A Canterlot Wedding, part 2

[no_vampires_plz]

The trip to Canterlot isn't a hardship, at least; Princess Celestia was thoughtful enough to reserve a private train car for the seven of them. The six ponies and one dragon are free to talk back and forth without disturbing anypony else.

"A sonic rainboom? At a wedding?" Rainbow Dash beams. "Can you say 'best wedding ever'?"

"Best wedding ever!" whoops Pinkie Pie.

Spike looks smug. "So you all get to help with the big fancy wedding, but I'm the one who gets to host the bachelor party!" A beat. "I have just one question. What's a bachelor party?"

One pony, however, isn't participating in the discussion. Twilight Sparkle is sitting at the far end of the car, looking mournfully at the landscape as it passes by.

Eventually, Apple Jack breaks off from the rest of the group to go see her. "Why the long face, sugarcube?"

"I'm just thinking about Shining Armor," Twilight replies, not looking away from the window. "Ever since I moved to Ponyville, we've been seeing each other less and less. And now that he's starting a new family with this Princess Mi Amore Cal-whatshername, we'll probably never see each other."

"Come on, now. You're his sister," reassures Apple Jack. "He'll always make time for you."

Twilight sulks harder. "Couldn't seem to make time to tell me he was getting married."

---

"We're here, we're here!" Pinkie Pie bounces up and down in her seat as the train approaches the outskirts of Canterlot. Twilight doesn't even acknowledge her.

What she does acknowledge, however, is the ripple of magical energy that passes over the whole train and everyone in it. Looking out the window, she realizes it's a protection spell, one that covers the entire city. What in the world would they need a force field like that for? And why did it feel so familiar as it passed over?

The train pulls up to the platform, which is flanked by a dozen armored stallions. "Whoa, what's with all the guards?" remarks Rainbow Dash as she pokes her head out the door.

"I'm sure they're just taking the necessary precautions," says Rarity with a dismissive wave of her hoof. "Royal weddings do bring out the strangest ponies." (As if to drive the point home, Pinkie sneezes confetti onto the platform.) "Now let's get going, we've got work to do!"

"And you've got a big brother to go congratulate," says Apple Jack with a knowing nod toward Twilight.

"Yeah, 'congratulate,'" Twilight mutters sourly. "And then give him a piece of my mind."

Comments

[bbbfforever]

Shining Armor is on one of the many balconies of the castle. He was giving directions and orders to the royal guards directly under his command. He points his hoof one way, his expression very serious. Then, his ears perk up and he glances over the railing of the balcony.

[no_vampires_plz]

He'll see a certain purple unicorn marching purposefully across the courtyard. "I've got something to say to you, Mister!" she calls.

[bbbfforever]

"TWIGHLY!" Shining Armor exclaims as he takes off his helmet and rushes down to meet his sister. "Ah! I've missed you, kid. How was the train ride? I..." He moves in for the hug.

[no_vampires_plz]

She ducks away and glares at him. "How dare you not tell me in person that you were getting married?!" Twilight demands. "I'm your sister, for pony's sake!"

[bbbfforever]

"It's... Not my fault." His expression darkens to a more serious note. "Princess Celestia has ordered a major increase in security." He paces a bit and then continues, "Didn't you see all of the guards at the train station?"

[no_vampires_plz]

"Yeah. There's a big wedding coming up, maybe you heard about it?"

[bbbfforever]

"It has nothing to do with the wedding."

Shining Armor walks next to his sis and sighs.

"A threat has been made against Canterlot. We don't know who is behind it but, Princess Celestia has asked that I provide some additional protection."

He looks up at the sky for a moment and then back to Twilight. He places a hoof gently under Twighly's chin and looks into her eyes,

"This you need to see."

Now he closes his eyes and concentrates as an energy surrounds his horn. As he does so, the barrier becomes visible. His eyes go a bit crossed but he recovers quickly.

"The burden of Canterlot's safety rests squarely on my shoulders. Staying focused on the task at hand is my... Top priority,"

He says this as they head upstairs.

[no_vampires_plz]

So that's why the protection spell felt familiar. Part of Twilight is impressed; protection spells are Shining Armor's special talent, but she had no idea her brother could cast a spell big enough to cover an entire city.

She's not about to let herself stop being mad that easily, though.

"Okay, okay, I get it. You've got a really important job protecting all of Canterlot with a force field only you can conjure up. But still..." Twilight sighs. "How could you not tell me about something as big as your wedding? Am I not that important to you any more?"

[bbbfforever]

"Hey, you're my little sister. Of course you're important to me,"

He eyes Twilight out of the corner of his eye,

"But I'd understand if you didn't want to be my best mare now."

He bites his lip.

[no_vampires_plz]

"--you want me to be your best mare??" says Twilight, taken aback.

[bbbfforever]

"Well, yeah."

He walks over to his sister and smiles.

[no_vampires_plz]

"...I'd be honored."

This time, she accepts the hug.

But only for a few seconds before remembering she's still supposed to be mad. "But I'm still pretty ticked you're marrying somepony I don't even know! When did you even meet this 'Princess Mi Amore Cadenza'?"

[bbbfforever]

"Twighly... Princess Mi Amore Cadenza... Is Cadance. Your old foal sitter?"

He laughs a bit.

[no_vampires_plz]

Twilight double-takes.

"Cadance? As in the Cadance? As in the greatest foalsitter in all the history of foalsitters??"

[bbbfforever]

He laughs even more now.

"You tell me. She was your foalsitter."

[no_vampires_plz]

"Ohmygoshohmygosh--" All of Twilight's anger has turned to pure enthusiasm. "Cadance is only the most amazing pony ever! She's beautiful, she's caring, she's kind... and how many unicorns can just spread love wherever they go? I only know of one--and you're marrying her!"

Twilight hops in a circle around her big brother, singing with joy. "You're marrying Ca-dance, you're marrying Ca-dance..."

[nponyc]

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything important?"

The tone of that voice, and the expression attached to it, might not be precisely what Twilight expects. Cadance stands in a doorway - directly in front of Twilight, as it happens - looking and sounding irritated.

[no_vampires_plz]

For the moment, Twilight is too enthused to care. "Cadance!" she shouts, before dropping into a crouch to start the little rhyme and dance the alicorn had made up for her when she was a filly:

"Sunshine, sunshine,
Ladybugs awake!
Clap your hooves
And do a little shake!"

[nponyc]

Cadance doesn't seem impressed.

"What are you doing?"

[no_vampires_plz]

"Cadance, it's me! Twilight!"

Doesn't she remember?

[nponyc]

"Uh-huh."

Well, that answers that.

Cadance walks right past Twilight to go stand by Shining Armor, giving a big smile as she reaches him.

[bbbfforever]

"I've got to get back to my station,"

He puts his hoof around Cadance's shoulder,

"but Cadance will be checking in with all of you to see how things are going. I think I speak for both of us when I say... We couldn't be more excited to have you here. Right dear?"

[nponyc]

"Absolutely."

It's, odd, though; rather than an excited grin, or even the smile she had for Shining Armor a moment ago, Cadance seems to be smirking at Twilight.

[no_vampires_plz]

Twilight just stares, utterly bewildered. This is the Princess her brother's going to marry? This is the kind-hearted mare who took care of her all those years?

[bbbfforever]

"Well... We'll let you get to it."

Now he turns and walks away with his bride to be.