The throne room of canterlot buzzed with excited chatter as Princess Celestia conducted a rehearsal wedding.
"Perfect, girls. No need to rush! Then of course, Cadance will enter." Princess Celestia paused for a moment. "I'll say a few words, and then we'll begin with the vows. Shining Armor, you'll get the ring from your Best Mare." Shining Armor glanced around the throne room nervously.
"Hey... has anypony seen Twilight?" he asked the others. They shrugged in response. "Well Lets-" He was interuppted by the great doors to the hall slamming open. Everyone turned their attention to the figures standing in the doorway, to the forms that were Ulysses and Twilight.
"I'm here! I'm not gonna stand next to her. And neither should you!" Twilight yelled. Shining Armor smiled apologetically to everyone else.
"I'm sorry, I don't, I don't know why she's acting like this." he explained, smiling awkwardly. Princess Cadance looked unamused.
"Maybe we should just ignore her." She stated flatly. Ulysses glared at her.
"You would be foolish to ignore the truth." He said, The echo of his voice ringing in the princess' ears.
"You have to listen to me!" Twilight yelled again, gaining everyone's attention. "She's evil!" everyone gasped, and soon erupted into a buzzing chatter. "She's been horrible to my friends, she's obviously done something to her bridesmaids, and if that wasn't enough, I saw her put a spell on my brother that made his eyes go all-" her eyes spun around comically, Making Ulysses look at her in confusion. Princess Cadance's eyes started to tear up.
"Why Are you doing this to me?" she choked out, barely holding in her tears.
"Because your evil!" Twilight shouted. Ulysses narrowed his eyes at Cadance.
"You are a shadow of deciet. Lies of the grandest nature spill through your mouth." He said monotonously, Making the princess break down and cry. She galloped out of the room, tears streaming down her face. Shining Armor smacked Twilight on the back of the head, Furious.
"You want to know why my eyes went all-?" He made his eyes spin comically then. "Because ever since I started having to perform my protection spell, I've been getting terrible migraines. Cadance hasn't been casting spells on me, she's been using her magic to heal me!" He yelled, Making Twilight inhale sharply. "And she decided to replace her bridesmaids because she found out the only reason they wanted to be in the wedding was so that they could meet Canterlot royalty! And if she hasn't been on her best behavior with your friends, it's because with me being so busy, she's had to make all the decisions about the wedding!" His anger flourished on his face.
"I was just trying to-" Twilight tried to retort.
"She's been completely stressed out because it's really important to her that her big day be perfect! Something that obviously wasn't important to you!" He yelled. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go and comfort my bride. And you can forget about being my best mare. In fact, if I were you, I wouldn't show up to the wedding at all!" He yelled as he walked out of the room.
"C'mon, y'all. Let's go check on the princess." Applejack said as she turned and left. She gave a heated glare to Twilight.
"I was-" Tilight tried to say. Princess Celestia interrupted her.
"You have a lot to think about," She said, then turned her head to Ulysses. "And you, you are no longer welcome here." She turned and walked out of the door, closing it behind her and leaving Twilight alone with Ulysses. Twilight sunk to the ground in shame.
"Maybe I was being overprotective. I could've gained a sister. But instead... I just lost a brother." she said, tears forming in her eyes.
"Maybe we were wrong," Ulysses started. "Can't blame them for not trusting me. Might have doomed a nation, forced history to repeat itself." he said. Just then a loud booming sound echoed in the chamber. Princess Cadance, in all her glory, stood in the center of the room. Twilight looked up pleadingly.
"I'm sorry." She choked out. Cadance grinned sadistically.
"You will be." She seethed as she surrounded Ulysses and Twilight in a glowing green ring of fire, making their vision turn black.
Later.
Ulysses felt the cold ground hit his back immediately, making him grunt in slight pain. A soft grunt made it known he wasn't the only one. He could make out the form of Twilight trying to shakily stand herself up.
"Hello? is anypony there?" She asked, voice echoing in the cavern.
"I am," Ulysses replied, his voice echoing off of the cavern walls as well. He stood himself upright, using Old Glory as leverage. "Suspicions were correct, Need to stop her." He said. just then a cackling laugh filled the air. Ulysses paused and looked to the source of the laughter. And looked up to a crystal wall. The face of the bride soon to be filled his vision. He glared at her.
"Where am I?" Twilight asked scared. The cackling stopped.
