Part 1

Twilight closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

The breeze tickled her nose. The sun was warm on her face.

She sat with Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy on a plush chequered blanket with a picnic basket open and delicious fruit and baked goods laid out before them. Her friends laughed, ate sandwiches and cake, and shared stories. Butterflies flittered through the flower-filled meadow around them. The blue sky held but a few tufts of cloud and the trees slowly wafted in the soft, cooling wind.

What a day.

What a day for a picnic. What a day to be with friends.

She wished Rarity was with them to see it.

Twilight lifted an apple out of the picinic basket and idly rolled it around with a hoof. They had all expected to see less of Rarity after Ponyville’s resident fashionista had become the pony “every pony should know” and started selling bundles and bundles of dresses to the posh ponies of Canterlot. And Twilight had been so excited for Rarity’s success. It made her happy to see her friend achieving her goals.

But it would have been nice to have her there on such a wonderful day.

She closed her eyes again and imagined Rarity there with them. Rarity would probably be wearing a sunhat… yes, a big sunhat, and saying something about how fabulous the day was. No! Gorgeous. How simply gorgeous the day was. Twilight giggled.

She then sighed. Something felt… off. It seemed like Rarity had been missing for an abnormally long time. Then again, it wasn’t like she had a control group for comparison. She had so few friends to begin with and, outside of Spike, she didn’t have any friends at all growing up.

Twilight allowed a small smile and chuckled softly to herself. Oh yeah. There was one pony...

A pattering of feet drew her from her thoughts. Spike came tearing in the group, skidding to a stop in front of Twilight.

Spike was panicked, waving his arms about and trying to talk between breaths. “Twilight! I… it… the… Rar… bro… aahhhhh!”

“Spike. What is it?” Twilight could see tears lacing the edges of his eyes as he gasped for air. She reached a hoof out to him but then recoiled as Spike belched out a scroll before collapsing onto the blanket.

A letter from the Princess? Twilight grabbed it with her magic and unrolled it. “Dear Twilight,” she read out loud to the assembled ponies and heaving dragon, “I am sure you and your friends are as excited as I am about the upcoming wedding in Canterlot.”

She stopped. “Wedding?” She looked to her friends with an eyebrow raised but nopony responded with any more information. She resumed reading. “I will be presiding over the ceremony, but would very much like you and your friends to help with the preparations for this wonderful occasion. Fluttershy, I would like you and your songbird choir to provide the music.”

“Oh my goodness! What an honor!” Fluttershy positively glowed with delight.

“Pinkie Pie, I can think of no one more qualified than you to host the reception.”

“Hip, hip, hooray!” Pinkie Pie cartwheeled through the group, knocking over the teapot and putting a hoofprint into the top of the cake.

Twilight used her magic to straighten the teapot and smooth out the icing on the cake as she continued reading. “Applejack, you will be in charge of the catering for the reception.”

“Well, color me pleased as punch!”

“Rainbow Dash...” Twilight stopped for a second as Rainbow gave an exaggerated yawn.
“...I would very much appreciate it if you could perform a sonic rainboom as the bride and groom complete their ‘I do’s.”

Rainbow ceased her yawn by shoving a hoof into her mouth. She then leaped into the air, pumping her hooves in jubilation. “Yes!”

Twilight could see her own name coming up next, but that was all that was left of the letter. Princess Celestia needed help with a big wedding in Canterlot... and she wasn’t including Rarity.

Twilight shook her head and continued. “And as for you, Twilight, you will be playing the most important role of all: making sure that everything goes as planned. See you all very soon. Yours, Princess Celestia.”

She re-read the letter, seeing if she’d missed anything.

Nope.

She checked the back side of the scroll.

Nothing.

“But... I don't understand. Who's getting married?”

She heard a sniffle and looked down at the little dragon in front of her. He stood silent, ever so slightly shaking, and held out a second scroll.

Twilight delicately removed the scroll from Spike’s outstretched claws and read. “Princess Celestia cordially invites you to the wedding of… Rarity!?… And my brother?!”

A split-second of silence passed before Pinkie Pie came charging over with an excited squeal, tearing the scroll away from Twilight’s magic. “Rarity’s getting married! Rarity’s getting married! This is a-maz-ing!”

Pinkie continued gleefully chatting, but it barely registered in Twilight’s ears. This… this wasn’t possible. Her brother… her friend… both of them… they’d both...

Somepony was shaking her hoof. Applejack. “And to your kin, Twilight! Congratulations! That’s great news.”

Twilight pulled away. “Yeah, great news that I just got from a wedding invitation!” She huffed and paced. “Not from my brother, not from my friend, but from a piece of paper! Thanks a lot, guys. Neither of them could tell me personally?”

She levitated a sandwich and used it as an impromptu puppet as she imitated her brother. “Hey, Twilight, just thought you should know I'm marrying one of your best friends. Oh, never mind, you'll hear about it when you get the invitation.”

Furious, she slammed the sandwich to the ground. “And Rarity! How could she do this without telling any of us?”

Spike was busy hyperventilating into a paper bag. Twilight looked around at the rest of her friends. They didn’t seem to have any answers for her. They all looked concerned and a little bit confused.

All except for one. Fluttershy hid behind her hair, a tiny turquoise iris visible behind a cascade of pink. “Um… Twilight?”

Somepony did know! Looking for answers, brimming with anticipation, Twilight tried to keep her voice as even as possible. “Yes, Fluttershy. Is there something you’d like to say?”

“Um…”

Applejack gently placed a supportive hoof on Fluttershy’s shoulder. “It’s alright, sugarcube. Take your time.”

“Twilight, your brother… his name is Shining Armor, isn’t it?”

Twilight blinked twice. “You knew? You knew Rarity was marrying my brother and you never thought to mention this?”

“I-I… I didn’t know he was your brother. Honest. It’s just Rarity has been so excited about this stallion she’s been seeing in Canterlot named Shining Armor.” Fluttershy looked away toward the city and the large sphere of magic that surrounded it. “I certainly didn’t think things would proceed this quickly.”

“You’ve spoken with Rarity? Recently?”

“Not that recently.” Fluttershy fidgeted and rubbed her forehooves together. “Even though she was in Canterlot often, she’d always be at the spa for our weekly get together. That’s when she started telling me about Shining Armor, about how kind and generous and caring he was and, well, how handsome.” Fluttershy let out a light giggle. When she realized Twilight was not amused, she quickly continued. “Uh, anyway, she confided to me that she was afraid to tell him she was from Ponyville.”

Fluttershy stood on her back legs, put a hoof to her forehead, and spoke in her best Rarity voice. “Even after the Garden Party, the praise of Fancy Pants, and the adulation of the Canterlot elite, still I hesitate. But my dearest Fluttershy you must understand I’ve never met a pony like him. I must not mess this up. I cannot. For he… is… the… ONE!”

Fluttershy fell back to her hooves, coughed slightly, and resumed her demure composure. “Um, sorry. So, I was about to suggest that if he really was as kind as she said, then it wouldn’t matter where she was from. But as I was about to speak, she screamed ‘I’m going to do it!’ and ran out of the spa.”

“She just ran out of the spa? In the middle your talk?”

Fluttershy smiled. “Full gallop.” Her face slowly fell. “I haven’t seen her since then, nor heard from her. It’s like she vanished. But… but if I’d known he was your brother… I’m so, so sorry Twilight.”

Twilight moved forward and offered a hug and Fluttershy gladly accepted. “It’s okay. It's just that Shining Armor and I have always been so close.” Twilight pulled back and addressed the group. “He's my B.B.B.F.F.”

Her friends stared at her.

She rolled her eyes. “Big Brother Best Friend Forever,” she explained, drawing a simultaneous “Ohhh!” from the group.

She looked off toward Canterlot. “Before I came here and learned the importance of friendship, Shining Armor was the only pony I ever really accepted as a friend. He was the only pony I could really talk with about my hopes and dreams. We did everything together. He...” Twilight could feel tears welling. She dropped her head and closed her eyes. “It seems I miss him more that I realized.”

She kept her eyes closed and just breathed. There was so much to take in. She felt a hoof placed softly on her shoulder. She looked back to see Applejack.

“As one of your P.F.F’s...” Applejack began. Everypony gave her the same look they had just given Twilight. “Pony Friends Forever,” Applejack said with a quick scrunch of her nose and a roll of her eyes.

“Ohhh!”

“...I wanna tell you that I think your brother sounds like a real good guy.”

Twilight made her way back over to the picnic. “He is pretty special. They don’t let just anypony be captain of the Royal Guard.”

Rainbow Dash zipped over, her face stopping inches from Twilight’s eyes. “Your brother is captain of the Royal Guard? Like, the captain? Do you think the Wonderbolts will be there?”

“Uh… I guess?”

“Omygoshomygosh! One of our closest friends is marrying the captain of the Royal Guard and I get to do a sonic rainboom at their wedding?! Can you say best… wedding...ever?”

“Best wedding ever!” Pinkie Pie screamed as she cartwheeled back across the picnic setup, this time completely demolishing the cake. She grabbed Applejack’s hooves and started jumping up and down as Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash flew around overhead. They were all laughing and talking about their plans for the wedding.

Twilight just sat on the blanket. She didn’t feel like celebrating.

The countryside slowly descended away as the Friendship Express chugged its way up the mountain. Twilight stared out the window with her chin resting on her hoof.

Canterlot drew closer, but she didn’t feel any closer to understanding why her brother and one of her closest friends forgot about her.

She heard a burst of laughter from the back of the train car. The others were still going on about the wedding. She didn’t bother to join them or even look.

“Why the long face, sugarcube?”

Of course Applejack was worried about her. She cared about everypony’s feelings… unlike Rarity, apparently.

Twilight sighed and continued to stare out the window. “I'm just thinking about Shining Armor and Rarity. Ever since I moved to Ponyville, my brother and I have been seeing each other less and less. And ever since Rarity has been going to Canterlot, we’ve been seeing each other less and less too. And now that they’re starting a new family, we’ll probably never see each other.”

“Come on, now. You’re talking about your brother and your friend. They’ll always make time for you.”

Twilight snorted and turned to face Applejack. “They couldn’t seem to make time to tell me they were getting married.”

Applejack frowned but didn’t say any more. She shook her head and started to return to the group.

Twilight held up a hoof. “Wait…”

She struggled to find the right words for what was bothering her. Applejack waited patiently for Twilight to continue.

Finally, Twilight sighed and looked up at Applejack. “Why did you want to be friends with me?”

