Twilight lit up the cave around them with her horn. "Hello?" she asked into the void.
"Twilight," Taro greeted, walking by her side.
Twilight walked around until she ran into a wall. "How did you not see that? YOU have the light," Taro pointed out.
An evil laugh surrounded them. "Where are we?" Twilight wondered aloud.
Cadence appeared on of the mirror surfaces. "The caves beneath Canterlot, once home to greedy unicorns who wanted to claim the gems that could be found inside." Taro and Twilight backed up. "And now, your prison. No one will help you, and no one will think to look for you either. You, Twilight have already appeared to leave after what you've done, and YOU Taro are too mysterious. Everyone will think you're doing something that no one will understand."
Not everyone. Taro was shocked. He had expected Thatch to speak to him, but not to Twilight.
Taro quickly entered Twilight's mind. Don't say anything. I'll explain after she leaves.
"Most ponies have forgotten that these caves even exist, which is why it makes the ideal place to hold the ones who try to interfere with my plans for your brother."
"Don't you DARE do anything to my brother, you MONSTER!"
"Only way to stop me is to catch me," Cadence taunted.
Cadence went from surface to surface, forcing Twilight to play Whack-a-mole. She shot at several spaces.
"Jierda." Tato broke the area before Cadence could escape. She could no longer communicate through the mirrors.
Behind the mirror Taro destroyed was Cadence. Twilight immediately jumped on her.
"Please, don't hurt me! Twilight, it's me! I was imprisoned here like you! The Cadence that brought you down here was an imposter!" she pleaded.
Twilight leaned closer. "Likely story."
"Sunshine, sunshine, lady bugs awake, clap your hooves and do a little shake," Cadence danced.
"Cadence, it is you!" Twilight hugged her. Meanwhile, Taro grabbed a shard of the mirror. "Now explain yourself, Taro! Who was talking to me? It sure wasn't my conscience!"
Taro was sitting on the ground, looking into the mirror. "She's getting ready," he said. "Twilight, we don't have much time left. I will explain only a little for now. The one who was speaking in your mind was me and my... dragon."
Twilight looked surprised. In fact, she was. Why shouldn't she be? "You found a dragon?"
"I found his egg. Remember when I said I wasn't who I said I was, like Cadence, only good? I'm not an angel warrior. I am, and always have been, a Dragon Rider."
"What? But dragons are supposed to be dead where you're from!"
"They weren't. Well, except mine, plus one more egg my mentor is taking care of. Hopefully the rider will claim it soon to start his training."
"How was the dragon speaking in my mind?"
"Dragons can't speak where he's from. That's how we communicate." Taro entered Twilight and Cadence's minds, And how I speak back. I can enter whoever's thoughts I want, provided they aren't protecting it through mental focus. "For now, that's all time will allow us. Not-Cadence is preparing to marry Shining Armor."
They noticed a tinge of light and ran toward it.
Thatch was struck with an epiphany. Taro, it all makes sense now! The threat against Canterlot was from Cadence!
"And THAT'S why I was attacked by none other than..."
"A CHANGELING!" they said together.
"What are talking about?" True-Cadence asked.
"On my way to Canterlot, I was attacked by a Changeling. Cadence must be a Changeling, and SHE'S the one who threatened Canterlot!" Taro pulled out the mirror shard. "Draumr kopa!" The mirror shifted from Taro's reflection to Not-Cadence's. She was still getting ready.
"We need to get going!" Twilight said, looking at the mirror.
Pianos started as Taro started flying. He looked around. Cadence.
"This day was going to be..."
"Look, I'm new here, but shouldn't we be more worried about saving Equestria than singing?" Taro pointed out.
"But..."
"Just keep running, don't argue," Twilight said.
They ran into a mine cart and Cadence started pushing.
"No time for that!" Taro said, picking them up and flying over the tracks and landing at the exit, only to be stopped by the brides maids.
"You're not going anywhere..."
Cadence step up to fight, then she noticed the flowers on the ground.
The room was full of ponies, Celestia, Shining Armor, and Not-Cadence in the front. "Princess Cadence and Shining Armor, it is my great honor to pronounce you..."
"STOP!" Twilight shouted at the doors.
Cadence groaned. "Why does she have to be so possessive over her brother?"
"Because," Taro said entering, " She's evil!"
"No Taro, not you too!" Rainbow Dash shouted.
"Well if she isn't evil, then who's THAT!" He motion toward the real Cadence entering the room.
Everypony gasped as they saw the two of them. "What? But how did you escape the bride's maids?"
"They're bride's maids," Taro said, "We used flowers."
"What?" Not-Cadence said in disbelief.
"Yeah, I know right. Twenty different fighting styles packed into this brain, then all she does is throw flowers. LAME!" Taro complained. "I mean, I had the chance to look even COOLER than I already do, but no, FLOWERS!"
"Okay Taro, enough," Twilight said.
"Well no matter, you're still to late!" Not-Cadence exclaimed.
"I don't get it, how are there two Cadences?" Apple Jack wondered allowed.
"There aren't. She's a Changeling!" True-Cadence explained. "She takes the form of somepony you love and gains power by feeding off your love for them."
"And she's not just any Changeling, she's the Queen," Taro said.
Everypony glared at Not-Cadence as she transformed back into her original form. A black, Cadence-sized alicorn with holes bored into her body, bug-like wings, and widely spaced teeth.
"Right you are, angel, and as queen, it's up to me to find food for my subjects, and Equestria holds more love than any place I have EVER encountered. My fellow Changelings will devour so much of it and gain MORE power than we have ever DREAMED of!"
"They won't get the chance! Shining Armor's protection spell will keep them from ever even REACHING us!" Cadence shouted.
The changeling cackled. "Oh I DOUBT that. Isn't that right, dear?" She used her magic to make Shining Armor nod.
Cadence started to run toward Shining, only to be blocked by the evil changeling. "Ah, ah, ah! Don't want to go back to caves, do you?" She jumped back by Shining Armor. "Ever since I took your place, I've been feeding off Shining Armors love for you. Every moment he grows weaker, along with his spell. My minions are already chipping away at it. He may not be my husband, but he's under my total control now and unable to perform his duties as Captain of the Royal Guard! Once my army breaks that shield, we will take Canterlot and ALL of Equestria!"
"No, you won't," Celestia commanded, "You may have made it impossible for Shining Armor to perform his spell, but now that you have revealed your plan, I can protect my subjects from you!" Celestia shot a powerful beam at the changeling, who returned fire, knocking her to the ground.
All of the ponies gasped as Twilight and her friends ran to make sure was alright. "Wow, Shining Armor's love has made me more powerful than even CELESTIA! "
"Elements of Harmony," Celestia began, "You have to get them to defeat the Queen. It's the only thing that can defeat her!"
"No." Taro stepped forward. "They aren't. I can still beat her."
The Queen laughed. "Oh please! An angel is only slightly less powerful than Celestia!"
"That may be true, but I'm not an angel!" Taro threw off his hat and burned his gloves off. Then he grabbed Kveykva from his side and activated it. A roar was heard in the distance. Suddenly, a green dragon crashed through the roof. "I'm a Dragon Rider!"