Misty put away her books with a fond pat. That had been a fun time even if they'd gotten sidetracked. She was looking forward to having another adventure inside of a book even as she waved Amber over as they caught their breath after being tossed back into reality once more from the butterfly spell. "We can't do that every day." She paused with a laugh. "Or every week, or every moon, but it's nice to know we have that as an option."

Amber gave a little smile at that even as she shrugged nonchalantly at Misty's inquiry. "When we've gotten all our things done and want to take 'getting into a book' too seriously as a term. Now! Let's switch topics." She adjusted her glasses as she turned towards the front of the library. "Are you ready for Comforting's big day?"

Misty headed after Amber, easily matching her quick steps. "Of course! She's been through so much, she deserves to be happy, and if she finds that happiness with Toots, that's great!" She skidded to a halt with a worried look on her face as she tapped a hoof against her lips. "Should I get a gift? I don't have many bits, or any ideas what to get. She could get herself almost anything. How do I match that?!"

Amber leaned over to bump gently against Misty. "Something that comes from you. That you're the one giving it makes it more valuable than the mountain of bits Comfs could pull out at any moment."

Misty wrapped an arm around Amber and dragged her in close as tears came to her eyes. "Aw! That's so sweet! Okay then, I'll check in with Izzy. She's a pro at making things from the heart. I bet she can help me figure out something!"

Amber resisted the hoof hug just enough to free herself before racing after Misty as they dashed out of the library and down towards Izzy's workshop where they found the inventor happily tinkering away at a large machine that appeared to be entirely comprised of coffee makers and gumball machines.

Izzy waved energetically, as if she had another way of doing it. "Hey! You here to behold what is sure to change ponies' lives forever?! Or maybe it'll make a big mess. Either's a win, really."

Amber cocked an eyebrow at that and slid behind Misty slightly for protection from whatever Izzy was making before offering her own opinion on that creation. "It doesn't seem to be doing much."

Misty shook her head in agreement. "Are you finished with it? Um, also, if you have a moment." She shuffled nervously in place.

Izzy immediately stopped looking at her creation. "What's up?" She trotted over to Misty with a grin. "You sound like you need something."

Amber ducked down slightly before nodding in agreement with that assessment even as she gestured at Misty to help her make her case for a favor from Izzy. "It's for Comforting."

Misty threw up her hooves dramatically as she chimed in with Amber, "A gift!" She colored at her outburst. "I want to make her something. Can you lend a hoof?"

Izzy clapped her hooves to her cheeks. "What, crafting advice, me?! Well, since you're twisting my arm." She snickered, clearly not actually even slightly upset. "Let's make a matching gift! Oh, Amber, are you in too? A triplet would be even better!"

Amber waved them down gently with a firm shake of her head. "Oh no, I already got something. The gift is from me. You two can do your own thing." She stood up on her hind legs to boop both of their noses with her front hooves. Falling back to all fours, she turned to the library. "Have fun!"

Izzy laughed again as she dragged Misty over to her desk with an obvious eagerness that Misty shared with a bright grin. They swapped stories and ideas for a little while, making themselves comfortable. At least until they felt the rumble of the wild invention Izzy had made falling apart into its constituent parts. "Guess a mess it is." She made a check in the air, as if that had somehow been an accomplishment. She didn't worry about that, instead focused on the gift.

The big day had arrived. Toots in a tuxedo stood next to Comforting in a dress. One was a pony, the other, a chaos spirit. They smiled gently at Hitch, who had volunteered to actually run the ceremony there, under the Together Tree. Behind him were rows and rows of friends and family of the happy couple: Pipp and Zipp and others that Comforting had made friends with during her time there, and of course, Toots' friends from his hometown.

Sunny waved from the second row, with librarians on either side of her, including Misty. Amber was next to her on the other side with a warm smile on her face. Behind her were Zipp and Pipp who were engrossed in whispering about how everything looked in their perspective roles in the ceremony.

Hitch cleared his throat. "We are gathered today, beneath the Together Tree to bear witness to two creatures who have found each other in this big dazzling world. Despite the distance, and even species, they found one another, and with it, a joy that only they can know."

Hitch adjusted his collar slightly as he scanned the pages of the book he was using for that wedding, mostly notes on what they had said to him they wanted during the wedding as he went over the 'instructions' they had given him about what they wanted for it. "Though new to the city, Comforting has found everything about Maretime Bay to be enchanting, only second to her boyfriend." He nodded towards Toots.

"Our city is lucky to have her and all the others that are helping us grow and learn in this brave new world." Hitch smiled gently at Toots before looking out at the assembled crowd with a faint smile on his face. "They are happier than words can describe, and we are all enriched by having them here."

He tapped at the ground. "And with that said, I think it's time we actually got some words from them." He looked to Toots. "Care to go first?"

Toots strode forward with a giddy expression on his face as he turned to Comforting and took her clawed hand in his hoof as he grinned even wider at that before gazing into her eyes with a silly smile on his lips. "My beloved." A tear spilled from his eyes as he sank to a knee. "I think of myself as the luckiest stallion, but that isn't entirely true."

