//------------------------------// // Chapter 9: And Do a Little Shake // Story: All for You // by Stryke //------------------------------// As Shining Armour proceeded through the hallways of the palace a satisfied smile crossed his lips. It had only been a few days, but it had seemed like everything was finally back to normal in the mountain city of Canterlot. All of the royal guards were back on duty, present and correct to keep a watchful eye at every intersection, and there wasn't even a trace of the sticky ichor that had served as decoration along with all the wedding bunting. He did have to admit it wasn't exactly the same as it could have been. His dreams last night had been filled with a sense of a loss that he would never get something indefinable back again. He'd also began to start remembering flashes of his lost year. A smile, a shared laugh, the warmth of another pressed against him... He shook his head. What was done had been done and he was utterly resolved to make the best out of things. Anyway, none of that mattered at all compared to the concern that he felt for the pony trudging sullenly beside him. Since the incident in the dining room Twilight Sparkle had been withdrawn and lost in her own thoughts even more than was usual for her. "Are you sure that you don't want to talk about it?" he asked. At hearing no response his horn glowed, causing the sash refashioned into a jaunty bandanna around his neck to shimmer. "How about to your B.S.B.F.F?" she asked. "Shiny!" Twilight protested, spinning to face her. "I really don't think that you should be doing that." "Why not?" Gleaming grinned, as her horn glowed again. "Just cause I can be the cute one now," Shining said, and waggled his eyebrows in an attempt to at least cheer his sister up. "Please, I'm sure with a bit more study I can remove it entirely," Twilight said. Her tone was tired and Shining could see dark rings under her sister's eyes. "I just need more time to think." "About that changeling in your head," Shining asked sharply. "I..." Twilight hesitated. "I told you I was stressed and I didn't know what I was saying." Shining decided not to push, and moved to a different angle. "I hope that you're going to apologize to that Trixie when you see her." "Shining, she turned you into a mare!" His horn glowed in reply, and then Gleaming grinned back at her. "Yeah, and?" Twilight buried her face in her hooves. "You're going to go blind or something..." "Nah," Gleaming replied, and tossed her mane in a reasonable imitation of a born model. "Your armour doesn't even fit properly when you do that," Twilight pointed out a little petulantly. "You look like you should be twirling around a pole at Tail Twisters." "Oh?" he said, back as a stallion and raising an eyebrow. "And what does my little secluded sister know about a disreputable Canterlot dive like that, hmm?" Twilight stared at the marbled floor under her hooves and mumbled something about never going to one of Moondancer's parties again. She lifted her head and looked away from her brother. "I shouldn't have even tried to do anything with that sash with the state I'm in." "Aw, don't say that," his form shifted again, until she was giving her sister an affectionate nuzzle. "When getting to tweak the beard of my opposite number, Captain Wraith, and discovering the aftermath of the most adorable threesome that had taken place in my own bed for some reason, are still not the best thing that happened to me yesterday..." She grinned with deep personal satisfaction. "Well, I certainly have no complaints let's put it that way." Twilight's eyes widened at the threesome comment, but from the way she shook her head apparently she really didn't want to know more. Shining thought about going onto explain the tactical advantages like with that nutso unicorn sorceress up in the mountains a couple of months back when he had to call in Spitfire of the Wonderbolts to lead a squad to deal with her rather than being able to deal with the situation himself, but he didn't think that Twilight was in the mood to hear about that right now. "I don't even see why I need to go to this anyway," Twilight complained. "I could be in bed right now," she added, the fatigue clear in every word. "C'mon, Twiley," Gleaming said. "Princess Cadance specifically requested your attendance." "Because that's just who I want to see right now," Twilight muttered. When they arrived at Celestia's throne room several of the others were already there waiting for them. Applejack and Rainbow Dash were catching up with Spike who had something of a thousand yard stare of a dragon who has seen too much too young. Doomie and Pinkie were happily nattering away like they had known each other their entire life. This was apparently not hindered by Pinkie not knowing how to speak a word of changeling. The speaker was also present, back in his Blueblood guise, and was standing well clear of all the ponies in the room while trying not to meet Moondancer's gaze. Her along with Lyra and Minuette were standing amongst a host of the more important dignitaries that had been scheduled to attend the wedding. My wedding, not the wedding, Shining thought as he corrected himself. No matter how much he went over that it still didn't seem any more real to him. Turning back to the crowd Shining spotted the real Prince Blueblood who was staring at the speaker with just about as much undisguised yearning as Moondancer was. Princess Celestia was on her throne with Princess Luna looking just as regal on her right in all of their splendour and absolute authority. Off to her left Princess Cadance and Chrysalis waited patiently as more and more guests filed in to hear the reason