Sunset Shimmer wants to become an alicorn more than anything - it's the entire reason why she's Princess Celestia's student. But she's run out of ways to research it and Princess Celestia has blocked her at every turn.
Fortunately for her, there's a new Princess on the block - Cadance. One who's already ascended. One who knows personally and intimately how she did it.
To get her to talk, Sunset will do anything. Even if it means pretending to like - really like - the Pink Pony Of Passion.
Cover art by daOtterGuy.
Featured 8/28/2021-08/30/2021! (And basically every update date after that.)
Now with a TVTropes page thanks to ZanarNaryon!
Chapters (32)
Okay. I had never thought of this one in this sense... plenty of people try for comedy-short-scenarios when Cadance comes up, but never as a serious idea. And honestly? I like it. I really want to see where you go with it.
Well now, I've seen a story that manages to do something I rarely see done well: keep Sunset Shimmer PRE-reformation in character properly. I was so loving the opening details too. The word was like a lemon.... oof. You have a nice eye for details for sure.
Expect me to watch this closely, because Sunset always deserves some love, and love between Cadance and Sunset is something I've only ever seen in one other story, and that one was some kind of Peggy Sue Sunset goes back in time as an alicorn because of something and it turned into... well it stopped being very good.
I'm eager to see how you do this.
Long have I waited for this
Oh, interesting.
This is a perfect interpretation of Sunset and how she views the world. I'm really looking forward to seeing the rest of this.
Will Shining Armor appear in this story?
Very interesting!
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That the two knew each other before the show started and interacted gets implied all the time, but the two's interactions are usually explored in the past-tense.
And this is not a comedy. There's no Alt-U tag. The future hasn't changed.
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Shining will eventually make a cameo, but this is before Cadance started foal-sitting. The two haven't met yet and won't for quite a while.
This is genuinely an interesting idea, and I really want to see where you go with it.
One question though; are we getting Sunset/Twilight interactions? Judging by you wanting to keep this canon, I suppose not, but the Twilight becoming Celly student and Sunset escaping to EqG timeline has always been wonky and hard to see if they ever did meet in canon past.
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My personal interpretation of the timeline is that Twilight didn't become Celestia's student until a decent amount of time after Sunset left. (It doesn't make sense that Celestia would have two personal students at the same time who somehow didn't know each other, and pre-Mirror Sunset would never have tolerated a direct rival like that.) So Twilight will not be playing a significant role here.
I am a simple person. I find a "SunDance" Story, I Favorite and Follow.
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That makes sense. Tracking anyways!
You sly dog
A strong beginning, alright. I really have been looking forward to this, and I'm excited to see where it goes!
Ooh, that's a very well done early Sunset: ambitious, arrogant, manipulative, intelligent... and so clueless about what alicorns are really about.
I love early, resentful, megalomaniac sunset so much.
I absolutely adore Sundance stories. I can't get enough of them. Although the tragedy tag and lack of alt universe tag is making me worried.
Well, I'm hooked. I love stories that explore the "reason" behind Sunsets fall. Can't wait for the next chapter!
This was a heavy start. I'm curious to see where you take this, especially in comparison to ArgonMatrix's still-in-progress take. Your interpretation of pre-EQG Sunset is much more aggressive so far.
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...There's MORE?
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Like… one, yeah
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I can think of about a half dozen good ones.
This has the tragedy tag, so guessing it's going to end badly.
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Seriously? I've had no luck despite searching for a good while. You got any names?
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In order: Twin Twilight Tales, Trip the Light Scholastic, Sunset Reset, The Student and The Princess, and a couple of others who's names don't come to mind right now.
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Looking pretty and doing as little as possible?
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Word.
Nice idea and believable portrayal of Sunset. Will be looking forward to more.
Btw hopefully Sunset wont suddenly get too friendly with Cadence; she is smart enough to realize that it would look very suspicious and unnatural
So the game begins, Sunny Buns has no idea what she is in for...and neither do I.
