The New Timeline

by Jongoji245

A Canterlot Wedding Part 1 (New Timeline)

Author's Note:

I'm back! And two weeks before the holidays kick in.

In the middle of a bright warm day, The Mane Six and Sunset Shimmer were having a picnic. A short distance away, The Crusaders and Cosgrove were playing with a new beach ball as Twilight destroyed their old one during one of her paranoia moments. A much further distance away, Spike was running like a mad man.

“Ahh!” - Rarity breathed in - “It is gorgeous out. Just gorgeous!”

Applejack slurped a cup of apple juice while Rainbow Dash ate her sandwich. Twilight just pulled out an apple when

“Twi... light!” - Spike Panted - “...I... have…” - he raises a finger - “ Lemme just…”

Taking a deep breath, Spike belched out a message

Dear Twilight,

I am sure you are as excited as I am about the upcoming wedding in Canterlot.

“Wedding?” Twilight aside to her friends before continuing.

Princess Luna will be presiding over the ceremony, but I would very much like you and your friends to help with the preparations for this wonderful occasion. Fluttershy, I would like you and your songbird choir to provide the music.

“Oh my goodness!” - Fluttershy blushed - “What an honor!

Pinkie Pie, I can think of no one more qualified than you to host the reception.

“Hip, hip, hooray!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed as she cartwheeled to Twilight, who then tidied up the picnic blanket, including the hoofprint in the cake.

Applejack, you will be in charge of the catering for the reception.

“Well, color me pleased as punch!” responded Applejack

Rainbow Dash

Twilight paused to notice Rainbow Dash yawn.

I would very much appreciate it if you could perform a sonic rainboom as the bride and groom complete their "I do"'s.

Rainbow Dash jumped a few feet in the air, “Yes!”

Rarity, you will be responsible for designing the dresses for the bride and her bridesmaids.

“Princess Celestia wants me to–” Rarity wobbled a while, speaking unintelligibly” ...wedding dress? For a Canterlot wedding... I, ah, ooh, ooh!” Rarity fell back onto the grass with a loud thump, a large smile on her face.

At Luna’s request, I would like Sunset Shimmer to be head of security, and remove any impolite guests.

“Me?” The orange Unicorn responded

And as for you, Twilight, you will be playing the most important role of all: Making sure that everything goes as planned. See you all very soon. Yours, Princess Celestia.

Twilight looked at the scroll with confusion, “But... I don't understand. Who's getting married?”

“Oh, wait!” - Spike piped up - “Uh, I was probably supposed to give you this one first.”

Spike nervously handed Twilight another scroll he received a little earlier.

“Princess Celestia cordially invites you to the wedding of Princess Mi Amore Cadenza and…” Twilight’s eyes widened as she dropped the scroll onto the grass- “My brother?!”

The other picnic guests gasped at this news.

“Your brother's getting married?” - Asked Applejack - “Congratulations, Twilight! That's great news!”

“Yeah, great news.” - Twilight responded in the exact opposite tone - “That I just got from a wedding invitation! Not from my brother, but from a piece of paper! Thanks a lot, Shining Armor. I mean, really, he couldn't tell me personally?”

Levitating a sandwich, Twilight began imitating her brother’s voice - “Hey, Twilight, just thought you should know I'm making a really big decision that changes everything. Oh, never mind, you'll hear about it when you get the invitation.” Twilight dropped the sandwich

“Princess Mi Amore Cadenza? Who in the hoof is that?!” Twilight finished with a snort.

“Um, Twilight?” - Fluttershy approached her friend - “Are you okay?”

Calmed down, Twilight answered, “Sorry, it's just that Shining Armor and I have always been so close. He's my B.B.B.F.F!” - Twilight looked at her silent audience - “Big Brother Best Friend Forever?”

“Oh!” they responded.

“Before I came here and learned the importance of friendship, Shining Armor was the only pony I ever really accepted as a friend.”

[Twilight Sparkle]
When I was just a filly, I found it rather silly
To see how many other ponies I could meet
I had my books to read, didn't know that I would ever need
Other ponies to make my life complete
But there was one colt that I cared for
I knew he would be there for me
My big brother, best friend forever!
Like two peas in a pod, we did everything together
He taught me how to fly a kite (Best friend forever!)
We never had a single fight (We did everything together!)
We shared our hopes, we shared our dreams
I miss him more than I realized
It seems...

[Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Sunset]
Your big brother, best friend forever
Like two peas in a pod, you did everything together

[Twilight Sparkle]
And though he's, oh, so far away
I hoped that he would stay
My big brother best friend
Forever...
Forever...

At the end of the song, Pinky Pie bounded to Twilight.

“As one of your P.F.F.'s…” - again the ponies around her were silent - “Pony Friends Forever…”

“Oh!” they said again.

“I wanna say that I think your brother sounds like a real great guy.”

