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Part 5, and Epilouge5,985 words

Part 5, and Epilouge

“I still say it’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard,” said Pokey as they wandered out of Carousel Boutique. “It’s never going to work. And what did Pinkie mean by flopping ears?”

“Just make sure you don’t do anything official, Berry,” said Carrot Top. “I know where you live.”

Berry stood on her rear hooves and made a cross over her belly. “Cross my heart and hope to fly.”

“That’s your liver.”

“I trust that more than my heart,” said Berry. “Speaking of livers, which one of you is taking Lyra out on the town tonight?”

Carrot Top and Pokey looked at each other for a moment before turning back to Berry.

“You can’t seriously be suggesting a bachelorette party,” said Pokey. “That’s just inviting a disaster. I just want to go a day without being punched by mares, attacked by raccoons, or Luna knows what else.” Pokey turned to walk away, with his head held high in a haughty huff. “I will be a slapstick punchline no longer!”

Pokey turned and immediately fell into a ditch with a burst of profanity that rattled nearby windows. Pushing himself to his hooves, he looked up to see Berry Punch and Carrot Top barely containing their laughter. With all the dignity a muddy pony could muster, Pokey climbed from the ditch and walked away in silence.

“So, seriously,” said Berry, wiping away tears. “I’ll take Lyra out if you take Bon-Bon.”

“I doubt they would even want to go out,” said Carrot Top. “Lyra said something about locking themselves in their house until the wedding tomorrow, and I'm inclined to agree with them.”

“You sure?” asked Berry with a waggle of her eyebrows. “I know a great country club. Lots of tall, handsome stallions, all muscle and sweat from days on the farm.”

“What does that have to do with Lyra and Bon-Bon?” Carrot Top asked. “They’re getting married. To each other.” Berry stared blankly at Carrot Top. “They’re both mares?”

“Not following your point.”

“Pokey was right,” said Carrot Top with a sigh. “This plan is insane, and everyone involved with it is too. Maybe you’re right, I could use a drink after all.”

“Now you’re speaking my language,” said Berry. “I’m sure your mother won’t mind looking after the girls for another hour or two. Let’s go get tanked!”

“See, it’s things like this that run you into problems with the law,” Carrot Top sighed. “One glass, then we go home.”

“Agreed,” said Berry. “Let’s go to the Amber Rose. They’ve got really big glasses.”

The twang of a fiddle and steel guitar floated on the evening breeze, inviting ponies into the barn turned nightclub. The doors hung open, letting through a gentle breeze to cool the warm summer night over the packed crowd of ponies. Inside the club, Haute sat hunched over a bar stool, nursing a cocktail on the rocks while a terrible band sang in the corner. Sitting next to him was the grey newsmare, Snappy Scoops in her trademark hat. She put an arm around him, and gave him a friendly shake.

“What are you so bummed about, Haute?” asked Snappy. “You stopped that sham of a marriage and you made a boatload of cash for it. It’s a good thing you were here to–”

“It was not a good thing at all!” snapped Haute, throwing her arm off his shoulder. “And how dare you publish my suspicions as fact! You’ve brought shame and disgrace to the private matters of a noble family with your salacious stories. I’m sorry I even asked for your help.”

“Ah, get over it,” said Snappy. “We both got what we wanted.”

“This isn’t what I wanted at all!” wailed Haute. “You got a headline and a scandal! Your got your precious inches in the paper at the expense of a noble’s dignity! I just wanted Lyra to stop carousing with Pokey and stay loyal to her mare.”

“Scandals sell,” said Snappy. “And it’s not like you turned down that check from Duke Afferio.”

“Don’t remind me,” groaned Haute, slumping back to his drink. “Hopefully, he’ll put in a good word with one of the noble houses, because Pokey’s going to fire me when he finds out what I’ve done.”

“And what have you done?” asked Berry.

Snappy and Haute spun on their stools to find Berry and Carrot Top standing being them with murder in their eyes. Berry set down a wine glass the size of a fish bowl and cracked her hooves.

“Well, hello, ladies,” said Snappy, pushing her hat from her eyes. “You’re looking radiant this evening. Can I buy you a drink? Or a bottle? Please don’t kill me.”

“Not the face!” begged Haute, cowering behind his hooves.

