Saving Equestria

by Damaged


A Wedding to Remember - Part 4

"Twilight!" Cadance started to rush forward but halted before hitting Twilight's force-bubble. "Twilight? It's me, Cadance!" Chryssi must have revealed herself... "Sunshine, sunshine-"

"Stop! I already showed Cadance… the other Cadance, that." Twilight stomped a hoof, tears returning to her eyes. "Tell me something only Cadance would know."

"You aren't just a unicorn." Cadance watched as the force bubble shattered and a crying young mare ran into her embrace. "And you never will be."

Minutes passed, seeming like hours to Twilight. "What is she?"

"Chryssi? At her heart, she is a pony." Cadance eased off with the hug. "She looks a little different, she can do different things, but she is a good pony. She is smart, she admires a unicorn I know."

"Admires?" Twilight blushed and suddenly caught a giggle from Cadance. "What?"

"She had to study you, study us all." Cadance looked up at the clock on the wall. "It is nearly time for us to make our dramatic entrance. I can't wait to see Celestia's face."

"What? What do you mean, are you… working with her?" Blinking her eyes in shock, Twilight looked on Cadance with dawning realization. "You know her, you… is Shining in on this too?" Cadance nodded to her. "Why?"

"She is right." Cadance slumped on the ground of the cave, ignoring the clock. "You need to know her better, Twilight. She is clever, she has researched all of this, everything. She laid it out to Princess Celestia, and was spurned for it." Cadance got up suddenly. "Come on, I need to show you something."

Twilight was unsure about just about everything. Her brother, her foalsitter, her friends… even Princess Celestia seemed to have left her adrift. She followed along after the alicorn. It was impossible to imagine, but when they left that small cave she started seeing more and more of the things. "What are they?"

"Changelings." Cadance led Twilight all the way to Chrysalis' "office." Walking up to the desk, Cadance started opening folders. "Here, start with this."

Walking up to the table, Twilight saw the first thing in the folder was a picture of Princess Celestia. "What is…" Trailing off, she began to read. Pages flipped past, the more she read the more Twilight realized just how analytical the writer was, how precise and careful they examined every detail. A lump formed in her throat. "C-C-Celestia is… is she bad?"

"No! I mean, no she isn't. She just doesn't understand what is needed to make everypony safe. Chryssi tried to reason with her, was going to try to negotiate with her too, you know what happened nearly nine months after she was fired?"

"I read it. After warning Princess Celestia about Discord, she tried to demand an audience."

"That was going to be the day after Discord actually got free. Chryssi cried to me, she wept and wept. If you think this is the course of actions she wants," Cadance gestured upwards with a hoof, then around the cave, "then you need to get to know her. Chryssi would be a happy pony if she could spend the rest of her life studying pony history."

"She studied history?" Twilight was snapped from her deep introspection by the revelation. "But she would know that Celestia and Luna used to defend Equestria. She would know that…" Twilight trailed off, thinking about her questions. "I need to talk to her."

"You do, but make sure you have a list of questions, Twilight, and make sure you are willing to add to that list." Cadance looked up at a changeling marching directly toward them. "Braced?"

"Your Highness, I am Braced. It is time." Braced bowed to Twilight as well; knowing all too well how much his mother respected the mare. "Twilight Sparkle," he gave her a bow, "my Queen will be excited to meet you again."

Twilight blinked at the creature. The fangs are scary but... She composed herself. "I look forward to it as well." She didn't manage a smile for him. "Hold on," gears spun in Twilight's head, she looked to Cadance, "if you are helping her, is this whole wedding a ruse?"

Cadance giggled. "It is a ruse, but a double one. Princess Celestia politely suggested it as a way to please the population, to calm them down after the recent problems." The distaste in Cadance's voice was loud and clear. "All this? This is just timing and Chryssi doing me a favor."

"What favor is that?" Twilight was walking along beside her foalsitter now, the comfort of the past returning like a blanket, keeping her warm despite the chilling thoughts of the present. "Wait, don't you love my brother?" Twilight knew she had said something wrong when Cadance froze, dead still.

"Of course I love him, he means the world to me." Cadance thought of her "Shiny." The whole hive seemed to tremble and surge. "But I will not have my life—his life—manipulated."

"So Chryssi is going to take over?" Twilight looked up to, and got a nod from, Cadance. "She is going to interrupt the wedding, she is going to take control and become the princess… or queen, of Equestria?" Getting another nod from Cadance, Twilight grinned at the mare. "So why not get her to marry you and Shining?"

