//------------------------------// // The Promise // Story: The Ring Bearer // by misskoifishpony //------------------------------// “And just one...more...pin. And...yes! Perfect! Oh darling, you look simply beautiful!” Rarity sweetly proclaimed as she finished fixing Fluttershy’s mane, and taking a step back to see the completed sight of her work. Fluttershy was wearing a wedding dress that almost looked like it was comprised solely of bouquets of baby’s breaths. While the dress was white and fitting around her chest and to the middle of her torso, the rest of it was fluffy, poofy, and had many layers that consisted of paper thing fabric. Each layer of the dress was made out of fabric baby’s breath flowers all over, even the detail of the flower’s stem was included into each layer of the dress. It was like Fluttershy was a walking beautifully arranged flower arrangement made of silk, something that you could truly only see in coutre. Though, this really was no surprise with Rarity’s taste after all. Fluttershy’s hair was pulled into an elegant, naturally loosened bun with light purple and light blue baby breath flowers pinned all over it. The blue baby breaths signifying the blue item needed for a lucky wedding ceremony. Fluttershy wore her mother’s golden but dainty sunflower necklace as a sign for something old. She borrowed Rarity’s white ballet shoes as a sign of something borrowed; Rarity even hid a bit into the heel of the ballet shoes to give the bride some extra luck. And Fluttershy wore a simple but dainty golden chain bracket gifted by her brother, as a sign of something new. It was the first thing he bought with his money as a newly successful hairdresser in Canterlot. In her clutch of her bent foreleg, Fluttershy was holding a lovely bouquet of lavender. “Oh Rarity,” Fluttershy remarked in awe, “you made me look like a fairy tale princess.” “Oh darling, I made you look even better than a princess. No offense to Twilight, or Princess Celestia, or Princess Luna, or Princess Cadence. But I made you look like a regal, oh what was that your future husband to be called it,...oh yes! A Duchess of Chaos!” Meanwhile, as Fluttershy and Rarity giggle among themselves, on the other side of Fluttershy’s bedroom where this whole wedding prep was taking place, Angel Bunny was sitting on Fluttershy’s bed with a pout. He was wearing a cute black tux that Rarity had made specifically for him, with a light blue and purple bow tie and a white baby breath in his jacket pocket. Next to him on the bed was a fluffy, white, homemade, flower embroidered pillow that had the two weddings rings placed in its center. Angel Bunny rolled his eyes and took his narrowed gaze away from the two mares gushing about this day. Angel Bunny hated to admit but...he did it. That dumb draconequus did it. Not only did Discord, somehow, miraculously made his Fluttershy fall in love with him; but, that stupid draconequus was able to convince his caretaker to actually marry him. MARRY HIM. As Angel Bunny stared out Fluttershy’s bedroom window, looking down at the wedding ceremony set up in the garden and Discord standing nervously at the altar in his ridiculously colorful tux, the rabbit hated to think that he had officially lost. He had officially lost to Discord. Angel Bunny let out a defeated sigh and rubbed his face in slight frustration. “Alright Angel,” Rarity called out to the bunny. Angel emotionlessly turned his attention to Rarity, and the white unicorn continued with, “it’s time to meet up with Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo and prepare for the start of this special day.” Then, Rarity directed her gaze to Fluttershy and told her that, “As for you darling, your parents and your brother are waiting just outside this door for you.” “Actually Rarity,” Fluttershy replied, “could you tell them to just give us a minute? Angel and I need some alone time before the wedding starts.” “Of course Fluttershy,” Rarity happily agreed with a soft smile, “anything for the Duchess of Chaos on her big day.” Fluttershy and Rarity both chuckled lightly together before Rarity exited out of her friend’s bedroom. While, Fluttershy turned her attention towards Angel on the bed. His little paws were crossed against his chest, and he was purposely not looking towards her way. “Angel,” Fluttershy softly yet motherly called out to him as she walked towards him. But this call didn’t make Angel persuade his gaze towards her. It only made him want to ignore her even more. Fluttershy kneeled before Angel, letting her eyes fall upon his eye level. “I know that today has been hard on you, and...I’m sorry that today has been hard.” Angel still didn’t squeak a word, and still kept his eyes away from hers. Despite this, Fluttershy continued like any good caretaker/mother/friend would, “And I know that you never approved of Discord and I being together. Which is why, I’m thankful that you still allowed me to be his friend. That you still allowed me to be happy with him. That you still allowed me to fall in love with him. That you still allowed me to say yes to his proposal. Oh sure, you two still had your squabbles with each other, but...you never made any attempt to make him less desirable in my eyes, did you?” Angel shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly, and still keeping his eyes away from her gaze. Fluttershy sweetly chuckled in her throat before stating, “Because of this, I owe you a promise Angel. A big promise. A promise that can never be broken.” This soft proclamation made Angel’s ears perk up, to un-cross his paws from his chest, and turn his attention back to Fluttershy. His eyes widened when he saw Fluttershy offering her open hooves to him with a gentle smile on her face, her teal eyes just beaming with gentle joy. Angel couldn’t help but place his tiny white paws in her hooves. “From this day forth, I Fluttershy, promise you, my sweet Angel, to always be there for you as you have been for me. When I had no friends, you were my friend. Therefore, I will always be your best friend. When I had no children, you were my first. Therefore, no matter how many foals I have in the future, you will always be my first child and the child that all my foals will look up to for guidance. When I was afraid, you taught me to be brave. Therefore, whenever you are afraid for my sake or for your own sake, I promise to be to help remind you to be your brave bunny self. I promise you that, no matter how busy our lives will get, I will always have you involved. I want you to be there Angel. I want you to be there for the big moments. That’s why I wanted you to be my ring bearer. I wanted you to carry the symbol of my future straight forward down that aisle. And I know that you can do that without any fear.” Fluttershy tightened her grip slightly on Angel’s paws, the little bunny still lingering on every word she spoke. “I will promise this and more IF...you promise me something.” Fluttershy paused, and brought her eyes down her hooves where they were holding Angel’s paws. “Will you...will you promise me that you’ll want to be involved? Will you promise me, for as long as life can allow you, to be stay by my side? Will you promise me to be the best big brother you can be for my foals? Will you promise me to give Discord a smile even when he doesn’t deserve it? Will you promise me to be brave, not just for me, but for yourself? Will you promise me to remind yourself to love who you are no matter how much attention I give to Discord, my future foals, my friends, and to the other animals?” Fluttershy looked up, and her heart immediately broke but still filled with joy when she saw her precious Angel smile at her, nod his head weakly, and his beady eyes filled with tears. She reassured him with a soft look in her gaze, closed her eyes, and brought her forehead to rest lightly on his. Then, Fluttershy whispered, trying to hold in her tears, “I’m so proud of you.” Just then, their moment was interrupted by a knock. Before Fluttershy released her grip on Angel, she asked him with a strong smile, “Ready?” Angel Bunny nodded back firmly with a smile, tears still in his eyes. Fluttershy gradually let her hooves fall away from Angel and gracefully went to the door. As she opened it, and greeted her parents and her brother with a great big grin, Angel watched her from afar happily but sadly. As he wiped away his tears, the bunny figured if he can still be useful to her...if he can still be loved by her...with all things considered, then he can live with a dummy like Discord for the rest of his days.