"Raven, what are these complaints for? Some of them are death threats."
"Your Highness, I have no idea what you're talking about..."
"I see."
"Really, I have no idea where they came from or why."
Celestia shook her head knowingly at the secretary from her throne. The little white mare was trying to keep an innocent smile, but it was faltering with every second. Now we have fourteen more official holidays, all of them completely pointless. What in Tartarus is Family Appreciation Day?
"I see."
"Seriously, I don't."
"I see."
Celestia pressed her disappointed scowl at the secretary. The brown haired mare gulped under the royal stare. Some drops of sweat ran down her white fur and she rubbed the back of her neck nervously. No longer being able to look at the accusing face, her eyes dropped.
"So, what made you think you could accept some of these ridiculous petitions?" Celestia asked.
"It wasn't me, it was Fate."
Was not expecting that answer. "Pray tell, enlighten me on Fate's dastardly interference."
Raven cleared her throat. "Well, you see, I threw all the papers about randomly, closed my eyes, and swung the signature stamps about. Whatever I rejected, I was fated to reject. Whatever was accepted was by chance."
The princess chuckled a dry laugh. "Hah! That's not how Fate operates, my dear. I know that you at least had your eyes open, otherwise not all the signatures would be perfectly on the spot where the signature is written. That and if you threw them up randomly, wouldn't some land upside down?"
"They were fated to land right side up."
"Well then, I guess you're also fated to get fired today."
Raven gasped. "What? But...but Your Highness!"
"I'm just kidding. Gotcha," Celestia winked. "I actually find all this humorous and I'm glad you brought some well-needed drama into pony politics once more. Lunch menu replacements for schools, a pro-cow law passed, and removing of spring break from secondary education are fascinating laws to pass. Not only will it trouble the earth pony farmers, but also the rich unicorns and some lazy pegasi. Just another day in Equestria."
"So, you aren't angry with me?"
"By all means, I would pat you on the head and give you a cookie, but alas, the last cookie was eaten last night, so you only get a pat on the head."
Celestia reached out and gently patted the bewildered mare on the head. The secretary took the reward with a bemused expression, but said nothing. When the princess was done, Raven gathered some papers and went over to her desk to start her work. The princess giggled once more, but was interrupted by the young mare who entered the throne room. She had a multi-colored mane tied up in a ponytail and a smile that was awfully contagious.
"Auntie Celestia!" the young pink mare called as she trotted over.
Why did my little princess have to come back now? The princess beamed. "Ah, isn't it my lovely niece, Cadance! What brings you here this morning?"
"Oh, nothing really," Cadance smiled back. "I'm back from my visit to Cloudsdale. It's a fantastic city."
"Indeed. I'm glad you're back," Celestia said as she stood up from the throne. "How long has it been? Three weeks?"
"Yes," Cadance answered and they gave each other a loving hug.
The pink alicorn then sat down on the floor and Celestia followed suit. Cadance was about to say something, but was interrupted by a "psst" from the Princess of Equestria. She leaned in closer to Celestia, who giggled once more before saying anything.
"A lot has changed since you left. Come, I'll show you."
"A new student? But I thought I was your student?" Cadance pouted.
"Oh? You never were," Celestia laughed. "How could I teach you anything? You ascending to alicornhood was impressive, and you did so as a pegasus. Not only that, but you saved your village. What could I teach you? No, I can only be some sort of role model instead."
"Alright...so who is this new pupil? I never heard of you taking one on by yourself like this. You even put me into your school for a year. Auntie Celestia, this is strange behavior from you."
"Yes it is. However, I'm doing something I consider extremely important and as of right now, my top priority. You see, she failed to be accepted by my school for some valid and yet trivial reasons. I have to teach her full-time. Ah, here we are. This is her room."
Celestia opened the door and they both entered Sunset's study. The two guards that flanked the door were still there and without Celestia's orders, left without a word upon their entering. Cadance raised a brow at this, but said nothing. Instead, she sniffed the air and gagged.
"Smells like something really old is burning," she stated.
Celestia nodded. "Get used to it. There's always a smoldering book somewhere in here."
"But why?"
"You have to ask her that."
"Who? The place looks empty."
Celestia looked about, looking for her student. She wasn't at the desk nor anywhere on the upper level. Could she be in the Cave? She then walked over to Sunset's bed under the stairs. She removed the bed curtain that blocked any light from reaching the bed to see Sunset sleeping there with an open book on her face. Little innocent snores left the book and her back legs kicked the air sleepily.
"Daw," Cadance smiled, "she's cute. She's a little angel, Auntie."
"Yeah, an angel from Hell," Celestia grunted.
Celestia reached out and poked Sunset's flank to stir her. All it accomplished was making Sunset turned to the side. She poked again, but the student would not wake. Finally, Celestia levitated the book up from her face and promptly dropped it on her.
"Gah!" Sunset yelped as the book smacked her muzzle.
"Wake up, young one," the princess said casually.
"I was up! I was studying real hard," the student moaned.
Celestia ignored the student. "Come on, there is one I would like you to meet."
Sunset rubbed her eyes and looked right at Cadance. Her eyes widened and she gasped loudly. She pressed herself against the back wall and pointed a crazy hoof at the pink mare.
"She's an alicorn! Aw shoot! I'm seeing double."
"I'm Princess Cadance," Cadance waved.
"'Princess?'" Sunset spat with disgust. "So there are two of you..."
"She's the Princess of Love," Celestia explained. "When she first arrived here, she was even younger than you. She earned alicornhood by defeating a love-stealing witch that was threatening her village."
"Earned?" Sunset blinked. "Um, I ain't getting this. Can I go back to slee-I-mean-studying?"
"No, I want you two to become well-acquainted at least. I can't be the only pony you talk to, so here's your chance to make a friend."
