//------------------------------// // The Wedding // Story: The Days in the Cavern // by PinkamenaPiePrincess //------------------------------// The next couple of days passed in a blur of preparations and getting to know Twilight's friends. Applejack was the first I got to know, as she showcased her delicious fritters and treats. "Here ya go Princess," she said presenting a tray of hors d'oeuvres. I took a bite of one. It had to be the most delicious thing I've ever tasted. I helped myself to a second. Applejack chuckled. "Like 'em, huh Princess?" she asked, grinning. "Mmmhmmm," I agreed my mouth still too full of delicious homebaked apple goodness to answer. "Well as soon as yer done with that, I'll let y'all sample yer weddin' cake. If ya like mah fritters and mini-pies, you'll love yer cake." She was right, the cake was divine. "Mind if I take a few of these with me?" I asked. "I've got a dress fitting with Rarity next, and I don't think I'll have time to grab lunch. She warned me it might take hours to get it just right." Applejack rolled her eyes, likely at Rarity. "That Rarity, she's always gotta have things perfect, o' course, it is yer wedding day, y'all have a right ta perfect. Here," she took a bag and loaded it with treats. "Take 'em with ya. An' good luck with the dress fittin'! Don't eat to many or Rarity'll have a fit 'bout how yer figure ain't what it's s'pposed ta be or somethin!" I grinned and took the bag from AJ, as she'd told me to call her, with my magic. "An' Ah better not catch y'all throwin them away," she teased. "I think I've had enough of a being a bitterly evil Changeling queen," I said, smiling. It was good to know AJ could joke about what had happened. The days of being in the cavern were still filling my nightmares, and a little humor always helped. AJ waved goodbye as I moved on to part two of preparing for my wedding via trial by friendship. I took my time getting to my room where Rarity was waiting for me. I had fritters to snack on and I'd doubt Rarity would want me snacking while she was trying to get me to try on a dress. I made it to the room and saw a rather frazzled and slightly less well-groomed Rarity bustling around and an impatient Twilight, who'd been in the kitchen with Applejack and me with her checklist but left once she saw that the food was "checked", tapping her hooves at me.I blushed a little I admit. Stalling was not on Twilight's checklist. "There you are darling! I was beginning to get slightly worried dear!" "Oh, I was just really, really enjoying Applejack's fritters and didn't want to get them on your dress!" I said. Rarity seemed to accept this. Twilight rolled her eyes and just let Rarity get to work. Rarity took my measurements just to be sure they were the same as the fake me's. Admittedly I'd lost an awful lot of weight during my capture, but Rarity still seemed please. "Your figure is absolutely lovely darling!" the unicorn crooned as she measured me. She flitted around like a fussy bird, taking measurements, messing with my mane, until she had it just so. After what had to be hours of Rarity fussing with the details, and Twilight going in and out, occasionally coming back with another one of her friends to keep her company, Rarity finally finished. "There you go darling, what do you think?" She turned the mirror toward me. I gasped. It was like the first dress, but entirely more...me. Instead of the crystal heart on the bodice, it had white roses, which I hadn't even told Rarity were my favorite flower. It had a long train, was cream colored with gold lining, and my hair was done up in a beautiful up do also adorned with white roses. "Oh Rarity, it's perfect!" I said. "Oh darling don't flatter me," the unicorn said, waving off my compliment gracefully. "I mean it Rarity, I hope you'll design more for me in the future?" "Design...more for...you...A PRINCESS...oooooh!" Rarity swooned. Rainbow Dash, who had come in with Twilight to keep her company, caught her. "Eh, it's ok. It could stand to be about...20% cooler..." Rainbow Dash remarked. "But whatever, it's your dress." "Oh speaking of dresses," Rarity said, recovering. "Thank you for catching the bridesmaids dresses. Making a whole new bridal gown on such short notice was stressful enough as it is." "It's not a problem...I'm surprised they survived," I responded. "Well it's certainly a blessing they did. I still have