Based on 'A Canterlot Wedding' and motivated by an incomplete fan fiction of the same name.
Gilda and Scootaloo are suspicious of their friend Rainbow Dash acting differently during her and Soarin's wedding preparations. They soon discover something every creature else did not know: Lightning Dust had finally returned and is impersonating Rainbow the whole time as revenge for the reckless pegasus' fate the last time they saw each other in 'The Washouts'.
The incomplete fan fiction that motivated this story's creation was written by Skullkittenz the Reaper on fan fiction. I made a few twitches such as getting Gilda involved and making Lightning the antagonist instead of Spitfire, since making good characters look bad is something I will never do. Plus, Spitfire may have shown some bad values before in 'Rainbow Falls' where she reveals her selfishness when she dumped Soarin for a better flyer, and was willing to take away someone else's need for her own desires, alongside Fleetfoot, dishonesty when she deceived Soarin and Rainbow into believing her lies so she could get what she wanted, and immorality when she did what was obviously wrong, but she is not immoral to the point of being evil as a villain.
Not long after Twilight has ascended the the throne, and grew to look like Celestia, one of her best friends, Rainbow Dash, is getting married. In Griffonstone, Rainbow Dash's first non-pony friend, a griffon named Gilda, is having a picnic with other griffons. Among the griffons are Gabby, a friendly grey griffon who once wanted a Cutie Mark, old Grampa Gruff, and Gilda's first griffon friend met after Pinkie and Rainbow's visit when the Map sent them to Griffonstone.
Suddenly, Gallus, the first griffon student at the School of Friendship, appeared. "Attention, every creature!" He announced, "There will be a big wedding tomorrow in Cloudsdale, and for helping to defeat Tirek, Chrysalis and Cozy Glow, we griffons are all invited!"
Every griffon cheered and was excited about the news, having become friendlier since helping to defeat the villains. The cheering and excitement went on until one griffon asked, "Whose wedding is it?"
"Yeah, how can we attend a wedding if we don't even know whose it is?!" another griffon added.
Gallus gave a nervous chuckle before saying,"Whoops, I kind of forgot to say this part: This wedding is a big important one because it is to celebrate the marriage of the co-captain of Equestria's best flyers, the Wonderbolts, Soarin, and one of Equesrtria's famous protectors and heroines, Rainbow Dash!"
The mention of Rainbow's name stopped Gilda's yawning immediately. She cannot believe it! Her first ever friend is getting married, without sending her a personal letter to show that she was a close friend and different from the rest of her kind, ang sent another griffon to deliver the news and invitation to her country instead of her?! What happened to their friendship?!
"Your first friend's getting married?! Oh, Gilda, isn't it great?!" Gilda's first griffon friend shook her claw.
"And, I finally get to see what a pony wedding looks like!" Gabby cheered, "I'm so in!"
"Yeah, so great, so in." A sarcastic Gilda replied, showing a different expression. When asked about her sudden change in behaviour, Gilda voiced out her worries of the effects the wedding can cause:
"Ever since Rainbow Dash discovered that I was being a bully in Ponyville, we tore our friendship apart, and never saw each other again until she and Pinkie visited, and encouraged me to make friends. We befriended again, but still get to see each other very less. Now that she's getting married, and getting a new family to focus on, we might never see each other again! What if we lose our friendship again?!" Gilda blurted out with tears flowing from her eyes. Her friend comforted her, "Sorry, Gilda, I guess we never thought about that, but don't worry maybe your friendship won't be lost again."
Gabby added, "Just like Twilight and her friends maintain their friendship despite the fact that they are far apart!" Reassured, Gilda responded, "Maybe you’re right.”
In Ponyville, a certain pony was having the same opinions about the wedding as Gilda. Scootaloo, a handicapped pegasus whom Rainbow Dash took in as her adoptive sister, was not happy about the news. Scootaloo's two best friends, a unicorn named Sweetie Belle and an Earth Pony named Apple Bloom, were excited about the wedding, blind to Scootaloo's thoughts.
"Congratulations, Scootaloo!" Apple Bloom exclaimed, "Your adoptive big sister's getting married, means you're getting a brother-in-law!"
"Um, Apple Bloom? I think you meant an adoptive brother-in-law, Rainbow Dash is Scootaloo's adoptive big sister, after all!" Sweetie Belle corrected.
"Whatever, but the main point is, isn't it great?!" Apple Bloom asked Scootaloo.
"Yeah, great." Scootaloo sarcastically replied, "Not that I got an invitation not from my adoptive sister, but from a piece of paper! Thanks a lot, Rainbow Dash! I mean, can't she just tell me personally?! She's so fast, she'll have plenty of time! And Cloudsdale's just right above us! It won't even take five minutes!" Steam came out of Scootaloo's ears the moment she finished her last sentence.
Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle backed off from their furious friend, showing how scary angry Scootaloo was. The pegasus soon took notice of her friends' fearful expressions and apologised for her behaviour while explaining why she was so mad:
"I'm so sorry I was acting like that. It's just, ever since my parents left, Rainbow took me in and raised me like I was her little sister. She always cared deeply about me, and never lets anything bad happen to me, even when I once seemed to disown her to be a fan of some reckless pony like Lightning Dust. Since then, we became warmer and closer. But now, she's getting married, and a new family, what if we... drift apart?"
Sympathising their friend, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle comforted the pegasus with assuring words and tones.
"Sorry we didn't think about it that way, Scoots." Apple Bloom apologised, "But maybe you won't drift apart."
"Yeah, just like Twilight and her friends didn't. If they didn't drift apart, you and Rainbow Dash won't either." Sweetie Belle assured.
"Thank you, both of you. I really needed it." Scootaloo thanked her best friends for their comfort, as they hugged.
The train arrived at Cloudsdale Station, which had changed a lot since Twilight ascended the throne. With many non-pegasi in Equestria, a chain of magical portals which give visitors the ability to walk on clouds were made, for convenience. Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom happily went through the portals, alongside many other creatures. Scootaloo, being a pegasus, did not need to do so as she waited for her best friends from the other side. Upon regrouping, the trio joined the creatures incapable of flight, in a queue for hot-air balloon lifts to Cloudsdale.
