For the first time in ever there was not one but two. And because there were two and not just one (as you had to be reminded this repeatedly by proud parents because it was that important), it made this a big deal among the social circles. There had to be a discussion. One that if you listened to closely would tell you the two most important things you needed to know that Sunset Shimmer herself would only mention casually as the Successor of the House Daylight and the pony to have caught the Royal Eye.
This tantilizing delicious tidbit was a simple one; They were of different tribes. For example: one of them, she was a Unicorn. And not just any Unicorn but a Unicorn that had made a dream a incoming reality.
Which meant if you looked far enough back through her family record, traced the lines to the right names, connected the dots to their appropriate identities- especially given her House- you would know it was one of eltisit tradition: one that held a long line of Unicorns and only Unicorns. Marrying from nobles of the other Day Houses and (once those had been completely abolished upon the Rise of Diarchy) marrying lesser nobles or the freepony.
Her rival, the other one-- She was a Pegasus.
There was nothing wrong with that. She felt the need to mention that when it was brought up in case somepony felt the strange need to point that out to her as if she were blind. As a Daylight she had class and therefore would not dirty her hooves with the filth of lesser gossip by spreading false rumors (unless of course fate forced her hooves then that wasn't gossip it was simply called 'venting' her case and allowing ponies to simply talk unfiltered).
But, just in case, if one (in her internally thoughtful opinion: an imbecile) needed a reminder, Pegasi and Graziers (or Earthers as they preferred), had held 'noble systems' of their own in the Ancient Period both before Unification and after for a time. It suffice to say upon their first meeting, Sunset had to assume that the other one, was of aristocrat heritage...somehow; even if she was never going to know exactly where no matter how many times she asked in different ways or tried to covertly conduct research on her own.
Why assume Lady Cadenza (or 'Cadence' as she preffered) was of nobility and why was this important?
Because only a Noble had ever been, and if you believed the talk said through carefully polished teeth, ever would be a royal's student.
All the Apprentices or Students of Sun (and of Moon once upon a time), all her students had always been of noble heritage no matter how great or small. So it wasn't a matter of question, it simply was.
But it wasn't that that had bothered her. These were trivial and known. It was the fact she had to deal with competition here. A privilege she had earned now layered with more work that could have been toned down considerably had she been the only one. Something that honestly, annoyed her. The two were the same age, yet somehow the pegasus had been first.
Then again, her father had always said, "...a lout is drenched in pompous laziness and a Daylight was not one to tolerate disappointment, only success." The fact she had succeeded where most other noble houses simply managed to irritate their Solar holiness was something she should rather be proud of-- and not screw up.
Blunt, but father was always blunt and it made her better for it. Though she would have been lying about not being irritated upon learning the rumors weren't just rumors.
At first she was a bit put off at not having been the first, but after the first interaction her initial misgivings had subsided and she felt that perhaps this rivalry wouldn't be as intense as her times in the primary stages. After all she had the advantage. She was dealing with a pegasus, one who as the introductions went would be learning magic alongside her for reasons she had not yet understood.
In retrospect though she had been right, at first, then without ever truly realizing it till it was too late, wrong. It had been easy. Too easy, one might whisper behind her back.
But it was only easy to feel like you were pulling ahead, when the other one was ahead in political studies in classes you were only just beginning to cover.
As a royal student you were entitled to a bit of anonymity, unless of course you yourself chose to make it known or a friend let it slip what you did outside of classes in a public setting. And that's how this topic began.
She was a Unicorn.
And the other one, she was a Pegasus.
And it had been the talk of Moons when she'd confirmed it at the latest Gala.
They were rivals and this remained true as they moved through Secondary.
For Sunset they were not just rivals for her but were also rivals for him. (A fight she would begrudgingly lose and hold a grudge over for quite some time and would later, use as fuel).
But those were details for another time. This was about skill and in some degrees popularity. In the Magically Talented they were both well known but for different reasons.
