Starlight did a visual check around the banquet hall to be sure all of the guests had arrived and received their food and drinks. Satisfied that they had, she grabbed a microphone and cleared her throat, casting a glance at the curtained-off musical stage in the back corner of the room.
“Attention, everypony!”
The room silenced.
“Sunburst and I want you all to know how much it means that you’re here celebrating this amazing day with us, and thank you for all of the wonderful gifts you’ve brought. I’m sure you’ve noticed the lack of a D.J. or a turntable here. But don’t worry, because we have something even better in store for you. As you all know, this IS Las Pegasus, and Applejack, one of my bridesmares, knows a certain somepony who just happened to be on tour in this fine city and convinced her to provide music for our wedding!”
She paused, letting the suspense sink in.
“So, without further ado, let’s raise the curtain and give a round of applause for our special celebrity guest wedding singer!”
The stage curtain opened to a round of applause that turned into a standing ovation when they saw that the guest in question was a very light-blue earth pony with a curly dark blue mane, wearing a black dress with a see-through skirt.
Sunburst grabbed the microphone and held his hoof towards the stage. “Fillies and gentlecolts, the artist formerly known as Countess Coloratura: Rara!”
“Ra-ra! Ra-ra! Ra-ra!” the crowd chanted.
Rara smiled, basking in the cheers for a moment, then held up a hoof to quiet the crowd. “Thank you, everypony! It’s an honor and a privilege to be asked to sing for this wonderful day. I always enjoy being a part of something more meaningful than just another concert, and it’s a plus that I could catch up with an old friend!”
She winked at Applejack.
“Anyway, I hope you’re all ready to party because this first song is going to blow the roof off!”
The lights dimmed and Rara took her place at her Stallionway piano, her hooves gently brushing the keys to the melody of “Love is in Bloom”, slowly singing the lead-in and holding on “bloom” for a good five seconds before she popped the keys, the colored stage lights came up, and a full orchestra joined in, their silhouettes appearing behind a second curtain.
Sunburst led his bride out on the dance floor, gliding to the power of the song. It was their moment, and a spotlight followed them as they moved with the rhythm, Rara serenading.
It ended with Rara alone again holding the final “for us” on those powerful vocal cords, soft piano notes melding with the dimmed spotlight to create an artistic moment the photographer admired, along with the crowd.
Applause filled the room, then Rara transitioned into a soft, romantic melody. “Alright, this next song is for all you happy couples in attendance. Everypony should be dancing with a partner.”
The singles cleared off the dance floor, leaving room for the couples. Sunburst wrapped a foreleg around Starlight’s back, their eyes locked in a tender, intimate gaze. Starlight leaned in and planted a kiss on his lips before resting her head on his shoulder.
Big Macintosh and Sugar Belle embraced, their bodies swaying with the music. “Isn’t this nice?” Sugar Belle asked. “It’s just like it was at our wedding.”
“Eeyup,” Big Mac said. He sniffed and wiped his eyes.
Shining Armor and Princess Cadence took to the dance floor with a romantic waltz, their steps perfectly timed to the gentle melody.
Yona paired up with Sandbar and Gallus locked claws with Silverstream. Ocellus watched from their table, content as a Changeling to simply take in all the love.
None of this was lost on Smolder, who stood in the corner of the room wearing a blue dress with a long skirt that reached the tops of her feet, her arms crossed against her chest. All her friends were either dancing together or feeding off of the romantic atmosphere. She snorted, averting her eyes away from the mush.
Mush that, just once, she’d like to experience herself. Even if Ember had said that dragons don’t do romance. Why not? Was it so weird for a dragon to want to experience that lovey-dovey feeling? She uncrossed her arms, using a claw to wipe her eye.
Then something grabbed her other claw. Smolder looked down to see Spike, dressed in a tuxedo with his claw latched onto hers. Spike put his free arm across his chest and bowed. “May I have this dance, m’lady?”
Smolder's heart did an unexpected flip in her chest, a warm and gooey sensation spread throughout her stomach. Her cheeks burned a bright shade of red, and she stammered, "Oh—okay. But just as friends, got it? It's not because I like you or anything. ‘Cause dragons don’t dance and do all that romantic junk."
