“I now pronounce you stallion and wife, you may kiss the bride” Princess Celestia said as she looked over the proceedings. The two ponies leaned in and exchanged a long and passionate kiss as the crowd around them cried out in resounding applause. The newlyweds pulled apart and turned to the crowd and began walking, hoof in hoof. The rice was thrown, the music played and as they approached the carriage many voiced their congratulations to them. All of them were happy, their eyes tearing up as they looked at the happy couple, all eyes in the crowd except for one pony.
A Pegasus near the front looked on with a fake smile, his eyes watering for a different reason. He walked slowly to the carriage and with a sigh shook his friends hoof as they entered their carriage.
“Congratulations Rocket, you finally have the mare of your dreams. Don’t ever let her go” the Pegasus said as he watched the carriage move away. His face began to tear up quickly as the crowd followed behind.
“I want to thank you all for coming to Wallflower’s and my wedding, you all have made this one of the best days of our lives. I want to especially thank the princess for presiding over our wedding as well as the wonderful flower girls” Rocket said as he looked over at three fillies that looked as bored as the bored could be. “The bridesmaids” he continued as he turned to the women that had helped his wife to that point, each with a large smile on their faces. “And finally the Groomsmen that helped me make this day happen” he said as he fanned his hoof across the table, and as it landed on me, he finished “but especially my lifelong friend, Helios.” The groomsmen gave a large whoop for the two of them and large smiles as well. Rocket was about to continue, but he noticed that I wasn’t smiling; in fact the frown on my face gave him pause, and a rather long one at that.
Rocket was about to speak up when I reacted, using a smile and a wave to the crowd, turning him back to his day of happiness. The cake was cut, and the inevitable face smashing of it went on in earnest. Next the bouquet was tossed, caught by a furious mare flailing her arms to scatter those around her so she could get it. After that came the garter, which I had the unfortunate luck to catch leading to one of the most awkward times of my life. It was a fun night to be had by all, and as the end approached the speeches were to be made.
Many ponies made their speeches, eliciting laughs, crying fits, and all around cheer until it reached me. I had dreaded this moment all day.
What do I say, will I make a fool of myself, will I embarrass Rocket to the point that he wouldn’t talk to me again, I thought as the microphone was handed to me. I slowly composed myself and, with a sigh, began my speech.
“Rocket, I’ve known you for more years then I care to mention” I started as the crowd let out a laugh, “So whatever wisdom I have has been imparted to you over those years should cover anything I was going to tell you tonight.” I turned my attention to Wallflower as the crowd laughs it all out, “Wallflower, I want you to know what a catch you have here. You found the only stallion in all of Equestria to have as much love as Princess Cadance if not more for the pony they wish to spend the rest of his life with, and for that I envy you” I said as the crowd went silent.
“Wallflower, you have done something I couldn’t do in my life, tell some pony you love them” I said as tears begin to roll down my face. “You asked this stallion” I said as I point to Rocket, “If he loved you back, and now we are all here today to see the result of that question.” Rocket looked on in shock as I continued on my speech, internally hoping that the next part wasn’t going to end with the microphone being yanked from his hooves.
“I want to congratulate the two of you, Rocket for showing me what being in love was like” I said as I look over the faces of the wedding party before continuing, “And to you Wallflower” I said as I raise my glass, “For showing me what it was like to experience true love.”
“I hope and pray that if I should outlive the world’s end among the final stories ever told, I will find your names and the true expression of love two ponies could have for each other in it. Thank you,” I ended and pass the microphone onto the next pony before standing and making my way to the exit.
The hall was silent as I made my move to the doors in the back, their eyes as wide as could be, and as I exited I hear nothing but a collective inhale and the next pony beginning to speak.
I stood outside on the patio, a cigarette hanging from my muzzle as hoof steps approached me. To be honest I really could care less about them, it’s probably just someone I’ve offended wanting to give me a piece of their mind. I continue to stare ahead as the steps stop and a lone voice took its place.