"The caves beneath Canterlot, once home to greedy unicorns who wanted to claim the gems that could be found inside. And now, your prison." The voice of Princess Mi Amore Cadenza said. Ulysses frowned, Thinking back to the fall of Father Elijah in the Sierra Madre casino. He wondered if he was going to share a similar fate. He continued to glare.
"Help! Help!" Twilight screamed, trying to get the attention of someone, anyone.
"It's no use. No one can hear you. And no one will ever think to look for you, either. Most ponies have forgotten that these caves even exist. Which is why they are the ideal place to keep the ones who try to interfere with my plans." Cadance said haughtily.
"What plans?" Twilight choked out. The princess gave a smug smile to her.
"The plans I have for your brother, of course." Princess Cadenza said.
"Don't you dare do anything to my brother, you... you monster!" Twilight yelled passionately.
"Only way to stop me is to catch me." Cadance taunted. Twilight fired a beam from her horn, smashing the crystal where the princess' face once was. "Over here," she taunted again, making Twilight fire another beam. "Nope, over here." She taunted again. Twilight again fired another beam, but this time it hit a wall with another cavern behind it, revealing it's host. Ulysses darted to the figure instantly, pressing the eagle of Old Glory up to it's throat.
"You," Ulysses said when he saw the identity of his target. A scared, ragged, and worn Princess Mi Amore Cadenza was clutched in his fury. Twilight glared daggers at her too.
"No!Please! Don't hurt me! Twilight, it's me! Please, you have to believe me. I've been imprisoned like you. The Cadance who brought you down here was an imposter." she said. Ulysses only pressed the eagle harder.
"Likely story!" Twilight accused. Cadance managed to somehow slip from Ulysses grasp. He almost struck her down before he saw her do a little dance.
"Sunshine, sunshine, ladybugs awake. Clap your hooves..." She started.
"...And do a little shake." Both of them finished. Twilight smiled brightly and embraced the princess.
"You remember me!" Twilight said. Cadance smiled.
"Of course I do. How could I forget the filly I love to sit for the most?" she said. Twilight broke the embrace when she heard another cackle echo in the cavern.
"We have to stop her."
Meanwhile.
Princess Mi Amore Cadenza smirked into the mirror on her dresser. All her plans were coming together. She thought back to her actions earlier, smirking at the thought of Twilight Sparkle finnaly breaking in that cavern. Her thoughts soon drifted to the other pony she sent down into the depths of Canterlot. Ulysses was by far the most mysterious of anypony the Princess met. Of course, when it seemed he saw through her ruse, she sent him to the place absolutley nopony would look without ever giving it any thought. She pushed the thoughts out of her head, smiling as she put on her bridal veil.
"This day is going to be perfect."
Meanwhile.
Ulysses, Cadance, and Twilight ran through the tunnels and caverns under the city. Thier destination seemed so far, yet so close. Cadance gave a wary glance to Ulysses, Who caught her gaze with an emotionless stare.
"Who are you?" Cadance asked him. Ulysses kept running, Almost ignoring her question.
"Ulysses," He said. Cadance wanted to ask another question, But stopped when Ulysses halted. Three ponies, Each with thier eyes glowing a shade of green stood before them. Twilight looked at them in confusion. Ulysses readied his staff.
"Make your first attack count, You won't get a second."
Later.
"Mares and gentlecolts, we are gathered here today to witness the union of Princess Mi Amore Cadenza and Shining Armor." Princess Celestia said. "It is with great pleasure that I-" She never got to finish. The door leading to the ceremony Burst open. Ulysses stood at the entrance, glaring at the ponies on the podium. Celestia glared at him heatedly.
"What are you doing here?" She asked with venom in her voice. The entire crowd went deathly silent.
"Saving a nation," He started. "You are so much like the bear, so full of themselves. You are all too blind to realize the destruction you would inflict on yourselves. Too blind to see that one of your own isn't who she says she is." He pointed towards Princess Mi Amore Cadenza. She looked at him with tears in her eyes.
"Why do you have to ruin my special day?" She said.
"Because it's not your special day. It's mine." A voice said from behind him. Princess Cadance walked into the throne room, a determined look in her eye. The whole crowd erupted into gasps and murmurs. Twilight Sparkle soon stepped into the room. Princess Mi Amore Cadenza glared at them.
