Finding Your Family

"Is everyone ready?" asked Thorax. "It's almost time."

Spike looked around the room. He and Cudgel were wearing the same suit. Big Mac was wearing a black and white tuxedo, the most basic wear in the room. Shining Armor was wearing a blouse and jacket befitting a prince of Equestria. Finally, Thorax was in his royal gear, looking very kingly. The only member of his half of the wedding party that wasn't here was Twilight, and she was in the farmhouse with all of the other girls. It was better that she dress away from wandering eyes, especially if her brother was in the room.

"How do you feel?" asked Spike, putting a claw on Cudgel's shoulder.

"Scared," admitted Cudgel. "What if I mess up?"

"No one's going to be mad if you mess up," assured Spike. "Just walk to the front and step to the side, just like we rehearsed, okay?"

"There go the flower girls," announced Thorax. "Big Mac, Shining Armor, you're up."

Big Mac pushed the comb through his mane one more time before exiting the barn, keeping in step with Shining's pace.

Twilight came out next, wearing her golden gorget and tiara. Her dress was a pastel yellow and satin blue gown, bedazzled with small amethysts and trimmed with gold and silver stars. She was joined by Thorax at the end of the aisle, bowing to each other before walking up to the altar. Thorax wore no crown, as his horns served to emulate one, but he had covered them in trumpet honeysuckle and fuchsia. Over a simple red jacket, he wore a stunning purple cape embroidered with a lilac print and trimmed with faux lavender petals.

"A little overdressed, aren't we?" whispered Twilight.

"A little," whispered Thorax back. "But until this stigma disappears, this is the closest I'll come to the altar with you. I wanted to show you how well I clean up."

"You do, that," chuckled Twilight. "Just try to remember who's most important today, would you?"

They reached the end of the aisle, and Spike stepped out of the barn in time with the music. He was all dressed up in the outfit Rarity had made for him. His ensemble started with a pair of light brown boots with silver wingtips. That was the one change he's asked Rarity to make to his outfit, as this had all started with Scootaloo's wings. Going up, he wore a pair of black breeches with a green outer seam. Above the dark purple sash, a white shirt peeked through, but was swiftly covered up by the main piece of his garb; the jacket.

Rarity had really outdone herself with this design. It had started as an embroidered dark green satin tailcoat with black epaulettes. Atop the epaulettes were six embroidered chevrons and a star with six points, done up in purple thread. The sides, back and sleeves had been embroidered entirely in running stitches, arranged in a floral pattern Spike had not recognised, but didn't question because it was just beautiful. The cuffs, waistband and collar were puffed up and looked to be some sort of gambeson, with the outermost layers being silk. Down the front of the jacket were two sheets of black satin with intermittent brass buttons. Running horizontally across the chest were six straps of unknown material, likely something Rarity had brought from abroad, coming together in black metal clasps. Finally, over his heart was a golden badge with a chain to match, with the inscription reading "Maximo Optimo, Amicus Omnibus."

After taking his place, Spike watched as Cudgel came up the aisle. He had no badge, but he carried a small round pillow with two rings. One was the ring he had given to Scootaloo, as he would be presenting it for the third time. The second was a simple silver band, which she would be presenting to him.

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle came next. They were both wearing the same gown, a simple yet elegant affair, with a corset running into a puffy skirt with pleats. Separate from the rest of the dress were the sleeves, smooth and shiny, and a little bit billowy. Sweetie Belle's dress was a pastel violet, where Apple Bloom's was peach.

Next would have been Rainbow Dash. Her outfit would have been her Wonderbolts jumpsuit, sans the headgear, with a rainbow cloak draped over it. The cloak was lined with white faux fur with black tips, and a crown of flowers would sit on her head.

But since she wasn't here, Spitfire and Fleetfoot walked up together, instead. They just wore their jumpsuits, with their hoods up and goggles on.

As soon as they took their places, the string quartet drew to a close on their first march. Everypony stood up and turned around, and Spike had his first look at Scootaloo in her wedding dress.

It was big, first of all. Spike had not expected something quite so large. Still, it was beautiful. Having her father walking next to her, Spike could tell that the ball gown was very soft and mostly full of air, so it wasn't heavy. Like the dresses the bridesmaids wore, the skirt was pleated, but rather than being boxed like theirs, Scootaloo's was gathered, giving it a softer appearance. Around her waist, she wore a thin, pastel green sash. At the top of her shoulders, cutting down into her bust, a pouf of chiffon banded around the top of the dress like a collar. Much like her friends, her sleeves were not connected to the dress, but instead, the gloves.

Rarity had taken Spike's advice to heart, and had skipped the veil. Tiny flowers, as white as her dress and gloves, wrapped around her horns, culminating in a big orange tiger lily at the base of the left one. These flowers made up for the lack thereof in her bouquet, which was filled with aromatic herbs, much to her mother's dismay.

That feeling was not shared by the crowd, however, who were all quite taken with the pleasing scents of sage and rosemary permeating the air as she walked to the altar. She did stumble twice, but her dad was there to catch her both times until she was standing in front of Spike, both smiling to see each other again as the second march came to a close.

"Everything alright?" asked Spike, whispering to her.

"I think something ended up in my shoe," answered Scootaloo as her parents and aunts ceased following her and moved to their seats in the front row. "I'll be fine to stand, just, hold my claw as we leave, would you?"