//------------------------------// // Chapter I: A Royal Union // Story: Host Of Souls // by SapphireWings999 //------------------------------// This day was going to be perfect. Several months had passed since I had first visited Equestria and discovered my destiny as an Alicorn prince after defeating a powerful and deadly evil. Upon returning to my home world, I proposed to my longtime girlfriend, Savannah, and she said yes. Now, on this beautiful March day, we were finally getting married; nothing could possibly ruin this moment. Well, one thing could. Only a few months after proposing to Savannah, my doctor had diagnosed me with terminal lung cancer. While I’d never smoked a day in my life and my parents hadn’t either, they both came from families who had. Both my grandmothers had been smoking since they were teens and one of them had passed away from Stage 4 lung cancer about a year and a half earlier. Studies done in the past few years showed that those who smoked would end up passing on similar health problems to not only their children but their grandchildren also. Combine that with my constant exposure to secondhand smoke from both of my grandmas and my uncle and my diagnosis was hardly surprising to my doctor. Still I’d never expected to get it this young. He’d only given me about a year left to live and, by this point, time was half up. I had tried to break up with Savannah to spare her any heartache over the fact that she and I would only be together for several months more, but, when she found out about my diagnosis, she was obstinate to stand by me. She said that she wouldn’t be able to call herself a good girlfriend, or even wife, if she just left me because of something like cancer. I had to compliment her on her integrity, one of the qualities I first noticed in her, and so we went forward with our plans. I hadn’t told anyone else about my diagnosis yet. I just wasn’t sure how or even when to tell them; no time ever seemed right to break the news to them. I had to drop out of community college last year to focus more time on planning the wedding, I had to find a new job after the amusement park closed for the season, my grandmother on my mom’s side was visiting for a few months in the fall, and, on top of that, I had just celebrated my 23rd birthday back in December. Hardly anything to celebrate as it would pretty much be the last birthday I ever had. In all honesty, my life was too hectic for me to tell anyone about my condition; there were no calmer moments for me to just explain it to them. But in this moment, standing in front of the mirror adjusting my favorite royal blue tie and clearing an itch I had in my throat, I couldn’t let any of this bother me. This was a time of celebration and I wasn’t going to spend it wallowing in self-pity. I ran a comb through my neatly trimmed, new wave style, ebony hair to make sure it was flawless. I had adopted the new wave style of hair several months earlier because I loved how it had almost a Japanese Anime feel to it and I intended to wear it that way for as long as I could. Looking at my watch, I saw that it was about time to head in. Getting into position, I waited for the music to start and entered the cathedral’s sanctuary, making the long walk down the aisle towards the future that awaited me. * * * * * * * * I stood at the altar next to my best man, Steve, in the presence of both me and Savannah’s families and a small handful of select friends. My face was stoic as I waited for the grand appearance of my bride, all the while thinking of how we would spend the remaining days of my short life together and how I couldn’t have chosen a better girl to be my wife. In that sense, I was a pretty lucky man. Finally, the wedding march began to play and everyone’s attention turned to the entrance of the sanctuary where Savannah was starting her long walk towards me. She was like a picturesque vision in her mermaid cut wedding dress with long train flowing behind her. She wore a veil, but I could still see the joy on her face at the sight of me as I smiled back at her. In that moment, at the sight of her grace and poise as she approached the altar, I was immediately reminded of an angel. Reaching the front of the congregation, the two of us turned to face the pastor once the music ended and silence fell over the room. “Dearly beloved,” the pastor started, “we are gathered here today in the sight of God to witness the union of David and Savannah in holy matrimony. It is stated in the book of Mark chapter 10 verses 7-9 that ‘“Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate’. Marriage is a blessed arrangement that joins two souls in a bond that cannot easily be undone and these two young people have shown their dedication to one another as we watch them take the first step of their new life together today.” With that, the pastor then looked at me and Savannah before continuing. “David, do you take Savannah to be your lawfully wedded wife to have and to hold, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, so long as you both shall live?” “Ah do,” I replied, confidently. “And Savannah, do you take David to be your lawfully wedded husband to have and to hold, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, so long as you both shall live?” “I do,” Savannah answered back with the same level of confidence. I had already known that Savannah was going to remain faithfully by my side through whatever happened, but this was the final confirmation that she was truly in it for the long haul and this only served to boost my confidence. “Now do you have the rings?” the pastor asked. “Yeah,” I nodded with a smile before turning to the ring bearer, my little brother, Matthew, and motioning for him to come forward. Approaching us quietly, he held out the two rings that Savannah and I picked up off of the cushion they were resting on before turning to each other and placing them on the other’s left hand ring finger. “By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride,” the pastor finished. Removing the veil to reveal Savannah’s eyes like sapphires sparkling back at me, I placed my hand on the back of her neck, gently pulling her near me, and we kissed each other as the entire congregation erupted in cheers for us in this one happy moment. * * * * * * * * A