//------------------------------//
// Ch 4 - If Anypony Objects To This Union... 
// Story: Canterlot Friendship 
// by hattafan2593 
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Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash all stared in the mirrors in front of them. They were all dressed in their bridesmaids' outfits, and today, they would take part in one of the grandest wedding ceremonies in Equestrian history.

And yet every single one of them did not look even the slightest bit enthused.

"Well....today's the day." Rarity spoke in a faux-cheerful tone.

"Yep." Pinkie Pie nodded.

Rainbow Dash glared a her reflection, and then sighed in disgust. "This isn't right. Twilight should be here with us...."

They heard the door open and turned to see Spike in his tuxedo and hat.

"Ah take it ya didn't sleep well last night?" Applejack inquired sympathetically. Indeed, Spike's eyes were bloodshot and dark-rimmed, and he seemed extremely on edge.

"No." Spike shook his head. He then turned to look behind him, and them leaned forward, whispering, "There's something I need to tell you. Twilight, she-"

"Is everypony ready?"

Spike turned pale as he spun around. Princess Cadence stood in the doorway, adorned in her beautiful wedding gown, smiling serenely at the group.

"Yes, princess. We're all ready." Applejack answered, her eyes narrowing slightly. There was something....off about Cadance that she couldn't pinpoint. Something about the way she was smiling. And the way Spike was trying to avoid looking at her.....

"Good." Cadence nodded. "The guests are starting to arrive. Get into your positions. I want everything to be absolutely perfect." 

She gave a pointed glance at Spike, then swept regally from the room. 

"Well, I suppose it's time." Rarity said, then turned to Spike. "What did you want to say, darling? Something about Twilight?"

Spike stared at the ground for a moment, sighed deeply, then looked back up, smiling sadly. "I just....wish she was here, that's all."

Rarity smiled sympathetically, and placed a hoof on Spike's shoulder. "We all do, dear."

Applejack stared at Spike, and then shook her head. Maybe she was just being paranoid.....

She turned towards the door, and said, "Let's get this over with."










Everything was going exactly as planned. Fluttershy's birds played the Wedding march beautifully, Spike delivered the rings on cue, and all five girls were able to keep smiles on their faces, even though deep down they would've rather been anywhere but here.

The bride and groom said "I do" and exchanged vows. Shining Armor had a rather dazed look on his face, but everypony attributed it to wedding jitters. Now all that was left was for Celestia to declare them husband and wife.

"Princess Cadence and Shining Armor, it is my greatest pleasure to pronounce you-"

The door slammed open, and a voice rang out, "Stop!"

Everypony turned to the source and gasped in surprise. 

Twilight Sparkle stood in the aisle, panting heavily, her mane and coat slightly disheveled.

Her friends' eyes widened in shock and confusion. Spike bounded down the aisle leaped onto the unicorn's neck, hugging with all his might.

"Twilight! You're okay!" Spike cried, happy tears pouring down his face. "You were right! Cadence is evil! She said she was gonna-"

"I'm glad to see you, too, Spike." Twilight said, pulling the baby dragon off her and gently placing him on the ground. "But right now, we have to save my brother." 

Concerned and confused murmurs spread throughout the hall. Cadence clenched her teeth in frustration.

"Ugh! Why does she have to be so possessive of her brother?!" She then burst into tears. "Why must she try to ruin my special day?"

"Because it's not your special day. It's mine!"

Everypony turned once again to the source of the voice, and once again gasped. There before them, her mane and coat messy and covered in dirt....was Princess Cadence.

The Cadence at the alter widened her eyes in shock and fury. "What? But how did you get pass my bridesmaids?!"

"We had help." The messy Cadence spoke curtly, nodding behind her. Two royal unicorn guards approached, levitating spears with their magic.

"We found them in the old abandoned caverns, Princess." one guard told Celestia. "This is the real Mi Amore Cadenza. The one up there is an imposter."

"We also found three other mares, her old bridesmaids." The other guard added. "They appeared to be brainwashed, but otherwise unharmed."

During all of this, while everypony was murmuring in fear and confusion, Celestia kept an eerily calm expression on her face.Without even turning around, she fired a spell at the imposter Cadence, wrapping her up in magical ropes. Shining Armor just stood there, not even reacting.

"I'm impressed." Celestia said calmly, turning to face the struggling imposter. "You actually managed to fool me, and sneak into my castle undetected. And that note you left in Twilight's room? Only an extremely well trained eye would have been able to notice it was a fake."