“Why in the name of Celestia would Berry hit you?” asked Carrot Top. “You didn’t do anything. You on the other hand,” she said, pointing a hoof at Snappy. “I’m glad Pinkie hasn’t found you yet, because that means I get the first crack at you.”

“Hey, now,” said Snappy, putting up her hooves defensively. “Haute’s just as guilty as I am. He’s the one who tipped me off to Pokey and Lyra’s sordid little affair. I just took the pictures and published the story.”

“You did what?” Berry shrieked. “You little fink!” She downed the rest of her drink in a single massive gulp and let loose a bar-rattling belch. “Have at you!”

“Are you challenging me to a duel?” asked Haute, lowering his hooves. ”I refuse to strike a mare, and furthermore–”

Haute was rudely interrupted by a hoof to the jaw that sent him sprawling across the bar. He slammed into another patron, spilling his drink over another pony, who retaliated with a hoof of his own. The club exploded in a frenzy of hoof-fights and swearing as the fight spread like wildfire from the bar to the surrounding tables. Carrot Top didn’t even have time to take a swing at Snappy before she ducked under a table and scurried toward the door.

As the bar exploded into chaos, Berry wove through the crowd with the focus of a master, throwing kicks and chops that laid flat anypony that dared come near her. Carrot Top ducked under thrown bottles and bar stools before retaliating with her own style of farm brawling. With the bar engaged in full melee, no one saw Pinkie Pie following Snappy out of the club.

It only took a few minutes for the police to arrive at the scene of Berry and Carrot Top standing back to back, surrounded by a pile of pulverized ponies. Rather than running, they stood to revel in their victory and then found themselves forced to the ground by the magic of Ponyville’s police unicorns. Carrot Top and Berry struggled against the blanket of magic until cuffs were clamped across their fetlocks.

“I wanna lawyer!” shouted Berry.

“Me too!” shouted Carrot Top.

“My brother’s a judge!” Berry protested, as the unicorns dragged them toward the wagon.

“I thought you only had a little sister?” Carrot Top asked.

“Well they don’t know that,” said Berry. “I mean, they do now, but–”

“You have the right to remain silent,” said the officer, levitating Berry and Carrot Top into the wagon. “I suggest you exercise that right. It’s bad enough that you’re our most frequent customer, now you’re dragging Carrot Top into your lifestyle?”

“I regret nothing!” Berry shouted as the wagon door slammed shut.

***

A door pounded in Pokey’s dream long enough to convince him that someone was actually pounding on his door. The light of dawn poured in through window as the impatient pounding continued. Pokey rolled from his bed and toward the door in a half-asleep stumble that closer resembled the walking dead than a conscious pony. Behind door was the wall-eyed face of Derpy.

“I brought you a letter!” she said with a smile. “There’s postage due, though.”

Pokey floated a few bits off his night stand and into Derpy’s waiting hooves. She responded by sticking the note to his horn and fluttering off into the early morning sun. Pokey wandered back to the siren call of his bed, only to catch glimpse of the note in his mirror. The writing was near illegible, and the reflection didn’t aid comprehension at all.

“I can’t read this,” said Pokey to nopony in particular. “Who would send me a backwards letter?” He looked up again at his horn, then pulled the note off with an exasperated sigh. There wasn’t enough sleep in the world to deal with this sort of aggravation.

Come bail us out of jail.

Love, Carrot Top and Berry Punch.

Someone once told Pokey that laughter was the best medicine. Whether or not this was true was up for debate, but as his giggling slowly transformed in cackles of madness, the tiny piece of Pokey that was still clinging to reality found the idea a bit hard to believe. A pounding on the wall – followed by his neighbor’s cries of frustration – snapped him from his hysterics.

Grabbing his sack of bail money, Pokey trotted through he streets of Ponyville on a simple mission: get everypony to the church on time. It seemed like such a simple task. Everypony shows up at one place around the same time. So why couldn’t a bunch of adults do a simple thing like not get arrested? How hard was it to obey the law? Pokey mulled over the thoughts as he found his way into the basement of City Hall.

The basement holding cells sparkled in the early morning sun as Carrot Top and Berry Punch scrubbed the floors under the watchful eye of Officer Magnum. The clatter of a door chime caught his attention, and he walked behind his desk. Pokey trotted down the stairs a moment later.

“I’m here for Berry and Carrot Top,” said Pokey.

