//------------------------------// // Chapter 29 // Story: Auntie Tia's Matchmaking Service // by Shaslan //------------------------------// “I’m so happy for you both.” Twilight Sparkle’s eyes were big with tears, and Lustre Dawn felt Little Cheese’s hoof tighten on her own. She slid out of her seat and trotted over to her mentor, and pulled the vast purple alicorn down into a hug. “Thank you, Princess Twilight.” After she let go, Twilight wiped away a tear with one golden-shod hoof. “Thank you both for coming to tell me. I really appreciate it.” Lustre retreated to Little Cheese’s side, and the small smile Cheese gave her sent a little thrill through her body. Even now, a week after it had happened, she could still hardly believe her good luck. Looking back to the Princess, who was still smiling that slightly watery smile, Lustre’s heart felt full. “I want to thank you too, Princess.” Twilight looked shocked. “But — for what?” Tears pricking at her own eyes, Lustre smiled up at her. “For showing me the magic of friendship, Princess. If it wasn’t for you — if you hadn’t sent me back to Mum’s school — I’d still be in Canterlot library.” She turned to look into Little Cheese’s emerald eyes. “I would never have known that there was more to life than spells and studying.” “That means I owe you thanks too, Princess,” Little Cheese added, her higher-pitched voice providing the perfect counterpoint to Lustre’s alto. “If you hadn’t sent Lustre to Ponyville I’d never have met her. We owe you big-time.” A small smile played across her face. “Maybe I should ask my mum to throw you a thank-you party.” Laughing, Twilight raised a hoof to her mouth. “Thank you, Little Cheese — but I think poor Pinkie’ll be busy enough with the wedding planning.” Little Cheese giggled. “You’re probably right.” Twilight spread a single wing in warning. “A word of caution, though — Pinkie does brilliantly with weddings, but if I were you I’d make sure she doesn’t go too bananas with yours. I’ve had more than my fair share of Pinkie Pie parties that end with me covered in cake batter fired from a cannon.” “I’ve known that feeling too,” Lustre Dawn added, grinning at her marefriend. No — her fiancee. She still wasn’t used to that new word. And before too long it would be another new word. Wife. Shrugging delicately, Little Cheese pushed her curls back from her face. “I’ve learned that no one can really stop Mum. She’s…well, she’s a force of nature. But don’t worry — the cake is the one thing that I do intend to keep control of.” “It’s going to be cheesecake!” Lustre Dawn leaned towards Twilight in excitement. “Little Cheese’s favourite. A foretaste of Little Cheese’s Little Cheesecakes.” Twilight smiled wider. “Well, I can’t wait to taste it. And once your cafe opens here in Canterlot, Little Cheese, I’d love to appoint you the official cheesecake supplier to the crown.” As one, Little Cheese and Lustre gasped. “Really?” “Really,” Twilight confirmed. “It’s an honour that the two of you more than deserve.” Beaming, Lustre Dawn clutched Little Cheese’s hooves and shared a quick nuzzle with her. She could hardly believe how well all their plans were going. It was like she had somehow stepped into a dream world. “Am I the last pony you needed to tell?” asked Twilight, her tone curious. “I’m very sorry that my diary was so booked up the last couple of weeks.” “No,” Little Cheese answered for both of them. “There was one other Canterlot pony we needed to tell.” “Ah.” Twilight understood at once. “Well, you had better hurry along, then. This is news she won’t want to wait to hear.” “And here is where the counter will go, right here.” Little Cheese was almost singing the words, her voice alight with excitement. “And here is where I’ll have the display cabinet for the really big cakes — and just over here is where we’ll put the tables.” Lustre Dawn spun around as she followed the pointing hooves, a grin covering her face from ear to ear. “I can’t wait to get started on it all with you, Little Cheese. I’m not very good at carpentry, but I’m so excited to try!” A giggle answered her. “No, silly — we’ve got professional carpenters coming. This needs to look right. We only get one shot at a grand opening.” “Of course,” Lustre laughed. “I wasn’t thinking straight.” “But you haven’t even seen the best part!” Little Cheese seized her by the hoof and the two of them galloped away from the plate glass windows at the front of the shop and towards the stairs at the back. They pounded up the white stone steps, made from marble like all the buildings in Canterlot. Side by side, they emerged into a large white room, bigger even than the cafe downstairs by virtue of the old building’s bulging walls. “I have so many ideas for this room,” Little Cheese began. “I thought we could maybe paint one wall yellow, like a feature wall — I thought it would match your eyes.” Before Lustre could even coo over the sweetness of the thought, she was hauled onwards again, up past the third floor and onto the fourth. Little Cheese pushed her towards the door. “Go on, open it.” Hesitantly, Lustre Dawn opened the door, and gasped as she looked inside. The room was a perfect circle, with windows on every side. Light flooded into the room, illuminating it with all the colours of the Canterlot afternoon. “This is gorgeous! What’s this room going to be? Our bedroom?” “No; that’s downstairs.” Little Cheese blushed prettily as she gestured around them. “Actually, I thought this room could be yours. I was going to ask the carpenters to come up here, too, and put in bookshelves. All around the walls—” she span as she spoke, pointing to her visualised shelves. “—Apart from just there, where I was going to suggest that we put your desk.” Lustre Dawn’s heart swelled. “A library, just for me?” “And a study!” Little Cheese beamed at her. “You’ll need to put all your books somewhere, right? And have somewhere to write your papers.” She came closer and took Lustre by the hooves. “This is going to be more than a cheesecake cafe, Lustre. This is going to be our home. Both of us.” For the first time that day, tears spilled down Lustre’s cheek as she pressed her muzzle hard into Little Cheese’s cheek. “I love it.” “And I love you.” Little Cheese tapped her softly on the nose. “Now come on! This was only meant to be a whistle-stop tour. We’re late for Auntie Tia!” “Truly?” Celestia’s heart was full. “You’re both ready?” Lustre Dawn and Little Cheese, seated before her on the settee, smiled at one another. “Yes,” Lustre answered. “She makes me laugh. I think I never really understood fun till I met Cheese.” “And she makes me happy,” Little Cheese added. “Laughter is great — but you need real, deep happiness behind it too.” Lustre Dawn nodded and pressed her hoof over her fiancee’s. “We just came from telling Princess Twilight. She offered to officiate, but I said that I’d rather just have her there as my mentor, and as one of my parents.” A fond smile crossed her face. “She cried a little bit.” Celestia didn’t feel entirely dry-eyed herself. “I can imagine.” “Actually, Princess,” Lustre Dawn said with a touch of hesitancy, “We were kind of hoping, if it’s not too much to ask, if you would be willing to do the ceremony.” Celestia’s smile was wide enough almost to hurt. Her little ponies never ceased to amaze her with the love they could show her. “I would be more than honoured. Thank you. Both of you.” Later, after the tears were dry and the goodbyes said, Celestia watched them go. Side by side, two little mares, united against the world. Her eyes brimming with emotion, Celestia smiled as she shut the pale blue door behind them. Even after all this time, after all these years…she was still helping them. Even after she had retired from the throne, given away her power, still her ponies came to her, with problems as dear to them as ever the national conflicts and state affairs had been. She levitated a delicate lace handkerchief up to her face and surreptitiously dabbed at the moisture in her eyes. She was still serving her ponies, and they still loved her. It was all the purpose that she needed.