The Derpy I Know And Love

CHAPTER THREE

One Announcement, Two Revelations!

Pinkie Pie was surprised to get an invitation to a get-together that she did not plan.

“A party Twilight?”  she asked, “and I did not get to plan it?”

“No, this is not quite a party.  It is just a gathering of our friends for an important announcement!”

Twilight would say no more, so Pinkie thought she would explode before Saturday, and that was tomorrow.

The rest of Twilight’s friends, except Rainbow, were intrigued but not as much on edge as Pinkie.  Spike did not attend because he was already aware, plus it was later and there was Owlowiscious to look after.

Sugarcube Corner’s main floor was large enough for one of Pinkie Pie’s parties.   But now, instead of confetti, streamers and balloons, there was a long banquet table.  On which was punch, sandwiches and other treats.  There were cookies, cupcakes and muffins.  In spite of common thought, the cookies were more to Bubbles’ liking than the muffins.

On one side of the table were Twilight’s friends.  There was Rainbow Dash (near the head of table being she was in on what was going on), then Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Big Mac, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo.

On the other side was Bubbles’ friends.  There was Carrot Top (who Bubbles had to let in on earlier), Octavia (Pinkie Pie’s sister), Vinyl Scratch, Dr. Hooves (who turned out to be Bubbles’ brother), Lyra and Bon Bon Heartstrings, and by the head of the table was Amethyst Star (Sparkler).  Dinky Star sat across from the Cutie Mark Crusaders.  Seated at the head of the tale were Twilight and Bubbles.

The guests sat around nibbling on the treats, talking low to their neighbors.  Not quite certain why they were here.

Twilight and Bubbles stood up.

“I am not sure if everypony knows each other,” started Twilight, “but you are the closest friends and family we have in Ponyville.”

“I think it would be a good idea for you to get to know each other better.”  Said Bubbles.

Odd looks from most seated.  Rainbow and Carrot Top facehoofed.

“Just say IT for pony sake,” said Rainbow Dash.

“Say what?” asked Sparkler.

Twilight took Bubbles hoof, some eyebrows raised.

“Twilight and I have been seeing each other for some time now.  We are in love and we want you all to be the first to know.”

Most of the assembled applauded.  Sparkler sat open mouthed.  The Cutie Mark Crusaders and Dinky giggled, Bon Bon and Lyra looked at each other and smiled a knowing smile while applauding.  No pony noticed that Applejack and Rarity had given each other the same look.

Then Sparkler jumped up and hugged her mother.

“I am so happy for you, mom.” She said.

Everypony else came up to congratulate the couple.  Big Mac gave a very short congratulations and excused himself.  Twilight looked at Applejack.

“He had a crush on Derpy, sorry, I mean Bubbles.” She whispered.

Lyra and Bon Bon said something about welcome to the herd.

Rarity spoke up.

“Twilight, Darling, when did you discover that you liked mares?”

“I don’t,” Twilight replied.

“But Sugar Cube,” continued Applejack.  “Did you not notice that the pony you are dating IS a mare.”

“This is nothing to do with a choice between stallions and mares.  I am in love with Twilight and that is all that matters!” Said Bubbles.

“The same goes for me,” said Twilight, “I was never drawn to anypony before.  I cannot now think of being with anypony else.”

With that the two kissed publicly for the first time.  Bon Bon and Lyra cheered the loudest.

Applejack raised her hoof.  All looked her way.

“Heck! You call that a kiss? That ain’t nothin’!” she smiled.  Then putting a foreleg around Rarity’s neck, A.J. planted an equally passionate kiss on Rarity.  And to most of the ponies’ surprise, Rarity did not pull away.  In fact she pulled A.J. closer.

Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and the rest burst out in laughter.  It was Rainbow’s turn to be dumbfounded.

