//------------------------------// // Chapter 10 // Story: A Heavy Crown // by Fullmetal Pony //------------------------------// Cadenza scowled at the stack of pancakes in front of her. She floated her fork up high and then slammed it down into the middle of them. The impact sent a bit of whipped cream flying onto the finely woven tablecloth. With a violent jerk, she tore out a chunk and crammed it into her mouth, gobbling it down. When she went in for another bite, a hoof stopped her mid-swing. Willow brought his head close to hers. “Sweetie,” he whispered, “you’re making a bit of a mess. Maybe eat a little slower and take smaller bites?” Across the table, Celestia continued to dine on her own breakfast: a rather humble bowl of oatmeal beside a colorful arrangement of fruit. She kept her eyes lowered while she ate, almost like she was still asleep. But Cadenza knew that Celestia was watching her. With a small snort, she turned back to her breakfast and slowly brought her fork down into the stack of pancakes. She still forwent using a knife in favor of ripping a smaller bit of the pancakes off though. After a few more bites, she set her fork down. A sizeable amount of the stack still remained on her plate, thick syrup dripping past the steaming cakes and pooling around their base. She raised her hooves and pushed her chair away from the table. “I’m going back to my room,” she muttered. Setting her utensils down, Celestia looked over to Cadenza. “Actually, Mi Amore,” she said with her usual smile, “I was hoping you’d accompany me on a stroll through the castle. As a birthday gift, I thought it’d be nice to teach you a few special spells.” “Mr. Rune teaches me enough on weekdays.” “You know, I remember how when you were barely more than a foal and always asked me so much about magic and ‘secret princess stuff.’” Cadenza scrunched her nose. “Well, I’m a little more than a foal now.” “Cadenza.” Willow shot her a stern look. “You know how busy Aunt Celestia is. She probably worked very hard to make time to spend with you.” The fire smoldering in Cadenza’s core since Celestia had intruded into her room swelled. Flaring her nostrils, she glared across the table at Celestia. She glimpsed a frown but when she blinked, a smile was back on Celestia’s face. The fire sputtered for a moment. Celestia did not break eye-contact and that smile stayed unwavering and warm. With a great breath, Cadenza dropped her forelegs back to her sides. Her head drooped and she sunk back into her seat. She could sense Willow and Celestia staring at her, but kept her focus down on the remains of her breakfast. “I’m going back to my room if there’s cake,” she muttered. “Oh, don’t worry, Mi Amore,” said Celestia. “I still recall how that went last year. I’d hardly even call what I have planned a lesson. Think of it more as a chance for us to talk and enjoy each other’s company. We so rarely get the time to.” “How…” Cadenza was cut short by a ‘harrumph’ from Willow. “... nice.” ~~~ Sunlight streamed through the stained glass that lined the castle’s hallways Celestia led Cadenza through, dyeing the walls and the carpet a variety of colorful shades. Through the aged depictions of ponies in them, Cadenza could make out a perfect balance of sky and clouds. Her wings bristled. She thought of the clouds. Real clouds. The springiness to them that could only exist far off the ground. Many a time, Willow had brought her a piece of cloud back from work or even collected an early morning’s dew into a fresh cloud. Sometimes, if the weather was right and there was time to spare, Cadenza would sneak out into the castle’s courtyard and snatch the moisture from the air and condense it into one. It filled her with a small sense of pride that she could now make a cloud as big as her head. Yet all these clouds felt off. The ones Willow brought back were stale and brittle and soon dispersed into flecks of water on Cadenza’s hooves and air that smelled of sweat. The clouds Willow formed on the ground were wispy and more akin to thick mist than a true cloud. As for the clouds Cadenza herself made, they were dense and dark and zapped her when she tried to touch them. The primal feeling of a true cloud dangled on the edge of her mind. Pliant, yet able to hold a pegasus. Solid, though enough force could drive a hoof into it. Despite all the luxuries the palace provided, nothing could match that vague memory— if it could even be called that— of a true cloud. “Mi Amore?” Cadenza stopped, the sensation flickering away to the small corner of her mind with all her most precious secrets. A glance around revealed they were somewhere near the armory now. The dining hall was hidden behind a corner