//------------------------------// // Slice of Life. The 100th episode! // Story: The Little Pony Legend: A Kingdom of Friendship // by MaggiesHeartLove //------------------------------// Slice of Life "I'll never understand the ponies in this town!" said Cranky Doodle Donkey once he walked in through the door, before placing his recently purchased bag of fruit onto the floor. He angrily closed the door with his back leg. Matilda, a lovely female donkey, was busy working on her scrapbook. It was filled with so many pictures of her and Cranky's time together, from their trip to Manehatthan, to the Heart's Warming Eve party. Princess Twilight Sparkle's coronation, even Avatar Korra's coronation. They had been through so much together Matilda had to buy more than one book just to keep the memories all together. Cranky, regardless of his name, was actually a much more gentle and loving soul once you got to know him. He was far less grumpy now than he use to be before he found Matilda again. But today, he was annoyed with the townsponies for some reason. "Everywhere I went, they were all gussied up and lookin' at me funny! Kept asking if I was "nervous"!" Matilda simply smiled, her big blue eyes sparkling like sapphires in Cranky's eyes. "Did they forget the wedding is tomorrow?" "Oh, maybe they're just as excited for us to be married as I am." The two donkeys giggled and nuzzled their noses. Many years ago, Cranky and Matilda met at the Grand Galloping Gala in Canterlot when they were young. It was love at first sight for them. Extremely rare but not so much for these two. However, Cranky had never seen Matilda again after that night. She had left him a note, saying she was moving to Ponyville but he never found it. So he traveled all over Equestria to find her, only to finally call it quits once he came to Ponyville. But, thanks to a certain pink pony, Cranky found the love of his life once again and now, after so long, they were finally getting married. "Well, they're going to feel awfully silly when they realize they've got the wrong date." said Matilda as she gazed at the invitations she just placed on her scrapbook. Cranky was taken aback when his fiance suddenly gasped in horror. "The invitations are wrong!" she cried out, "This says the wedding is today!" "But I got such a good deal on them…" "Oh no!" "What now?" "They say that the wedding isn't going to be here in Ponyville but…In Republic City!!" "What?! How did that even happen?" "Everypony in town got these! The princesses have even RSVP'd!" Matilda started to gallop nervously in place. "I told you we should have eloped!" said Cranky. "Oh, dear. The caterer, the flowers, the musicians! We've got to move it all to today! And to the city!" "What?!" Matilda didn't waste another second to slam the door wide open and gallop away to find Pinkie Pie. "Where's my wedding planner?!" Cranky looked back at the invitations, re-reading the words they said. If he wasn't cranky before, he certainly was now. (~) "You told me you could do it for half what the others charged, and then you sent the invitations to everypony in town with the wrong date and wrong place! Now I'm going to have to get married in a musty old city!" Cranky's nostrils flared in anger as the pony behind the counter, Derpy, pulled out a basket of apology muffins. "Muffin?" she smiled nervously. "Do you have any idea how stressed Matilda is now?!" Cranky then sighed to try and calm himself down. "Well, I suppose there no use in fightin' this, is there? Republic City wedding it is." The groom-to-be walked out the door, leaving poor Derpy to feel terrible for her mistake. (~) Latter that day, both Twilight Sparkle and her boyfriend Flash Sentry galloped along across town, bypassing various ponies. The princess looked determined while the stallion was just trying not to hit anybody. "Excuse us! Pardon me, important royal business. Coming through!" Flash caught sight of two familiar ponies sitting together at a table and send them a brief hello. "Hey Derpy, hey Doc, gotta go!" Derpy was sitting with a male chocolate colored stallion with an hourglass cutie mark and spiky dark brown hair, wearing a green tie with a white collar around his neck. He was often known as Dr. Hooves due to his love of science. He rolled his eyes as he watched the young stallion gallop behind the much faster alicorn who carried a burned scar on her right leg. "Oh, I'll never understand how stallions can let themselves be whipped by mares." he said rather cockily. He found romances to be silly distractions to the most important things in life. Derpy didn't really pay attention to his remark, she was still too upset. "I really messed up on those invitations! I feel just awful, Doc!" The waiter pony placed the tray of juice onto the table and rose his nose up into the air in a snobby fashion, "Hmph! Perhaps that explains why I never got mine!" he said before leaving. "I told Cranky I could get 'em printed for cheap, but that meant hiring somepony with no experience using a printing press." While the two ponies were in deep conversation, three familiar lizard spirits with dragon-fly wings hovered over their heads. It was Mika, Ali and San, otherwise known as Avatar Korra's and Mako's adopted spirit children. Because they were still too young, they could not speak like the others, and instead communicated throughout squeaks and chirping-like sounds. "What do you think is the problem?" Mika chirped at her older sister, Ali. "Derpy just being Derpy again." Ali chirped back, "She got the invitations to Cranky and Matilda's wedding wrong. Now they have to get married at Republic City