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The Guests4,244 words
The Flower Fillies2,609 words
The Bride2,635 words
The Groom2,159 words
The Best Dragon, The Best Draconequus, and The Mare of Honor2,805 words
The Wedding Planner5,262 words
Epilogue: Letters571 words

The Flower Fillies

"Scoots, will ya cut that out?" Apple Bloom snapped in annoyance. "Yer gonna rip that dress if yer not careful! Rarity's gonna kill you if you do!"

Scootaloo rolled her eyes and continued to flap her wings rapidly. "Ugh, I told Rarity that this dress was bothering my wings, but she still didn't fix it!" She grunted with effort as her wings struggled to move to her leisure. "Man, this is super annoying."

Apple Bloom sighed. "Scoots, can't ya just put up with it until the wedding is over? Ah mean, this isn't about you, y'know."

"I know, I know, it's for Sombra and Pinkie Pie," Scootaloo said. She frowned as she looked at her restricted wings. "But, this is sooooo annoying! I mean, I can't even move right! How the heck am I supposed to move for our routine if I can't--"

Apple Bloom shoved a hoof into her mouth. "Don't say it out loud! It's a surprise, remember?"

Scootaloo smacked AB's hoof away. "Sorry, I didn't mean to. Besides, we're still in the dressing rooms, so nopony can hear us."

"Yeah, but once we get out there, everypony's gonna hear us..." Sweetie said, more to herself than the others. She gulped. "Everypony... Hear... Me..."

Apple Bloom's brows furrowed in worry. "Ah thought you were over yer stage fright?"

Sweetie chuckled nervously. "Heh, maybe not... I mean, it's not like I've only performed in front of other ponies just once, right?"

"But, you have only performed in front of other ponies just once-- Ow!" Scootaloo rubbed the area where Apple Bloom hit her. "What the heck, Apple Bloom?"

"Hush up! She's already nervous enough without you makin' it worse!" Apple Bloom turned to Sweetie Belle. "Listen, if yer not feelin' up to performin', we could always--"

Sweetie held up a hoof. "No, it's fine... I'm just really nervous, is all... I mean, this is a big occasion, remember? And I'm worried about how I'll sound... And how everyone will react."

Scootaloo waved a hoof. "C'mon, it can't be that bad! I mean, sure, there are going to be lots of ponies here--"

Sweetie's eyes widened. "There are?"

Scootaloo didn't seem to hear her. "--and the Princesses are going to be here, too--"

"The Princesses?" Sweetie's pupils turned to pinpricks, a series of small squeaks escaping her.

"And the Wonderbolts, too! Soarin, Spitfire, and Fleetfoot were invited! How cool is that?"

"Scoots!" Apple Bloom protested.

"What?" Scootaloo questioned, then turned to see Sweetie Belle's horrified expression. "Oh. Sorry."

Sweetie's teeth clattered, her knees wobbled, and her breathing quickened, yet she tried to put on a brave smile. "I-It's fine... I mean, it's not like I'm performing in front of... celebrities and royalty..." She laughed awkwardly and tensely. "Y-Yeah... Fine."

Scootaloo's brows furrowed with worry. "Y'know, maybe we could go with our backup plan... Maybe Sombra won't freak out about the pyrotechnics after all?"

Apple Bloom shook her head quickly. "Are you crazy? Remember how mad he got the last time we did that? That, and he got his flank burned pretty bad..."

Sweetie giggled. "Ponies called him Blackbutt for, what, two weeks?"

"However long it takes for burns to heal," Scootaloo commented with a roll of her eyes. "If we can't use the fireworks, then what? Sweetie's too scared to sing by herself--"

"I'm not scared!" Sweetie protested. "Just... nervous."

"To-may-toe, to-mah-toe," Apple Bloom said. "Well, what, then? Ah'm flat outta ideas! Besides, we planned this for weeks, guys."

Scootaloo let out a hum of thought, her hoof tapping her chin in rhythmic pondering. She gasped, a metaphorical light bulb flickering on over her head. "I got it! Why don't we sing with you, Sweetie?"

Sweetie frowned. "That defeats the purpose of the routine, Scoots. You were gonna dance and show off your moves, and AB was going to show off her art skills!" She faltered a bit. "I'm the one dragging us down... I can't even get up and sing a love ballad!"

Apple Bloom turned to Scootaloo. "Any clue where Button is? Maybe he can help."

Sweetie sighed. "Button's busy helping Rarity out, remember? Apparently Pinkie keeps changing dresses, and it's driving her nuts. Plus, he's been helping Sombra out, too." She smiled sympathetically. "Poor guy's been trying on ties all morning... I think he's freaking out like Pinkie is."