When it was finally their turn, the two non-pegasi were excited to finally stand on a cloud and enjoy the view of creatures capable of flight. Thinking that Scootaloo was still interested in similar to flying experiences, they called out to her.
"Look, Scootaloo! The view's amazing!" Apple Bloom exclaimed.
"It's just like flying!" added Sweetie Belle.
Scootaloo did not change one bit. She was still thinking about the wedding. When they arrived at the Cloud Station, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom excitedly leapt off the hot air balloon to touch and feel a cloud.
"It's so soft! Like a pillow!" Sweetie Belle said, lying on the floor made of clouds.
"It's like a kingdom of fluffy softness!" squealed Apple Bloom.
"Yeah, yeah, clouds are soft." an unamused Scootaloo responded,"Now let's get going, I need to see my adoptive sister and give her a piece of my mind!" she announced, trotting off to find the soon-to-be married couple.
At Cloudsdale Park, many creatures were helping to prepare the wedding, to Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle's surprise.
"I can't believe this many creatures are actually attending as guests!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed.
"This wedding isn't even a royal one, but it sure is as big as one!" Apple Bloom could not help but say.
"Whatever, girls. Don't forget to keep your eyes open for Rainbow Dash..." Scootaloo told them just before she bumped into Gilda, who angrily responded to the bump.
"I'm sorry I accidentally bumped into you, miss." Scootaloo harshly apologised, "I would have given a more sincere and warm apology if it weren't for this wedding."
"And I would be a lot better if it weren't for this wedding!" Gilda replied, a second before she and Scootaloo wind up saying the same thing without planning to.
"You mean it?! You don't like this wedding? Really?" both of them asked each other.
"Hi, I'm Scootaloo, sorry for bumping into you," Scootaloo introduced herself, before reaching out her hoof to shake Gilda's claw.
"Gilda, from Griffonstone. Good to meet a pony breathing the same air I am now," Gilda introduced herself, shaking Scootaloo's hoof.
"Wait, Gilda? Do you know my adoptive sister Rainbow Dash?" Scootaloo asked.
"Know her? Of course! She's my first friend! And wait, you're her adoptive sister?!" Gilda replied, before asking the question upon remembering what Scootaloo said.
"Yeah, Rainbow Dash took me in when my parents left. She told me about having a griffon friend named Gilda...wait, so you're Gilda the griffon whom Rainbow met at camp, right?" Scootaloo answered before asking a question after her realisation.
"Yes, I'm Gilda, Rainbow Dash's first non-pony friend. We met at Junior Speedsters Flight Camp when I was picked by three nasty colts. We showed them some awesome tricks, knocking them out of the sky, before doing our favourite champ. It's been forever since we last did it." Gilda recalled.
"Well, since we both don't like this wedding because of our friendships with Rainbow Dash, what do you say we go give her a piece of our minds, together?" Scootaloo asked, reaching her hoof out.
Gilda thought for a while before accepting the offer, "You got yourself a deal, young pony." the griffon shook Scootaloo's hoof.
Soarin was busy preparing half of the Wonderbolts for the wedding at the park, when Scootaloo and Gilda showed up, to announce their resentful views towards the wedding.
"If it isn't the Wonderbolts, best fliers in all of Equestria, is it? We have something we'd like to say to Rainbow Dash, and her groom!" the two unhappy wedding guests shouted.
The duo's cruelty made the other Wonderbolts think that they were wedding crashers, and prepared to deal with them until Soarin assured them.
"It's okay, they're Rainbow's friends, and guests." He told his fellow teammates.
Scootaloo and Gilda confronted Soarin about not receiving any special attention from Rainbow Dash.
"My adoptive sister's getting married, and I didn't get to be told about it from her, PERSONALLY!" Scotaloo complained.
"I'm Rainbow's first ever non-pony friend since we were young! And I didn't receive any special letter nor treatment from her!" Gilda joined in, with an expression matching Scootaloo's, and sounding like Dragon Lordess Ember when she was angry.
Soarin gulped before reasoning with his bride's angry friends, "I'm so sorry, she's just too busy with the rest of the preparations to give you the treatments you want, but she still has special places reserved for you in the wedding." he turned to Scootaloo, "Scootaloo, you get to check on the preparations and ensure they go fine, plus, be the flower girl." he then turned to Gilda, "And Gilda, as her first non-pony friend, you get to be Best Mare... or I should say Best Non-Mare? Or the first ever non-pony who gets a role similar to Best Mare in the history of Equestria!"
"Wait, really?!" Gilda and Scootaloo asked in unison in disbelief.
"You can reject the offer if you want to, we can always find some creature else too..." Soarin began, but was cut off by the girls' excited response.
"Thank you so much, Soarin! This means a lot to us!" the two hugged the stallion.
"You're welcome, both of you, and to be honest, it really was Rainbow Dash who suggested the roles. You should thank her." Soarin told the duo.
Realising how polite and honest Soarin is, Gilda and Scootaloo's hatred towards the wedding vanished into thin air.
"We are pleased to get to know you better Soarin, sorry about our behaviour just now," Scootaloo apologised.
"Yeah, we're very sorry. Now we know that Rainbow Dash's getting married to a sweet guy like you, we totally are alright with the wedding, and honoured to get special roles." Gilda added.
Soarin sincerely accepted their apology and told them,"It's alright girls, everything's fine now, and perhaps you both can help check the wedding preparations together."
A second after a warm relationship between the trio was formed, the 'bride' showed up.
"What's going on here?" she asked in a demanding tone.
"Rainbow Dash! It's us!" Gilda and Scootaloo exclaimed in unison.
"For a pony and griffon, you two act like twins," she described them, before walking towards Soarin, acting as if the two girls did not exist.
"So Soars, how's the Bolts?" she asked the groom.
"They're doing fine," Soarin replied, before his 'bride' became closer to him.
Gilda and Scootaloo interfered, "Um, Rainbow Dash?! Hello?! It's us!" the girls asked in unison.
