//------------------------------// // Day 26: Wedding Bells // Story: Changeling Trust // by Nightmare Rift //------------------------------// Styx’s POV: Well that wasn’t what I was expecting. “Mare of honor? Pinkie! Do you know how hard you are going to be freaking out later today when you realize what that entails?” “Yes, I am okay with that. So Pinkie Promise to be my mare of honor?” “Fine. Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye. There, you happy now? Even though Cheese Sandwich is still deathly afraid of me?” “Yes, I know in time that Cheese will warm up to you once he sees how nice and normal you are.” “Pinkie, I’m not normal, so stop pretending I am. Nopony understands what you do. Nopony understands that I am just like everypony else, I just look different. Now you should go get ready, and so should I.” I leave without another word, leaving Pinkie to stare as I walk away. I put on my new dress that Rarity made for me, it was the one I asked her to make for formal events, but it isn’t as elegant as a dress for the Grand Galloping Gala would be. Black, with sky blue at the end of it, flowing, but not poofy. So here I am, waiting in a back room with Pinkie and all of the girls except Twilight. Each bridesmare was to be walked down the aisle by the groomsponies that Cheese Sandwich chose or together if Cheese Sandwich didn’t have enough to cover all of the other bearers. So, four, plus the best stallion to walk me down, if I agreed to it. For a best stallion Cheese Sandwich chose a navy blue stallion with yellow gold eyes named Royal Pin. I decided to agree, just to humor Pinkie. Although the size difference between him and I is a sight to see, as if walking an unreformed Changeling down the aisle isn’t enough. The poor stallion is scared out his wits, so I cast a small calming spell on him to make him seem more relaxed during this piece of the wedding. The groomsponies I have no idea who are, nor do I particularly care. The wedding begins, Royal Pin and I will be the last to walk down before Pinkie Pie. As the rest of the bearers make their way down, I feel Pinkie tense up behind me. “Pinkie what’s wrong?” “What if they don’t like you being in my wedding? What if this whole wedding is a party catastrophe!?” “Pinkie.” No reaction, her breathing still heavy. “Pinkie! Take a deep breath and relax. I don’t care what anypony thinks of me being in your wedding, nor should you. You asked me to be in it because you are my friend.” “Your right. Now go out there and do what you are meant to do!” It is indeed my turn to walk out with Royal Pin. I link my hoof with his and we proceed to walk down the aisle. An extravagant little area, Pinkie chose one of Apple family’s orchards, the one with the most vibrant red apples. The altar is made of simple white oak wood. However, the most impressive thing is Cheese Sandwich’s tux that perfectly matches Pinkie’s dress. Courtesy of Rarity, Pinkie’s dress is similar to her last gala dress, but in white with tiny yellow accents. The Cutie Mark Crusaders and Mystel were flower girls, and Orla got to be the ring bearer. Pinkie’s family didn’t want to come to the wedding so the Cake family stood in as her surrogate family. Mr. Cake got to be the one to walk Pinkie down the aisle. He wouldn’t admit to it, but he thinks Cheese Sandwich is perfect for Pinkie. The looks I receive from the ponies gathered are mostly ones of fear, mixed with anger, mixed with disgust. I ignore all of them as we reach the end of the aisle, next out come the flower girls, and just behind them is Pinkie and Mr. Cake. I hear Cheese Sandwich take a sharp inhale of breath and slowly let it out. As Pinkie reaches the end, she gives me her bouquet, and turns to face her soon to be husband. I zone out for the duration of the vows as I don’t want to hear them. I assume they are whatever the usual pony vows are, as I have never been to a wedding up until this point. Crystal Empire/Changeling vows are quite short, about 5 short sentences, and don’t have a whole lot of meaning behind them. As soon as I hear cheers from everypony else I briefly join in, and then we get to go eat. Wedding receptions are really boring, especially when you are the unreformed Changeling in the room. Mystel and Orla have it easier since they are reformed, so they are welcomed easily. The toasts and speeches can not come soon enough, because then I can leave. I hear Pinkie starting the toast and speeches, being the mare of honor I get to speak first after the happy couple. Pinkie talks about all of her friends and how they supported her, and also about the Cake family being the best family ever. Cheese Sandwich talks about how they met and how they were meant to be. Cheers come after both speeches from the assembled ponies. My turn finally comes, “Cheese Sandwich, you really are a lucky stallion, one worthy of Pinkie Pie. Being one of her friends, I wish you two the happiest marriage and hope that you two will be prosperous for the rest of your lives.” My speech gets no cheers, except from the other bearers and anypony that knows me and has welcomed me back into society, so much less deafening. I snarl, hiss, and disappear in a flash, not wishing to hear anymore of the wedding. Pinkie’s POV: As Styx disappears in a flash of swamp colored green, I turn to Royal Pin to have him finish up the speeches. I don’t listen, as all I can think about is how angry and hurt Styx is, still not being treated like somepony normal. After Royal Pin finishes and the cheers settle down, I address all of the ponies present, “Now everypony, I know today is a happy occasion, but the truth must be said. What is wrong with all of you!?” Cheese tries to get me to calm down, but I shrug him off and continue, “Styx is just like all of you. Trying to live her life as normally as possible and you just refuse to try to get to know her before you judge her. She is no different than when we knew her as Night Crystal, she just looks different. So as you continue on your days, try to get to know her, because right now, you are all making her feel excluded. Nopony likes that, so I need all of you to Pinkie Promise me right now you will try to get to know her better!” All of the ponies gathered, except the Cake family, Apple family, and Mystel and Orla, do the Pinkie Promise under my watchful eye. As my wedding ends, I hope that for Styx’s sake that they do get to know her, before it is too late.