today." San's eyes widened, "Wow!" he chirped, "Wonder how's she's gonna get out of this one." "You guys want to stay and find out?" Mika and San all nodded in agreement. They always loved a good show! Derpy covered her imbalanced eyes in dismay, "Oh, I wish there was a way I could go back in time and fix all this." Dr. Hooves tapped his chin in thought. A mischievous smile emerged on his face. "I don't like the look in his face." Ali chirped. (~) Dr. Hooves opened the door to his underground lab while Derpy followed close behind, marveling at all of the gadgets and stuff around her. Unbeknownst to them, the trio of spirits had entered as well but hid from view. "Going back in time is old thinking, my friend." said the stallion once he entered and began tinkering on one of his machines. The entire room was filled with all sorts of futuristic, and somewhat retro looking, objects, materials and experiments the pony had been working on. "I was working off a cutting-edge theory of making time come forward to you." The Doc noticed that Derpy was no longer at his side, but rather playing on a hanging model air-plane device while wearing some kind of helmet on her head. Dr. Hooves pulled a lever and lowered her down. This was not the time for horse play. "My life's work, decades – centuries, really – of research and experimentation, and I nearly had it cracked! Turns out there's a magic spell for it. Who knew?" Derpy once again got away and was now playing with an electric orb, which caused her hair to stand up every time she touched it. "She's not exactly the sharpest fork in the drawer, is she?" Ali chirped to her brother and sister, who had to agree with her. "But there are so many things that magic can't explain, where science and mathematics are the real magic!" "What are these?" Derpy asked while gazing at a tube with floating, colorful-like objects. "They're pretty." "Ah, yes, my flameless fireworks. I never could quite figure out how to get them to ignite." "How did you learn to make all this stuff anyway?" Derpy asked. "I've been studying science my whole life. Ever since a particularly traumatic experience as a foal, I've been looking for ways to make sense of the world around me. Science provides explanations of things we never thought possible! … However, I never could get to the logical conclusion as to how a human became half alicorn." said the Doc as he looked at some of the notes and pictures he had on Avatar Korra up on his wall. "Then again, I also can't understand the whole 'soul mate' theory of her's either. Now, why did we come here again?" Derpy shook her head to remind herself of what it was, "Yeah. Oh! Because I accidentally sent out invitations for Cranky and Matilda's wedding with today's date instead of tomorrow's and now, instead of it being in Ponyville, It's in Republic City!" Dr. Hooves rapidly shook his head in disbelief, "Great whickering stallions! I completely forgot! And I still need to get my suit tailored!" Dr. Hooves galloped out of the room, leaving Derpy alone, and once again, with no idea on how to fix her problem. (~) Dr. Hooves galloped towards the Carousel Boutique, with his suit on his back, and knocked on the door, yet he gained no response. "Rarity? Rarity!" but still no answer, "Blast!" He heard music and saw Vinyl Scratch walk by him. As always, she wore her headphones on at all times. "Please! You've got to help me!" he called out to her, getting her attention, "I lost track of time, unbelievably, and forgot that the wedding is this afternoon!" But while he was speaking, Vinyl didn't hear anything due to her music and only watched his movements. "Have you seen Rarity? She's got to alter the sleeves on my suit, and she's got to do it now!" Vinyl nodded her head, thinking she knew what he wanted, and gestured him to follow her. "Oh, ha-ha, thank goodness. Lead on, my friend." (~) It was a strangely long trip…all the way to the human world to be exact. Both Vinyl and Doc were in their anthro forms and the music loving white unicorn had brought the stallion to a bowling alley. "Er, why have you brought me all the way here? Rarity would never set hoof in—" "Strike!" Doc turned his head to see a trio of men wearing bowling shirts. One of them was the tall flamboyant Varrick himself, the second was Bolin and Mako's cousin Tu while the third was a very bored looking man with dark hair and glasses. This was Ryu, one of the new airbenders of the air nation. They each wore stylish, and personalized bowling shirts that Varrick made himself. Or rather, had his assistant make them, and she was right there as well. As monotone as ever. Dr. Hooves shook his head rapidly once again at the sight of the three, "Great whickering stallions, they've got style!" he thanked Vinyl for her 'assistance' and she left the building, dancing to the music in her headphones. Dr. Hooves approached the trio and introduced himself, "Gentlecolts! Oh, I mean, Gentlemen! I'm facing certain calamity, and I couldn't help noticing your remarkable fashion sense. Could I have the name of your incredible tailor?" Varrick spontaneously shook Doc's hand, "Well, pleasure to meet ya pony pal! If it's a tailor you want, you got it." he snapped his fingers, "Zhu-Li, do the thing!" Zhu-Li surprised the pony by appeared from behind him and too his suit and pulled out a sowing it from her back pocket. In no less than five minuets, Dr. Hoove's suit was ready for the wedding. "My, word! You certainly are fast with those nimble things you humans call fingers!" "Anytime fella!" Varrick then stroked him chin in thought, "Say, now that we helped you, you think you can help us out with somethin'?" "Me? Or, I'm not so certain if--" "Ah, come on man!" said Tu after taking a sip from his drink, "We're just about to start the finals and our forth didn't show." "You do know how to bowl, right?" Ryu asked. Varrick took a bowling ball and handed it to Dr. Hooves. He stared at the pins and started calibrating in his head the numbers for a perfect strike, but he could not find one that would accurately hit them all. "I'm sorry, gentlemen, but I will not bowl. The splits, the spares! There are simply too many variables!" "Variables? What are you talking about?" said Varrick, "Just throw the ball straight!" "Hold on. Straight?" he noticed the way other people were throwing the balls, indeed they were straight as this odd yet generous man said. