Chapter 12: Cadance's Heart Part 2~ Finale~
Chapter 11
Cadance’s Heart Part 2
As told by Cadance
Once, a long time ago, when Equestria was still young, when Canterlot was still a snow capped and unquenchable mountain top. In a time before the three tribes founded the great land. Before the pegasi, before the unicorn, and while the earth pony roamed wild as any animal, the alicorns lived in Equestria and were the only sentient equines. They were the first unicorns, the first pegasi, but they did not live in towns or cities. Or rule in castles and palaces. They lived in the forests and the meadows, the mountains and valleys. They co-existed with the other immortal beings, the dragons, the phoenixes, the fierce gryphons and manticores. They were a peaceful, but powerful race, able to avoid predators by flying into the skies, or using formidable magic. They protected the animals of the forests along with the earth ponies that came to them as any woodland creature. The two royal sisters were not a part of them. Theirs is another story.
In those early days the ponies didn’t have cutie marks to determine their destinies. Instead, they worked together with the skills they possessed to create a place to live and protect. Some were better at tasks than others, and there were masters and apprentices in all trades. There was only one type of alicorn who exhibited a special talent of their own. A talent they had from birth, and practiced regularly. That was the Mederi. The heart healers. And my ancestors.
They were the rarest type of alicorn, only identifiable at birth by the two-toned feathers on their wings. These were sometimes not quite so apparent, with only a few faded feathers buried under their natural coat, and a parent would not be aware of their foal’s ability until they began to show sensitivity and develop their magic.
These rare alicorns all had the ability to sense and feel the emotions of other creatures, and to heal the hearts of hurting ponies as well as spread joy and love. They were well respected as healers, and each settlement prided themselves to be able to have one in their midst. Some stories even say because they could sense the ponies’ emotions they were able to communicate with the insentient earth ponies and may have started the current pony races, but this cannot be confirmed.
However, the Mederi were not always willing to share their gift. They were a shy and weak race, suffering physical pain and sickness from the strength of the emotions they felt around them, and usually had difficulty socializing so that they became hermits, or disappeared from the herd completely. Some were bitter about the pain they experienced and refused to use their talent, resenting other ponies for asking, and the others of their kind. They could sometimes isolate themselves so completely that they lost the ability to speak and abandoned their families to live alone in the dark forests never to be seen again. It was rare for a herd to have a Mederi within them for more than twenty to twenty-five years because of this. With the alicorns being a near immortal race, their presence was particularly rare within a settlement, and some generations never knew them.
They were a tragic equine, and the few who tried to live a normal life were the most tragic of them all. For a Mederi was always able to find a pony to love for themselves, whether this was part of their talent, or their natural affinity toward other alicorns based on their rarity was not clear, but their love was strong and pure, and would make them happy for perhaps the first time in their lives, and as a result they would become more willing to use their talent for their kin. But if their destined pony did not return their love, or if something happened to them, (especially in the case of breeding with the earth pony) they would swiftly become extremely ill, their once strong hearts weakening fatally, as well as becoming despondent and unable to take food. Because they seemed to be quite young when they found their intended love, barely out of foalhood, the other party would usually not be ready for such a strong and intense commitment and a Mederi would usually become wounded mortally just from a young alicorn’s confusion over their first experiences with love. Unfortunately, because of this other ponies began to shy away from them, unwilling to be caught in such an intense relationship, or be responsible for their deaths. This led to more and more of them becoming embittered and disappearing. They rarely reached the age of foal baring, and if they did their remarkable gene was only sometimes passed on to their foal, causing this great but tragic race to slowly become obsolete.
When the royal family and aristocracy were established some of the Mederi or their heredity within regular alicorns still remained, and some would show up over the years as the lower nobility. At this point it had been established that the Mederi would die young from ‘broken hearts’ as the royalty termed it, and they would be unfit to rule. Instead they would be given positions in the courts as healers, but they could never escape their fate and the stigma attached to them.