"Isn't Cheese Sandwich helping out, too?" Apple Bloom questioned. "Ah saw him runnin' around earlier..."

"He's been running errands for Rarity, and everypony else, it seems." Sweetie giggled. "He's gonna be so stretched out, poor guy!"

The three fillies giggled for a moment, the misgivings forgotten as they imagined the wedding planner rushing about like the blur he was. Sweetie took a moment to imagine how Cheese would look actually stretched out, and concluded that he'd look like a pile of string cheese.

Apple Bloom broke the blitheness with a frown. "But, what are we gonna do, then? Yer a nervous wreck, Sweets! How're ya gonna handle singin' like this?"

Sweetie faltered once more. "I don't know... I wish Rarity was here... She'd know just what to say."

Scootaloo and Apple Bloom looked to one another, both worried and unsure of what to do. Suddenly, Scootaloo perked up, causing Apple Bloom to give her a confused glance. Scootaloo held up a hoof to her lips, signifying her need for silence, and she darted out of the room quickly, careful not to make too much noise in the process.

Meanwhile, Sweetie was brooding, like she usually did in times of trouble. 'How am I supposed to sing for Pinkie and Sombra? I can barely hold a note with somepony sitting next to me, and I thought doing a song at wedding for the Element of Laughter and a former tyrant was a good idea?' She flinched at her own thought. 'Well, maybe calling Sombra a tyrant is a bit much, but still...'

She sighed. This was too much like the situation she had been in a couple months prior to the date. After an altercation with Diamond Tiara, the snobby filly had challenged her to a "battle" of sorts, the battle being a performance duel. Sweetie had been dragged into it because of Button, who was unaware of her stage fright, and she was forced to get over her social anxiety by singing in front of the entirety of Ponyville. By herself. With no one else to help her.

'That was almost a disaster...' She remembered. Then, she smiled. 'But, thank Celestia and Luna that Button was there. That stupid dork and his mustache saved me from public humiliation!' She faltered again. 'Now I don't think his mom would be too keen on stealing his dad's mustache again, even if it was for my sake.'

Of course, this hadn't been the first time Sweetie had been requested to sing at a wedding. There was the Royal Wedding, when Princess Mi Amora Cadenza, AKA Cadence, was marrying Captain Shining Armor of the Royal Guard. Due to the lack of young female relatives to take the places of flower fillies, the Cutie Mark Crusaders had been invited to do so, at the request of Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack. Then, when Rarity had asked who was going to sing at the wedding, she was surprised to hear that there wasn't one. And even more so when she found out that Rarity requested her to sing for the event, despite how much she knew that Sweetie hated to perform in front of other ponies.

Sweetie had thrown such a fit when she found out that Rarity had done it, and she didn't want anything to do with the wedding when Rarity refused to change the Princesses' minds. Rarity only did so when Sweetie threatened to pack up and leave Canterlot the day before the wedding.

Sweetie looked down at her hooves and sighed with apathetic sadness. 'Looks like I'm gonna have to back out... again.'

Then, after a couple minutes of silence, Scootaloo returned, somepony trailing after her. Apple Bloom's eyes widened and her jaw slacked in surprise. Scootaloo grinned giddily as she scurried over to Sweetie, who was too immersed in her self pity to notice anything going on around her. "Sweets, I think I know who can help you with your problem."

Sweetie sighed. "I don't think even Rarity can help me with this..."

"Honey, Rarity's too busy helpin' out the bride," said a sassy, familiar voice. "That's why little Scootaloo here brought me."

Sweetie's eyes widened and she whipped around in surprise. "Sapphire Shores?"

Sapphire chuckled at the filly's surprise. She was wearing a stunning outfit, as was custom for her, though not enough to seem informal. She wore a simple cobalt blue blouse with sparkling golden accents at the trim of the short sleeves and hem. A star-shaped skirt wrapped around her hips, the shiny, golden material catching the light and making it look like a shooting star. Her mane was down, but pinned back with a star-shaped barrette, golden tinsel shimmering beside her ear.

"That's right, honey, it's Sapphire Shores!" she boomed, her diction strong. "You know, I was beginnin' to wonder why I was invited to this little shindig, seein' as how I don't know the bride or the groom that well--"

"Huh?" Sweetie blurted out, completely flabbergasted.

"--but now I see!" Sapphire lifted her head theatrically. "Honey, I was brought here because of destiny!" She looked up in wonder. "Perhaps this is because of our prior meeting?" She gasped. "Perhaps this is how you knew about my lucky animal?"