Smolder grabbed Spike’s other claw and the two started off in a slow dance. Though Spike had a height disadvantage, it didn't matter to Smolder at all – they were dancing.
Discord, the only one of Sunburst’s groomscolts who wasn’t with a partner, watched the scene with his arms folded across his chest, casting an aside glance at Twilight. “Oh, what a sickening display of love and romance, wouldn’t you agree? I don’t know whether to shed a tear or vomit.”
A playful grin crossed Smolder’s face. She picked Spike up with surprising strength, spinning him around in a twirl.
“Hey! Not so fast!” Spike protested, his voice a mix of surprise and laughter.
“You only live once!” Smolder laughed.
Starlight laughed too when she saw them, knowing how long Smolder had wanted to let go. Turning back to Sunburst, she decided to do something daring.
“Let's try a spin,” Starlight said.
“Well, if you’re sure…” Sunburst spun her, but Starlight had forgotten about the train of her dress and she slipped, crying out as she spun out of control – right into her father's hooves.
“Count on your father to always be there for you,” Firelight said.
“You know I will,” Starlight replied, breathing a sigh of relief.
“Is it time for the father-daughter dance?”
Starlight smiled at him. “Sure, dad.”
Starlight looked over her shoulder, her eyes meeting Rara’s. Starlight gave her a nod, and Rara nodded back her understanding.
The music shifted to a soft piano melody and Starlight returned her gaze to Firelight as Rara began to sing the words to the classic country song “My Little Filly.”
Wet trails formed on Firelight’s cheeks as he danced and swayed with his daughter, taking in the lyrics of a loving father watching his filly growing into a mare.
“You had this planned, didn’t you?” Firelight asked.
“I sure did.”
Shining Armor brought Flurry Heart out onto the dance floor and dropped down to her level, looking her in the eyes. “Will you dance with me, beautiful young lady?”
Flurry Heart giggled, even if she didn’t understand the meaning of the song. “I’ll dance with you, daddy!”
They joined hooves, Shinning Armor stooped over to accommodate as Flurry did a little twirl. Shining beamed at her. “You’re a pretty good dancer. Did mommy teach you that?”
Flurry nodded and giggled again.
At the climax of the song, Rara sang out the words of the same father giving his daughter’s hoof up in marriage, proud at how far she’d come. At that, Shining scooped Flurry up and held her close. “Never! Not my little filly!”
Firelight’s face tightened and he held Starlight tight in a fatherly embrace.
“I love you, dad,” Starlight whispered in his ear.
“I love you, too, Pumpkin.”
When the song closed out, Flurry gave Shinning a little kiss on the cheek and hugged him around the neck. “I love you, daddy.”
The room burst into applause in appreciation for Rara’s beautiful voice and the father-daughter bonds on display, then Rara spoke into the microphone. “Thank you, every creature! We’ll take a quick break from the music and then we’ll really party!” With that, she stepped behind the curtain.
Discord flashed into existence between Starlight and Sunburst, his tears flowing like a garden sprinkler as he blew his nose into a napkin. “Oh, how touching father-daughter bonds are.” The crying suddenly stopped and a bored look appeared on Discord’s face. “I’m touched, truly.”
Starlight gave Discord a playful shove. “Come on, Discord, lighten up. This is a party!”
“A party?” Discord blew out a raspberry. “If this were a party, I’d be having fun, not ready to go into a diabetic coma from all this sickeningly sweet sentimentality. Your choice of music up until now has been so sappy, and just because our esteemed wedding singer has exhausted her lungs doesn’t mean the music has to stop.”
The Draconequis snapped his fingers. An instant later his silhouette appeared behind the second curtain, much to the confusion of Rara’s ensemble. He talked with them for a moment, then took the stage. “Our beloved guests, allow me and the Rar-orchestra to provide you with something a bit more… lively.”
Starlight gnashed her teeth. Discord, for the love of Equestria, PLEASE don’t embarrass me.