The bottom dropped out of Cadance's world. I love him, a week without him has left me aching to be at his side. Should I? Should I ask him? "I…" Cadance stopped as she started trying to talk. "I think I might." She smiled. "On my terms, not Princess Celestia's."

Sure steps led the two mares up through the caves. It wasn't until they were at the top, in the old rooms that Chrysalis had first stayed in at the castle, that they realized there was a huge line of changelings behind them. "Please don't hurt anypony," Cadance said to the first 'ling in the line. There was a faint hint of blueish liquid balling on the tips of their fangs.

"Your Highness," the changeling gave a bob of its head, "the reason I am going first is so nopony does get hurt." The Farmer caste changeling smiled around its singularly unique fangs. "My bite disables a pony, nothing more."

"Then good luck." Cadance turned back to the doorway, throwing the door open with her magic. "Come on, we need to make this good, this is a show!"

~~~~~+++++~~~~~

"Your Highness, darling, we have half an hour before you need to be ready." Rarity was fussing and both Chrysalis and her knew it. "Just enough time to-"

"Rarity, I am sorry how I acted." Chrysalis turned in her chair, the perfect image that Cadance should have been. "But I think we both know I am as ready as I am going to be." She smiled at the unicorn. Why can't I talk this easily with ponies when I am not disguised? This is going to be so crazy...

"RARITY!" Scootaloo stampeded into the room, her little sister on her back. "I dropped my flowers again!"

The sight of the two nymphs stabbed into Chrysalis, she wanted to drop her disguise and dash over to hug them; it was agony not to.

"Oh Scootaloo, I have emergency bouquets made up, but you have to be more careful with this one." Rarity floated a fresh bunch of flowers to the filly. "Here you go."

"Thank you again Rarity." Chrysalis was relaxed at last, she didn't have to put on the "song and dance" for Twilight. "Scootaloo could you wait a moment?"

Rarity knew a dismissal when she heard one, besides, she had to get into her own dress and meet up with her friends. "Ta-ta darling and remember, this is your special day."

With the unicorn gone Chrysalis snorted. "She doesn't realize how true that is." Turning to Scootaloo she reached out a hoof to the filly. "How are my favorite little queens doing?"

"Queens?" Scootaloo's heart raced for a moment. "What? Who…?" Things clicked, slowly. She stared up at "Cadance's" smile and realized she knew the expression. I can't stop having happy dreams about that smile. Scootaloo gave a delighted chirp of excitement. "Chrysalis!" She dashed into her "big sister's" embrace, letting her disguise drop in the process. "What are you doing? This is meant to be Princess Cadance's wedding!" A new thought came to Scootaloo, it was impossible not to blurt it out. "Are you Princess Cadance?"

"No, but she is my best friend." Chrysalis gathered both nymphs up and hugged them. "And believe it or not, I am doing most of this for her; and you. Princess Celestia is a little confused, she is not defending Equestria enough. It just isn't fair that Twilight has to do all the work to keep us safe. I am going to help."

It was too much at once for Scootaloo to take in. "You are going to keep us all safe? What about Princess Celestia?"

"She will be safe too." Chrysalis booped both her hive-mates on the nose. "Now, did you give her a name?" Scootaloo nodded to her. "And what is it?"

"Bright Smile!" Scootaloo was trapped between deep and unsettling thoughts and happiness about Bright. "Do you promise to be nice?"

"I do. Cadance, Shining Armor—even Twilight and her friends—everypony is going to be better off. If I have my way, no pony will ever have to be the only thing between the life and death of Equestria." Chrysalis saw the nymph's eyes widen. "You know, you have a lot more brothers and sisters now, you are going to meet them today!"

"How many?" Scootaloo couldn't contain her excitement. Part of her wanted to worry on the deep issue. I am just one little filly, what can I do but watch?

"My last count was over seven hundred. More are hatching, Scootaloo, more each day." Chrysalis watched the nymph's eyes go wide, so very wide. "We are going to be the shield Equestria needs. My drones, my foals, my whole family."

"Me too?" Scootaloo looked up, her spirit captured by the enormity of what her big sister was proposing. "Would I be part of that shield?"

"When you grow up that would be a decision for you to make." Chrysalis gave the nymph's tangled mane a rub. "But until then, I think you have three sisters you need to keep safe. Things could become… a little turbulent."

Using a word that a pegasus would have a lot of synergy with aided Scootaloo's understanding. "Is the wedding the start?" Chrysalis nodded to her. "Good luck!" Scootaloo's worry slid from her. "If you don't manage it, I will keep Bright safe."

"That's my nymph." Chrysalis beamed at the filly, setting her back down on the floor. "Now you two head out with your other two sisters."

Scootaloo blinked, then again. The sense of her big sister's words suddenly hit her. They are like my sisters, like Bright, like Chrysalis! "I will, I promise I will keep them safe!"

