The train made a stop on a station that was near a forest. This was Cadence's stop. She looked around to make sure there was no pony there to see her and then exited the train unnoticed by anypony. As soon as she was out of the train she hurried towards the forest and hid behind the trees, again looking around to make sure no pony had seen her.

Sighting with relief that she had remained unseen she took a look at the horizon. It was still early in the day. In the distance one could see Ponyville. In fact Ponyville was really close to where she was right now she could make the way there by hoof in two hours or so. Everytime she came here Cadence felt a tad guilty for coming so close to Ponyville and not stopping to meet Twilight. But she really didn't want to start a conversation as to what she was doing there.

She started going deeper into the forest. The forest itself had a creepy vibe to it for random passersby. But it was not new to Cadence and she had grown used to it. She kept walking deeper and deeper. She knew the path so she wasn't concerned about being lost.

After a while of walking she finally saw what appeared to be a village, appear in the distance. This was her destination. She came closer. The gate in front of the village had a sign over it writing:

'Welcome to BlackFlag village'

Staying true to the name, the village had several black flags waving around in poles.

As Cadence steped pass the gate, she saw a brown stallion with white and blue mane and an eye cutie mark, seemingly the guard. He smiled and greeted her.

"Well howdy Cadence. Come to visit again?"

"Hey there Watch Eye. Yes i decided to come over for three days. How's guard duty going?"

"Oh you know kinda boring and all. After all not like there will be much of a threat coming to a hidden village in the middle of a forest no pony visits" said Watch Eye in an annoyed tone that spoke 'I hate my job'.

Cadence chuckled "Well you still better keep an eye out. Wouldn't want uninvited travelers to learn about this place now do we. Most probably wouldn't be as understanding as i."

"That true" he replied simply with a smile.

"Anyways i got to go check things out now. See you later Watch Eye" said Cadence, going further into the camp and waving goodbye to Watch Eye.

"Later Cadence" said Watch Eye also waving at her.

Cadence keept walking and saying hello to ponies and other creatures she passed by. All of them replied to her friendly, calling her by name instead of princess. The place was filled with different creatures. Ponies, dragons, griffins even some minotaurs and changelings and other different creatures.

Around all the creatures were doing various things. Some were chatting with one another. Some were doing work and fixing some of the buildings made for creatures to stay in. Some were giving medical help to some injured creatures. There was a place where everyone went to get food. There was a big playground where children were playing. There also seemed to be a stage for theater and plays that must have just been built recently as Cadence didn't remember it being there.

This was BlackFlag Village.

A place made mainly for the homeless, poor, needy, outcasts and ostracized but everyone, no matter species or situation was welcome to come and seek shelter in here. Here every creature helped each other and everything was shared. Money existing only to trade with the world outside.. Due to some rather illegal but overall harmless activities happening in the village and the fact that its economy was mostly supported by black market AND they didn't pay taxes, it was important to not risk the village being found and taken down by the authorities so it was hidden from the rest of the world, built in the middle of a forest no pony ever goes to. Mainly because there were urban legends spread about this forest being cursed and no pony should enter it or they die. Those urban legends were spread by the residents of the village to keep unwanted company away. And thanks to the cooperation of many talented unicorns that were resident in the village there was a magic shield that made it so the village could not be seen from the sky which is how all of this community has managed to stay hidden for so long.

Until Cadence showed up.

She one day made a silly bet with Shining about who could drink the most without passing out drunk. The next morning both of them were in unknown places and very awkward positions. Shining found himself upsidedown behind a public bathroom in Canterlot and Cadence found herself on the top of a tree in the middle of this very forest. After coming down from the tree and wandering around for a bit she came upon the village. After almost being killed by the guard dogs, she talked to the residents of this community and learned what the village was about. She saw no harm in what this place was about and in fact saw it as a good thing and after being explained why it was important to keep the village hidden she agreed to keep it a secret.

Ever since, she has been visiting to see how things here were going and eventually she ended becoming close friends with everyone here and even ended up up becoming a volunteer as well, working as a couples counseling therapist and sometimes gardening.

The princess of love and ruler of the Crystal Empire, niece of Celestia herself, forgetting all about royalty and coming to do volunteer work in a less than legal community for the poor and outcasts. Cadence was legit terrified when she imagined the number of reporters who will be willing to kill their own families just so they could get their hooves on that piece of information. Ponies everywhere would see it as a scandal of sorts.

But not here. Everyone here saw her as an equal. They didn't use her royal title when referring to her but called her by her name instead and treated her as just a normal pony. And Cadence liked that. She honestly was tired of being treated as a princess. She didn't want ponies wherever she went to bow down and just wait for her orders. She wanted to actually interact with others without the wall of princesshood being in the middle. She wanted to chat with someone without them being nervous and doing their best to please her. She wanted to say hello to passersby and have them say hello back instead of bowing down and being silly.

