Long Shot had worked enough evening shifts in enough fast food joints to have pretty much seen everything. She has bore witness to the depravity and insanity that can only come from someone trying desperately to get deep-fried swill well into the night.
One time, she mused while working the counter of Smackey’s Pizza Palace, she saw a stallion break down in sobbing tears because his burger didn’t have pickles. And that was one of the more common occurrences. That sort of thing didn’t hold a candle to the weird ones.
So it was that when a certain pair walked through the door into Smackey’s, the bell perched above the doorway ding-a-linging to alert the workers that a new customer had come for their above average pizza, Long Shot gave little more than a raised eyebrow to these particular customers.
For one, they weren’t ponies. That enough would catch some onlookers’ attention as Canterlot still had a predominantly pony population. Though that was becoming less and less of a case in recent years, immigrants from all kinds of nations creating a growing melting pot society in the capital of Equestria (regardless of what any of the old blood nobles had to say about it).
One was a griffon, instantly attention-grabbing due to his unusual blue and yellow plumage. Long Shot can’t remember ever seeing a griffon that vibrant. Funny enough, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she had seen him before throughout the city. Probably a local.
The other was a young dragoness, about a head taller standing than the griffon on all fours. Her bright orange scales practically shimmered in the dim lights of Smackey’s fluorescent bulbs. Long Shot figured she must have just gotten them recently cleaned.
But their species wasn’t what really made Long Shot tilt her head. After all, griffons, dragons, and all kinds of other creatures were all slowly starting to make Canterlot their home just as much as ponies.
No, it was the fact that the griffon was wearing a very smart looking three-piece tuxedo while his dragon companion was adorned in an absolutely gorgeous flowing white wedding dress, her gossamer veil gently wafting behind her head.
The couple, as Long Shot had to assume they were a couple, walked up to the counter casual as can be, perusing the menu hanging from the ceiling behind Long Shot’s head.
“What do you think? Personal pizza to split?” The griffon asked, tilting his top hat up slightly to get a better view of the menu.
“Yeah, we don’t exactly have the time to gorge ourselves, do we?” The dragoness responded, hiking up the hem of her dress to keep it off the floor of the restaurant. Not that Long Shot’s sweeping of the floor was subpar in any way, but a wedding dress is still a wedding dress.
“This is more for a snack than a meal.”
“Right.” The griffon nodded. “Not like there isn’t food waiting for us back at the venue.” Contemplating the menu a little more, the griffon turned his attention to Long Shot, still the example of professionalism as she didn’t let these customers’ attire throw her off her game.
“I don’t suppose you have a separate menu for meat-eaters, would you?”
Like she said, Long Shot has seen weirder than an apparent newly wed couple celebrating their union with cheap za. Without missing a beat, she responded “Of course, sir. We haven’t had a chance to update our main menu, but we do carry the usual meat products. Pepperoni, smoked sausage, ham.” She listed, giving the couple their options.
A look of blissful elation crossed both of their faces, as though Long Shot told them their baby was going to live a long healthy life. “Thank the freaking Tree.” The dragoness said. “I love our friends, but I have been eating vegetarian for weeks now in prep for this whole thing.”
Thank the tree? Long Shot pondered. She gave a mental shrug, far be it for her to judge somecreature’s beliefs.
“Aight, I think a personal pepperoni pizza should do us.” The griffon said. “That good for you, babe?”
“Sounds exactly like what I need right now.” The dragon replied, and Long Shot was starting to see the stress behind the subtle make-up work on the blushing bride’s face.
“I’ll have it brought up soon. Is that for here or to go?” Long Shot asked, running through the script.
“For here.” The griffon said. “We should have time to shove our faces before we have to make it back.” He said to the dragon, apparently assuring her.
8 to 15 minutes later, Long Shot was placing the miniscule pepperoni pizza between the bride and groom, who had apparently decided to take the closest seat to the cashier. Probably just sitting in the closest spot. It was a slow night so there were other places to sit. The only other denizen besides the couple, Long Shot, and her co-workers in the kitchen was a single stallion in the corner typing away on a typewriter, sullenly munching on his own pizza between paragraphs.
“Here you go.” Long Shot said politely enough. “Enjoy.”
“Thanks.” The griffon gave a quick nod in acknowledgement, already plucking a slice from the meat and cheese covered puck.
Leaving them to their meal, Long Shot returned to her post behind the cashier, left with little more to do than wait for the next customer.
Given that they were sitting so close to the counter, Long Shot couldn’t not eavesdrop if she wanted to. And it’s not like there was anything else that could hold her attention until the next customer rang the bell above the door.
“Thanks, Gallus. I just… I just needed to get out of there for a hot minute.” The dragon said in an apologetic tone to, Long Shot assumed, Gallus.
“Hey, I don’t blame ya. Things have been pretty hectic these last few weeks.” Gallus said, comforting his bride with a claw on hers.
