Learning To Live

by Nekron Smauzog

A sensitive man was always trying his best to deal with life, whether his struggles with friendships or maintaining the best motives. Everything changes when he is supposedly killed in a deadly chase dealing with a dangerous criminal gang, and he appears in Equestria. What is his purpose there? But most to notice, why is he even there?

67. Learning To Live

A/N: Hello everyone, and happy holidays to all of my readers and reviewers.

First off, as slow as the story was for updating this 2016. I'm glad to have to tell that others continued to enjoy the story and are looking forward to the other chapters ahead that are yet to come. Yes, King Sombra will be coming up shortly. ;)

Second, there is another reason why I might be slowing down the story: I have a job. I'm not going to say where it is, but I congratulate even myself for managing to get one. It's going to be a lot of fun, I can only hope.

Just saw Rogue One a few days ago with two of my best friends, and needless to say I really enjoyed it especially because I ended up growing up with Star Wars as a childhood icon for me. I'm not going to spoil it, and I can only say this to others: Don't be a Homer Simpson.

For the controversy of Brayden getting killed off at the end, I can see that a few are asking not to do it. So, just because it's still a long way from the end of the tale, I will keep it silent until it gets close to the end. Just to keep people happy, and so I can develop the full ending which I believe I have an idea for.

Review Response Time:

Guest: As I said above, I will keep it silent for now.

AntiVillain1: I might back out from it, or maybe something will be different. Even then, it's a long time away until the end of the story.

ns21: Yeah xD It's as I said it will be in a future chapter. I have foreshadowed a Brayden and Fluttershy romance quite a few to couple of times in the story, so it could happen by most. Glad you're enjoying it so far. :)

MGSfan: Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't there another route called alternatives that can be used instead of oil? Also, I guarantee that you'll love the two-part King Sombra chapters coming soon after the hiatus is over. If you're wondering, I try not to not let my strong opinions get in the way of the story and its influence. Thank you for the advice, and I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Guest (2): Maybe it'll happen, maybe it won't. I don't know yet, still too far away to decide.

billykilly: I haven't made the decision yet, but when the ending is closer it'll be something to think of.

Steve03: I have something planned out in the future based on a flashback in this chapter that something tragic will happen in his herd. Hell, even I predicted it for a very long time.

lolkk: Not even close, I'd probably say it's the halfway point of the story. But I predict that it'll come to a close in 2018/2019. Even then, it's still far off to show.

jvs12: Thank you.

Raptor trainer: It's a pretty good cast list you have there. Didn't expect Negan's actor to be portrayed as Khaln, lol. Not really a Walking Dead fan myself but that is an interestin choice there. Interesting as well with Ron Perlman because as we all know... War never changes.

Snake eyes: Well, there's also the movie re-write but it depends on if I really liked it. Plus I'd have to see it a bunch of times to know what happens and what part Brayden would play in it. Yes, it does expose them and Equestria to Earth, and I have something brief that takes place on Earth in the next brief, and short chapter that takes place in Washington DC with a fictional president in action. For future chapters upcoming ahoy, I might get the post-Brexit United Kingdom and Russia involved, as I have a thing for European countries.

Guest (3): Possibly, they could appear in a news article at the end of the short chapter next after the hiatus when the President speaks with his/her advisors about what happened in that town in the state of Maine where the first chapter and Earth chapters took place.

Star trooper: Her pendant has magic powers, and could be in the next chapter after the next one which is focused on her finally entering the portal of Equus with the Global Persecution into the dark lands of Mortem.

V: In my honest opinion, I only gave him a small role. If I looked the other way on things around, he would just be a background character for Learning To Live.

Guest (4): Probably not. The re-write for "To Where and Back Again", I am considering to put it in the point of view of either Alex or Andrea for that one where they go off to save Brayden and everypony else who was captured in the episode. A Brayden POV is still possible.

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"Brayden, please relax. It's going to be fine."

Rarity was doing all she could to calm me down. I can't though, that's the problem! I was struggling to get myself together for the day, such as making sure what I was doing right now was getting my suit on me and ready to go. My right hand is holding onto the comb to straighten my long hair that's grown a lot.

What day is it? It's me and Twilight's wedding day, of course! Rarity was there to assist me with getting my suit ready and myself in proper check to make sure that I don't get this nervous about today.

A red rose is being levitated towards me by Rarity's aura of magic, watching as she secures it onto the suit's front pocket. All the while, I let off with the finishing touches to combing my hair to keep it secure. "There we go, the red rose will do just nicely with a touch for you." I can hear her comment.

I place the comb down and observe how my hair looks naturally as I always went out. Looks good, but I'm not sure if it would be enough by the looks of it. I am determined though to get an opinion from my close friend.

"How is my hair, Rarity?" I asked her, not turning to look at her as I check my hair. "Is it okay for the wedding?"

I can hear Rarity think to herself for a moment, and then her horn channels magic once again. A hair tie brought behind me in the mirror with Rarity appearing there. Another set of her magic aura covers my hair and gives it a gentle pull back.

"I'm sure that you're aware that I've told you many times that you should consider giving your hair a trim. This hair band should keep the hair secure without a bunch of them falling over the place," She tells me as she puts her fashion magic to business, giving my hair a few gentle tugs to work on giving me a ponytail on the back of my head. It's usual for men with long hair to do that, so it should hopefully help out. "I'm sure Twilight will love it."

"I can only hope so," I said to her, feeling her magic knot and secure the tie on my hair at the back of my head. "I am not expecting this wedding to be absolutely perfect."

Rarity places her hoof onto my right shoulder to give me some assurance. "I know you don't, darling. What matters most is that this day is when you are going to head into a permanent bond with your special somepony and become her husband." She tells me with a smile on her face.

My mouth takes in a breath that sounded almost silent by the sound of it, and then a slow exhale to release the air that I had stored in my lungs. Take it easy there... shouldn't think of the worst that could happen like a single screw-up. Last thing I want is for the wedding to turn absolutely terrible. If Rarity proved something there, it's something positive.

Rarity's magic disappeared from the grip on my hair. "There we go. Please tell me what you think about it." She tells me, taking one step back to let me look in the mirror.

I turn my head, seeing that my hair is secure in the hair tie and still straight down. With the ponytail in the back there, it does look quite impressive to say the least but I won't really know until Twilight sees it, and I have yet to see how her mane looks in its design. Rarity wasn't working with her, as Celestia insisted that she let her castle servants work on her mane style and the wedding dress that I heard Rarity designed and sent off to her boutique in Canterlot for Sassy to work on.

"Well, I can't really tell what to think. It looks good, and so far you're the only one who's seen it as you worked on it," I say to her after observation and turn around to look at the white unicorn. "Best wait to let the others judge?"

"Of course," She responds. "If there's something wrong with it like a small tear, I'm pretty sure nopony will notice. If you notice it, I can always take care of it later after the wedding has finished."

"If I'm not already on my honeymoon with Twi, that is."

"Then let yourself go with the flow and enjoy your honeymoon with Twilight, you can worry about the suit later." Rarity says to me.

There's a knock on my bedroom door, and I can hear the door creaking open. I can see Rarity's head turn to look and see who was coming into the room. Curious to know, my eyes do peek over towards the opening arch to see that figure standing there with its eagle claw gripping the doorknob.

It is Discord who is coming in, as he possibly decided to invite himself into the room. He holds a delightful smile on his face as if he is proud of my achievement that would be happening today. He is just one draconequus, as already everypony knows about it. The ones invited should be excited, as even he was put on the guest list thanks to the persuasion of Fluttershy.

"Hellooooo Brayden... or shall I say the groom?" Discord said to me, tipping the top hat on his head.

I chuckled for a moment even as Rarity had an expression on her face that she seemed to be a little annoyed as even she sometimes didn't really get along well with him thanks to the past time that she was once mirrored to be the opposite of her element. Nevertheless, even she tries not to think back to that. "Hello to you too Discord."

"Are you all ready to go to the super-special wedding of yours with Princess Twilight?" He questioned to me, slithering like a snake towards me and appearing behind me. "It must be that proud feeling that you have inside to finally marry the pony of your dreams. Minus the other mares that she let you have."

Rarity rose her hoof a bit, sounding like she was correcting him by the tone of her voice. "I think what you're trying to say is him having a 'herd'."

"Herd?"

"It's a group of select ponies that you are in love with, and they share the same bond for you. Twilight's there, Miss Pommel is also there along with Nightmare Moon. I think Ann does count as well." Rarity explains to me.

A smile emerges from my lips. "She does count, filling up all four spots in the herd."

Discord snaps his fingers and transports back to the spot by the door. "Well, I am glad to hear you talking all about that with this 'herd' mention. I was just coming up to notify you that the chariot is escort Brayden is here and is ready when he is."

