//------------------------------//
// Arrival 
// Story: In Holy Maretrimony 
// by AdrianJNovelle 
//------------------------------//

	Twilight awakened to the sunshine which snuck into her Library through the window of her bedroom. She rubbed her eyes as her vision came into focus. She yawned and stretched her hooves, taking a quick glance around the room before dismissing her bedding, making her bed for the day, and heading downstairs for breakfast.
Today was the day.
As her hooves touched the last stair, she could smell her meal and began to salivate.
"Mmm, what's that you're making, Spike?" she asked her number-one assistant as he and Owlicious were busy at the kitchen, Owlicious himself just observing Spike as he remained perched on his post.
"Bacon and scrambled eggs," he said. "Your favorite."
"Sounds delicious!" she seated herself on a stump at the dining table and picked up a strip of bacon with her magic and bit into it.
"Whoo!" said Owlicious.
"Oh! Good morning, Owlicious," she said.
"Who?"
"You."
"Whoo!"
Twilight giggled and resumed her breakfast.
"How are you liking your breakfast, Twilight?" he inquired. 
"It's scrumptious!" she exclaimed. "I had no idea you had such a niche for cooking, Spike."
Spike kicked the cookbook he borrowed from Pinkie Pie yesterday for today's breakfast under the counter. "Uh, yeah, neither did I. I guess if I were a pony, now would the moment where I'd get my cooking cutie mark. Heh, heh!"
"Hmm-hmm," Twilight chuckled, using her magic to stab her eggs and bring them to her mouth. 
Spike wiped some perspiration from his forehead, having avoided that embarassing situation. He removed his apron and chef's hat and sat across the table from Twilight. 
"I got up early so I could make this for you - a special breakfast on a special day for a special mare!"
Twilight blushed. "Thank you, Spike."
Twilight finished her breakfast in no real hurry.
"Well, I'm off to the ceremony," she said as she opened the Library door with her magic. 
"Wait, aren't I coming with you?" Spike asked, panicked.
"I was talking to Owlicious."
"Who?" inquired the owl.
"You."
"Whoo!"
"Hurry on, now, Spike: we don't want to be late."
"Late?" Spike asked, hurrying behind Twilight and climbing up on her back. "Doesn't it start whenever you arrive?"
"I was referring to the train."
"Oh."
Twilight giggled.
The girls met Twilight at the Friendship Express station. They all greeted her with praise and enthusiasm, congratulating her with all the sincerity of their hearts. Twilight tried to fake an identical level of enthusiasm, but, sadly, was unsuccessful. She thought she was doing well until her failure was pointed out to her. 
"Somethin' bother'n' ya, Sugarcube?" Applejack asked from her seat in the Friendship Express. "Ya dun't seem s' happy 'bout dis momentus occas'n. Like a cat g't yer tongue 're somethin'."
"It's nothing," Twilight lied.
"It's not nothing," Rarity interjected. "Tell us what it is, Darling, please. Is it about the ceremony?"
Twilight only responded with a gentle nod.
"Is it anxiety?"
A shake of the head.
"Oh, no - it wasn't my breakfast, was it?" Spike asked.
Another shake of the head.
"W-was it about the letter Princess Celestia sent you?" Fluttershy asked.
Finally, a nod.
"She was extremely vague," Twilight explained. "More vague in that letter than in any other letter I've received from her. Why would this bother me, you ask? Because the Princess of Equestria is never vague in her instructions - no matter what the formality. I have a feeling she's only letting me on for a huge bring-down at this ceremony."
"Well wat kinda nonsense 's dat?" Applejack blurted.
"Huge bring-down?" Spike asked.
"Darling, what kind of bring-down to you could the Princess possibly have?"
A tear formed in the corner of Twilight's eye.
"We've been sending her letters less and less frequently," she continued. "I don't doubt she's noticed that. Sure, she's been okay with that, but it's been over a year that this tardiness has been happening. Almost two, in fact. It's as if we're running out of lessons to learn and letters to write. And this ceremony will start as a big party, but end in disaster-"
"Just like the Grand Galloping Gala!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed.
"When the Princess announces that I'm done with my training, and I'll have to leave Ponyville and you guys, move back to Canterlot with my parents, and move on with my life - and I don't want to! I love my life the way it is! I love being in Ponyville and learning about the magic of friendship! I wouldn't give all this up for anything!"
She began to weep into her hooves.
"Hmm," Rarity began. "Now that you've spelled it out for us, I'm starting to see your concern. But I think you're getting all worked up over nothing."
"Just like back when you thought there were deathly consequences to being tardy," Rainbow Dash added. 
Everyone gave Rainbow Dash a menacing glare.
"What?" she asked in a shrug.
"Ah beg t' differ," Applejack retorted. "Ah think Twilight's showin' reason'ble concern far somethin' mighty indeed."
"Thank you, Applejack," Twilight said through a few tears.
As the Friendship Express pulled into the station at Canterlot, Twilight's heart sank, her stomach tying itself into a knot. 
Was she right?
Was Rarity right?
Who was right about the Princess?
And what if she was?
What would happen to her?
So many questions.