Celestia was sick.
More precisely, she was sick of being a princess.
She loved her job, and every responsibility that came with it. Raising the sun was the hottest daily duty in Equestria. Literally. Holding court during the day and being able to help ponies who needed assistance was both rewarding and enjoyable. Not to mention being called upon to attend every party and host every famous event, where she could sample every type of delicious food in the entire country. For free.
Wha made Celestia sick was that it was never-ending. A constant, persistent, unflagging sea of responsibilities. And every time she thought she was just about to sail through it, her boat sank.
She rolled over in her bed, her feathery alabaster wings curling beneath her back, and sighed. The sky outside her window was dark and still dotted with glimmering stars, but centuries of experience told her that it would very shortly be time to raise the sun.
Then it would be time to eat breakfast, and then to hold Morning Court, and then to eat lunch, and then to hold Afternoon Court, and then to eat dinner, and then to hold Evening Court, and then to lower the sun, frantically try to complete some paperwork, and stumble blearily back to her bed.
Just like all the days before today.
At that thought, some part of Celestia finally snapped. No. No, I deserve a break just like anypony else. I refuse to continue this pattern of endless responsibility. I SHALL NOT SUCCUMB!
A tiny smile curled Celestia's lips and she sat up in her bed, clutching her blankets with her hooves. Wow. It felt really, really good to be a rebel. She giggled with a glee that she hadn't felt since Twilight and her friends had completely ruined the Grand Galloping Gala and fell back on her pillow, delighting in her childishness.
Right. She wanted a break, and she was going to get one. But how could she do so without throwing the kingdom into total chaos? Because, of course, if her loyal subjects saw their princess taking a day off they would naturally feel justified in doing the same, and that could end in nothing but disaster.
Celestia's mind flashed back to her childhood, and she grinned wickedly. When her sister Luna was young, she used to try to shirk her duties by pretending to have contracted a deadly disease. Naturally, Celestia had been forced to adopt Luna's responsibilities as well as her own...
... And now seemed as good a time for revenge as any.
Princess Celestia grinned to herself as she hatched her plan, settling beneath the blankets and using magic to redden her cheeks and create bags under her eyes. When she didn't show up to raise the sun, Luna would come to her bedchambers to check on her and she could pretend to be sick. Then Luna would have to take on Celestia's duties for the day and Celestia herself could enjoy an entire twenty-four hours of blessed peace.
She sighed with bliss at the thought and rested her head on her fluffy pillow embroidered with bananas (long story). Now all she needed to do was lie in wait for her sister.
She didn't have to wait long. Princess Luna burst through the bedroom door only a few minutes later, her midnight blue wings unfurled and her mane and tail streaming behind her. "SISTER! WHY DOST THOU SLUMBER STILL? IT IS TIME FOR THEE TO RAISE THE SUN! WE HAVE BEEN GROWING WORRIED!"
Celestia chuckled, amused. "Luna, you're not holding Night Court anymore. You can drop the voice."
"Oh. Right." Luna's imposing posture suddenly slackened somewhat and she tucked her wings against her ruffled coat. "But, Tia, it is time for you to raise the sun. What's been keeping you?"
Suddenly remembering that she was supposed to be sick, Celestia screwed up her muzzle and sniffled pathetically, allowing herself to give a weak cough. "Luna, I'm afraid I've taken ill," she whispered hoarsely, dramatically tossing her mane out of her eyes.
The alicorn dashed to her sister's side and anxiously pressed a hoof to her forehead. "Oh dear, you're burning up."
Celestia had to suppress a sort of laughter. Evidently, her magic was working just fine - she looked genuinely ill. "Yes," she sighed, flattening her ears against her head in a display of mock sadness. "I'm afraid I won't be able to perform my royal duties today, nor raise the sun."
Luna saw what was required of her at once. "Fear not," she said grandly. "We - I - shall perform your tasks with the utmost capability."
"Thank you, my sister." Celestia used her hoof to stifle another fake cough. "I am indebted to you."
Smiling tenderly, Luna bent her neck and nuzzled her sister's forehead, love shining in her eyes. "Don't worry about it, Tia. Just get well soon." With that she trotted back out of the room, pausing once at the doorway to wave farewell before gently closing the mahogany doors behind her.
Celestia finally let loose the evil cackle that she had been suppressing all this while. Victory was hers. Now it was time for the next stage of her plan: fun.
***
Outside the door, Luna, too, indulged in a fit of hearty laughter. Did Tia honestly think she wouldn't recognize the 'symptoms' of a fake illness? As one who had had many such illnesses before, she was now a master at identifying them.
Still, she decided to let her sister have her fun. Celestia definitely deserved a break.
"Guard," she called as she strode down the hallway, addressing the armor-clad pony posted at its end.
The stallion snapped to attention at once, raising his head and stamping his hoof against the ground. "Your Highness?"
"My sister will be remaining in her bedchambers for the rest of the day. Please see to it that she is not disturbed." Without waiting for a response, she continued past him, her eyes twinkling. Today was shaping up to be interesting.
