One day.
One day and I'm not going to be single anymore. I'm going to be married. Cheerilee isn't going to be just Cheerilee, she's going to be Mrs. Cheerilee Powell.
Mrs. Cheerilee Powell.
Mrs. Cheerilee Powell.
Mr and Mrs. TD Powell.
Mr. TD Powell and Mrs. Cheerilee Powell.
Gosh that all sounds really weird when I think about it, but we'll be a family. Me, her, and Oswald. What a weird family we'll be. A human, a pony, and a phoenix. I'll be interested to see what happens if we throw a foal into the mix. He or she might balance out the weirdness. I mean, we couldn't get any more weird, right?
Well, I guess I should never say never, especially when it comes to weirdness.
Given that the wedding is tomorrow, we're at crunch time. Rarity has double and triple checked my tuxedo to make sure that it is absolutely perfect for the wedding day. She's even managed to make Oswald a phoenix-sized jacket and bow tie which Oswald took to quite nicely. We've had to alter the ceremony a touch, given that Oswald is my best man, but I think it's going to be pretty awesome.
All that to say, maybe I'd better look into fully publishing Wanderings of a Headstrong Human, because this wedding is draining the savings of both Cheerilee and I. Sure, Applejack is giving us a great deal on the food, we don't have to pay anybody to officiate because Celestia's doing it, and Rarity's giving us our outfits for dirt cheap.
If you think that's all that goes into a wedding you have another thing coming.
"Discounts" and "dirt cheap" don't mean "free." The same thing goes with renting out Town Hall. Again, Mayor Mare allowed a discount because Cheerilee and I have both given years of good service to Ponyville, but still not free. Then there's the decorations, the DJ, everything that goes into the reception, and just... a million billion other things that you'd never even think of. Oh, and, of course, the honeymoon. To Saddle Arabia.
Cheerilee's idea. She wanted to see some place I had gone on my great adventure, and that one seemed the best. We considered Zebrica, but I'd honestly only been to one little town in Zebrica. I didn't see much else, whereas I saw the capital of Saddle Arabia.
Currently Berry Punch, Lyra, and Bon Bon have taken Cheerilee for a night on the town for her bachelorette party, the details of which they refused to tell me about. I, for one, would rather they don't get Cheerilee some sexy dancer stallion as sort of a "last hurrah" before she's a married mare.
As for my bachelor party? Well, there wasn't one. I know, I know, that's a tradition before marriage, but I don't have any close guy friends here, so there's not much for me to do. All of my good friends are mares, and mares can't throw a guy a bachelor party. I mean, I guess I could have had Spike do it, but after what he did for, and during, Shining Armor's bachelor party...
Yeah, no. Just... no.
So, I'm having a nice night in with Oswald. The two of us are just kind of hanging out, going through the last of the wedding details. I think everything is settled. Cheerilee has her dress, which I have obviously not seen her in. I have my tuxedo all settled, and Town Hall is ready for not only the wedding itself, but the reception as well. But that's not the biggest thing that I'm dealing with while Cheerilee's out with her friends.
I'm dealing with the boxes.
Specifically the boxes of Cheerilee's stuff.
Yep, we managed to find a buyer for her house, and she officially moved into Manderley with me last week. Between that and the wedding preparations, things have been more than a little hectic, but we've made it work with a lot of help.
I groan and lean back on the couch, looking at the massive amount of stuff that Cheerilee has brought with her. Despite having lived in Ponyville for coming up on four years now, my house was a little bare. I just didn't need that much stuff. I mean, it's not like I can buy a big screen TV or anything. I had just what I needed and very little in the way of decoration, especially since I didn't have family photos or anything. Now that Cheerilee is going to be living here, that's changing big time. Manderley is going to look a lot more... Cheerileeesque very shortly, and I don't know where to put it all.
I sigh and reach up to scratch Oswald's head feathers. "I can't wait for all of this to be done," I groan. "Thank goodness she didn't need to bring her furniture."
Yeah, we looked at our collective furniture, decided what we'd need, then sold off the rest. It helped pay for the wedding. I click my tongue and stand back up, walking over to a box labeled "fragile: dishes" I open the box and took out a white ceramic plate with a flowery design on the edges. I walk over to the cabinet where I stored my dishes and put it on top of my plain green ceramic plate.
