Chapter 28
Chapter 28
A small noise brought me three quarters awake. Another slight sound prompted me to sit up. “Coco?”
“I’m sorry, Pin,” Satin said from the cloud chair. I thought I had been quiet enough.”
“Don’t worry about it,” I told her as the last of sleep’s fog left me. “Berry and Piña aren’t the only ones herding. As alert as some part of my brain is I think I would hear a pin drop in the kitchen. Are you okay?”
“I am, but the foal is restless. I can’t get my mind to slow down enough to get any sleep either.”
“I’m surprised Stormbreaker didn’t come down with you.”
“He would have, but I told him to stay in bed so he could go back to sleep.”
Putting my hoof over my mouth, I fought back a yawn before asking, “Does getting on the cloud chair help?”
“It calms the foal down and it’s comfy, so we can both relax when I’m on it.” Satin patted a spot at her side. “Want to join me?” She snorted and grinned. “Don’t give me that look. There’s more than enough room for you and me.”
After putting aside the pillow I had been holding and getting out from the blanket, I rolled off the couch and approached the cloud chair.
“First, though.” Satin leaned onto her side and exposed her stomach. “You would never ask to, but I know you want to.”
I reached out, put a hoof on her belly, and smiled. “Hello, little one.” I gave Satin’s belly a delicate rub in a small circle. “You have no idea how much you will be loved.”
“He’s moving around. Put your head on me.”
I stopped, my head about halfway to Satin’s belly and looked at her. “He? You know the foal is a colt?”
“We didn’t have things checked, but I… know. Colt or not, I do know our foal will be a pegasus. Between him being able to poke me in several directions at once and his reaction to being on a cloud I’m sure he’s a pegasus.”
With as careful a touch as I could manage, I put my head on Satin’s belly. For a second or two, I felt nothing. Then there was a sensation against my cheek as if somepony had put their hoof on the other side of a water balloon and pushed on it.
“You’re eyes lit up,” Satin said. “You must have felt that too,”
I lifted my head and smiled at Satin’s belly. “According to your future ‘uncle’ you will be a member of an endangered species.”
Satin giggled and returned to her upright position. “You’re the only pony who knows, besides Stormbreaker. Don’t tell Dad or Mom, please. It’s not one hundred percent certain, and Mom would drive me nuts.”
“I won’t say a word to anypony. I promise.” With caution, I joined Satin on the cloud chair.
Satin glanced at the space I had left between us and then up at me. “Chicken,” she teased and leaned against me.
I chuckled and made a gesture with my chin towards the coffee table. “From what I can tell Mom’s already been driving you nuts.”
Satin gave a grunt. “You have no clue.”
“So, since he’s a pegasus, that cuts down on the pile of brochures you have to go through,” I half joked.
“If I’m right, and Stormbreaker is certain I am, we’re planning on moving to Ponyville so we can be closer to Cloudsdale and the Flight Academy,” she told me as if presenting a fragile idea.
I smiled with excitement. “Really?!” I paused. “How is that going to work with work?”
“I’m going to offer my portion of the company to Mom and Dad,” she said. “If they won’t want it, I’ll sell it to somepony on the company’s board.”
I could tell by her tone she had set her mind on the matter. “You want out.”
“I want out,” Satin stated. “I’ve enjoyed parts of running the company, but the pressure of managing things is getting to be too much again. I wanted you back in Canterlot to bring the family back together and to take some of the pressure off the three of us here, but I almost severed what few connections between us were left with that drunken tirade of mine. I’ve learned from that mistake.” She looked down at her stomach and put a hoof on it. “I cannot do what I’m doing now and be there for our foal.”
“The bits you’ll get from selling your stake in the company would set you for life too,” I said.
She nodded. “It would.”
I raised an eyebrow. “I know you. Once the colt gets older, and is in school, you’ll be bored out of your gourd. What are you planning on doing then?”
“Beyond tutoring, which I love, we’re on it,” she said with pride. “I figured out the enchantments for making cloud chairs.”
I looked down between my forelegs. “You made this?!”
“With help from Storm. Being the granddaughter of one of the best tailors in Equestria, a graduate of Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns, andbeing the fiance of a pegasus with access to ‘cheap surplus cloud material’ has all kinds of advantages.”
I moved to the edge of the cloud chair, leaned over its side, and examined the stitching. “Had I looked close at it earlier, I would have recognized your sewing.”
“Pin, can I ask you a favor?”
I lifted my head. “Of course.”
“Can I have a copy of Grandfather’s notes on how he made Nana’s nest?”
“You can have the originals,” I told her.
Satin shook her head. “Just copies, please. That way, if something happened to them the originals would still be around.”
I leaned back over the edge of the chair and looked over more of the cushion and the stand. “I can’t tell you how impressed I am. You made this from memory?”
“I modeled it after a throw pillow I saw in a store window. It reminded me of the shape of Nana’s nest, and inspiration struck. I bought the pillow, brought it home, took it apart, and studied how everything went together. One trip to the Canterlot library later, and I had the enchantments I needed.” She patted the cloud cushion as if it were a beloved pet. “I know the design isn’t right. We had some trouble with getting the cloud cushion and the stand to work together, and the stitching isn’t the best, since I’m out of practice, but I think it turned out well.”
“Are you kidding? This is great, especially for a prototype.” I lifted my head, scooted back to my original spot, and grinned at her. “If you move to Ponyville, the first pony you’ll want to talk to about this is Davenport. He would have a fit if he could sell these alongside his couches.”