I nod my head in understanding to the happy-go-lucky draconequus while Rarity channels magic to her horn again to finalize on the black bow that is at the top of my suit. The smell of the red rose is wonderful and definitely gave off a good aroma for those near or close by me. The look on my close friend's face could tell me that she really loves that kind of smell even for these kind of occasions.

"Well, let's see the checklist now on things to do before you go to the wedding," She tells me, the magic on her horn still ignited as she takes a scroll of parchment and begins to read it. She makes sure that her glasses are on so she can read it as there are other usage for them besides making dresses. "First thing was done to making sure you have woken up out of bed, check. Second: making you take a good shower, check."

"It also didn't help that you nearly trotted in on me naked in the shower." I said, my cheeks being a bit pink out of embarrassment from that.

She looked even a bit disturbed as I can still remember the shock on her face for walking in on me without clothes. "Well, I thought you were getting finished. But we can put that small mistake behind us, and not acknowledge that mistake again." She says before continuing to read from the checklist of things for her to do.

"Now, let's see here where I left off. Third: Making sure that the suit fits you, check. Fourth: Ensuring that the black fancy shoes fits your feet and are tied by you, check. Fifth: Getting yourself prepared by facial and head appearance, check."

"Anything else, or is that it?" I asked.

Rarity puts the scroll away and deactivates her magic aura. "Well, it's all checked. If there is one more thing that you want to bring along, it could be the Song of Order if you want to. It's all up to you."

The claymore was across the room by the window as usual, floating there and humming gently and keeping a calm tone into the room. I can hear its voice speaking to me. "It's all up to you if you want to bring me. I am after all a weapon that is owned by your blood and a relic to show the ponies of Equestria that you fight to protect the lives of many."

I didn't respond back as Rarity and Discord were in the room. The last thing that I would want on my mind is for both of them to think that I have gone only a little crazy. So I thought about what Rarity said and made my response. "No thank you, as it had done fine by itself many times. Plus there is no danger or threat anywhere in Ponyville that would halt the wedding, so we should be okay."

She nods her head, understanding my decision. She trots towards the door, stopping next to Discord. "Are you ready to get going, or do you have any other questions or things needed to be done? It's not really tight a schedule, but we don't want you to be a late groom to his own wedding."

"I only have one question to ask about the rest of the stuff in the room, and the Song of Order. Will they be delivered to the castle?"

"I guarantee you that Spike and Applejack are going to be doing that while you and Twilight are out on the honeymoon for that week after the bond is made between both of you." She assures me. "I even packed a few of your clothing pieces for your honeymoon trip. Everything else should be at the castle by the time you get back, we'll even move the Song of Order to the map room."

"Thank you Rarity, I appreciate your generosity in helping me out." I said to her, smiling at her.

She placed her right front hoof onto her chest, blinking for a moment as she spoke to me. "It's not a problem at all dear, it's just my element always in action." She sounded flattered, but more in the friendly kind of way as I always considered her that close a friend, but nothing more than just best friends.

"Your honeymoon, hm? Where abouts are you off to for it?" Discord asked.

I begin making my way towards the bedroom door, looking at him. "We'll be off for a week to Las Pegasus for our honeymoon, it sounds like it will be a great time there with the both of us having fun together, seeing the lights... the sights and the sounds. And hopefully the time we'll spend touring around and enjoying the various dinners they provide."

His lion paw caressed his own white beard as I was telling him and stopped after I was finished explaining the brief plan. "Las Pegasus, hm?" He comments with curiosity. "I suppose I should go there one day as well."

"Well, what's stopping you?"

There is another small flash of non-blinding light, but he has conjured glasses on him to look a bit like a scientist or librarian of sorts. In his lion paw he held a long list of things while his eagle claw was pointing out when he explains to us. "You see Brayden, even I cannot plan out things to do them all by myself, I'd have to ask a friend which I haven't picked on the list. I'm suggesting to myself that I ask Rarity to come along with me."

Rarity has an awkward look on her face while Discord heard that suggestion. "Uhhh, I'll have to decline that." She says, still feeling a bit uncomfortable with Discord trying to be a good friend. Sure, he may act a bit funny or weird but he's not the old him anymore.

I was already going down the stairs to the cottage's main floor where the door was left open for escorting me to the chariot that most likely would drop me off at the location. The white unicorn follows behind me with Discord floating above and past me to get to the door. He stands there at the door, as I'm pretty sure that it's a thing with me getting married to royalty. Not really necessary for him to do in my opinion.

But hey, you only get married once in a lifetime. Am I right?

I walk off from the stairs and step out from the cottage into the warm outdoors, letting Celestia's sun embrace me with its rays once again. The carriage was waiting for all three of us past the small stone bridge. I can see that it is Big Macintosh himself who is there to pull the chariot for us by his own strength to lift it.

"Hi-ho now everypony! It's off to the wedding we go!" Discord exclaims proudly to all of us, to get some excitement going for me and Rari. "On board with Harmony Force One!"

I raise the both of my hands as I continue down the small hill that the cottage sat upon to approach the chariot. "Relax there Discord. To be honest, this will probably be a quiet wedding day," I lower my hands once again after the calm motion. "Besides, I'd count more towards the wedding after-party with all of our guests dancing to music that was brought along from Earth, along with the celebration of wedding cake galore, isn't there anything else that I could ask for more?"

"Eeyep!" I can hear Big Macintosh say with a bright smile on his face.

"Hello to you too Big Mac." I greeted him, making my way over the small stone bridge and approaching the chariot door.

My left hand grips onto the hand and I give it a pull open to allow both Rarity and Discord to hop on in. "Thank you very much Brayden." Rarity says to me as her hooves step up onto the small iron step below and inside. Discord follows in afterwards, floating inside and taking a seat to the left whereas Rarity took a seat to the right.

He was quite eager enough to want me to be seated next to him for the ride to Ponyville. I did have thoughts there of sitting next to Rarity, but being that I haven't taken the time to hang out with Discord yet; why not? Stepping into the chariot, I hear Rarity's magic as it closed the door behind me.

I take a seat next to him, almost facing Rarity herself who is sitting there on the back side with the motion of the chariot beginning to move. Discord looks a little giddy and excited to see this very day where he will actually see an alicorn of royalty and a human being in marriage together as one. History would be made, and it most likely would happen again in the future based on my other friend Alex.

Outside of the chariot, I can hear the wooden wheels of oak rolling through the dirt underneath while the wagon outside is being pulled. Other than that, I can't hear anything else out there other than Big Macintosh's hooves galloping along the way with pulling it.

The view outside of the window at the chariot door caught both of my eyes, and I turn to look outside to see what is coming up. There are only the rows upon rows of trees lined up at first, with the bell tower of Ponyville slowly coming into sight. A traditional tourist location for those wandering into town from another place in Equestria for pictures as tourism is always good for places like these.

Houses and shops eventually pop up soon after with a couple of ponies on the streets, chattering about the day to their friends or just going out for a casual walk as per usual. Another ordinary day out in town, and everypony seems to be enjoying their day too. Only a few of them have peeked with curiosity to see what the chariot was all about, but go back to enjoying their day with a smile.

Probably also a busy day, even for the local businesses here. The ink and quill shop has a couple of ponies coming in and out for the usual ink refill which I know is free around the mid-Equestria sector which Ponyville, Canterlot and Cloudsdale where positioned in. Most others to the east are two or three bits to pay for new ink. I'm not even sure how much is costs for Western Equestria, but I'm sure it's also free of charge in both the Northern and Southern parts of the enchanted lands.

A couple of fillies are in a group, chattering among their other friends as I'm pretty sure that they are checking out a couple of the possible few guests that are coming to this wedding to watch me and Twilight tie the bond. I'm not sure, maybe it is flower fillies that I tasked as I know it's something that the Cutie Mark Crusaders wanted to do again.

"Sweetie Belle must be really happy and excited to see me again." I commented, my eyes still looking out the window as the chariot passes by the group of fillies.

Rarity giggled briefly for that moment. "She is! When both me and Sweetie recieved your invitation and select roles for the occasion, she couldn't stop talking about it over the next few days. I was able to make a dress that fits my bridesmaid role in assisting Twilight when she arrives to come up to the altar to join you," Discord kind of looks a bit bored over her talking about fashion of the sorts. "You should see Sweetie Belle's dress, it's beyond wonderful!"

"Well, she likes it when I come to visit the Carousel Boutique, so I'm sure she'll go on and on about the wedding once we arrive."

Discord conjures a watch onto his eagle claw. "In approximately a minute we will be." I can hear him say.

"Excellent! I'm already shaking by now!" Rarity says to herself, already giddy as Discord is beside me.

And he was right after all because the chariot began to slow down from the normal pace that it had been travelling and eventually came to a complete stop after a few seconds passed. I take a peek out of the window to see what building we stopped in front of.

It was to my surprise, the Sugarcube Corner. Something that I normally didn't think was that possible to have a wedding. But being that it was an invite only kind of wedding, I can kind of see why they would want to have the wedding here; as it was when I first came here to Equestria and they welcomed me with open hooves to their village.