I love how Sunset thinks she is playing complicated court politics when her opponent is playing an entirely different game. She just doesn't get it.
I love Sunset's adaptability here, and that she isn't over forcefully humbling herself for her gains. What really calls to my attention is Celestia, since the first chapter set her up as sort of ignorant to an extent, but here she clearly knows Sunset's up to something but doesn't outright deny her, it makes me wonder just what does she want from Sunset.
Oh man I cannot wait to watch this develop
Well, you got me. Unique premise, unique ship, good Sunset characterisation, and the stated intention to actually remain canon compliant with this is intriguing as well. I can take a guess how this is going to end, but I'm certainly interested to see how we get there.
Liked the Rose of Florentina reference as well.
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This was actually a bit of a debate for me - on one hand, I do love making references and I really enjoy Sledge's work. The alternative was a horrible joke, explaining that Cadance's homeland is actually called Cadenza. Thus her parents naming her the Equestrian equivalent of "I <3 New York" and being hugely embarrassing (and thus explaining why she goes by Cadance.)
I opted for the reference.
There were so many great jokes here, are you sure this isn't a comedy? Sunset would probably build herself the Tomb of Horrors to hole up in given the choice.
I refuse. I will one day soon write a 1000 word dissertation picking at this clearly small insignificant detail until you admit I'm superior in every way and have "pwned" you.
(This is a joke. This story is wonderful. I eagerly await the next chapter.)
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Even when I'm serious, I can't help but a bit of banter.
(This is legitimately a curse, it's really hard to have a serious conversation sometimes.)
Okay, Sunset's room feels a bit too much. This is more psychotic than just a brat but that may be just my opinion.
Also
There's a rogue what there
As for the rest, a very interesting interaction between the two, and very promising of the future, I particularly liked the reference to Sunset's song, though here is to hide something a bit darker in a bad way.
Really interested in how things will continue developing.
So... An orphan Sunset Celestia refused to adopt?
Oh, Sunset...
Sunset is in wayyy over her head. So excited to see more!
Dear God, for a moment there I thought I saw a decent Blueblood... but nope, it was an illusion. Damn.
Sunset's "plan" is going to crash and burn real fast... in a good way tbh.
Nice swap at the end, shows just how much it means to Sunset that Cadence exists. Even her most comfortable place in her life is being taken away by her.
Honestly, I like blueblood too. Just imagining the various reasons he could have for being an a****** to Rarity at the Gala is so much fun. From Just being mean, to trying to make an example of her to other golddiggers (what he probably perceived her as), to being a noble fop, like you write him, or many other possible reasons. It's fantastic.
Need to capitalise "Miss"! Bit distracting seeing that over and over.
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You know, it's the tiny things that slip in editing. Dang it!
On one hand this is excellent, on the other the fact that it's not an AU and we know how it's going to end is just painful to my poor heart!
Ohoho!
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No such thing. She is Sunset Shimmer, everyone and every situation is beneath her.
As they say in the old school:. The game is on.
I'm glad to see Blueblood putting in an appearance as well. He fits very well into this dynamic, because just like Cadance and Sunset, he's another character who we know fits into this time period and social circle, and who thus should have established relationships and interactions with these characters, but it's something we so rarely see anything of. The closest canon ever came was the Blueblood/Shining Armor issue of Friends Forever, and I'm actually hard-pressed to even recall any other fanfics which covered it.
Wow, impressive just how much Sunset was shaken by what happened, and this sounds like the first bit of actual friendship between them (appropriately started by Cadence here)
Also, Blueblood headcanon accepted.
I'm just starting this story after seeing it pop up in the feature box a few times, I'm going in completely blind, and I've gotta say so far I'm excited. This story has a lot of elements that I'm looking forward to seeing: Cadence's transformation and how its been perceived, Sunset Shimmer's pre-reformation characterization, and how an awkward teenager with the powers of a god clashes with a jealous, power-hungry, egotistical prodigy. This is gonna be fascinating, because how does one so vile seduce the alicorn of love?
I can't wait to find out.