***
Today was definitely not shaping up to be interesting.
Celestia was bored out of her mind. It had been exactly five hours, thirty-one minutes, and twenty-seven seconds since she'd carried out her clever plan, and since then she had exhausted every single attraction that her bedroom had to offer (which was, in fact, very hard to do, as her bedroom was palatial and contained every form of entertainment from a library to a mini bowling alley).
Feeling like a petulant foal - and rather enjoying it - Celestia stamped her hoof in disgust and plopped down on her bed, staring idly out of the window at the hazy contours of Ponyville in the distance. At least Luna was doing a capable job of running the kingdom; she hadn't been asked to come and settle a single petty dispute all day.
She debated popping in to see Twilight and her friends but felt far too lazy to leave her bedroom, and gave up the idea...
Wait. Twilight. Celestia's eyes lit up as the name of her student reminded her of something else she could do.
She could organize.
Feeling a rush of enthusiasm, Celestia got to her hooves and surveyed her bedroom with a critical eye. Holy Me. This place really needs some organization.
Yes, why not? Twilight had expounded at length to her on the benefits of organization many times, but Celestia had always been too busy to try it. Now, however, she had nothing to do and an abundance of nervous energy.
Perfect for organizing.
Celestia's eyes traveled over every inch of her bedroom, and she suddenly realized how untidy it was. Her books were strewn all over the floor, her kitchen walls were splotched with stains and streaks of unidentifiable substances, and her desk was covered with heaps of disorganized papers. She felt appalled that she had existed in these conditions for so long without even noticing.
So her next activity was to be organizing, then. But where to start; where to start...
Celestia's gaze fell on the drawers of her bedside table and she shrugged mentally. Why not? Preparing herself determinedly to give her room a much-needed makeover, and filled with what Twilight often labeled the 'Urge to Purge', she used her magic to open the first drawer...
And stopped short.
For there, sitting neatly in the very back of the drawer, sat a stack of wrinkled sheets of paper, all of which were covered with a scratchy, loopy script and bore signatures from a pony that Celestia hadn't seen in a year.
Rainbow Dash.
Celestia's breath hitched. She reached a hoof into the drawer and gently pulled the papers towards her, breathing in their faintly musty scent. Oh, she hadn't thought about these for a long, long time...
A few years ago, a group of wonderful ponies from Ponyville had entered Celestia's life, thanks to her student, Twilight Sparkle. Applejack, who was honest and down-to-earth and possessed the biggest heart you could ever find. Rarity, whose wit and creativity lent itself to every aspect of her life. Fluttershy, whose kindness and sympathy were hard to find anywhere else in Ponyville. Pinkie Pie, who was the funniest and most popular pony in town thanks to her jokes and delicious cupcakes.
And Rainbow Dash, whose loyalty and determination were unmatched by anypony else.
In fact, Rainbow Dash had seemed something of an enigma to Celestia when she'd first met her. The blue pegasus scoffed at anything that was 'uncool', yet she wasn't scared to cry or read or go to the spa with her friends. She had such big dreams, yet she always put her friends first.
Naturally, Celestia had been intrigued. What was Rainbow Dash really like, beneath her tough exterior? So, one day, she'd taken Rainbow quietly aside and asked her to start writing her letters, just like Twilight did. Not about friendship lessons, or anything in particular, really; Rainbow could write whatever she liked. Celestia's plan had been to amass enough of these letters not just to get to know Rainbow Dash, but also to be able to understand the more contradictory aspects of her personality. And, of course, Rainbow had not been at liberty to refuse, since she'd been asked by a princess.
Now, staring down at the first of these letters, which was from exactly three years ago, Celestia's eyes shone with memories. Feeling her heartbeat quicken with excitement, she settled down on the floor, tucked her hind legs beneath her, and began to read.
Dear Princess Celestia:
Sooooooo. This is kinda awkward. I don't know what to talk about. I'm not really much for writing letters. That's Twilight's thing.
But you probably knew that anyway.
Well, what exactly do you want to know? I could tell you about my super-cool new flight trick. Or I could tell you about the awesome picnic I had with all of my friends yesterday. Pinkie baked these amazing chocolate cupcakes. I think I ate five. Ooooh, and I tried out for the Wonderbolts! I'm totally gonna get in. But, um, just in case, do you think I could play the 'I'm personal friends with the Princess' card to make sure they accept me?
Okay, ummmmmm... what's life like at the palace? What's it like raising the sun? And, you know, being a princess?
Sorry, but I'm getting really bored. Also embarrassed. I think I'm going to go now. Rainbow Dash, over and out.
Okay, Twilight says 'over and out' isn't a polite way to end a formal letter. I guess I should listen to her, just this once (but I'm not going to make a habit of it!)
Until next time? I guess?
