It was late that night when the mares returned to our suite. Luke had already returned to his own bed, and Abes had left to keep Luna company. We only knew when they had gotten back because they were gushing about being chosen as "Cadence's" new bridesmaids.
Very loudly.
Yomega closed the door connecting the bed room to the main room and we all tried to go back to sleep. Half an hour later, we heard Twilight come in only to leave shortly after. An hour after that, and the girls still hadn't gotten over their excitement.
I pulled the pillow off of my head and Glared at the clock. Three o'clock?! That's it! I tossed the pillow to the side, jumped off the bed and stormed over to the door.
"Leo?" Lulu called after me. "What're you doing?"
I jumped up to unlatch the door. "Fixing this!" I barked before slamming my head into the door hard enough to cause it to bounce off the wall. <<Do you ponies have any idea what time it is?!>> I yelled into the now quiet room. I didn't wait for a response. <<It's three in the Arceus damn morning! I don't care if you want to stay up all night, but keep the fucking volume down!>> My Glare traveled across each mare in turn. <<Some of us are trying to sleep. Which you should be doing anyways, the rehearsal's in five fucking hours! Good night!!>> I turned on my heel and stormed back into the bedroom as the mares gave out quick apologies. I hopped back up onto the Pack's bed to try and get some sleep.
I heard Yomega close the door with a click. The ponies on the other side began to converse again in hushed tones.
With a yawn, I pulled my pillow back over to me, fluffed it up, and curled up on it.
"... Okay," Lulu began, "just because they were being loud, that's no excuse to be so angry with them!"
I stared at my tail. "... I wasn't angry with them. Very frustrated, yes, but I wasn't angry."
"That wasn't you being angry?" Cy asked. I could feel everyone's stares on me.
"Nope." Yomega spoke up. "I've only seen her truly mad once. That wasn't it. Trust me, you'll know when she's angry. Now, let's just try and get some sleep, alright?"
"Alright." We all chorused back.
I snapped awake when my pillow was ripped out from under me.
"Wakey, wakey!" Zann singsong at me.
"Aww, man..." I groaned, grabbing my tail and using it to rub the sleep from my eyes. "Did I sleep through the invasion?"
"Nope!" Zann bounced from the bed. "Queeny has asked, read that as "demanded", that we stay here. So we're going to be busting out once we eat. Headmaster also wanted you to get enough sleep."
"Oh." I rolled over and stretched. "While I'm glad he let me sleep in, I'd've rather he woke me up with the rest o' ya."
I felt myself being picked up off the bed and placed on the floor. A bowl of fancy food floated up to me. I glanced towards the main room to see Yomega poking his head in through the doorway. "I figured the extra sleep would counter whatever you'd lose from the sigil Luna placed on you."
"Ah. Thanks." I quickly devoured the food placed before me. I was the first one done and I ended up impatiently waiting by the hallway door. "So, how are we getting out?" I asked Yomega as he came up to me.
"Easy." Yomega looked over at Abes. "If you'd please?"
Abes fell into his shadow and slipped under the door. A moment later, and the guard outside opened the door for us. Night Shade looked down at us. She held up a note in her wing.
"So," she drawled, "Princess Luna wants to see you?" She raised an eyebrow. "I know for a fact that she is sleeping right now. This isn't going to let me let you out. Princess Mi Amore Cadenza's orders, I'm afraid." She gave a sly smile. "Now, I'm going to turn around and guard this doorway. And, if you did manage to get past me, I wouldn't be able to find you if you take the servant's passageways and hide out in one of the alcoves in the reception hall..." She turned back around and stood in front of the open door, facing out into the hall.
<<Is... is she just going to leave the door open?>> Cy asked.
I looked at the door, the Pack, and the mare guarding the door. <<... CHEESE IT!!>> I booked it from the room, with the rest of the Pack on my heels as best they could.
"Oh, no..." I heard Night Shade monotone as she closed the suite's door. "They're getting away..."
We slowed down when we noticed that no guards or 'lings were following us. Abes then led us through the halls towards the reception hall the wedding was going to be taking place in. We ducked into the servant passageways whenever we saw changeling. Everything was going smoothly.
I grew more and more nervous, waiting for something to go wrong.
We turned a corner near the reception hall and ran right into Rainbow Dash. "Oh, hey, I was just coming to let you guys out. Let you run through the gardens a little bit and let the maids have a chance to clean the room." She tilted her head. "What're you guys doing out here, anyways? Princess Mi Amore Cadenza was very clear that she wanted you guys to stay in the suite. I don't know why," Rainbow shrugged, "Everypony else who's seen ya likes ya..."