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad, after all it was the least he could do after they helped him just now. And he never could resist a challenge. "Very well. I'll try your "straight" technique. It just might be crazy enough to work." (~) In Republic City Park, Team Avatar Harmony gathered together, apparently discussing a plan of some sorts. A small group of humans and ponies gathered but kept a far enough distance as not to disturb them. As always, Korra and Twilight were calling the shots while the others listened attentively, openly suggestion alternatives if needed. A female anthro pony with purple eyes and gray coat-skin, along with dark gray hair approached the group. She wore a pink bow-tie and a pink and white outfit with a musical note cutie mark on her cheek. Her name was Octavia Melody. "Do we know what they're on about?" she asked in her British accent. With the crowd were the cutie mark crusaders, along with the airbender children, and Kai, and even P'Li, who was watching them today. "The way they're huddled up like that, I'd say it's either a friendship problem or a monster attack." Kai said with excitement at the last part. "A monster attack?!" Octavia exclaimed, "Blast! I'm performing at the ceremony this afternoon, and I still haven't sorted out what to play." she placed her hand over her forehead in a dramatic manner, "How am I meant to practice with a monster invading the city?" "Maybe it's just a friendship problem," said Sweetie Belle, "and it'll all be cleared up in half an hour or so." Octavia groaned before leaving, "I hope so." Matilda, who also gained an anthro form while in the human world, a half human-half donkey middle-aged woman appearance, and made her way through the crowd, shouting, "Where's Pinkie Pie?! I need my wedding planner!" The sound of buzzing filled the air and all eyes loved up as a looming shadow covered half of the park. Above was the strangest and fifth most horrible creature they had ever witnessed! A half bear-half bee hybrid with four arms and wings growled with furry. Nobody knew what this creature was exactly, but one thing was certain; Team Avatar Harmony was going to stop it at any cost! The monster growled loudly as it aimed directly at the heroes, its large and dangerous bee-tail aimed directly at them like a torpedo! The friends all quickly jumped out of the way, sliding to a halt once they landed. Bolin stomped onto the ground and hurled chances of earth at the creature but the Bug-bear managed to smash the rocks with his powerful paws. Korra and Twilight flew up and simultaneously unleashed magical beams at the creature, causing him to stumble back. Mako and Rainbow Dash both firebended with all of their might, causing it to growl with anger. The beast flew up and began chasing the others, who ran but were ready to attack at any means. This did not go well for Matilda. "Oh, no! On my wedding day?! Somepony's gotta help me!" her long donkey hears heard a sound coming from a megaphone. "Alright everybody! Evacuate the park in an orderly fashion!" said a skinny man through a megaphone. "Follow Amethyst Star, she will help you find the safest route out of here!" Beside him was a female anthro unicorn with purple coat-skin, horn and and purple hair. Her cutie mark was that of three cyan diamonds. She boldly instructed the other inhabitants which direction to go and they followed. She was incredibly organized and the human beside her was certainly good at getting people's attention. Matilda had a good feeling about them. "You two!" Amethyst Star and the man looked at Matilda then at one another and back at the female donkey. "Us?" "I've got to move an entire wedding from tomorrow to today at City Hall!" "But nopony's asked me to organize anything since Twilight came to town." said Amethyst. "And why do you need me for?" the man asked, "I haven't been asked to do much since the Equalists dispersed last year." he use to be one of the protestors who advertised Amon and his revolution. He had not worked with them or anything associated in a long time. "I need all the help I can get!" said Matilda. Amethyst and the protestor smiled, "I used to be the best organizer in all of Ponyville." she said, "And Zeng here is great with organizing large crowds too." "So you'll do it then?" Matilda asked hopefully. "You bet your wedding vows we will!" Zeng said with an enthusiastic smile. The bugbear growled once more. It had managed to grab hold of Asami, giving her a nuggie with his paws. Rainbow tried to save her, but was knocked back by the monster's second paw. The poor pegasus hit a tree and the monster aimed at her, destroying the tree while Rainbow flew out in the nick of time. Matilda morphed into her donkey form for faster speed, "Come on! We better get to the salon before that monster flattens it!" she said as she galloped ahead. Amethyst followed and