Signed,
Rainbow Dash
Celestia smiled and set the letter aside, doing her best to smooth out the crinkles engrained in the paper as she recalled the note she had sent in reply, which had evidently set Rainbow at ease: the next letter had contained a detailed description of Rainbow's latest flight routines. Her eyes flicked over the next few letters. A short poem entitled 'The Mysterious Awesome Mare' - well, who could that possibly be? - another explanation (with diagrams and all!) of some complicated flight pattern, and a short note asking how Rainbow should address a princess, to which Celestia had sent a response that requested that Rainbow simply call her 'Celestia'.
That request had, apparently, taken more than a little getting used to, as evidenced by the fourth letter.
Dear Princess
Oh, horsefeathers. I forgot. Sorry.
Oh, crud, did I just swear in a letter to a princess?
Oh, Sweet Celestia, I just swore again.
Oops. Sorry. It must be kinda weird hearing your name used like that. But dang, it's just so hard to stop saying it.
I just swore again. Okay. I think maybe I should end this letter now so I can go hide in a hole...
Celestia found herself laughing uninhibitedly. It was impossible to explain how refreshing it was to read letters like this, when most of her reading time was spent perusing royal documents and other legal garbage. Wiping tears of mirth from her eyes, she moved on to the next letter. It began with several scratched-out phrases, as though Rainbow hadn't known how to begin writing it, but then, finally:
Dear Celestia:
There's probably something I should tell you. I thought about writing to Cadance... but what if she told Shining Armor? And then he told Twilight? And then she told Pinkie Pie? And then Pinkie Pie told the rest of Equestria?
Yeah, I'm a little bit paranoid. But... this is really important. And I think I'll tell my friends, too, but I just wanted to tell you first. I don't know why. It just felt right.
There's this mare. She's my best friend. She always has been. We hang out together all the time. We like to compete with each other, but I always win.
Okay, not really. She's probably the only pony in Equestria who can kick my butt at just about anything... hehe, sorry. I mean 'rear end'.
But... lately I feel different about her. I don't know how to explain it. I feel a little... sad around her. Like there's something I want that I know I'm never going to get. But I feel happy too. Really happy. In fact, I'm not happy whenever she's not with me. I just want to be with her all day long. Heck, I'm even feeling this weird urge to let her win all of our competitions just to make her happy, which is really freaking me out! And... when I see her eyes, and her freckles, and her mane, and when I hear her adorable accent, I feel like she's the only reason that I get out of bed each morning.
I think I'm in love with Applejack.
Signed,
Rainbow Dash
Celestia's ears pricked as she remembered how she'd felt reading that letter for the first time. First, she'd been amused. It had taken Rainbow far too long to finally realize how much Applejack meant to her - Celestia herself had picked up on it the first time they met. Then again, that might just be due to her Awesome Princess Skills, which sometimes seemed to include mind-reading.
Next, she'd felt... pride. Yes, pride. She was proud to be the ruler of ponies as brave as Rainbow Dash. Admitting love was never easy, especially not to your princess. And last of all, Celestia had experienced a deep sense of...
Rightness. Loyalty and Honesty - the perfect pair, bringing out the best in each other while continuously challenging each other to new heights. The backbone of the Elements, forging bonds of trust and bravery with themselves and with others. Applejack and Rainbow Dash were perfect for each other: they brought a new meaning to the word 'harmony'.
Feeling a rush of excitement and contentment similar to the one she'd felt while reading Rainbow's letter for the first time, Celestia hastily moved on to the next letter, already knowing what it said but eager to read it again anyway; to share once more in the happiness of her most loyal subject.
Dear Celestia:
Okay, I'm definitely in love with Applejack! HELP! What do I do?! I've been stalking her around town WITHOUT EVEN REALIZING IT!!! Literally! I woke up from an afternoon nap in the bush right in front of her apple cart yesterday afternoon! This is getting really weird... and I think everypony else is starting to suspect things. Pinkie Pie looks at me funny every time we all hang out together. Like, funnier than usual. And she can't find out! Because then all of Equestria would know the next day!
But... Applejack doesn't seem to know. She has no idea how crazy she's making me, every time she bucks a tree or wipes her face with her hat or even SPEAKS. Everything she does is. Fricking. Adorable. And I can't hide it anymore!!! I need to do something about this! I'm too awesome to back down from this!
I just... don't know how to start.
Please help me.
Signed,
Rainbow Dash
P.S. Yes, I know I said 'please'. I'm desperate.
Celestia remembered her response to that one as clearly as though she had just written it yesterday.
Dear Rainbow Dash:
Tell her.
Signed,
Celestia.
And she had.
Dear Celestia:
OHMIGOSH OHMIGOSH OHMIGOSH! I told her! I told Applejack! And guess what?
SHE LIKES ME BACK!!
Last night I went to her farm with a bouquet of roses (old-fashioned, I know. Sue me). When she came to the door, I asked her if she wanted to go for a walk. So we went out into her fields, and I took her up to this one hill where we used to hang out a lot as fillies. Then I gave her the roses and told her that I loved her. I basically told her everything I told you...and it was pretty sappy and stuff, but I survived. And then I told her that she didn't have to like me back, I'd understand, but I just wanted to tell her 'cause she was my best friend and I wanted to be as honest with her as I knew she would be with me.