I open the chariot door and step outside to allow both Discord and Rarity to exit the chariot as my mind is continuing to think to itself: Why this place, other than it being memorable to my first time arrival?

"You don't have to say anything dear. We knew that it was a good memory of when Pinkie threw you your first 'Welcome to Ponyville' party here, so she kept begging us to have the wedding here instead of the Town Hall or in Canterlot. Quite the change, hm?"

"Quite," I responded to her, turning and looking at her blue eyes. "The question I can only ask is how they managed to get all of the stuff in there."

She trots forward past me towards the shop's wooden steps, stopping in front of it. "It did take a bit of time to pack them all into the building like the arch that you and Twilight will stand close by when the ceremony begins. Mostly, the decorations are almost finished, but we'll let Mr. and Mrs. Cake take care of that."

My mind could tell that Pinkie kept insisting that the Cakes join as guests for the wedding when still in that time a few days ago. Couldn't resist that smile of hers anyway, as I let her invite them on the condition that they should get the offer of helping out with the best decorations that she could find and get. The after-effect of me saying yes to that idea already got Pinkie in that super excited mode she would always be in as she was always happy to see anypony positive by the looks on their faces.

"Discord," She acknowledges the draconequus who was busy checking to make sure there was nothing wrong with his appearance for the guests that were soon to arrive. "Do me a favor and check on if all of the guests are coming."

He smiles and salutes to her. "Will get right onto it!" He said to her, and turns to me for a moment there to tell me something. "I'll see you at the ceremony, and don't feel nervous when she comes to the altar. I'm wishing you the best there is." He tells me quickly.

I nod to him with a smile and responded to him. "Thanks for the wishes. I will do my best, though it'll feel different being a human married with my special somepony."

"Always good to try something new." He stated one more time with a smile, snapping his eagle claws and with a quick flash of light; disappearing out of sight to find the guests me and Twilight invited over the course of the engagement days.

Rarity is signalling me to come with her by the time I have turned my head to look at her. Most likely to follow her into the building to see the glimpse of what the altar and the seating would be. My feet begin to move forward, following right behind her as she pushes open the swinging doors that go back and forth until the both of my hands have been placed forward to open them up for me.

To be honest, I couldn't exactly believe my own eyes when I saw what the room turned out like from the store counter and the dining area.

The dining area was cleared out of its round tables and chairs and replaced with an altar at the end of the room in white-painted wood while roses of red and white surrounded the green leaves scattered onto the figure itself. There was benches in rows where ponies could be seated for the occasion, glossened and with a shine to have them stand out as probably the carpenter ponies in the shop district worked hard to make them and make them fittable into the Sugarcube Corner. For the store counter, it is covered by a cover of luxurious white with a hard round smooth wooden slab that was small and to support a wedding cake on there, and it was where the cake would be after the bond is tied. That's what I'm guessing.

By the altar's stand, there are a few ponies there chatting amongst themselves in discussion about how things were since they last saw them. I recognize a few of them as Mr. and Mrs. Cake, talking with both Rainbow Dash and Shining Armor. To my own surprise, I didn't expect that Princess Cadance, Flurry Heart and both Twilight's mother and father to be there.

"Well, what do you think Brayden?" Rarity snaps me out of my thoughts, my eyes turning to look at her.

I am speechless at first, but I clear my throat and express my opinion on it. "I... I don't know how you and the others managed to do it, but I am impressed by the work you have done to help out with this."

Rarity giggles for that moment, placing her left front hoof on top of my right hand. "I'm glad you really like it. Me and everypony who were invited worked extremely hard on a budget that wasn't too high or too low."

"Nevertheless, you and those involved did well."

She continued. "Absolutely, we did. Though I did insist at one point that we should have curtains on the windows to keep others from seeing something private. But I'm sure there might only be a few eyes looking to see why the Sugarcube Corner would be closed today."

Rainbow Dash, Shining Armor and Cadance with Flurry, The Cakes and Twilight's parents noticed me taking a look at the scene, while Rarity is continuing to speak on about how there were some incidents that had gone on with her and Pinkie Pie struggling to choose the right materials for the stage that the altar would be placed upon. My right eye only caught their glimpses as they begin to approach with greetful smiles on their faces.

The sounds of their hooves trotting catches Rarity's attention when her ears picked up the steps they made towards the both of us. She turns to look at me, raising a hoof when she wraps up on what she was finishing. "I couldn't keep that a secret myself. Princess Cadence and Shining Armor sent me a letter to tell me that they would be coming here on the wedding day, and had to bring along Twilight's relatives."

Rainbow is the first to approach me with a cool expression on her face. "Hey there Mr. Groom," She greets me with that smile beneath her friendly glance. "All ready for the big life-changer very soon?"

I chuckled as she offered a hoof-bump from her right front hoof which I bumped with my left hand, formed into a fist. "In all due time, Dashie." I responded to her.

"I'm quite happy that you invited me as a guest to your wedding. When it comes to one... no, two of my best friends at a wedding, this definitely was the icing on the top of the cake."

She has a bright, eager smile on her face as I look at her rose colored eyes. "I wouldn't have invited you if I knew you could be able to do the Sonic Rainboom for our wedding."

"Like with the Royal Wedding long before you came into our lives?" She asked, that smile still on her face. "Just like good times. Speaking of which..."

Cadance approached me, quite happy to see me with Twilight's brother Shining at her side and Flurry held in her right front hoof, looking very proud to be here to witness the bonding. Rainbow's eyes turn to them for a moment, and then back at me. "I couldn't resist bringing them over to speak with you, so it'll be one at a time for the greetings."

"Thank you, let me know of anything else after I greet our other guests." I said to her.

"Oh! I nearly forgot!" Rainbow said, the question coming to her. "Are you planning on coming to the after-wedding party to celebrate you and Twilight's bonding? There'll be partying, dancing, music... you get it. Pinkie couldn't resist, and it's open invite."

Hmmm, a party? Well it does depend on Twilight if she and I just want to get right to things after our bonding is complete or if we decide to spare some time for that. "I'll have to ask Twilight afterwards." I said. "Got to keep a special mare in my heart happy after all."

"And I know she will be," Cadance spoke to me, sounding quite happy in the tone of her voice. I turn to look at her, seeing her eyes and Flurry's cute light opal eyes staring right at me. Shining is at her side, very happy to see me as well. "Hello to you Brayden."

"It's good to see you here Princess Cadance," I said to her with a bright, friendly smile upon my face. I can hear Flurry giggling a little bit in greeting as my eyes turn to look at her, as the emotion on my lips remained. "And hello to you too Flurry Heart," I turn back up towards Cadance. "I trust that the trip from the Crystal Empire went well?"

"It was worth the trip down from up north to come and see this happening between you and my sister," Shining spoke out. The tone of his voice sounds very pleased to see me, and sounds calm as I thought he would be. "Thorax and Sunburst just had to help us pack the small luggages for all three of us on the train before we went en route to Ponyville. Flurry did have a wonderful nap as well for our relief that there wouldn't be any fits."

"That's good to hear, and I'm glad that both Sunburst and this Thorax would give you all such helping hooves to get you here. Though, I am curious about one thing..."

"What might that be?"

My thoughts are on the name 'Thorax' and it has stuck to my mind for quite a bit of a while. He could literally look like a unicorn by the sound of it, or a young Crystal filly residing in the Empire. "I've been thinking a bit about this Thorax fellow for some time after Spike brought it up to me, and I'm just thinking. What does he look like? Probably a unicorn or crystal pony, but it honestly could be any, as Equestria is very diverse."

"Well, you won't believe your own ears when I tell you it, but he's a c-" Shining tries to get out, but Cadance looking a bit panicked as if she is hiding something and uses her left front hoof to block his mouth from saying what he was.

Cadance after placing her hoof quickly on his mouth, turns to look at me with the attempt of trying to keep a happy smile on her face. "Uhhh... it's... better if you saw him for yourself, then you would have an idea." She manages to get out. Even Applejack would tell me that something was up by the look she had on her face with the iris' in her eyes having shrunk a bit.

"I guess I will then." I said, knowing that she did have a point. I would have to see this Thorax with my own eyes to believe what he really was.

Why would she place her hoof on Shining's mouth to keep him quiet? It almost sounded like he was going to say a familiar kind of species here in Equestria. I can't really quite put my finger on it, but they're keeping something secret.

The sound of Flurry cooing snaps me from my thoughts and I turn to look at her, a happy gleeful look up at my own face. I can only chuckle for a moment before speaking to her and dismissing the thoughts rather quickly on what happened. "Who's really happy to see me? I know you are, Flurry."

"She's been growing a lot, and though still a bit of a newborn she's happy to see you again after your last visit to the Crystal Empire by yourself. Plus with that, no more surprises of unexpected magic from her now that Sunburst has found a spell to work out on that." Shining tells me, having cleared his head about what went on.

