The four princesses and Cassandra sat around the table, discussing royal things. While Cassandra wasn't technically a princess, she was a holder of the Medal of Valor, and the best advisor they knew, so they let her sit in on their conversation.
"One of us should take on a foal education initiative," said Celestia, "and I believe it should be my second most faithful student."
"Me?" said Twilight, "but what am I to teach them?"
"How to marry into wealth and power?" suggested Cadence
"We'll table that for now," said Cassandra, "anyone else?"
"We hath a suggestion" said Luna, "How to survive alone in a grey room for 1,000 years with nothing to do"
"Luna, nopony likes a whiner," scolded Cassandra
"How to do my hair," suggested Celestia.
"You mean how to do their hair?"
"No, mine. Several of them will grow up to be my servants, so they should get a head start on their training."
Cassandra facehooved, "I don't know why I thought an open forum was a good idea. Twilight, you teach them whatever they want, I know you can do it."
"Thank you Cassandra. I'm certain that my book smarts are close to as good as yours but I'm worried about my social skills. What if I make a gaffe? I'm a princess now, so every embarrassing moment is a gaffe."
"Don't worry Twilight, I have a solution" said Cassandra, "using my level 99 stealth skills, I shall conceal myself behind a bookcase and give you coaching."
"But won't they hear you?"
"Not if I use a special spell I invented." Cassandra could do magic despite being a pegasus. "I can make my voice inaudible to anypony with the IQ of a child. Watch." She put her hooves in front of her mouth and whispered, "Celestia has a fat butt." Cadence and Luma snickered, Twilight gasped and covered her mouth.
"Huh? Did you say something?" asked Celestia.
They decided to start small, with just the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Cassandra took her hiding place and watched to ensure Twilight didn't commit a gaffe.
"So girls, what would you like to learn?"
"How to get our cutie marks!" said Applebloom.
Twilight started laughing in spite of herself, "oh Celestia, that's a good one!"
"Twilight!" scolded Cassandra, "it's not nice to laugh at them."
"Oh, sorry" replied Twilight.
"Twi, who ya talkin' to?" asked Applebloom
"Nopony. Anyway, how about we start with something a bit more manageable?"
"Kin ya teach me how ta make potions?" said Applebloom
"Easily" said Twilight
"Can you teach me how to do magic?" asked Sweetie Belle
"I could do it in my sleep" boasted Twilight
"Ooh ooh, and can you teach me how to fly?" said Scootaloo.
"Well, um, that is..." Twilight tugged nervously at her collar, "how about I teach you to fix a bike?"
"Oh...ok, that's good too I guess."
So they spent the rest of the day doing their activities.
"Very good Applebloom!" said Twilight, "now just add three leaves of hibiscus and..."
"Word to the wise Twi," said Cassandra, "two leaves makes a nutrient enhancer; three leaves makes TNT."
"Hold a second Applebloom, I meant to say two leaves," said Twilight, "I'm glad the library didn't blow up." That was foreshadowing.
"Tell Sweetie to lift with her legs, not her horn," advised Cassandra.
Twilight really admired Cassandra's selflessness; she herself could never do so many good deeds without recognition.
As their time came to a close, the girls were making fantastic progress thanks to Cassandra's geniusness.
The next day they came back to Twilight's house for another lesson. They normally thought Twilight was uncool and geeky but for some reason they couldn't quite figure out, she had an air of coolness about her, while simultaneously being even smarter than usual. Spike had made nachos but Cassandra didn't have any because she was watching her figure.
"Applebloom, did you remember to put the childproof lid on your potion?"
"Of course ah did," said Applebloom proudly.
"She's lying," said Cassandra.
"Applebloom, tell the truth" said Twilight.
"Awright fine! Ah forgot ta put it on, an' Applejack took a sip, an' she died."
"See? Now didn't it feel good to tell the truth?"
"Yeah."
"Applejack was the Element of Honesty. She would have wanted you to tell the truth. So I guess she finally did a good deed for once in her life"
"I heard you three are getting lessons with Princess Twilight," said Diamond Tiara. It was the next day at school.
"Yeah but we ain't supposed to brag about it" said Applebloom, "Twilight told us all about how Cassandra had ta step down from th' throne because ponies were jealous of her."
They had a good cry about how worse off the world was because of all Cassandra's haters.
"Well this is different, you can brag all you like, I'm trustworthy," insisted Diamond Tiara as she sat in a throne-like chair, stroking a fluffy white cat.
"What's in it fer us?" asked Applebloom suspiciously.
"If you introduce me to Twilight, I'll make you popular." said Diamond Tiara
"Hmmm I don't know, that sounds dubious," said Sweetie Belle.
"I'm just telling you to disobey the adults, how is that dubious?" asked Diamond Tiara as she twirled her moustache.
"Ah still have reservations" said Applebloom, "if we were gonna bring somepony else in on this, shouldn't it be somepony who's nice to us like Twist?"
"Does Twist have a pool?"
"What do we need a pool for?" asked Scootaloo, "there's a perfectly good lake that's safe for fillies now that Cassandra roundhouse kicked all the giant squids."
"My pool has, um, ...chlorine?" said Diamond Tiara desperately, "ok look, never mind, just sign this contract in blood ok?" She made a long scroll of paper appear in a whoosh of flames. They were convinced that it was legit.
The next day they went back for Twilight Time, and a mob of fillies came with them.
"We want to learn how to exploit fame for popularity," said the crowd.
"Gee wot, I wanna learn 'ow to make a cuppa Let It Be," said Pip
Twilight was starting to get terrified, this was more social interaction on this day than she typically had in a year.
"Twilight, I'm coming out," said Cassandra.
"but I already know you're bisexual," said Twilight, reminiscing about how Cassandra had struggled when ponies were intolerant of bisexuals.
"No, I mean it's time for me to come out and help you. She stepped out from behind the bookcase an addressed the crowd.
"Shame on you all for trying to use Twilight to make yourselves popular! She is a princess and a valuable educator, and anyone who can't appreciate that should get out now." They were all moved by her speech and though they were shallow, they did not want to disappoint Cassandra by being dishonest do they all left except the CMC.
"So, shall we get back to our lesson?"
"Actually Twilight" said Scootaloo, "can you teach us how to waterboard Diamond Tiara?"
"Sure!" said Twilight, "the first thing to do is grab her legs, and then...."
"Twilight!" scolded Cassandra, "what have I told you about being a bad influence?"
"But I'm supposed to be teaching them things" objected Twilight.
"Yes, but some things are not appropriate for the fillies," scolded Cassandra.
"Oh Cassandra, you're so smart. I don't know what I'd do without you."
"You'd do the best you could. What say we cancel the education grant and you just stick to teaching those three?" As usual Cassandra had found the perfect solution. Celestia was upset that the education initiative fell through, but she felt better after she had some cake.