You know what she did when I was done talking?
She kissed me.
She just stepped forward and kissed me. Not a single word. Not a hug or a smile or anything. Just a simple kiss.
I think I was smiling so hard my jaw almost broke. But I kissed her back. After a few minutes she stepped back and said in that amazingly hot accent of hers, "Ya dang fool, why didn't ya say somethin' earlier?"
Turns out she had liked me for years. She was just content to love me from the sidelines. She figured a plain, down-to-earth farmpony had no chance of winning the heart of a flashy, confident, aspiring Wonderbolt.
I told her I had thought that a pegasus with bigger dreams than she could ever hope to achieve had no chance of winning the heart of an honest, clever totally hot Earth Pony.
So this was really all just a big misunderstanding. Go figure.
Well, then we talked a bit more, and kissed a bit more, and then we - you know what? You probably don't want to know, because that's definitely way too much information.
But I guess the real reason I'm writing this is to say... thank you. I don't think I would have told AJ at all unless you'd suggested it. You reminded me that ponies as awesome as I am shouldn't be afraid to share their love. In fact, nopony should be.
Signed,
Rainbow Dash
Celestia released a shaky sigh and swiped at her eyes. Nope, she definitely wasn't crying.
All of a sudden, the bedroom door swung open, and Luna trotted in. "My sister, how are you feeling?"
Celestia yelped and dove back into her bed faster than she had ever moved in her life. "Sick," she croaked, hastily tucking her forelegs beneath the covers and adopting a bored expression, as though she hadn't left the bed all day.
Luna smiled to herself; Tia was such a horrible faker. "I see," she said gravely. "Well, perhaps I could bring you some medicine? Or some lunch?"
Celestia's mind raced. She didn't want medicine. She just wanted to get back to reading those letters! "Er... no thank you, Luna. I think I'll be alright. I'll make myself some lunch if I feel hungry."
If Celestia had really been ill, Luna would have insisted on bringing the medicine, but this time Luna could tell that her sister was itching to get back to whatever she'd been doing before being interrupted. Heaving a mock sigh of resignation, she cupped her sister's chin with her forehoof for a brief instant before backing out of the room and closing the door softly behind her.
Immediately, Celestia bolted out of her bed and settled on the floor in a patch of warm sunlight that was streaming through the window, dappling the floor with patches of golden light. Tucking her wings around her, she picked up the next letter and began to read, her eyes fixated on its scratchy script. All thoughts of organizing had long been forgotten.
Dear Celestia:
Well, I did it. I asked Applejack out on a date.
So first I was thinking we could do dinner in my cloud house, but then I remembered, duh, Applejack can't fly. Then I decided to make reservations at a restaurant in Ponyville. And I figured that afterward we could go stargazing and talk and do other romantic stuff.
As soon as I got to her house, it started to rain.
I was totally bummed. I may or may not have flung myself to the ground and started bawling.
But then Applejack grabbed my hoof and looked into my eyes and gave me a kiss and... and then I realized that just being there with her was enough for me.
So she brought me inside the farmhouse and we ate a good old-fashioned Sweet Apple Acres dinner, with pie and fritters to boot. And after dinner, we watched the storm from her room window. It was totally gloomy and dull outside, and we were basically stuck inside the house because it was so stormy.
I think it was the best night of my life.
Signed,
Rainbow Dash
Celestia's eyes crinkled as she smiled. Applejack seemed to be teaching Rainbow Dash some very important lessons. Her smile widened as she pictured the warm, honest, good-natured face of the mare who had stolen Rainbow's heart. They really were perfect for each other. Moisture glistened suspiciously in her eyes as she set the paper aside and moved on to the next letter (what? Princesses like to see their subjects get their happy endings).
Dear Celestia:
I GOT MY LETTER FROM THE WONDERBOLTS TODAY! THEY WANT ME TO BE A WONDERBOLT! SQUEEEEEEE!
Spitfire wrote it herself. She said she was super impressed by my 'death-defying displays of aerial flexibility', my 'determination and team spirit', and my 'absolute amazing awesomeness'. Okay, I made that last one up. But still! SPITFIRE WANTS ME TO BE A WONDERBOLT!!!!! I just have to write back and tell her I'm in, and then, well, I'm in!
I'll make sure to send you a ticket to my first show. I mean, if you wanna come. You don't have to. Don't feel pressured. I know you have a lot of other princess stuff to be doing. But, well, it would be super cool if you were there. My friends will be there, and I know they'd all love to see you. Especially Twilight.
I'M GONNA BE A WONDERBOLT!!!
Signed,
Rainbow Dash
P.S. Applejack says hello, and also is wondering if you could give her some more sunlight over her West Orchard because -and I quote - "Alexander, Avery, Ada, and Adam are needin' some more sunlight". I think those are her apple trees or something?