"What? But how did you escape my bridesmaids?" she asked. She glanced at the flagpole grasped in his hoof. "Hmm, Clever,But you're still too late."
"Ah don't understand. How can there be two of 'em?" Applejack stammered. Princess Cadance gave her a knowing look.
"She's a changeling. She takes the form of somepony you love and gains power by feeding off your love for them." She said. The princess on the podium Surrounded herself in a green aura of flame. The flames bursted upward, slowly peeling off the layers that made Princess Mi Amore Cadenza. What stood in her place could best be described as an insectoid pony. The changleing queen laughed haughtily.
"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." She looked towards Ulysses and frowned. "Especially yours," she said to him. Ulysses only glared. "Your world was filled with so much hate and anger. It was no place to feed my subjects." The crowd once again broke into murmurs. Ulysses glared at her
"Then you've seen the savagery of the bull, Seen the corruption of the bear." He started. "I will not let you destroy this nation. History will not repeat itself today. You are the very thing of which you hate in my world." The changeling queen frowned. Twilight and her friends looked at him in bewilderment.
"I knew this guy was strange. But a traveler from another world? That's unbelievable!" Rainbow Dash said.
"There is nothing in which to consume in your world. Love is so scarce in that wasteland that my subjects would simply starve, but I digress. Soon My fellow changelings will be able to devour so much love that we will gain more power than we have ever dreamed of!" The changeling queen continued.
"They'll never get the chance! Shining Armor's protection spell will keep them from ever even reaching us." Princess Cadance stated. The queen laughed at her ignorance.
"Oh, I doubt that. Isn't that right, dear?" She shot a beam form her horn to Shining Armor, making him fall to the floor in agony. He shakily stood back up.
"Mmm-Hmm," He murmured. Cadance rushed to her lover, but was stopped by the queen.
"Ah, ah, ah. Don't want to go back to the caves, now do you? Ever since I took your place, I've been feeding off Shining Armor's love for you. Every moment he grows weaker and so does his spell. Even now my minions are chipping away at it." She laughed. Cadance gave Shining Armor a helpless look. "He may not be my husband, but he is under my total control now!" The queen laughed. A gasp escaped Twilight's and Cadance's mouths. "Soon, my changeling army will break through. First, we take Canterlot. And then, all of Equestria!"
"No. You won't. You may have made it impossible for Shining Armor to perform his spell, but now that you have so foolishly revealed your true self, I can protect my subjects from you!" Princess Celestia said in an authorive voice. Then, using her wings and taking to the air, she fired a beam of magic towards the changeling queen. The queen retaliated, Firing her own beam towards the princess of the sun. The beams struck together, neeting each other in a loud crack. It was a battle of magical strength as bright yellow pushed against sickly green. Soon though, The green overpowered the yellow, And Princess Celestia widened her eyes as the green struck her horn.
Silence soon reigned in the room as everybody watched thier beloved princess fall to the ground. A clanging noise sounded, The crown of the princess fell off of her head almost symbolicly. Ulysses looked at the spectacle in a quiet rage. He stood on his hindlegs, using Old Glory as balance. He pointed a hoof towards the queen.
"You," He said, Barely masking the emotion behind his mask. "You are going to feel your nation die, Feel the lesson here today. You will know what the pain of losing a nation is like, as I nail it into your head like a gift from Caesar." A loud buzzing filled the air, as swarms of changelings entered the room.
"The Elements, Twilight." Celestia managed to rasp out. "You must get to them, and use their power to defeat the queen." She said before succumbing to the sweet embrace of unconsiousness. Twilight nodded her head, and beckoned her friends to follow. The sextet of ponies left the room, running in haste to thier destination. Ulysses looked at part of a swarm following them, before another quickly surrounded him.
"Foolish mortal," The changleing queen shouted. "You will die here. CHANGELINGS! DESTROY HIM!" she ordered. Ulysses readied his staff, ready for the first attack.
The first changeling charged him, aiming to tackle Ulysses to the ground. Ulysses sidestepped it easily, bringing Old Glory down hard on it's back. A loud crack later, And the changeling fell to the ground, screaming in pain. Without missing a beat, Ulysses slammed the pole onto it's head, killing it instantly. Three more changelings tried the same manuever, Rushing the courier simaltaneously. He swept the flagpole in a wide arc, hitting each one in the head. Thier fragile heads cracked and broke under the force of the swing, and soon joined each other in death.
