“Achoo!”
Twilight glanced to Trixie as she lifted her head up, one of her eyebrows raised as the train came to a stop. They had been invited to Canterlot by Celestia to help with something, though apparently she didn't want to let them know the exact details until they were at the castle. The shield protecting the whole town might have explained it, but she wasn’t sure. So for now, she focused on her friend. “How are you coming down with a cold? We’re dead.”
Trixie glared at her as she shook her head, her fur standing on end. “It’s that stupid barrier. Trixie normally can detect and feel magic around me, but that thing must have been up for a while, because this whole place is just coated in its magic. You’re the only thing that stands out to Trixie clearly, with Sunset over there being fuzzy.”
Twilight tilted her head. “Is that a bad thing?”
Another sneeze escaped the fox spirit as they floated out of the train, following Sunset to the castle. “Trixie hopes not. A barrier like this, especially with that screening, should be enough to make it not matter if magical sensors won’t work. At least, as long as they know they're jamming their own signals.”
A small giggle escaped Twilight as she remembered the ten minute stop as they explained that Twilight was not about to nuke the town with how much evil magic was embedded in her. “I wouldn’t worry then. While I haven’t talked to him much, I know Shining Armor is an amazing captain of the guard.”
Sunset glanced back, her eye twitching at the mention of the annoying stallion. Recent developments with her friends of course, had not helped her thoughts towards him. “Even someone as highly praised as him can make mistakes.”
Pinkie grinned at Sunset. “Oh, you mean like you do?” She merely smiled as the yellow unicorn’s glare met her, and they were invited into the castle.
It wasn’t long before they entered the throne room. Standing in the middle of it were Celestia and Shining Armor, discussing in hushed tones to each other. Sunset rushed forward, before bowing before the two. “Captain, your highness, what is it that you might need? I know the barrier is to stop some sort of enemy, so if you wish for us to get the elements ready, consider it done.”
Shining slowly shook his head as he beckoned the unicorn to stand back up. “I don’t think we need anything that extreme. The barrier is for a threat we received, but we suspect it’s just to scare us while we prepare for the wedding tomorrow.”
Sunset’s eyes widened while a squeal escaped Rarity. The white unicorn rushed forward, smiling from ear to ear. “Please, please, please tell me I am here to make a royal, wedding gown!”
Shining smiled to Celestia, who slowly nodded. He then turned back to them, and cleared his throat. “Indeed. After ten months of being engaged, me and my sweet Cadance are finally getting married!”
Squeals of delight escaped the ponies, but Applejack stopped early, placing a hoof on her chin as something occurred to her. “Wait, you said tomorrow, but Rarity is making the dress? Shouldn’t you have it already?”
Celestia shook her head. “Unfortunately, the letter threatened those who help with the wedding as well, and the planners fled before anything was finished.”
“However,” Shining said while stepping forward, “Celestia told me how amazing you all were in your fields, and I would be happy to have you help me in my special day.”
Twilight floated forwards, and the news caught up with Sunset as she paled, watching the wraith closely. “Where is Cadance? Shouldn’t she be talking to us too?”
A sigh escaped the stallion. “She hasn’t been feeling the best, and I hope to soon go comfort her more. She should be fine for tomorrow though, and I’ll be by to check on all of yours plans later today. Is that alright?”
All of the mares nodded and murmured their agreements, with even Twilight hoping that Cadance would get better quickly. The moment Shining was gone though, Sunset turned to Twilight, and stared at the mare. Twilight turned to the set of eyes and stared back. This lasted about a minute before Applejack cleared her throat. “Umm, is there something we should know?”
Sunset blinked a few times as she remembered that there were other ponies around her. “I-I don’t know. Twilight, is there something we should know?”
Twilight tilted her head. “Umm, Trixie caught an undead allergy?”
“The great and giving Trixie does not have an allergy!”
Celestia put a hoof in front of Sunset as she cleared her throat, her own fears still needing to be answered as well. “It’s the worry that you’ll finally act on those, umm… threats, for lack of a better term, against Cadance.”
Twilight’s essence glowed brighter for a moment as her eyes widened, and she quickly started to wave her hoofs in front of herself. “Oh, no! I would never do that to Cadance.”
“But what about your crush?”
The other mares in attendance eyes widened in unison as their hearts froze, akin to how Sunset’s had when Twilight had first met the captain of the guard. Twilight did not notice as she began to laugh. “Wow Sunset, you apparently need to read up on romance yourself. I mean,” she crossed her hooves in front of herself as she bit into her cheek, “I did think I had feelings for him, but I can count at least a half dozen, if not a dozen, ponies whose feelings that I have are stronger than anything I can feel for Shining. He just… he made me think of the stories my dad used to tell me, about this kind guard who got the girl, so until recently, Shining was who I thought I should fall for. I know better now, and still need to figure out my feelings.”