Ow! She just hit me.
Celestia's smile, which had grown as she read the letter, faded somewhat as she remembered the letter that had arrived a week later...
Dear Celestia:
I'm... not going to be a Wonderbolt.
I sent the letter yesterday. Spitfire will have received it by now.
Did I do the right thing?
I'm really, really scared right now. I just gave up my life's dream. Everything I've ever worked for. But I think I'm happy. Because... well, after I got the letter asking me to join, I realized something.
I realized that joining the Wonderbolts meant leaving Ponyville for six to ten months at a time to tour Equestria, with only a few short breaks in between. And in those breaks I would be trailed by security, and I'd have to stay at a hotel close to the Wonderbolts in case they needed me at the last minute. I'd only be allowed to go back to Ponyville for a few days a year. I'd never see Fluttershy, or Twilight, or Pinkie Pie, or Rarity.
Or Applejack.
I'd never wake up and see her sleeping next to me with her mane tumbling across my shoulders and breathe in that cinnamon-and-apples scent that always surrounds her. I'd never take a nap in her trees again. I'd never race her, our tails running over each other's backs as we both fight to win. I'd never watch the stars with her at nighttime, our breaths frosting in the air as we lie on the grass with not even a little bit of empty space between our bodies. I'd never watch those green eyes of hers light up in pleasure as I swoop in for a kiss.
So I declined the Wonderbolts. Yes, I'm terrified. But... I'm happy. And I'm not going to take back this decision.
Because I realized that everything I need to make me happy is right here in front of me.
Signed,
Rainbow Dash
Celestia sniffled and swiped at her eyes. Goodness, she was getting so sentimental. Also, it was rather remarkable how poetic Rainbow could be when she needed to.
Her response to that letter had been warm and full of pride: Celestia was immensely pleased that Rainbow Dash had learned one of the most important lessons that life had to offer - a lesson that not many ponies had the opportunity to learn. She'd assured Rainbow that she had done the right thing... in some very flattering terms.
Well, hey. Flattery never hurt anypony. Least of all Rainbow Dash.
That had been the last letter of import for a while. After that, the letters had arrived less and less often: first every two weeks, then every month, then every two months. Celestia had expected that, but that didn't mean she had to be happy about it.
Still, Rainbow wrote whenever she had a chance (which really meant whenever she remembered, which wasn't very often). She told Celestia about her sixth Running of the Leaves, in which she and Applejack had managed to make it through without a single tussle. Well, almost. She told her about Pinkie Pie's latest resolution to bake a cake as big as Ponyville. She told her about Applejack's futile endeavors to teach her to bake. She told her about her guest appearance during one of the Wonderbolt tours - she'd finally managed to live her dream, if only for a short while. She told her about her decision to finally move in with Applejack's family, after months of being begged by Applejack to do so (although, somehow, Celestia suspected that it had really been the other way around). She told her about how she'd adopted Scootaloo as her little sister, giving the little filly a home and a family, just like she'd always wanted.
As for the last letter that Celestia had received, it had been an invitation.
An invitation to a wedding. Rainbow's wedding.
And holy horsefeathers, what a wedding it had been.
Celestia's eyes unfocused as she stared into the distance, recalling the joyous day on which she'd been lucky enough to see two of her most faithful subjects married...
She and Luna had both been invited, as guests of honor. The wedding had taken place at Sweet Apple Acres - the place where Applejack and Rainbow Dash had first confessed their love for each other. Applejack, to her fury, had not been allowed to assist in the wedding decorations at all, since all of her friends had insisted that both of the brides-to-be were not allowed to do anything except relax before their wedding. Rainbow Dash was more than happy with this pronouncement. Applejack, on the other hand, had been steaming with annoyance (not to mention worry. She didn't like entrusting the care of her beloved farmhouse to somepony else, not even for her own wedding).
Still, Rainbow had eventually convinced her fiancée to leave the decorations to Pinkie Pie. And Celestia could testify that Pinkie had done a fabulous job, as always. She still vividly remembered the white garlands and streamers (and orange and blue balloons) that had been draped over every fencepost and wall. Pinkie had also somehow constructed a special gazebo from scratch, where the wedding vows where to be held, up on the hill where Rainbow Dash and Applejack were fond of watching the sunset together. Pinkie even ensured that every guest had a 'party favors' bag and that various fun surprises where placed around the venue at various intervals (because no wedding could be fun without Whoopee Cushions on a few of the chairs, right?)
Yes, Sweet Apple Acres had looked marvelous. But Applejack and Rainbow Dash had looked even better.
