Author's Notes
Thanks to Deadinlight for beta-reading and helping me edit
Common Era Chapter Seventeen/MLP Season Two Three: A Canterlot Wedding
“You know maybe you should--Never mind, you just send it on its way then…” said Masao as Celestia sent the letter to Twilight detailing her student’s and her friends’ jobs for the wedding of Princess Cadence and Prince-Consort-to-be, Captain Shining Armor.
“What? Should I have waited for them to get here to inform them of their tasks?” admonished Celestia and Masao just gave her a deadpanned look.
“No, but you should have waited a few moments more… You know in case Spike wasn’t near Twilight?” said Masao and Celestia scoffed a bit at the thought.
- - -
Masao stood as the train station waiting for the unicorn mare he had come to call a student as well as a friend, and was not disappointed when she marched right past him barely pausing to say hello to one of her teachers as she marched right up to her brother and gave him a piece of her mind much to Masao’s amusement as he rolled his eyes a smirk on his face.
“Hello, mr. human!” said Pinkie and and Masao turned to the pink mare.
“Hello Pinkie, what brings you here? Last I checked you were needed in the reception hall to map out how to plan the party.” hinted Masao and thankfully the pink pony took the hint as she rushed off to take care of her job.
- - -
“Twily! Ah, I've missed, you, kid. How was the train ride? I–” started Shining Armor and Twilight got right in his face.
“How dare you not tell me in person that you were getting married! I'm your sister, for pony's sake!” snapped Twilight and Shining Armor backed up.
“It's not my fault! Princess Celestia has requested a major increase in security. Didn't you see all the guards at the train station? Let alone that knight friend of yours?”
“Yeah, there's a big wedding coming up. Maybe you heard about it?” said Twilight feeling completely justified in her anger.
“It has nothing to do with the wedding. A threat has been made against Canterlot. We don't know who's responsible for it, but Princess Celestia asked that I help provide additional protection. This, you need to see.” said Shining Armor as he caused the shield protecting Canterlot to come into view, Twilight gasped. “The burden of keeping Canterlot safe and secure rests squarely on my shoulders. Staying focused on the task at hand has been my top priority.”
“Okay, okay, I get it. You've got a really important job protecting all of Canterlot with a force field only you can conjure up. But still... how could you not tell me about something as big as your wedding? Am I not that important to you any more?” asked the unicorn mare and Shining Armor looked at her with a smile.
“Hey. You're my little sister. Of course you're important to me. But I'd understand if you didn't want to be my best mare now.”
“You want me to be your best mare?” asked Twilight surprised at her brother’s comment.
“Well... yeah.”
“I'd be honored! But I'm still pretty ticked you're marrying somepony I don't even know! When did you even meet this ‘Princess Mi Amore Cadenza’?” asked Twilight and Shining Armor chuckled at her causing the purple unicorn mare to fume.
“Twily, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza is Cadance, your old foalsitter.” at that Twilight became all smiles.
“Cadance? As in the Cadance? As in the greatest foalsitter in all the history of foalsitters?!” asked Twilight. as her tail started to wag almost like a puppy’s, Shining chuckled.
“You tell me. She was your foalsitter.”
“Ohmygoshohmygosh! Cadance is only the most amazing pony ever! She's beautiful, she's caring, she's kind…”
- - -
“How many unicorns can just spread love wherever they go? I only know of one! And you're marrying her! You're marrying Cadance! You're marrying Cadance!” said Twilight after a quick trip down memory lane.
- - -
“So tell me again why I am being locked in a room without my lover?” asked Sharp Sword, pouting, while Luna and Masao stood on the other side of the door.
“Thou thought it would be alright to force me out just so thou could have our dear Masao all to thyself” said Luna and Masao moved to speak when Luna cut him off, “I know that thou sent me out too, but thine intentions were far more noble. Thee sent me out to help restore my image with the foals.”
“Be that as it may, it is not Sharp’s fault. It isn’t as if she asked to be in heat. Nor is it fair to lock her up in the middle of her heat, if it gets to be too much we will be dealing with a babbling mess of a horny unicorn.”
“Now is not the time for thy jokes!”
“That wasn’t a joke…”
“Oh”
- - -
“Oh, you should have seen how she acted back there. I don't know when she changed, but she changed! ‘Please, call me Princess Mi Amore Cadenza’.” said Twilight to Rarity who was currently making the wedding dress.