That's when it really hits me.
It's funny what does it to you. Your mind can't register something that's about to happen to you, so your brain continues on like everything's normal until it all hits you. I walk back over to the couch and sit down on it, holding my head in my hands.
"Oh what am I doing, Oswald?" I moan. "I mean, what the heck am I doing? I'm marrying a pony. Cheerilee's going to be my wife this time tomorrow so..." I raise my head and look over at Oswald, who is staring at me with his head tilted. I take a few deep breaths and lean back. "I mean, this is for good, right? I mean, I never want to divorce her. We might even consider adopting a foal somewhere down the line, and... wow." I scoff and scratch Oswald's head feathers. "Oswald, my friend, life as we know it is about to be over."
I grunt and glance over at the clock. Ten fifteen. I can totally go to sleep now. The wedding starts tomorrow at one, so that means getting up at about seven for everything. I lean my head back and close my eyes.
"What if after a few months she starts to think I'm a bad husband?" My eyes shoot open and I raise my head. "What if she gets cold hooves and just doesn't show up tomorrow? What if--"
I'm cut off when Oswald gives his low, guttural growl of annoyance and cuffs me on the back of the head with one of his wings. I cross my arms and look over at him to see him leering at me. I give him a weak smirk in return and run a hand through my hair. "Yeah, I guess you're right, buddy. No sense in playing the 'what if' game right now, huh?"
I stand up and walk over to the small window next to my door, looking out into the dark streets of Ponyville. Somewhere out there my future wife is having a good time with her friends. My wife tomorrow. I take a deep breath and decide to call it a night. I'm too nervous to get any more unpacking done, and if I stay up any later, I'm going to be too tired for tomorrow. Cheerilee isn't going to be back tonight, as all of them are staying at Lyra and Bon Bon's. I'm not allowed to see Cheerilee until she walks down the aisle, so there's no point in staying up and waiting for her. I take my shirt off and walk over to my bed, sliding underneath the covers as Oswald flies over to perch on my backpack. I settle in and try not to think about all of the numerous ways that tomorrow can go wrong.
She could get cold hooves and not show up.
She could tear a huge hole in her dress.
Her mane could catch on fire somehow. I dunno, just somehow.
Changelings could invade the wedding like with Cadance and Shining Armor!
Town Hall could blow up with everyone inside! Or without everyone inside; either way is still a disaster!
Someone could steal my tuxedo and I'd have to find something else to wear.
Some of the guests could end up not coming.
Celestia could have some urgent business and not show up to do the ceremony.
I could spontaneously combust!
I groan and rub my temples. I can't think like that! I just have to hope it all goes well. It's not going to be so bad. This time tomorrow Cheerilee and I will be snuggled up in a nice bed in Saddle Arabia as man and wife.
"Mrs. Cheerilee Powell," I whisper to myself. "Mrs. Cheerilee Powell..."
* * * *
My alarm clock goes off, and my eyes immediately snap open. Today's the day. The day I get married. No more bachelor TD from now on. I'm going to have a wife in a mere six hours.
I sit up in bed and notice that Oswald has woken up too. I smirk at him and turn my alarm clock off.
"Alright, buddy. I guess it's time." I get up and put on a t-shirt and some shorts before heading off to the bathroom for my morning routine. After my shower, I head on down to the kitchen and make myself some toast. It's... all I can really stomach at the moment. Oswald lands next to my seat and I push two of the three pieces of buttered toast I made over to him. I'm sure I'll get something to snack on later. Pinkie Pie will make sure of that.
Ugh. What's going to go wrong today?!
I sigh and begin rubbing my temples. "Am I being dumb, Oswald?" Oswald gives me a little caw, his mouth full of toast, and I chuckle. "I mean, I'm so paranoid about all of this. Cheerilee loves me and I love her, so this is... this is going to be okay, right? There are a ton of ponies around to make sure everything goes as perfectly as it can." I take a deep breath and finish my toast. "As good as it can."
