The Bridesmaids

by Zeck

Reunited

The scene in the city was not matching up with the sound coming from the city. The city was in shambles. Craters lined the streets, buildings had holes blown in them, windows were shattered, and smoke was rising from several places. The once gleaming, graceful streets of Canterlot had been utterly decimated by the Changelings, and because of that, the air should have been filled with the sounds of battle. But only the occasional muffled roar of a distant explosion could be heard. There was no clashing of metal, no screams of terror, or even the hissing laughter of the Changelings. It was disturbingly peaceful.

Bon Bon stuck her head out of the alley and carefully looked around. She found the silence mixed with the destruction to be unnerving, but she understood why it was so quiet. As she gazed about, she saw countless green cocoons, each one no doubt holding a pony prisoner. They littered the streets like weeds, and what made it worse was that some of them were moving as the ponies inside struggled to escape. Most were still though.

Bon Bon pulled her head back into the alley. She didn’t know why the Changelings had suddenly all abandoned the city and flew toward the castle, but she was grateful nonetheless. She knew that she and Berry Punch were in no condition to fight, so if they could avoid the Changelings completely, all the better.

“Okay, it looks clear. We’ll make our way across the street and cut through the back of that café. Ready?” There was no answer. “Berry? Are you ready?”

Bon Bon turned around and gasped. Berry was leaning heavily on a wall. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was labored. Her bandages were turning red in several spots and she looked like she was about to fall over. Bon Bon rushed to her side and tried to steady her.

“I’m…I’m fine,” Berry said. She pushed herself off the wall and nearly fell over, but Bon Bon caught her.

“Berry, you shouldn’t be out here,” she said as she looked her friend over. Berry wasn’t looking good, and her bandages seemed to be doing little to slow her bleeding. “Go back to the bar. I can—”

“What? And risk having Minuette…chew me out for sending…somepony else to save her?” Berry said with a forced smile. “I’d…I’d rather…fight the Changelings again.”

“Berry…”

“Look, Bon Bon, I’m not going back. We’ve been over this.”

Bon Bon looked at the bandage around Berry’s neck. “But what about Pinchy?”

“Right now, there are exactly two ponies in this entire city that I trust. You, and that bartender. I know that neither of you are Changelings. And like I said, I’m not about to drag Pinchy through a warzone. She’s safer where she is.”

“But—”

“Enough,” Berry said. “You said we’re cutting through a café, right? Which way?”

Bon Bon looked at Berry one last time and shook her head. She wasn’t going to change her mind. The only thing Bon Bon could do to help her now was to get them to the caves as fast as she could. The sooner they found Lyra, Minuette, and Twinkleshine, the sooner they could try to find Berry some real help.

“This way.”

Bon Bon began to cross the street, trying to move fast but worrying about her hooves echoing on the stones. She passed several cocoons and tried not to look at the terrified ponies inside. She was thankful that the ones she did glimpse were already unconscious.

The Earth pony crossed the street and pressed herself against the side of the café’s planter and ducked beneath the bush, then looked back to wave Berry across. She was surprised when she found Berry was right behind her. Either Berry was really good at moving silently, or Bon Bon had been so worried about everything else that she had failed to hear Berry right behind her.

“How much further?” Berry whispered.

“We slip through here and then, barring any unwelcome company, it’s just two more blocks,” Bon Bon said as she went over her mental map.

“But that’s in the middle of the city,” Berry said. “You’re telling me there’s a shortcut to some secret underground caves right in the middle of Canterlot?”

“Unless somepony sealed it up, yes,” Bon Bon replied. “Now stay close. We just need to—”

A loud crash suddenly came from the café’s seating area and both ponies froze. It was immediately followed by the sound of something metal hitting something else and several grunts and cries.

Both ponies looked at each other and remained perfectly still. The struggle seemed to last forever and it wasn’t until Bon Bon’s lungs started hurting that she realized she’d been holding her breath. As she let the breath out, there was one final clang as something smashed the planter they were hiding behind.

“Hmph, serves you right,” a voice said.

Bon Bon’s ears straightened and she looked back at Berry. The other pony nodded. That wasn’t the sound of a Changeling’s voice. Carefully, the two ponies stuck their head around the planter.

Five Changelings were sprawled around the seating area. One of them had a food cart overturned on his body while another was draped across the top of it. That Changeling briefly raised his head and tried to move, but quickly collapsed. The other three weren’t in any better condition. One had been slammed through a wooden table, breaking it into pieces. Another was simply passed out on the ground, but showed no real wounds. The final one was actually smashed against the other side of the planter Bon Bon and Berry had been hiding behind. He had hit it so hard that the stone had cracked and dirt was slowly falling on his head.

And in the middle of the chaos stood a grey pony with a charcoal mane. She was brushing her shoulder with her hoof. Her gaze fell on a shattered cup and she sighed.

Bon Bon was so entranced by what she was looking at that she didn’t realize she was walking forward until she stepped on a piece of silverware.

The grey Earth pony whipped her head up and dropped into a crouching stance. Her purple eyes narrowed as she looked at Bon Bon. “Do not think that I will hesitate simply because you have changed your form, Changeling.”

“What? No, I’m not—”

“Easy there, sweetheart, we’re not like them,” Berry said as she came around the corner and joined Bon Bon. “You think these bandages are for show?”

“Yes,” the grey pony said. “And if they are not, you are making a mistake. Those other five were not injured when they attacked me, and they did not fair well. You will fair worse.”

“Easy, Octavia, it’s us,” Bon Bon said. “I promise.”