Celestia felt tears well in her eyes as she remembered how proud and happy Applejack had looked as she walked towards the wedding gazebo followed by the Cutie Mark Crusaders acting as flower fillies, escorted by a sniffling Big Mac and resplendent in the white gown that had been designed by Rarity. Applejack had initially been furious that Rarity had stuffed her into a dress while allowing Rainbow Dash to escape with no more than a suit and top hat, but the end result had been spectacular. Applejack's dress was stunningly white and gave the illusion of having feathers (this had been intentional: Rarity had been frantically trying to mesh Earth pony and Pegasus in her clothing designs, and this had been the only way she could think of to do it). However, she'd been allowed to wear one of her trademark cowpony hats - albeit with a rose tucked into its brim - and Rarity had even designed a special pair of boots for the occasion, shiny leather with an apple embroidered near the top of each one.
Rainbow Dash's getup was the polar opposite of Applejack's. She had worn a black tuxedo with a rose (Applejack's favorite flower) tucked into its chest pocket. She also wore a black top hat. This was actually due to an Earth pony custom: at weddings, the bride and groom both wore a hat which they later tossed into the audience. The two ponies who caught the hats would be next in line to fall in love with each other, or so it was said. The only reason that Rainbow had consented to wear the hat was that she knew Applejack would appreciate it.
Fluttershy was the closest thing that Rainbow had to a sister, so she'd stood at Rainbow's side throughout the entire ceremony, calming the blue pegasus down whenever she was attacked by a bout of nervous fidgeting. It was pegasus tradition for the pony who had proposed to their loved one to have one of their siblings next to them at their wedding. Fluttershy, in fact, was the one who had handed the pair their wedding bands after Twilight, who had proudly presided over the ceremony, had finished reading the vows.
Wedding bands were an Earth pony custom. Once you put them on, you were never supposed to take them off unless you absolutely had to - a sign of commitment and trust, two typical Earth pony traits. Pegasi had a similar custom: They presented their partner with a single one of their wing feathers, which were then pressed onto a wedding band just like the Earth ponies'. Sadly, Applejack didn't have wings, so Rarity, who had designed the bands, had come up with a compromise.
She'd taken one of Rainbow's feathers and used her magic to seal it onto Applejack's band, and she'd taken a strand of Applejack's golden mane and sealed it onto Rainbow's band. That way the two of them could always have a part of each other close by, no matter what happened.
Celestia had watched with tears in her eyes as Rainbow had shyly presented Applejack with her feathery wedding band and Applejack had done the same. And even Luna had been distinctly crying as the two pulled each other close and sealed their long future together with a slow and passionate kiss on the lips, balloons, confetti, and little pieces of chocolate raining down on them from above (one of Pinkie's little surprises, no doubt). They hadn't been the only ones crying: Twilight had been wiping her eyes with a handkerchief, Rarity had been full-out bawling, and Big Mac and Applebloom had been hugging each other tightly, happy tears coursing down their cheeks. Granny Smith had grabbed Pinkie in a tight embrace and was using her mane as a tissue. In fact, most of the audience had been in tears... partially because there hadn't actually been a wedding between an Earth pony and a pegasus in centuries. Both tribes had a history of keeping to themselves. So this wedding was quite a momentous occasion.
After exchanging wedding bands, the newlywed couple had stood at the entrance to the gazebo, smiling from ear to ear and wrapping their hooves around each other's backs, and had taken off their hats. With a roguish grin, Applejack had tossed her cowpony hat directly onto Rarity's head as Rainbow threw her top hat to Fluttershy. The two of them had clearly planned that beforehand. Celestia hadn't been able to resist letting out a chuckle as Rarity and Fluttershy stared at each other embarrassedly, blushing and pawing the ground but looking more pleased than either of them would have cared to admit.
Next, family and friends had swarmed around the couple to congratulate them. Applebloom and Scootaloo were first, flinging themselves onto their respective sisters and cheering. Big Mac was next, picking his sister up and swinging her in the air as she gave a whoop of surprise, her flaxen mane swinging around her shoulders. He then carefully set her down and gave his new sister-in-law a tight hug that looked like it had almost broken her wings. Granny Smith and the rest of the Apple family had followed, mingling with Rainbow Dash's family as they all fought to congratulate the pair first. Celestia, as she joined the crowd of well wishers, had been struck by the number of ponies who had showed up. It had looked as though the entire Apple family were there, and there had been a sizable number of Dash's relatives as well. Nearly everypony in Ponyville had also been invited; Celestia had even caught a brief glimpse of Time Turner and Derpy, the former looking quite dashing in a bow tie and fez. Most of her attention, however, had been captured by Applejack and Rainbow Dash themselves: she hadn't been able to help admiring the love and warmth that shone in Applejack's eyes whenever she looked at her new wife, and the fierce pride that shone in Rainbow's whenever she looked at hers.
After the round of congratulations, it was time to start the party. Applejack and Rainbow Dash's friends had set up a huge rectangular table in a clearing in one of the apple orchards, at which all of the wedding guests were seated. Rainbow and Applejack themselves had been placed at the head of the table, and Celestia had been placed three seats to the left of Rainbow. Dinner had been served as soon as everypony was seated.