“Hmph, try the last few months. Scorch’s horn, I have never been so stressed out in my life.” She said, shoving a ravenous bite of pizza in her mouth, though taking care not to get any grease on her dress with a napkin in her other hand held underneath the pizza slice.
“Least it’s almost over. Then we can get to the fun part…” Gallus said, wiggling his eyebrows. Even Long Shot had to roll her eyes at the implication.
“Down boy.” The dragon said with a smirk. “We’ll see if I can even stay conscious once we get to the hotel.”
“Eh, honestly, I might be right there with ya, Smolder.” Gallus said, finally giving Long Shot the dragon’s name. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy the others pulled out all the stops for us, but I am just freaking beat.”
“And it’s not even over yet.” Smolder lamented, staring wistfully into the totally-not-at-all-asbestos ceiling of Smackey’s.
Gallus was silent for a bit, seeming to withdraw as he considered his next words. “Smolder, do you… Do you want to hold this off?”
Smolder was mid-bite on her next slice as she pondered the question. “Hmf? Hol wah oph?”
“This. You and me.” Gallus explained, gesturing to Smolder and himself. “Getting married. If you’re getting cold feet, I underst-”
Smolder quickly swallowed in order to cut Gallus off, holding her hands up and shaking them. “No no no!! Gallus, I want this! Okay? Like, yes, I’ve been stretched through a Scorch-forsaken stress machine these last few weeks, that I won’t deny. But I would go through it all again a hundred times over if it meant I got to marry you today.”
Placing her claw back on his, she continued. “I love you, you idiot. You’re not getting out of this that easily.”
Gallus smiled, wrapping his claw around hers. “I love you, too. Till death do us part?”
“That’s the way it goes, isn’t it?”
A ring suddenly chimed out of the breast pocket of Gallus’ suit jacket, jolting them both out of their loving gaze for each other. Gallus reached in and pulled out what looked like a compact mirror. Long Shot recognized it as one of those newfangled personal scrying mirrors. She really should get one for herself.
Opening the compact, Gallus set the mirror’s audio to max so Smolder could hear the conversation as well. “Y’ello?”
“Where in Tartarus are you two?!” Long Shot heard a high-pitched voice coming through from the other end of the call. “The ceremony is in fifteen minutes!!”
“Ah, sorry about that Cell.” Gallus apologized, rubbing the back of his neck. “We just stepped out for a hot minute to grab a slice of pizza. We’re heading back now.”
“You… You snuck out of your own wedding for pizza!?” ‘Cell’ shouted from inside the compact. Long Shot hadn’t been to a lot of weddings, but she would bet money that this ‘Cell’ was probably Smolder’s Maid of Honor considering how ballistic she was going that the wedding wasn’t proceeding according to plan. “How did you even leave without anycreature noticing!?”
Gallus winced. “Sandbar miiiight have let us sneak out the back way.”
“Oh, I am going to strangle that boy…” The compact said.
Smolder rolled her eyes, taking the compact from Gallus. “Lay off, Ocellus. It was all my idea. I just… I just needed to get away for a bit.”
The compact was silent for a second, before a much calmer Ocellus spoke again. “Are you okay, Smolder?”
“I’m fine, Cell. Ready and waiting to get hitched to this dork.” Smolder said, smirking as she jutted a thumb towards Gallus who blew her a raspberry in response.
“Okay. I’ll stall until you guys get here. And guys? … I love you.” Ocellus said.
“We love you, too, Cell.” Gallus said, and the look in both of their eyes told Long Shot just how genuine that love was. “Thanks for doing all of this.”
“Hey, it’ll be your turn once Silver finally stops messing around and gets on her knee for me.” Ocellus said, apparently very confident that this Silver person felt the same way.
“When you and Silv tie the knot, I’m thinking theme wedding!” Gallus suddenly announced. “Tropical beach, mai tais in coconuts.”
Despite the headache the two no doubt put her through, Ocellus couldn’t help but giggle. “I’m sure Silverstream would love that. Alright, you two finish your pizza then get your butts over here. We still have a whole reception to get through.”
“Will do, Cell.” Gallus said, finally closing the compact as he got up from his seat, shoving the last slice down his beak as he picked up the paper plate and brought it over to the trash bin by the door, Smolder following closely behind.
“You ready ‘honey’?” Gallus said, teasing the poor bride.
Smolder rolled her eyes. “You better be ready, buster. We still got a whole life ahead of us.”
With that, the hopeful bride and groom opened the door to leave Smackey’s and into the future, one in which they would promise to stay by the other’s side no matter what.
Long Shot gave the couple a smile and a polite, professional wave. “Thank you for choosing Smackey’s Pizza Palace. Enjoy the rest of your day.” Long Shot said, following the script as always though with just a bit more pep than usual.
Gallus turned and gave a two-finger salute before following his bride-to-be out the door.