Chapter 2: A Grave Mistake

Ben looks more nervous than before. He and Twilight are preparing for rehearsal 3 hours later in the parlor room...and the stallion is having trouble, much to the annoyance of Sir Spell Nexus, the headmaster of Twilight's school and the one in charge of the wedding.

"From the beginning Master Mare, again," Nexus said sternly as he reads from his book. "'With this hoof, I will lift your sorrows. Your cup will never empty, for I will be your win. With this candle, I will light your way in darkness. With this ring, I ask you to be mine'." Once the unicorn is done, he glares at Ben who is nervously holding the candle. "Now then, let's do this again and try to do it right this time."

"Right, right...with this candle..." Ben said as he shows the candle. The stallion leans in hopes to light it up but to his annoyance, nothing happen. "This candle..." Ben tries once more but the candle still won't light up. What gives, "This candle?"

Try as he might, the candle refuse to light up. Celestia looks worried as she spoke up, "Perhaps I should go up there and light the candle for him. No one would blame him if he couldn't do it."

"Celestia, don't get aflutter." Jack said to Celestia with a frown. "Our son must do it on his own or he will never be ready for his own wedding!"

Ben nervously looks to his parents then towards Jet Set and Upper Crust who glares at him. The stallion is messing things up here. With a chuckle, Ben saw an impatient Nexus clearing his throat. He then saw his candle being lit while standing up. That should work.

"With this candle..." Ben begins to say with a chuckle. Unfortunately, to the others' frustration, the stallion ends up blowing the candle out by accident.

"Ugh! Never mind, continue!" Nexus exclaims impatiently. They will get back to the candle part later, now for the next one of the vow!

Just then the doorbell is heard ringing, much to everyone's surprise and/or annoyance. Who could that be? Jet Set orders, "Horte, get the door." The butler sighs in annoyance as he heads out to see the new arrival.

"Ahem, let's pick up at the candle part."

Just then Horte came into the room, looking at a card that reads, "A Prince Blueblood, sir."

Celestia, Jack and Ben looks surprised as Blueblood came into the room. Once Horte have the card to his employers and leaves them, the white unicorn smiles while saying, "I haven't a head for dates. I know I am a day early for the ceremony, but even I can't wait for family weddings."

"Uh, is he from your side of the family?" Upper Crust ask Jet Set in confusion while looking at the card.

"How should I know?" Jet Set asks his wife with a frown. "Do I look like a family tree?"

"More like a dry mummy." Caramel jokes a bit while laughing. He notices Jet Set glaring at him. "What?"

"He's my family." Celestia sighs in irritation while turning to Blueblood, "Hello, nephew. What are you doing here?"

"I've heard that my cousin is getting married and couldn't resist making an appearance." Blueblood chuckles a bit while glancing to the nervous Ben. "I sure hope he doesn't blow it. The Herd forbids what union would come at this mess."

"Horte, get a seat for Prince Blueblood!" Upper Crust orders Horte who nods and get an empty seat for Blueblood which he sat in with a satisfying smile.

"Well, carry on then!"

Ben is more nervous now; his cousin is here and is going to make things difficult for him than ever. Blueblood is going to be so thrilled to see the Earth pony mess up his wedding vows and in front of his future in-laws too!

"Ahem, let's try again, Master Mare." Nexus said sternly. Ben nods as Twilight uses her magic to light her future husband's candle for him.

"Right, yes, sir, certainly," Ben said while clearing his throat, smiling to Twilight. He just need some confidence and not mess this up; Simple, right?

"Right."

"Right, oh, right!" Ben realizes that he is holding the candle with his right hoof. Quickly, the stallion switches to put it in the left hoof, showing his right one now bare. "With this..."

"Hoof."

"With this hoof..." Ben said as he takes Twilight by the hoof. The stallion can do this. The two make their way to the table as he continues, "I...with..."

Suddenly the two bumps into the table by mistake. Nexus annoyed snaps, "It's three steps, three! Do you even know how to count? Do you wish to be married or not, Master Mare?!"

"No, no!"

"Wait, you do not?" Twilight ask in concern, fearing that the one that she is heading feelings for may not want to marry her. Blueblood smirks devilishly as he watch his cousin make a fool out of himself.

"No, that isn't what I meant!" Ben exclaims nervously, fearing that he has upset Twilight. "I meant no, I do not not wish to be married. Of course, I mean I want so much to..." The future groom yelps in pain as Nexus his him on the head hard.