to make a dress for Twilight, but other than that..." she turned to Twilight. "I suppose you would say, 'bridal gown, check!'" Everyone laughed. I waved goodbye as Rarity, Twilight and Rainbow Dash filed out of my rooms. I had to eat and then get to sleep, I had to be up early to meet with Fluttershy and her birds. The next morning I met with Fluttershy to hear her bird choir up close. "Now, Mr. Jay, please try to stay on key, ok?" the timid pegasus instructed one of her birds. He nodded. "Now a one, a two, a one two three four." Fluttershy's choir of birds was magnificent. Her talent with animals really extended beyond anything I've seen. After the birds were done, Fluttershy turned toward me nervously. "I...um...I mean, Princess, I hope you liked it..." The birds flew to land on me, I smiled at them and Fluttershy. "Fluttershy it was absolutely amazing!" I said. "Oh...you can say what you really feel if you want, your highness" she said. "I mean it. And you can call me Cadence," I replied. "Oh my goodness, I simply couldn't...I mean...you're a princess, and Rarity says that Princesses deserve respect and..." "It's ok, any friend of Twilight's is a friend of mine." Fluttershy blushed and squeaked, and went back to her birds. It really was a lovely sound, and the birds seemed to like me. "Um...Princess Cadence?" Fluttershy spoke up after a minute. "Yes?" "Would you like it if...I mean if it's ok...if some of my less talented singers carried your train?" "Oh my, Fluttershy, that would make my wedding even more perfect!" I exclaimed. I think I startled her, because she shrank back a little bit. "Oh...really?" "Of course, how much more of a royal wedding could it get than birds carrying my train?" Fluttershy perked up a little. "Ok, um, I glad you like the idea...I hope Rarity doesn't mind them holding her dress..." "A wedding dress gets worn once, and never again, I think we can both handle a few talon marks." Fluttershy smiled and waved me off to go meet with Pinkie Pie about the reception. "HIYA!!" a high pitched voice greeted me as I stepped into the reception hall. "So I was thinking, and I totally think we should have the reception in the courtyard where all the fancy ponies have their Garden Party that's so not a fun party, because Rainbow Dash told me that the pegasi are going to make Canterlot have the bestest weather ever! But I'm gonna show you all the cool stuff you're gonna have at your totally amazingly incredible reception here!" Pinkie Pie said bouncing around me. If I hadn't been a foalsitter all of my teen years she would have been impossible to keep up with. "Ok, Pinkie, want to show me the dances first?" I said, Pinkie beamed. "Come on Princess Cadence!" she said, and turned on the cutest little march. I joined in her goofy dancing as she threw confetti everywhere. I couldn't help but smile and laugh, I guess that's what Pinkie Pie did to ponies, as the Element of Laughter. "Now, come over here, I want you to see your decorations!" Pinkie said, leading me around to a plethora of colorful streamers, balloons and more confetti than I've ever seen in my life. "Wow, Pinkie, everything sure is colorful," I said. "Weddings are usually so boring, with all the pastels." "I KNOW RIGHT?" Pinkie exclaimed. "I love birthday parties because birthday parties are so much better with all their colorful colors and receptions are always so blah, but I think you and Shining Armor should have the best reception ever with all your prettyful colors and pastels are boring anyway, except on ponies, but a party isn't ponies, a party is a party!" I grinned and once again thanked the stars for my foalsitting experience. Pinkie Pie was a lot like a six year old. "Thanks Pinkie, it's perfect!" I said. "REALLY?" "Yes really, Pinkie, I love the colors. I think it's perfect. And the outdoor idea is great too," I said. "Good because I totally want you to meet the DJ! She's setting up now!" Pinkie said and hopped out of the room into the courtyard not that far from it. "Yo, sup Pinkie?" called a female voice I didn't recognize. "Cadence, this is Vinyl Scratch, aka DJ Pon3 and she's gonna DJ your reception! But don't tell anypony because I have a super awesome surprise planned!" "Princess," the DJ said, bobbing her head in something that could maybe pass as a bow. "Congrats, yo." "Thank you, Miss Scratch," I said. Pinkie sure knew some strange friends. "Ain't