“Well, that’s enough community service for those two,” said the officer. “I hope they learned their lesson to not start fights.”

“I’m sure they have,” said Pokey, dropping the sack of bits on the desk. “I’ll take these two home. Got a wedding to get to in a few hours.”

“Oh, I’m afraid Ms. Punch won’t be attending that,” said the police pony. “Mr. Cuisine is dead set on pressin’ charges, so she’s gotta stay in lock up for a few more days.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” said Pokey. “Berry’s the minister. We literally can not perform this wedding without her.”

“Well then you’ll have to talk to Mr. Cuisine to see if he’ll drop the charges,” said Magnum. “He’s at the clinic.”

In an instant, Pokey was out the door and running through the streets of Ponyville in a panicked gallop. Hopefully, Pokey could get him to see reason without threatening his job or his life, but given his luck recently, that didn’t seem likely.

Pokey burst through the clinic doors, startling Nurse Redheart out of her chair. Redheart popped up from behind her desk with a scowl as she straightened her hat.

“What in the name of Celestia is wrong with you bursting in here like that?” she demanded.

“Sorry, dear,” said Pokey. “Where’s Haute?”

“The Pony Privacy Act prevents me from...”

“I’ll pay his bill if you tell me where he is,” said Pokey.

“Equestria pays for everypony’s medical care,” said Redheart.

“I’ll give you ten bits. Where is he?”

“Dentist’s office,” said Redheart, pointing a hoof. “Dr. Colgate should be done putting his teeth back in by now.”

Pokey trotted down the hall, until he came at last to an open door. A blue unicorn was busy washing her hooves while Haute stood from the dentist’s chair. A nasty hoof shaped bruise graced his cheek. Pokey approached, smiling with all the saccharine sincerity he could muster.

“Haute, my good pony!” said Pokey. “I heard about your run in with Berry last night. Terrible thing, really. Say, when was the last time you got a raise?”

“I’m not dropping the charges,” said Haute. “And I quit. I refuse to work for you, you philandering whelp. Why, if I hadn’t just gotten my teeth repaired, I’d challenge you to a duel for Bon-Bon’s honor.”

Pokey blinked in confusion as he tried to understand what the heck Haute was trying to say. He pointed a hoof at Haute to accuse him of something, but no words came to mind. He instead stood there for a moment before shaking his head.

“What in the name of Luna are you talking about?” asked Pokey.

“Don’t act like you don’t know,” snarled Haute. “You and Lyra? Carrying on in the kitchen like that? She is a noble, sir! And how dare you get between her and Bon-Bon? Were I a few years younger, I’d give you a sound thrashing you’d never forget!”

“Hey!” Colgate scolded. “Take your lover’s quarrel outside. I don’t need you two breaking my equipment.”

“Sorry, Dr. Colgate,” said Pokey. Pokey grabbed Haute, and drug him into the hallway.

“Haute, are you out of your bucking mind?” asked Pokey. “What would give you the idea that Lyra and I were an item?”

“You couldn’t keep your hooves off her when she came in from the rain the other day,” said Haute. “I’ve seen how you look at her. It’s the same look that you give all the mares you’re interested in. Miss Pie, Miss Daisy, Miss R–”

“Think real hard before finishing that sentence,” Pokey snapped. “Lyra’s my friend. She’s been my friend for a long time and the only thing I want for her is to get married to Bon-Bon. Today. At the time she put on all her invitations. I may be dedicated to lost causes, but do you really think I would have been driving myself up a wall for the past few months if I didn’t want them to get married?”

“Mr. Cuisine,” said Dr. Colgate, popping out from the office. “I have instructions once you’re done fighting. Don’t get punched in the mouth.”

“Thank you, doctor,” replied Haute. He turned back to Pokey, and jabbed him in the chest with a hoof. “Look, I’ll drop the charges so the wedding can commence, but if I see you anywhere near Lyra, I will have their marriage annulled so fast that it will make your head spin.”

“What kind of threat is that?” asked Pokey. “You’re not a judge or a noble.”

“You’re a real dunce, Pokey,” Haute huffed. “Of course I’m not, but I know plenty of ponies who are. Who do you think has been sending information to Duke Afferio?”

Pokey stood dumbfounded a moment, trying to piece together what Haute had just told him.

