A String Wedding

by BlazzingInferno

Engagement Fugue

Octavia couldn’t deny it, Sugarcube Corner smelled wonderful. The only thing better than the aroma in the air was the chocolate oat milkshake in her glass. Her straw gurgled as it hit an air pocket between chunks of ice cream. She pushed the straw around and absentmindedly batted at the diamond ring tied into her mane.

Her straw resumed its silent duty just in time for her to hear the ding of gold striking the table top. She looked up and saw her ring bounce over the table’s edge and out of sight.

She dove out of her chair and scanned the ground. “Oh no. No no no n–”

Her frantic crawl across the floor ended in a pair of light blue hooves, one of which was holding out the runaway ring. She looked up and saw the baker’s smiling face framed between two bulbous pink earrings and a candy red mane that looked a little too much like frosting.

“Loose something, dearie?”

Octavia stood and tried to hide her reddening cheeks. “I… yes, thank you.”

“No problem at all. I’m Mrs. Cake, could I get you another milkshake? Chocolate and oat, right?”

“I’m Octavia. I still have plenty of…” She glanced at her table and saw ice cream oozing out of the toppled glass and onto the floor. “Ugh, I’m so sorry. I’ll clean it up right away.”

“Oh come now, it’s just a little ice cream. Why if I counted the gallons of the stuff the foals spill…”

Before Octavia could object Mrs. Cake was wiping up the mess with a cloth. “Why don’t you just sit for a minute. I was just about to bring you a refill anyway, on the house.”

“That’s very generous of you.”

Mrs. Cake retrieved another milkshake from the back counter and joined her at the table. “Don’t worry about it dearie, I can remember being in your position all too well. I was so excited and nervous I could barely walk in a straight line.”

“My position?”

Mrs. Cake glanced down at the ring sitting on the table.

Octavia blushed again. “Most of the time I don’t even wear it, I still can’t get the mane knot right. If only that diamond wasn’t so big and heavy.”

“I think you’re the first bride I’ve ever heard ask for a smaller one. Let me show you a little baker’s trick.”

She reached into her apron and pulled out a silver chain with a humble wedding band threaded through it. The ring was graced with three small diamonds and engraved with two capital C’s.

“In a bakery you can’t count on any sort of mane knot, if one of these stones fell into a bowl full of cake batter… well let’s just say that I’d be getting the dentist bill for whoever was unlucky enough to find it.”

“That’s brilliant! Is there a jewelry store around here? I’ll pick up a chain like that on my way to the train station.”

“Just down the street, near the fountain. I take it you’re just visiting Ponyville, then?”

“Yes, I’ve been visiting my cousin Lyra.”

“Ah Lyra, she’s in here all the time. She must be so excited for you.”

Octavia rested her head on a hoof. “A little too excited. It feels more like she’s the one getting married.”

“I remember that feeling, for me it was my mother… and my aunt… and my sister come to think of it. They finally backed off when I threatened to elope and not tell any of them.”

“Oh if only… His family’s in Canterlot like we are, my parents are in Manehatten, and they all expect something big and elaborate. They don’t seem to understand how little musicians like us make. We’ve been engaged for over two years now but still… we’re not even close to having the bits for what they have in mind.”

Mrs. Cake studied her own hooves for a moment. “Now, don’t take this the wrong way, dearie. I don’t mean to turn into another back seat wedding planner, but would you ever consider having the wedding here in Ponyville instead?”

“Why would I when most of the ponies we’d be inviting live in Canterlot?”

“Canterlot’s just a quick train ride away, same goes for Manehatten. My husband and I do a fair bit of catering and we could give you a excellent deal on the food. We also rent our loft to an amazing party planner.”

She leaned in a whispered behind a hoof. “To tell the truth she cares more about throwing a good party more than getting paid for putting it together.”

Octavia looked down at her ring and then back at Mrs. Cake. “Well I guess I already know the food would be great. Tell me more about this party planner.”

“She’s one of the best. She knows everypony in town; you’d have your pick of indoor or outdoor venues, and she could introduce you to the dressmaker who did Princess Cadence’s wedding dress. Whatever your budget is, I’m sure we could all accommodate you.”

“I… wow. That does sound amazing. You said your party planner lives upstairs?”

Mrs. Cake gestured to a staircase and the far side of the room. “Oh yes. There she is right n–”

Pinkie Pie descended the staircase right on cue. “Hi there Mrs. Cake, who’s your friend?”