Sweetie blushed, not sure how to explain to Sapphire that she only knew that because of Princess Luna, but she nodded in acknowledgement. "Um, yeah..."

Sapphire cleared her throat. "But, Imma digress. Accordin' to your friend here, you're having a bit of a problem with singin' in front of a crowd?"

Sweetie shuffled awkwardly. "Uh, yeah... I have stage fright..."

Sapphire smiled warmly at her. "Honey, believe me, I've been there. When I was your age, I was s'posed to sing for my mom and stepdad's weddin'!" She shivered in remembrance. "Ooo, I was so scared! I hated singin' in front of ponies more than anythin'!" She looked down at Sweetie. "But, ya wanna know somethin'? When I got up in front of everypony and sang, I had a blast! And who woulda thought that I'd get my cutie mark that day?" She shrugged. "But, honey, thing is, if you don't wanna sing, you shouldn't have to. You only get on stage when you're ready to, ya hear?"

Sweetie blinked. "But, what if ponies get upset because--"

"Honey, Imma stop you right there." Sapphire sat down next to Sweetie. "You shouldn't care what others think of you. If somepony says you shouldn't sing, then are ya gonna listen to them?" She shook her head. "I've had my fair share of haters in my life, but I don't let them get to me. Wanna know why? Because, if you got haters, then it means you got enough recognition to have them!" She chuckled. "So how about instead of worryin' about how you're gonna stop ponies from hatin', you start worryin' about the ponies who won't hate you?"

"So... You want me to focus on my fans?" Sweetie asked, not sure what else to think.

"Exactly!" Sapphire proclaimed. "Like I always say, 'Haters, if you need someone to hate on, then go on and hate me! Hate me, because that's what y'all are for! Go on and tell ponies that you think I got a ratchet mane, even though you know it ain't!'"

Sweetie giggled. "Alright, I guess I'll try that... Especially when Diamond Tiara's around."

Sapphire put a hoof on her shoulder. "Next time you see this 'Diamond Tiara', I want you to tell her what I told you. Then see how she'll act!" She stood up. "Now, if you excuse me, I have to hurry on back to my seat! Weddin's about to start!" She paused at the door. "Oh, and honey? I may not have heard you sing, but Rarity has; and she loves talkin' about it."

After Sapphire left, Sweetie took a moment to get over her shock. Finally, she turned to Scootaloo. "I didn't know Pinkie invited Sapphire!"

Scootaloo shrugged. "Apparently she did it for Sombra. Turns out he's a huge fan."

Sweetie Belle arched a confused brow, but decided not to question it. "Scoots, that was so cool! I just got advice from Sapphire Shores!"

"Were ya nervous askin' her for help?" Apple Bloom asked Scootaloo.

Scootaloo shrugged. "Not really. I mean, kinda, but I already met her once, remember? She remembered me from that one time!" She squealed with excitement. "How cool is that?"

The Crusaders all joined together in giggles, all the tension and nervousness from before having dissipated into nothingness. Apple Bloom looked at Sweetie as she ceased her giggles. "Are ya still nervous, Sweets?"

Sweetie shook her head. "Not as much as I was before... Sapphire made me feel a little better. Besides, I'm kind of excited, too! I can't wait to sing!"

Scootaloo turned to Apple Bloom. "Do you got the costumes ready for the surprise?"

Apple Bloom nodded. "Yep! Thank Celestia that Granny knows how to sew, or Ah woulda had trouble with 'em!" She let out a sigh. "They were such a pain to make, y'know."

Scootaloo frowned. "Not as big a pain as teaching you two how to tell your right hoof from your left when I was teaching you how to dance for the past couple of weeks. Seriously, AB, I love you, but you got two left hooves."

Before Apple Bloom could reply, Sweetie stepped in. "Easy now, guys! The wedding hasn't even started yet!"

Apple Bloom frowned. "Are you even sure that we're ready for the weddin'?"

Sweetie smiled. "I think the better question is: Is the wedding ready for us?"

Author's Note:

I SHOULD NOT LIKE WRITING SAPPHIRE SHORES, BUT I DO. She's just so freaking SASSY and AWESOME. She's like that one friend that's down for anything, and is just so fun to have around for anything. Like, if someone says, "I'm gonna KILL someone," Sapphire would say, "Hells yeah, let's do it! Imma get the car!" I like to think that's me, but it's not.

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SuperPinkBrony12

SuperPinkBrony12 #1 · Dec 14th, 2014 · 7 · ·

Like, if someone says, "I'm gonna KILL someone," Sapphire would say, "Hells yeah, let's do it! Imma get the car!" I like to think that's me, but it's not.

Words cannot express how much that cracked me up.

Moongaze14