As if prompted by what I had said, Satin’s eyes lingered on the couch for a second. “Speaking of couches, you realize you and Coco could have slept in the same bed, right?” She gave me a teasing bump of her shoulder. “Stormbreaker and I wouldn’t say a word.”
“Since we don’t know when anypony will arrive in the morning, for prudence's sake, this was the best option.”
She gave me a less than innocent smile. “Have you two been using the ‘items’ we sent?” She giggled. “Never mind. You turning that color tells me all I need to know.”
“Thank you for them. They have been fun for both of us.”
“If you’ve taken that step and ended the last part of the courtship, have you asked her yet?”
“Asked her what?” I said, feigning ignorance.
“Pin,” Satin said in a warning tone.
I grinned. “Not yet, but soon.”
Satin poked me in the shoulder with a hoof. “How soon?”
“I was thi-”
Satin gave me another prod, as a set of hooves came down the steps.
“Pin?” Coco whispered, as she looked at the couch from its backside. “Who are you talking to?”
“Me, and he’s over here,” Satin said. “Scoot over,” she told me.
“It’s all right, I’ll pull up a chair,” Coco said, as I shifted myself towards the edge of the chair.
I had not realized how much bigger Satin’s cloud chair was compared to Grandfather’s until I noticed that even with moving over I still had some space before I would have come to the edge of the chair’s cushion.
“You will not,” Satin said. “You’re family, and there’s more than enough room for you.”
Satin scooted over to the center of the chair.
With careful motions, Coco got on the chair and settled on Satin’s left side.
“I want you to know, when he woke up, the first thing he said was your name,” Satin told Coco.
“He’s such a sweetheart.” Coco smiled at me. “He’s always looking out for me.”
“I try,” I told her, smiling back.
“I found out why he wanted a second pillow too,” Satin said. “He was so cute. When I checked to see if he was asleep, he was almost curled around it.”
“I’m getting to where I can’t sleep without something to hold,” I confessed.
“So that’s how well things are going,” Satin said, causing Coco and me to blush. Smiling, she asked Coco, “What brings you down here?”
“I woke up, I’m not sure why, and then something told me to come down and check on things,” Coco told her.
“You’re herding too,” I said. “That’s pretty much what happened to me, when Satin came down to get on the cloud chair.”
“You look sleepy,” Coco said to Satin. “We can leave, if you want us to.”
“No, I want you two to stay with me. I’m nesting pretty bad tonight. Having you two close is helping me relax.” Satin put her head down on the cushion and closed her eyes. “You two can talk, but since the foal is calm again, I’m going to try to get some more rest.”
“After our walk, we’re tired too,” Coco said, giving me a look that told me to follow her lead.
“I am,” I agreed, meaning what I said and going along with Coco’s unvoiced request.
Without saying another word to each other, Coco and I settled down with Satin. To make sure I would not grab Satin while I slept, I levitated my cuddling pillow from the couch and held it against my chest.
I am not sure how long the other two stayed awake, but it did not take long for me to nod off again.
The sound of a camera working stirred me. I opened my eyes, and was met by the sight of Stormbreaker looking over the top of his camera and smiling. “I got some good shots,” he whispered, soft enough I almost did not hear him.
“Do you want to swap places?” I asked him with slow, silent words.
He shook his head and made gestures that indicated us swapping places would wake Satin. He pointed to himself and then to the couch. “I put the alarm on the stairs so it won’t blast us awake,” he whispered.
I gave him a slight nod, and he took my previous place on the couch.
I closed my eyes and relaxed back into slumber.
“Keep quiet,” somepony whispered, and my ear flicked.
“Oh my goodness!” a filly’s voice said in an excited whisper. “They’re adorable!”
“Sssh!” somepony that sounded like Berry warned. “You’ll wake them up.”
I remained still and listened as a camera worked three times.
My curiosity got the better of me. I raised my head and opened my eyes.
Mom, Dad, Berry, Barrel, and the girls had sneaked into the house.
Stormbreaker, his chest resting on the arm of the couch and one hoof holding onto his camera, grinned, made a motion for me to stay quiet, and then pointed to my left.
I turned my head and smiled. Satin had settled with her back against mine and had wrapped her forelegs around Coco, holding her just under her shoulders.
Holding Satin in her sleep, Coco had assumed the shape of a comma; her head resting under Satin’s chin and the rest of her curled against Satin’s somewhat smaller form.
I turned back to Stormbreaker to whisper to him to take another picture the same instant the alarm went off.
Satin gave a start and opened her eyes. She seemed to take a second to realize where she was. Her eyes widened, as she looked at the top of Coco’s head.
Stormbreaker snapped a photo.
“Pin, can you get the alarm?” Coco asked and hugged Satin closer. “I need five more minutes.”
“I can’t,” I told her, as a chorus of giggles and laughs came from the herd just inside the door. “I’m not sure where the alarm is,” I said, as I felt my blush reach the tips of my ears.
Coco’s eyes flew open and met with Satin’s.
Satin, blushing close to rose red, greeted Coco, “Good morning.”
Stormbreaker snapped another photo.
“I’ll get it,” Dad said, still chuckling.
“Good morning,” Coco said, turning red herself.
“I think we have visitors, but I’m too afraid to look,” Satin told her.
Coco raised her head and looked towards the front door.
