//------------------------------// // No Less Than Perfect // Story: No Less Than Perfect // by Sparx //------------------------------// Soon enough, the wedding day came, and Rarity and Spike couldn't be happier. According to dragon standards, they were already wed, but they agreed they wanted to have an official pony ceremony as well, to share this time with their friends. When Twilight heard, she was in tears. She had felt so happy for the two of them, and insisted she help Rarity make plans. Rarity was now housing a piece of Spike's heart next to her own. Her heart beat next to his, and she couldn't think of a way to portray their love in any greater a way. They were linked now, they shared pain.They could tell when one another were happy, sad, or upset. There were physical benefits for Rarity alone as well, her health was pretty much perfect anymore, she would find it very difficult to be taken ill, and she was guaranteed to live to the maximum lifespan of a pony, which was one of the greatest reasons Spike offered his heart to her. He could see it a bit more clearly than anyone else, Rarity was getting older. She was at her peak right now, but there was nowhere else for her health to go but downhill in a few years. Spike sat alone in a room in the castle, nerves wracking his brain, heart beating fast. He knew he wasn't the only one who was nervous, he felt Rarity's nerves overtaking her as well. He rubbed his temples in anticipation. He was wearing the gold and silver tuxedo that Rarity had made him on his birthday three years ago. He decided to try and walk around, pace a bit to try and calm his nerves, though it only seemed to enhance the effect. He heard a sharp rap at the door that startled him and made him jump. "Come in." He called. The door opened and in came Pinkie Pie. "Hey Spikey!" Spike let out a relieved sigh. "Hey Pinkie Pie." Ever since that day that Spike had asked her for help with Rarity's 'heat' problem, she had become his main adviser in any matter that involved Rarity, whether it be romantic or..."intimate" issues.As Rarity would turn to Applejack for sage-like wisdom and advice, Spike turned to Pinkie, who had surprising knowledge on the subjects he would turn to her for. "You're not looking so good. Need a soda, candy, pie, cider?" Pinkie asked, producing said objects from seemingly nowhere. "C'mon Spike! We gotta put some pep in your step, it's your wedding day!" "I know, and I couldn't be happier! But what if things change after this?" Pinkie looked back at Spike, and sort of shifted into that calmer persona she took when she would talk to him about relationships and sex. "Why would they change Spike?" The dragon thought that the question was rhetorical, but she waved a hoof to indicate she wanted a real answer. "Well...we'll be together...as a...a family." "And? You've been living together for three years now Spikey. The only difference here will be that you have different titles for one another. Well that, and now you'll literally have a piece of yourself inside of her, bonding you two for life. That's what marriage is all about really." Pinkie said so matter-of-factly. "Wait, how did you know that I gave Rarity a piece of my heart?" "I wasn't talking about your heart big man." Pinkie said with a chuckle as she pointed to Spike's crotch. ` The dragon looked down, and blushed hard. "Pinkie! I'm serious." "I am too. Seriously Spike, there won't be anything different between you two. If anything, things will only get better from this point on. Like you said, you'll be a family..." Pinkie walked over and hooked a forehoof around Spike's neck. "I mean it, you have nothing to worry about." Spike gave a light smile, he was still nervous, but Pinkie was usually right about these things. He gave a deep breath and widened his grin. In his heart he felt that Rarity was lightening up as well, most likely because she felt him easing up. "You have a point Pinkie." Another rap came at the door, and Spike called for whoever it was to come in. Twilight peeked her head through a crack in the door. "It's time, Spike. We're all ready." Rarity was sitting in her room, nervously. She could feel Spike's nerves getting the better of him. "Oh Spikey Wikey, I know how you're feeling. I'm quite nervous as well I must admit." She said, speaking to seemingly nothing, rubbing a hoof across her hearts in an attempt to calm the beating against her chest. A creak at her door caused the unicorn to jump and let out a squeak. "Well now, yer comin' off jumpier than Winona durin' bath night." The country pony's chuckle managed to calm Rarity. "Oh, sorry Applejack. I'm just a bit excited is all. This is... all just coming on in what seems to be an instant." Applejack closed the door behind her and walked over to her friend with a smile. "That's understandable. Big ol' ceremony is bound to tie yer stomach in knots. Not to mention ya'll are pretty much th' first official dragon an' pony pairin' in Equestria. Bit o' pressure there." "Are you trying to help?" Rarity