no thing, now don't you have a wedding to finish planning?" "Yes, um..." All that was left for me to do was actually get married. We were skipping the rehearsal since the bridesmaids, Twilight, and Spike all knew their places, and the only one who might need rehearsing was me. I felt butterflies flutter in my stomach. I'm finally getting married...for real. I went to bed early, trying to get a good night's sleep. I also woke up early, my nerves humming like a bumble bee, so strongly I could have sworn they were audible. I passed the morning in a blur of breakfast, well-wishes from my aunt Celestia (Luna had yet to return), squeals of joy from Twilight and her friends, and of a lack of Shining Armor. Royal wedding tradition said the bride and groom weren't to see each other at all on their wedding day. Then it was time to get ready. Twilight went off to help Shining Armor. As his best mare, it was her job to help him. Her friends...namely Rarity and Fluttershy, took to the task of helping me into my dress. "Oh Princess Cadence, you look simply lovely," Fluttershy sighed. "Oh more than lovely, darling, absolutely divine!' Rarity said. "Oh I do hope I don't cry, I always cry at weddings..." "Oh for Pete's sake Rarity, it wouldn' matter if ya cried if y'all didn't insist on wearin' so much make up!" Applejack said, as she slipped something into her dress and made a strange wrinkled face. "Like you would understand anything about the fine art of a lady's face paint," Rarity snapped back. Before long they were bickering back and forth. I whispered to Pinkie Pie, "Do they do this a lot?" "Yep!" the pink pony replied, "All the time! Sometimes I think they do it in their sleep!" Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. "Can we be done already? Everypony's all done up, Princess Cadence is in her dress, and we're ready. I'm tired of waiting around, I wanna get this whole wedding thing done with so I can do my sonic rainboom!" "Now, Rainbow," Applejack said, taking a break from arguing with Rarity to reprimand Rainbow Dash. "This is Princess Cadence's weddin', and it'd do y'all some good ta be patient for once." I kind of wanted to get out of the dressing room myself, but for different reasons. Shining Armor would be waiting for me when I got out there. Applejack's and Rarity's sisters and their friend Scootaloo poked their heads into the dressing room. AJ and Rarity had kindly offered to send for their sisters when they'd found out I didn't have a flower filly, and they wouldn't come without all three being included. I'd agreed, three little flower fillies was kind of adorable. Besides, I could handle a couple rambunctious kids at my wedding, I'd dealt with worse. "Are you guys ready yet?" Rarity's sister, Sweetie Belle, said. "Yeah, I'm getting totally bored," Scootaloo agreed. "Me too, Ah'm ready ta go when y'all are!" Applejack's little sister Apple Bloom said. "As soon as the usher says to get ready for the procession we'll be out," Rarity said. "Yeah, Twi an' the boys have ta get ready first," Applejack agreed. The three friends groaned and went back to their dressing rooms. At least, we all hoped that's where they went, apparently those three fillies had a reputation for causing trouble. It felt like hours, but I'm certain it was only minutes before I heard the wedding march start up. Fluttershy quickly flew out, leaving instructions for the birds that were supposed to carry my train. Rainbow Dash nervously shifted from hoof to hoof, Pinkie Pie jumped up and down, which earned her a glare from Rarity, and Applejack nervously, and rather unlike herself, smoothed her gown, then went into the chapel to take their places. Then we heard the usher beckon for us to follow him. We did, coming into the hall. The flower fillies entered first, then, Fluttershy's birds and the brass instruments started up the bridal march. My heart did a flip flop as a I walked down the ailse, my gaze never looking away from Shining Armor. Twilight whispered something to her brother as I headed toward them and he answered something that made her grin. I saw Rarity tear up. She wasn't going to be happy about that later, I thought and smirked. I had to bite my tongue to keep from busting out laughing when as soon as Rarity closed her eyes, Applejack pulled out that something she'd hiding in her dress...which turned out to be her hat. I looked back at