“That was beautiful” Rocket said as he looks into the distance. My spine tingled as those words were spoken. I turned to him with a small smile; he turned with a small one of his own. We sat there for a while, none of us wanting to bring up the topic at hoof. A small laugh escaped my muzzle, causing Rocket to turn toward me.
“What’s so funny” he asked as he looked on perplexed.
“Remember that one time I asked you to help me prepare for the Radiant Eagles Tryout” I asked as I place another cigarette in my mouth.
“The one where you crashed and somehow caught on fire” he asked back, a small laugh escaping him.
“That’s the one” I answered, lighting the cigarette and taking a slow draw on it.
“What about it” he asked, his head turned towards me.
“That was the first day I thought of you as something more than a friend” I answered, a cloud of smoke escaping as I talked.
The air around them suddenly took on an electric charge, as if a shiver had bounded its way into the real world and charged the air accordingly. I didn’t have to move my head to find where it came from, it answered after a few seconds.
“Something more?” he questioned, clearly taken aback by the statement.
“Yep, for the first time in my life I felt like I was needed” I answered, taking another pull, and exhaling it in front of us.
“Needed, Helios I have always been there for you” Rocket asked, his curiosity piqued, “why would you question that in me?”
“I never would” I answered back, flashing a small smile, trying in vain to keep him from questioning more.
“Have you felt that way” he hesitated not truly knowing if he wanted t know the answer, “you know, since the tryouts?”
“A couple of time, I felt the same thing at the party for my acceptance into the Radiant Eagles, it even happened when you first introduced me to Wallflower” I continued on, my cigarette dangling precariously.
“When you met Wallflower?” he exclaimed, his confusion still obvious as he thought about it.
“Yep, that was the strongest one I’d had in a while” I answered, as calm as I was before.
I could feel the charge in the air increase exponentially as I finished my comment, and I awaited the explosion that was to follow. I knew if I had told him it would lead to this, I knew I would lose him forever. I had experienced this before, starting with my parents and now it would end with Rocket. And as I awaited my fate, I took the last drag of my cigarette and with a puff the charge sparked into existence, but not like I thought it would.
“I’m glad your finally telling him, you would have gone the rest of your life wondering if you hadn’t” a delicate voice said, the crispness of it catching them both by surprise. We both turned to find Wallflower standing there.
“Wallflower, honey, how long have you been standing there” Rocket asked as he approached her.
“Long enough to finally understand something” she answered as she made her way over to me. “You know it wasn’t my intention of getting in your way” she said as she looked me in the eyes.
“I know it wasn’t, and I knew that the day would come when we wouldn’t be together any longer” I answered back, tears forming in my eyes.
“Thank you for your sacrifice, I will never forget it” she said as she gave me a small nuzzle on the chin.
I let out a stream of tears as she moved away and over to her husband.
“You and her?” he said, his eye’s wide in shock.
A small laugh came from Wallflower at that statement, “No Hun, I only have eyes for you.”
“But you know what it is he was talking about, this whole time?” Rocket asked, his anger beginning to grow.
“Not at first” she began, her eye’s fixed on Rocket’s, and after a small kiss on his lips she continued, “It wasn’t until the speech today that I finally understood it.”
“Understood what” Rocket questioned, “What is he talking about?”
She turned her head and gave me a small wink before she said, “Why don’t you ask him yourself?”
Rocket’s eyes swept from his new wife to my face and back again. His face pulled into a grimace, and with a large huff, turned to me.
“Helios, what is my wife talking about? What have you been hiding from me” he asked, his anger approaching its boiling point.
I wiped the tears from my eyes, but as soon as those ones left new ones took their place. I didn’t want this. I wanted this to be his big day, I was supposed to support him and forget. Now here I am about to confess something I’d been hiding for years, and it felt so low of me to do it. I glance at him, his eyes held the glare, and began.
“Rocket, I love you” I said, my eyes planted on the dirt in front of me, “I always have.”