Octavia blinked once and relaxed. “Hello, Bon Bon. I…do not believe I know your companion.”

“Wait, you trust us now?” Berry asked. “Just like that?”

“I did not tell you my name,” Octavia said. “A Changeling would not know it after just crossing paths with me. But allow me to introduce myself properly. My name is Octavia Melody.” She bowed in a very Canterlot fashion.

“Berry Punch,” Berry replied. “So…you thrashed all of these freaks by yourself.”

“Thrashed?” Octavia asked. “Oh, yes. I suppose I did give them a good...beating.”

Bon Bon looked at Octavia in shock. Her mane was still perfectly styled, she didn’t have any cuts or bruises, and she wasn’t even breathing hard. If five unconscious Changelings weren’t surrounding her, Bon Bon would not have believed Octavia had been in a fight.

“But…how?” she asked. “I mean, I only fought one and barely survived, and Berry’s going to have some nasty scars, but you…look fine.”

“Yeah,” Berry said. “I mean, no offense, but you Canterlot types aren’t usually this hooves-on when it comes to fighting.”

Octavia’s ears went flat and she looked at the ground. “Well, um…my mother made sure I learned certain skills.”

“Like how to beat the stuffing out of Changelings?” Berry asked. She walked over to the one that had been slammed into the planter. She poked his face with her hoof and then flicked his nose. “Because damn girl.”

“She said a Melody must always know how to defend herself,” Octavia replied, looking at the ground with colored cheeks. “Um…promise you will not tell anypony else about this?”

“Sure,” Bon Bon said, still trying to figure out how a pony like Octavia had done with ease something that had nearly killed Bon Bon and Berry. “Does Vinyl know?”

“Vinyl!” Octavia’s head whipped up and her eyes went wide. “Oh my gosh! Have you seen her?”

“That your marefriend?” Berry asked with a smirk. “I bet a lot of stallions wish they were her…”

“What? No!” Octavia said, her ears drooping a little. “She is just, um…”

“Uh-huh.”

“The last time I saw her was back at the castle,” Bon Bon said. “She was complaining about setting up her equipment.”

“Thank you,” Octavia said. “I need to go make sure she is okay. Because…um…” She blushed again.

“We’re actually going to save Lyra right now,” Bon Bon said with an understanding smile.

“And Minuette,” Berry added. “And Twinkleshine. Don’t suppose you’d want to come with us? We could use a pony of your skills.”

“Well, um…thank you for the compliment, but I, uh…”

“Relax sweetheart. I was only teasing. Go save your marefriend.”

“She is not—” Octavia closed her mouth and took a deep breath. “Thank you.”

“Octavia,” Bon Bon said as the cellist turned to leave. “I, uh, think you should know. All of the Changelings suddenly took off toward the castle. There’s a very real chance that a literal army is standing between you and Vinyl. And that…Vinyl may have already been captured.”

Octavia did not turn around to look at Bon Bon. “It does not matter,” she whispered.

“Damn right it doesn’t,” Berry said.

“Thank you again,” Octavia said and then she took off running.

“I like her,” Berry said as Octavia rounded the corner and vanished from sight. “She’s got fire.”

“Yeah…” Bon Bon said. She had a newfound respect for the grey mare. She still didn’t like that Lyra hung out with her so much, but she felt the last of her worries about losing her Unicorn fade away. Octavia was about to brave an army to save the pony she loved—whether she admitted it or not—and she didn’t care. She was just like Bon Bon in a way.

“Ah, that’s some good wine.”

“What?” Bon Bon looked over and saw that Berry was draining a bottle. She drank the rest of the wine and set the bottle down on one of the few remaining tables. She shook her head and smiled.

“What are we waiting for?” she asked. “I don’t know how long this buzz is going to stay. I can still feel the pain even now, so we better get moving.”

“Er, right,” Bon Bon said. She watched Berry take a few steps. She seemed sturdy enough, so Bon Bon didn’t press the issue. “This way.”

The two ponies left the café and continued through the eerily silent city. They did not cross paths with any other ponies, nor did they run into any Changelings. Bon Bon would have actually found the city enjoyable right then if it wasn’t on the verge of collapse. It was usually so busy and full of stuck-up ponies that she and Lyra rarely had a chance to enjoy the place.

Bon Bon stopped in front of two of the most rundown buildings in Canterlot. Their windows were boarded up and the door was missing from one of them while the other had a chain across it. Why the ugly buildings were still standing in the midst of Canterlot’s splendor was something that Bon Bon had always wondered about, and the thought again crossed her mind as she gazed up at them.

“What a dump,” Berry said as she joined Bon Bon. “I’d ask if we’re in the right place, but there’s no way coming here was a mistake. Are we going inside?”

“No,” Bon Bon said.

“Good, because that place looks more dangerous than the Changelings.”

“We’re going back here.” Bon Bon walked down the narrow gap between the two buildings, sidestepping boxes and crates full of junk and then ducking under a busted fence. She looked around until she spied a pallet with several crates stacked on top of it. She walked over to it and pushed the crates off. Some of them broke when they fell and the noise echoed off of the buildings.

“Careful!” Berry hissed as she looked around. “If those Changelings find us again, we’re beyond screwed.”

“Sorry,” Bon Bon whispered as she pushed the last crate off of the pallet. “We…I mean, I haven’t been down here in over ten years.”

“What is this, exactly?” Berry asked as she watchd Bon Bon work.

“I’m not sure,” Bon Bon said as she pushed the pallet aside to reveal a metal grate in the ground. She flipped it open, cringing as it squeaked loudly, and then looked into the hole. “Lyra said these buildings used to be mining facilities, and I guess this is where they brought some of the crystals up from the caves.”