Discord snapped his fingers again, summoning a saxophone into his waiting hands. From the pocket of his tuxedo he pulled out a pair of sunglasses, wiggling his eyebrows before putting them on. “I happen to be quite the musician myself, believe it or not. This is a little number I like to call Chaos Saxophone #2.”
“Huh? What’s he doing?” Sunburst asked his bride.
“You tell me; you’re the one who invited him!”
Discord put the saxophone to his mouth and tapped his foot. At first there was only the crash of cymbals. The string ensemble joined in, repeating a simple riff until Discord belted out the first notes of an energetic, upbeat jazz tune from his sax. The drummers followed suit, complementing the song with a heavy beat.
Starlight watched Discord in perplexity for a moment, then, from the corner of her eye she saw Sunburst tapping his hoof in rhythm with the music.
A smile spread across Starlight’s face as more guests spilled out onto the dance floor, Pinkie Pie leading her Ponyville friends in a groove. Starlight’s hips began to swing as if moving on their own, caught up in the infectious beat. Sunburst smiled and extended his hoof towards her. She accepted and they broke into a tango-style dance, weaving and twirling; never letting the other go. Cadence and Shining armor engaged in a similar jig.
Raising his eagle-like claw while still playing the saxophone with his lion paw, Discord snapped his talons. A burst of sparks flashed from behind the curtain. In the next instant, Rara appeared in the middle of the dance floor. She glanced around, disoriented, and the crowd roared.
Realizing what had happened, Rara broke out into a dance of her own, swinging her head and her hips, showcasing the same talent and energy that had captivated audiences during her time as The Countess. The crowd cheered and stomped along with the music.
Starlight twirled and spun with Sunburst, then released him into Stellar Flare’s waiting hooves.
“Oh, hi there, Mom,” Sunburst said as Stellar locked eyes with him.
“How long has it been since you’ve danced with me, Sunburst?”
Sunburst smiled warmly, a touch of his colthood innocence entering his eyes. "Far too long, Mom. Let's make up for lost time tonight." He gently squeezed her hooves as they began to dance.
The rhythm of the music swept the crowd away with each step, completely lost in the magic of the celebration.
The music died and everypony stomped their hooves in approval of Discord’s performance.
“Encore! Encore!” Pinkie screamed.
“Encore!” the rest of the room echoed.
Discord held up his paw, ordering the crowd to silence. “No, I’m afraid it’s one show a night.”
Ears flattened amidst a chorus of disappointed “awws” and “boos.”
Starlight panted, all boogied out but with the notion that inviting Discord had been a good idea after all. “You-you know Sunburst, all that… all that dancing’s made me hungry.” She pointed her nose towards the cake, still concealed underneath its box.
Sunburst read the cue and smiled. “Attention, every creature! My bride tells me it’s time to reveal the cake. I hope you’ve all saved room, because a very talented baker made it just last night.”
Off to the side, Pinkie raised a foreleg in the air. “It was me~!”
Orange magic surrounded the box and Sunburst lifted it up, revealing a three-tier cake covered in white frosting, accented by intertwining lines of lavender and orange. Tangerine slices had been strategically placed between slices of plum. A plastic bride and groom model, sharing a kiss, topped the cake.
“Pinkie, this is incredible!” Starlight said, marveling at the masterpiece. “It’s almost too good to eat!”
Pinkie Pie beamed with pride as she bounced over to the cake, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Thanks, Starlight! Just wait until you cut it! What are you waiting for? Do it, do it, do it!"
“Allow me,” Discord said. With a snap of his talons he was wearing samurai armor and holding a sheathed katana. “No sooner shall my blade leave its sheath than this cake will be impeccably sliced.”
“Hey, that’s our job!” Starlight said. “And if you even think about using that sword in here I’ll have Trixie turn you into a teacup!”
A small voice by Discord’s side held his stroke as Fluttershy nudged him with her hoof. “Um, Discord, I think we should let the newlyweds cut the cake. And maybe… not swing sharp, deadly weapons around in a crowded space?”
Discord scoffed and the samurai gear vanished. “As you were.”