A small, pleasant smile formed on Applejack’s face. “Oh, shoot, there’s a million and one reasons to be friends with you. You care so much about each and every one of us and you’re the smartest dang pony that I–”

“No, I mean before you knew all that. You wanted to be friends with me the moment that we met. I was just some pony from Canterlot making inspections and you still wanted to share your food with me and introduce me to your family.” Twilight rubbed her hooves together in concern. “It wasn’t just you. Every pony here wanted to be friends with me without a second thought. And even though you’d just met me, all of you went with me into that dark and terrible forest.” She let her hooves drop. “Why?”

Applejack considered for a moment. “I guess that’s how we do things in Ponyville.”

“But that’s just it! Coming to Ponyville taught me the magic of friendship. What if… what if the reverse is happening to Rarity?!” A magical force field swept through the train car. Applejack looked around in confusion but Twilight kept on. “What if going to Canterlot is changing her into a pony who doesn’t know anything about friendship?”

“Now you know that’s not true.”

“But she didn’t tell me…”

“Come on, Twi, there’s probably a perfectly reasonable explanation. It’ll be fine. You’ll see. Just go congratulate your brother and Rarity.”

Twilight turned back to the window and huffed. “Yeah, congratulate. And then give them a piece of my mind.”

The talk with Applejack had helped, but Twilight was still frustrated. She needed answers and she needed them now.

As soon as the train pulled into the station, Twilight hopped off ahead of her friends. She shoved her way through a line of armored ponies on the train platform and made a beeline for Royal Guard Headquarters.

She got halfway there before noticing there was a little purple dragon trotting along beside her. He was staring at the ground in thought as he walked. After a moment he noticed her looking at him.

“I’m really concerned about you and Shining Armor,” Spike said. “I’m coming with you.”

Twilight stopped. “This is just because he’s marrying Rarity, isn’t it?”

“What? Psshh. No, of course not. Why, if Shining Armor was marrying somepony you’d never even heard of I’d still be right here with you.”

Twilight rolled her eyes and resumed walking. “Let’s just get to Royal Guard Headquarters.”

“Why would he be there?”

“Uhhh… because he’s captain of the Royal Guard?” Twilight raised an eyebrow at Spike.

“But Rarity and him are getting married soon,” Spike said. “He’s much more likely to be at home preparing for the wedding. Plus, don’t you want to talk to them both? Or at least Rarity, if he’s not there?”

“Ugh, fine.”

They made their way across Canterlot to Shining Armor’s house, but nopony was home. Spike then led Twilight around to all of the places in Canterlot he said Shining Armor might be, such as the spa, the fashion boutiques, an art gallery, and several cafes. Their winding trip, which also included a stop at Donut Joe’s, eventually circled back around to the castle.

Spike went off to check the gardens, but Twilight went straight to the bridge that connected the castle to Royal Guard HQ.

She stopped on the bridge and looked down into the plaza. There were plenty of guards heading off to various tasks, but still no Shining Armor.

She finally found him in a large conference room in Royal Guard Headquarters. He was dressed in full armor. There were maps of the city spread out on the table in front of him and he was directing guards about while simultaneously holding a heated discussion with Rarity.

Rarity? What in Equestria was Rarity doing here?

They were arguing in hushed voices as Twilight approached. Rarity was saying something very forcefully to Shining Armor.

They still hadn’t noticed her arrival. Twilight moved closer in order to hear.

“But why do there need to be so many guards at our wedding?” Rarity stomped once with her hoof to emphasize the point. “Can’t we reduce the number?”

“It’s for your safety,” Shining Armor said. He sounded really worried. “I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

“Well then send them somewhere else during the ceremony. You’re already performing that massive spell of yours. I think the extra security is entirely unnecessary.”

“And I think… ah!” Shining Armor closed his eyes and put a hoof to his forehead.

“Oh dear, are you getting another one of your–” Rarity began, but Twilight had waited long enough.

“I hope I’m not interrupting anything important,” Twilight said as she burst into the room, her voice tinged with frustration. Both Shining Armor and Rarity jumped in surprise at her arrival. “Shining Armor! How dare you not tell me in person that you were getting married! I'm your sister, for pony's sake! And you!” She pointed a hoof at Rarity. “We’re friends! How could not tell me that you’re marrying my brother? I… oof.”

Spike shoved his way past Twilight. “Rarity! We’ve been looking all over for you! We were so worried. We thought maybe you were in danger! I mean, there are guards everywhere and that huge bubble surrounding the city. But never fear, your Spiky-wiky is here!” He raised a victorious claw to the sky.

Rarity gave the dragon a blank stare. “Uh-huh.”

That was all she said to Spike. Uh-huh. She then walked right past him without looking, as if he wasn’t even there.

As she left, Rarity glanced at Twilight. The look on Rarity’s face was… aggressive. There certainly wasn’t anything friendly about it.

And then she was gone, without so much as a Hello! or a How are you, darling? or a I’m so sorry, Twilight. Here is a point by point explanation for why I forgot about my friend and tried to marry her brother without telling her.

As Twilight stood speechless and unsure of how to respond, Spike’s words about the guards and the bubble slowly seeped in. And hadn’t Rarity – before her huffy exit – said something about a massive spell?

Her gaze drifted to Shining Armor, who looked very hesitant and seemed to be considering everything that just happened. The pieces started to fall into place for Twilight. “Spell… What spell? What was Rarity talking about?”

Shining Armor indicated the balcony and led Twilight outside, leaving the stunned Spike with his mouth still open and claw still raised. Shining Armor put a hoof to his head and took a breath.

A beam of energy lept from his horn and connected with the magical bubble surrounding the city.

“A threat has been made against Canterlot,” Shining Armor said. “The burden of keeping Canterlot safe and secure rests squarely on my shoulders. Staying focused on the task at hand has been my top priority.”

The giant force field surrounding all of Canterlot was coming from her brother! Rarity wasn’t kidding when she described the spell as ‘massive.’ The toll it must have been taking on him…

“Okay, okay, I get it,” Twilight said. “You've got a really important job protecting all of Canterlot with a force field only you can conjure up. But still... you’re marrying one of my best friends. How could you not tell me about something as big as that? Am I not that important to you any more?”

“You’re my sister. How could you not be important to me? That’s why I want you up there with us when I get married.”

“Really?”

“Well, yeah.” Shining Armor rubbed the back of his helmet. “But, you see, I don’t know what side you should stand on. I mean, you’re my sister, but Rarity is your friend.”

Twilight smiled a set a hoof on his foreleg to calm him down. “That’s sweet, but you’re my brother. I’d be honored to stand with you.”

Shining Armor looked relieved. “Maybe as… best mare?”

“Of course!” Twilight beamed on the outside. She felt something else inside. It shouldn’t have been like this. She should be jumping around yelling You’re marrying Rarity! You’re marrying Rarity! But the way Rarity acted, a friend that she’d been through so much with. That look she gave. Something was really, really wrong here.

“I am so excited you’re here,” Shining Armor said.

Twilight wished she could say the same.

Twilight’s initial shock at Rarity’s behavior had morphed into dull frustration.

Applejack ran by, climbed a ladder, and finished applying icing to the top of a way bigger wedding cake than Rarity deserved. “Cake,” Applejack announced. “Check.”

Twilight checked ‘cake’ off her list. Shining Armor had a perfectly clear explanation for why he had neglected to inform her about the wedding. But Rarity? Just an ‘uh-huh’ and a mean look.

“Ice sculpture. Check.”

Twilight checked off ‘ice sculpture.’ One thing was for sure. No part of the preparing for this wedding was going to cheer her up...

“Best darn bite-size apple fritter you ever tasted?” Applejack presented the treat and Twilight readily devoured the delicious, scrumptious apple fritter.

Oohhh.

Oh, that sweet, crumbly, Apple Family goodness. “Mmm! Check.” Twilight happily checked ‘hors d’eouvres’ off her list.

From behind, Twilight heard, “I do. Do you? I do!” She found Spike sitting on the counter with his eyes closed, about to kiss a cake-topper that looked like Rarity.

“Hiya, Rarity!” Applejack waved to Rarity as she entered. Spike quickly hid the cake-topper behind his back and blushed with embarrassment. Twilight rolled her eyes and turned to face Rarity, who was no doubt ready to apologize for...

“Please,” Rarity said with a none-too-polite tone. “Address me as Lady Rarity.”

Woah. Did she just say that?

“Hiya, Lady Rarity!” Applejack said, chipper as ever. Twilight was equally stunned that Applejack was able carry on as if Rarity hadn’t just acted like the rudest pony in all of Equestria. “You come to check on the menu for your big day?”

“I have,” Rarity said.

Applejack presented an apple fritter. “I made your favorite. Hope this time you picked a guy who actually likes ‘em,” Applejack said with a wink.

Rarity face twisted into an obviously forced smile. “Of course. My favorite. That’s why I love them ever so much.” She took a small bite. “Delicious!”

“Aw, shucks. Why don't you take a few to go?” Applejack offered a paper bag packed with fritters. “I know how you can be. So busy, you forget to get a little somethin' in your belly.”

Rarity took the bag with her magic and made for exit. Just before crossing the threshold, she casually tossed the bag and all of its delicious contents in the garbage.

The... garbage.

She threw Applejack’s fritters… in the garbage.

“Did... you see what she…” Twilight sputtered.

But Applejack didn’t see. She was back to baking.

Unbelievable. Impossible!

“Oh, you should have seen how she acted back there,” Twilight said. She paced back and forth, her hooves clacking loudly on the tile floors of the castle ballroom.

Pinkie darted across the large space, hastily setting up board games, balloons, pinatas, and all manner of favors for the reception festivities.

Spike’s energy level was on the exact opposite end of the scale. He sat underneath one of the large windows that lined the ballroom. He was quiet and pensive, as if lost in deep thought, completely oblivious the everything else, including the pink blur and her party preparations.

Neither seemed to be paying attention to Twilight, but she pressed on. “I don't know when she changed, but she changed!” Twilight then showed that she could do a Rarity imitation that would give Fluttershy a run for her bits. “Please. Address me as Lady Rarity.”’

“Did I hear somepony say my name?” Rarity entered the room with the same haughty air Twilight had seen in the kitchen.

Pinkie was immediately in Rarity’s face. “You’re here! You’re here!”

Rarity appeared much less enthused about being here, but it didn’t stop Pinkie. She bounced around, displaying the games and dances she had prepared. Twilight ignored the whirling pink dervish and focused on Rarity. The snobbish and obviously indifferent unicorn looked about the room, ignoring Pinkie’s excited explanations, only occasionally offering feigned interest.

Pinkie finished her demonstrations and bounced over to Rarity. “This reception is going to be perfect! It’s exactly the kind of party you love!”

