Author's Note

I'm an amateur writer, so please forgive me.

The Crystal Fair Disaster

As ponies made preparations for the Crystal Fair, tourists were already appearing in the Crystal Kingdom, choosing to vacation there during the time of the fair. Up on a balcony in the castle, Princess Cadance watched the preparations and spotted ponies familiar to her who were from Canterlot and Ponyville. Twilight and her friends had already arrived the day before and she could already spot a few of them helping to prepare for the fair. Cadance put a hoof to her mouth as she giggled, seeing Twilight acting very much in charge and taking her responsibilities very seriously. She really has grown up so much, but she needs to learn to relax a little. She thought. Though, then again, Twilight has been through so much. Could she really be blamed for being so uptight? Cadance scanned the crowd and her eyes alighted on another pony. Shining Armor had approached Fleur de Lis and was greeting her. Cadance watched uneasily as they talked. Shining Armor has seemed rather fond of this pony for awhile now. It worried her. Everypony always thought of herself and Shining Armor as the perfect couple, but shortly after the wedding Cadance noticed more and more how he seemed to lose interest in her. She watched as Fleur giggled and placed a hoof on his shoulder. The two began to walk out of view and Cadance strained her eyes and raised her head to try to keep them in view from where she stood. The two were trotting side by side, their heads close together as if whispering to one another. Losing sight of them, Cadance felt her wings droop. She could easily cast a love spell on him, but she didn't want to do that. Although her love spells were just a small push to help ponies see their love for each other and cast aside their differences, Cadance felt it would be wrong to cast a spell on her husband and besides that... she was afraid that it wouldn't work too well, that he wouldn't love her. She trotted back inside, her head hung low.

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"The fair is so beautiful." Fleur said, her eyes never leaving Shining Armor's. The two sat across from each other at a small table outside, having just finished a small lunch. Inside the cafe, the manager and the waitress both whispered to each other, wondering what was up with Shining Armor being with this mare.

Shining Armor chuckled. "Its not quite done being set up yet." He said. Fleur gave him a small smile as she played with his mane with a hoof. He let out a gentle sigh and touched his nose to hers, but after a moment, he got up. "Its time I headed back to the castle, there's something-"

Fleur jumped up excitedly. "The castle! In all of the Crystal Empire its one of the few places I haven't been to! Oh, Shining, please let me go with you!"

"I'm sorry Fleur, I don't think that's a good idea." Shining Armor said, glancing away from her a little uncomfortably. Fleur's ears drooped and her gaze dropped to the ground, seeing that he wasn't going to take her. Shining Armor felt his heart twist. Seeing her so sad was as if the sun itself had vanished. "Oh, what the hay?" He said gently, lifting her chin with a hoof. "I'd love for you to come with me, so why not?" Her face brightened and Shining Armor's world seemed to brighten with it. "Come on." He said and the two trotted off together.

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Cadance walked down the stairs, her tail and wings drooping. At the sound of a door opening, she came to a halt and lifted her head. Seeing the two ponies who had entered the room, she quickly trotted down the rest of the stairs. Fleur turned to Shining Armor as Cadance was coming down the stairs. "The castle is so magnificent, but I'm afraid all this walking around has left me parched. Do you know where I can find something to drink?"

"Oh! Let me get something for you." Shining Armor said at once and quickly trotted off, leaving the room. Fleur turned around to see Princess Cadance standing nearby, her expression guarded.

"Hello. You must be quite the pony for Shining Armor to give you a tour of the castle."

Fleur blinked at Cadance innocently. "Oh, yes. About him." She said, looking away. "You and him will likely be divorcing soon."

Cadance stiffened at this. She glowered at Fleur. "Did Shining Armor say this?" Cadance demanded.

"He did actually." Fleur said, looking back at her.

Cadance raised her wings high, a defiant expression on her face. "I'll only believe it when he tells me himself."

Fleur looked at her slyly. "Is that so? I guess being forgotten about doesn't already speak volumes? How he barely even looks at you anymore?" Cadance flinched at her words and Fleur smiled. It was an evil, disgusting grin that fueled Cadance's anger. Seeing the Princess grow angrier, Fleur's smile disappeared. "I see." She turned away and went up to the door. "Perhaps... " She closed the door with a hoof, then turned back to Cadance. "Perhaps me and Shining Armor will get married after you die then." The evil grin was back. Cadance's fury seemed to all but disappear as she was gripped by horror. Right before her eyes, Fleur de Lis had become the Changling Queen. Chrysalis laughed at the look of horror on Cadance's face. "Oh, how I've waited for this day! Its been enjoyable to have you suffering, but I've grown tired of it. Its time I finally kill you."

"YOU!" Cadance burst. "It was you all along, wasn't it?!"

"Oh, of course, I knew I couldn't fool you again, I had to try a slightly different tactic. An even better one, where you suffer from slowly losing your love before I finally kill you." And with that, Chrysalis sent a blast of magic at Cadance.

It was at this moment, that the door opened.

A small glass shattered as Cadance's magic met Chrysalis's. Cadance thought of all the sadness and pain she had been through these past months. All the worry and heartbreak. She didn't know the details as to how this all came about, but she did know it was all of this monster's fault. Angry tears streamed down her face. "You won't win!" Cadance shouted.

"No? Shining Armor is already mine. He won't miss you when you're gone. Its funny, isn't it? How he got tricked by me again. It wasn't too hard to find a pony he eyed sometimes. Not long after I pretended to be her, he was under my spell." The Queen sneered. Cadance felt her magic weaken under Chrysalis's.

In the doorway, Shining Armor grunted in pain, putting a hoof to his head, feeling confused. No, this can't be right... He thought.