Princess Celestia had known one of the last living Mederi in her fillyhood, a generally happy pony with her role as a healer who sometimes even helped the little princess with her adolescent problems. She was married to a soldier and had a foal without the burden of the condition. But when her husband died in battle, she soon followed, orphaning the foal who the princess had never met, and as the years passed the Mederi and the gene of their heritage disappeared as the alicorns did, until thousands of years later when I was somehow born as both.
My aunt Celestia had barely known one of these scarce and destitute creatures. She had not been familiar with their history, and only knew what little she had seen as a filly in her family’s court. When the healer pony had died she had asked her mother why, and she had explained about who the Mederi were and what their fate entailed. It had made the young princess sad and she had wanted to learn more about them. Much of their history was obscured, and even then was difficult to obtain. Until she spoke to an old unicorn mage who had known one in his foalhood and unfortunately felt responsible for her death when he had been a young colt and was not able to give his heart to her. He said that a Mederi needed to find true love to survive. They thrived on love. That their gifts came at that cost, and the only way to save them from their fate would be for a pony to pledge their love eternally to them. If that was too much for them to bare, then that pony was not truly their destined one, no matter how much the Mederi’s heart may have told them otherwise. Even if it did cost them their life.
My aunt and her insatiable curiosity for the well-being of all her subjects, including the no longer living, was what eventually would save my life. Or just give me a second chance at it. She documented the only and last remaining information about the now seemingly extinct race, and when I was born she was shocked to gradually start to realize that I was one of them. When I developed my talent she became almost sure of my heritage and did speak to my parents about it. She didn’t have the heart to tell them or me about the tragic fate of my ancestors, and hoped it would never fall upon me. She hoped that after so many years that I was different. That somehow with my parent’s unicorn blood as well as her own I would be able to avoid that destiny. But now that I had been claimed by it, she had to tell me the truth.
The Mederi were the ancient ponies she had seen with the similar talents as mine. They were the statue in the garden representing love, the reason I was able to create the magic I was able to do, and why I always suffered because of it. And also, the ponies I was descended from were the reason I almost died.
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I don’t remember much about my illness. I do remember the pain, and the hopelessness I felt. How my chest was always so tight, and I couldn’t breathe. How I couldn’t eat anything without getting sick, and the sudden intense pain from deep inside my heart that would usually cause me to pass out. Or how I felt only despair and was so very heartbroken, certain I would never find somepony I cared about again. Somepony as special as he was.
But then, he was there.
I will always remember when Shining Armor came back to me. How my weakened heart jumped in my chest, and I fought against the pain and my fading consciousness to see him again, to talk to him. Even if he still hated me, I just wanted to hear his voice, to see his face, to say…goodbye. I really didn’t think I was going to survive at that point. I was in so much pain, and was less and less aware of the days, finding sleep to be the only thing I could manage to do, and yet I still would wake up screaming. I couldn’t breathe on my own, and couldn’t eat without becoming violently ill. I felt like I had nothing left, and it hurt too much to keep fighting. I just wanted relief.
But I was so happy to see him again. To think that he may have forgiven me and come back to me gave me the strength to keep going. I hadn’t failed to find love. I hadn’t failed in the one thing I was capable of. What I seemed to live for. There was somepony who cared about me as much as I cared about him. I needed to fight. I needed to get better so I could be with him again. So I could play with Twilight and my new friends. So I could grow up and somehow be the princess I was destined to be. I wouldn’t let this illness take me. I wouldn’t go down without a fight. And it seemed that for whatever reason, because of whatever it was that made me different from my ancestors of so long ago, that I had won.
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I can’t say I immediately got better. I was still very weak, and continued to suffer on and off for the next few weeks. The doctors said my heart would probably never fully recover and I would have to restrict activities for the rest of my life. I figured I had never been the most outgoing pony anyway, but my mother was upset by the permanent prognosis. Still, whenever Shining Armor came to see me I felt a little stronger. His warm embrace against me helped with my pain, it was easier to breathe in his presence as if he brought pure sweet air to me, or his gentle touch cured the tightness in my chest.