Rarity seemed taken aback by the statement. “Oh. Yes. As you say, normally I’d like all… this.” She waved a dismissive hoof. “But this is a wedding, not a foal’s birthday party.”

Pinkie tilted her head to one side. “What’s the difference?”

“Change it.” Rarity turned neatly on one hoof and walked out.

Pinkie didn’t react immediately. She slowly sat and her brow furrowed. She looked as deep in thought as Spike.

Twilight smirked. “Gee, maybe her name should be Lady Demandy-Pants.”

Twilight didn’t see the bride-to-be for the rest of the day. Rarity didn’t even show up when Lyra, Minuette, and Twinkleshine tried on their bridesmaids dresses, which was not only rude but very odd for Rarity… at least the Rarity that Twilight knew in Ponyville.

Day changed to night, Luna replaced Celestia at watch, and Twilight met her friends at a cafe near the castle for a well deserved drink. No doubt they were all miserable, having been subjected to Rarity’s rudeness, snobbiness, pickiness, and demand-y...ness.

Twilight set her drink down as she arrived at their table. “Bet I can guess what you're all thinking.” She let her voice lilt with a bit of sing-song. “Rarity is the absolute worst bride-to-be ever.”

She closed her eyes and took a nice long pull from her drink. She expected to open her eyes and see exhausted nods of agreement.

She received nothing of the sort. All she got was bemused stares from her friends. The only one acting even remotely serious was Spike. The cake-topper made to look like Rarity sat on the table in front of him. He stared at it, steadily drumming his claws in thought.

“Applejack,” Twilight pointed a hoof at her friend, “did you know that after she told you she loved your hors d'eouvres sooo much, she threw them in the trash?”

“Aw, she was probably just trying to spare my feelins.” Applejack chuckled as if nothing in the world was wrong.

But plenty was wrong; she just didn’t see it. “No, she was just being fake and totally insincere!”

“She did raise her voice at one of my birds during rehearsal,” Fluttershy offered.

“See? Rude!” Twilight leaned back. Finally some vindication.

“But he was singing really off-key,” Fluttershy said. She lifted her foreleg, presenting a bird from under the table – sweet Celestia she actually brought it with her – and it proudly sang the awfulest sound Twilight had ever heard a bird produce.

Twilight was tempted to raise her voice at the bird, but she had more pressing matters to attend to. “Pinkie Pie, you had to have noticed how Rarity treated…” Twilight trailed off. Pinkie Pie was not paying any attention to her at all. Instead, Pinkie was surrounded by stacks and stacks of paper, much of it crumpled and discarded. She rolled a pencil around in her mouth in thought. She crumpled up the notes in front of her, spit out the pencil, and started mumbling to herself. “Maybe if the balloons were bigger…”

“Nevermind. Rainbow Dash, you're with me, right?”

Rainbow flexed her legs and her wings in succession. “Sorry, Twi. Been too busy prepping for my sonic rainboom to pay much attention to the bride's bad attitude.”

Twilight growled in frustration. This was not how this was supposed to go! She looked around the table for help. She spotted the troubled look on the face of her assistant. “Spike! You saw how she brushed you off when we first saw her.”

Spike’s claws stopped drumming. His eyes met Twilight’s. “You’re right, Twilight. The way she’s been acting...”

“Thank you,” Twilight said with a sigh of relief. “Somepony agrees that we’ve got to put a stop to all this.”

“Yeah.” Spike nodded. “She doesn’t seem happy.”

“No!” Twilight threw her hooves into the air. “It’s because she’s an awful pony who doesn't deserve to even know Shining Armor, let alone marry him!”

She let her hooves fall to the table. They landed with an audible clunk thanks to the sudden and complete silence. The whole group stared at her, stunned. Spike grabbed the cake-topper and clutched it tightly to his chest.

Applejack stood. “Think maybe you're bein' just a tiny bit possessive of your brother?” The rest of her friends nodded in agreement.

“I am not being possessive, and I am not taking it out on Rarity! You're all just too caught up in your wedding planning to notice that maybe there shouldn't even be a wedding!” Twilight slammed a hoof on the table, spilling everypony’s drink in the process.

Twilight stormed off before anypony had a chance to be even more wrong about Rarity or any of their stupid wedding plans.

The lights of Canterlot drifted by at the edge of Twilight’s awareness. She wandered through the streets without direction or purpose.

It wasn’t supposed to go like this. They were a team. They were supposed to be right at her back, helping her stop this disaster of a wedding. Instead, her friends had all turned into complete jerks. It was Discord all over again, except no chaos magic was at work this time. It was just a stupid wedding with its dumb dresses and stupid parties and delicious fritters… wow, those fritters were really good.

No! She had to stay focused. She had to stop Shining Armor from making the worst mistake of his life. If her friends weren’t going to help, she was going to save her brother herself.

It was getting late when she knocked on Shining Armor’s door.

She blinked through her tears when the light from inside hit her. Had she been crying? She quickly wiped her eyes as Shining Armor’s silhouette appeared in the doorway.

He stood confident in his in his regal red dress uniform. Twilight must have done a poor job of covering her pain, because his demeanor slowly changed to concern when he saw her.

For a moment the siblings just looked at each other before Shining Armor spoke. “Come in?”

Twilight weakly nodded. Once she joined him in the living room she came right out with it. No sense in delaying any longer. “We need to talk. I think you're making a big…” Twilight stopped and took a deep breath. “...mistake.”

“A mistake?”

“You can’t go through with the wedding. Something is wrong. Rarity and I were such close friends…” Were? Yes, Twilight supposed it really had come to that. “But now she’s just awful. It’s like she’s completely different pony!”

Shining Armor was stunned. No surprise there. Twilight prepared herself for the anger that was no doubt coming her way, since she had just barged into her brother’s home in the middle of the night to declare his fiance an awful pony.

But Shining Armor didn’t get angry. He just looked away and didn’t answer. He was long in thought, conflict playing across his face. Finally, he looked back at Twilight. “You’ve known Rarity a long time, huh?”

“We’ve been through so much together. It’s bizarre to see her like this.”

“If you and Rarity weren’t so close, I’d probably just ignore it. But now that you mention it…” He seemed hesitant to continue.

Twilight moved closer to her brother. “What is it?”

“I’ve been having suspicions lately. One day she started acting different. She suddenly became very, very interested in Canterlot’s defenses and she began asking me a lot of strange questions.”

“Yes! Like when she asked you about the guards.”

“I told myself that she was probably just nervous about the threat against Canterlot and left it at that. But then she started asking me really strange stuff…”

“Strange how?”

“Well, for example, she keeps asking me about the Elements of Harmony,” Shining Armor said.

“The Elements? Why would she ask you? She knows more about them than you do.”

“I thought the same. But again and again and again she’d ask. Where are they kept? How do they work? How powerful are they? Do the Elements work individually or do all six have to be together?”

“But she already knows that all six of us need to be there for the Elements to work.”

“Right. So why is she asking?”

“I… I don’t know. But something’s up.” Twilight rubbed a hoof to her chin. This really had turned into a quite a mystery. The thought brought a smile to her face. She looked up at Shining Armor, a familiar excitement growing within her. “Ready to do some investigating together, big brother?”

Shining Armor smiled back. “Absolutely, and I know where to start. I’ve been told by my guards that she’s spending a lot of time snooping around the castle at night.”

“Wouldn’t the princesses have noticed?”

“No, they’re trading shifts in the watchtower. The castle is deserted most of the night.” He glanced over his shoulder and then leaned down to Twilight to whisper. “Meet me at the Hall of the Elements in half an hour but stay hidden.”

“You got it.” Twilight hurried into the streets. She moved with renewed purpose. It turned out she didn’t need to convince Shining Armor. They were on the same page, ready to work together and unravel Rarity’s schemes.

Twilight lowered her head and picked up speed. She was finally going to get some answers.

Moonlight filtered through stained glass windows in the Hall of the Elements as Twilight crept from shadow to shadow. She moved along the side wall of the long, thin chamber, keeping as quiet as possible.

She didn’t have any black getup to keep her hidden like the time she snuck into the Canterlot Archives, but thankfully she wasn’t being tailed by Pinkie Pie and Spike. Those two seriously needed to learn the definition of the word incognito.

She looked up at the stained glass window above her. It was of her and her friends using the Elements of Harmony. Her friends. All six.

She walked into the light and put a hoof on the glass.

A sound in the dark. It came from both directions, like a skittering of hooves on marble. Twilight quickly slid out of the light and pressed herself up against a pillar. Was somepony there? She carefully peered around the pillar and scanned the darkened chamber.

Nothing. She knew she heard something but the echo made it hard for her to tell if it had come from both ends of the hall or if it was one sound bouncing around. She probed her ears, but all she got back was silence, as if there was no pony in the chamber with her.

She looked back at the stained glass window. No pony at all.

“Rarity!” Twilight jumped as Shining Armor’s commanding voice echoed about the chamber. He stood in the open double doors that led into the chamber. “I know you’re here!”

He began marching down the center of the hall.

Near the doors at the far end of the hall, behind which the Elements of Harmony were locked, Rarity slowly appeared from behind a pillar, materializing from the darkness with a casual sway in her step. She didn’t look surprised, just coy. She began a leisurely, calm walk down the center of the hall in his direction. “You don’t mind me taking a look around, do you?”

Her horn lit with a sickly-green glow.

Shining Armor slowed. His movements became sluggish, as if as an invisible force hindered his progress. The anger in his face melted away, replaced by a blank stare. His eyes began to glow the same green as Rarity’s horn and rolled around in opposite directions. He nodded his head. “Mmm-hmm…”

“That’s a good boy,” Rarity said.

What kind of terrible, awful, despicable magic was that? Whatever it was, Rarity was using on her brother!

Things like yelling at birds and throwing away fritters suddenly seemed way less important to Twilight. Rarity wasn’t just unpleasant and rude. She was downright evil!

Twilight needed help and she needed it right now. She moved as quickly as she could without alerting Rarity to her presence. Once she made it out of the chamber and into the night she ran as fast as her legs could carry her.

She had to get to her friends. She had to let them know.

As she passed under the Canterlot watchtower she heard Princess Luna’s booming voice ask, “Who goes there?”

Luna yelled something else but Twilight ignored it and kept running.

Twilight burst into common area of the suite her friends were sharing. “Shining Armor's in real trouble! You have to help!”

No pony even reacted to her entrance. They were happily chatting about the matching bridesmaid dresses they were all wearing... the exact same ones Lyra, Minuette, and Twinkleshine had tried on earlier that day, plus an extra that came from who knows where and matched the first three. “Dresses… what are you…”

Fluttershy flew over to Twilight. “Can you believe it? We're gonna be Rarity’s new bridesmaids!”