Barrel, with a grin that was too wide to be polite, waved at her. “Good morning,” he said, as Dad cut off the alarm clock.
“Oh, sweet Celestia,” Coco said. She put her head back under Satin’s chin as if hiding. “Yep, you have guests.”
Satin laughed and looked at the group at the door. “Not that you’re not welcome, but what are you doing here?”
Piña, who had leaned against Pinch for support, gasped in enough air to tell her, “We were planning on sneaking over here to start breakfast before you got up.”
“Seeing as how we’re not up, you have accomplished your goal,” Satin said.
Mom, looking pleased, snapped off orders: “Barrel, Pin, and Stormbreaker, you are with me on hay bacon and eggs duty. Insight, you are on coffee and tea duty. It will be tight with all of us in the kitchen, so mind your hooves and watch out for hot or sharp objects.”
“What can we do?” Piña asked.
“You two young ladies take Pin’s spot and help Berry and Coco look after Satin,” Mom told her.
“Wait, before anypony does anything else, I need to know something,” Satin said. She looked down at Coco and asked, “How in Equestria do you two get your coats so soft?”
I sighed, put my head down on the cloud cushion and covered my face with my forelegs, as more giggles and laughter broke out.
*****
“Is that even?” I asked, as I pulled the table cloth towards me.
“Just a touch more,” Hearts said. “There!”
I stepped back as Amethyst and Pinch used their magic to set the decorations on the table.
“Here you go!” Dinky said, as she tossed an arrangement of flowers up to Rumble.
Rumble caught the flowers with a deft hoof. “Got it!” He turned and positioned the arrangement at the top of one of the decorative poles.
“A touch to the right, please,” Mom directed. “A bit more. Perfect!”
Rumble held the arrangement in place, as Muffins tied it in its spot.
"I think that's the last pole," Rumble said, glancing around at the other poles and their decorations.
“I think so,” Piña said, looking into her now empty basket. "That was the last arrangement."
"Let's check the knots on the draping and the other decorations, real quick, to see it any of them are trying to slip," Muffins suggested to Rumble.
Rumble nodded. "I'll go check the other side."
“Wow,” Lemon Hearts said, looking at what everypony had set up. “If we had you ponies every time we did an event, things would be much easier.”
“Many hooves make light work,” Dad said.
“The archway and side lattices are up and decorated,” Mom said as if going down a list. “The poles, with their flower arrangements at their bases and tops, along with their connecting draping are ready. The outdoor seating cushions are in place. The tables are set up. The juice, wine, and water are on their stands. The tables are all but set.” Mom nodded with satisfaction. “As soon as the food arrives and is in place, the preparations will be complete.”
Dinky went to Mom and hugged her. “Thank you for inviting us to come help set up. It was fun.”
“You are welcome, but I cannot take all the credit for you being here,” Mom said. “Pinch was the first to bring up the idea and Piña seconded it with grand enthusiasm.”
Dinky looked up at Mom and tilted her head. “How did you know where we were staying?”
“She asked me last night, so I gave her the address,” Amethyst said.
“Knowing where your guests are staying, if they are not with you, is required of a good host,” Mom said, patted Dinky on the back, and let her go.
Dinky motioned for Piña and Pinch to get closer and then grabbed them both in a hug. “Thank you!”
Piña giggled. “We couldn’t leave our training partner behind,” she said and hugged Dinky back.
“It wouldn’t have been as much fun without you, Amethyst, and your folks here,” Pinch said, hugging both Dinky and Piña.
Dinky looked away from Pinch. “I’m glad you still think being around me is fun.”
Pinch looked horrified at Dinky’s words. “What do you mean?! Why wouldn’t I?!”
Piña removed herself from their shared hug. “Pinch, keep hugging her. I’m getting Muffins.”
“No!” Dinky said and winced at Piña’s resulting flinch. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to be that loud. It’s okay. Don’t worry about it.” Dinky hugged Pinch a little tighter. “I’m just glad we’re still friends.”
“Why wouldn’t we be?” Pinch asked.
Dinky looked down again, and her ears fell, as she let Pinch go.
Dispelling the tension in the air, Turner and Thunderlane walked through the archway and to us.
“Now we’re ready,” Thunderlane said with a grin.
“What are you two up to?” Stormbreaker asked.
“I promised I wouldn't say too much, but I need to make a bit of an announcement.” Tuner said. He cleared his throat and announced to everypony, using a louder voice. “Everypony, may I have a moment of your time?” After everypony looked his way, he continued; “I can’t divulge too much, or risk spoiling the surprise for those who have not seen them, but please stay clear of the two decorative arrangements of ‘flowers’ just behind the archway.”
“I thought they were safe,” Muffins said, looking concerned, as she and Rumble landed close to Turner.
“They are.” Turner smiled and bumped noses with Muffins. “But let’s say you and I got close to them and we…” He leaned and whispered something in Muffins’ ear, and her mouth formed an ‘O’ of understanding.
Muffins giggled and nodded. “Got it.”
“With all the ponies who are so fond of each other around, I thought it best to err on the side of caution,” Turner explained.
“Girls, there is something else we need to do to get everything ready,” Mom said to the fillies. “We need to weave your flower crowns and get your manes ready.”
“I get to help Dinky with her mane and tail,” Pinch declared.
“Only if I get to do yours,” Dinky said and gave Pinch a relieved smile.
