My little Pony:Spider And Magic

Chapter Forty "Crowning Achievement

Chapter Forty "Crowning Achievement"

Seventeen Days Remain

Peter sat at a table near the back of the room, stealing glances of the young mare standing alongside Princess Celestia and Luna. Twilight Sparkle, the socially-awkward, sometimes-eccentric, and intelligent yet dense bookworm was now a princess of Equestria, one of the youngest in history. The coronation was brief, lasting for only an hour, but the royal party was quite the opposite, lasting for nearly twice as long thus far. What most stood out in Peter's mind was perhaps Twilight's speech. The stallion closed his eyes and dove into his mind, reliving that very moment.

Twilight stood over the podium, her nervousness evident by the sheepish smile on her face. "'Oh, um... A little while ago, my teacher and mentor Princess Celestia sent me to live in Ponyville. She sent me to study friendship, which is something I didn't really care much about, but now, on a day like today, I can honestly say I wouldn't be standing here if it weren't for the friendships I've made with all of you."

The alicorn paused, glancing off to the side. "Each one of you taught me something about friendship, and for that, I will always be grateful. Even now, I have so much to learn about it and...love."

Although her motion was swift, Twilight's eyes fell to the section beneath her position, focusing on the acorn-maned stallion standing with her friends. Somehow, he could see the pink blush on her cheeks, and she smiled at that fact, unashamed. She turned back to the crowd at large. "Today, I consider myself the luckiest pony in Equestria. Thank you, friends. Thank you, everypony!"

Peter's chest felt light as his lips curled into a smile. He watched Twilight exchange brief dialogues with many nobles and aristocrats, each usually beginning with a 'congratulations' and ending with a 'thank you' or other form of gratitude. Peter wanted to be there as well and congratulate his mare for her accomplishment. She earned this. The stallion sighed. Honestly, he just wanted tospeakto her. Due to time restraints and preparations, the couple weren't given the opportunity to bid each other any parting words earlier that morning.

Fortunately, his friends provided welcomed company for some of the duration of the day, but the moment the acceptance party started, everypony broke off and went their separate ways, much like they had last time. Peter chose to remain stationary by the punch bowl to remain as inconspicuous as possible as well as maintain a rest point for the girls should any of them choose to return. The task was proving rather easy, considering how out of place Peter was among the gathering of high-class elitists.

His royal blue suit helped mask that truth to some extent, but the stallion was still a wallflower at heart and quite comfortable with the fact. Sighing, Peter downed the last of the punch in his glass before stealing another glance of his mare. The bright pink dress she wore, compliments of Rarity, graced her figure rather well and matched the color of her cutie mark, but Peter felt it went perfectly with the unique strand in the alicorn's mane, the one he loved beyond measure.

Even now, it was surreal. Peter was actually in a relationship with a princess, and it wasn't a secret, far from it. Peter could only grin at the warm and fuzzy feeling he felt. It was nice to be loved. Plain and simple. Peter's eyes widened once a couple of mares took a seat on both of his sides, but they softened, recognizing the warm emerald gaze of one and the meek, blue irises of the other.

The stallion chuckled. "You two are back early. They didn't have the assorted cheeses you wanted?"

Applejack grinned. "Cheese isn't really my thing, sugarcube." The blonde adjusted herself in her seat, taking a moment to brush the wrinkles out of her western-style dress. Peter poured the farmpony a drink, earning a warm smile in return. After taking a sip of the sweet beverage, Applejack directed her emerald gaze to the crowd spread throughout the room and sighed. "Ah'm just not a fan of these fancy parties. Most of the ponies are so uptight and quick to judge. It makes a girl feel unwelcomed, you know?" Shrugging, she turned back to the stallion with a smile. "Ah'd rather hang with ponies that like me the way Ah am."