Before I can do anything else, I'm startled by a trio of loud knocks on my door. I grimace and walk over to the door to open it. To my lack of surprise, I see Pinkie Pie, Twilight, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash all standing at my doorstep grinning widely at me. What does surprise me is when Pinkie Pie launches herself at me, wrapping me in a tackle hug. I barely manage to keep my balance as Pinkie Pie squeezes my middle with a surprising amount of strength.
"You're getting married!" she squeals. "Oh this is just the bestest day ever!"
"Congratulations, TD," Twilight says, walking into my house to pry Pinkie Pie off of me. "We're here to get you ready."
"Er... okay." I deeply inhale, partially out of nerves and partially because I can now that Pinkie Pie has been pulled off of me. "So, how is Cheerilee doing? Have you seen her?"
"Ah ah ah, TD," Pinkie says in a condescending tone, waggling her hoof at me. "The groom isn't supposed to see the bride before the wedding, remember?"
"She's alive, healthy, and she'll walk down the aisle to marry you. That's all you're getting from us," Rainbow Dash says. She grabs one of my hands and Twilight grabs the other in her magic. "Now come on, TD! Time to get you ready! We wouldn't want you to be unprepared for your own wedding, would we?"
"No, I suppose not," I say with a sigh as I get dragged down the road towards Town Hall. Oswald is flying beside me, looking on at the scene with what I think is amusement, if I can read his expressions correctly.
We get halfway to Town Hall before the mares decide that they can trust me not to bolt on them. When we reach it, I don't see anybody else there. if I have to hazard a guess, Bon Bon, Lyra, and Berry Punch are with Cheerilee already, getting her mane done and whatnot.
The mares lead me to a back door and into a large storage space, which has been outfitted with a mirror, a curtain for me to change clothes behind, and the padded hangars from which my tuxedo is hanging. I see Rarity busying herself with the tuxedo jacket, and she smiles at me when she hears the six of us come in.
"Ah. Hello, TD. Welcome to the groom's side of Town Hall. You are expressly forbidden from crossing the main room of town hall in any way shape or form, as that is the bride's side." She glances over at Oswald. "The same goes for you." Oswald gives a little hiss of annoyance, but Rarity rolls her eyes and turns her head back to me. "Now, it's eight-thirty, so we have four-and-a-half hours to pull this all off. If you do what I say when I say it, that should be plenty."
"Well we'll leave you to it, then," Twilight says. "Pinkie's going to help AJ with the food, so the reception will be all set, TD. Fluttershy? Rainbow? Care to help me do some last touches on the decor?"
Rainbow grins and salutes. "On it!"
With that, the rest of them exit the room, leaving me with Rarity. She immediately herds me behind the curtain and gently levitates my tuxedo pants over to me.
"Come out the moment those pants are on, TD! This is going to be much easier if I can see you while I make sure everything looks okay."
"Yeah, yeah," I grumble, taking off my shoes, socks and shorts and putting the tuxedo pants on as carefully as I could so as to not wrinkle them. Once that was finished, I came out from behind the curtain and Rarity put my other clothes in a brown paper bag.
"Now, then..." Rarity pulls me over to her and begins looking over the tux pants to make sure everything is fine. "Tell me how you're feeling, darling. I've never been married before, but I can imagine that you're scared out of your mind."
"Understatement of the millennium," I grumble. "In some ways the death match with the minotaur warlord who wanted my head was less unnerving than this. I mean that was..." I scratch the back of my head. "I dunno, I felt a touch more in control of that whole thing, you know? And if it goes poorly, well, then I'm not around to feel the after effects. But here? If everything goes wrong the happiness of the rest of my life will be at stake, and I have to live with a 'what could have been' and I hate those."
Rarity snorts and takes my shirt off with her magic, now that she's certain that my pants are all settled. "Honestly, TD, I think you're being paranoid. Cheerilee loves you dearly. She's devoted to you and you're devoted to her. I see absolutely no reason why you aren't going to end the day married. If Town Hall burns down and everything we've worked for turns into ash, Cheerilee will be content just having Celestia do the wedding ceremony. Just as long as she gets to call herself Mrs. Cheerilee Powell at the end of the day."