He came to visit me in the hospital whenever he could get a co-worker to take his evening shifts, and spent the weekends with me playing games when I was well enough, or just sitting by my side if I wasn’t. He brought me flowers with each visit so that my hospital room became a garden in bloom, and I couldn’t have been more grateful to him. Eventually his spending all his time with me led to Twilight demanding to come visit me too. I didn’t think she knew or understood what was wrong with me, but she knew I had been sick, and needed to stay in the hospital where her brother was coming to visit me and leaving her alone all weekend. It touched me to have the little filly care enough to come see me, and I hoped I would be well enough to receive her and play with her like old times.
I didn’t need to wear the oxygen mask anymore when she came two weeks later on a beautiful sunny day that made me long to leave the hospital and feel my aunt’s sun’s warmth again. I lay on top of the blankets wearing my purple bath robe over my still sickly thin body, and tried to tuck the hoof with the IV under my side so at least some of my medical equipment wouldn’t scare her. I gave the lavender little unicorn my warmest smile when she cautiously followed Shining Armor into my room, looking around and struggling to hold up a little bundle in her magic.
My mom followed behind her, and it didn’t matter how many times I saw her now, it still looked like she had aged twenty years within the past few weeks that I had been sick. And that scared me a little. I had faced death myself and I feared it, knowing it could come for any pony I cared about just as it had tried to take me. I didn’t want to think I had made my mother age prematurely. But I knew my illness had caused stress for everypony who cared about me. Perhaps most for Shining Armor who seemed to blame himself for it. I couldn’t begin to convince him otherwise in my weakened condition, but knew I had to eventually. Even my great, aunt Celestia seemed less her regal self, and I was determined not to let that fear and worry reflect on to the little filly who seemed nervous just from being in the hospital room.
“Hi, Twilight!” I called, grinning and waving to her, and she looked up at me.
“Cady!” she cried, happily, and then she launched her tiny body over to my bed and into my hooves where she cuddled up to me. “I missed you! Please get well soon so we can play again.” She murmured against my chest, and shocked, but so very touched by how much she cared for me, I fought the tears threatening to spill over in my eyes and held her close to me.
“I missed you too, Twilight.” I smiled.
“This little filly seems to love you very much, Mia. You must have done a very good job foal sitting this summer.” My mother commented as she joined us, making me blush as she used my little pet name which I had missed in my time away from her. But I knew it was something that only she and I could share. “It is nice to meet you, little one. I am Cadance’s mother, Lady Campanella, but you can call me Little Bell if you like.” She smiled at the filly who turned to her and grinned.
“Hi Miss Little Bell! I’m Twilight Sparkle, and Cadance is the best foal sitter ever!” she shouted with glee, hopping up and down and making my bed shake, which did nothing for my fragile condition, and Shining Armor stopped her with a hoof on her shoulder and a gentle smile to me.
“I’m glad you think so, Twilight. She is very special to me too.” My mom said smiling at me and making me blush more. Moms.
“Oh my gosh, you are sooooo pretty~” Twilight had jumped off the bed and was gawking up at my mother who giggled, acting flattered, and thanking the little unicorn with a pat on her head which she relished in. Then, suddenly, her wide eyes narrowed, quizzically, and she ran around to my mom’s side and peered up at her back, presumably looking at her cutiemark, before scampering back to interrogate the somewhat startled unicorn.
“Miss Little Bell….” She murmured, rubbing her hoof on her chin like she did when she couldn’t figure something out. I thought I could see where this was going now, and did a face hoof.
“Yes, sweetie,” mom asked, demurely.
“How come you don’t have wings? How come you’re a unicorn and Cadance is an alicorn?”
“Because the heavens have blessed me with the most special of fillies to care for and cherish.” My mother was suddenly on the bed beside me, holding me close, and like Twilight I relished in her gentle touch, but blushed outwardly.
“Come on, mom.” I groaned, making a show of pushing her away with my hooves.
“I don’t get it.” Twilight muttered, disappointedly.
