Shortly after Shining Armor proposed to Cadence, plans rapidly began to materialize for the Royal Wedding. Shining was discussing some prep work with Princess Celestia, who would be the master of the ceremonies for the occasion.
"Wait, so you already sent out invitations to everypony, your majesty? My whole family?"
"That's correct Captain." Celestia nodded.
"So that would include... T- Twilight?" Shining stuttered, holding his poise.
"But of course! You can't have a wedding without the mare of honor!" she smiled.
"Mare of honor?" he asked, his jaw slack.
"Mm-hmm. She'll be right by your side for the whole thing. Isn't that sweet?" Her eyes practically twinkled with joy. Shining Armor had faced many a great foe defending Canterlot and Equestria's borders. All the beasts of the Everfree and beyond. But he did not know fear like he felt in that moment. It was like staring down a spear as it hurtled squarely toward his chest.
"S-Sounds great!" he managed, with a poker face for the ages.
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Twilight and her friends were enjoying their picnic in the beautiful summer's afternoon. As Twilight levitated the basket into place Rarity commented on the weather, "Oh, it is gorgeous out. Just gorgeous!" Rainbow Dash idly chewed on her sandwich, Applejack sipped her drink. Twilight levitated a juicy apple from the basket. But before she could get a first bite, Spike came running in from yonder.
"Twi- light- I- have-" *pant* "Let me just- huh!" BELCH
In a burst of magic green flame a rolled parchment materialized forth. Knowing the drill, Twilight levitated and unrolled the scroll unceremoniously, reading it's contents aloud.
"Dear Twilight, I am sure you are as excited as I am about the upcoming wedding in Canterlot..." She paused looking around at the group, "Wedding?" before resuming her dictation, "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 you and your songbird choir to provide the music."
Fluttershy blushed, "Oh my goodness, what an honor!"
Twilight continued, "Pinkie Pie, I can think of no one more qualified than you to host the reception."
Pinkie Pie did a cartwheel while exclaiming, "Hip hip hooray!"
"Applejack, you will be in charge of the catering for the reception."
Applejack beamed with pride, "Well color me pleased as punch!"
"Rainbow Dash, I would very much appreciate it if you could perform a Sonic Rainboom as the bride and groom perform their I-do's."
Rainbow dash nearly ate her hoof at the request, before leaping into the air, "YES!"
"Rarity, you will be responsible for designing the dresses for the bride and her bridesmaids."
Rarity suddenly felt her world spinning, "Princess Celestia wants me to- ah, ah!" she began to lose her footing "-wedding dress... for a Canterlot wedding- I, I..." was all she could get out before fainting into the grass with a catatonic grin plastered on her face.
"And as for you, Twilight, you will be playing the most important role of all, making sure everything goes as planned. See you all very soon. Yours, Princess Celestia." She paused, rereading the letter, checking both sides for something she missed, "But I don't understand. Who's getting married?"
Spike cut in, "Oh, wait, uh, I was probably supposed to give you THIS one first." he said handing her a different scroll.
Twilight began reading the new scroll, "Princess Celestia cordially invites you to the wedding of Princess Mi Amore Cadenza and... MY BROTHER?"
Twilight was frozen in shock for several seconds before Applejack took her hoof in hers and began shaking it vigorously, "Your brother's getting married? Congratulation Twilight! That's great news!"
Twilight began to pace angrily, "Yeah, great news. That I just got from a wedding invitation. Not from my brother but from a piece of paper! Thanks a lot Shining Armor. I mean really, he couldn't tell me personally?" she said a she lifted up a sandwich, working it's layers as a puppet's mouth, mocking her brother's voice, "Hey Twilight, just thought you should know I'm making a really big decision that changes everything. Oh, never mind. You'll hear about it when you get the invitation."
She switched to an overly sweet tone as she repeated the bride's name, "Princess Mi Amore Cadenza?" before angrily asking aloud, "Who in the hoof is that?" as she snorted in frustration.
Fluttershy flittered in and quietly asked, "Um, Twilight, are you OK?"
Am I OK?
The question echoed in Twilight's mind. It had been over eight years since she had last spoken to her estranged brother. Not since... that night.
But she couldn't let on that anything was wrong. Not now with so much that needed to be done at the beckon of the Princess. And certainly not here in front of her friends who respected her so much. No. Nothing was wrong. Nothing at all.
"Sorry. It's just that Shining Armor and I have always been so close." Twilight lied. It was one she had told herself many times when she was alone, she almost believed it herself. "He's my BBBFF." The others looked at her confused. "Big brother best friend forever?"
"Ohh." they all said collectively.
"Before I came here and learned the importance of friendship, Shining Armor was the only pony I ever really accepted as a friend." Twilight continued. That last part wasn't false. Though, after... he moved out, she found it very hard to socialize and became increasingly insular, resorting to her books for sole entertainment.
Twilight wanted to cinch it that everything with her brother, whom she hadn't even mentioned existed to her friends in the two long years since she moved her, was OK. "I know how I'll convince them. WITH SONG!" she thought.
"I missed him more than I realized, it seems." Twilight thought to herself, her eyes watering.
Applejack walked up and put a hoof on Twilight's shoulder. "As one of you PFFs," more blank stares "Pony friends forever,"
"Ohh"
Applejack continued, "I wanna tell you that your brother sounds like a real good guy."
Twilight thought about that for a moment. She really had done a good job with that song. She tried to give a safe answer. AJ always could sense dishonesty. "He is pretty special. I mean they don't let just anypony be Captain of the Royal Guard." She said trying to shift the attention.
Rarity's ears perked up at that, "So let me get this straight, we're helping out with a wedding of not only a princess... but the Captain of the Royal Guard?!"
Twilight shrugged. "I guess we are."
Rarity fainted while the others celebrated. Twilight just sat and brooded. Her brother, after all these years. What was she going to do. She needed to talk to somepony about... brothers.