"Pay attention!" Dooku snaps sternly to Ben, his patience is reaching its limit. "You do remember to bring the ring, correct?"

"The ring? Yes, of course."

Ben took the ring from his parent, showing it to Twilight who smiles a bit. Jack smiles to Celestia while winking. Looks like things are going to turn out fine after all...

That is until Ben trips and accidentally drops the ring, making Twilight gasps in alarm. Dooku slaps himself on the forehead while snapping, "Dropping the ring; How foalish!"

"Oh no, Ben dropped the ring!" Celestia gasps in worry as her son chases the ring. It was an accident but even a slipup like that could mess up the simple of weddings!

"It's very obvious that this colt doesn't wish to be married at all!"

"How disgraceful," Upper Crust exclaims in disgust and annoyance. What kind of future in-law would she have that doesn't wish to be married or make dumb mistakes like that?

Ben quickly continues chasing the ring, going under Upper Crust's sksrt, making her gasp in alarm. The stallion grabs the ring from the ‘ugly place’ and shows the ring safe and sound, saying eagerly, "Excuse me...got it..."

Unfortunately, in the progress of getting the ring, his candle accidentally set Upper Crust's skirt on fire, causing her to scream in terror. Ben looks startled by what he just did.

"Out of the way, you idiot," Jet Set scowls as he push Ben out of the way in annoyance.

"Oh now, oh my; we should do something, there's a mare on fire! Help, emergency!" Celestia exclaims in alarm upon seeing Upper Crust on fire. The alicorn uses her magic in hopes to fan the flames out quickly. "Sorry, I hope it doesn't stain."

"Stop fanning, you fool!" Upper Crust exclaims angrily to Celestia while shoving her. The alicorn princess's attempt isn't helping at all! "Use water magic!"

"I can't. We would be going against the script here!"

Nexus close his book and groans in irritation by the madness that is happening right now. Jack calls out quickly, "Get a bucket, someone get a bucket!"

"Yes, yes, of course!" Celestia exclaims in concern. "I'm on my way, oh dear."

Of course before Celestia would head off to get a bucket, Blueblood roll his eyes before using his own magic to pour a goblet of wine right onto Upper Crust's dress, putting the fire out in time. With a smirk, the prince tosses the goblet to Horte who grabbed it.

"Amazing, aren't I?" Blueblood assk in satisfaction for his timely save.

"I would've done it myself, Blueblood." Celestia sighs to her nephew in annoyance.

"Yes, but we know you wouldn't make it back in time anyway and sticking to the script? Tsk, tsk!"

Nexus has had enough. In anger, he push every pony aside while shouting, "Enough! I cannot allow this marriage to take place until he is properly prepared!" The male unicorn glares to the frightened Ben before pointing a hoof. "Young colt, learn your vows...and I don't want to see you in front of me again until you do, understand?"

Ben is frightened by the upset and worried looks that every pony, minus Twilight, are giving him. Quickly he opens the door and rush out of the room. Poor Twilight is worried for him. He didn't mean to mess up, the poor colt was nervous.

"Well, he's quite a catch, isn't he?" Blueblood remark in amusement making Twilight sighs a bit.

------

Ben sat on a bridge looking down in sadness while he look at the flowers that Twilight gave him earlier. He went and ruined the entire wedding rehearsal while making a fool out of himself in front of his parents, his future in-laws and worst Twilight. Oh, she must not want to be anywhere near him at all after this!

"Oh, Twilight; She must think I am quite a fool." Ben sighs in sadness. "Can this day get any worse?"

Unfortunately while Ben put the flower in his pocket, his question was answered the hard way as he saw a mare named Razzaroo calls out, "Hear ye and hear me! The rehearsal is in ruins as Mare who isn't a mare cause chaos! The son of Celestia fiancée could be canned! The Sets are fired due to Mare disaster ruining the rehearsal!"

Ben groans in depression, he has to say it! The stallion heads to the forest to do so thinking. While the pony continues onward, he looks a bit down. Ben got to get his vows right. They can't be so difficult; the vows can work if Ben practice them hard enough.

"My vows can't be all that difficult, right? They are simple and easy to do." Ben mumbles a bit. The stallion looks at his hoof as he begins to practice. "With this hoof, I will take your win. No, no, that won't work." He shakes his head and continues onward, trying again. "With this hoof...I will cup your...gah, no, no!"

Ben heads deeper into the forest, he is doing his best to get his vows right. The stallion wants so much to be with Twilight but if he wants to do so without failure, Ben must do so without messing up again. His parents and Twilight are counting on him.