“Hm…” Berry said as she too looked down the hole. “And Lyra knows that…why?”

“Because she’s Lyra,” Bon Bon said. “She knows a lot of hidden history it seems, and I’ve learned to just accept it.” She spied the ladder and turned around to begin climbing down. She gingerly put one hoof one the top rung, and when it didn’t snap she pressed down a little harder. The metal still held. Taking a deep breath, she climbed down another few rungs.

“Shouldn’t we, I don’t know, bring a torch or something?” Berry asked as she raised an eyebrow. “Unless you’re hiding a Unicorn horn under those curls.”

“I’m not, but we’ll be fine.” Bon Bon would have pushed her hair back to prove her point, but she was too terrified to let go of the ladder. This was always the worst part of the trip for her. The ladder, in all the years she had used it, had never once failed her, and Lyra had always promised to catch her, but nothing ever managed to calm her fear. Even now, she was so scared of the ladder snapping away from the wall and plunging her into darkness that she was finding it hard to move her hooves.

Relax. You’ve done this before. Besides, Lyra’s down there. She needs you. Bon Bon focused on the second half of that thought and forced her hooves to move her down. She let out a little shriek when the ladder vibrated and she heard a clanging sound, but as she wrapped her forelegs around a rung she realized it was just Berry finally getting on.

A few eternal seconds later, Bon Bon felt her back hoof touch solid ground. She slid off the ladder and struggled to stay standing. Her legs felt like jelly, like they always did whenever she finally got off that ladder, and she noticed that her breathing was shallow. She took several deep breaths to calm herself, and then peered into the darkness. She was really missing Lyra right now. She always had an illumination spell going at this point, and while the light from the hole was comforting, it wasn’t nearly enough to light the way.

Berry slid off the ladder and looked around. “This place is huge,” she said. “How are we going to find them down here?”

“Thankfully this is just a side passage. We just need to follow it and it spills out into the main cavern.” Bon Bon started walking, hoping that her memory served her well enough to know the way. And hoping that Berry wouldn’t ask the obvious question.

“Okay, and once we get there, where do we go?”

So much for that hope.

“I…I don’t know,” Bon Bon said as she walked into the darkness. “Lyra and I only ever explored the main cavern, but I remember there are countless side tunnels. But at least…” Bon Bon put her hoof out, trying to find the wall. She felt cold stone and jagged rock at first, but as she slowly moved her hoof around, she eventually felt something cool and smooth. She smiled in the dark, pulled her hoof back, and then hit the wall. There was a cracking sound and suddenly the entire tunnel lit up with a welcoming green light.

“How did you do that?” Berry asked as she stared at the ceiling. Bon Bon couldn’t help but think that, with her blood-stained bandages and the green light, that she looked like a zombie pony. It was slightly unnerving.

“Vibrating crystals,” Bon Bon said as she turned back to look at the one she had hit. It had several cracks radiating out from where she had struck it. “You hit one and it turns the energy into light, and that energy then gets transmitted into the other crystals, causing them to light up as well.”

“Cool,” Berry said. “But…I think we need to skip the rock lessons. I’m…starting to get…a bit lightheaded again. Should have…grabbed another bottle.”

Bon Bon looked at the other Earth pony. Berry was trying to put on a brave face, but even in the green light Bon Bon could see that she was losing color in her face. And there was no way she’d be able to carry Berry back up the ladder. They needed to find the three Unicorns now, because if Berry passed out down here, there would nothing Bon Bon could do for her.

“Then we’d better hurry,” she said.

The two ponies walked down the green-lit passage in relative silence, with only the sounds of their echoing hooves and Bon Bon occasionally hitting another crystal to break the silence. Bon Bon couldn’t help but notice that Berry’s breathing was becoming more labored and her pace was growing more and more uneven. She desperately wanted to move faster, but she worried that any more stress on her friend would push her over the edge.

That, and Bon Bon was still in pain herself, and she had no idea where to start looking once they reached the main cave. She was trying to put that thought out of her mind, but the longer they were in the tunnel, the more the thought grew. She was starting to quietly panic when the crystals began to dim again. She reached out to hit another one, but Berry reached out and stopped her. Bon Bon turned to ask what she was doing, but Berry put her hoof to her lips and shook her head. Curious, Bon Bon tilted her head and perked her ears as high as she could.

At first all Bon Bon heard was deafening silence, and as the light from the crystals began to fade, panic rose in her. Her heartbeat began to pound in her head, drowning out any hope of hearing anything else. She wanted to reach out and hit the crystal, and she almost did, but then she felt Berry’s hoof gently touch her shoulder. The panic subsided instantly and she was able to hear clearly again.

Bon Bon wasn’t sure what she was hearing when the noise finally reached her ears. It sounded like falling rock, but she was also hearing noises that didn’t fit. It sounded like somepony was…dragging something across the floor? She cocked her head to the side and then nearly jumped when she heard a growl. There wasn’t anything alive in these passages. She and Lyra had made sure of that. But then, they hadn’t been down here in years. It was entirely possible that something had moved into these caves and was now looking for food.

Another faint growl came up the passage followed by what sounded like a muffled growl. Bon Bon was still trying to figure out what she was hearing—and whether or not she and Berry should turn around—when Berry shot past her down the tunnel. Bon Bon was so surprised to see her move so quickly that she almost lost sight of her in the dark before she hit a nearby crystal to light up the tunnel again.

