//------------------------------// // ...Waking Happily Ever After // Story: The King of Lies // by Jade Ring //------------------------------// In a library that was also a home, a princess awoke in a cold sweat, haunted by knowledge already long gone from her mind. In a quaint farm-house, a mother awoke, checked on her precious child, then returned to bed to snuggle her husband before he left for morning chores. In an apartment in the clouds, an athlete awoke from a nightmare she'd never had before; one in which she'd been falling. In the orchards where she'd passed out the night before, a farmer shook off her sleep and made for home... not noticing the slightest streak of white in her blonde mane. In a bedroom situated above a boutique, a seamstress wrenched off her sleeping mask to find her drake in bed next to her. So relieved was she that she was on him before he'd even awakened fully. And in an apartment over a bakery... ////////////////////////////////////////// ...Pinkie Pie rolled over in bed and nuzzled her special somepony. “Wake up, Caramel.” She whispered. Caramel groaned and tried to roll over. “Five more minutes, Pinkie...” She giggled and kissed his shoulder. “I could always wake you up my special way...” Caramel sat bolt upright. “As fun as that sounds, sugar, we'd be in bed another four hours and we both have work today.” He smiled down at her but frowned at the look of concentration on her face. “What's wrong?” She shook her head. “Nothing.” He kissed her. “You're a terrible liar.” She giggled. “But I'm really good at telling the truth.” Noting the confused look on his face, she waved him off. “Don't worry about it. But... there is something I want to ask you.” Caramel laid back down and looked at her curiously. “Life can do a lot of things, Caramel. It can go up or down or sideways or up and down really fast like a pogo stick and make a boingy noise like I do when we... and I got off track there.” Caramel's gut was shaking. “I dunno, that track seemed pretty funny.” “What I'm trying to say is that we never know what's coming our way. We need to live in the moment and live all our dreams as soon as we can, since we don't know how much time we have left.” He nodded. “Sounds like a good idea. What do you want to do then? Manehatten? Mountain climbing?” Inspiration struck and he gazed at her with wide eyes. “Saddle Arabia?” Pinkie Pie smiled her little smile and looked at him with her big blue eyes. “Let's get married.” Caramel froze. This was... sudden. But the look in her eyes told him it was deadly serious. Her smile faltered. “I knew it was a dumb idea...” He was away from her and already by the door waiting. “We should start the plans now. If we hurry, we can have the whole thing planned for next week.” He cocked his head at her. “Or is that too soon?” With a happy squeal, she bounded from the bed and tackled him to the floor, smothering him with kisses. They stood, checked each other over, and headed out the door to plan their nuptials, their tails happily wrapped around each other's. There was no doubt they were ready for this. That was most definitely the truth.