8 Reveal
"Fillies and gentle Colts," Princess Celestia announced in her motherly tone to the group behind the loving couple before her. "We are gathered here today to witness the union of Princess Mia Mora Cadenza and Shining Armour."
This was always one of her favourite rolls as Princess of this land, the union of two hearts forever in the bonds of love. And this one was extra special, the uniting of her niece and fellow Alicorn Princess Cadenza to her captain of her royal guard Shining Armour. The ceremony was even more complete with the lovely crowd that had shown up.
She felt her joy lessen though, when she beheld that her student was not among the other Elements of Harmony. She had no idea why Twilight reacted like that, and she did not blame Shining Armour for banning her from attending, but it was still heart breaking to see her absence. When this was over, she intended to give her pupil a stern lecture, as well as see if she could console her in any way.
Misbehaving or not, nopony should have to go through such misery without any reassurances of some form.
But she could dwell on that later, Spike was approaching with the rings.
---
Two royal guards stood sentry at the door to the reception hall. They of course thought they wouldn't see anything, who would want to cause trouble at wedding, and the wedding of a Princess no less. So, it came as a shock when they heard approaching hoofsteps.
"Halt," one called, extending his wing.
"Who goes there," called the other, crossing his wing with the others.
Then three mare's walked around the corner down the hall, approaching them slowly.
"Aren't those the Princesses old bridesmaids? " asked the one on the left.
"I think so?" said the other, looking to his partner. "But didn't she dismiss them because they were only using their titles to meet royalty?"
"That's what she told us," said the one on the left, right as the three mares arrived in front of them.
"Sorry ladies," said the right guard to the trio. " The Princess has new bridesmai...,"
He never had the chance to finish, as Minuet and Lyra both slapped the left and right guard across the muzzle, Twinkleshine having then turned around and bucked them both in the chests with her hind legs. They hit the wall hard, grunting as they fell to the ground with their eyes rolling in their heads. They both looked up, shocked at the mares that just looked down at them, mean little smiles on their faces.
"WHAT WAS THAT FOR?" They both yelled.
The only answer they got was for Lyra, Minuet, and Twinkleshine to blow wet raspberries in their faces, then turning around and running away, laughing tauntingly.
"COME BACK HERE, YOU LITTLE BRATS," both enraged guards yelled, leaving their posts to give chase.
Now that they were gone, Twilight appeared in the corner of the hallway in a flash of white light, throwing away a pearl-white vial.
"Your not the only one who can utilize bridesmaids, miss bride," she whispered, walking up to the doors.
Putting her ear to the crack between them, Twilight heard Celestia start the ceremony. If she was going to act, it had to be now, but she couldn't just barge in, they would most likely remove her if the bride hid behind her crocodile tears again. She need to do something to prevent the ceremony from progressing all together.
Using extremely sophisticated magic control, Twilight pulled a very small part of the door about the size of a bit. Peaking through she was almost overwhelmed at seeing all her friends in the room, so close. But she was able to quash the urge to just barge in and hug them all as she spied the pillow in Spikes claws, two glistening bands sitting upon it.
"Perfect," she hissed, a plan forming in her mind.
---
"Princess Cadence, Shining Armour it is my great pleasure to..."
"AAAAAAAAHHHHH!"
Celestia was interrupted when Spikes scream tore through the room, all in attendance turning to him. Everypony gasped to find the baby dragon tugging on the pillow in his claws, struggling against a thin, black tendril that was trying to yank it from his grasp. Everypony gasped at seeing the horrible appendage that all could see originated from under the doors, Celestia lighting her horn in an attempt to intervene.
'RIIIIIPPPPPP.'
The ornate pillow split at the seams, cotton and fabric scattering across the floor. Spike looked on in shock as the rings he was charged with were carried toward the doors, dropping the remains of the pillow he had been left with. When the tendril reached the doors, everypony could only watch as it disappeared under them, taking the rings with them.
