//------------------------------//
// Side by Side 
// Story: Feathers Are in Style 
// by Void Chicken 
//------------------------------//

Rainbow Dash felt the grass tickling the edges of her hooves. On her left stood her father, and Scootaloo on her right. Across the row of seats beside her, she could see the mare she was due to marry. Rarity's father and little sister were at her sides. The entire seating area formed a triangle, narrowing to four seats at its point, the center two of which were occupied by Rainbow's and Rarity's mothers, who were excitedly discussing something Rainbow couldn't make out. Just ahead of them, the altar awaited.

Ahead, Princess Twilight Sparkle walked to the altar, along with the couple's attendants. On Rainbow's side, Fluttershy and Applejack. On Rarity's, Pinkie Pie and Spike. Above, the morning sky was empty and the winds were calm.

Scootaloo spoke up. "Rainbow, what if I drop the ring?"

Rainbow gave Scootaloo a noogie. "You won't, squirt. I trust you."

Twilight loudly cleared her throat. "Are you ready to begin our final rehearsal before the ceremony this afternoon?"

"Ready!" Rainbow heard Rarity say across the seats, with similar noises from her father and Sweetie Belle.

"Woo!" Rainbow's mother cheered.

"All set!" Scootaloo yelled.

"Let's go!" Rainbow added.

Her dad sniffled. "My little filly's growing up."

Rainbow rolled her eyes. Then in her head, she saw herself in the perfect dress that she had picked out. Its white body started at the center of her back and hung down to just below her belly, then extended backwards to cover her rump, though it had a slot to fit her tail through. Golden laurels under her wings provided a bit of color. Then two strips of white fabric would cross at the front of her torso and attach to the main segment of the dress. Another pair of gold laurels would sit ahead of her ears, leaving just enough room for her engagement earring. And of course her veil would hang in front of her face.

She imagined Rarity in whatever elaborate outfit she'd have made for herself, then told herself that the real thing would be better than anything she'd be able to come up with.

Twilight announced, "First, the ring bearers will come up to the altar. Then once the music starts, the brides will march forward."

"You got this, squirt," Rainbow told Scootaloo.

Scootaloo nodded, then walked forward. Between her outstretched wings lay a soft pillow, with the wooden wedding ring on top. The real thing was safe in one of the hotel's storerooms, waiting to be presented that afternoon.

At the altar, Fluttershy turned to the birds perched atop the archway. Rainbow couldn't hear her at that distance, but she assumed Fluttershy was counting them off. Scootaloo was a third of the way up when the march started. Rainbow and her father walked forward. Rainbow knew she was supposed to keep her eyes ahead, but she couldn't resist sneaking a peek. To her right across the empty seats, Rarity and her father marched along. Ahead of them, Sweetie Belle walked forward levitating a pillow.

Scootaloo inserted herself in line between Fluttershy and Applejack. Sweetie Belle seated herself between Pinkie Pie and Spike. As the tune ended, Rainbow Dash and Rarity reached the altar and their fathers filled the two remaining empty seats in the front row.

Rainbow smiled at Rarity and Rarity smiled back. The ocean waves crashed against the cliff below.

Twilight consulted a book hovering ahead of her. "Once you arrive, I will explain that we've gathered here to witness your union. I will then explain to you both your duties as a married couples, and the importance of your vows. Then, I will ask Rainbow if she takes Rarity as her wife."

"Heck yeah I do!" Rainbow answered.

Rarity's smile faltered. "I hope you will be a little more formal for our actual wedding."

"No promises, babe."

Twilight cleared her throat and continued, "Then I will ask Rarity the same."

Rarity put on a soft smile and looked Rainbow in the eyes. "I do."

"Then, Rainbow first, you will read the vows that you have written and given to me." Two small cards levitated out of Twilight's book before she returned them. A memory flashed through Rainbow's mind: a vision of herself, Fluttershy, and piles of crumpled paper.

"Next," Twilight said, "I will ask the ring bearers to come forward, and for you to give them your earrings." The fillies and mares did so. Going to need that back, squirt, Rainbow thought. At least one more time.

"Then Rarity will set her wedding band on Rainbow's left wing." Rarity's magic took a wooden band from Sweetie Belle's. Rainbow opened her wing. The two halves of the band set themselves around the base of the wing and snapped closed. Rainbow imagined it to be fine jewelry. She closed her wing, feeling the sensation of the wood against her body.

A brief breeze jostled her feathers.

"And Rainbow will set her ring on Rarity's horn." Rainbow reached her hoof out to the wooden ring, carefully lifting it from Scootaloo's pillow. Rarity lowered her head and Rainbow set the wooden band around her horn. Rarity raised her head to look Rainbow in the eye again.

"After the band and ring is placed," Twilight continued, "I will ask the audience if they approve of their bond." From the single occupied row of seats, two whoops and a bawl answered. Rainbow snorted, but only a little.

"Finally, I will pronounce you married and say you may kiss."

Rarity and Rainbow both moved forward into their kiss. Rainbow heard Twilight's voice, "You know, you don't have to kiss until the actual ceremony."

The couple separated. "I'm well aware," Rarity said.

Twilight finished, "I would then send you and your fathers down Rarity's aisle, along with my well-wishes."

Rainbow and Rarity walked down her aisle. Both stallions stood and walked at their daughters' sides. The two fillies walked at their tails.

When they reached the end, Rainbow turned to Scootaloo. "Great job, squirt. Do it again just like that."