Sunset found herself on the more competitive side; fiesty, smug, a smoldering glare that was just as attractive as it could be intimidating. A beauty with brains and the ability to match her few polite moments of boasting when allowing herself to do so. Cadenza however leaned more towards the filly with a popularity streak that grew as they did and was starting to recently rival their senior transfer, Fleur de Lis. Charming, approachable, had this cuteness about her style and an interesting eye wandering walk that tended to work like a magnet- drawing some attention as age crafted elegant beauty.
Where Sunset had this manner of small bulk to her slim form, was a bit taller than the average Unicorn mare, and had a incumbent horn length that was straight and pointed with spirals that was accented by how her hair fell around it and the way that mane seemed to spice up her eyes-- Cadenza was slender and on the tall side. Was actually becoming taller than her as the time went by. She was thin but in an attractive way that wasn't bony (and even Sunset had admitted this with some internal reluctance), and held a curious level of muscle that could be detected if one engaged in the occasional game of tag with her.
One could say their closest similarity was that they were both seen as stunning but that was where it ended.
It was natural, after all. They were both rather attractive but their approaches were entirely different.
Between the two of them (as far as she knew) only one of them spoke of a legacy to accomplish and a dream to achieve. A House that had a vision to achieve someday and a standing to gain with a reputation to maintain and as the successor of such a House she had to show her relatives, not just the Matriarch of the House but the Princess herself as well, that she was worthy.
Cadenza however, well...she had an air to her that touched on aristocrat but didn't quite cross the line of noble air. There was no legacy that the filly discussed or any signs of what ponies in her own peerage called 'noble pride' to obtain. If anything, she was an excellent conversationalist (but Sunset would never tell her this as a process had to be maintained), though in Sunset's honest opinion it was almost wasted by the fact Cadenza had yet to find a dream even if she was still a Blank.
Cadenza, however, had always felt Sunset could tone down the competitive streak and cut loose a bit more else she would get early wrinkles-- and that had been meant as a joke that flew right over her horn.
Comments like that were often nodded along with, holding a polite smile and then thrown away to the garbage disposal in one's mind.
So yes, they were popular. Yet for different reasons. Sunset was favored as a genius (she soaked that up), Cadence was loved for her charm (she politely accepted and then proceeded to soar in the ranks a bit more in manners of gossip on who caught her eye next).
One was passion, the other was fierce. Yet still they had ties that went as far as tribe.
Their two tribes had close connections in the Ancient and Old time. Off and on allies, respected each other for skill and tact. Both had played some role in the subjugation of Earthers (something Sunset ignored as it was an irrelevant fact she'd rather not dwell on and one Cadenza would bristle at if ever mentioned), but this...this was different. This wasn't about tribe, oh no, this was about the name and the gain.
It was unheard of for there to be two Students at the same time of either Princess. She had never taken two before, it was always one. And so it was not just an honor but also meant there would be talk.
And if she hadn't proven herself before, then the cheering her parents had done the day she got home was more than enough to show she had settled her title as successor.
Yet still, there were comparisons.
There were times Sunset couldn't help it. It was how she worked, improved, got better. She would compare them especially when they were studying together. Comparisons were how she scoped out her competition and adjusted herself to come out on top. A Pegasus and a Unicorn, learning magic together under an alicorn. It was unheard of. Yet when she compared them, she felt like she was pulling ahead.
When you compared them, things were glaringly obvious in their differences.
She was an only child. No siblings, family in other parts of Equestria, but she had direct connections to one of the Day Houses of Ancient Nobility. She was a member by direct blood, a Unicorn from the House of Daylight, one of the most famous Ancient Day Houses and the longest surviving House of the Day Peerage. Their House had held two Apprentices of Her Solar Majesty before her; Dashing Stride and Flora Scortch. Had been one of the Day Peerages that rallied with the Sisters during the start of noble colluding.
While on the other side--
--there was the other one. Her rival, was a Pegasus. One who claimed to descend from some unknown royalty that not even their mentor would discuss in her presence (something Sunset had always hated actually. Like she couldn't be trusted!) A pegasus of unknown connection- raised in a dominantly Earth Pony society, raised by an Earth Pony and a Pegasus with two younger siblings with no known unicorn heritage to boot. They were lovely ponies that had sent her, her favourite fruit (watermelon and grapes), and even asked of her own family in the few letter exchanges they had shared.