And she could have that here. Here she could hang out with others and not worry about making them nervous. Here she could be herself without worrying about people looking at her creepily and wanting to take pictures of her. Here she could escape from the whole royalty business and be herself for a little while.

In addition she also got to do something more productive than parading around as the pretty princess. She could help others here. Ponies and creatures that needed help in their lives came to seek refuge in the village and everyone here would try their best to help each other. And Cadence loved the idea of contributing to that. Which is why she volunteered as couples consultant. She decided to give help on a field she actually knew something about. Love. After all who better to give advice regarding love life than the princess of love herself.

Cadence walked towards a cabin which was being painted pink by a minotaur.

"And....." Said the minotaur as he was giving the last brush to the cabin "Done! Phew well that's one good looking pink cabin. Bet Cadence will-"

"Oh i definitely love it Thunder Horn"

Cadence's out of nowhere reply startled Thunder Horn so much he practically jumped out of his skin while screaming.

"Don't. Do that." he said breathing heavily to calm himself down from the unsuspected scare " Ever."

Cadence chuckled at his reaction. "Sorry Thunder. I didn't mean to scare you" Thunder Horn had a hard time blending with the minotaur society outside of the village since he was easy to scare and all in all soft. That caused his family to kick him out of the house but fortunately he was found and brought to the village where he now does painting and art. "I only wanted to express how much i love what you've done. I knew you were the right person to go to when i thought of having my cabin painted pink."

Thunder Horn was a little calmer now "Thanks. I knew you'd like it. I didn't know you will be coming today however."

"No way you could have known. I didn't even notify Big A" said Cadence giggling "I've come to stay for three days. Spend some time here away from my life in Crystal Empire."

"That's great to hear. Some people really need our love expert around here" said Thunder while laughing a bit.

Cadence returned the laugh "I bet they do. Are you one of them Thunder?" She said with a smug face and wiggling her eyebrows.

Thunder froze and blushed "I-uh-I...I don't know what you mean I'm not dating anyone" he said nervously

"But you wish you did" replied Cadence smirking

"I-" Thunder Horn gulped as Cadence came closer still smirking and demanding a confirmation. Then he sighted in defeat "How did you know?"

"My special talent is love" said Cadence smiling "It is no surprise i can detect when someone is in love. So tell me." she came closer to his face with a smug and proud look of victory at having cracked through Thunder Horn "Who is it?"

Thunder Horn was nervous and was thinking of a thousand different ways to escape. But it was no use. He knew Cadence wouldn't stop till she learned more. "Well..." He said and then made a move with his head to signify Cadence to look to the left.

Cadence turned her head to see. There see saw a unicorn mare, with orange mane and tail, green coat and a hammer and nail cutie mark, moving some wood planks away. That was Crafty Spark. Formally known as Flaming rose. The daughter of a very rich high class family from Canterlot. Her family very much disapproved of her having a passion for doing construction work as they saw that as 'low class earth pony job'. That disapproval grew to anger when she got her cutie mark while helping a few construction workers. Besides that, her family was a little bit with the old, as one may, say so they didn't like their daughter to be doing a 'job ment for stallions'. Eventually after constant fights an them threatening to marry her without her approval, Flaming Rose ran away, changed her name to Crafty Spark and eventually she was also brought into the village.

Cadence looked at Thunder Horn smiling in surprise "Crafty Spark?!"

"SHHHHHHH. Stop being so lowd" whispered Thunder Horn, checking to see if someone had heard

"And you stop being so shy" replied Cadence "Go talk to her"

"I can't"

"Yes you can"

"But what if she doesn't feel the same" countered Thunder, still nervous about the whole thing.

"Nonsense you two are made for each other. You both were thrown out of your homes by your families for not fitting in. You for being too soft, she for being too tough. It is as if the powers above put you here to meet each other"

Thunder Horn was still unsure if he should go for it or not "You sure..."

"Absolutely" said Cadence reassuringly "I am the expert at love after all"

Thunder couldn't argue with that "Well i guess that makes sense but still-"

He was cut in half by Cadence "If you don't tell her i will"

Thunder Horn froze at that and gave a scared look at Cadence"Y-you wouldn't...." he managed to say

"Wouldn't i?" responded Cadence in a smug and intimidating manner.

This decided it. He could handle telling her himself but it would be embarrassing to have Cadence go and tell her. And Cadence looked like she was making no joke. She could be legit scary at times.