"I know," I mutter, extending one arm so that Rarity can put my tuxedo shirt on. "We love each other. We love each other a lot, and nothing's gonna change that, but I hate feeling so out of control about an event this big, you know? I know I can't micromanage everything, but this is supposed to be the happiest day of our lives. I want it to be perfect, you know?"
Rarity smirks at me and gently pats me on the back as I begin buttoning up my shirt. "Of course I do, TD. I may not have been a bride before, but I know what it's like to want everything to go perfectly." Rarity chuckles quietly and levitates the tuxedo jacket over to me. "I know fashion shows aren't exactly on the same levels as getting married to the love of your life, but the feeling is certainly one that I have experienced."
"So any advice on how to settle this terrified feeling?"
Rarity gives a light chuckle and has me extend an arm so she can slip my tuxedo jacket on. "Oh, I don't know if any mere words are going to do anything for you, TD, save for 'I now pronounce you man and wife.' All I can recommend are deep breaths, drinking sips of water, and telling yourself that Cheerilee loves you. She will marry you no matter what."
"Yeah," I mumble as I button my tuxedo jacket and Rarity gets my bow tie. "I guess so." I look over at the clock while Rarity ties my bow tie. Nine-ten. Three hours and fifty minutes.
With my tuxedo all settled, I get my dress socks and shoes on while Rarity turns her attention to Oswald. I have to admit, I was unsure of how Oswald would deal with having a tuxedo jacket and bow tie put on, but he is perfectly still while Rarity does her work. Once she's finished, he flies over to the mirror and looks himself over, tilting his head slightly as he does. After a minute or so, he nods his approval and lands on the back of a nearby chair.
"Well, it's good to see that he likes it," Rarity says with a smile. "And you look rather dashing in your tuxedo as well, TD." Rarity takes a deep breath and begins gathering up her supplies. "Now, then, I'm afraid that I must get over to the bride's side of Town Hall, TD. Cheerilee's dress is going to look even more amazing than I'm sure you're picturing it. I promise you that."
I give Rarity a weak smile and gently sit down on the chair Oswald is perched on. "Thanks, Rarity. I'm sure it will look amazing."
"It will, darling."
With that, Rarity walks out of the room, leaving me alone to figure out what to do for the next three hours and forty five minutes. On Earth I'd just pull out a phone and play some game on it, but here...
Well, I'm sure that they're not just going to let me stew for four hours.
Sure enough, after about fifteen minutes, three and a half hours to go, Applejack comes in, her coat, mane and hat covered in splotches of flour. She grins at me when she sees me. "Well howdy do there, TD. How ya feelin'?"
I chuckle and stand up. "Terrified."
Applejack scoffs and waves her hoof. "Now there's no need fer that, TD. Ah promise that Cheerilee's gonna marry ya. Now..." Applejack beckons me to follow her. "We need ya to look over everythin' to make sure that it's okay. Ah'm sure that it is, but we'd just like ta make sure, ya know?"
I nod and follow her out of the room, Oswald flying behind me. Applejack leads me into the main room of Town Hall, where the decorations have been put up.
So, Cheerilee and I, after much deliberation, decided on the same blue and green color scheme that makes up her engagement ring. There are different shades of it all, of course, but that's the general idea. Rows and rows of chairs have been laid out, with a split down the middle for the aisle that my bride-to-be will walk down with her father. Then I will meet them and take Cheerilee away from her father as tradition dictates.
Now, normally there's a bride side and a groom side, but since all of my friends are her friends, that didn't really happen in the strictest sense. Sure, her parents are on the side she'll be standing on, but the rest of it will be pretty much spread out. The Mane Six and the Crusaders are on my side, while the foals she has taught over the years and their parents can pretty much sit wherever they want. All of the seats are going to be filled, so there's no real issue of favoritism.
I look around the main hall at all of the banners and flowers and ribbons and whatnot, and give a nod of approval. Everything looks ship-shape from where I'm standing. The small stage/alter thing that they've put up front looks pretty good, so that's nice. I take a deep breath and look down at Applejack to nod my approval.
"It all looks pretty good."
Applejack smiles and gives a nod of her own. "Yep, Ah think so too. You 'n Cheerilee are gonna have a real great weddin' if Ah do say so myself."
"Yeah." I put my hands on top of my head and start taking a few deep breaths. "Oh man, this is really happening, isn't it?"
