Canterlot Gardens, Lunar Memorial

12:00 PM

As Princess Luna and Spike stood in front of the moon-shaped monument to the Lunar Guards, the Lunar Princess turned at the sight of about fifty disguised Changelings. Thorax came forward, and bowed.

"I rounded up everyone I could." Thorax said. "What do you need from us?"

"I am sure you know that the real Cadance is locked in the Canterlot Caverns." Luna said. "You'll be searching every inch of those caves until she is found. When you do find her, show her this and bring her to my office as quietly as you can."

Luna handled Thorax a medallion emblazoned with her crest, and he nodded.

"Once she is returned to us, we will prepare for the portion involving the Queen." Luna said. "Everypony know what to do?"

The Changelings nodded and assumed their disguises once more. As Luna led them to the poper entrance to the Caverns, the Changelings buzzed off into the darkness.

"What now?" Spike asked.

"I have an idea." Luna said. "Spike, do you know of the wedding plans the Element Bearers have made?"

Spike nodded.

"Disrupt them." Luna said. "Do it discreetly, but cause enough pandemonium among them in order to stall the wedding for at least one hour. That way, I can prepare the Totem Spell without interruption."

"Right!" Spike gave a mock salute as he headed off. Luna flew back to her own chambers and looked over the spellbook containing the necessary steps for the Totem Spell.

===

Three hours later

There was a knock on Princess Luna's door as soon as Luna finished the spell. Opening it, a pink blur rammed into Luna's embrace. Luna's eyes softened at the sight of the real Cadance's state of dishelvery. Her mane was filthy, tornl, and tangled, and she felt weak to the touch.
"Are you okay?" Luna asked. "Cadance?"

"I'm fine." Cadance gasped. "Your friend Thorax found me. I wasn't sure he was telling the truth until he showed me your medallion."

"With good reason." Thorax said, coming in while rubbing his shoulder blade. "You have a good right hook, Princess."

"I learned from Shining." Cadance said. "Speaking of, where is he?"

"He's currently with the Queen." Thorax said. "He's been hypnotized and his memories of the day are wiped every night. The Queen once said she intends to "preserve him as long as possible"."

Cadance nodded, and growled slightly as she headed for the door.

"Cadance, don't." Luna said. "We have a plan."

"What plan?" Cadance asked. As Luna spoke into Cadance's ear, with Thorax providing some help, her eyes widened.

"With her army defeated, it won't take long to send her along her way." Luna said. "Plus, if she does manage to overpower me or my sister, I have a Plan B."

"Okay, what's Plan B?" Cadance asked again. Luna whispered it, and Cadance raised her eyebrows.

"That magic is forbidden!" she said. "For good reason!"

"I know that." Luna said. "Once the Queen is dealt with, I will burn it. You have my word."

Cadance sighed and looked at her Aunt.

"Okay." she said. "What can I do?"

"First, let's get you back to a proper state of mind." Luna said, using some of the Moon's power to restore Cadance's magic reserves and appearance to their normal levels. "Now, we wait. As soon as the orchestra begins, we'll...seal the deal."

"Good." Cadance said. "One question, though. How are we going to keep the Queen at bay long enough in order to set this up?"

"Spike's working on that as we speak." Luna said. Cadance raised her eyebrows.

"Who's Spike?"

Luna told Cadance what she had missed, and she looked away.

"So Twilight was here, but she's gone?" she said. "And her friends and Aunt Celestia turned their backs on her?"

"They did, to a certain extent." Luna said. "Trust me, they'll get what they deserve later. For now, let's get some rest. You have a very special day coming up."

Then, Spike entered the room.

"All done, Princess Luna and Princess Cadance." he said. "Want to hear what I did? I think you'll be impressed."

"Do tell." Luna said.

"First was Applejack, which was easy." Spike said. "I changed one part of a recipe. The fritters, instead of needing 5 minutes in the oven, it'll be fifteen."

"Fluttershy was tricky, as the birds would have blown my cover, but I managed to snag this…" Spike said, holding up an empty bag of birdseed. "And kept them quiet with it long enough to change a few notes on the sheet music."

"What else?" Luna asked. "And you're right, I am impressed so far."

"Pinkie was probably the toughest." Spike said. "I knew I couldn't do anything to the plans or she'd notice in a heartbeat, so I adjusted the timer on her Party Cannon. She'll be firing a bit too early or a bit too soon. That makes all the difference."

"Rainbow was easy, though." Spike said. "I snagged her Daring Do book and put some bird seed around where it was, enough to convince Rainbow it was Fluttershy."

"And Rarity?" Luna asked.

"The dress." Spike said. "She's been working on the skirt liner or whatever for hours, so I dislocated one of the crucial stitches she needs to keep the whole thing together. Together it should be enough to keep everyone waiting long enough for everything to get set up."

"Perfect!" Luna said. "When the sun rises, and they discover the effects of your nighttime chaos...we'll set everything in motion."

"Good." Cadance said. "I can't wait."

====

As Celestia raised the sun, the day of the wedding came. As everypony present began their final procedures, all seemed quiet.