That was unexpected information. “New bridesmaids? What happ… wait a minute, why weren’t you the bridesmaids in the first place?”

“Better late than never,” Applejack said.

“But you’re wearing the old bridesmaids’ dresses! Doesn’t that seem weird? Normally Rarity makes a custom dress for each of us…”

Pinkie Pie started giggling. “Now who’s being Lady Demandy-Pants?”

“Mine’s surprisingly aerodynamic!” Rainbow Dash did a backflip to demonstrate. They all laughed at Rainbow’s display and returned to their revelry.

Twilight didn’t bother trying to explain to her friends what she’d just seen Rarity do. It wouldn’t matter anyway. They didn’t care. All they cared about was the wedding. So she simply walked out into the night. “Looks like I really am on my own.”

Twilight returned to the Hall of the Elements but Rarity and Shining Armor were gone. She rechecked the spell keeping the Elements secure. After the Discord incident Celestia had taught Twilight how to open the chamber, just in case. The Elements were safe, no indications of tampering. Twilight then made her way to the Archives and stayed up all night trying to figure out what kind of dark magic Rarity had used.

She found a number of similar spells – all of them very, very dangerous – but nothing that exactly matched what she had seen. The next day dawned with no clear answer. The only thing that was clear was that Rarity had to be stopped. Twilight was not going to let Rarity take her brother from her.

She left the Archives and made for the site of the wedding. The rehearsal was already underway. Twilight had purposefully skipped the start of the rehearsal, but now she had a reason to be there. It was the perfect place to confront Rarity.

Twilight had the advantage. Sure, Rarity had been sneaking around behind their backs, but she didn’t know that Twilight had witnessed everything.

As she approached the doors to the hall, she heard Rarity’s voice. “Hey… has anypony seen Twilight?”

Perfect timing. Twilight threw open the doors. “I’m here! I’m not gonna stand next to her! And neither should you!”

Rarity lifted a hoof to her chest in surprise. A mixture of bewilderment and pain crossed her face.

Fluttershy flew to Twilight’s side. “Oh, goodness! Are you okay?”

Twilight walked right past her. She would not be deterred. “I’m fine.”

Applejack stepped forward. “Ya sure about that?”

Twilight used her magic to pull down Applejack’s hat and push her out of the way. “I’ve got something to say.” She pointed a hoof at Rarity. “She’s evil!”

Twilight used a quick teleport to appear on the stairs above Rarity. “She's been horrible to my friends, she’s been snooping around the castle at all hours of the night, and if that wasn't enough, I saw her put a spell on my brother that made his eyes go all…” Twilight rolled her eyes around to demonstrate.

That definitely got the Princess’s attention. Good.

Twilight steeled herself for the rebuke. She was ready for Rarity’s counterarguments, lies, and passionate attempts to defend her clearly evil actions.

She was not ready for Rarity to start crying.

“Why… why are you doing this to me?” Rarity fought to speak through pained sobs.

But Twilight wasn’t going to be fooled by Rarity’s act. Not a chance. “Because you’re evil!”

Rarity ran. She galloped down the stairs and out of the room. Twilight teleported to the entryway to yell after the fleeing Rarity. “Evil! And if I don’t stop you you’re gonna ruin my brother’s life!”

Well, that was that. It wasn’t easy, but Twilight was victorious. She had exposed Rarity’s machinations in front of everypony and saved her brother. Confident, she turned back to the group and ran straight into Shining Armor.

She took a step back and smiled up at him, but he did not smile back. He looked mad.

Really, really mad.

“You want to know why my eyes went all…?” Shining Armor started to roll his eyes but then let out a grunt in pain. “Because ever since I started having to perform my protection spell, I’ve been getting terrible migraines. Rarity hasn't been casting spells on me. She’s been using her magic to heal me!”

“But I saw–”

“And if she hasn't been on her best behavior with your friends, it’s because with me being so busy, she's had to make all the decisions about the wedding!”

“I was just trying to–”

“And the reason she’s been ‘snooping around the castle’ has been to help with security. She didn’t want me to know because she knew that I’d worry. After all the stress she’s had trying to make our big day perfect, she’s still trying to give more. Something you clearly don’t appreciate.”

Twilight’s world crumbled around her as her Big Brother Best Friend tore into her heart.

Shining Armor turned to leave and stopped at the door. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go and comfort my bride. And you can forget about being my best mare. In fact, if I were you, I wouldn’t show up to the wedding at all.”

He left without looking back.

Applejack straightened her hat. “C’mon, y’all. Let’s go check on Rarity.”

All of her friends followed after Shining Armor. Twilight Sparkle tried to stop them, tried to explain. “I was–”

The great shadow of Princess Celestia passed over her. “You have a lot to think about,” Celestia said as she departed with wings unfurled. Her guards left with her. The doors to the hall slammed shut behind them.

And Twilight was alone.

Could… could it really have all been a mistake? She hadn’t bothered to look at any healing spells in the Archives. “Maybe I was being overprotective.”

Twilight laid on the stairs where Rarity and Shining Armor were going to get married. She looked at the spot where she was going to stand with him… before she’d ruined everything. “I could’ve gained a sister. But instead... I just lost a brother.”

Alone in the hall, she didn’t bother stopping her tears. Before today, Shining Armor was her big brother best friend forever. But that was all gone now. They’d never do anything together again...

Hoofsteps.

They approached, slowly and steadily. Twilight blinked through her tears and looked over her forelegs to see an immaculate white coat.

A gentle hoof stroked her head. She looked up into soft, forgiving blue eyes.

Twilight sniffled and managed to quietly say, “I’m sorry.”

Shining Armor’s eyes flashed green. “You will be.”

Part 2

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It began with green fire.

Shining Armor’s horn lit and the green flames surrounded Twilight. A force, an irresistible magical force, pulled Twilight down, down, down through the floor. As she phased into the stone beneath her, all she could see was green fire… green fire and an evil grin on her brother’s face before he turned away and left her to her fate.

Then came darkness.

After what felt like an eternity of falling, Twilight felt the magic release her. She dropped roughly onto a cold, flat surface.

And then it was over.

The darkness was pure pitch. She couldn’t even see her own hooves.

After taking a moment to catch her breath, Twilight lit a small light at the tip of her horn and called into the dark. “Hello?”

Her voice bounced around her. Wherever she was, the echos indicated that the chamber was not large. She got up and took a few cautious steps forward. “Is anyone there?”

Wham. She ran into a cold, hard surface. She stared at… herself?

It was her reflection. The walls of the chamber were like glass or crystal… or a some kind of rock-face smoothed to a perfect sheen...

Laughter in the distance. Evil, mocking laughter.

“Where am I?” Twilight called into the darkness.

Where once there was her own reflection, an image of her brother appeared, tinted with green. “The caves beneath Canterlot, once home to greedy unicorns who wanted to claim the gems that could be found inside.” His voice echoed throughout the cave. There were hundreds of images of him, each facet of the wall danced with his evil smile. “And now, your prison.”

“Help! Help!” Twilight tried to run, but no matter what side of the chamber she moved to, an image of Shining Armor appeared.

“It's no use. No one can hear you. And no one will ever think to look for you, either. Most ponies have forgotten that these caves even exist, which is why they are the ideal place to keep the ones who try to interfere with my plans.” He burst out laughing, reveling in his assured victory.

No, this wasn’t happening. It couldn’t. It… it was Rarity who had turned evil… it was… “Plans? What plans?”

“The plans I have for your friend Rarity, of course.”

“Shining Armor! I don’t understand. Why are you doing this?”

The images faded one by one. His laughter echoed away as each disappeared, becoming fainter and fainter.

Rarity paced around her boudoir.

The preparations were complete. The guests had arrived. She had her dress. She had her bouquet. Everything was ready. But… was she ready?

“Oh, Opal. None of this has been like I imagined.”

Opalescence sat on a stack of pillows and continued cleaning herself. Undeterred, Rarity continued to aimlessly amble about the space.

“I don’t understand. This was going to be perfect, the kind of day I dreamed of since I was small. I’m marrying the pony of my dreams in Canterlot – Canterlot, Opal – with the Princess herself presiding. But…”

A tiny knock came from the door. It was quiet, unobtrusive, barely audible but enough to be heard and recognized. Rarity composed herself. “Come in, Fluttershy.”

Fluttershy opened the door and poked in half her face. At Rarity’s beckoning nod, Fluttershy entered. “I came to check on you, if that’s okay.”

Rarity forced a smile. “Of course. Everything is wonderful, darling.”

Concern did not leave Fluttershy’s face. She said nothing. An eyebrow raised ever so slightly.

Rarity threw herself onto the bed. “Everything’s dreadful, darling!”

Fluttershy slowly climbed onto the bed, folded her legs, and sat with Rarity.

Rarity rolled onto her side, careful not to smudge her makeup or bend her magnificently curled eyelashes, and looked with pleading eyes at Fluttershy. “Have you seen Twilight?”

Fluttershy shook her head. “Nopony has seen her since the rehearsal.”

“It doesn’t make any sense! Why did she say those things? Casting spells? Sneaking around the castle by dark of night? I haven’t the foggiest where any of that came from!” Rarity sat up and considered for a moment. “Admittedly, she was dead on about me being awful to all of you.”

“You just wanted your big day to be perfect and we’ve been more than happy to help.”

“Oh, you’ve all been so understanding. Yes, there are certain… standards that need to be met for a wedding in Canterlot, but I really shouldn’t have been so critical.” Rarity moved from the bed and started pacing again. “Regardless, I thought I’d fixed everything. I made you all my bridesmaids and you, you Fluttershy, will be my mare of honor, just as it should have been.”

Fluttershy played with the hem of her dress. “We were certainly surprised to see you show up in the middle of the night with five dresses.”

“Well, I had to do something! There I was in my and Shining Armor’s bed, when I thought I heard Twilight’s voice. So I went into the living room, but only Shining Armor was there. I asked if Twilight had come calling and he snapped at me and said I must be imagining things again.”

Fluttershy winced.

“Oh, no, Fluttershy, he’s not normally like that. It’s just that his protection spell is giving him terrible headaches and he’s sometimes… short because of it.” True, Shining Armor only mentioned the headaches anytime he clearly didn’t want to talk about something, but Rarity thought it best not to mention that part.

Fluttershy nodded once but did not appear to be convinced.

Rarity cleared her throat and continued. “Anyway, I was not going to sit there and wallow. I went straight to see all of you and make it right.”