"Your adoptive sister, Scootaloo?" the orange pegasus asked.
"And your first non-pony friend, Gilda? Whom you met at the Junior Speedsters Flight Camp? And do a champ with?" Gilda asked, hoping to be recognised.
'Rainbow Dash' responded, "Oh, okay..." she then walked away with Soarin, leaving a suspicious pair of girls behind.
"Did she just...just..." Scootaloo said in disbelief.
"Acted like we didn't exist?" Gilda finished the sentence for her.
The two then looked at each other, before saying in unison,"Something's not right."
In the kitchen, many chefs including Rumble, Thunderlane's brother, Apple Bloom and her big sister Applejack, were busy making the wedding treats. Scootaloo and Gilda were crossed about their friend not treating them the way they expected, for the worse. They angrily ticked the checklist as the names of the prepared food were announced.
After many apple-flavoured food were checked, Applejack showed up with a big apple pie that heavily resembled the one Soarin bought from her long ago at the Grand Galloping Gala, which was also the one Rainbow Dash saved from hitting the floor.
"And last but not least, the groom's favourite apple pie, RD would help me with some of the chores just to get it for him!" said Applejack.
Apple Bloom then stuffed some apple treats into Scootaloo's mouth after announcing the treats were ready. "Check!" Scootaloo happily exclaimed, lightened by the food's delightful taste.
Needing some happiness, Gilda took one and complimented how good it tasted. The next moment, 'Rainbow Dash' arrived.
Applejack greeted her 'best friend' with a cowgirl's greeting, "Howdy, RD! Came to check on the food for your big day? Especially your groom's favourite apple pie that you always give him in exchange for helping me do some of the chores every now and then?"
'Rainbow' pretended that she knew Applejack by responding, "Totally! Thanks for preparing all this,"
Apple Bloom then gave 'Rainbow' an apple waffle sample, which 'Rainbow' bitterly tried out,"Awesome! I love it!" she responded.
Gilda and Scootaloo expressed ill feelings towards Rainbow Dash before Apple Bloom gave a packet of apple waffles, and an apple pie to 'Rainbow'.
"Here, feel free to take as much as you want!" Apple Bloom cheerfully told the 'bride'.
"Thanks a lot!" 'Rainbow' replied, before turning away towards the door.
With everything checked in the kitchen, Gilda and Scootaloo left after 'Rainbow Dash' to check on the dresses. They were surprised that they did, as if they did not, they would not see 'Rainbow' throwing all the apple treats, including the apple pie for Soarin, into the trashcan!
"Did you see that?!" Gilda asked Scootaloo.
"Totally, but I can't believe it! My adoptive sister would never do something like that! Only, she used to throw pies away, until she decided to work for Applejack to earn them for Soarin." Scootaloo replied.
The two then headed to their next stop, the Dressing Room, to check on the dresses. Rarity and Sweetie Belle were working together to make the perfect dress for their friend.
When Sweetie Belle asked her what was wrong, Scootaloo angrily muttered, "I just got the feeling that my adoptive sister is pure evil."
"What?! Scootaloo! That's pure ridiculousness! How can you think that the pony that cared about you and protected you after your parents are gone all this time is evil?" Sweetie Belle asked in shock.
"She was lying far worse than she did to me in Ponyville the day she discovered I was a bully," Gilda explained.
"And was a faker back in the kitchen, pretending to love her friends' hard work before throwing it away on purpose behind their backs!" Scootaloo added.
"Oh come on, you know Rainbow Dash isn't like that!" Sweetie Belle told the two.
Speaking of 'Rainbow Dash', the mentioned pony appeared, asking, "Did some creature said my name?"
Rarity greeted her 'friend' as for normal, "Rainbow Dash! Darling! You must be excited about your big day! As your friend and dress maker, I made the dress that I KNOW you will love!" The unicorn revealed a splendid dress made of silk and fabric, that was a modified version of what Rainbow wore at the Royal Wedding. "Isn't it fabulous?" Rarity asked.
"Cool, but not cool enough. It needs to be a lot more dashing, like my ego. And these bridesmaids dresses need to be 50% cooler." 'Rainbow Dash' responded, before leaving.
Rarity was shocked and surprised to see 'Rainbow' acting in ways she could never imagine, pleasing Gilda and Scootaloo, who strongly believed that Rarity would join them being suspicious of 'Rainbow'.
Unfortunately for them, Rarity complimented,"She's acting like a real lady," before going off to work.
Gilda and Scootaloo face-clawed and face-hoofed their respective faces, before following 'Rainbow Dash'.
At the park, Pinkie Pie, Silverstream and Gabby excitedly showed 'Rainbow' the reception plans. "Here's the music," Pinkie said as she played the DJ Booth.
"The games," Silverstream added as she rolled a dice of a boardgame.
"And the camera!" Gabby finished, snapping a photo of the 'bride'.
"The reception's going to be great, right?!" Pinkie asked 'Rainbow'.
"Right! Great, but not great enough. We need a lot more interesting stuff here, not boring everyday activities. Try putting some more...action here!" 'Rainbow' demanded.
"Of course, Professor Dash!" Silverstream called to her 'loyalty mentor', before getting to work.
The spying Gilda and Scootaloo hid in the clouds and heard everything, with unpleasant looks on their faces.
That evening, Scootaloo visited her best friends to tell them something they never expected.
"I bet you two can guess what I'm thinking." she started out in a normal tome, before switching to an unpleasant tone, "That Rainbow Dash is the worst bride ever after Queen Chrysalis!"
The sentence caused Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle to gasp in complete shock. Apple Bloom then asked, "What in tarnation are you talking about, Scootaloo?! It's your idol that you just criticised!"
"WAS my idol, she ain't my idol anymore! She is so demanding!" Scootaloo clarified, before turning to Sweetie Belle, "Sweetie Belle, don't you even know how much she criticised you and your sister's hard work back there?!"
"She's just deciding the best of the best for her wedding day," Sweetie Belle replied in a calm tone.