that they had been summoned for. Shining had to admit he was kind of interested to find out himself, and wondered idly if it might have had something to do with that attack yesterday. It had been determined that the changelings identified as Doomie and the speaker had not done anything other than following along, but the other one was currently languishing in chains in the palace dungeon. "You two!" Shining's head whipped around to see Fluttershy bearing down on Applejack and Rainbow Dash through the air while behind her Trixie and Rarity were struggling to keep up not having the benefit of wings. "How could you?" Fluttershy asked angrily. when she landed in front of her two friends. "How could you?" "Err, how could we what, sugarcube?" Applejack said, tipping her ever-present hat back in the face of her friend's unexpected wrath. "How could you be so mean, so heartless to a poor, struggling, sexy, hardworking magician who just wanted to put on a show?" Fluttershy yelled, pointing a wing in the direction of Trixie. "Shame on you two for heckling. I thought that you were better ponies than that." "...Sexy?" Applejack said, her tone stunned. "Hang on a minute!" Dash yelled back. "We may have objected to her boasting—" "Performance," Trixie interjected weakly, as she struggled to catch her breath. "Whatever," Dash said, shrugging the comment off. "Rarity started all that y'know." She pointed an accusing hoof at Rarity who had just caught up. "You tell her, Applejack." "...Sexy?" Applejack said again. The word appeared to be preying on her mind. "Rarity apologised," Fluttershy said, with a little sniff. "Is there any chance we can do this later, darlings?" Rarity asked, her head looking around wildly about the attention they were beginning to draw. "This really doesn't seem to be the appropriate venue for this discussion." "Not until they apologize," Fluttershy insisted, taking back to the air again and crossing her forehooves in front of her. "I really don't mind if they apologize or not," Trixie said, not able to take her eyes of Princess Celestia who seemed to be staring at her intently. "I do," Fluttershy said firmly. "Why'd you apologize to that loser anyway, Rares?" Rainbow asked, as she turned to her friend and completely missing that Rarity was gritting her teeth in annoyance. "She turned your mane green for pony's sake." "I had just torn down part of her stage," Rarity replied flatly, with the tone of a mare who had gone over this more than once already. "Anyway, regardless of what she may have done we were being frightfully boorish. If we did not appreciate her show we should simply have trotted away and not acted like common louts." "I really don't see that they need to apologize," Trixie said, after finally tearing her eyes away from Celestia. "Yeah!" Trixie glared at Dash for the interjection, and continued, "They heckled my show, I showed them up like I would any two-bits drunk." Ignoring Dash's mutters that it took her at least ten, she said, "The crowd's mocking laughter was all the apology that I needed." "Trixie," Fluttershy said disapprovingly. "Sorry, 'Shy," she said, and backed off to stand by Rarity looking somewhat crestfallen that she had risen to the bait so quickly once more. Rarity patted her shoulder lightly and Trixie flashed her a quick thankful smile. "Still don't want to apologize," Dash said, more than a little foalishly. "That Ursa nearly flattened the town." Dash continued ignoring the strangled intake of breath from Trixie. "Applejack doesn't want to either." Applejack was still mouthing a word slowly and was not about to confirm that either way. "Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy said. "If you won't apologize to Trixie." She paused, and stepped back and took Trixie's hoof with hers. "Will you at least apologize to my marefriend?" Dash's jaw dropped. "Well, one of my marefriends anyway," Fluttershy said, with a little giggle, and glanced back at Rarity. "Marefriends?!" Applejack yelled. “Yes,” Fluttershy said, and practically beamed with happiness. As Applejack completely lost all grip on reality, and the last of the guests had filed into the hall, Princess Celestia turned to Cadance. "Are we ready to proceed now?" "Not quite yet," Cadance replied, keeping an eye on the large open double-doorway. A few minutes later a figure flanked by several others appeared. It was Firebrand, revealed to all as a changeling drone and in chains. She was flanked by several members of the royal guard which got a raised eyebrow from Gleaming as that order had certainly not come from her. The crowd parted allowing the prisoner to be brought before the princesses. Firebrand kept her head high and ignored several angry jibes from the crowd along with a few confused whispers about why a changeling might have a cutiemark. When the procession had halted there was a silence that nopony seemed willing to break. "Good," Cadance said, with a little grin. "Release her." Celestia turned her head slowly and not one of the crowd picked up on even the slightest note of surprise in her speech. "Princess Cadance?" Cadance kept that same little grin. "When I placed Chrysalis under my protection that extended to her hive and so Firebrand is under my protection." "What if I don't want her protection?" Firebrand answered back hotly, as the guards undid her bindings. The accent was rough, but it was still good enough Equestrian for Chrysalis' eyes to boggle and look at the drone as if she'd sprouted a second head. "Well, Princess Celestia," said Cadance. "What would happen then?" Celestia shot her back a look, and then mused out loud, "Well, attempted abduction and assault of a princess are serious crimes. You