“You really didn’t have to make us your bridesmaids,” Fluttershy said. “We could have waited for the second ceremony, if that’s what you wanted.”

Rarity stopped pacing. She lowered her head. Ah, the second ceremony. Her brilliant plan that got her into this mess in the first place. She walked over to her vanity and used her magic to carefully lift the gold-leafed, personally written invitations she had prepared for her friends. She had planned to deliver them in person and ask all of her friends to be a part of her wedding.

But then the threat against Canterlot happened and the shield went up. Inviting her friends to Canterlot suddenly seemed like a terrible idea. She didn’t want to put them in danger… but she also didn’t want to disappoint the citizens of Canterlot by canceling the wedding. There’d been a great deal of buzz about the captain of the Royal Guard’s mysterious fiance – buzz that Rarity had a hoof in generating, of course – and the wedding itself was turning into quite the event.

Very well, she had decided. Two weddings! She would go forward with the wedding with her Canterlot friends as bridesmaids and then have another wedding in Ponyville just for her Ponyville friends once the danger had passed. Shining Armor agreed with her entirely, saying that they needed to generate as much love among the ponies of Canterlot as possible. Such a wonderful sentiment, really.

But then the Princess went ahead and invited Rarity’s friends without her knowing!

Rarity tossed the invitations across the room. They scattered, the heavy cardstock landing with five muted thumps on the carpet.

Rarity sat down. She felt a shudder run through her body. No, she would not cry, not right before her wedding.

Fluttershy silently flittered from the bed and landed by Rarity’s side, wrapping her in a wing.

“I just want it to be perfect,” Rarity whispered. “But it’s not. Shining has been so distant, Twilight’s mad at me for Celestia knows why, and… and… just look at your dress.”

“I think the dress is nice,” Fluttershy said.

“But I wanted you to have your own dress.” Rarity indicated the five dress forms that lined one side of the room. On each was a half-finished dress, each designed for her friends. “After I delivered your dresses and explained everything, I came here and started to work on new dresses… but I fell asleep without realizing it. I awoke with barely any time before the rehearsal. And then when I arrived, Lyra, Minuette, and Twinkleshine were there. Goodness! To be told on the day of the wedding – at the rehearsal no less! – that you’re no longer a bridesmaid...”

“They said they were alright with it and that they just wanted you to be happy.” Fluttershy gave a light squeeze with her wing. “We all do.”

“That’s why you deserve so much better. Lyra, Minuette, and Twinkleshine deserve more than what they got. Rainbow Dash and Applejack deserve more than to be wearing my first-pass reject dresses. Everypony deserves more than this.”

“Yes,” Fluttershy said. “Yes you do. You deserve more than who you’re going to…” Fluttershy stopped herself and looked down at her hooves.

Rarity understood. “Oh, no, Shining Armor really is a wonderful pony. He’s simply... under a lot of stress right now.”

Fluttershy nodded but kept her eyes down. “I know, but he doesn’t seem like the pony you described to me at the spa. He seems… not nice.”

“Just give him a chance, Fluttershy. His princely side is sure to come out if you’re just pati…” Rarity trailed off, unable to finish the sentence. Did those words really come out of her mouth?

“...Rarity?”

“It’s alright, dear.” Rarity gave Fluttershy a nuzzle. “You better go finish your preparations. I’ll be fine, really.”

Fluttershy walked over to the door but paused before leaving. “If you need anything…”

“I will.”

Fluttershy put on a small smile. There was still concern on her face, but it was good to see even that little smile.

After Fluttershy left, Rarity walked over and leaned against a bedpost. “Where is he? Where is the stallion who swept me off my hooves?”

Shining Armor really had been the perfect stallion. He navigated Canterlot high society so comfortably and effortlessly. He was so strong, so sweet, so kind, oh, and so wonderful with Sweetie Belle.

Rarity grasped a bedpost with her forehooves and spun herself around, remembering the charming pony she’d fallen for…

She stopped and put a hoof to her forehead. She was overcome with a kind of… wooziness. The edges of her vision were tinged for just a moment with a greenish haze. She felt as if she was going to faint.

When was the last time she ate? She really should have accepted those treats Applejack offered. Hopefully no pony noticed her throw them in the trash.

Twilight observed the smoking hole in the ground she had created when yet another of her magical beams had bounced around the mirrored chamber without having any effect on the walls. This was getting frustrating.

She had to get out of here. She had to stop Shining Armor from… doing something. Something really bad. She wasn’t quite sure what, exactly, but first she had to escape this prison.

She tilted her head and considered the walls. “Hmm,” she thought aloud. “A sufficiently powerful blast might be enough to implode the facet without reflecting…” She looked at the crater again. “...but I don’t want to risk it.”

She tapped a hoof against the ground in sudden realization. Of course! Resonance!

She approached a wall of the chamber and lightly placed her horn against it. Her horn’s glow softened as she channeled magic directly into the rock face. The wall began to hum. She pulsed more and more vibrations into the wall with her magic.

A tiny crack began to form in the wall.

“Come on… come on… just a little more… Yes!”

The entire wall shattered instantly, falling in a pile of scattered shards and revealing… Shining Armor!

She had to strike quick. Twilight dove forward with all her strength.

“Twily! Wait!”

She tackled him to the ground before he had a chance to use his evil-green-fire spell again.

He didn’t struggle. He cowered beneath her. “Please, you have to believe me,” he said. “I’ve been imprisoned like you. The Shining Armor who brought you down here is an imposter.”

“Likely story!”

Then… he started singing. It was soft and slow, like a lullaby. “Little sister, best friend forever. Like two peas in a pod, we’ll do everything together…”

Twily remembered. She remembered being a little filly, tucked in bed. Her big brother, still just a colt himself, was singing her to sleep. Years later she’d turned the song into her own, adding her own lyrics to sing about her Big Brother Best Friend Forever. She liked to sing it to herself sometimes in the library when no pony was listening.

Twilight helped Shining Armor stand and they held each other. This really was her brother.

But if this really was her brother, then Rarity was about to...

The fake Shining Armor’s laugh echoed in the distance. Twilight looked up at her brother and followed his eyes to an opening leading deeper into the caves.

“We have to get out of here,” Twilight said.

Shining Armor nodded and they made their way into the caves. They ran as fast as their tired legs could carry them through the honeycombed maze of the old mines. They occasionally caught glimmers of light reflecting off the walls, but most of the time they were forced to make random guesses about direction.

“I’m worried,” Shining Armor said as they double-backed from a dead end and picked another path.

“We’ll find a way out,” Twilight said, almost convincing herself.

“I’m not afraid of that. I know working together we’ll figure it out. But I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t afraid we won’t make it in time, before Rarity marries that fake.”

Twilight was about to respond, but she slid to a stop as the tunnel opened into a huge cavern. She stood at the end of a broken minecart track. Its rails descended in a great spiral down into the dark before exiting into another chamber. An old, rickety minecart sat abandoned on the track. It didn’t look particularly… safe. But the chamber that the track led into was a bit brighter than where they were.

Shining Armor ran past Twilight. He pushed against the cart, straining with all his might, but his strength gave out and he fell to the ground.

Tears started to form in his eyes.

Twilight quietly approached and set a reassuring hoof on her brother’s shoulder. “You really love her, don’t you?”

He laid on the ground, breathing softly with his eyes closed before speaking quietly. “She’s so passionate, but there’s a gentleness hidden underneath. She’s graceful and strong and… genuine. You know?” Shining Armor looked up at Twilight. “She’s also amazing with her little sister. Reminds me of a pony that’s special to me.”

Twilight blushed.

“All of my thoughts are of her, Twily. I want to care for her, love her, and cherish her every day for the rest of my life.”

Twilight nodded once. With one swift motion of magic, she lifted the rocks out of the mining car and placed her brother inside. Twilight placed her forehooves on the cart. “Come on, B.B.B.F.F. Let’s go save your bride.”

“Don’t worry, Rarity,” he said to the darkness. “I'll be there very soon.”

Twilight gave the cart a hard shove and it started rolling faster than she anticipated. She barely managed to pull herself in before the cart escaped from her grasp. Down they spiralled, faster and faster. The track straightened out as the new chamber opened before them. It was huge. Light streamed in from cracks above.

Yes! They were near the surface.

Twilight looked ahead.

Oh no.

They were also near the end of the track. Before she could speak the cart slammed into the rail at the end of the line, launching both ponies into the air.

Twilight flailed her limbs as jagged rocks sped past. She grabbed onto Shining Armor, who had his eyes closed, as they flew through the air.

She could try to teleport… oh but Starswirl’s Maxim of Magical Momentum meant they’d still impact at the same velocity if...

A pink bubble of energy surrounded them both as the ground approached. Shining Armor’s horn glowed bright as he focused on maintaining the protective sphere.

The bubble flattened and warped as they hit solid rock, but they remained unharmed. The magical ball rebounded off the rock face and they were sent tumbling across the chamber, pinballing from surface to surface.

After a dizzying series of bounces they finally came to rest on a platform that jutted out high above their original starting place. The bubble dissipated and both siblings collapsed.

“Let’s… let’s not do that again…” Twilight waited for the room to stop spinning before opening her eyes.

There! A ray of light streamed through a gap in the ceiling above them. They were just one short climb away from freedom!

Unfortunately, there were four groomsponies in their way.

Caramel, Cherry Fizzy, Noteworthy, and Meadow Song stood between the siblings and the exit. Their eyes glowed green… the same green as the terrible fire that brought her here.

“You’re not going anywhere,” they said in unison as they advanced.

Twilight took a step back, but Shining Armor held his ground. He used his magic to remove something from one of his back legs. It was a small elastic band covered in white lace and had blended in with Shining Armor’s coat so much that Twilight hadn’t noticed he was wearing it.

Shining Armor dangled it in the air in front of his friends. Their eyes were transfixed on the lacy, dainty… garter?

He tossed it to one side and all four dove after the garter, simultaneously yelling, “I want it!”

Twilight watched the groomsponies wrestle for the garment. “Why did you have one of Rarity’s garters? The groom isn’t supposed to have that until after the wedding.”

“We like to give each other little mementos.”

“But it’s tradition! You have to wait until the reception…”

“Twily. Focus. We have a wedding to stop.”

Twilight nodded and began climbing. There would be time for questions later. Right now, she had to get to the surface and save her friend.

Horns blared to herald her arrival, but Rarity barely heard them.

She glided across the long red carpet leading to the pony of her dreams. Curiously, there were no groomsponies next to Shining Armor, but she paid it no heed. It didn’t matter. Nothing else mattered but reaching her destination, her Shining, her world. Her hooves became lighter and lighter with each step.