"No, she was super selfish and demanding!" Scootaloo blurted out, before turning to Apple Bloom, "Apple Bloom! Do you know after how Rainbow Dash said she loved you and your sister's apple treats, she threw them in a trashcan outside, behind your backs?!"
Apple Bloom warmly replied, "She's just trying to not hurt every creature's feelings."
"NO! She's lying and deceiving all of you!" Sccootaloo shouted, "Open up your eyes!"
"Or maybe you should be the one opening up her eyes," Sweetie Belle returned the words. "You're just being negative and trying to stop the wedding for your own selfish desires."
"I'm not being negative nor selfish!" Scootaloo argued, "You two and every creature else are just being too positive and naive to even realise that maybe this wedding shouldn't even exist!" Scootaloo angrily slammed her hoof onto the table, before storming off.
Scootaloo and Gilda regrouped at the park, where they told each other how their friends did not believe them.
"They said that I'm selfish and negative!" Scootaloo blurted out.
"My fellow griffons think that I'm lame for thinking of such thing as Rainbow being nasty." Gilda shared her part of the story.
"Yeah, does some cool, honest and polite stallion like Soarin even deserve to be married to a demanding, selfish jerk?!" Scootaloo angrily asked.
"I don't think so, and I ain't going to let something like that happen!" Gilda announced.
"Me neither!" Scootaloo added, "We got to tell Soarin, before it's too late!"
In his room, Soarin was getting dressed for the rehearsal that night, before he heard a knock on his door. Opening it, he found Scootaloo and Gilda, before cheerfully greeting them, "Scootaloo, Gilda! How nice it is for you two to come and check on me, even after how you were behaving this morning," He then noticed not happy, but worried expressions on the girls' faces. "Is everything alright?" he asked in a concerned tone.
"Not really." Gilda replied.
"It's about Rainbow Dash," Scootaloo explained, "I know this is hard to believe, but I think you're making a big mista-" Scootaloo's sentence was interfered by 'Rainbow Dash' clearing her throat.
"Rainbow Dash! Your friends are here telling me something's wrong with you, but you can tell me now that you yourself is here," Soarin told his 'bride'.
"Can I have a moment with you, IN PRIVATE?" she asked, walking into a small room nearby. Gilda and Scootaloo both expressed disgust as they watch 'Rainbow' beating them in every move.
"Sorry, girls, I got to see what she wants," Soarin told them, before joining 'Rainbow Dash'.
Curious and suspicious, Gilda and Scootaloo peeked through a small opening they made by quietly pushing open the door a little.
"I thought I made it perfectly clear that I don't want you to wear that!" 'Rainbow' told Soarin, in a demanding tone.
"But it's the best I could get!" he explained, "What do you want me to do?"
"Go find something more awesome," 'Rainbow' answered in. an unpleasant tone.
"What?!" Soarin responded in shock, "But...but this is very expensive! It costed me thirty bits!" he complained.
"Are you disagreeing with me?!" 'Rainbow' angrily asked.
"I guess I..." Soarin argued, before being interfered by his headache caused by his unpleasant emotions during the argument.
"Oh dear, are you getting a headache?" asked 'Rainbow Dash', in a nicer tone than the one she had during the argument, but not in a very caring tone. She then took a bottle of water-like liquid, and gave it to Soarin, telling him, "Here's some water, get better."
"Thanks," he responded, before proceeding to drink.
But, after he finished the bottle, his green emerald eyes started to turn lighter, into a colour that matched Shining Armor's eyes when Chrysalis casted a spell on the said unicorn.
Gilda and Scootaloo, who were witnessing everything, gasped in shock.
"Not only was she demanding and nasty, she's DOWNRIGHT EVIL!" Scootaloo exclaimed in total shock, before dashing off with Gilda.
After recovering from his headache, Soarin walked out of the room, only to see the girls leaving in a hurry, to his confusion as he called out to them, "Scootaloo! Gilda! Where are you two going?!"
"Let them go," 'Rainbow' told him.
Gilda dropped Scootaloo in front of a building that the rest of the Cutie Mark Crusaders were in. "I'll get my griffon pals and we'll meet up with you as soon as we can." Gilda told the pegasus, before racing off.
Scootaloo nodded for Gilda to see, before the griffon's departure. The pegasus rushed to the door, to find it locked. "Apple Bloom! Open the door!" she pounded at the door, knocking it as fast as her heartbeats.
Apple Bloom opened the door and greeted Scootaloo in a warm, cheerful tone, "Hey Scoots! What in tarnation is all that loud banging about? And the look on your face?"
Scootaloo's expression was quite out of the ordinary for her, as she barely had a face as shocked as the one she was expressing that instant. "What are you all...doing? Why are you all dressed like bridesmaids?" the pegasus asked.
"That's because we ARE Rainbow Dash's bridesmaids!" Sweetie Belle excitedly exclaimed her answer, as she adjusted her dress.
"Rainbow Dash's bridesmaids?! But...but...aren't her best friends, Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie and Rarity SUPPOSED to be her bridesmaids?!" Scootaloo asked, demanding for answers.
"She figured that they should be given a break from all their hard work, so she reserved front row for them." Apple Bloom explained, in a good mood.
"And we fill in for them as bridesmaids!" exclaimed Babs Seed and Gabby as they appeared, being honorary members of the CMCs, they eventually got called in to fill in for the remaining half of the Bridesmaids.
Scootaloo just could not believe how 'Rainbow' was really beating her(Scootaloo) and Gilda in every move. With every creature else being so positive and naive towards 'Rainbow Dash', they totally would never believe any creature who says that 'Rainbow' is bad.
"Looks like Gilda and I are really on our own." Scootaloo mumbled to herself sadly.
Later, at the wedding location, the rehearsal took place as the bridesmaids regally walked down the red carpet, and into their positions.
Princess Twilight Sparkle, being in charge of the wedding, and chief witness, regally announced, "Perfect, girls. Now, may the bride and groom enter.”
The pegasus couple walked down the red carpet and onto the platform, upon their arrival, Twilight begun her speech as if it was the actual wedding, even though the many guests were absent.
