Chapter 2: La Manurhin

Having overcome the shock of being shot to death, Margaret dealt with a sudden sense of grief. She had gotten to visit Equestria, but she had only been in time to watch it fall. Was there nothing else that Margaret could have done? Could she not have run a little bit faster, or could she not have said something more clever? The most morose thought that occurred was that Margaret would never see her ponies again. Indeed, the girl was all but certain that her wandering subconscious would take her someplace else: someplace far, far away from Equestria.

If only she had stayed in that place...

SECOND DREAM

Margaret found herself gazing at the universe, seeing stars and elliptical galaxies. All that was around her was space; indeed, she seemed to stand upon vacuum.

"Breathtaking, isn't it?"

Margaret faced the milky way to see an alicorn. "Princess Luna!" Margaret exclaimed.

"And you are Margherita Maria."

Margaret curtsied and issued a compliment. "Your Majesty, your presence is an honor."

"Ah, but the pleasure is mine! It is rare than I may visit human dreams."

Margaret widened her eyes with realization, at which the princess could not help but chuckle. "Think about it," Luna suggested. "How else could you stand among the stars?"

"With magic?" Margaret supposed.

"Perhaps, Margherita, perhaps...but I have only gone to the Moon. What I would give to take a walk beyond the Sun and see a place such as this without parting from consciousness."

"As would I," sympathized Margaret.

"Our personal ambitions aside, I was with you in your first dream, as well. How brave you were to stand up to Chrysalis, but bravery alone was your demise."

"Well, I have to die sooner or later."

"Then, die later. Fight your foes with all your might, and you will live to fight another day."

Margaret blinked at the princess's advice, wondering where bronies got their "love and tolerate" mantra. "Well Princess, I'm not exactly magical...but you said that I was dreaming, correct?"

"You are dreaming indeed, Margherita. This dream is yours to manipulate."

"So, I can return to the wedding?"

"You may do as you please, Margherita."

"In that case, I have a secret weapon." Margaret brandished a wood and steel revolver: the Manurhin MR-73. "It's a weapon that we humans call a magnum."

"A magnum, you say?"

"That's right! We call it that because of its power. Allow me a quick demonstration." Just a few feet in front of her and Luna, Margaret summoned a sizeable watermelon. She stood in the modern isosceles, and gently, she squeezed the weapon's double-action trigger. She stopped herself before she actually fired, however. "Oh! But not without ear plugs!" So, Margaret summoned hearing protection, both for herself and for the princess. Only after did she discharge her weapon; the watermelon never stood a chance.

"Oh, my..." Margaret remarked, as some of the juice had showered Luna.

At first, Luna was shocked, but she smiled, and she let loose a chuckle. "What a marvelous weapon, Margherita! You ought to give it to the unicorn guards!"

Margaret smiled and nodded with delight.

"May you find success in stopping Queen Chrysalis!"

Margaret curtsied once more for the princess, then she brought her weapon low and concentrated. She imagined her spot at the wedding, and by the power of lucid dreaming, she returned.

***

"Mares and gentlecolts, we are gathered here today to witness the union of Princess Mi Amore Cadenza and Shining Armor." These were the words that greeted Margaret upon her return to Canterlot Castle. She exited her spot by the aisle and stood in plain view of all in attendance; the bride herself stared with suspicion. Suspicion alone, however, could not have saved the bride from a hollow-point bullet, for almost as soon as she stared, her skull and its innards exploded into chunks. Her blood showered all in proximity: the princess, the bridesmaids, the captain, the captain's mates, and lastly, Spike the Dragon. This, combined with the noise, sent the chapel into screams and tumultuous panic.

Thus, Margaret had to fire at the ceiling; she fired twice before quelling the guests. "Examine the body. It's a changeling's!"

Traumatized from what had just occurred, everyone but Shining Armor silently obeyed. Lying to Celestia’s right was the body of a slender pink alicorn: Cadenza's body. Even so, Margaret was confident, for she thought that the body would revert.

A minute passed without any such reversion. Celestia sank to the ground beside the body of the slender pink alicorn and wept. The princess shook her head in disbelief; the only human in all of Equestria had shot her niece dead in the middle of her wedding. How surreal, given the human's casual attitude!

Nervously, Margaret looked around. All around her, ponies quivered and trembled. She then reexamined her mess; Celestia continued to weep, and the bridesmaids stared at her, utterly confounded. Shining Armor, however, was angry. He avenged the dead queen with a laser that went straight through Margaret's heart, so again, the girl awoke.