not so lonesome road

by Xerain

Suspicions

"Your brother's getting married? Congratulations, Twilight, that's great news!" Applejack cheered.

Twilight had an annoyed look. "Yeah, great news. 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?" Twilight said bitterly. She levitated a nearby sandwich. "Hey, Twilight, just thought you should know I'm making a really big decision that changes everything. Oh, nevermind, you'll hear about it when you get the invitation," she said in a mocking voice. "Princess Mi Amore Cadenza? Who in the hoof is that?!"

"Um, Twilight? Are you okay?" Fluttershy asked, concerned.

Twilight huffed. "It's just... me and Shining Armor used to be so close," she said in exasperation. "He's my B.B.B.F.F.," she was met with confused looks. "Big Brother Best Friend Forever?"

"Oh," they all said collectively.

"Before I came here and learned the importance of friendship, Shining Armor was the only pony I really accepted as a friend," Twilight sighed. Ulysses gave her a stern look.

"You've walked a lone road, made you who you are," he started. "The roads we walk show who we are, show who we will become," the ponies gave him questioning looks.

"What are you talking about?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"I don't know either, Rainbow. He's been talking like that all day," Twilight sighed. "Maybe Celestia will know what he's talking about."

Applejack cleared her throat, Gaining the attention of everyone there. "As one of your P.F.F.'s..." she started getting confused looks. "Pony Friends Forever..."

"Oh," Everyone said again.

".... Ah wanna tell ya that Ah think your brother sounds like a real good guy," she finished.

Twilight smiled. "He is pretty special. I mean, they don't let just anypony be Captain of the Royal Guard," she said proudly.

"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?" Rarity asked in awe.

"I guess we are," Twilight said. Rarity fainted.

Everyone else broke into excited chattering. Ulysses gave a stony expression to Twilight. "There may be more to this wedding than what it seems."

Later...

Ulysses stared out of the window of the train. He saw rolling meadows and forests of trees everywhere. Everywhere he looked seemed so... peaceful, so different.

"A sonic rainboom? At a wedding?! Can you say 'best wedding ever!'" Rainbow Dash exclaimed happily.

"Best wedding ever!" Pinkie Pie echoed. Twilight ignored her, instead opting to stare out of the window alongside Ulysses. Applejack approached them.

"Why the long face, sugarcube?" She asked.

Twilight Sighed. "I'm just thinking about Shining Armor. Ever since I moved into Ponyville, we've been seeing each other less and less. And now that he's starting a new family with this 'Princess Mi Amore Cal-whatshername', we'll probably never see each other," she sighed.

Applejack patted her on the back. "Come on, now. You're his sister. He'll always make time for you," she tried comforting Twilight.

"Couldn't seem to make time to tell me he was getting married," she said bitterly.

Ulysses glanced over at the ponies, A thought passing his mind. "Been here shortly, don't know who you are," he started. "What are your names?" He asked.

Twilight facehoofed. "Ugh, I've been so caught up with all this commotion that I totally forgot to introduce you to everypony," she said. "My name's Twilight Sparkle, This is Applejack here," Applejack nodded towards him. "Over there is Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy," she pointed to the other ponies on the train. They were all chatting excitedly about the wedding.

"Strange names," Ulysses mused. "Never heard of names like that before."

Twilight nodded.

"Well your name is strange to us, so I don't think there's much of a problem," she said. A loud yell resounded in the train.

"We're here! We're here!" Pinkie Pie yelled.

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

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

Ulysses frowned under his mask. "Tactics of the bear. Try to avoid harm to their leaders. Only encourages the enemy," he said. The ponies shrugged at the statement.

"Now let's get going; we've got work to do!" Rarity exclaimed when the engine finally halted. The ponies rushed off the train in excitement.

"And you've got a brother to congratulate," Applejack said to Twilight.

"Yeah. Congratulate," she said sarcastically. "And then give him a piece of my mind."

Later...

"Why are you following me?" Twilight asked Ulysses as he trailed behind her.

"Need to meet him - your brother. Holds a position of power in your society. Might have answers. Might have history," he said monotonously.

Twilight sighed. "I don't think I'll talk you out of it," she said. Twilight looked up, catching eyes with Shining Armor. He gave her a happy look as he met her on the ground.

"Twily!" He exclaimed. " I've missed you, kid. How was the train ride, I-"

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

Shining Armor Gave a sheepish look. "It's not my fault! Princess Celestia has requested a major increase in security. Didn't you see all the guards at the train station?" He asked.