“I could do your mane and tail again,” Rumble offered to Piña, blushing. “Rarity let me have some ribbon for it.”
Piña smiled. “That sounds great.”
“I’ll help things set up,” Dad said and levitated a basket of flowers and two blankets to him from the supply pile. He leaned touched noses with Mom. “Then, I would like to help you with yours.”
Mom smiled. “I would very much like that,” she said and led Dad, Rumble, and the three fillies away towards a spot where they could spread out the blankets.
“Food’s here!” Minuette announced as she pulled a caterer’s cart close to us. “Twinkle, help me get out of this thing so I can hug Pin.”
Twinkle Shine, who arrived with Minuette, smiled and helped Minuette out of the cart’s harness. “Remember, he has a mare friend now, so don’t get too enthusiastic.”
I braced myself as Minuette got free of the harness. She rushed towards me and took me in a solid hug.
“Hello to you too,” I said to Minuette and gave her a hug back.
Minuette let go of me and glanced around. “Where is Satin?”
“She should be here any minute,” I said. “She’s at the school with Coco, Rarity, and Sassy.”
“Hello, Pin,” Twinkle Shine greeted.
“Hello, Twinks.” I smiled at her. “How have you been?”
“As well as I can be trying to keep up with this crazy mare,” Twinkle Shine said and poked Minuette in the shoulder with a hoof.
With a smug grin, Minuette raised her nose in the air. “Admit it. Without me your life would be boring.”
Twinkle Shine rolled her eyes and then bumped noses with Minuette. “It would be slower paced, I’ll give you that.”
“Excuse us,” a teenage filly said, as she led a group of fillies and colts towards us. “Is this Miss Satin’s wedding?”
“You’re at the right spot,” Barrel told her. “The wedding isn’t for another hour and a half, though.”
The filly looked nervous as she responded, “We know, but Miss Satin said she would-”
“Be here to help you all get your manes and tails ready,” Satin finished for the filly as she and two ponies I thought I recognized approached from the direction of the school.
“Miss Satin!” the spokesfilly of the small herd greeted. “When we didn’t see you, we got worried something had happened.”
“Everything’s fine,” Satin said. “I promised I would be here and here I am.”
“You’re not dressed, though,” the filly said, looking worried. “If you need to go take care of things, we can manage.”
Satin smiled and gave the group a look that took them all in. “All of you are the reason that Stormbreaker and I met. I can’t go back on a promise to the ponies that made this possible.”
“You sure?” the spokesfilly asked, seeming uncertain of Satin’s words.
“I will be dressed for the wedding with plenty of time, I promise. None of us will have far to go to get dressed for the wedding. In fact, I was just showing my soon to be in-laws the rooms the school are allowing us to use as changing rooms.”
“Okay,” the spokesfilly said, looking much happier. “You look great.”
Satin smiled and gave a self-depreciating giggle. “You’re very kind, but I know I look like I swallowed a watermelon.”
“That doesn’t mean you don’t look great,” Stormbreaker told Satin as he moved to take her in a hug and kissed her cheek.
“Awwww!” said most of the fillies in the group.
“Satin!” Dad called. “This is a delightful spot. Why don’t you join us?”
“Look at the foals!” another of the fillies of the group said. “They’re precious!”
“Are they kin to you?” the spokesfilly asked Satin.
“The foals are my friend’s. My mom and dad are on the blankets with them.” Satin motioned with her head for the group to follow her. “I’ll introduce you, while we set up.” She paused and smiled at me. “I almost forgot to introduce you. Everypony, this is my brother, Royal Pin, and some of our friends from Ponyville.”
I waved a hoof and gave the students a nervous smile. “Hello. Nice to me you.”
One filly giggled. “You’re right, Miss Satin, he’s shy.”
I felt my face warm with a blush at the comment.
“He blushes like you said too,” another of the fillies said, as the group walked past.
“Hey coach,” a colt greeted Stormbreaker. “Congratulations.”
“Thanks Sparks,” Stormbreaker said. “I’ll be there with you guys in a minute.” He turned and patted me on the shoulder with a hoof. “Satin’s right, you turn a wonderful shade of red when you’re embarrassed.”
I chuckled. “If that’s all Satin told them about me, I’ll be fine.”
“Since we’re doing introductions, I would like everypony to meet my parents, Storm Chaser and Summer Rain,” Stormbreaker said and gestured to the pair of ponies who had come with Satin.
“It’s good to see both of you again,” I said and gave a slight bow to Summer Rain. When Storm Chaser held out his hoof to me, I shook it. “I hope the flight here was nice.”
“You know them?” Berry asked.
“We met at the Equestria Games,” I told Berry.
“Is everypony doing things with their manes and tail?” Summer Rain asked.
“It looks like it turned out that way,” Stormbreaker said. “Why don’t you two join Satin and me and our students? I think you will like them, and I know they’re curious about you.”
“We can do that.” Storm Chaser chuckled and ran a hoof over his buzz-cut. “I don’t think anypony can do much with my mane or tail, though.”
“They seem sweet,” Muffins said, after Stormbreaker led his parents away from us.
“They’ve both very nice,” I told her. I turned, as Lemon Hearts and the other three caterers set the first of the food on the table.
“No, Pin, you’re not helping,” Minuette said. “We’re getting paid for this. You need to be with your family.” She made a dismissive gesture toward me with a hoof. “Go on, all of you. Shoo!”
“Yes, ma’am,” I said with playful formality.