and a long stretch of hallway. “What?” Cadenza asked. “I was asking if there was anything I could do to make you a bit happier,” said Celestia. The warm sunlight glistened off Cadenza’s back. “Going outside the castle would be nice.” “Oh, Mi Amore.” Celestia knelt low and reached out to stroke her mane. Cadenza backed away and glared at her. Celestia retracted as if stung and lowered her head to Cadenza’s height. “I’m sorry, but your recovery comes first. There’s too much outside that might trigger a relapse in your condition or worse. Please just hold out a little longer.” “Even on my birthday,” Cadenza spat. With a sigh, Celestia got back to her hooves and beckoned Cadenza to follow her. “In my youth,” she said while they walked, “I can remember feeling a similar way on many of my own birthdays. There were so many things I wanted to see and places I wanted to go, but to do so would have been at great risk.” Cadenza rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I’m sure it must have been really dangerous for a pony that controls the sun.” “Oh my.” Celestia’s cheeks flushed too bright to be real. “Always having control of the sun? Could you imagine a foal with such an ability? The thought alone makes me glad I only attained my talents after years of harsh study so that I could handle such power.” Celestia’s pace slowed. The change elicited Cadenza to look up and see that her glazed eyes were fixed on the stained glass windows above them. “Before then, I had to make due with the few spells a pony could use back then,” Celestia continued. “I doubt Mystic has covered it, but Equestria was a vastly different place back when I was around your age. There were no magic schools and scholars were scarce. Even Starswirl was little more than a youthful stallion. He was certainly a skilled spellcaster, but far from the legendary sorcerer we know today.” “Wow, life in the castle must have been really hard back then,” Cadenza said with a biting tone. The haze cleared and Celestia chuckled. “It may surprise you, but I lived in probably the loosest definition of a house a pony could find. Oh, if the courts or the nobles could see it, they’d probably pass out from shock… or go commission an archaeological hunt to find some remains of it.” Cadenza raised an eyebrow. “So you ruled Equestria from a little hut thing?” Celestia chuckled again. “Oh, Mi Amore, there’s much I still have to tell you. Things most ponies don’t know of or take for granted. They came to a halt before a grand set of doors that stretched high up into the darkened rafters. Celestia placed a hoof on one and smiled down at Cadenza. With a light shove, she pushed it open. “For now, though, I just want you to have a happy birthday.” Cadenza stood at an angle that, combined with Celestia’s body, blocked her off from seeing into the room. However, when Celestia entered, the great sound of over a dozen gasps went up and was followed by stifling silence. Feeling nervous without knowing why, Cadenza only allowed half her head to poke out from behind the still-shut half of the doors. Just as she glimpsed into the Great Hall, a deafening roar of high-pitched applause made her jump back. However, the doorway she stood at led to the top of the Great Hall’s staircase, cloaking the cheers’ source from her. Celestia was still visible though. One hoof was bent across her chest while her head was dipped low in a graceful bow. The applause continued until she stood tall once again and raised up a hoof, silencing the unseen crowd. Behind her, Cadenza kept herself partially hidden beside the door, her mind scrambling for answers. “Thank you all for coming today,” Celestia said, her voice resonating throughout the Hall. “You are some of the best and brightest in all of Canterlot. You have all worked very hard to bring some of the greatest joy to Equestria.” Her smile sharpened into a mischievous grin. “That being said, as you can probably tell from the accommodations, I may have been a little disingenuous with my invitations. As much as I would love to teach you, I’ve invited all of you here for a much more special occasion.” Her mane danced over the left side of her face, cloaking the eye she glanced back at Cadenza with and spread her wing out just enough to keep it hidden behind her mane and beckon her forward. Cadenza blinked. Celestia kept smiling both at her and the crowd. Then, taking a deep breath, Cadenza took a step into the Great Hall, suddenly aware of the butterflies in her stomach. The draft flowing out of the door now at her back tugged at her, urging her back to her room While her heart pounded, her curiosity pulled her forward until she passed the obscuring ridge of the staircase. Her