“You... did what?” he asked. “You’re... the leak? You... I... thought...” He stammered for a moment more as Haute walked back into the dentist’s office.

“I never cared that Bon-Bon isn’t a noble,” said Haute. “I just didn’t want her getting hurt because of you.”

Pokey clenched his teeth so hard that cracking echoed through the hall. Were it possible for a unicorn’s head to catch fire, Pokey would have become a wailing pyre of hate that moment. Instead of becoming a harbinger of destruction, Pokey only turned and walked out of the building as if he were a marionette. When he got outside, he walked toward the Everfree Forest, where he could adequately express his feelings on the matter. Ten minutes later, the loudest and longest string of swearing ever heard in Ponyville echoed from the woods and into the town like some sort of profane church bell of hatred.

Because of the reams of paperwork involved, it was almost noon before Carrot Top and Berry Punch were released from the Ponyville Police Department. Pokey had long since gone off to prepare food for the reception while the other ponies waited in awkward conversation for the mare of honor and the minister to arrive. Octavia’s ensemble played a few pieces as the minutes until the wedding ticked by with no sign of the two.

A gathered crowd of a hundred ponies turned to face the opening doors as two mares burst into the chapel. From the sea of faces came a few whispered murmurs of relief as the two walked toward the front of the chapel. A pair of fillies trotted up them as soon as they walked around the pews.

“Mom!” said the pink unicorn filly. “You’re late! Everypony’s been looking for you. Where have you been?”

“Mommy spent the night with Uncle Magnum,” said Berry.

“Another night in the drunk tank, Mom?” sighed Ruby Pinch. “And you dragged Miss Carrot Top along, too?”

“Hey, it was a bar fight and we won,” said Carrot Top. “Are you and Noi ready ready to be flower girls?”

“Ready!” said the yellow filly. “Mom’s really mad at you, by the way.”

“She’ll get over it,” said Carrot Top. “Alright, you two get your flowers, and we’ll see you in a bit.”

Berry and Carrot Top trotted away from the fillies and through the aisles of waiting ponies. Despite the effort of the nobles, it seemed like everypony in town was here. Doctors, lawyers, bakers, and farmers all stood shoulder to shoulder with smiles as they waited for the the happy couple to walk up the aisle.

Carrot Top and Berry ducked into the back room of the chapel where Rarity stood waiting for them. She dropped her tape measure on the desk and stamped a hoof.

“Where have you been?” Rarity demanded. “The girls have been waiting forever for you!”

“Minor problem with getting arrested,” said Berry, digging through the desk for her collar.

“What do you mean, arrested?” asked Rarity. “How did... Why...”

“Don’t worry,” said Berry. She pushed back her mane to snap on her clergy collar. “We’re good to go.”

“All this aggravation and lunacy will all be worth it if this day just goes as planned,” said Carrot Top as she pulled on her dress. “Let’s do this thing.”

“Well, I do hope it all goes as planned,” said Rarity. “Speaking of which, have either of you seen Pinkie Pie? I haven't talked to her since yesterday.”

“I haven’t seen her, either,” said Berry. “I’m sure she’s doing last minute preparations. Don’t worry about her. If everypony is ready, I’ll go strike up the band.”

Berry walked up the stairs and into the chapel, where the noon sun illuminated the faces of the ponies gathered to see Lyra and Bon-Bon joined at last. Berry nodded to Octavia, and the ensemble of ponies filled the chapel with the sound of music.

The soft and dulcet tones of the piano and cello mingled in the air above the crowd as the two fillies started their slow procession up the aisle. As they laid a sea of rose petals at the hooves of the unicorn behind them, every eye turned to stare in amazement at the veiled bride.

The dress was nothing short of spectacular. Gossamer laces trimmed in beadwork covered her from head to tail in the purest of white, finishing in hooped ruffles that fell around her legs in a cascade of lace. Only a teal horn and striped mane hung above the thick veil. But as beautiful as she was, the crowd could only gasp as the second bride entered the church.

She too concealed her face behind a thick veil, though all eyes were on her dress. The dress fell in pools of satin around her hips and flanks and covered her legs to the ground. She floated through the aisle of rose petals to the altar, her indigo and pink locks bouncing along with each step. The two brides stood quietly for a moment, before turning at last to Berry Punch.

“Friends, family, visitors from all of Equestria,” she began, “today, we join these two souls together in the unbreakable bonds of matrimony. To those who oppose this marriage, let them speak now or forever hold their peace.”

