They couldn't choose one and leave the others behind, so they formed the most powerful of bonds in Equestria.
Yes yes, another story collection. I have a problem, I know.
Contained within this collection are works centered around the shipping of all the Mane Six together. Because love is the most powerful magic of all. And they're so in love, don't even play.
Most of these stories have been written over the course of about a year for prompts from the Thirty Minute Ponies blog, and they're not in order of when they were written so the quality of the writing might bounce around a bit. If they were written for a prompt, the prompt number and the prompt itself will be in the Author's Notes.
The cider had been flowing, the music had been loud, and Twilight was shaking her butt on the dance floor while Pinkie Pie and Applejack raced to the bottom of their mugs. Rainbow Dash devoured a plate of appetizers. Fluttershy flipped through Pinkie Pie’s records in the corner, throwing looks over her shoulder and smiling at the sight of Twilight before continuing her search.
Rarity watched all of her girls, peering over the rim of her cider mug. Her gaze flew from one pony to the next, accentuating their curves and the set of their mane and their bright, sparkling eyes as they laughed and smiled at one another, just the very picture of joy and camaraderie. The cider bubbled on her tongue and she wondered if she was perhaps a little too inebriated to be thinking clearly.
She shook her head and sauntered back over to the dessert table to try some of Twilight’s cookies. They were delicious.
---
It got worse at a sleepover.
Applejack and Rainbow Dash had started wrestling with one another after Pinkie had begun throwing pillows, and Twilight and Fluttershy hid together behind a tiny pillow fort.
Rarity stood on the stairs above them and peered down at them all, taking in Rainbow Dash’s bellows of triumph when she pinned Applejack to the ground, Pinkie Pie’s wriggle of her hindquarters when she knocked Rainbow Dash right off of her with a well-aimed pillow, Applejack’s cocky grin when she hopped back to her hooves and launched herself across the room at Pinkie Pie. Twilight and Fluttershy began shouting out words of support for a different pony every other second until they devolved into a fit of giggles, holding onto each other as though that was the only way they could keep from letting their sides split open.
Rainbow Dash threw her gaze up the stairs and locked eyes with Rarity. That look wasn’t really encouraging.
---
It nearly bubbled over in the kitchen.
Pinkie Pie had recruited them to bake two hundred assorted cupcakes and one hundred chocolaty brownies because the Cakes had been called out of town, completely forgetting the large order that had been placed the night before.
Pinkie scolded ponies in a half-hearted way when Twilight nearly started a food fight with Rainbow Dash and Applejack nearly started a real fight with Rainbow Dash in retaliation. Pinkie Pie smeared brownie batter on each offending pony’s nose and shook her hoof at them, her brow concentrating on furrowing in an appropriately stern expression. Twilight licked the batter off her nose with a grin and a raised eyebrow, and Pinkie responded by booting Twilight to the side with her hip. Fluttershy smiled into her cupcake batter, and Applejack nudged her in the side to make a face that got Fluttershy hiding behind a trembling hoof, nearly unable to stop her giggles.
Rarity stirred her batter without looking at it. Her eyes roved over each pony as they stood compacted together in a small kitchen, getting globs of sweet things in each other’s manes. Pinkie Pie peeked into Rarity’s bowl and beamed at her with pure sincerity. It looked beautiful, she said.
---
It ended at a dinner.
All of them crowded together on one side of a table in Applejack’s barn. Pinkie was nearly in Fluttershy’s lap and Fluttershy was poking Twilight in the side and Twilight had draped a wing over Rainbow Dash’s back to pull her even closer. They all laughed loudly enough to make talking impossible, but that didn’t stop them from trying anyway. Twilight pantomimed her first attempt at a transformation spell while Pinkie sang a song at the top of her lungs and Applejack chuckled into her mug. Rainbow Dash kept hitting the dinner table as she got too excited about that morning’s maneuver.
Not a single pony looked out of place. Even Fluttershy was joining in with Pinkie’s song; it had taken her a few verses, but once she realized what Pinkie was singing she’d jumped right in, much to Pinkie’s delight. The music spread down to the end of the table, infecting one pony and then the next, until each pony at the table was singing and laughing and swinging their cups to and fro.