Reassured, Twilight walked back to the picnic table, “He is pretty special. I mean, they don't let just anypony be captain of the Royal Guard.”

Rarity gasped, “So let me get this straight. We're helping out with the wedding of not only a princess, but a captain of the Royal Guard?”

Placing a hoof on her chin, Twilight shrugged, “I guess we are.”

Rarity, now so excited about this fact, wobbled again before falling back to the ground, Twilight quickly drew a pillow to soften the fall. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy flew in a loopty loop, Applejack and Pinkie Pie hopping in a circle, holding hooves. Sunset and Cosgrove were bemused as the Crusaders skipped around them (akin to what they did in after finding that their love poison worked on Big Mac and Cheerilee).

---

A day after, the Mane Six and their family and friends boarded the next train to Canterlot. Even after 24 hours, they still were excited about their duties. Rainbow Dash had her eyes wide open.

“A sonic rainboom? At a wedding?!” - Rainbow Dash squeed - “Can you say, "best wedding ever"?!”

Seeing the tunnel at the base of the mountain, Pinkie Pie to a deep breath and shouted, “Best wedding ever!”

Sweetie Belle shuffled next to her sister, “And we’re gonna be:”

“CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS FLOWER GIRLS!!!” They screamed.

“And I can’t wait to show a little performance between me and Schnookums!” Cosgrove flipped a page of his sketchbook, revealing a Peanuts style drawing of the Brobdingnag doing a headstand on a small column while he balanced on the tip of his tail.

Spike scoffed, “So you all get to help with the big fancy wedding, but I'm the one who gets to host the bachelor party! I have just one question. What's a bachelor party?

The other passengers in the car laughed at his question. All except Twilight Sparkle, who sat alone staring at the mountain face. Applejack noticed this and walked down the aisle.

“Why the long face, sugar cube?”

Twilight Sparkle sighed, “I'm just thinking about Shining Armor. Ever since I moved to Ponyville, we've been seeing each other less and less.” - She turns to Applejack with a stern look on her face - “And now that he's starting a new family with this "Princess Mi Amore Ca-whatshername", we'll probably never see each other.”

Rainbow Dash walked over and bumped her shoulder. “Aw come on. You're his sister. He'll always make time for you.”

The violet Unicorn kept her stern face.

“Couldn't seem to make time to tell me he was getting married.” she thought to herself.

“We're here, we're here!” Pinkie Pie screamed.

When the guards spotted the train coming closer to Canterlot, they lifted their spears allowing the train to pass through a red-pink force field. As it filtered through the interior to the locomotive, the passengers felt a shiver as it passed them. As the train slowed to a stop, the passengers took note of the amount of guards of all races at the station.

"Whoa, what's with all the guards?" Rainbow Dash questioned.

"I'm sure they're just taking the necessary precautions." - Rarity answered - "Royal weddings do bring out the strangest ponies."

Just as Rarity finished, Pinky Pie sneezed out confetti.

"Whelp, what are we waiting for?" - Pinky Pie started bounding around - "We've got work to do!" - She lands in front of Twilight "And you've got a big brother to go congratulate."

"Yeah. Congratulate." - Said Twilight in a deadpan voice before trotting forward - "And then give him a piece of my mind."

---

As her friends unloaded their cargo, Twilight Sparkle made her way to the castle. On top of one of the towers, the Royal Sister's advisor Kibitz watched from a telescope. Up at one of the ramparts, Shining Armor himself commanded a few squadrons to their positions when he noticed the Earth Pony soldiers aiming their spears. Looking down, he found his sister trotting angrily towards him.

"Twily!" - He ran down the stairs and reached out to her - "Ah, I've missed you, kid! How was the train ride? I–"

"How dare you not tell me in person that you were getting married!" - Twilight berated him - "I'm your sister, for pony's sake!"

Shaken, her brother placed his hoof on his chest.

"It's not my fault! Princess Celestia has requested a major increase in security." - Shining pointed back to the general direction of the train station - "Didn't you see all the guards at the train station?"

Twilight rolled her eyes, "Yeah, there's a big wedding coming up." - She walks away from him to a fountain - "Maybe you heard about it?

Feeling worried, Shining Armor walked up to his sister.

"It has nothing to do with the wedding. A threat has been made against Manehatten. We don't know who's responsible for it, but Princess Celestia asked that I help provide additional protection." - He raised her chin - "This, you need to see."

Shining Armor closed his eyes before concentrating a great deal of magic, brightening the atmosphere so much that it was blinding to his sister. Shining then fired the energy to the sky, rejuvenating the force field as it's hum echoed the cityscape. Twilight opened her eyes just in time to notice her brother flinching. Recovered, the groom-to-be walked back upstairs.

"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."

Feeling a little convinced for what she said, Twilight calmed down and followed her brother.

"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." - Twilight returned a saddened look at her big brother - "But still... how could you not tell me about something as big as your wedding? Am I not that important to you anymore?

