whole group about six of them, including Golden Goal, Night Moon, Pop Candy, Jasmine and Leafly. They told all kinds of stories, like they were around a campfire. They talked as if they’d known each other all their lives.

Voltage and Patch Note danced with one another, and occasionally stopped to have a chat with Grem and Diamond Sword. They hardly knew Patch, but in that moment, that didn’t seem to matter. Guests were leaving one by one. The wedding gifts were being locked away in a special room that was locked away from the public. The wedding was dying down. The excitement was waning in all but one place in the entire wedding.

Death Metal’s heart was pumping harder and faster than it had in a long, long time. She sat on the king size bed, absolutely naked, looking at the pink pony who wore nothing more than a very large, horse size strap-on. Death measured out the very large, red cock in its bulbous quality, her big tits bounced as she made the cock bob up and down. It even had a middle ring of the shaft over its rubbery surface.

“Pearl, you can’t be serious.” Death Metal said as she watched Pearl take one step toward her.

“Oh, yes, yes I can.” Her red eyes met with Death’s green eyes and they were stuck in a showdown. “I got this especially for this occasion. In all the time we’ve been together, you may think that your virginity has been taken, but no. Your virginity isn’t taken until I say it’s taken!” Pearl’s grin showed Death that she was not kidding at all. “Don’t tell me that wet, warm pussy isn’t mesmerized by this beautiful piece of hardware.” Pearl got some lubricant from a tube and squirted it onto the shaft and head, jerking it to make it spread all over.

“Pearl, you can’t scare… me.” Death tried to put on the tough act, but her eyes kept going down and staring at that angry red thing with the veins and realistic texture.

“Can I not?” Pearl called her bluff immediately. “Just because you’re my wife doesn’t mean I have to take it easy on you.”

One more moment of silence. The tension was thick. Death had been denied an orgasm once already and seeing her blushing bride wear a piece of horse sausage had to a little on edge. There was one drip of clear lubricant from the lower shaft of the toy. In that instant, Death started straight for the door. Before she could even leave the couch, Pearl grasped her arm and threw her down on the bed.

“You won’t get me without a-- OOOH!” Death Metal started to say as Pearl mounted her missionary style. Her accuracy with a dick was very impressive. Within ten seconds, Pearl’s entire strapon was balls deep in that earth pony mare. She gazed at Pearl’s red eyes as she grinned and began to work her pussy like a crankshaft. The enormous cock filled Death to the very brim. Their tits rubbed together up and down and Pearl kept her quiet with her own lips shutting her up.

Pearl fucked her with a big smile on her face and kept licking her tongue, along with her entire mouth as the cock started pounding against the white mare.

“Pearl! Oh! God! Fuck me! Harder! Yes!” The huge red dick pushed into her and kept her legs pumping in and out to try and compensate for the huge member moving in and out of her. “Fuck your slutty wife. Yeah!” She put her hand on Pearl’s cheek as her vagina got plowed.

“This makes everything worth it.” Pearl was sweating as well as she rutted the mewling girl. “There’s a reverse dick fucking me too.” She whispered into Death’s ear and the shorter mare cried out as she came something fierce.

All of that climax building up from earlier finally released and her juices splashed onto Pearl’s strapon and her legs. Death had squirted with the immense force. The red headed pony finally pulled out of her, feeling all of the juices on the big dildo as it wobbled upon exit.

“Good! Now turn over.” Pearl said, and Death was not of a mind to argue. She got on her hands and knees and felt the pink pony pull her ass cheeks open to get a good view of everything. Death was still wetter than ever. At twenty years old, her pussy was still a torrent. Pearl’s initial thrust back into Death Metal’s quim was followed by a loud groan muffled into the pillow in front of her.

As she thrust into Death Metal, she felt the repercussion immediately. The reverse strapon part was much more bulbous on the inside of her and it poked against the depths of her vaginal tube. Pearl came on first impact. Her voice reached a high octave as she grasped Death Metal by her hips and pulled her harder against her pelvis.

