It was a beautiful, sunny day in the city of Canterlot, and most ponies were out enjoying the weather: most, but not all. Not far from the castle grounds, in a tower that stood on its own, Sunset Shimmer sat at a table, reading.
With a groan, she closed the book in front of her, tossed it away, and turned her attention toward the last one on the table. Her horn glowed with a cyan light and the book flew open. Guided by the Speed-Read spell, Sunset’s eyes darted across the pages as absurdly fast as she was turning them. When she reached the end, she snapped the book closed with a huff. But before she could toss it away, a pair of wings covered her eyes.
“Guess who~” Sang a cheerful voice.
“Cadance, if you don’t get your wings out of my face in the next 10 seconds, I am going to set you on fire,” an annoyed Sunset threatened.
Across the table, the same voice sang, “Guess agaaaiiiinnn~”
Even from behind the wings, Sunset’s confusion was obvious. “How… are you doing this?” A snicker that came from directly behind her, answered Sunset’s question. “Philomena, you traitor.” She growled.
A moment later, the wings were removed from Sunset’s face, allowing her to see once more; across the table, sat a pony who had both wings and a horn. Cadance was a bright pink alicorn with a long mane of purple, pink, and yellow that curled at the end. She stood a few inches taller than Sunset; her cutie mark was a light blue crystalline heart; her eyes were purple, and she had a friendly expression on her face. Sunset glared at her, while a majestic bird with flame-colored plumage, landed on the nearby pile of discarded books. “Congrats, you got it!” Cadance said warmly.
“It’ll be the proudest moment of my life, I’m sure,” Sunset said, rolling her eyes. “Now what do you want? I’m trying to study.”
Despite the rudeness, Cadance just smiled with amusement. “Oh, don’t be like that.”
Sunset’s eyebrows shot up. “You break into my tower, interrupt my studies, and now you’re telling me to ‘not be like that?’”
“Firstly, I didn’t break in; Philomena let me in.” Sunset shot an indignant glare at the phoenix, who, somehow, smirked in response. “Secondly, we did not interrupt your studies. We patiently waited until you had finished going through the last of your books. Thirdly, I’m not here to fight with you Sunset.”
“Pity, then why are you here?”
“I’m glad you asked!" Cadance said, leaning across the table so fast, that Sunset nearly fell backward out of her chair. "I am here to inform you, that you and I are going on a diplomatic trip to Saddle Arabia!”
Sunset raised an eyebrow. “Say what now?”
“If you remember, this past winter, the crown prince of Saddle Arabia stayed with us for a few weeks on a goodwill diplomacy trip,” Cadance explained. “Well, now it’s time for them to play host to somepony from here. So, I’m being sent, and I’m taking you with me.”
“No.”
Cadance dramatically collapsed on top of the table, like a puppet that just had its strings cut. “Oh, come ooon,” she whined, “we never get to spend any time together anymore!” She raised her head to look at Sunset, with a smile that was too large and sweet, even for her. “Do it for me?”
Sunset gave Cadance a bemused look. “When, have I EVER done anything for you?”
“Well, you did teach me magic every day for several years,” Cadance answered.
“On Celestia’s orders!”
“…You did it so well that, after 6 months, I was ahead of ponies my age.”
“Yeah, I’m amazing!”
“When I caught the Feather Flu, you made a special potion to cure me.”
“It was easier than listening to your whining for a week.”
“…You had to go all the way to the Tenochtitlan Basin for the primary ingredient.”
“Yeah, your whining was that annoying!”
“Mmmm-Hmmm,” Cadance hummed in amusement. “And the time you saved my life?”
“Now THAT was the one mistake I’ve made in an otherwise flawless life. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m very busy.” Sunset got up, turned away from Cadance, and went to her desk across the room.
However, before she could pretend to look busy, Cadance fluttered down from above, and draped her front legs over the top of Sunset’s head, like a lazy foal. “I hate you,” Sunset grumbled, propping her head up on one of her front legs, to accommodate the extra weight.
“Why are you always such a grouch?” Cadance pouted. “I know you’re good, deep down.”
Unable to move her head, Sunset settled for glaring up toward the weight on top of her. “Just because I didn’t let Tarnished Knife sell you for parts, doesn’t mean I’m good. It just means I’m not a monster.”
Cadance shook her head. “You’re more than that, Sunset. You’re good! There’s no way that somepony who was just ‘not a monster’ could’ve hatched a creature as beautiful and intelligent as Philomena, from a fossilized egg.”
There was a squawk to her left. Sunset glanced over and saw that Philomena had landed on the desk and was now striking a particularly regal pose. “Don’t say things like that,” Sunset warned. “If her head gets any bigger, she’ll have trouble flying straight.” Philomena blew raspberries at Sunset, bringing a smirk to the mare’s face. Seemingly satisfied, she turned her attention back to Cadance. “Why don’t you take that guard you’re sweet on? You know, the one who casts a halfway-decent shield spell. What’s his name? Gleaming Bulwark?” Sunset asked innocently.
