Helios 17: Taking the Plunge.

=Helios 17=

>The halls of the Canterlot royal palace echoed as you walked down them.
>It seemed that they adjusted your boots for your first real day back on the job, they fit snuggly on your feet.
>You stopped outside Celestia's door.
"Hey Brawny, Diamond. She in?"
>Both of your fellow guards eyebrows arch.
>"Anonymous, why do you ask questions you already know the answer to?"
>They had you there, Celestia rarely left her room without you.
>You stepped into the room cautiously, wanting to maintain appearance.
"Princess?"
>"In here!" Came a voice from the power room.
>You shut the door behind you and waited by the beauty desk.
>Celestia came walking into the bedroom applying a towel to her head, steam billowing out from the room behind her.
>She wordlessly walks up to you and puts a tender pair of lips against your own.
>"Good morning Anon."
"Good morning Tia."
>The two of you stand there for a time, foreheads pressed together and taking in the simple joy of being able to do this.
>"Quite different from the normal start of the day, wouldn't you say?"
"This past week has been a strange one, yes."
>Celestia levitates her crown and raiment onto herself. "But enjoyable all the same, no?"
>You chuckle.
"More than a bit, yes."
>Celestia leads a brush through her hair. "Is everything ready?"
"We just have to be there at sundown."
>Celestia wordlessly smiles back to you.
>The warm kind of smile that makes her eyes glisten.
>She quickly recomposes herself. "Well, we must first make it through the day. Shall we?"
"Lead the way Celestia."

-Music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYidb1LvMs8-
>You and Celestia were finally able to get back to your old routine.
>The city rounds.
>Neither of you had partaken in the simple joy of seeing the city in the week you had been back.
>Most of your time had been put to fixing the mess you made when you walked out.
>As well as certain...other matters. Matters far more enjoyable.
>This was also the first time you walked next to Celestia as opposed to behind her, making conversation much easier.
"The city looks well for what happened last time I was here..."
>"Yes. We were lucky that what transpired with my nephew was contained to his estate."
"How's he doing?"
>Celestia sighs. "As well as can be hoped with what happened. He has his good days and his bad."
"...Maybe I should stop by and see him."
>Celestia lowers her head. "Perhaps in time...But enough of depressing things, Tell me about how much different life is in the Mild West."
>Heh.
"Well. Guarding an entire town is fairly easy when I can shout from one end to the other, and crime is less of an issue when everyp0ny knows each other."
>"Ah...that small town feeling."
"Certainly a positive aspect of my sabbatical."
>"How did you take care of your responsibilities there after you left?"
"I mailed all my things back along with a letter explaining the situation. Braeburn is the sheriff now."
>Celestia glances down at you. "Do you trust him to do well?"
"Implicitly."

>Later in the day you and Celestia were sitting eating lunch.
>It seemed that Celestia was feeling nostalgic, she took you to the same fountain where you kissed her cheek.
>The water gently babbled down from a relief of what seemed to be Starswirl the Bearded and lapped gently against the edge next to you.
>Celestia stared ahead as you bit into your food.
>"Have you thought about it?"
>You swallow your food and join her in her far off stare.
"...A bit."
>"Everything changes after this..."
"Yeah..."
>The full weight of your discussion was dawning on you for the millionth time.
"I'm...a bit worried."
>Celestia's head turns to you so fast you hear the sonic boom.
>Her eyes are wide. "If you want to stop or slow dow-"
>You shake your head.
"No...No I want this."
>You feel Celestia calm down immediately through the link.
"I want this more than anything right now..."
>The momentary biting fear from Celestia's side of the link was replaced with the warm feeling of anticipation that spread throughout your entire body.
>You finish your meal as the sun inches its way across the sky.
>Rising to your feet, you turn to Celestia.
"We should get going, we probably have some things to do beforehand."
>Celestia smiles and rises to her feet as well, eager to get things taken care of.

>You are Sunshine Smiles, only constant guard to Her Majesty Princess Luna.
>You currently stood watch over the Royal Dining Hall as Her Majesty eats on the opposite side of the table from you.
>Your eyes shifted to the windows near the ceiling as you watched for any possible threats.
>Hmm...nothing. No silhouettes or mysterious shadows.
>One could never be too careful with a pony who was the night incarnate.
>Princess Luna had awoken early for today.
>Your duty was to follow her as she saw to some errands in various locals.
>It was not your place to ask what they were, but they seemed important.
>Princess Luna had always been opposed to the idea of personal guards, it was only through some miracle that you were allowed this station.
>You accomplished this through the Shadow Stalking technique used by the Ibex empire.
>She seemed to find it less objectionable when she couldn't see you.
>The Princess stops eating and looks around the room.
>"Guard. Where is my sister?"
"I cannot say Your Majesty."
>She grunted. "Celestia is always present at the evening meal...The only explanation is that Anonymous stole her away again."
"Who knows Your Majesty?
>"I had thought we were rid of him...evidently not." She said as she rose from her seat.
>Princess Luna exited the dining hall and you melted into the shadows.
>She was right though, what in the world could they be doing?

-Music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLGSpyz_BmU-
>The two of you were both in the catacombs below the city.
>You were both facing each other in front of the crystal cage that held Grogar.
>The Ram sat inside as motionless as ever, a wide grin on his face however.
>"I am truly honored to be performing this ritual. And it is with great humility that I do so." Grogar said.
>Grogar wasn't your first choice so much as your only choice, the two of you needed to keep this a secret.
>The week between your return and now had been one of emotional talks and planning.
>You both agreed: You loved one another.
>The weeks you were gone had made you acutely away of how much you missed just seeing Celestia's happy face in the morning.
>You never wanted what happened before you left to happen again.
>And so here you stood.
>Grogar cleared his dead throat.
>"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today..."

>Yes, this was sudden and possibly reckless.
>But it was also something the two of you had wanted since you returned to Canterlot.
>Just the time you had spent together, amplified by the link had felt like a lifetime together.
>You knew Celestia's hopes and desires, her fears and dreams and her most personal feelings.
>She in turn knew everything you worried over and wanted out of life, as well all of your memories of your life before you came here.
>Your first kiss, your first great success, everything that followed.
>You were as much a part of her as she was you.
>And this was the most official definition the two of you could come up with.
>Grogar clears his throat beneath you and brings you out of the space your head was in.
"Huh?"
>"I said. "You may kiss the bride." Grogar said with a shit eating grin.
>You pull Celestia close and lock your lips, sealing the marital pact and embracing the wave of emotion that the link is sending between the two of you.
>You don't care what the civilians think, Celestia was as much a person as any of them and had a right to be happy.
>Celestia was the most important person in the world to you right now.
>And you were going to be as close to her as fate would allow.