//------------------------------//
// Epilogue 
// Story: The Student and The Princess 
// by ModMCdl 
//------------------------------//


Two-and-a-Half Years Later




"Do you have everything you need?"

"Yes, Cady, I do," replied Twilight, exasperation in her voice. "I still don't understand why I need new friends. I have you and Sunset and Shining Armor too. What do I need more for?"

Cadence giggled at the young unicorn's bickering. "It's always fun to have more friends," she replied, using her magic to help Twilight lift her saddlebags onto her back. "Besides, didn't Celestia say it was important? The Princess would never lie to you about that."

Twilight huffed grumpily in defeat. "No, I suppose not," she said. "But just know that I'm doing this under protest!"

Sunset laughed as she came up alongside the two. "I was the same way," she said with a smile.

"Of course you were, Miss Shimmer," Twilight said. "You have some sensibility!"

The older unicorn rolled her eyes at the title. No matter how many times she reminded her, Twilight refused to call her Sunset. She had given up.

"Are you saying Princess Celestia isn't sensible?" Cadence asked with a fake look of horror.

"Oh my gosh I didn't mean it!" Twilight hurriedly spoke to assure her foalsitter. "Please don't tell her I said that!"

Cadence laughed before giving the young mare another hug. "It'll be our little secret," she assured Twilight before pulling away. "Shh now, here she comes!"

Sure enough, Celestia was walking towards the small group with a smile, the Captain of her Guard by her side. 

"Shiny!" Twilight called out before racing forward to meet her big brother in a hug.

"Hey Twily!" he said. "You ready to go?"

Twilight nodded in response before turning to Princess Celestia. "I'm all set!"

"Good to hear, Twilight," Celestia replied. "Remember, you need to speak to everypony on that list, okay? And maybe make some friends along the way."

"Don't worry, Princess!" Twilight said. "The preparations will be all set by the time you arrive!"

"I'm counting on it."

With everything said, and Twilight Sparkle ready to go, her baggage was loaded into the carriage with the young unicorn close behind. The four ponies waved as the pegasi flapped their wings and began to take off.

Shining Armor gave one final wave to his younger sister as the carriage flew off. "Oh, don't you worry, Captain," said Celestia with a knowing smile. "I'm sure she will be just fine." Shining just nodded as a few drops of liquid pride rolled down his cheeks.

Celestia walked over to the other two ponies waiting for her by the entrance to the palace. "I'm still annoyed that you never told me you had another student," grumbled Sunset as Cadence laid a wing over her back. "Even Cadence knew, but not me."

The alabaster alicorn laughed at her former student's annoyance. "I was unaware that I needed to approve my new pupils through you, first," she said mirthfully. 

Sunset just lifted her head in a mockingly haughty fashion. "As the arch-mage of the Equestrian Royal Court, I believe it is in my purview to oversee all new magical prodigies as they are discovered," she said, and let out a pained cry as Cadence swatted her with a wing playfully. 

Celestia just smiled shook her head as she watched the two. "You know, I remember a time where you two could not stand each other," she said. "Let alone have Sunset be cuddling under Cadence's wings." Sunset blushed as she looked away from her former teacher, unconsciously sidling closer to Cadence as she did so.

"She has gotten awfully domestic, hasn't she," comment Cadence as she smiled at Sunset. 

Sunset's heart fluttered in response. "You make me want to be domestic," she replied earnestly.

Celestia's smile refused to fade, and she felt herself grow warm at the love the two ponies in front of her shared. But unfortunately, as perfect as the moment was, it would not be able to last forever. "Comeon Sunset, we need to prepare for tonight."

Sunset nodded, giving Cadence one last kiss before pulling away. "The summer sun celebration," she said, following Celestia up the stairs to the palace. "It feels like just yesterday we were celebrating last year's."

The alabaster alicorn nodded as she looked down at her former student. "It does, doesn't it," she replied. "When you get to be as old as me, they all seem to fade together, unfortunately."

The unicorn let out a small laugh. "Oh please, I am never going to be as old as you, Princess," she commented.

Celestia chuckled lightly, but her smile faded after a few moment. "This year is going to be a little bit different," she said softly. "I'm going to need your help."

Sunset looked up at Celestia with a raised eyebrow. "Oh, what's different about this year?" she asked.

"Well," Celestia began as she opened the door to her study. "Remember the old fairy tale story about the mare in the moon..." The door closed behind them, cutting off their conversation to the rest of the palace.

In the courtyard, Cadence stood next to Shining Armor, watching as Twilight's carriage flew away towards Ponyville. Soon it was only a speck in the distant sky, and she finally turned away. The unicorn standing beside her was crying still, an unusual sight for the Captain of the Royal Guard.

"She will be alright, Captain," Cadence said gently.

Shining Armor sniffed, rubbing a hoof at his eye. "Thank you, your highness," he said earnestly. "I... I know she will. I'll just miss her."

With a smile, Cadence gently rested a hoof on the unicorn's shoulder. "She'll miss you too," she said, before heading back towards the palace. 

Cadence did not know what the plans were for this evening, only that she would be in charge of Canterlot while Celestia went to the celebration in Ponyville. There was a strange feeling in the air that she could not quite place. Eventide, especially was acting differently, hurring to accomplish various tasks that no pony but Celestia seemed to see the importance was. The only thing that Cadence could surmise was that they were about to have a very important guest.

With a smile, the alicorn thought back to when she had first arrived in Canterlot. Everypony had given her the warmest welcomes she could have imagined. Everypony except, well, Sunset. But the unicorn had changed and grown so much over the years that she had come to know her. Now, Sunset was the most powerful unicorn in Equestria, the leader of the archmage guild and Celestia's right-hoof mare. This would be her first Summer Sun Celebration with the title, and the two of them would be the hosts of the party in Canterlot Castle that evening. 

Cadence's smile only grew as she headed through the palace towards their new chambers. Tonight was going to be fun, and there would be so many more nights to follow. The alicorn could not wait to see what the future held for her and Sunset. And the best part was...

...they would face that future together.


~The End~