Stopping near a tree with crows hanging in the branches, Ben tries once more while saying, "With this...with this candle, I will...uh...I will set your mother on fire!" Upon realizing what he just said, the stallion slaps his own forehead then sighs while sitting on the ground. "Oh, this is hopeless."

Ben may as well give up, he and Twilight are never meant to be. But then the stallion took out the flower along with the ring. Ben pauses and picks the former up, sniffing it. He then looks determined. No, Twilight would have faith that he will never give up and will succeed. Ben loves her and won't give up all because of one nasty incident. No matter what, the son of Princess Celestia will get his vows right!

After pocketing the flower, Ben spoke, "With this hoof, I will lift your sorrows. Your cup will never empty, for I will be your wine." The pony flips the ring a bit, snatching it from the ring. Looks like he has done it; Ben looks at a branch of a tree and take it, preventing that the arm is Upper Crust's. "Ah, Mrs. Crust. You look beautiful this evening."

Ben chuckles and leans near a stump, pretending that it's Jet Set and lisening. He ask, "What did you say, Mr. Set? Call you 'dad'? Well, if you insist." The stallion broke a piece of the branch and holds it as if the branch itself is a candle that Ben just lit. He is getting into this now. "With this candle, I will light your way in darkness."

Ben looks at the ring, continuing, "With this ring..." He spot a branch of the tree that looks like a hand and smile. "I ask you to be mine."

Ben put the ring on the branch and smiles. He has done it, the stallion has done his vows right! Nothing can go wrong...but Ben then felt the wind blowing as a crow is crowing. He looks concerned while seeing more crows around the place. This cannot be good...right?

"Okay, I guess I'm done." Ben said with a slow nod. "Now..."

Without warning, the branch grabs Ben by the hoof dragging him down. The Earth pony yelps and groans while struggling to get himself free. Ben succeeded before landing on some ice nearby. As he groans, the stallion lifts up his upper foreleg...and got a fright of his life!

The branch that grabbed Ben's arm is actually a zombie unicorn foreleg clenching onto him. The Earth pony screams before tossing it to the ground. Just then, Ben heard rumbling and saw something to his horror coming out of the ground, clenching to the snow while preparing to come out as if being summoned.

"Oh crud," Ben exclaims in horror. What did he just do?!

Soon Ben saw some sort of zombie bride in a wedding dress, veil and all, coming out of the ground and spots him. She removes the veil revealing herself to be a purple mane light azure grey unicorn with light blue eyes and three diamonds on her flank. What's noticeable was pieces of her were bones. Her name is Rarity.

"I do, darling." Rarity said gently.

Ben screams in terror as he scurries a bit then got up and makes a gallop for it from the corpse trying to reach for him. The foreleg that broke off returns to Rarity who picks it up and place the part back on herself; She got a husband to be with.

Ben kept on running, tripping and falling to the ground before hitting a tree. As he recovers, the stallion saw Rarity coming closer to him.

"Gah; Oh horsefeathers, mom would never believe this!" Ben exclaims frantically as he is backed to a grave with Rarity reaching for him. "No, mom would believe this. My dad won't!"

Ben quickly runs once more but collides into a tree, making him clench his eye a bit. Despite being dizzy, the stallion saw the corpse bride coming to him, making Ben...run into another tree. What is it with him crashing into trees today?

Ben recovers long enough to continue trying to make a break for it but he slips right on the icy rivers. Upon seeing Rarity, the freaked out groom quickly makes his way to the other side. Upon making it, with the white unicorn still in pursuit, he kept on running while going through some bushes which rips off a piece of his jacket.

Ben yelps as some crows flew over him, making him duck. This night has become crazy! The stallion stops after a while and looks back, sighing in relief, "Phew. I think I lost her. Imagine what would happen if that thing were to catch me..."

Ben however turns around and saw Rarity in front of him, giving him a warm lovingly smile. The stallion gasps in fear as the unicorn come closer to him. As she leans over, Rarity said, "You may kiss the bride."

The crows surround the two as they kiss, though Ben did so unwillingly. All went black...

Author's note
Hoo boy; Ben went and got married to a dead unicorn; Freaky, eh? In the next chapter, Ben himself finds himself in the underworld where he meets the undead and learns the story of Rarity from dead singer/pony party Pinkie Pie. And what will happen when his relatives find out? Read, review and suggest.

Razzaroo is a Gen 3 mare.