One was focused and proud of heritage but not annoyingly so. Yet heritage, skills and the dream were all that mattered so long as she came out on top. The other was more like a civilian, had the airs of somepony that if you watched carefully, knew she had the skill to be somepony of interest. But it didn't matter when that pony didn't seem like she had a goal in mind, especially when she was still a Blank. Just stumbling around aimlessly with all the potential but none of the sense to use it or how.
Oh sure Sunset would talk with Cadenza, but there was a process to this. One did not simply become BRFFs (best royal filly friends) with their greatest rival. That was how one got the wool thrown in their eyes. There had to be a winner. A level of professionalism mixed in with manipulation was required and then and only then could something like friendship be made, if there was a winner and she was it.
So were they friends? Not quite.
You'd be grasping at air if you think she'd call them enemies.
At best she assumed they were "...amicable acquaintances."
She often said it with a charming smile
They met weekly outside of the shared classes, one could say almost twice a week, six times a Moon. Each had their own personal granted dorm that happened to be next to each other because Her Highness had desired the two grow closer as friends-- "roomies!" Cadenza had once called them. Roomies that had a solid difference in skill. Sunset had leagues more experience in magic theory and more studies under her hooves as she had a image and legacy to strive towards. A dream to reach as her Mark so clearly suggested.
And Cadence, was a Pegasus who always seemed to have a touch of flare when it came to diplomatic interaction and seemed to always have something said about her flitting around. The most important rumor being the fact she was physical evidence. One of the few legendary ones that could actually do something with magic. Not the racial kind but something else entirely.
The kind where you were combining magical algorithms to craft the workings of a spell, the sort of magic that allowed one to have greater access to the Schools of Magic and its various other forms: The ability to cast.
A Pegasus that could cast, that was neither a Unicorn or any of the other known races that could cast and used no magical conduit to perform it...
That was something out of fairy tale that had proven to be real.
She'd be lying if she hadn't been confused at first as to why Cadenza (occasionally reminding her to call her Cadence) was studying magic unless she had some sort of aim as a researcher or perhaps a teacher. Though that had been before she'd learned the pegasus filly was a Blank and if her confusion had not only doubled, the only reason she had not questioned it was because it was unthinkable to question Her Highness, she who rules Sun. Wouldn't have believed it if anypony else had told her that a Pegasus could perform Unicorn magic, even if said magic wasn't particularly great it was still performimg. Had it not been for a demonstration the next meeting later the doubts would've lingered till Sunset asked Cadenza herself.
If that had done only anything though, it had made Cadenza far more interesting. Which was why, as they progressed and she saw no Mark discovered, she found herself growing somewhat disappointed-- almost frustrated.
Almost disdainful even if she wouldn't admit it.
As what royal pupil studied under her for not a Moon, but years equivalent if a bit more to herself and still hadn't found her Mark?!--
She'd taken a breather that day and decided to excuse herself for a bit.
She'd done a bit of research of course on the matter (as one couldn't call themself a Royal Student if they never did any), and found very little. Much to her chagrin.
Much like the fabled or few historic Earth Ponies that were said to be able to cast through their own hooves-- like The Grim brothers could and the rest of House Grim was believed to be capable of-- there was not much as to the why a pony outside of the known Casting Races had the ability to cast at all.
She'd asked Princess Celestia herself and to her stunning surprise, the Princess had been honest and said she was not sure why it was possible or even how. There were theories that existed though but any research the Diarchy had committed or Star Swirl or Clover the Clever or other great minds had done had been fruitless endeavors.
And Sunset felt she could bring fruit if she kept trying.
So, there were theories. Lots of theories.
Stained Ink made a note of many of them.
The most popular ones tied to a certain Draconequus.
Concepts of Discord toying with ponies during his reign and doing more than just cancelling out their racial abilities completely when it became clear that throwing spells, sending a few thousands volts, or drawing strength from the land to batter him was doing very little to do anything.