“Berry! Wait!” she shouted, but the Earth pony didn’t slow down. Worried that her friend was about to be eaten by some monstrous cave creature, she took off after her, doing her best not to trip on the uneven floor.

Bon Bon reached the end of the tunnel and came to a halt as she almost plowed into the back of Berry. They had reached the main cave, and even though her body was aching from the short run and she was pretty sure she had reopened one of her wounds, she couldn’t help but stare at her surroundings.

The cave was still breathtaking even years later. Blue and green crystals covered the walls and ceilings, reflecting the small amount of light a million times over. Stars seemed to be within reach as the light was broken into countless fragments, and the silence made it feel as if Bon Bon was standing outside on a beautiful night, gazing up at the sky. All she needed was Lyra to be standing—or better yet, laying—next to her and everything would be perfect, just like it always was when they came down here.

“Let…GO!” a voice shouted. It echoed through the entire cavern and Bon Bon jumped. She thought it was Berry, but she noticed that the mare was standing perfectly still except for her ears, which were flicking back and forth slowly.

“It’s mine!” another voice screamed, followed by what sounded like a grunt.

“I want it!” another voice yelled, and Bon Bon immediately recognized that one.

“Lyra?” she called into the cavern. “Lyra, is that you?”

“Shush!” Berry said as she covered Bon Bon’s mouth. “The sound echoes too much. I’m trying to figure out where they are.”

“How did you know it was them?” Bon Bon whispered. She desperately wanted to go charging into the cavern in search of Lyra, but Berry was right. The way their voices were echoing, it was impossible to tell where exactly they were.

“I remember very well what Minuette sounds like when she’s struggling and has something in her mouth,” Berry said.

“Oh.” Bon Bon blushed.

“I said it’s mine!” There was a flash of light off to the right and Bon Bon and Berry both looked toward it. They looked at each other once, nodded, and then began running toward the flash. They dodged around several big crystals and both of them stumbled a few times, but neither one of them slowed. What they had been searching for was so close that nothing else mattered.

Bon Bon rounded a rather big rock and skidded to a stop. A half-second later she felt Berry crash into her back and the two of them tumbled to the ground.

“Ow…” Berry said as she lay on top of Bon Bon. “Why the buck did you stop?” Bon Bon simply pointed with her hoof and Berry fell silent.

Lyra, Minuette, and Twinkleshine were standing in front of them. They were dressed in their bridesmaids dresses, but the outfits were in tatters. All three mares’ manes were a complete mess. The flowers in their headdresses were crumpled and scattered around the cave floor. Their coats were smudged and covered in dirt, and all three of their horns were glowing brightly with magic as they glared at each other.

And in the middle of them, clutched in Minuette’s teeth with Lyra and Twinkleshine trying to pull it out, was what had probably once been a bouquet of flowers. Now though, it looked like nothing more than torn fabric wrapped around broken stems.

“Lyra?” Bon Bon asked as she tried to figure out what she seeing. She tried to get up, but Berry was still laying on top of her.

“Minuette, what the hay are you doing?” Berry demanded as she stood up. Bon Bon winced as the Earth pony accidently pressed down on her wounded shoulder, but once Berry was off of her, she stood up too. “Pinchy’s been dying to see you in that dress, and I find you down here rolling in the dirt? Without me I might add.”

In creepy unison, all three Unicorns turned to look at the two Earth ponies and Bon Bon felt her heart skip a beat. Lyra’s beautiful sunglow eyes were gone, replaced by two tiny green eyes that pulsated in the cavern’s dim light. Her eyes narrowed and the corners of her mouth turned up in a sneer. She slowly started walking toward Bon Bon, losing all interest in the bouquet she had been fighting over.

“That ain’t right,” Berry said as Minuette and Twinkleshine, both with the same green eyes, began to follow Lyra. “Any ideas, Bon Bon?”

“Um…Lyra?” Bon Bon said as she and Berry slowly began to back away from the three Unicorns. This wasn’t fair. She and Berry had been through so much already, and now they were going to have to fight the very ponies they had come to rescue? There had to be another way. “Lyra, it’s me. Bon Bon. You…you remember me, right?”

The three Unicorns simply growled and drew closer.

“Minuette, you better snap out of this right now, or Celestia help me…” Berry warned, but Bon Bon noticed that she was still backing up just as quickly.

The two ponies suddenly backed into a wall. Bon Bon looked over her shoulder for an escape route, but there was nothing. She turned back to see that the Unicorns had cut them off from any other means of escape. Lyra’s green eyes glared at her and she felt her heart begin to sink.

“Lyra, please,” she whispered as she pressed herself against the wall. “It’s me. Your marefriend. Don’t you remember me?”

Lyra paused for a moment, or at least Bon Bon thought she did, and she felt a glimmer of hope return.

“That’s right,” she continued, trying to smile despite her fear. “You remember me, right? You remember this place too, don’t you? You used to drag me down here when we were little. You said we were looking for human arty-facts.” Bon Bon smiled as she remembered the way Lyra used to say the word. “We came down here so many times that I lost count. I was always so scared of going down that ladder, but you always promised to catch me if I fell.”

This time Lyra did stop, as did Minuette and Twinkleshine. She tilted her head to the side slightly, but the grin on her face did not waver.

“Whatever you’re doing, keep doing it,” Berry whispered.

“You…you showed me how to light up those crystals,” Bon Bon said as she took a small step toward Lyra. “It was so pretty the first time you showed me. Remember? And…and this is the same place where I…I…” Bon Bon swallowed and looked at Berry, “I asked you to…to go out with me. You remember that, right?”