breath left her. A wave of gasps went up from the crowd below. In stunned silence that followed, Cadenza and the sea of fillies and colts stared back at each other. Every one of them was bedecked in either suits or dresses. Some were absolutely radiant in their finely sewn jackets or gowns endowed with rows upon rows of gems. Yet other fillies and colts, while still dressed for the occasion and sporting meticulously combed manes and fur, wore plain shirts and dresses with maybe one or two rather small gems placed at key spots to catch the most light. A few even showed some loose threads and missing buttons. From her position atop the stairs, Cadenza could also make out streamers wrapping around the Hall’s marble pillars. They hung above tables filled to the brim with cookies, brownies, candies, bowls of colorful juices, and a veritable trove of other snacks and drinks dispersed between vibrant clusters of balloons and other party favors. Amidst all the lively decorations, the guards by the doors appeared almost comical with their stoney expressions and hefty armor. Likewise, from where he stood beside Celestia, Mystic stuck out with his mane pulled back and tied with a silver silk ribbon, fully revealing the permanent bags under his eyes and a prominent brow that cast the upper half of his face in shadow. The brown velvet cloak draped over his back looked even more ill-fitting than the guards’ armor. Cadenza’s knees went soft. Combined with the lightheadedness clouding her mind, it was only by the saving grace of Celestia wrapping a wing around her that Cadenza didn’t fall to the floor. “I’d like you all to give a big greeting and happy birthday to my niece, Mi Amore Cadenza!” Celestia shouted. It was silent for a moment more before the crowd screamed, “Happy birthday, Mi A…” The crowd’s jubilant cry faltered. Several young ponies’ tongues rolled and jaws shifted, but the name could not fully escape their mouths. A filly or colt poked their head up here and there and puffed up his or her chest to try and call out again, but seeing everypony else still murmuring to themselves, sunk back into the crowd. “Oh,” Celestia said before her voice swelled to fill the room once more. “How about just a ‘happy birthday’ this time? You’ll have plenty time to get to know Mi Amore during the party! Okay, ready?” Everypony down the stairs sucked in their breath. A second too late, Cadenza realized she should have covered her ears. “Happy birthday!” the crowd boomed before exploding into cheers and stomps. Celestia pulled her wing back with a grand flourish; Cadenza remained rooted where she stood. From some unseen alcove below her, a band started up with an energetic jazz beat. All the fillies and colts’ attention was on her. A bit of sweat collected on her brow. “W-what is this?” she stuttered. “Why, a party of course,” Celestia chuckled. “It’s been long overdue for a smart filly like you to meet some ponies your own age and make some friends.” “I couldn’t agree more.” Cadenza managed to find strength in her legs again to whip around and spot Willow descending down another staircase that connected to the main one Cadenza and Celestia stood on. Picking up speed, Willow reached Cadenza and gave her a nuzzle. “Was a bit worried there for a second,” he said to her. “I know how you can be on your birthday, but I’m glad you at least behaved enough to not ruin the surprise.” “You knew?” Cadenza gasped. “Knew?” Willow grinned widely. “I made sure to ask Celestia personally to help plan this. Becoming ten is a big milestone for a growing filly, and I wanted to make sure this birthday was a happy one for you.” “Dad…” Cadenza felt the tears bubbling up. All the fillies and colts and even Celestia and Mystic felt very far away now. Smiling as wide as her face would allow, she latched onto Willow and hugged him tightly. “Thank you!” “You’re welcome, sweetie.” With a single leg, he reached up and, hesitantly, pushed her away. “I think there’s something you still need to say to somepony though.” Willow pointed behind her, and she spun around to see Celestia smiling down at them. Blushing deeply, Cadenza felt a weight drop in her stomach. She took a deep breath and then bowed slightly.