The Proposal Proposition.

To say Fleur's mansion was big was an understatement. It was one of the most expensive and luxurious homes in all of Canterlot. At the moment, Fleur was dragging Jeroen through her home while a very confused Fancy Pants was following them.

''I don't understand if I heard you correctly, dear. You want me to arrange a wedding by tonight?'' he asked incredulously. ''I'm not sure if I'm going to manage that in such a short time.''

''Do whatever is necessary to make it happen. Reward Bank Note and Legal Scribble royally if they get all the paper work done in five hours from now,'' Fleur replied with determination in her voice.

''I still don't understand what that human is doing here,'' Fancy Pants replied, concerned that Fleur had gone crazy. They both smelled like alcohol; it didn't take a genius to figure out they had been drinking. For what reason, Fancy could only guess. It was probably that letter Fleur had gotten this morning that she refused to share the contents with.

''Isn't it obvious?'' Fleur replied with a giddy giggle while she pushed the human in one of her spare bathrooms with her magic. ''He's going to be the groom!''

''Then, who's he going to marry?'' Fancy dreaded the answer, and when Fleur replied, he felt like he was hit by a brick.

''Well, me, of course!'' she chirped. ''Now arrange that marriage for me, Fancy! Jeroen and I have a lot of preparations to do.''

She closed the door of the bathroom so the human could bathe while she hurriedly called a couple of her maids. ''I want you to make a gentleman out of Jeroen when he's done bathing,'' she said to them. ''Cut his hair, shave his beard and tailor him a suit that matches him. Get it done as quickly as possible. I need to marry him tonight.''

''Yes ma'am,'' both maids said professionally, although surprise and confusion was very much present in their voices.

Fancy mumbled something under his breath, and decided to follow Fleur again as she went to her bedroom. ''Fleur, wait up. What has gotten into you, dear? What is with the sudden decision to marry this human by tonight?''

''There's no time to explain. I still need to order two wedding rings, a big cake, other snacks and drinks, and I need to send the invitations to everypony and get all the press we can get on to this. Oh, and I need a wedding dress too!'' She looked Fancy in the eyes, and saw his concern. She stopped what she was doing for a moment and gave her manager a reassuring glance. ''Listen, you have to trust me on this one, Fancy. I'll explain everything to you when the wedding is over. Right now, I need your full support. Will you please do what I've asked of you?''

Fancy Pants sighed. Fleur was a difficult book to read sometimes, but he saw he wasn't going to get any answers out of her, nor was he going to be able to change her mind. She was one of the smartest mares he knew, and Fancy knew a lot of mares, so he decided to go with his instinct. He nodded his head slowly. ''Very well then. I'll support you with this nonsensical marriage, but I expect all of my questions to be answered by tonight, and you better have a very good explanation for your behaviour,'' he said sternly.

Fleur gave her manager a hug. ''Merci, Fancy. I owe you one.'' She galloped off, ordering her staff left and right to get all the preparations that needed to happen for this marriage done by tonight.

By some miracle—and paying off a lot of ponies—all the paper work was done in exactly five hours. Fleur was currently standing at the altar in a wedding dress that wasn't exactly her taste, waiting for her groom to arrive. It was still pretty, but something she never would've worn if she was truly going to marry someone. She didn't have much choice, though. Time wasn't exactly on her side, so she had to go with it.

Another miracle was how much ponies had shown up. The pews were packed with her family and friends, who either all looked at her if she had grown an extra head, or if they were in some elaborate prank. When the press got word of it, they'd jumped on it like a dog would on scraps on a plate. A lot of cameras were present, and that's exactly what Fleur wanted.

Beside her, her best pony, Fancy Pants, was waiting with the stoic face of a trained royal guard. He didn't show any nerves whatsoever; he never did. She was sure he could perform for a life audience unprepared and still not break a sweat. Fleur was plenty of nervous, though. It took a lot of explaining to Jeroen how a wedding worked in Equestria.

The biggest difference, for example, was that the groom walked to the altar instead of the bride. It had to do with how many mares there were in Equestria compared to stallions. She also had fabricated an elaborate back story about how the two had met for all the inevitable questions they were going to get from the press. She had made sure their story matched, and practiced the key elements of their story with him just a few hours prior.

Finally, the moment was there. The familiar tune of the Wedding March was played on the big organ in the back. The big double doors opened, and in walked Jeroen. His appearance was day and night compared to when she had met him this afternoon. His eyes were bright and filled with anxiety, his hair neatly slicked back and his face cleanly shaven. The suit he wore was too big at some places, courtesy of tailoring a custom-made suit for a human in just a few hours, but it wasn't unpleasant looking. It was like her dress, something Jeroen probably wouldn't have worn if he really was going to get married, but it was the best that was available in such a short notice.