For several seconds all in attendance could just stare with open mouthed shock.
Then the doors opened slowly, wrapped in a purple aura, revealing Twilight in the hallway, a menacing scowl upon her features. Everypony gasped to see the wedding rings held in the black tendril that extended from her horn, her friends roiling their eyes or facehoofing at her antics. Celestia stared at her with an annoyed expression.
"What is the meaning of this, Twilight Sparkle?" she shouted at her student, her eyes glaring with aggravation. "Give those ba..."
"I won't let this happen," said Twilight angerly, the sound of twisting metal tearing through the room as the tendril squeezed the rings to the point that they were smashed into dust.
Gasps filled the rooms as they watched the remains of the rings sprinkle to the ground in a shower of sparkling dust, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity and Rainbow Dash, staring in disbelief at the cruelty their friend just displayed in front of them."
"How could she do such a thing?" Whimpered Rarity, tears forming in her sapphire eyes.
"Twilight, have you lost your mind?" Yelled Applejack, her eyes a light with anger.
"So uncool," said Rainbow Dash, scowling.
"How could she do this to her brother?" Asked Fluttershy, an uncharacteristic glare on her face.
"Twilight's not a meany pants, why did she do that?" Said Pinkie Pie, her usually smiling face twisted into a glare.
Twilight did not want to do it, but she had to do something that would make this thing grind to a halt, she just hoped they could find replacements for the real wedding. She had not seen her friends in so long except in that one little photograph, and now here they were. Staring at her with angry glares.
Her emotions were turning inside her like a storm. All this time she had missed them desperately, wishing she could be with them. But seeing them stare at her like this stirred up the almost forgotten memories of how each and every one of them had been to wrapped up in their own section of the wedding to listen to her, how she went to them for help and was blown off.
Anger towards them blossomed in her heart, here they were, dressed up all pretty for a wedding they had no grasp of, were she had been isolated and alone. Training for this moment, learning great magic, but magic she never dreamed she would use. And associating with a being of horrific nature.
But then she saw the imitation Cadance up with Celestia and her brother. For a brief moment, she recalled the horrible accusations Shining had thrown at her the last time she saw him, but she forced her attention back to the bride next to him. This was not about that, they were all her friends and that creature was threatening them.
"TWILIGHT SPARKLE, " shouted Celestia from her place before the bride and groom. "What is the meaning of this. How did you even get in, I told the guards to bar your way if you showed up?"
A high pitch laughter echoed beyond the doors, Twilight and the others turning to see Lyra, Minuet, and Twinkleshine run past, throwing raspberries over their shoulders.
"COME BACK HERE," came a chorus of voices, a dozen royal guards chasing the bridesmaids down the hall.
"What are they doing, they were supposed to.....?" The fake Cadance put a hoof to her mouth before she could draw attention to herself. "I mean...why is she ruining my wedding...why doesn't she want me to marry her brother?"
"Because my brother is meant to marry Cadance," growled Twilight staring forward with a look that could kill. "And you are not her!"
"Twilight, this has gone far enough," said Celestia sternly. "You have acted irrational throught everything, and now you make an accusation that can't possibly be true. I have known Cadance for a long time, and she is right here."
Twilight knew this would be put before her, that her claim would not be believed with a pony who was the spitting image of Cadance right their for all to see. And Hermaeus Mora gave her exactly what she would need to counter it. It was a spell she could only use once, and it was for just for this moment.
Channelling her horn, Twilight cast her spell.
Everypony gasped in shock as a fountain of thick black liquid erupted to Twilight's right, viscous and thick but somehow not spreading. Princess Celestia and everypony at the front looked on in revolution at this strange substance, having never seen anything like it before. But if they thought that was something, what happened next....