Comforting raised a brow at that, but Toots plowed on, "A lot of stallions walked past you every day. Any of them could have said hi. Any of them could have approached you. Most of them would have failed, but it turns out, most didn't even try. It wasn't luck." He stood up on shaking legs. "Comforting, I love you, and I'm so happy I got that out there, for you to see. That you accepted and even returned it?" He had to stop a moment, overcome with his own emotions. "That. I'm so happy right now."

He sniffled slightly as he wiped away the tears before shuffling slightly in place before looking around briefly at all the eyes watching them with a little nervous huff before focusing on Comforting with a shy smile on his face as he rubbed at his nose with a hoof.

Hitch nodded. "Wonderfully said. Comforting?" He looked to her. "Have you words to share?"

Comforting wiped at her eyes before nodding silently as she stared down at Toots with a loving expression on her face as she ran her hands along his side gently before letting out a quiet sigh. "When I first woke up, I didn't know where I was. Everything looked so strange and new. Had Equestria simply vanished? It hadn't. It had just changed, as all living things do. I found a city full of happy ponies I found some that needed me, and others I would need in time. I became part of their community." She smiled even as a new tear spilled. "And they welcomed me."

"I was even more lucky to find a pony that wanted me in his life." She held up Toots hoof and gave it a gentle kiss as she kept speaking with her eyes closed. "When I woke up that first time, I was afraid of this big wide world, but I wasn't defeated! I'm Comforting Shade. Bringing comfort is what brings me joy. I may be an avatar of change, but that change is gentle. Like this wedding, when you are experiencing it, you know it's a good thing, even if it's also a scary one. I have so many questions for the future, except one. I know what pony will be at my side, and I'm so happy to have him." She grabbed Toots in a fierce hug, even if that wasn't part of the plan. "I'm so happy."

She kissed Toots firmly on the lips as Hitch gave up on his notes with a chuckle and let them keep hugging in that fashion for a moment before he cleared his throat loudly and leaned forward slightly. "Let's proceed." The crowd chuckled good-naturedly at the display of well-intentioned, if misplaced, affection. "Both sides have vows prepared for one another. Shall we begin?"

The pair slowly drew apart even as Comforting nodded eagerly as she looked around the crowd briefly before gesturing at Pipp. Pipp quickly produced a ring box from somewhere unseen, perhaps her wing, which she then tossed towards Toots with an impish grin on her face. Comforting caught it easily. "Thank you." She dropped to a knee smoothly. "Toots. I would like to marry you." The crowd laughed at that abrupt statement. "I would like to marry you for as long as you continue to exist. I promise to never stray, that you will always reside in my thoughts." She drew out a large ring that could fit over a hoof and drew it towards Toots as he raised a hoof up.

Toots waited patiently as Comforting eased it over his hoof. Her vow wasn't yet completed. "Breakfast and dinner. Never will we have those apart, however far I should be during the rest of the day." A few murmurs spread. That was a strange promise, but they couldn't argue that Comforting was able to do it, so they died down. "I will love you at your best, and at your worst. I will lift you up, on my back if I have to, to get past those bottom times."

"And I will be your confidant, and I will keep you close to me and speak only truth when you need it." She brushed a thumb over the band of the ring that encircled Toots' leg. "If ever you find that I made you upset, you grab a paper and give me a bap. Never be scared of me, or my power, because they are limp before your might. As my husband, I will always listen."

With a sigh, she stood up straight and turned to face Hitch. He nodded at her. "A lovely vow. Toots? It's your turn."

Toots held up the ring box and flipped it open with a flick of his hoof as he looked up into Comforting's expectant gaze with his own hopeful expression on his face. "Comforting Shade!" That came out far more loudly than he had intended, but he pushed on, "I promise to be your faithful and loving husband." He reached out with the ring, slipping it onto one of Comforting's talons, pushing it up to where it fit snugly. "Even if I feel at times so small, I know it isn't like that. We stand equally." He smooched her hand. "We are partners."

He gazed out at the assembled audience before nodding quickly to Hitch. "I will care for you for all our days together, and beyond them too! There is nothing more precious than you."

He grinned sheepishly at that before shrugging awkwardly. "Let's buy that paper on the way home. You can use it on me if I do something stupid."

Comforting burst into laughter. "I doubt I will need it, but thank you for thinking of it. It'll be part of our memories."

Hitch chuckled gently, looking between the two. "That sounds like both are happy. I do hereby decree you two to be Husband and Wife. Are either of you changing your name?" Both shook their head. "Toots and Comforting Shade then. May your wedding be filled with love and support from everypony around."

The crowd burst into stomps and claps of approval. Sunny cheered, jumping up and down as she practically danced in place as she watched them kiss once more. The rings gleamed on them in the late afternoon light, gleaming silver and gold together in the breeze.

Comforting took his hoof in her clawed hand before holding up their entwined hands high.

"Disgusting." A pony stepped out from the crowd, scowling at the proceedings.

Author's Note

Who is this mysterious pony?!

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