Rarity walked around to the other side of the table, and she looked long and hard at each pony there. She looked at Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle and Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie and Applejack, and she knew that she just couldn’t keep it a secret anymore.
The table grew silent as each pony came to realize that Rarity had moved away from the group.
Fluttershy frowned. “Are you okay, Rarity?”
Applejack stood to her hooves. “Something wrong, sugarcube?”
Rarity smiled, but she realized that she was also crying.
She took a deep breath and let it out with a sigh. “Everypony, I just wanted to say that we’ve been friends a very long time. I appreciate each and every one of your company.”
Rainbow Dash grinned. “Ah, is that all? No need to get so mushy on us, Rarity. We appreciate you too!”
Pinkie Pie giggled and nodded. “Oh yeah! We love you lots!”
Rarity’s heart skipped a beat at the wording, but she continued without hesitation. “I love you too. All of you. With every ounce of my heart, I love you.”
Twilight stood up and leapt across the table, burying her face in Rarity’s neck and pulling her into a hug. The others scrambled across the room and threw hooves in faces and across shoulders until they were all huddled together in a circle of love and warmth.
Pinkie smiled at me from behind the counter and I thought for the hundredth time how much I loved her. She was beautiful and radiant; she was laughter personified and joy; she was Pinkie Pie the party planner; and she was a precious friend. I had seen her unhappy, and it was not something I enjoyed. But more and more recently she’d been opening up to me, and letting me know how vulnerable she was behind that brilliant smile. And that vulnerability just made me love her more.
I laughed when she told the story of her hectic morning through her own giggles and snorts, and she gesticulated wildly with her hooves and used old pastries as props. She beamed so brightly that I couldn’t help but beam right back at her. She packed me up a bag full of treats and leaned over the counter to kiss me on the tip of my nose and send me on my way with a swat on the butt. I pranced out the door, full to the brim with joy as I promised over my shoulder to see her later that evening.
I couldn’t wait.
---
Rarity ranted at length about the stress of her current workload, and I nodded sympathetically to her as I extended a croissant her way which she accepted gratefully. For those who didn’t know her as well as I do, they might be shocked to hear that Rarity continued to rant through bites of flaky crust, completely abandoning her pretenses of politeness. A smile tugged on the corners of my mouth as I felt once again so unduly blessed to have come so far with Rarity as to let her be so comfortable around me to not have to put on a show.
She was tired and overworked, and yet she still shone with the beauty of a thousand diamonds even as strands of her mane stuck out at random intervals and bags had appeared under her eyes. She was generosity, yes, and she was proving it now by putting together three dozen sets of clothes for a children’s play that was being put on by the Canterlot orphanage. They had offered to pay her, but she had refused. And even working for free she did her finest work.
Warmth filled me from my hooves to the tip of my ears, and I wrapped her in a warm hug and reminded her of our get together later that evening. Her tired but joyful smile put a spring in my step as I exited the boutique.
I couldn’t wait.
---
Applejack was working just as hard as Rarity if not harder for the physical aspect of it. Big Mac was out with the flu, and Applejack was harvesting the apples as best she could on her own. I offered her a turnover, and she sat down to take a break with me. When I asked her how things were going she shrugged and stared off into the distance before sighing and admitting she was falling far behind.
I can’t remember when Applejack stopped being so careful not to admit when she was struggling, but hearing her confession just stoked the warmness in my chest even more, and I offered to come back and give her a helping hoof when I was done with my errands. She smiled at me, and it was a smile full of relief and gratitude. I felt giddy once again at the realization that she would accept my help despite her pride.
I nuzzled her cheek and promised to hurry right back as soon as I could. She grinned and hollered after me that she would be excited to see me when I did.
I couldn’t wait.
---
Fluttershy was up to her wing tips in sick animals, and although I couldn’t be of much assistance to her I allowed her time for a break and a cup of tea to go with her cranberry biscuit. She was quiet and stared into the depths of her tea cup, and I knew that she was still on duty trying to plot out the best course for each animal that needed her help. I never minded the silence that sometimes came with visiting Fluttershy. She was warm and kind, and she always did her best to let me know that she was happy I came by.
