The Rise Of An Empire

Chapter 2

"Twi, we're sorry-" Shining Armor began, only to be cut off.

"Sorry?" the mare in question asked. "Sorry?! I don't care about your apologies! I will never forgive you or the girls and Celestia."

"Twilight, we should've listened to yah, but please forgive us," Applejack pleaded.

"I will never forgive any of you!" Twilight shouted. "Look what you did!" Her horn glowed as she cast a spell, letting all of Equestria see what had happened each time she told them about how strange Cadance was acting.

"Bet I can guess what you're all thinking. Cadance is the absolute worst bride-to-be ever," said Twilight as she sipped her milkshake.

Spike was playing with the dolls for the cake and asked in a high pitched voice, "Who, me?"

Applejack said, "Spike! That goes on the cake."

Rarity asked, "Twilight, whatever are you talking about? Cadance is an absolute gem!"

"Rarity, she was so demanding!" Twilight exclaimed.

"Well, of course she is! Why shouldn't she expect the very best on her wedding day?" asked Rarity.

Twilight turned to Applejack and asked, "Applejack, did you know that after she told you how much she just 'love-love-loved' your hors d'ouvres, she threw them in the trash?"

The farmpony said, "Aw, she was probably just trying to spare my feelin's."

"No, she was just being fake and totally insincere!"

Fluttershy quietly said, "She did raise her voice at one of my birds during rehearsal."

"See? Rude!"

"But he was singing really off-key," Fluttershy said as the bird began singing off key, making Twilight cover her ears with her hooves.

She turned to the party mare and began, "Pinkie Pie, you had to have noticed how Cadance treated–" She stopped mid sentence and said, "Never mind. Rainbow Dash, you're with me, right?"

Rainbow rubbed her hooves and stretched her wings as she said, "Sorry, Twi. Been too busy prepping for my sonic rainboom to pay much attention to the bride's bad attitude."

"The princess is about to get married. I'm sure any negative behavior she might be displaying is simply the result of nerves," Rarity said as Twilight began growling.

"And I'm sure it's the result of being an awful pony who doesn't deserve to even know Shining Armor, let alone marry him!" the unicorn said angrily.

"Think maybe you're bein' just a tiny bit possessive of your brother?" asked Applejack.

"Uh-huh," agreed the rest of the mane six.

Twilight shouted, "I am not being possessive, and I am not taking it out on Cadance! You're all just too caught up in your wedding planning to notice that maybe there shouldn't even be a wedding!"

Twilight ran and said, "Shining Armor's in real trouble! You have to help–" She stopped half way upon seeing her friends. "Dresses? What are you–?"

"Can you believe it?" asked Fluttershy happily. "We're gonna be Princess Mi Amore Cadenza's new bridesmaids!"

Twilight raised an eyebrow as she asked, "New bridesmaids? What happened to her old bridesmaids?"

Applejack explained, "She didn't say. But she did tell us that she would love-love-love it if we'd fill in for them."

"Seeing as we've been working so hard and everything," added Rarity.

"And you had your doubts about her."

"Told you she was an absolute gem!"

Rainbow Dash asked, "You sure this is what I should wear? Doesn't seem all that aerodynamic."

Rarity said, "Hmm. I'll see what I can do."

As her friends walked away, Twilight said, "Looks like I really am on my own."

"I'm here! I'm not gonna stand next to her! And neither should you!" said Twilight.

Shining said, "I'm sorry, I... I don't know why she's acting like this."

Cadance coldly said, "Maybe we should just ignore her."

Twilight shouted, "You have to listen to me!"

"Oh, goodness! Are you okay?" Fluttershy asked in concern.

"I'm fine," she snarled.

Applejack asked, "Ya sure about that?"

Twilight used her magic to cover Applejack's face with her hat. "I've got something to say! She's evil!" she said, pointing an accusing hoof towards Cadance, whom Shining quickly stepped in front of.

Twilight teleported behind Cadance and said, "She's been horrible to my friends, she's obviously done something to her bridesmaids," Cadance's eyes went wide in fear as Twilight began cornering her, "and if that wasn't enough, I saw her put a spell on my brother that made his eyes go all like this!"

"Why are you doing this to me?!" cried Cadance as Twilight advanced on her.

"Because you're evil!" Cadance ran, and as she teleported behind Cadance, who was still crying. "Evil! And if I don't stop you, you're gonna ruin my brother's life!"

She ran back into the throne room, pleased with what she had done, only to fall as she ran into a very angry Shining Armor. He glared at her, and said, "You want to know why my eyes went all like that? Because ever since I started having to perform my protection spell, I've been getting terrible migraines. Cadance hasn't been casting spells on me. She's been using her magic to heal me! And she decided to replace her bridesmaids because she found out the only reason they wanted to be in the wedding was so that they could meet Canterlot royalty! And if she hasn't been on her best behavior with your" he stomped his hoof on the floor "friends, it's because with me being so busy, she's had to make all the decisions about the wedding!"

"I was just trying to–"

"She's been completely stressed out because it's really important to her that our big day be perfect! Something that obviously wasn't important to you!" Shining Armor said harshly. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go and comfort my bride. And you can forget about being my best mare. In fact, if I were you, I wouldn't show up to the wedding at all."

"C'mon, y'all. Let's go check on the princess," Applejack suggested, and the mane five walked out the doors.

"I was-" Twilight began to say, only to stop.

Princess Celestia walked past the mare as she said, "You have a lot to think about."

"See?" Twilight yelled as she stopped the spell. "Every single mother bucking time I tried to tell you, you all acted like that! You never believe me unless you can see the threat with your own eyes! And I don't need friends or family like that! Goodbye forever!"

"Also, remember that all of Equestria saw this!" Not giving the stunned ponies a chance to say a word, Twilight stomped out of the castle. Spike ran after her, calling her name. "What do you want?" she asked, glaring at him.

Scared by Twilight's harsh tone, Spike gulped, "Twilight, I wanted to say that I'm sorry. I was afraid of getting kicked out of the wedding... Could you forgive me?" he asked, kneeling in front of Twilight.

She looked at him for a few minutes, weighing her options. Spike is like a brother to me... And he could help... "Fine. I'll forgive you." He rose and she said, "Sit on my back. We're leaving."

Spike did as she said, and asked, "Where are we going Twilight?"

"There's this place called The Crystal Empire that I learnt about..."

Author's Note:

Here's the next chapter! I hope you all enjoyed this, and don't forget to vote, like, comment, favorite, and follow!

Chapter question- What will they do at the Crystal Empire? Remember to cover your guess with a spoiler!