THE PRINCESS PRIDE
Celestia’s sun began to rise above the horizon. In a nearby small town, a small dragon in a small bed—inside of an awkwardly large tree—began to stir. The green and purple dragon sat up, yawned, and gave a big stretch. He clambered out of his basket and made his way to the stairs, where he noticed a blur of lavender motion from below.
"Twilight?" Spike asked, groggily.
"Hi, Spike!" Twilight Sparkle shouted as she worked.
"Twi, did you sleep last night?"
Twilight was exasperated. "Huh? Oh, Wow! Morning already? I guess there's no time for sleeping, then!"
"What have you been doing this whole time?"
As they spoke, Twilight had rushed back and forth between her desk and her bookshelves so many times that Spike had grown weary of counting. All the while, she had been levitating various pens and papers, making plans and meetings between her and her friends or different ponies with whom she now worked in her royal position.
In fact, ever since her crowning, Twilight, already a notorious busybody, had become even more busily embodied. She rarely stopped her work, which mostly entailed some minor accordances and appearances at Ponyville's many events and speeches. Such work was reserved for the town’s political officials, but Twilight chose to shoulder their load, anyway. Spike often asked why, and he usually heard that it was her "duty as a princess of Equestria.” He also received lectures on relationships of power and responsibility, but he typically blocked those out.
"Well, Pax wants me to make a speech at the re-opening of the Cloudsdale Library next week, and Mayor Mare would like me to help judge the annual Ponyville cider contest on Tuesday. Luna and I are also supposed to go to Canterlot for a fundraiser on the 23rd, so I've been making the necessary arrangements all night! But that's behind me, now. What's on today's agenda, Spike?"
As Twilight was finishing her sentence, she sent a small, leather-bound book surrounded by a pink aura at Spike; it flew a bit faster than Spike would have liked. He caught the book, causing his palms a minor stinging sensation, and he flipped to the day’s date. "Let's see...Today, at two, you're supposed to give a lesson to Cheerilee’s class about the monarchy...at four, you have a meeting with the Mayor to discuss upcoming event...and at six, you're supposed to have coffee with Cadance.”
"Oh, good! Those gaps give me just enough time to finish Diplomacy For Dummies!”
"Twilight, you know we have diplomats for that.” Spike had noticed Twilight meticulously study many things that she would probably never do. She was reading Diplomacy For Dummies, Impeachment For Idiots, Federalism for Fools, and other guides with similarly derogatory titles. Spike was upset; Twilight was a heavy reader, but now that she was a princess, she rarely stopped her "work."
"I know, but what if I ever need to? I'm a princess now, Spike! I have more responsibility! I need to be prepared for anything.”
"I guess..."
"Anyway, I need to get going. I have some errands to run beforehoof," Twilight added.
"O.k., then. See you when you get back.”
"Oh! And while I'm gone, would you mind cleaning up?"
"WAIT WHA—" Was all that Spike could get out before a loud SLAM! Twilight was now out the door and on to town.
Birds crossed an azure sky dotted with puffy clouds, as it was a beautifully bright and sunny day above Ponyville. The day was breezy, but not windy; it was cool, but not cold. It was the kind of day that made a pony want to go outside, maybe have a picnic with family or friends, and either play some games or simply take in the loveliness.
And so they did. Blankets took up the ground throughout the park, atop which ponies sat, eating, chatting, or just enjoying the day. Groups of ponies also played hoofball, their jeers and running heard by all throughout. All the while, small ensembles played music to match the mood.
It was a stress-free day in Ponyville...except, of course, for a newly appointed princess.
Twilight Sparkle walked through the park, her face kept down at her planner. She scribbled some notes for the lecture that she was to give in about an hour, thoroughly looking them over and ensuring their accurate portrayal of the monarchy. She wrote and revised them over a week ago, when Cheerilee originally asked her to present, but she could never be too careful, she supposed.
A friendly voice suddenly interrupted her thoughts. "Hey, Twilight!"
Twilight turned to see her rainbow-maned friend waving. Behind her a few yards, the rest of the Elements of Harmony had a blanket.
"Hi, Rainbow Dash!" Twilight responded.
"Why don't you come join us? We brought food!"
"Oh...Sorry, Rainbow. I'd love to, but I have a lesson to teach in a little, and I can't be late.”
"It's cool. We’re going out for dinner, later—around seven, if you'd like to join us, then."
"Sorry, I'm kind of booked all day, but definitely some other time!"
"Oh. O.k., then. Maybe next week."
It broke Twilight’s heart to decline her friends’ invitations, but she wanted to represent herself as a hard working, dedicated princess. She still loved her friends, but she had a duty to the people. This duty, to her, meant sometimes sacrificing pleasure for business, and she would not be so pompous as to "pencil in" her friends. She knew that there would be time to spend with them later.
It's a busy time of year, Twilight reminded herself. Things will slow down, soon.