“Did I hear someone say my name?” asked Cadence as she walked into the room and Rarity laughed nervously.
“Your highness! Let me just start by saying what an honor it is to play a role in such a momentous occasion.” said the nervous white unicorn, while she did indulge Twilight while she vented, she did not need it to ruin what could be a big break for her career.
“Uh-huh.” said Cadence unenthusiastically, “Is my dress ready?” she asked and Rarity nearly stumbled over herself as she went over to the dress.
“Yes, of course. Um, I've been working on it ever since I was given the assignment, and I think you'll be pleased with the results! Mmm!” Rarity stammers as she showed off the dress, and Twilight watched on, meanwhile Lyra Heartstrings, Minuette, and Twinkleshine also watched on, until Lyra noticed Twilight and she bounded over much to Cadence’s annoyment when she noticed the green unicorn’s behaviour.
“Hey there, Twilight! How is that human friend of yours doing? Do you think you get me some time with him?”
“Oh hey, Lyra. Masao? Yeah he is doing fine. No, I don’t think so” replied Twilight thankful to have something distract her from the obviously rude Cadence.
“Aw! Why not?”
“Because I don’t want to be used for targeting practice for the Lunar Guard when Luna and Sharp Sword find out I helped you corner Masao.”
- - -
“But—”
“No, Luna, it’s late in the morning, you need sleep” said Masao as he tucked in, a now passed out from exhaustion, Sharp Sword.
“What of thee? Doest thou not need sleep?” asked Luna and Masao chuckled, before kissed Luna lightly on the lips.
“I’ll sleep later, love, now, sleep”
“N-not f-fair—” Luna yawned, “Using my power against me…” she quickly slipped off to sleep and Masao smiled softly, she needed to get some sleep, it was not often that he intended to cause mischief with the villain’s plans this time, he could already see that some of the guards had been replaced and he was not sure if Luna could see them, if she couldn’t then there was something about his human physiology that the Changelings couldn’t fool, whatever it was, or perhaps it was the combination of his human physiology and the dark gift? he shook his head trying to clear it of thoughts before sneaking out of the room and behind one of the replaced guards.
“You know, you really shouldn't be wearing the armor of a royal guardspony unless you are a member of their forces” he said suddenly and the changeling looked back at him surprised.
“Sir?” he asked and Masao drew and pointed a flintlock at the changeling.
“Drop the disguise, Changeling, else yours will be the first changeling life I have ended in a very long time”
“I-I dunno wh—”
“I see through your disguises, now either change back to a changeling, and live, or remain hidden and be killed and then revealed to be a changeling, thus endangering your hive, and your queen” at that the changeling dropped his disguise and chittered at the human. “Watch your mouth, I am not above killing you still, now why don’t you be a friend and tell me why are you outside my mates’ room?” said Masao, and the changeling was quiet for a moment. before hissing and spitting green gunk at Masao’s flintlock managing to clog it up and then start flying away causing Masao to clench his teeth before throwing the useless weapon at the bug and knocking it unconscious. As soon as he had the changeling hidden he slit the changeling’s neck, killing it causing it to reveal itself. “Should have known better” he grumbled and he left his useless flintlock in there and continued to search for more changelings.
- - -
“Never mind. Rainbow Dash, you're with me, right?” asked Twilight as Masao entered the room seemingly looking for something, or someone.
“Sorry, Twi. Been too busy prepping for my sonic rainboom to pay much attention to the bride's bad attitude.” and Twilight growled
“Hey now, Twilight, you can’t blame her for not noticing when she has been focused on something else” spoke up Masao and the purple unicorn suddenly smiled.
“You believe me, right, Masao?” at that Masao’s face fell, he did believe her hell he knew what was wrong, and while, yes he was screwing with the changelings’ plans he couldn’t flat out change what was going to happen. Or could he?
“Yes, I do” he replied, “This is one the events I told you about, Twilight, one of the fixed events, an event I can’t do anything about, or at least I don’t think I can”
“What this y`all are talking about? Events ya can’t change? Sounds like a buncha hogwash to me” said Applejack and Masao smiled at the farmer, causing her to blush a little.