A black tendril identical to the one that Twilight used to destroy the rings, only several times bigger, emerged, slowly rose from the pool, a pony identical to the bride gripped gently in its coils. Once again, surprised gasps filled the chamber as the tendril gently deposited the unconscious Alicorn Princess on the ground before Twilight. Everypony looked between the two doppelgängers, incomprehension in their eyes.
"Its okay now Cadance," said Twilight reassuringly in a choked voice, stroking her old foalsitters mane. "You're home now, and I will make sure your happiness is never put in jeopardy again."
"I don't understand,"said Applejack among the gawking group of bridesmaids. "How are there two of them."
" Why don't I show you, Applejack," said Twilight, walking around the Cadance on the floor to approach the one up at the Isle, all prettied up in her wedding dress.
"I don't know how you found her," she said with a scowl. " But its too......"
She was interrupted when a stream of sparkling lightning slammed into her chest, originating from Twilight's horn. All attending screamed in terror, Twilight's friends and Princess Celestia dodging out of the way as the pony struck the wall between the large windows that decorated the back wall, Shining Armour having not moved, his expression turning blank. She screamed as the lightning kept flowing into her through her chest, her skeleton visible in the arcs of electricity that danced over her body.
Twilight's friends and Princess Celestia watched the scene with opened mouthed shock, taking in the image of Twilight striking Cadance with lightning. They did not know what was going on, but they had never seen Twilight like this. Her expression was aggressive and concentrated, no remorse for what she was doing.
Then they notice the Cadance up on the wall voice change. It was now lower, and with a slight echoing quality. They looked just in time to see the image of Cadance shatter like a stain glass window, and in her place was something they never imagined. It was tall, like Princess Celestia, a shiny black carapace visible in the electricity that danced over its gossamer wings, hole riddled hooves, fanged muzzle, and the crooked horn atop her green maned head.
Her eyes flew open, revealing slitted green pupils, her screams of pain vanishing behind an enraged snarl. Her horn glowed, a bright green force field surrounding her, protecting her from the lightning. Twilight ceased her assault, scowling as the giant creature lowered herself back to the floor with a buzz of her wings, her shield vanishing.
"Behold your precious bride," said Twilight, pointing a hoof at the horrible monster before everypony.
" Wha...what is that thing?" Whimpered Fluttershy, cowering as her friends surrounding her put up defensive stances.
"A changeling," answered Twilight." A metamorphic creature that imitates loved ones and gets stronger by feeding on that love."
"BWAH AHAHAHAHAHAHA, oh how right you are, " laughed the abominable image, all the wedding guests minus the groom, the Princesses, the bridesmaids, Spike, and Twilight fleeing the room as her laughter snapped them out of their shock and induced panic. "And as...."
"SHUT UP," shouted Twilight, her voice harsh and angry. "You are Chrysalis, Queen of the Changelings, and you have imitated Cadance so you can slowly drain the love from my brother, then his shield won't be able to protect us when your legions arrive to conquer Canterlot, then all of Equestria."
The other ponies gasped at hearin this news, the now named Chrysalis looking at Twilight with irritation.
"I don't know how you found out," she said before smirking. "But its too late, any moment my..."
"You won't succeed," Chrysalis heard a stern voice approach, turning in time to press her horn to Princess Celestia's. "You may have compromised Shining Armour's shield, but now that you have revealed your true self....I can protect my subjects...from you!"
She took flight with her mighty wings, her horn letting out a bright beam of yellow sun energy. Chrysalis countered with a beam of her own, gritting her teeth in concentration. Twilight watched it all with a look of anticipation.
To everyone's surprise, Chrysalis began to gain the upper hoof, her beam overpowering Celestia and approaching her. Then the green beam slammed into her horn, blasting the Princess across the floor, her crown flying off her head. Chrysalis looked at her hooves in amusement.
"Shining Armour's love is even stronger than I thought,"she said smugly. " Devouring it has made me even stronger than Celestia!"
"Princess!" Twilight's friends shouted, galloping up to their fallen leader.