I was always extremely happy to visit her cottage, and it was often a peaceful place despite how many sick animals clambered for her attention. She would never turn a friend or an animal away, and this was one of the many things I adored about her. I finished my tea and donned my saddlebags, wrapping a foreleg around her and giving her a firm hug. I would see her later tonight if she wasn’t too busy, and if she thought of anything I could do to help I’d be at Applejack’s later helping with the harvest.
Fluttershy smiled at me, and I left feeling lighter than ever.
I couldn’t wait.
---
Rainbow Dash was sometimes hard to find, but it had become a game between us. I’d search the sky for her and she’d do her best to stay out of sight until hunger forced her to give in. That morning she barreled out of the sky and landed next to me with an excited grin and a proud flap of her wings. She had forgotten all about the game today, it seemed, and she was brimming with pride as she detailed her latest aerial maneuver that she had perfected. She danced on light hooves and lashed her tail back and forth as told me all about it, and I giggled giddily at her gumption.
She was interrupted by the mayor who stopped to thank Rainbow Dash for her help this morning with the tearing down of an old building outside of town. And even as she tried to play it off as no big deal, I could see that she had done something incredible again. Rainbow Dash turned back to me when the mayor trotted away and rolled her eyes and insisted that it hadn’t been a big deal at all. I grinned broadly, and she teased me about it. But I loved it. I loved every moment of it.
I gave her her cupcake and waved her off as she darted back to work, shouting after the rainbow blur that she’d better not forget about tonight.
I couldn’t wait.
---
I was sore and tired from working in the orchard with Applejack, but as my eyes drifted over the five other ponies present I knew that each was just as tired from long days doing different tasks, each suited just for them.
I lifted my glass of cider and tapped the side of it gently with my hoof, drawing all of their attentions to myself. I looked into each pair of eyes, and I swear I’d never been so content in all my life as I was looking at each of these brilliant ponies. I smiled and it took no effort.
“I just wanted to say that I love you. I love each and every one of you.”
Each of them smiled back, and I knew that they felt the exact same way.
Thanks to Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy it was a cloudless sunny day in Ponyville, and the Elements of Harmony lounged together on a large checkered blanket on the outskirts of town. Pinkie Pie and Applejack had both worked really hard on the picnic lunch that overflowed from wicker baskets, and Rarity had supplied silky soft pillows for all six mares to rest on.
Rainbow Dash rested her head in Fluttershy’s lap while the yellow pegasus gently stroked strands of her wild rainbow mane out of her face. Rarity and Applejack exchanged idle barbs; Applejack snorted and gestured at Rarity’s large pile of pillows while Rarity turned her nose up at Applejack’s refusal to sit on anything but the ground itself.
Pinkie Pie babbled in Twilight’s ear, but it was apparent that the unicorn was distracted. Her gaze darted from one pair of ponies to the next, her eyebrows lowered, and her mouth turned down into a frown.
Pinkie Pie poked Twilight in the side. “You okay, Twilight?”
Twilight turned to look at the earth pony who cocked her head to the side with a puzzled expression.
She continued before Twilight could respond, “I mean, I thought you’d be really really happy. You planned all this and put it together and I kinda thought that meant that you wanted it to happen.”
Twilight bit her lower lip. “I’m sorry, Pinkie. I’m just kind of thinking.”
Pinkie nuzzled up under Twilight’s chin. “You’re always thinking, silly filly!” When Twilight didn’t reply, Pinkie continued, “What’re you thinking so hard about now? We’re on a date!”
Twilight absent mindedly began rubbing Pinkie’s shoulders; the pink pony sighed in contentment.
“I guess,” Twilight mused, “I’m just wondering how this is even possible.” She gestured a hoof at the rest of their friends. “How are we all going to be in a relationship at the same time? This is ridiculous!”
Pinkie giggled. “I should’ve known. I can explain it to you if you’d like, Sparkle Butt.”
Twilight grinned and buried her face in Pinkie’s voluminous mane. “Oh please do, Professor Pinkie Pie. I await your wisdom with bated breath.”
“What?”
“It’s an expression. I just mean that I’m excited.”
Pinkie laughed. “Why didn’t you just say so?” Pinkie righted herself and pointed to each of their friends in turn. “It’s actually really simple, Twilight, you see we’re all friends, right?” Twilight nodded. “And it was never hard for us all to be friends with each other at the same time was it?”