“Tell me, Honest Applejack, am I lying? Did I tell a fib when I said I don’t think I can change it? Did I lie when I said it was a fixed event?” asked Masao and Applejack sputtered at his jab at her representation of the element of Honesty.
- - -
That night Masao entered the room he shared with his mates and was surprised to see Luna still fast asleep. but as tired as he was, and with how Sharp Sword was looking at him, he had a feeling he wouldn’t be able to dwell on it for too long…
- - -
“I'm here! I'm not gonna stand next to her! And neither should you!” said Twilight and everyone looked at her in shock, apparently letting everything Masao had said in one ear and out the other.
“I'm sorry, I... I don't know why she's acting like this.” said Shining Armor and Twilight looked at her brother hurt for a moment, just a moment before she had a confident look on her face again.
“Even Masao agrees with me, there is something up with her!”
“Now Twilight, Ah don’t think that was what he had said…”
- - -
“I'm sorry!” said Twilight believing that she had made a mistake and Cadence laid a comforting hoof on her, before the smile on her face grew vicious.
“You will be.”
- - -
“Greetings Chrysalis” said Masao, his sword drawn as he walking into the room that the bride-to-be was waiting in, outside the two changeling guards that were outside were knocked out. “Pleasant to see a changeling again after so many centuries.” He said the look on his face firm. When the changeling queen moved to call for aid Masao drew and aimed his second flintlock at her, “If I so much as suspect that there is a changeling drone on the other side of the door, I will pull this trigger and let the chips land where they may. Now you will tell me where the entrance to the crystal mines are”
- - -
It took hours but following Chrysalis’s directions Masao found the entrance to the mine and with practiced ease took care of the two changelings stationed at the entrance, just as Twilight and the real Cadence climbed out of the mines.
“Welcome back to the land of the living” Masao teased pulling his sword out of one of the changelings, “Shall we go interrupt your wedding princess?”
“Yes, lets”
- - -
“Princess Cadance and Shining Armor, it is my great pleasure to pronounce you—” started Celestia when the Twilight and Masao burst into the room, green ichor dripping off of Masao’s blades.
“STOP!” shouted Twilight and Celestia looked, not at Twilight, but rather at Masao in surprise, why would he be ruining an event he had helped plan?
“Ugh! Why does she have to be so possessive of her brother?” complained the false Cadence before she looked at Shining Armor and sobbed, “Why does she have to ruin my special day?”
“Because it's not your special day! It's mine!” said the real Cadence as she walked into the room, a look of anger on her face, and the ponies all gasped.
“What? But how did you escape my bridesmaids?” asked Chrysalis and Twilight looked a little sheepish as she glanced at Masao, which told him that he was not going to like the answer.
“I… Er… Promised Lyra I’d get with Masao on a date with her if she helped us out, turns out she is a very powerful unicorn in her own right” Masao facepalmed at Twilight’s explanation and swore he was going to have a few words with the purple unicorn after this was over with.
“Hmph. Clever. But you're still too late.” said the changeling queen as she stood all the straighter.
“Ah-ah don't understand. How can there be two of 'em?” asked Applejack and Masao groaned, did they not teach anything about the past anymore?
“She's a changeling. She takes the form of somepony you love and gains power by feeding off your love for them.” replied Cadence as Masao stepped forwards as Chrysalis laughed evilly.
“Right you are, Princess. And as queen of the changelings, it is up to me to find food for my subjects. Equestria has more love than any place I've ever encountered. My fellow changelings will be able to devour so much of it that we will gain more power than we have ever dreamed of!”
“You know, you could have sent an emissary to the castle, we could have found something to help you, I mean there are several ponies with an insect fetish, and several others who have unrequited love” said Masao and Chrysalis looked at the human surprised before shaking her head.
At that point it went like the show until the shield broke and suddenly Masao jumped at the queen barely managed to scratch her when he was tossed over the balcony.
“Well I could have did that better…” he thought aloud and just before he hit the ground a red aura enveloped him as Sharp Sword sighed, slowing his descent to a stop.
“Tried jumping the changeling queen, did you?” she asked and Masao just grinned at his lover before she gave him a deadpanned look just before releasing him from her telepathic hold letting him drop the remaining couple feet to the ground.
“Well thanks for that, love, but now we have bigger things to worry about” said Masao as he drew, aimed and fired his flintlock at a changeling that had attempted to attack Sharp Sword from behind. Sharp Sword never flinched.