Like usual, Sunset was quick to protest, but was silenced by a raise hoof from Celestia. Seeing that she had stopped the incoming complaint, Celestia huffed in satisfaction and promptly left the two alone in the study. Sunset couldn't believe it and growled all the way until Celestia was out of the room.
"That's just brilliant!" she grunted.
"Heh-he! Auntie Celestia can be a funny one," Cadance giggled. "So, Sunset Shimmer, what brings-"
Sunset jabbed the pink mare with a hoof. "I don't know who you are, but don't you ever think I'm going to be like you. I can tell what ya are. You're a flank-kisser, a doormat. Some little princess pet of Celly."
Cadance's smile turned to a frown. "Well, that's rude. You think I'm a namby-pampy pony princess, huh?"
"Yes."
Cadance returned the favor by sticking her larger hoof into Sunset's chest. Her face darkened and her eyes focused on the student. "Well guess what, I'm not a namby-pampy pony princess, I'm the namby-pampy pony princess. I earned everything I got and I was not born or even raised in a palace. My cutie mark may be a heart, but that doesn't mean everything I do has love or kindness behind it. So you listen here, bub, I won't hesitate to sock you if you treat me or my aunt like how you're talking right now. You may be so tough and mean, but I can put you in your place. I'll beat you with love and happiness."
Sunset was almost completely on the floor while under Cadance's intimidating stare. She gulped loudly and held her front legs up defensively. With a slight shake of her head, she whispered.
"I'm sorry!"
Upon hearing the apology, Cadance instantly brightened. "Oh, it's nothing! I accept, hehe!"
"You're scaring me..."
"Well, I didn't mean to. You see, Auntie Celestia works very hard and is always stressed and I just don't want you to be another burden she has to bear. I mean, I thought you were going to be a nice pony, but now I see that you're kind of a jerk," her voice lowered. "I don't take kindly to jerks."
"I'm not a jerk. She just has me here as a prisoner, not a student."
Cadance raised a intrigued brow."Prisoner? Naw, Auntie will never do that."
"What? You're kidding, right?"
Cadance kept the brow raised. "You're serious?"
"Yes, hasn't she told you what I am? No? Well, fine. I'm a burglar. I steal things. I broke into here and well, she caught me. Due to her crazed fascination with toying with me, she's kept me here instead of locking me up. So if I seem like a jerk, it's because of that."
"You're a criminal? My aunt is teaching a...a criminal?"
"Yup."
"You don't look like a thief."
Sunset rolled her eyes. "Really? What, you expect me to be wearing a black catsuit with goggles or something? Let me tell you, I'm a very good thief. You want it, I can get it."
"Yet you got caught."
The thief sighed. "Well, one screw up goes a long way. Hey, enough about me. I think I need to hear about you. I mean, you're an alicorn and all. Did you go through what I'm going through?"
"No. Celestia never took me as her student. She never really ever took a personal pupil. I only like to think I was her student, but I never really was officially. Like she says, she couldn't teach me anything more after I became an alicorn."
"How did you become one?"
"By saving my village and-"
"Yeah, I get that, but what magic made you get wings?"
Cadance pointed at her long horn. "Actually, I got a horn."
"Whatever."
"Auntie Celestia granted me alicornhood."
Sunset paused in all body movements. Her eyes were wide and not moving in the slightest. Her breathing became long and quiet breaths. After finally blinking, she cocked her head to the side. Her mouth went up on down in silence , but she finally made sounds after these bizarre movements.
"Celestia can create alicorns?"
"Why yes."
"And you got it for saving a village?"
"Among other things, but yes."
"You are my hope," the student uttered absently.
Cadance raised a brow. "Excuse me?"
"Did I say that aloud?" Sunset laughed nervously. "Sorry, sometimes I say dumb things. I...I think I need to get to my studies. It's time for me to uhh, take them seriously. Yup. It was...uh...nice speaking with ya."
Cadance simply stood there, still confused by Sunset's sudden change of behavior. The student watched her with slightly crazed eyes as if they she severely lacked sleep. Her hoofs started to slid backwards, making her scoot towards her bed.
"Um," she croaked, "thanks. Don't ask why, just thank you."
Cadance's eyes narrowed. "Sunset? Are you okay?"
"I'm perfect, now please leave. I need to return to my studies. So please, like, go," was Sunset's reply, complete with a little gesture of her hoof.
"Are you all there?"
"More than you know. Now go."
"Alright then..." Cadance said suspiciously.
Sunset watched with impatient anticipation until Cadance left her room. As soon as the door shut, she let out a relieved sigh. She soon started to madly look about, a sly chuckle leaving her throat. The extreme and sudden exuberance she was feeling was making her jump about insanely.
"It's possible! It's possible!" she cried to the empty room.
She ran up the stairs and looked out to the city. "It's possible! It's possible, Dayshine!"
She calmed down slightly and pressed a hoof on the glass. Her reflection showed her now anxious and worried expression. She pressed her face closer to the glass, thus getting closer to her reflection.
"I need to earn it. Celestia is no longer my enemy, but a friend. A tool for me to use. I must get it right though. I need to act like her little pet until she gives me what I want. I can waste a bit more time here if it means I get what I came here for. Oh! This is going to be good! I'll practice, I'll study, I'll be the best student that royal flank will ever have! Why steal something to emulate when I can be the real deal?"
She tapped the glass, making her hoof and her reflection's hoof touch each other. Her anxious expression turned into a devious smile that darkened half of her face. Her eyes turned to Canterlot's high spires and white structures. She pressed her muzzle on the window and continued to laugh at her own scheming. Her whole sudden excitement made her clap her hooves and giggle madly.
"Just you wait, Celestia. A new Sunset Shimmer is coming out to play. I pray that you will be ready."