morphed into pony form to gallop along with Zeng running close behind them both. It certainly seemed that everybody today was going to have their hands, and hooves, tied today. Derpy was flying by the park, also in anthro form, bypassing Team Avatar fighting the monster. Rarity tried to subdue the creature with her water whips, but Derpy was far more focused on her dilemma. Ali, Mika and San flew beside her and noticed their parents fighting the monster. Mika's wings flapped faster as she chirped, "Go mommy and daddy!" "You think they need help?" San chirped. Ali shook her head, smiling confidently, "Nah! They've handled worse before. Besides, I think Derpy's in much more trouble than they are." Indeed, Derpy was in dire peril. "What am I gonna do?" she gasped once she saw the bride-to-be galloping her way. Derpy flew beside her in hopes to mend her mistake. "Matilda! I feel so bad about the invitations! Is there anything I can do—" "FLOWERS!" Matilda screamed as she galloped away. This was Derpy's chance! (~) Derpy made her way back to Ponyville to speak with the flower ponies, Lilly Valley, Daisy and Rose. But her results would not be what she had hoped. "You want Matilda's arrangements... today?!" Lily gasped and she and her two friends all fainted. "This is awful!" Daisy shouted. "The horror, the horror!" Rose exclaimed dramatically. "So there's no way you can do it?" Derpy asked, hoping there would be some kind of solution. "We don't even have Matilda's flowers in yet, much less arranged!" Lily gripped her head with her hooves, "This is a disaster!" With her ears, and spirits, down, Derpy walked away from the ponies. "Okay. Thanks anyway." San landed for a moment on a flower, only to accidentally pend the stem. Lilly immediately saw it and the little spirit flew away quickly. "Look, girls! A broken stem on one of the zinnias!" "Whaaat?!" the three fainted once more. "Oh, the horror, the horror!" San, Mika and Ali all looked at each other with skeptical looks before flying away. These three ponies had serious problems. "What will I do now?" Derpy asked herself. Feeling sorry for the pony, Mika appeared before her and started chirping. Amazingly, Derpy could understand the little spirit. The pegasus pony smiled with glee. "That's a great idea!" (~) At City Hall, two ponies, a unicorn named Lyra and an earth pony named Bon Bon worked together to decorate the place in time for the wedding in their anthro forms. So far, everything was going smoothly. Well, the wedding preparations were at least, hard to tell about the battle with the bug-bear outside. Lyra was a cyan colored unicorn with light blue mane and tail, amber eyes and a harp for a cutie mark. Bon Bon had pale yellow skin-coat with dark blue and pink curly hair and tail with three rolled up dandy wrappers as her cutie mark and blue eyes. "I have to admit, when Matilda said we needed this place ready by today, I was a little nervous." said Bon Bon. But Lyra only smiled as the two fist pumped each other. "With you by my side, I knew we'd get it done in time." "We're like a well oiled machine." said Bon Bon. "Yep. Me the brains and you the bronze." said Lyra as she levitated a bow for Bon Bon, "Kinda like how Princesses Korra and Twilight work so well together, hu?" "Totally!" Bon Bon was then startled when she heard a loud roar in the distance. "What was that?" "There's some monster attacking the city or something." Lyra said casually, not showing the least bit of concern or fear. Even Bon Bon wasn't surprised. "What is it this time? A creature from the Everfree Forest? Another spirit gone rouge? Brain-crazy 'world-changing' rebel groups?" "Uh, I think it's some sort of bugbear." Lyra said with a giggle. Suddenly, Bon Bon flinched, her eyes wide like saucers and her ears lowers down, close to her head. "Did you say bugbear?" Bon Bon hid behind the doors in terror, "It found me!" "What are you talking about, Bon Bon?" Lyra asked, noticing the worry in her best friend's voice. This was very unlike her. The earth pony covered Lyra's mouth with her hand and started explaining everything about her past. "My name isn't Bon Bon. It's "Special Agent Sweetie Drops". I work for a super-secret anti-monster agency in Canterlot, or at least I did until the bugbear went missing from Tartarus a few years back." Lyra removed her friend's hand from her mouth and gently shoved her aside, "What are you talking about?" Bon Bon then pulled out (apparently from nowhere) a briefcase with all sorts of spy gadgets. She pulled out a grappling hook and a rope. "When it escaped, we had to shutter the whole agency. Every last shred of evidence of the organization's existence was destroyed. Celestia demanded complete deniability." Lyra was still lost, "…What?" "It was me who captured the bugbear. I had to go deep cover in Ponyville and assume the name Bon Bon. I never thought it'd be able to track me, but now it has." Lyra stomped her foot, "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, hold up! Are you saying our whole friendship was based on a lie?!" Lyra couldn't believe her ears! "I'm sorry, Lyra! I couldn't tell you for your own protection!" Lyra couldn't believe that the one pony who had been her friend since the passing of her older sister, who was her first best friend, was nothing but a lier. She felt her eyes tear up. "B-b-but the lunches! The-the long talks! My sister's funeral! The benches we sat on! None of that was real?!" Bon Bon smiled and wiped Lyra's tears away. "Of course it was all real. You're my very best friend." Lyra cried even more as she and Bon Bon hugged. She was like a second sister to her since day one. "I already lost my sister. I don't want to loose you too." "You won't. I promise." The tender moment was interrupted when another roar was heard. Bon Bon took her grabbling hook and prepared to escape via the widow. "I've got to go find a crowd to blend into before I put you in danger!" she dawned on a pair of shades, "I'll see you at the wedding." with that, Bon Bon, or Sweetie Drops, lowered down and left the building. Lyra called out to her from the window. "Fine! But we're going to talk about this later!