Lyra blinked and shook her head. It looked like whatever was controlling her was starting to break, but the green in her eyes was still there.

Bon Bon felt her eyes water as she cautiously closed the remaining distance between herself and Lyra. “And…you remember how you answered, right? You just stared at me for a long time. I…I thought you were going to say no, and I was so scared that I’d ruined our friendship, but then,” Bon Bon reached out and gently stroked Lyra’s cheek, “you…Lyra, this is where we had our first real kiss. You remember all of that, right? You remember your…Sweetie Drops.”

The green light from Lyra’s eyes faded. She closed them and shook her head. She started to fall and Bon Bon caught her. She opened her eyes and Bon Bon smiled when she saw that they were back to their beautiful color.

“Uh…hi, Sweetie Drops,” Lyra whispered in a sleepy voice. “You feel so warm…” She closed her eyes and tried to nuzzle her way further into Bon Bon’s embrace, but then her eyes snapped open and she stood up. “The wedding! Bon Bon, it’s a trap! That’s not Princess Cadance! She’s—”

“Shush,” Bon Bon said as she put a hoof on Lyra’s mouth. “We know.”

“I hope you don’t expect any of that mushy stuff from me, Collie,” Berry said. “Now snap out of it!”

Berry Punch stomped up to Minuette and glared at her. Minuette recoiled slightly. Berry raised her hoof and slapped the Unicorn across the face. Minuette opened her mouth, either to say something or just hiss, but she never got the chance.

Berry pressed her mouth against Minuette’s and wrapped her forelegs around the Unicorn’s neck. She held her in the kiss despite Minuette’s initial struggle, but then the Unicorn relaxed and her eyes closed. She then wrapped her own forelegs around Berry’s neck and leaned into the kiss.

The two ponies continued to kiss until Bon Bon felt she should look away.

“How come you never kiss me like that?” Lyra whispered. Bon Bon reached down and covered Lyra’s eyes with her hoof.

When Bon Bon heard the familiar sound of lips coming apart, she finally removed her hoof from Lyra’s eyes and looked back at Berry and Minuette.

“Um…” Minuette said sheepishly as she and Berry continued to hold each other. “Hi, Berry. Good to see you too.”

“Oh, it’s going to get better,” Berry whispered. She leaned in and gently licked Minuette’s ear. “Trust me.”

Minuette’s cheeks went bright red, even in the dim cavern light. She looked around and her eyes feel on Bon Bon and Lyra and she with stiff. She scrambled out of Berry’s embrace and tripped as she did.

“Er…how much of that did you two see?” she asked as she lay on the ground.

“Enough to be jealous, I’m sure,” Berry said as she walked over and helped Minuette stand up.

“Uh-huh,” Minuette said, her ears flat and her eyes focused solely on the ground.

“What do we do about Twinkleshine?” Bon Bon asked, both as a way to save Minuette and because she had no idea how to help the final Unicorn. Twinkleshine hadn’t moved from her spot, but her eyes were still green.

“I could kiss her,” Berry offered suggestively.

“Not like that you’re not!” Minuette said instantly as she glared at her wife, then she quickly put her hoof over her mouth. Berry simply looked at her and grinned.

“We can’t just leave her down here like this,” Bon Bon said.

“Hm…I wonder.” Lyra looked around the cave until she spotted the ruined bouquet. She grabbed it with her magic and waved it in front of Twinkleshine. “Here you go, Twinkelshine. It’s all yours.”

“Lyra, that’s not going to—” Bon Bon stopped short when Twinkleshine’s green eyes lit up in joy and she dove on the ruined flowers. She picked them up with her hooves and hugged them, and then her eyes returned to their blue shade. She looked around the cavern and then stared at the other ponies.

“So…is anypony going to tell me what’s going on, or is this as awkward as I think it is?” she asked.

Bon Bon looked at Lyra in disbelief. “How did you…? You mean all we had to do was just let each one of you hold that bouquet?!”

Lyra shrugged. “I dunno. It was just a guess. And besides, your way was much better.”

“I liked my version more,” Berry said as she nuzzled up to Minuette, who was still beat red in the cheeks.

“Will somepony please tell me why we’re all underground, I’m holding…whatever this is, three of us are dressed in wedding attire, and the other two look like they’ve been fighting a war?” Twinkleshine shouted as she dropped the ruined bouquet on the floor and kicked it.

Bon Bon had no idea where to begin. Even though it had only been a few hours, it felt like she and Berry had been fighting and running for years. She was about to start at the beginning, but a familiar voice interrupted her.

“Thank goodness you girls are all okay!” All five ponies turned toward the new voice and saw Princess Cadance, Shining Armor, Twilight Sparkle and her friends, Princess Celestia, and what looked like half of the Royal Guard. Princess Cadance began walking toward them, relief flooding her face. “I was so worried about all of—”

“Back off!” Berry growled. She placed herself between Princess Cadance and Bon Bon and lowered her head as if she meant to charge.

Princess Cadance stopped. “Berry, what are you—?”

“Nice try, but I’m not buying it,” Berry said, scraping the floor with her hoof. “You take one more step, and I swear I’ll tear you in half.”

Bon Bon carefully walked up next to Berry. “What are you doing?” she asked.

“Berry, if this is about Twilight and I leaving Minuette and the others down here, I apologize, but we didn’t have a choice,” Princess Cadance pleaded. “We had to get to the wedding as fast as we could.”

“Yeah,” Twilight said as she walked up next to Princess Cadance. “We were going to come back for them. In fact, we did come back for them. That’s why we’re here.”

“No way,” Berry said. “I did not go through all of this and nearly die just so a bunch of Changelings could trick us again.”

