How I Fell In Love With A Pony

Now that Twilight and I had become officially engaged, my parents turned into doting future in-laws. My mother was especially thrilled, and she took every single step necessary to ensure that Twilight’s remaining time in our world was as comfortable and happy as physically possible. My blushing fiancée would reassure her many times over that she was very satisfied with the way her trip was going. “Oh, no, dear,” my mother would respond, waving a hand, “I wouldn’t think of giving you anything but the best. After all, you are going to be marrying my little boy.”

“MOM!” I would shout whenever I heard this. Then it would be my turn to blush heavily, and Twilight would try and stifle her giggles. But this was often a complete exercise in futility, and her eyes would laugh right along with her mouth. Then I would settle down, finding comfort in my future bride’s intoxicating chuckle, and everything would return to normal. She had a funny way of calming my nerves, and I realized once again that it was another small thing that created a large piece of my love for her.

The night before Twilight and I were going to return to Equestria for a few weeks, we all sat down and had a big family dinner. My grandparents were present, and they were all as ecstatic about everything as my parents were. My maternal grandfather was well known for his, shall we say, questionable sense of amusement. Oh, it’s not that his jokes were bad from a moral standpoint, they were just bad from a humor standpoint. He did what he had done with my little brother and his girlfriend, and it left me in a state of panic.

“You haven’t messed up my boy too bad, have ya?” He asked her.

She chuckled. “No, sir. But, I’ve been trying awfully hard!”

They both laughed at their shared anecdote, and my nerves were once again calm. “Okay,” I said, “so Twilight and I were talking, and we think we’d like to set the wedding two months from now.”

“Oh, that sounds splendid!” My mother said cheerily.

“Also,” Twilight said, “I want Jeff to have an equal say in how the wedding is done. I know it’s normally the bride that does a lot of the choosing, but I don’t find that to be quite right. So, in the interest of friendship and our new engagement, I’ve come to this decision.”

“Aw, what a sweet young lady!” My maternal grandmother said, “now, then, where will it be?”

I sighed and looked at Twilight. I saw that she had the same look. We had hashed out and fought and argued and talked about it for the past couple of days, but we couldn’t figure it out. Obviously, Twilight wanted the wedding to be in Equestria, and I wanted to have it at a local farm in my world. “We…don’t exactly know,” I finally said, “we each want to have it in our respective worlds so our families can be there.”

“Well, why not have it in both worlds?” My father suggested.

“Yes,” his mother agreed, “I’m not exactly ready to be turned into a pony, and I don’t know if your family is ready to become human yet, Twilight.”

“You make a good point,” Twilight said after a moment of thought, “we could conceivably have one in Equestria and then one here.”

“A double wedding!” I said, “that’s it!”

Twilight and I looked at each other and smiled, our problem having been solved rather quickly and peacefully. I hoped that our marriage would be filled with the same quick resolutions to problems. I loved Twilight, but I knew that arguments and fights were a part of marital life, and I swore to myself that I would never lose my love for her, no matter what.

Before we both knew it, two months flew by and the preparations for each wedding were complete. Since our wedding in Equestria would be a royal affair, and I would also be crowned the Prince of Equestria and co-ruler with Twilight, it would take place in the castle of Canterlot. Twilight’s bridesmaids were her closest friends from Ponyville, and I selected some of my best male friends to be my groom’s stallions. Twilight’s Mare of Honor was Princess Starlight, and my Best Stallion was her brother, Shining Armor. I had met him on more than one occasion, and I was duly impressed with his dutiful service, both to his wife and to his country. We would also have the honor of Princess Celestia herself officiating our ceremony.

On the day of our wedding, I was a nervous wreck and it took nearly all of my assistants to calm me down. “I can’t do it!” I cried, “I love her so much…I just…I’m not good enough!”

“Hey, buddy, calm down,” Shining Armor said, lending a helpful hoof, “I remember I was the same way on the day I married Cadance. It’s always like this. You realize just how beautiful and amazing she really is and you think yourself inadequate. But don’t worry. Everything will work out just fine. It always does.”

