I strode down the hall towards the throne room, my hooves ringing on the floor with each step. The guards at the door heard my approach like an oncoming storm, looked up, and quailed.
“Your Highness—” one managed to choke out.
“Get out of my way,” I snarled.
They dropped their spears like and scattered before me, like leaves before the wind.
I shot lightning at the door, blowing a great, gaping hole through its center. I strode through it, heedless of the dust, heedless of the cries of alarm. As the haze parted before me, I stared at the one pony in the world I hated the most: standing on the dais at the far end of the room, the false Blueblood, holding Rarity by the hoof.
“Sissy?” he gasped, turning towards me.
“Not another word, traitor,” I spat.
“Celestia,” barked Luna, climbing to her hooves. “What is the meaning of this?”
“This wedding is over,” I snapped. “We are all in danger, and that—that monster—” I said, jabbing my hoof at Blueblood, “wants to kill us all.”
Rarity took a step forward. “Cece, are you out of your—?”
“He threw me in the mines!” I bellowed. “The real Blueblood and I barely made it out alive!”
I whipped my gaze around the room. Everyone was staring at me, frozen, with eyes wide. “Seize him!” I roared. “Somepony, do somethi—!”
And then, I looked at him—really looked at the Blueblood standing by the altar. He stared back at me, in his flawless white tux, his eyes brimming with tears of shame and rage. As I stared, my heart stopped, and my gut turned cold.
Slowly, I turned to look back at the Blueblood behind me—the Blueblood I had rescued from the cave. He was leaning up against a pillar, an evil smirk on his face. As my gaze met his, he raised his forehooves and clapped them together slowly once, twice, three times.
“Finally figured it out, have you?” he said, dropping to all fours and walking slowly towards me.
I shook my head in mute horror, then slowly backed away.
He continued to advance. “You ponies are so adorably gullible, I’m surprised you’ve lasted this long,” he said. “It’s really quite astonishing what you can do with a few well-placed rumors.” He lifted his head a little, adopting an imperious air. “These roses are beautiful,” he sneered, “but I think what we were really hoping for were Dragonsneeze… so beautiful, this time of year…”
Without warning, he exploded in a flash of emerald flames. I shrieked, but the fire disappeared as suddenly as it had appeared. Now, the pony stalking towards me was no longer Blueblood, but Rarity—and yet, her eyes were as cold and sharp, her smile as wry and hateful, as they had been on the face of the pony she’d replaced.
“Oh, I’m so sorry,” she continued, as if she hadn’t been wearing a different pony’s skin a moment ago, “but I don’t think I requested apple tart for at the rehearsal. I don’t know why you would ever think I would…”
Another flash—this time, it was Shiny, wearing his Royal Guard uniform. “Just got word,” he said. “The Prince wants to make sure that we get to enjoy the festivities, too. Second shift, you’re off tonight. Go ahead and dress down, and get ready for some R&R…”
Another flash—now the pony on the carpet was just a normal Guard in his golden armor. “I’m your shift change,” he said. “Head on back to the barracks, I hear the Prince sent up some cake…”
Another flash—and this time, I froze in my tracks. The pony walking towards me was no guard, not any longer—it was me.
“Yeah,” other-me said lazily, “could you do me a favor, and tell Blue I can’t make it to the wedding anymore? Soarin’s aunt is letting us use her timeshare in Tampa Neigh, and I really don’t want to pass this up. So, just tell him that I decided not to come. And not to look for me in the crowd…”
“Stop it!” I shrieked.
Another flash of flame, and the other-Blueblood appeared again. “Really,” he continued, “it’s almost amusing how easily one can throw an entire palace into disarray with just a few, well-placed lies. Oh, don’t look so surprised,” he added, disdain in his voice. “It’s simple tactics—spread misinformation, then isolate the leader, keep her from communicating with her troops for as long as possible. Makes it exceptionally easy to take advantage of the chaos you’ve created. All the better if you can convince your prisoner you are on her side, and all your carefully-planned attempts to stall and delay her are just bumbling foolishness.” He tossed his head, flinging a strand of golden mane out of his face. “All the better if she’s the only one who’s caught on to your plans.”
I stumbled onto the first stair of the dias leading up to the altar. Blueblood—my Blueblood—ran to me and lifted me up.
“What do you want?” he growled at the other Blueblood.
Other-Blueblood’s grin widened—widened until his face split in two, widened until all we could see was his hideous, shark-tooth grin.
“Everything,” he hissed, his eyes flashing green.
And then, in a blaze of emerald flame, Other-Blueblood disappeared one last time. In his place stood a tall mare, her coat replaced with plates of black chitin, her horn twisted, her insect-wings ragged, her mane hanging thick and green and lank around her face.
And all around the hall, more emerald flames, as more and more of the guests turned from ponies I knew and loved into monsters from the blackest corners of my nightmares.
I screamed, but the scream was lost in the chorus of a thousand screams, and, over us all, the echoing laughter of the Queen before us.