To Sit For The Most

Chapters

The Empress
The High Priestess
The Tower
Temperance
The Fool

The Empress

The Empress represents mothers, prosperity, creativity,, abundance, fertility and comfort, often in maintaining peace like an ideal mother would. - Persona Wiki (paraphrased)

Cadence observed Twilight Sparkle, wondering how to get through to her.

“So, what do you like to do for fun, Twilight?” Cadence lowered her front half to the ground as though she was going to pounce on Twilight, her tail waggling with excitement. “Maybe you want a piggy-back ride?”

Twilight made no motion to show she heard Cadence.

“Oh, or maybe there's some toys we could play with?” Cadence looked around the room for said toys. “Maybe we can sneak into Shining Armor's room and read his diary? Or perhaps we could go and bake fresh cookies?”

Twilight continued reading her book and ignoring Cadence. It was almost as if Cadence didn't even exist to her.

“Come on, Twilight!” Cadence begged. “Give me some kind of response! At least let me know you can hear me!”

Twilight's eyes flicked from one passage of the book to another.

"Hmm.” Cadence began pacing around the room. She walked towards the kitchen door.

Cadence had never had a foal ignore her so ... skillfully. Most of them would be loud, or rude, banging toys together or sticking their hooves into their ears, but Twilight just sat down and read her book. Filtering Cadence out seemed almost as second-nature as breathing to her.

Twilight's ears didn't even twitch at the sound of Cadence's hooves clomping as she paced. If there was such a thing as PhD in 'Ignoring Ponies and Acting Like They Don't Exist,' Cadence was sure Twilight could earn it with ease.

“Okay, okay, Cadence … think.” Cadence tapped her hoof against her head, comfortably speaking aloud because she knew Twilight wouldn't hear her. “I have to enter her world, not bring her into mine.” Cadence put her hoof on her chin. “Now what do I like to do when I read my books? Ah-ha!” Cadence put her hoof into the air. “I've got it!”

Cadence walked back up to Twilight. Cadence sat down on the floor next to her.

“Twilight, at least tell me this. Have you ever turned the crisp page of a book under a warm sun on a fine, spring day?”

This, at long last, generated a response from Twilight. Twilight took her eyes away from the book, lifting her head up before turning to Cadence. “Um … no. No, I don't think so.”

Cadence flashed a mischievous, almost predatory smile. Cadence knew she had Twilight right where she wanted her.

“Would you like to?”

Thus, Cadence took Twilight to a local park, where there were a bunch of foals and fillies playing and benches for weary ponies to rest on, parents to supervise their children, or, as in Twilight's case, sit down and cuddle up with a good book. Cadence and Twilight made themselves comfortable on one such bench.

“So,” Cadence craned her neck over Twilight's shoulders, “what book are you reading?”

“Daring Do and the Quest for the Stone of the Elements.” Twilight answered.

“Daring Do, huh?” Cadence smiled and rested her neck on the bench. “Yeah, I love that series, too. I can't believe Daring got married to that Saddle Arabian prince! It was a great ending to the series! What did you think about it?”

Twilight looked up at Cadence with an air of haughtiness. “Obviously, you're referencing the events of Daring Do and the Secret Clan of Yeti, which, if you'd been keeping up, per the interview printed in issue thirty-seven of Pony's Digest, you would know A.K Yearling stated was not necessarily canon.”

Cadence took on a shocked expression. “Um, all right. But what about Ahuiztol? Why wasn't he in the Secret Clan of Yeti?”

“If you'd pay attention and examine the hints, you would know the Secret Clan of Yeti took place later in Daring Do's life, and it's implied in this alternate timeline, she's defeated Ahuitztol for good.” Expecting no further distractions, Twilight returned to her book.

Cadence sat there, slack-jawed. I don't believe it. Does this filly really know more about literature than I do? Was I just outdone in my understanding of a book series' chronology by a filly?

Cadence was snapped out of her realization by the sounds of yelling foals.

“Give it back!” One custard cream-colored unicorn filly said.

“No!” was the reply, followed by a raspberry.

Cadence lifted her head up. She became displeased when she saw the foals involved. Jet Set was holding a ball, likely keeping it from the filly and her friends, all of whom were saddened by Jet Set holding onto their ball for himself.

“Twilight, stay here.” Cadence said. “I have to go deal with something.” Her eyebrows furrowed, Cadence marched towards Jet Set and the other foals. Jet Set was enjoying himself, tongue outstretched as he bounced the ball up and down.

“Jet Set?” Cadence asked, successful in gaining Jet Set's attention.

“Yeah?” Jet Set asked. “What do you want?”

“I was wondering what's going on here.”

“He took my ball!” The filly said, pointing at a hoof at Jet Set.

“Jet Set? Is this true?”

“Yeah. What of it?” Jet Set made the ball bounce with his hoof. “My parents always say, “you have to take what you want!” I wanted it, so I took it.”

“That's not very nice.” Cadence said. “And I'm pretty sure your parents meant something else. Would you please give her the ball back?”

“Hmm … nah.” Jet Set took the ball away.

“Jet Set!” Cadence snapped, doing her best to emulate the authoritative voice of most parents.

“I don't have to listen to you!” Jet Set said. “You're not my foalsitter right now!”

Cadence, despite her best efforts not to and to refrain from yelling, lost her temper. “Now you listen here, you ungrateful, unappreciative, spoiled brat … I may not be your foalsitter, but I am older than you AND I'm still a Princess. Do you see the crown? Do ... you ... see the crown?” Cadence gestured to the crown on her head.

Jet Set blew his tongue out at her.

Cadence growled. She was about to do – she didn't know, something, something physical to him. Something she knew she would regret. But she heard the other children talking, and it was enough of a distraction she could got a hold of herself and not go through with it.

“Hey, is that Twilight Sparkle?” One foal said, pointing at Twilight on the bench.

“Yeah, I think it is!”

“I heard she's scared off twelve foalsitters. Twelve! I can't even scare off one.”

“When I heard the story, it was twenty-four foalsitters!”

“I heard she frighted off a criminal from out of her house.”

“And you know what I heard? I heard she controlled a ghost to do it! A ghost!”

“Don't be ridiculous. There's so such thing as ghosts.”

Cadence wrapped her wing around herself, putting a feather to chin. Hearing all those foals talk and exchange rumors gave her an idea.

Cadence returned to the bench. “Twilight?”

Twilight looked up from her book, regarding Cadence once again with those curious yet at the same time detached eyes.

“I was wondering if maybe you would be willing to come help me?” Cadence gestured at Jet Set. “You see, that little colt has a ball that doesn't belong to him. If you would come over and help me in asking for it back, I think we have good chance of actually getting it.”

Twilight shifted uncomfortably. She turned her head away.

Cadence put a hoof on Twilight's neck. “What's wrong?”

“I … I don't like playing with other foals.” Twilight admitted. “There's just something about them that makes me uncomfortable ...”

She's shy. Cadence thought. “Okay.” Cadence put a hoof on Twilight's neck. “If being around those foals will make you uncomfortable, I won't make you.”

Twilight gave Cadence a soft, appreciative, tiny smile. Given Twilight's previous disinterest in her, Cadence wondered if she was maybe hallucinating.

“Thank you ...” Twilight's voice was little above a whisper. She raised the book up to cover her face.

A smile AND a thank you? Cadence thought as she turned away from Twilight. Yup. Definitely hallucinating.

“Well ...” Cadence turned her attention back to the foals. She gulped nervously. “I guess I'll just have to go back to trying to deal with Jet Set by myself ...” Cadence was not looking forward to it, even though she forced herself forward back into the playground.

Cadence didn't meant to guilt-trip Twilight in any way. She was just lamenting the unenviable task ahead of her. But it was enough to make Twilight peek her head up over the book anyways, watching as Cadence tried to reason with Jet Set.

Twilight attempted to return to her book. But as easy it was for her to ignore Cadence when they were in the safe, and more importantly, quiet confines of Twilight's own home, the cries, wails and protests of children as Cadence talked to Jet Set proved harder to ignore.

“Ugh.” Twilight rolled her eyes and sighed, unable to focus on her book and read in peace with all of this commotion. Making a mental note of the page she was on, Twilight closed the book and tossed onto the bench before hoping down and walking towards the gathered foals.

The foals (and Cadence) all stopped and stared in surprise as Twilight approached them. She walked up to Jet Set with the most disinterested expression Cadence had ever seen on a filly; if one were to put the stoic, neutral, faceless moon and Twilight's face side-by-side, Cadence would have to say the moon would look passionate by comparison.

Jet Set had heard the rumors about Twilight Sparkle and he trembled with fear.

“Jet Set, would you please give the ball back to this filly?” Twilight pointed to a brown pegasus filly in the crowd.

“Um … that's her ball.” The filly said, pointing to the proper owner of the ball.

“Whatever.”

"Okay! Yes! Sure!" Jet Set crawled on his knees, nudging the ball with his nose towards Twilight as though she was some sort of goddess. "Here! Just don't turn me into a sheep or - or whatever it is you do!"

Twilight utilized her favorite method of communication and raised her eyebrow at him, With all the boiling fury of a broken coffee maker sputtering out a thin stream of vaguely-coffee flavored water, she kicked the ball towards the filly and began walking back towards the bench where she left her book.

“Twilight Sparkle … got my ball back.” The filly said, looking at her ball in utter disbelief. “Twilight Sparkle got my ball back!”

“Yay!” The other foals pounded their hooves and cheered in excitement. They followed Twilight Sparkle and spread out around her, expressing their admiration for their new hero. Twilight was confused when she found herself being crowded by foals on both sides. Cadence giggled at the foals' antics, not realizing the effect they were having on Twilight.

“Good work, Twilight.” Cadence said. “Good work.”

“Twilight! Twilight!” The cream-colored filly exclaimed. “Do- do you want to play with my ball, maybe?”

“Twilight, did you see how Jet Set was afraid of you? You gotta teach me how to do that!”

“Did you really scare a criminal out of your house? By yourself?”

“Eh ...” Twilight winced and froze in place. She wrapped her tail around her flank to comfort herself. All these ponies … surrounding her, calling her name, asking her so many questions …

“Twilight! You should totally come over to my house sometime. We can hang out!”

“No way! She should come over to my house first. My mom's a baker. She can make us these totally rad cookies!”

“Eh ...” Twilight began to hyperventilate. Twilight didn't think she had claustrophobia, but with all these ponies around her, it sure felt like she did. “Eh … eh … AAAAAAH!” Twilight screamed and galloped as fast she could away from the crowd. She ran and turned in the direction of her house, almost bumping into a confused passer-by, who was kind enough to move out of her way.

The foals fell into stunned silence.

“Did we … did we do something wrong?” One of them asked.

“Oh!” Cadence groaned, slapping her hoof against forehead. “I should have seen this coming! No, kids, you didn't do anything wrong. Just … maybe the next time you see her, give her a little room to breathe, okay?” Cadence took off in pursuit of Twilight. “Twilight! Twilight, come back!”

Cadence ran all the way back into the city proper, where she was surrounded by buildings and sidewalks from every direction. Twilight could have gone anywhere.

“Twilight?” Cadence asked, her voice pitiful and full of despair. Cadence had seen Twilight run towards the direction of her house, which was something, at least. Cadence hoped the little filly knew her way home.

“Twilight?” Cadence called out, opening the door to the Sparkle family's home. “Twilight Sparkle?” The door creaked, as if giving Cadence an ominous warning.

“Please be here, please be here …” Cadence begged under her breath, hoping Twilight Sparkle was here and Cadence hadn't wasted her time going to the house – time which she could have spent searching the streets.

“Twilight!” Cadence called again, looking around the foyer for signs of disturbance. She had yet to have the chance to become familiar with the building.

Neither the living room or the kitchen proving helpful to her quest, Cadence went up the stairs to the second floor. She found a hallway with two doors – one on the right, one on the left. If Cadence had to guess, she would say these were Shining Armor's and Twilight Sparkle's rooms.

The door on the left was ajar.

Cadence put a hoof to it. Closing her eyes and preparing herself for the worst, Cadence pushed the door open.

The first thing she noticed – aside from the blazing pink color – was the bed's sheets were askew.

Cadence walked into the room, frowning. If Twilight wasn't here, where was she?

Stepping into the room, she heard something. Taking a moment to calm herself, Cadence perked her ear and listened. It sounded like … breathing. Heavy breathing and teeth chattering. Now, what could be the cause of such noises?

Getting an idea, Cadence dropped to the floor and peered under Twilight's bed.

Twilight Sparkle was there, shivering and hiding in the darkness from under her bed. Twilight shivered and grimaced at the sight of Cadence.

“It's just me, Twilight. No pony else.” Cadence put on her best comforting smile, her eyes half-lidded with confidence. “Are you okay?”

“I … think so.” Twilight squeaked out.

“Want to tell me what happened?” Cadence asked. She knew what happened, but she found foals were more comfortable around her if she let them tell their version of the story.

“All those ponies ...” Twilight said. “I just – I wasn't comfortable with all of them … LOOKING at me and – and crowding me.”

“I know.” Cadence nodded. “I understand.”

“You do?” Twilight raised her little filly head up, bumping against the rafters of her bed. “Ow.”

“Uh-huh. I remember what you said about other foals making you uncomfortable. If I'd been thinking, I wouldn't have let them get so close to you and crowd you like that.”

“You … wouldn't?” Twilight asked.

“I wouldn't.” Cadence assured her. I'm sorry, Twilight Sparkle. I should have been there for you, like a good foalsitter. A good foalsitter would have kept in mind the special and unique treatment every little pony needs. But I promise you, I won't put you in the spotlight like that again, and I'll make sure none of those other foals do, either.”

Twilight looked at her with hopeful eyes. “Do – do you mean it? Do you promise?”

Cadence put her hoof across her chest. “I promise.”

Twilight smiled, however soft and slight a smile it may have been.

“I think you may have left something at the park when you ran off.” Cadence reached behind her and pulled out Twilight's copy of Daring Do and the Quest for the Stone of Elements. Twilight was overjoyed to see it.

“After you ran off, I went back and made sure to pick it up.” Cadence said. “Now, why don't you come out from there and we can sit on the bed and read this book together?” Twilight gasped at the idea, getting stars in her eyes. The expression on her face was all the permission Cadence needed to reach under the bed and pull Twilight out, lifting her up like a big teddy bear.

Cadence set Twilight down on the bed. She placed the book in front of Twilight before going around and climbing up the bed on the other side so she would be behind Twilight. Cadence draped a wing around her. “Would like you do the honors?”

“Mm-hmm.” Twilight nodded with a smile. She opened the book back to the page number she had memorized and began reading it out loud. “Daring Do had just escaped from the trap of the village ponies, led astray by Doctor Cabelleron. She knew it wouldn't be easy, but she had to get the village ponies on her side if she wanted to reach the temple in time ...”

“Twiley!” Shining Armor was the first to enter the house, soon followed by both Twilight Velvet and Night Light. “Twiley, are you here? Did you scare Cadence off already?”

There was a giggle coming from upstairs. Cadence waved goodbye to Twilight, leaving her to finish the rest of the book on her own, before going downstairs.

“Nope!” Cadence announced to them. She had to admit, she felt a bit of pride. “I'm still here.”

“Still here, and you look … okay.” Night Light said.

“So, how did it go?” Twilight Velvet asked, her nervousness showing as she tapped her hooves together.

“It went well, all things considered.” Cadence said.

“R-really?” Night Light asked. “She didn't use any tricks or any magic or anything?”

“Nope. No tricks. No magic. Okay, well, she did give me a tiny bit of a cold reception at first, but I think she's warming up to me.” Cadence said. “Oh. I should probably mention I took her to the park to read a book under the sun, and then she ran away from me, but she found her way home and she's okay.”

“You managed to get her out to the park?” Twilight Velvet yelped, her surprise overwhelming any concern she might have had about Cadence letting Twilight run away from her.

“No way!” Shining Armor said. “Twiley hates leaving the house.”

“I convinced her.” Cadence said, brushing a hoof against her chest proudly. “The trick is to play by her rules, not make her play by yours.”

“Well, I can't say I'm not impressed she hasn't broken you yet.” Night Light wore a brief smile before it faded under an expression of worry. “But still, I know Twilight Sparkle. I know my daughter. She's smart. Just because she didn't fire her opening salvo on day one doesn't mean she's not still planning to fire it. Why don't we find some excuse to get Shining Armor out of the house so we can know this wasn't just a fluke?”

Cadence looked up at the stairs. As crazy as it sounded, considering what Cadence heard about her, she was actually looking forward to sitting for Twilight again.

“I would love to sit for your daughter again, Mister Night Light.”

“Great.” Night Light shook Cadence's hoof. “I'll get in touch with you as soon we have an opening.”

Cadence and the family said their goodbyes and Cadence left the household, waving as she went through the door. She went on her way to the castle. Her excitement had her bouncing up and down the entire way to the castle.

She couldn't wait to sit for little Twilight again.

Author's Note

A bit of Fridge Logic/Horror hit me writing this. "Daring Don't" showed A.K Yearling writes her Daring Do novels based off real adventures she's had. So what horrible thing happened that made her write a non-canon entry in the series?

I was going to write Cadence's early thoughts in the chapter as "Was I just out-nerded by a filly?" But that seemed out-of-character.

My narrative states that Cadence did a good job sitting for Twilight. If the last third of the chapter seems to have an inconsistent tone, I would like you to know I didn't think about the whole 'children running away in a big, crowded city is actually kind of a big deal' thing until late writing the chapter.

I wasn't expecting this chapter to be so short. But whatever, it's not some epic or anything.

The High Priestess

The Priestess Arcana is a symbol of hidden knowledge or other untapped power, wisdom, female mystery and patience - Persona Wiki.

The next day in the afternoon, Cadence enjoyed tea and biscuits with her visiting friend, Fleur-de-lis. The two of them were laughing their hearts out at a story Fleur was telling about some blue-haired unicorn colt who'd been trying to talk to her and embarrassed himself in the process. The events involved coffee, a parrot, and a giraffe.

“- hahahaha! Ha ha ha … ha.” Fleur-de-lis sighed. “But yeah, I think he likes me.”

“If he's working that hard to get you to notice him?” Cadence swirled her spoon around in the teacup. “I would say so.”

Fleur-de-lis set her cup down on the table. “So, what have you been up to?”

“Oh, you know, the usual.” Cadence sipped her tea. “More foalsitting, followed by more foalsitting, followed by more foalsitting, followed by eating a chocolate mint somepony left on my pillow. Same old, same old.”

“What?” Fleur-de-lis whined. “No new foalsitting stories? No shenanigans you've gotten yourself into?”