"Hey," - Shining Armor placed a hoof on her shoulders - "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." Shining gave her a pleading look on his muzzle.

Twilight Sparkle pointed to herself, "You want me to be your best mare?"

Shining placed a hoof on his chin before chuckling, "Well... yeah."

"I'd be honored!" - Twilight bowed to the Captain as he hugged his little sister before being pushed aside - "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"?

"Twily," - Shining Armor had a surprised tone in his voice - "Princess Mi Amore Cadenza is Cadance, your old foal sitter.

Twilight Sparkle processed that in her biological memory banks before it clicked.

"Cadance? As in the Cadance? As in the greatest foal sitter in all the history of foal sitters?!"

Shining Armor chuckled, "You tell me. She was your foal sitter."

Twilight Sparkle jumped up and down, "Ohmygoshohmygosh! Cadance is only the most amazing pony ever!" - She began to recollect her memories during her foalhood - "She's beautiful, she's caring, she's kind..."

At one point in time, the younger Twilight was being swung by the slightly younger Cadance.

"I am so lucky to have you as my foal sitter!" Said the young Unicorn as she swung back and forth.

"I'm the one who's lucky, Twilight." Cadence responded.

Twilight scoffed at that fact, "But you're a princess." - she hops of the swing and looked down - "I'm just a regular old unicorn."

Cadance then held her in her hooves, "You are anything but a 'regular old Unicorn'."

The young Alicorn tickled her friend before placing her down on a picnic blanket. They began to step in place singing: "Sunshine, sunshine, ladybugs awake! Clap your hooves and do a little shake!" before falling on their backs laughing.

A while later, the two younger ponies walked along the streets when they heard arguing going on between an Earth Pony stallion and a Pegasus mare. It has been a while since Twilight recalled the event, but it had something to do with getting a hooficure. With an illumination of her horn, Cadance sent an illusion of a broken heart. When the two halves joined together, the angry couple stopped arguing and began talking to each other in a lovestruck tone.

"How many ponies can just spread love wherever they go? I only know of one!" - The time returns to the present Twilight turning to her brother with both hooves in the air- "And you're marrying her! - Twilight began hopping around her brother singing - "You're marrying Cadance! You're marrying Cadance!"

Just as she finished she stood face-to-face with her foal sitter for the first time in years. Much has changed between then and now; Cadance's proportions are more like that of her aunts, with a much longer mane and tail.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything important." She said in a questioning tone.

"Cadance!" - Twilight ran up to her before stepping in place - "Sunshine, sunshine, ladybugs awake! Clap your hooves and do a little shake!"

Cadance raised an eyebrow at Twilight's questioning pose, "What are you doing?"

Twilight Sparkle turned around and rose to her full height, "Cadance, it's me, Twilight!"

A long awkward silence before Cadance started walking forward, completely ignoring Twilight.

"Uh-huh." She answered.

Shining Armor wrapped a hoof around his betrothed, "I've gotta get back to my station, but Cadance will be checking in with all of you to see how things are going. I think I speak for both of us when I say we couldn't be more excited to have you here. Right, dear?"

"Absolutely." She answered, the strange tone in her voice worrying Twilight.

"Well, we'll let you get to it." Shining finished before he and Cadance walked away, not noticing his sister's skeptical look.

Further down the city, in the Canterlot Zoo, the towns ponies watched as Cosgrove was just exiting a holding pen, having herded Schnookums inside.

"Phew! Didn't know Schnookums never liked big crowds." - The colt wiped the sweat off his brow before joining up with Sunset Shimmer as they walked over to the castle - "You've been awfully quiet, must be nice to come home again."

"Yeah..." - Sunset responded

As they passed the gates, one of the ponies in their post, a white Earth Pony mare with yellow hair wearing a flag holder bearing Celestia's cutie mark, eyed the two ponies.

"Quite a while seeing you again, Sunset Shimmer."

A short while later, Sunset stepped backward to the flag bearer.

"Excuse me?"

"Though I have to admit, you have gone quite soft after not seeing you."

Sunset squinted as she examined her, but there was one thing to ask, "Crescendo?"

"You got it." - Sunset beamed before she kept from hugging her - "Nuh-uh, these flag poles are very delicate."

"I can't believe it!" - Sunset looked at Crescendo from all angles, not even having the Earth Pony move a muscle - "I thought you and your brother must have gone away? Last I remember, you and Hooflock were always teased."

Crescendo shook her head, "Nope, we decided that to earn respect from the Elite, we became tough." - She turned her head to the now much older Cosgrove - "You look familiar..."

"Oh, yes," - Sunset chuckled before looking at her friend and student - "you remember Cosgrove from a long while back?"

"Cosgrove?" - Crescendo lowers her head to his level - "Is that you?"

Cosgrove looked uneasy, "Yeessssss...?"