Celestia's face turned cold. "But you made two very significant errors. The first being that in your haste to cover up the fact that you kidnapped Twilight," Twilight's friends gasped in horror. "you forgot to mask your magical signature. I had Twilight's room and the note scanned thoroughly, and your presence was all over them.

"And also, Twilight has been my personal student since she was a small filly. Did you really think, after nearly ten years of reading her written assignments, that I wouldn't be able to recognize inconsistencies in her writing?"

The imposter gritted her teeth, realizing the flaws in her plan.

Celestia's horn glowed. "Enough games. Reveal yourself, imposter!"

Celestia's magic surrounded the fake Cadence, and she cried out in pain. Cracks began to appear on her skin, and slowly, the pink began to dissolve and peel away to reveal a hideous greenish black. She fell to the floor in a heap.

Twilight's friends backed away in horror and disgust. Screams resounded throughout the hall. Twilight and Cadence looked on in grim triumph. Shining Armor continued to stand there, unmoving, unreacting.

Celestia narrowed her eyes. "Who are you?"

The creature said nothing at first. But then it let let out a horrible cackle that gradually rose in volume, and in one movement, it stood up and used its own magic to dissolve the ropes. As she stood, everypony could make out distinct features; long tangled blue green hair, large, transparent insect wings, and huge gaping holes in the front and back hooves. 

"Chrysalis, Queen of the Changelings, at your service." she hissed, her malevolent grin revealing several sharp teeth.

"She's a changeling, auntie!" Cadence, the real Cadence, cried. "She takes on the form of somepony you love and gains power by feeding off your love for them!"

Chrysalis shrugged. "Hey, a girl's gotta eat. And so do my subjects." She descended the stairs of the alter to stand face to face with Cadence. "And what better place to find a smorgasbord, than Equestria, the crown nation of Love and Friendship?" 

"Your supper's been cancelled, Chrysalis!" Cadence cried, glaring at the Changeling queen. "Shining Armor's shield covers the entire city! Your army won't even be able to scratch it!"

Chrysalis gave a gasp of mock surprise. "That's right! Why didn't I think of that? Oh wait. I did. Isn't that right, dear?"

Chrysalis turned and flashed her misshapen horn, grinning evilly at Shining Armor. Shining nodded robotically, and everypony could see for the first time, that his eyes were glowing a sickly green.

Cadence gasped in horror, and tried to run to her beloved, only to find the Changeling queen in her face.

"Ah Ah Ah! We wouldn't want to go back to the caves now, would we?" Chrysalis threatened, her horn glowing. "Or perhaps you'd like me to just drain you dry right here?"

Cadence clenched her teeth, and reluctantly stepped back. Chrysalis smirked, then flew backwards, landing right next to Shining.

"It would look way too suspicious if I made him get rid of the shield" she said, draping her hoof across Shining's shoulder. "So I took to draining his love and energy instead. I'm amazed he's even able to stand." She leaned closer to him, stroking his chin. "But I have to admit, his love for Cadence is positively delicious." 

Grinning perversely, she slowly licked his cheek.

"Get away from him, you monster!" Twilight snarled.

"Shining, snap out of it!" Cadance pleaded with Shining.

Chrysalis licked her lips. "Scream all you want. He can't hear you. He's completely under my control, and I'm sad to say, unable to perform his duties as Captain of the royal guard!"

Tears filled Cadence's eyes. "Oh, my poor Shining Armor...."

Chrysalis stepped forward, grinning smugly. "You may as well surrender. My army is cracking the shield even as we speak. And once we're done here, we'll make all of Equestria our own personal love buffet!"

"I've heard enough." Celestia stepped forward, intending to end this farce once and for all. "You have threatened the lives of my niece, my captain, and my faithful student. And you have the gall to dare threaten the same fate for my subjects in my presence?"

The air became thick and warm as Celestia's aura surrounded her. While she did not yell, her voice echoed throughout the room, and sent shivers down everypony's spine. "I grant you but one warning, Chrysalis. Release your hold on Shining Armor, withdraw your army, and leave Equestria. If you continue this half-baked scheme of yours, it will not end well for you."

Celestia spread her wings, looking very imposing. Her two unicorn guards came to stand on either side of her, taking up fighting stances.

Chrysalis stared at Celestia, almost bored, then grinned maliciously as her horn glowed.