//------------------------------// // Matrimony // Story: Even Rainbows Falter // by Pracca //------------------------------// It was a brisk winter morning, and wedding bells were tolling in Canterlot. Their clear and vibrant chorus sprang from their shells, flowing through the streets before being flung from the city entirely. In every direction, the wildlife of Equestria was treated to the brilliant tune from the warm comfort of their dens. It was joyous and peaceful. Serene, even. All of these emotions described were entirely unlike anything a certain cyan pegasus was feeling. Rainbow Dash was always one for the spotlight. Be it in the air performing death-defying stunts, or coming to ground for dashing feats of heroism, all eyes were, as far as she was concerned, best directed towards her. But just once, she wished desperately that they would look anywhere else. She was standing in a grand hall, marble as white as snow and red draperies like the finest wine. Grand windows behind her showed the full glory of the city stretching out beneath the elevated location they had chosen. Streamers and decorations, contributed by the premier party pony of Equestria, Pinkie Pie herself, practically littered every inch of the room not being occupied by a pony. Oh, and there were ponies. There were more ponies than Dash believed she could likely count. Friends, family, admirers, everyone was present; and all their eyes were fixed securely on the pony in the flowing white dress, blushing furiously at the altar. Dash’s ears were folded back as she felt the stares of two hundred onlookers boring through her skin. She could look out into the audience, and see a dozen faces she recognized. A few rows back, Fluttershy and Caramel were seated together; Rarity was further back, discussing something with the strange earth pony Applejack had been hanging around. The orange mare herself was, naturally, Rainbow’s best mare and situated just behind her. There in the front were Twilight’s parents, looking on as proudly as they possibly could. Beside them sat Princess Cadence herself—just what she needed, a princess around to judge her. And naturally, on the opposite side of the front row, in similar seats sat… two empty seats. Dash sighed, feeling a bit defeated for getting her hopes up. Well, I tried, right? She could still hear the ceaseless drone of the band, idling until the ceremony could begin in earnest. Dash supposed she should be happy Pinkie’s cousin was “aw gratus”, or whatever that phrase was, but all she could do was seethe at her now. How much longer could they possibly play? Why couldn’t it just up and be done with? Her eyes scanned the crowd nervously. Up towards the front, on Twilight’s side. Her eyes began to bug out. Lyra was frowning. Why was Lyra frowning? She never frowned. All at once the pegasus began to panic, feeling as if disaster were about to strike. Her chest heaved with every heavy breath, and she began to grind her teeth. This was bad, she couldn’t do this. She had to go. She had to get to safety. Even as her vision darkened around the edges, her panic continued. Then, a voice whispered a single word in her ear: “Socks.” Dash’s ears perked up, and she gave a sideways glanced at the pony whispering to her. Her eyes got a close-up view of a brilliant white luster and a majestic and multi-colored mane, with exotically-shaped eyes complimenting a knowing smile. She was looking at Princess Celestia herself. “W-what?” Rainbow whispered back. “Socks.” Celestia re-affirmed, her smile growing. “When I get nervous talking to crowds, I imagine them all wearing socks. Try it.” Still confused beyond her reckoning, Rainbow Dash focused on the ponies in the audience, the word repeating in her head over and over. Socks… socks… socks… Then, in a click, it happened. She could see it now. Every pony in sight had socks stretching over halfway up their legs. Each and every one of them the brightest neon shades, and striped at that. Even Spike had them. By Celestia, it looked so ridiculous. Dash could hardly restrain her sides from splitting, and managed to subdue herself to a light chuckle. She looked back at Celestia, grinning. “Everypony looks like a total idiot!” Celestia returned the smile and nodded. “Exactly, my little pony. What room could they possibly have to judge you?” She leaned in close, and what she whispered was barely even audible. “I have faith in you, Rainbow Dash. My pupil would not have selected you if she didn’t have complete faith in you, as well. You’re the Element of Loyalty, remember, so take care of her, all right?” Dash struggled to keep her jaw from dropping in terror as she frantically nodded. Celestia gave a distinctly unmarelike laugh as she stood back up, smiling warmly at her subject. “I know you will; now look your best…” A familiar swell of music began, and the doors at the far end of the room were opened wide. Rainbow Dash’s heart nearly leaped up and out of her throat. “…here she comes.” The sounds and the other sights present died away as the pegasus directed her attention to the beautiful mare being led in by her brother. The guards at the doors saluted as she passed, her train being carefully floated mere millimeters from the ground by magic. Her purple hair was tied back into a bun, the single stripe of magenta still blatantly visible. Her dress was… indescribable. Rarity’s masterpiece, to be sure. Dash was never one for fashion, and she wasn’t sure she even knew the words for all the accoutrements hanging off of that dress. She