//------------------------------//
// The Wedding 
// Story: Latex and Lace 
// by starshine_dash 
//------------------------------//

Two months could be an eternity or a blink of an eye, depending on one's point of view. From a non-linear, non-objective viewpoint, it's more like a big ball... I'm getting off track.

Vinyl stood uncomfortably on a small dais while Rarity made last minute adjustments to her dress, mane, tail, and sunglasses. She was musing to herself how fast the time had flown. The foals were weaned, the wedding had been planned, and it was now about twenty minutes to show time. The uniling was just about to begin panicking when Pinkie Pie entered the room, followed by Rock and Roll.

"Hey Vinyl, these two wouldn't take no for an answer so they tagged along to see your dress before anypony else."

"It's okay, Pinks. Hey, kids, how're you doing?"

They made happy noises and smiled, language not quite within their grasp just yet, but soon, if their development in mind was as fast as their development in body. The doctor said they would slow down once they were the equivalent of five or six, and not to worry. It was apparently normal for changelings.

"Mom's gotta finish getting ready, so you be good little foals for Auntie Pinkie, okay?" the DJ said with a smile as Rarity tightened her corset yet again. The foals left and she sighed, "Jeeze, Rarity, you tighten that corset anymore and Tavi will have to marry both halves of me separately."

"Nonsense, darling, I still have plenty of... you... to work with here. You really need to be more active now that you've stopped feeding the foals to burn off all this flab."

"Tavi likes it when I have a little extra cushion."

Rarity shook her head and removed the DJs sunglasses to polish them to a brilliant shine, "And honestly, these sunglasses..."

"Hey, I've had those almost my whole life, they're as much a part of me as my horn."

"Fine, fine. I've done all I can. You wait right here until we retrieve you for your father to give you away."

"W-wait, Dad actually showed up?!"

"Yes he did, dear. He arrived just before I got here to get you dressed."

Vinyl began to shake. She hadn't seen her family in years, and now she was marrying another mare. She hadn't even thought to send them a letter when she got pregnant. Thoughts roiled through her head as Rarity left the room. It wouldn't do to completely freak out and ruin her wedding, but the fact that her father had actually come all the way up from Neigh Orleans blew her mind. He hadn't left town since her mother died. That thought brought a tear to her eye. Her mother never got to see this day, and it was one of those days all mothers want to see, according to her.

Taking a shaky breath, she turned toward the mirror to look herself over. Rarity had outdone herself with the wedding gown. The dress was the same shade of white as her coat, with highlights that matched her sunglasses artfully placed. Around her neck was a small broach in the shape and color of Octavia's cutie mark. She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths, making sure to banish the sad thoughts to a small corner of her mind to deal with later. Today was a happy day, and if her father had shown up, it meant he was okay with it.

Meanwhile, two doors down and across the hall, Octavia was pacing nervously in her own dress. It was simpler than Vinyl's and resembled a suit more than a dress, but the lines were distinctly feminine and complemented her colors nicely. Her bow tie was present, cradling a small onyx jewel shaped like Vinyl's cutie mark. Berry Punch was watching the mare pace with a bored look in her eyes.

"You know, when I agreed to be your best mare, I didn't expect to have to watch you pace around like a caged manticore."

"It's my wedding, do you expect me to be calm? I've only had two months to plan this. So many things could go wrong. The catering..."

"Was handled earlier by Applejack, myself, and Carrot."

"The music..."

"Fluttershy got her bird chorus and your jazz band mates have agreed to play along with Lyra filling in for you."

"The decorations..."

"Pinkie Pie and Rarity. Listen, before we go down the rest of the list for the eighth time," the earth pony said, putting a hoof on the bridesgroom's shoulder, "Take a deep breath, ask me for a shot of something to relax, and we'll get you married."

"Right. Right. I just need to be calm. What do you recommend?"

"Nothing too strong, how about a swig or two of your favorite bourbon?"

"That sounds wonderful."

Berry produced the mentioned liquor, two glasses, and a small amount of ice, and poured out a few measures, "To happy days passed and still to come," the brewer offered as a toast.

"Cheers," replied Octavia, sipping the bourbon, feeling it burn pleasantly on the way down as she felt herself begin to relax. She started to hum a song to calm herself down before realizing that it was probably a bad omen to hum what had become known as the "This Day Aria" on her wedding day. She stopped and began to hum something a little more upbeat.