Sunset started to worry about this unusual reunion before her mind clicked, "Say, is the Castle Library open at this time?"

"Not sure, you'll have to check with Lieutenant Flash Sentry."

"Lieutenant Flash Sentry?" - Sunset raised an eyebrow - "He's in the army too?"

Crescendo smirked as she nodded, "Affirmative."

"We... better let you resume your duties." - Sunset and Cosgrove walked away before the former turned around - "But hey! If you have time off, why don't you hang out with us?"

When she noticed Crescendo returned to her statuesque pose, Sunset walked away to the castle.

"I'll think about it." the Earth Pony's answer rang her ear.

---

Inside the chef's kitchen of the castle, Applejack along with Big Mac, Apple Fritter, and Peachy Sweet were hard at work at making the food. Twilight was still frustrated after her rather unsatisfying reunion with her former foal sitter. The unicorn levitated a list of the things the Apple Family had to do while sitting by a pillar. Applejack climbed to the top of the later to finish decorating a massive wedding cake.

"Cake, check."

Peachy Sweet just finished chipping an ice sculpture, the negative space giving the impression of a heart.

"Ice sculpture, check."

Apple Fritter placed a new batch of her namesake treats on the counter.

"Best darn bite-size apple fritter you ever tasted..."

Stuffing one down her mouth, Twilight lavished the flavor of the treat before positioning her pencil.

"Mmm. Check."

"I do. Do you?" - Twilight noticed Spike sitting on one of the counters playing with the cake figures of Shining and Cadance performing their vows- "I do!" Just as the dragon positioned the small dolls into a kissing position, Twilight stepped forward and removed them from his claws, much to his chagrin.

"Hiya, Princess!" Applejack caught Twilight's attention as Cadance entered the kitchen. The Apple Family showed their respects with a bow.

"Please, call me Princess Mi Amore Cadenza." Corrected the Alicorn, not noticing Twilight rolling her eyes.

"Hiya, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza." - Applejack corrected herself -"You come to check out what's on the menu for your big day?

"I have!" She said cheerfully, but as she walked with the farmer, her frustrated look did not go unnoticed by Twilight. She takes a bite out of a fritter, quickly finishing them with a deep gulp - "Delicious! I love-love-love them." the alicorn's nervous chuckle made Twilight raise an eyebrow.

Applejack too raised a concerned brow of her own, but let it pass and chuckled.

"Aw, shucks. Why don't you take a few to go?" - She presented a bagful of the delicious treats - "I know how you brides can be. So busy, you forget to get a little somethin' in your belly."

Twilight kept a close eye on her as her former foal sitter grabbed the bag of fritters and walked to the exit. Just as she was about to leave, Cadance tosses the bag into a waste bin. With a disgusted look on her face, Twilight became speechless.

"Did... you see what she..." - She turned to notice Applejack back at work with her brother and cousins. Rolling her eyes again, she storms off the cafeteria. She focused her glare as Cadance walked in a different direction, not paying attention when she bumped into one of the guards, an orange Pegasus with blue hair.

"Oh, sorry ma'am!" Flash Sentry lifted Twilight back to her feet.

"Flash!" Both Twilight and Flash turned to see Sunset and Cosgrove walking towards them.

"Sunny? Man, it's been it's been awhile!" - Flash hugged his old friend, Cosgrove noticing Twilight walking away from them - "Where have you been?"

"Oh, just a little..." - Sunset noticed Cosgrove looking at Twilight's direction. Clearing her throat, the colt turned his attention - "Busy."

"I know you!" - Flash lowered his head to the colt's level - "Sunset used your dirty diaper to scare away Jetset!"

Cosgrove merely squinted his eyes as he tried to recognize a pony he remembered so little so long ago.

"Do you have a brother, around my height and looks exactly like you?" - He looked to find wings when he raised his right hoof - "But without..."
Cosgrove fluttered his dewclaws, much to Flash's amusement.

"You've met First Base," - Flash chuckled - "I knew there was something off when he wrote to me. Where you born with this?"

"That's why we came to you." - Sunset caught his attention - "Is the Castle library available?"

"The libraries closed for the wedding. But..." - Flash pulls out a set of keys - "I have been trusted with the keys."

---

A distance away, Twilight was in Rarity's bed chambers, pacing around as the fashionista was finished stitching up the wedding dress.

"Oh, you should have seen how she acted back there. I don't know when she changed, but she changed!" Twilight then assumed a pompous stance, fluttering her eyelashes as she repeated, "'Please, call me Princess Mi Amore Cadenza'."

"Did I hear someone say my name?" Just on cue, Cadance walked into the bedchambers, with the bridesmaids Lyra, Minuette and Twinkleshine following her.

"Your highness!" Rarity zipped in front of her and showed her respects - "Let me just start by saying what an honor it is to play a role in such a momentous occasion."

