Shining Armor entered the room where his friends were getting ready for the big day. He shook his head as he regarded them. "Everypony okay?"

Applejack grinned at him. "We're peachy, sir."

Shining looked around with a great yawn. "Where's Twilie?"

Pinkie bounced over to Shining. "You need a nap."

"I don't have time for a nap." He glared at Pinkie with obvious annoyance. "Twilight needs to get over here."

Celestia joined in looking around, but Twilight and Moondancer were both missing from the gathered. "How curious. This isn't like her."

Pinkie popped over to Celestia's side. "There's still plenty of time to make things perfect! If you want to wait for Twilight to get back, you can!"

Shining Armor faced off with Celestia. She shook her head. "We can't stop for any one pony, unless they're the bride or the groom. I say we push forward with the rehearsal."

A line of bridesmaids, fillies included, went to walk up the aisle with Cadance at their head. But as she walked, Twilight pushed past her to stand in the front. "Hi there, my name is Twilight Sparkle, and I object to this wedding."

Cadance gasped with horror as Shining recoiled. "Twilie? Why?"

Twilight flicked her ears left and right as she saw Cadance was confused. "Oh, uh, but you see, this isn't Cadance!" She cleared her throat and called up to the alter. "The real one's locked below us. Moondancer is going to free her right now. We can't allow this imposter to marry my brother while this is happening. I won't stand for it!"

Cadance sniffed sadly, a move that seemed to be working with many of the others. "Twilight, how could you ruin my special day?!"

Rarity gasped. "How cruel of you!"

But Spike had no time for this. "No, look, guys! This isn't Cadance!" He hopped on Twilight's back. "They're totally different!"

Sadly, Twilight didn't have much concrete evidence of this fact, and she was losing support rapidly as ponies backed away from her and returned to the rehearsal.

Celestia spoke over the panic. "Calm yourselves. We'll do a quick rehearsal, and then address this issue." She stared at Twilight until Twilight buckled under the pressure and submitted to the process.

Moondancer worked her way down through the tunnels, picking her way along an abandoned rail line that was itself broken in places where the ground fell away. It led into the old mines, where she'd once heard tell of an underground river and cave system. That was back when she was exploring everything that Canterlot had to offer. In those days, she hadn't bothered with any friends.

The tunnels were just as colorful as she remembered, with crystals jutting out at odd angles. She gave those a wide berth as she went along. Some might not have trusted such strange formations, but Moondancer wasn't the least bit concerned. They were non-sentient and non-magical, so they couldn't be dangerous in any way that mattered to her. Still, getting cut on them would be painful, and hinder her progress, so she avoided brushing against them.

Just ahead, she saw a strange shape hovering in the air. That had to be Cadance. "Cadance?" Moon called out softly as she walked closer, brow furrowed with worry.

It wasn't Cadance. Rather, it was a sallow, overgrown version of Cadance. This doppelganger looked through at Moondancer, confused for just a moment before ranting at her. "You should be in the dress!"

Moon recoiled in surprise. "A dress isn't, um, good—"

She was cut off. "The rehearsal is starting, why aren't you there?!" She lunged at Moondancer with outstretched hooves.

Moondancer had just enough time to notice they were hornless. She yelped in surprise and bucked up at the creature with her hind legs.

Her hooves connected and fine lines ran over the fake, spreading rapidly. "That's it!" The fake loomed closer. "You're uninvited from the wedding, you hear me! You awful little mare. Why did I even invite you?!" She pressed close, not backing away from Moondancer's latest kick. "You'll just make a mess of things. Look at you, unable to dress yourself properly, unable to handle simple social cues."

Moon grabbed a crystal in her magic. "Shut up!" It wasn't eloquent, but it was all she could get out, slamming the crystal against the fake, both crumbling on impact to so much glittering dust.

She breathed heavily as the illusion dissipated, eyes staring off into the dark. Moondancer slowly righted herself, trembling as she stepped back. "What even was that?" She trotted off down the hall, going more quickly with fear driving her.

Arriving at a yawning stretch of a fall ahead, she backed up, tail twitching. The rocky floor wouldn't hold her weight for any length of time, and falling down there would be bad.