are currently not an Equestrian citizen, and so do not have a place in our legal system, meaning that I am unable to refer you to our courts. "You are not a member of a race that we have diplomatic relations with," said Celestia, as she towered over the changeling in judgement from her throne. "So exile to your home nation followed by the usual sternly worded letter is alas not an option. Both the minotaur and griffon nations are usually sympathetic to asylum requests though you really should have made the request first before you took any action." The minotaur and griffon ambassador who were both present exchanged glances unsure if that had been a slight against or a compliment towards their respective people's. She paused, and flicked her eyes to Cadance who was still smiling triumphantly. "I'm afraid it would have to be Tartaurus." Firebrand gasped, and there were a few scattered cheers from the crowd at seeing justice being done. "How long?" she asked quietly. "I would certainly be inclined to show mercy so no more than three years at the most," Celestia said, and favoured Firebrand with a kindly smile. "I assure you that while the guards there are firm, they are also fair, and the various abominations, horrors and immortal despots that have threatened my little ponies over the millennia are all safely contained." "...I think I'll take Princess Cadance's protection," Firebrand said weakly. "I thought that you might," Cadance said, so pleased that she purred. "Come," she said, and clapped a hoof on the floor. "We shall discuss your future in my service later." After Firebrand wearing a sick expression on her face had dutifully moved to stand behind Cadance, there were several muttered murmurs from the crowd that they couldn't quite believe that they'd been summoned just for this. Celestia let out a little huff which only her sister noted that she did not appreciate at all being in used in such games. "Now that has been resolved we can move onto why you have all been called here today," Celestia said, in a clear regal voice that silenced the room. "It is my duty to announce that there will be a royal wedding held here in Canterlot after all." Shining's ears perked up at the choice of words and then he groaned. He had guessed this might be the reason, but it was so fast for them that he hadn't believed it could be true. There were a few hushed comments from the crowd and more than a few ponies were looking at Luna speculatively. "Tomorrow I will be joining Princess Cadance in matrimony with the changeling Chrysalis who has graciously renounced her own crown to become part of Equestria." Princess Celestia would have got less of a reaction if she had suddenly announced that she did in fact, despite all evidence to the contrary, not like tea. Several nobles all started yelling at once. All of them listing a catalogue of sins attributed to the changeling race namely that they had just invaded for crying out loud. Amidst the general panic and hubbub there were darker whispers too that the changeling queen had corrupted the youngest and clearly naïve princess and was merely continuing her invasion under a different guise. The sole exception to the general mood was Pinkie who was hopping in place with the grin of one who knows that there will soon be a party incoming. Shining let his spear spin lazily in the air at his side concerned that if they had a riot on their hooves he might soon have to put it to use. "Please do not be alarmed, my ponies." Princess Celestia had not raised her voice. She did not have to do so to bring the room to heel. "Believe me, I share many of your concerns, but I am convinced that this is the right step forward for us to begin to repair the rifts that have existed between our two races for far too long. I will also be offering Equestrian citizenship to every changeling of the former hive Chrysalis that now lurk in the caves beneath our beloved city.” This did not get a reaction. Shining could only surmise that had been due to every pony being too stunned by that concept to complain loudly about it. "Even to this day relations with the griffon kingdom are tenuous at best." The griffon ambassador buried his beak in his claws and visibly wondered what exactly that he'd done to deserve this posting. "And yet there are now enough griffons who dwell within our own borders and happily coexist with us that entire teams of them have competed in the last three Equestrian games," Celestia said. "Living in harmony works, my little ponies. It has worked with the griffons, it has worked with the donkeys, it is slowly working with both the buffalo and the minotaurs and I hope that this is the day that we can begin to see that it will work with the changelings too." This got a smattering of hooves clapping on the floor. "Chrysalis has given up every tie and bond to stand before you all with Princess Cadance today and the very least that we can do is to accept her for what she is." That got even more applause which steadily built to a genuine crescendo. Chrysalis stepped forward and respectfully bowed her head to Celestia. She then turned to where Applejack, Pinkie, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Rarity were standing. "I know that I tricked the five of you the last time for which I am sorry, but would you please do me the honour of being my bridesmaids once more." "Of course, your former queenyness!" Pinkie said joyfully. "Also can I just say I totally called it, by the way." "I get to design the dresses still, right?" Rarity asked, her eyes aflame with the fires of creativity. "I thought that Chrysalis would wear my dress, and I could simply wear my royal accoutrements?" Cadance suggested. "It