CHAPTER TEN
It Takes Two To Party
The air outside the library was thick with excitement. Twilight, Shining Armour, Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, the latter four standing with their coltfriends, watched and laughed as Pinkie Pie relentlessly peppered Ace with kisses after accepting his proposal of marriage.
"Okay, Pinks." Ace said between kisses. "I can see that you're happy, but I would like to stand up now."
Pinkie stopped her assault and giggled sheepishly.
"Sorry Acey." she replied as she got off his chest. "It's just that you've done so much for me today. You saved me, my family and all those other ponies, from those mean old Diamond Dogs."
She nuzzled Ace's leg as he dragged himself to his feet, dusting himself off.
"I guess it reminded me how lucky I am to have you." she said.
Ace smiled and ruffled her mane.
"I'm lucky to have you as well, Pinkie." he said. "Though I wonder... who is going to organise the wedding?"
Pinkie laughed and waved a hoof dismissively.
"I'll do it, silly!" she said. "I did a good job on Twilight and Geo's wedding, didn't I?"
Ace looked over at Twilight, who smiled and nodded.
"Yes, Pinkie." she said. "You did an excellent job."
"There, you see?" Pinkie said, as she zipped over and gave Twilight a crushing hug. "If I did well on her wedding, I'll do an even better job on mine!... No offence, Twilight."
"None taken." Twilight replied.
Ace simply shrugged and nodded as Pinkie began rattling through a list of things she'd need for the big day. Feeling something on his shoulder, he turned to find himself face to face with John.
"I got a couple of questions, Doc." he said. "First of all... who's your best man gonna be?"
Ace put a hand to his chin in thought.
"Well, it would make sense to ask you..." he said, "... but I was actually thinking it should be Geo."
John breathed a sigh of relief.
"I was hoping you'd say that." he replied. "After all he's been through, he could use a pick-me-up. I'm sure he'd be thrilled to do the job. I don't think I could handle the pressure."
Ace nodded.
"I'll be sure to ask him once his sentence is complete. The poor guy has a lot to catch up on. All these new romances, the Diamond Dogs, my new job, and now a wedding that'll no doubt rival his."
John laughed heartily.
"I'm sure Pinkie will throw him a 'Welcome Back' party. He can catch up with everypony then." he said. "But that doesn't mean we can't celebrate now."
He turned to the small crowd and cleared his throat.
"Hey everypony!" he said loudly.
The group turned to face him and he began speaking again.
"As you all know, a lot has happened over the last few months. We've seen new romances blossom, families reunited, a wedding is being planned, and our good friend Geo will be returning to us soon. While we can't really celebrate that last one without the man himself, that doesn't mean we can't celebrate the other joyous occasions that have blessed us. So, with that in mind..."
He paused for effect, before throwing his arms in the air.
"... let's hit the bar!"
There was a slight pause before everyone cheered, except for Spike, who grumbled about not being able to have any alcohol before Rarity silenced him with a peck on the cheek, and Twilight, who wondered if it was okay for her to leave her foals, before being reassured by her brother that their parents could handle the two.
With any and all doubts cast aside, John led the group towards the bar. Ace and Pinkie stayed behind, and once everyone was out of earshot, the former grabbed the latter in a hug.
"Pinkie," he said, "I just want you to know that although I have this new job, protecting you is, and always will be, my top priority. I couldn't bear for anything to happen to you, or indeed Ponyville as a whole. I love you too much for that."
Pinkie seemed surprised by Ace's words. Her voice took on a serious tone as she replied.
"I know you do, Acey. And don't worry too much about protecting me. Ponyville is our home, so you focus on taking care of that. I can take care of myself."
She paused for a moment, before a grin appeared and her voice resumed its usual bouncy tone.
"After all, I did manage to beat up a load of Changelings at Shining Armour's wedding. So I'm pretty sure I can take care of myself."
She looked up at Ace, who had a caring smile on his face.
"But I guess having you there to watch over me won't be so bad either." she said, nuzzling his chest.
Ace laughed merrily as he released his hold on his fiancée, the two of them moving quickly to catch up with the others.
As they entered the bar, they saw their friends crammed into a booth in the corner of the room, a round of drinks in front of them.