Moon considered it for just a moment before biting down on her anxiety. A platform spell would suffice. It only had to last a moment. Within her power, she hoped. She charged forward and leaped. She came down on the platform she created, grunting with the effort of holding herself up. She bounced off of it to arrive at the other side, heaving for breath.

Moon ran ahead, trying to get to the core where Cadance was supposed to be held. The path wasn't simple, forcing her to twist around here and there as the terrain got in her way. But nothing would slow her down. She heard soft sniffles and cries and veered towards it. "Amore Cadenza? Cadance?"

Cadance cried out, "Who's there?!" She turned and backed away, not seeing Moon yet. "I don't want to see any more fakes!"

"It's me! Moondancer." Moon arrived at a crystal wall that seperated them. "I am here to free you and see you safely to the castle." She aimed her horn at the crystals and charged it. They started to fall away from her beam, but she cut the spell off as they weren't clearing fast enough. Her breath came quickly, but she maintained control of herself. "Please back away from the wall if you can."

Cadance didn't move, having little room to do so. "Sorry. Did you say Moondancer? Twilight's friend?"

Moon grunted as she took out a bigger crystal. "Yes. She is very worried about you."

Cadance crept over to the area that Moon was making wider. "Please, keep going. Is Twilight safe, and the others?"

Moon cut away more crystals, revealing Cadance to her sight. "All safe. Twilight did most of the work." She licked her lips as she finally stepped into the small cavern that held Cadance. "Ah ha." She turned around and resumed cutting, finding it far easier to work with Cadance not in the path of her magic. "I'll have you out shortly. It's good to see you're alright."

Cadance studied Moon curiously. "It's nice to meet you again. I can't wait to get out of here and talk more." She flexed her wings with a little grunt. "And fly."

Moon perked at that. "I'm glad you have those, that will make the return trip less complicated. Do they function?" With a last sweet of her head and her magic, she made the hole leading out quite large enough for Cadance to use. "We should go."

Cadance crept forward to watch where Moon cut the crystals. "Yes, but I'm still very weak. If you wouldn't mind staying close, I'd appreciate it."

Moondancer tugged a crystal away from the tunnel. "I will be at your side throughout our return trip. Follow me." She started towards the tracks she had followed down to start. "Oh." On the side closer to Cadance, there was a cart on the tracks. "It would have been easier if this had been on the other side."

Cadance walked around it, studying it curiously. "You think we could ride in it?"

Moon shrugged lightly. "Perhaps? I'm not sure how sturdy it is." She slid onto the thing with a grunt. "Shift it around with magic. We'll both sit here and hopefully it'll roll up the rails towards the castle."

Using her magic, she gave them both a push. They hit a part where the track sloped downwards and the ride began in earnest. The cart picked up speed as it powered through the tunnels, picking up further momentum until they were going quite quickly indeed. Cadance did her best to steer with magic, but it wasn't easy to navigate the many curves and turns of the track. She and Moon bumped and jostled as they went, grunting as they were knocked about with each sudden turn.

They were suddenly without gravity, soaring through the air. Cadance pulled them all together as Moondancer kept the cart aimed true, allowing them to land with a shower of sparks on the tracks at the other end of that chasm. The path evened out from there, moving at a very fast clip as they careened towards the castle.

"Remain calm." Moon was looking around for trouble wildly, breathing hard despite her own insistence for calm.

Cadance pressed in close to Moon, taking what comfort she could from the closeness of a friendly mare.

They crashed into a stop, the end of the line that sent them both sprawling across the stone in a heap. Moon scrambled to her hooves, and quickly moved to Cadance's side to assist her. "Are you hurt?" She ran her eyes over Cadance with concern.

Cadance hopped up, shaking herself out. "Nothing a hot bath won't cure." She flew a short distance, only to land again as her wings fluttered to a stop. "Are we there?"

"I hope." Moon advanced at Cadance's side towards what she figured was the exit. "I think we're close."

Ahead of them, three ponies walked into view with sneers. All three were mares, the brides' maids, with eyes glowing under the false Cadance's control.

