First Hoof Account

Lunch in the garden was one of their favorite standbys: rose petal and mustard on sourdough, made by Chef Gastro. Sneer at griffon cuisine if you wanted to, but Sunset knew Gastro was just as much a master of Equestrian dishes as ones from his homeland.

The morning had been full of activities together: a little practice with magic (trying to teach Cadance the basics of enchantment by her making a magic alarm clock), then a few hours of painting in the garden. After lunch the schedule would take them separate directions briefly - Sunset to a history class and Cadance to a tutor, catching her up on mathematics - before coming back together around dinner. After that, they had a dance lesson planned. This time they would be moving more towards modern dance as Cadance was quietly suggesting they slip out one evening and hit up the dance clubs along Dressage Drive. (Sunset was still a little reluctant, but there was enough mischief in sneaking out that they both knew she would eventually give in.)

That was hours ahead, however, and right now was for eating lunch and laughing together. They talked about nothing, letting the words flow in that comfortable way it did between friends that needed no reason or purpose to be with each other.

It was when that conversation hit a natural but brief lull that Cadance dropped her bombshell. "Sunset? We need to talk."

The unicorn's blood froze. They were fearsome words, but the normal fears about relationships were not entirely why Sunset locked up. It was all of the information about the Nightmare that had been revealed the day before and still weighed heavily on Sunset's mind - right now the foremost of which was Princess Celestia's threat. The garden was beautiful, but it had too many places for ears to hide.

Her poleaxed expression must have been pretty obvious since Cadance quickly amended herself. "No! No no, I mean-- Sunset, I need your opinion on something."

Her heart restarted. "Uh, okay, sure?" They both pretended her tone was casual and calm, rather than panic-fraught.

Cadance took a deep breath, bracing herself. "I think I'm going to drop out of the School for Gifted Unicorns."

Sunset's expression in reaction to that must also have been obvious because Cadance brought her wing up in time to protect herself from Sunset's spit-take. "What?!"

The alicorn cringed back, ears flattening. "It makes sense! Just... let me explain?" She paused, letting Sunset give her a doubting but permissive nod. "I've been thinking about what Lady Kinnaris said. Maybe it was true and maybe it wasn't, but they're right that Princess Celestia is, well, distant. She always stands away from the ponies around her. Emotionally, I mean - I'm pretty sure you've seen it, too." Another nod from Sunset - one carried on the back of quite a few arguments. "That's how she rules. She's the Princess and she keeps herself apart from her 'little ponies'. And something I've been thinking about since I came here was how I could be like that." Cadance paused again, taking another bracing breath. "And I've realized I don't want to."

There was no way Cadance could have known about the argument between Sunset and Celestia on that very subject. No way. But hearing that statement made Sunset smile widely at her victory none the less.

"I don't want to be the gardener watching over everything. If I'm going to be a princess, I'm going to be a princess my way. With a personal touch." Cadance's head rose at that, back straightening. "The Sun might be able to be distant, but I'm supposed to be Love. Love needs ponies - and griffons and zebras and all the rest - to exist."

Sunset reached over and put a hoof on Cadance's. "I agree. You're a different kind of princess."

The hoof-hold turned into a hug. "I'm so glad you understand, Sunny!" Cadance didn't hold back her joy.

Neither did Sunset, who embraced her with the same enthusiasm. They did eventually pull back, though - at least a little. "I don't understand why that means you're dropping out of school, though."

"Oh!" Cadance blushed a little. "Right, sorry. Part of my plan is that if I'm going to be an accessible princess, I need to go out there and be part of them. That means taking down the barriers that Auntie thinks are required. I can't connect with ponies if my day to day is private tutors and twice a week spending an hour in class at the most exclusive school in Equestria. So I'm dropping all of that so I can attend Canterlot Academy full time."

It was a sound plan. A sensible plan. Straight forward, effective, and directly playing to Cadance's stated goal. Brave, even, considering somepony had tried to kill her only three days before. But Sunset Shimmer - ever the over-achiever, ever the self-superior, ever just a bit of a snob - physically recoiled at the idea of Princess Cadance going to public school. A mixed tribe school, even! "But the quality of--"

Cadance held up a hoof. "It doesn't matter. Sunset, I'm barely attending Celestia's School as it is. Most of my education is from private tutors - which includes you. And while yes, they're all very good, they're also keeping me from knowing anypony that isn't on Auntie's carefully curated list." She paused thoughtfully for a moment. "Maybe that's even the point." She shook her head, banishing the thought and the thorny path it went down. "What I mean is that I'm willing to sacrifice a little bit of educational quality for a better chance at connecting with the ponies around me." She laughed, trying to dismiss the concerns. "It's not like I need to have a prestigious school on my resume."

It was a good point. Sunset knew it was a good point, too. She even agreed with it. But her instincts also said it was wrong. Cadance was royalty. She deserved the-- no, she had a right to the best. A duty to it. So Sunset remained silent as she fought herself over which way to lean.

Unaware of the indecision, Cadance plunged ahead. "And I'm going to get a job."