“I’m sorry for not being very nice this morning, Princ— Aunt Celestia.” “Apology accepted.” Celestia lifted a leg and waved it over the Great Hall. “Now, go enjoy your party!” With a smile that stretched from ear to ear, Cadenza took the first step down the stairs. Then she paused. It was not unusual for attention to be on her. Save for the confines of her own room, at least one guard always had their eyes on her. Yet their vigilant gaze combined with their rigid manner had dulled over the years to a background event; there, yet not worthy of attention in return. The vibrant gleam that filled the crowd’s faces was different. Some of them openly gaped at her while other fidgeted in place. A few tugged at their shirt collars and their dresses. Yet, nopony dared look away from her. She felt a twitch creeping up from her hooves. Drawing breath, Cadenza continued down the stairs as the twitching tried to grab at her knees. The band continued to play a tune, though it had shifted to a more subdued beat. She could feel every weave of carpet that pressed up against her with each step she took. It made a rim of goosebumps crop up around her ankles. By the time she was near the ground, her smile had grown small and shaky. A bead of sweat trickled down from her left temple. More sweat glistened atop her forehead. Just a few more steps away, all the fillies and colts wore similar unsteady grins that outlined similar dampened faces. White shirts and dresses were slowly turning transparent in patches and streaks. Cadenza’s next step was followed by a rush of shuffling and the light clink of horseshoes on marble. Tightening her jaw, Cadenza took another step which was followed by the exact same noise. The stairs appeared to have grown, with a fresh gap now separating her from the fillies and colts. A glance back revealed Celestia and Willow smiling down at her from up high. They appeared to be stretching further and further away the more she stared at them. Her gut seized up, allowing more room for her heart to pound around her stomach. Her walk got wobbly. It took great effort to lift her shaking legs up and down onto another step, as the twitch bit into her shoulders and chewed up and down her back. Like before, the crowd shifted , but this time Cadenza was able to see them all move. Away from her. She couldn’t feel herself breathing. Cadenza’s final step onto the ground echoed through the hall. The floor squirmed underneath her, threatening to break apart completely. The pillars of the Hall appeared to reach up and enclose around her as a dryness unlike anything she had ever felt turned her tongue to sandpaper. Even in the worst relapses she could recall, where flames lapped at her hooves and the pressure on her throat stole her breath, there had never been so parched. Nopony dared to break their smile. Then a gust of cool air washed over her. The weight in her gut lightened and she managed to gulp down a thimbleful of air past the knot in her neck. Willow tucked one wing to his side while he brought the other one down over Cadenza. “You were looking a little nervous there,” he said. “I…” Cadenza tucked her chin, trying to hide from all the eyes boring holes in her head. “I don’t know what to say.” “That’s easy, sweetie, here, I’ll help.” “No, Dad, that’s o—” “Hello, everypony!” he shouted. Even the band had gone silent now. His smile diminished until was little more than a slight bend of his lips. He opened his mouth to say something else but a rustle in the crowd gave him pause. A ruby mane with streaks of radiant yellow running through it poked through the fillies and colts at the front of the crowd. A horn parted the mane to the side but the thick crowd concealed the rest of its owner’s body save for a wiggling hoof. The ponies at the front tittered, trying to accommodate the new addition, sending ripples of bemused laughter through the packed crowd. The amber filly attached to the mane suddenly tumbled forward through the thinning lines and landed at Cadenza’s hooves. Like all the other fillies, she wore a dress that ran the length of her body, though without a trace of the frills or gems of some of the other pony’s clothes. With its owner on the ground, the light grey fabric flowed out quite a bit amongst the scrambling legs of its owner. When the filly finally got back up to her hooves, the dress shifted, showing not only faded stains running throughout the fabric, particularly at the neckline and chest, but also bright patches of white here and there. Almost as soon as the filly was fully upright again, she bent her knee in a bow, instead of the more usual curtsy. “It’s an honor to meet you, your highness,” she squeaked. Taking a breath she raised her head, showing off bright blue eyes and the tiniest of smiles. “Your wings are very pretty.” Cadenza blushed and pressed her wings close to her side. “T-thank you–” “Sunset Shimmer!” Another bow. “And thank you so much for inviting me to your party!” Cadenza managed to smile. “Thank you for coming,” she said in a low voice. She lifted up a leg ready to reach out to Sunset, who was still in a bow, but held back. “You, uh, can stop bowing now.” Sunset practically