“We made it just in time, it seems,” Rarity said, as she Coco and Sassy came up on us from behind me.
Rarity caught me looking at her and tilted her head. “You seem surprised.”
“You three altered her dress that fast?”
Rarity giggled. “No, darling, we didn’t need to do a thing. Satin went to my shop here in Canterlot a week ago, had Sassy take the measurements I needed, and then she sent them to me. I altered the dress before we even arrived. We just did a quick fitting to make sure she had not ‘progressed’ any more than I expected.”
“Oh,” I said, feeling embarrassed. “To tell the truth, I wouldn’t have thought of that.”
“You would have, but you’re not used to working with a partner in another city,” Sassy said. “We do this kind of thing all the time.”
“So you don’t need any last minute help?” I asked.
“Nope,” Sassy told me.
“You heard the lady,” Minuette said. “You’ve all done your parts, so now, all of you get over there and let us do our jobs.”
Coco walked closer to me, wearing a mischievous grin. “She’s not Lemon Hearts is she?” she asked in a stage whisper.
I gave a light snort and shook my head. “That’s my friend, Minuette and her wife Twinkle Shine.” I pointed a hoof at Lemon Hearts. “She’s Lemon Hearts.”
One of Lemon Hearts’ ears angled out in confusion, and she paused in what she was doing to help get the food on the tables. “Is somepony looking for me?”
“I just wanted to know who the mare who had milkshakes with my coltfriend was,” Coco said, her grin still in place.
Lemon Hearts blushed. “Pin! What in Equestria did you tell her?”
“Oh, the things he could have told her,” Minuette said, with a giggle.
“You stay out of this!” Lemon Hearts told Minuette.
“Like about the time we almost got suspended for-” Minuette’s eyes widened, as Lemon Hearts’ magic closed her mouth.
“Not another word,” Lemon Hearts told her, staring into Minuette’s eyes with a look that threatened reprisals if she did not comply.
“We?” Coco asked and glanced at me.
Twinkle Shine giggled. “Pin and three of us were friends, when we were foals, but Lemon Hearts was his special ‘milkshake buddy’.”
“Shine,” Lemon Hearts warned, “I can hold your mouth closed too.”
*****
“Rumble, chill,” Thunderlane told his brother, as he adjusted Rumble’s bow tie. “I’ve seen you do entry level Wonderbolts stunts. Why are you worked up about walking in a straight line with two rings on a pillow?”
“If I mess up a stunt up the only thing that gets messed up is me, not somepony’s wedding.” Rumble asked, sounding nervous, “What if I trip?” His wings flared out in panic. “What if I drop them?!”
“We pick them up, dust them off, and keep going,” Stormbreaker said. He patted Rumble on the back with a wing. “Nothing like this goes without a hitch or two. If that happens, it happens.”
“If you get too nervous, it will happen,” Tuner told Rumble. “At Muffin’s and my wedding, I focused about where I was putting my hooves too much. I ended up tripping on Muffins’ dress train and we both went down in a heap.” Turner smiled. “I was mortified, but it’s a fond memory Muffins and I share now.”
A knock came at the door. “Are you gentlecolts ready?” Mom asked, through the door.
“We are,” Dad answered and opened the door for her.
“My, my,” Mom said and smiled at us. “What a herd of handsome stallions.”
“You look lovely yourself,” Dad complemented her.
“How’s she doing?” Stormbreaker asked, his ears half back in concern.
Mom’s smile grew. “If you mean Satin, she is doing fine.”
Storm Breaker blushed. “Sorry.”
“Do not worry about her. I went to work until two weeks before Satin was born.” Mom glanced in my direction. “He, on the other hoof, gave me some trouble.”
Dad chuckled. “I don’t believe not going to work a month before you were due would be considered ‘trouble’ by most mares.”
Stormbreaker looked at Dad and smiled. “I don’t think Satin or Insight are like most mares. That’s why we love them.”
Dad nodded. “Well said.”
“It is time for you gentlecolts and us mares and fillies to get into our spots,” Mom informed us. “Sassy and Insight will follow us soon.” Mom’s voice hitched with emotion as she said, “Then the wedding can start.”
Dad took Mom’s hoof and guided her into the room. “You guys go on.” He brought Mom into a hug and gave her a comforting nuzzle. “We need a minute or two.”
Giving Mom and Dad some privacy, we left the school room and came upon Berry, Coco, Rarity, and Sassy in the hallway. All of them were staring out one of the school’s back windows.
“I can’t believe you pulled it off,” Berry said.
“It took no effort at all, darling.” Rarity said, looking pleased with herself. “Since I knew Celestia might come, thanks to Satin, it was a simple matter of making a request who her escorts would be if she brought any.”
“Celestia is here?!” Rumble asked, in a voice that was almost a squeak.
“See, no pressure at all,” Thunderlane kidded, and poked Rumble in his shoulder.
“Ignore him,” Stormbreaker told Rumble. “From what I’ve heard about Princess Celestia, she enjoys when things don’t go as planned.”
I followed the three mares’ gazes toward the decorative arch and smiled. Celestia sat in the middle of the school’s students, along with the school’s headmare. At the back edge of the guests, in full armor and standing at attention, were Filter and Silent.
“Dinky’s going to have a fit, when she finds out Filter’s your brother,” I told Coco.