After her nervous chuckle, Cadance was still unenthusiastic, "Uh-huh. Is my dress ready?" the alicorn began to walk forward to the dress.

"Oh, uh, yes, of course." - Rarity trotted with her, ready to explain the design - "Um, I've been working on it ever since I was given the assignment, and I think you'll be pleased with the results!" finished, the Unicorn closed her eyes with a big smile on her face.

"I was hoping for something with more beading and a longer train." Cadance addressed before walking away from the gown.

"Oh," - A beginner would be shaken by that, but as a professional, Rarity took critique very well as she took out a pen and pad and wrote her suggestions - "yes, of course."

"And those should be a different color." Cadance requested of the bridesmaid's dresses.

"I think they're lovely." Said Twinkleshine

"Me too!" Minuette added.

"I love them." Lyra piped up.

Cadance gave them a glare, making her bridesmaids uneasy.

"Make them a different color." She ordered before walking away.

As soon as the princess was out of earshot, Twilight drew her ears back.

"Gee, maybe her name should be 'Princess Demandy-pants.'" Twilight then walked away.

---

At the reception hall, Pinky Pie was discussing with Cadance on the variety of possible activities.

"Okay, let me see. We've been over the games..." Pinky Pie dashed over to a corner littered with games from pin the tail on the Pony to Candy Land which rolled dice on- "...the dances..." She then placed a record needle on the vinyl disc before doing a chicken dance to polka music. With a mad dash back, the pink pony stopped the polka music while she caught her breath - "I think this reception is gonna be perfect! Don't you?"

"Perfect!" - Cadance's smile quickly drew to a frown as she walked to the exit - "...If we were celebrating a six-year-old's birthday party."

Pinky Pie gasped, "Thank you!"

Both ponies were unaware that Twilight hid behind on the pillars, giving the Princess a glare as she watched her leave.

---

Further away at the Castle Library, Sunset and Cosgrove looked around for the book they have been looking for since his magic training began. She took out another book beginning with the word "race" but found nothing.

"Try looking for the word 'ancient.'" Sunset asked of him as she pulled out another book.

Climbing to the top of a rolling ladder, Cosgrove rolled his way to the "A" section.

"'Agriculture', 'Allusions', 'Amareicas'," - He squinted at the text - "'Ancient through Modern: the Races of Equestria'. Found it, Sunset!" - the colt now grabbed the massive book with both hooves - "But it's gonna take some time before I could-" Before he could finish, a sea-green aura lifted the book, carrying Cosgrove down to the floor.

The orange Unicorn looked at the index before quickly flipping over to the page she intended.

"What is it?" - Cosgrove rose on his hind legs - "What did you find?"

"Your people..."

Sunset turned the book and lowered it to the hard floor. Cosgrove looked at the text and pictures of cave drawings illustrating pony's interacting with those with two additional toes just like him along with fossils. The text read as followed:

Hipparion ("Hipparion prostylum")

Avg. Height: 1.2 meters

Avg. Weight: 300 lbs

Specific traits: Three toes on each foot, slight gracile build compared to Earth Ponies of a similar size, stripes on the back, adult males sport facial hair on the chin, advanced aged individuals do show gray on the muzzle and tips of mane and tail.

Other notes: Produce a diverse set of vocals aside from language and song. Somewhat adventurous compared to their single-toed cousins. While nowhere near as fast as Pegasi or Sleipnir, Hipparion are faster than Earth Ponies and Horses, but because they run only half as far as said races before tiring out.

History: Like a majority of the races in this Almanac, Hipparion were once widespread all over Equestria; their hoof prints were found as far south as Northern Appaloosa. It’s unknown what caused the Hipparion to be missing while other pony kinds and other races have recovered from the cataclysms. I presume that this was the result of competition; the ponies with a single toe have divulged into many forms that could fly, swim in the depths, and most importantly use magic while the Hipparion merely resembled a Zebra from a distance. I do hope that somepony finds a population living somewhere just as their ancestors have several centuries before them.

Cosgrove flipped through the pages for races of his friends. No matter the physical difference, they all had one thing in common: all were classed in the genus Equus. He lifted his hand and stared at it.

"So..." - Cosgrove looked to his friend and teacher - "I'm not a real pony?"

"You are just as much a real pony as me, Zipper, Chelsey, Diver, and even your grandparents." - Sunset raised a hoof to her chin - "In fact, in genus terms, Hipparion is Hellenistic for "Pony." - Sunset's attempt to brighten his mood didn't work. The Unicorn's mind raced to find another way before her ears perked up - "If there is one Hipparion, then there is another." - She then lifted his chin - "There is one Hipparion, therefore there are others."

Cosgrove gave a slow grin before breathing in, "Modus ponens."

The Hipparion noticed his friend's eyes slightly upward. Turning around, Cosgrove yelped at the sight of a gray Earth Pony Royal Guard giving them a stern look.

