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Shattered

Chapter 1: Shattered

His head throbbed with pain, as if someone was grinding a knife on his brain. His legs nearly buckled and gave out beneath him as he tried to get up and stand. The whole room seemed to sway, so he shook his head to try to remove the blurriness. Several hooves from the bridesmaids reached out to steady him. The vibrations from the barrier cracking and letting in the hundreds of changelings still buzzed in their minds.

And all in the midst of it all, their queen stood before them. No longer in disguise of the alicorn Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, she stood tall in her holey, insectoid form. Her slitted pupils focused on the fallen ponies before her and her lips quirked up into a devilish smirk, revealing a set of sharp fangs that seemed to grow larger as she threw back her head in a cackle.

"Muhuhahaha! You little fools. Thinking you could defeat me? I had you played from the moment you stepped into Canterlot," came the metallic, buzzing tone of the figure where the appearance of his fiance once was. His eyes narrowed and he tried to lift his head up to look at her, but he thrust it back down as a way of fresh pain flowed over.

"W-what... have you... ngh," he nearly fell over, but managed to lift up his head enough to glare at her. "What have you done with Cadance?!"

"Oh calm yourself, dear husband. I simply sent her far, far away where she won't interfere with my plans. Same for your sister as well," she hissed.

"What have you done with her," Applejack cried out, throwing her legs up in anger while the others gasped in fear and shock. Chrysalis let out another laugh, her chest heaving with giggles.

"Me? Why I did nothing at all. I do recall that it was you who called Twilight out on her beliefs when it was really her who knew what was happening. She tried to warning, but you all were too caught up in your wedding plans to even think that she might have been right. I merely put her in a place where she no longer will feel betrayal from her so-called friends. Rather courteous of me in hind-sight."

Like the barrier that had broke just minutes ago, Shining and the rest of Twilight's friends felt something crack inside of their chests. The memories of what had happened just earlier that day resurfaced and they felt their hearts sink down with horror and guilt.

"You have to listen to me! I've got something to say! She's evil!"

"N-no," Shining whispered, his eyes growing wider and his head hurting more as the memories from just earlier that day began to come up.

"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..."

"No," he repeated.

"Because you're evil! Evil! And if I don't stop you, you're gonna ruin my brother's life!"

"I-I..."

"You want to know why my eyes went all...? 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!"

"I-I did..."

"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–"

"No. I-I did..."

"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! 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."

"Twily," he screamed out, tears streaming down the sides of his face. His legs buckled, sending him down to the floor where he collapsed in a heap of massive sobs. Tears started to stream down the rest of the pony's faces as they felt the feeling of guilt wash over them. Chrysalis smirked and walked over to them.

"Ah, yes. The feeling of absolute guilt for what a pony has done. Betrayed the person that only had their best intentions at heart," she said. Her hoof slid under his chin and forced him to look up at her. "Pity you did not see the signs or even care to consider that your pathetic little sister's accusations were true, much less consider her feelings after you dismissed them and proceeded to directly make her heart break."
She let his head drop before walking up the steps to the center front of the room. Her wings fluttered at a mad pace and she flew up into the air. "It's too late for all of you fools now. My changeling army has broken through and is infesting the city as we speak. First, we take Canterlot. And then, all of Equestria!"

"No. You won't," Celestia firmly said, stepping forward. Chrysalis landed and glared at the wet-eyed princess of the land. "You may have deceived all of us and caused me to betray my only student," Celestia threw her head forward and locked her horn with the queen's, "but I will correct this mistake!"

A bright yellow light glowed from the tip of her horn as she rose into the air. It gathered until it condensed into a white-yellow beam with several streak of light blue in it, directed right for the changeling queen. Chrysalis quickly reciprocated the spell, sending up a vibrant green beam right towards two beams met and fizzed with raw energy. Both alicorns applied more concentration to their magic, hoping that they might push the other's beam back and strike the other.

To Celestia's shock and horror, her magic began turning back as Chrysalis's power started overpowering her own. Just before it touched her horn, her eyes widened as the green light shone over her and she felt cold fear seep into her soul.

A flash burst where the beam hit and Celestia fell back onto the floor, limply falling onto her side as he horn smoked black and her crown clattered to the ground beside her. The bridesmaids and the other members of the audience gasped in horror, some coming over to help aid the downed princess of the sun. Shining just lay still on the ground, tears still streaming down his face over the guilt he was drowning in.

"Your majesty," the other ponies screamed, some coming over to stare at her while the bridesmaids took examination for any physical injuries. Chrysalis was stunned at her surprised, unexpected victory, but then she flew up into the air.

"Ah! Your love for Cadence is even stronger than I thought, Shining Armor! Consuming it has made me even more powerful than Celestia," she explained. A shudder passed through his body at her tone and words directed towards him. Then his body began to uncurl from the tight ball it was in. He slowly stretched out and placed his hooves firmly on the ground. His legs straightened out and he stood stoically on the floor, though his head was tilted down. Suddenly, he threw his head up, eyes narrowed angrily at the queen.

