Spellbound Fireflies (28 page)

Rainbow looked around in a circle.  The sole remaining poster on the wall hung above the bed.  Spitfire’s photo stared back at her, its caption boldly proclaiming ‘Live Your Dream.’  She nodded in agreement at her former captain and scooped the posters up, flying back downstairs to her daughter’s bedroom.

Twilight stood in the far corner of the space, floating several planks of wood and tools up to the wall.  A pile of adventure books sat on the floor at her hooves.  Rainbow hovered around the room, putting up posters, while Twilight hammered away at the boards, hefting tools in a soft glow of energy.  Scootaloo and Spike filed in and out, adding to the steady growing stack of books.  With the last poster up, Rainbow turned to find Twilight loading the books neatly on a freshly built set of bookshelves.

Spike tromped in carrying a small armload of more tomes.  “Hey, Twilight?” he asked in a bemused tone, “I found this sock at the bottom of the pile.”  He held a claw out to show a long, faded, and striped black and blue sock.  “Why do you even own a sock?  I’ve never seen you wear them.”

“Well, ya see, Spike,” Rainbow said, smirking wickedly, “Twilight left that out for you.  See, you’re a free house-elf now, an—”

Spike cut her off, grumbling, “If you finish that Harry Trotter joke, I will
end
you, Dash.”

Scootaloo snorted loudly and clapped her hooves over her muzzle.

Giggling, Twilight floated the Rainbow Dash wig on top of the bookshelf.  She set the remaining books into place and emptied the clothes from the box into the dresser.  Smiling warmly, she took the paperwork and writing supplies and loaded up the desk, reverently setting Scootaloo’s goggles on the top surface as the final touch.

She stepped back and slowly spun in place.  Wonderbolts paraphernalia plastered the walls and the overstuffed bookshelves loaded with all of Scootaloo’s favorites made Twilight’s smile grow.  It wasn’t much of a bedroom yet, but it was a start.

Twilight turned to the filly.  “Well, Scootaloo, what do you think?”

Beaming brightly, she jumped up and hugged them both, pressing their cheeks to either side of her face.  “It’s perfect.  Thanks, mom.”

“You’re welcome, Scootaloo,” Twilight said, hugging the filly back and closing her eyes.

Leaning back and grinning with amusement, Scootaloo said, “Now when’s dinner?  I’m starved.”

Cantering from the room, Twilight murmured under her breath to Rainbow, “You sure she’s not
actually
yours?”

Rainbow snickered and kissed Twilight on the cheek.  “She is now.  Both of ours.”

Twilight glanced back at the room once more before going downstairs.  In her mind’s eye, she saw Wonderbolts posters joined by new ones with future flyers, and band posters with rockstars, and movie posters, hugging every inch of space.  The desk was now cluttered to bursting with a mayhem papers, ready to collapse at a moment’s notice.  The bookshelves groaned in total disarray, their contents stacked haphazardly between baubles and keepsakes.  The dresser drawers overflowed with winter clothes, flight suits, and ‘fancy dresses,’ the floor littered with art supplies and toys, the bed a disheveled mess of rumpled sheets and blankets.  A growing filly’s bedroom.

Twilight’s smile grew wider.  “That she is,” she mumbled to herself.  She shut the door and followed her family to the kitchen.

Scootaloo fidgeted in her fancy dress, eyeing the growing crowd of ponies.  Near as she could tell, all of Ponyville had shown up at the park that autumn evening, slowly filling the available seating and spilling out into the grass on either side of the path leading up to the gazebo.  Princess Celestia stood tall and dignified in the center of the structure, smiling warmly at the ever-expanding group of guests.

Rainbow and most of the wedding party flanked the diarch to either side, from Applejack in Rainbow’s Best Mare position and looking stunning in her dress, followed by Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie, to Cadence as Twilight’s Mare of Honor, followed by Shining Armor and Rarity, with Spike just in front of the alicorn, glaring petulantly at the flower basket he carried.  Scootaloo, standing just in front of Rainbow, looked up at the streamers lining the pathway leading from the gazebo and over the two seating areas that swarmed with guests.  They rustled in the breeze, suspended from trees and posts, and held aloft by birds.  The clear blue sky, slowly darkening as day turned to dusk, held the odor of the season, rich and thick.