Celestia licked her lips at the memory of that dinner, feeling herself drooling against her will. Pinkie Pie and the Apples - and Spike, who had developed a flair for cooking in the past few years - had collaborated to produce what had surely been one of the most delicious meals in the history of Equestria. Salads, soups, sandwiches, breads, fritters, pies, fritters, turnovers, and even an enormous cake carved in the likeness of a Zap Apple. Pinkie Pie had also thought to include some pegasus delicacies, such as Toasted Cloudcake. Much to Celestia's amusement, not a single morsel of food had remained by the end of the meal. Those Earth ponies ate everypony under the table. And drank everypony under the table, too. Applejack herself had brewed the cider that was featured at the wedding, and it had proven to be immensely popular.
After dinner, the party had continued well into the evening. Celestia and Luna had both been immensely pleased to not be the center of attention, for once: nopony had eyes for anypony else but Applejack and Rainbow Dash. One of the most entertaining aspects of the evening was the Couple Contest. This, Rainbow had explained to the crowd, was a popular pegasus custom. After getting married, the newlyweds would have a flying contest, zipping through the sky as fast as they could as they chased each other to the finish line. This was supposed to symbolize how partners should follow each other for the rest of their lives. Since Applejack didn't have wings, the two of them had decided to have a little wrestling match instead.
After extensive promises to Rarity that they wouldn't ruin their outfits too much, the two of them had begun their tussle, surrounded by a crowd of cheering ponies. Luna, to Celestia's amusement, had been greatly caught up in the excitement and had even started calling out suggestions. Both of them had had some great moves, but Celestia's favorite part was when Applejack had used her tail to thwap Rainbow across the face as a distraction so that she could tackle her to the ground. In the end, both had been too well-matched to declare a winner, and had to reluctantly agree on a tie.
Shortly after the wrestling match the sun had set, and lanterns and candles had flickered to life around Sweet Apple Acres. At this point Applejack and Rainbow Dash were called upon by their guests to give a speech, as was tradition at most weddings in Equestria.
Celestia had expected Rainbow's speech to be short and full of humor. But she had quickly been proven wrong.
Rainbow told of how she had met Applejack as a filly, and of how their friendship had grown and matured as the two of them had grown and matured. How she eventually realized that her best friend had stolen her heart. How she told her that she loved her, and how she had been the happiest mare alive when Applejack had kissed her for the first time. How she had woken up in bed next to Applejack every day for a year before finally realizing that she wanted to marry her. How she'd worked up the courage to propose, feeling so scared she thought she was going to throw up. How Applejack had thrown her hooves around her and said 'yes' before she had even finished speaking.
And then it was Applejack's turn. She spoke of how she loved Dash for years, watching her fly every chance she got and letting her nap in her trees because even just the sight of that polychromatic tail dangling lazily from the branches made her heart pound. How she'd almost cried with happiness when Dash had told her she loved her. How she'd breathed in the tingly, electric scent of Dash's mane as she kissed her for the first time and felt that the final piece of the puzzle of her life had just fallen into place. How content she felt every time the first thing she saw in the morning was Rainbow's muzzle, an inch away from her eyes. How she hadn't even needed to hesitate when Dash had asked for her hoof in marriage.
They'd both been beautiful speeches, full of love and warmth and honesty and pride. Luna refused to admit it, but Celestia was certain that she'd seen her crying.
The final event of the evening, after the speeches, was one that was very popular at all Earth pony weddings: dancing. Rainbow Dash told Celestia later that evening that after proposing to Applejack, she had suffered through countless hours of dancing practice with Rarity, knowing that she was going to have to dance at her wedding. Still, watching Rainbow and Applejack waltz smoothly around inside the circle of admiring onlookers, Celestia had been certain that the many hours of torture had been worth it. Rainbow had looked more graceful than she ever had in her life as she swung Applejack around, her hoof movements precise and flowing, her eyes shining with happiness as she held her wife's hooves. Applejack, of course, was a pro at dancing - in fact, the whole Apple family seemed to be musically inclined: the dance music had been provided by a group of five Apple family members who had brought their instruments to the wedding.
After the first dance, other couples were free to join in. Fluttershy had shyly asked Rarity if she wanted to dance; her request had been met with a squeal of enthusiasm and a fervent embrace. The Cutie Mark Crusaders had danced together, bouncing up and down and squealing with glee, occasionally accompanied by Spike. Pinkie Pie had danced on her own, but the energy she was exuding almost made it seem as though she had ten other dance partners. Even Twilight had tried to dance, spasming violently and shaking her head back and forth with her eyes shut. Celestia had almost been embarrassed for her. Her poor student really needed to get out more.
The waltz had then very quickly morphed into some kind of fast-paced music that Celestia thought vaguely resembled a line dance. The Apple family had let out a collective whoop of excitement as the tempo of the music quickened. The pegasi had mainly been confused, but had decided to be good sports and try their hoof at this new kind of dancing.
