Canterlot Catastrophe! Wedding Crashed!
It was during the time of the wedding of Princess Cadence and Shining Armor. The two smiling Ponies were trotting past the crowd, coming up to the altar.
Rainbow Dash was feeling uncomfortable. Something wasn't feeling right. "I feel kind of bad about Twilight being kicked from the wedding. I wonder where she is?" she whispered, just loud enough for her friends to hear. "Have any of you girls seen her since then?"
Applejack was the first to answer. "Not me. Ain't seen her since then at all. That is seemin' mighty sus-picious."
Fluttershy shook her head. "No. I wonder what happened? I do hope that she's okay...."
Rarity also answered in the negative. "Terribly sorry, but I haven't seen her either, darling. I do wonder what became of her."
"Maybe she found some evidence that will help clear her name and show us all that she was right the whole time?" Pinkie queried rhetorically.
Applejack hiked an eyebrow. "An' what makes ya say that?"
"STOP!" a voice rang out from the doorway, revealing an angry-looking Twilight. Her mane was disheveled and her eyes were all but glowing red. "I object to this farce!"
Pinkie shrugged. "Just a hunch, was all." she returned to Applejack.
Cadence, at the altar, looked at her sourly. "You again. How dare you come back to ruin my special day?!"
A similar voice also came from just outside the doorway. "I... object too. Because it isn't... YOUR special day. It's MINE. Now get away from my stallion, usurper!"
If Twilight was looking disheveled, this Cadence looked like she'd run a marathon without time to rest at all. Still, her horn was glowing brightly with a twin pink and blue sheen. There could be no doubt; this was the real Cadence.
Rarity blinked a few tims in confusion. "But... If you're Cadence... Then who..."
Cadence was quick to explain. "She's a Changeling. Those of her kind feed on emotions, especially Love, But as far as I can tell, they don't feel it."
With a flash of green energy and a burst of flame, the black queen of the Changelings was revealed.
Rainbow Dash looked over at the outed fake with an annoyed glare. "I knew something felt wrong. She has no Loyalty to him at all. I should've known..."
Aplejack touched her Pegasus friend on the withers. "Don' feel bad, sugar-cube. She had us all fooled."
"Hmm. I did, didn't I? I might as well introduce myself properly. I am Chrysalis, queen of the Changelings. As such, it is my duty to find food for my subjects, who are already at work on the shield around this city. When they breach it, it will be a swift battle before..." She smiled wickedly. "Well, I'll let you imagine the rest."
Celestia's face was twisted in anger. If there was one thing that she couldn't stand, it was someone threatening the well being of her subjects. And bugs as a second. She REALLY hated bugs.
Seeing this, Twilight called out to the crowd. "Everypony! Run for it!"
One stallion looked confused. "Huh? Why?"
Twilight facehoofed. "So our leader, Celestia of the Unconquered SUN can fight all out. Without burning everypony to a CRISP."
At that, Ponies started running as fast as they could.
Here, Chrysalis made another mistake. She was too prideful; too confident that she couldn't be beaten. This would lead to her downfall. She knew that after the last week or so of feeding on Shining Armor's love, she was stronger, exponentially so. She could take a hit, easily, she figured.
Celestia took the opportunity to open a hole in the ceiling, letting in some of her charge's light. For a brief moment, she basked in the ray of light.
At length, she inhaled deeply. "(sniff) Ah, that feels much better." Without looking away from Chrysalis, she said, "Twilight, you'd better take your brother and Cadence and get out of here. I'll handle HER."
Suiting orders to action, Twilight got Cadence and Shining Armor out of the room. However, she knew that Ponies were still too close. Thinking quickly, she scratched a magical circle by the door, Pointing her horn and giving it a blast, a bluish red shield of force sprang into existence. "Go for it, princess! This is a monodirectional heat shield."
"Twilight, you won't-" Celestia started, but was interrupted.
"No! There's no time! You need to defeat her. You've trained me for this. I can do this."
Celestia looked somewhat sadly at her protege. She couldn't stand the sun's might for long, and they both knew it. Nevertheless, Twilight was unflinching. "Alright. Do it. Let me handle this." she finished with a growl as she began to drink in a bit more of her sun's power, the heat in the room steadily rising.
Twilight started backing up, adding layers to the barrier she'd created, calculating quickly. "If I carry the one here, strengthen this rune- no, THIS one would be better..."
Before long, she had a seven fold barrier set up. By then, she was having trouble concentrating. This wouldn't be nearly as strong as her brother's barrier, but hopefully it would be enough.
Chrysalis said, "Well. We're alone. Shall we?"
Celestia flexed her limbs one at a time. "You know, it's been a while since anyone has sought to challenge me. Consider this y- (CRACK) your last chance to surrender. I'm sure we could work this out peaceably."
Chrysalis didn't respond verbally, but shot a burst of green energy.
Celestia used one wing to knock the shot away. "Dead it is." Celestia decided to open up a bit. Her mane and tail suddenly became wisps of golden flane as she began to use more of her energy. "Let's stop holding back now, hmm?"
Chrysalis was all too happy to oblige. When she opened up some of her energy, her body started glowing green in some spots and pink in others. The two charged at each other, a shockwave of heat occuring.
Twilight was concentrating on her shield as the first layer of it started to weaken. Her friends gathered behind her. Rarity said, "Twilight, darlingt! We need to go! Maybe if we get the Elements-"
Twilight shook her head as the first layer of her barrier buckled under the strain of the energies contained within. "No. I can't. If i do....then the whole place could be turned to glass!"
Just then, Shining Armor's shield began to shatter, letting in a gale-force gust of fresh air. And a swarm of black shapes. Several of them assembled before the six Ponies.