"The Elements of Harmony," she moaned to them. "Use their power to defeat the queen."
"RIGHT!" Shouted Applejack and Rainbow Dash....
"I did not want it to be true...." whispered Twilight as she approached the group surrounding the fallen Alicorn.
"But it is," she said, her face awash with tears. "You are a coward."
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ih0.redbubble.net/image.492972689.7087/mp,550x550,gloss,ffffff,t.3u1.jpg
Don't have the time atm but spell check this please.
9438106
Coward. Twilight is calling Celestia a coward.
9438112
Yes, but why?
9438145
The standard explanation that I've seen for this is that Celestia doesn't do combat because she's either:
Many choose option B and say that she's so overpowered she fears she'd level Canterlot if she let loose. Maybe so, but Nightmare Moon would presumably be in the same magnitude of power, and when she tried her utmost to kill Celestia the worst damage she managed was punching holes in walls with her magic.
9438158
or option C her lower limit is too large for her to actually fight seriously without causing friendly fire.
For god's sake, check your spelling.
Let me guess, all was predicted by Twilight?
This time you messed up the very closing line. If you afraid of losing text (as you claimed) because your device doesn't work properly, just save chapter as draft here on site and give it at least one reading before publishing.
9438158
9438229
What Xaldon says maybe more appropriate to describe. It's a popular theory that Celestia is so powerful that she deliberately holds back her power so not only to harm her beloved ponies and making them fear her for her power.
But there are other theories such as yours that are just as popular. The question is which one is the author using?
9438229
Well, considering that her power is basically manipulating the sun... The smallest-scale way I can think of to weaponise that would involve a localized stream of solar plasma. Which would work out about like trying to use an old buzz-box welder to remove a soldered-on electronic circuit component - yes, it'd be removed... but so would any surrounding components, along with a good chunk of the surrounding board most likely. And I'm pretty certain that outright vaporizing a decent chunk of the castle and quite a few residents, along with damage to the surrounding city and the accompanying injuries is not what Celestia is aiming for.
9438145
9438158
9438421
Celestia can fight as shown with her dual with Nightmare Moon. So she should be able to beat Chrysalis. I don't think she didn't because she is too powerful. I think its more likely that she became a pacifist after banishing her sister so doesn't do fights anymore, basically, a coward. It would also explain why she made Twilight fight Tirek under the excuse of him not knowing about Twilight instead of taking the power on herself, who should be more experienced in controlling magic and combat spells.
These consistent updates are great!
Okay, this is definitely the kind of magic I was hoping to see. Spells that seem like Twilight would use, like lightning, as well as magic reminiscent of Hermaeus himself.
9438526
Except Chrysalis was stronger than Celestia. This is a "Steel is Heavier than Feathers" situation.
9438566
Celestia doesn't seem to be trying to hard unlike Chrysalis. Maybe she underestimated her which lead to to get getting hit?
Celestia doesn't actually fight Nightmare Moon. I thought they exchanged some attacks, maybe it was a fan animation? Anyway she managed to take a hit from Nightmare Moon and get up so she should have been able to keep fighting instead of giving up and saying they needed the Elements of Harmony.
So that leaves us with only two options.
9438615
3. Chrysalis was roided out on Love Juice and beat Celestia
9438622
That falls on option 1. If Celestia was powerful to drop minature suns on everyone for example, then a minor blast like that shouldn't have knocked her out of the fight so quickly. If that was the extent of her power then she isn't as strong as fanon says. Maybe Luna is the one actually more magically gifted and its only Celestia being the eldest that makes her seem stronger.
9438553
Yay i know
9438649
I have an over active imagination
9438636
I think you misunderstand the talent to move the sun and moon (unicorns could do this in teams) as being the ability to control the sun as a weapon. because it doesn't.
i'm enjoying thyis tale of yours and i find the debate over celestia to be entertaining.