Twilight was an engaging speaker; the school ponies sat up straight and listened attentively to her lecture. She went on at length about the founding of the kingdom and the building of Canterlot castle. She told tales of adventurous princes and princesses who saved the magical land from its countless impending dooms. She went on for the better part of an hour and answered a few questions before the students were dismissed. They filed out of the room, some stopping to shake hooves, until only she and Cheerliee remained.
Twilight stared out of the window facing the park, where her friends and the other ponies were playing and having fun. She felt a bit jealous of them...all of them.
"Thank you very much for being here, Twilight.”
"Hu—Oh, yeah! It was my pleasure," Twilight responded.
"Is something wrong, Twilight? You seem distracted."
"Oh, it's nothing. I've just been really busy since my crowning, and I haven't had a whole lot of time to spend with my friends.”
"Twilight, you should have said something! I could have taught the lesson.”
"Oh, no! I was happy to do it. I'm a princess, after all; it's my duty to help when I can."
"You have a duty to your friends, too, Twilight," stated Cheerilee.
Those words hit Twilight hard.
"Why don't you go have fun with them, now?"
“I'd love to, but I have to be at Town Hall in forty minutes.”
"Well...Ok., but don't exhaust yourself, Twilight. It's not healthy," Cheerilee warned.
Twilight stepped back into the gorgeous weather and trotted back through the park,
waving to ponies who noticed her. She headed for the very tall Town Hall building to talk to Mayor Mare about upcoming events. This worried Twilight, but she dreaded saying "no" to ponies; it made her feel independable.
Twilight approached the front entrance and pulled the door, feeling a cold blast from the fans in the lobby. The building had a very nice interior: the floors were of a shiny, white marble, and local artists had decorated the whitewashed walls with murals. Twilight approached the reception desk, behind which sat a brown stallion with a black mane. He was Mayor Mare's secretary.
"Good evening, Princess.”
"Hi! I have an appointment with the Mayor set for four o'clock."
"Ah, yes! The Mayor said she had something important to discuss with you."
"She did? Did she say what it was?"
"I have no idea, but she can see you, now.”
A bit panicked, Twilight quickly ascended the stairs to the mayor’s office. Was it a good "important," or was it a bad "important?" Had she done something wrong? Did she upset somepony? These were the questions that ran through Twilight's head as she approached the Mayor’s polished, wooden double doors. As she slowly opened one, Twilight saw Mayor Mare glance up from her desk and smile.
Phew...
"Good, you’re here! Please take a seat, Twilight."
Twilight returned the smile and walked to the chair in front of Mayor Mare's desk. "It's good to see you, Mayor. Your secretary said you had something important to discuss with me.”
"Yes, I do. You are aware that the Ponyville Mayoral election is next month, correct?"
"Of course,” Twilight replied. “You'll be running again won't you?”
"I was planning on it, but I've been thinking, recently…”
"About what?" Twilight asked, confused.
"Well...Recently, you've been doing so much work around here that you've also been performing a lot of the tasks that I would normally do. People really like you, and you really seem to enjoy helping out, and to top it all off, you're a princess. So, I have a small question to ask you.”
Twilight swallowed hard. "What is it?"
"Would you like to be the next Mayor of Ponyville?"
MY COFFEE WITH CADANCE
"I don't know." Those were the words that Twilight told the Mayor. The Mayor told Twilight to sleep on the matter.
The offer made sense when Twilight thought about it, since most princesses ruled a domain. Twilight knew that Ponyville was far from a sprawling empire, but so was the misnamed Crystal “Empire,” and Ponyville would be more intuitive to start from. It was small, the ponies knew and liked her, and it was already her place of residence. So, what about the decision was bugging her? Why was she finding it hard to say “yes?” She would probably always be busy, but was it not, however, a princess’s place to rule?
In the meantime, Twilight looked forward to finally relaxing. She plodded along Ponyville’s Main Street and noticed that it was less crowded than usual, since most of the residents were still at the park. She was going to the Pony Espresso, a small, white, one story building whose windows were large enough to show every table. Twilight spotted Cadance at one of the smaller tables, so she entered the Espresso’s nicely kept interior. The floors were brown and shiny, and the wooden furniture was dark and very polished. The place was also fairly quiet, save for a few chatting patrons.
Twilight smiled at her former foalsitter, who quickly smiled in return.
"Early as ever, I see," remarked Cadance.
"You're one to talk," quipped Twilight.
Cadance chuckled. "It's great to see you, Twi!" She rose up and hugged the former foal she used to sit for, the same foal who was now full-grown and a full-fledged princess of Equestria. The two then took their seats at Cadance’s table by one of the large windows.
"So, how was your day, Princess?" asked Cadance.
"It was long," Twilight replied with a sheepish smile. "How was your day, Cadance?"
"It was nice; I chatted with some very friendly ponies on the train ride over. But you seem tired. Is everything okay?"
"Oh, don’t worry about me! I’ve been busy, but it’s nothing I can’t handle. Really, it’s nothing."