“I love being inside you!” Pearl cried out as the head of the cock hammered her insides into mush, making her cum once again. Her moaning made it quite obvious as she cried out with every thrust. “Ohhhh, Daisy! I’m calling you Daisy from now on because I love doing it!”

Death Metal rolled her eyes as her final orgasm came upon her, that was when her ohegao face was going off hardcore. She found herself unable to think for a few seconds, which felt like minutes. The raven maned pony plopped against the bed sheets with a small splash of juice adding to the wetness on the bed. Pearl slapped Death’s ass and plopped down against her beautiful wife and started sweating just as much.

Mrs. Necklace pulled the strap on off of her, putting the very wet novelty item onto the ground beside the bed. She grabbed herself by the crotch and the huge tits, shivering in ecstacy. The two ladies pulled together close as they fixed the cover over on top of themselves and laid down for a nap.

Letty was splayed out over one of the makeup room beds. Pearl let her use hers. The pregnant pegasus snored with her big belly laid out beside her with both of her wings on her back stretched out over the queen size furniture.

All other guests had left for the evening. It was well past midnight at that point. So at one a.m., Spark looked at his watch and raised up his arms. “Happy Hearth’s Warming Eve! We made it!”

“Yeah, I think some people actually forgot that it was December on top of being Pearl’s wedding day. People really need to get back into calendars.” Fable said as he sat by Winter. On the other side of Fable was Voltage. Her dress was mostly off, now wearing a spaghetti strap top instead of her blouse. Her skirt remained formal, though. All jackets were off for the guys. For some reason, they just didn’t want to leave. Fable, honestly, couldn’t leave while Letty was asleep. It was still not a big deal for him because he was happy she was sleeping.

“It’s whatever, I always spend it with my Mother, so that’s where I’ll be hanging out.” Winter said as he crossed his arms and sunk into his chair. He yawned and stretched, feeling some renewed energy. “So, it’s been a while since we’ve gone on an escapade. I still hit the strip club every once in a while, but it’s not the same without you guys.” Winter said as he eyed Fable and Spark.

Spark was the first one to agree. The shop had been busy as hell the winter season. Water heaters and heating systems didn’t grow on trees and those things needed constant maintenance. He was really glad it was the holiday season so he and all of them in the Gemini Ties building could enjoy a nice vacation together as a family.

“What you guys need is some priorities in your life. Since when has going to strip clubs ever been a ‘must-do?’” Voltage was quick to comment, drawing all three guys’ attention. “What? Stop being horn dogs.”

“I’m sorry, and who are you again?” Spark asked in a quiet tone. “Was there even a pot and kettle strong enough to hold that pile of crap?” He gave his sister a sour look and cleared his throat.

“I’m just saying. While you are not wrong, I’m still a mare, and can still claim the moral high ground.” Voltage said, and Winter and Fable both looked at her as if she were mad. Before either of them could argue the point, in walked two familiar faces, both wrapped up in a house robe because they were not going to attempt the wedding dresses. They had the chapel rented out for the night, so there were no cleaners until morning.

“Sounds like sexist propaganda to me.” Pearl said as she walked to the table and pulled a seat out for herself and Death Metal, who sat down.

“I’m offended already.” The white earth pony said as she sat down. She put her feet up onto the seat of the chair and pulled her arms into her robe. She made herself into a ball of fabric with her head popping out of the collar.

“So Voltage deserves a pass because she’s a woman?” Fable asked as he sipped his water. He’d stopped drinking hours ago, he knew he had to drive home later. No way was Letty driving in her condition. Of course, Pearl would probably let her stay the night, which is what it was looking like was going to happen.

“Hell, burn the tramp for all I care. If she wants cock, she wants cock, but avoiding the social label? Nope.” Pearl pulled out a box of chocolates she found in her wedding presents. They were the cheap brand. There were several people she tried to get to not give her gifts. She was Pearl Necklace, she could afford her own presents. These were from an adoring fan.

“Fine.” Voltage shrugged. “You da boss.” The unicorn laughed at this expression and sighed. They still hadn’t gotten under Pearl’s payroll and even Vineyard hadn’t been able to buy them out.