Applejack, being one of the brides, had led the dance. She had cantered down the aisle formed by the two rows of ponies, backed by a chorus of claps and hollers from her relatives, her jade eyes glittering with excitement. Upon reaching the far end, she grabbed the last pony on the left, who happened to be Rainbow Dash, and swung her around by her hooves before taking her own place at the end of the line. Then the pony who was standing next to Applejack trotted down the aisle in the opposite direction and danced with the pony on the other end. This pattern continued as the pace of the music sped up further; the object of the dance seemed to be to make each of your successive trips down the aisle a little bit more complicated than the last by adding fancy dance moves. Celestia watched as Applejack danced with Big Mac, then with Twilight, then with Rarity, then with one of her Apple family cousins, her hooves moving so fast they were little more than blurs of movement, her efforts earning a roaring round of applause from her relatives. Even Celestia got into the swing of things, consenting to take a turn with her sister down the aisle.
By the end of the dance, even the pegasi, who had initially been awkward and unused to dancing, were flushed and full of laughter. There had been a joint call for one final round of dancing, and Applejack herself had been called to play the fiddle. Apparently she was something of a legend among the Apple family due to her musical talent, and Celestia was told by a fiercely proud Rainbow Dash that Applejack had been able to fiddle from the age of three. Slinging her hat low over her eyes, as she always did when she was embarrassed, Applejack accepted the fiddle proffered to her by one of her relatives and began to play.
Celestia wasn't ashamed to admit it. She had been completely, utterly dumbstruck.
Applejack really did possess a unique talent: she could express her emotions through her music. The smile on her face was echoed in the vibrant, lively strains of the fiddle as it sang out beneath the starry sky. The love that shone in her eyes was the same love with which her hooves grasped the bow that roved so skillfully over the fiddle's strings. As the other ponies danced, Celestia could do nothing else but watch, Applejack's music reminding her of all of the joy and warmth and love that she had felt in her thousand-year reign.
Then, all of a sudden, the wedding was over. Applejack had received a thunderous round of applause, nopony clapping louder and longer then Rainbow Dash. Then the guests had slowly started to trickle away, wanting to leave the newlywed couple alone on their wedding night. And as Celestia herself had left the couple alone to enjoy the happiest night of their lives, she had felt that all was right with the world.
That wedding had been a year ago.
Celestia's eyes refocused as a sudden pain of acute sadness jolted her out of her reverie. She has not heard one word from Rainbow Dash since then, and had been far too busy herself to take time out of her schedule to visit Ponyville. How was married life? Were the two of them even still together? They loved each other so much that Celestia couldn't picture them splitting, but still, now she would never know. And, as anypony could tell you, it is not a happy day when the princess of Equestria discovers something that she doesn't know. More than that, she genuinely missed Rainbow's friendship; reading her letters had been an activity to look forward to after a long day of tedious duties.
Sighing, she slid the pile of letters back in its drawer and got reluctantly to her hooves, ruffling her wings and stamping her sore hooves. It was time to return to her organizing.
And then...
Princess Luna barged in, her crown askew and her wings spread. Celestia saw no point in concealing her deceit any longer; she didn't have enough time to hop back into bed anyway. "Yes, I was never really sick," she said grumpily. "I was faking it the whole time so I could have some time off and I made you take over my duties for absolutely no reason at all."
Luna blinked. "What? Oh, Tia, I knew that the whole time. That's not why I'm here. You... you have a letter. From Ponyville." She handed Celestia a creamy envelope, her eyes fixated on her sister's face.
Celestia's breath hitched; was this from who she thought it was? She accepted the letter with shaking hooves and slit it open.
A photograph tumbled out, swinging like a pendulum as it fell until it slowly settled to the floor. Celestia picked it up and gasped.
Applejack, looking exhausted but proud, mane loose and tumbling around her shoulders, curled up on her wife's chest in a hospital bed, her eyes weary and pained but nevertheless full of joy. Rainbow Dash next to her, an arm and a wing around her as she stared down at her with love shining in her magenta eyes. And between them, resting contentedly on Applejack's stomach and staring directly at the camera...
A little filly. She had an orange coat, freckles, and piercing green eyes like Applejack's, with the same hint of boldness in them as Rainbow's. The tiny foal had Rainbow's mane, but with a extra streak of color: platinum blonde.
So that was why Rainbow Dash hadn't written in so long.
Celestia turned the picture over, Luna peering curiously over her shoulder. Yesterday's date was scrawled in the top right-hand corner. Large, scratchy handwriting in of the middle of the paper read simply, 'Signed, Rainbow Dash'. Underneath that Applejack had signed her own name in firm, steady handwriting. And beneath that: 'and our little Wonder!'
Celestia smiled, her eyes moist. Another new subject in her realm. Yes, she was a wonder indeed. And not just to her parents, but to the whole of Equestria... for with parents like that, there was no question that she would grow up to do great things. Knowing her parents, she would grow up to be kind and honest and loyal and stubborn and cocky and confident and wonderful, just plain wonderful.
"Welcome, little filly," Celestia murmured, her eyes still glistening with tears. "You're in good hooves."
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