was a bit startled she even knew what accoutrements were. But she certainly wasn’t blind, and she couldn’t tear her eyes away from that mare. Her fiancé—in a few minutes, her wife, was getting closer with every step, and Dash’s heart began to soar higher, and beat faster in correlation. Her mind was a slurry of hastily-recalled memories, desperately trying to recall how she had gotten this far. She could have sworn that just yesterday she and Twilight were having a thoroughly awkward and awful time in Canterlot, trying to sit through a thrice-damned low budget movie and trying to avoid the drunk viewers on every side. Now this? Hard to believe it’s been years… The wedding had been such chaos, from the moment her friends had attempted to plan it. Where would it be? When would it be? Who was invited, who was running it? Were they both supposed to walk down the aisle? Who got the bachelor party? Would Pinkie or Applejack cater? She blinked, lost in the sea of questions, and opened her eyes again. Twilight Sparkle was standing across from her, smiling and staring at her. Rainbow froze, and for a moment she seriously believed her heart had stopped. The world was still silent, and to her right she could see out the corner of her eye; Princess Celestia was talking, going through the rigmarole of a wedding; things to be said, protocol to be followed. Rainbow’s eyes, quivering in growing anxiety, barely managed to glance up at the mare across from her. Twilight looked worried, picking up on Dash’s nervousness, and tried to give the most reassuring expression she could. If that did anything, it only made Dash more nervous. She averted her eyes, staring at the floor as her mind raced. How’s Twi so calm about this?! These are our final moments as single mares, how does she just smile and nod through that? Everything changes after this… responsibilities, and what if it gets awkward sharing a house and… oh, Celestia, I’m not cut out for this! C’mon, socks, socks, socks… Rainbow Dash took a deep breath, and looked up. And there, still waiting for her, was Twilight. Dash looked into her eyes, and felt frozen in place. Those eyes were fixed right on her, shining like the stars in the sky. Like beacons, they pulled her attention in and kept it on the purple mare. …Maybe I will have to give up a couple dreams. But if I do this, then every time I look at her eyes, I know they’re looking straight at me. Rainbow smiled at her soon-to-be wife. Sincerely. I think I can live with that. She was snapped out of her trance when the Princess spoke her fiancé’s name. “Do you, Twilight Sparkle, take Rainbow Dash to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forth, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, through this life and beyond?” “I do.” Twilight responded. There was no hesitation, only a bright smile and a tiny nod. The Princess turned her eyes towards Rainbow Dash; the pegasus noted how silly she looked in pink stockings. “And do you, Rainbow Dash,” she asked with a knowing smile. “take Twilight Sparkle to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forth, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, through this life and beyond?” “I-I do.” Dash replied. She could feel sweat building up; her nerves threatened to tear her apart. The Princess smiled, and nodded at them both. She looked behind Rainbow, to her best mare. “May I have the rings?” Applejack bowed her head, and brought forth a pair of large golden bands on a satin pillow. A golden aura wrapped around the rings, lifting them into the air and gently gliding them over to the betrothed ponies. Twilight gripped hers with her own aura, while Rainbow—lacking the magical finesse of her fiancé—bit down on hers to hold it. As they had practiced, the cyan mare went first, leaning forward and gently releasing the ring above Twilight’s horn. The band slipped perfectly into place, and she took a step back. Twilight smiled a bit wider, and Rainbow lifted a hoof to allow her own band to be fixated just where the hoof ended and the leg began. It was a perfect fit; Rainbow put down her leg, blushing a bit as she realized where this left them in the ceremony. Both she and Twilight looked up at Princess Celestia, who gave a warm smile of approval to them both. “As ruler of Equestria, I pronounce you wife and wife, in law, body, and soul. You may kiss the bride.” All at once, a veritable tidal wave of sweat poured down Rainbow’s face as she turned to look at Twilight. No turning back now. Everypony was watching. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes and leaned forward… Rainbow Dash’s eyes slid open, and were greeted by a dark room. For the briefest moment, she could not recall where she was, and rose up a bit to look around. The familiar natural wooden walls of the library greeted her, decorated with dozens of photographs, and lined with shelves of various tomes. Dash nodded to no one in particular, finally recognizing where she was. Home. She’d been dreaming about the wedding again. So many years had passed, she’d stopped bothering to keep count. Her rose-colored eyes glanced down and to her left, to see her wife huddled up tight in the cold winter’s night. Dash’s heart skipped a beat, and she couldn’t restrain herself from smiling as she readjusted herself, wrapping her hooves around Twilight Sparkle and pulling her close. She fell asleep like that, listening to the even breaths of her wife keeping time with the gentle, cold wind brushing past their window. I made the right choice.