by Bekdontraz
~~~
The false Cadence’s picture shattered under the blast of arcane might. Twilight panted stepping into the cloud of vaporized crystals. She glared finding yet another simulacrum, this one appeared beaten and bruised. She let out a feral growl
“QUIT TRYING TO MESS WITH MY HEAD YOU LIAR!” She screamed leveling her horn at the fake.
“Twiliy! Wait its me! The real Cadence!” The things voice threw off her aim, the blast struck its shoulder. It spun through the air before it landed on the hard stone of the cave floor.
“Twilight, please..I’m me..” It begged looking up at Twilight with Cadence’s eyes. Twilight’s rage only grew as the thing looked at her.
“No! You’re not! None of you have been! The real Cadence wouldn’t have waited until the last minute to tell me she was marrying my brother! The real Cadence wouldn’t be that cruel!” Twilight hissed in a voice barely above a whisper. She set her hooves charging power into her horn.
“I was scared! I didn’t want to break your heart!” The Cadence thing shrieked and covered her head in her pink hooves.
“W..what?” Twilight’s concentration was shattered. She stumbled and looked down at the thing laying in front of her. Blinking away the rage and pain, she saw, for the first time, the battered form of Princess Cadence. She saw the fear in her eyes.
“I was afraid! You’ve been crushing on me since...since you figured out you like mares! I knew, but..but I never wanted to hurt you Twilight.” Cadence slowly rose to her hooves. She limped towards the shaking purple unicorn. She winced wrapping her forehooves around her former friend.
“I was an idiot, I should have told you sooner that I knew, a..and that I don’t love you that way.” Cadence tried to keep her voice calm, but it cracked with worry and pain. She looked away from Twilight in shame.
“I...I..I should have guessed..” Twilight said in reply. She let out a ragged laugh “After all, you showed all the signs of being in lust with my brother.” Twilight forced a smile onto her face. Cadence stepped back and glared at Twilight.
“Love, love with your brother.” She looked to the sky, raising her nose at the very idea a princess would be overcome with lust. A few moments passed before both mare let out bouts of nervous laughter. The tension and pain they’d both felt over the last few days melting away as they clung to each other. Their laughter echoed through the caverns around them.
“I’m sorry Twilight,” Cadence finally said as she wiped tears from her eyes. “I really was stupid. You know what I can do to make this up to you?” She asked with a grin
“What?”
“Lets go kick that shapeshifting witch’s plot!” Cadence said as she offered a hoof to Twilight. The unicorn grinned and hugged her former foalsitter.
“Sounds like a plan”
“Then you, me, and Shiney can all sit down and sort this all out afterwards” Cadence added as they began to search for the exit to the caverns. Twilight just pouted as they ran. She didn’t want it all sorted out. She wanted Cadence.