Twilight Sparkle smiled as she felt the gentle sunlight resting on her and her friends as they sat on the picnic blanket, a sharp contrast to last time all six of them were together, experiencing a disastrous gala where none of them got quite what they hoped to get out of it. But instead of panic and anger, there was just the afternoon sunshine and gentle breeze that surrounded the mostly quiet group of friends. The silence only broke briefly when Rarity commented on how gorgeous the weather was, followed by her five friends nodding and smiling.
Then, Twilight’s gaze went past them and to the little dragon brother of hers bolting towards the six mares, scroll in each claw as he ran past her friends and stopped right in front of Twilight. Landing on his butt and proceeding to catch his breath, Spike slowly gave Twilight one of the scrolls.
“Twi...p-please don’t f-freak out,” Spike gasped before he fell over, Rarity and Fluttershy glancing down at him with wide eyes. Twilight used her magic to hold the scroll open and began reading.
"Dear Twilight, I am sure you are as excited as I am about the upcoming wedding in Canterlot," Twilight frowned as she looked at her friends. "Wedding?"
She shook her head and continued reading.
"I will be presiding over the ceremony, but would very much like you and your friends to help with the preparations for this wonderful occasion…" After Twilight read over all the different responsibilities listed, she finished reading the letter. "See you all very soon. Yours, Princess Celestia. But...I don't understand. Who's getting married?"
Spike stood up, staring at the picnic blanket below him before his eyes slowly met Twilight's, as he gave her the other scroll. As soon as Twilight dropped the first paper to read the second one, Spike got up and took several steps back.
"Princess Celestia cordially invites you to the wedding of Prince Bolero and...my brother?!" Twilight shrieked, dropping the invitation as if it was poison.
"Your brother's getting married? Congratulations, Twilight! That's great news, right?" Applejack's voice faltered as she took in Twilight's bug-eyed expression and shaking body.
"What's wrong, Twilight?" Rarity frowned as she stepped closer. Twilight collapsed to the ground, putting her hooves over her head as she started breathing fast.
"This can't be happening," Twilight whispered just loud enough for Rarity to hear.
"Oh come now, he won't love you any less now that he's getting married," Rarity reassured her. "Or did you not know about this wedding until now?"
"W-Well, it's not great to find out from a wedding invitation," Twilight lifted her head, and Rarity flinched as Twilight's expression twisted, her ears flattening as she shouted. "But it shouldn't be happening at all!"
“Oh boy,” Spike turned tail and ran off before the others could stop him. All of Twilight’s best friends frowned as they looked down at her.
“I don’t understand?” Pinkie tilted her head. “Is your brother not marriage material?”
“Or this prince?” Dash added.
“How do none of you see it? My brother? With a prince?!” Twilight got up and stomped her hoof as she further raised her voice. “My B.B.B.F.F and my former foalsitter aren’t colt-cuddlers! They’re normal ponies!”
“Woah, hold up there,” Applejack scowled. “What exactly are you trying to imply here?”
“This prince is your former foalsitter?” Rarity gasped.
“And what the hay is a B.B.B.F.F?” Dash scratched her mane with a hoof.
“Twilight,” Twilight broke her staredown with Applejack to look over at Fluttershy, her heart skipping a beat as Fluttershy looked up at her with wide green eyes. “You didn’t mean what you said just now, right?”
Applejack, still glaring at Twilight, put her foreleg around Fluttershy.
“Of course I meant what I said about them being normal,” Twilight smiled, only for Fluttershy to flinch and stare at the ground. “If nothing else, my Big Brother Best Friend Forever would never disrespect me and our parents like that. I’m sure it’s all just a wild prank so I won’t be shocked about the real wedding.”
“Well,” Fluttershy looked up, blinking back tears. “Your brother sounds like a really good pony no matter what.”
“Of course, they don’t just let anypony be part of the royal guard,” Twilight shrugged.
“So let me get this straight,” Rarity began to speak.
“Please do,” Twilight huffed, glaring down at the wedding invitation.
“That’s not what I meant and you know it,” Rarity snapped. “We're helping out with the wedding of not only a prince, but a captain of the Royal Guard?”
“I guess we are,” Twilight spat, getting up.
“Um, Twilight?” Applejack stepped away from Fluttershy. “Maybe ya shouldn’t be going to this wedding. We can tell them you were really under the weather.”
“Do you have bees in your brain?” Twilight’s eyes widened. “I absolutely need to go, either my brother and former foalsitter are planning some silly prank, or they’re throwing their lives away. And for what? Because no mare wanted either of them? C’mon girls, we have a mission to take care of.”
Twilight’s horn fizzled as she teleported out of sight, and as much as her friends wanted to rejoice in the upcoming wedding, they stood still until Twilight was out of earshot. Fluttershy looked over at Applejack and broke the silence.
“She...doesn’t like gay ponies?” Fluttershy whimpered. “But doesn’t she know we’re all-”
“Let’s not worry about that right now,” Applejack sighed. “Our priority is warning this Prince Bolero and his fiancee that they have a big storm comin’ their way.”
“Perhaps Spike already warned them?” Rarity asked as she looked over in the direction he ran off in.
“We can try and ask him,” Applejack nodded. “It’s not like we’ll be able to catch a train faster than the one Twilight will be on. Let’s all pack and meet at the train station in 15.”
“O-Okay,” Fluttershy whispered, watching as the others either walked or flew off in different directions. She flew out of the woodland area, glancing at the Golden Oak Library, and then down at the rest of her friends as they all took off to their homes, steering clear of the big tree.
Fluttershy smiled, feeling determination within her heart, as she flew down to the Golden Oak Library.