"Every creature in this crowd, we are all gathered here today to celebrate the union and marriage of two very lucky Pegasi, who happened to both be Wonderbolts. With one being the co-captain of the team, and the other being one of the six pony heroine protectors of Equestria, and the Element of Loyalty, I can't describe what this wedding would be like if it weren't for all of you guests to be here. Without further ado, let's get the rings from the first-ever Best Non-mare."
Every creature turned to where Gilda was supposed to be, only to notice her and Scootaloo's absences. The next second, the absent pony and griffon appeared, bursting in very suddenly, surprising every creature.
"EVERY CREATURE!" Gilda shouted angrily, before Scootaloo took over the speech.
"WE HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY TO ALL OF YOU!" the pegasus shouted, before pointing a hoof at 'Rainbow' and shouting, "RAINBOW DASH IS EVIL!"
The completed sentence made every creature who heard it gasp in shock, loud enough for any passer-by to hear. The accusing girls then went on to evaluating their accusation.
"First, she treated us like we never existed even after we got her to notice us and hear us!" Gilda pointed out, slamming her claw onto the ground.
"Then, for the rest of the day, she was being mean and demanding towards her own long-time best friends!" Scootaloo added, before cornering 'Rainbow' to the wedding arch.
"Last but not least, we saw her giving Soarin some weird water-like liquid that made his eyes change colour, as if putting some evil spell on him!" Scootaloo then concluded, shocking every creature with her description.
A shocked, frightened, and heart-broken 'Rainbow Dash' cried out, "Stop hurting my feelings!" as she galloped out of the park, with tears flowing out of her eyes.
Satisfied with scaring "Rainbow' off, Gilda and Scootaloo bumped their respective claw and hoof against each other, only to be glanced at by an angry group of creatures at the rehearsal.
"That is just RIDICULOUS!" Soarin angrily confronted the two, "Rainbow Dash is never evil! Nor anything like that! I can't believe that whole incident with Wind Rider framing her was not the only time friends of hers accuse her! Ever since she was proven innocent, I realised that she is a pony worth trusting and calling a hero, and had been working hard to make amends for accusing and threatening her! It was so hard to make this wedding happen! From making amends, to making a proposal to her! And when everything finally worked out after so much time and difficulty, YOU TWO RUINED EVERYTHING!"
Gilda and Scootaloo were speechless to see Soarin so furious, before most of his anger vanished, with a bit remaining, as he told the two rehearsal-crashers, "Now if you two excuse me, I need to go check on my bride, and keep her wedding as far away from you two as possible. You can forget about your special positions in the event, because you shouldn't even be invited."
The girls were shocked and devastated as they watch Soarin, followed by all of their friends leave the park, angry about their actions.
The tallest creature present, Princess Twilight Sparkle, turned to the girls, "I know what it feels like, girls, I've been where you two are once, before gaining my wings. But come on, it's your old friend! You should know she's good. You two really got to lighten up a bit."
After Twilight left, Scootaloo and Gilda expressed remorse over their actions.
Scootaloo sadly lamented:
”What have we done? Is it too late? Can't believe we turned ourselves into creatures we hate, Now we lost the support of all of our friends. What have we done? What price have we paid? It's not worth it anymore, for the regret that it made, We just want everything to be alright and this nightmare to end...”
As the song ended, 'Rainbow Dash' trotted towards the sorrowful griffon and pegasus, and gently stroke their heads.
"Looks like we were wrong about you, Dash." Gilda admitted.
"We are so sorry, Rainbow!" Scootaloo cried out.
"It's okay, I totally forgive you," 'Rainbow' told them, before saying, "Now, why don't I show you a special place to prove that I'm not mad?"
"Sure," Scootaloo replied, before she and Gilda followed 'Rainbow' to a gazebo nearby, where she revealed a hidden chamber of crystals underneath.
"Wow," Gilda could not help but say, upon seeing such majestical things.
"There's more," 'Rainbow' told the girls, leading them to a darker portion of the caves.
"Um, Rainbow?" Scootaloo asked, "I don't think this is worth seeing!" she turned to see her adoptive sister back near the entrance, to her shock, 'Rainbow' had a sinister look, that quickly transformed into a wicked grin.
"You're right, Scootaloo... that isn't worth seeing, but this is!" Finishing her sentence, "Rainbow' kicked a nearby crystal which caused a domino effect, leading to the entire cave to shake.
Gilda and Scootaloo were forced to rush deeper into the cave, in order to avoid being crushed by the falling crystals. When they were completely blocked by opaque crystals, 'Rainbow Dash' grinned evilly and walked away.
Scootaloo and Gilda woke up to find themselves trapped in a chamber. Recalling what 'Rainbow' did to them enraged them.
"I can't believe that my adoptive sister just did that to us!" Scootaloo angrily exclaimed.
"And almost killing us crosses the line!" Gilda added, in a tone matching Scootaloo's.
"She's just as bad as Cozy Glow and Lightning Dust!" Scootaloo pushed a tall crystal as she exclaimed, causing a much smaller domino effect than 'Rainbow' did before.
Fortunately, not only was the domino effect smaller and more harmless, it also revealed another prisoner in the caves: Rainbow Dash.
Angry to see who they thought was the pony who imprisoned them, Scootaloo and Gilda pounced at Rainbow, despite the cyan pegasus' pleas, "No! Wait!" she shouted, but her words fell on deaf ears.
"Please, don't hurt me..." the injured, dirt-covered and messy-haired Rainbow pleaded, until she noticed who was standing on her.
"Scootaloo, Gilda, it's me! Please, you have to believe me! I've been imprisoned like you! The Rainbow Dash who trapped you two here wasn't me! That was LIGHTNING DUST! She's impersonating me so she can take my place at the entire wedding, then, when she reaches my home, with no creature else, she'll kill Soarin! Just to make me miserable and heart-broken as revenge for making her get pulled away with a rocket the last time we saw!" Rainbow explained, but the duo doubted her.