"Yeah, there's a big wedding coming up. Maybe you heard about it?" Twilight Seethed.

Shining Armor gave a defeated sigh. "It has nothing to do with the wedding. A threat has been made against Canterlot. We don't know who's responsible for it, but Princess Celestia asked that I help provide additional protection. This you need to see," his horn glowed as it fired a beam towards the sky, making a force field around the city. "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."

"Think your shield can protect you?" Ulysses said.

"Your force will only encourage your enemy to strike quicker."

Shining Armor gave him a quizzical look. "Who's he?" He asked Twilight.

She groaned in response. "Ugh, I know you have a job to do, but how could you not tell me in person that you were getting married?" She asked. "Am I not important to you anymore?"

"Hey. You're my little sister. Of course you're important to me," Shininng Armor said, embracing Twilight. He looked towards Ulysses and frowned. "Now, who's you're friend, Twily?"

"My name is Ulysses," the courier said to him.

Shining Armor let go of Twilight and walked up to Ulysses, looking him right in the eye. "What business do you have here?" He asked.

"Questions," Ulysses deadpanned.

Shining Armor gave him a strange look. "What kind of questions?" He asked.

"One's your leader would do well to hear," Ulysses replied.

Shining Armor stepped away from him and backpedaled to Twilight.

"What's up with him?" He whispered to her.

Twilight groaned. "Look, it doesn't matter. All I want to know is, who is Princess Mi Amore Cadenza?" she asked. Shining Armor smiled coyly.

"Twily, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza is Cadance. Your old foalsitter," he said.

Twilight gasped in surprise. "Cadance? As in the Cadance? As in the greatest foalsitter in all the history of foalsitters?!" She asked, giving an astounded look to her brother.

"You tell me. She was YOUR foalsitter," he chuckled.

Twilight jumped in joy. "Ohmygoshohmygosh! Cadance is only the most amazing pony ever! She's beautiful, she's caring, she's kind," she said as she pranced around excited.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything important," a voice said from behind her.

"Cadance!" Twilight exclaimed when she saw her old foalsitter. She pranced up in front of her. "Sunshine, sunshine, ladybugs awake! Clap your hooves and do a little shake!" She chanted.

The princess looked bored "What are you doing?" She asked, irritated.

"Cadance it's me, Twilight!" Twilight tried to explain.

"Whatever," was her only reply. Ulysses looked at her strangely. Something about her seemed odd, as if she were hiding something.

"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?" Shining Armor announced. Cadance put on a forced smile.

"Absolutely," she said. Ulysses glared at her, suspicions rising in his mind.

"Well, we'll let you get to it," Shining Armor finished/ He turned and walked away, passing Ulysses. "I'm watching you. You try anything funny, anything to ruin my wedding, and I'll personally see to it that you spend the rest of your life in the dungeon," he whispered to him before continuing. Ulysses glared in response. Cadance and Twilight looked at Ulysses in confusion. Cadance cleared her throat, gaining his attention.

"Might I ask who you are and what your business here is?" She asked him. Ulysses turned and walked away without saying a word.

Later...

Ulysses stood in the kitchen with Twilight and Applejack, watching the orange colored pony bake and cook the food for the wedding. She paused as she thought out loud.

"Cake, check. Ice sculpture, check. Best darn bite-size apple fritter you ever tasted..." Applejack handed a pastry to Twilight, who gulped it down immediately.

"Mmm. Check," she said.

Just then, Princess Cadance walked through the door and into the room.

"Hiya, Princess!" Applejack greeted warmly.

The princess gave her an annoyed look. "Please, call me Princess Mi Amore Cadenza," she said.

Applejack nodded. "Hiya Princess Mi Amore Cadenza. You come to see what's on the menu for your big day?" Applejack asked. The princess smiled sinisterly.

"I have," she said. Ulysses stared at her. Applejack handed her a few pastries. The princess ate a few, forcing a smile to her face. "Delicious, I love them," she said. Applejack smiled brightly.

"Aw, shucks. Why don't you take a few to go? Ah know how you brides can be. So busy, you forget to get a little somethin' in your belly," she said as she handed the princess a few more. Cadance forced a smile and walked out. A thud resounded in both Twilight and Ulysses' ears. The pastries Applejack worked so hard to prepare were thrown carelessly into the garbage.

Twilight fumed. "Did... you see what she just did?" She asked no one in particular.

Ulysses nodded in response, words tinted with suspicion. "This princess isn't who she seems."