There was one particular theory that said he went as far as swapping the core of their magic between some of the races, and in Equestria it was the Tribes. Unicorns gaining Pegasus racial abilities to float, Pegasus gaining Earther racial abilities of insane strength and endurance, Earthers gaining Unicorn racial abilities which transferred their strength into casting strength and capability-- it had been enough to trigger the first shiver. And there were other theories that said he'd done it to those for a simple laugh or some of the ponies that had insulted the dark Prince of Chaos (as rare as that seemed), or some other negative effect that came from followers that formed a cult around him during the end days of Discourse lashing out against those they felt had insulted their Lord and performing unspeakable experiments that changed said ponies forever...
As far as she knew there was obviously no Dragon, Wolf, Boar, Ram, Goat, Gargoyle, Monkey, Minotaur, Fox, or Unicorn ancestral heritage in Cadenza's bloodline and so this made things just a lot more confusing.
Which led to some frustration. So she went looking for answers from the only one she knew that could help.
The Princess herself.
The other two tribes, as far as history said, never knew how to cast till after Discourse where the rumors began to kindle and spread.
Legends would say that as a lie, that every race and every specie of Terrae had possessed casting at some point. That even during the Day and Night Peerage, there was evidence every specie had a small number that could cast outside of the Casting races, even if said evidence never showed itself.
Clover the Clever had written some notes on the matter and the reasons as to why might have been the residual chaos magic in the world after Purification that had led to some ponies born in those periods to have undergone some sort of unique magical change.
Celestia had told Sunset that perhaps, the theories of Magic being sapient were true and not as false as most believed.
When stunned by this statement the Princess had looked at her student and then looked out the window across Canterlot.
"Because", she said --as her eyes saw a young mare change day by day because of magic she had not fully understood, magic they had not all fully understood, becoming somepony else all in a mad attempt to help stop him-- "...all magic, even the telekinesis we use, when pushed beyond what we are capable of...somehow finds a way to teach us, does it not? To warn us someway, somehow. When you push yourself past your limits there is an ache from your horn and that is what I have always thought as a way of protecting us from ourselves." And then those eyes had turned to Sunset and all of a sudden the unicorn felt so very small in front of a giant.
"I believe it was magic trying to reset the disarray he had caused. To right the imbalances after we had performed the Purification. And that to restore the balance...someponies had to change. Even if they didn't entirely fit all the requirements that would have been expected."
It was...an interesting thought. One that made Sunset wonder if perhaps there was more the Princess wasn't saying.
The simple matter was, Cadenza and others like her could cast.
It was weird. Strange. A rumor everypony knew but not a truth everypony knew.
They were rivals though, but she was the superior. Magic was her forte so it didn't really matter if Cadenza could cast and heal or lessen fatigue to grant more energy with a touch of her wings.
What mattered was she had a legacy to achieve, a dream to take. So even if they were rivals she knew the end result.
There could only be one winner. And that winner, was bound to be her.
It wasn't a belief. It was fate. It was her goal. A goal from fantasy to reality, nearing every year.
A goal the House of Daylight prophesied from a legendary Dragon who once fought against the Chaos Lord himself.
She could recite it even now because it was what her mother had told her on the day the Mark appeared.
That one day, "at some unknown time, one of Daylight, a rightful sire of my power, a member of this house that shares what is mine will achieve the power I bestow them.
"Power and esteem to match an alicorn-- and that member of Daylight, would come with a mark of two toned Sun."
Turning to watch the day as Princess Celestia's horn lit aglow and the Sun rose, warmth covered her in blankets and the older unicorn filly approaching young mare nestled in closer to Her Highness' side.
It was a legacy. Her legacy.
So yes, they were rivals. One was passion, the other was fierce, but in the end it didn't matter.
For she had a dream and it was a few hoof's distance out of reach.
All that mattered was it would be her. And Lucio the Legendary Dragon of Light would have the gift he bestowed upon House Daylight accepted at last.
At last, the prophecy, her legacy, would be fulfilled. As it should be.
As her Mark deemed her worthy and that alone was enough to seal fate.
