//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: The Living Years // Story: The Pony Who Embraced The Darkness // by Zurvan //------------------------------// Chapter 1: The Living Years       “Summer is coming again to Ponyville.” Sweetie Belle says as she stands in front of the class.  “This past year has brought a lot of change to Ponyville. Near the end of summer it brought my fiance, Ash Fall.” Several ponies hoot and Sweetie blushes heavily. Once they quiet down she continues. “Me and my friends finally got our cutie marks.” She says as she looks down at her own cutie mark, a bell with music note on it; showing her talent for singing.  Then at her friends; Apple Bloom whose cutie mark is that of a zap apple being painted; showing her talent for building and fixing things; Scootaloo whose cutie mark is that of a pair of pony dance shoes with wings on them; showing her talent for dance and last her fiance Ash Fall, formerly a member of Luna’s Night Guard he’s now one of Princess Twilight’s personal guards; his cutie mark is a chess board with the white king standing and the black king laying down; showing his talent for strategy. “Some time in there the griffons attacked.” Sweetie continues “And thanks to everybody they were defeated. Then the day came that Ash proposed to me. As you all know, this is our final year in school.  These past 9 months have gone by in a blur. My wedding is in a couple months, but I know I’m the first of many. For those of you that don’t know in the past year my friends Apple Bloom and Scootaloo have also gotten engaged to their special someponies.” Once again the group of ponies hoot as Apple Bloom; Diamond Tiara; Scootaloo and Silver Spoon; each wearing earrings with their significant other's cutie mark; all blush heavily.  “I’d like to wish them, and everypony here good luck in all their future endeavors.” The ponies all cheer. Cheerilee walks up to the podium. “Thank you Sweetie Belle for your rousing speech. I won’t keep you much longer.  Some of you are going to leave here and go straight to work, others are going to pursue higher education in one of the bigger cities. Either way I wish you all the luck in Equestria. Now without further ado, I pronounce you graduated from Ponyville School." ========== The Cutie Mark Crusaders; now incorporating Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon and Ash Fall arrive at Diamond’s clubhouse. They all enter and take seats. “That was a good speech there Sweetie.” Apple Bloom says “I think I might have left some important bits out here and there.” Sweetie admits. “Like how I built the catapults that drove back the griffins?” Apple Bloom asks Sweetie nods. “Sorry about that.” “It’s alright, I’m just teasing ya anyway.” “You also didn’t mention my mom and Discord getting engaged.” Scootaloo says. “They’d ask us to not tell anyone, remember?” Sweetie asks. “Oh yeah, I’d forgotten.” Ash chuckles. “How could you forget something like that Scootaloo?” “I guess it slipped my mind.” Scootaloo admits. “You’ve had other stuff on your mind.” Silver admits. “Yeah, trying to help you plan our wedding.” Scootaloo smiles. “Are you two going to have one of those cloud weddings?” Diamond asks. “We have discussed that option.” Silver Spoon says as she stretches out the wings that Discord had given her. “Princess Twilight says that there is a cloudwalking spell that could be cast on non-pegasi so that our friends and family could all come.” “You should do it.” Sweetie says. “I hear the cloud ceremonies are beautiful.” “If you mares are going to discuss weddings, I’m going to head over to Twilight’s.” Ash says. ‘I have duty in a bit anyway.” Sweetie nods and kisses him. “See you at home.” Ash kisses her back. “Love you.” “Love you too.” Sweetie says as he walks off. They all wait for Ash to leave. “So we were doing some rough math.” Diamond says. “Is it a coincidence that you have your marriage scheduled the day before you should go back into heat?” "Rarity insisted." Sweetie Belle answers as she blushes deeply. "She says I'll enjoy the honeymoon more if I'm in heat." "Well, you'll certainly enjoy certain parts of it that way." Apple Bloom says with a wink. "Other than the fact I'll be downing moon tea nearly constantly." "I thought you were getting married so you wouldn't have to drink moon tea anymore." Silver Spoon says. "I have no intention of being anypony's mother anytime soon!" Sweetie yells. "I'm getting married cause I love Ash." "Is that the only reason?" Diamond asks. "I'm hoping that once we're married ponies won't give us the dirty looks anymore." Sweetie admits. "I should imagine it'll help at least a little." Apple Bloom says. "So onto you four." Sweetie says. "When are your weddings?" "We're still trying to figure out where we want to get married." Apple Bloom says. "I want to get married at the farm." "I was hoping for a nice fancy wedding, maybe in Canterlot or Manehatten." Diamond says. "A lot of my family wouldn't be able to make that." Apple Bloom says. "Too much time away from their farms." "There's gotta be some way to do both." Silver says. "What about you two?" Diamond says. "We told you already. We're thinking about a wedding in Cloudsdale." Scootaloo says. "It's either that or we'll do it right here in the town hall." "Either way Princess Twilight has agreed to officiate." Silver says. "Princess Luna is going to officiate ours since Ash use to be one of her guards." Sweetie says. "A night wedding in the Canterlot Garden." "How did you ever get the Canterlot Garden?" Diamond asks. "That place is impossible to get into." "My sister is one of the Elements of Harmony." Sweetie grins. "And friends with one of Equestria's princesses. Also my fiance derived the plan that ended the griffin attack. Some strings were pulled." "Sounds like a lot of strings to me." Apple Bloom says. Sweetie blushes slightly. "Well, I told Rarity what my dream wedding was and she's going to make it happen." Diamond looks at Apple Bloom. "Does your sister have that kind of pull?" "I reckon I don't see why she wouldn't." Apple Bloom answers. "Could you get one of the princesses to marry us?" Diamond pleads. "I'm sure Twilight would do it no problem." "I wonder if we could get Princess Cadance to do it." Diamond says. "Then we can each be married by a different princess." ]"Princess Cadance rules over the Crystal Empire, we'd have to go there for her to marry us." Diamond squeals. "A wedding in the Crystal Empire! Oh please, please say we can do that. I'll do anything you want." "Even your family would have a hard time getting there Diamond." Apple Bloom says. "How would that work out?" "Too bad they can't all just teleport there." Sweetie says. Apple Bloom jumps up. "That gives me an idea!" "What is it Apple Bloom?" Diamond asks. "When the Equestria Games were held in the Crystal Empire the Princesses made portals for those that couldn't come by train." Apple Bloom explains. "We'll ask if they could do that again." "Apple Bloom, that's brilliant!" Sweetie says. "You think they'll go along with it?" Silver Spoon asks. "Well, I did build the catapults that were a major war effort." Apple Bloom says. "And Diamond's family did fund the catapults at first. So I'd say they owe us." "So what's next?" Diamond asks. "I guess we go talk to some Princesses."