is very short notice." "Oh no no no!" Rarity insisted. "Such a crime for such an occasion can absolutely not be permitted. I'll have them both done by this evening." She smiled warmly. "Anyway, I know where I can get my hooves on two assistants in a hurry." "If Rarity doesn't mind," Fluttershy said, "then I don't mind." "You've not done anythin' that I've seen to make it seem like you're not on the level since the princess turned your head round," said Applejack. "So I don't think it'd be neighbourly to say no after that." "Oh, I dont know..." Dash said non-committally, and stretched. Chrysalis looked her in the eyes and lowered her voice. "Please, it really would mean a lot to me." "I suppose I could," Dash said, then she grinned. "It wouldn't be right if Canterlot didn't get to witness the awesomeness that is my sonic rainboom after all this." Chrysalis looked over to Cadance and smiled widely. "Hey, you were right," she said. "This sincerity thing really does work!" "Later, my love," Cadance said, as her eyes met the ceiling. "We'll discuss this later." After most of the guests had been dismissed, Pinkie bounced over to Cadance and Chrysalis. "So, lets talk hen parties!" "Parties?" asked Cadance. "Of course!" Pinkie replied. "You’re both brides aren't you?" "That's true, I guess," said Cadance. Chrysalis raised a hoof. "Excuse me, but what is a hen party?" "That was what we were supposed to be having when you lured us down into the caves," Minuette explained sweetly. "Oh," Chrysalis said, and glanced at the three ponies. "Uh, I’m sorry about that." "Moondancer should hope so—" She grimaced as a poke from Lyra's hoof caught her in the ribs. "Moondancer graciously accepts your apology and hopes that you have learned the error of your ways." "Because I am the foremost party planner I am completely ready to handled both your requirements," Pinkie announced. "I'll be running Chrysalis' as I'm going to be a bridesmaid for her anyway, and my number one party planning apprentice will be planning the princess’." She placed a proud forehoof around Spike's shoulders. "She's been drilling me about it for days," Spike said, with a bit of an exaggerated groan. Cadance eyed the young dragon carefully, and then glanced back at Pinkie. "If you're certain that he can handle it..." "Absolutely certain," Pinkie said, in a deadly serious tone. "I never joke about parties!" Her grim visage cracked into a happy giggle. "He'll be fine. Trust me." "Okay," Cadance replied, not exactly sounding entirely convinced. "Righto!" Pinkie said, her tone shifted to add a bit more professionalism. "I find it's best to keep things reasonably small and it does save on the property damage and need for bail money before the wedding." Cadance raised both eyebrows. "I figure we're going with the set of bridesmaids each," said Pinkie Pie, pulling out and unravelling a lengthy scroll from somewhere. "So along with myself, Rarity, Fluttershy, Applejack and Dashie will be at Chrysalis' and Lyra, Minuette and Moondancer will be at yours." "Firebrand will also be one of my bridesmaids," Cadance said promptly. "I will?" said a startled voice from behind her. Cadance spun round and fixed Firebrand in place with her gaze. "In a really pretty mauve dress as well." Rarity choked slightly. "I... I can do that. Three new dresses and a hen party to attend by tomorrow, and having to do one of them in mauve... I can totally do that." Chrysalis looked thoughtful. "I may not be a queen anymore, but it would be..." She paused to gather her words. "It would be nice I think to be accompanied by one other changeling to the altar." A pink hoof shot into the air and visibly quivered with excitement. <"Ooh ooh! Pick me, me, me, me!"> called out Doomie, as she hopped up and down. <"Please, please pick me!"> "Drone," Chrysalis said, in a surprisingly gentle tone. "You are the only other female changeling present that is not already spoken for." <"I am?!"> Doomie said, her head whipping around to confirm that she had apparently just won by virtue of default. <"Yay!"> Cadance stepped forward and inspected the pink pony replica of Pinkie Pie. "Doomie," she said. "That is the name that you chose, right? <"Err, yes,"> Doomie replied, and stopped hopping up and down now that she realised that she was the centre of attention which happened to include the dreaded Nightmare Moon. <"Is it okay?"> "It's a wonderful name," Cadance said, smiling down at the changeling drone. "May I try something?" As Doomie nodded Chrysalis cleared her throat. "If you keep kissing other changelings then I'm going to start getting a complex." She had tried to keep her tone light and jovial, but she couldn’t keep the worry entirely out of her expression. "I need you to change back, Doomie," Cadance asked, seemingly not having heard Chrysalis' comment. Doomie looked unsure. <"I... I'm not sure I want to,"> she said hesitantly. She couldn't meet Cadance's eyes and glanced downwards. <"I prefer it like this,"> she said, rubbing a pink forehoof against her other one. <"You'll be able to change back,"> Cadance promised, having switched to the changeling tongue to reassure the drone. <"Firebrand,”> she said, her voice ringing with authority. The other drone sighed at the command, but shifted back to the mint-green unicorn guise that she had used before. Shining noted though that she had retained the pink flaming lyre that been burned into the drone's chitinous flanks. "That will never stop being weird," Lyra noted quietly to herself. Doomie looked at Firebrand and shook herself as she let her form go. Chrysalis looked away as Cadance leaned down and kissed the drone's forehead. Her horn caught light as she started to channel