"That's good to hear," I said with a chuckle as I remembered that burst of magic flying from Flurry's horn and creating many holes up in the ceiling and floors of the palace as the result. "So I guess that means no more episodes of that right?"

"No more of the uncontrolled magic, so it means no more repairs to the palace from those magic spells."

"Quite the relief you and Cadance have by now," I chuckled to myself as I gave the newborn alicorn a bit of a belly rub, or 'wub' as they called it on the Internet back at Earth. "Regardless of what happened, things are calm now and that is good."

I can see Night Light tapping onto Shining's shoulder to notify him of something. Shining turns his head slightly as his father is whispering something into his ear, which seems to be inaudible to my ears. The look on his face holds a small faint smile as he whispers into the stallion prince's ear.

Those moments pass of the whispering and he takes one hoof-step back, holding a smile on his face. Shining Armor turns back and looks at me again after listening to what Night Light was telling him, almost silently. "If I may ask Brayden, have you had a chance of being able to meet Night Light and Twilight Velvet?"

"You and Twilight's parents?" I confirmed, even remembering what they looked like by their long-time appearance a few times in the show. "Yes, I can recall that they were mentioned maybe a few times from Twilight herself."

He extends a hoof to his right for introduction to both the mare and stallion approaching from behind to come and meet me. Night Light has an azure blue coat and a phthalo blue mane color to his own mane, as even it looked quite almost like the common unicorn folk in Canterlot though more styled seeing that they stand out. Twilight Velvet on the other half, has an almost grayish-white color to her coat and she had a mane with striped design of the two same colors being pearl white and almost what looks to be lavender, but lighter.

"We are, and I take it that you must be Brayden, her groom?" Night Light asked me. I nod in response to his question.

My head nods to their question, as I brought my hand forward to shake his hoof. "Yes, that would be me," I said to them, letting Night Light take my hoof and give it a firm, welcoming shake. "It is an honor to meet you and your wife."

"It is an honor to meet you as well. For our names in future, my name is Night Light and you by all means can acknowledge me by my name."

Twilight Velvet steps forward by a few hoofsteps. "I'm Twilight's mother, Twilight Velvet."

"Both you and Twilight have the same name." I commented while Twilight Velvet giggled for a moment from my statement before I continued. "Well, to avoid a bit of confusion, I am lucky to have nicknames in store."

I can hear hooves on my left, behind me. "Like how you call me Rari as a nickname?" The sound of Rarity's voice asked with a bit of delight in the tone of her voice.

"Exactly, just like how I call Applejack 'AJ', Rainbow Dash 'Dashie', Fluttershy 'Flutters', Pinkie Pie..." I paused for a moment, realizing that I never really gave her a nickname other than saying her first name. "Well, you could say I just call her Pinkie. For Twilight, I call her 'Twiley-bear' or 'Twiley'."

"Some inspiration from me to thank for?" Shining says behind me with a smirk on his face.

I turn my eyes briefly back towards the stallion, nodding my head to his question. "You know it."

"Oh goodness me!" Rarity who is behind me, seems to realize something by the tone of her voice. "I've got to get my bridesmaid dress on, I'll be right back and hopefully will be in time before the guests arrive."

I turn around to face her, placing my right hand onto her left shoulder. "Take all the time that you need, there is no rush at all." I told her, a warm and friendly smile on my face.

She shares the same kind of smile with me. "Well, you got the good kind of soul in you to hold onto the wedding until I arrive for it to proceed. After all, I do need to be dressed well for you and Twilight, two of my best friends." She tells me.

"I wouldn't exactly say that, you know," I told her. "You are a close friend to me like every single one of our friends. It's all in the matter of finding the spark within to show it."

"Aw, I am quite glad to hear you think of me along that line."

"Yes... when I first saw you on the television or 'moving pictures' as Pinkie Pie stated: I tended to have a dislike towards you. But after having been in Equestria for a while, even though we may have differences in our interests; you're a very understanding, friendly and generous friend, and without you... yeah, I probably would still be wearing the same clothes every day. I'm thankful for you being here."

Rarity's right front hoof rose up a bit and it gave me the message that she is offering to give me a friendly hug. I accept the offer and step forward, taking my right hand off from her shoulder and using that and my other arm to wrap around her neck. She wraps a hoof around me and the both of us share the hug for the few moments. After they have passed, we separate from the friendly gesture and look back at each other with the sense of trust.

"I'm quite happy to have heard you say that," She tells me. "I never did realize that is what you truely thought about me. And I do appreciate my own honor of having made some of the clothes for you, as I knew that your clothing from your arrival did tell me on the inside that this was new to me."

Rainbow Dash groans for a moment. "Alright both of you, I think all of us get it!" She remarks with an annoyed tone in her voice, even if she doesn't really mean it that way.

The white unicorn went back into that realization that she still has to get her dress and every other thing she needs to get on. "Goodness me, I've got to hurry then!" She turns and begins to gallop towards the swinging doors but stops just before opening them up. Turning to the side, she looks at me. "Brayden, do me a favor and please make sure that you don't start the wedding without me."

"I think you'll know when it's ready for you when Twilight is right outside waiting for you." I told her, letting her know what could be the scenario.

She nods her head in understanding and continues on her way out of Sugarcube Corner, leaving me with Rainbow, Twilight's parents, and the heirs to the Crystal Empire with their foal.

I turn back towards Twilight Velvet after that small discussion with Rarity. "Sorry about that. You know Rarity..." I said to her with a bit of a chuckle following afterwards.

"It's no problem at all dear," Twilight Velvet tells me. "All friendships can be important especially when it's at an event like this."

My right hand is brought forward as she offers to give me a hand-hoof shake which I gradually accept as I look at her in the eyes. "I am greatly honored to be seeking your daughter's hoof in marriage."

"I can understand that you and her have had only a few tough times in your relationship? How did you work something out like that?" She asked me.

The idea of a herd came to my mind thanks to Rarity having brought it up. "My friend Rarity calls it a 'herd', but I'd probably say that it involves up to a limit of four mares. That's my guess." I said to her.

"Is your hair tied in a ponytail? It looks good, considering that you do have long hair." Cadance complimented my hair's appearance that Rarity worked on.

I turn for a brief moment to look at the pink alicorn. "It is. And thank you very much, Rarity worked on that one as well."

Cadance smiles, and I can hear Flurry coo for a few moments. I look to Flurry, and then at the Princess of the Crystal Empire as in telling her by the look on my face by request if I could hold onto Flurry. She nods her head, offering her to me. The both of my arms reach towards the young foal, and Cadance shifts her hoof that held onto her, passing her over to me.

The alicorn filly giggles as I hold her in my left arm. I brought out my right hand, and begin to give her gentle belly rubs once again. "So yes, that's the idea of a herd that was mentioned."

"An interesting concept..." Twilight Velvet says, sounding very intrigued and interested on that.

"It is, it started over something that went on between me and a mare from Manehattan. I was thinking that she wouldn't find out, but she eventually did when peeking into my memories. Then after running away, there was the Changeling return that resulted in me being indoctrinated by their queen and being used as a weapon by them after having been captured by them at the border of the Badlands to the South-East. I am thankful that Twilight and my other friends brought us back to normal."

Rainbow trots a few steps towards me, a look on her face that remembered the fight between her and myself when being controlled. "Under the queen's spell, you couldn't look to us or see us as friends, and we were trying really hard to snap you out of it but you didn't listen."

"Yes, that is true on how I acted," I said to her, turning to look at her as I shared words between both the pegasus and the other Sparkle members. "After being snapped out of the spell, I was a bit let down on what went on and how it led to that. She did forgive me, but on the certain terms of a limited number for the 'herd'. The queen is defeated and her plot is foiled."

"I can only imagine how angry she must be for her defeat," Twilight Velvet spoke to me while Flurry exchanges a glance that came off as her being unknown about Queen Chrysalis' appearance aside from the other changelings. "Almost certainly, you most likely would have the fear placed within that she will try to have revenge."

"Doubt it that much, she holds only the power to the Badlands. Though, I only hear rumors that they evacuated their hive there and returned to the Changeling kingdom... it's location is unknown."

Cadance sounds rather honest when she spoke. "That could be entirely true Brayden. We recieve reports from the Equestrian guard and we ended up with Changeling news that they got this past month. They seem to have abandoned their hole in the ground of the Badlands. There's nothing left remaining there from what the scouts told me when spying on them. All that's left was the gooey remains where the eggs would be to produce more drones and workers."

"Good," I said to her. "As long as they do not try to come near me or my friends again, we'll be fine."

"Speaking of defeating the queen of the changelings, how did you manage to do that?" Night Light asked me.

There is the sound of the alicorn filly held in my left arm cooing for a bit in curiosity as I began to explain. "Do you remember when the night-time came abruptly to the enchanted lands? It was the return of Nightmare Moon in her own separate form and I went to face off against her to bring light back to the land. I was nearly killed, but even in a dream where I met the relic that I use to protect Equestria from dangers alike; the Song of Order itself was given to me by its divine light as it had chosen me to be its bearer."

