The Path of Absolution - Punishment

by Morningstar1337

xxvii - Asterion's Challenge

In Canterlot, Princess Cadence was preparing for her wedding. ‘This day is going to be perfect,’ she thought. She looked outside and saw the cracks on her husband-to-be’s barrier. ‘And nothing can ever ruin this day.’

Meanwhile, in the skies above, the windigos were readying their invasion. Diamond Dust looked at the city. She still felt lousy. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo were preparing their items.

Diamond Dust’s adviser thought, ‘We are ready... to feast!’

---

In the mines below Canterlot, Twilight, Applejack, Cadence, Lyra, and Bon-Bon were confronted by Minuette.

“So,” Minuette said, “are you gonna stay here like good little prisoners, or are we gonna do this the hard way?”

Twilight and Applejack prepared to attack. Applejack had the pan in her mouth.

“Wrong choice!” Minuette said. Her horn glowed a tranquil blue light as Applejack and Twilight were lifted in the air.

Minuette flung the two mares into the walls. Lyra and Bon-Bon sneaked around trying to take the blue unicorn by surprise.

Applejack and Twilight went for another attack.

Cadence flew around to distract Minuette. Twilight fired some pink beams of light at the brainwashed pony and Applejack kicked her into a pillar.

The impact caused a crack on the pillar. Minuette stood up and said, “It would be easier for you to let the mistress take over Canterlot.”

“If you think I’ll let some imposter take my brother and ruin Cadence's life” --Twilight prepared another blast-- “you got another thing coming.”

---

Elsewhere in the mines, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie galloped into the caves searching for Applejack. Pinkie’s tail was twitching faster than ever.

The four mares felt the ground crumbling below them.

Pinkie Pie noticed her tail hadn't stopped twitching. She searched the ground for any falling objects.

A large beam of purple and pink light shot through the ground from a few feet away.

“What’s going on?” Rainbow Dash said.

The beam vanished, leaving a large hole in the ground.

“Something tells me that Applejack’s down there,” Rarity said.

There were cracks expanding from the hole.

Soon, the floor was ready to collapse below them.

The four mares tried to be careful and not cause the cave ground to collapse, but the cracks were too great, too deep. Eventually, the floor collapsed, and the four mares fell into the ground below.

Rainbow Dash took flight in an attempt to save her friends. She flew around the area below and destroyed the rocks, then she grabbed her friends and tried to slow her descent. They landed on a ledge a few feet away.

“Well,” Pinkie Pie said. "That was close.”

“Too close,” Rainbow Dash said.

They heard the sounds of a battle in the distance. They followed the sounds unaware that Pinkie’s tail was still twitching.

---

Lyra and Bon-Bon were charging Minuette from behind, Twilight and Cadence fired more magic blasts, and Applejack was trying to tie Minuette up with some of the lifeline.

Minuette dodged each of the attacks by jumping to a ledge.

“So,” Minuette said. “You really think that Shining Armor would be happy with you?”

“I don’t think,” Cadence said. “I know!” She let loose another beam of magic to pacify Minuette, but she missed and Minuette climbed up to attack Cadence.

Twilight saw what Minuette was about to do and teleported in front of her.

---

Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity had followed the sounds to their source. The four saw Cadence fighting another pony.

“What the hay?” Rainbow Dash said.

“But we just saw Cadence a while ago,” Rarity said.

The four were baffled by this fight. They saw Applejack and Twilight engaging Minuette. And Lyra and Bon-Bon trying to stage another sneak attack.

“Twilight?” Fluttershy said.

“Applejack?” Pinkie Pie said.

“But what’s Twilight doing here?” Rarity said.

Pinkie shrugged.

Rainbow Dash said, “Come on!” She flew into the fray to help her friends, and the others followed.

---

Twilight was in front of Minuette. “It’s over.” She stopped Minuette’s spell. “Let us go,” Twilight said.

Minuette just cackled madly. She jumped into the center of the chamber and began casting a spell. She was about to cast it when she felt a fierce blow. Her concentration was shattered as she flew a foot back. She looked back and saw Rainbow Dash had dealt the blow.

“That’s for trying to hurt my friends!” Rainbow Dash said.

Twilight and Applejack were surprised to see Rainbow Dash there. They saw that Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy were there as well.

“Rainbow,” Applejack said. “I thought I told you to--”

“Keep watch over a severed lifeline?” Rainbow Dash said.

Lyra and Bon-Bon noticed that the line snapped before the fight.

Minuette said, “So the rest of my replacements came too? How wonderful.” She jumped into another ledge and hid in the darkness.

“She’s been brainwashed,” Applejack said.

“Goodness,” Fluttershy said.

Rainbow Dash and Rarity realized that Cadence was there. Looks of confusion and worry washed over their faces at the realization.

Twilight noticed their confusion. “Everyone,” Twilight said. “Meet the real Princess Cadence.”

Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy were confused. Cadence began explaining about her capture and the changelings.

---

Several minutes later...

“Wait a minute,” Rainbow Dash said. “You mean she’s the real Cadence, and the one getting married at the castle is a shapeshifter queen?”

“Of course!” Twilight said.

“And she brainwashed her bridesmaids and Shining Armor?” Rarity asked.

“Eeyup,” Applejack said.

“And she and Twilight already explained this to you,” Pinkie Pie said. “Giving you some sense of deja vu?”

Applejack was a little stunned by that question.

Lyra and Bon-Bon were in another part of the chamber.

“So um,” Lyra said. “Thanks again for the strings.”

“You’re welcome,” Bon-Bon said. “Something wrong?”

Lyra was still processing the revelation of the false Cadence, and worried about her fellow ex-bridesmaid.

“We still have to get out of here,” Cadence said. “Caterlot’s still in danger.”

“Except the lifeline’s severed,” Lyra said.

“Yeah,” Rainbow Dash said. ‘How are we gonna find out way out of this cave now.

“Couldn’t Rarity use her gem-finding spell?” Pinkie said. “There must be more than one entrance to this mine, right?”

“Except the entrances are likely to have the gems plucked,” Applejack said.

“It’s worth a shot,” Rainbow Dash said.

“Very well,” Rarity said.

“You’re not leaving this place,” echoed a voice.

The group looked above and saw Minuette at the highest ledge. She said, “My mistress told me to keep you in these mines, and keep you here I will!” Her horn began to glow. “It’s a shame really, she wanted you alive for later.”

Pinkie’s tail began twitching as Minuette’s horn glowed brighter and brighter. She let loose a barrage of magical blasts on the wall and pillars.

The area around them rumbled as Rainbow Dash flew to stop her.

By the time she flew up to the ledge Minuette had already cast the spells.

“You are... too...” Minuette fainted. Stalactites fell as the mines began to cave in.

Rainbow Dash took the unconscious unicorn and flew down. The group began to escape the collapsing cave.