the magic through herself and into Doomie. A bead of sweat run down Cadance's marred cheek and then another as pink tendrils of pure energy wrapped around the pair. Cadance pulled back and let the magic fade. Doomie collapsed to the floor. With obvious effort she looked up to Cadance from where she fell, and said, "Th-Thank you." Her eyes rolled back in her skull and she slumped into unconsciousness with three new pink balloons decorating her black flanks. Cadance swayed in place and let out a long breath. "That," she wheezed, before making a visible effort to collect herself. "That is a lot harder without the proper motivation." "Anytime," Firebrand muttered under her breath. She glanced up nervously, but no one was paying her any attention. There was a high-pitched giggle tinged with hysteria. Every pony and changeling turned as one to where the speaker was pointing a shaking chitinous hoof at Princess Cadance. <"You can not!"> the speaker yelled. His eyes were wide and the pupils had shrunk down to manic pinpricks. He was also slowly backing towards the open balcony. <"Just what are you?"> he asked, as his voice rose in utter disbelief. <"Speaker,"> Chrysalis said, as she slowly walked forward. <"I appreciate this is disconcerting, but change for the better often—"> Luna repeated her words quietly for the other ponies that were present. <"Stop talking!"> the speaker screamed, and green spittle flew from his fangs. <"Your lips move, but it is her words that come out!"> Shining Armour seized his spear tighter, and signalled to the other royal guards present to start flanking the possibly dangerous changeling. Princess Celestia raised a hoof, caught his eyes and the message was clear. Stand down, and see if the changelings can deal with this by themselves. "Speaker," Firebrand called out. "It's odd I’ll give you that talking like this, but I really am still a changeling." <"Pony words!"> the speaker howled. <"Pony lies!"> He backed into the lip of the balcony and jumped with a little start. <"We shall not speak. We shall not speak!"> Cadance stretched languorously and clicked the bones in both her wings. <"Join us,"> she said, with hooded eyes. <"You'll feel so much better..."> The speaker's eyes threatened to bug out of his skull entirely and opened his mouth to scream. The changelings and the alicorns winced, the rest heard nothing, but did feel their teeth tingle. <"I will not be changed by the likes of you!"> he yelled, as frayed gossamer wings burst from his carapace. He turned and launched himself from the balcony and took off in roughly the direction of the badlands as fast as his wings could carry him. "Cadance," Celestia said, her tone clearly disapproving. "Sorry," said Cadance. She was smirking. "Was it something I said?" "I could still catch him easily, y'know," Rainbow Dash offered, and flexed her wings. "Please, leave him," said Chrysalis, still staring at the rapidly shrinking black dot in the blue sky. "Something like this should not be forced on any 'ling if they do not want it," she added more quietly. "Mind me askin' why he freaked out like that?" asked Applejack, turning to Chrysalis. "He was acting like the princess was some kinda horror.... Err, no offence meant." "None taken," replied Cadance smoothly. Chrysalis eyed her lover warily. "There are certain things that define us as changelings," she said slowly. "Things set by magic by how we came to be as a race." She paused, and glanced at Princess Celestia. "It is too long a tale to explain here, but being able to communicate with ponies is one of them. The idea that anything is not only strong enough to break one of those rules not just as a one-off, but demonstrated they can do it repeatedly... Well, it’s a lot to process I admit," she concluded lamely. "But you can speak it?" Trixie blurted out. Chrysalis shrugged. "I’m a queen." She caught herself and grimaced. "Sorry, was a queen. We are an exception no changeling has ever been truly able to figure out." Luna glanced at Celestia, but her sister’s face remained an impassive mask. Pinkie made a futile attempt at smoothing down her uncontrollable mane with a hoof to appear more professional. "Soooo," she said, not quite as sounding as cheerful as she had been before. "Anypony else that you'd like on your guest lists." Gleaming thought about speaking up given that she had what was known as an opportunity that comes around once in a life time. Then she grinned ruefully. Nopony needed that kind of potential awkwardness. "Would it be okay for Trixie to come along?" asked Rarity to Chrysalis. "Are you the one that turned Shining Armour into a mare?" Chrysalis asked. She was fighting to keep an amused smile off her face. "Uh...technically," Trixie said, her body shifting in place as she glanced between the princesses and Gleaming Shield who was twirling her spear nonchalantly. "Then I don't see a problem with that," Chrysalis said. "How about you Princess?" Pinkie said, as she turned to Cadance. Luna slowly raised a hoof and Celestia groaned under her breath. "Princess Luna?" Cadance asked, her eyes widening. "If we would be permitted to attend," Luna said, a little hesitantly. "We have heard many tales of the fabled ''hen party' and would like to experience one for ourselves." "It would be an honour to have you along," Cadance replied graciously, and bowed her head. Celestia let out a genuine sigh and wth deliberate motions started to divest herself of her raiment starting with her crown. "I will attend Chrysalis', if that is acceptable?" she announced. "Uh, I’m sorry what was that question again?" Chrysalis asked, after pursing her lips a couple of times. "I can hardly have it said that only one half