“You think we’re Changelings?” Rainbow Dash shouted.

“Those Changelings are long gone, sugar cube,” Applejack said as she grabbed Rainbow’s tail to stop her from charging forward. “Twilight’s brother blasted them out of Canterlot right quick.”

“A likely story,” Berry said. “How do I know you’re telling the truth? You could all be Changelings sent down here to capture us.”

“Why in Equestria would the Changelings send this many ponies to capture you five?” Rainbow Dash demanded as she waved at all the ponies standing behind her.

“I kicked the snot out of a bunch of you all by myself,” Berry countered. “Maybe one of you made it back and warned the others.”

“Are you kidding me?” Rainbow shouted.

“She certainly argues like Rainbow,” Bon Bon said. “Berry, I don’t think they’re Changelings. If they were, they could have easily overpowered us.”

Berry turned and looked and Bon Bon. “Do you want to take that chance? Those freaks can literally take the shape of any pony we know. And we already know that Princess Cadenza here was one of them all along. So ask yourself, Bon Bon. Ask yourself if you’re willing to risk Lyra, and everything you went through to get her back, just because a bunch of ponies suddenly show right when we need them to. Because I’m not buying it.”

Bon Bon opened her mouth, but she closed it again when she saw the look in Berry’s eyes. They were filled with despair and anger. The Earth pony looked like she was about to pass out. Bon Bon looked her over and saw that her bandages had gone dark with fresh blood and her legs were quivering.

“Berry, we need to—” Bon Bon started

“I can prove it,” Princess Cadance said as she raised her chin and struck her most regal pose. “Everypony else, leave us.”

“But, Princess Cadance!” Twilight protested.

“Princess Cadance knows what she’s doing,” Princess Celestia said.

“Don’t worry about her, Twily,” Shining Armor said. “Cadance can take care of herself. We’ll meet you back at the entrance, sweetheart.”

“Okay,” Princess Cadance said as she watched all the other ponies leave. Once they were gone, she turned back to the remaining ponies and smiled.

“I’m…waiting,” Berry said, and Bon Bon noticed that the shaking had moved from her legs to her entire body.

“You came to pick up Minuette at my Bachelorette party,” Princess Cadance said.

“So? For all I know, you could be some Changeling who just saw me on the street carrying her.”

“You carried me?” Minuette whispered in shock.

“Lyra was passed out under the table and Minuette was…shall we just say she was having a good time?” Princess Cadance asked with a smile. The blue Unicorn chuckled nervously and scratched the back of her neck.

“Everypony at that nightclub knows that,” Berry said, but Bon Bon could see that she was lowering her guard. “That show was hard to miss.”

“Thanks a lot,” Minuette grumbled.

“Right, but only the real me would know about this,” Princess Cadance said as she stepped forward. “We had our own private room first, right girls?”

“Uh…yeah,” Twinkleshine said as she looked nervously at Lyra and Minuette. “O-Okay, Berry. This is Cadance. Trust me.”

“It’s where I gave each one of them a glass of Princess Celestia’s special drink.”

Bon Bon looked at Lyra and noticed that the Unicorn had gone utterly silent and had a panicked look in her eyes. Minuette didn’t appear to be doing much better.

“Okay, Cadance, we get it, it’s you,” Lyra said quickly. “Come on, it’s time to go.”

“Berry, you saw what happened to Minuette, Lyra, and Twinkleshine, right?” Princess Cadance continued.

“Yeah,” Berry replied. “I almost wanted to ask you—I mean, Princess Cadance, what that recipe was. I’ve never seen Minuette get that drunk.”

“Well, you saw them after the drink had thinned out in their blood for an hour,” Princess Cadance said. “When they first drank it, Minuette and Lyra—”

“Ooookay, time to go!” Minuette said as she ran forward and shoved her hoof in Princess Cadance’s mouth. “Berry, you can trust me when I say that this is genuinely, one-hundred-percent Princess Cadance. Now can we please get out of here?”

Princess Cadance looked at Minuette and Bon Bon knew the Alicorn was teasing both her and Lyra. She moved the Unicorn’s hoof away from her mouth and looked at Berry. “Well?”

“If Minuette says you’re you, then I’m…I’m…”

Berry staggered forward a pace and then collapsed on the floor.

“Berry?” Minuette cried as she ran over to her wife. “Berry! She’s not moving! Berry, please, get up. Don’t do this to me!”

Minuette collapsed on the ground and shook her wife. Bon Bon stood next to Lyra in silence, too terrified to move. She felt Lyra’s hoof wrap around her shoulder and that snapped her out of her shock. She rushed forward and knelt next to her friend.

“Put her on my back,” she said as she looked at Minuette. The blue Unicorn just stared at her in tears. “Now!”

* * *

Berry Punch felt warm and comfortable. She could feel her mind slowly pulling its way back from unconsciousness and she struggled to stop it, but it was already too late. Her eyes fluttered open and she found herself gazing at an unfamiliar ceiling.

The first thought that went through her head was that she had spent another night having way too much to drink and was now sleeping it off in some random pony’s bed, but she quickly brushed that aside. She was happily married to the best Unicorn in world, and she wouldn’t trade her for anypony. Besides, she had just gone through a literal nightmare to get her—

“Minuette!” Berry cried as she sat up in the bed. She instantly regretted the decision as the injuries she had suffered sprang painfully back into her thoughts.

“Sssh,” a soothing voice said as a hoof gently pushed Berry back down onto the bed. “It’s okay. I’m right here.”