“I object!”

A murmur ran through the crowd as every face turned to the blue earth pony at the rear of the chapel. There stood Duke Afferio, mane blazing orange as the sun, flanked on both sides by his personal guards.

“I cannot permit this sham of a marriage to go forth!” he said. “I will not stand by as a noble throws her life away to some commoner. By the power granted to me by Princess Celestia herself, I forbid this marriage from taking place.”

Lyra’s father charged into the aisle, only to be blocked by the duke’s bodyguards.

“You gelding!” yelled Star Dream. He reached between the guards, trying to wrap his hooves around Afferio’s neck. “How dare you ruin my daughter’s wedding! I should have known you were behind this, you rotten coward!”

“You forget yourself, just as your daughter does,” snapped Duke Afferio. “I am your duke, and you are but a baron. I have the authority to cancel this marriage here and now, and I shall do so.”

“Well, there’s nothing I can do about that,” chimed in Berry. “Sorry kids, looks like you ain’t getting married after all.”

“What?” demanded Strawberry Lime. “After all that hard work? After everything, you’re just not going to marry them?”

“Isn’t that what the duke said?” asked Berry. “Sorry. Rules are rules. I will not marry these two and Celestia help anyone who does!”

“Just like that?” asked Duke Afferio. “I’m not going to have to have you jailed or anything?”

“Bud, this is my job,” said Berry. “I’m not going to lose it over these two.”

“Oh, well...” The Duke paused, clearly at a loss for words. “Well, that was easier than I thought it would be. Ponyville will continue to reap the benefits of the nobles, I suppose. Guards, with me.”

The chapel erupted in outrage as the Duke marched out the door. Berry stood at the alter, quietly waiting for the mob to allow the Duke out. As the door slammed behind the duke, the two guards breathed a sigh of relief.

“That wasn’t so bad,” said the unicorn guard, walking away from the chapel. The three trotted away from the chapel as the sounds of a hundred angry ponies followed them.

“I was expecting a riot,” said the pegasus guard, looking back at the chapel. “May I suggest we leave town while we can?”

“Well,” said Duke Afferio. “It’s good of the subjects to know their place. Still, it seems too easy. Perhaps we should go back in and clarify things...”

“Hi, Mister Duke!” chirped a voice from behind the trio. They slowly turned around to the grinning face of Pinkie Pie. “Do you like cupcakes?”

Duke Afferio wasn’t a pony who knew fear. He had served with distinction in Equestria’s military for years, facing down natural disasters and threats of beasts for years before taking his rightful place as Duke of the Everfree providence. Nothing he had ever encountered scared him as much as that pink pony patiently pacing along the cold stone floor. They were in some kind of cellar or basement, devoid of windows with only a single stark light-bulb casting light on Pinkie Pie.

“You’re a big bully, buddy” said Pinkie as her hoof-falls echoed along the stone floor. “Paying ponies to be prickly? Having Haute in hot water? Shanghaiing Snappy Scoop’s stories? You’re a mean pony, Mister Duke.”

“Who are you?” demanded Duke Afferio with as much courage as he could muster. “I demand that you release me!”

“Oh, silly, I’m Pinkie Pie, and I threw this party just for you!” She gestured to the wonderland of shadowed decorations behind her. Balloons and streamers decorated the cellar in waves of purple and trails of glitter tracked behind an ominous wooden door. Low thumping, like the kick of some industrial machine, filtered from underneath it.

“W... what’s behind that door?” asked Duke.

“It’s just for you!” said Pinkie, with a grin. Her mane hung flat across her face like a fuchsia mask. “You hit your head on the way down here, so I waited for you to wake up just so I could show you. It’s too bad you weren’t nicer; there’s a much bigger party going on later. I guess this one will have to do.”

Pinkie picked up a large knife from the table and walked toward the Duke. He skittered backwards, pinning himself against the door. Pinkie kept walking toward him with her thousand watt smile as his hooves fumbled with the door handle.

“Yes, let’s join your other friends!” said Pinkie. “They’re just behind that door. All the other mean ponies in Ponyville who tried to ruin the wedding are there too. Mister Haute, Snappy Scoops, and your guards. Some of the meanie nobles too,” said Pinkie.