of the happy couple received royal recognition can I?" Celestia said lightly. "Can you?" Chrysalis asked, her tone still clearly stunned. "Apparently not," Celestia replied sweetly. "Perhaps it will give us a chance to...." She swallowed as if she tasted something unpleasant. "A chance to bond." Chrysalis made several choking noises. "That will be nice," she said weakly. "Anypony else?" Pinkie asked, after making a few more notes on her scroll. "I don't know," Cadance said, suddenly unsure. "I had hoped to ask Twilight Sparkle, but she does not appear to be present." Shining Armour glanced to the total absence at his side where his sister should be. "She was here," he said. "I’m sorry, but I did not see when she left." Shining frowned deeply. "I think it might have been while Princess Celestia was making her announcement." ~~~ Twilight Sparkle galloped down the narrow twisting rocky path her mind utterly aflame. As she clattered down on loose shale and teleported straight through boulders, and the mountain dropped near vertically to her side, some more rational part of herself pointed out that this wasn't exact sensible or safe behaviour. Twilight pointed out to herself that if her more rational side wasn't interested in helping then it could very well shut up. Why couldn't they just see? That was the question that was repeating over and over in her head. She'd been right when she had exposed Chrysalis and what happened? Her friends had abandoned her and worst of all Princess Celestia had been disappointed with her... Twilight knew that as long as she lived that she'd be hearing those words over and over again in her head, and to make it so much worse, it had been for being right. This though was very very wrong. That changeling queen was getting everything that she wanted and nopony seemed to care. She'd broken up her Shiney's marriage and she'd actually hurt Princess Celestia! The very thought of that moment when her mentor had fallen made her mane burn. Still if nopony was going to listen Twilight knew she was fully capable of taking matters into her own hooves. It was just a case of having the will to do so. Instead of teleporting through the next boulder, she let loose a single blast of her horn, and she galloped headlong through the exploding spray of dust and tiny shards. She couldn't even confer with Dusk anymore. He'd been in the cocoon so long now that it was more than enough for even a changeling to lose grasp on what was real. Admittedly some of what she was getting through the still existent mental link was quite flattering, but the rage burning within her was keeping her from considering what that meant. Chrysalis had no right, no right at all! She had invaded her home which in some small way Twilight still considered the palace to be. The changeling was just another monster and Twilight knew how to deal with monsters. She may not have the elements of harmony, but as that inconvenient idiot Trixie had learned Twilight had power and she was going to make this right. She came to the tunnel entrance that she remembered from Dusk's arrival here yesterday and started to move more cautiously. Soon enough the rocky surface under her hooves turned sticky and cloying. Twilight could hear the rustle of hundreds of chitinous hides out there in the dark. She raised her head proudly and stepped out into the cavern. The eyes of every changeling all turned to her. Twilight had a distinct impression that she had been expected. In the clicks and snarls of their race, she announced to every changeling listening, <"We have a wedding to crash."> ~~~ Chrysalis stared at the drink in front her. It was blue. Many things were blue, but not like this, this was a blue that certainly had never occurred in nature and probably should just not be. It had been poured out of a bottle with a bleeding polar bear on it which might also have some significance. She tapped the glass with a chitinous hoof and listened to the *tink* with interest and went back to staring at it some more in an attempt to discern its secrets. Ponies, it turned out, had a thing called alcohol and alcohol was amazing. It was also somewhat scary how it affected a changeling's mood, vision, memory and sense of equilibrium. Speaking of memory she was having a hard enough time recalling everything that had happened since Pinkie had dragged her and the rest out of the palace and into the Canterlot night. She was sure that they'd started off at some kind of performance. Chrysalis had even been persuaded to dance to the strangely compelling pounding music, but it had been so packed with ponies and a few members of the other races that she and everything else could pretty much only sway in place. Then they'd gone to an establishment with lots of poles and mares spinning round them while not wearing very much at all. There were also other simalar clubs with stallions or both genders apparently, but this had been the one that Pinkie had reccomended given whose hen party it was for. That had certainly been an experience, Chrysalis recalled with a heated blush. It had also given her the final and comprehensive conclusion about where her interests lay, and that it was not just Princess Cadance that could move her after all. Unfortunately they had been politely asked to leave as Princess Celestia, who had just been sitting in place with an expression of keen interest and a ridiculously long party hat to cover her horn, had apparently been disturbing both the dancers and patrons with her presence. Chrysalis remembered the cream coloured unicorn built to almost alicorn-like proportions who had worn a harness to support the very large fake wings, and the stylised suns that had been