"Library is closed." The Earth Pony turned around, exposing his tailless posterior.

"Glad to see you too," - Sunset tilted her head forward - "Hooflock." - The Earth Pony stopped and gave them a glare - "Your sister may be coming by to visit us, maybe you could-"

"Didn't Princess Luna request that you be security for the wedding?" Hooflock interrupted before leaving.

"What's got up his flank?" Cosgrove growled.

"We... had a falling out." Sunset began to leave the library, Cosgrove following her to their bed chambers, one that struck a haunting feeling in the Unicorn. Lion Tamer and his wife were fitting their suits and dress for the wedding when they spotted them.

"So," - Lion Tamer straightened his necktie - "how was your little tour, Cosgrove?"

"It was great! And best of all, I found what I really-" Flailing his hooves, the young Hipparion smacked his saddle bag, dispersing the contents around the room.

One of them caught Sunset's interest. It appeared to be a masquerade mask in various shades of violet, with a white band bridging the nose, red "eyebrows," cloud-like fringes and above all her Cutie Mark design as the centerpiece. Time and again she tried it on, noticing how well it worked well with her orange-yellow fur.

"Did you... make this?"

"I hoped to keep it as a surprise," - Cosgrove scratched his head - "in case you ever got invited to the Gala."

Sunset slowly returned the mask to him, "Just remember not to show it around to Princess Cadance. No one tops the bride."

The two middle-aged ponies looked at each other.

"You know," - Lion Tamer stepped forward - "Loopty Hoop and I were thinking that after the wedding, maybe we can be introduced to your family."

The Tamer family watched as Sunset lowered her shoulders, drew back her ears, and turned her eyes away. The chartreuse mare walked up to her, comforting Sunset as she rubbed her hoof along her back.

"I've never known my family. All that I could remember that I had one was my name. For all my life, I lived here."

"What made you leave?" Asked Loopty Hoop.

Sunset looked at a row in the bookshelf containing yearbooks. She pulled out her the book that listed her first year at the school, showing the family her years as a young filly.

Power
Was all I desired
But all that grew inside me
Was the darkness I acquired
When I began to fall
And I lost the path ahead
That's when your friendship found me
And it lifted me instead

Just as she closed the book, Sunset is now shown leading them through the halls of the great castle.

Like a phoenix burning bright
In the sky
I'll show there's another side to me
You can't deny
I may not know what the future holds
But hear me when I say
That my past does not define me
'Cause my past is not today

She then had visions of when she was around Fluttershy's filly stature to near today as she developed her skill tremendously at the cost of her friend's trust.

Ambition
Is what I believed
Would be the only way
To set me free
But when it disappeared
And I found myself alone
That's when they came and got me
And it felt like I was home

Running out of the castle and to the ramparts, Sunset came face to face with the setting sun.

Like a phoenix burning bright
In the sky
I'll show there's another side to me
You can't deny
I may not know what the future holds
But hear me when I say
That my past does not define me
'Cause my past is not today

At the end of the song, she hugged her friends both young and old before returning to the castle to get ready. Despite it becoming nighttime, the shield still gave a soft light over the city, adding a tinge of red-violet to the atmosphere. As the moon rose over the castle, Princess Luna flew past the protection spell to the tower where Kibitz took watch.

"Rest, my advisor." - She relieved him of his duty - "As always, I will guard the night."

Further down the city, the Mane Six, having done their hard work, were in the midst of having drinks from one of the finest restaurants in Equestria. Twilight was just walking out of the door with her own drink.

"Bet I can guess what you're all thinking." - She sits down on the pillow - "Cadance is the absolute worst bride-to-be ever".

Spike took out the wedding topper of Cadance, "Who, me?"

"Spike!" - Applejack berated - "That goes on the cake."

With a chuckle, the young dragon pushes the topper aside.

"Twilight," - Rarity interjected as Twilight took a sip - "whatever are you talking about? Cadance is an absolute gem!"

"Rarity, she was so demanding!"

"Well, of course she is! Why shouldn't she expect the very best on her wedding day?"

Twilight facehoofed before turning to Applejack, "Applejack, did you know that after she told you how much she just 'love-love-loved' your hors d'oeuvres, she threw them in the trash?"

Applejack merely responded to that with a slight blush, "Aw, she was probably just trying to spare my feelin's."

"No, she was just being fake and totally insincere!"

Fluttershy raised a hoof, "She did raise her voice at one of my birds during rehearsal."

"See? Rude!" Twilight crossed her arms with a victorious smile on her face.

"But he was singing really off-key." A cardinal that was perching on her hoof started singing... terribly before he could be stopped.

"Pinky Pie, you had to have noticed how Cadance treated" - Twilight stopped to notice both Pinky Pie and Spike playing with the cake toppers before she rolled her eyes - "Never mind. Rainbow Dash, you're with me, right?"