Scootaloo scanned the crowd and caught a familiar set of eyes in the third row.  Sweetie Belle grinned warmly at her and she smiled back, sharing a small wink.  Her fillyfriend giggled and she was forced to look away before she started laughing, too.  She told herself there would be time for that later.  Apple Bloom grinned and waved from her seat between Big Macintosh and Granny Smith.  Luna sat deep in conversation with Cranky Doodle and Scootaloo had a wild desire to know what those two were talking about.

Everywhere she looked, Scootaloo caught familiar faces, from as close to home as friends and neighbors, to as far away as Appleloosa.  On a second pass, she noticed Babs Seed on the other side of Big Mac, snickering with good natured derision at her dress.  Scootaloo glared at her with a smirk.

Sighing and twitching her wings against the restrictive fabric of her outfit, Scootaloo pressed at the small box hidden away in her dress, reaffirming its presence.  She glanced obliquely at Spike, still silently grumbling about the flower basket.  That was a fight she was glad she won, but would be careful to not gloat too smugly about at her older brother.  Scootaloo looked to Rainbow, who was in a sleek and flashy white gown.  Scootaloo had to admit that Rarity knew her mother well and designed the perfect dress to highlight Rainbow’s looks without being too girly.  She also had to admit, rather reluctantly, that the fashionista had done a similarly spectacular job on her own dress.  As good as Rainbow looked, Scootaloo could tell the mare was just as uncomfortable in the dress as she was in hers.  Rainbow caught her eye and they shared a thin smile.

“Mom and her fancy dresses,” Scootaloo murmured.

“You said it, kiddo.”  Rainbow’s grin widened.  “We’ll go flyin’ after dinner, you an’ me.”

Scootaloo nodded and turned back to the crowd, visibly relaxing in her stance.  Rainbow did as well, before tensing her back as the birds began to sing in tandem.  She held her breath.  This was it.

From the path leading out of the park, Twilight’s father came into view, the barest hints of flowing white fabric poking out around his frame.  He stepped slowly and regally, beaming with pride.  Rainbow caught Shining Armor’s goofy grin out of the corner of her eye, a combination of affection and adoration that reminded her of Scootaloo, and stifled a snort.  Night Light turned with the path and Twilight, hoof in hoof with her father, came into view.

Rainbow’s breath caught in her throat.

Shimmering and white, smooth without frills, glowing almost gold in the evening light, Twilight Sparkle’s dress moved with her as if it was part of her body.  The flower tiara, holding the veil over her face, was studded with lilacs and violets, setting off her eyes and coat.  Her mane, styled to gentle swirls across her neck, shone shocking blue from the single feather woven permanently into place.  Her smile lit up her whole face.

‘Dear Celestia.’
  Rainbow’s face burned with the strength of her grin.  
‘She’s still the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.’

At the end of the aisle, they paused and Night Light lifted Twilight’s veil.  The feather in her mane shone even brighter, dazzling Rainbow.  She felt like a school filly, not sure what to do with her hooves, wondering why her belly was fluttering so much.  Night Light kissed his daughter on the cheek and turned to Rainbow Dash, extending his hoof.  Rainbow took it in her own and shook firmly.  Night Light joined his currently crying wife in the first row, leaving Rainbow to stare into the eyes of Twilight.  Her Twilight.

“My little ponies,” Celestia began, her calm and rich voice carrying a warm formality across the park, “We are gathered here today to join two mares very dear to my heart, and to all of Equestria.  Ms. Twilight Sparkle.” She touched her student fondly on the chin with a hoof, drawing her gaze briefly.  Twilight’s eyes resettled on her wife to be.  “And Ms. Rainbow Dash.”  She touched her leg to Rainbow’s shoulder, the contact widening the mare’s grin.  “We shall begin with the reading of a passage.”

Celestia cleared her throat.  
“She was a lovely lady, with a romantic mind and such a sweet mocking mouth.  Her romantic mind was like the tiny boxes, one within the other, that come from the puzzling East, however many you discover there is always one more; and her sweet mocking mouth had one kiss on it that Wendy could never get, though there it was, perfectly conspicuous in the right-hoof corner.

“
He
took Mrs. Darling’s kiss with him. The kiss that had been for no one else Peter took quite easily.  Funny.  But she seemed satisfied.”

The princess lowered her head, smiling at the two mares with glowing happiness.  “When I first met Twilight I noticed she, too, had a kiss much like Mrs. Darling, waiting for the right pony to come along and claim it.  And just as curious, so did Rainbow Dash.”  She winked playfully at the couple.  “It seems both kisses have gone missing.  It is a rare romance where two ponies can claim each other’s hearts so completely; a unique gem that’s a blessing to all of Equestria.  It is my great honor to join these two as partners, as confidants, as friends, and as lovers, for as long as they will grace us with their shining example.”