The door finally snapped open and the Duke spilled into the room beyond. Pinkie stepped through the doorway, knife held high above the Duke.

“Because you know what we do to mean ponies?” asked Pinkie.

“No, Celestia, help!” he cried, throwing his hooves over his face. “Please!”

“We throw them,” she brought the knife down into an ornate cake. “A PARTY!”

Duke Afferio looked from between his fetlocks to see glittery room filled with nobles enjoying thumping music and a wide variety of desserts. The two guards danced along with the music as Pinkie passed out cake to her guests. Duke Afferio sat stunned for a moment, as Snappy and Haute approached.

“Hey Duke!” said Snappy. “Glad you could join us. Have some cake!”

“But... what...”

“Yeah, Pinkie’s party are really the best,” said Snappy.

“But...”

“I wouldn’t worry about it,” said Haute. "Miss Pie is throwing a private party for the nobles. It appears she thought the nobility was jealous for not getting an invite.”

“That’s not what this was about at all!” said Duke Afferio. “It’s about tradition and bloodlines. It’s dignity!”

“I forgot your party hat!” said Pinke, snapping a paper cone on his head. “Have some pie!”

Duke Afferio hung his head in defeat and took the slice of pie.

The crowd had simmered into a dull mumbling of outrage as the two brides stood at the altar. Berry flipped her notes back to beginning and stretched out her hooves in a yawn.

“Well, sorry I didn’t marry you two,” said Berry.

“I’m not,” said Pokey, taking off the veil. His horn and mane had been powdered a light teal. “Sorry, Carrot Top, you’re not really my type.”

Carrot Top took off her veil as well and shook out her dyed mane.

“Pity,” said Carrot Top. “This is such a wonderful dress. Now, let’s get this wedding started for real.” Pokey and Carrot Top stood to the side, and turned to the back of the chapel. The band looked to each other with a shrug before starting from the top.

The soft tones of cello and piano were accompanied by the procession of spring flowers from the two flower fillies as they waltzed up the aisle. Following behind them was Lyra, dolled up in a white linen toga. Across her neck was a gold band adorned with a small wrapped candy, a perfect depiction of Bon-Bon’s cutie mark. The golden shoes that adorned her hooves accented the white linen of her dress as it trailed behind her. The guests could only stare as she walked down the aisle, mane pulled back in a golden barrette of a lyre. As Lyra arrived at the altar, she bowed to Pokey, still in his dress. Pokey bowed back and turned to watch as Bon-Bon entered the chapel.

A great bustle of pink and indigo trailed over her shoulders and into a flowing train behind her as she walked toward the altar. Gracing her ear was small earring in the shape of a lyre. She paused at the altar to marvel at what her friends had accomplished and tears of joy began to gather in the corners of her eyes as she turned back to Berry Punch.

“See before you, the joy in the hearts of those who will not be defeated by the world,” said Berry. “Through the times and trials of the past few months, Lyra and Bon-Bon have endured what no pony should be expected to suffer through. Hate, jealousy, and dishonesty from the world around them have shaken them, but their love has remained firm. Let the light of that love be a blessing to you all.”

Berry took a step back to let her words linger in the crowd. The quiet reflection of the moment almost brought a tear to her eye. There would plenty of time for happiness later; right now, there was only the wedding.

“The brides have prepared their vows,” said Berry at last.

Bon-Bon nodded, and cleared her throat. “I knew from the day I first met you, that you were the one for me,” said Bon-Bon. “All those years ago when we were just silly fillies playing without a care in the world along the streets of Ponyville, I couldn’t help but think about how much I wanted to be your friend forever. I remember our first kiss, when we were just little girls. We didn’t think it meant anything then, and you moved away soon after. I knew I’d never forget you, but I often wondered if you would remember me. Years later, you came back to Ponyville. Whether you were looking for me, or work, or something else, you came back and found me.” She wiped away a tear. “I thought that you wouldn't remember me, but you gave me that same kiss when I saw you again. It wasn’t the innocent kiss of a filly this time. It was a reminder that you and I were meant for each other. It was a kiss that brought me back to you forever. You said the other day that we hadn’t made our vows yet, but I knew from the beginning that I would love you forever. In sickness and in health, for rich or for poor. Till this world ends and the end of the next, I will love you forever, and I will always be by your side.”