"There you two are!" John said. "I thought for sure you had decided to have the honeymoon early!"
Ace and Pinkie shared a blush as the others roared with laughter.
"Always with yer mind in the gutter, huh sugarcube?" Applejack said, rolling her eyes at the huge smile on John's face.
"Yes." Ace said. "But I think it's better for all of us if it stays there. I mean, come on. Can you imagine what it would be like if John's brain was actually capable of cognitive thinking?"
John blushed as the table erupted into laughter again, this time at his expense.
Eventually, the noise subsided, and the group of friends gathered their drinks.
"I'd like to propose a few toasts, if I may." John said. "First of all, to Ace and Pinkie on finally deciding to tie the knot."
"To Ace and Pinkie!" the assorted ponies and humans chorused.
"Secondly, to new relationships. I think it's safe to say that all of us present now have somepony to love. And that... is just great."
"To new relationships!"
Ace and Pinkie joined the toast with their glasses held high, and similarly sized smiles on their faces.
"If I may," Ace said, "I'd like to propose a toast as well."
John nodded, and Ace stood up.
"I would like to propose a toast to Ponyville as a whole." he said. "This wonderful place has given us all so much. It has given us a new home, new friends, and new lovers. And I am honoured to be its new guardian. I will perform my duties with the same vigour and determination that I showed those Diamond Dogs. For nothing, and I mean nothing, will stop me from protecting my friends... or the love of my life."
He raised his glass in the air.
"To Ponyville!" he proclaimed.
"To Ponyville!"
Everyone at the table clinked glasses and drained the contents in one gulp, prompting John to order a new round. After dishing out the beverages, he cleared his throat.
"I was actually about to propose one more toast before we all get shit-faced." he said. "I'd like to propose a toast to Geo. He has been through hell to be here, and it's only fitting that he gets to live his life the way it was meant to be. To Geo!"
"To Geo!" everyone chorused, with Twilight's voice coming out louder than she thought possible.
"Right, now we can begin." John grinned. "Let's get wasted."
"I second that emotion!" cried Rainbow Dash, with Spark Plug nodding his approval.
Fluttershy and Doctor Haywick both nodded meekly.
"I'd love to," said Shining Armour as he shuffled out of the booth, "but I'm on duty tomorrow, so I can't. I'll see you later, everypony."
Everyone waved as Shining turned to Ace.
"Since you're celebrating your engagement, I'll give you the day off tomorrow to... recover." he grinned. "But I expect to see you at your lab on Wednesday at 0700 hours, got it?"
Ace saluted.
"Yes, sir!" he replied.
Shining saluted back and then said his farewells, leaving everyone to enjoy their evening.
"Anyone else got a problem with getting plastered?" John asked, eyeing everyone in the booth.
Spike raised a hand, prompting a chortle from John.
"And what, pray tell, is your problem?"
"The fact that I can't!" Spike said with a defeated sigh.
"Oh, Spike." cooed Rarity, "You'll have plenty of time in the future to savour alcohol. But right now, you are my little gentledrake, and I won't have you any other way. If it makes you feel any better, I will not touch a drop either. After all, somepony needs to be there to keep everypony else in check."
Spike blushed and opened his mouth to reply. Instead of words, he instead belched green flames, followed by a scroll, which landed on the table. He picked it up and looked at it.
"It's addressed to you, Twilight." he said, handing it to her. "It must be from the Princess."
Twilight took the letter and opened it before reading it out loud.
"Dear Twilight... I'm free. Love, Geo."
The table was silent for a moment before everyone cheered.
"All right!" John roared. "NOW we can fucking party!"
He dashed off to get more drinks, as Ace turned to Pinkie.
"Well, Pinks." he said, "It looks like you don't need to organise Geo's 'Welcome Back' party."
Pinkie waved a hoof dismissively.
"This is our engagement party, silly Acey!" she said. "Geo just happens to be coming along. I'll throw a party for him coming back later, don't worry!"
Ace laughed.
"I've got a great home, great friends, and a mare who loves me, a mare whom I am prepared to spend the rest of my life with."
He leaned in and gave Pinkie a gentle kiss on the lips.
"What have I got to worry about?"
Pinkie hugged him, and the two of them spent the rest of the night celebrating with their friends.
With nary a care in the world.