He was carrying a bouquet of wedding flowers, his smile hiding his mischief, but not his excitement. He had to keep reminding himself not to stumble as he walked. This wedding had to be picture perfect. When he finally joined Fleur, Fancy Pants and the priest on the altar, he handed the flowers to the supermodel.

She took them with her magic and gave Jeroen a genuine smile. The organ stopped playing and the priest took the word.

''Mares and gentlecolts, today we've come here to celebrate this wonderful couple joining together in the bonds of matrimony. It surely must've come as a surprise to a few of us at the suddenness of this marriage, but love works in mysterious ways. Now, if there be anyone present who may show just and lawful cause why this couple may not be legally wed, let him speak now or forever hold his peace.''

This was by far the scariest part of the entire wedding. Fleur saw that Jeroen had broken out in a light sweat. Her own heart was beating rapidly; the couple of agonizing seconds of silence feeling like an entirety to her. When nopony spoke up, and the priest took the word again, she released a breath she didn't know she was holding.

Jeroen grinned, and she couldn't help but to grin back. ''You look amazing,'' she mouthed to him.

''You look pretty gorgeous yourself,'' he mouthed back.

Fleur felt her cheeks lit up. She eyed Jeroen with an appreciative smile, before she heard the priest call her by her name. ''Do you, Fleur-de-lis, take this human, Jeroen van Bennekom, to be your lawfully wedded husband to have and to hold, in sickness and health, to love, honour and obey, in good times and woe, for richer or poorer, keeping yourself solely unto him for as long as you both shall live? If so, answer, ''I do.''''

''I do,'' she answered sweetly.

The priest then turned his attention to the human. ''Do you, Jeroen van Bennekom, take this unicorn, Fleur-de-lis, to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, in good times and woe, for richer or poorer, keeping yourself solely unto her for as long as you both shall live? If so, answer, ''I do.''''

''I do,'' he answered kindly.

''By the authority vested in me by the city of Canterlot and princess Celestia, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may put on the rings and kiss the groom,'' the priest declared.

Fancy Pants gave the simple, but very pretty silver rings to both Fleur and Jeroen. Firstly, Jeroen put Fleur's ring gently on her horn and next, Fleur did the same to Jeroen's ring finger. When she was done, she smiled, and with no hesitation kissed him.

All ponies began to stomp their hooves and the cameras of the press flashed continuously. All of this didn't register in Jeroen's head. He could only focus on how sweet Fleur's lips were around his, and how good she smelled. Likewise, Fleur was genuinely surprised how soft Jeroen's lips were, and at one point, she had no idea if she was still acting or really kissing him.

Either way, when she pulled back, both parties smiled happily. ''So, we're really married now, huh?'' Jeroen said with a grin.

''Yes, congratulations, mon mari. You're officially a citizen of Equestria now,'' she said with a wink.

''Well,'' he said in return, closing his eyes as all the press kept on making pictures of them. ''I think you'll get the publicity stunt you were looking for as well.''

Later that night, somewhere in a big skyscraper in Manehattan, Golden Platter, the owner of Royal Ponies, was sipping some of his coffee. He was about to head off to his home when a knock on the door stopped him.

''Come in,'' he said with a deep rumble in his voice.

''Sir, sorry to disturb you this late, but you've got to read this. It's fresh of the press,'' one of his employees said urgently while holding a copy of tomorrow's newspaper in his hooves.

Golden Platter perked a brow, and took the newspaper with mild interest from his employee with his magic. At the front, in big bold letters, it read: ''Equestria's first pony and human marriage is a fact.'' Underneath, it showed a massive picture of Fleur and Jeroen kissing each other.

Golden Platter read the article with amusement written on his face. ''So the unicorn we're about to can tomorrow suddenly married a human? How's everypony responding to this?''

''Statistics will predict that Fleur-de-lis will be the most popular pony for the next coming months. Sir, what are we going to do about this?''

Golden Platter didn't respond. Instead, he chuckled and stomped his hooves on the ground like he was applauding someone. ''Well played, Fleur-de-lis,'' he said to no one in particular before facing his employee. ''We can't let her go now. We'd be a fool if we let someone like her go to our rivaling companies. No, we keep her, and we let her bask in her victory for tonight.''

Golden Platter pointed at the human on the picture and tapped it a few times with his hoof. ''Get all of my executives, right now. I don't care what they're doing. Tell them it's an urgent meeting. Also, I want to get to know everything about this human.''

''Yes sir!'' his employee responded, and trotted off.

Golden Platter looked outside of his window in his office. 'You've made a bold and desperate play, Fleur, and miraculously, it has worked out in your favor. However, this isn't about money anymore. You just outsmarted me and hurt my pride, and I can respect that. But you'd be an ignorant fool if you don't think I'll do anything in my power to hurt you right back,' he thought while his mind began to brew.

He looked at the picture of the human again. 'Whoever this saving grace of yours is, he'll be your downfall as well.'