“But this is-”
Pinkie cut her off with a hoof to the lips. “It’s not different! We’re all still friends! It’s just that now we’re all friends who can do this!” Pinkie planted a big sloppy kiss on Twilight’s cheek.
Twilight couldn’t help the smile that spread the corners of her mouth. “I guess that makes sense.”
Pinkie nodded. “But there’s still something on your mind?” She lowered her eyebrows and stuck out her lower lip.
“Actually,” Twilight’s gaze rested on Applejack and Rarity who were now beating each other with the pillows, “there is. How do we make sure everypony is getting the same amount of love and attention? What if one pony starts feeling left out? What if somepony gets more love than everypony else? Do we make schedules?”
Pinkie grabbed Twilight’s face in her hooves and locked eyes with her. “Twilight. I know you’re a really smart smarty smarticorn, but there’s something that Pinkie Pie knows most of all. And you should trust her on this.” Twilight’s worried frown melted into a small bashful smile. “As long as we all love each other, there’s nothing that we can’t get past.”
“So is it a communication thing? A book I was reading said that relationships are all about communication and-”
Pinkie drew Twilight’s face closer to hers until they were a mere breath apart. Pinkie smiled and planted and small kiss on the tip of Twilight’s nose. Twilight’s breathing became shallower and her heart picked up tempo.
“Everything’s gonna be just fine.”
Twilight leaned forward just enough and their lips met, soft and yielding. Twilight savored Pinkie’s taste and pushed back trying to drown in Pinkie’s sweetness and flavor; Pinkie tumbled over backwards and Twilight followed her.
Rarity held up a dainty hoof, an eyebrow arched high on her brow, and a small smirk gracing the gentle curves of her lips. Applejack paused in her assault and peered over to see what had caught Rarity’s attention.
Applejack snorted. “There they go again. I swear those two go at it at the drop of a hat.”
Rarity chuckled. “I think it’s just darling. Really, Pinkie has brought Twilight so far. I don’t think that the poor dear would have ever considered this arrangement if it hadn’t of been for Pinkie’s gentle encouragement.”
Applejack pushed her hat back with a sly grin. “There ain’t nothing gentle about Pinkie’s brand of ‘encouragement’ and you know it.”
“True true.”
Applejack looked around at the mess they had made with the pillows, and winced when she noticed that one of them had feathers bursting out of a tear in its seam. She set about gathering them up.
“Shoot. I’m mighty sorry, Rarity. I didn’t mean to tear up your pillows.”
Rarity tutted, “Oh Applejack, darling, don’t you worry about it at all! I’m perfectly capable of fixing a small rip like this.” Rarity grabbed a small pouch with her magic and drew out a needle and thread. She grabbed the pillow and made short, deft stitches.
“And besides,” she continued with a smirk, “when you apologize it makes our tiffs much less fun.”
Applejack finished stacking the pillows and began dusting them off. “I know. I know. I just get a mite worried that these little scuffles will become real problems if I’m not honest about it.”
Rarity sidled up to Applejack and gave her a gentle nuzzle on her cheek. “I think we’ll probably know if one of our ‘scuffles’ take a turn for the worst.” She met Applejack’s clear green eyes with her own bright blue ones. “And then Fluttershy will get upset and Rainbow Dash will yell at us and Pinkie will throw us a ‘Making Up Party’ while Twilight lectures us on how best to go about reconciling our differences.”
Applejack cracked a grin. “Sounds about right now doesn’t it?” She raised a single eyebrow. “Although, I think you and I both know what the best way to settle a fight is.”
Rarity shivered as Applejack dragged her tongue slowly up the unicorn’s cheek.
Applejack whispered right in Rarity’s ear, “You wanna join em on the blanket or…?”
Rarity wrapped her forelegs around Applejack’s neck. “On the pillows if you please. I’d prefer not to get any dirtier than I have to.”
Applejack wrenched the unicorn off her hindlegs and twirled around, landing the two of them on the top of the pillow pile, locking lips before they tumbled off the side of the pile and back onto the ground.
Rainbow Dash cracked open an eye and peered around at the two unicorn and earth pony piles. She cocked an eyebrow up at Fluttershy.