“I dunno how long I can keep my head in the game, love, but I’ll help as best I can.” said Sharp and Masao shook his head.
“If you want to help then go guard Luna, I don’t know why she still isn’t up yet but as it is I need to head for the vaults, that is where the Elements are headed. I need you to try to wake Luna. If you can’t, guard her, but if you do, meet me in the throne room and be ready for a fight on your way there.”
- - -
While Masao was making his way to the vaults he managed to meet up with Twilight and her friends they eyed him warily a he aimed and fired again and again with his multiple flintlocks until he had emptied them all, not once did he hit the mane six who were in the middle of the fray with the changelings whom disguised as the mane six themselves.
“This is getting boring” he said as he stood there reloading his five remaining flintlocks having lost one the other day, at that however the changelings attacked him and with that he dropped the flintlock he was loading and weaving in and out of the changelings cut them down, the look on his face was one of… Boredom? “Couldn’t you make fighting you a little harder? I remember when fighting your kind was a challenge!” yelled Masao as the look on his face shifted to a manic one, his eyes went from the normal color of green to a more sickly shade, and the whites of his eyes turned a bright green themselves.
“Um Twi, Ah don’t think” started Applejack before Masao stepped beside her, his eyes still the same, but the manic look had quickly disappeared, now on his face was a somber look.
“The voice is back, and it wants blood” said Masao as wisps of purple smoke came from his eyes…
- - -
“C̟̘̄́̏̂̏̍ͭa̰̫̬͈̜̯̓͗̿̉ͬ̐̚n̥̝͉̩̭̒ ͪ̍ͥ̏̆̈́y̷̫o̡̹̟̭̼͙͎͓ͯ́́̌͒͒u̻͇͋̎͊̾̈̊̊ ̮͋́ͨͣ̀h̲̥͛eͥ͊ͥâ͙̺̮̺͝ṛ̬̗̫̦ͨ̔̄̿ͫ ̿̓͆̆ͩ̋ͯm͙͖̪̹͈̼̰̈́e̢̤̠̜͈ͩ͋ ̞͙͙̲̯ͦ̇̀͢p͔̫̗͋ͥ͛̒̽r͉͕̦̟͓̈́̆iͯͤͯ̓ͩ͢n̖̰̝͈̙͍ͬ̚cͧ͋́e̥̦͑s̠̤̜̊̿͂ͥ̚s?̥͎͖̼̭̌́́ ̂̋̌͏̹̳̪ͅYͪ̅͂ͬ̈́o̞̊͡u͍͓̫ͩͨ̆̕ŗ͖͉̤̤̻̪̹̓ͧͯ͒̄ͫ͌ ̸̹͎̩̪̋m̖̙͚̖̜̹̎̂ͯͭͪ͒ẵ͇͇͙́t͑̃̑ͯ͊͌̆͏̥͙̩̪̻̫̗ẹ̇̓͌ͦ ̜̌̓̈́̎ͨ͢c̓̄̐ͪ̍̓a̎̔̀̾̇l͖͍͔̪̖͆̕l̛̪͓̎s̹ͨ̓ ͛ͯ̔̽͢t̙͂͛̉̌̂̚ọ̮̯̜̳̟̥͋ͩ̄ͦ̓͢ ̴͓̫̘̪̓m̻̗̞̖͎̗ͧ̿ͪ̚͡ë ̌̄ͤ̏͌ͪơn͙͓̥͖͇̮ͧ͒̈̊ͧ͞c͕̹͈̹̃͋ͨͥ̍̑̓e̛̿̓̀ͫ ̸̼͓̋̏̈̓̽ͣa̰̐͞g̥̰̠̽̒̈a̷̝͎̪̤̿͊i̤͔̰̩̲̗ͥͬ͐̄̉ͅn,̩̰̲̉ͪ̈̓̀ͅ ͩ͌̊ͨ̎ͪ̍͏̣͔̫͉̟̪ͅẖ͉o̲̜̠̘̺ͩ̐̋ͬ̿̓w̨̙̹̰̭̳̲̆ ̑͏l̹͈̘̻͍̺̺̅͊ͧ͒̿o̥̲͎̩n̞̥̙̾ͩ̎g̘ͮ̎̑́̃̓̃͟ ͩͨ̿̌̒̕bͨͣ̐e̸̗͔̪̣̝͋͑̍͑ͅf̡̖̩̰o̠̘̺̳͌͢r̶͓̳͚̩̎ͭ̓ḙ̍ͦ̇̎͆͒ ̧͙̼͎̦͍̙͖̇͒ͪ̏̐ͨh̠̩̥̯͚̤e̴ ̧̼͍͗̒̚̚h̤̜̺̋̌̒́̃̈́͌͟e̩̙̰ͦ͊̆ͩ̅͝e͇̦̩ͭ̑ͬ̉d̛̪̺̙̯̭ͧ̿̐ͤ̄̅ͮs̙̦̥̺̞̲̈́ͫ͌̉ ͏̠̘͖͕͙ṭ̸̓̀ẖ̳͍͙̼̣̲̐̽͐̚ȩ̘̲̀ͨ ̰͋͛ͦ̄͐̐̄͝s̹̘̳̀i̫͓̹r̫̩ͪ̇̀͊ͯͦȩ͔͈͉̭̪̦̭n̯̮̥͈͚̖̊ͮ͌’̨͎̙̥̎ͭ̐̏̀ͨͤŝ̥͕͈̍̇̂ ͔c̯͔̘̙̜̈́̓̑͗̊͛̾a̢ͭ̎ͣ̔ͮ́l͙̩̠̩͊ͦ̄͂͑̄͊l͎̠̬̜̻̙̻ͩͬ̏ ͖̰ͅä̪̦͚̭́͐̉n͕̖̟̻̘ͦ̓ͫ̆ͯͮ́̚d̵̖̳̣̒̿̓ ͇̺̙̂̿ͯi̞̗̪̘͈̹̜ͯs̴ͣ ̙͖̲̏͑̀ͧ̒ͧ͌͠m͎̺̝̙̪̞̞͆i̶͕̳̤̜ͩͮͬ͑ͫ͆n̶̩̻̂ͪͨ̎̚e̷̯ͥ̃̒?̤̦̙̪͇ͩͅ”