The crowd applauded with a stomping of hooves as the two mares stared longingly at each other. As the sounds of a hundred pairs of hooves dwindled to a silence, Lyra’s lyre floated to her waiting hooves. The strings of the instrument filled the chapel with a haunting tune as Lyra’s voice carried over the crowd of ponies.

“I once had a dream that I had everything in the world that I could ever want: money, fame, power, a castle in the sky. But I when I searched my castle and found that you weren't in it, I realized it wasn't a dream, but a nightmare instead. That's what life is without you: a never-ending nightmare. Part of me wants nothing more than to take you away from here to live in the quiet luxury of nobility, so that nothing can ever come between us again. But if the past few months have taught me anything, it's that love is like music. Neither can been seen, but they can both be felt. They follow you no matter where you go, and the melodies can't be broken, no matter how hard you try. It’s hard work to get it perfect, but when you get it right, it brightens the world around everyone it touches. Even if I were to never play another note, the music of you will always lead right back home.”

The soft music faded as Lyra set down her instrument.

“You are my music, Bon-Bon.”

The crowd behind sat in silence as Berry stepped up to the altar.

“Lyra Heartstrings, do you take Bon-Bon to be your wife?”

“I do.”

“Bon-Bon, do you take Lyra to be your wife?”

“I do.”

“Then by the power vested in me by Equestria, I now pronounce you wife and wife. What our goddess has put together, let no pony tear asunder.” She smiled at the couple. “You may kiss your bride.”

Lyra stood on her back hooves, and swept Bon-Bon into her arms. The crowd behind them erupted in applause as Lyra and Bon-Bon shared their first kiss as a married couple. Through the noise and cheering, everything faded around the couple. Even surrounded by family and friends, the two mares were alone together in that moment. Whatever hardships and nightmares they had endured were over now as they started a brand new life as one. Lyra broke their kiss only for a moment to whisper to Bon-Bon.

“And we lived happily ever after.”

Epilogue

True to their promises to each other, Lyra and Bon-Bon did live happily ever after. They both realized that marriage and love were hard work with tremendous rewards. Things may not have always been perfect, but their dedication to happiness in each other kept them joyous all their lives. It wasn't long before they added to their family and brought a new generation of happiness into Equestria.

Berry Punch continued as a part-time minister to supplement her janitorial salary. She found her summers filled with couples flocking to Ponyville for quick marriage without the hassle of prying eyes or tutting parents.

Carrot Top found herself in the role of an adopted aunt after Lyra and Bon-Bon’s first foal. As Ponyville’s economy continued to grow, so did the demand for her carrots. Soon, her farm was supplying ponies from Phillydelphia to Manehatten with all the carrots that they could need.

Pokey eventually left Ponyville after being drafted for a quest by the princess. He still visits occasionally for Pinkie’s parties and Bon-Bon’s confections.

Duke Afferio eventually gave up his quest to keep the noble linage pure when he learned that his own family had ascended from common stock. He eventually learned an important lesson in love and tolerance when he meet his distant relatives, a simple family of rock farmers from Bridleburg.

Haute found another job in Ponyville after he quit at The Balloons Cafe. He never followed through with his threat, and to this day, he still hides in every time he sees Lyra or Bon-Bon for fear of reprisal.

Despite her blatant lack of journalistic integrity, Snappy Scoops continued publishing stories in the Ponyville tabloids. She eventually won a Pullet Surprise for her article about Fluttershy’s chickens.

Plow and Barbell bought a farm outside Phillydelphia and adopted six foals. They now raise prize pumpkins and despite the odd circumstances surrounding their relationship, they too lived happily ever after.

And Pinkie continued to be Pinkie.

Special thanks to /fic/, EqD, and all the people who enjoyed this story.
Extra special thanks to Filler and Cassius for their work in making this story better than I could have ever done by myself.

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Lordpiecrust

Lordpiecrust #1 · Nov 28th, 2011 · · ·

This was lovely I'm just sad to see it over.

Largefish8

Largefish8 #2 · Nov 28th, 2011 · · ·

one word...EPIC...wonderful story. I enjoyed every word of it...in fact...I might read it again later.

Milksweet

Milksweet #3 · Nov 28th, 2011 · · ·

...Pure gold. PURE GOLD, MAN. This was an amazing story, glad to read it when I did. May you keep forever being happy and illuminated by the pony Muses.