“I thought I was the only one of the group that was a mare-lover!  Think of all the fun we have missed!  What a party that would have been!  Rarity, A.J., Twilight and myself!  And heck, Pinkie’s only requirements for a ‘partner’ is that they have a pulse, it would have been awesome!  With the right amount of wine, we might have gotten Fluttershy to play along as well!”

Fluttershy blushed, but did smile.

Everypony laughed.

Later, Twilight, Bubbles, Sparkler and Dinky were sitting around after the rest had left.

“Is there something you want to ask my darlings?” asked Bubbles.

“Are you really sure about this, mom?” asked Sparkler.  “I know ponies don’t look at it as badly as in the past, you know, two mares.  But I know that there are still ponies who would try to make things hard on you.”

“I am more sure of this than anything, my sweet.”

“And you, Miss Sparkle?”  Will this hurt your standing with Princess Celestia?”

Twilight froze.  She never thought of telling the princess.

“I guess I have a letter to write to the princess.”  Then looking at Sparkler, “I don’t care.  I love your mother.  She is all the world to me.”

Sparkler hugged Twi’s neck.

“That is all I wanted to hear.”

At that moment, Twilight felt a tapping on her foreleg.  There was Dinky looking up at her.

“Are you going to be my mommy too?” she asked.

Twilight and Bubbles looked at each other.  Tears welling in their eyes.

“I sure hope so.” Said Twilight bending down to look her in the eyes.  “Would that be ok with you, Muffin?”

It was the first time Twi called Dinky by the nickname that only family used.  Dinky’s eyes went wide and threw a hug around Twilight’s neck.  With that the four of them shared a group hug.  Twilight was so happy she could burst.  It was more than she had ever hoped for.  A readymade family, with love!

Dear Princess Celestia,

I am sorry I haven’t written about this sooner, but I have learned a little more about friendship than I ever expected.

I have found the pony of my dreams and I am pretty sure that this is the pony that I want to spend the rest of my life with.  I know as my teacher and friend you wish all the happiness for me.

But there is something more and I am sorry to have my doubts, but I was afraid that you might think less of me when you found out that the pony I love is a mare.

You know her, she is Bubbles Star, the pony who was at the Canterlot Institute of Science.  The pony that survived the accident.

I am not sure how this all happened, but I am more happy than I have ever been.

I remain your Faithful Student,

Twilight Sparkle

Twilight, Bubbles and Spike sat around the front room of the library.  It was tough waiting on the princess’ reply.

Bubbles and Dinky had moved in right away.  Sparkler’s duties had her staying at the different ponies houses where she was working.  But she would come by for meals and the occasional overnight.  Dinky found a friend and playmate in Spike and Spike liked having a younger pony around the place looking up to him.

“The wait is unbearable!” said Twilight at last.  “I wish it was over, win, lose or draw!”

Bubbles took Twi’s hoof.

“It will be ok, my love.”

“But what if it isn’t!” said Twilight in terror.  “What if she throws me in a dungeon? Or banishes me?  Or throws me in a dungeon in the place she banishes me?”

Spike put a claw to his head.

“Not this again!”

“You don’t know the princess like I do.  Any moment now, there will be a knock at the door.  Followed by the entry of two of the palace guards.  It only gets worse from there!” Twilight was on the verge to tears.

“Don’t be silly,” giggled Bubbles, kissing Twi’s hoof.

At that moment there was a loud hard knocking at the door.  The door flew open and there stood two palace guards.  Three sets of eyes opened wide, three jaws dropped.  But what happened next was not expected.  In marched Shining Armor, Captain of the Royal Guard and Twilight’s brother.  He announced in a professional voice.

“Their Grand Royal Highnesses. Princesses Celestia and Luna.  Rulers of Equestria!”

Instead of royal and regal entry, Celestia and Luna rushed in.  Celestia’s golden magic aura encased the two mares and drew them to her.  She embraced them both.  Luna and Shining stood back and looked with amusement.