Until a massive series of screams, shouts, and accusatory lines started to come from the Dorms where the Elements were staying. As Celestia and "Cadance" went to investigate, Celestia sighed as they entered the room.

Both of them, including "Cadance", dropped their jaws at the sight of each Element Bearer at the throats of the others.

"Fluttershy, if you didn't take my book...THEN WHO DID?" Rainbow screeched. "I left it right here and found bird seed in its place!"

"I didn't do it, and neither did my birds!' Fluttershy defended. "But you're not the only one in trouble! Somepony sabotaged my sheet music!"

"As well as the dress!" Rarity complained. "Five hours' worth of stitches down the drain!"

"And the food!" Applejack cursed. "I knew it was five minutes, not fifteen! Why the recipe say fifteen!"

"And my Party Cannon's been messed with!" Pinkie said. "The timer on the detonator has been switched! I'll need time to fix it!"

"ENOUGH!" "Cadance" yelled. "What can you fix in time for the wedding!?"

Everypony flinched and quieted down.

"Well..." Fluttershy said. "I kept a backup copy of the music, but I need to look it over."

"I didn't use all the ingredients." Applejack said. "I can make a fresh batch, but it won't be ready in time."

"I can fix my Party Cannon, but I'll need tools to do it!" Pinkie said.

"I can fix the dress, but it might take a while." Rarity said.

"And I can find my book and get to work when I'm done." Rainbow said.

"Good." "Cadance" said. "Get to it!"

As she headed off, Celestia closed the door.

"And can somepony please clean up this mess?" she asked.

As the ponies sorted out the room, Celestia sighed and headed out.

"What else could go wrong?" she sighed.

"Lots." Luna said, approaching. "I can't say I didn't expect something like this, though."

"What makes you say that?" Celestia asked.

"Multiple reasons." Luna replied. "However, I know the truth about what happened in there, and something you don't know or were too blind to see."

"What does that mean?" Celestia asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I have a feeling that Miss Twilight was onto something, and she had the right mind about it." Luna said. "I've been poking around with some new allies of mine. All I'm saying was that I have a plan in case this goes wrong. And it will."

Before Celestia could ask anything further, Luna was gone in a flash, teleported away.

====

As Spike, Cadance, and Thorax rejoined Luna in her office, Spike nodded proudly.

"I've got everything set." Thorax said. "My allies are in position."

"Good." Luna said. "Cadance, ready for your special day?"

"Ready as I'll ever be."

"Good. Showtime." Luna smirked as the wedding bells began to toll.

====

As Spike and a disguised Thorax took their places in the crowd, Luna stood in front of the door after dismissing the Guards that were there. Casting the Totem Spell, she nodded resolutely.

"Aunt Luna?"

Luna turned to see the fake Cadance approach in her wedding gown.

"Are you ready?" Luna asked.

"I am." Cadance said, looking Luna in the eye, triggering the spell's effects. As they walked into the chapel, Luna stood behind and sent a quick nod to Spike. As the music began, Luna slammed the doors shut, disrupting the music.

"Before we begin, I have something to say." Luna said. "Princess "Cadance", it's not your special day, and it never was."

As the crowd whispered and gasped, Luna then pulled the door open, and everyone present dropped their jaws. The real Cadance came forward, her head held high and her eyes burning with fury.

"It's mine." the real Cadance said. "Luna?"

"Alright, everyone!" Luna cried, as Spike came forward. "Thorax, SHOWTIME!"

As Thorax came forward and shed his disguise, the fake Cadance gasped and then spoke in a feral, furious voice.

"Traitor!" she roared. "What are you doing? Answer me!"

"My queen, I no longer answer to you." Thorax said as his Changelings filed in behind him. "We no longer answer to you."

"And that's not all." Luna said, her horn flaring blue. "Changeling, I command you to reveal yourself!"

As an orb of blue flame appeared over the Fake Cadance, the Totem Spell took effect. Against her own mind and will, the disguise of the Changeling Queen melted away like embers.

"No...impossible…" Celestia murmured.

"WHAT?" Rainbow cried. "I don't believe it!"

"Believe it." Luna said. "Changeling, you may have fooled everyone until now, but you didn't fool me or Spike...or Twilight. Right now, you will be doing everything I say as I say it."

Chrysalis's knee bent, and she fell to the floor.

"First, you will release Shining Armor and return his magic." she said. "You will also release Thorax and his company from your rule."

Chrysalis roared in anger as a blue beam came from her horn into Shining Armor's horn. As he came to his senses, he gasped like everypony else. Then, the green light in the eyes of Thorax and his company faded, replaced by a white light.

"Second, you will take your amy, and your kind will never return to Equestria." Luna said.

As Chrysalis watched in horror, her army assembled in front of the gates...only for a beam of bluish white light to come down on them, wiping them out. A direct blast of the Moon's power rendered her army destroyed.

"And third…" Luna said. "If you ever come back to Equestria, I will end your life and the lives of those who support you. Now, you foul vermin, begone!"

As Luna blasted Chrysalis out of Canterlot with her army, Luna then walked to the open stained-glass window.

"AND STAY OUT!" Luna roared as she slammed the windows shut. Then, she turned to the astounded crowd to face the consequences of her actions.

Author's Note

Update!