"You monster," he screamed up at her. "What have you've done with them?! Where my Cadence! Where's my younger sister!"

A door slammed open from right behind him and a strong voice called out, "I'm right here!"

Many pairs of eyes stared back towards the entrance where a purple unicorn stood proudly, with a disheveled pink alicorn by her side. The crowd gasped again, surprised to see that the real bride had returned.

"You! How did you escape the caves? I thought my bridesmaids would have stopped you," Chrysalis seethed angrily. The unicorn pawed at the ground and snorted furiously.

"It doesn't matter. You might have kept Cadence and I in the caves long enough to invade, but you will never succeed in taking over," she shouted as her horn grew aglow. Cadence copied the movement beside her and the two suddenly charged forward towards the queen.

"Twily! Cadence," Shining yelled, attempting to run over to them, but suddenly a green aura surrounded him and he found himself being pulled up by a external force and dragged back and up into the air, right beside the queen. The two halted in their tracks at the sight of him being held by Chrysalis' magic.

"One more step and I throw him out the window," she threatened, moving and levitating him right out one of the open, glass windows. The two gasped, but made several steps backwards. Shining squirmed against the powerful magic holding him.

"No! No! Twily! Cadence! Don't do it! I'm expendable," he yelled, but neither of them listened to him. Chrysalis's grin only grew wider as her two adversaries backed away from her. She suddenly gave a shrill screech and by her side instantly came forth two changelings. She made several clicks and whistles with her tongue and the two drones nodded, flying over towards Shining Armor and seizing both of his arms before Chrysalis let the magic around him drop, letting him drop to the floor inside but bound by two of her soldiers.

Once satisfied, she turned back to them. "You all might as well give up. Resistance is futile against me and my army. I've already seized control of Canterlot," she thrust her hoof to the side where changelings were swarming before towards inside again, "And beaten their only ruler."

Twilight's eyes swiftly turned and widened in horror at the sight of her beloved mentor sprawled out on the floor, unconscious and battered from the fight she had not witnessed. "Princess Celestia," she yelled and tried to rush over to her side, but several more changelings appeared out of nowhere and hindered her path. Some of them flew around and over the crowd, acting as a barrier for those who tried to escape. A few surrounded Twilight's friends, keeping them from means of escape too.

"Twilight," they screamed, trying to move past them, but were met with hissing and snarling. Her eyes widened in fear and she felt her heart race. Her hoof stomped the floor repeatedly as her nervousness flooded her body.

"Oh, look here. It appears our brave heroine and her little lackey are caught between a rock and a hard place. And here you thought you could come in here and stop me." Her fangs seemed to grow larger as her smile widened. "But it was all for naught. I've planned this day for many moons and have come up with every possible contingency in case a step fails. You were all played for fools the second you stepped into Canterlot."

"Isn't it just so heart-wrenching to know you've come so far, only to have your entire world shattered before you. It really is quite pitiful, seeing everything you've gained up in life be torn painfully and mercilessly from you," she snarled. Twilight's eyes widened in shock, but her eyelids suddenly came almost all the way down as she glared up at her.

"No. No! No, I haven't failed yet. Not today and certainly not now," Twilight shouted. Her horn suddenly became aglow as her magic flooded towards the tip. In an instant a bubble formed around her and Cadence and as it popped the two inside of it vanished. Chrysalis's slitted eyes darted through the throneroom, searching for the escaped adversaries. All of a sudden there was an woosh and another pop as another magic bubble formed and popped, revealing the two only beside Shining Armor. The two ponies bucked, their legs connecting with the changeling's face or bodies and sending them backwards from Shining Armor. Cadence hurried to embrace her now-freed fiance while Twilight prepared another teleportation spell. Chrysalis's horn lit up with green light again and she shot a beam towards her, missing when Twilight teleported before the beam struck the spot where she had been.

An enraged whinny escaped from the side of the room as Twilight appeared over. Her hooves madly shot out in all directions, connecting with the changeling's forms and thrusting them back with startled hisses and growls. Her horn lit up, magic condensing into a magenta beam that shot out and hit them back. Chrysalis let out a feral snarl and sent her beams out towards the unicorn fighting back her troops. Twilight dodged the queen's beams, instead sending her own drones back away from the ponies. As Chrysalis took a chance to regathered her magic, Twilight's head turned towards her and she got a good look at the unicorn's face. A mask of burning rage spread across the once placid unicorn. Her eyes were dilated and her irises appeared to have a reddish tint in them.

To everyone's shock and horror, Twilight suddenly reared and made a mad charge towards the queen. Her horn seemed to elongate and become more pointed as it glowed with a burning, magical energy aura. Chrysalis lowered her head down and lit up her horn, preparing to receive the blow. The aura around her horn grew larger and larger, sparks even flying off the hard, swirled surface. All of a sudden, she vanished again, sending Chrysalis's head briefly up to quickly scan around her for the incoming attacker.