The next morning, Fleur had woken up with a big smile on her face. She'd told Fancy Pants about her crazy plan last night, and while he told her she was absolutely insane, it'd definitely worked in her favor. He scolded her for not telling him sooner that Royal Ponies was about to get rid of her, though, but she had found a solution all by herself, and for that, he applauded her.

''Miss van Bennekom-de-lis, have you seen the newspapers this morning?'' one of her maids asked her sweetly as she was doing her mane. She definitely had to get used to the fact her last name was 'van Bennekom-de-lis' now, but it was a small price to pay, because she certainly had seen the newspapers this morning. Everypony was talking about her and Jeroen. It was like the glory days all over again when she just started her career.

''Yes, I've seen and read them. It seems my newlywed husband and I are quite the item, wouldn't you agree?''

''Oh, absolutely, and I think it's wonderful that you got married! Jeroen is such a nice guy.''

Fleur had to agree and nodded her head. The human was certainly quite the charm. He'd kept up the charade and respected her boundaries all the while. It had earned him some tender snuggles when they'd talked to her family, and even another kiss when a pony from the press asked for one.

A familiar knock on the door indicated that Fancy Pants was asking for entrance, and by the sound of it, he was in a good mood.

''Come in, Fancy,'' Fleur responded.

He opened the door and couldn't help to tease her a little. ''Ah, miss van Bennekom-de-lis, it's great that you're getting ready to go already. I just spoke with Quick Flash earlier and he apologized profusely for his behavior the other day. He wanted to continue the shoot as soon as possible, and gave me his best wishes for you and your husband. I've also received multiple letters from companies who want you to be their main mare for their products. This includes but is not limited to, Ruby's Perfumes, Bijoux's Jewels, Little Big Pony's Royal Magazine—''

Fleur nodded her head, pretending to listen, but in reality, she was thinking about the kind human she'd married. She didn't know exactly what Jeroen was going to do now, but she was more than thankful to her husband. Maybe she could arrange for him to stay in her mansion as long as he was looking for a job. She definitely wouldn't mind the company, get to know him a bit better, and she was sure getting him a job now was going to be a walk in the park too.

Just as Fancy Pants was done talking, Jeroen stormed inside, his breath ragged as he held a letter in his hand.

''Hi sweetie,'' Fleur greeted him. ''What's the matter?''

''Fleur, Fancy, can I talk to you guys for a moment, privately?''

Fleur smiled and motioned for the maid to leave. When the maid had closed the door, she offered Jeroen a seat. ''It's okay, we're alone now,'' the supermodel reassured him. ''Now tell us what's gotten you all worried.''

Jeroen handed over the letter to his wife. ''It's from the Equestria's Citizenship and Immigration Services. Apparently, they received a tip from a trustworthy source that our marriage isn't legit. They're going to send someone over tomorrow in the evening to check if our story we fabricated is real. If we don't pass it, I won't get my citizenship and I'll be deported anyway.''

Fleur gasped as she read the letter over and over again while Fancy grumbled under his breath. ''This is pretty serious for you too, dear. If the marriage is considered to be illegitimate and based on lies, your reputation will hit rock-bottom in less than a day.''

''Kut! What shall we do now?'' Jeroen asked desperately.

Fleur looked over at Fancy Pants for answers; she was at a loss herself. ''There's only one thing you two can do now,'' Fancy responded calmly. ''You two have to get to know each other and show Canterlot that you're happily married. It's the only way to pass this check-up tomorrow.''

Fleur and Jeroen looked at each other silently. ''Well, if there's no other way,'' the unicorn responded softly and kindly, ''I'll gladly do it. I wanted to get to know you better anyway, Jeroen.''

''Yeah, me too,'' the human said sweetly in return.

''I can guess who this 'trustworthy source' is too, Fleur,'' Fancy grumbled. ''It's Royal Ponies. I don't think they're too happy with the stunt you pulled yesterday.''

''Huh?'' Jeroen asked. ''But why not? Isn't Fleur as popular as the princesses right now? Why shouldn't they be happy? They're going to make tons of cash!''

Fancy Pants nodded. ''While that's true, Mr. van Bennekom, Fleur also one-upped them. She basically forced them to keep on hiring her, and I don't think that's something they appreciate. They'd rather see her go down than make money off of her, and they intent to use you as their rock.''

''What kind of bullshit is that?'' Jeroen shouted. ''Fleur, why don't you just threaten them to quit if they don't stop this nonsense? Any other big company would sell their soul to hire you now.''

Fleur looked at him sadly. ''I can't. I signed their renewal contract last night. If I quit they'll sue me and rob me of every bit that I have. There's no other option but to go with Fancy's plan. If we pass, Royal Ponies can't do anything but accept that I outsmarted them, but if we don't…''

A silence followed, which was broken by the human. ''Well then,'' Jeroen said with a small smile. ''Let's get to know each other then! Fleur, you wanna go out with me?''