Their eyes locked and he grinned back at her. She could see him, only him, and nothing else. The rest of the world faded into a green haze. She could no longer see the adoring crowd or the perfectly appointed chandelier or the grand city of Canterlot spread beyond the balcony behind the dais. All that remained was him. The image of Shining in his resplendent red uniform floated in a mire of green, drawing closer and closer.

She couldn’t feel her legs, or any other part of her body for that matter. She drifted through a verdant miasma toward her true love.

But… something was missing.

The… spark wasn’t there. That indescribable effervescent feeling she got when she was around Shining Armor wasn’t there. Everything felt so natural around him. She never felt like she had to force anything. She didn’t have to worry or fret about maintaining status or image. Yes, natural. That was the word.

This didn’t feel natural. It didn’t feel right.

But that was okay. It didn’t matter that something was missing. It would all be okay. Tom would make everything okay…

Wait. Why did she just think Shining Armor’s name was Tom?

A flood of memories came crashing upon her. Terrible, terrible memories. She knew this feeling. She knew why she heard the name Tom in her head. She’d felt this before. Magically induced desire.

Rarity closed her eyes and screamed. Her shriek echoed across the hall.

Silence.

Then murmurs. She heard quiet, worried mutterings from every direction.

She slowly opened her eyes. She was at the wedding, her wedding. She was standing in the center of the alile. Her friends, the Princess, and the whole crowd of Canterlot’s finest all stared at her in stunned disbelief.

She turned and ran away as fast as she could. She reached for the doors and yelled: “STOP THE WEDDING!”

Just before she got there, the doors swung open and hit her in the face. As she fell to the floor she could hear Twilight Sparkle yell: “STOP THE WEDDING!”

As she laid on the plush velvet rug, stars in her eyes, she rolled onto her side and looked down the aisle toward the dais.

Shining Armor wasn’t concerned. He had a smug smile on his face, as if he didn’t care at all that his fiance had just screamed, ran, and then been struck in the face. “This is all very amusing,” he said. “But you’re still too late.”

“I-I don’t understand,” Applejack said. “How can there be two of ‘em?”

Two?

Another Shining Armor appeared at Rarity’s side. He lifted her gently into his forelegs. She recognized the softness and the strength, the gentleness. She felt a warmth inside, a warmth that had been missing.

“Because I’m the real Shining Armor,” the new arrival said, but Rarity already knew it was true. The real Shining Armor, her Shining Armor, had come back.

Shining Armor pointed at his doppelganger. “That’s Queen Chrysalis. She's a changeling. She takes the form of somepony you love and gains power by feeding off your love for them.”

Flames roared to life around the false Shining Armor. He disappeared into green light and Rarity was struck blind for a moment. Over the roar of the magical flames she could hear a reverberating, sickening laughter.

The whole room gasped.

Eventually the world faded back into view and there before them stood Queen Chrysalis.

Tall as Celestia, as terrifying as Nightmare Moon, the insect-like queen of the changelings confidently descend the stairs toward Rarity and Shining Armor.

That repulsive... thing had tricked her, had taken her Shining Armor, had… had…

Rarity tried to stand but her legs wouldn’t cooperate.

Chrysalis laughed and continued her slow approach. “Right you are, Captain. And as queen of the changelings, it is up to me to find food for my subjects. Equestria has more love than any place I’ve ever encountered. My fellow changelings will be able to devour so much of it that we will gain more power than we have ever dreamed of! First, we take Canterlot.” She buzzed her translucent wings and lifted her hooves into the air. “And then, all of Equestria!”

“No. You won’t,” Princess Celestia said with cold confidence. Chrysalis ceased her celebration and lowered back to the ground, a wary look on her face. “Now that you have so foolishly revealed your true self…” Celestia rose into the air. Her horn illuminated with a brightness to match the sun itself. “I can protect my subjects from–”

A charging pegasus guard struck Celestia in the chest. Two more came from above and another from the side, knocking her from the air. She hit the marble floor hard, all four guards landing on top of her. One of the guards stood and opened his mouth. Green goo sprayed forth, covering Celestia’s horn. The others sprayed goo from their mouths, locking Celestia to the ground.

One by one, all of the royal guards in the room turned into changelings, each revealing their true forms with a flash of green. Ponies screamed as they whirled about. Changelings were on all sides of them.

Chrysalis laughed all the while. “The ‘protection spell’ I performed as Shining Armor did nothing. It was just a clever ruse. My army has been in the city the whole time. No pony suspected a thing… except for one.” A pair of armored changelings joined Chrysalis and stood at each side of her. “It’s funny, really. Twilight here was right to be suspicious. Too bad she was suspicious of the wrong pony. I thought she might give me trouble, but after she revealed to me her misgivings about her friend, it was a simple matter to give her a push in the wrong direction.”

The two changelings that flanked Chrysalis briefly turned into Rarity and Shining Armor. The fake Rarity’s horn lit up green and the fake Shining Armor’s eyes spun around. They then reverted to their true forms and both gave hissing laughs.

Rarity got to her hooves as Twilight arrived at her side. Weakened, barely able to stand, Rarity leaned into her friend.

“I’m sorry,” Twilight said, quietly.

“It’s not your fault,” Rarity managed. Even saying a few words was a struggle, but with the warmth of her friends and the real Shining Armor around her, she felt a little of her sapped strength return.

Chrysalis reveled in her victory. “Now no one can stop me from…”

A burst of magic interrupted Chrysalis’s celebration. There, standing in the doorway, was Princess Luna; a group of changelings laid unconscious at her feet.

The Princess of the Night casually observed the room. A smirk grew on her lips. “Hello, everypony. Did I miss anything?”

With a blast from her horn, she scattered the changelings standing over Celestia. Luna serenely glided over to her sister and cut Celestia free from the green goo.

“As I was saying…” Celestia rose to her hooves and spread her wings. The remainder of the green sludge melted away as her horn began to glow brighter and brighter. Both princesses walked together toward Chrysalis, who recoiled in fear at the approaching alicorns. “We can protect our subjects…. from you.” Celestia and Luna rose into the air and touched horns, which glowed with the light of stars and sun.

A beam of tremendous energy erupted from their horns. Chrysalis fired a desperate attack of her own. The beams collided midair. Celestia and Luna redoubled their efforts, sending a wave of energy down the beam, pushing the conflicting magical energy closer to the queen.

Chrysalis growled in rage and the confluence of magic suddenly reversed direction. All of the combined energy roared upward and struck both princesses. Rarity was forced to close her eyes as an explosion of light filled the chamber.

First there was silence. Then the clank of two magnificent crowns striking tile. And then a pair of dull thuds as the princesses hit the floor.

Their eyes were closed. Ponies gasped in horror.

“Princess Celestia! Princess Luna!” Twilight yelled as she ran to the fallen princesses.

Chrysalis held up her forehooves and marveled at her power. “Ah! Rarity’s love for you is even stronger than I thought. Consuming it has made me even more powerful than both princesses combined!”

Rarity leaned on Shining Armor for support as they made their way over to the princesses. As the rest of her friends arrived, Celestia stirred.

“The Elements of Harmony,” Celestia said. “You must get to them and use their power to defeat the queen.”

Shining Armor carefully lifted Rarity onto his back and Twilight used her magic to bunch up the long train of Rarity’s dress. Twilight, her friends, and her brother all looked at each other, nodded, and made for the exit at full gallop, tossing off their bridesmaid dresses and one dress uniform in the process.

“You can run but you can’t hide!” Chrysalis called out as the seven ponies made their way toward the Hall of the Elements.

Even in her weakened state Rarity reached out her hooves, trying to catch the dresses as they fluttered to the ground behind them.

Twilight ran toward the Hall of the Elements.

The changelings were coming from all directions. They poured out of shops and windows. The buzz of changeling wings from overhead was deafening. If they could just make it to the Elements…

A changeling impacted the ground in front of her hard enough to create a small crater. It unfolded itself and hissed up at her. Twilight jumped on its head, sprang forward, and kept moving.

“Go, go!” Twilight called out to her brother and her friends.

They all ran up the stairs onto the plaza in front of the hall of the Elements, only to find a wall of changelings blocking their path. Twilight skidded to a stop and her friends all collided into each other.

Shining Armor placed Rarity on the ground and stood between her and the changelings.

Rainbow Dash clacked her forehooves together. “Looks like we're gonna have to do this the hard way.” She stepped forward with a menacing growl, but found herself staring face to face with a pony that looked exactly like her.

Rainbow was nonplussed.

The fake Rainbow Dash grinned and shoved the real Rainbow to the ground.

Rainbow sat up and rubbed a hoof against her head. “How did you...”

A line of changelings all morphed into Rainbow Dashes. The rest of the changelings followed suit, turning into copies of all seven ponies. There were Applejacks and Pinkie Pies and particularly mean looking Fluttershys everywhere. Shining Armors and Raritys and Twilight Sparkles closed in.

Twilight moved to Rainbow’s side as her friend got on her hooves. “They're changelings, remember?”

“They're changelings, remember?” A group of five changelings mimicked Twilight in her own voice.

Well, that was unsettling.

She shook her head. “Don't let them distract you. We have to get to the Elements of Harmony. They're our only hope.”

They charged straight ahead. Twilight instantly lost track of her friends as they disappeared into the melee. The only two that she could easily distinguish were Rarity and Shining Armor, as her brother hung back to protect his prone fiance.

A large group of changelings pressed the advantage against Shining Armor. Twilight sent out a shockwave to clear a path and tried to double back, but another wave of changelings swarmed into the gap. Meanwhile, a group of changelings wrestled Shining to the ground.

She had to get to her brother. Twilight prepared to teleport when suddenly the changelings on top of Shining Armor went flying like bowling pins.

Rarity stood in front of Shining Armor, her front hooves raised in a furious challenge. She was out of her wedding dress. Her magic neatly folded her dress behind her while she stared down her fiance’s attackers.

She breathed heavily and let out a terrifying roar. “Get. Your. Hooves. Off. My. Shining. Armor!”

Twilight used the distraction to zap over to Rarity’s side. Shining Armor stood and joined them. Rarity was obviously hurting, but she gave Twilight a quick nod to indicate she was okay and the three of them charged into the fray.

After striking down the first wave of changelings, Rarity took a moment to inspect her hooves. “I’m so going to need a hooficure.”

Shining Armor smiled. “Haven’t you already had three this month?”

“Tell you what…” Rarity kicked another changeling in the jaw. “...If we go for hooficures, I promise that after I’ll help you trim all of the split ends in your mane.”

“Yes! Thank you. I need it bad after being in that cave.”