They all smiled and wished me good luck as we stood at the side door to the main hall. I knew it was packed with ponies, and I was absolutely itching in the striking tuxedo that Rarity had crafted for the occasion. Everything’s gonna be fine, I tried to convince myself as sweat began beading on my brow, it’s all gonna be fine…

When we heard the trumpets sound, they escorted me in and we stood in front of Celestia. I noted that she was wearing a special crown, signifying her title as “Princess Emeritus of Equestria.” She no longer held power or authority, but she would always hold a special place in each pony’s heart. Her sister, Luna, stood next to her with a similar diadem atop her head. They both had their wings spread, and looked as regal as they ever had, even though their manes had stopped flowing. Celestia’s was bright pink, and her sister’s was a lighter shade of mysterious blue.

Celestia nodded, and the trumpeters began playing Twilight’s royal theme. Immediately, everypony bowed in respect to their ruler as she marched in, led by her bridesmaids. My heart leapt into my throat. She looked dazzling. Her dress was different from a normal bride’s. It was a deep purple, with a trane that extended far beyond her tail. Her flowing mane was held up in a beautiful fashion with more than one tie, and she was radiant. She was still a good deal taller than I was, but that didn’t matter. I had her heart, and that was that.

When she arrived, Celestia quickly, yet clearly, ran through a prepared speech on the power of love and friendship. I noted that tears were playing with the corners of her pupils, as she watched her former student take another huge step in her life. She must be having so many memories, I told myself, from the day Twilight first stepped into her school as a filly up until now. I’m surprised she hasn’t begun crying openly.

When she finished, we recited our vows. With Celestia’s help, I had written them, and Twilight had approved them. I wanted them to be as special as she was, and she had shed a lot of tears while reading them. She told me that they were the most beautiful words she had ever read, and that they spoke endlessly of our love and affection. While reciting them, my mind turned into an old news reel of memories. From the time I had met her in the hospital, to the rocky start to our friendship, to the time I asked her out, to the time I first said, “I love you.”

Our vows were as follows:

“I, (insert name of reciter here), promise to love, respect, honor, defend, and remain true to you all the days of my life. Before these witnesses, I hereby swear my undying affection to you and you alone. By these words, I affix myself to you. May we share everything, and may we be together always. Donec mors nos partem, ut haec iurare, amica mea.”

The final part was old Pony Latin for, “until death do us part, these things I swear, my love.” When we had both recited this, Celestia pronounced us “mare and stallion,” and we kissed, sealing our fate forever. The crowd went wild, chanting both of our names as I officially became known as Prince Stony Tail. I liked my new title, but not because it gave me authority and dominion over Equestria. I liked it because it gave me a new lease on life, and a beautiful new bride to experience it with. I finally felt as if I had a purpose, and she was always there to fulfill it.

That would be a great way to end the chapter, but we still had another wedding to go to. So Celestia and Luna bade us farewell until we could return to Equestria, and we returned to my beloved homeland for our second marriage. Twilight had selected six human females that she and I were both close to for her bridesmaids, and my groomsmen were made up of my family and a couple of close acquaintances I had. The wedding itself was held at that same local farm I had chosen, and we only invited family and people who were close to us. Twilight didn’t want the same huge spectacle that it had been in Equestria, and I was happy to oblige.

My father, an ordained minister, officiated our human ceremony, and it all went according to plan. After marrying her once, marrying her again was a cinch and I was nowhere near as nervous as I had been. The ceremony itself was a beautiful experience, and getting to have my entire family present was the most special thing that had ever happened to me. They say getting married is the biggest day of your life. I was lucky enough to experience it twice, and Twilight looked even more beautiful the second time around. My heart thudded in my chest as I recited the same vows I had in Equestria, and she responded in kind. We became husband and wife in my world and kissed, much to the delight of the small gathering behind us.

I looked deep in her eyes. “I didn’t just recite those vows offhandedly,” I said, “I really mean them.”

She looked just as deep in mine. “I know, my love,” she responded, “and I meant them just as much. I will never, ever stop loving you. Now, let’s go.”

With that, we walked off the stage and into the future…