"Sorry, Twi." - Rainbow was flexing her arms and her wings - "Been too busy prepping for my sonic rainboom to pay much attention to the bride's "bad" attitude."

With all six of her friends not agreeing with her, Twilight growled.

"The princess is about to get married." - Rarity added - "I'm sure any negative behavior she might be displaying is simply the result of nerves."

At the height of the growl, Twilight slams her hoof on the table.

Twilight rose on her hind legs, "And I'm sure it's the result of being an awful pony who doesn't deserve to even know Shining Armor, let alone marry him!"

After leaving the noise to the nightly cityscape, Applejack raised an eyebrow.

"Think maybe you're bein' just a tiny bit possessive of your brother?" The ponies (and dragon) around her added an "uh-huh."

"I am not being possessive, and I am not taking it out on Cadance!" - She waves her hoof at all her friends - "You're all just too caught up in your wedding planning to notice that maybe there shouldn't even be a wedding!" Slamming her hoof so hard that the drinks toppled over, Twilight turned around and left her friends.

---

She was now at her brother's house, looking very similar to how a huntsman would live if he were rich. As is custom for a high ranking officer, two guards were posted at the front door. Knocking on the wooden doors, Shining Armor appeared before her in his officer's suit adorned with medals and his family crest strapped on his chest.

"Twily!" - the groom let his sister enter, placing a hoof on the collar and tugging it happily - "Your big brother's looking pretty good, don't you think?" - He opened his eyes to find Twilight's sad look - "Huh. Everything okay?"

"We need to talk." - Twilight looked around before adding - "I think you're making a big–"

Before she could finish, they were interrupted by Cadance clearing her throat upstairs.

"Oh, uh, hi, sweetie." Shining greeted his bride.

"She sure has a way of sneaking up on people." Twilight thought to herself as she glared at the Alicorn walking towards them.

"Could I speak to you alone for a moment, dear?"

After a silence, Shining Armor shrugged, "Better see what she wants."

Leaving the door a crack open, Twilight observed the couple arguing with a worry that Cadance would reveal her suspicions to her brother. Instead, she talked about how Shining shouldn't wear the family crest, a gift from their uncle. At one point, the groom felt a sharp sting in his brain.

"Oh, dear. Are you getting another one of your headaches?" - Twilight watched as Cadance used a strange magic on her brother, causing his eyes to go completely green - "Feeling better?"

Shining Armor answered that with a nod while being in a noticeable zombie-like state.

Horrified, Twilight slowly backed away from the door, "She isn't just unpleasant and rude. She's downright evil!"

Shining Armor and Cadance walked out just to notice his sister run out of his house

"Twi-"

"Let her go." Cadance added as she rubbed her lover.

Both confused and worried, Shining raise an eyebrow -"Huh. It seemed like she had something else she wanted to tell me."

---

Back at the castle, Princess Luna was keeping vigil of her city when she heard the sound of hooves running in her direction.

"Who goes there?" - Luna turned to see her sister's prized student running towards the hall before adding - "Stay indoors, Twilight Sparkle."

Twilight looked at every room her closest friends were to no avail. after turning at a corner in the hallway, she collided with another pony. Looking up, she saw Flash Sentry once again rising up to his hooves before lifting her up.

"I am sorry... again." Flash chuckled.

"No time to explain, do you know where the others who helped out at the wedding?"

"Sure," - Flash pointed to the tower where Rarity worked - "they're right at-" Flash didn't finish when she made a mad dash to the tower. The orange pegasus shrugged before resuming his duty.

Twilight barged through the door of the tower, "Shining Armor's in real trouble! You have to help–" She turned to find the other Element Bearers fitting in their Gala dresses conversing with each other - "Dresses? What are you–?"

"Can you believe it?" - Fluttershy fluttered above Twilight, stroking her dress - "We're gonna be Princess Mi Amore Cadenza's new bridesmaids!"

"'New bridesmaids'?" - Twilight drew her head back - "What happened to her old bridesmaids?"

"She didn't say." - Applejack answered - "But she did tell us that she would love-love-love it if we'd fill in for them."

"Seeing as we've been working so hard and everything." Rarity added.

Pinky slid towards Twilight, wrapping a hoof around her, "And you were the worrypuss."

"Told you she was an absolute gem!" Rarity added

Rainbow Dash tried to walk around, noticing the relative stiffness of her dress, "You sure this is what I should wear? Doesn't seem all that aerodynamic."

"Hmm." - Rarity inspected the dress before leading Rainbow away - "I'll see what I can do."

Twilight turned around to see her friends relatives, Sunset, Cosgrove, Loopty Hoop and Lion Tamer walking in to fit in their dresses (and in some cases, show off). Even Spike ignored her as he tried on a black tuxedo. Twilight began walking into the faintly illuminated city.

"Looks like I really am on my own."