Shining Armor. The smile on his face was one I loved more than anything in the world. I reached the altar and looked at him. We both smiled softly at one another. "Mares and Gentlecolts," Celestia began. "We are gathered here today to celebrate the union of the real Princess Mi Amore Cadenza..." Oh not that name... "Princess Cadence is fine," I said, interrupting. I'd probably get it later, but that name... Celestia frowned, then seemed to understand as she chuckled, smiled, and continued. "The union of Princess Cadence, and Shining Armor. The strength of their commitment is clear. The power of their love, undeniable. May we have the rings please?" Celestia turned to Spike, Twilight's oldest friend and assistant. Celestia slipped the rings on our horns. "I now pronounce you, Mare and Colt." She'd read Shining Armor's vows too... I thought, and smirked. The crowd cheered, everyone in the chapel, and nearly everyone in Canterlot. My heart swelled. I looked at Shining Armor briefly before we went out to the crowd to wave. "I think Celestia cut the ceremony short because she read your vows," I whispered to Shining. "Yours were just as long, besides, don't you think defeating an evil queen with the magic of our love was vows enough?" Shining responded, smirking. "Nah, pretty sure Celestia just didn't want to sit through our whole relationship story, again," I said. He nudged me. My husband... Celestia was speaking to Twilight behind us, but we weren't bothering to listen. Shining kissed me. And kissed me longer, in front of all of Canterlot, and yet we were the only two ponies in the room. I did hear Celestia urging Rainbow Dash. Ha, pony is so eager to do her Rainboom and forgets all about it during a wedding I really was going to like Twilight's friends. I already liked them. Rainbow Dash took off, and created the boom in less than ten seconds flat. She really was a fantastic flier. A beautiful rainbow surrounded Canterlot. Pinkie Pie started twitching strangely... "Congratulations, Shining Armor, oh I'm so proud of you sweetie," said a voice I recognized. "Thanks mom," Shining said as a sobbing Twilight Velvet pulled him into a hug. "You should find Twili, she deserves even more congratulations than I do." Twilight Velvet and Dusk Sparkle nodded, and went to find their daughter. "Princess Mi Amore, how wonderful to see you again," said another voice. Fancy Pants. "You too Fancy Pants," I said. We waded through what seemed like an endless round of congratulations, and by the time we got to the courtyard, the moon was in the sky. Shining and I went out to dance as my aunt Luna landed and asked if she'd missed anything. I snorted. Shining teased me for being unladylike. I heard a squeak and Pinkie Pie say, "Let's get this party started!" as she pulled the weird DJ pony from underneath a set of DJ decks and speakers. Oh Pinkie Pie... Twilight busted into song. "Love is in bloom, a beautiful bride, a handsome groom," Shining and I grinned at one another and at the crowd around us, just kind of standing there for a minute. Two hearts becoming one We looked at one another, and Twilight's friends surrounded us, urging us to dance. A bond that cannot be undone because We obliged. Twilight continued the song, as everypony enjoyed our reception. "So, this is the beginning of the next chapter of our lives, isn't it?" Shining asked. "Yes, I'd say so," I replied, smiling at him. "Can't wait to spend it all with you," he said, as he pulled me into a dip. The rest of the reception passed in a blur of ponies having fun. Soon it was time for us to leave, Twilight opened our carriage door for us and bowed. "Wait," Shining whispered to me. "I've got to say something to Twili." I nodded and got into the carriage, happy to wait for him. "Twilight!" I heard him say. "None of this would have been possible without you, little sis. Love ya, Twili." "Love you too BBBFF," she said, and hugged him. He climbed next to me in the carriage. "Ready to go?" he asked. "Oh!" I realized, "I almost forgot!" I pulled out my bouquet and tossed it from the carriage. "IT'S MINE!!!!" I heard Rarity's voice shout manically as will pulled off. I laughed out loud. Yes my day had ended up perfect after all. This day has been so perfect, Even more that what I dreamed when I was small. Everypony made it that way, but believe me when I say Shining Armor, you're the one who made it all...