Berry looked to her right and saw a beautiful Unicorn was a tousled blue and white mane gazing back at her from the side of the bed. She smiled brightly and Berry knew that she was seeing the real Minuette. No illusion or Changeling could fake that smile.

“Where am I?” Berry asked as she looked around. This certainly wasn’t their hotel room. The place was nice, but it wasn’t this nice. There were plush pillows, beautiful drapes, dazzling paintings, and a window with a balcony that would have made even Filthy Rich envious.

“Canterlot Castle, in a private guest room,” Minuette said as she crawled into the bed and sat down next to Berry. “Princess Cadance insisted that we bring you here after the doctors looked you over.”

“Nothing too bad I take it, since I’m here and not there.”

“Nothing that some stiches and rest won’t fix. It was mostly exhaustion, but your injuries weren’t exactly minor.” Minuette’s expression grew serious as she looked down at Berry. “But that was extremely dangerous of you, Berry. If I had known what shape you were in, I would never have let you stand up to Princess Cadance like that. I would have dragged you to the hospital right away. If you had died, what was I supposed to tell Pinchy? She would have been heartbroken.”

Berry smiled. “Missed you too,” she said and Minuette’s expression softened again. “Where is Pinchy anyway? Is she safe?”

“After I assured her that you just needed some rest, she went off to play with Applejack’s little sister and her friends. I think she’s helping them get ready for the wedding later tonight. So you better rest up too, because we’re going to it.”

“What—ugh. What about Bon Bon and Lyra?” Berry asked. “Are they okay?”

“Yes, they’re both fine. Probably spending so nice quiet time together. Bon Bon made me promise to tell her the moment you came around though.”

“How do I know this isn’t just some Changeling trap?” Berry asked as she blinked slowly. “How do I know you’re not just telling me what I want to hear and—mmph!”

“Believe me now?” Minuette asked as she pulled out of the kiss.

“I don’t know…”

Minuette playfully punched Berry in the stomach. The Earth pony winced, not entirely faking it, and looked up at her wife with puppy dog eyes. “That hurt.”

“Well, Bon Bon told me that you smacked me to get me out from under that spell, so consider us even.”

Berry’s ears fell and she looked away from Minuette. “Collie, I…I’m sorry.”

“What in Equestria do you have to apologize for, babe?” Minuette asked as she reached out and made Berry look her in the eye.

“Bon Bon told Lyra all this stuff to snap her out of it,” Berry said. “And I…I couldn’t. I couldn’t think of a single thing to say to you besides I love you.”

“Well, what’s wrong with that?” Minuette asked.

Berry rolled her eyes. “Oh yeah. Bon Bon gives this huge romantic speech and manages to overpower a Changeling’s spell, and I’m supposed to follow up with, ‘Hey, Collie, I think you’re great. I love your flank. Come back so I can tap—mmph!”

Minuette pulled out of the kiss and looked down at Berrry with tears in her blue eyes. “You want to know something? If you had tried anything like what Bon Bon did, I probably still wouldn’t be free from that spell. Do you know why?”

“Um…because I suck at that sort of thing?” Berry offered.

Minuette blinked and tears fell from her eyes as she laughed. “Not how I would have put it, but yes. It wouldn’t have been you. I love you for being Berry Punch. The Berry I know doesn’t talk about her love for me. She shows it. If you had tried to give me a boring speech about how you I give you butterflies and all that mushy stuff—”

“You remember me saying that?”

“Vaguely. But if you had tried that, I would have thought you were a Changeling. That kiss was something that only you could give me, and only you can give it to me that well.” Minuette slid across the bed then and straddled her body over Berry’s. “Speaking of that kiss…”

“Um, I thought the doctor said…I…needed to…rest…” Minuette gently kissed Berry again. Berry felt the Unicorn’s tongue slip into her mouth and slide around, until she gently pressed it against the roof of Berry’s mouth. Finally, she pulled out of the kiss and licked her lips.

“Okay, the wine taste I can understand,” Minuette said as she sat on top of Berry with her forelegs crossed. “But why am I tasting syrup too?”

“Uh…heh heh,” Berry said as she scratched the back of her neck. “Well, you see, I needed something to—”

“Save it, Berry,” Minuette said with a smile. “Pinchy already sold you out for a glimpse at me in my dress.”

“That girl is in so much trouble,” Berry replied, trying to look irritated but finding it extremely difficult as she kept looking at the pony sitting on top of her.

“Not as much trouble as you’re in for letting her have that much sugar without brushing her teeth.”

“So what was Princess Cadance trying to say back there in the cave?” Berry asked. She wiggled slightly under Minuette and grinned when she saw her wife squirm.

“Oh, um…nothing,” Minuette said. She tried to readjust her position on top of Berry, but the Earth pony wiggled again and Minuette quivered.

“Tell me,” Berry said as she adjusted her leg so that the bed sheet brushed Minuette between her back legs.

The Unicorn visibly shook, but shook her head. “It’s nothing, honest.”

“I can always ask Lyra,” Berry said. She jerked her leg and Minuette gasped and leaned forward.

“Okay, fine,” the Unicorn said as she looked Berry in the eye. “Lyra and I may have…made out, slightly, after we had our drinks.”

“Hot!” Berry said, then she grinned. “ Wait a second. You mean you got to make out with another mare, but you wouldn’t let me kiss Twinkleshine to save her life?”

“We didn’t know what we were doing,” Minuette said as blushed. “I barely remember it.”

Berry pushed her leg up slightly and Minuette gasped and fell forward. “Promise?” she asked as her Unicorn fell on top of her. “We can always call Lyra in here if you do want to remember it. In fact, I like the sound of that. Let’s go get her.”