Scootaloo blushed. "Thanks, Rainbow." She held up the pillow with her earring. Rainbow detached the band around her wing and set it on the pillow before retrieving the earring with Rarity's cutie mark on it and clipping it again to her ear. Next to her, Rarity did the same with Sweetie Belle.

Rainbow heard sobbing on her right. "My Dashie's becoming a mare..."

She opened her wing into her father's side. "Dad, you big crybaby. Save it for the real thing."

The wind blew again, in a gust this time. One of the chairs fell over.

Rainbow snorted. "Hey, what's going on? I told them to give us a calm day today."

"Rainbow, dearie," Rarity said. "It's just a bit of wind. The weather team knows how important today is, and I'm sure they have things under control. We both promised to accept that things might not go exactly to plan, remember?"

Rainbow grumbled under her breath. "Yeah, I remember. But I still don't have to like it."

---

Rainbow and Rarity sat across from each other at the table, each with a plate of lunch ahead of them. Around them, their families, friends, and many of the ponies of Ponyville shared their meals. On one side nearby, the hotel held their supplies and provided temporary lodging. On the other, the archway and triangle of seats foretold their impending wedding.

For her part, Rainbow found trouble finding room in her stomach for food with all the butterflies doing dances inside her. From the look of Rarity's plate, the feeling was mutual.

"How you feeling, babe?" Rainbow ventured.

"It's nothing. I'm just a little nervous. What if Sweetie Belle's magic gives out while she's carrying the band? What if I misspeak my vows? What if you don't like the band I had made, or my dress? I put a week into that dress!"

Rainbow smiled. "Babe, you know that stuff doesn't matter to me. I'll love the band and I'll love your dress, no matter how they look. And Sweetie Belle's real good at magic. She'll hold it just fine."

"I know all that, but I'm having a hard time convincing my anxieties. What can you possibly be nervous about?"

Rainbow looked down. "I'm afraid you might not like my dress."

Rarity laughed. Rainbow's cheeks got warm. She tried to explain: "Like you said, your dress is something you put your heart and soul into creating. Mine is something I found in a shop."

Rarity reached her hoof across the table and Rainbow took it. "And I remember you talking about your troubles picking it out. Didn't it take you nearly a month before you found one you liked?"

"Yeah." Rainbow smiled. "I just hope you'll like it."

"I'm going to love it, Rainbow. I promise." She smiled back.

A powerful gust of wind blew past the two. Several ponies shouted as many tables flipped over, sending meals to the grass. Rainbow instinctively hunkered down and she could see Rarity wince. The wind soon subsided.

"That's it." Rainbow stood and opened her wings.

"Rainbow..."

"No. We are not having that during the ceremony. I am getting some answers."

She took off into the sky, leaving the other ponies below. Her eyes darted around town until she spotted a group of pegasi milling around above the marketplace. Rainbow zoomed over.

Rainbow stopped in midair at the edge of the group. The weatherponies turned to face her.

"Hey, what gives?" Rainbow demanded.

A red pegasus started, "Uh, can we help—?"

"Yeah I don't know if any of you heard, but I'm getting married today and I was told there would be no wind. Now I got tables blowing over and I want an explanation."

A white pegasus hovered her way to the front. "Miss Rainbow Dash." Rainbow knew this one. She was Cirrus Frost, the head of the Fillydelphia weather team. She'd also guaranteed calm weather.

Rainbow scowled at her.

Cirrus went on, "We're investigating some reports of wild weather, but I'm confident we'll have it under control before your wedding."

Rainbow's hoof slowly found her face. "Wild weather? Today?" She looked back up and scanned the horizon.

A mass of dark clouds over the ocean caught her attention. That has to be it. Oh geez that looks bad.

A moment later, a pair of pegasus weather scouts arrived from in the wild weather's direction.

"It's bad," one of them panted. "Real bad. Real big. Real powerful."

Rainbow looked from pony to pony in shock. "But we can deflect it, right?"

The other scout shook his head. "There isn't enough wingpower in Fillydelphia to move that thing."

Rainbow's thoughts whirred in a panic. "How about we break—" More than it'd take it deflect it. "We can ask the unicorns to—" They'd be inexperienced and working against each other, and still not be enough. "Can... can we... put together some kind of..." Not big enough. Not in the time we have.

The bulk of the southeastern horizon was already black.

"This... this can't be happening." She choked up.

"We need to warn the town," Cirrus barked. She pointed among her team. "You and you, cover the west. You, get the commercial district. You, the farm. And Rainbow." Rainbow could see the regret in her eyes. "You should be the one to tell your party."

Rainbow nodded. She had her duty. "Yeah. I'm on it."

She took a breath and flew back to where the ponies were resetting the scattered furniture. She landed in front of her would-be bride and took her forehooves in her own.

Rainbow blinked out her tears and with a wavering voice, told her, "Rarity. I am so, so sorry."

Rarity just looked confused, but there was no time. The edge of the storm had almost reached them.

She flew into the air and raised her voice. "Listen up, everypony! There's a massive storm coming in and we need to get inside right now!"

Sounds of confusion emanated below. The wind picked up.

"I said move it!"

The gusting wind forced Rainbow to land. The sky opened up and rain blew onto her back. She searched for Rarity and pushed her along towards the hotel. "Come on, we gotta get inside."

The ponies crowded through the double doors of the hotel lobby, chased by the stinging rain. Rainbow was the last inside.