//------------------------------// // Epilogue // Story: The Gemmed Satyr // by The Rarispy //------------------------------// Dear Princess Celestia,   Over the past few weeks, I've learned an important lesson, and that lesson is that you can’t always rely on books and what you think you know in order to realize how to be a good friend.   The first thing that happened was when my little sister found her first love. You remember Sweetie Belle, right? She and I wrote a letter to you together a while back.   Well, I know for sure you remember Spike. That’s right. Sweetie Belle fell in love with that cute little baby dragon. But at first, she wouldn’t tell me. I didn’t understand why until I personally confronted her myself, and that’s when I realized the truth… the hard way. She was afraid of me blowing her crush out of proportion and treating it like the extravagant romances from my novels. And rightly so, too.   But luckily, everything worked out in the end. Sweetie found out that Spike loved her back, even if he was initially in love with me, and they’ve started seeing each other as young lovers now. Of course, it’s not going to last, but it’s still rather cute watching my little Sweetums and cute little Spikey Wikey together!   I was so ashamed of myself after I had nearly scared her half to death with my excitement. Because of my ignorance towards approaching love out there in the real world, I almost drove sweet little Sweetie Belle away from me.   But onto the second thing that happened. Once I dumped the tightwad I had been so hopelessly in love with all my life, and after Sweetie Belle and Spike began delving into their own cute little version of dating, I started getting desperate to find my own special somepony. I went up to… another town that I’m not going to name, and even held a speed dating event to try to find somepony. But it all came up frivolous.   Until… Fluttershy arrived at my doorstep to tell me that she had loved me for years and wanted to be my special somepony. But then I did something really cruel. I chewed her out, assuming that it was all a silly joke. And just like with Sweetie Belle, I very nearly drove Fluttershy away from me.   Oh, and the third thing that happened was Golden Harvest and Berryshine tying the knot. I didn’t even know that Golden Harvest was a mare-amorer!   So you see, if I had been trying to find out about the fields of love for real, instead of just reading some silly old books and gathering everything from them, I might have been more sensitive to my friends’ and sister’s feelings. I would’ve been able to realize how long-standing Fluttershy’s crush and Spike’s crush both were. I would’ve known how to approach Sweetie Belle’s crush properly. And I would’ve been aware that Golden Harvest was a mare-amorer.   Seriously! It still rattles my brain thinking about it! At least now I know why she always tried to change the subject whenever I asked her about any stallions she might like.   Anyhow, the point I’m trying to make is that sometimes, the only way to be a caring and sensitive pony is to actually put yourself in their shoes and pay attention to their personality and behavior, rather than assuming that everypony is going to be like the characters in your books. You need to determine your friends’ characters yourself, because that’s how you can be sure that you’ll be friends for a lifetime.   Yours sincerely, Rarity   P.S. While I’m writing to you, there IS something I’ve been a bit curious about. You see, there’s been a rumor going on about you that…   Oh, never mind.   Inside the prestigious Canterlot Castle, the ruler of Equestria was just finishing reading the letter Rarity had sent.   However, as she concluded the piece, her expression was not a satisfied and happy one… but a face of grim and concern. Something was definitely troubling her.   “Braveheart! Come forth, please!”   Within a few moments, Braveheart, Celestia’s head palace guard, galloped into the throne room and bowed to his princess.   “You called, your majesty?”   “A letter from one of Twilight’s friends just came forth.”   “And?”   “It’s just as I feared,” she conceded, gazing out one of the windows. “All those disturbances we detected… they’re very real.”   Braveheart gasped. “You mean, that all of this really is being caused by Disc—”   “Yes. I don’t know how, but it seems our hypothesis was right.”   “Princess…” He removed his helmet. “Is it time to inform Shining Armor of these developments yet?”   “Not quite yet. With the safety of the kingdom at sake after that threat, and his big day coming up, I think Shining has enough on his plate to worry about already. No, I want to gauge just how serious this threat is before we let anyone else know. The last thing we need right now is ponies everywhere panicking because o—”   “AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!”   “LUNA!?”   “To have and to hold, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, until death do you both part?”   “Yes. I do.”   “If there is anypony out there who has reason to believe these two should not be wed, then let them speak now or forever hold your peace.”   …   “Ring-bearer, do you have the ring?”   “I do.”   “Then please hand it to this lovely mare.”   “Yes, sir.”   …   “No, the other one.”   “Sorry, sir.”   “Now place the ring on her horn.”   …   “By the power vested in me by the town of Ponyville, I now pronounce you two, mare and mare. You may kiss the bride.”   Everypony clapped and cheered as the bride and female groom met each other in a deep, passionate kiss. The vicar, touched and satisfied, closed his book and stepped away.   “Congratulations, you two,” said Rarity as she approached the newlyweds.   “Yes. You two are going to make such a great couple,” Fluttershy added.   “Thanks, girls,” said Bon Bon. “WHOA!”   “Yeah, it means a lot,” said Lyra as she picked up Bon Bon and held her in her arms.   