jumped up straight. “Oh! I’m sorry, your highness, t-that’s what my caretaker said to do!” A few snickers sounded from the crowd. Cadenza’s ears twitched hearing them, but her attention stayed on Sunset. She guessed that Sunset was perhaps two or three years younger than her, given that her nose was level with Sunset’s horn. “They… they must have taught you well.” Cadenza rubbed one leg against the other. “You seem nice.” Sunset blushed deeply. “W-would you like to get something to drink?” Cadenza felt feather brush against her back. When she looked up, she saw Willow smiling down at her. He nudged her forward. “Have a good time, sweetie,” he said. Turning back to Sunset, a grin putting aches in her cheeks she hadn’t felt in quite a while, Cadenza said, “Yes, I’d like that.” “Of course, princess!” With a triumphant smirk, Sunset spun around and led Cadenza forward. The band started up again, the steady tune kept the smile on Cadenza’s face through the menagerie of ponies all fighting for a good look at her— she’d often heard it while tucked into a corner of the library. The crowd flowed away from the two like similar poles on a magnet. As they walked, Sunset kept glancing back at Cadenza despite only being separated by inches. “I was worried I’d never get to say hello being all the way at the back,” Sunset practically sang. “All those upper class ponies are so much bigger than me, but I was just happy to see Princess Celestia up close. I never thought I’d get to talk with an actual princess!” “Um, right…” Cadence cast a look at her wings and then her horn. “Can you just call me my name? I don’t really like being called a princess.” Sunset came to such a sudden halt that Cadenza nearly bumped into her. “You don’t? But you get to live in the castle, have whatever food or clothes you want, and order anypony to do what you w—”She dropped into another bow. “S-sorry.” Seeing Sunset prostrate herself again, Cadenza tried to yank her back up but she was surprisingly dense. “No, no it’s okay. I just really don’t like being called a princess, that’s all. Okay?” “Yes, yes, of course.” Sunset shot back up, almost sending Cadenza to the ground, but kept her eyes on her hooves. “Sorry, pri- Mi Amore Cadenza.” “Just Cadenza is fine.” Together, they made their way over to the table. While Cadenza lit up her horn and poured some punch into a paper cup, Sunset waited by her side. Cadenza took a giant gulp, emptying the cup. A thought struck her and she summoned a second cup beside her now empty one and filled up both. When she turned around, she saw that a faction of the crowd had broken off and surrounded them, particularly Sunset. The variety of gemstones studding their attire made them glint like polished brass, as did the exorbitant amount of product in their finely groomed manes. Yet all their styles were dwarfed by the large colt that stood directly opposite of Cadenza. Taking a big step forward, he went into a deep bow. Unlike with Sunset though, not a single strand of his brilliant blonde mane shifted when he lowered his head. “Forgive me, princess, but I could sit by no longer.” He straightened his back with a smile as sharp as polished glass. “It would be a dishonor to only allow you time with… certain guests.” “I fully concur, your highness,” an olive hued filly replied while leaning a little closer to him. “Wait…” Cadenza narrowed her eyes. “You’re a prince?” “Why yes.” The large colt drew a hoof to his chest. “Prince Blueblood to be precise. The latest in a line that can directly trace itself all the way back to the Founding Tribes. Though, even my distinguished lineage cannot equal yours.” Blueblood tapped at his chin and narrowed his eyes. “I must admit, my fellows and I were in quite a stupor at your entrance. Unfortunately, you were absconded with in that brief moment of shock. But please, you must tell us more of yourself. We must know just how Princess Celestia kept you hidden away from even families of our rank for so long.” “Uh… I don’t really wanna talk about that.” Cadenza grimaced. “It’s boring anyway.” The shrill honk of a horn drew everypony’s attention to a corner of the Hall. There stood a pony garbed in a black and white checkered costume. It was hard to tell where the clothes ended and fur began on him though due to his own snowy coat and jet mane. He appeared to grappling with some invisible item floating before him. The way he stood on his hind legs and leaned to the side while he worked gave the illusion of steadying himself against a wall. To his left was an array of booths and tables lined with a variety of stuffed animals and other small trinkets. The miniature carnival stretched to the opposite corner of the