… Also, can I have my wallet back?" Bon Bon tossed her the wallet and Lyra caught it with ease. She opened it and sighed in disappointment. "And she took my bits. I am so getting her back for this!" (~) Meanwhile, Dr. Hooves was still bowling with the guys. They were so close to winning. Ryu was eating some nachos with Varrick while Tu spoke to Dr. Hooves. "Seven/ten split, man. Harshest of the harsh. But if you pick this up, we win the whole game!" Dr. Hooves inhaled a deep breath and prepared to roll the ball while tiptoeing in a comedic way. He dropped the ball when Derpy suddenly appeared through the door, starling him in the process. "Doc! I've finally figured out how I can help! Your flameless fireworks look just like flowers! I'll use them for the wedding!" Once she flew off, Dr. Hooves shook his head rapidly once more before running after her, "Great whickering stallions! Wait!" "What about the game?!" Tu exclaimed. The three men watched with anticipation as the ball hit one of the pins. Time seemed to slow down as the pin wobbled. They prayed it would hit the second pin…which it did not and instead fell down. They lost the game. Varrick groaned in frustration until Zhu-Li tapped his shoulder. "Sir, aren't you forgetting what time it is?" "No, Zhu-Li, why?" It was then, both his and Tu's eyes widened in shock. "The wedding!" "Why did't you say something before, Zhu-Li?!" Varrick said to her in annoyance, which only made her sigh and roll her eyes. (~) Dr. Hooves ran out and tried to explain to Derpy why she couldn't use his experiments. "Wait! The flameless fireworks are extremely volatile! Without knowing what the trigger is, they could go off at any moment!… My word, is that a bugbear?" The attack between the monster and Team Avatar, literally, passed right by him. The bugbear now had Asami by the hair. Literally. "It's got my hair! It's got my hair!" The creature finally released the heiress once Korra hit it with an ice beam. She landed and assisted her friend, who's hair was now a complete mess. "Thank you! How much longer to we have to keep this up?" Asami was surprised when Korra suddenly smiled. "Not for long." The group took notice of a familiar mane-style behind a large trash bin. They had been expecting her. Korra and Twilight were the only two to approach her. The pony lowered her shades revealing her blue eyes. "You ladies needed my help?" "We figured you'd show up at some point." said Korra, "That bugbear isn't going to stop until it has you." "Tell me something I don't know." "You have it?" Twilight asked hopefully. The pony, really Sweetie Drops, pulled out her briefcase and a small tranquilizer dart and a gun to shoot it with. "I've been perfecting this chemical for years in case this day ever came. Now it has." Sweetie Drops handed the princesses the gun before slipping away, "Remember our deal. Nopony else is to know about this." Korra and Twilight came out from behind the trash bin and flew up towards the monster. Twilight kept it distracted with her magical blasts while Korra aimed the gun directly at her target. "Sweet dreams, big guy." with a pull of the trigger, the tranquilizer flew out and hit the bugbear directly on its back. The creature roared in agony before slowly lowering down. Its eyes became heavy and its wings slowly stopped flapping. "Everybody, out of the way!" Applejack shouted and the whole team dispersed, only to stumble and fall once the bugbear fell to the ground. Now snoring. Korra and Twilight landed in front of it, gently tapping its nose to see if it truly was out cold. Which it was. "Out like a light." said the Avatar. "And down like a rock." said the alicorn. The princesses gave one final salute to Sweetie Drops, who saluted back before swinging away from the scene with her garbling hook. Nobody every truly knew who she was. Except for the princesses, told by Celestia herself in case anything like this ever happened. "Was that Bon Bon?" Bolin asked, right before being silenced by Rainbow Dash with her covering his mouth. "Nobody must ever know." (~) With one crisis averted, there was one more to be dealt with. At the spa, Matilda was still frantic over the wedding. "Oh, there are so many things I'm forgetting!" she was laying on a spa-bed with the spa attendants working on her mane, "I hope Cranky remembers to tell the musicians! Oh! Oh! I'll never get my mane done in time!" One of the female spa workers tried to ease her worries, "You must relax, my dear! We can handle anything! We once did somebody's hair during the ceremony!" "Oh, it's true, it's true! They really are the best!" said another guest, who was neither a human or pony…but a large purple sea monster with orange stylish hair and mustache. He was the same sea monster Rarity and the other encountered on their first adventure together to seek the Elements of Harmony. "Matilda, I've just got to say, I already feel like we're family!" Matilda arched an eyebrow but politely shook his large scaly hand, "You do?" "Of course! I'm Stephen Magnet, Cranky's best beast!" Matilda was very surprised by this while the lady worked on her mane, "You're