“N-No,” Minuette whispered into Berry’s ear as she placed her hoof squarely on Berry’s chest. “I’m…happy like this…”

“Well, too bad,” Berry said as she pushed Minuette up. “You said that the doctor said I needed rest. You even told me to rest. So you’ll have to go find Lyra if you want anything. Who knows? Maybe you can even get Bon Bon to join in.”

“Berry…” Minuette whined. She bounced up and down like a child and batted her eyes. “You’re teasing me.”

“Nope, sorry,” Berry said. She turned her head to the side and closed her eyes. “Doctor’s orders.”

“What if I promise to be…very gentle…?” Minuette leaned forward and kissed Berry’s neck, sending shivers down her spine.

“I…I don’t…normally…do gentle…” Berry whispered as Minuette continued to kiss her neck and move down to her chest.

“Make an exception,” Minuette whispered. “This is your punishment for Pinchy’s breakfast.”

“Hm…okay.”

Minuette’s horn glowed pink and Berry heard the sound of the door locking. The Unicorn smiled and Berry reached up and pulled her wife down into a kiss.

“Hey, Minuette? You in there?” Lyra asked as there was a knock on the door.

Minuette groaned and rolled her eyes. “Yes, Lyra.”

“Is Berry awake yet?” Bon Bon asked through the door.

“She’s…resting,” Minuette called, trying to be patient. Berry grinned up at her and moved her leg again. Minuette glared down at her and shuddered.

“Is she at least awake? It’s been two hours. She should be—”

“I’m fine, Bon Bon,” Berry said finally. She teased her wife again and Minuette nearly collapsed on her.

“Oh. Thank Celestia. Are you feeling okay?”

“I said she’s resting,” Minuette growled.

“Riiiight. Resting,” Berry said. “I need lots of rest.” Then she added in a whisper, "You know, we can invite them in if you miss Lyra..."

“And I’m giving it to her—I mean, you’re disturbing us. I mean her rest!” Minuette said as she glared playfully at Berry.

“I think what my wife is trying to say is go away,” Berry said as she leaned up and gently bit her Unicorn’s blue neck.

Minuette couldn’t take it anymore. She collapsed on top of Berry and stayed still, breathing heavily against her fur and smiling. “Yes, please.”

There was a long silence at the door and Berry couldn’t help but smile as she pictured Bon Bon’s face. No doubt she was turning all short of pinks and reds. She almost wanted to get up and open the door just to see it. Almost.

“O-Oh,” Bon Bon said. “Um…excuse us. We’ll, uh, see you at the wedding then?”

“Get better soon, Berry,” Lyra shouted. “Get lots of…rest. Ow! What was that for? Hey! Bon Bon, let go! That hurts! Where are you…”

The voices drifted away away and Minuette sighed. “That ruined the mood,” she said.

“Oh, I think I can get you back in the mood right quick.”

“The wedding is this evening, so we’ve got a few hours,” Minuette whispered as she rested in Berry’s embrace. She was still shaking, but she managed to smile and kiss Berry’s cheek.

“Plenty of time,” Berry replied. She gently bit down on Minuette’s ear and allowed herself to become lost in the moment.

Author's Note:

And here it is. Happy ending all around. Quick! How many of you were actually worried about Berry? ;-)

For those of you wondering about Octavia and what she did, that's actually my follow-up to the video, 'Once Upon a Time in Canterlot.' Which, if you want to see a cellist being amazing, you should go watch. After you finish reading this and the epilogue, of course.

I had Princess Cadance and the others show up in the cave because that was something that bothered me in the episode. I know she and Twilight were in a hurry, but they just left poor Lyra, Minuette, and Twinkleshine down there like that. I'm glad that the animators remembered to put the three of them in the end of the episode, but I wanted to show that Cadance and Twilight didn't just leave them and forget about them.

Comments

[Unbridled Dolly]

THE END!!! I'm not sure who's awesomer. Octavia or Berry Punch?

[Bryan Luna]

4621105 Well now that's a tough one. On the one hoof Octavia is a trained fighter and it's no surprise that she's very good. On the other hoof Berry is literally as knock down drag out "blood and guts" brawler, so it's a toss up really.

[Yoshifan30]

And in the middle of the chaos stood a grey pony with a charcoal mane. She was brushing her shoulder with her hoof. Her gaze fell on a shattered cup and she sighed.

Gasp oh its Octavia and I did remember watching that fan animated video of that that was pretty cool

[Zeck]

11098896
Wow, you left a lot of comments. That makes me really happy, especially after all these years. Always fun to read new ponies' thoughts on my stuff. Glad you enjoyed this one so much, and that you recognized the shout-out to that fan animation starring Octavia from back in the day. That was actually part of what made me write this one, because the animation just ended without a conclusion.

[Yoshifan30]

Whoa dang that was pretty Epic so it looks like bon bon and Berry trying to find the other going to the fact that Berry Punch is severely injured but she didn't care she needs to Minuette and so is bonbon finding Lyra but then they found Octavia dealing with other changelings what's that is pretty cool reference to the fan art animation but anyway when they got to the cave they found it took them a long time to find them but they were still fighting over for the flour and they are still mine controlled but Bonbon and Berry broke the spell and freeing them in their own way what it looks like Cadence Twilight and the others came back to get the three Brides which I would say yeah that's why we saw them in the end of the season 2 finale but with all the excitement Berry fainted after her severe injury took effect but luckily they got her safe and she's okay boy again that was pretty epic and pretty sweet as well