"Do you really think we'd be foolish enough to believe that?!" Scootaloo angrily asked.
"Yeah, that's a really good made-up story!" Gilda sarcastically added, with the same expression as Scootaloo.
The girls' furious expressions vanished when Rainbow started doing something her imposter did not.
"Junior Speedsters are our lives, sky bound soars and daring dives, Junior Speedsters, it's our quest to someday be the very best!" Rainbow Dash said the champ, completely correct without any mistakes.
"Rainbow Dash?" Gilda asked, no longer mad.
"Lightning Dust would never know the champ, nor Gilda the way Rainbow would! So it means..." Scootalo gasped, "You're the real Rainbow Dash!" she exclaimed, happily hugging her real adoptive sister.
"Of course I am, and I'm glad at least two of my old friends found me," Rainbow replied, as she embraced the hugs Scootaloo and Gilda gave her.
"Sorry, did not mean to interrupt such a warm moment, Rainbow Dash, but who is Lightning Dust?" Gilda asked.
"A reckless pegasus and my rival," Rainbow explained, "I got her kicked out of the Wonderbolts Academy after she nearly demolished my friends. She then formed the Washouts, a team of reckless stunt ponies who were kicked out of the Wonderbolts. That encounter ended with me saving Scootaloo from a dangerous stunt Lightning made her do, and Lightning getting her hoof tied to a rope that was tied to a rocket that was originally for Scootaloo's first stunt as a Washout."
"I'm still really sorry about ignoring you and your warnings, Rainbow Dash, I should have known that Lightning was a reckless, put-others-in-danger monster." Scootaloo told Rainbow, nuzzling her.
"Speaking of Lightning being a monster, what about what you said that she'll do to Soarin, and your wedding?!" Gilda asked.
Instantly reminded about the wedding, the Pegasi changed their expressions immediately. "We got to get out of here!" Rainbow announced, "We have to stop her!" she ran off, followed by Scootaloo and Gilda.
In Cloudsdale, Lightning Dust, in her Rainbow Dash disguise, was wearing a bride's outfit and singing:
"This day is going to be perfect, the kind of day which I dreamed of since I was small. Every creature will gather around, say I look lovely in my gown, But what they don't know is that I have tricked them all!"
Meanwhile, the real Rainbow Dash, running through the caves alongside Scootaloo and Gilda, sang:
"This day was going to be perfect, the kind of day that I dreamed of since I was small. But instead of having cake, and my best friends to celebrate, my wedding bells, they won't ring for me at all."
Lightning Dust, in no creature's presence, did several nasty things such as kicking flower vases, throwing roses out the window and ruining a fancy hat, as she sang:
"I could care less about my dress, I won't partake in any cake! Vows, will be lying when I say: That through any kind of weather, I'll want us to be together. The truth is I don't care about him at all! NO I DO NOT LOVE THE GROOM! IN MY HEART, THERE IS NO ROOM! BUT I STILL WANT SOARIN TO BE MINE!"
Still racing through the crystal caves with Scootaloo and Gilda, the real Rainbow sang:
"Must escape before it's too late, find a way to save the day! Hope, I'd be lying when I say: I don't fear that I may lose him to the one who wants to kill him, Not care about, love or cherish him each day!"
Rainbow tried to fly to a cliff, but failed as she had both of her wings clipped, when Lightning trapped her in the caves.
"For I truly love my groom, In my heart, he does consume."
Rainbow sadly sang, before Gilda decided to give her and Scootaloo, lifts out of the caves. With more hopes of succeeding in saving Soarin, Rainbow sang;
"Oh, Soarin! I'll be there very soon!"
While Gilda was flying Scootaloo, Rainbow, and herself through the caves, the wedding eventually started, with the newly-weds entering, as Lightning Dust sang;
"Finally, the moment has arrived! For me to be a lucky bride!"
In the caves, Rainbow sang; "Oh, the wedding, we won't make, He'll end up marrying the fake! And Soarin will be..."
Rainbow Dash, losing hope, had tears flowing in her eyes as she fell into despair. Noticing it, Gilda and Scootaloo comfort her, having finished the flight, and were on the crystal ground.
"Mine, all mine." Lightning Dust sang the final line, before chuckling evilly for no creature but herself to hear.
"Every creature in this crowd," Twilight began her speech, completely unaware of the expressions on the bride and groom's faces despite how close she was to them.
Every creature was just as oblivious, not noticing Lightning's smirk and Soarin's brainwashed condition.
Meanwhile, in the caves, the real Rainbow had lost all hope."We'll never save him in time!" she sadly cried out.
"We will," Scootaloo assured.
"As soon as we find the way out," Gilda added.
"Found it!" Scootaloo suddenly exclaimed.
The others quickly rushed towards her to see the opening she was looking at.
"Hang on!" Gilda told her pony friends, before lifting both of them to the entrance.
Back at Cloudsdale Park, Princess Twilight was about to pronounce the newly-wed couple, "Rainbow Dash and Soarin, it's my great pleasure to pronounce you..."
"STOP!" shouted Scootaloo, preventing the speech from continuing. When she appeared, her friend Sweetie Belle face-hoofed herself, like Rarity did at the royal wedding ages ago.
"YOU'RE MAKING A BIG MISTAKE!" Gilda added.
"Uh, can't those two jerks ever stop being so rude?!" Lightning Dust angrily blurted out, accidentally causing every creature to look at her in shock.
Trying to throw off curiosity and suspicion, Lightning Dust pretended to be heartbroken, "I mean...why do they have to ruin my best day ever?!"
The imposter then began to fake her despair by pretending to weep, only to be interrupted by some creature saying,
"Because it is not YOUR best day ever! It's MINE!"
The real Rainbow Dash appeared, revealing herself to every creature, shocking the crowd.
"What?! Rainbow?! Urgh, I never should have trapped them near you!" Lightning could not help but angrily blurt out, causing every creature who heard her words to stare at her in shock and confusion.
"What is going on here?!" Twilight demanded to know.