<<Yeah, no.>> I chuckled. <<We came here for a wedding, we're going to watch the wedding. Even if we have to hide behind a curtain to do so.>>
"I don't know..." Rainbow sighed as the Pack circled around her. "Princess Mi Amore Cadenza's pretty upset right now. Twilight got really emotional at her, saying things like "Cadence is evil" and stuff. Shining really laid into her after the Princess ran out crying. We're all giving her some space to calm down, but I don't think that Twilight's going to be at the wedding, either..."
We all shared worried looks. It wouldn't be long before the invasion would start, but we didn't know just how much time we had left.
Rainbow gave us a sly look. "The hall should be empty right now..." She hovered above us. "C'mon, let's get you guys hidden!" We followed Rainbow back to the hall. She cracked a door open and poked her head in, checking to make sure the coast was clear. "Alright, no pony's here. Go hide." She held the door open for us as we bolted into the room. It didn't take us very long to seclude ourselves around the room, tucking ourselves behind curtains and statues.
Rainbow took a few extra minutes to float around the room, making sure we were hidden from every angle. Eventually, she nodded and flew towards the door. Just as she put her hoof on the handle, the door opened by itself. "Cadence" stood there, dressed in her wedding dress, looking imperiously down at Rainbow. "What are you doing in here?"
Rainbow jumped a little when the door had opened, but she recovered admirably. "The Pack got away from me in the gardens. I was just making sure they weren't in here." She lied smoothly. "I was just about to go double check the suite to see if they had returned there on their own."
"Don't bother, we will be starting shortly." Queeny rolled her head to point with her horn. "Go wait with the others for Princess Celestia."
"Right away, your highness!" Rainbow trotted out of sight.
"Cadence" gave the room a sweeping glare before she turned and left, closing the door behind her.
I could hear someone letting out a held breath in an explosive sigh. It took me a minute to realize that it was me. I started to blush as Celestia opened the doors and led the audience and Shining into the hall, Spike following along with him. It was harder to spot with all the ponies in the way, but Shining's glazed eyes were obvious to me.
I tuned out Celestia's short speech, figuring I'll catch it during the real wedding. As our mares entered and made their way to their spot, I stared out over the crowd trying to spot any potential changelings. I kept doing so, even though I knew that I had no way of knowing for sure. I was just trying to distract myself while I waited.
I was practically vibrating in place when "Cadence" entered and made her smug way up to the waiting groom. I tuned out Celestia's next speech, straining my eyes and ears towards the door. It took entirely too long for Twilight's cry of "STOP!" to come for my tastes.
I looked around at the Packs' hiding places to see them all sneaking out towards the door. I shrugged, then used the exposition the real Cadence was spouting to move along the wall. I paused while Chrysalis exposed herself, distracted by the sudden light. Ya know something, Brain? That's something I never got.
"Wassat?"
Why would Chrysalis reveal herself like that? There's so many ways she could've spun this to make it look like Cadence was the imposter and had Twilight under her control, and then Celestia would've done her work for her.
"A mystery for the ages..."
I took my place with the rest of the Pack in time to watch Celestia's fireworks. She fired a beam of fiery sunlight hot enough we could feel it by the doors. Chrysalis matched it with a ray of acidic green mana of her own.
<<I don't get it,>> Cy murmured, <<Why doesn't Celestia use her more powerful magicks?>>
<<Her more powerful spells cause massive collateral damage.>> I looked over to see Villhiem flaring his leafy parts to catch as much of Celestia's sun as possible.
<<Can't be that bad...>> Vince grumbled.
<<Let me put it this way.>> I snarked, turning back to watch Chrysalis's magic overpower Celestia's. <<How fond are you of the Canter Horn?>> Our mares gathered around Celestia's fallen form, getting their instructions to get the Elements.
<<What I don't get,>> Lulu spoke up, <<Is why no pony is running for the exit in a blind panic.>>
<<Maybe they expect Luna to come save them?>> Zann looked around. <<Where is she, anyways?>> Abes' eyes widened before he dissolved into mist.
<<NO!>> Yomega yelled out. "Abes, you get your ass BACK HERE!!" He growled. <<Okay, new plan. Conner, stay with the ponies. Vince and Cy will take Conner and Abes' zone, I'll go with Villhiem, Leo, you're with Zann and Lulu!>> Rainbow and the others rushed past us at that point. <<GO! GO! GO!>>
We all scattered to our various zones as the shield shattered overhead.