Sunburst fetched a knife from a nearby table and handed it to Starlight, who eagerly took it with her magic. "Shall we?”
Starlight nodded, her stomach growling as the knife cut through. A sweet, orangey aroma filled her nostrils when the cake parted, revealing the marbled orange and lavender hidden underneath the frosting.
“I used orange and strawberry flavored cake batter! Do you like it?!”
“Like it?” Sunburst asked. “I love it!”
Starlight and Sunburst each grabbed a piece of cake with their magic and fed it into the other’s mouth. A sweet burst of vanilla frosting and spongy orange cake batter danced on Starlight’s tongue as she chewed, followed by a burst of sweet, juicy tangerine. She swallowed, licking her lips as the goodness followed down her throat.
“How is it?!” Pinkie asked with a jubilant smile.
“Pinkie, this is…” Sunburst began.
“Yeeeeeess?”
Starlight and Sunburst grinned at each other.
“This is the best cake in the history of cake!” Starlight shouted. “I can’t believe you made it one night!”
“My sister is very talented,” Maud said.
Pinkie Pie’s eyes sparkled with joy, and she bounced up and down with excitement. “ I knew you’d like it! I put in extra sprinkles and love just for you two!”
Applause filled the room as the onlooking crowd cheered. Starlight basked in the attention for a moment, then called everyone over. “Well, what is everypony waiting for? Come and get it!”
The guests lined up and each of them, even Rara and her orchestra, received a slice of cake from the newlyweds. She and Applejack sat across from each other, reminiscing about their time at Camp Friendship.
Trixie held her forelegs out to her sides in dramatic fashion. “For her next trick, the Great and Powerful Trixie will make this cake… disappear!” With a flourish, she levitated her slice of cake, spun it around in midair and took a huge bite, devouring it with a contented smile.
“Impressive as always, Trixie,” Starlight said with a chuckle.
Firelight sat down next to Stellar with a slice of his own and sighed, a mix of nostalgia and joy in his eyes as he watched his daughter and her new husband snuggled together. “Can you believe it, Stellar? Seems like just yesterday they were playing hide-and-seek together, and now they're married. Kind of makes me feel old.”
Stellar Flare chuckled softly, patting his hoof. “Just wait until the grandfoals get here.”
Firelight’s eyes widened, a hint of panic in his voice. “Gr-grandfoals?!”
Stellar Flare nodded, the realization seeping in. “Yes, that's what I... oh my goodness, Firelight. Grandfoals! We're…old!”
“Prune juice and bingo night, here we come!” Firelight said, half-joking, half-serious.
The two embraced, sharing a moment of laughter and mock despair, their chuckles echoing the bittersweet joy of seeing their children grow up.
Trixie stood up, raising her glass to the air. “Attention, every creature, I’d like to make a toast! To the best friend a mare could ask for. You can accomplish amazing things I could never do, such as getting Discord to wear a tuxedo!”
Laughter erupted at Trixie’s quip. Even Discord chuckled his amusement. “Come now, Trixie, just because I’m the Lord of Chaos doesn’t mean I’m above dressing for a rare occasion.”
“I’d also like to make a toast to many years of a happy marriage. You two deserve it. That being said, I still don’t forgive you for making me go on the High Horse that day.”
Starlight laughed. “You all should have seen it! She was freaking out.”
“Trixie was not freaking out!” Trixie yelled. “She was just… screaming with excitement.”
“You thought you were going to die,” Maud added bluntly.
Trixie turned a shade of red and huffed, “Hey, whose side are you on?”
The guests chuckled, and Starlight raised her glass in return. “To friends who keep us humble and honest, even when we’re screaming for dear life.”
Everypony raised their glasses and echoed, “To friends!”
Starlight leaned over to Sunburst and whispered in his ear with a smile. “This is perfect. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Sunburst squeezed her hoof. “I told you it would be.”
The rest of the day became a blur of laughter, love and dancing. Starlight wanted the festivities to last forever, but a glance at the clock two hours later brought her back to reality. One more time she grabbed the microphone and addressed the crowd.