Annoyed, Cadance suddenly shifted most of her weight onto the amber pony’s head, pushing Sunset down, until her cheek was smooshed against the surface of the desk. “Shining Armor,” she firmly corrected. “He’s next in line to become the captain of the guard. You’ve met him several times. We’ve all had dinner before! I know you know his name.”
Despite the fact that Sunset’s face was now becoming one with the desk, her smirk evolved into a victorious grin. “Yeah, him.” She replied, with a satisfied tone. “Why not take him? Sounds like a lovely romantic trip. He can even double as your guard.”
Cadance lowered the pressure on Sunset, slightly. “I did consider that, but I want to take YOU Sunset! It’s been too long since we did anything together. Besides, you like to travel, you like the heat AND you like ancient ruins; this trip has all of that!”
Sunset went silent and stared down at the table. It was clear to Cadance that she was having an internal debate with herself, but something was…off.
Strange, Cadance thought, after a solid minute had passed, it doesn’t normally take her this long to reach a decision.
Cadance was about to ask if something was wrong when Sunset finally spoke. “It does sound fun, but I can’t go. I’m kinda looking into something that’s caught my interest, and if I went now, I’d just obsess about it the whole trip.”
Cadance felt her excitement evaporate into thin air. “Are you sure?” She asked, despite knowing the answer.
There was a pause. “…Yeah, I’m sorry.” Sunset sighed, sounding genuinely apologetic. She moved to stand up and Cadance got off her head.
The two of them continued talking as they walked toward the door. “You should definitely take Shining Armor though,” Sunset suggested, “the two of you would have a great time.”
“Yeah, that’s true.” Cadance agreed, with a half-hearted smile. The disappointed expression on her face made Sunset cringe.
Soon, they were standing on the outside balcony that served as the tower’s primary entrance. To the left was a large set of stairs that wrapped around the tower and led to the ground, but Cadance didn’t need them. After a small wave goodbye, she walked to the edge of the balcony and spread her wings.
“WAIT!” Sunset suddenly shouted.
The shout interrupted Cadance’s takeoff and she turned back toward Sunset with a shocked expression. “What!?”
“How about… we take a trip when you get back? Just the two of us?” Sunset asked, her face turning a bright red.
“Really?” Cadance asked cautiously.
“Really. I’ll be done with this by then, and you can choose where we’ll go.”
Cadance smiled as happiness filled her. “That sounds great, Sunset! Don’t worry! I’ll pick a place that makes Saddle Arabia look boring by compar—” Cadance’s eyes suddenly went wide. “Wait! What time is it??? I’ve got to go ask Shining Armor if he’s available to go with me tomorrow!”
Sunset’s expression morphed from bashful, to one of sheer disbelief, in a matter of seconds. “The trip is tomorrow, and you were just asking me today?”
Cadance gave Sunset a sheepish smile. “…Weeell, I was going to ask you earlier in the week, but… I kept forgetting.”
Sunset smacked her hoof into her face. “How you’re a princess and I’m not, is beyond me.”
“Maybe princesses are naturally forgetful?” Cadance suggested. “It would explain why Aunt Celestia has so many assistants.”
“She has so many assistants because she has a country to run! Not because she can’t remember a single trip! Now shoo, before I decide to tell Kibitz about this.”
A look of fear passed over Cadance’s face. “Oh, please don’t! He’s spent the entire week nagging me about this.”
“YOU FORGOT, EVEN WITH HIM REMINDING YOU EVERY DAY!?” Sunset roared.
“Wow, would you look at the time,” Cadance cried out, jumping into the air and hovering just above the balcony. “I really need to get going!”
“Tch! Yeah, you probably should!” Sunset rolled her eyes with an exasperated smile. “But I hope you have a good time.”
“I will! Bye, Sunset, I’ll see you when I get back!” Cadance called out, as she turned and flew away from the tower.
“I’ll be here,” Sunset shouted after her.
No, she won’t.
Suddenly, an overwhelming sense of panic shot through Cadance, causing her to nearly drop out of the sky. After stabilizing herself, she turned to see Sunset heading back inside, the doors closing behind her.
Without thinking, she dove at the tower, as fast as she could. She didn’t know why, but every fiber of her being was screaming the same message: do not let those doors close!
As Cadance closed the distance, time seemed to slow. Each wingbeat became exhausting, and the air was putting up FAR more resistance than it should have. She looked at the doors. They were now less than a foot open; she wasn’t going to make it.
No, not this time!
Cadance flattened her wings against herself and dropped out of the air, hitting the edge of the balcony at a full gallop. It was like trying to run through water, but Cadance pushed forward with a single-minded fury and smashed through the doors of the tower, just before they snapped shut.
Sunset spun around with a startled expression, only to be tackled to the ground by Cadance. After skidding to a stop, the two of them spent a few moments on the floor of the Apprentice’s Tower: Cadance filled with relief, and Sunset looking utterly bewildered. Eventually, Sunset found her voice. “Um, Cadance? What’s wrong?”