Ugh, Honestly. . . I'm seeing so many comments speculating about why Twilight is calling Celestia a coward, when the answer as to why is staring us all in the face. . . If we apply Occam's razor to the scenario, Due to Twilight's choice of words being:
It's more than likely that, either Hermaeus Mora revealed some sort of horrible truth about Celestia to Twilight, (which due to the context we can assume was probably something regarding Celestia's valor or something similar). Or that Twilight discovered this information on her own while Training/Studying in Apocrypha.
And before anyone says that there is the possibility that Hermaeus lied, I would like to point out that Deception isn't really Hermaeus Mora's M.O. And the fact that Hermaeus himself has already admitted to Twilight that It would not benefit him to lie.
- Thunder
9438813
I don’t magical continent destroying nukes seems pretty op.
Also dan people have really been debating this last chapters and celestia
Last thing any chance we can see some Skyrim mod spells such as the apocrypha or the lost Grimar, or the elemental destrustion mods, like the accelerate rune, twister, howling blast, volcano, forbidden sun, flame strike, hellfire, and all the other awesome spells.
Mi Amore
roles
hmm this repetition sound off, replace the first "her" with "the"
Minuette
Minuette
You're
needed
Peeking
Then
too
to protect
hearing
The only thing is...
And so what does she do?
JUST BARGE IN destroying the rings... Ehr... What does destroying the rings add to the just barge in and summon the real Cadance plan? It only serves to make Twilight appear more spiteful for a couple of moments...
It's pretty interesting so far. Looking forward to the next chapter
9438636
I like to think that because Celestia was hit directly on her horn, it caused some kind of magical backlash that merely left her stunned long enough for Chrysalis to pacify her.
9439123
It got everyone shut up and listen a lot better than bucking open the doors, pointing her hoof at Chrysalis, and yelling "She's a changeling!". At which point Chrysalis could've made a very convincing case that Twilight was having a nervous breakdown.
9437788
How about actually playing the game, going up to master Arngeir and just talking to him?
Or, if you don't want to do that, you can just go to the wiki. It's really easy, and I can't understand why you haven't done this yourself already.
Oh, wait.
I can.
It's because you believe that you are right, and being wrong makes you uncomfortable, right? I know the feeling, but that really is no excuse for willful ignorance.
https://elderscrolls.fandom.com/wiki/Arngeir
https://elderscrolls.fandom.com/wiki/The_Greybeards
And lastly:
9439252
No, really... Stealing and crushing the rings added EXACTLY nothing to the "Summoning of the real Cadance from the depth of the ink" ploy.
It just increased the thing to sort out afterward, MAY have done irreparable damage [if the rings were some sort of ancient heirloom], and made Twilight appear spiteful for the little time before producing the REAL convincing item AKA Cadance.
IF the end result was to just BLAST THE DISGUISE away from Chrysalis she could have done that without stealing and destroying the rings.
Missed this on the previous reading...
there
9439281
I...have no rebuttal. Touche.
9439247
Possible. Still doesn't look good for her in Twilight's eyes now that they aren't clouded by hero worship. We don't even really see her try to get up and fight again.
If Celestia isn't really that strong then she could have decided that she wasn't able to beat Chrysalis and made the right decision to use the Elements which would guarantee victory. It could still be seen as cowardice that she decided to leave things to others and didn't help further like trying to buy time or something. I doubt she was very injured from the attack.
We will have to see how what happens. Twilight is more powerful then Celestia and a better fighter.
9439281
Eh it seemed like the heat of the moment kind of things she’ll probably be kicking herself later for that.
9439275
Dude calm down a little no need to get angry here.