Rarity and Fluttershy went back to join the other bridesmaids as the wedding guests, mostly made up of the couple’s friends and Bon Bon’s relatives, all gathered round to congratulate them and celebrate with wine.   “Aren’t they just perfect for each other?”   “Oh, definitely,” replied Fluttershy. It's so nice to hear how accepting she is of mare-amorers now... “If anypony were to have the honor of becoming Equestria’s first same-gendered union, I’m so glad that it’s them. …I still don’t understand why Lyra chose to wear a tuxedo, though. She didn’t have to, did she?”   “Technically not,” Rarity answered. “They could’ve both worn traditional bridal dresses. But, I guess Heartstrings— I mean Lyra, just wanted to be unique. That said, it was a most interesting challenge to design a tuxedo for a mare.”   “Well, I think you did a great job on both of them, and these bridesmaids costumes too. You’ve absolutely outdone yourself this time.”   “Oh, stop it, Fluttershy,” Rarity teased. “You’re going to make me blush.” She leaned over and gave her marefriend an affectionate peck on the cheek, which certainly caused her to blush.   “She’s right, you know,” said Golden Harvest. “You did such a great great job with these, Rarity. I’ve never felt so comfortable in a dress, before.”   “Oh, thank you so much, Golden.”   “Thank you for recommending me as a bridesmaid. This is one of the two reasons why I’m so glad you guys were asked to be a part of this wedding!”   “What’s the other one?” Fluttershy asked inquisitively.   “This is great practice for when you guys eventually have your own wedding!”   “Oh!”   “Oh, my!”   Now Fluttershy and Rarity were both blushing in embarrassment.   “ALRIGHT! WHERE’S THE CAKE!” Lyra shouted in excitement.   The entire park area fell silent. Bon Bon just rolled her eyes.   “Well… I did say for better or for worse,” she mused.   About a month later, the Mane Six were all gathered at a picnic in the park. They had amassed sandwiches, apples, tea, and the rest of the leftover cake from Bon Bon and Lyra's wedding reception.   “Caramel’s invitin’ me to a romantic getaway in Manehattan this next-comin’ weekend!” Applejack announced.   “Wow Applejack, that’s great!” said Twilight.   “Oh, yes,” Fluttershy agreed. “Manehattan is such a romantic place.”   “Isn’t it just?” said Rarity, as she pulled her marefriend in close. “After all, the Manehattan Operahouse where we went on our first date.”   “Blech!” Rainbow exclaimed in disgust. “Why do you guys all need to be so affectionate in public all the time? It makes me sick sometimes!”   “Well, now ah can see why ya haven’t ever gotten a special somepony for yerself, Rainbow.”   “Oh, please! Give me a break,” she retorted. I’m starting to really regret listening to Fluttershy and revealing my big secret about never being in love to everypony. So far, it’s not making me feel much better…   “Oh my goodness! You guys are going to Manehattan! That’s so exciting, I can’t believe it!” exclaimed Pinkie as she grabbed Applejack’s neck. “Ooh, ooh! You guys have to bring back a souvenir! Please, please, please, PLEASE--”   “Alright, alright, settle down girl, we’ll get y’all a souvenir!”   “HURRAY! Ooh! And don’t forget to get one for Twilight too! That way we can be SOUVENIR BUDDIES!”   “Umm…” Twilight started, trying to hide a blush. “Say… aren’t these sandwiches terrific?”   Her friends all made general responses of agreement and carried on with their feasting. Though, Rarity eyed Twilight and Pinkie for a brief moment, as they sat next to each other, Pinkie resting her head on a bewildered Twilight’s shoulders. Rarity smiled softly to herself and then went back to sipping her tea.   “Ohhh. It is gorgeous out, just gorgeous.”   Fluttershy looked around and smiled in agreement. Rainbow continued happily munching on her sandwich, as Applejack took another sip from her glass of water. Twilight was about to take a bite of her apple, when she and the others began to hear the sounds of small feet pattering over.   “Twi… light… I… Have…”   Spike ran across the picnic blanket and over to Twilight, very much out of breath.   “Let me just…”   Fluttershy and Rarity looked at each other in concern. Finally, Spike burped up a scroll with the Princess’s seal on it, and plopped down in exhaustion.   Twilight picked up the scroll with her magic and began to read it.   “Dear Twilight, I am sure you are as excited as I am about the upcoming wedding in Canterlot.” Confused, she turned to her friends. “Wedding?”   ~FIN~   As the ponies all huddled around to hear what the Princess’s letter had to say, two butterflies fluttered by above them. Though they were just two simple little insects, they had both seen and done so much.   The yellow monarch butterfly had several weeks ago been in this very park before. It was along the blue flower path that it met with an eccentric young filly named Sweetie Belle. As Sweetie Belle played with and chased the yellow monarch, it would eventually cause her to bump into Spike and result in him handing an extra flower to Sweetie Belle, thus setting the sparks in her eventual crush on the purple dragon.   Meanwhile, the gemmed satyr, previously brown but now colored pink as a result of Pinkie Pie’s antics, had secretly helped guide Fluttershy and Rarity together. It appeared at Sweetie Belle’s windowsill, driving her to sing a loving song towards it to make herself feel better. That song would drive Rarity to finally realize her own feelings for Fluttershy and prove it to her at the Drifting Cattails concert.   Yes, two small, insignificant little creatures. Who would’ve thought they would help bring together two distinct pairs of lovers. They seem so innocent, the way they just flitter through the air without a care in the world, and start… spinning… in… a circle?   Spinning faster and faster, suddenly generating a whirlwind of energy, before both of the butterflies suddenly dissipated in a bright white twinkle.   Hmmm…   A royal Canterlot wedding, eh?   Sounds… perfect.   Hah-hahahahahahahahahahahaha! Ooh-hahahahahahahahahaha!