wall where a pony with a mustache that curled up almost past his ears sat in colorful overalls. A large pad of paper rested on an easel at his side with a guard drawn with disproportionate features gracing the first page. A small burst of flame turned everypony’s head to the the center of the games. Perched atop a large tank of water on a small diving board was a dragon with its mouth wide open, showing off its rounded fangs and a bit of the pony manipulating the costume. “That looks pretty pretty fun,” Cadenza mused. Sunset gave Cadenza a tap on the shoulder. A few of the well-dressed ponies gasped. “Why don’t we play then?” “Yeah!” Cadenza smiled. A guttural hiss escaped Blueblood’s mouth as if he’d eaten an extra-sour lemon for a split second before his features smoothed out again. The smile that followed left a spoiled taste in Cadenza’s mouth. It made her think of Pick. “Oh, of course,” he said icily. “What an excellent show of humility, your grace. Normally, I avoid such trivial pursuits, but, obviously, for the sake of certain guests, you and Princess Celestia have chosen perfect entertainment for the day. I suppose a good show of sportsmanship is in order.” “Um, right…” said Cadenza. “Is that a yes to playing games?” “But of course, your grace,” Blueblood replied, showing off more of that emetic grin. “I assure you, I can win you any prize you desire.” “I don’t really care about those.” Cadenza managed to smile. “I really just like playing with other ponies.” Blueblood deflated slightly, especially around his stomach. “I see.” “I say,” a voice called out. “Shall we get on it then?” Everypony’s head turned to see a dapper colt already beside the dunk tank. A few of the balls floated above a mane which resembled an azure flame. His simple yet elegantly tailored black suit contrasted well against his white fur. Blueblood huffed in his direction. “Fancy…” Before he could say more though, Cadenza was already walking over. She smiled at Fancy. Rather than bow, he extended a hoof and waited for Cadenza to clasp it. It took her a moment, but she eventually responded in kind and gave him a strong shake. “Pleasure to meet you, Mi Amore Cadenza,” he said with a grin too warm to be fake. She liked it. “Fancy Pants at your service. My apologies for not saying so earlier. Your appearance caused me quite a loss of wits temporarily.” Cadenza raised an eyebrow. “Are ponies supposed to know me?” “Well I’d imagine another alicorn with such a close familial linkage to Princess Celestia would cause quite a commotion. Why, you should see how often Prince Blueblood alone is the talk of the town.” “And some ponies should know when to hold their tongues,” Blueblood said as he came up to the pair with the the rest of his group. “Oh, my apologies, I didn’t mean to offend.” Fancy gave Blueblood a curt nod before floating a ball over to Cadenza. “Now, what say we see who can douse this dragon’s fire?” “Okay!” Cadenza took the ball with her own magic. She faced the tank and squinted at the circular target. “Here goes.” She leveled the ball at the red dot in its center and pulled it and her aura backwards till she felt the spell was close to snapping. She delayed her throw when something like a mix of both heat and a chill fell on her. A quick glance around revealed that while some ponies had drawn near the other games, all the attention from the fillies and colts was still on her. Closing her eyes, she visualized the target. The tension grew tighter. Then, in a blur, the ball rocketed forward. Halfway to the its goal though, its spin caused it to shift slightly left in its trajectory. With an echoing ding the ball skimmed across the rim of the target. From within the “dragon’s” mouth, its operator’s horn lit up and sent out a small jet of flame followed by a roar amplified and deepened with a spell. Cadenza couldn’t help but giggle at the noise. To her, it came off more like a pony smashing a cello rather than what a dragon would actually sound like. Perhaps if it had sounded a bit more like Mystic she would be sweating like Blueblood was. “What a ghastly noise,” he huffed while dabbing himself with a handkerchief. “I see the staff have done their research into odious wyrms. I’d be more than happy to silence it.” Cadenza glanced at Blueblood and Fancy. “Should we form a line?” “That seems reasonable.” Fancy waved a hoof and ceded the front of the line to Blueblood, but not without a sly grin. “Have at it.” “Yes, yes of course.” Blueblood stepped forward and hefted the ball back with his magic. Then it shot forward like a stone from a sling. He glanced over at Cadenza just as the ball flew out of his grip. And it zipped upwards and slammed into the wall