Rainbow Dash pawed at the hard cobblestones. "You just concentrate on that, Twilight. We'll keep these oversized bugs at bay. I've been hoping for some action."
Applejack nodded. "Ah reckon Dash's got th' right of it. Y'all jus' keep a'doin' what yer doin', sugar-cube."
Oddly, Fluttershy was the next to speak up. "Yes. We'll handle this." Gone was any hint of nervousness in the butter-yellow mare.
Rainbow blinked twice. "I thought you'd be scared, Fluttershy."
Fluttershy nodded. "Oh, I'm terrified. But this isn't the time to panic. Twilight needs us to run interference? That's what I'll help to do."
Twilight smiled, still unable to hide a wince as the second layer broke. "Thanks, girls. We got this!"
Inside, Celestia and Chrysalis were attacking each other in a flurry of hooves, blasts of energy and waves of heat coming from both of them. As much as Celestia hated to admit it, she was enjoying this, not that she'd let it show.
Twilight's third and fourth barrier came apart in succession. She tried to pour more of her magic into the remaining layers. 'My mentor needs me; my friends need me; my country needs me...' she repeated to herself as the first and second rings of her horn began to glow brighter.
Another flash of energy and another barrier came undone. Twilight knew that she wouldn't be able to keep this up for much longer. If the last two layers caved, then-
"NO!" she exclaimed, refusing to let that happen. Her horn was a scintillating violet, her mane and tail suddenly twin wildly flying wisps of flame, much like her mentor's at the time. Feeling the energy contained within still increasing, she let out a yell of concerted effort. "RrrrrAGH!" Twilight's Cutie Mark began to glow brightly, practically a beacon of light, regardless of the time of day.
Her friends' marks began to react as well. The bond that they shared made them all stronger together. More and more Changelings were coming onto the scene. As they each felt the power that they shared be unleashed, sigils began appearing on their legs.
There was a sound of shattering glass and six bright lights streaked toward the six Ponies. None other than the Elements of Harmony, in necklace (and crown) form, attached to their respective bearers. Their manes and tails gained extra streaks of colour, beginning to wave in an unseen wind.
Rainbow Dash snorted. "Come on, girls! We can't give up now!"
The sixth layer of Twilight's force-field came undone, despite her best effort. Suddenly, from on high, a shaft of light enveloped her.
"Twilight. Twilight Sparkle!" a ghostly echo called. "As it stands, even now, you are incapable of withstanding the full might of Celestia's sun." A bright mote of light appeared in Twilight's vision.
"We, grand mages from the past, will grant you our strength." another voice said, this one more feminine. "All you must do is incant the phrase we give you. The stars will grant you strength."
The motes disappeared from her vision, but Twilight felt words solidify in her mind.
"Brightness beyond highest noon,
Violet beyond the deepest night!
Coming from the stream of time,
Where I draw from your might!
I pledge to protect,
The Ponies of this land.
With the power of this gift,
You give me to command!
Stars above and earth below!
Heed my voice, let all know!
That this task before us is no match!
Stellar Might! TAIYOOOOOOOH!"
A new shaft of light appeared from on high, enveloping Twilight with its energies. Immediately, Twilight's barrier doubled in strength, suddenly restoring the layers in reverse. Two layers; three; four!
Having finished off the asembled Changelings, Twilight's friends, their colours brighter than ever, gathered by their friend. They shared their energies with her, bolstering her against the onslaught of solar and Changeling energies that were still wreaking havoc within the barrier.
And after a long moment.... it was over. The six Ponies collapsed, exhausted, panting hard. The barrier fell away and one last wave of heat streaked upward into the sky before exploding with a sound that would be heard for miles.
More Changelings gathered, some angry, some confused, some determined.
After a moment, the melted door to the wedding hall flew off of its hinges, embedding in a nearby brick wall. Celestia, still in her empowered form, exited the building. Stepping in front of the spent Ponies, she dropped the remains of Queen Chrysalis before her charges. "Your leader is defeated. Now. Will you all surrender peacefully? Or will I have to continue to be rough?" she all but growled the last.
In unison, the Changelings bent their heads and bowed.
The battle for Canterlot was won.
Two days later, the wedding hall and all of the nearby structures were repaired. The wedding went off without a hitch, and everypony was celebrating.
Oddly enough, the sigils that had appeared on the legs of the Six never actually disappeared, apparently burned into their very hides, as assuredly as their Cutie Marks. For Twilight, there was one other surprise...
Rarity looked over to Twilight. "So, how are you adjusting to the wings, dear?"
Twilight flexed the new appendages. Ephemeral(1) as they were, they were functional. "All told? Fairly well. Rainbow Dash has been a big help with that."
Rainbow waved that off. "Ah, no biggie, Twi. Those wings of yours are made for flyin'! Or they will definitely be so when they mini... munna..."
"Manifest." Twilight corrected.
"That."
Yes, Twilight and her friends were on the track to apotheosis, as her mentor had intended to happen eventually. Sort of. As one of the few Ponies to have been touched by the stars, her journey had just become a bit more interesting.
The Changelings of the Sapphire hive had pledged allegiance to Celestia, Luna and Cadence readily. As the victor of what they called the Crown Challenge, Celestia had basically become the new queen. Of course, she refused to take on this responsibility by herself and decided to share the privilege with her fellow princesses. As it turned out, Chrysalis was a rogue from a different hive, who had become a queen by force, rather than by the choice of her hive or her citizens.
"A toast to our victory and to the union of Cadence and Shining Armor!" Twilight called.
"Cheers!" they said as one, clinking their glasses.
Author's Note
1: Uh, in this case Ephemera like you might find in Warframe. But more functional.