That was curveball enough to knock Sunset out of her thoughts. "What?"

"Not something serious!" Cadance was quick to concede that point. "With all the princess stuff, I could never hold a real schedule. But I need to get out there and interact with real ponies, not just nobles and guards and palace staff. Something part time, like a paper route or foalsitting."

Once more, Sunset found her mind derailed as she attempted to picture an alicorn delivering newspapers. The sheer insanity of the idea made her worldview spin.

"Or, I don't know..." Cadance faltered a little as her still only partially formed plan ran out of alternatives. "Something where I can be out there. I... I want to be a princess of the ponies. Of them, not over them." She lapsed into awkward silence, nervously bracing for Sunset's response.

It took a few moments more for the shock of it all to wear off. Then Sunset took several more to look Cadance over - taking in her uneasy expression, her shifting in the chair, and her steel-braced spine in spite of the worry. "I'm not sure I agree with your plan," Sunset slowly stated, "But I trust you. I'll support you with this, Cadance."

Relief flooded her features, turning nervousness to a lighthouse bright smile. "Thank you. That's all I can ask."

Sunset smiled back and her brain worked. The methods were... less than ideal. The idea of a princess dropping out of school and doing menial odd jobs struck wrong with every part of Sunset - but there was a certain sick sense to it. Cadance wasn't Celestia, so maybe this was part of that. Less throwing away what it meant to be a princess and more of a redefining. That suited Cadance.

And it played well with Sunset's own plans. Letting Cadance handle the soft touch - the diplomacy, the hob-nobbing, being the velvet glove - had been the idea for months now. Being in that role made her the perfect complement to Sunset's iron hoof - the grand strategy, the hard choices, the proper ruling - and it let the two act as halves of a whole.

Plus it made Cadance happy.

They hugged and smiled, coming together briefly before returning to their sandwiches. Two bites later, Sunset continued the conversation with the other looming problem. "Have you told Princess Celestia yet?"

She obviously had not, given Cadance's return to nervous shifting. "Tonight," she mumbled. "I was going to tell her when I see her tonight." Then Cadance startled. "Oh! The dancing. Can we reschedule--"

Sunset immediately waved it off. "Yeah, I get it, this is a big deal. I'll take a rain check." She paused, switching back on track with a tense frown. "Do you want me to go with you?"

And Cadance considered it - then shook her head. "No. I, um." Her cheeks flushed a little. "The two of you have been butting heads a lot lately. I appreciate the moral support, but it might lead to, um." She hesitated, trying to find the right words. "Things might get too heated." There was an unspoken undercurrent: Cadance probably knew about the fight Sunset and Celestia had over the subject of the Nightmare.

It was a fair concern, though, and Sunset knew it. Princess Celestia had a hard head and didn't like admitting when she was wrong - and Sunset was very good at finding the Princess' flaws. And, truthfully, Celestia was skilled at finding Sunset's own buttons.

So Sunset nodded and gave Cadance a softer smile. "Alright. If you need me, though, you know where to find me."

She laughed. "Probably in your room, muzzle-deep in a book." Cadance a saucy wink to be playful.

Sunset pouted in return. "You make me sound boring."

"Not boring. Just focused." Coming from any pony else, it would have sounded snide. But Cadance meant it kindly, and Sunset knew that.

It didn't stop her from playfully pouting, though. "Well, either way you're right. I'll probably be in my room. If you need me."

Another smile, and they once more lapsed into silence with their lunches.

They were almost done - Sunset's sandwich was gone and Cadance's was down to two small bites - when it broke again.

"Am I doing the right thing?"

Sunset looked up at the question.

Cadance repeated it. "Am I?" Then rephrased. "Do you think I'm doing the right thing."

"I..." Sunset's indecision came roaring back. "I don't know. My gut says no but it also says yes. I don't--" She hesitated. "I don't know if this is the right way to do it, but I think you're right that you have to do something. You're not Princess Celestia. You're Princess Cadance and you need to be a princess in your own way." Sunset took a deep breath - before closing her eyes and sighing. "I trust you. Even if this ends up being the wrong choice, you're doing what you think is right."

A moment of silence. "Thank you." Cadance paused. "Do you think Auntie will see it the same way?"

Sunset didn't answer immediately, either. "She should," is what she eventually decided on. "She'd be a fool not to." Of course, Sunset was of the opinion that Princess Celestia was indeed a fool - but better not to say that and squash Cadance's hopes.

Cadance distractedly nudged the remaining crust of her sandwich around the plate. "I just need to remember to stand my ground when I talk with her." Her voice was a little distant, talking more to herself than to Sunset. "I've gone along with everything she's suggested since we met. It's been a year and I need to take control of my life again." She took a long, steadying breath. "I need to be me."

"You need to be yourself," Sunset echoed.

Eyes still on the crust. Cadance nodded with a quiet smile. "I'm glad you understand, Sunset. I don't know if I'd have the courage to do this alone."

An amber hoof reached out. A pink one took it. Sunset smiled. "You aren't alone."