“Nope.” Cadence said. She levitated up a biscuit to her mouth and took a bite out of it before noticing Fleur-de-lis staring at her. “What?”

“There's something you're not telling me.” Fleur-de-lis rested her head on her hoof. “I can tell.”

“There's nothing to tell.”

“Aw, come on! Nothing? Really?” Fleur-de-lis insisted. “We're friends, Princess Cadence. You can trust me!”

Cadence gave a bashful glance towards the floor. “Okay … there is this one foal who I've been sitting for ...”

“Go on ...” Fleur-de-lis rested her front her hooves on the table, wagging her tail back and forth as she expected some good gossip.

“And I've been enjoying sitting for her.” Cadence said.

“ … That's it?”

“That's it.” Cadence let a small amount of satisfaction slip through in her voice. If Fleur-de-lis was seeking an exhilarating tale of hardship, she would have to find it elsewhere. As far as Cadence was concerned, Twilight Sparkle was a normal filly with a few quirks, and she wasn't going to let Fleur-de-lis poke fun at Twilight for said quirks.

“Oh, all right, fine. Whatever.” Fleur-de-lis crossed her legs. “You don't have to tell me about the part where you and this filly went out some sort of secret adventure into a faraway land through a magical cabinet door that only opens every one-hundred years. It's fine.”

“You have quite the imagination.”

“So anyways, are you still trying to get that silly “Sunshine, sunshine” dance thing going?”

Cadence slammed her hoof on the table. “It's not silly! Just you wait. When we're adults, EVERYPONY will be doing the sunshine-sunshine dance!”

“Uh-huh. Sure.” Fleur-de-lis looked down into her cup before looking up and seeing Princess Celestia walking by in the adjacent hallway. The Princess stopped and looked into the door with a surprised expression, causing Fleur-de-lis to fret and worry she had done something wrong for hanging out with the Princess's niece.

“Fleur-de-lis?” Cadence asked, noticing her usually outspoken friend turn silent and fearful.

“There you are!” Celestia walked into the room. “I've been looking all over the castle for you, Cadence.”

“You have? Whatever for?” Cadence moved to drink her tea.

“I was talking to Twilight Velvet earlier. She tells me she and Night Light are going to take some time off today so they can take Shining Armor to visit the academy and discuss his schedule. She also tells me that, if you were to come by later this afternoon, you could foalsit for Twilight Sparkle again.”

Cadence did a spit-take. “Foalsit for Twilight again? So soon?” Cadence picked up a napkin and wiped off the tea dripping down her muzzle. Her face cleaned up and presentable, Cadence hopped her chair and saluted. “You can tell Twilight Velvet I'll do it.”

“That's my girl.” Celestia looked at the table. “Oh, and, uh, take one of those napkins and clean up the table before you leave.” Celestia raised an eyebrow at Fleur-de-lis. “Who's your friend?”

Cadence sighed and rolled her eyes. “This is Fleur-de-lis. She visits me every other week, Auntie Celestia. You can just never seem to remember her, for some reason ...”

“Well, I'll leave you two to it.” Celestia walked out of the room.

Fleur-de-lis sipped her tea. “I've never seen your face light up like that for foalsitting before. I mean, I've seen you excited to foalsit, sure, but never … like that.”

“What can I say?” Cadence said. “Twilight Sparkle is … well-behaved. Which is more than I say for some foals I've had to deal with … oh, speaking of which, I'd better go get ready!” Cadence ran out of the room. “Almost forgot!” She returned to the room, used her magic to wipe circles around the tea, and left once more.

Celestia stood in the doorway, watching Cadence zip back and forth.

Fleur-de-lis regarded her tea before looking up at Princess Celestia. “Princess Celestia?”

“Hmm?” Celestia turned towards Fleur-de-lis, the corner of her eye watching as Cadence left.

“You don't actually forget me, do you?” Fleur-de-lis said. “No, you just pretend you do to mess with Cadence.”

“I have no idea what you're talking about, strange, pink-haired unicorn whom I have never seen before!” Celestia said in a painfully obvious, bluffing tone. She left the doorway.

“Uh-huh.” Fleur-de-lis raised her eyebrow.

Celestia peeked her head back over the doorframe. “Don't tell her. You'll spoil my fun. It's one of the few ways I can mess with her without her guilt-tripping me back.”

Fleur-de-lis wiped a hoof across her muzzle. “My lips are sealed.”

At the house, Shining Armor fidgeted under his mother's tender touch as Twilight Velvet adjusted the black tie around his neck.

“Come on, mom!” Shining Armor complained. “I don't want to wear a tie.”

“It's a bow-tie, dear.” Twilight Velvet continued to adjust it until it was even. “First impressions are important. You want to look good your first time meeting the instructor, don't you?”

Shining Armor sighed. “I guess …”

There was a knock on the door.

“Oh!” Twilight Velvet exclaimed. “That must be Cadence.” She got up and went to the door.

“Oh yes. Sweet freedom.” Shining Armor said under his breath, relieved at the brief, fleeting moment of freedom he had from his mother's hooves.

Twilight Velvet opened the door. “Hello, Princess Cadence!”

“Hello, Miss Velvet. May I come in?”

“Oh, why, of course!” Twilight Velvet moved aside. “You don't have to ask, dear. Why, you're practically part of the family already.”

“And this has nothing to do with the fact you're a Princess!” Night Light blurted out, earning him a scolding glare from Twilight Velvet and a awkward glare from Cadence. Night Light cleared his throat. “Erm, sorry. Just wanted to clear that up.”

“Is … Twilight Sparkle here?” Cadence asked with a hopeful note as she walked in.

“Oh yes, she's right here.” Night Light looked around. “Twilight Sparkle? Come on out! Cadence is here!”

Twilight Sparkle did as she was bidden, walking out from behind a table.

“There you are.” Cadence walked over to Twilight. “How's my favorite little filly?”

“I'll bet you say that to every filly.” Twilight said.

“No! Hey, can I teach you a secret? Sunshine, sunshine, ladybugs awake, clap your hooves and do a little shake!” Cadence hopped in place, clapped her hooves, and turned around.

Shining Armor, Twilight Velvet, and Night Light Light all gave her awkward stares, put off by her eccentric dance.

Twilight looked up at Cadence with some curiosity. She looked down at her hooves and kicked them out, one at a time. “Sunshine, sunshine … ladybugs awake … clap your hooves … and do a little shake!” Twilight clapped her hooves and fumbled as she tried to turn around, losing her balance and falling onto her stomach. “Oof!”

The rest of Twilight's family giggled. Cadence was touched and put a hoof over her chest.

“Oh, wow ...” Cadence murmured. “Miss Velvet, I've been trying to teach that dance to every foal I sit for as a secret hoofshake. Twilight Sparkle is the first one who did it back. You don't know how much that means to me.”

“She must like you.” Night Light said.

Cadence stared at Twilight with quivering eyes. She noticed Shining Armor and decided to tease him again. “Well, don't you look handsome in that bow tie!”

“Ugh.” Shining Armor didn't much care for Cadence's teasing. He attempted to tear off the bow tie, only prevented by the intervention of Twilight Velvet.

“Yes.” Twilight Velvet nuzzled Shining Armor, coming off as passive-aggressive as she forced the bow tie back into place. “We want him looking his best for his first visit to the Royal Guard academy to discuss classes.”

At the mention of the Royal Guard academy, Twilight winced, scrunching her eyes shut and grimacing.

Cadence noticed Twilight's wincing and it made her think. Hmmmmmmmm.

“Classes?” Shining Armor said. “Nopony told me there would be classes. I thought I was just gonna learn how to fight bad guys!”

“That's nice, but it's still an academy, Shining Armor. Which means it's still a school, which means it still has classes. Where they teach you how to fight bad guys!” Night Light said.

Twilight Velvet rolled her eyes. She turned back to Cadence. “We can count on you, right?”

Cadence saluted. “Yes, ma'am, you can.”

Twilight Velvet nodded. “There's food in the fridge. If you need any help, don't hesitate to come find us. After we finish with Shining Armor's schedule, and hopefully get him a tour of the building, we'll be going back to the castle to resume our day jobs. Shining Armor will head back home.”

“By himself?”

“Well, sure!” Night Light said. He ruffled his son's mane. “We trust him. He's old enough.”

“We'll be leaving now. Come on, Shining Armor.” Twilight Velvet, Night Light, and Shining Armor went out the door. They and Cadence waved goodbye to each other as they walked out.

“Okay, Twilight Sparkle, what do you want to do today?” Cadence asked, turning around to face little Twilight.

Twilight Sparkle glared at Cadence. Unlike yesterday, where Twilight's eyes regarded her with detachment and disinterest, Cadence was unsettled to see them glaring at her with an expression Cadence could only describe as “contemptuous.”

“Twilight?” Cadence asked. Twilight fled into the other room. “Twilight!” Cadence chased after her into the next room over, where Twilight was nowhere to be seen.

“Twilight?” Cadence asked, her voice a squeak. How could Twilight Sparkle avoid her with such ease? And why did she want to, after the good times they had together yesterday?

“BLAAAH!”

Cadence whipped around to see Twilight Sparkle jumping out from behind a drawer, arching her body into a predatory pouncing position while making a face. She landed on her hind hooves, breathing heavily in and out, her chest rising up and down to sell the idea she was a horrible monster. She let her tongue droop from her open mouth.

Cadence paused and stared. “AH HA HA HA HA HA!” She fell onto her back laughing.

Twilight looked shocked her plan had failed. She lowered herself until she was sitting on all four hooves, her face one of utter confusion.

“Ah ha … ha … ha.” Cadence sighed and got herself back on her hooves. “Nice try, Twilight Sparkle, but you're gonna have to do better than that if you want to scare me.”

“Rawr!” Twilight growled and waved her hooves.

“Aww. Aren't you just the cutest little monster in all of Equestria?” Cadence cooed, her sly expression letting Twilight know this wasn't going to work.

“Hmph.” Twilight sat down. She looked at the floor, tapping her chin in thought. “I'm hungry.”

“Okay.” Cadence walked towards the kitchen. “Your mom said there was food in the fridge ...” Twilight ran ahead of Cadence and sat in front of the microwave, her tail wagging back and forth.

Cadence used her magic to open the fridge door. “This must be it ...” She reached in and pulled out some leftovers in a bowl. She heard an odd sound, as if something was being yanked, but didn't think much of it. She closed the fridge door and went over to the microwave, where Twilight had moved and was looking up expectantly and nervously.

“Be patient.” Cadence told her. “I still have to warm it up.” Cadence placed the bowl inside the microwave and pushed the buttons with her hoof. Nothing happened. Confused, she pushed them again to be sure. She scratched her head.

Twilight looked around the room with a worried grimace. She ran over to the silverware drawer, opened it, and rummaged through until she pulled out a spoon. Twilight closed the drawer and set the spoon on the floor. Twilight adjusted herself and looked over her shoulder, sticking her tongue as she attempted to calculate the precise angle she would need to hit the spoon for it to hit her target.

“That's odd ...” Cadence pulled the microwave out and looked behind it. “Somepony's unplugged the microwave.”

Twilight gasped. “Maybe it was a ghost?”

Cadence picked the plug up. “What makes you think it was a ghost?”

“Hasn't anypony told you?” Twilight asked. “Ghosts hate electronics.” Twilight grunted as she bucked the spoon. The spoon flew through the air and hit the light switch, turning the lights off. The kitchen went dark. “See? The lights went out! It must be a ghost! We should leave.”

“Calm down.” Cadence produced a light from her horn and plugged the microwave back in. “While yes, the microwave being unplugged and the light going out is strange, that doesn't mean there's an electronic-hating ghost out to get us.”

Cadence walked over to the light switch and flicked it back on. Cadence turned to Twilight.

“Now, Twilight Sparkle, if there was a ghost, wouldn't it try to turn the light switch back off?” Cadence suggested, crossing her hooves and smirking.

“Probably.” Twilight admitted.

“You know what? I'll make a deal with you. If this light switch goes out without you or me affecting it in any way – and that means no magic - then I'll believe you that there's a ghost. Fair enough?"

Twilight seemed displeased, but she nodded.

Cadence rested on the wall. “What?” She saw the spoon on the floor “Why is this spoon here?” Cadence bent down to pick the spoon up and put it away. She heard a clatter throughout the kitchen. When she turned around to see what was going on, Twilight Sparkle had disappeared again. “What?”

“Oh ...” Cadence thought back to everything she had heard about Twilight Sparkle before coming to sit for her. She dropped the spoon into the sink. “Oh, I see. It was you unplugged the microwave, and you used the spoon to hit the light switch while my back was turned – which I admit, was pretty clever. You're trying to frighten me and scare me away, like you did to all those other foalsitters.”

Cadence walked around the kitchen, trying to find where Twilight Sparkle was hiding this time.

“That I understand.” Cadence lifted up the lid of a jar to see if there was perhaps trace evidence of a tiny filly hoof having been inside. “What I don't understand is why you're suddenly doing this to me when I thought we were getting along after yesterday.” Cadence continued to roam around the room.

“Wait ...” Cadence walked further, putting one hoof in front the other with an arrogant stride as she fit all the pieces together. “Twilight, I saw you wince earlier when your parents mentioned the Royal Guard academy. I've been thinking about that for a long while. Since I came in. And I know you love your brother, don't you? Yes. All those foalsitters think you're just a terrifying filly, but I know what's really going on.”

Cadence moved some more miscellaneous clutter around on the counter. “You scared all those foalsitters away on purpose. You've never really been alone at the house before, have you? But now Shining Armor is going away, which means you'll need a foalsitter. But you've never been apart from Shining Armor. Not like this. You don't want to see him leave for the academy.”

Cadence heard a noise. Tracking the noise to its source, Cadence pulled open a cabinet door, where she found Twilight Sparkle hiding with a pot on her head like a battle helmet.

“And you thought, if you just scared all the foalsitters away, that Shining Armor would have to stay and you wouldn't have to say goodbye.”

Cadence lowered herself to Twilight's level.

“Isn't that right, Twilight?” Cadence reached in and brushed the pot off Twilight's head, putting it back into place in the cabinet.

Twilight stared at Cadence with big, emotionless eyes. But slowly, water began to form in them. Twilight sniffed and blinked. Her lips quivered.

Twilight burst into tears and yelled, screaming as she jumped out of the cabinet and embraced Cadence in an incredibly tight hug.

“I-I DON'T WANT HIM TO GOOOOO!” Twilight screamed, burying her face into Cadence's chest as she bawled.

“Shh.” Cadence whispered. Cadence ran her hoof through Twilight's hair, stroking her mane. “It's okay. It's okay. Cry as long as you need to. It's all right. Let it all out.”

Twilight continued crying and sniffling. But she couldn't cry forever, and her tears dried out.

“There. There.” Cadence spoke in an encouraging, motherly voice. “Feel better?”

Twilight took her head out from Cadence's soaked chest. She wiped a tear away from her eye. “Uh-huh.”

“Did you get it all out?”

“I think so ...”

“Twilight Sparkle ...” Cadence met eyes with the filly. “You do know, even if he doesn't go to the academy, you'll have to say goodbye to him eventually, right?”

“No!” Twilight stomped her hoof. “He has to stay! I'll make him stay!”

“Uh-huh.” Cadence's smile never faltered once. “But what about you? Even if you can find a way to make him stay, one day you'll grow up, too, and you'll have dreams. You'll want to explore, and you'll want to do it without Shining Armor protecting you from every little thing. What will you do then?”

Twilight looked at up at Cadence. Her eyes quivered. “I don't know.”

Twilight buried her head in Cadence's chest again.

“Oh, there.” Cadence patted Twilight on the back, craning her neck down and putting her chin on Twilight's neck to comfort her. “It'll be okay. Everything will be fine. You'll see.” Cadence moved her head and whispered into Twilight's ears.

“But you have to let him go.”

Twilight removed herself from Cadence's chest and shook her head.

Cadence did nothing besides to continue smiling to comfort her. Cadence separated herself from Twilight, moving slowly and deliberately so Twilight could reach out and grab her if she needed to.

“Hey … I heard you scared off an ex-convict.” Cadence raised her eyebrow in a suggestive manner. “Care to show me how you did that?”

Twilight brightened up at the chance to show off her brilliant planning skills. “Okay. First, I turned the lights off ...”

“Done.” Cadence used her magic to flick the switch.

“And then I ...” Twilight ran out of the room. Cadence could tell from the sound of fading hooves.

“Twilight? Where are you going?” Cadence asked. Her first instinct was to look around the room before remembering she had turned the lights off. Cadence wondered if perhaps she made a mistake in obliging Twilight.

A purple glow emanated from under the table. A powerful glow, enough to cast the room in an eerie light. From behind the table, a ragged doll appeared, levitating as if on strings. It was beaten and used, but well-loved, Cadence could tell. She saw Twilight poke her head through the door, her horn glowing.

“Bwaaa!” Twilight yelled, making the doll move left and right, manipulating its limbs to appear threatening. “Bwwwa! Leave this place or suffer my wraaath!”

Cadence giggled.

Twilight smiled. “That's how I scared him!”

“And he fell for it, didn't he?” Cadence watched as Twilight kept moving the doll around, making the light in the room shift around. Cadence's eyes widened when she had a brilliant idea. “Oh, wait right here!”

“Where are you going?” Twilight asked.

“To get Shining Armor's teddy bear.” Cadence headed towards the stairs.

“How do you know Shining Armor has a teddy bear?” Twilight asked. She put her hooves to her mouth as if she had said something naughty. “Um, not that I'm saying he does, but ...”

“Oh, Twilight Sparkle … I know how boys work.” Cadence winked at her. “The more masculine and tough they try to come across as is directly proportional to the likelihood of them having a teddy bear. The way Shining Armor acts, he's got to have one.”

“Ooh! Math!” Twilight exclaimed. “I love it!”

Cadence nodded before running up the stairs. She returned, levitating Shining Armor's teddy bear with blue magic.

“Now that you have the teddy bear, what are you going to do with it?” Twilight asked.

“I'm going to ...” Cadence smiled, taking the teddy bear and flying it into the doll.

“Hey!” Twilight protested, before narrowing her eyes at Cadence and accepting her challenge.

Twilight and Cadence levitated the teddy bear and the doll, making them run into each other, tackle the other, or go into a head-first charge. It was a battle to the death by proxy.

Cute, plushy, stuffed proxies.

Twilight and Cadence laughed, having a good time as they made their dolls fight each other on their behalf. Until Cadence pulled the teddy bear and launched it forward in a forceful, brutal charge, hitting Twilight's doll with so much force one of its button-eyes popped off and a seam came loose in its stitching.