Octavia’s replacement milkshake joined the first one on the floor. She’d nearly forgotten that bright pink coat and poofy mane. “You! It’s you!”

Pinkie never stopped smiling. “It’s me all right! My name’s Pinkie, what’s yours?”

Octavia had her backed into a corner a moment later. “You were the one at the Grand Galloping Gala! You ruined the whole party; you ruined my performance, you ruined my chance at the big time!”

Pinkie’s smile finally faltered. “That doesn’t sound like m–”

“It was you, you took over the stage, you made us play that stupid song that nearly wrecked my career.”

“Song?”

Octavia could barely stomach saying the words. “The Pony Pokey.”

Pinkie’s eyes lit up. “Oh, I love that one! You put your right hoof in, you stick your left–”

A hoof covered her mouth. “Please, no. I can’t take it. Just… stay away. I guess I’m not getting married in Poneyville after all.”

Pinkie studied the grey mare walking towards the door and the teardrops dotting the floor in her wake. Her raspberry colored mane deflated like a balloon. “Did I really ruin the gala for you?”

Octavia glanced back from the doorway. “Worst gala ever.”

Pinkie’s heartbreak was almost audible. Whole seconds passed in silence before the other customers managed to stop staring and return to their own conversations.

---

The train screeched to a slow halt at Ponyville station. Octavia glanced at the clock above the ticket booth. Just a few more minutes and she’d never have to set hoof in this town again.

“Wait! Wait!”

The shrill voice made her shiver. “No, please not…”

Pinkie tackled her to the ground. “You can’t go without this!”

Octavia’s engagement ring dropped onto her nose.

They stared at each other for a moment. Octavia’s eyes still wet and Pinkie’s smile painfully thin.

“All aboard for Canterlot!” The conductor shouted.

Octavia stood, pulled her saddlebag over, and dropped the ring into a pocket. “Thanks, I can’t believe I forgot it. Sorry I blew up and you back there, I’d better go.”

“I talked to Mrs. Cake. Did you really want to get married in Ponyville? Were you really going to ask me to plan the whole thing?”

“It’s the only way we’ll ever afford it, but I don’t think you’d want to throw that kind of party anyway.”

“But I love parties! It doesn’t have to be all silly, I can make it super-duper serious if you want.”

“I don’t think so.”

Pinkie dove to the ground and hugged her front hooves. “Please let me make the gala up to you! Come back to Ponyville on the afternoon train tomorrow and I’ll show you how serious a party-planning pony I can be. Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.”

“All aboard! All aboard for Canterlot!” The conductor seemed to be shouting directly at them this time.

Octavia stared down at the mess of a pony holding her in place. “The afternoon train?”

“Yeah.”

“A serious party-planning pony?”

Pinkie jumped up and saluted her. “Pinkie Super-Serious Pie, reporting for duty!”

Octavia slipped on her saddle bag and walked towards the train. “I’ll consider it.”

Comments

[The Dankest Meme]

my thoughts.

[Drifting Heart]

Um wasnt it everyone that ruined the gala? not just her i mean fluttershy let in all the animals in her rampage.....I am just putting that out there in case it was forgotten since season 1 was ages ago lol.

[BlazzingInferno]

4385577
Oh yeah, there's no disputing that they all had a hoof in turning the gala upside down. Pinkie just happened to ruin Octavia's particular part if it. From Octavia's limited perspective it was Pinkie's fault.

[Drifting Heart]

4386539
That's true.

[Awesomo3000]

Aww, I hope Pinkie can redeem herself for Octi.

[Yoshifan30]

Octavia had her backed into a corner a moment later. “You were the one at the Grand Galloping Gala! You ruined the whole party; you ruined my performance, you ruined my chance at the big time!”

Oh dear she is not too happy about that but to be honest Pinkie Pie was not the only one who kinda ruined the grand Galloping Gala although it wasn't their fault sort of

[Yoshifan30]

Well then this was a very interesting turn of events so Octavia went to sugarcube Corner to get some treat before heading back to Canterlot and she almost lost her ring but good thing mrs. Cake got it for her and they even talk about how the wedding will go and she even told her that she can just do it here in Ponyville despite that Octavia really want to just do it at her hometown but she's thinking about it but until she heard that party pony supposably can help was Pinkie Pie which she freaked out and told her that she ruined her moment in the grand Galloping Gala so she ran away from her but Pinkie Pie really want to make up for the mess back in the grand Galloping Gala and despite Octavia judgments she will give her a chance for now