“Gotta love their enthusiasm.”
Fluttershy smiled, one of those small smiles that exuded pure happiness and seemed to have a direct line to Rainbow Dash’s heart. She filled with a certain kind of warmth that spread outwards into her limbs, making her wings tingle slightly.
Fluttershy continued stroking at Rainbow Dash’s mane. “I’m just glad that everypony is happy.”
Rainbow Dash flipped around so that she was on her stomach instead of her back, looking right up into Fluttershy’s eyes. “Hey.” Her eyes darted to the ground and then back up to Fluttershy. “Thanks for agreeing to do this.”
Fluttershy nodded. “It’s no problem. Not at all. I know that you liked Pinkie too. And Applejack. And that small thing with Rarity…”
Rainbow Dash leaned up to plant a slow kiss on Fluttershy’s mouth. When she drew away, Fluttershy’s cheeks were flushed. Rainbow Dash loved it when that happened.
Rainbow Dash stood up and stretched her limbs in turn. “I love them, yeah.” She flashed Fluttershy a bright grin. “But not more than you.” She gave Fluttershy a quick nuzzle. “I love you all the same.” She flapped her wings and tossed her mane. “You all are just the right kinda ponies for me. You know what I mean?”
Fluttershy paused, and then nodded slowly. “I think so.”
Rainbow Dash gestured to Twilight and Pinkie Pie who were rolling around, playfully nipping each other and squealing. “What do you say we grab us some ponies and make us a big old pile?”
Fluttershy grinned. Rainbow Dash loved it when she grinned that way, it was slightly mischievous with a glint of naughtiness that Rainbow Dash liked to claim as her influence on the shier pegasus.
With just a few moments to devise a plan, the two pegasi barreled over and yanked Applejack and Rarity apart. The grunts of disappointment were short lived as they made a crash landing right on top of Twilight and Pinkie.
Twilight looked utterly mortified as did Rarity. But Pinkie Pie locked gazes with Rainbow Dash who nodded once, and let loose a squeal of joy. It didn’t take long for Pinkie to show Applejack what the new plan was. And it didn’t take long for the rest of the ponies to get the hint either.
Applejack was distracted, and Apple Bloom couldn’t blame her. Her big sister was trying to get things in order before her big day, but she was constantly being distracted by some brightly colored flank or another. Really, Apple Bloom felt a little sorry for her big sis if not incredibly amused to see the stoic, strong willed earth pony so constantly tongue tied and jelly legged. Heck, she could understand why it’d be a little hard to deal with five other ponies up and coming on their wedding day, and such ponies as them didn’t make things any easier.
Apple Bloom couldn’t stop grinning at the thought of all six of those ponies together, and she felt a certain glee at each memory of her big sis flustered or overwhelmed as she was relentlessly tag teamed. And now AJ just stared out at the orchard with a serious expression, and Apple Bloom was perfectly content to wait there until she broke down and let Apple Bloom know just what she’d called her out for.
Apple Bloom peeked over and felt a little giddy at the reminder that she was almost as tall as her big sister now; she’d shot up after she’d earned her cutie mark, and she felt a certain pride that she was slowly becoming as strong and sturdy as her big sister. When she had been younger, she’d never fancied that she’d ever come close to that solidity that Applejack just exuded in her very aura, that sense that she could weather anything without flinching and that she would never fail you no matter how hard the task. Apple Bloom had always admired her older sister’s strength of will.
And now she was emulating that as best she could. Sure, she was Apple Bloom, and Apple Bloom would never be Applejack, but she was a member of the Apple Family and that stood for something much larger than other ponies may have known. Apple Bloom would be reliable and dependable, and she would make good on the trust that other ponies placed on her. She would make Applejack and the rest of her family proud.
Applejack glanced over to smile softly at her little sister. “You finally got rid of that bow of yours?”
Apple Bloom nodded, her copious scarlet curls bobbing in her eyes, barely restrained by a small pink hair tie. “I did. I figured it’s about time I looked like a head of the family instead of some little filly rooting around for cutie marks.”
They both grinned at that, and Applejack sighed. “Things sure are different now, Apple Bloom. More complicated too.”