Applejack chuckles and nods. "Yep. Sure is. Yer gonna be fine TD, so don't worry about it."
"Rarity said the same thing," I mutter.
"And she was right." Applejack reaches up to put a hoof on my side, looks at her flour covered hoof, then thinks better of it and settles for a smile. "Ah know this has ta be scary, but this is gonna be the happiest day of yer life. Fer the both of ya."
"I know." I run a hand through my hair and take a deep breath. "I know that Cheerilee and I are going to be happy together... provided that everything goes well enough today."
"And it is," Applejack says with a reassuring nod. "Y'all have a lot of friends who are gonna make sure of that."
I take another deep breath and look all around the main room of Town Hall, internally repeating a new mantra to myself.
It's going to be okay. It's going to be okay. It's going to be okay.
* * * *
The hours tick by as slow as molasses, but somehow as quick as lightning at the same time. Funny how that works. I spent most of it looking around the wedding and making sure that everything looked okay. I heard that Cheerilee did the same thing, but I never caught a single glimpse of her. I know it's supposed to be bad luck for the groom to see the bride before she comes down the aisle, but just a little glance would calm me down. Seeing her smile, you know?
As the time ticked down, wedding guests started to file in. As per tradition, it was my job as the groom to greet them all. So, that's what I spent most of my time doing. I admit that did calm me down a little more. Seeing a bunch of ponies come in to congratulate me on my happy day. I caught a brief glance of Cheerilee's parents, but that was cut off when Berry Punch, dressed in her light green bridesmaid dress with her mane done up, came and brought them to the bride's side.
To my surprise, everypony we invited came to the wedding. I mean, we didn't invite a thousand ponies, and everyone we did invite, save for Celestia and Luna, already lived in Ponyville, so as I ran through the guest list in my mind as well-dressed ponies filed in, I realized that everyone showed up.
That's one less thing to worry about.
At noon sharp, I hear the sound of a chariot landing outside Town Hall as I'm greeting Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, both of whom trot over to my side of the aisle. I give a slightly amused scoff and walk out of Town Hall to see, of course, Celestia and Luna stepping out of their large chariot. I note with some interest that of the four ponies pulling the chariot, two are Celestia's guard, and two are Luna's cat-eyed bat ponies. I didn't think they tended to be up this early.
Gotta say, those guys always slightly give me the creeps. They have canines, for goodness sakes.
Anyway, Celestia and Luna, both wearing only their regalia, as per the wishes of both Cheerilee and I, as we didn't want them showing Cheerilee up, walk towards me, large smiles on their faces. To my mild surprise, Philomena is flying next to Celestia, something that triggers a happy little squawk from Oswald. Philomena returns it with a little nod and lands on Celestia's back as the two princesses stop in front of me.
"Good afternoon, TD," Celestia says, extending her hoof so that I can shake it. "I congratulate you on this most joyous of occasions. Both my sister and I wish you well on this happy day."
I smirk at Celestia and give her a nod. "Thank you, Celestia, and thank you for agreeing to do the ceremony."
"Oh it is my pleasure, TD. Nothing makes me happier than bringing you and Cheerilee together on this most joyous of occasions."
"You have come a long way, TD Powell," Luna agrees with a nod. "You are not the same man brought here that long decade ago."
I snort and cross my arms. "You're telling me. If I had known back then that this would be my future..." I shake my head. "I wouldn't have even conceived of it. I keep going back to that first day I met Cheerilee, when Sweetie Belle brought me into her class for show and tell. Now here I am ten years later marrying her. Funny how life works out like that, you know?"
Celestia chuckles. "TD, living as long as I have has taught me many things. One of the most important ones is that life never turns out the way you expect it. I know you will have a good long life, and see more instances of that than you can count."
"I don't doubt it." I take a deep breath to force the ever rising feeling of unease in my stomach down. I glance at my watch. Forty six minutes to go. "Well, I suppose you two should come in, then."
"I suppose so," Celestia says. "We are eager to see all of your hard work come to fruition."
I lead Celestia and Luna inside the room, and the entire crowd of ponies gasps when they see the two of them. The low murmur of conversation dies down, and everypony stands up to bow. Celestia raises her hoof and the ponies all rise.