“So, you guys don’t get the idea of a party ending? You feel like you gotta stick around?” Pearl asked as she searched through the bottles of wine on the table to find that two of them were still full, it seemed. It was her wedding, and she decided that she could pour herself a glass.

“Why not?” Winter inquired. “I have literally nothing else to do and I finally got some ponies down to talk, and so far, I think the group changed like six times now. Weird that it would end with us for some reason.” He eyed Fable, who hardly knew what he was talking about.

“What are you looking at me for?” The red pegasus asked as Winter scowled at him.

“We never got a proper chance to discuss this whole Red Quill thing. How in the hell did that happen?” Winter asked him, glad that he remembered to do so.

“Oh, ask Pearl, she was the one who hooked me up with the publishing company. I had one chance to prove myself and they signed me.” Fable said as he motioned toward the married pony who nodded as he talked.

“It was right after he got an instant deal with the comic book writing job. Fable decided that maybe he should wait on the fame after he became successful. So before they released the books, they released them under Red Quill. I merely introduced him.” Pearl proclaimed, and the rest of them knew that her influence was far more a defining factor than she was willing to admit.

“Besides, I’ve helped every single soul at this table.” Pearl said as she drank her first few gulps of wine. “That’s not to say you haven’t helped me.” She smiled and giggled a little bit.

“Well, I got nothing to disagree with.” Winter said, looked at the smiling Pearl. That was when he eyed Pearl’s hip as it was exposed from the side of her robe, which was widening and exposing her leg. “Wait a minute, did you have a cutiemark before?” Winter pointed it out to everyone and even Pearl looked down and then looked back at them.

“Of course, I have.” Pearl gave him a puzzled expression. She looked down at her hip which had a blood red heart outlined by a red ring with two red rubies on the top and bottom of the band that outlined the red heart in the center.”What’s your deal?”

“Oh, ummm nothing. It’s just the whole Red Quill thing didn’t sink in with me because I had only seen Fable’s cutiemark a few times. So I’m a bit embarrassed I didn’t catch it sooner.” Winter said, then looked over to Fable, who gave him a smile.

“Aren’t you from Canterlot?” Spark asked him. Winter perked up at the question a bit and nodded.

“Yeah, but I’ve lived in Ranchtown most of my life. Plus, aren’t you two from Ponyville?” Winter pointed at both of the twins. They nodded. “Are you really Gemini?”

That’s when both of them nodded their heads yes. They were both born in June. Spark held up his wine glass and tapped it with his sister.

“It's not often we indulge in wine. Thank you for inviting us, by the way.” He raised his glass to Death Metal, who eyed him suspiciously as he looked her way. “Now, is it just me or did the mayor say your name wrong?”

Death clammed up immediately and blushed completely. With everything going on, she missed the part where she was called by her legal name.

“Yeah, she said Daisy something, didn't she?” Fable asked as Winter and Voltage nodded. Before they could discuss further, Death held up her hand.

“It's Daisy Meadow. If you would like to keep eating solid foods, you will not call me that.” Death glared at the guys and Voltage as they gave nervous laughter.

“She's also a natural blond.” Pearl said, drawing a sneer from the white pony and laughs around the table. “You know, I've been wanting to get you guys together for a while now. Seems like I've just been too busy. I mean, you guys are always welcome over here, especially her.”

Voltage flushed her cheeks as Pearl pointed at her and winked. “How is the college coming?” Pearl asked her and Voltage nodded.

“I'm still working my associates degree.” Voltage ate a cracker from her plate. “Soon, I'll have my license to officially fix computers.” Voltage said and there were some impressed sounds around the table.

“I know a guy.” Fable said and laughed a little when she pointed at him with scowled eyes as if to say “not anymore, you don't!”

“Nice, but you should probably get on my level. I’m pretty much done with my associates and already took classes for my bachelor.” Winter said and the rest of them hummed their “Ooo lalas.”

“I got my GED.” Death Metal said, drawing their attention. The earth pony shrugged it off and waved her hand at them. “I’ll work on it later. I just got married, give me a break.”

“You’re still young, Death. Did you need me to come and tutor you?” Fable asked, making her look at him with a solemn expression. “Just a suggestion?” He gave her a nervous smile and Pearl laughed.