"She's Lightning Dust!" the real Rainbow Dash exclaimed, "She dyed her coat and mane to impersonate me, tricked me into chasing her to a hidden crystal cave maze where she trapped me and hurt me, and is doing all of that for her own amusement, just like old times!"
Enraged, Lightning took out a spray that washed off her dye colours, revealing her true appearance to the crowd's shock.
"Right you are, RAINBOW DASH!" Lightning sneered, "I told you that we are rivals for life, and I kept my word. We're still rivals, and since you still criticised me even when I changed my ways to endangering only my fellow Washouts and myself, I figured to take it to EXTREME, this time!"
Every creature whimpered upon hearing what Lightning threatened, before she continued,"I actually wanted to hurt JUST YOU, but then I figured it was so not worth it since you're the Element of Loyalty, and the fact that there's nothing more loyal than sacrificing yourself to save who you're loyal to, so I figured,"
She stopped for a second, before using her most wicked, threatening tone,"That the only thing that can make you miserable the most is HURTING EVERY CREATURE YOU LOVE AND CARE ABOUT!STARTING WITH YOUR SPECIAL SOMEPONY!"
Rainbow Dash gasped in horror before crying, "NO! NOT SOARIN!"
"No, you won't." Princess Twilight confronted Lightning Dust, in the same way Celestia confronted Chrysalis long ago.
"You may have succeeded in deceiving us all this time, but now that you have so foolishly revealed your true self, you're going to have to fight ALL of us," Twilight declared, before every creature at the wedding joined her standing up against Lightning.
However, Lightning was not scared one bit, she laughed, "Oh, please! You creatures should have been wiser about where you choose to have big events!"
With that, the wicked pegasus took out a small but powerful marble and threw it to the floor made of clouds. Seconds later, the clouds became extremely soft, before every creature standing on it fell through!
"NO!" Twilight shouted, completely distracted by the situation of every creature incapable of flight falling, that she completely forgot about Lightning Dust.
Gilda grabbed Rainbow's and Scootaloo's hooves to prevent them from falling, as she struggled to deal with the pain caused by the pressure her friends' weight exerted on her claws. To make things worse, Gilda received more pressure, but not the physical kind, as she and her Pegasi friends noticed Lightning Dust purposely pushing a brainwashed and unconscious Soarin off of the platform, causing him to fall to his doom towards Earth!
"NO!" cried Rainbow Dash, watching her love interest fall towards the Earth. Desperate to save him, she told Gilda,"Take care of Lightning, I got to save Soarin!"
"Are you CRAZY?! Your wings are injured! You'll just fall with him!" Gilda tried to knock some sense into Rainbow.
"Just go, I'll catch up somehow!" Rainbow replied, before removing herself from Gilda's grip, falling in eagle-dive position to reach the falling Wonderbolt.
As amazing as it was, when Rainbow reached Soarin, she eventually kissed him on the lips, freeing him from the spell Lightning placed on him. Regaining his senses, he stopped his and Rainbow's fall, carrying her in his front hooves.
"Rainbow Dash!" he called his bride's name, before asking, "What's going on? Why are you all messed up with clipped wings? And, why are we in the middle of the sky?"
"It's a long story," Rainbow replied.
But before Rainbow could say another word, Lightning Dust's voice interfered, "Leave me alone, you BEAST!" the wicked pegasus called out to Gilda, who was chasing Lightning.
"Why don't you leave me and every creature alone instead, lame pony!" Gilda called back.
Insulted by being called 'lame', an outraged Lightning Dust shouted, "HOW DARE YOU CALL ME LAME!"as she charged at Gilda with full speed, only to fall for a trap the griffon and Scootaloo had set up. Lightning ended up trapped in a net, that was hidden behind the opaque clouds before she touched it.
"It's over, Lightning!" Rainbow exclaimed, as Soarin flew her to the trapped pegasus.
"Over?!" Lightning asked, before laughing and replying wickedly,"It only just BEGUN!"
Finishing her sentence, Lightning moved the net towards Gilda's sharp griffon claws, using them to cut open the net. Once freed, Lightning Dust charged towards Rainbow Dash, in a final attempt to ruin the heroine's wedding, the villainess was going to finish her.
Just as Lightning was about to reach Rainbow, Soarin hugged his bride tightly, trying to protect her. The pegasus couple's love for one another eventually activated a special kind of magic in the process, preventing Lightning Dust's attack, sending her falling backwards. To Lightning's horror, the power of Rainbow Dash and Soarin's love was just like Cadence and Shining Armor's, as it levitated the couple in the air, as their eyes glow white, before sending a shocking wave that sent Lightning far away, out of Equestria.
After Lightning Dust's defeat, Princess Twilight appeared, having returned from saving the falling creatures earlier.
"Every creature is saved and safe," she told the Pegasi and Gilda, before apologising to Scootaloo and the said griffon, "Scootaloo, Gilda, I'm so sorry I didn't listen to you two! I should have been more aware, having experienced the same thing, during the royal wedding at Canterlot long ago. I can't believe I didn't sense something odd with my own best friend's imposter!"
"It's okay now, Twilight." Scootaloo assured.
"Yeah, we all made mistakes, and have acted like jerks from time to time," Gilda added.
"But what's most important is, everything ended fine in the end." Scootalo pointed out.
"And you brought the real Rainbow Dash back to all of us," Twilight gladly responded.
"Rainbow Dash!" called Bow Hothoof, Rainbow Dash's father, as he flew up to his daughter.
Windy Whistles, Rainbow's mother, followed him as they asked their only child, "Are you okay?! Did that mean pony hurt you?!"
"Don't worry, Mum and Dad," Rainbow assured, "I'm okay, thanks to my adoptive little sister Scootaloo, and my first non-pony friend Gilda. I would never be here if it weren't for them to find me."
"And we would never have found you if it weren't for our suspicions," Gilda added.
"And Lightning Dust's behaviour when she was pretending to be you." Scootloo ended.
"We're all glad to have the real you back, Rainbow Dash," Soarin told his bride, before turning to her friends.