“My darling, darling Twilight!” she said more excited than Twi had ever seen her.  “I could not be happier if I was your mother!”

Then addressing Bubbles, who was quite in shock.

“I have thought of you many times over the years, hoping happiness and love would find you.  This is beyond my fondest dreams!”

Celestia hugged harder, her strength was incredible!

“Then me being in love with a mare does not bother you?” asked Twilight.

Celestia released the hug.

“Why child, does it bother you?”

The wisdom of the ages came through in that simple statement.

“Twily,” said her brother, “we all could not be happier.  Mom, Dad and Cadence were ecstatic and told me they expect to meet this special mare soon.  But I am a little disappointed that I had to find out from a piece of paper!”

He winked, reminding Twi of the scolding she gave him when she discovered he was getting married from a wedding invitation.

“I too share your joy my children.” Said Luna with a sly look. “The two of you must come visit with me.  Remember that the night and ALL that goes on there is my domain!”

Everypony, except Spike got the innuendo and laughed.

“Twilight, you said in your letter that this is the mare you want to spend the rest of your life with.  You truly feel this?”  asked Celestia.

“Yes ma’am, I am more sure of this than any other thing!”

“And you, my child,” Celestia said to Bubbles, “Is this your feelings also?”

“I cannot think any other pony could make me more happy.  My children love and accept her.  I love her more than I have ever loved anypony else.  That says a lot being that I did love Shooting Star so much.”

“That is all I wanted to hear.” Replied the princess.  “When do we make the wedding?”

Twilight and Bubbles looked at each other, ‘wedding?’

Both smiled.

“I guess this is something we have to talk about.” Said Bubbles.

The princesses and the others could not stay long but Twi promised to let the princess know what they decided.

After the princess and others left.  Twilight told Bubbles that she had an errand to run.  She kissed Bubbles and trotted off at a happy pace.

Twilight was a pony of habit and organization.  But for some reason, meal times were not part of that routine.  She would eat only if she remembered to between books or her research.  Now with two to three (when Sparkler was staying, like this night) more ponies living there, meals were like clockwork, thanks to Bubbles, who turned out to be a great cook.  As the little family sat around the table.  Twilight felt it was a good time and place for the talk.

“Sweetheart, Sparkler, Muffin, Spike,” she started, “I know that we have not been together for very long.  But I think that Celestia was right, what do you think about the two of us getting married?”

“Two mommies!” exclaimed Dinky.

“I cannot think of any reason not to, and I want you both to be happy.” said Sparkler.

“You know that I want you happy, more than anything,” said Spike.  “I never had a mother, but you have been raising me, so you are the closest thing to a mother I have.  And I am glad of that. And I am happy for you.”

“And you honey?”  said Twilight looking at Bubbles.

“Are you asking?” Bubbles said raising one eyebrow.

“I talked to Rainbow Dash about the anatomy of pegasi.”

Bubbles look confused.  She thought that Twilight had been examining pegasus anatomy quite closely.

“It is a easy thing for unicorns because we use our horns, but I understand that on your wing, the very first flight feather is attached to a finger-like structure.”

Bubbles nodded with a even more confused look.

Twilight then reached out, took Bubbles left wing in her hoof and knelt down.

“Bubbles Star, I cannot think of living my life from here on out without you.  Would you do me the ultimate honor of being Bubbles Sparkle?  Will you marry me?”

With that, Twilight levitated a diamond ring from out a drawer in a chest by the wall.  It paused just before Bubbles.

Tears were streaming from Bubbles eyes.  Not to mention Twilight’s and Sparkler’s.

“Yes! Oh Celestia, yes!”

The ring vanished and reappeared on the structure of Bubbles wing.

Twilight and Bubbles kissed more passionately than they ever did in front of the kids.

“Hey! Muffin, Spike, want to go to Sugarcube Corner?”  asked Sparkler.  “My treat!”