---

It was around 10 O'Clock at the wedding hall as the participants rehearsed their part while church organ music echoed the hall. Mr. Waddle stood at the center of the altar while Shining Armor and Spike stood next to him. Most of the Mane Six's relatives were stand-ins for the big audience tomorrow morning. Being security, Sunset and Cosgrove stood at the left wall. The Mane Six themselves, sans their dresses, walked in unison towards the altar.

"Perfect, girls." - Shining Armor complemented - "No need to rush. Then of course, Cadance will enter."

Angel Bunny waved the baton, directing the songbirds to sing "Here Comes the Bride." The audience looked back Hooflock and Flash Sentry opened the doors. The Crusaders skipped ahead as the bride walked forward. Behind her, the flag bearers, now bearing ones that had Cadance's Cutie Mark, walked a few paces behind. The pink Alicorn is now face to face with Shining.

"I'll say a few words, and then we'll begin with the vows." - Mr. Waddle turned to the groom - "Shining Armor, you'll get the ring from your best mare."

Shining Armor turned to find Twilight missing, just Spike playing with the wedding toppers again.

"Hey... has anypony seen Twilight?"

Suddenly the doors slam open, revealing a snarling purple Unicorn.

"I'm here!" - Twilight stepped forward, releasing her hold on the doors revealing a flattened Flash and Hoof -"I'm not gonna stand next to her! And neither should you!

Shining Armor held his lower lip with his teeth before turning to Mr. Waddle, "I'm sorry, I... I don't know why she's acting like this."

"Maybe we should just ignore her." Cadance added.

"You have to listen to me!" Twilight yelled across the hall.

Cadance turned to Sunset, prompting her to take action when the Mane Five walked over to Twilight.

"Oh, goodness!" - Fluttershy hovered above her -"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Twilight growled

"Ya sure about that?" Applejack questioned before her stetson was shoved in her face.

"I've got something to say!" - Twilight stepped forward and raised a hoof - "She's evil!

Pointing a hoof at Cadance, the stand-ins, the guards, and her friends talked about what she meant before Twilight appeared before at the altar in a flash of violet.

"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-!" Twilight jiggled her eyes with an added cowbell, drawing curious looks from the others. Twilight turned to Cadance, slowly inching up her horn to the Alicorn.

Cadance looked around nervously, trying to find a way out of this. When she saw the one foal she cared give a devious smile, she broke down.

"Why are you doing this to me?!" Cadance ran down the hall crying.

"Because you're evil!" - Twilight chases her down out of the wedding hall - "Evil! And if I don't stop you, you're gonna ruin my brother's life!"

The audience was completely dumbfounded and aghast. No one spoke a word, several of them had their mouth agape as they shared each other a look. Just as Twilight turned around, she bumped into someone again, but this time she looked into the angry eyes of her brother.

"You want to know why my eyes went all-?" - Shining Armor repeated the same thing with his eyes before wincing in pain as he held his head - "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!" - Twilight tried to respond - "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!

"I was just trying to–"

"She's been completely stressed out because it's really important to her that our big day be perfect! Something that obviously wasn't important to you!" - Shining Armor winced again - "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."

Twilight turned to see the angered looks of everypony in the wedding hall. Twilight raised a hoof before Applejack lowered it down herself.

"C'mon, y'all." - She asked of everyone - "Let's go check on the Princess."

Twilight watched as everyone walked around her, an empty feeling growing in her that she hasn't felt since becoming Discorded. When she noticed something off with Cosgrove and his grandparents being the last to leave, she turned around meeting nose to nose with Sunset Shimmer. Her former classmate glared at her for quite a while, knowing which Pony is no longer invited to the wedding.

Shaken, Twilight stretched a leg, "I was-"

"You have a lot to think about." Sunset, Flash Sentry, and Hooflock walked out of the door before her magic wrapped around the doors and slammed them shut.

The echo faded across the hall. Now she was completely alone. Twilight walked towards the altar as sadness crept inside her. Walking to the balcony, she saw the stand in audience return to their rooms while her friends and brother comforted Cadance.

"Maybe I was being overprotective." - She sniffled - "I could've gained a sister. But instead..." - Twilight slumped on the railing, tears streaming on her face - "I just lost a brother.

He was my big brother, best friend
Forever...
And now, we'll never do anything
Together...

---

A while after, Princess Cadance walked along the garden, hoping to take in the splendors. At one point she stopped at a stone pedestal. Looking up, the Alicorn saw Discord in his stone imprisonment, posed in his last desperate struggle to run. But there was something she did notice: a crack forming on his chest. Her eyes closed, Cadance started to curl a smile.

"Don't worry, my little pony. They'll forgive you." - Cadence chuckled as she walked away from the statue, opening her eyes to reveal predatory green ones in place of her usual eyes - "They all will."

Comments

[HB_DS2013]

Oooh, I can't wait for part 2.