far above the target. The costumed pony let out a deep bellow and shot another stream of flames. Blueblood blushed so deeply his white coat appeared pink as he gritted his teeth. “What a noxious game,” he spat. He suddenly shuddered feeling Cadenza’s gaze on him. Letting out a great sigh, the color drained from his body and the sickly smile returned to his face. “My apologies, princess. This game doesn’t appear to suit me.” “You can try again if you want.” “No, no, that’s quite fine.” Blueblood looked to Fancy and sharpened his grin. “Why don’t you have a go at it?” “Certainly,” Fancy said as he lined himself up with the target. Closing one eye, he floated a ball to the side of his head and stared at the target. He stood in that position for a good few moments, occasionally shifting a few degrees to either side or adjusting the angle of the ball. “Fancy,” Blueblood huffed, “do you intend to keep us… do you intend to keep the princess waiting all day?” “Of course not,” Fancy replied while keeping his head forward. “My apologies though for the delay, it’s quite a bit harder to aim when you actually have to throw a ball.” With an impish grin, he stuck out his tongue as far as it would go and squinted until his eyes were practically closed, drawing a few laughs from the group. “Alright, here goes nothing.” The ball zoomed forward and smacked the target a few inches to the right of the center. The gears and pulleys hidden behind it groaned and the board below the costumed pony shuddered but remained aloft. This time, the pony let out a smaller roar. “Darn,” Fancy muttered. “Oh well, there’s always next time. Care to try again, Cadenza?” “I’m okay.” Cadenza looked back. “How about you go, Sunset?” Scanning over the ponies around her, she saw that it was just the group that had followed Blueblood. “Sunset?” Cadenza called out. With the music and crowds, her voice didn’t carry far nor could she pick out Sunset amidst all the ponies. Something clicked in Cadenza’s head and she spread her wings, making everypony around her gasp. With one good hop, she flew up into the air. Dozens of heads followed her ascent but a few burly colts nearby remained with their backs to her. Cadenza’s stomach sank seeing them looming over Sunset. With one quick flap of her wings, she zoomed down. Kicking up a small wind when she landed, she looked to Sunset. “Hey, what are you doing back here?” Sunset’s lip quivered a little and she let out a small sniffle. “T-these colts aren’t letting me through.” “Hmmm?” Cadenza glared up at the two colts. They might as well have encountered a cockatrice. “W-we just wanted Prince B-blueblood to have a chance to play with y-you, your highness,” one of them managed to choke out. Cadenza continued to eye them for a tense second before she broke her gaze and sighed. “C’mon, Sunset. I bet you can beat the dragon.” For the first time in her life, Cadenza enjoyed the way the colts parted before her. Marching back to the game, she lifted a ball up and floated it over to Sunset. Sunset’s eyes were as wide as dinner plates and glistened brightly. “T-thank you, pr— Cadenza.” A pale blue aura slowly overtook Cadenza’s own pink magic and hefted the ball backwards. Going into a small crouch, Sunset gulped and let the ball fly. It wooshed through the air and clanged right on the center of the target, causing the board to violently shake. Her face sank as the ball rolled across the ground below the target with the costumed pony still high and dry. “Guh…” she groaned. “That’s been the closest one yet!” Cadenza exclaimed. Sunset sniffled and managed to smile at Cadenza. She brought a ball up between the two of them. “I bet it just needs one more hit.” “You think?” Cadenza smiled back at Sunset and took hold of the ball. Tightening her muscles and her spell, she angled the ball and then sent it flying. Her heart seized up when the ball plowed straight into the target’s center. With a screech, the target flew backward and sent the costumed pony into the tank. With one last roar, he sank below the water, a cloud of steam marking his utter defeat. A round of applause exploded around Cadence. The earlier recollection of what a cloud felt like flooded back to her. It truly felt like she were up high in the air. She wanted to smile more but her face could only stretch so far. It took a grumble from her stomach to pull her back to the ground, though she still felt as if she were at least hovering. “Guess I should’ve eaten more for breakfast.” “Would you like us to get you something?” a chorus of voices replied. “I… I can get it myself.” Cadenza turned to Sunset. “Do you want anything?” “Oh, I’m fine.” Sunset’s grin widened a little. “Would you like to