When Coco turned to me, the pink gillyflowers in her hair gave her mane more motion and, framed in the light from the window and with the backdrop of the stone hallway, she looked as if she were out of a fairy tale. I smiled and met eyes with her for a long moment.
“We just lost Pin,” Thunderlane said. He gave Rarity a kiss on the cheek. “You look even more gorgeous than usual.”
“Thank you,” Rarity said. “You look quite dapper yourself. Coco, please break whatever spell you put on Pin. We need to get going.”
I stood as still as I could, but I could not help my grin showing my mischievous intent.
Coco giggled and then bumped noses with me. “I take it you like the dress.”
“I like the dress,” I said and leaned close to her ear. “But I love the mare that’s in it,” I whispered to her.
“No fair!” Sassy protested. “I want to know what you said to make her blush and smile like that.”
“It was something sweet,” Coco told Sassy.
“Is something wrong?” Mom asked, as she stepped into the hallway with Dad.
“Princess Celestia is here,” Rumble told her and pointed a hoof at the window.
“She made it!” Mom said, sounding happy. “When she responded to our invitation, she was not sure if she could attend or not.” Mom made a motion at all of us to prompt us toward the door. “We need to get out there ourselves.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Thunderlane said, as he and Rarity led us out of one of the school’s back doors.
Sassy walked closer to Mom and asked. “Are you okay?”
“I am fine,” Mom said with a bitter-sweet smile. “My daughter is getting married to a very nice stallion today.”
Sassy nodded. “She is. I have to admit, I’m jealous of her.”
We passed by Filter and Silent, as Mom replied, “I am sure you will find your own special stallion someday too.”
Sassy glanced back over her shoulder, looking at Silent. “I might already have.”
We each took our places on either side of the arch as Lyra, who must have arrived while we were changing, began a delicate song on her lyre.
Motions behind the guests caught my eye. Dinky, Piña, and Pinch had joined Rumble and seemed to discussing something with whispers and animated gestures.
There where giggles and squeals of delight from the school fillies, as Satin and Dad emerged from the school.
Stormbreaker took in a breath and smiled as they came closer.
“You’re a lucky stallion,” Raven told him, in a whisper
“I am,” he replied. “I hope I’m making her just as lucky.”
The trio of fillies proceeded before Satin and Dad, spreading flower petals as they walked down the ‘aisle’ between the seated guests.
Dad held Satin’s hoof, as he walked with her. When they reached their mark, they stopped. Dad’s hoof lingered on Satin’s for a second before he let her go and then kissed her on the forehead.
Mom sniffed, as Dad took his place beside her. He took his tail with hers as Mom leaned against him and wiped her eyes with a handkerchief.
Satin stood beside Stormbreaker, looking wonderful in her dress and veil. Rarity had done a stunning job of pleating and cutting the dress so that Satin could move without trouble while allowing it to accent Satin’s figure. The dress did not hide the fact that Satin was expecting but allowed it to be part of her beauty.
Lyra ended her melody, and there was a slight pause as Stormbreaker took Satin’s hoof and they walked the few steps they needed to stand in front of Raven under the archway.
Raven smiled at the guests and began the ceremony.
“We are gathered here to celebrate the joining of these two ponies. We all know Satin and Stormbreaker in different ways, but they have been important parts of all of our lives. Satin was my schoolmate, and has remained my friend even after we graduated. Many of your know them as your tutor or your coach. Others here know them as family. We all know them as caring, loving ponies, who have found somepony special in each other.” Raven smiled, and glanced at Satin. “Soon, they will have another somepony in their lives they will adore and share their love with and who will be special to all of us too.” Raven looked towards Rumble and asked, “May we have the rings, please?”
Rumble held the pillow that had the rings atop it with intense focus. Though a little stiff with his steps, he walked down the aisle and presented the rings to Satin and Stormbreaker without incident.
“Satin, do you take this stallion to be your husband?” Raven asked.
Using her magic, Satin levitated Stormbreaker’s ring, which was on a thin chain, and put it around his neck. “I do.”
Raven looked to Stormbreaker and asked, “Stormbreaker, do you take this mare to be your wife?”
Using his wings, Stormbreaker took Satin’s ring and placed it on her horn. “I do.”
After lifting Satin’s veil with his wing tips, Stormbreaker drew the leading primary of his wing down Satin’s face in a caress and touched his forehead to hers.
There was a hissing noise behind the archway that made the hairs on my back of my neck stand up.
“Oh no,” Turner half whispered and half moaned.
“What is-” Raven’s question was cut off, as the ‘flowers’ behind the archway shot into the air and exploded into a wonderful display of sparks, streaks of flame, and a variety of vivid colors.
“Cool!” one colt declared. A filly sitting at his side gave him a light punch to the shoulder.
“This is a wedding!” the filly reminded the colt in a harsh whisper.
The fireworks ended, and Raven, having regained her composure, announced, “I now pronounce you mare and stallion!”
Satin gave Stormbreaker a kiss that brought cheers from their students and applause from the older guests, as he wrapped her in his wings.
After Satin and Stormbreaker broke their kiss, Raven announced, “Thank you for coming. Everypony, please, enjoy the food and refreshments.”
It seemed as if half of the guests headed towards the food, while the other half surged to surround Satin and Stormbreaker.
I shied away from the crowd of students and a few assorted friends, who all took turns giving Satin hugs and shaking hooves with Stormbreaker.
Raven made her way around the throng of students towards me. “There you are!” She said, and gave me a hug. “How is my honorary little brother?”