"You hang around with Abbe too much. You are starting to become like him" said Thunder

"You can learn a thing or too from him" replied Cadence smirking evily

"Okay okay I'll go talk to her. Just don't tell her first"

"If you promise to talk to her i promise to not tell her anything myself. Sounds like a good deal?" said Cadence in a tone that made it clear he had no other way around it. 'Thunder's right i am starting to sound a lot like Abbe' she thought to herself

"Yes. Deal. Just let me tell her myself." replied Thunder

Cadence smiled "Good. Tell me how it goes later. I got to go now and do my part of work. Couples need their therapist after all" said Cadence going to the door of the now pink cabin and pulling it open. "See ya" she waved goodbye as she went inside.

"See you too Cadence" replied Thunder Horn. She could be scary at times but he knew she wished him well. He looked towards where Crafty Spark was. He sighed, knowing that now whether he wanted to or not he would have to tell her how he feels or else Cadence would do that for him and she won't be gentle about it. But then his face took a look of determination. "I got to stop being shy. I am going to tell her and I'm going to tell her right now" he said in an assertive voice as he started moving towards her. That's when Crafty turned around and saw Thunder in the eye as he was heading her way. She smiled at him and waved hello. That made Thunder stop on his tracks. He stood awkwardly still and blushing he waved back making Crafty chuckle a bit at his actions. "On second thought i might also tell her later" said Thunder to himself as he made a beeline for the other direction.

A few hours later Cadence was in her cabin, that served both as shelter and work office, listening to the couple sitting on the couch in front of her, having come here for her advice.

Crimson Flame, a red scaled male dragon with a rather lean body and Greg, a male griffin with a scar over his left eye.

"You see" started Crimson "when we started dating we thought we would fit perfectly. You know. Dragons and griffins are very close culturally speaking since we both are tough live very tough and sometimes self centered and greedy and.....I'm not making a good case for either of our species...... anyways we thought two of us together could get the toughness level up."

"But that's the issue" continued Greg "it seems it has gotten too much it is now causing distance between us."

Cadence listened carefully to them both. "Have you considered doing something different for a change"

Greg and Crimson looked at each other in confusion and then back at Cadence

"What do you mean?" They both said in unison

"Well you both try to be tough and rude-isj as you said. And that's causing issues. Have you tried doing something other than being tough all the time"

Both dragon and griffin looked at each other again. "We..." said Greg "we actually never thought of that"

"I mean yeah it does make sense" continued Crimson "but who will be the one to change his ways? I mean should it be me who tries to be less of a dragon or should Greg try being less of a griffin?"

"Neither of you is going to be less of a griffin or less of a dragon. You would just both be trying acting more softer than what's usual for a dragon or more selfless that what's usual for a griffin. And i know trying to change your behavior can be hard, but i think it is a sacrifice worthy to make when it comes to love" said Cadence in a gentle and comforting voice.

There was a short silence as both lovers thought about that for a moment. Then they looked at each other and nodded.

"You know what. I think it's worth trying" Crimson was the first to break the silence.

"Yeah. I agree" continued Greg.

"Great" said Cadence "all you have to do is try to deviate from your usual behavior a little so as to break the monotony that has made you distant from each other"

"Ohh we'll sure give that a try" said Crimson as he got up from the couch to leave. Greg following after him.

"Bye Cadence" said Greg smiling waving goodbye as they were heading out the door to leave "Thanks for helping"

"We don't know what we would do without you" added Crimson happily

"My pleasure" replied Cadence also waving goodbye at the couple.

As they left Cadence got up and went to grab a glass of orange juice. Dealing with couples all day sure left her tired. Thunder Horn surely wasn't lying when he said that people here really needed her.

As she was drinking her juice the door opened again 'Seriously? I just finished with the last couple can't i have some break' Cadence thought to herself as the thought of not being able to even have a break for some orange juice almost made her snap.

"Worry not my dear." Came the voice of a stallion that sounded very effeminate but also masculine in a perfectly balanced way "I'm not here for therapy"

Cadence turned around and smiled happily

"Abe!"

Author's Note

First of no the forest mentioned here is not Everfree. It is near Ponyville but not as close as Everfree forest which is literally next to Ponyville and not two hours away by hoof. Just decided to explain that in case someone though this is happening in Everfree.
Also yes BlackFlag Village is essentially an anarchist village hiding from the equestrian authorities. Pretty cool eh.
And yes i myself am an anarchist but I don't intend to make my stories political or advertise my ideas(okay maybe a tinny bit just a little but not too much). I simply enjoy writing about anarchist communities. If that is advertising anarchism then apparently this whole site is political since stories are about Equestria, which is run through monarchy.... actually scratch that it`s a diarchy but still my point stands. So please don't take it as me being political it's simply me writing about what i want. So don't start some sort of political debate in the comments i write for entertainment not political agenda.
Next chapter i will introduce a character that's....well....'he' is weird to say the least
Stay tuned