"That doesn't sound like nothing."
"Well...maybe not, but you didn't come all the way down to hear my problems. Tell me what else is going on."
"I just wanted to know how you were handling your royal duties,” Cadance replied. “Have you had any trouble?"
"No, not in particular. It's just more work than I thought it would be.”
"Well, now that you've been royalty for a while, could I ask you something?"
"Of course. What is it?"
Cadance leaned in with a look of sincerity. "Are you happy?"
Twilight paused. Am I happy? She enjoyed being a princess, she enjoyed the notoriety, and, of course, she enjoyed the attention. That was not to say that she was full of herself, but as a pony who was not well known for most of her life, it was nice to be in the spotlight for once.
But, then again…
"Well?"
"Well...it's hard to answer."
"It can’t be that hard. Are you happy or not?”
"Well, I guess I—"
"What can I get you two, today?" A waiter had interrupted Twilight’s last thought.
"I'll have a macchiato. Extra foam," Cadance ordered.
"I'll have the same." Twilight continued to pondered her answer, even as the waiter walked away.
“Oh! I almost forgot! Your brother says he's sorry he couldn't make it, today. He's busy in Canterlot, this weekend,” said Cadance. “...and most weekends…” she added with a sigh.
Twilight was concerned. “He is? Why is that?”
“He has a lot of business in the Royal Guard, now, and he has to be there in person for a lot of it. I understand that he has responsibilities, but it does get pretty lonely sometimes…”
Twilight was surprised. "I've been going through the same thing, actually. I haven't been spending any time with my friends, and I've barely had time for anything besides business...Is it always like this when you're a princess, Cadance?"
"Of course not, Twi. It sounds like you're overbooking yourself.”
"I know, but isn't it best that I get as much done as possible? It seems appropriate for royalty, right?"
This had essentially been Twilight's line of thinking on the matter. She was given a position of power—of respect—and to not use this power effectively would make her feel like she was squandering it. She wanted to avoid seeming callous or undedicated.
"Twilight, it's important to be the best princess you can be, and it’s important to please the citizens of Equestria. But you shouldn't neglect your own happiness.”
Twilight felt conflicted. "I know what you mean, but it's hard. I feel obligated to help whenever I can, and in case I haven't mentioned it, Mayor Mare wants to know if I want to be the next mayor of Ponyville. I feel like I should, and I could do more with that position, but I doubt that I would have any time for my friends."
"Twilight, if I had to choose between my royal position and your brother, I would happily give up my throne, my title, and all of my wealth for him, and he would do the same. Never prioritize your job over those who love you."
As Cadance spoke, the reality of her situation hit Twilight all at once. Her stomach felt like it was in a knot. She neglected her friends because she felt that it was "appropriate” to. She ignored the ponies who meant most to her to do things that could easily have been done by others. She felt awful.
"You seem distraught, Twi."
"Cadance, I know that this is incredibly rude of me, but I have to go.”
"I think I understand," Cadance responded with a smile. "Same time next month?"
"You got it," replied Twilight as she stood from her chair. She darted out the door.
The sun was now setting over the hills, painting Ponyville orange and making it a bit dimmer. The streets became crowded as ponies from the park, knowing that it was about to get dark, were now returning to town. Twilight knew that a certain group of friends would likely be doing the same for dinner.
We're getting dinner at seven, if you'd like to join us.
It was almost seven. Twilight trotted down Main Street, carefully checking every restaurant for her friends. She spotted them a few blocks down at the Blue Dragon, a nice restaurant right in the middle of town. Twilight found them sitting on the patio and smiled to herself; she proceeded to join them.
Twilight’s night was wonderful. It was dinner with friends—quite simple, really—but it was also the best night that she had in a month. They were naturally happy to see her again, but regardless, she apologized for how she had been acting. They forgave her, and together, they laughed, they ate, they drank, and then, they laughed a little more. Twilight never remembered feeling so content, and she decided that during the next day, she would decline the Mayor's proposal. She had more important matters to attend to, like making up for all of the time that she lost.
As Twilight walked home, numerous shops and streetlights illuminated her way. She approached Golden Oaks while preparing Spike an apology; she had treated him pretty badly this past month, too, and she wanted to make up for it. The bucket of ice cream in her saddle bag was heavy, but after what Spike went through, it was well worth the weight.
She stepped inside to see a surprisingly clean and tidy home. From a ladder, Spike was organizing books, and Twilight remembered asking him to reorganize the library.
"Hi, Spike! I brought your favorite!"
" Hey Twilight, All of the books are back where they belong, and I made sure to arrange them by category—alphabetically of course—and dust them. The floor is vacuumed, the carpets are clean, and I made you some tea. Are you happy now?"
"You know Spike, in the greater scheme of things... I really am."
The End
May your joy be as deep as the oceans.
Your troubles as light as its' foam.
And May you find sweet peace of mind,
Wherever you may roam.
