//------------------------------// // Chapter 50: Brainwashed! // Story: My Little Pony, Friendship is Magic: Stallion Edition // by SuperPinkBrony12 //------------------------------// It was dark by the time Shining Armor reached the place where his sister was waiting for him. He recognized it at once as his Captain Quarters, and he quickly realized why Twilight would want to speak to him there. "This is a restricted area of the Royal Guard Compound," he thought to himself, as he walked through the front door "No one can enter without permission from either Princess Celestia, or myself. Even Cadence doesn't know about this place. It's the one place Twilight knows Cadence can't reach me." Sure enough, as soon as he entered the carpeted hall of the main room, there was Twilight. She looked rather unhappy, as was evidenced by the profound frown upon her face, and the slight slant to her eyebrows. Despite this, she calmly said to Shining Armor "Hello, B.B.B.F.F, we need to talk." "It's about Cadence, isn't it?" Shining Armor asked, to which Twilight nodded "I was afraid of that." "I'm sorry this had to come up," Twilight apologized "But Cadence isn't acting like herself. She didn't remember who I was, she forgot our special greeting, and she has been the complete opposite of what I remember her being. There's no denying it, the Princess Cadence we know is not the same Cadence that you're marrying." "But then, where is the real Cadence?" Shining Armor asked. Twilight frowned further, and glumly said "That... I don't know. She could be anywhere, maybe even dead!" "No! That isn't possible! She can't be dead, not after I vowed to protect her!" Shining Armor insisted "I know she's still alive, somewhere! I can feel it! In fact, I've been feeling it since we arrived in Canterlot. But my searches haven't turned up anything." "Whoever this imposter Cadence is, we need to confront her, and find out what she's done with the real Princess Cadence!" Twilight said seriously, a few sparks escaping from her horn "Even if it means having to hurt the imposter to make her talk!" "Twily, calm down," Shining Armor pleaded "We don't know who or what we're dealing with, the last thing Equestria needs is an international incident. I'll find the Cadence that's been bossing everyone around, and see if I can't pry some answers out of her. If anything should happen to me, run to Princess Celestia or Princess Luna and tell them everything, they should be help to you!" "Be very careful, B.B.B.F.F," Twilight said nervously "In many ways, you and Spike are the first friends I ever had. I don't want to lose you." "Twily, you have to promise me you'll be strong, for both our sakes! The fate of Equestria depends on it!" Shining Armor insisted. At that very moment, who should come trotting into the room, but Princess Cadence? Looking as snobbish as ever. "Sorry I was late," she apologized, a hint of deviousness in her voice "I had to search for some new bridesmaids." "What happened to the old ones?" Shining Armor asked "I thought they were just fine." "Let's just say they suddenly became unavailable," Princess Cadence replied "But enough about me, let's talk about you. Do you mind if we go into the next room? What I have to say is really important, possibly even life changing." Shining Armor could sense the imposter posing as Cadence was lying, but decided to play along. "If she suspects anything, I'll never get her to talk." he convinced himself. "You know something about who or what made the threat?" he asked, trying his hardest not to sound suspicious. "I do, but you won't like it. It involves your sister." Princess Cadence said with concern. "Very well, I'll be there in a second," Shining Armor insisted, and turned to Twilight when he was certain Cadence was out of sight "Whatever happens, don't let this imposter know we're onto her." he whispered, and Twilight watched as he trotted into the next room to talk to Cadence. "I know this is going to be hard for you to accept," Princess Cadence said glumly "But the same Twilight Sparkle who you've appointed to be best mare at our wedding, is a fake! She's actually the one who issued the threat against Canterlot, and is holding your little sister captive to trick you into a false sense of security. She's been trying to cast a spell on me to make me act cruel and deceitful, and I've had to play along to throw her off. That's why I've been acting so off." Shining Armor was silent for a while, as he pondered the information presented to him. Then, he said to Cadence "You can drop the act, I know you're not really Princess Cadence!" "What are you talking about?! Of course I am!" Princess Cadence insisted. "Please, you don't honestly expect me to believe your lies, do you?" Shining Armor asked "You forget, I knew the 'real' Princess Cadence longer than you ever did. And I know her well enough to know she would NEVER forget who my little sister is, or the special greeting they shared. From the moment you forgot about that, I became suspicious, but I thought I was just imaging things." "You're not making any sense!" Princess Cadence pleaded "Why would I lie to you? Don't you trust me?!" "I trust the real Princess Cadence," Shining Armor said in a defiant tone "And that is not who you are! So, why don't you tell who you are, and what you've done with my soon to be wife?! I want answers!" Unfortunately, at that very moment, a twitch of pain struck Shining Armor's forehead. He groaned, as he put a hoof to his head in the vain attempt to keep it under control "Darn it! Not now!" he said, as the pain forced him to his knees. "Oh dear, are you getting another one of your headaches?" Princess Cadence taunted "I can fix that!" And she shot a beam of lime green magic at Shining Armor's forehead. Shining Armor realized too late what was happening, and he tried, in vain, to stop it! "NO! This isn't happening to me!" he thought, as he attempted to fight back against the brainwashing "I should've spent more time sharpening my mental guard!" And that was the last thought he had, before he succumbed to the mental control of the imposter. "There, now you feel much better. Don't you?" Princess Cadence asked. Shining Armor could only nod in response, even as he tried to no avail to resist. If one had been looking, they would've seen his eyes become the same sickly shade of lime green as the spell that had been cast on him. Twilight had seen everything from the door, which had been left open ever so slightly. She was horrified "B.B.B.F.F!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, realizing afterwards that such a scream was a mistake. Without bothering to look back, Twilight turned, and ran out of the Captain Quarters! Remembering her brother's advice, she raced straight to the castle, not bothering to stop for anyone or anything! Princess Celestia was finalizing plans for the wedding rehearsal to be held the next morning, she wasn't expecting to see her faithful student come barging into her room with a look on her face that made it seem like her spirit was about to jump out of her coat. "Twilight, what's wrong?" Princess Celestia asked. "It's my brother! He's in trouble!" Twilight exclaimed, panting heavily. "Calm down, Twilight, and tell me everything," Princess Celestia insisted, as she used her magic to shut the door to her room "Are you absolutely sure you're not imaging things?" "I know what I saw," Twilight panted "But I don't know if you'll believe me." "Twilight, you're my faithful student, why would I not believe you?" Princess Celestia asked, as a warm and motherly smile formed on her face "I know you wouldn't intentionally lie to me." "Well, it all started when I met Princess Cadence, and I sensed there was something 'off' about her." Twilight said, as she began to tell her tale.