“Forget Saddle Arabia,” Cadance replied, catching her breath. “Blueblood can go or something, I don’t care! I love you Sunset, and I am not going anywhere!” She tightened her grip, as though she expected Sunset to suddenly be spirited away by some monster.
There was a pause, then Cadance felt Sunset hug her back. “I love you too, Cadance,” came the warm reply of the fire-maned mare. “I’d also like for you to stay…” Cadance smiled, closed her eyes, and just enjoyed the feeling of holding Sunset. Finally, everything was as it should be.
“…it’s just…” Sunset continued, hesitantly,
“…that’s not what happened, is it?”
With a gasp, Cadance jerked awake. Sunset was gone, and she was laying on the tiled floor of a gloomy room. She raised her head and met her own gaze, in the surface of a tall, cold mirror.
And all Cadance felt, was loss.
"Cadance?"
Cadance’s eyes opened. The gloomy room and the cold mirror were gone. Instead, she was in her bed, staring up at her husband.
Shining Armor was a white unicorn, with a mane that was three shades of blue. He was roughly Cadance’s height; his Cutie Mark was a dark blue shield that had a light-purple spark at the center and three stars hovering above; his eyes were sky blue, and he had a warm, but concerned, expression on his face.
“Are you doing okay?”
Cadance nodded as she sat up. “Yeah, just a dream. What time is it?”
“8:46” Shining answered, “our train will be arriving soon, but you looked like you needed the rest, so I let you sleep in. Don’t worry, we’re all packed, and Flurry is having breakfast down in the kitchen right now. French Toast made a special bowl of oatmeal for her. I warned him that Flurry’s a messy eater, but he’s really stubborn.” Cadance smiled as she got out of bed and moved to the washroom to get ready. “Now come on, we’ve got a minute, tell me about this dream.” He pestered.
Cadance quickly jammed a toothbrush in her mouth, gestured to it with a shrug, and set about brushing her teeth.
Shining Armor rolled his eyes with a smile. “Uh-huh, well brushing your teeth is important, but I find it works better with the toothpaste.” He held up the tube.
Cadance smacked her hoof to her face and spit out the toothbrush. “I can’t believe I missed that.”
Shining gave her an understanding smile. “It was about Sunset, wasn’t it?”
Cadance nodded.
“The usual one?”
“Yeah, but this time, I actually got back inside the tower! I got to hold her again, Shining. Even if only for a few moments. Then, it cut away and ended as it always does, in front of that mirror.” Cadance glared darkly at the floor.
Shining Armor nodded. “If you’re not feeling up to going right now, we can push it back a day. Mom and Dad’s cruise isn’t till next week after all.”
Cadance shook her head. “No, I love your parents and what I need right now, is to be with family. I’m okay, really!” She added, with a reassuring smile. “Holidays and family get-togethers just seem to bring that dream out.”
“Well, you know, Twily has that mirror right now, and she was able to figure out a way to open the portal at any time. Ponyville’s not far from Canterlot. Sometime this weekend, you could duck out for a few hours, go through the mirror, and see her.”
Cadance grinned. “Maybe we should focus on one visit at a time?”
Shining shrugged. “I don’t see what the big deal is, you usually take time to go see Celestia, but since she’s currently on a diplomatic trip and won’t be back till Tuesday, that time is open.”
“Yeah, it is pretty doable. Honestly, I’ve been on the fence about going through the mirror for weeks now, but I keep putting it off because,” Cadance sighed. “…I’m scared.”
Shining Armor tilted his head. “Of what?”
“It’s been almost 6 years, Shining. What if she doesn’t want to see me? What if she thinks I abandoned her like Celestia did?”
Shining Armor put his hoof over Cadance. “Hey, things were pretty bad when she stole the Element of Magic, but after returning from the most recent trip through the portal, Twilight hasn’t stopped talking about Sunset! It sounds like she’s in a pretty great place now. I’m sure she’d love to see you. And if she does think you abandoned her, shouldn’t you set the record straight?”
Cadance brought a hoof to her mouth as she thought. Then, a determined expression slowly spread across her face. “You know what? You’re right! I think I will take a little trip to Ponyville this weekend. If you think Night Light and Velvet won’t mind.”
Shining Armor chuckled. “I don’t think that’ll be an issue. As long as Flurry is there, I seriously doubt they’d even notice if either of us was missing the whole weekend.”
Cadance laughed. “That is true. They do seem to like having Flurry all to themselves. Remember when they came to visit an—” The chime of a clock, interrupted Cadance. In a heartbeat, she and Shining came together in a two-pony huddle.
“Okay,” Shining began, as if he were on duty, “so the situation is that the train is leaving in half an hour, and the station is at the far end of the city. What’s the plan?”
“I need to finish getting ready. Get our bags, head down to the kitchen, get Flurry, and bundle her up.” Cadance directed.
“Right. Meet down by the Crystal Heart in 15?”
“Yep.”
Without another word, they rushed off to complete their tasks.