"Good afternoon, everypony. It warms my heart that all of you came here today to witness the joyous union of TD and Cheerilee. I will be performing the ceremony when we begin shortly. Now if you'll excuse my sister and I, we must go speak with the bride."
I point towards a door that leads to the bride's side, and the two of them give a slight nod of thanks before walking through it to greet my very, very, very soon-to-be wife.
And so I spend the last forty five minutes of time before my wedding just chatting things up. Talking to a few of the guests. I mean, most of what they say to me is exactly the same: "congratulations" "I'm happy for you" that kind of thing. Still, it was nice to know I'm supported.
But then...
Then I look at my watch and see that it's one o' clock.
My wedding has begun.
Celestia and Luna come out from the bride's side, and I excuse myself from my conversation with Featherweight. I glance at Celestia, and the two of us exchange a nod. I slowly walk up to the altar, just as I practiced at the rehearsal yesterday, while Oswald flies next to me and perches on a stand we set up for him. I glance over at Sweetie Belle, who is sitting at an electric piano that we've set to "pipe organ." She meets my eye, and I give her the nod. She returns it, and begins playing some traditional, slow wedding music. The crowd falls silent instantly, and Celestia and Luna walk down the aisle to the music. Nopony stands for them, that's for the bride, but most do bow their heads briefly.
I take a deep breath as Celestia takes center stage, and Luna takes her place to the right of me. We wait a few moments for the music to stop, then Celestia takes half a step forward and spreads her wings, her radiant smile plastered on her face.
"Mares and gentlestallions, fillies and colts, I welcome each and every one of you this grand afternoon to this most joyous of events. Today we are all here to witness the holy matrimony of Cheerilee and TD Harrison Powell. It is my belief that today will be a wonderful day for us all."
Celestia inclines her head towards Sweetie Belle, who grins and takes a phonograph out from behind the piano. I grimace, but this is what Cheerilee wanted, and I can't really say no to her. Not on a day like today. Sweetie Belle puts a record on the phonograph and puts the needle down, and what should start playing?
Ooh filly, I wanna hold you so tight. I wanna stay up with you all night, ooh filly. Come away with me. We'll rock Equestria together, ooh filly. We'll be together forever and nopony's gonna ever break us apart!
The members of the crowd old enough to get it are chuckling as the door to the bride's side opens up, and Lyra comes prancing down the aisle towards the stage. She reaches it and takes her place on the bride's side, just as Bon Bon hops and skips down the aisle after her, wearing a grin that I usually associate with Lyra. She takes her place, and Berry Punch comes down the aisle, as expected. In a display of flawless timing, she takes her spot right as the song I'm growing increasingly not fond of ends.
Thank goodness.
And that's it, then. There's only one more member of the wedding party that we have to wait for.
I bite down on the inside of my lower lip as Celestia begins speaking again.
"Matrimony is the most sacred form of friendship, and today we celebrate the friendship of TD and Cheerilee. No longer will they be apart, but they will soon be two souls joined together." A hint of a smirk creeps up in Celestia's smile. "But, we cannot do that without a certain somepony, and so..." Celestia folds her wings and backs up, nodding to Sweetie Belle one more time. This is it. The moment I've been waiting for pretty much since we've started dating. Sweetie Belle begins playing the piano once more, the crowd gets to their hooves and the doors to the bride's side swing open.
And there she is.
My breath dies in my throat when I see three of Cheerilee's students hopping down the aisle and swinging rose petals to pave the way for my bride.
My bride.
She's walking next to her tuxedo-clad father, wearing her wedding dress. It's a simple dress, in keeping with our tastes, but that doesn't mean it's not beautiful. It's plain, sleek, and white, with small, subtle rose design linings dotting it. Her mane is in a braid interwoven with flowers. Her head is crowned with a circlet of small flowers, which her veil is attached to. She is also wearing pure white shoes, similar to the kind Celestia wears.
The flower fillies move aside, and Cheerilee and her father keep coming down the aisle. They both stop three-quarters of the way to the stage, which is my cue. I step off the stage and go down to meet her. Just like in the rehearsal yesterday, except... not. This isn't like the rehearsal at all. This is real. My mind can't really register that this is actually happening.