taped to her very shapely flanks. She'd even made a passable attempt at dying her tail though Chrysalis was reasonably sure that the real Celestia had never worn tight straps around hers to lift it so provocatively. Reasonably sure anyway. The mare had come strutting out onto the stage and then faltered entirely at the sight of Princess Celestia sitting front and centre with a pleasant interested smile and a stack of bits perched on the stage in front of her. That mare's expression as she'd turned her raised tail and fled was definitely going to stick with her for a while. After that it was a bit of a blur, and then there had been another club which she thought had been called Tail Twisters or something, with the largest stallion Chrysalis had ever seen standing outside. Maybe it had actually been a bear now that she thought about it, or maybe he had just had a bear for a cutie mark, the place had definitely been called Hot Flanks though. There they had been asked to leave a lot less politely, but then after what Pinkie and Doomie had done with the copious amounts of whipped cream the place had in storage for some reason that had also been probably reasonable in retrospect. She didn't think that the bear had needed to roar quite so loudly even if Princess Celestia had threatened to banish him to the ssshun-hic. Chrysalis wasn't too sure where that was but the princess had been slurring pretty badly by then. There was another black void in her memory which might have involved a fountain, then there had definitely been a train which had seemed like a good idea at the time... Chrysalis' eyes widened as she was pretty sure they'd left both Celestia and Doomie snoozing back there. Hopefully they'd wake up before they ended up in Stalliongrad or somewhere even more remote. She really didn't want to be the one to get blamed for losing them if the sun didn't come up tomorrow... They'd got off in Flankfurt... No, Fillydelphia, wait no it... uh, it definitely started with 'F' and had ended up in another club that was a lot more quiet compared to the others. Well, admittedly Fluttershy was currently on the stage lustily belting out that while she was in fact a six course meal, everypony else was burned toast. Ponies, as Chrysalis had considered several times over the last couple of days, and repeatedly over the course of this night, were a very odd lot. She was very much learning to like them, and the singing was really quite enjoyable. Trixie, who Chrysalis had found to be very pleasant company over the course of the evening, was in one of the plush booths with a blissfully happy grin in place as she watched her marefriend blast out that she did in fact have tricks in her wings. That Rarity's face was pressed into her side and was drooling over her blue coat did not appear to bother her at all. Chrysalis watched the two Pinkies approach her table with yet another round of drinks. She was puzzled why there was two Pinkies before remembering that one of her drones liked that form and then she realized that Doomie wasn't in fact here and got even more confused. She made a concentrated effort and the two Pinkie Pies resolved themselves into a single mare. "Why the frowny face, Chrysilicious?" Pinkie asked, after sitting down at the table across from her. Chrysalis' forehead wrinkled, and she fiddled with the pink feather boa wrapped around her neck. Was she frowning? She tried to inspect herself in the blue drink but that was inconclusive. "I don't know," she admitted. "I think I must be doing this ''having fun' thing wrong." "Ah," Pinkie said sagely. "That's okay you've just reached the stage of the evening when you get all introspective. Happens to every bride-to-be." She nodded, and then had to make an effort to stop as anything involving her sense of balance was not a good idea right now. "How do I make it stop?" she asked plaintively. "My stomach and head have gone all twisty." Pinkie grinned and put on a fake beard that she'd just happened to have handy. "So," she said in a strange thick accent. "You will be tellink me about your mother." To Chrysalis' great surprise she told Pinkie Pie everything. From being a young princess in what was surely the greatest hive of changelings ever and the day she'd get to have a pony of her very own, to the attack that robbed her of her nymphling innocence long with her mother's life. She even told her about the years wandering the wilderness afterwards. When she had to grow up and learn to lead with no 'ling who would be willing to tell her differently. When Chrysalis finished talking half of the tablecloth was covered by Pinkie's notes. Chrysalis couldn't make out a lot of it what with them being upside down to her, but did manage to make out 'clear abandonment issues', 'struggling with loss of maternal influence', ''pressure to overcome' and a number of more abstract workings including several depictions of balloons, all of her friend's cutiemarks joined up by random seeming lines, a lovingly rendered stallion's rear end and schematics for something that looked scarily weapon-like. "I don't think I feel any better," Chrysalis said apologetically. Pinkie pulled the beard off. "Ah perhaps the problem iz not beink..." She giggled, and dropped the accent. "Perhaps it's not yourself that you are concerned about?" "Pinkie," Chrysalis said. She looked at her forehooves that were for some reason trembling. "What do ponies in a relationship do when they have a disagreement?" "Well..." Pinkie drew out the word as she thought about it. "The Cakes usually just try to talk it out and only occasionally do they get all shouty. Course after that they usually get all kissy and ask me to be someplace