“How long were you down there?” Rarity seemed to be doing math in her head.

“I’m not sure. Why?” Shining Armor looked at his fiance with concern while uppercutting another changeling.

“Ugh. I hope it was the real you that I gave my garter to.”

“It was. I’m so glad I had something to remind me of you while I was trapped. The thought of you kept me going.”

“Oh, do you still have the garter?”

“Funny story, actually. I–woah.” Shining Armor dodged a charging foe and fired a blast of his magic. “I’ll tell you sometime we’re not fighting an army of changelings.”

Her brother and Rarity seemed to be handling things. Twilight turned her attention to the dogpile of Applejacks.

The farm pony had bravely plowed into the middle of the changelings and was now trapped under a pile of herself. Twilight used her magic to blast aside a plethora of Applejacks. She pulled the one at the bottom of the pile free and the orange pony suspended upside-down in her magic yelled, “Real me! Real me!”

Twilight set her down and resumed blasting the changelings.

Behind her she heard, “Meh, I’ve seen better.” Twilight turned to ask Pinkie what is was that she’d seen better, but a pair of pink hooves grabbed her and Twilight found herself being aimed at an advancing wall of changelings.

Twilight felt Pinkie rapidly pump her tail. Her horn fired. Strangely involuntary blasts fired at an incredible rate, far faster than she could have managed on her own. Twilight made a mental note to later study the mechanics behind this bizarre yet effective technique.

The magical blasts from her horn knocked out changelings and returned them to their true forms. As it became easier to determine friends and foes, the fight quickly turned in their favor.

Twilight blasted the last changeling in her way and took stock of the situation. The seven ponies stood panting. Dozens of unconscious changelings laid about the plaza with the rest retreating back toward the wedding site.

Twilight quickly opened the doors to the Hall of the Elements. Now all they had to do was retrieve the Elements of Harmony and…

Oh.

The Hall of the Elements was filled with changelings. Hundreds and hundreds of changelings. They were in their insect-like true forms. They covered the floor and more were crawling their way down the pillars of the hall.

So many. Too many. There was no way through.

Shining Armor ran to one side of the chamber and planted his hooves. His horn burned with a bright pink glow and a magical wall formed. The wall pressed forward, sweeping the horde of changelings toward the opposite side wall. The changelings hissed and scratched, slamming their bodies into the barrier.

“I’ll hold them off,” Shining Armor yelled. “Go!”

Rarity ran to him. “I’m not leaving you, not after I just got you back!”

“No, Rarity. You have to go.” Shining Armor’s body shook under the strain of the magic. “I’m the only pony who doesn’t have to make it to the Elements.”

Rarity bit her lip, tears threatening to come forth. She leaned in and gave him a soft kiss on the cheek. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

Rarity started to move away, but she stopped for a moment and looked back at Shining Armor. “I’m coming back for you,” she said.

Before Shining Armor had a chance to argue, Rarity rejoined her friends and they ran down the open corridor created by Shining Armor’s magic. When they made it to the far end of the chamber, Twilight cast the unlocking spell and opened the door. She pulled forth the bejeweled case and opened it, revealing the Elements of Harmony.

She swiftly levitated the necklaces to her friends and placed the golden crown upon her head before turning toward the exit.

Shining Armor’s spell flickered and warped. The magical wall pressed steadily back toward him, cracks forming as changelings slammed into it harder and harder. With one great burst the spell failed, shards of pink magic falling like broken glass and disappearing. The changelings swarmed over Shining Armor.

But the way to the exit was open. All of the changelings were focused on Shining Armor.

Rarity began to move toward the fray, but Applejack placed a hoof on her chest.

“We have to go,” Applejack said.

There was a fire in Rarity’s eyes. “No,” she said. “We don’t.”

Twilight wanted so badly to agree with Rarity. She couldn’t just abandon her brother! But to save him and get back to the wedding site, she’d have to create a protection bubble in the middle of a fight and simultaneously pull off a long-distance teleport of herself and six additional ponies. She’d never attempted anything like it.

Twilight’s crown hummed with life. She could feel the Element of Magic flowing through her, powered by her love for her friends and her brother.

…Yes. She could do this.

“Come on!” Twilight charged forward, Rarity at her side, her friends just behind.

They caught the changelings by surprise, clearing a path through the swarm. Twilight knocked back another wave with her magic and the crumpled form of her brother appeared.

He was in bad shape. His eyes were closed, he wasn’t moving, and he was covered in terrible cuts and bruises.

The changelings began to swarm back in and Rarity threw herself on top of Shining Armor to shield him from the blows.

Twilight created a protection sphere, but it instantly began to compress inward as the changelings redoubled their efforts. “Close as possible!” Twilight yelled over the din of changelings. She and her friends formed a tight circle around Rarity and Shining Armor.

The sphere got smaller and smaller, pressing the ponies closer and closer. Maintaining the barrier against the assault threatened to rend Twilight’s focus from her teleportation spell. Luckily, the magic radiating from the Elements made it easy for Twilight to locate her friends, giving her clear anchors as she cast the spell. She mentally grabbed the five ponies wearing Elements and physically placed a hoof on her brother.

With a crackle of magic and a flash the Hall of the Elements disappeared from her vision and the wedding site appeared.

Twilight released the protection sphere and all seven ponies tumbled apart in a heap.

Not the smoothest entrance, but she’d done it. Twilight quickly got to her hooves and checked on her brother. Shining Armor was still unconscious, but alive. Rarity laid against him, softly stroking his mane with her hoof.

“Oh, so you return.” Chrysalis seemed mildly surprised at their sudden arrival. She didn’t seem too worried, just curious. The rest of the changelings in the hall were much more agitated. They formed up in front of their queen. Their buzzing from above drew Twilight’s eyes to the ceiling. Celestia and Luna were suspended upside down from the rafters in translucent green pods, a fate no doubt in store for Twilight and her friends unless they put a stop to this right now.

Twilight stepped forward. Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie gathered behind her. Rarity slowly rose and stood over Shining Armor. Her legs shook, but her eyes never wavered. She stared at Chrysalis with a silent rage.

Twilight focused all of her magic into uniting the Elements. The six friends levitated into the air. Loyalty, Honesty, Kindness, Laughter, Generosity… and finally Magic. She could feel the familiar magics coursing through her, building to a tremendous height that would all release in a rainbow of energy and Chrysalis would finally be…

The Elements flashed and went cold. The world came sharply back into focus as the magic fled Twilight’s body. Gravity returned and all six ponies fell crashing to the ground.

Chrysalis laughed with glee. It was a tittering, jubilant laugh, as if she could not contain herself.

Twilight tried again to make the magic work, but nothing happened. “But… how… I don’t…”

With a flash of green fire, Applejack turned into a changeling.

Rainbow Dash shot into the air in surprise. “Applejack’s a changeling?!”

Chrysalis continued her maniacal giggling. “Oh, looking for this?” Her twisted horn lit and the real Applejack levitated out from behind a pillar near the dais. Applejack was wrapped in green goo, preventing her from moving her legs and her mouth was also covered, preventing her from speaking. She struggled against the binding and made very, very angry muffled sounds but could not break free.

Twilight could not believe what she was seeing. “But…”

In Applejack’s voice, the changeling that had replaced her said “Real me! Real me!” and laughed.

Chrysalis tossed Applejack roughly to the floor. “Thanks for letting me know that you needed all six ponies for the Elements to work,” she said with a smug grin.

With the Elements no longer a threat, changelings rushed in and grabbed the six ponies. They didn’t even bother with the beaten and bruised Shining Armor. The changelings removed the Elements from each bearer and stacked them in a pile in front of Chrysalis. They then dragged the six friends away from each other and locked them to the ground with more green sludge.

Rarity reached out for Shining Armor as she was pulled away from her love. Shining Armor groaned. His eyes didn’t open, but his fetlocks twitched, almost as if he was trying to reach out too.

“Excellent. Now no one…” Chrysalis eyed the door. Nopony entered. She breathed a quick sigh of relief. “Now no one is left to stop me!” She turned to her changelings and swept a hoof toward the exit. “Go! Feed!” All but her personal guards went buzzing out into the city. Chrysalis turned her back on the defeated ponies and walked to the balcony, humming happily to herself. “This day has been just perfect. Who says a girl can’t really have it all?”

Twilight pulled against the goo but it held her hooves locked in place. She heard a groan. Shining Armor had rolled onto his stomach. His eyes fluttered open and he dizzily tried to take stock of his surroundings.

Twilight wanted to go to him and hug her B.B.B.F.F. and pretend this terrible nightmare was over… but there was a specific pony he needed right now more than anything in the world.

Rarity desperately struggled against the green muck holding her in place. Twilight glanced toward Chrysalis to make sure the queen wasn’t paying attention and then fired a quick blast of her magic, melting away the goo from Rarity’s hooves.

Rarity smiled at her friend in thanks.

“Go to him,” Twilight said.

Rarity went to Shining Armor’s side and helped him stand, though she was struggling to stay on her hooves as well. They leaned on each other for support.

Shining Armor’s eyes fell onto the balcony, where Chrysalis watched her changelings roam free throughout Canterlot. He attempted a spell of some kind, but the light left his horn as soon as he attempted it. He tried again, grunting and straining.

Nothing. “My protection spell… it...” He dropped his head. “I don’t have anything left.”

Rarity nuzzled her fiance. “I want to give you the strength, but the fight… Chrysalis's magic… it’s taken so much…” Rarity raised her head and placed a hoof on Shining Armor’s cheek. “All I have left is my love for you.”

Shining Armor’s eyes met hers. “And all I have is my love for you.”

They closed their eyes and softly touched horns.

And then something amazing happened. A small spark jumped from where their horns met. A glow began, soft at first, becoming brighter and brighter. Swirls of magic lifted their manes. They both looked about in momentary surprise.

Then their eyes met. They understood.

They lifted into the air, borne aloft by the magic of friendship and the magic of love. The magic continued to crescendo. Brighter and brighter. In one explosive moment they were enveloped in radiance and became glowing ethereal forms, merging into the shape of a heart. From the center of that glowing heart a wave of energy burst forth, filling the room with light and love.

Twilight felt the love that Rarity and her brother shared. As wave after wave of energy swept by her heart was filled with joy.

When the wave reached the balcony, the surprised Chrysalis and all of her changelings were thrown back with tremendous force. The wave of energy carried them clear out of the city. All of the green muck and the changelings that made it disappeared into the distance and the ponies found themselves free.

Once all of the changelings were gone, the glow faded. Rarity and Shining Armor appeared out of the light and floated gently back to the ground, their eyes locked in euphoric joy.