Apple Bloom nodded. “Sure are.”
“Not worse,” she clarified, “but definitely more complicated.”
They lapsed into silence again. Apple Bloom knew that AJ would get to her point eventually; this was her emulating Big Macintosh she figured, getting all quiet and contemplative while choosing her words. Apple Bloom had a mild epiphany that Applejack must’ve looked up to Big Mac as much as she herself looked up to AJ. She wondered who Big Mac had looked up to, and when that train of thought turned a little painful, she wondered who’d look up to her. She had no answer for that on either.
Applejack spoke again, staring out at the apple trees as far as the eye could see, “I’m leaving for a while. A long while, and that means that somepony else has got to be in charge.”
Apple Bloom nodded, she had assumed. “I figure Big Macintosh’ll do the farm good.”
Applejack chuckled. “I’m not talking about Big Macintosh.”
Apple Bloom stared; her mouth might’ve been open just a little bit too. “Granny Smith?”
Applejack shook her head with a grin. “Granny Smith doesn’t want to run the farm! She’s tired of all this nonsense. And Big Mac sure don’t like taking the lead. He’s much happier with the apples and the figures. I’m talking about you, Bloom.” Apple Bloom felt an odd mixture of pride and nausea and excitement. Her tail whisked back and forth behind her, and she fought the desire to dance on her hooves and holler a bit. She stood straight and tall, like Applejack.
“You want me to run the farm while you’re gone?” she couldn’t keep the tremor from her voice as she said it.
Applejack nodded. “I know you’ve got a lot of carpentering to do, and I understand if you want to say no and go do that instead. But I know you’d do the farm right, and I want to give you the chance to take the job if you want to.”
Apple Bloom couldn’t help herself from grinning. “Oh I’d be mighty glad to do it, AJ! Mighty glad!”
Next thing she knew Applejack had plopped her old Stetson on Apple Bloom’s head. “Well looky there: it fits. Now I know you’re right for the job.”
“Your hat?” Apple Bloom frowned. “What makes you think I want your silly old hat?”
Applejack grinned and nudged Apple Bloom with her flank. “It’s not my hat, Bloom, it’s the pony who’s running the farm’s hat. It was Momma’s hat, and her momma’s hat, and now it’s your hat. Least until I come back for it.”
Apple Bloom closed her eyes and felt the gentle weight settling over her ears, and she decided it felt right. A subtle reminder of the legacy she was striving to uphold, a symbol of respect in the Apple Family. Her hat.
She grabbed Applejack and in a hug, and she was a little startled to feel tears running down her cheeks. “I’m gonna miss you, Applejack.”
She didn’t feel wetness where Applejack’s face touched her neck. Applejack didn’t cry, that’d just be ridiculous. “I’m so proud of you, Bloom. We’re all real proud of you.”
And in that moment Apple Bloom could feel it, the strength of the Apple Family behind her and at her hooves. She could feel the pride of her family settling over her like a warm blanket. And most importantly she could feel the trust of her big sis like a calloused hoof on her back.
Everypony else objected to having it in Ponyville. Wasn’t Canterlot a much better place for the Elements of Harmony, saviors of Equestria, led by the protégé of the Princess herself to be wed? It could have been a spectacle with feasts and toasts and festivals, and the noble and elite upper class could lavish compliments on the blushing brides to be.
It was almost insulting how quickly the entire group declined.
But Celestia took all the complaints in stride, smiling—or rather beaming—and tut tutting at the little ponies before her. “Who can tell brides what to do on the happiest day of their lives? Surely you wouldn’t take that from them, would you?”
And then they were silenced. For the time being. They only grumbled amongst themselves now and then, but still they sent presents and their best regards to the small town in the countryside.
As for the Elements themselves, they were resplendent. Each one carried themselves with as much a spring in their step as Pinkie did normally, and Pinkie carried herself with an even bigger spring and a wiggle of her hips. Even Applejack and Rainbow Dash were too happy to find it in themselves to complain about the endless dress fittings at Rarity’s where she would purposefully pull the measuring tape a little too tight or kiss them in a slightly compromising area while pinning a pattern together.