else." "Oh," Chrysalis said quietly. "I don't think I know how this should work out at all." She took a shot of her drink that burned all the way down. "When I was with Shining Armour anytime he did anything that I didn't like I just made him change his mind, but that wasn't a relationship. I was just using him..." She swallowed hard. "And that was wrong I think." "Yep," Pinkie agreed, and nodded her head vigorously. Chrysalis really had no idea how she did that without being sick, but no matter how much the party pony had imbibed she remained just as bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. "The thing is," she said, not at all sure that she wanted to complete this thought. "Cadance did that to me. Not back at the first wedding, but again yesterday. I do love her, but I think that might have been wrong too." Pinkie dropped her usual happy-go-lucky grin and looked at the changeling with clear concern in her shining eyes. "Why?" was all that she said. Chrysalis explained the price that the princesses had asked of her and how she been unable to just go along with it. "Don't get me wrong," she said, and shrugged her shoulders. "You saw how well it worked out today in getting all the ponies to accept the hive, but..." Chrysalis let out a little choke, and didn't feel much like continuing at all. "Uh huh," Pinkie said, and she tilted her head to one side. "What did Princess Cadance do afterwards?" "What?" "Y'know," Pinkie said brightly. "Did she throw her head back and cackle, did she say the love would in fact last forever, did she do a dance that you thought could be an evil one in retrospect?" "No," Chrysalis said slowly, then blinked a few times. "She asked me if I was okay with her doing that to me." "Well, that was silly if you weren't," Pinkie said, patting one of Chrysalis’' forehooves with one of her own. "I thought I was," Chrysalis admitted. "I thought that was how all this worked. Do you think I should talk to her?" "Of course!" Pinkie said. "Talking things out always makes things better you'll see, and then you can go back to making kissy faces." Chrysalis sat there for a while, and then her expression darkened. "But what if she does it to me again?" Her voice cracked and she let out an anguished sob. "What if what she did made her just like me and it’s all my fault!" she wailed. Pinkie smiled reassuringly. "Then you come tell auntie Pinkie all about it, I’ll gather up the elements and we blast her into stone, or good again, or whatever." She grinned widely, and leaned forward. "I'm really not at all sure how they work," she whispered stage loudly in a conspiratorial fashion. Chrysalis blinked. "I’m not sure that I’d like that," she said. "I’m sure we could work something else out then." "Still..." Chrysalis felt moisture dripping from her eyes. "You'd really be willing to do that for something like me?" "Of course!" Pinkie said, as if Chrysalis had said something blatantly obvious. "That’s what you do for your friends." "We're friends?" "Absolutely-positively!" "Thankyou," Chrysalis said, with a small shudder before managing a smile. "You’re a good pony, Pinkie Pie." ~~~ "Moondancer has a plan," Moondancer declared solemnly. "We are going to kill Pinkie Pie." Minuette let out a long-suffering sigh. "It's not that bad," Lyra said, though her usual grin was somewhat fixed in place. "With knives," Moondancer added. "Really big knives." "We did rather hope that there would be stallions with unshorn fetlocks," Luna said quietly. "Can I take this off yet?" Firebrand asked. The this in question was a malformed hen costume stitched together from various mismatched bits of felt and was about twice as large as the changeling that it currently contained. The five of them watched Cadance obviously making a prat out herself while blindfolded and trying to line up the tail with the crude Chrysalis drawing on the wall while Spike clapped excitedly. Upon finding out what her hen party would entail Cadance had swiftly embraced her inner foalsitter and was loving every minute of it. Eventually the tail was pinned to the wall in a reasonably good attempt at accuracy. Cadance pulled the blindfold off and let out a whoop of victory while pumping a hoof in the air. The rest clapped with varying degrees of feigned enthusiasm. "Huzzah," Luna said, apparently grimly determined not to kill another party. "Bet she's has had some practice at that," Moondancer said in a sotto voice darkly as she eyed the pinned tail which admittedly was a bit lower than it perhaps should have been. "C'mon, there's a youngster present," Minuette pointed out, also in sotto voice. "Even if he is a dragon. Anyway, this is par for the course for a Pinkie party. Remember that one that griffon wrecked? I bet her lot are having it just as bad." "That's true," pointed out Lyra. "Plus this hardly could be worse than the first one with the unplanned trip to the scenic gem caves of Canterlot." "Moondancer does suppose the cake was good," she conceded reluctantly. "I do not think I will ever understand ponies," Firebrand muttered. "We know exactly what you mean," Luna agreed, but she was smiling when she did so. "Okay!" Spike announced. "Now who is up for some board games?" He paused, looking lost for a moment in his shiny new tux. "You ponies are all having a good time, right?" All five of them could see Cadance towering up from behind Spike wearing an expression that suggested that a wrong answer would have very unpleasant consequences from the bride-to-be indeed. "We're having a great time!" came the dutiful reply in collective unison. Cadance clapped her forehooves together and let out a genuinely happy giggle. "Tomorrow is going to be just perfect, I know it!"