As soon as their hooves touched the ground they rushed toward each other, embracing.

Twilight ran to the princesses, who both wearily rose from the ground where they had fallen.

Celestia accepted an embrace from her student and then leaned down to Twilight. “Don't worry about me. I'm fine. You have a real wedding to put together.”

And so she did.

Twilight offered to take care of everything so that Rarity and Shining Armor could rest, but it wasn’t long until she found both of them eagerly planning and participating. Rarity even finished making dresses for each of her bridesmaids, as well as repairing her own dress once it was recovered. She said she found it relaxing to be in a familiar space, though she made sure to take the time to enjoy a couple apple fritters.

All of the ponies Chrysalis had replaced were accounted for and freed from the caves. Everypony pitched in and before long the real wedding was ready to go.

Princess Luna and Princess Celestia stood at the top of the dais. Twilight and her brother stood with them, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the bride. Shining Armor’s groomsponies were with him, as well as Spike, who looked quite dapper in his suit and a top hat almost as tall as he was.

Twilight looked to her right and saw her friends all in place, except for the mare of honor. Fluttershy was at that moment up in the balcony preparing her bird choir. Standing at the top of the stairs was Sweetie Belle, who was ready to burst with excitement every time she looked at her dress… or maybe she was checking to see if a pony could get a bridesmaid cutie mark. Down the steps from her were Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Lyra, Minuette, and Twinkleshine, each with their own dress. Rarity had really outdone herself. They all looked so beautiful. It was all perfect.

Well, almost. Twilight used her magic to straighten the crest on Shining Armor’s uniform, which had gone lopsided.

There. Perfect. Though there was one last thing bugging her…

“Seriously, though,” Twilight said to Shining Armor. “I get you performing a ridiculously powerful magical spell and saving all of Canterlot from an army of changelings. What I don’t understand is how you got someone as amazing as Rarity to marry you.”

“I told her she wouldn’t just be gaining a husband. She'd be getting a pretty great sister, too.”

Twilight didn’t know if it was possible for her heart to be any more full than it was at that moment. She found that it could once the doors swung open and her friend entered the room.

Scootaloo and Applebloom entered in front, spreading flower petals before the bride. In walked Rarity… and she had changed her dress! She must have done it in secret as a surprise.

And what a dress! It was a snow white chiffon, laced along the hems with shimmering gold that sparkled oh so delicately as she walked a step at a time toward them. There were intricate patterns so subtly weaved into the white that they seemed to appear and disappear as Rarity moved. Tied about the waist was a white silk shawl that led up her shoulders, its edges hemmed in a weave of scarlet and purple, adding just the right touch of color to the ensemble. Oh, and the dress had plenty of beading and a very long train.

Twilight stole a glance at her brother. Shining’s mouth hung open in shock for a moment before he recovered his composure. Apparently the surprise had its intended effect.

Twilight spotted her parents in crowd. Night Light and Twilight Velvet each had handkerchiefs out to hold back the tears. Rarity’s parents were there just across from them. Hondo Flanks and Cookie Crumbles excitedly waved at Rarity as she passed.

As Rarity approached, Twilight could see the tears of happiness in her friend’s eyes. Her brother had a bit of liquid pride forming in his eyes too as his fiance carefully ascended the stairs.

Fluttershy finished directing the songbird choir and flew down to her place just as Rarity arrived at the top of the dais.

Princess Luna stepped forward. “MARES AND GENTLECOLTS…” she began in full royal voice. Noticing the reactions of the assembled ponies, Luna cleared her throat and brought her voice down to a less alarming volume. “We are gathered here today to celebrate the union of Lady Rarity and the real Shining Armor.”

Celestia stepped forward as well. “The strength of their commitment is clear. The power of their love, undeniable. May we have the rings please?” Spike presented the pillow holding both rings and Celestia carefully slid each one on its respective horn. “I now pronounce you mare and colt!”

The moment the last word left Celestia’s lips Rarity lept forward and kissed Shining Armor. He happily returned the deep, passionate kiss as the audience cheered the newlyweds. When the kiss ended they both giggled and Rarity looked slightly embarrassed. They then walked together, hoof in hoof, to the balcony overlooking a tremendous crowd of ponies.

A roar of approval rose from the hundreds and hundreds of ponies as streamers and confetti fell. Rarity waved to the crowd, blew kisses, and gave the occasional wink. She was filled with laughter and joyous energy.

Twilight was amazed at Rarity’s passion, her vivacious love of everything and everypony around her. The love was in her eyes, in her movements, her waves to the crowd. This was everything Rarity had ever wanted, right here.

Shining Armor and Rarity shared another kiss on the balcony. Celestia’s grand flowing pastel mane appeared as she leaned down into the group of bridesmaids. “Rainbow Dash, that's your cue,” Celestia whispered.

Rainbow stiffened in realization and quickly shot out onto the balcony and into the sky, leaving her dress and headpiece in her wake.

BOOM! An explosion of color radiated through the sky in huge concentric circles and the crowd roared once more.

Even over the crack of the rainboom and the cheers, Twilight could hear Rainbow Dash’s yell of “Best… wedding… ever!”

Yeah. It really was.

Spike sat at an unoccupied table and watched his friends enjoy themselves. Everypony was having such a great time: Pinkie obliterating cake after cake, Applejack playing her fiddle, Rainbow schmoozing with Wonderbolts, Photo Finish capturing THE MAGICS!

Twilight had asked him to come rejoin the festivities but he said he felt like sitting for a bit. She was now on the microphone singing Love Is in Bloom. Twilight was fantastic. She really was a better singer than she gave herself credit. When she finished, there were many cheers and approving stomps and Twilight had a bashful blush on her cheeks in response.

As Twilight returned the mic to the DJ stand, Vinyl Scratch put on a new record. A slow, romantic song began playing. It made for a nice change of pace after the raucous dancing to Love Is in Bloom.

Spike noted the couples making their way to the dance floor. First went Fancy Pants and Fleur dis Lee… and then came Caramel with his girlfriend Sassaflash… and there was Lyra with her girlfriend Bon Bon. They all had big smiles on their faces as each leaned into their partner and swayed with the music.

He couldn’t blame them. The song was lovely. It was the kind of song he’d love to have playing while he danced with...

Spike felt a delicate tap on the shoulder. He lifted his cheek off his claws and looked up to see Rarity smiling down at him.

She held out a hoof. “Care to dance?”

Spike attempted to speak but he couldn’t get a word to sputter out. Instead he just numbly nodded and accepted the proffered hoof.

Once they reached the dance floor, Rarity placed a hoof over his shoulders and they began to rock back and forth to the serene melody. Spike chose not to question any of it and just enjoy the feeling.

After a while, Rarity drew back and looked down at him. “Spike, I want to thank you.”

“Thank me? For what?”

“Twilight wasn’t the only one who noticed something amiss. She said you expressed your doubts as well.”

Spike thought back to the first wedding preparations, remembering the scowls and frustration… but mostly worry and pain on Rarity’s face. “Yeah... I said that you didn’t look like you were happy.”

Rarity’s smile softened. “What about now?”

Spike looked up at her. What did he see? He saw radiance. Undeniable beauty. And also joy. There in her eyes was complete and utter contentment and joy. “You look really, really, really happy.”

Rarity closed her eyes and set her head against his. “I am,” she whispered.

He let his eyes close as she danced silently with him. He said no more words. They just drifted slowly together to the music.

Eventually, the song ended. His eyes opened slowly to see her beautiful smile. She leaned down and kissed him on the cheek. “You’ll always be my hero,” Rarity said.

He wrapped his arms around her in a big hug, squeezing as tight as he could.

Then he let her go.

The magical night continued. There was more dancing, drinking, eating, and much merrymaking with friends, old and new.

Finally, it was time for the bride and groom to depart. Rarity, Twilight, and Shining Armor talked and laughed together as they walked toward a golden carriage pulled by four pegasus guards.

Twilight savored the walk. It was too bad such a wonderful night had to come to an end but she was filled with delight seeing her brother and her friend so happy. They shared a tear-inducing laugh at another one of Shining’s jokes, but after they settled down, Rarity became more somber. “I must admit… I was worried that following my dreams to Canterlot would pull us apart.” She looked at Twilight for a moment before looking away and delicately running a hoof over the petals of the marvelous bouquet that she carried with her.

Twilight placed a reassuring hoof on her friend’s shoulder. “But look at us now. We’re closer friends than ever.”

Rarity smiled. “And all because of you, Twilight.”

“Me? I almost messed everything up.”

“But your instincts weren’t wrong, dear,” Rarity said. “By listening to your heart, you were able to bring my Shining Armor back to me.”

“None of this would’ve been possible without you, little sis,” Shining Armor said. “Love ya, Twily.”

“Love you too, B.B.B.F.F.”

Twilight shared another hug with her brother before they finally arrived at the carriage. Ponies were lined along the path heading out of Canterlot to see the happy couple off as pegasi dropped confetti from above.

Shining Armor opened the carriage door for Rarity. But before she got in, Rarity turned to Twilight. “I’m so happy to be a part of your family, Twilight.”

Twilight embraced her. “You were always family, Rarity.”

Rarity let out a soft squeal of approval as they hugged. She gave one last gentle squeeze and then got into the carriage and sat next to her husband. “Ready to go?” Shining Armor asked.

“Oh! Almost forgot!” Rarity leaned out the window and tossed her bouquet toward a crowd of mares. The beautiful bouquet fluttered through the air. Lyra, Minuette, and Twinkleshine all looked up in anticipation at the approaching...

“MINE!”

When the dust settled, Rainbow Dash peeked open one eye. She looked down at the bouquet in her hooves. Then she looked at the group of ponies she’d just plowed through to get it. Her cheeks went red with embarrassment. “I mean I didn’t really grab this on purpose you know I…” She quickly shoved the entire bouquet into her mouth and started chewing.

Twilight and her friends burst out laughing. Rainbow too, after a moment. Meanwhile, the carriage carrying Rarity and Shining Armor began its slow, gentle ride. Twilight watched it go with a feeling of contentment in her heart. “Now this was a great wedding.”

Her attention was brought to the sky as the first firework lit the night above Canterlot. She walked off the road and sat on the grass.

One by one her friends joined her as she watched the show. Pinkie, Rainbow, Applejack, and Fluttershy all sat with her. Spike sat on the grass in front of her and she wrapped a foreleg around him.

Closer than ever, the friends sat together, talked, and laughed while fireworks burst overhead and a carriage carrying a very, very happy couple rolled off into the night.

Rarity's Canterlot Wedding

by Stellar Wind

Part 1

Part 2