"She is still here and alive though." Twilight Velvet stated.

"Yes, she is. I couldn't find it in my heart to slay her as it is something I never want to do, and hopefully I will never do that. She begs for forgiveness and I accepted it, knowing she wasn't going to turn back on it. I also had put that blade to use during the incidents involving Tirek, Adaria, as mentioned Queen Chrysalis, and recent events like the Tantabus, the corruption in my anger and a few others that betrayed me on Earth."

"Earth? I heard from our daughter she went there with you and her friends."

"Yes, but it is many light-years away and it required a special kind of item in order to travel there. It'll be a bit of time until things calm down there, but I am certain we will go to places there called Europe, Russia or Japan."

Night Light looks to be a bit confused as to what I could have been talking about. "Those places... have unusual names."

"Earth seems to be parallel to Equestria. For example, Manehattan would be known as Manhattan on Earth in a city called New York in the country of the United States of America." I explained to them again. "Just like Vanhoover is based on a place in Canada known as Vancouver."

"Gee Brayden, you must be some sort of geographer or something, because you like to talk about places a lot." Rainbow Dash commented with a surprised look on her face. "And here I am, wondering exactly where we went on the stay at your cottage?"

I turned to look at her. "It was in the state of Maine in the United States."

"Well, that does explain a lot." She says. Well, guess I can quote it... 'The More You Know'!

There is a bright flash of light that briefly surrounds the room, and I can see that it is just Discord himself bearing his suit and top hat on his head. To be honest though, it was like how many minutes when he checking to see if the other guests were coming? Hmm, I'll have to ask to make sure.

"So, are they en route?" I asked him.

"I went through the route that I have planned for surveillance to check and see if the guests on the list are coming," A scroll with a pair of glasses appears in both his eagle claw and lion paw, placing the glasses onto him and looking at the scroll. "Lyra and Bon Bon are on their way from their bench as usual after waiting there, Applejack with her family from Sweet Apple Acres are coming by shortly while Big Macintosh is already here to greet the oncoming guests before joining in the ceremony as your usher. Did I mention that she's already got herself ready for the role of being Twilight's page along with Minuette? Not to mention Apple Bloom being a flower pony. Sonata Dusk, Andrea, yes they are coming as well. Ann can't come as she is with Lemon Hearts in Canterlot today. The princesses... you know them, plus Nightmare."

Both of my hands are risen slightly to get his attention and to get him to stop from reading every other name. "Alright Discord, I think you got it all by now." I said to him.

"Perfect then!" He says, the glasses on him and the scroll disappearing. "Well, you better brace yourself and not be nervous. I can tell that after the author puts a break below shortly after this, you'll be standing right there at the altar waiting for Twilight to come in the next few moments after in front of a large crowd."

I was confused by what he meant. "The... author?"

"Exactly! Don't you know how fourth walls work there Brayden?" Discord says, a clever smile on his face.

"Hey! You're not supposed to break the fourth wall that way!" I can hear that familiar voice from behind where Sugarcube Corner's store counter would be to see Pinkie standing there with an annoyed tone in her voice.

Discord scoffs a bit. "Oh come on, nopony breaks the fourth wall than me or you." He responds to her, even when he turned to the sound of her voice.

Pinkie zooms right up to Discord, still looking annoyed but feeling like she has to prove a point. "Yes that may be true, but it's kind of a wrong time yet to assume that it'll be a good time to break that kind of wall to those reading this chapter."

"Well, we better brace ourselves, the break is coming up."

The pink mare paused for a moment, turning to look at me for a moment and then a bright, friendly smile came on her mouth. "Gee Brayden, you have quite the suit there that Rarity made for you. You're going to be absolutely fine!" She says to me.

All I can do is nod with a smile on my face and say "Thanks Pinkie, and your dress looks quite wonderful on you."

Flurry coos for a moment in my left arm as Pinkie approaches to say hello to her. "Hello to you Flurry Heart, here to see the wedding with your mother and father?" She lets her left front hoof gently give the young and jolly filly belly rubs that I had been giving her since I held onto her or while Cadance held onto her.

The young filly giggles before spreading her wings and launching herself forward to grip onto Pinkie's face. "Oh no, not again!" I can hear Pinkie say, and begins to try and find a way to get the filly alicorn off from her as she was acting silly once again.

"I'll take care of it." Cadance tells me, trotting over towards Pinkie and the young filly to get off from her face.

"Guess the break can be put there now." I can hear Discord proclaim once again.

---

The room was filled in with all of the guests invited to the wedding as I stood up there at the altar. I wasn't feeling as nervous as I did when getting prepared but with all the trusted friends here, I feel a little more comfortable.

For the guests, Bon Bon was lucky to have taken a front row seating as the others sitting up at the front were for the right side where Twilight would be with her bridesmaids. Those seated there were Bon Bon already mentioned, Rainbow Dash, Spike, Andrea, Twilight's parents and Princess Cadance with Flurry Heart being held in her hoof again. My mother Celestia also sat there at the end of the right side. She is glancing at me with a smile on her lips that just told me that she was really proud of me. All I can do there is smile at her in the way of giving thanks to her.

On the left side where I was, I can see those seated there at the bench. There was my aunt Luna, my other two loves in the herd Nightmare Moon and Coco Pommel, Alex, Sonata Dusk, Starlight Glimmer or as I now nickname her 'Glim-Glam' with her best friend Trixie. Maud Pie is there as well, who just sits there with a blank stare which was usual for her do that. Marble Pie is next to her, and as I knew her she would smile at me and when I greeted her the only response I knew she would give me is a simple "Mhm."

I take a look at the other guests in the room. Elaina Mash and her son Button were there to see my special moment, as Elaina is dressed quite nicely with her son in a suit with the beanie hat still on his head to my surprise. He is trying to play on his JoyBoy as I saw them, but with Elaina Mash glancing at him to get him to turn it off until after it was done. The other guests were Granny Smith, Moondancer, the Cakes, Derpy, Zecora, Cheerilee and Fancy Pants. A good balance of select guests, except for Prince Blueblood which I question why Celestia had to drag his whiny ass.

As long as Blueblood is silent and respectful, then neither of us will bother each other though he still holds aggressive opinions about me being a scum or not being that special enough to be Celestia's son even if the blood proved it.

For the bridesmaids in front of me, I can see them assigned and standing there as it is Lyra, Rarity, Fluttershy and Pinkie, waiting for Twilight to arrive and for the wedding march to begin with the thanks to Octavia. The gray mare with her cello will be the one on my right behind me who will play it as she has a good view of when Twilight or her wedding dress she wears is seen. Shining Armor stands behind the position where Twilight will be taking her place.

Alongside me is my usher Big Macintosh who is waiting patiently for the bride to arrive on time as everyone is waiting. Mayor Mare of course stands at the altar and will be the one who is going to bring me and Twilight together as one. Her glasses are clean and she hosts a clean smile on her face.

Silence fills the room as the wait goes on with moments supposed passing further by. A sound in the distance from outside seems small, but begins to grow in volume as it is the wheels of a chariot.

The chariot pulls up to the front of the shop by the window that I see from, but with Discord out there waiting for her, I'm sure he wants to surprise me, so he conjured a line of curtains to keep me from getting a spoiler glimpse of her wedding dress. I can hear the sound of the chariot door opening, and then closing. I still cannot see her yet, but something tells me that it is her coming out and headed to the entrance.

There is silence for those few moments, and then there is the sound of hooves trotting up onto the wooden deck, pausing for only a moment. To prevent myself from getting nervous again, I took in a deep breath and exhale out. Big Macintosh is there to give me assurance that I will do fine.

With that, everypony in the room turns to the entrance for the shop. All that is heard at first is the sound of hooves trotting again, and at that moment by what my ears heard... the swinging doors were pushed open.

(Play 'Ghost - He Is')

Octavia knew that it is time to act and I can hear the sound of her cello beginning to play the wedding march as the sound of the hooves was much louder. I could catch a glimpse of the top of her wedding dress stopping and standing there while the Cutie Mark Crusaders move down the aisle, spreading pedals of red roses down as they went.

After they have spread the flower pedals about there in the aisle, I continue to stand there waiting patiently as the figure who was Twilight behind the benchs in the back doesn't move for those few moments. When she began to move again, that moment when she turned to come down towards me and into my sight, changes everything for me...

Jesus, she looks absolutely stunning and beautiful beyond words.

Applejack and Minuette were in their roles as Twilight's pages, and using their teeth to carry the train on her wedding dress as her sparkling heavenly violet eyes are staring directly towards me as she trots down to the altar. Her wedding dress... it gave off a silk white appearance, with the crown of her duties as the Princess of Friendship on top of her head. Her mane is styled differently for the ceremony, as it gave off an appearance that is quite similar to the one princess from an animated movie.