A flash of magenta light suddenly appeared above her head. In an instant, Chrysalis' eyes grew even thinner then before and her mouth opened wide as the unicorn with the strong magic energy now surrounding her entire body fell directly towards her. Her wings fell limply in fear at the fierce unicorn streaming straight forward. Seconds seem to slow down, heart beating as each one passed. A second passed, then another, then another, then...

"Twily," Shining Armor screamed as his sister and the changeling queen started descending outside the window. Changeling warriors abandon their guard post to follow after their commander. Twilight's friends and Cadence screamed out her name as the two ponies plummeted at high-speeds through the changeling-infested air. Shining Armor stuck his head out the glass-shattered window, watching in pure horror as his younger sister fell freely without anything to slow her fall.

As the two descended, they still both tried to inflict injury on to the other. Chrysalis's wings wouldn't work at such high speeds, she would crater the ground when she landed, but at least her chitin armor would save her from mortal injury while her enemy's soft skin and brittle bones would crack and result in her dying instantly. Twilight's body was already covered in scratches and cuts form the broken shards of glass that fell down along with them, yet she ignored the pain and still kept trying to hit the queen.

All of a sudden, Chrysalis's legs had wrapped around her neck and clutched hard. Twilight's mouth opened as she was reduced to panting her breath while her enemy madly cackled.

"Don't you see it, you foolish pony? Canterlot is lost. Your beloved princess and mentor are lost. Your friends and family are done for. You have lost, I have won," she screeched in her ear. The buzzing of several of her drones nearby signaled that they were surrounding in and their horns were alight with energy ready to stab the one who attacked their queen. Twilight's eyes began to roll back in her head as the lack of consciousness started to affect her.

An explosion of changeling magic on one of the castle's towers nearby sent shockwaves streaming through the area. Suddenly, Twilight's eyes flew wide open, a gasp escaped her throat and her head flung back as the vibrations jolted her senses awake again. Her pupils suddenly flashed a white pink and spread out to the rest of her eyes. Her horn grew aglow, but the energy was more alive and sporadic. Her aura covered her entire body and Chrysalis's hooves quickly unwrapped as her legs began to vibrate with the energy too and bits if her chitin exoskeleton crumbled.

"No," she screamed once she realized what had happened. A beam shot out towards her, but the green energy was simply absorbed into the mass of untamed energy surrounding her for.

"No," she screeched again, firing more lazers at her. Her changelings added to the firing, but the beams simply bounce off or were absorbed from the falling unicorn. Her descent seemed to slow to just a few inches before her form became so bright with light and the changelings had to cover their faces with their hooves to avoid becoming blind. From within the glowing mass, a loud, stoic voice came through.

"I WILL PROTECT THEM ALL!"

Her body felt drained. The sounds of Chrysalis and her soldier's screams faded into the distance as the remaining pink burst of energy sent them far, far away to the badlands, away from where they could do any harm.

The aura suddenly disappeared. Her eyes began to roll back into her head. She felt ignited, yet the cool air streaming through her fur as she fell was a welcome feeling. She no longer had any strength left to be able to hold herself up with her levitation magic. Faintly in the distance as she grew closer to the cobblestone street below she could hear the screams of her dear friends, brother and her old foalsitter. A weak smile graced her lips as her eyes started to shut.

"They'll be fine now. They'll all go on to live happy, wonderful lives now that the danger has been averted. I... I only wish though that I... I could've... said... goodbye."

She let the blackness consume her vision as they round grew near. Her body prepared itself to crash against the ground. The last thing she recalled before the darkness consumed her was the vibrations as she impacted into something, yet it was much softer then the ground, and her name being called before numbness overtook her.

Author's Note:

If you guess what happened at the end of this chapter you get a cookie. If you guys didn't understand what happened, then allow me to explain. In this AU, the changelings broke through the barrier before Shining and Cadence-Chrysalis could finish their vows and Twilight and Cadence could escape the caves. Chrysalis revealed her form in her joy and unintentionally released Shining from her spell. If you want a better description of Twilight's massive power surge of magic then just think of it as her adult version of what happened on the day she gained her cutie mark.

Anyways, I got the inspiration for this story after watching several analysis videos for MLP: FIM, I stumbled upon one discussing whether or not Chrysalis's plan was rather genius. The person went into conversation on whether Chrysalis had planned for many of the things that happened, such as Twilight discovering her and telling the others who just brushed it off as pre-wedding jitters. In short, what if many of the things that happened in that episode were intentional?

I hope you enjoyed this chapter and stay tuned for the next and concluding chapter of this short story. Please leave and review with some feedback and I'll see you again next time. Sincerely, v.t.7

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