Twilight grinned from ear to ear as she worked side by side with Rarity and Pinkie Pie setting up the decorations in the city hall. She kept them on task, for the most part, exempting for the time or two that Pinkie decided they really needed a break, and she was really too much for Twilight to refuse.
Pinkie also worked with Applejack in the kitchen; Applejack had insisted on catering the whole affair themselves, Pinkie Pie was all too happy to oblige, and the others couldn’t find it in themselves to argue. Rarity stage whispered to Twilight that Applejack was feeling the onset of jitters and just needed something to do with her hooves to settle her down. A well tossed apple or two chased them out the door, giggling.
Rainbow Dash was often being chased out of many of the set up activities, and she moped about it for an entire day before Twilight explained that she would be in charge of making sure the weather was wonderful for their big day. When this didn’t soothe her, Fluttershy suggested Rainbow Dash consider trying a Sonic Rainboom with a partner, and then Rainbow Dash was perfectly happy the rest of the week.
Twilight wrote the invitations with Spike. He was often on the verge of tears whenever he looked at Twilight, and she felt a twinge of sympathy as she remembered how hard it had been when Shining Armor had been married. She made sure to give him lots of affection to make up for lost time, and maybe even time she wouldn’t be around as much. Twilight had been worried about how marrying Rarity would affect him, but he seemed very much happy for them all and insisted that he had realized how shallow his boyhood crush had been. Twilight gave him a nuzzle every time she remembered, and he seemed all too happy to accept them.
Invitations went out to all corners of Equestria as each girl invited her family and their closest friends. Well, except Applejack who deigned not to invite the whole clan but just a few of the closest cousins and uncles and aunts who she was fond of. The Apple Family opened their barn doors for the reception; however, and was not stingy in the least when it came to providing the food and drink.
The day of, ponies streamed in from Canterlot and Las Pegasus and Appleloosa, all wearing fine dresses and suits and ties, dressed up to the nines and some already tearing up into their hoofkerchiefs. They filed in and sat in cramped quarters, none begrudging their neighbors the space in which to sit. The hall filled with pleasant chatter and happy tears as friends and family talked about how excited they were for them and how much they had meant to them all.
Spike clambered up onto the risers, tapping a claw against a microphone, and clearing his throat. All the babbling ceased, and all eyes drifted towards the still small dragon in his tuxedo and top hot. Not a pony failed to notice the redness of his eyes or the hoofkerchief he blotted against his face, but not a soul held it against him.
He spoke and his voice hitched a little, “Welcome everypony. I’d like to extend a formal thank you for attending this most wonderful celebration of love and community. I don’t have a lot to say, but I just wanted to mention that each of these beautiful ponies means the world to me, and I am so happy to be here today and see them get the happiness they deserve.”
He returned the mic to its stand, and scampered back over to stand in his place of honor as the Best Dragon.
Princess Celestia smiled brilliantly and trotted forward to grab the microphone for herself. “Thank you Spike. And now we’re ready to begin.”
The rest of the service was a blur of color and sound and bliss, as the Elements of Harmony trotted up the aisle in pairs, each in a magnificent gown, and stood together at the altar. They all missed their cue to speak as each of them smiled at each other and nuzzled one another and Pinkie Pie whispered things into Rainbow Dash’s ear that made her grin wickedly at Twilight. Applejack had tried to pay attention and to remain a stoic example, but even she cracked a grin when Fluttershy hid behind her wing as if that would stop the giggles from coming.
Rainbow Dash was the first to cry when Fluttershy gave her speech. Pinkie Pie crumbled when Twilight spoke about what each of them meant to each other. And Applejack, well she didn’t last long after Pinkie buried her face in the earth pony’s shoulder.
Finally their vows were exchanged, and they each kissed each other in a mass of confusion and passion that both amused and slightly embarrassed their audience. And then they all ran to Sweet Apple Acres to party harder than any pony could remember partying before.
But when the six of them piled into the chariot that would whisk them away to their honeymoon, Spike offered them a small wrapped present tied up with twine.
“I don’t know when you’ll be coming back to Ponyville,” he began, trying his hardest not to cry again, “but that’s for you. To help remember I guess.”
Each pony gave him a kiss on the cheek and promised to keep in touch, and as they flew away they gathered around Twilight who unwrapped the gift with frustrating patience.