Berry smiled, "Alright, I have to go get on stage and make sure that Lyra hasn't scared off Spike talking about hands again."

"Right, I'll be right out," the cellist said as her friend left. Once she was gone, she turned and glared at herself in the mirror, "Octavia Melodica Philharmonica, you will calm down. There is nothing more you can do to assure this day goes perfectly and worrying about it will only ruin things. You will be happily married and you will enjoy the ceremony."

Satisfied with herself, she turned and exited the room, making her way to the main room of the town hall. Regularly used for celebrations, it had been made into a wedding chapel for the day. The crowd they had invited had surprised her. Her entire family had shown up, surprising her. Her father had apparently calmed down, after a little bit of a talking to by her mother. Half the town of Ponyville seemed to have made an appearance as well. She made a few small greetings before taking her place to the mayor's left on stage. She had barely enough time to take in the sight of the hall filled with ponies she knew before the music started and her bride appeared at the end of the carpet.

Vinyl and the older stallion that was presumed to be her father walked carefully up toward the stage, led by the cutie mark crusaders giving another try at their flower fillies cutie mark. After they approached and the stallion had sat down, the mayor began her speech, "Fillies and Gentlecolts, we are gathered here today..."





The wedding had gone well, better than either of the brides could have hoped. The reception, however, could be going better. A stallion, who had come with his marefriend, had a few too many mugs of salted cider and stolen the microphone. He was now ranting drunkenly about how evil changelings were and how Vinyl was a freak of nature. Most of the crowd could only sit stunned as the anger visible on Vinyl's face slowly grew.

Blues took that moment to trundle near the stallion, munching happily on an apple he had snagged off the catering table, only to find himself suddenly hanging upside down in the stallions telekinetic grip, "She!? Thish ish what happens when *hic* when we let frrreaks like her breed! This... This... Thing here would be better off if I just snapped its neck!"

The stallion managed to finish his sentence and inhale for another one before he was hit simultaneously by seven separate beams of magical energy. He was turned into a bright green pig, flipped upside down, and launched clear through the opposite wall of the town hall only to end up covered in tar and feathers. Everypony looked to see who had done what and found seven mares catching their breath, including the bride, who was levitating a crying Blues over to her to soothe. Twilight and Rarity had both taken part in the assault along with several others, Lyra foremost among them. Everypony was silent before Octavia stood and took the microphone.

"Everypony, I know feelings relating to changelings are often not the best, as our former guest so avidly demonstrated," she said, attempting to appear calm, but the rage and terror causing her voice to quaver slightly, "However, I believe we have also demonstrated that if any pony seeks to bring harm to my wife, or my foals, they are well defended. Standing on my hind legs to play the cello has also made them quite strong. I'm sure that our... friend... was simply letting the salt speak through him, but remember, mother's are the most dangerous creatures."

Having made her statement, she returned to her seat, kissed her wife and and nuzzled her bawling foal. Their other foals soon gathered around, helping to calm their brother. The love filtering between the foals and their mothers was palpable even to regular ponies. Those whom had doubts about the nature of the marriage had them expelled, and some tears of joy were shed.

Eventually, mostly thanks to Pinkie Pie, the party got rolling again and lasted late into the night. The last of the revelers watching a tarred and feathered pig try to walk backwards up a wall as they left. Whether the spells would wear off or not was never questioned, because nopony cared.

Yawning and leaning on her new wife, Vinyl smiled, "Well, today was exhausting... and mostly good."

"Indeed, I don't think we should let the drunken opinion of one stallion have much effect on our memories of today."

"Mm, I wonder who flung the pig spell though, I just launched him out of the hall."

"I'm going to guess we have Rarity to thank for the tarring and feathering. That seems to be her style."

"Well, I suggest we get home and get some rest."

"I heartily agree, Pinkie should have the foals in bed by now, so we should be able to just go ourselves."

The two stood slowly and exited the hall, making their way home to the comfort of their shared bed. They bade good night to Pinkie, gave each of their foals a good night kiss, and adjourned to their room.

"You know, Tavi... I think I have just enough energy left for a little... fun..." Vinyl said seductively, giving her wife a kiss and a nuzzle.

"Mmm, I suppose..." Octavia replied with a grin and an ear nibble. The two rustled about under the covers before turning out the lights.