Rainbow and Twilight beamed at Princess Celestia, a silent conversation of warmth passing between their gazes.  The diarch nodded gently and said, “The brides have prepared their own vows.”

Rainbow cleared her throat, shuffling on her hooves and looking at the wooden floorboards of the gazebo.  She took a tremulous breath and raised her head.  As her eyes met with Twilight’s, all nervousness fled her body and  she raised a hoof, taking Twilight’s in her own.  Her voice came out strong, even, and heartfelt.  “I, Rainbow Dash, take you, Twilight Sparkle, to be my wife.  I promise that for as long as I live and breathe, there’s nothing in Equestria that will make me stop loving you.  You’ve given me a home where I belong and a life I want to live.  You’re everything I want, everything I need in a partner, a friend, and a wife.  I promise to be by your side, every minute of every day, as we grow old together.

“And I promise I’ll always slow down for you.”

Twilight wiped at her eyes and squeezed Rainbow’s hoof.  “And I, Twilight Sparkle, take you, Rainbow Dash, to be my wife.  I promise to be by your side every step of the way.  Through the hard times and the happy times, through sunshine and through rainstorms.  I promise to always remember the things that draw us together, that make us the same, that highlight our differences and prove to me over and over again how lucky I am.  I promise to always be the home you not only need, but the home you deserve.  You’re everything I could have asked for in a wife and more.  I promise to cherish that always.

“And I promise I’ll always keep up.”

Scootaloo reached into her dress on cue and pulled out the small box, presenting it to Rainbow.  Her mom grinned at her and opened the lid, removing the simple gold band.  She turned to her bride to be and gently, reverently slid the ring into place around Twilight’s horn.  She stepped back and smiled brightly, watching the ring glint in the setting sun like shop lanterns off a racing medal.

A hushed lull fell over the crowd as the couple shone resplendently in the evening light, broken only by quiet sniffles.  Princess Celestia closed her eyes and nodded, warmly saying, “It is my honor and my privilege to pronounce these ponies forever bonded.  May their love never dim and their happiness only grow.  You may now kiss the bride.”

Rainbow stepped forward, raising a hoof to cup her wife’s cheek.  They leaned together, their pulses slowing, their minds buzzing, a raw and tiny bit of contact, an action repeated endless times over countless days, just two ponies together.  And they both knew in their hearts that it was neither a beginning nor an end, but a simple declaration, a pledge to each other and themselves, that they would hold close and precious forever.  They parted, blushing like fillies and never wanting to stop grinning.

To sensitive ears, the distant rumbling of hooves in applause could be heard almost as far as Canterlot.

Princess Celestia failed to stifle a yawn, a small hint of pink rising to her cheeks.  Twilight hid her smile, watching the sun complete its descent over the horizon.  Celestia blinked rapidly and cleared her throat, quickly resuming her façade of regal poise.  Twilight leaned across the table and said, “It’s getting late for you.”

Celestia slowly looked around the table, from Applejack and Pinkie Pie on her right, around to Spike, Twilight, and Rainbow, then to Rarity, Fluttershy, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle.  She cleared her throat again.  “That it is, Twilight.”

The princess smiled and rose from her seat at the table, turning heads from the guests seated across the park enjoying a Sweet Apple Acres catered dinner.  She smiled benevolently at the crowd, raising her voice.  “Good night, my little ponies.  I wish you all a wonderful evening.”  She turned back to Twilight and dropped her voice.  “And congratulations again, my faithful student.  You’ve come such a long, long way.  From the day we first met, I’ve watched you, to see how you’d grow and what you’d do.  And now that you’ve grown up and begun a new life, one with a pony who cares as deeply for you as you do for her, I know that everything I saw in that excited filly was as grand and wonderful as I thought it would be.  The destiny you’ve chosen for yourself has made me so proud, Twilight.”

Twilight swallowed thickly and stood, hugging the alicorn around her neck.  “Thank you, Celestia,” she whispered.

Celestia hugged Twilight back, turning her tired, but kind eyes on Rainbow Dash.  “And you, Rainbow.  I could not have asked for a better partner for my student.  I have no need to ask you to look after her, because I know you will do more for her than I could ever put into words.  You are a remarkable pony, Rainbow Dash.”  She pulled the slightly startled mare into the hug.  “You have made this very old mare very happy.  Be kind to each other.  I hope to see you both very soon.”