- - -
Luna’s eyes shot open just as Sharp Sword burst into the room covered in the ichor of the changelings that had attempted to break into the heavily enchanted door and without a word she shot out onto the balcony and over the railing, flying at full speed towards Masao a look of terror on her face…
- - -
Masao moved through the forces of the changelings, always cutting more of them down, mumbling under his breath how it wasn’t right, that they should have stayed hidden, his green eyes scanning the crowd and he picked off changelings by the dozen not once could any of them actually lay a hoof on him and suddenly he twirled sensing a threat and nearly took the head off of Luna who had chose that moment to land quite forcefully on a changeling that had attempted to sneak up on the human.
“Masao, my love, thou needst to let it go, let the darkness go, let it go…”
- - -
“Quick! Go to him while you still have the chance!” said Twilight as she nudged the pink Alicorn towards her brother.
“Wha– where... huh? Is...is the wedding over?” asked a dazed Shining Armor finally coming to his senses.
“It's all over!” exclaimed Chrysalis and Twilight frowned at the changeling queen.
“Your spell! Perform your spell!” said the young unicorn unfortunately Chrysalis heard her.
“What good would that do? My changelings already roam free.” laughed the changeling queen. The door to the room flew open, and Masao walked in flanked by both Sharp Sword and Luna, the trio said nothing as they cross the room and sat in some of the seats that were facing the changeling queen.
“My power is useless now. I don't have the strength to repel them.” moaned Shining Armor as they quickly got over the scene that just happened.
“My love will give you strength.” said Cadence.
“What a lovely but absolutely ridiculous sentiment.” said Chrysalis and Masao just grinned which she caught, “What are you grinning about?”
- - -
Masao was standing off in a corner with Sharp Sword, sipping from his champagne glass, he played his part as a prince-consort and gave his blessing to the pair after the whole fiasco with the invasion had been dealt with. However the truth was he wanted nothing more that to disappear and not be disturbed. Luna was talking with the ponies of the hour and glimmer in her eyes that brought a smile to his lips. Yes he was going to have to get some more training with his lover, but all in all, he did pretty well, not one pony had been hurt, and even as the darkness flowed throughout his body, he kept control of himself. Now all he needed to do was learn to control it completely…