The trot while the wedding march was playing was slow as she approaches me, and I swear that even by my heart skipping a few beats; there was something in my imagination that made her absolutely shine like an angel, just like how my other loves would shine brightly in the herd that fills my heart with that feeling of being loved with affection.

Twilight steps up onto the altar, standing right in front of me while neither of us can take our eyes off of each other. Mayor Mare on the other hoof, sets forward by a hoof-step and lets Octavia finish the last few notes of the march before setting her cello down and taking a side seating view.

"Good late afternoon everypony, and welcome," The mayor introduced to everypony in the room. "Today, here before us we gather. For that one reason we gather is to see these two become bound together in matrimony and harmony." She looks towards me and then Twilight.

She continued her speech. "It is interesting to see something like this happen that has rarely ever been done before as in bringing a pony and another species together, but it is the day that a now-winged human and the Princess of Friendship comes together in the wonderful community of Ponyville and in the enchanted lands of Equestria itself here on the planet. It's such things that bring them together through common interests, or the courage from within one's own heart that can be measured by its strength."

"Brayden as I know, came from another world that is foreign to all of us and we have greeted many from our own planet, but with him and a select few others from the world from afar, I would like to unite them with us as a family in the grace of Celestia and the First Alicorn's light; just like how our allies to Equestria are of the Yaks, the Griffons, the Elk, the Seaponies, the Donkeys, the Sea serpents like our local friend Steven Magnet, the Saddle Arabians and of course most recently as them, the Dragons from the Dragonlands under their new dragonlord Ember."

"And now it is time for them to take the moment for the groom to take his bride's hoof and hold it for initiation of the bonding as I gather the two rings from the ring-bearer." After hearing her finish up on her speech for just a moment, I brought my right hand forward as Twilight raises her left front hoof and allowing me to take and hold onto her soft hoof that had that same feeling as always.

I turned my eye for a moment to see who the ring-bearer was and I couldn't say I was quite surprised when I found it to be Pipsqueak himself trotting down towards the altar with the two golden rings on that pillow he carries in his right front hoof. Once he has approached the altar, Mayor Mare comes and is given the rings.

"Thank you very much Pipsqueak." She says to him.

Pipsqueak smiles at her and speaks in his British-like voice in a quiet tone. "You're welcome Mayor." He proceeds back to his seat while the mayor goes back to the altar with the rings before us.

"Now," She begins once again. "Before I get the bonding underway... should there be anypony here in the room who feels the need to speak their mind on why the princess should not be with this new being, speak now... or forever hold your peace."

There is silence within the room, and I felt only a bit nervous inside when there was going to be a few seconds for a response. Half of me is expecting Prince Blueblood to speak out and scorn me about how I'm a human scum and how I should be thrown to the timberwolves in the Everfree Forest.

I swear upon my own mother Celestia herself that if he even tries, he'll be expecting the biggest talking to by my own aunt.

"No one? Okay, good. Let's get underway." Phew... I thought for certain that he was going to for a moment. Probably it's because my mother has turned to watch him with a firm look on her face for him to behave.

"Princess Twilight Sparkle," The mayor spoke out, taking one of the two golden rings on the pillow and offering it to her. "Do you by all of your days, take this man Brayden as your beloved husband, and that you will love and cherish him with all of your days to come, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health until death does he part?"

She almost has tears of joy in her eyes even as I held onto her hoof and kept gazing into them. "I do!" She says to both her and myself.

Mayor Mare allows her to take the golden ring from her hoof with her magic and use the power to place their ring onto her horn. Now I am already aware that I am next to be asked this question, and I cannot act this nervous inside. I know I will say the right thing, but I fear I might accidentally say the wrong words and screw up big time.

"Brayden," Mayor Mare began once again, having the other golden ring in her right front hoof. "Do you by all of your days, take this mare Twilight as your beloved wife, and that you will love and cherish her with all of your days to come, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health until death does she part?"

Okay Brayden, just say what your answer is and do not fucking screw this up otherwise I will never hear the end of it from Blueblood who would make a mockery of me with the rest of the rich class in Canterlot. Plus, it'd be a huge embarrassment for Twilight and our other friends... but nevertheless... here goes nothing.

"I... do!"

Oh thank Celestia... finally didn't slip out anything wrong and spoke with my heart within.

"Then it is by the power of Celestia's light, Luna's night, the First Alicorn's grace..." Mayor Mare spoke out among our guests as she gave me the ring and lets me slip onto my right hand's ring finger, only letting go of Twilight's hoof for a moment. After putting the ring on, I take a hold of Twilight's hoof again to finish the bonding. "That I would like to grant the completion of these two and give forth the title of Prince to Brayden as he marries a Princess by the hidden laws of ancient Equestria, and that I grant for both these two to be given the name of husband and wife, and with dignity even by difference; stallion and mare."

Both me and Twilight begin to slowly approach one another, as even I knew what to expect from how a wedding works. She is beyond words of saying anything as even the look on my face told me not to say anything, but to more rather embrace the coming moment as my head moves forward towards hers while hers moves towards mine. I close my eyes and I feel ready as I have been from the first time me and Twilight touched lips.

I can feel her lips gently press against my own, letting each other embrace closely to share a gentle, romantic kiss between us in that moment. My ears can pick up the sound of our guests clapping their hooves in proud emotion, even while I can hear Starlight and a few of our other friends cheering for the both of us. For those moments that I felt absolutely comforted and brought together into a good light, I can feel even the black vision on my closed eyes begin to whiten.

The vision turns that color and then I can see pictures of what seems to be future events yet to come ahead before me; seeing pictures of six events like the other visions I've had before of events I've experienced:

A first image clearly shows me with a different kind of eyes, almost similar to when my own eyes changed when Queen Chrysalis took ahold of me as her weapon but different this time. The sclera was in the color of green while the iris was in the color of a crimson red. Waves of a deep darkening purple stream at the ends of them. It looks to be like I was inside the palace at the Crystal Empire. A blackening smoke was enclosed between me and the figure which seems to be implanting a fear within me. Celestia and Luna look to be in the background, looking very horrified as if this shadow revealed a terrible secret to me. Twilight lies there on the crystal floor, unable to move in fear. I appear to be afraid and distraught by what he tells me.

A second involved me fighting with a human from Earth in a war-torn like Appleloosa near Mortem. A group of Pegasi royal guards working for Celestia are in the background, pounding with a couple being overwhelmed by other humans. This human I am facing seems to be from the Middle-East, while he is heavily armored and trying his best to strike me down.

Third, I could see myself in absolute tears as I stood near a hospital bed. Nightmare Moon seems to be lying down in bed, looking to be in an absolute load of excruciating pain. Her eyes are closed and to judge by how I looked when in tears, I believe that something was going to happen that isn't beyond my control of being with the loves in my herd. Was she going to die? If so, what could've caused it?

Fourth, I look like I am in a part of the castle where the Song of Order is beginning to glow and unveil a figure appearing magically from within the mystical blade. A tall figure between the height of Celestia and Luna themselves whom are present in the room, begins to appear before us in a shining light that gave an appearance that not any of us have seen before.

Fifth, I appear to be in an ancient stone ceremonial hall. A giant dragon made of obsidian stone seems to be standing guard there as it looks to the winter-thrown skies from the broken and slowly crumbling temple of ages. My eyes are set towards a pedestal with no traps at all to be set before me. A white leather book is set right there, covered by the dusts of time itself that looked to be as it was long ago when the book was written by a magical presence. Its cover, seemed to represent the symbol for the First Alicorn.

Sixth and final, it looks to be two images at once for there is one on top and another at the bottom of my vision. For the top, I look to be holding a look of bloodlust on myself in a clashing war. I appear to hold white and gold armor, and I clash the Song of Order with the katanas of what looks to be an almost over-powered Rebecca with her dragon wings spread and her dragon amulet glowing brightly. Her blood dragons appear to clash with the many species of Equestria which involved every Earth pony, Pegasi and Unicorn that were of older age to fight. Griffons, elk, yaks, Saddle Arabians, sea-ponies and Equestrian dragons led by Princess Ember were brought together in unity with us to battle the blood dragons. In the skies, appears to be fighter jets of two sides battling one another; those seeking to kill the Pegasi and those with the flags of red, white and blue there to defend and aid them in battle. Human soldiers bearing that same flag are on the floor, firing their weapons at the dragons and the other humans that sided with Rebecca.

The bottom and final image was quite interesting though, as I could see myself, covered up in a glowing shield and becoming unrecognizable as white lights consumed me to put me in what looks to be a transformation. The background and environment looks to be quite like what would be heaven, with a shining yellow light in the distance to cast its spell on me to proceed with the harmless transformation. I couldn't see it... not yet. But I had a feeling that this was going to be a brief appearance of the First Alicorn.