It was a scrapbook. Put together solely by Spike, and detailing their journey as both friends and lovers. And at the end was a message, blotted with now dry tears:
Rarity woke with the sun streaming in through sheer curtains, and she took pains to extricate herself from the haphazard pile of ponies she had been sleeping in. She slipped out from under Rainbow Dash’s wing, wiggled her hindquarters out of Pinkie’s grip, and tip toed over Fluttershy, making sure to step only in spaces not occupied by pony.
She trotted silently to the balcony and gazed out over the beautiful city below. She watched the sun keep rising higher in the horizon, and she thought back over the last few months and how they better suited a dream or some kind of extravagant fantasy than real life, but she wouldn’t have traded a moment for the world.
Nights of passion cruising across the ocean, adventures to ruins in the jungles of the Amarezon, trips into the great cloud cities of the griffons. They had seen civilizations of dragons and moose and even the fair folk, all curious and willing to share with The Elements of Harmony and Equestria’s unofficial ambassadors as they took the time to travel and enjoy each other’s company.
Maybe there were those who thought that they were taking far too much time for their honeymoon. Maybe they thought that The Elements of Harmony had better things to do than to romp around the world for a hundred days. But Rarity couldn’t think of a single thing more important than the mares still sleeping inside.
She was more than content. She was fulfilled.
She jolted when a snout nuzzled her side, and she turned to see a tussled-maned Applejack grinning at her, holding a cup of warm coffee in her mouth. Rarity accepted it gratefully, and turned back to enjoy the sights with the warm press of Applejack making her heart flutter all over again. They didn’t say anything. Rarity wasn’t much of a morning pony, despite her tendencies to be one of the earliest to rise, and she wasn’t much for conversation until she’d had enough time to wake up. Applejack always rose with the dawn, claiming old habits die hard, but she was more than happy to oblige Rarity in her morning silence. She figured there wasn’t much to say yet anyway.
Fluttershy didn’t mind getting the occasional hoof in her side, but after Rainbow Dash kicked her for the third time in so many minutes, she just couldn’t go back to sleep again. She rolled over just enough to give Rainbow Dash’s hooves the space they wanted to twitch in, and stared at the ponies still sleeping peacefully, tangled together in a heap. Rainbow Dash rested her head against Pinkie’s flank, her mouth parted slightly, and all four of her hooves jolting every so often. Fluttershy almost giggled at the thought that her brave wife might be fighting a manticore or some other creature in her sleep.
Pinkie had found herself without somepony to hold, and whimpered softly as her expression turned sorrowful and her hooves reached out for somepony to latch onto. Fluttershy moved to comfort her Pinkie Pie, but Twilight flipped over and pulled Pinkie to her chest, stroking her hoof through Pinkie’s voluminous mane. Pinkie settled down immediately, a small smile stretching her cheeks, and Fluttershy breathed a small sigh of relief. Pinkie could get so lonely at night; she had such terrible nightmares, and without a word the rest of them had decided to keep her from them as best as they could.
Fluttershy’s eyes drifted back to Rainbow Dash who had settled down considerably in the last few minutes. She almost looked peaceful, serene. She looked so unthreatening, and although Fluttershy would never say it to her face, she looked vulnerable. It was so different from how she acted around other ponies, she was such a softy these days for her girls. Fluttershy nuzzled her face into Rainbow Dash’s stomach gently, stroking a gentle hoof through her wild, multicolored mane. Fluttershy couldn’t imagine a better life.
Twilight wasn’t really awake. She was barely aware of any of the sensations around her, exempting the draft that meant that Rarity was up with Applejack again. She heard the soft whimper of Pinkie Pie, and moved to cuddle next to her plush sweetheart, settling her down again and hopefully sending her back to her good dreams. She smiled sleepily as she nuzzled her face into Pinkie’s cheek and felt Rainbow Dash’s tail brush the tip of her hoof. She could smell each and every one of her beautiful mares in the sheets, and she loved each scent.
She closed her eyes again and let her mind wander back into the haze of sleep. She could think of their travel schedule later, and keep all of her crazy ponies on task when they went to visit another dignitary. But for now all she had to do was to enjoy the warmth of the bodies beside her, and she wouldn’t give that up for anything.