The brides' maids walked towards Moondancer and Cadance, clearly planning to keep them from reaching the exit.

Moon snorted. "You will not block our way." She turned her head to look at Cadance. "This may get rough." She whipped her head back towards them, magic slicing a part of the roof over the maids along the way.

The brides' maids shrieked and scampered out of the way as rock crashed down around them. Cadance hurried past, Moon following close behind.

Outside, Shining Armor's troops had started to march, preparing for some kind of battle. Cadance paid them little mind, her eyes on the castle. "It looks like they're preparing for the wedding!"

Moondancer hadn't seen it before, but she agreed with Cadance now. "Yes. And I don't know what they think they're fighting." She gave a nod to Cadance as they both trotted for the castle as quickly as Cadance's fatigued and worn form allowed her to move.

Inside the castle, the wedding was starting. "Dearly beloved—" Celestia's voice carried throughout the hall, but suddenly cut off.

The entire room rocked with a sudden blast that threw many ponies from their hooves. Moondancer recoiled with Cadance in the doorway. "I wish to file an objection." Moon gestured to the harried Cadance. "The proper bride was not in attendance."

Cadance ran down the aisle with Moon following after. "I'm sorry! The fake caused a bit of trouble!"

The Fake Cadance rose from the ground with her eyes wide. "Why?! What? No!"

The true one glared at the fake. "She is an impostor, a shapeshifter that feeds on love!"

Spike stomped his feet with glee. "I knew it!" He grinned up at Twilight, who was still clinging to him. "Bet they feel silly not believing in you, huh?"

Twilight gently booped Spike on the nose. "Now is not the time."

The fake Cadance dropped her disguise, becoming Chrysalis with a booming laugh. "It's too late anyway. Shining Armor here is about to fall over, his shield collapsing. My people will overtake this little city and all of you with it. You will feed my people, and me." She spoke grandly as she hovered above them all. "You're all nothing but food, so accept your place."

Twilight started towards the throne. "Shinie?"

Cadance reached him, hugging him close even as he wobbled dangerously.

Celestia stepped up with a scowl. "Not that you have revealed yourself, I will defend my little ponies. Even from you." Her horn flared to life with dangerous light.

Chrysalis's head jerked to look at Celestia. "What?!" She dived out of the way, sending shots of magic after Celestia.

The two met in a powerful clash, struggling against one another, either grunting with the effort. Still, it was clear that Chrysalis was winning.

Celestia ducked as a shot barely missed her. "I won't go down so easily." She poured her magic into the fight, forcing Chrysalis back an inch.

Chrysalis cackled as she ducked and weaved around Celestia's attacks. "I've been gorging myself. There's no way your magic can get through mine." A soft shatter was heard from above. "Ah, and my people are arriving, princess." She lashed out, smashing Celestia with a pillar. "Your power is meaningless here."

Celestia jerked upright. "Is that so?" She scowled at Chrysalis. The two met with magic exchanges even as changelings flooded in. "Moon! Take the—" Celestia grunted with the effort of fighting Chrysalis. "Run, get the elements!"

Moon hesitated for just a moment before nodding. She gestured for Twilight and the other mares to follow as they rushed under the cloud of changelings in the room to get outside. "The elements should be in there." She pointed to a building that felt far too distant with the changelings swarming around.

The changelings landed all around them, barring their path forward.

Back inside, Chrysalis sent Celestia sprawling to the ground. With her horn glowing with her terrible magic, Chrysalis laughed with wicked glee. "You can't stop me now." She leapt to Celestia's prone form. "It's time to get this show on the road!"

Celestia's eyes widened in shock. Chryalis gathered the ruler up. "You'll make a fine source of food, mmm?"

Celestia began to glow with power. "No, you won't!" With a great shout, she blasted Chrysalis backwards into the wall, breaking free and stumbling to her hooves. But she had no energy left, sagging to the ground with a tired huff.

Chrysalis dusted herself off with a scowl. "Rude. Take her." She waved for changelings to get on that job as she turned to Cadance and Shining Armor. "You two are still hugging?"

Author's Note

Less musical numbers in text, alas. Use your imagination!

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