“So, Spark, I know a certain pegasus has her eye on you.” Pearl said, grinning at him with her normal, devious look. “What’s going on with you and Vineyard?” Her curiosity was getting the best of her, and in that moment, she didn’t care.

“Where’d you hear that?” Spark said as he looked at Voltage, who gave him a look like she didn’t want too much attention on them right this minute. “I’ve seen her a few times.”

“No shit?” Winter asked as he leaned on the table, along with Fable. “You’re seeing the rich chick?”

“Dude, that’s awesome! Is she as hot naked as she looks?” Fable asked, making Spark suddenly not want to be in this conversation.

“We’re not exactly going steady. What has she said?” Spark asked and Pearl giggled.

“I’ve just heard rumors, and I haven’t really asked her yet. I was more interested in what you thought.” Pearl said as she grinned at him once again. “I mean, we just got married and Fable is on his way to getting a nice big bundle of joy. It comes to question exactly where are you in your relationships.”

“I uuhhh… well we’ve been really busy lately. I mean, looking after the shop is a busy job, especially in the winter. Right, Volt?” He looked over at Voltage who had pulled out her phone and checked on her game.

“Yeah, pretty busy.” She said and Fable leaned in and looked at her character statistics.

“Did you get your mythic armor yet?” Fable whispered to her and she nodded, pulling up the graphics for it. “Nice.”

That’s when Pearl turned to Winter, who was twiddling his thumbs, cringing as she looked at him.

“Winter, what about you? You’ve been with Golden Goal for a long time, and you have no plans?” Pearl asked, pulling Death Metal onto her and the white mare leaned her head onto her shoulder in a tight embrace.

“We’re… going places. Just… uhhh… college, you know?” Winter scratched the back of his head and chuckled. “So, following the homosexual relationship status, I suppose you’re going to adopt?”

All five other ponies turned their gaze to Winter while Pearl’s face went slack. Death Metal’s eyes twitched a little bit as she looked from Winter over to Pearl. There was a very thick moment of silence at the table as all of them stopped what they were doing. Winter almost regretted saying anything, but then Pearl let out a loud, nervous laughter.

“Oh, you’re just too funny, Winter!” Her laughter continued a little bit. “You’re right, there’s no need to be hasty. Everything in due time, am I right?”

As the topic left the table, there was still a small air of uncertainty. “So! Fable!” Voltage said, catching him off guard. “You never told us what the sex of the baby was! I think you can tell us. After all, we’re your closest friends.” Voltage’s smile was sweet but with a large undertone of manipulation.

“Oh, uuhh, I guess so. Letty and I are having--”

“Fable!” There was a large, wheezing coming from one of the large entrances of the reception hall. All eyes turned to Letty, who was stumbling through the doorway and mewling in hard pain.

“Letty!” He jumped over his chair, expanding his wings as he made a very long lunge toward her and landed on the ground. He rushed over to her and took her hand, kneeling down beside her. “Are you alright? What’s wrong?” Fable asked as he brushed her long black mane out of her face as she looked up at him with a sweaty face.

“My water broke.” Letty said as she kept huffing and holding her belly with one hand and holding Fable’s hand with her other. “The baby’s coming!”

Pearl immediately got on her phone to alert the ambulance driver. Death Metal rushed to go get her clothes on. Spark and Voltage both were quick to rush to get some things to help: towels, hot water, cold water bottles, snacks and other things for something of a long trip. Winter went to help Fable get Letty to her feet. As soon as she got to her feet, she let out another long, labored groan as her lower stomach felt like someone was cramping all at once and hardening. They would later tell her that she started labor while she slept and began dilating in the early stages with not enough pain to wake her up. She was at six centimeters.

“Well, bro. I guess we’ll find out here in a minute.” Winter said to Fable. The red pegasus looked at Winter, then looked at his sweaty marefriend. Then it all just dropped on him like a ton of bricks. The preparations, the diapers, the classes, the baby shower, and the morning sicknesses were all boiling down to this single moment in history.

“Ohhh…” The weight of it finally dawned on Fable. “Shit.”