9439288
9439281
Actually from a Strategic perspective, the destruction of the rings did perform a purpose other than simply rendering the wedding attendees silent and forcing them to pay attention. Twilight's destruction of the rings both allowed her to delay the ceremony indefinitely as, if she had not destroyed the rings, they could simply have overpowered her taken the rings back and continued the wedding ceremony anyway. The added shock value of destroying the rings not only granted Twilight the necessary distraction time to summon the real Cadence, her actions also forced Celestia to demand an explanation thus granting her even more precious seconds with which to enact her plan. Had Twilight not destroyed the rings, instead of demanding an explanation they likely actually would have simply thrown Twilight out and proceeded with the wedding before Twilight had time to reveal the real Cadence regardless. In fact, In canon likely the only thing that prevented them from throwing her out when she interrupted the wedding ceremony, was the fact that when she burst into the room she had the Real Cadence in tow.
While I may not approve of Twilight's actions, from a strategic perspective they are understandable, especially since other than her magic, Twilight is still working with very limited resources and had an extremely limited Timeframe in which to stop the wedding (Celestia was just about to pronounce the couple mare and colt when Twilight and burst in).
- Thunder
9439663
The SUMMONING of Cadance in front of the people is another BAD decision. You have her ALREADY there and you enter with her.
Again there is the issue of destroying something of which you don't really know the value, it is quite usual for wedding rings for royals to be family heirloom with incredible historical value...
And they would NOT have simply thrown her out, that is even MORE OOC. The time it took Twilight to summon Cadance is really small... IF they don't rush and tackle her after she has already shown a glaring bad behavior in destroying the rings they would not have tackled her with just entering... In reality it just REMOVE the surprise effect... Had the guards been up to spec she would NOT have been able to crush the rings or even say ANYTHING, as the robbery would have given the guards the time to react and pile up on the intruder as soon as she opened the door. Obviously the guards are the usual useless pony guards, but EVERYTHING in stealing that rings and then just barging in is suboptimal compared to just barging in with the real Cadance.
9439655
What part of my comment makes you think I'm angry?
9439684
While I do agree, I feel the need to rebut a few points here.
Firstly up until being summoned Cadence was still held in stasis in Apocrypha at this point.
Secondly perhaps "Throw" was too strong a word while I didn't mean to imply they would tackle her they would certainly have had Twilight removed from the wedding without giving her a chance to explain due to at least three factors; One, she was already barred from attending thanks to Chrysalis Influence on Shining Armor. Two, the fact that from their point of view Twilight is causing an unnecessary scene and of course. Three, Chrysalis (As Cadence) would likely ensure that Twilight would be removed from the wedding quickly without having a chance to explain herself.
Thirdly. . . Actually I tend to agree with you on this point about the guards, Twilight simply bringing Cadence with her before bursting in would have certainly been less of a hassle. Why Twilight didn't just bring Cadence with her when she left Apocrypha is beyond me. Though I suspect It's more likely just simple a oversight on Twilight's part, rather than the less likely probabilities of having something to do with Cadence's summoning time, the slight disorientation Cadence was clearly suffering just after being summoned, or even partially due to the influence of Hermaeus Mora and his flair for the dramatic, though these are still possible factors.
- Thunder
9439794
Read. Your. Comment. It's painfully obvious that you're pissed in one way or another, and I'm only going to say this once. Eat a Snickers. You're not you when you're hungry.
9439794
The first and second paragraphs kinda seemed like your angry but I may have just misread that.
9439858
iif.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Assumptions.jpg
Wow, I didn't realize you could sense the psychic imprint of my emotions in letters on a computer screen.
Is there a way to share this superpower?
9439891
You didn't misread anything, because you can't read emotions. For the record, I was being slightly condescending (and a bit incredulous). Condescending ≠ angry.
9439982
No, It's something I've developed over time.
9439794
The CAPITAL LETTERS add emphasis and tends to be used when a character is screaming, yelling, exclaiming, or using heavy sarcasm.
9440175
They're also used for, you know, Capitalizing the first word in sentences, as well as names. I didn't use them anywhere else.
9440250
Sorry about that. I responded to the wrong person...