short while later, all of us were gathered at the reception being held at the Elks Lodge. Congratulations were abundant from everyone there as we ate, conversed, and danced the night away. After dancing the Cupid Shuffle, I had to sit down to rest for a while. I was soon joined by Savannah. “Whataya think you’re doing just sitting around like that?” she asked playfully. “Ah’m jus restin’ fer a bit,” I replied. “Ya know how tha Cupid Shuffle takes a lot outta me.” “Yeah. You sure do throw yourself pretty hard into it don’t you?” “Well what can Ah say? It’s one o’ ma favorite dances.” “Mine too. That and Gangnam Style. Just don’t forget we have our special song in a few minutes.” “Ah’ll be rested n’ ready fer it.” “K. I’m gonna get a refill of punch.” “See ya later, Cupcake.” She smiled back at me as she headed over to the refreshment table. I felt another cough coming on and grabbed a nearby napkin to cough into. After my hacking fit, I pulled the napkin away to reveal a splotch of red staining the white paper cloth. “David,” I heard a familiar male voice call out. Quickly, I wiped my lip and pocketed the stained napkin before anyone could see it. Turning in the direction of the voice, I saw that it was my old college buddy, Tyler. “Tyler,” I greeted back as I stood up to hug him. “How ya doin?” “Pretty O.K. How bout you?” “Ya know, same ole same ole. How’s college treatin’ ya?” “It’s a bitch as usual. I just keep reminding myself ‘One more semester after this and I graduate.’ Helps keep me pushing along,” he answered while taking a sip of punch. “How’s yer girl doin? Ah don’ see her here tonight. What happened?” “Yeah. She was busy with work. Couldn’t get out of it or else she would’ve come. She told me to give you and Savannah her regards.” “Well ya can tell her that we both ‘preciate her sayin’ that nex’ time ya see her.” “K. and congrats again.” “Thanks, brah.” “Anytime.” I soon noticed that the other song was ending in a short while and that our song would be on right after that. “Well listen, Tyler, Ah gotta go find Savannah. Our song’s bout ta come on n’ neither of us wanna miss it.” “K. I’ll catch ya sometime later.” “Sure thing.” And with that, I turned and walked away, looking for Savannah through the crowd. Finally, I spotted her and waved her over. “Perfect timing,” Savannah stated as she reached me. “I had just finished my punch.” “Ah know right?” I chuckled. “So… shall we dance?” “Yes. Let’s,” she replied as our song began. She placed her hands on my shoulders as I placed mine on her waist and we danced to Peabo Bryson and Regina Belle’s cover of A Whole New World from Aladdin. It had always been a favorite of ours ever since we were both kids and so we had come to the conclusion, early in our relationship, that when we got married we’d have to dance to this song. This moment was absolutely perfect. No words were spoken between us, but there didn’t need to be. We just stared into each other’s eyes as the song played in the background with everyone else watching us. In our own silence, we both knew what the other was thinking and we were just filled with bliss. With the song reaching its climax, we paused where we stood and pulled each other close to engage in a kiss as the many onlookers roared in approval. As we pulled apart, I extended two fingers to stroke some hair away from Savannah’s face as our eyes locked. “I wish this moment would never end,” Savannah whispered to me. “You n’ me both kid,” was all I could reply, silently. * * * * * * * * A few hours and a long car drive later, me and Savannah arrived at the Beach Villa motel in Old Orchard Beach, Maine where we would spend our honeymoon. After getting checked in, we headed straight for our room to unpack everything and get settled in for the night. “Wow,” Savannah remarked. “It feels soo good to be back here again.” “Tell me about it,” I answered as I started unpacking my clothes. “We haven’t been here since the weekend that you proposed to me.” “It certainly has been a while now since then.” It was in that moment that I remembered my visit to Equestria before we last came here. Pulling out the necklace Rarity gave me that I had kept hidden under my white dress shirt, I realized that I had to tell Savannah the truth. No. Not just tell her. Show her. “Hey, honey?” I started. “Yes, David?” she replied. “What is it?” “Ya remember that weekend when Ah told ya bout that dream Ah had?” “Yeah,” she nodded, “the one about how you had visited Equestria and saved it from an evil hag.” “Yeah that one. Well… Ah dunno how ta tell ya this… but… it wasn’t really… a dream.” Savannah looked at me with a puzzled expression. “What do you mean?” “Well… yer prob’ly gonna think Ah’m crazy, but… it actually happened. Ah… Ah really visited Equestria.” Savannah looked at me completely dumbfounded and speechless. “H- How is that even possible?” she finally managed to utter, silently. “Ah dunno,” I started taking my necklace off, “but this necklace was given ta me by Rarity n’ Princess Twilight herself enchanted it so that Ah could return ta Equestria whenever Ah please. Look. It even has an engravin’ on tha back.” Still shocked Savannah approached to get a closer look at the necklace. She then gazed upon the engraving on the back of the pendant. “Equestrian son/The victory won/Return to thy home,” Savannah read out loud. “What’s that supposed to mean?” Before I could answer, a loud thunder crack sounded out as a blinding flash of light revealed a portal in the middle of the floor. Soo great was its pull on us that our feet slid against the carpet as we were sucked in. “David? What’s happening?” Savannah questioned nervously. “You’ll find out soon. Jus’ remain calm.” She then clung to me as we fell forward into the vortex. As we plunged through a swirl of rainbow, our bodies began to stretch out and distort like rubber before our skin began to peel, revealing pastel skin beneath. Savannah began to panic and scream as the transformation took place and I’ll admit that even I found it slightly disturbing, but all of those fearful thoughts vanished from my mind swiftly. For as I felt my pony ears take form atop my head in place of my human ones and my great, feathered wings sprouted from my back, I knew that one thing was certain: The prince was returning home.