Uh-oh. Cadence thought.

“SMARTY PANTS!” Twilight screamed, her emotions clouding her ability to focus on her magic, causing her to drop the doll to the floor. Twilight ran towards the doll while Cadence turned the lights back on.

“I'm sorry, Twilight.” Cadence said. “I guess we – I played with it a bit too rough.”

Twilight picked the doll up in her hooves, holding it up in mourning for its senseless injury. “Smarty Pants ...” Twilight sniffled and began crying. Not as bad she had been before, but pretty bad nonetheless.

“Oh, please don't cry, Twilight.” Cadence begged. She walked over and examined the doll. “I can fix it. See? I can fix that, no problem. Just a few stitches and she'll be fine.”

Twilight looked at Cadence with an empty, saddened expression, as if she was unfulfilled in some way. She regarded Smarty Pants, letting a few more tears escape.

“I don't feel like playing anymore ...” Twilight slung Smarty Pants over her shoulder and left the room, climbing up the stairs.

Cadence watched her go with a slack-jawed expression. The way Twilight spoke, her tone, her voice ... her expression ... such an empty, empty expression, stung Cadence worse than any of Twilight's tears ever could.

“I take it back.” Cadence said. “Crying is fine.”

Cadence tiptoed up the stairs towards Twilight Sparkle's room. She raised up a hoof and hesitated before turning the knob and cracking the door open, creating just enough space for her to peek inside without being noticed.

Twilight Sparkle was lying on her bed, crying and sniffling as she held up her dear doll. What was its name, again? Smarty Pants? Cadence could see how much the doll meant to her.

Cadence admired the filly's resolve. After the crying she did over Shining Armor in the kitchen, and getting her doll ripped up, Cadence would've expected her to be crying even worse than before.

Twilight sniffed and cried some more, wiping a tear from her eye. She lifted the doll up and regarded it with quivering lips. “Unh!” Letting out a frustrated groan, Twilight tossed the doll onto a table and rolled onto her side so she was facing away from it, staring at the window as she cried more, despite her clear efforts not to.

Now's my chance … Cadence thought. She used her magic to grab the doll and lifted it up, trying not to draw Twilight's attention. After what happened in the kitchen, Cadence knew Twilight would object to her going anywhere near the doll if she noticed what Cadence was doing.

Cadence levitated the doll to the door. Seeing the doll squish between the wall and the door as she tried to pull it through the crack, Cadence grimaced. She widened the crack in the door and managed to pull the doll through without further trouble.

“Got'cha.” Cadence levitated the doll to her face to celebrate her victory. She put a hoof on the doorknob and pulled the door shut.

“I hope Night keeps some sewing materials around the house ...” Cadence's first course of action was to go wandering through the house until she found the master bedroom. Letting herself into the room, she searched the drawers. She was in luck, as she found what she was looking for – some sewing needles, fabric, pins, and scissors. Everything she needed for the job.

A door creaked open from the other room.

“Twiley!” Shining Armor called throughout the house. “Cadence! I'm home. Mom and Dad went back to the castle on the way home, so it's just me.”

Cadence gritted her teeth, worried Shining Armor would find out what happened and prove unappreciative of her efforts to fix it. Cadence knew she wouldn't be happy to learn if a foalsitter she hired had damaged her sister's doll. If she had a sister.

“Twiley?” Shining Armor called out, walking around the house.

Cadence set Smarty Pants and the sewing materials down on the bed. Her ears perked up as the door creaked.

“Princess Cadence?” Shining Armor came into the room. “Where's Twiley? And what are you doing in our parents' room?”

“Uh, nothing.” Cadence picked up the corner of the blanket and tried to use it cover up her operations.

It wasn't enough, as Shining Armor squinted at the bed. He went up to the bed and bit the the blanket, flipping it back out to find Smarty Pants surrounding by sewing needles.

Cadence broke into a sweat.

Shining Armor looked at Smarty Pants, and looked at her. “What did you do?”

“Nothing!” Cadence said. “Okay, well, I played with Twilight with her doll, and I may have gotten a little too rough and caused it to tear.”

“Smarty Pants is her favorite doll.” Shining Armor glanced at Smarty Pants. “I'm going to get mom and dad and tell them about this.” Shining Armor headed for the door.

“What? No! You can't!” Cadence yelled. “I can fix this!”

Shining Armor scoffed and glared at Cadence over his shoulder. “Why can't I?”

“Shining Armor, please.” Cadence put her hooves together. “I can fix this. Haven't you ever broken something and tried to fix it without letting your parents find out about it?”

Shining Armor's eyebrows shot up. “Uh … no!” Shining Armor took his hoof the doorknob. “But, uh, because I'm a nice guy, and for reasons that have absolutely nothing to do with what you just said, I've decided I'm going to stay and help you out.”

Cadence smiled. “Thank you so much.”

Shining Armor came over to the bed. “So, what do we do now?”

Cadence put on a grim, determined expression, holding her hoof out. “Scissors.”

“Scissors.” Shining Armor handed the scissors to Cadence.

Cadence reached down and began cutting at the loose threads of Smarty Pants' wound. She held her hoof out again. “Needle.”

“Needle.” Shining Armor put the needle in her hoof.

Cadence picked up a piece of fabric and threaded it through the needle. She inserted into the open gap on the side of Smarty Pants and pulled it back out. She repeated the process, though Smarty Pants' stuffing moved around from the treatment. Cadence winced and stopped trying to sew up the hole, instead moving to the eye. She put the needle through the empty socket, only for another thread to pop loose.

“Darn it, we're losing her!” Cadence grabbed Smarty Pants and shook her hard. “Stay with me, kid! STAY WITH MEEEE!” Cadence rocked the doll back and forth on the bed.

"Uh, Cadence? I get that you're treating this like a surgery, but maybe trying to fix the doll would go better if you wouldn't VIOLENTLY SHAKE THE DOLL."

Cadence paused. “You're right.” She looked to Shining Armor. “You're right.” Cadence took in a deep breath and began her efforts anew. Without any over-dramatic roleplaying, sewing Smarty Pants up became much easier. Smarty Pants looked as good as she did when Twilight pulled her out. In fact, Cadence would go so far as to say she looked even better.

“Whew!” Cadence wiped the sweat off her forehead. “You were right, Shining Armor. That was much easier than I thought would be.” She picked Smarty Pants up. “Now, to present this to Twilight ...”

“I'll come with you.” Shining Armor said.

“No.” Cadence said. “I was the one who broke it. I have to do this myself.”

Shining Armor nodded, understanding what she meant.

In her room, Twilight Sparkle was pouring over a book on the floor. She was in the middle of turning her attention from one paragraph to the next when the door popped open. She looked up at Princess Cadence with her usual disinterested expression, with perhaps a hint of bitterness underneath, which one could find if they were to look into her eyes and stare for a long awhile.

“Twilight ...” Cadence said in a teasing voice. “I have a surprise for you.”

Twilight did not appear enthused … until Cadence pulled out Smarty Pants.

Twilight smiled and gasped, delighted. “Smarty Pants!” Twilight jumped up from the floor and took Smarty Pants from Cadence with her magic. Twilight's joy proved infectious to Cadence, and the two of them bounced around the room, celebrating Smarty Pants' return to good health.

“You put her back together!”

“Twilight, I'm so sorry I ripped Smarty Pants like that.” Cadence said. “Can you ever forgive me?”

Twilight examined Smarty Pants. Cadence hoped Twilight wouldn't mind her repairing some of Smarty Pants' stitches and tears in addition to the one she caused. “And you made her … newer!”

Twilight ran up to Cadence, giving Cadence a hug as she buried her face into Cadence's chest. “Okay. I forgive you.”

“Thank you, Twilight. That means a lot to me.” Cadence stroked Twilight's head. “Shining Armor helped me put her back together.”

Twilight gasped again. “Shining Armor's here!?”

“Mm-hmm. You want to go see him?”

Twilight shook her head up and down in what had to be the most enthusiastic nod Cadence had ever seen.

Cadence walked Twilight into the hallway, where Shining Armor was waiting outside.

“Hey, Twiley!” Shining Armor greeted his sister with enthusiasm and love. “How's my favorite little sister?”

Twilight smiled and her eyes widened. She reared up, about to pounce on Shining Armor, before stopping.

“Twiley?” Shining Armor asked. “What's wrong?”

“Um ...” Twilight fiddled her hooves together, looking at Cadence. “Is it all right if I ...”

Cadence nodded. “It's all right. He's here for you now.”

Twilight's smile returned, and she ran into her brother's chest, hugging him and holding him tight.

“I have no idea what's going on.” Shining Armor said, before taking another look at Twilight and deciding it didn't matter. His sister was happy and hugging him, and that was all that mattered. He returned the hug.

Not too long after, Twilight's parent returned and were once again impressed by Cadence's resilience as they met in the foyer. Twilight Sparkle amused herself, playing with her repaired Smarty Pants doll while the adults and teens talked.

“Didn't she try to scare you?” Night Light asked.

“Oh, she tried.” Cadence brushed a hoof against her chest. “But if there's one thing you need to know about me, it's that I don't scare easy."

Night Light turned to Twilight Velvet. “Well … honey, I think we've found our foalsitter.”

“I think we have.” Twilight Velvet admitted. She took her husband's hoof into her hoof. “Excuse us, would you, kids? It's been a very long day at the castle, and we'd like to rest up before dinner.”

“Of course.” Cadence and Shining Armor moved to let Night Light and Twilight Velvet pass.

“Soo ...” Cadence drawled once they were alone.

“Don't worry.” Shining Armor held his hoof out, already knowing what Cadence was going to ask. “Your secret is safe with me. Mom and dad won't learn a thing about what happened with Twilight's doll.”

Cadence let out a sigh of relief. “Thank you so much. I love sitting for your sister, and I would hate if something happened that made me your parents decide not to keep hiring me.”

Shining Armor scratched his head. “You know they don't have much of a choice, right? You're only the sitter so far who Twiley seems to like. And hey, maybe one day, you can come over and foalsit for my kids.”

“Oh no. You're more in need of foalsitting first.” Cadence stuck her tongue out at him playfully.

Shining Armor chuckled. “Well, good night.” Shining Armor went over to his sister. “Come on, Twiley, let's go find something to eat ...”

“Good night.” Cadence left the house and closed the door.

Cadence went on to go back home. But along the way, she was bumped into by a mare who caused them both to fall over.

“Oh, I'm so sorry, ma'am. I wasn't looking where I was going and – ” The mare helped Cadence up. “Princess Cadence?”

“Uh, yes, that's me. Why?” Cadence squinted at the mare. “Don't I know you? You're … Uppercrust's mother, right?”

Uppercrust's mother nodded. “Yes! I'm so glad I ran into you! See, I need to do some errands tomorrow and get a little shopping done. My husband's going to be busy at work, and my daughter is going to go stir-crazy in the store. So I was wondering if, perhaps, I could hire you to sit for her again?”

Cadence tried not to let Uppercrust's mom see the shudder going through her body as she recalled what a demanding and high-energy filly Uppercrust was to foalsit. Twilight Sparkle had spoiled her, it seems.

“Yes.” Cadence said. “Yes, you can.”

Uppercrust's mother shook Cadence's hooves. “Oh, thank you, thank you so much! I'll make it worth your while. I'll see you tomorrow. For right now, I really need to get home.” Uppercrust's mother took off running down the street. It appeared high-energy ran in the family.

Cadence rested her chin on her hoof as she flashed back to Uppercrust's incessant demands for a piggy-back ride and other forms of intensive play.

It'll be worth it. Cadence told herself. This is what you set out to do – make friends with all the foals and keep them from being lonely.

With this in mind, Cadence headed home.

Author's Note

Yes, the scene where Cadence presents Smarty Pants to Twilight is supposed to be the one from the flashback in "A Canterlot Wedding, Part 1." Why do you ask?

Most us can relate to that time or another where we broke something and tried to fix it without letting our parents/legal guardians find out about it, can't we? (With varying success between persons ...)

Originally, I was going to have Shining Armor and Cadence flirt a bit more openly, with some sort of crack about Cadence sitting for Shining Armor, and Cadence remarking she would have to charge extra to do that, but I figured that ... could have been taken the wrong way.

The Tower

The Tower Arcana is commonly associated to overly arrogant, and prejudiced organization. Furthermore, it is also more generically used as an omen of doom and disaster. - Persona Wiki (paraphrased)

Uppercrust's mother, Pie Crust, returned to her home, carrying groceries in paper bags. She set one bag down on the grass and pushed the door open.

“Uppercrust!” Pie Crust called. “Cadence! I'm home. Girls?”

Pie Crust winced at the sound of a crash coming up from upstairs. Moments later, Uppercrust raced down the stairs, galloping towards her mother with a huge smile on her face. “Mom!”

“Oh!” Pie Crust put the other bags down on the floor as her daughter jumped on her and gave her a hug. “Hello, dear.” Uppercrust and her mother proceeded to nuzzle each other on their heads and snouts. Uppercrust's mother opened her eyes to see a battered Cadence limping down the stairs, her hooves clinking on the wooden steps.

“Oh, you poor thing.” Pie Crust said. “Did Uppercrust play rough with you?”

“Yes.” Cadence's eye twitched. “Yes, she did.”

“Can I get you anything?” Pie Crust let go of her filly, who jumped to the floor and began rummaging through the grocery bags. “Some bandages? Some anti-bacterial spray? Or maybe … an anesthetic?”

“No, no, it's fine, Miss Crust.” Cadence shook her head, wobbling on her shaky hooves. “Happy to help!” She offered Pie Crust her hoof.

“Uh, Cadence? I'm about three inches to the left.”

Cadence turned her head and squinted. “So you are!” Cadence swung her hoof over.

“Well, thank you so much for your help.” Pie Crust shook Cadence's hoof.

“It's nothing, really.” Cadence said. “I love spending time with foals! Even really demanding high-energy ones.”

Pie Crust chuckled. “Runs in the family, I'm afraid. Wait right here.” Pie Crust left the room, leaving Cadence and Uppercrust alone. Cadence began to hyperventilate at the thought of having to spend more time alone with Uppercrust, but Pie Crust returned before it became an issue.

“Here you go.” Pie Crust gave Cadence her payment of bits. She wrapped her hooves around Cadence's hoof. “Are you sure you don't want me to do anything for you?”

“It's fine.” Cadence insisted. “Really. It's fine.”

“Okay … ” Pie Crust moved away from Cadence, but she flicked one more bit on top of the pile as an extra tip. Cadence smiled and waved as Pie Crust and her daughter began to put away the groceries.

Cadence stepped out of the house and closed the door. Holding her hoof firm on the knob, she collapsed against said door. She'd hate to admit it, but she was glad her time foalsitting for Uppercrust was, at least for now, over. Cadence found herself covered in dirt, scrapes, and scuff marks from having to endure the rigorous play upon which Uppercrust had insisted. It certainly made her appreciate sitting for Twilight Sparkle all the more.

Oh, Twilight Sparkle … Cadence thought. Why can't more foals be like you?

Cadence got along with Twilight Sparkle. Twilight Sparkle was quiet and was content to be left to her books in silence. She didn't insist on stealing cookies from the jar, piggy-back rides, or any of the other actives Uppercrust introduced which Cadence would argue met the criteria to be considered national sports.

Taking another look at her banged-up hoof, Cadence sighed. Maybe I should have taken Pie Crust up on her offer … I should probably get back to the castle and clean myself up …

Cadence pushed herself off the door and went on her way to the castle. To home.

Cadence returned home to the castle and made straight for a bathroom. After first taking out a wet wipe and applying it to her body, Cadence decided the tiny cloth would be inefficient and decided to run a bath instead.

Cadence lingered in the bath for awhile, taking the time to relax and let the water sooth her nerves. “Ah …” With a sigh of content, she stepped out of the tub. After drying herself off, she applied some ointment and creams to her various scrapes and cuts, which seemed cleansed by the water.

Finishing her delayed first aid, Cadence stepped out of the bathroom and stretched, eager to start a new day. She walked into the hallway, humming to herself. She considered the idea of locking herself up in her room while she enjoyed a good book.

On her way to her room, she was interrupted by Princess Celestia.

“There you are.” Celestia said. “Twilight Velvet is looking for you.”

“For me?” Cadence said. “Why me? There's nothing she could get from me that she couldn't get from you … unless she wants me to foalsit for Twilight Sparkle again!”

“I would believe that to be the case.” Celestia said with a smile. “However, given the way you look, I am sure Twilight Velvet would understand if you wanted to take a break from foalsitting for a while.” Celestia discovered, to her surprise, Cadence had already disappeared before she finished her sentence. “Huh.”

Cadence peeked into the room where Twilight Velvet worked during the day. She was reviewing some scrolls and making notes, along with some other unicorns and Earth pony workers.

Cadence put her hoof on the door frame. She cleared her throat. “Twilight Velvet?”

Twilight Velvet turned at the sound of her name. “Cadence!” Twilight Velvet abandoned her work station to talk to Cadence in the hallway.

“I was told you wanted to see me?” Cadence said.

“Yes.” Twilight Velvet nodded. “My husband and I … well, after you did so well with Twilight Sparkle those first few days, Night Light and I … we've come to realize how shackled we really were with this whole foalsitter business. We've barely had any time to ourselves. So we were hoping you could come and foalsit for Twilight Sparkle again? Shining Armor is going to visit some friends before he leaves for the academy, and Night Light and I would like to go out of town for awhile. There's this great restaurant in Ponyville we haven't been able to go to in a long time.”

Cadence chuckled. “I know you've been holding onto your vacation hours because of Twilight Sparkle, but don't go spending them all at once!”

The two of them laughed and chuckled. Twilight Velvet only now noticed the scrapes and cuts Cadence received from Uppercrust's play earlier. They were beginning to fade, but still noticeable.

“Are you okay?” Twilight Velvet asked. “You don't look so good.”

“I'm fine!” Cadence assured her. “My and another filly I was sitting for just roughhoused for a bit. Nothing serious.”

Twilight Velvet put a hoof to her chin, reconsidering. “Maybe it wouldn't be such a good idea for you to come sit for Twilight after all … you should take some time off. Rest up so you can heal better.”

“Twilight Velvet,” Cadence put her hooves on Twilight Velvet's shoulders, “I would love to come and sit for Twilight Sparkle.” Cadence nodded and smiled to let Twilight Velvet know she was serious.

Twilight Velvet was convinced. “Okay.”

“When do you need me there?” Cadence asked.

“About an hour after Night Light and I get off work.” Twilight Velvet answered. “We'll need to make sure everything's ready for you to come over.”

“I'll be there.” Cadence saluted.