“Attention, every creature! We just want you to know that we appreciate each and every one of you. Yes, even you, Discord. If we could, we’d keep this party going into next week! Unfortunately, all good things have to come to an end. Sunburst and I are expecting a carriage to take us to the hot air balloon station in half an hour. From there, we’ll fly off to Jamareca for our honeymoon.”
Starlight handed the microphone to Sunburst. “Thank you all so much for helping to make this the best day of our lives!”
The banquet hall erupted into applause, cheers and whistles as Starlight and Sunburst shared one last long, tender kiss.
“It was good to see you again, Sunburst. Have fun on your honeymoon,” Sunset said as she gave him a parting hug.
Starlight rubbed Sunburst’s back. “Oh, I’m sure he will,” she purred.
"It was nice seeing you again, too, Sunset. Take care of yourself in the human world, okay?"
Firelight and Stellar Flare stepped forward, their faces glowing with pride.
Firelight pulled Starlight into a tight embrace. “I’m so proud of you, pumpkin. You’ve grown into an amazing mare and seeing you so happy fills my heart with joy. Just… hold off on having foals for a while, huh? I’m not ready to be called ‘grandpa’ yet!”
Starlight hugged him back, tears welling up in her eyes. “We’ll see what happens. Thank you, Dad. I love you.”
Stellar Flare hugged Sunburst tightly, her voice trembling with emotion. “I’m so proud of you, Sunburst. You’ve found your true love, and I couldn’t be happier for you both. Take care of each other.”
Sunburst nodded, returning the hug. “We will, Mom. Thank you for everything.”
Stellar touched her hoof to Sunburst’s cheek and looked him in the eye. “And don’t wait too long to give your poor mother grandfoals. I want to be able to play with them before I’m too old to get down on their level!”
"Mom's right!" Sunset chipped in. "I want a niece or nephew to spoil!"
Sunburst chuckled, partly out of embarrassment. “One thing at a time, Mom. One thing at a time.”
The newlyweds made their way through a sea of well-wishes, hugs, hoofshakes, and heartfelt congratulations until they came face-to-face with Twilight.
“Don’t worry about the gifts, you two,” Starlight said. “I’ll send them directly to your house myself.”
“Thanks, Twilight,” Starlight said as Twilight gave her the biggest hug of them all. “For everything.”
Starlight and Sunburst took one last look at all the family and friends who’d come to celebrate the occasion with them. “Okay, everypony, we’d better be leaving!”
“We’ll bring back souvenirs and lots of photos!” Sunburst yelled. “Goodbye, everypony!”
The crowd offered one last round of applause as Starlight lifted Sunburst with her magic and carried him out of the hall.
“I thought I was supposed to be carrying you,” Sunburst said.
Starlight giggled. “Not in my world, Sunburst.”
With that, the two grabbed their luggage from their room and made their way to the lobby, where two well-built stallions in tuxedos led them outside to a beautifully ornated carriage. Sunburst climbed in first and helped Starlight up into it. Then they were off, the excitement of the day fading into a quiet tenderness as Starlight and Sunburst sat cuddled together as husband and wife.
In the calm of that carriage, Starlight finally found some room to think. She imagined where she and Sunburst might be in a couple of years, with a filly of their own. There they were, the happy little family, relaxing in the den of their home.
“Luster Dawn,” Starlight said with a little smile.
“Huh? Did you say something, Starlight?” Sunburst asked.
Starlight giggled. “Oh! No, I was just… thinking out loud.”
“About what?”
Starlight flashed a coy smile as she turned her gaze to the window, watching Las Pegasus roll on by. Better to get started on that dream sooner than later, and why not over their Jamareca honeymoon?
“Oh… nothing, Sunburst,” a mix of sweetness and a purr in her voice. Her cheeks warmed. “Nothing at all.”
~FIN
This was a joy to read.
Thank you for posting.
11928171
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it.
This was so wholesome and cute!
Stories like this are like chicken soup for the soul! Good job!
11928792
Ah, high praise coming the only and only FoolAmongTheStars. Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it. Hopefully there were some humorous bits in there, too.
Wow, what an AMAZING story!!!! It warmed my heart. I loved it more