"Scootaloo, Gilda, I'm so sorry for what happened at the rehearsal," he apologised. "I can't believe how oblivious I was to Rainbow's imposter's attitude, especially when she was demanding. Can you two forgive me?"
Scootaloo and Gilda looked at each other, before accepting his apology.
"We totally forgive you," Scootaloo replied.
"Yeah, as long as it never happens again," Gilda added.
With everything resolved, Princess Twilight told every creature, "Now we have a real wedding to put together."
The real Rainbow Dash was soon going through everything her imposter went through, the only differences were instead of being demanding and mean, the real Rainbow was accepting and polite. She appreciated Applejack and Apple Bloom's food, accepted Rarity's original wedding dress design, and partied with Pinkie Pie, Silverstream and Gabby.
Soon, the real wedding begun, with Scootaloo as the Flower Girl and Gilda as the Best Non-mare. The bride and groom went down the red carpet, with every creature washing them pleasantly. When the newly-weds finally reached the platform, Princess Twilight begun her speech,
"Every creature in this crowd, are all gathered here today to celebrate the union and marriage of two very lucky Pegasi, who happened to both be Wonderbolts. With one being the co-captain of the team, and the other being one of the six pony heroine protectors of Equestria, and the Element of Loyalty, I can't describe what this wedding would be like if it weren't for all of you guests to be here. Without further ado, it is my pleasure to pronounce the real Rainbow Dash and Soarin mare and gentlecolt."
Twilight levitated the rings from the red pillow Gilda was holding. After placing them on the smallest pegasus wing's feather on both the bride and groom, the newly-wed couple shared their romantic kiss for the crowd to witness and cheer.
The reception party started as soon as time flew, starting with the bride and groom embracing each other as the crowd watched.
"Let's get this party started!" Pinkie Pie announced, before starting the music alongside DJ Pon-3.
"Love is in bloom," sang Sweetie Belle, as she levitated the microphone Pinkie tossed her.
"A beautiful bride, a handsome groom. I said love is in bloom. You're starting a life and making room for us."
During the song, creatures began pairing up to dance with each other, including:
Applejack and Caramel, Fluttershy and Discord, Pinkie Pie and Cheese Sandwich, Rarity and Spike, Twilight and Flash Sentry, Yona and Sandbar, Silverstream and Gallus, Sky Stinger and Vapour Trail, Derpy and Doctor Whooves, and even Daring Do and the reformed Doctor Caballeron in their disguises.
Not long after Twilight ended the day by raising the moon and lowering the sun, it was time for the newly married couple to go. Rainbow waved goodbye to all of her friends, before thanking the two old friends who helped her save Soarin from Lightning Dust,"Scootaloo, Gilda, I can't thank you enough for helping me save Soarin and stop Lightning Dust, and trusting me even after what my not cool imposter did."
Scootaloo and Gilda chuckled before the griffon replied,"No need to thank us, Rainbow, we will never let some lame evil jerk get away with ruining your life."
"I think what Gilda meant was: We'll never just stand by and let you suffer," Scootaloo clarified, before saying, "Love you, Rainbow Dash, my idol."
"Love you too, Scootaloo, my adoptive little sister, and you too, Gilda, my first non-pony friend." Rainbow responded, hugging them both.
After finishing the hugs, Rainbow tossed the bouquet of flowers, with Rarity beating every creature to catching it, by pushing them aside and insanely claiming,"IT'S MINE!!"
Every creature whom Rarity pushed aside cruelly a second ago angrily glared at her, causing her to give out a nervous chuckle.
With that, the wedding was over, as the fireworks show Tempest was putting on ended.
"I'm back!" announced Rainbow Dash, as she returned to her cloud-house, and family's home."I finished helping Applejack, and meeting with my best friends, and watching Twilight send her star student Luster off to Ponyville." she continued, before Soarin walked up to her.
"Good to have you back, Rainbow Dash, we really were starting to miss you,"he told his beloved wife.
The next moment, Rainbow and Soarin's children showed up. One of them was their son who had his father's eyes and mane, and his mother's coat. The other was their daughter, who had her mother's eyes and mane, and her father's coat.
"Dad just told us about your wedding story, Mum!" the filly exclaimed.
"And boy, was it awesome!" the colt added.
"Except for the scary part when Lightning put a spell on Dad," the filly nervously mentioned.
"And almost killed him," the colt ended.
Soarin comforted his kids, "To be honest, I was quite shocked and horrified when your mother and her friends told me what happened while I was brainwashed and unconscious. The last thing I remembered before regaining my senses was comforting the imposter without knowing she was an imposter back there, as she thanked me for my comfort, that's when I kind of... fell into a deep sleep."
All the other family members paid full attention to Soarin as he continued,"I guess that while I was in the deep sleep state, I was actually brainwashed. But luckily, your Mum made it right on time to save me,"
"For the fourth time I saved your Dad from falling to his doom," Rainbow Dash added, in a proud tone.
"Right," he told his wife, before turning back to their kids,"Then, as soon as Lightning was gone, I heard your Mum's friends mentioning that Lightning was pretending to be your Mum, I figured that I was with an imposter the entire time before I lost my senses. That's why I never asked them for more details that time when I apologised to them, and re-offered them the special occupations at the wedding as an apology. Before your Mum went on to checking the preparations for the REAL wedding, her friends told me everything that I was unaware of. I thanked them for finding and bringing your REAL Mum back to every creature, before suggesting that they visit every month so we can spend some time with them."
"And that's why Aunt Scootaloo and Gilda visit us every month!" the colt ended.
"That's right," Rainbow answered, before asking, "Now who wants the apple pie from Sweet Apple Acres that I spent days working for Applejack to earn?"
"I do!" Soarin and his daughter exclaimed.
"Not me, I don't like pie," the colt replied.
Rainbow placed the pie down for half of her family to eat, before approaching her son,"I know dear, and don't worry, you're not the only one."
"And I'm glad that Aunt Scootaloo was not the only one suspicious of an imposter like Princess Twilight was during Cadance and Shining Armor's wedding." the colt replied.
"Right..." Rainbow Dash responded, as the day ended.