Stephen Magnet?" "Well, what'd you expect, a bugbear? I've known Cranky forev-er! Surely he must have told you about the time he saved me from Flash Freeze Lake?" "…You're Stephen Magnet." "Oh, I know, I know! Typical Cranky, to leave out minor details, like the fact that I'm, y'know, a sea monster, right? I just love that old burro!" "I'm sorry, Stephen. I guess I assumed you were a pony. And I had no idea you had such adventures together." "Oh, honey, you don't know the half of it! But let me tell you something. In all that we've been through together, the only thing he ever cared about was finding you." Matilda wiped away a single tear that escaped her eye, "Really?" "Well, that and a baldness cure." Stephen said with a laugh. Matilda smiled as the ladies worked on making her mane stunning for her big day. "He is the sweetest thing, isn't he? All the stress I've put myself through. All the stress I've put him through. The only thing that matters is that we're together. The wedding isn't the important thing – the marriage is." She was surprised when Stephen started laughing, "Oh, goodness gracious. If you believe that, I have got a bridge to sell you! All these folk traveling from Ponyville to Republic City, putting on uncomfortable clothes, sitting through a long ceremony, you think any of them care about the marriage? Honey, the wedding is everything." As if Matilda didn't have enough to worry about, now she was practically shaking in her hooves. (~) Moving to Republic City was the best choice Octavia ever made. Ever since she learned more about their music, she fell in love with it. She wanted to know more, and she felt right at home in this land. She and her dear close cousin, Vinyl Scratch, lived together in a stylish apartment, with each side styled to fit their individuality. The music of the human world was a perfect blend of upbeat style, perfect for Vinyl, and use of classic instruments, perfect for Octavia. Vinyl returned home, silently greeting her cousin, who was practicing on her cello, playing Mendelssohn's "Wedding March". But Octavia was bored out of her mind. "Ugh, all these wedding songs are so... standard. I want Matilda and Cranky's wedding to be special." she continued playing while her cousin came up with a plan. On her side of the room, Vinyl played on her DJ station, scratching the records, providing dubstep beats to the scene. But it clashed terribly with Octavia's music. "Thanks, but I'm not sure that's appropriate for a wedding, is it?" Octavia resumed her practicing but Vinyl was anything if not determined. She played a different track, providing backup beats to her cousin's cello, creating a fresh invigorating sound. "That's more like it!" The two musically talented ponies continued to play the new styled music. For e moment, the two stopped, smiling knowingly at one another. Regardless of their opposite personalities, music was the main language they both spoke. Octavia played her cello while Vinyl played on her tracks. The two were completely lost in their own music, once these two got in the grove there was no stoping it. Like true artists. Vinyl plugged in her stereos to increase the sound and Octavia played faster on her cello, both acting like total rockstars. For one final performance, they were going to smash their instruments like a punk rock star until Octavia remembered something very important. "Stop! I'm going to be late for the wedding!" The two cousins made their way out…ridding on Vinyl's mobile DJ booth that is! Along the way, the two started picking up other wedding guests who had all traveled from Ponyville to Republic City for the celebration in the most comedic and unexpected way possible. This was something nobody saw coming. Tahno and his wolfbats were caught up in it as well, even Mako and Bolin's grandmother Yin and her son Chow. They even hitchhiked Gommu himself. Well, he actually waved at them and asked them to give him a ride. Even several spirits were swept up in the commotion. Matilda, now in her wedding gown, was nervously walking with Mr. and Mrs. Cake, who were holding her large wedding cake. The mobile DJ booth swooped in and carried the two as well. Cranky, with suit and all, saw the contraption coming towards him, but he managed to duck in time…loosing his wig in the process. They hit the Twilicane, dropped by Lemon Hearts, which upturned the vehicle and tossed everybody into City Hall. All the while Gummy the alligator was watching from afar with his blank expression. His own words were heard in his head. "What is life? Is it nothing more than the endless search for a cutie mark? And what is a cutie mark but a constant reminder that we're all only one bugbear attack away from oblivion? And what of the poor gator? Flank forever blank, destined to an existential swim down the river of life to... an unknowable destiny?" Amazingly, everybody who was invited managed to land perfectly onto their chairs, Octavia and Vinyl landed perfectly where the band was to play and the wedding cake landed on the table without a single frosting flower out of place. Octavia smiled at her brilliant cousin, "Something like that might work. Nice thinking, cousin." (~) After that wild experience, more of the guests arrived, including the royal alicorns themselves. Celestia and Luna were currently near the table bearing wedding gifts for the bride and groom. Celestia then spoke in a hushed, and angry, tone with her younger sister. "What do you mean you left it on the counter?!" "I thought you were bringing it!" Luna replied through her teeth. "Well, this is just wonderful!" The two princesses put on fake smiles on Spike