The visions end and I found myself releasing from the kiss that me and Twilight were sharing, and needless to say I didn't feel influenced to pause when the visions ended. But in real time, they only went by in milliseconds.

Our guests were still there to cheer for the both of us in congratulations to our marriage, and that even with the visions there, I never got distracted by what was going on. I opened my eyes and can see Twilight's beautiful eyes glancing at me for those few moments. The sound of the cello plays in celebration to us being brought forth together.

Applause for us eventually comes to an end, and Twilight's bridesmaids and two pages came together with us with proud faces all offering a ground hug in celebration by which both myself and her accept. I wrap the both of my arms gently around her neck while my hands and arms can feel the other hooves of our bridesmaids, the stallion of honor and Big Macintosh from behind, giving me a bit of a squeeze in the hug. Can't really breath though as usually Pinkie is hugging me too tight with her hooves around my neck.

"Can't breathe- Pinkie!" I get out to her with a smile on my face while struggling to get some breath.

She and all of the others let go from the group hug, and I release my arms from around Twilight, after having given her a romantic hug of sorts. Pinkie of course giggles, bouncing up and landing on all four of her hooves after that.

"Ohmigosh, this is so exciting!" She exclaims happily before going on. "I feel really excited because you and Twilight finally got married after a long while of getting to know one another, the confession before the big castle came into place and the series of events that led right to the engagement from the moment that you confessed your feelings to her the same day that you got scratched by a Timberwolf Alpha. She saved your life... well, she and Fluttershy did. But now, you are here are married! Isn't it wonderful?"

"It definitely is so Pinkie," I chuckled and said to her. "It is most wonderful of days."

"Ah'm so proud of both of ya. Somethin' inside me told that somethin' like that would come 'round to happen one day." Applejack tells us both.

The comments that both of us recieved makes me smile and even for her. "Thank you, all of you."

On my right, I catch both Nightmare and Coco getting off from their seats along with everypony else. They trot forward towards me as it was their eyes that were directed towards me. I gave both Shining and Big Mac a brohoof before turning to look at them while our other friends go off to communicate with the other guests.

"Hello Coco." The light-amberish gray mare herself is the first that I respond to that gave an innocent smile to me when she sets first forward.

She seemed to have travelled all the way from Manehattan to come and join as a guest at the wedding ceremony. Must have recieved the mail from that distance after having dropped it off at the post office, sending it there in the region as the address was written that way.

She speaks to me by the soft-spoken tone in her voice. "Hello to you too Brayden."

I come forward by one step and offer my right hand for her to take and hold onto. "Glad you came today to watch the wedding." I told her, letting my left hand get placed onto her mane on her right, giving it gentle strokes down to her right cheek.

She takes one hoof-step towards me, placing her soft left front hoof onto my hand and letting me hold onto it. I move forward myself, and allow for the both of us to enter an embrace that was shared within the herd. My other hand that stroked her mane and cheek is moved and is gently around her neck.

Both of our cheeks were nuzzling against one another and eventually I move my head to the side and allow my lips to give the sweet mare herself a kiss on the cheek. She feels calm and a bit of her breathing from her nostrils.

"Congratulations for your marriage to Princess Twilight," She told me while we continue to hug. "I'm very happy for you."

I giggled quietly there for that moment before continuing. "All to make and keep my herd between all of my special loves strong and united. Just as it was to be."

"You should consider coming to visit me again in Manehattan when you aren't too busy with your time in Ponyville. Promise?"

I turn my head and move to look at her by the eyes to show her that I really meant it. "I will come. I promise." I said to her.

"Good, I'll see that you come by surprise." Coco says to me.

I smile at her, letting my hand stroke her cheek again. "You know that I like to make an appearance."

Nightmare still stood there, preparing to give me some words and her thoughts on the wedding and coming together of myself and Twilight. I brought myself forward towards her and close my eyes, allowing both me and Coco to share a kiss. Once that moment came and went, I released from the kiss we shared and I release my hands from her.

"Do you have a place to stay in Ponyville for the rest of the night?" I questioned.

She nods in response to my question. "Yes Brayden, Rarity gave me some room downstairs and gave me the couch that transforms into a bed. Things will be fine."

"That's perfect," I responded to her. "The Manehattan trip I'll make sure to surprise you, and hopefully you aren't out working at the time at Rarity's shop there."

"I hope so as well."

Coco turns her head, seeing that Nightmare stands slightly behind her, waiting patiently as she finishes up with congratulating me. The mare turns back to look at me with a loving smile, something that both me and her shared. With the awareness of the black alicorn ready to tell me her verdict, she took a few hoofsteps back to make some room and space for me and the third love in my herd.

Nightmare trots forward to me, her cyan cat-like eyes staring right at my own brown eyes. "A good afternoon to you Nightmare." I introduced with greeting to her, bowing my head a bit.

Her hoof rose and takes my hand as I gaze at her, her mane flowing like both Luna and Celestia's. "My love, there isn't need to bow before me. I am not a princess, but just an unordinary alicorn who was freed from the darkness you pulled me out from." She tells me, holding onto my hand.

"My apologies then."

"No need to apologize either," Nightmare tells me with a calm tone in her voice and a gentle smile on her lips. "I just want to acknowledge to you that I am really proud and beyond words of your marriage to Princess Twilight, and that my heart still remains committed to being in your heart."

My left hand reaches up and brushes through her magical mane to give her some comfort and assurance that even my heart is still committed to hers as well. To think about it, she hasn't never actually held love there before and been given affection to in the time that she has been around until she told me straight from her heart releasing the words within.

"Thank you very much, Nightmare. I am touched by the compliments and gratitudes of many as always." I respond to her.

She lowers her head towards me and I let go of her hoof, letting her set it back down onto the floor. I brought my head up towards her, placing the both of my hands onto those black cheeks, and the soft touch of her fur being felt by my hands. The connection of her forehead with mine came together, and I closed my eyes as she did.

I can feel the nuzzling on my nose from her own nose, and an almost silent exhale is heard as well from her. Whenever this was the case, I can tell that it gave me a sign that one of my loves felt happy and comfortable. As I know, if they are feeling uncomfortable about something and needed it, I would give it to them. Even works with my close friends, and they also understood that.

The sound of her horn channelling magic is heard, and I can feel that she has shifted her head down to touch on her horn onto my forehead. The sensation of her magic is felt upon it, the feeling being quite like a feather-ish feeling. My curiosity is questioned though; as I wasn't really sure if this was a spell that she was casting upon me or it is something more.

A question that I thought to myself does eventually come out. "What are you doing?"

Moments pass and she stopped using the magic on her horn. "I cast a spell on you, but it is for good purposes should you face any enemies of Equestria," She tells me, opening her eyes as I did, backing only a short distance from my forehead with a look that told me something... like she wanted me like everypony else to be safe. "It's one of my love spells to keep you protected from harm. Should you get hurt in any way and tired in the fight, I will come your way to keep you from the grasp of death."

"How will I know if it works?"

"It mostly works at night when you are under the stars and Luna's moon. Be it clear or rainy, the spell will work either way. If you are worn in battle and unable to fight further which I hope it doesn't come to, I will come your way as the spell will notify me if you're in danger from the waves that the spell's readings send to me."

I move closer to her after she has explained to me about this spell. "I'm sure it will come in handy." The sound of my voice tells her.

Her eyes blink for a moment which I manage to catch before I close shut my eyes. My lips gently touch onto her forehead and I gave her a kiss from there. I open my eyes once I back away again to see her smile on her lips. She must feel happiness inside instead of greed and jealousy's darkness that once created her that way.

"And now with the ceremony over, are you and Twilight planning to go and party with us at the after-party? It's okay if you both don't want to come, as I understand that both you and her need some privacy time together."

My ears pick up the sound of Twilight beside me, thinking about the decision on going to the party that was set up afterwards. "Well," She says to Nightmare. "You did prove a point right there. I think before we set out on our honeymoon tomorrow, we'll have to get privacy time at the castle."

"Are you kidding Twilight?!" Pinkie exclaims with only a bit of shock. "I haven't heard of anypony who skips the after-party to do that! Normally after weddings, they want to have dinner and dance, practically party with the rest of their friends!"

"You could save us a party for when we get back from our honeymoon. How about that?" Twilight offers to our close friend.

"Okie-dokie-loki!" Pinkie says with a bright smile. A cute squee is heard after she has said what needed to be said in her own surprise.

Nightmare giggles for a moment, and she releases gently from me. "I think I shall let you and your number one love have the privacy you need most for tomorrow's trip out. I look forward to speaking with you in your dreams about how well the honeymoon trip is going and how it went if I don't enter them during that time."

All I can do is look at her and smile as Twilight places her soft right front hoof onto my left hand from the side. "I'm sure there will be a funny tale to tell you when it comes."

"I know... and I'm sure it'll be something to share a laugh over."

---

Twilight's Castle

A beautiful sunset was seen over the western horizon of Equestria as my mother was setting its course to ending a great day that is most likely one of the best days I've ever lived my life in, alongside my first day here that remains ever in my memory.