One of Twilight Velvet's coworkers cleared her throat. “Twilight Velvet … if you're done chatting with the Princess, we have work to do.”

Twilight Velvet grimaced. She looked to Cadence, who nodded to show she understood. Twilight Velvet and Cadence engaged in a quick hug before Twilight Velvet ran to rejoin her coworkers.

Later in the day, Cadence arrived at the house. Inside, Twilight Velvet and Night Light were running around, making some last-minute checks to be sure everything was ready for them to leave. Shining Armor and Twilight Sparkle sat on the floor, waiting for their parents to say they were all set and leave.

“Oh!” Shining Armor looked out the window. “Cadence is here!”

“Already?” Twilight Velvet and Night Light asked in surprise.

Cadence opened the door. “Hello, everypony!” She glanced around the room until her eyes came to rest on Twilight Sparkle.

Twilight Sparkle approached Cadence. Their eyes met, and Cadence recognized what was going through Twilight's head. Cadence had never felt more connected to a filly than in that moment.

Twilight Sparkle and Cadence moved their hooves up and down on the floor. “Sunshine, sunshine, ladybugs awake, clap your hooves, and do a little shake!” They turned around so their little pony flanks were facing each other and bumped them together. Cadence and Twilight shared a laugh.

Twilight Velvet and Night Light looked at each other, not sure what to make of Twilight Sparkle and Cadence's dance. “Er ...”

“Oh, I'm sorry, Twilight Velvet.” Cadence said. “I was so excited to see Twilight Sparkle again, I completely ignored you! Do you have everything you need for your trip?”

“Yes, thank you.” Twilight Velvet said. “We've arranged for a chariot ride to pick us up and take us to the restaurant.”

“Hey.” Shining Armor said. “Mom and dad have never been this far away from home before, so I know Twiley's going to be scared.” He poked Cadence in the chest. “You take care of her, all right?”

“Don't worry.” Cadence assured him. “I will.”

Cadence, Shining Armor, and Twilight Sparkle gathered outside to wave goodbye to Twilight Velvet and Night Light as they left. Shining Armor looked to Cadence. Cadence gave him a reassuring nod, and Shining Armor left, waving his hoof goodbye at them.

Cadence and Twilight Sparkle went back inside the house. Twilight Sparkle continued walking as Cadence stopped to close the door. Cadence raised her eyebrow upon noticing the room turning from the bright color it was to a much darker, gloomier, more saturated color. Was Twilight Sparkle up to her tricks again?

Walking over to the window, Cadence peered outside. The clouds overhead had turned grey, and pegasi were working on pushing the the clouds together.

“Huh.” Cadence said. “Looks like we're scheduled for it to rain. Nopony told me. I mean, I'm a Princess, I would think somepony might mention to me that we're going to have some rain ...”

Cadence winced and covered her eyes as a flash of lightning and was accomplished by a loud crack of thunder.

“Ugh.” Cadence groaned, rubbing her head. “I hope it doesn't do that all day.”

“Eeh!” Twilight let out a squeak and darted up the stairs. Cadence turned her head at the sound of Twilight's little hooves clopping against the wooden floorboards.

“Twilight?” Cadence asked. “Twilight!” Cadence gave chase, following Twilight up the stairs and to her room, where Twilight Sparkle had gotten onto her bed and curled up, her hooves over her eyes as her body shivered.

“Mmmm ….” Twilight whined, her nervous hooves fidgeting.

“Twilight ...” Cadence entered the room. “Are you … scared of thunder?”

Twilight lifted one hoof up to reveal her eye. Whining, she nodded her head.

“Hey.” Cadence said. “Hey.” Without waiting for an invitation, she climbed up on the bed next to Twilight. “It's nothing to be ashamed of. It's something every filly goes through in their lives.”

Twilight looked up at Cadence. “Were … were you ever scared of it, Cadence?”

“Me? Oh, no.” Cadence giggled. “But you know why?”

“Why?”

“Because when I was very young, Celestia found me and explained to me why I shouldn't be afraid of thunderstorms.” Cadence said. “And I'm going to explain it to you the same way she explained it to me.” Twilight perked up, intrigued to learn more about the science behind it. “Thunder is just noise. That's all it is.”

“Really?”

“No. Well, yes ...” Cadence giggled. “There's a little more to it than that. But you see? It's nothing to be afraid. It's just noise. It can't hurt you. Lightning, on the other hoof … heh. But that only happens rarely.” Cadence thought about telling Twilight how she was more at risk for lightning hitting something else, like a tree, and it falling on her, but decided not to. It would be somewhat counterproductive to what she was trying to do, which was to calm the filly.

Twilight Sparkle rose up, sitting on her haunches. “I … don't have to be afraid of thunder. It's just noise. It can't hurt me.”

There was another thundercrack, and Twilight curled up, covering her eyes and shivering. “I just want it to go away …”

“Hmm. All right.” Cadence gave a contemplative gaze to the windows. “Perhaps not today, but one day, Twilight Sparkle, I'll teach you not to be afraid of storms.”

“Okay.” Twilight said. “Cadence?”

“Yes?”

Twilight moved closer to Cadence. “Sometimes, when it's raining really hard, I'll take nap to make the rain go away. That way, when I wake up, the storm is gone. Um, while I do that, would you … stay with me?”

Cadence smiled. “Of course.” Cadence's horn let out a faint blue glow. She levitated Smarty Pants up off the floor and set the doll on the bed between Twilight and her. She draped a wing over Twilight before levitating the blanket up over both of them.

Twilight smiled, comforted by the presence of Smarty Pants. She snuggled up to her doll while Cadence used her magic to pull the blanket up over both of them. Cadence wrapped her neck around Twilight's body the way a mother would, and the two of them closed their eyes. Their breaths became slower and slower until they at last fell asleep.

“Mmm ...” Cadence's eyes twitched before she opened them. She lifted her head up and looked out the windows. “Twilight ...” Cadence nudged Twilight's head with her nose. “Twilight, get up. The rain's stopped.” Cadence gave Twilight an affectionate lick, as ponies did to show affection.

Twilight grunted and opened her eyes. Looking back and forth between the windows, she was pleased to see the rain had stopped. Her plan worked. Gasping, Twilight jumped off the bed and ran down the stairs.

“Twilight?” Cadence asked. “Where are you going?” Cadence pushed herself up from the bed, jumped off, and followed Twilight Sparkle down the stairs.

Twilight went into the kitchen, where an open book lay on the table. Twilight climbed up the chair, her hind legs kicking fruitlessly at the air before she was able to pull herself up and resumed reading. “I was reading this book when you got here! I was going to go back to it, but then the storm happened ...” Twilight picked up the book with her hooves and held it front of her.

Cadence stood in the kitchen doorway, looking at Twilight with concern. It wasn't natural for a filly of her age to read so much and play so little. “Twilight Sparkle?”

Twilight lowered the book. “Hmm?”

“I know you don't like playing with other ponies ...” Cadence rubbed at the back of her neck. “But could I ask you to come play outside?”

Twilight looked at Cadence as though she was crazy.

“Please?” Cadence said. “Come on, it'll be fun. Haven't you ever gone outside and hopped into muddy puddles after it's been raining?”

Twilight shook her head no.

“Well, I have, and it's a lot of fun!” Cadence gestured for Twilight to come over.

Twilight gave her a blank stare before returning to her book.

“Oh, please?” Cadence begged, moving her hooves up and down in place. Cadence was concerned. Playing outside and being exposed to the world was an important part of a growing filly's experience.

And, Cadence would admit, she wanted to play in the mud.

“Twilight … I'm going to be honest. I want to play in the mud. But I can't do that and sit for you at the same time unless you come with me.”

Twilight set her book down on the table. “Am I foalsitting you?”

“No?” Cadence answered the question, confusing though it was.

“Are you foalsitting me?”

“Yes?”

“Well then, maybe someday, I'll foalsit you instead, and then we can do what you want. But right now, we're going to do what I want, and what I want is to read a book.”

“All right.” Cadence cricked her neck and marched into the room. “I didn't want to do this, but you've forced my hoof.”

“W-what are you doing?” Twilight asked with some fear as Cadence approached the table.

“Twilight Sparkle, you and I are going to play outside. It's not good for a filly your age to be locked up indoors all the time.” The blue aura of Cadence's magic wrapped around the book. “You can have the book back when we're done.”

Twilight gasped. “Noooo!” Hopping down from the chair, Twilight's horn lit up.

Cadence levitated the book into the air. Ha. She thought to herself. It'll be just like Jet Set.

Cadence smirked, confident in her ability to wrest the book away from Twilight Sparkle.

Her confidence eroded when Twilight's magic took hold of the book and pulled on it, yanking it away from Cadence's telekinetic grasp with such force it pulled Cadence forward with it.

Whoa! Cadence closed her eyes and attempted to reel the book back in. This filly's magic is incredibly strong!

Compared to Twilight, Jet Set was nothing more than a pest. Whereas Twilight possessed true magical strength and unrefined skill. Cadence had no doubt Twilight Sparkle would be a powerful unicorn one day.

The book traveled back and forth through the air. Cadence and Twilight grunted with the effort of using their magic against the other. Cadence walked backwards, trying to pull the book away, but it felt as though she was pulling on a steel cable and trying to get it to break.

Cadence grimaced. As her horn was tugged forward, she realized if she kept this up, she was going to rip Twilight's book in half before she overcame Twilight's magic. So she conceded defeat and let go, dismissing her spell. The sudden release sent Cadence tumbling onto her back.

“Ha!” Twilight cheered for her victory. Looking pleased with herself, she held the book ahead of her and walked towards the living room.

Cadence groaned and rubbed her head. Blinking, she saw Twilight Sparkle leaving. “Twilight, wait!” Cadence reached a hoof out.

Twilight paused and looked over her shoulder, giving Cadence an irritated look.

“Maybe trying to take your book away from you … wasn't the most responsible thing.” Cadence said. “And for that, I'm sorry. But I just want to play outside. I want you to play outside.”

Twilight glared at Cadence and humphed, proceeding on her way with her nose upturned.

“What about a compromise?” Cadence asked. “Come play in the mud with me, just for a little bit, and then I'll let you go back to reading your book in peace. I won't bother you again until you've finished it, from cover to cover. What do you say?”

Twilight rubbed her hoof against her chin. She looked back to Cadence. “Okay.”

“Yes!” Cadence pumped her hoof in the air. "Don't worry, Twilight. It'll be fun. I promise."

Twilight and Cadence went out to find a mud puddle. Twilight Sparkle dressed up in raincoat and boots, though Cadence was fine without any rain clothes. She didn't mind the mud on her skin, and felt no need for protection from the muddy waters.

Walking along the street, they found a group of foals playing around a puddle about the diameter of a hot tub. The foals splashed and tossed the mud at each other, though they all stopped to stare when they saw Twilight Sparkle heading their way. Cadence recognized most of them as the ones who had been awed when Twilight took the ball from Jet Set, though Uppercrust was also among them.

“Princess Cadence!” One of the foals said. “Can Twilight Sparkle come and play with us?”

Twilight saw the foals looking at her and bit her lip, turning away.

“Hey.” Cadence put a hoof on Twilight Sparkle's shoulder. “I know you don't like playing with other foals.” Cadence got down on her knees, bringing herself eye-level to Twilight. “But why don't you give them a chance?”

Twilight looked at the foals with concern.

“Come on, Twilight!” One of the foals encouraged her. “We'll give you your space, like Princess Cadence said!”

“See?” Cadence began to push Twilight towards them. “They're not going to hurt you.”

“O-okay ...” Twilight stuttered. She walked to the edge of the mud puddle and stopped.

“Aren't you going to play in the mud with us?” A filly asked.

“Um … what are the rules?” Twilight asked.

Cadence's jaw dropped and she pulled her hoof to her face.

“Rules?” The filly said. “It's just mud. There aren't any rules on how you're supposed to play.” The filly demonstrated her point by lifting her tail up and swiping it through the mud, flicking the mud onto a nearby colt. The filly smiled at Twilight.

Twilight looked down at the edge of the puddle. She dipped her hoof in and kicked, sending a small amount of mud into the air.

Seeing Twilight's lackluster attempt at playing with the mud, Cadence decided to take action. She would show Twilight how they were 'supposed' to play in the mud.

“Coming through!” Cadence shouted and dived into the puddle. The impact of her body sent out a huge splash, getting several of the nearby foals – including Twilight Sparkle – covered in muck.

Twilight Sparkle raised a hoof to keep the mud from getting into her eyes. After a moment, she realized she was no longer being plastered by mud and smiled as she realized what to do. Cadence's lesson worked.

Displaying a surprising amount of eagerness, Twilight hopped into the mud and pranced around, sticking her tongue out as she stepped in and out of the puddle. From there, Cadence and Twilight proceeded to enjoy playing in the puddle.

One of the other fillies kicked mud at Twilight. Twilight kicked back. Another, more enterprising foal, scooped up the mud into his hooves and tossed a mudball at Twilight, hitting her in the cheek. Cadence worried for a moment this would send Twilight Sparkle scurrying for home, but Twilight scooped up some mud and paid him back, throwing it into his face.

This continued as it always did in cartoons, with the colt picking up another mudball and tossing it at Twilight, only to miss and hit a different filly. The filly picked up a mudball and, not knowing who hit her, tossed it in a random direction in the hopes of revenging herself against her assailant. This escalated until every foal present was throwing mudballs at one or another.

Twilight Sparkle shielded her head and ran under the flying artillery until she regrouped with Cadence. Cadence and Twilight looked at each other. Twilight smirked at Cadence, getting an idea, which Cadence smiled at, able to tell exactly what had gone through Twilight's mind.

Twilight rubbed her hooves together. Her horn lit up. A magical glow appeared in the puddle, going unnoticed by the other foals. Twilight levitated the mud upwards, creating a dripping sphere held together by Twilight's magic. Twilight moved the sphere through the air, raising it further up in the air so it would acquire more momentum and do the most damage.

After placing it where it would hit the highest number of fillies and foals, Twilight let the bomb drop. It hit the ground and sent out a huge splash which hit almost every foal present. It didn't take the foals long to figure out Twilight Sparkle was behind it.

Twilight and Cadence laughed, celebrating their victory. “Hahahahahaha!”

They celebrated too soon, as Cadence was soon tackled by Uppercrust, sending both of them sliding and separating her from Twilight.

Before Twilight could go to Cadence's aid, another filly sneaked up on her and tossed a mudball in Twilight's face. Twilight's response was to use her magic to create a pillar of mud from the puddle and direct it at the filly.

Cadence and Uppercrust laughed and laughed, enjoying themselves even as they engaged in a grapple. Cadence held back and pretended as though Uppercrust had won, before surprising the filly and wrapping her front legs around Uppercrust's chest and rolling to the side, dunking Uppercrust into the mud.

Cadence, still laughing, messed with Uppercrust's hair before letting the filly go. At which point they both lost their balance and toppled backwards, falling into the mud again.

“Hahahahahaha ha … ha ha.” Cadence wiped some mud from her face. She got up and wiggled her rump, preparing to pounce on Uppercrust, when she felt something tap on her flank for her attention. She turned around to face Twilight. Despite the great time Cadence knew she was having, Twilight appeared to have the color drained from her face. “What is it, Twilight?”

“Cadence ...” Twilight droned, sounding weak. “I don't feel so good … ah … ah … AHCHOO!” Twilight let out a sneeze.

Cadence's eyes shrunk into pinpricks and her heart sunk like a stone. What? No! Don't be sick. Please don't be sick ….

“Okay, kids! Playtime's over.” Cadence announced. “Twilight Sparkle has to go home now.”

“What? Aw ...” The other foals expressed their disappointment.

“Just hold her and make her drink water upside-down!” A filly said. “That's what my dad does for me!”

“That's for hiccups, you dolt! She obviously has a cold.”

“Obviously, she should be drinking orange juice!”

Cadence ignored them, picking up Twilight by biting onto the scruff of her neck before galloping towards Twilight's house at a break-neck speed.

Please don't be sick, please don't be sick, please don't be sick … Cadence repeated in her head until they arrived at the house.

Cadence brought them inside and closed the door, letting Twilight down on the floor, where she sneezed again.

“Oooh.” Cadence groaned, hopping up and down in place. What was she going to do? If Twilight's parents came home to their daughter like this, they were going to brutalize her! Cadence went through a mental list of every treatment for a cold she knew of. Recognizing they'd been playing in the mud, and knowing certain common bacteria couldn't withstand high temperatures, Cadence resolved to give Twilight Sparkle a bath.

“Come on.” Cadence put a hoof on Twilight's back. “Let's get you into a nice, hot bath. That should make you feel better.” Cadence looked around. “Where's your bathroom?”

“Up the ...” Twilight paused and sneezed. “Up the stairs."

Cadence walked Twilight up the stairs. The sounds of Twilight's sneezing haunted Cadence for the duration of the trip.

Cadence set Twilight into the tub and turned on the hot water. While Cadence turned on the cold water so the water would reach a medium temperature and not boil Twilight alive, Twilight sneezed again.

Cadence had always meant to give Twilight Sparkle a bath after they played in the mud. She knew they would have to clean up after playing in the dirt for so long. She wasn't expecting to have to try and treat a cold as well!

Cadence put a hoof on Twilight's forehead to measure her temperature. It was a bit lower than it should have been, but it was normal for somepony suffering from common illness.

The water filled up the tub, releasing steam into the room. Cadence levitated a soap bottle over with magic and squirted some onto her hooves. She put the bottle down and applied the soap to Twilight, stroking her hooves through Twilight's shoulders and legs.

“Ah-ah-AHCHOO!” Cadence, in her rush to clean Twilight Sparkle up, wasn't careful enough. As a result, Twilight's sneeze flew right into her face, getting it covered with spit and snot.

Cadence sighed. She used her magic to pull some tissue paper off the roll and proceeded to wipe her face off. I hope I'm resilient enough not to catch whatever she's come down with.

Cadence continued applying the soap. After giving some time to sit in, Cadence proceeded with the rinse. Twilight groaned, though Cadence suspected it was more from illness, rather than anything to do with her.

After using a combination of her hooves and magic to swirl and move around the water and rinse Twilight's body, Cadence helped the filly out of the tub, taking Twilight's hoof and lifting her up over the edge of the tub before setting her down on the floor.

Cadence levitated a towel and used it to dry Twilight Sparkle.

“How do you feel now, Twilight?” Cadence asked. “Feeling better?”

Twilight gave her answer in the form of a sneeze.

“Drat.” Cadence said. She ushered Twilight Sparkle out of the bathroom. “Why don't you go rest in bed, and I'll whip up a nice hot soup for you?”