~~~~~+++++~~~~~

Gold and blue magic grabbed the huge doors in front of Chrysalis. The fillies, with Bright on Scootaloo's back, were all bouncing in place. The doors swung open. "Perfect." She could see them, Shining Armor looking at her, she gave him a smile. Celestia was there and that made everything just so perfect. "Let's go girls."

Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle started prancing and bouncing ahead, each throwing rose petals all around them. Scootaloo was almost floored by the love in the room, it lifted her spirits higher still and she almost felt ready to disgorge honey on the spot. This is more than I have ever held before!

Chrysalis put one gold-shod hoof before another, making her way gracefully down the aisle. The power she had put into Twilight's teleportation was repaid and then some. I am full. She beamed and stepped up to stand opposite Shining.

"Cady?" Shining knew it wasn't his "Cadance," it was still Chrysalis.

"Mares and gentlecolts," Celestia was beaming with bliss, everything was running according to her plan, "we are gathered here today to witness the union of Shining Armor and Princess Mi Amore Cadenza."

Chrysalis zoned out a little, looking across at her best friend. "Shining?" She tried to get his attention, but his eyes were glued on the entrance doors. It seemed like Celestia didn't even notice his distraction at all.

Celestia was getting to the good bit, she loved the good bit. "Princess Cadance, Shining Armor, I now pronounce you-"

"Stop! STOP!" Twilight bounded into the huge hall, at the end of the aisle.

"What is it now?" Chrysalis turned to look, spotting Cadance herself stepping ahead of Twilight. She muttered, "Oh finally, I thought I was going to have to take matters into my own hooves."

"Because it's not your special day, it's mine!" Cadance was back in drama class, one of her favorites. "Wait, no, it is her special day. Queen Chrysalis?"

"Oh finally." Chrysalis stepped to the edge of the dais. "Ponies of Equestria! Too long has your safety ridden on Twilight Sparkle's shoulders alone. Princess Celestia is not willing to aid her former student beyond good wishes. I will do more." Fire wrapped her form, Chrysalis shed the disguise she had maintained for a week.

"No, you won't." Celestia stood resplendent, her mane and tail blowing in the constant cosmic breeze that bore them. "Now that you have so foolishly revealed your true self, I will protect my subjects, from you!"

Cadance ignored both the leaders' back-and-forth; her eyes and attention belonged to one pony. "Shiny." She trotted forward, and he trotted for her.

"Cady." Shining felt the pink wings wrap around him. Love for his fillyfriend almost overwhelmed him. "Cady I love you."

"I love you too, Shiny." Cadance leaned against the stallion.

"Just perfect." Chrysalis had kept only half her attention on Celestia, the rest on her two best friends. "You have lost." She spoke the words just as Celestia fired a beam of pure power at her. Chrysalis responded, her own reserves that of an overstuffed changeling. The white beam was far too much, however, it got closer and closer.

"Yield!" Celestia was winning, as she always had in days gone by. Even her own sister hadn't stood against her when she was at the peak of her power. But then something went horribly wrong.

"You rely on luck too much, Princess, I promise you I will take good care of your ponies." The white beam was almost at her horn, but she had her ace. She began to devour the love of Shining Armor and Cadance; it wasn't just powerful, it was divine. She was instantly back to full, then past it. Green fought back against the yellow force, it drove it to the halfway point and further. "And more, I promise you can still lead your ponies, just give up, Princess."

"Never!" Celestia pulled on her power more and more, forcing all her reserves into the duel. But it wasn't enough. Her eyes widened as the green power surged along her magic and pressed into her horn. Her power snuffed out like a candle, overwhelmed at its source. The world went an odd shade of green before she fell to her belly, dazed.

"You fought to your last. Commendable." Chrysalis walked across to Celestia, leaned down and pressed her fang-filled snout to the Princess' ear. "I will keep my promise, you will still rule, but you will do everything I say."

Celestia expected more magic, she expected mind control, or even a cage or collar to wrap her. Instead, the creature before her picked up her crown and set it back on her head. "You had the bravery to fight me when I had planned this so meticulously, do you have enough still to stand at my side?"