Cadance closed her eyes tight as if preparing for the end. She thought of her and Shining Armor before Chrysalis came and before she returned again to cause more pain. She thought of how happy they had been, so happily in love. "Vengeance is mine at last!" Chrysalis boasted, seeing victory in reach.

Shining Armor gave his head a sharp shake as if trying to clear it.

Suddenly, Cadance's eyes opened wide. Her eyes seemed to glow with a bright light. Her wings outstretched wide, but she did not seem to use them as she floated. Chrysalis shrank back as Cadance started to overpower her. "No, this can't be... you don't have him helping you... not even Celestia alone could defeat me!"

"You... you are using Shining Armor's love for Fleur, which is ultimately your mistake. Despite the pain I've been through, my love for Shining Armor never died." Cadance said, her seemingly pupil-less eyes gazing at the Queen angrily.

Shining Armor gazed in wonder at the sight of Cadance's transformation into a beautiful, angry goddess.

"No!" Chrysalis cried out as Cadance's magic overwhelmed her. As soon as the magic struck her, Chrysalis was thrown back. She grunted as she hit the floor, sliding across it and then laid there unmoving. Cadance blinked a few times as she came out of god-mode and landed gently on the floor.

"Cadance!" Shining Armor galloped towards her, but Cadance had folded her wings to her sides and turned away, trotting towards the fallen Queen.

"You have messed with Shining Armor for the last time. I'm not giving you another chance to do so again."

Shining Armor came to a halt, realizing what his wife was about to do. "Cadance-" He broke off as she reared up, throwing her head back as if about to cast a powerful spell. Thinking quickly, Shining Armor cast his own spell. Cadance's wings snapped open wide in surprise, recovering her balance as a magical shield covered Chrysalis like a small dome. Cadance landed on all fours and turned sharply to Shining Armor.

"Shining?" She said in disbelief.

Shining Armor raised his head. "I'm sorry Cadance. I had fallen under her spell again. You are the only mare for me. You've always been the only one for me. Which is why I can't let you kill Chrysalis."

Cadance flattened her ears. "What?! After all she's done-" She scowled down at theQueen. "-you're just going to let her go?" Cadance looked back at Shining Armor and his heart broke to see her beautiful face twisted by her desire for revenge.

"Of course not, but I can't let you kill her!"

"Why not?"

"Because you're the Princess of Love!" He blurted. "This isn't you! This isn't who you are!" Shining Armor took a few steps towards, tears glistening in his eyes. "The mare I love doesn't kill other ponies. She's kind and sweet." Cadance turned away from him and he feared he was losing her. "Just a moment ago, when you defeated Chrysalis, how did you do it? Where did you find the strength?"

Cadance paused and slowly turned back to face him. "I... I thought of me and you. I thought of how happy we had been before Chrysalis came along... I thought of how... how in love we were."

"That's just it Cadance, that's where your strength comes from. Love. Not this hate that you feel towards Chrysalis, not this desire for revenge. If you kill her, you'll be destroying a part of yourself and I don't want that to happen." Shining Armor told her almost pleadingly. Any remaining traces of anger on Cadance's face vanished as her eyes met his. She saw how serious he was and she also saw how right he was. Love is what made her strong when she was weakening, love is what she helps other ponies to find, love is who she is and what she spreads to others. To harm another pony out of pure anger... even if that pony is a monster, it wouldn't be right. How could she continue to call herself the Princess of Love if she had?

Cadance slowly shook her head and a small shiver ran down her back, realizing how close she had been to becoming a monster herself. She folded her wings and bowed her head, walking over to her husband. "You're right. I would be destroying a part of myself if I did." Cadance put a foreleg around him in a hug, pressing her cheek against his and burying her nose in his mane. "I'm so sorry. Thank you for stopping me." She whispered, her voice cracking a little.

Shining Armor smiled a little, relieved. "Its okay Cadance." He comforted her, pressing his cheek against hers in return. They held each other for a moment, comforting each other as both of their tears dried, until legs shaky with nerves were calmed. At last, they pulled apart, their love for each other stronger than ever.

"I'll go get some guards to help with her." Cadance said, flicking her ears toward Chrysalis.

Shining Armor nodded. "And I'll keep her here." He said, looking at the bug Queen. Chrysalis, who had come to and made faces as the two had hugged, now scowled at Shining Armor.

"Do what you will, but I will get my revenge one day! I will come back!" She snarled.

Shining Armor laughed and Cadance looked amused. "Actually, you're going to be locked up for awhile before we decide what to do with you." Shining Armor said and Cadance nodded.

"I'm thinking of a nice, impromptu crystal cell somewhere deep in the castle." She added. "Although... " She looked sidelong at her husband. "...we could leave her outside."

"Its definitely an option." He agreed. "Though I'd be much more comfortable if she was left far away from the castle."

Cadance nodded in agreement. "I'll get the guards and we can work it out." She said, trotting away. Chrysalis seethed with anger as she watched the two and tried without success to break free of the dome.

"Its no use and you know it." Shining Armor said. "You need to learn when to give up."

Chrysalis pinned her ears back. "Never!" She hissed.

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Despite what Chrysalis said and did though, she ended up abandoned in the frozen north, left to find her way back home to her hive.

At the castle, Princess Cadance and Shining Armor were devoted to each other more than ever and they thoroughly enjoyed the Crystal Fair along with everypony else who attended. The intrusion was left as a secret kept between them and the guards. Cadance saw no need to worry Twilight. Besides, the young princess was finally relaxing and enjoying herself with her friends. "They did such an excellent job. We should ask them to help out next year." Shining Armor suggested.

"I think that would be a great idea." Cadance smiled.