“Okay ...” Twilight groaned. Cadence watched over the young filly, never leaving her side until she had crawled into bed and climbed under the covers.

Cadence darted out of Twilight's room and down the stairs into the kitchen. She set about getting all the things she needed to make the soup – a pot of water, whatever fruits and vegetables the family had available for her use – like onion, celery, carrots … some spices for flavor.

As Cadence got out a cutting board, using her magic to hold the knife and cut the onion, she wondered whether or not Twilight Velvet would have gotten some pre-made, packaged broth. Casting an enchantment on the knife so it would keep cutting by itself, Cadence searched the cabinets.

“Ah!” Cadence reached in and pulled out the carton. She opened it and poured into the pot. She took a glance out the window and noticed it was getting dark.

Time sure flies when you're having fun, following by desperately trying to make a filly well before her parents get home … Cadence realized she wouldn't be able to completely cure Twilight with a bath and some soup alone, but she would settle for Twilight being able to stand on her own and not sneezing every five minutes.

Cadence heard a creak. Somepony was opening the door to the foyer.

No! Cadence thought. Not now. Not yet! I still need to try to get Twilight feeling better!

“Twiley! Cadence! I'm home.” Shining Armor's voice said. “Mom and dad should be back soon, too.” Shining Armor stepped into the door of the kitchen. “Cadence? Where's Twiley?”

“She's, uh, in her room.” Cadence said.

Shining Armor looked at the stairs. “I'll go see her then.”

“No!”

Shining Armor gave Cadence an odd look.

“I mean ...” Cadence cleared her throat. “She's had a rough day. She probably wants to be left alone.”

“If she's had a rough day, then I think it would be even more important she get a visit from her big brother.” Shining Armor said, proceeding up the stairs.

“B.B.B.F.F?” Twilight's voice called. “Is that you?”

“Yeah, it's me.” Shining Armor said. “I'm coming up there, Twiley.”

“No!” Cadence said, earning another glare from Shining Armor. Cadence resisted the desire to scream. This couldn't be happening. This could not be happening. Everything was falling apart around her.

Cadence didn't know what to do, or what she could do, but she knew she had to buy herself some time. She took a minute to try to think of what she could do to distract Shining Armor. Something to keep him distracted, keep him occupied … something he would never see coming and would be a complete surprise to him …

Cadence knew what she had to do.

She rushed up to Shining Armor, dragged him away from the stairs, and pinned him against the kitchen wall.

“Hey, what are you doing-”

Shining Armor's questions and protests were interrupted by Cadence pressing her lips to his. Shining Armor was surprised at first, but he grew to like it. He wrapped his hooves around Cadence. Cadence found she liked his strong, yet reassuring grip, but her mind remained focused on her mission.

She was, however, so preoccupied with distracting Shining Armor, she didn't notice the door to the entrance opening a second time.

“Kids, we're home.” Twilight Velvet said, carrying a bag of leftovers.

“The restaurant was great.” Night Light said. “You should have been there. They had the best appetizer. Maybe next time we'll take you with us.”

“I hope everything's going ... okay?” Twilight Velvet peeked into the kitchen door. Her jaw dropped at the sight of Shining Armor and Cadence kissing. Night Light saw it, too, and his eyebrows shot up.

Twilight Velvet held a hoof to Night Light's mouth before Night Light screamed. If this was what they wanted to do, Twilight Velvet wanted them to do it in peace. If she or Night Light had an issue with it, they could yell at her later.

Twilight Velvet and Night Light went up the stairs. They saw Twilight's door out of place and became worried. Twilight Velvet put a hoof on the door and pushed it open.

“Twilight Sparkle?” Twilight Velvet asked.

“Mom! Dad!” Twilight Sparkle rose up to greet her parents. Her joy was cut short by another painful sneeze.

Twilight Velvet and Night Light were shocked. Night Light set the leftovers bag down, and they rushed to their daughter's side.

“Twilight Sparkle?” Twilight Velvet asked. She put a hoof to her daughter's forehead. “Your temperature's a little high, you're in bed … you're clearly sick. What happened?”

“C-Cadence-” Twilight Sparkle sneezed. Twilight Velvet levitated a tissue over for Twilight Sparkle to blow her nose with. “It rained while you were gone, and after the rain stopped, Cadence had me play in the mud …”

Twilight Velvet was speechless. She adjusted her lips before being able to speak her again. “Oh, did she?” It didn't take much for her to connect the dots between the mud and Twilight Sparkle's poor condition.

“Yes, she did.” Twilight Sparkle answered, missing the ominous, threatening undertone to her mother's words. “It was fun.” Twilight got a little smile on her face, but it went unnoticed by her mother or her father.

Downstairs, Cadence and Shining Armor were continuing their kissing session.

“PRINCESS MI AMORA CADENZA!”

Both Shining Armor's and Cadence's eyes widened. Cadence separated from Shining Armor.

“Would you come up here, please?”

Cadence gulped. She walked up the stairs and entered Twilight Sparkle's room, where Twilight Velvet and Night Light had some angry glares prepared for her.

“Y-yes?” Cadence stuttered, still trying to remain positive.

“Explain this.” Twilight Velvet pointed to Twilight Sparkle. “Explain to me why, why you thought it would be a good idea to make my daughter play in the mud!”

“I … I ...” Cadence stammered. She hung her head. “I just wanted to show her … the world didn't have to be such a scary place.”

“Uh-huh.” Twilight Velvet said. “I suppose I could respect that, but … tell me. Why, upon our return home, we found you kissing my son and neglecting to mention you had gotten our little filly sick?”

Cadence's eyes watered. “I – I thought I could fix it. I thought that I could make her feel better. First I gave her a bath, and I was going to give her some hot soup, but then you came home. I-I wanted to try to get her feeling well before you got home because … because I was afraid if you got home and found out I had gotten her sick, you … you wouldn't let me be her foalsitting anymore.”

Twilight Velvet put on a smile. The smile a crocodile has right before snapping its jaw and eating its prey. “Well, you were right to be worried.”

“I – I was?”

“Get out of my house!” Twilight Velvet yelled. “And If I see you near my daughter again, I'll -!”

Cadence nodded to show she understood. Tears welling up in her eyes as she realized she would probably never see Twilight Sparkle again, she closed the door. Gasping as she cried, she went down the stairs.

After she had left, Night Light felt concerned. “Honey … you realize we just fired the only foalsitter Twilight Sparkle ever got along with?”

“That's … slowly dawning on me, yes.” Twilight Velvet said. She huffed. “I stand by my decision.”

This conversation meant nothing to Shining Armor, Cadence, or Twilight Sparkle, however. Cadence exited the house and walked a few feet away from it before stopping.

Cadence turned her head over her shoulder, giving one last look at the house. On the bottom floor, Shining Armor was staring out the window at her. He hung and shook his head before leaving the window.

On the top floor, Twilight Sparkle was looking out the window, her hooves on the glass as if reaching out for Cadence. Cadence's eyes rested on Twilight Sparkle.

Twilight Sparkle sneezed, getting her mucus all over the window.

Seeing the green slime on the window – which she herself had caused - was too much for Cadence. Closing her eyes, Cadence took off, running off into the night, tears flying off her face as she ran to the castle.

To home.

Author's Note

It was very late into the conversation between Cadence and Uppercrust's mother when I realized she needed a name at this point. I thought about "Cobbler Pie," but I figured that would invite undue speculation about a relationship to Pinkie Pie's family.

It's also occurred to me that a smart, book-loving filly like Twilight Sparkle probably would have a read book that detailed how thunderstorms worked by now.

So, did that ending twist the knife enough?

Also, quick thanks to docontra (capitalized as such) for taking it upon themselves to point out errors in the chapters of this story.

Temperance

Portrayed as a woman with angel wings mixing up the water of two cups, one blue, the other red, the Temperance Arcana is a symbol of synthesis, prudence, harmony, and the merging of opposites. - Persona Wiki.

Cadence ran under the cold, gaze of nightfall. As the castle came into view, she slowed down and walked to the door. Tears dripping down her cheeks, she pushed the door open.

Making her way through the castle, Cadence came to a stop when, on her way to her room, she entered a chamber where Celestia was talking to a castle staff employee.

“There's my girl!” Celestia said, turning to greet her. “How was foalsitting?”

Cadence raised her hanging head to look up at her. “It was … fine.”

Celestia raised an eyebrow. She looked to the servant and waved her hoof, dismissing him. He nodded and left the room.

Celestia walked towards Cadence. “Cadence, I can hear in your voice you're upset about something. Tell me what's wrong.”

“Nothing. Nothing's wrong.” Cadence said, attempting to walk past Celestia. As Cadence passed her, Celestia held out a hoof and braced against Cadence's chest, stopping her in her tracks.

“Cadence, that wasn't a request.” Celestia moved to the front of of Cadence and sat on all fours, bringing her to Cadence's eye-level. “A long, long time ago … I once saw pony I loved go down a dark path because I couldn't be bothered to ask her what was troubling her every now and then.” Celestia looked up at the ceiling, though Cadence got the feeling she was looking more at the sky beyond the ceiling.

Celestia turned her gaze back to Cadence. “I won't let the same thing happen to you. Now, tell me what's wrong.”

Cadence sniffed. She wiped a tear from her eye. “I … I was foalsitting Twilight Sparkle and it was raining. Once the rain had stopped, I took Twilight Sparkle out to play in the mud. You know, like most foals do! After we had played in the mud for awhile, Twilight started feeling a little unwell, so I took her home and gave her a bath, but that didn't help. So I tried to make some soup to help her feel better before her parents came home, but then Shining Armor got there, and I tried to distract him but then her parents and showed up and saw that I got her sick and Twilight Velvet fired me and said she'd never let me near Twilight Sparkle again!” Towards the end of her explanation, Cadence had begun to talk incredibly fast, though Celestia still made out most of what she said. The important parts, anyway.

“Oh, Cadence ...” Celestia cooed. Celestia wrapped a hoof around her and pulled Cadence to her chest as Cadence cried. “My poor Cadence ...”

“I ...” Cadence stammered. “I-I just wanted to enrich her life … to show her she didn't have to be scared of the world and other ponies …”

They stood there awhile. Celestia let Cadence cry and cry and cry until she couldn't cry anymore.

“There.” Celestia pulled away. “Feeling better? Got it all out?”

Cadence sniffed, rubbing at her eyes. “I think so ...”

Celestia patted Cadence on the side. “Go to bed, dear. I'll see if I can catch Twilight Velvet, and we can smooth this all out tomorrow …”

Cadence nodded, acknowledging her aunt's words. She headed to her room and hopped onto the bed. Despite what she had told Celestia, she buried her face into the pillow and cried a little more before she was able to turn herself over and worm her way under the covers, still letting out a tearful sniff every few minutes. It was a long while before she fell asleep.

Twilight Sparkle pressed her nose to the glass, wondering why Cadence had gone. In her sickly state while under the covers, she couldn't hear the argument Cadence and Twilight Velvet had before Cadence's abrupt departure.

“Mom? Dad?” Twilight Sparkle asked, moving away from the window and walking up to her parents. “Why did Cadence leave without saying goodbye?”

Night Light grimaced and looked to his wife for how to explain this. Twilight Velvet narrowed her eyes and humphed, turning her head away.

“Cadence … had to leave, dear.” Night Light said, doing his best to be tactful.

“Oh. Okay.” Twilight Sparkle looked at the floor. “When is she coming back?”

Never before did Night Light have the urge to chew his lips until he bit through his own mouth and could eat his vocal chords so he wouldn't have to answer his daughter's innocent questions, but right now, he had the overwhelming urge to do so.

“We-we don't know, dear.” Night Light wrapped a hoof around Twilight Sparkle and pulled him close. “Maybe not ever ...” He said under his breath, too quiet for Twilight Sparkle to hear.

Twilight Sparkle pulled her head away from her father's chest and looked up at him. “But she … she is coming back, isn't she?”

Night Light bit his lip.

“Go to bed, dear.” Twilight Velvet told her, in a harsher tone than she meant to use, her hostility towards Cadence still showing through her voice. “We'll be taking you to the doctor on our way to work, first thing in the morning, so you'd better get some sleep.”

Twilight Sparkle nodded and climbed into bed.

Night Light was the last one out of the room, closing the door behind them. “Honey, what are we going to do? We can't tell her we fired Cadence, but we can't keep hiding the truth from her, either … ”

Twilight Velvet humphed again. “You can't keep hiding the truth from her, I would be perfectly happy to let her know exactly what happened.”

“Really?” Night Light asked. “Then why didn't you tell her yourself?”

“Why don't we go to bed, honey? It's been a long night, and I'm tired ...” Twilight Velvet made no effort to hide the fact she was dodging his question. She walked towards their room, and Night Light sighed before following.

They got to the doctor and were able to get in as a walk-in appointment without having to wait too long. The doctor attending was a tall, bulky, brown-coated unicorn, who greeted the family warmly as they walked in the door.

“Hello! Are you three my surprise patients for the day?”

“Yes, that's us.” Night Light said.

“And who do we have here today?” The doctor asked, looking over his clipboard. “Twilight Sparkle, is it?”

Twilight Sparkle nodded.

The doctor consulted his clipboard. “And this says you have a cold. Is that right?”

Twilight Sparkle nodded again.

“Well, why don't you climb onto this bed here and we'll see if we can get you straightened out ...” The doctor gestured to the bed. Twilight hopped onto the edges, hind hooves flailing as she struggled to get up, but she managed before the doctor could offer his assistance. Night Light was left to hold Twilight Velvet as her nerves got the best of her, causing her to enact unusual behavior such as hoof-biting.

The doctor set out inspecting Twilight Sparkle's body with various tools, sticking a light into her ears. He put his stethoscope onto her chest and listened to her heartbeat, after which he shined a different light into her nostrils, something which Twilight Sparkle didn't care much for, as it kept shining into her eyes.

The doctor pulled out a wooden stick like a popsicle's. “Twilight Sparkle, can you open your mouth for me?”

Twilight Sparkle opened her mouth.

“Good, good ...” The doctor laid the stick on her tongue. “Can you say “ahh” for me?”

“Ahh ...” Twilight Sparkle said, her tongue oscillating as she vocalized.

“Mmm.” The doctor said. He reached over to his shelf and pulled out a different tool, using this one to shine a light down Twilight Sparkle's mouth and throat.

“What is it, doctor?” Twilight Velvet asked, rolling her hooves together. “What's wrong with my daughter?”

“Well, I can tell you one thing for sure; she definitely has more than just a cold.” The doctor said.

“More than just a cold?” Twilight Velvet said. She grabbed her husband, sliding to the floor. “Oh, I knew it! It's something terrible! It's awful!”

“Ma'am, calm down. It's nothing serious. But I would say she has some sort of advanced cold and an infection of some kind, as caused by what we call a 'bug' in medicine.”

“An infection!?” Twilight Velvet screamed. “Oh, I knew it, I knew it!” Night Light was surprised to find himself having to hold up his wife as she fell backwards. “OH, MY POOR BABY! YOU WERE TOO GOOD FOR THIS SINFUL EQUESTRIA!”

“Miss Velvet!” Twilight Velvet found herself being pulled out from Night Light's legs as the doctor grabbed hold of her horn and pulled her upright. “I am not going to tell you to calm down a third time, understand?”

Twilight Velvet nodded to show she understood.

“Good.” The doctor let go of her horn. “It's fine. It's just a small infection. Something got washed up into her body the wrong way. Some bed rest, some hot soup, and some antibiotics which I'm going to prescribe for you, and she'll be fine.”

“Oh! Oh, okay.” Twilight Velvet said. “That's a relief.”

“However ...” The doctor said. “I'm not entirely sure I'm qualified to diagnose this without running some much more extensive tests, but I would say your daughter has an under-developed immune system.”

“An … under-developed … immune system?” Twilight Velvet asked.

“Yes.” The doctor said. “I don't often see infections like this one, but when I do, it's usually the result of a little filly or colt not having a properly developed immune system for her age.”

Night Light put a hoof on Twilight Velvet's shoulder. “Can we … cure it, doctor?”

“I'm afraid there's no 'cure,' as such. But if you want my recommendation, I would say after she starts feeling better, try to get her to play outside a little more. The only way to 'fix' it is by exposing to various bacteria so her immune system can practice and learn to adapt while she's still young and early into her development. You still have a chance to make up for lost time.”

“Okay.” Night Light nodded. “We'll make sure it happens, doctor. Thank you.” Night Light picked up Twilight Sparkle off the bed. “Come on, kiddo. Let's get you back home.”

The family waved goodbye to the doctor, filled out their paperwork, and left the clinic.

Celestia walked around the castle until she found Cadence, hanging around near the front entrance, with her hoof on the doorknob. “Cadence? Where are you going?”

“Oh!” Cadence was surprised to see Celestia there. “Oh, nowhere. I just thought I would go visit some ponies. See if they needed a foalsitter this morning.”

Celestia let out a worried expression. “Don't you want to talk with Twilight Velvet? She should be in for work shortly...”

“Oh.” Cadence smiled, though Celestia could see it was forced. “It's fine. We'll talk later. Bye!” Cadence opened the door and fled through it before Celestia could raise an objection.

Celestia closed her eyes and shook her head. “Oh, Cadence … you think I don't realize you're stalling?”

Cadence closed the door and hung her head. She was stalling, and she knew it. She was far from ready to face Twilight Velvet. She wasn't ready to talk yet, and she was going to delay as long as she could. She felt guilty, feeling as though she had lied to Celestia, even though Celestia saw through it.

Perking her head up and wearing a fake smile, Cadence went on her way, marching out to the streets and hocking her services like any good merchant.

“Foalsitter for hire!” Cadence waved her hoof, attempting to get the attention of passing noble ponies, to no effect. “Foalsitter for hire! For all your foalsitter needs!” After a few minutes where nopony approached her, Cadence was about to give up when a pair of ponies walked up to her.

“A foalsitter, you say?”

Oh no. Cadence recognized them. They were Jet Set's parents.

“Well ...” Jet Set's mother said. “We hadn't been planning on getting a foalsitter – we just put Jet Set in his room with a few games and toys to distract him – but it would be nice to know somepony's watching over him.”

Cadence nodded, despite her faltering smile.

Jet Set's father noticed. He put a hoof to his chin. “Perhaps not, dear … she seems distracted, and I know Jet Set didn't get along with her well last time.”

“That's a good point.” Cadence said. “You know what? I'll just be on my way ...” Eager to get out of foalsitting for Jet Set again, Cadence turned and headed for the castle. But she stopped, remembering if she went to back to the castle, Twilight Velvet would be there, and Celestia would try to get them to talk.