Celestia turned to Twilight as the other mares there processed what they had just been told. “If you could, Shining would like you to work on an ice sculpture and some of the decorations please.” She smiled wide as the wraith nodded, and took off to find somewhere where the cold wouldn’t bother ponies. Celestia’s gaze now came back to the six mares and one spirit, spotting their reactions just in time.
Rarity got it first, blushing slightly, but doing well to cover up any envy for her competitors with just a quick glance to them, before turning to a wall. Applejack‘s eyes shot open as the thought of her being included that occurred to her, and she stared straight to her hooves, probably due to confusion, as the mare never had truly gotten comfortable with Twilight. Rainbow grinned as a blush came to her face, but then her eyes narrowed as she turned to her competition.
Fluttershy had the best reaction, in Celestia’s opinion, by stopping mid yawn to turn crimson red and hide her face in her hooves, shaking ever so slightly as her tail went faster than most foals on Hearthswarming’s did. Pinkie grinned wide, oblivious to the danger her obvious joy put her in, while Trixie disappeared from sight, but not after a slight, red tinge hit her essence.
And then there was Sunset, who was staring at her friends as her horn grew brighter with each moment.
Celestia teleported Sunset away, noting to herself to apologize to the cleaning staff from the ashen room that was now the royal suite most likely, before turning to the rest as they turned to each other. Before they could start anything, she said sharply, “Don’t you all have better things to do than speculate and gossip?”
Each mare in turn said something, before slinking off. Most understood, even if they were still unhappy. Celestia knew better than to let this confrontation happen, as it could only lead to pain and jealousy. Hopefully the events of the wedding would blow this all over, and the seven would simply be willing to let bygones be bygones.
Celestia watched as Fluttershy finally came back to reality, turned her whole body red, and ran off, before going back to her throne. Even with the rocky start, everything seemed to be going smoother than she had thought it would. A slight giggle escaped her as she looked out the window to the noon day sun. “I thought the same thing about Twilight though, and now I have to stop herds of mares from killing each other.”
With a shake of her head, she dismissed the thoughts. She had spent so many of the past few months worrying about so much that she just wanted to rest. Now was a time for celebration and happiness, as tomorrow, there was to be a wedding.
Unbeknownst to her though, tonight, there was to be a fight.
Oh this is hilarious!
LET THERE BE CHRYSARMORDANCE!
Well with our luck, Cady will be another changeling queen and we will have a duel of fey creatures.
Now, I wonder...
When's the cat-fight gonna be?
6810172 A duel of the fays, you say? Cool. This seems like an appropriately whimsical theme for such a battle
I wouldn’t worry then
as long as they know their jamming their own signals
I’ll be by to check on all of yours plans
Umm, Trixie caught an dead allergy
I did think I had feeling for him
1. They're.
2. Your.
3. Umm... Isn't it supposed to be A?
4. Feelings.
Welp... It's fight night then.
Ohhhh this is not going to end well for ANYONE..........ya I think I'll get bug guts be gone and mops ready for the cleaning crew mmmmmm or would sponges be better eh might as well get both.
Can't wait to see how Queen Chrysalis (and changelings in general) react to the presence of the Twaith...
...Okay then
Anyway!
Depending on the Queen's attitude and how local souls work (there seems to be a surprising amount of variation in the exact nature of souls between 'verses), they might consider her competition for food, just another obstacle on their warpath, or even a potential ally in their battle. All are obviously poor decisions, but then if the buggers were smart they wouldn't even be there.
6810882
#3 could be "an undead allergy," since that is what she technically qualifies as.
The first 'their' should be "they're".
6815453 i see were your coming from and i was underestimating the amount of books but come onnnnn this is twilight sparkle a few thousand books without eating or sleeping would take half a year in my opinion
6820023 But then she begins to read them again. She was told to stay there, and stay she will. Admittedly, she has pretty much all of them memorized.
here is what i would like please add a paragraph somewere anywhere near the first 2 chapters that said she also tried her hand at writing books but she always for got she didnt have any ink and so would pretend to right over the books she has and that it took up most of her time it just doesn't flow well to say that curious twighlight sparkle would just not look for more books.it doesn't match her personality at all in my opinion and yes i suppose this is alternate universe and i'm sorry I keep railing into you about this but its just so hard to ignore...
6820034 You don't know how she died, or why she stays, and I am trying not to simply tell you now, as I have a prequel to Twaith that was recently published that will cover that, and it's shown a bit more later in the story.
6820180 The story in general, or the chapter?
6820186 story is one of my favor but my favor chapter is the poker game.....then agian i read it right after watch the DBZ movie......still i could so see it all happening,
6822697 I wrote it shortly after watching Battle of the Gods.
6823211 I do enjoy those 3 char in the story, they always my favor parts, this story was one of the first one I read when I found the website about 4 months ago
6831523 The show. Sunset got the elements, and they blasted NMM.