play Pin the Pony next?” “Sure! I’ll be right back!” Cadenza practically skipped over to the snack table. A muffin caught her eye, so she plucked it from its tray and took a bite. The tiny pieces of butterscotch mixed into the fluffy dough tickled wonderfully on the way down and forced her to take another bite. “Bet you think you’re real clever,” Blueblood’s voiced hissed over the crowd. “Well, do you, urchin?” The muffin turned to lead in Cadenza’s stomach. Taking flight, she dashed back over to the dunk tank where Blueblood’s posse had encircled him and Sunset. Her breath caught at the sight of Sunset cowering on the ground. Her dress was torn from her left shoulder all the way down to her stomach. She looked like she could break into tears at any second. Cadenza landed like a thunderbolt. There was an undignified scrambling of ponies to escape. Turning, she threw a smoldering glare at Blueblood, eyes sparking and spitting something that tinged the edges of her vision pink. He looked beyond terrified. “What are you doing?” “N-nothing, your highness,” he stuttered. “T-this heathen w-wa—” “The only one here treating me like an actual pony!” Cadenza screamed. Her horn flashed. A series of rips cut through the air followed by the clattering of jewels across the floor. Paling, Blueblood slowly looked down to see that the buttons lining his inner vest had been sliced clean off, allowing a rather generous paunch to ooze out into the open air. He yelped and fled from the room. A thick silence fell upon the Hall. It made the rush of wind that accompanied Willow landing beside Cadenza sting all the more. Every part of her wanted to run in a different direction. All the impulses sparking in her brain caused her to stand frozen in place. “Mi Amore Cadenza!” he said, tone so grave it shook her to her core. “What in Equestria did you do to that poor colt?” “No, I just… Sunset, he…” The room was spinning. Air. She needed air. Needed to get away from all the ponies looking at her. Her horn lit up. From atop the stairs, Celestia stiffened. “Cadenza,” Willow called out, his voice much softer now. “I… I just want to talk. You don’t have t—” “I’m sorry!” she cried. A burst of light exploded around her and blinded everypony. The air churned with a flap of massive wings as Celestia swooped down to where Cadenza had been. With pupils still shrunken from the flash, she scanned over the spot in thaumic vision. The only thing remaining of Cadenza in the room was a deep concentration of pink energy and a bit of smoke. ~~~ A hurricane of forces pulled Cadenza limb from limb. Her ears popped. She struggled to breath. Then, just as suddenly as the chaos had consumed her, it stopped and she fell onto hard tile. “Ow,” she moaned. Opening one eye, a misshapen porcelain reflection looked back at her. She slowly drew her legs under her body and wobbled to her hooves. Lurching to her right, she went into a tumble but a marble wall managed to stop her mid-fall. Bracing herself against it, she tried to take a step, but only managed to send a wave of nausea up her throat. With a sickly belch, she sunk back to the floor and put her back to the wall. She recalled the advice Dr. Pick often gave her and tried taking slow, steady breaths while closing her eyes. If that failed, at least there was a toilet beside her. “Hello?” Cadenza froze. Only through virtue of not being able to move her legs did she convince her stomach to not empty itself right then and there. From within the stall she was in, she couldn’t see anypony through its unlocked door. Then hooves clinked against the tiled floor. Blueblood’s jewels had sounded the same. Sweat dripped down Cadenza’s face. Oh no, she thought. “Um, is somepony else here?” the other pony called out. “That sounded pretty bad. Do you want me to get a guard?” “No!” Cadenza shrieked. “Wait a minute…” the pony said, voice now low and questioning. “Are you a filly?” “J-just go away!” “Me? You’re the one in the wrong bathroom!” Hooves raced across the floor. Cadenza scrunched into a corner and hugged her stomach. It roiled under her hooves. The door wooshed inwards, skimming past her nose. A pony’s shadow fell over her and she shuddered. “Oh…” he said in a low voice. “Look if you’re upset or something, I—” His breath caught in his throat. Cadenza dared to look up. Standing over her was a colt slightly taller than her. A mane of various shades of blue fell down his neck and a bit over his face. Both it and the gleaming shield on his flanks stood out amongst the white fur that covered the rest of his body save for his tail. His fur appeared to be growing whiter by the second. “Holy Buck!” he shouted and then, “Don’t tell anypony I said that!”