“I’m doing well,” I said, returning her hug. “How have you been?”
“Busy!” Raven said with a smile. “How’s it feel to know that you will be an uncle soon?”
“Kind of nice, but a little nerve wracking too.”
Rumble approached us, just as Raven and I let each other go.
“You did great!” Raven complemented.
Rumble grinned. “Thanks. I’m glad the fireworks were the thing that went wrong and not me carrying the rings.”
Raven gave him a curious look.
“Stormbreaker told him that something always goes wrong at these events,” I explained.
Raven nodded. “Strombreaker’s right. Even with the royal events, something always manages to not go as planned.”
“You did it!” Piña wove through several ponies legs and took Rumble in a full hug that pinned his forelegs to his sides. “I told you, you didn’t have to worry about it.”
“Thanks Piña,” he said.
“I told you she’d find him,” Pinch said to Dinky, as she and Dinky walked up.
“You all did great,” I told them.
“Did you know Princess Celestia coming with guards?!” Dinky asked.
“It was a surprise to me,” I told her.
“I know Silent, but I don’t know who the other pony is,” Dinky said.
“Coco knows who he is,” Sassy said, as she and Coco joined our group.
“You do?” Dinky asked Coco. “Who is he?”
“That’s my brother, Light Filter,” Coco told Dinky.
“No way!” Dinky looked at Filter and then back to Coco. “He’s your brother?!”
“Piña and Pinch didn’t tell you?” Coco asked, smiling with amusement at Dinky.
“We didn’t get a chance,” Pinch said. “They showed up right before the wedding got started.”
“There you are, you rapscallion!”
I jumped at the voice of Harsh Tutor, who had somehow sneaked up on me. I turned to the school’s silver maned Headmare and smiled my most innocent smile. “Hello, Headmare.”
Tutor’s light purple eyes met mine with a faux serious expression. “I hope you have been behaving yourself.”
“I have,” I said.
“No bubble bath or glitter hidden away anywhere?”
I blushed. “No, Headmare.”
“Good colt,” Tutor said and patted my shoulder with a hoof.
“Bubble bath?” Dinky asked, tilting her head.
Tutor turned to Dinky and smiled. “Do you see the fountain at the back of the school?” she asked pointing a hoof towards the fountain.
All four of the foals nodded, as Dinky said, “Yes, ma’am.”
“Thanks to Pin and this three filly friends, we know that it can blow bubbles higher than the roof of the school if bubble bath is added to it and that it can fit an entire class worth of rambunctious foals in it too.”
“Three filly friends?” Pinch said, looking at me with wide eyed shock.
“Oh yes,” Harsh Tutor said, before I could clarity my relationship with my ‘filly friends’ to the foals, with clear glee at my squirming discomfort. “Pin and his three filly friends were legends at the school because of their antics. Thanks to them, we also know it is possible to cover every hoofspan of an arts and crafts room, including the fixtures, furniture, and the foals inside it, with glitter using the right combination of spells.”
“Whoa,” Rumble said, looking at me as if he were admiring some novel aspect of me.
Raven giggled and asked her, “Isn’t the ceiling of Room 204 still covered in glitter?”
“It is,” Harsh Tutor confirmed.
My ears fall as if I had regressed back to being a colt being reprimanded. “I thought you told us not to clean off the ceiling.”
“I did,” Harsh Tutor said. “You four got the glitter coverage so even, it seemed a waste to let your experiment go unchronicled. Besides, it’s saved us from having the ceiling repainted, since the enchantments you four wove together are till functioning so well.”
“Headmare!” the spokesfilly from earlier called to Harsh Tutor. She waved from her spot at Satin’s side. “Come join us, please!”
“Wait, before you go, I want to ask something,” Piña said. “If you sort of liked what Pin did, why did you ban him from the school?”
“To remind him of proper magical safety protocols,” Harsh Tutor said. “Young fillies and colts shouldn’t mix enchantments and their magics together without supervision.” She gave me a knowing look. “You didn’t mention you were ‘banned’ only over the summer for most of the time did you?”
I grinned with little guilt.
Harsh Tutor sighed, but kept her smile. “It’s no wonder Study has gray hairs in her mane.” She turned to the foals and said, “Please take my advice, and don’t get any ideas from this one or Minuette. They will get you into nothing but trouble. Now, you must excuse me. I need to give the new couple congratulations from Whinny or she’ll never let me live it down.”
The foals’ eyes stayed on Harsh Tutor and then snapped to me, after she had been obstructed from sight by the throng of students around Satin and Stormbreaker.
Rumble grinned in a wicked way. “What else did you four do?” he asked, his ears perked.
I grinned back and opened my mouth to answer.
“Pin,” Raven said cutting me off. “Behave.”
“Yes ma’am,” I said.
“I feel bad, you’re brother and Silent are just standing there,” Dinky said to Coco.
I hummed a note and rubbed my chin with a hoof. “There may be a way to fix that.”
Raven sighed. “Pin, I know that look. What are you plotting?”
“I had the thought that if a group of foals and several students from the school asked Princess Celestia if the guard could join them for lunch they might have a good shot at making it happen.”
Piña giggled. “I like this plan.”
“Who should we talk to with the students, though?” Pinch asked. “We don’t know any of them.”
“Do you see the filly with the light green mane that asked for Headmare Tutor?” I said and nodded toward where the filly was in the crowd of students.