“Actually, no, never mind!” Cadence returned to the surprised couple, caught off guard by her sudden enthusiasm. “I would be perfectly happy to foalsit for Jet Set!”

Jet Set's parents didn't seemed convinced. “I don't know ...”

Cadence put her hooves together. “Please. I'm desperate. I don't want to go home right now, and I need something to occupy my time and distract my mind.”

Jet Set's parents seemed moved enough by her pleas. “Oh, all right. I suppose it would be a surprise for him, and he does like surprises ...”

“Yes!” Cadence pumped a hoof in the air. “Thank you.”

While it seemed to be a brilliant plan to avoid Twilight Velvet in Cadence's mind, it turned out it may not have been her best idea. Once she arrived at the house and explained the situation to Jet Set, without the need to keep up appearances to Celestia or Jet Set's parents (she didn't much care what Jet Set thought of her) Cadence let the depression she was feeling and hiding show through.

She found a spot in the kitchen to sit on her haunches and sat there. Her eyelids dropped, and she had almost no reaction to anything Jet Set did aside from a weak, quiet murmur of disapproval when he started getting rowdy. She couldn't stop thinking about Twilight Sparkle. How much fun they managed to have together, how she was looking forward to getting to know Twilight Sparkle better … and how she would never see her again.

“Hey, are you okay? You've been really quiet.” Jet Set said. Getting an idea, he left the room and came back with a ball. He tossed the ball at Cadence's head. The ball hit her in the head and made her body shift downwards, but like a push doll, she righted herself.

“Hmm.” Jet Set rubbed his chin, wondering and ready to test how much he could get away with it. He climbed up the stove and reached for the cookie jar, pushing it over and spilling its contents. He levitated one cookie up and tossed it at Cadence. Again, it hit her in the head, but she made no motion other than to correct her posture.

Jet Set climbed down from the stove. After getting himself a cookie, of course. He walked up to Cadence, alternating between talking and taking bites out of his cookie. He tapped her on the Cutie Mark. “Come on. Do something!” He jabbed her Cutie Mark several times. “Are you broken or something?”

Jet Set's parents returned. Jet Set went up to them to report his findings and conclusion.

“We need a new foalsitter.” Jet Set said. “This one's broken.”

“Broken?” Jet Set's mother asked. “Dear, whatever do you mean?”

“It's nothing.” Cadence insisted. “I just … I've been a little out of sorts lately. Nothing to worry about!” Cadence tried to give them a smile, but it lasted all of five seconds before it disappeared, along with her perked-up ears flopping downwards.

Jet Set's mother and father exchanged concerned looks. “All right. Here's your payment.” Jet Set's father held out his hooves with bits for Cadence to take.

Cadence held out her hoof with the liveliness of a zombie. Jet Set's father dropped the coins into her hoof and went inside the house with his wife. Cadence, still with a noticeable delay to her every movement, walked outside their house and closed the door.

Cadence continued on, meaning to return to the busy street and wait for the next pony in need of a foalsitter to come around. She raised an eyebrow as she passed Pie Crust on the sidewalk, accompanied by Uppercrust, wrapped around her mother's neck.

“Oh, hi, Pie Crust!” Cadence waved, still unable to keep a smile together for more than a few seconds.

“Hi, Cadence!” Uppercrust waved from her mother's back. “You're the best foalsitter ever!”

Cadence's mind went right back to Twilight Sparkle, and she winced. “O-oh? You think so?”

“Mm-hmm!” Uppercrust nodded. “None of the other foalsitters I had liked playing with me as much as you do!”

“'Like' might be too strong a word ...” Cadence muttered. “So, Pie Crust, you wouldn't happen to need a foalsitter this fine day, would you?”

“No.” Pie Crust said, looking at Cadence with concern.

“Oh, gee. Are you sure?” Cadence scratched the back of her neck. “Really, it's no trouble! I'm more than happy to-”

“Cadence, what's the matter?” Pie Crust asked. She saw through Cadence's cheerful-seeming demeanor.

“W-wrong?” Cadence asked. “N-nothing's wrong. Why would you even ask that?”

“Your eyelids are droopy. You keep looking everywhere except at me. And aside from waving and scratching your neck just now, you've barely moved the entire conversation. Something is on your mind. What's wrong? Is there anything I can do to help?”

Cadence froze and stared at Pie Crust.

“No.” Cadence admitted, closing her eyes and hanging her head. “No, there isn't. I guess I might as well go home.”

“You do that, dear.” Pie Crust watched as Cadence, her head still hanging low, walked towards home at the pace of a snail, her hooves dragging along the ground.

Cadence's mood did not brighten any upon returning home. She found a spare couch to sit on and climbed onto it, crossing her forelegs with apathy painted onto her face. Even the arrival and presence of her friend Fleur-de-lis – invited by Princess Celestia, even - did nothing to cheer her up.

“Come on!” Fleur-de-lis said, nudging Cadence in the shoulder with her hoof. “Give us a smile! Show me how your braces are doing.” Fleur-de-lis encouraged her, smiling and showing her braces. “And then, we can be Brace Buddies! Doesn't that sound fun?”

Cadence said nothing, tilting her head and blinking.

Celestia came 'round the room to check up on Fleur-de-lis' progress. She stood behind the couch and observed Cadence. She looked to Fleur-de-lis. “Nothing?”

Fluer-de-lis shook her head.

“Now, Cadence, I invited Fleur-de-lis in because I believed she would be capable of cheering you up.” Celestia said. “Was my faith misplaced?”

Cadence moved, though it was only to raise an eyebrow. “How did you invite her? You can't even remember her name half the time ...”

Fluer-de-lis grimaced. “Should we tell her?”

Celestia nodded. “We should. Cadence, I have something to confess ...” Celestia put a hoof on Cadence's shoulder. “I can remember Fluer-de-lis's name. I just pretend not to to mess with you. You're a smart and clever mare, Cadence. I know any way I have of messing with you will invite some form of retribution in the future, possibly involving exploding chocolate, so when I first met your friend, I seized upon the chance to have a way to mess with you where I … was shielded, somehow, from your clever mind.”

“I have to admit something, too.” Fleur-de-lis rubbed her hooves together. “She told me. Celestia told me about it. I haven't known long. Just a day or two, at most, but … she did tell me. Just so you know. I hope you're not … mad at me for not telling you. You're not, are you?”

Celestia and Fleur-de-lis leaned in, waiting for Cadence's response to their confession.

Cadence's reply was a dismissive, disinterested whinny, and it wasn't even aimed at them – it was directed more towards the air.

Having let out this heartfelt confession, only to be dismissed with such cruel apathy, convinced Celestia enough was enough.

“All right, that does it.” Celestia stomped her hoof. “You're talking to Twilight Velvet right now, young lady. I won't let you put it off any longer.”

This, at least, generated a reaction from Cadence. “What? No! You can't!” Cadence tried to stop Celestia as Celestia walked out of the room. Cadence chased after her, running down the halls to stop her. How she was going to stop her, Cadence didn't know. Cadence had half a mind to leap and tackle Celestia.

Before she could act on the idea, she followed Celestia to a wide, open room … where Celestia had found and brought Twilight Velvet there.

Cadence ground to a halt.

In an instant, Twilight Velvet became enraged. “What is she doing here?”

“She's here to talk to you.” Celestia said. “About last night.”

Twilight Velvet narrowed her eyes. “Well, that would be all well and good … except I don't want to talk to her.”

“Come now, Twilight Velvet.” Princess Celestia said. “At least give her a chance to explain.”

“I gave her a chance already.” Twilight Velvet turned towards the entrance on the other side of the room.

“Twilight Velvet, please.” Celestia said. “Cadence has a good heart. I believe she is truly remorseful for what's she done. If you would just try to understand … ”

“'Understand'?” Twilight Velvet questioned. “'Understand'?” She turned to Celestia. “Maybe, Princess Celestia, you should leave your child in the hooves of another pony and let them get sick! Maybe then, you would understand why I'm so upset! Maybe you would understand what it's like to be a mother, watching your only daughter cough and hack and spit and knowing there was nothing you could do about it but give her some medicine and hope it works like the doctor says! There may not be much I can do for Twilight Sparkle being sick now, but I can be sure it won't happen as long as I don't let this monster near her!” Twilight Velvet pointed to Cadence.

“I'm not a monster!” Cadence protested.

Princess Celestia looked down at Twilight Velvet. Her angered expression and arched-over neck served to emphasize how much taller she was than the common pony – how much taller she was than Twilight Velvet.
It was there, at this moment, did Twilight Velvet realized she had not only raised her voice at Princess Celestia, but she had insulted both her, and her niece.

“I resent your implication I do not understand the burden of motherhood.” Princess Celestia said. “GUARDS!”

Twilight Velvet winced and bit her lip as two pairs of Guards appeared at either entrance.

“Stand watch and keep Princess Cadence and Twilight Velvet in this room. Do not let either of them leave until they make up.” Celestia walked out of the room, her face stern and her posture controlled to hide her anger at Twilight Velvet.

The Guards let Princess Celestia pass. The minute she was out of sight, they relaxed. “So, hey … she said not to let you two out until you 'made up,' but, uh, do you think you could tell us how we're supposed to tell whether or not you've 'made up'?”

Cadence and Twilight Velvet shared awkward glances.

“I think we just need to wait for one of them to say 'I'm sorry' and hug each other.” The Guard's partner said. “That's all there is to it.”

“I want them to hug ten times and say 'I'm sorry!' no less than fifteen before you let them out!” Celestia shouted from the other room.

One of the Guards made a sharp whistle. “Princess Celestia's pretty upset. What did you two do?”

“Nothing.” Cadence told him. “It was nothing. Just touched a nerve, that's all.” She ran a hoof over her forehead and walked towards Twilight Velvet.

Cadence and Twilight Velvet stood in the center of the room, facing each other. Twilight Velvet grunted and made her displeasure clear while Cadence rubbed and kicked her hooves.

“Well, now what?” Twilight Velvet asked. “We're trapped in here.”

“I … I guess, now we talk.” Cadence said.

“Great. What do you want to talk about?” Twilight Velvet said.

Cadence rubbed her hooves. Twilight Velvet's question gave her a long pause. “I'm … I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get Twilight Sparkle sick. I never wanted her to get sick, and if I could go back and do it all over, I would.”

“You're sorry. You're sorry.” Twilight Velvet said. She turned away, rubbing her head. “Oh, that's just rich. Rich! Rich, I say.” Twilight Velvet covered her face. “Okay, Twilight Velvet, calm down, calm down ...” Twilight Velvet took several deep breaths. “Okay. You know what?”

Twilight Velvet turned to face Cadence again. “You want to know something? I could forgive you for getting Twilight Sparkle sick. Foals get sick all the time. It's perfectly natural. It happens. Hay, when we went to see him, the doctor even told me Twilight Sparkle needed to get out more! But what really has me upset … what I can't overlook is … ” Twilight Velvet shook her head.

“Tell ya what; I'm willing to make a deal with you. A concession, if you will. I will let you see Twilight Sparkle. I will even hire you as a foalsitter again. But you have to be the one to figure out what it is you really did wrong.”

Twilight Velvet marched towards the entrance, only stopped when the Guards moved to intercept her. She had forgotten about them being there.

“It's okay.” Cadence said. “Let her go.”

The Guards looked to each other, unsure if they should obey Cadence's words over Celestia.

“I said let her go!”

The Guards nodded and complied, moving away from the door to let Twilight Velvet through.

“What I really did wrong.” Cadence said to herself, tapping her chin. “What I really did wrong.” Cadence began to pace around the room. “Okay. Okay, Cadence, think ...” Cadence tapped at her head with her hooves. She reviewed the events of last night. “I took Twilight Sparkle out to play in the mud … she got sick. I brought her home and I tried to cure her before her parents got home and I … distracted Shining Armor … I tried to cure her before her parents got home!” Cadence paused.

“OH!” Cadence exclaimed as it became clear to her. “OH, DUH! That's it! That's what I did wrong! I have to tell Twilight Velvet!”

Cadence took off, galloping out of the room after Twilight Velvet. She left the confused Guards behind. The Guards shrugged at each other and returned to their normal patrols.

Twilight Velvet, needing some fresh air after her conversation with Cadence, left the castle and went out for a walk. She didn't mean to go far. A quick walk around the grounds and back to work, but before she knew it, she found herself wandering into the a packed Canterlot street, with ponies sitting and eating on tables.

“Mom?” Shining Armor asked, raising up from his seat. “What are you doing here?”

Twilight Velvet froze as she realized how far away from the castle she had gone in a short amount of time. “Uh … nothing! What are you doing here?”

“I was using my allowance to buy some lunch.” Shining Armor said.

Twilight Velvet glanced at the ground. “Can I join you? I need to be away from the castle for a little while.”

“Yeah, sure.” Shining Armor scooted out a chair for his mother. Twilight Velvet sat down and watched him eat.

“So you bumped into Cadence, too?” Twilight Velvet heard somepony say. She turned her head over to see Pie Crust sitting and talking with Jet Set's parents.

“Yes.” Jet Set's mother nodded. “She seemed distracted about something. Her eyes were always somewhere else …”

“The poor thing.” Pie Crust said, lifting up a mug of coffee. “She used to be so youthful and energetic, but when I saw her this morning, she just seemed … lifeless and … empty. She wouldn't tell me what was wrong.” Pie Crust sipped her coffee. “I'm worried about her.”

“Well, one mustn't meddle too much into the affairs of other ponies, must they?” Jet Set's father said. “Though still … in some way, I suppose I'm worried as well. She needs a friend.”

Twilight Velvet heard all this and rested her elbows on the table. “Maybe I was too hard on her … maybe I did overreact a little bit.” Twilight Velvet's eyes were full of concern, but she shook her head. “No. No. I stand by what I said.”

“Mom?” Shining Armor asked.

“It's nothing.” Twilight Velvet assured her. She looked over her shoulders and her eyes widened as she saw Cadence galloping down the street.

“Twilight Velvet! Twilight Velvet!” Cadence huffed and huffed as she ran up to the table where Twilight Velvet and Shining Armor sat. “I … I realized what I did wrong!”

“Humph! So soon?” Twilight Velvet got up from her chair. “I don't believe it. Come on, Shining Armor. I'll walk you home.”

“No!” Cadence raised out a hoof. “Don't leave! Shining Armor, help! Say something!”

Shining Armor shrugged. “Sorry. I don't offer much help to ponies who get my sister sick and then don't tell my parents about it!”

“I know.” Cadence said. “That's what I wanted to talk about. I shouldn't have hid the fact Twilight Sparkle fell ill under my care from you or your parents. I should have have come clean when you got home and tell you what happened right away. I realize that now. And … in trying to hide the fact she was sick, I ended causing the very exact thing I was afraid to happen. So please, please … help me out?” Cadence said. “I want to see little Twiley again … even if it's just to say goodbye.”

“I thought I told you, only I get to call -” Shining Armor stopped, seeing the desperation in Cadence's eyes.

“Yeah, okay.” Shining Armor nodded. “That was a pretty big thing to admit.” Shining Armor got down a put a hoof against her shoulder. “I'll vouch for you and put a good word in."

“Thank you.” Cadence smiled. She gave him a kiss on the cheek, causing him to blush. She galloped away while Shining Armor, in a state of shock, put a hoof to the cheek she kissed.

Twilight Velvet and Shining Armor entered their house, Shining Armor demonstrating an unusual level of quietness.

Shining Armor lingered on the door. “Mom? Can I talk to you about something?”

“Of course, dear.” Twilight Velvet said. “You know you can talk to me about anything.”

Shining Armor took his hoof the doorknob and faced his mother. “It's about Cadence.”

Twilight Velvet scowled. “Anything except that.”

“Mom … I know you're upset. I was upset, too. But it can't hurt to just talk about it, can it?”

“There's nothing to talk about.” Twilight Velvet said. She was about to either stomp off to her room or send Shining Armor to his when the door opened.

“Twilight Velvet?” Night Light stepped into the room. “Princess Celestia let me leave so I could find out why you left work early without telling anypony.”

“I was going to come back.” Twilight Velvet said. “But I … had to get away from Cadence.”

“Oh, yes, Cadence.” Night Light scratched his head. “Speaking of which, are you sure we weren't … I mean, maybe we … maybe we were a little too harsh on her. Maybe we overreacted a little?”

Twilight Velvet had the same though earlier, but she was feeling much too prideful to admit this to Night Light. “No. I don't think we were. I think our reaction was appropriate.”

“Twilight Velvet, I think you're being a little unreasonable ...” Night Light said.

“I'm not being unreasonable!”

“Mom, listen.” Shining Armor said. “Cadence and Twiley were getting along pretty well before this happened. Do you really think Cadence would let something like this happen on purpose?”

“Of course not!” Twilight Velvet said. “Why are you all attacking me?”

“We're not attacking you, dear, we're just trying to suggest maybe we should give Cadence a second chance.”

“I stand by my decision.” Twilight Velvet said.

“Hmm. You're very firm on that, aren't you?” Night Light said.

“Yes, I am.” Twilight Velvet said. “And I don't want to hear any more talk about Cadence. Understand?”

The three of them were silenced by a creak coming from the stairs. The family looked to see Twilight Sparkle coming down the stairs, her little hooves causing squeaks as she climbed down.

“Understand what?” Twilight Sparkle asked.

“Twiley!” Shining Armor said. “You look better.”

“Yeah.” Twilight Sparkle rubbed her nose. “Mom gave me a funny pill and I started feeling better. When's Cadence coming back?”

Night Light and Shining Armor grimaced. They could tell it was too much for Twilight Velvet to hear. She looked ready to exploded.

“Cadence, Cadence, CADENCE! I'm SICK of hearing about CADENCE! Why does it seem like suddenly Cadence is the only thing we ever talk about!?” Twilight Velvet marched up to Twilight Sparkle. “You listen here; Cadence is never coming back. Do you understand?”

Twilight Sparkle was shocked. Her eyes grew watery. “Never?”

“Never EVER EVER!” Twilight Velvet screamed.

Twilight Sparkle rested her head on her hoof. She looked down and sank to the floor, struggling to process this. She cried and sniffed.

“Cadence … was the only foalsitter I liked. She was the only who … understood me. She loved books almost as much as I do.” Twilight Sparkle sniffed, wiping a tear from her eye. Twilight Velvet remained indifferent, wanting her daughter to hurry up and cry already so they could move on and forget about Cadence.

In a sudden movement, Twilight Sparkle stood up, and Twilight Velvet was surprised to see her take an aggressive stance. “If Cadence won't be my foalsitter, then Shining Armor doesn't get to go the academy!”