I was out of my formal wedding suit that Rarity had given to me, and I have hung it up on the rack in the closet outside of the bedroom where I now will be sleeping with Twilight next to me from there on forward. Striped pyjamas of red and white were that of what I was wearing, and I had to put on slippers as even the crystalline floor can get a bit cold sometimes.

"Are you coming Brayden?" I can hear Twilight's voice calling me from outside as I know she is probably either lying in bed and waiting for me or standing by the window to look at the sunset.

I place my socks into the laundry basket and place the formal shoes into the cupboard that will be where I'll be putting my boots and other footwear in future once the honeymoon is over. "Coming!" I called to her, closing the cupboard door.

My eyes turn towards the golden door and my two feet move forward without any second thoughts but only of one thought. The sound of my footsteps is muffled by the slippers on my feet, and it's sound was half-quiet. Both hands reach forward and grip onto the doorknobs.

They open up to reveal the entire bedroom before my own eyes: Twilight's bed being a double bed as it always was, with an extra spot there for me; her lover to sleep next to her in comfort with my arms around her. An orange colored sky in the window to set the tone and mood for the room and direction. On the mirror table, my sound system is there with my phone plugged in to play music.

She was right there on the bed, lying down and her head turned in the direction to look at me with those violet eyes of hers. Her ears were shot up as in listening and giving off what her mood was, as I can tell she was happy as usual in my presence. Her soft and silky mane, she returned to normal as it is always a beauty to see it that way even by the way it sometimes moved in the wind. Her eyebrows are tilted a bit downward and looks a bit tired that way. But with the smile, she looked just beautiful beyond words... 'sexy' I believe is the term.

"By Celestia, I'm absolutely stunned..." I got out while beginning to make a slow move towards her.

She giggles. "Am I? This is only the beginning for the both of us," She tells me, shifting a bit on her bed. "I suppose it's privacy time for us."

"Is Starlight Glimmer or Spike in the castle?"

"Not at all," She informs me as I made approach to the bed. "They're both at the after-party with everypony else. I'm sure they'll have a lot of fun, especially with all of that music there that you brought from Earth to keep them entertained."

I nod to her as my hands touch onto the blankets and my legs rise to slip onto her bed. "Vinyl Scratch probably will be having a field day by this time."

"Possibly," She kept her smile while she watches me slip onto bed, lying upward to face her. Her horn begins to channel magic with a aura around it. "But what's this moment together without something to set the mood?"

A smile appears on my face and my eyes only turned briefly to see that the sound system covered by the aura along with the phone to activate some music to be played and set onto the tone.

(Play The System - Don't Disturb This Groove)

After setting the music on, her horn settles down from the magic. She shifts again, and exhales a long, relaxed sigh. "That's much better now."

I smile at her, shifting closer towards her and unable to remove my eyesight off from her. Her wings behind her begin to unfurl and open up, gently moving towards me with the intention of letting them wrap around me which I would accept every time. Her right wing felt fuzzy when my hand brushes it. It moves around my back, covering my wings and pulling me closer towards her.

My arms open up and I gently place them around her, under her front hooves by the waist position. She brought her head to the side, placing the both of her hooves around my neck, and I can feel that this was a passionate kind of hug that I was being embraced from. For those moments, I can hear only the sound of her nostrils breathing as I closed my eyes for 2 seconds before opening them again.

I shift my head to look at her in the eyes, moving forward and gently letting my nose nuzzle against hers. I close my eyes for another few moments while I can still hear her nostrils breathing softly in a low volume.

My right hand moves forward while my left arm keeps holding her close to me in that hug. It gently contacts with her mane and I give it gentle, slow strokes to keep her comfortable in my presence as she always was since the night me and her slept together.

I can feel myself beginning to lean backwards to place my head onto what could be the pillow behind. One of her hooves has moved and is giving me a soft push back to get me to lie down and relax. With her at my side now, I accept her request and lie backwards, the pillow behind me feeling very plush as the back of my head makes contact with it.

My body starts to loosen the tensions for earlier as I can feel Twilight moving for a moment, getting herself on top of me as I open my eyes to see that. She moves herself up to my head, but still in range and my hand stroking her soft mane gently. Her hooves place themselves onto the both of my shoulders as she gazes down upon me.

Her eyes closed themselves and she is moving her head forward, which I knew what to expect was next. And for that point, I can feel her lips upon my own again as we begin to share a kiss. After sharing one, I released from the kiss to quickly get in some breath before both of our lips made contact again. It feels like true love has bloomed in us and is quite passionate and gentle.

Her heartbeat could be felt, going faster by each time our lips made contact, unable to let go of each other as we continued to press onward with sharing love between one another.

By the kissing that both of us share, I had this feeling by her hooves pushing lightly on my shoulders, and just like what happened on Hearth's Warming Eve, this was a movement that I could accept between the both of us as the kissing and soft pressure increased on it.

Me and her began to in ways 'make out' between one another, my left arm still holding her close and the both of her fluffy wings still around me on my back to keep me warm. My lips continue to press onto her lips in the same position we were in from when we begun from there.

At often times during this moment, we released our lips for both me and her to pant for a bit before she presses her lips on once again. Of course when her front hooves began to feel a bit tired from being on my shoulders she would release them. She moves off from me and though my eyes were closed and still sharing and living the moment; I can hear the sound of magic channelling as she gets the blanket and cover for us.

Time passes by, and I can feel that we are starting to get tired eventually from sharing love between one another. A few more kisses did suffice and we finish when my hands can no longer hold onto her and her wings have grown tired from the wing-hug she gave me. We release our lips from the kiss and pant for a bit to catch some breath.

Celestia's sun slips past under the horizon as the orange colored sky outside fades into a transition of what looks to be a dusk colored sky of what looks to be dark violet with a bit of the stars beginning to peek out from there.

Well, with what is finished up and transformed into night; my ears can pick up the audible sound of my now-wife/princess exhaling a long relaxed sigh as she places her head gently onto the pillow on the other side of the bed.

"Seeing that it'll be an early morning arrival for the travel carriage to arrive for us at 4 in the morning, we'll need to get plenty of rest as we can," She says to me, the volume of her voice sounding softer as she spoke to me. She opens her mouth for a moment and yawns, feeling a bit exhausted. "What a fantastic wedding day, and I knew you could do it Brayden."

My head is turned on the pillow to the side to face her, and even the small forming bags underneath her eyes gave proof that she might be right about it. "The volume might want to be turned a bit down on the sound system, as I have it on those R&B songs."

Twilight gave off a confused look by what I might have meant.

"It's... rhythm and blues." I confirmed to her.

She nods her head in understanding and begins to relax a bit after having had to pant for a bit from our many moments in bed, beginning to slowly close her eyes. My right hand continues to stroke at her mane as she closes her eyes with a small smile on her lips to show the affection and comfort that both of us got.

The music began to dim quite a bit as it went on towards the coming night. Her breathing sounds relaxed once again, her body moving up and down by each take of breath she inhales and exhales.

I let my gaze continue to stare at her even after her heavenly eyes have closed, and I can't even tell how much has gone by the more I continue to do so. The music in the background still a bit faded as the moments seem that way as to how long I could look while growing a bit tired myself.

It almost feels like minutes, but I'm pretty sure that I am feeling worn out from the special day today with her now being a part of my life, feeling that mojor part of my heart having that magical feeling inside of her as one with me.

My head moves forward towards her forehead as she drifts off to sleep, placing my right hand onto her cheek at the same time. My lips gently press onto her forehead to give her one last kiss of the night there.

"Sleep well my princess..." I whisper to her, opening my eyes and bringing my head back to my pillow. "I love you..."

No response from her, but I already knew what would have whispered back to me, the words that would tell that she loved me too. My right hand is released from her cheek and placed onto the bed sheets.

I finally began to close my eyes, letting the mood take me away into the dream realm, slowly but surely as Twilight would be able to rest easily. Plus I do need it, as it's a four in the morning pick-up from the compliments of my mother to bring us to our location ahead for those few days.

As I finally drift off to that needed sleep, I finally made that final realization that all happened today before my own eyes and ears, plus my own life to count in... and the reason why I was now happy...

I finally learned to live.

---

A/N: And that was the chapter.

Now it is time to take a break from writing this story as I go on a hiatus to work on things that are upcoming in my life. Not sure when the next chapter will be, but I will hint it away as it being sometime in 2017 to keep things a surprise.

To all my readers and reviewers once again, I wish you all a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and a Happy Kwanzaa, and a Happy New Year as 2017 is now approaching.

Let us all come together aside from our difference to get along well, and to keep family and friends to your heart in the joy of the holidays. Let us all come together to make our communities a better place to all.

Let us make the world a happier place next year, and continue to make America, Europe, Asia, Australia... every part of the world. Let us all come together in peace and harmony to make it great again as it always was.