I closed my eyes tight, waiting for the insult, the strike, the pain, but it never arrived. I looked up slowly, only to see Rocket standing there, his mouth agape.
“What” Rocket said as he looked at me, his mind unable to process the information.
“I love you, Rocket” I responded, my eyes still locked on him.
Rocket’s hooves gave from under him, his hind quarters slowly slipping until he sat on the ground in a stupor.
“I wanted to tell you but I feared what you would have done to me, I haven’t had the best coming out in my life” I quickly said, the tears flowing faster and faster.
Rocket sat in his stupor, his mind slowly processing the information, and as I began to drying my eyes I heard him speak.
“What about Wallflower” he questioned, his eyes staring into mine.
“What about your beautiful wife” I answered back, my mind not comprehending the transition.
“Why didn’t you speak up when you met her” he questioned, his eyes roving between the two of us.
“I wanted to see you happy, and with her I knew you would be” I answered, my face steeled for any remaining questions he had.
Rocket scanned the patio, his mind finishing its processing. He looked at the other guests, and the laughter they shared, and finally he turned to me as the final piece clicked into his mind.
“What’s the second part of the speech about” he asked, his mind finally caught up.
“Letting go” I answered.
“Letting go of what…, ME!” he exclaimed as it hit him.
I give a small nod, and after finding the words I spoke.
“Rocket, I knew that if I loved to with all my heart, I knew I had to let you go” I began, my tears renewing on my face, ”and I let you go, to your new wife, to someone that could love you to the fullest extent. I let you go to someone that could help you fulfill all of your dreams, and I hope you can do that with her.”
We stood in silence for a while, neither of us wanting to push the other. We looked everywhere but at each other, and slowly we became aware that the silence wasn’t in keeping with the wedding atmosphere. The music’s volume picked up, the rhythm’s beating into our ears and faintly we heard the DJ begin her speech.
“Alright, it’s time for the first dance of the bride and groom together, where is the lucky couple” the DJ yelled, breaking the silence and their awkward gazes around.
“Honey, that’s us” Wallflower said as she tugged on Rockets sleeve.
“I guess that is us” he answered back, he eyes falling on me.
“Go on you two, I’ll still be here for a while” I answered with a smile, a real one this time.
I got a small one back and the two hurry off to dance together. I watched from a distance as they slowly began to dance, the two of them laughing and sharing the one of the best moments of their lives. I gave a small smile, knowing that I had done what was necessary for me to live on, and for them to live happily ever after.
“Goodbye my love, May the rest of your days be as happy as they are now” I said softly, and I turn to the railing again. I place another cigarette into my mouth, and begin to search for my lighter.
“Here, let me get that” a small voice from behind me said as a lighter falls under the cigarette and I took a small pull off it.
‘Thanks” I said, as I turned to the voice. The earth pony stallion that stood in front of me was barely as tall as the tray he carried was long. His dark red mane sat in a small spike to the middle of his head, and freckles dotted his muzzle in sort of constellation pattern. He was smiling at me with a bucked tooth grin and a small lighter in his hoof.
“Hey you’re Helios, the captain of the Radiant Eagles, aren’t you” he said as he looked me over.
“I sure am” I answered back, a smile growing across my muzzle.
“Cool” he replied, his smile growing in admiration. He looked around the patio, and upon noticing my proximity to the other guests, a frown took away the smile he wore.
“Why are you here by yourself, shouldn’t you be dancing with the rest of them” he asked, his eyes looking into mine.
I take another pull from the cigarette I had and with a long exhale, I answered.
“I needed some time to think about things” I said, looking around the patio area as well. I scanned the rest of the wait staff and noticed something amiss as well, “come to think of it, what are you over here for?”
His cheeks softly glowed red as he thought of a way out of this question, but as I looked him in the eyes, he caved.
“I was hoping to cheer you up, it’s not very often I get to serve a celebrity, especially on that looked as down as you are right now” he answered, his head hung low.