They kept using that same tactic, rushing Ulysses in large groups or trying to get behind him. But they underestimated the power of Ulysses, and soon a melody of death surrounded him.
Ulysses stood, emotionless, inside a circle of broken changeling bodies. the queen looked at him in awe and fear. Slowly backing away as Ulysses approached her.
"Wha-how do you-WHAT ARE YOU?" she screamed, Ulysses only glared at her.
"I am Ulysses," He said. "And I have a message for you," He grasped Old glory tightly, rearing it behind him as he readied his attack. He swung the pole in a wide arc, hitting the queen in the chest with enough force to send her flying. A loud explosion of an energy he couldn't explain blasted the air, propelling the changeling queen to an incomprehensible distance. The blast didn't affect him much, but the Changeling queen along with the bodies of her subjects were thrown out of the adjacent windows. Ulysses looked to the source of the blast, and saw Princess Cadance sharing a tender kiss with Shining Armor. Soon, Twilight and her friends returned, smiles of triumph covering thier faces. Ulysses dropped his stance back to all fours, a quiet pride in his heart.
Later.
Princess Celestia stood before Princess Cadance and Shining Armor, smiling at the soon to be couple.
"Mares and gentlecolts, we are gathered here today to celebrate the union of the real Princess Mi Amore Cadenza..." Celestia began
"Princess Cadance is fine." The soon to be bride corrected politely. Celestia smiled and nodded.
"The union of Princess Cadance and Shining Armor. The strength of their commitment is clear. The power of their love, undeniable. May we have the rings please? I now pronounce you mare and colt." She finished. cheers erupted from the crowd.
Later
Ulysses stood on the roof of the palace, gazing silently as the reception continued on. The music from below reached his ears, and made him smile under his mask. He saw the bride and groom exchange a kiss, and a loud boom and explosion of color soon followed. The newly married couple climbed into a cart, And soon left the party. For what reason, he did not know. He heard a flapping of wings, and a soft thud hit the roof behind him. He didn't need to turn his head to know who was there.
"Why aren't you down there, enjoying the festivities?" He asked the figure behind him. Princess Celestia sighed and walked up next to him.
"I could ask you the same thing." She said, chuckling slightly. They shared a small silence for a moment, listening to the sounds of the party going on beneath them. Celestia broke the silence.
"Why?" She started. "Why did you fight them?" she asked him. He turned his head, Looking at her in the eye. He didn't answer immediately, he just stared. He turned his head back and let out a sigh.
"Couldn't let history repeat itself." he started. "Didn't want to see this nation die. Already seen more than I intended." He turned to face her. "This nation. It's one I could almost believe in." Celestia looked at him solemnly.
"What do you mean?" She asked.
"Wanted to live in a nation. One taking it's first breath. But then she came. That package clenched in her hand. Never knew the pain she caused." Ulysses said, the anger barely masked by his voice. "She caused the Divide to be what it is now." Celestia nodded silently, quietly sympathizing to him. A soft thud on the roof alerted them to another prescence.
"Am I interrupting anything?" A regal voice bellowed. Celestia turned and faced the speaker, a smile on her face.
"Ah, Luna. I want you to meet somepony." Celestia said. "Ulysses, This is Princess Luna. She is my sister." Ulysses nodded to Luna.
"Charmed." She said smiling. "I was wondering about who Celestia's 'Honored guest' really was" She said. Ulysses turned his attention back to the reception below. Celestia sighed.
"I want to apologize for earlier," She started. "I wasn't thinking right. I just...lost my temper. Something a princess should never do." Ulysses nodded, remembering her heated words before his almost imprisonment.
"I'm not the only one you should apologize to." He said. "One of your subjects, Twilight Sparkle. She deserves more of an apology than me." He stated. "Saw the pain in her eyes at your words, like twisting a knife in an open wound." Celestia nodded silently. Princess Luna Shuffled slightly, gaining the attention oof both Ulysses and Celestia.
"I must return to my nightly duties. It was a pleasure to meet you Ulysses." Luna smiled. She took to the sky soon after.
"I must leave too." Celestia said. she turned and gave Ulysses a smile. "Oh, And before I go, I want to thank you. Thank you for defending this land." she took off, flapping her wings in a rythmic pattern. Soon her wingbeats faded, relaced by the sounds of the reception still raging below. He Smiiled under his mask, For he knew that on this day, a nation didn't succumb to the fate of The Divide.