frowned. Matters weren't getting better by being reminded of the duties falling upon her as well. "In truth Sugarcube, ah can't help ya." "Well that's just so very comforting Applejack." Rarity scoffed and turned away. The orange mare chuckled and bumped her friend in the shoulder. "Ah can't help ya, cause there ain't nothin' ta help with. Yer gettin' married Rarity. Ta one fine gent of a dragon too! Ah have no idea of how ah could possibly make that better. You been tellin' me pretty much every second we're together how amazin' an' spectacular life has been with Spike over these years. Seriously, ah heard less about cutie marks when Bloom an' her friends were the crusaders back when." This pulled a giggle out of the both of them. "Rarity, you smile brighter than Celestia's mornin' sun when yer 'round that boy, and nothin' about that is changin'. Hell, I'm expectin' it to be even brighter once you step down that aisle with Spike at the end; an' don't worry, RD brought her shades in case we can't get past the incredible glow you'll be givin' off." Rarity had tears welling up in her eyes as she looked Applejack in the eyes again. "I hope you're aware you've proven to be the best friend a mare could have ever wished for, Applejack. I look back to when we used to bicker and argue and wonder if we'd be as close as we are now if we hadn't gone through all that." Applejack merely shrugged. "Now... how you feelin'?" A white hoof wrapped around the back of the earth pony's neck as they met cheek to cheek in Rarity's hug. AJ smiled and hugged back. "Let's get you out there then." A large crowd had gathered today, almost everyone Spike knew from Ponyville had gathered, and all of the dragons Garble led when they were young, Garble himself stood next to Celestia atop the stairs in the center in a form slightly taller than her own. Twilight stood with all three of the Pie sisters and Shining Armor near Spike, while on the side Rarity would be standing, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Cadence were smiling. Looking out to the crowd, Spike also recognized the faces of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, the three of them grown and smiling. Sweetie Bell was tearing up as this was her sister's wedding after all. There were even a few customers that would frequent the boutique that he recognized as well. Willow was seated with the dragons, and had brought a few griffons along with her to witness the joining of ponies and dragons. The instant he looked over to the band however, Celestia had given them their cue. Octavia started them off. Spike looked down the aisle and felt his heart race faster than he'd ever felt it go before. He felt Rarity's was doing the same. He was expecting some grand and extravagant dress that Rarity had spent her life creating and adding on to for a moment like this one, but instead, she wore a simple white gown and veil, with no excess added. And she was beautiful. To see her in something so simple, yet seeming to match her perfectly almost overwhelmed him. Despite the veil, he was able to imagine her face in perfect detail, judging by her heart rate. Every detail in his mind, down to exactly how much she was blushing came together, and he found himself looking more pink than purple. She walked slowly, and he could watch her walk towards him forever, bringing them closer to joining their lives together. She approached the stairs, and joined him at the top where he smiled at her, as he was sure she was smiling back. Celestia began to speak, going through the traditional speech, with an inclusion of the alliance between ponies and dragons being aided by the joining. Spike and Rarity simply gazed at one another. "You look beautiful." Spike whispered to her, feeling a jump in her heart. Rarity could only give out a light giggle. When Celestia finished, Spike brought his claws to Rarity's veil, and lifted it out of her eyes. Sure enough, her smile was there, as brilliant as he imagined it would be. As he leaned down, she brought herself up, and they met one another in the middle, their lips joining to seal their bond. The crowd cheered, and some cried in joy. They pulled away and kept their eyes locked as their friends came to their side in congratulations. "On behalf of Canterlot, my sister and I hope for the very best in your future." Celestia finished. "Now, I believe our guests are quite excited for the reception. Octavia after all has referred a favorite DJ of mine. Shall we be off?" As the crowd all got up to go, Spike and Rarity, stayed a moment, accepting the congratulations from their guests, hoof in hand and eye to eye. A question then came from Scootaloo which caused the other two crusaders to giggle. "So, when are the kids?" Dash gave a bit of a glare to her adopted sister. "Well...hopefully soon." Rarity said simply, looking Spike in the eye as if she were telling him, rather than answering Scootaloo's question. Spike blushed kinda gave a blush before he leaned in for another kiss with Rarity. "We'll get to work on it."