“Yes,” Pinch answered.
“She seems to be the one in charge with the students. She’s the one I would go to first to ask for help.”
“Got it!” Pinch said and gave me a quick hug. “Thanks, Uncle Pin.”
“You’re welcome,” I said, giving her an encouraging pat on the shoulder.
The four foals left us, walking with a purpose toward the students.
“You still have a bit of wild colt in you, don’t you?” Raven asked me.
“Yes he does,” Coco said, hinting at a lot of things and making me blush.
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This was the first time I realized what Pin's full name was.
10373226
I can understand that. I think Pin's full name is only mentioned once or twice before this point in the story. It is the same for Dinky, Piña, and Pinch. They go by their shorted names so often they might as well be their names.
I am glad you are enjoying the story. What started out to be a simple idea has grown more than I ever thought it would.
10373252
I've always felt that this story is criminally under-rated and needs more love.
Keep up the good work.
What a lovely chapter! And so many good character interactions!
I believe it is spelled "aisle", like the aisle of a grocery store.
Psst, hey Pin, you could sell them too, ya know? 😉
I'll haveta come out sooner or later Dinky...besides, you're too cute to get upset at!
Ah, more connections! It's a small Equatria afterall.
You married Minuette and Twinkle Shine?! I love this story more with every new revelation.
Can...can Raven do that? I mean, I know the mayor or the princesses can, but the princess' assistant? I guess so?
Connections! I had pretty much forgotten this one, so thanks for bringing it back up. Heh, even Celestia got in on the act (and I bet Raven made sure she didn't leave the gift at home this time 😉). It was actually nice that they wanted Raven to conduct the ceremony rather than the princess, even though she's royalty. It says alot about their emphasis on family and close relationships.
Awww, Pinch is a stallion now...and an uncle. Wow this story goes in all sortsa directions, don't it? 😆
I also like the throwback with the fireworks. For a second, I thought the flower arrangements were changelings and transformed because of all the love, but your surprise is even better!
As always, looking forward to more!
10380655
Thank you! This chapter bounced around a lot, which made the pacing a bit of a challenge, but it was fun to write.
I cannot believe it. As many times as I read over that part, and after running the story through three grammar checkers, I still missed that. Thank you for pointing that error out. I have now fixed it.
I think Pin is going to be busy enough making clothes to try his hoof at making cloud chairs too. I could see him giving Satin some help, if she ever needed it, though.
I had to work up to making Dinky sad. I do not like making any of my characters feel bad, but I felt low for picking on Dinky. I plan to make it up to her in the next chapter or two.
I thought it would have been a little weird if Pin had not met Stormbreaker’s parents, considering they were both in the final round of the competition during the Equestria Games. In my mind, there had to be a meet and greet event sometime before or after the games where they could have bumped into each other.
I had not planned on Minuette and Twinkle Shine being a couple, but when I was doing my research on the two, I noticed that they appeared together a lot. They even took a vacation to Los Pegasus together. That indicated to me they were ‘friends’ the same way Lyra and Bon Bon were. They also pair off similarly with Minuette being the wilder one of the pair (Lyra) while Twinkle Shine is the more down to earth of the two (Bon Bon).
I see Raven as Celestia’s right hoof, with all the governmental powers that would be needed for such a position. I also thought Celestia’s being in the crowd with her students while at her school would fit with the same kind of theme that kept her in the audience for Cranky and Matilda’s wedding rather than conducting the ceremony.
Oops. Pinch was supposed to be speaking there. (I fixed that. I must have had Pinch on the brain, since she was supposed to be speaking, and goofed. Thank you again.) I did not mean to turn her into a stallion either. Berry might find it funny for a few minutes, and then would insist I turn her back. Barrel, on the other hoof, would most likely not find it amusing I did something to one of his ‘girls.’
There will be more fireworks about the fireworks soon. I hoped I played fair with them. I tried to drop a couple of hints without being too obvious.
This next chapter could take some taming. I have a lot of ideas that are vying for top billing, and I need to set up a couple of more things for the ending. If I can wrangle things a bit, I hope to have the chapter out soonish.
As always, it is great to hear from you again. Take care and stay safe out there. The world is a scary place right now.
10380655
I thought I would share something real quick.
I stumbled across this, while doing some research for the story. I thought I was the only one crazy enough to ship Minuette and Twinkle Shine. Turns out I am not the only one, and I am not the first!
images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/07a891d5-cffc-4bb0-b7d9-ba8eb5a1b4ba/ddzcqn8-567aba07-25e8-4d39-a306-3e63fd734b6c.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOiIsImlzcyI6InVybjphcHA6Iiwib2JqIjpbW3sicGF0aCI6IlwvZlwvMDdhODkxZDUtY2ZmYy00YmIwLWI3ZDktYmE4ZWI1YTFiNGJhXC9kZHpjcW44LTU2N2FiYTA3LTI1ZTgtNGQzOS1hMzA2LTNlNjNmZDczNGI2Yy5wbmcifV1dLCJhdWQiOlsidXJuOnNlcnZpY2U6ZmlsZS5kb3dubG9hZCJdfQ.KvXZ5VCLnuZal79ERu7MZh7UvSqr0CDHS2Mkg2kWBzA
Perhaps my brain is not wired quite as differently as I had feared.
Missing a word "another (hour?) and a half"
11452057
Thank you for pointing that out. Sometimes I wonder if there is something eating random words in my writing.