walked up and placed his own present on the table before leaving. "I handled the gift for Cadance and Shining Armor!" said Luna, "You were supposed to do this one, remember?" "Well, we can't just come to this wedding empty-hoofed!" "Enough, girls!" their mother, Leilani, appeared before them, narrowing her eyes sternly before revealing she herself brought the gift and placed it on the table. "Show a little more decorum, will you?" The two princesses lowered their heads in shame, "Yes, mother." they replied. With the other guests, P'Li arched an eyebrow as she watched Prince Shinning Armor sobbing like a baby while his wife, Princess Cadance tried to comfort him. "It's alright." she assured the combustion bender, "He always cries at weddings." To her and P'Li surprise, Shinning Armor bawled even more, tears streaming down his eyes to no apparent end. Cadance rolled her eyes, "…Usually it's not until the wedding starts." Kya, who was sitting near them, had her arms crossed in annoyance, "Want to trade?" she asked while narrowing her eyes at her brother Bumi, who he too was bawling just as much as Shinning Armor. Derpy and the spirit trio admired the display of the colorful flower shaped stones the pony borrowed from the Doc. "This was a great idea, little spirit." she said in gratitude to the creatures. "These flameless fireworks look even better than flowers!" Tenzin and his family were already seated alongside Lin, her sister Su, Su's children, President Raiko and his wife, awaited for Team Avatar to show up. "Were are they?" Tenzin asked, "The wedding's about to start." "I don't know." Lin replied, "But Korra better get here soon. The Mayor Mare can't marry these two because she lost her voice." Right on cue, the doors opened and Team Avatar, now better dressed, entered the room. Korra gathered everyone's attention. "Great news, everybody! The bugbear is defeated and heading to Tartarus as we speak!" Everybody in the room cheered, giving Bon Bon the chance to quietly approach Lyra, who sat with her legs and arms crossed, not looking at her. "Hey." "Hello." Lyra still didn't look at her. "So, uh, you didn't happen to mention our earlier conversation about my secret identity" she said in shush tone through gritted teeth, "to anybody, did you?" Lyra finally opened her eyes and looked at the anthro earth pony, "No. I did not. And you're not the only one with a secret, y'know. You know those expensive imported oats you were saving for a special occasion? I cooked them up and ate them! All of them!" Lyra glared at Bon Bon, but she already knew that Lyra was not really mad. She could read the unicorn like an open book. Lyra, realizing she wasn't fooling her, started to laugh. "It's sort of thrilling to reveal your deepest, darkest secrets!" "That's what best friends are for. You're the brains…" "And you're the bronze." The two best friends embraced in their signature warm and tender hugs. No amount of secrets could break the strong and powerful bond these two shared. Some may believe in romantic soul mates. Well, These two were sister soul mates. It may not be the same, but it's still just as strong a bond, and a love just as true as any other. Speaking of sisters, Celestia and Luna were still sour with one another for forgetting the wedding present, only to have their mother be the one to bring it. "Next time, you can just bring your own gift, and I'll bring mine." Celestia said to Luna in a hushed tone. "Fine." (~) Derpy was just about to close the doors when Dr. Hooves came galloping towards the building. Once he reached her he morphed back into his anthro form. He was now wearing a long colorful scarf around his neck and the same outfit he was wearing the first time he came. "There you are! My suit has vanished and this was the only thing left in my closet! How do I look?" "Like a million bits!" Derpy said as she hugged him. For a moment, the Doc actually enjoyed the embrace. Out of all the ponies he knew, Derpy was the only one who truly understood him and liked him for who he was. The eccentric science-loving goofball he was. He felt so warm and happy to have her by his side. And so close. He then shook his head, realizing what was happening. "Great whickering stallions, look at the time! We'd better get inside. Allons-y!" he walked on into the building, trying to hide the blush on his face. He made a mental note to study this odd sensation in his stomach. (~) Cranky stood by the window, where Stephen was, the poor anthro donkey was too embarrassed to go on. "I can't believe I lost my hair! I look ridiculous. The love of my life deserves better than this!" "Have no fear, Cranky, my dear. It's Stephen Magnet's mustache to the rescue!" using one of his scales, much like Rarity did when they first met, he cut off his mustache and placed it over Cranky's head, combed it and added hair spray for that special shine. Cranky looked perfect. "Aw, thanks, buddy." The happy sea monster hugged his dear old friend, "Oh, no problem." he then gently pushed him forward towards the altar, "Now you get in there and marry that donkey!" Mako noticed Ali, Mika and San land beside him. "Hey, kids. Were have you been all day?" "Should we tell him?" San chirped to Ali. Ali shook her head, "Let's wait until we hit puberty. Then he'll be in for a surprise." Matilda and Cranky were now facing one another, both smiling with pure joy, while Korra stood in the center, ready to start the ceremony. "Well, is everybody here?" "Wait!" All heads turned when Varrick, Tu, Zhu-Li and Ryu finally made it. Varrick wiped away a drop of sweat from his brow. "Finally! We had to go through some bad traffic just to get here. By the way, did anybody else notice the giant bug bear thing being towed?" Tu took his seat right next to Opal. The beautiful airbender smiled as she wrapped her arms around Tu's arm and nuzzled her head against his shoulder, making him blush. "Well," Korra began, "I think now that's everybody." she cleared her throat and began the ceremony with all eyes and ears on her and the happy couple. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join these two in mare-trimony. As I look around this room, I can only imagine how uncomfortable Cranky must be." The audience laughed as the groom tugged on his collar, already sweeting, but not out of nervousness, out of pure bashfulness at how beautiful his bride looked. "But I also see so many ponies, humans and even spirits from all trots of life, brought together by love." Cadance nuzzled against Shining Armor and he wrapped his arm around his wife, smiling as a tear rolled down his eye. Pema and Tenzin smiled as little Rohan giggled with joy. "Cranky searched all across the great land of Equestria to find Matilda, and no matter what obstacles kept them apart, love would finally bring them together, just as it has brought all of us together now." As Korra spoke, both Celestia and Luna looked at each other with regret before smiling and held each other's hands. How could they let a silly argument get between them? They had been through so much, but their love for each other lasted for so long and kept burning to this day. All that mattered was that they were together again, and with their mother once more. Leilani smiled at her beautiful treasures, happy to have them in her long life again. Even Lin and Su held each other's hands, happy to have each other in their lives again. "It's remarkable to me how a story like Cranky's search for Matilda could fill this room with such a unique collection of friends! It makes you realize that everybody is the star of their own story. And it's not just the main characters in our stories that make life so rich! It's everybody and everypony – those who play big parts and those who play small." Kai and Jinora smiled at one another. Both Bolin and Mako started to tear up, which surprised Asami quite a bit. "If it weren't for everybody in this room and many more who couldn't be here today, Cranky and Matilda's lives wouldn't be as full and vibrant as they are." Even though Korra was referring to the couple, her friends and everybody else could tell she was also addressing to all of them. How much they all meant to her and how much they all meant to each other. Stephen started to cry tears of joy as he hugged a surprised Bulk Biceps. "And so, in front of all these loved ones... Cranky, do you take this donkey to be your lawfully wedded wife?" "You bet I do!" "And do you, Matilda, take this donkey to be your lawfully wedded husband?" Matilda started tearing up, "I do!" "Then I'm proud to say, I now pronounce you jack and jenny!" The two lover sealed their matrimony with a kiss, which made everyone clap and cheer happily for them. Varrick started bawling like a baby, much to Zhu-Li's surprise. "Are you okay?" "Weddings just make me so darn happy!" Suddenly, the flameless fireworks started to glow and rise up. Dr. Hooves watched attentively as his creations started to activate. In a dazzling display, the fireworks went up, exploding indoors in a variety of sparkle and color, wowing everybody. Dr. Hooves laughed with joy and hugged Shiro Shinobi, "Of course! They need love to ignite! How could I have missed it?!" Matilda and Cranky happily watched the display. This day may not have been what they expected, but they wouldn't have had it any other way. (~) Near sunset, at the reception outside, Matilda and Cranky shared their first dance as husband and wife while everybody else chatted happily with one another, talking about how beautiful the wedding was and what a happy couple Cranky and Matilda made. However, Team Avatar watched from afar on top of a building, happily gazing down at all of the love down bellow. The love between friends, siblings, husbands and wives, neighbors, cousins, teammates, co-workers, all of them seemed to be glowing with happiness and light. "You know something, guys?" Flash said, breaking the silence, "We are so lucky to have not one but two places to call home. I can't imagine how my life would have been like if I never met any of you. No doubt, it'd be boring." His girlfriend giggled, "Probably." "We've got a lot to be thankful for." said Applejack, "I can't even imagine Equestria without humans around." "And I can't imagine our world without Equestria." said Bolin. "Well, you certainly made our lives more exciting." said Rarity. "More than usual, anyway." "That may be true." said Mako with his arm wrapped around Korra, "But you ponies definitely made our lives a lot brighter." The entire group gathered together for a wondrous group hug. "I love you all so much!" said Twilight. Mako wrapped his free arm around Asami's back, who then winced in pain. "Ow! Mako, that's where the bugbear bit me!" "Sorry!" There have been and will beer many adventures to come for everyone of these characters. Both main and minor. Everybody has a part to play, even if it does take a while to find it. For many of these characters, their journey is not yet over, but even when the road is long, there has and always will be only one thing each and every single one of them truly needs. The gift they all took a moment to realize they had been given all along. And the gift that they gave each other. *(~)* 1 John 4:7~ Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. *(~)*