And Most Important Friend
Twilight walked through the crystal hallways of the castle belonging to Princess Cadance, following the other pink alicorn as they climbed up several sets of stairs until reaching the balcony that Cadance and Twilight’s brother had shared many times as a married couple. Only this time, Shining and Sunburst were out playing games with several other stallions while they also took care of Flurry Heart. It was intentionally crafted plans that left the two alicorn mares with the balcony to themselves, not another pony nearby besides the trio of royal guardsponies that were on the other side of the door. Staring at the beautiful crystal buildings and the citizens walking to and fro from them, Twilight took a deep breath. It was several months until Celestia and Luna would do the insurmountable task of passing down rulership to Twilight, and the purple alicorn felt her heart pounding as she looked at Cadance, who had two floating cups of tea held with her magic. Offering one floating cup to Twilight, the bookworm took it with her own magic as she brought it to her lips with a quiet sip. Surprisingly, it wasn’t burning hot or disappointingly cold, but a nice warmth that went into her belly just right as she took in the sunset.
“So, something clearly brings you here instead of with your friends,” Cadance broke the silence. “Again, can’t thank you enough for saving Equestria from Sombra. I guess I thought that would bring the six of you together even more?”
“It has,” Twilight shrugged, the two words not holding the confidence she would’ve hoped. “But sometimes, when I need somepony to talk to, it feels like they’re all busy. Like some kind of twisted fate has it so I can’t reach out to them. Especially with them being teachers on top of the responsibilities they already have! And with how much this upcoming responsibility has been aching on my heart, I don’t know what to do without them there. It feels like I’m deep in water, and I don’t know how to get out.”
“Hmm.”
“What?”
“This feels familiar,” Cadance remarked, taking a sip of her tea as she looked at Twilight. “Didn’t you have panic attacks when I stopped foal-sitting you, and when Celestia sent you to Ponyville?”
“Yeah?” Twilight frowned. “What does that have to do with anything?”
“Well, when’s the last time you’ve spent time to yourself?” Cadance asked, to which Twilight’s ears perked up as she grinned from ear to ear.
“Oh, that’s an easy one! I’ve spent plenty of time working on different magic spells, reorganizing my books, reading various books on the different magical arts-”
“No,” Cadance shook her head. “With yourself, Twilight. You’ve been a great daughter, a great student, and only the best friend possible to the others back in Ponyville. When have you bothered to do any of that for yourself?”
“Wha....what do you mean?” Twilight’s heart dropped, her ears flattening as she found herself mentally back at square one. Or maybe, her panicked mind insisted, even further back. It felt like she was seconds away from having the truth shoved in front of her. Wasn’t it supposed to set her free? Why did she feel like that deep water was suffocating her?
“Take a deep breath, Twilight, I already know that look,” Cadance insisted, waiting till the purple alicorn did such before she continued. “You’ve helped a nation more than expected of any pony, more than Celestia herself. Everypony, and even creatures outside of us, knows you’ve earned the title of Princess of Friendship more than anypony. But when have you taken yourself out on an outing that didn’t involve you Twilighting about what needed to get done?”
“An outing? By myself?” Twilight almost laughed, the idea sounded absurd on its face. Why would she go somewhere alone? Then there’d be nopony to talk to!
“Yes, an outing by yourself,” Cadance nodded. “Do you think just because I’m the Princess of Love, that the love extends outward to everypony else? Do you not think that it should ever go back to me? The overpowering love that nourishes anypony who experiences it?”
Twilight’s jaw dropped, realizing that many ponies including herself had taken and accepted Princess Cadance’s fountain of love without even considering how the alicorn felt. What would make Cadance feel that way? How could she think of her brother’s wife like a charity case, or a glass of water that never needed to be refilled?
…how could she think of herself like that?
“I’m sorry, I d-didn’t realize-”
“Twilight, I know you,” Cadance smiled, extending one of her wings to gently place on Twilight’s back. “And I know you just didn’t think that deep, about me taking care of myself. It should seem obvious, right? That somepony would just automatically know how to do that? I wish it started off that easy.”
“Maybe I could start right now,” Twilight decided with resolve, bringing the tea cup to her lips and drinking the rest of its contents before setting the empty cup on the balcony floor. “Are you okay with me taking a flight for an hour or so? I want to try one of these solo outings, and see what happens.”
“Of course,” Cadance grinned, removing her wing from Twilight and using her magic to pick up the purple alicorn’s empty cup. Walking back inside with both tea cups, Cadance smiled as she looked over her shoulder. “Hope it goes well~”
Twilight waited till Cadance had disappeared back into the castle to spread her wings. Jumping off the balcony and flying into the sky, Twilight began to understand little by little what Princess Cadance meant. If she had kept drowning herself in the contentment of others, she would’ve never gotten to spend time talking to herself, feeling the overwhelming warmth of the purple sky that was neither sunset nor night.
She had a new friend to make.
And they had a lot of catching up to do.