Shining Armor looked to his father to do something.

“Uh, Twilight Sparkle, that's … heh heh … not up for you to decide.” Night Light said with a nervous chuckle.

“No!” Twilight Sparkle said. “He has to stay!”

Twilight Sparkle hopped forward, her horn shining with magic. Her irises and pupils disappeared, her eyes glowing white, and she levitated into the air.

“I'll MAKE him stay! I'll make ALL OF YOU STAY!”

Twilight Sparkle's horn emitted a pillar of purple light which rose up, breaking through the roof. Various objects through the house lifted up and swirled around the air. All of Twilight Sparkle's family found themselves in Twilight Sparkle's magical grip, being lifted up into the air and held in firmly in place.

At the castle, Cadence was still feeling depressed. She found a different couch and laid on it, her hoof propping up her head.

“Oh.” Celestia said, finding Cadence. “What's wrong, Cadence?”

“It's Twilight Velvet.” Cadence answered. “I figured what I did wrong – not the part where I got Twilight Sparkle sick – what I really did wrong, but she still won't hear me. When I tried to talk to her, she wasn't interested in what I had to say.” Cadence noticed a purple glow coming from the window. “What's that?”

“I'm not sure.” Celestia joined Cadence in walking over to the windowsill and seeing what was emitting the light. A huge pillar of purple energy had appeared in the middle of town, reaching for the heavens and shining its light on the land.

“Wait ...” Cadence put her hooves on the glass and looked closer. “I think that might be Twilight Sparkle's house!”

“You'd better get over there, then.” Celestia said.

“Right!” Cadence was so eager to help out and see Twilight Sparkle again, and maybe earn Twilight Velvet's forgiveness and pardon, she didn't think twice about heading out and galloping to the house as fast as she could. She didn't think about what it could be. She just knew she had to get over there.

Cadence also didn't think about why, when confronted with a magical disturbance in her city, Celestia decided to send her, rather than go out and deal with it herself.

Celestia could prove … tricky like that.

Cadence barged into the Sparkle family's home, charging the door open without stopping to knock.

“Twilight Sparkle!” Cadence yelled. She grimaced and became unnerved when she saw what was going on. The rest of Twiley's family hanging in the air, held by invisible chains. Objects floating around the room – lamps, drawers, chairs, silverware, cleaning supplies. Everything one would expect to find in a home.

“Twilight Sparkle!” Cadence shouted. She ran into the foyer and to the base of the stairs, dodging the floating furniture by ducking under and jumping over the various lamps, forks, plates, and chair legs.

“Twilight!” Cadence called out, running underneath Twilight's floating family, who were surprised to see her – none more so than Twilight Velvet.

“Twilight!” Cadence called again, running up to Twilight Sparkle. Twilight Sparkle didn't seem to notice her, caught up in her own magical power.

Cadence, taking a risk, reached out her hooves and touched them to Twilight Sparkle's shoulder and haunch. “Twiley ...”

Twilight Sparkle looked up as though something impossible had happened. Searching the room for the voice who called her by Shining Armor's nickname, she was overjoyed to see Cadence looking at her.

“It's okay.” Cadence said. “I'm here now. You don't have to do this … whatever this is.” Cadence took another look at the floating objects.

“Cadence!” Twilight Sparkle exclaimed. In an instant, her magic went away; her horn stopped glowing, her eyes returned to normal, and her family and all their furniture and wares were dropped to the ground.

“You're here!” Twilight Sparkle embraced Cadence in a gleeful hug.

“I know.” Cadence said, returning the hug. “I'm here.”

Shining Armor, Night Light, and Twilight Velvet attempted to regain their bearings.

Shining Armor observed the room, and all the furniture, silverware, and lamps, misplaced and rearranged by Twilight Sparkle's magical outburst.

“Well.” Shining Armor said. “This is gonna take some cleaning up.”

After things calmed down a little, and the rest of the family had the chance to recover from all the excitement, Twilight Velvet took Cadence aside and guided her into the kitchen, where she served some hot chocolate for both of them.

Cadence held her cup and regarded it in silence.

Twilight Velvet pulled out her chair and took a seat. “So …” She sipped the hot chocolate. “I can't deny what you did back there was impressive. However … we still need to talk about a few things.” She set the mug down on the table.

“I know.” Cadence said. “I know what I did wrong, and I'm sorry. I shouldn't have hid Twilight Sparkle's sickness from you. I should have told you what was wrong the minute you came through the door. I'm sorry. But I promise, I will never do that again. To you or any pony that I foalsit for.”

“Apology accepted. Well done, Cadence. You figured it out.” Twilight Velvet said with a smile. “And … some ponies, myself included, have suggested to me that I might have overreacted a little bit last night. And for that … I'm sorry, too.” Twilight Velvet reached a hoof over the table.

Cadence shook it. “So … does this mean you'll let me foalsit for Twilight Sparkle again?”

“After what happened a few minutes go? I'd be a fool not to.”

“Yay!” Twilight Sparkle rushed into the room with amazing timing. She jumped onto Cadence, tackling her off her chair and to the floor. The two of them laughed and giggled while Twilight Velvet watched, smiling fondly.

Cadence picked Twilight Sparkle up and carried the filly to the room. There, Cadence laid back on the bed, still hugging and holding Twilight Sparkle in her legs.

Twilight Sparkle continued to laugh and giggle, Cadence rolling around on the bed. “Hahahahaha! Hahaha … Cadence? Can I ask you a question?”

“Sure.”

“Why ...” Twilight Sparkle said. “Why were you so eager to foalsit me again? I like you a lot, sure. You're the bestest-best foalsitter ever. But … aren't there other ponies you foalsit from time to time? What makes me special?”

“What makes you special?” Cadence sat upright, holding Twilight Sparkle like a plush doll.

“What makes you special, Twilight Sparkle, is that you're the pony I love to sit for the most.”

Twilight Sparkle giggled. Rolling around in Cadence's grip, she gave Cadence another hug, which Cadence returned.

“Ah … ah … achoo!” Cadence sneezed, raising her leg up just in time to keep it from getting onto Twilight Sparkle. Cadence took her leg away from her face and saw a little bit of green ooze on it.

“Oh noo ...” Cadence groaned, realizing she had caught something when Twilight Sparkle sneezed on her. While it probably wasn't an infection, she had no doubt she was going to be sick for a few days.

You know what? It's worth it. Cadence thought she hugged and nuzzled Twilight Sparkle.

Author's Note

The bolding of 'synthesis,' 'harmony,' and 'merging of opposites' probably seemed more sensible in the earlier version of the story, where Cadence had to contend with a jealous, living Smarty Pants doll. The 'synthesis' and 'harmony' would have come from Cadence and Smarty Pants putting aside their differences, despite their conflicting personalities, for Twilight Sparkle's sake.

A lot of people were critical about how fast Twilight Sparkle got sick last chapter. I hope the reveal of an infection (which I had planned at least far as writing the last chapter) and an immune-system deficiency (which I didn't think of until user Iamawesome on Fimfiction suggested it in the comments) helped mitigate these criticisms, though I fully admit I could have at least put in a few hours between when Twilight Sparkle played the mud and when she got sick, which would have been less incredulous while still maintaining the flow and pace of the story.

Another idea I had was to put in an epilogue where Twilight Sparkle, as an adult, is sleeping with Spike during a thunderstorm, and to calm him down, tells him the same things Cadence told her in the previous chapter. While this would have been cute, I felt it would have distracted from the focus, which was supposed to be on Cadence and Twilight Sparkle.

Thanks for reading! Given the positive reception this story has gotten, if I didn't already have some very strict plans, I would probably tell myself to write more slice-of-life stories!

The Fool

The Fool represents innocence, divine inspiration, madness, freedom, spontaneity, inexperience, chaos, and creativity. - Persona Wiki.

A stream of sunlight poured into the room. The shining light and a complete lack of clouds or any hint of unpleasant weather suggested it would be a bright and sunny day for all.

The young princess Cadence disagreed with the sun's silent assurances. She pulled her bedsheets over herself for protection from the wretched sunlight. The solar rays were making the room too bright to be comfortable and it strained her eyes to adjust.

“Cadence?” A door squeaked open. “Are you ready to get up?”

“No.” Cadence answered from beneath her sheets.

Princess Celestia chuckled. “Well, too bad. You need to have big breakfast. You have a busy day ahead of you. Or did you forget that you agreed to foalsit today? For … Jet Set and later Uppercrust, I believe it was.”

Squinting her eyes to block the light, Cadence pulled the sheets down. She rose up from her and rubbed at her eyelids. “No, I haven't forgotten … gee, Auntie Celestia, do you think you could, like, dim the sun down or something?”

Celestia laughed again. “I'm sorry, but my duties as Princess of the Sun prevent me from giving you special treatment.”

“Aww. Please?” Cadence took her hooves off her eyes, only to wince at the sun and cover them up. “Just for a few minutes?”

“No.” Celestia walked into the room. “I will not do that. What I will do … is pull up your window curtains.”

Her horn tingling with magic, Celestia grabbed hold of the pink curtains and gave them a tug, bringing them over the glass and reducing the amount of burning sunlight in the room by a drastic measurement.

Cadence made a surprised little 'o' with her mouth, trying to hide her embarrassment at not thinking of such a simple solution. “Oh … yeah.” Cadence shrugged and tried to pull off a cool pose. “I was gonna do that. Eventually.”

Celestia rolled her eyes. “I believe you, Cadence. Now come. It's time for breakfast.” Celestia supervised as Cadence got down from her bed and left the room with her.

“Oh!” Cadence tried to turn around. “I forgot to make my bed!”

Celestia stopped Cadence from bolting back in with a hoof. “Those sheets will be still waiting for you to make them up when you get back … provided Night Light doesn't get to them first.”

Cadence chuckled. “Oh, Night Light! I love it when he makes my bed. He always leaves a little chocolate mint on my pillow.”

Celestia smiled. “As do I. Do you know what he leaves on mine?”

“What?”

“A little piece of caramel.”

“Aw, no way!” Cadence huffed and sulked. “That's not fair. Why do you get the caramel?”

“Because while you may be a Princess, I am the Princess.” Celestia said. She reached her neck and shoved Cadence into the kitchen with her snout. “But that's enough talk about nighttime candy for now. You need your breakfast.”

After ensuring Cadence ate all of her breakfast (all of it; Celestia wouldn't even let her skimp on the orange juice) Celestia took Cadence and walked her to the house where Cadence would be foal-sitting for the morning.

“Hello?” Cadence knocked on the door. “Is anypony home? It's me, Princess Cadence. I'm here to foal-sit.”

The door swung open, showing a couple of beige unicorns wearing fancy hats.

“Ah!” The man of the pairing exclaimed. “Perfect, perfect, you're just in time, just in time. We were just about to leave.” He shook Cadence's hoof and dragged her inside. Celestia waved as her niece was dragged into the house.

The stallion shut the door. “Princess Cadence, you said it was?”

“Yes.” Cadence nodded. “That's me.”

“We're so glad to have you here.” The mare said. “We have plans to go meet our rivals – I mean friends today we can learn about their business – I mean, about them, and we need somepony here to watch over our darling little Jet Set.”

“That's why I'm here.” Cadence looked around the room. “Umm … speaking of Jet Set, where is he?”

Jet Set's parents looked at each other.

“Oh, excuse us.” Jet Set's father said. “He didn't seem too pleased with the idea of a foal-sitter, so he's most likely in his room.”

“Jet Set!” His mother yelled. “Come out here! Cadence wants to meet you!”

There was no answer.

“Jet Set! Now!”

“Fine, I'm coming. I'm coming.” Jet Set said came down from the stairs, going slow to delay meeting Cadence as long he could.

“You recall the foal-sitter we discussed.” Jet Set's mother said. “This is Princess Cadence. She'll be watching over you for a few hours while we're gone.”

“Hmph.” Jet Set turned his head away.

“Now, now, don't be rude.” His father said. “We expect you to behave for Cadence. She is a Princess, after all.”

Cadence nodded. “That's right. And I'm sure your parents must feel very honored to have a Princess acting as a foalsitter, Jet Set.”

“Oh, not at all!” Jet Set's father said, not thinking through his choice of words. “Only the very best for our son.” His wife caught onto his verbal blunder and attempted to hurry the proceedings before Cadence decided to change her mind about sitting for them.

“Well, we must be off by now.” Jet Set's mother said, pushing her husband to the door. “You two have fun!”

“And keep him out of trouble!” Jet Set's father said.

“Trouble?” Cadence said as they left. “Oh, I'm sure he won't be any trouble at all.” She turned around to Jet Set and lowered her front half. “Isn't that right, Jet Set? Nah. You're not gonna cause any trouble for me, are ya?”

“Hmph.” Jet Set turned his head away from her again. He took a sip out from his juice box Cadence only now noticed.

“Mmm!” Cadence licked her lips. “That juice box sure looks good. Would you mind sharing it with me?” In truth, Cadence had no desire to drink from the juice box, the breakfast Celestia had (force)fed her notwithstanding. It was a tactic. A tactic to get him to open up to her and bond by giving the opportunity to share.

Jet Set gave Cadence a hard glare. “No.” He pulled the box away.

“Okay.” Cadence said with a smile. There was nothing wrong with him not wanting to share. Cadence had used this tactic on her fair share of foals, and a some of them didn't want to share their boxes for a a variety of legitimate reasons.

“May I ask why?” Cadence asked. Sometimes, the foals would fail to answer or realize their reason was silly and decided to share after all. This was something Cadence liked; it helped the foals learn and grow to be kind.

“Because my mommy taught me not to 'waste resources' on 'being charitable' when you're 'trying to compete.'” Jet Said answered.

This was not the kind of answer Cadence expected. “Did she really? Did she really teach you that?”

“Well … no.” Jet Set said. “But that's what I heard her say, and that's what I'm going to do.”

“You know, just because your mommy said it, that doesn't mean it's a good thing.”

Jet Set responded by sipping his juice while giving her another glare.

Cadence shook her head. “Just forget it. So, what do you like to do for fun, Jet Set?”

“What do you like to do for fun?”

“What do I like to do?” Cadence asked. “Well … there's always … sunshine, sunshine, ladybugs awake, clap your hooves and do a little shake!” Cadence did a little jaunty jig, clapped her hooves and turned around relative to Jet Set.

“Okay.” Jet Said with a smile. “Then I want to do anything but that.”

Cadence muttered under her breath through gritted teeth. “You're not gonna make this easy for me, are you, kid?”

“What was that?” Jet Set said. “You better not have been insulting me, or I'll run and go get my parents.”

“It was nothing!” Cadence said with a laugh, waving her hoof. “Learn to lighten up, Jet Set … Jet Set?” While she was distracted laughing, Jet Set had found the time to give her the slip. “Jet Set?” Cadence began walking through the house, searching for him. “Where did he go?” She heard a rattling noise in the kitchen and ran towards.

Jet Set was in the kitchen floor, with a cookie jar nestled in his lap. He reached in with a hoof and took out a cookie. He munched on it happily until Cadence's shadow fell over him.

Cadence, unimpressed, raised an eyebrow. “What are you doing?

Jet Set chewed and swallowed. “I'm having a cookie!”

“I see. And did your parents give you permission to have a cookie while I'm here?”

Jet Set looked away. “Nnnooo .. but I wanted one, so I took one.”

“That's it.” Cadence lifted the cookie jar up with her magic. “Put your cookie back in the jar and then put the jar away.”

“No!” Jet Set grabbed the cookie jar with his hooves and tried to tug it away from Cadence. The jar rocked back and forth, but Cadence's magic overcame his tiny hooves. She lifted the jar up higher.

Jet Set gave her a determined look. His horn lit up as he tried using his magic to yank the jar away from Cadence. Once again, the jar rocked back and forth in the air. It edged towards Jet Set. It edged towards Cadence. It tipped over, running the risk of dropping all of the cookies. But Cadence righted the jar and broke it free of Jet Set's magic, placing it on the cabinet.

“Your parents are trusting me to keep you out of trouble.” Cadence said. “Whatever it takes, I'm going to see to it their trust is well-placed, understand?” Cadence turned around to see Jet Set had gone again, making off with his ill-gotten baked good. Cadence growled, though this time he would be easy to find by the trail of crumbs on the floor.

I can't wait until this morning is over and I don't have to deal with this brat anymore … Cadence thought.

After spending the entire morning dealing with Jet Set's misbehavior, Cadence was glad when the afternoon came, as it meant an end to her torment. She was relieved when Jet Set's parents returned, though she tried not to let it show.

“Hello, Princess.” Jet Set's mother greeted her, bowing her head. “Where's Jet Set?”

“Oh, he got a little rowdy with me, so I sent him to his room.” Cadence answered. “Jet Set! Your parents are home!” Jet Set came scrambling down the stairs, much more eager to see his parents than he was to meet Cadence earlier.

“My word.” Jet Set's father said. “I don't believe it. Our Jet Set? Rowdy?”

“Uh-huh.” Cadence nodded. “I caught him trying to sneak cookies from your cookie jar.” Not to mention a number of other things ...

“Jet Set, is this true?” Jet Set's mother asked. “Do you sneak into the cookie jar?”

“No, I didn't!” Jet Set said. “She's lying!”

Cadence loved foals, but it took every ounce of willpower she had not to smack the twerp. Her eye twitched.

“Well, as wonderful as this day has been for me, I really need to get to my next appointment!” Not willing to stand here and listen to Jet Set weave a tall tale about how she mistreated him, Cadence brushed her way past Jet Set's parents and headed out the door. She galloped to the house on another side of town where she was scheduled to babysit for the afternoon.

She knocked on the door to the house and was answered by a white unicorn mare.

“Hello! I'm -”

“Princess Cadence? The Princess who loves foals?” The mare asked. Cadence nodded. “Oh good, you're here on time. I was afraid you weren't going to make it. If you need me, I'll be at my husband's office. I'm planning on giving him a surprise at while he's at work. Upper Crust is playing in her bedroom, just up the stairs. I really have to get going, so … bye!” The mare spoke fast and moved fast. She dashed into the house and came back out carrying a picnic basket in her mouth and sprinted down the street. She was already out of sight by the time Cadence had processed but half the things she said.

What? Cadence shook her head, attempting to sift through the blur of words and pick out the information she needed. What did she say? … Upper Crust is in her bedroom up the stairs. Okay. Got it.

Cadence went inside the house and climbed up the marble spiral staircase, finding a little filly playing in a bluish-white bedroom. The filly stopped what she was doing to gawk at Cadence. She lost her balance and fell on the floor, but she didn't seem to mind.

“Are you my foalsitter?”

Cadence smiled and nodded. “Yes, I am. My name's Cadence, and I'm told you're Uppercrust?”