How sweet. I looked him over, and from what I could see of his eyes I saw nothing but compassion and caring. He wasn’t lying.
“Thanks, that’s very kind of you” I answered, causing his head to bolt up into a smile.
“Really, you’re not mad” he asked back, his eyes full of hope.
“Not at all, but I think your boss is” I said as I see a large unicorn arrive from the kitchen wearing the staffs outfit.
He rotates his head around and with another blush; he lifts the tray he was carrying and turns.
I don’t know what possessed me to ask him that question. Perhaps it was the mood of the previous conversation, or it was the fact that he was indeed quite cute, but before he left I asked, “Wait before you go, what’s your name?”
He swiveled his head around and with that same goofy bucked toothed smile he answered, “I’m Fondant.”
“Thank you Fondant, you have been a big help to me tonight and if your boss gets mad at you, give him this card, and I’ll help you out of it” I replied with a wink and a smile, extending my business card for him to take.
“I may take you up on that” he answered back and with a smile, he took my card and moved back to work.
As I watch him go, the music began to beat hard again, and Wallflower made her way over to me.
“Helios, I was hoping you would join us” she said as she held her hoof out to me.
I took her hoof in earnest, and let her lead the way to the dance floor. She swirls me around as the next song began. A slow waltz took over the stage, and as we began to dance, Wallflower leaned in and whispered to me, “It’s not me you want to waltz with is it?”
A small smile creased my face and with a nod, she shuffled off and brought Rocket to me. He stepped in without missing a beat, and the two of us shared this single moment and true be told that was all I needed. As the song ended, we both looked up and with just a single look, relaxed as the next song took over. The beat dropped quickly, a smooth dance song started and we both turned to the crowd and began to dance their hearts out. It was quite poor by most standards but we made it work anyways. The wedding continued for the next few hours, the music as infectious as the cake was.
The party was a blast, the other guests would later recall. And as they shuffled the bride and groom over to the carriage, I looked the two of them over.
“Thank you for this day” I said to them, each of them answering with a smile.
“Thank you for being there for me, I hope we can still be friends” Rocket said as he placed a hoof on mine.
“Forever we shall go on as that” I answered back and with a smile and a wave; I shut the door and told the driver to get a move on.
A contented sigh came from me as the rest of the party made their ways back to their respective homes, talk its extravagance would be told for days after, I imagine. I turned to walk to my home but was distracted by the server from earlier walking out.
“Hey Fondant” I yelled, startling the colt.
“Oh, Hi Mr. Helios” he answered back, his mind moving at a million miles an hour.
“You mind if I walk you home, we appear to be going in the same direction” I said as I make my way over.
“Umm, sure I guess” he answered as he began to walk home.
“Thank you” I said as I made my way alongside him. We walked in silence for a while, but eventually he spoke up.
“Why are you being nice to me, Mr. Helios, I’m no pony special” he asked, a frown gracing his face like a tick graces its prey.
“Because we all need someone to talk to every once in a while, that and I think you have a good head on your shoulders” I answered back, my smile making up for his.
A small smile made its way onto his face, and we lapsed back into silence again. We enjoyed each other’s company, as that was all we needed. Eventually our walk ended as we approached his home.
“Well, this is my stop” Fondant said as he spun on his hooves.
“I reckon so” I added, the smile I held folding slightly.
We stared at each other in silence for a few seconds before I did something stupid.
Leaning in I planted a kiss on his lips, a small kiss by anyone’s standards, but a kiss none the less. I quickly recoiled upon my noticing of it and quickly turned around to run. His hoof stopped me and as I turned, I was met with his lips to mine. We shared in this moment, the feeling intense and as it ended we looked at each other and sighed content in it.
“I hope you will call” I said as I turned to walk away.
“How can I do that, I don’t have your number” he said quickly, his eyes following me.
“You kept the card, didn’t you” I answered and with a laugh I made my way home.
The night sky lit up as I walked and as I reflected on all that had happened, I knew one thing. I knew I wouldn’t have changed a thing that had happened today.