For the first time in a few days, Cheerilee and my eyes meet, and we don't need to say anything. Just what we're conveying in our eyes is enough. We love each other so much, that today we're going to commit the rest of our lives together. I take Cheerilee's hoof, allowing her father to go stand in the front row of the bride's side next to Cheerilee's mother, and I lead Cheerilee up to the altar, where we take our places in front of Celestia. Her smile goes its widest yet, and she gives us both nods.
"It is my greatest pleasure to stand here today to join the two of you in holy matrimony. I have seen your relationship grow, and I can say beyond the shadow of a doubt that your love is as as strong as any I have ever seen before. You have both come such a long way in your lives together already, and I cannot wait to see what the future has in store for you." Celestia turns her head to Cheerilee and inclines her head to her in a small bow. "Cheerilee, you are a mare who has already accomplished much in her life. You have taken generations of foals, and helped them grow into the best mares and stallions that they can be. I am confident that you will find the same successes in the rest of your life in everything you do. TD is very lucky to have a wonderful mare like you as his wife."
Cheerilee returns Celestia's small bow with one of her own. "Thank you, Princess Celestia."
Celestia nods again, then looks at me. Once more, I see her usual serene smile is blemished with a bit of a smirk. "And you, TD." Cheerilee, Celestia, and I share an almost imperceptible chuckle. "I know your coming to this world was sudden and unexpected, and I think we can both agree that this particular turn of events was not the one either of us expected when you punched me in the face those times."
The entire crowd lets out a little bit of a chuckle, save for Cheerilee's father, whom I hear say, "wait, he did what now?" I imagine Cheerilee's mother is too shocked to say anything.
"Your drive and passion led you on a six year journey around the planet, during which time you refused to give up. You did not come back the same man that you were when you left, but I can say that that same drive remains. I have every confidence that you will apply that same passion and drive to your relationship with your wife. You two will be very happy as long as you are together."
With that, Celestia and Luna both bow their heads and spread out their wings. The lights in the room dim, and the two of them begin singing a chant in harmony that reminds me of Gaelic music.
"Eluceat amor vester in saecula. Gaudium caritatis tuae repleatur. Amor sempiternus, stabilis est et laetus. In me in virtute; do coniunctionis.
When they finish, they fold their wings back at their sides, and the lights come back up. Celestia nods to one of the colts of Cheerilee's class, who is carrying a pillow in his magic, on which rest two golden rings on chains. "Bring forth the rings, my dear."
The colt shakily bows his head at being addressed by Celestia herself, and slowly walks up to the stage to stand next to Cheerilee. Celestia turns her attention to Cheerilee again. "Will you, Cheerilee, take TD Harrison Powell to be your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold? Will you love him, comfort him and keep him, forsaking all others to remain true to him? In sickness and in health, in poverty and in wealth, as long as you both shall live?"
Cheerilee's smile became so wide that it threatened to split her face, but it had nothing on how my spirit soared when she spoke her next words.
"I do."
She said "I do."
She really does want to do this whole marriage thing!
Cheerilee takes the wedding ring on the right off of the pillow, and I kneel down in front of her so that she can put it around my neck. She walks forward a few steps and gently slips the chain around my neck. I'll put the ring on my finger later, but this is for the best right now.
With that done, Cheerilee steps back and I stand up, causing Celestia to turn her attention to me.
"Will you, TD Harrison Powell, take Cheerilee to be your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold? Will you love her, comfort her and keep her, forsaking all others to remain true to her? In sickness and in health, in poverty and in wealth, as long as you both shall live?"
The words are out of my mouth before I can even register it.
"I do."
The ring bearer walks up to me, and I take the other ring off of the pillow. I walk up to Cheerilee and slip the ring around her neck.
"It is done, then," Celestia says, spreading out her wings once more. "By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."
Cheerilee and I look down at each other, both of us smiling wide. We're married now; we're really married! About that whole kiss thing, though...
Cheerilee and I both think of the right thing to do at the same time. With a synchronization that can only come from being husband and wife, we both turn our heads at the same time to speak to Celestia.
"Nah, we're good."