Uppercrust didn't bother to answer her question. “Let's play together!” She dashed towards Cadence, barreling headfirst into Cadence's chest. Cadence's soft, unprepared chest. Cadence lurched and grimaced, but attempted to fix a smile back on.

“I want a piggy-back ride!” Uppercrust said.

Cadence wasn't in love with the idea. “Oh, I'm not sure we should-”

“Piggy-back ride!” Uppercrust insisted, crawling onto Cadence's back, her hooves snagging and yanking on the hairs in Cadence's mane.

“Ow ow ow okay piggy-back ride!” Cadence reached her front hooves over her shoulders so she could secure Uppercrust to her back. Cadence stood on her hind legs and ran in circles around the room for as long as she could manage to stay on her hind legs.

“Whee!” Uppercrust threw her hooves in the air. “After this, I want cake!”

“Cake?” Cadence asked. “Are you sure you wouldn't want, you know, some peanut butter sandwiches or something?”

“No!” Uppercrust said. “Ooh, you know we should do? We should MAKE a cake! I know my mommy is bringing a cake to my daddy. We should make a cake for my mommy!”

Cadence chuckled. It was sweeter than anything Jet Set had come up with, at least. “Well, if it's for your mommy, then I guess I wouldn't mind baking a cake with you.”

Later in the day, as the sun was going down, Cadence was so, so happy her work day was over. Uppercrust proved to be quite a hyper little filly, filled with boundless energy. She still wasn't tapped out even when they had finished the cake, despite all the work the baking entailed.

After Uppercrust's mother returned, bringing along with her father off from work, Cadence shook hooves with both of them and headed straight for the castle. She wanted to do nothing more than crawl into her bed and call it a day.

Once she was inside the castle, she made a beeline for bed and threw the blankets over her. Her hopes of peaceful rest were dashed by the sound of her door creaking and hooves clopping on the polished floor.

“So, how was your day?” Celestia asked.

“Ugh!” Cadence sat upright, throwing the sheets off. “It was terrible! All these foals are so – so rotten and spoiled. They expect to have everything handed to them on a silver platter.”

Celestia nodded. “Yes. But you were the one who said you wanted to befriend every foal in Canterlot. This was what you agreed to. I warned you, not every foal would appreciate your efforts.”

“I know.” Cadence hung her head. “It's just so … disheartening. I wanted to make friends with every foal so they wouldn't feel lost. So they wouldn't feel … alone. Like I was alone … when you found me.” Cadence looked away from Celestia, who on the same note, took a sudden interest in the window curtains. “There's so much in their lives that they take for granted … they don't understand how precious some things are. Like a house. Like a home. Like knowing who your parents are ...”

Cadence looked back to Celestia. She chuckled awkwardly.

“Uh, no offense! It's not that you're not an amazing parent, Auntie Celestia!” Cadence said. “You're awesome! You're amazing, and I wouldn't trade you for anypony else!” Cadence looked at her bedsheets. “But still … it might have been … nice to know who my real parents were.”

Celestia looked at the tile, scuffing a hoof. “Rest up, Cadence. The dinner bell will ring soon.” Celestia began to close the door.

Cadence pulled the sheets up and laid down. “I just wanted to spread the love, that's all … to keep them from being lonely.” She closed her eyes, the light from the other room shining onto her bed before Celestia shut the door.

Celestia stood there, silent and unmoving. She looked at Cadence's door and at the empty tile before dragging herself to the nearest window. She poked her head out, her horn glowing as she pushed the sun down and pulled the moon up, switching Equestria over from day to night.

“An amazing parent.” Celestia repeated to herself. She gazed at her reflection in the window, the moon placed in a perfect position so when Celestia looked stared into the frame, her face overlapped with the image of the moon bleeding through. Celestia's brow furled up as she regarded the curious formation in the moon, almost in the shape of a pony.

“I wish you could the say the same thing. I doubt you would agree.” Celestia said to the Mare in the Moon. “If I only had been there for you, like I should have been.” Celestia sighed and walked away from the window, the Mare in the Moon still looking down on the castle.

Her routine mourning and moping done, Celestia made her usual nighttime rounds around the area of the castle, going around and checking in with all of her servants and guards. Walking through one of the castle's many halls, she overheard a conversation in a room.

“What are we gonna do?” Night Light said. “She's scared off everypony else ...”

“I know.” Twilight Velvet, one of Celestia's accountants for the Royal Treasury (and Celestia's personal favorite; Velvet was much less snobby and more humble than the others) “But we need to find her a foalsitter who will work for her.”

Celestia's ears perked up. Now who did she know who was skilled in the art of foalsitting? Who did she know who loved spending time and bonding with foals? Whoever could it be?

“Sweetie … I think we may just need to accept the fact we're not getting that vacation. We may have to spend the time with Twilight Sparkle.”

“What's this I hear about a vacation?” Celestia asked, stepping into the room. Twilight Velvet and Night Light staggered, surprised to see her here.

“Oh, um, hello, Princess Celestia!” Night Light bowed his head. “We weren't … expecting you to be in here. I was just about to go through the castle. You know, leave a little caramel on your pillow, the way you like.”

“Hmm.” Celestia put a wing to her chin. “Tonight, would you put some caramel on Cadence's pillow as well? She's had a rough day.”

Night Light was confused by this, but far be it him to disobey a request from the Princess. “Um … all right.”

“We come here to see each other during the night as things are winding down for the day.” Twilight Velvet explained. “We don't normally get company in here.”

“Well, forgive me for intruding.” Celestia said. “But if my hearing doesn't fail me, I heard you say something about needing a foalsitter?”

Twilight Velvet and Night Light turned to each other.

“Should we tell her?” Night Light asked.

Velvet hissed at him. “She's the Princess! How can we not?” Twilight Velvet turned to the Princess, tapping her hooves together. “Er, yes. My husband and I were talking recently and we realized we hadn't had a proper vacation for a long while.”

“And we were thinking about calling in some of that unused vacation time.” Night Light explained. “But there's a slight problem.”

“Oh?”

“Yes. Our son, Shining Armor, got submitted an application the Royal Guard academy and ... he got accepted.” Night Light said with a smile.

“Did he? Congratulations! You two must be very proud of him.” Celestia beamed a smile at them.

“Oh, we are.” Twilight Velvet, reaching a hoof across her husband's shoulder. “He starts his training in a few weeks.”

“Couldn't be prouder, in fact.”

Celestia shifted her eyes from side to side. “So, um … how is this a problem, exactly?”

“Well … without Shining Armor around, there's nopony to watch over our daughter, Twilight Sparkle.” Night Light said.

“So the last few days, we've been hiring foalsitters to come over and watch Twilight Sparkle. That way, When Shining Armor goes away to the academy, and we go on vacation, Twilight Sparkle will have somepony for company and guidance while we're gone. She's very shy, you see, so it's best if she gets to know her foalsitter now.” Twilight Velvet explained.

“It … hasn't been working out.” Night Light said. “Every sitter we try, she ends up scaring away somehow. We just got the message from Shining Armor today that she even drove our most recent one to quit ... and he was a reformed convict! Or so he claimed. I never was too happy we went through with hiring him.”

“Perhaps I can be of assistance.” Celestia said. “My niece, Cadence, is quite enamored with young children. She offers a service as a foalsitter. Perhaps she can foalsit for you.”

“What?” Night Light and Twilight Velvet were shocked and surprised by the prospect.

“Oh, Princess, we really couldn't.” Twilight Velvet said. “Not your niece! Surely as a Princess herself, Cadence has more important things to do than attend to some silly old couple's foalsitting needs ...”

“Nonsense!” Celestia said. “It will be fine.”

“Fine?” Night Light said. “I don't mean to question your hearing, Princess, but you, uh, you heard the part where she scared off a reformed criminal? A reformed, hardened criminal with scars and tattoos on his face and chest-”

“Night Light.” Twilight Velvet smacked him. “Quit trying to scare the Princess off.” She turned to Celestia. “He was a blue-collar thief.”

“I see.” Celestia said. “Nevertheless, I have faith that Cadence will be an excellent foalsitter for you. Cadence is more than capable of rising up to the occasion. She's handled quite a few rambunctious fillies, and quite well, if I do say so myself. Then again ...” Celestia chuckled. “I might be biased.”

“Oh, no. We couldn't. Really.” Twilight Velvet said. “Thank you for offering, but -”

“No, no. I insist.”

Night Light cleared his throat. “Well, you know … I don't want to offend you, Princess, but we won't let just anypony come in and foalsit our daughter. We have a very extensive screening process.”

“Oh?”

“No. What, did you think we would have hired an ex-con to watch over our daughter without vetting him first?”

“I suppose not.”

“Now ...” Twilight Velvet pulled out a notebook and a pencil. “We'll need to schedule a time for Cadence to come over. In order for her to pass, she has to be approved by everypony else in the family; Night Light, myself and Shining Armor.”

Celestia noticed one important name not on Velvet's list. “What about Twilight Sparkle herself? Does she not get a say? Wouldn't it be best if she herself approved of the foalsitter?”

Night Light chuckled. “Ah, you'd think that, but Twilight Sparkle is … really set against the idea of a foalsitter at all. We figured if we made it a requirement Twilight Sparkle had to approve, no pony would ever pass.”

“Now, as I was saying ...” Twilight Velvet said, scribbling onto her notepad. “We'll need to schedule a time for Cadence to come over -”

“How about now?”

For the second time in this conversation, Night Light and Twilight Velvet were shocked and surprised. “N-Now?”

“Uh, Princess, the vetting process can be very … time-consuming.” Night Light said.

“I am sure – no. I am certain Cadence will win you over.”

“Perhaps.” Night Light said. “But there's still the issue of dinner coming soon …”

“The chefs won't put out dinner for a while yet.” Celestia said. “I'm sure there's plenty of time for me to bring Cadence up over to your house. Why … we could even have dinner at your house!”

“T-t-t-two Princesses … dining … in our house?” Twilight Velvet put her hooves on her face. “We're – we're not ready for such an honor! Oh, our house will look like a pigsty next to the castle! N-N-Night Light! W-what d-do we d-do? We can't have t-the Princess d-dine in our house, but – but we can't tell the Princess no, either!”

“Uh huh.” Celestia nodded. “While you two are over here stuttering, I will fetch my niece and see you at your house. Bye!” Celestia zipped out of the room while Night Light and Twilight Velvet continued to stutter and stammer.

“Wait a minute.” Night Light thought about what Celestia said. “I just realized … I still haven't made the beds yet.”

“There are other servants in the castle!” Celestia shouted from down the hall. “Who are plenty capable of doing your job!”

Though I'll need to make sure I tell them to put caramel on Cadence's pillow … Celestia thought. I'll just tell every one I come across as I pass by ... surely at least one of them will remember it.

“Auntie Celestia, why did you volunteer me to foalsit for Twilight Sparkle?” Cadence asked while Celestia walked her to Twilight Velvet's house.

“Twilight Velvet and Night Light are two dear servants of mine.” Celestia said. “When I heard of their plight, I couldn't bear the thought of their vacation being denied. I know you will be able to handle Twilight Sparkle.”

“Huh.” Cadence paused and thought about this. “You're hoping that this will all work out all right and somehow I'll learn some kind of valuable lesson, aren't you?”

Celestia looked at Cadence.

“You see right through me, don't you?”

“Like a crystal.”

“Well, we're here.” Celestia said as they reached the house. She knocked on the door.

“Princess!” Twilight Velvet exclaimed. “Princesses! Please, come in.” She bowed and moved to let them inside. The door wasn't sized for her, so Celestia had to squeeze in.

“Hello, Princess Cadence.” Twilight Velvet bowed again. “Let me introduce to the family. I'm Twilight Velvet. That's my husband, Night Light. And that strapping young stallion over there is our son, Shining Armor.”

“Aw, mom.” The unicorn colt turned his head. “You're embarrassing me.”

“Last but by no means least, the filly you'll be sitting for, Twilight Sparkle.” Twilight Velvet looked around. “Twilight Sparkle?”

Shining Armor looked over his shoulder. “Come on, Twiley. Quit hiding behind me and say hi to Cadence.”

From behind Shining Armor emerged a tiny little unicorn filly whom Cadence found adorable. She wanted to scoop her up and squeezed like a stuff animal, but she resisted the childish impulse.

“So,” Cadence brought her head down to meet Twilight at head level, “Twiley, huh?”

Twilight Sparkle blinked at her, expressionless.

“Hey.” Shining Armor pressed a hoof into Cadence's chest. “Let's you and me get one thing straight right now; only I can call her Twiley.”

Cadence nodded. “I'll make a note of that ... Shiny.”

Shining Armor glared at her. “And don't call me Shiny.”

“That's enough, you two.” Celestia said. “Twilight Velvet, how's dinner coming along?”

Twilight Velvet's eyes shrunk to the size of pinpricks. “O-oh. You were – you were serious about that. Uh, we thought you were joking, so we only made enough for us. I'll just start a pot burning and whip some more, haha. I'll let you and Cadence take the first bowls.”

“Oh, there's no need for that.” Celestia shook her head. “I'm sure Cadence and I can wait. Isn't that right, Cadence?”

Cadence nodded.

“In fact, if Twilight Velvet will allow it, would you go into the kitchen with her?” Celestia asked. “See if you can help out? Cadence can be quite good at helping. Perhaps she make the process go faster.”

“Of course.” Cadence said.

“Well … if she has your vote, Princess, she has mine.” Twilight Velvet led Cadence into the kitchen with her.

“So, Shining Armor.” Celestia turned to him. “I hear you signed up for the Royal Guard.”

In practice for the oh-so-vital skill he would need to succeed, Shining Armor saluted. “That's correct, Your Majesty.”

Celestia tilted her head. "Why do you want to be a Royal Guard?"

“Because I want to protect Equestria.” Shining Armor said. “I want to protect Twiley.”

“Hmm. A noble goal.” Celestia said.

“Okay!” Before Celestia's conversation with Shining Could go any further, Twilight Velvet came back with a smiling Cadence. “Dinner's ready!”

Everypony took a seat at the table, though Celestia had to be careful to avoid banging her head against the ceiling. Cadence took the time to endear herself to the family, telling stories about some of the other foals she had foalsat for in the past.

“And you know what? He didn't believe me when I said that was would happen, but when he did ...” Cadence snickered. “He blew lemonade out from his nose!” This prompted a burst of laughter from the other ponies. “Oh, he made such a mess. It was everywhere. We had to clean it all up before his mom got home.”

“I must say, Cadence, you are a delight.” Night Light said.

“You did an excellent job setting up the table.” Twilight Velvet said. “And thanks to your help, I was able to finish making more for dinner before any of it got cold.”

“Oh, it's nothing.” Cadence took a spoonful of dinner into her mouth. “Mmm. You know, this is good, Miss Velvet, but you know what would make it better? Some spicy herbs.”

“Spicy herbs, huh?” Twilight Velvet rubbed her chin. “Hmm, I'll have to try that.”

“Okay.” Night Light threw his silverware down and pushed out his chair. “Cadence, you've been a big help with dinner this evening, you're funny and delightful, and judging from the stories you've told us, you clearly know what you're doing when it comes to foals. I like her! Show of hooves, everypony! All in favor?”

“Aye!” Twilight Velvlet raised a hoof.

“Aye!” As did Shining Armor.

All this left was Twilight Sparkle. The little filly remained silent, staring at Cadence with unmoving eyes.

“C-come on, Twiley.” Shining Armor said. “Say something.”

Twilight's expression changed into one of anger. She crossed her legs and narrowed her eyes. “Hmph.” She pushed out her chair, got off, and left the room.

“Well … I guess that counts as saying something.” Shining Armor said.

“I'm sorry ...” Cadence said. “Your daughter doesn't seem to be warming up to me ...”

“It's fine.” Twilight Velvet assured her. “It's not your fault. But the rest of us all like you. Hopefully she'll come around after spending a little more time with you.” Twilight Velvet sounded as though she was trying to convince herself more so than Cadence.

“Tomorrow.” Night Light said. “We'll send Shining Armor to hang out with friends so you can come over for your 'test run' while we perform our jobs at your aunt's palace.”

“Sounds great.” Cadence said.

The family and the Princesses finished dinner. Cadence didn't understand why Celestia insisted she skip on dessert, though she figured it had something to do with making sure she ate healty. They bid each other farewell, though Twilight Sparkle had to be coaxed into waving goodbye to Cadence.

After the two Princesses returned to their castle, they went to their bedrooms.

When she stepped into her room, Cadence was confused as to why there was a pile of caramel-chocolate pieces on her pillow.

The next day, Cadence waved and flashed a knowing wink at Twilight Velvet as she packed up and left the castle.

Cadence arrived at the household to find a lone Twilight Sparkle waiting for her in the foyer. Cadence would give her this; Twilight Sparkle seemed well-behaved.

Twilight continued to stare at with those big, emotionless eyes. It was almost as if she saw Cadence as a curious animal; interesting to look at, but not worth trying to communicate with.

“Hello, Twilight Sparkle!” Cadence said. Ignoring Twilight's indifference to her, Cadence intended to go through doing what she always did.

Attempting to get a response, Cadence put her hooves up in the air and made silly noises. “Blah! I'm a tickle monster, and I'm gonna get ya!”

Whenever Cadence pretended to be a tickle monster for other foals, she always got one of two responses. The foal either turned tail and fled, engaging Cadence in her game and letting her chase them, or they approached her and let them tickle her because they liked it when they were tickled.

Twilight Sparkle did neither. Instead, she raised a curious eyebrow at Cadence before getting up and walking off.

Strange. Cadence thought. That usually always gets a reaction. It's never failed me before.

Cadence looked to see Twilight was lying on the floor, pouring over a book. A book. What kind of filly her age cares about books? With a book to ignore Cadence was with, there was no guarantee Cadence would be able to break through to Twilight and get her to bond with her and come out of her shell.

This … may be an even harder challenge than I thought.

Author's Note

This story is two firsts for me. It's my first story rated "E" ... and will be the first where I don't write Shining Armor as either emotionally insensitive, incompetent, or a dense dunce. I'm so excited to have finished this chapter.

The chapter title is, of course, taken from a Major Arcana card. The quote and image at the top of the page is taken from Persona and Persona wiki regarding the card in question, and the bolded words at the top of the page are meant to relate to the contents of the chapter. In this case, relating to Cadence's inexperience and innocence in regards to the Canterlot spoiled foals.

This story presumes some variation of Cadence's background given in "Twilight Sparkle and the Crystal Heart Spell" are canon while disregarding the relationship suggested by the IDW Friendship is Magic comic series.