Bubbles and Twilight giggled at the gesture.  Without waiting for them to leave, there was a purple flash and they were no longer in the room.  But moving around was heard upstairs.

“Gross!” exclaimed Spike jokingly.

“Let us get out of here,” said Sparkler with a smile.

The kids came home hours ago.  Sparkler had put Dinky to bed.  She explained that Mommy and Twilight would not be able to kiss her good night, but she assured her that she would get extra kisses in the morning.

Bubbles and Twilight were laying in bed.  Bubbles was looking at the ring on her wing.

“You did not need to do that, my love.”

“You are displeased?” asked Twi.

“No, no, no!”  said Bubbles kissing Twilight.

“Just because I gave you a ring, don’t think of me as the ‘husband’” said Twilight, “or have you not noticed?”

Bubbles giggled.

“I’m not sure,” she said with ‘that look’ in her eyes, “maybe I should check again!”

Bubbles turned and examined Twilight’s nether regions, then started kissing the way that drove Twi wild.

“Nothing yet!” said Bubbles between kisses, “Maybe I should check closer!”

“Perhaps you are the ‘husband’ said Twi, “I think I will have to check you!”

Twilight wondered what she ever did before Bubbles.

Bubbles and Twilight were seen everywhere together.  There were some odd looks to see the very reserved Twilight and the pony everypony called Derpy in playful banter, standing very close, hardly one was seen then without the other.

Many noted the diamond sparkling on Bubbles wing.  Somehow it was being impressed on the little community that it was improper to refer to the blue-gray mare as Derpy.  Rainbow Dash had been almost belligerent to narrow-minded ponies that they should not refer to her friend (even Rainbow never thought she would ever refer to Bubbles like that) as anything but her real name, Bubbles!

All noted how happy the two were.  The other odd thing noticed was the farm pony Applejack was seen at Carousel Boutique a lot but never wore any dresses.  She was with the very beautiful Rarity most of the time.

Even the slowest ponies were starting to realize that four ponies they had preconceived notions about were all wrong.  Here were four ponies who were very happy, more that they had ever seen prior.  And for all appearance, none of them cared what others thought.  Which for the most ponies’ part, they were all happy to see these hero ponies of Ponyville happy.

It was about a week later, Princess Celestia was in constant contact with Twilight.  Mostly concerning wedding plans.

Bubbles was honored to have letters (through Spike) from the princess about her thoughts on the wedding.  She commented how much easier it would have been when she was at the post office to just have a dragon in each household! Bubbles had quit the weather team and the postal service.  She helped out at the library, and Twilight’s stipend from the Crown, more than covered the bills and food for three extra mouths to feed.  The new arrangement gave Dinky more time for friends.  She became an official member of the Cutie Mark Crusaders.  To the delight of all involved.

Twilight tried to insist that she wanted a small service in Ponyville.  But the princess all but made it a royal command that the wedding would be a state affair at Canterlot Castle.  Equestria owed so much to Twilight and her friends that there could be nothing else.

Twi, Bubbles and the kids were going to Canterlot to finalize the arrangement.  They all agreed on Hearth Warming Eve for the wedding.  It would be a later service so Princess Luna could attend.  Besides wedding business, Twi and the rest were going to visit Twilight’s parents.  It was time to introduce Bubbles and the kids to them.

They were going to drop in on Rarity as well.  Rarity had temporarily closed Carousel Boutique and moved her operations to Canterlot ever since Princesses Celestia and Luna had requested that she make them dresses for the wedding.  This had been Rarity’s dream to design dresses for the princesses, (Twilight may have mentioned something to Celestia).  There was also the two Brides’ dresses, two Best Mare dresses,  ten Bride’s maids dresses, four Flower Filly dresses.  It being winter, and nothing much going on at Sweet Apple Acres, A.J. had an excuse to go with Rarity to help her ‘run errands’ and help out.  But everypony understood the real reasons and after all, Rarity only requested one bedroom.