Sweet Apple Acres, 7 p.m., March 13th, six months after the Conformity incident
The ceremony had gone off mostly as planned.
Admittedly, Twilight Sparkle breaking down in sobs halfway through the vows hadn't exactly been part of the plan, but Spike and Apple Bloom had accounted for the possibility. Spike knew his sister and her reactions to weddings, after all. The same thing happening to Rarity, on the other hand, had been provided for from the word go - her pregnancy had had some side effects, mood swings being one of them.
Princess Luna had guided the young couple through the ceremony. Her sister had gladly given that responsibility to her - the groom was Celestia's son, or something close to it, and she'd wanted to enjoy the wedding without the added duty of presiding over it. Seeing the Sun Princess next to Twilight, with a literally dazzling smile on her face even as a few tears made their way down her cheeks, had made Spike stumble over one or two of his vows, yet nopony batted an eye.
Now the young husband was sitting on a bench at Sweet Apple Acres, drinking in the beautiful spring evening. Spike had excused himself for a moment, and not even Apple Bloom begrudged him this moment for himself. It had been a very busy day, and it was far from over.
"It's a beautiful night, isn't it?"
The quiet voice made Spike turn his head. Princess Luna was gazing up at the sky only a few steps away.
"The best night ever." Spike smiled.
"If you don't mind me asking, where do you think you'll go from here?" The Moon Princess looked at the young dragon, and he saw the depths of time in her eyes, suddenly reminded of how old she was.
"What do you mean?" Spike asked, uncertain. "I love Apple Bloom with all my heart, what else is there?"
"Love is a great power indeed, but there is one who rivals it for power and persistence."
Spike stared at Luna for a moment, then the answer came to him. "Time."
"You are a dragon. A pony's lifetime is barely more than a blink of an eye to you. Whether it happens in forty or sixty years, eventually your wife will pass on, and you will be left behind." The words were harsh, but Luna's tone robbed them of their sting. "What shall you do then, Spike?"
"I don't know." He fixed her with a stare that would have done Fluttershy proud. "I've been thinking about this a lot, Luna. I know I'll outlive her. And I think I can live with that. I've found the love of my life, and I could bear the thought of losing her only if I knew that I'd done all I can to make her happy. So that's what I'll do, from now until the end of my life or hers."
"You really do your Element proud, Spike." Luna smiled, and Spike felt as if a weight had been lifted from both of them. "And you show wisdom beyond your years. Indeed, that is the only way to live among those who do not share your longevity."
"Wait." Spike raised a hand. "Was this some kind of test, then?"
"In a way, yes." The princess lowered her head. "I apologize for bringing this up, but I know from bitter experience how these things can play out. I wished to make sure your marriage would not end in bitterness, and now I am certain that it won't."
"I'll do my very best." Spike grinned and made his way back to the party.
***
Ponyville General Hospital, six months later, 3 p.m.
"Spike and Apple Bloom?" The young couple looked up at that. A young unicorn doctor stood in the waiting room door. "Your results have come in at last."
Spike tensed up. "And what do they say?"
The doctor smiled. "We've run the samples through every test we have, and a few new ones for good measure. All of them indicate the same thing. Despite your differences, you are in fact biologically compatible."
It took a moment for that to sink in. When it did, Spike and Apple Bloom stared at each other, grins spreading across their faces. "Does that mean what I think it means?" she asked.
"It does," the doctor replied. "You have the same chance of having children as two ponies your age."
They barely made it out of the hospital, erupting in cheers on the street, drawing some funny looks from passers-by. Apple Bloom threw her forelegs around Spike in a crushing hug. "I was so scared."
"Me too." Abruptly Spike's happiness evaporated. "So what happens now?"
Apple Bloom blinked. "What do you mean?"
"Well, we can have foals, or hatchlings, or whatever, but AB..." He hesitated.
"You don't want any?" She looked at him in alarm.
"I do!" he hastily replied. "I really do, a few years down the line, but not today or tomorrow, or next year."
Understanding dawned on Apple Bloom's face, and she smiled. "You can be really dense sometimes, you know that? I'm not even of age yet, Spike. We have all the time in the world." The smile became a grin. "Besides, married or not, Applejack would probably give me a pretty good ticking-off if I got pregnant now."
Spike breathed out in relief and returned the grin. "Can you imagine Twilight's lecture if I told her I was going to be a father at my age?"
"Sure can. And we'll have our hooves and hands full as Aunt Apple Bloom and Uncle Spike anyway." She gave a mock frown. "My brother is really making up for lost time, isn't he?"
Spike gaped at her. "Huh? What does Big Macintosh have to do with anything? I thought you were talking about Rarity and Fancy Pants' foal."
Apple Bloom looked confused for a moment. "But - oh, right, you were already on your way to the library this morning when AJ brought the news." Her lips curled into a wide smile. "Fluttershy is pregnant. Two and a half months along."
"Oh dear Celestia, you know what that means?" Spike stared at his wife with exaggerated horror. "Another wedding is coming our way!"
***
The pink alicorn mare that was observing them through a little gap between universes smiled as Spike and Apple Bloom made their way back home. They are so incredibly happy.
A second voice, an unsteady coltish tenor, answered from somewhere behind her. There will be tears. Pain. Anger. Sorrow.
Harmony's smile widened. Of course there will be. Those are part of life, but so are smiles, pleasure, peace and happiness. Those two will find the right balance.
They better should. Their responsibilities as Elements are far from over. The green alicorn colt stepped next to Harmony, blinked once, then he smiled as well. But I do believe you are right, sister.