“Twily, why don’t you give Cadance your gift now, instead of insulting royalty.” Shining Armor reprimanded the little filly, nudging at the bundle by her hooves which she had seemed to have forgotten about. She perked her ears up at that.
“Oh, yeah!” she chirped, and picked up the bundle and jumped back on the bed beside me. “Open it, open it!” she cried, excitedly, nudging it into my lap.
“Twilight, you didn’t have to get me anything.” I smiled, fiddling with the little bag in my hooves since I hadn’t regained full use of my magic yet. I was actually forbidden to use it by my doctors.
“Wait, wait, I made you this too!” she rummaged into her saddle bag and pulled out a folded piece of paper, then floated it over to me. She jumped in my lap again as I started to unfold it, and my mother eagerly watched beside me.
It was a drawing done in markers and a foal’s scrawl of the two of us playing our hoof clapping game in a green and flowery field with a happy sun shining down. She had written out the words to the song we made up with little illustrations of ladybugs as a border, and at the very top it said, ‘Get well soon, Cadance. Love, Twilight.’ I ran my hoof along the page, tenderly, my heart filling with warmth from the little filly’s simple gesture. But I hadn’t seen anything yet.
“Shiny said you probably couldn’t play our hoof clapping game for awhile so I wanted to make sure you didn’t forget it.” She explained, calmly, and I held her closer to me.
“Aw, how sweet.” Mom gushed.
“It’s beautiful. Thank you, Twilight. But don’t worry, I’ll never forget our song.” With the little unicorn sitting on my lap I held up her hooves and clapped them together while softly singing the familiar song, and she eagerly joined in, giggling as I covered her eyes and shook her hips to complete the rhyme. I laughed too, and cherished being able to at least play a little with her again. I guessed paddy cakes wasn’t just for foals anymore.
“Here, Cady…” Twilight sounded less enthusiastic as she hopped back up and nudged the small bundle toward me again with her nose. I looked down at her concernedly, and she just stared back up at me with her huge lavender eyes showing some apprehension, a feeling I could only vaguely sense with my weakened magic. It was weak, but it was still there. I could still feel a pony’s emotions; I was still a Mederi even if I had managed to change my fate.
I took the small roped sack in my hooves, and my mother helped me untie it to reveal something that brought tears to my eyes, and threatened to take my only recently regained breath away.
“Oh, Twilight, no…” I stammered, and was soon joined by Shining Armor who gawked at the contents as well, as the
little filly stared down at her hooves.
“Twily, what are you—?“ the elder brother asked, incredulously.
“What is wrong? It is a… lovely little doll.” My mom spoke, puzzled, as she regarded the gift a little skeptically.
Yes it was a doll. A little gray pony doll with button eyes, a yarn mane and polka dot pants. It was Smarty Pants. Twilight Sparkle’s most cherished toy.
“I-I can’t accept this…Twilight… its yours.” I gasped a little, concerning my mother.
“I’m not giving her to you…” the little filly with perhaps the biggest heart I had ever encountered mumbled, pushing the toy into my trembling hooves. “I’m lending her to you. Smarty Pants always comforts me while I’m sick… so you can borrow her while you’re sick too.”
When I looked over to Shining Armor his eyes were misty as he smiled proudly at his little sister, and blinking back my own tears I gathered the filly and her heartfelt gift in my hooves and hugged them tight. “Thank you, Twilight. Your kind gift means the world to me, and I promise I’ll take care of her until I’m well and can return her to you.” She smiled up at me and then suddenly I was lifted off the bed as a pair of large, white hooves wrapped around myself and the little pony I held onto who giggled. Shining Armor held us both like his own stuffed toy and grinned, happily.
“Shining~” I groaned as I was squished against Twilight and his big chest.
“What? Can’t I hug my two favourite fillies?” he asked, cuddling us closer and I leaned up against him, feeling his warmth surround me as I closed my eyes and breathed in the tender emotions he projected, along with the indescribable selflessness shown to me by little Twilight.
I felt so loved, by so many ponies, and wondered how my sensitive heart could ever have thought otherwise. Whatever the future would bring for myself and the first colt I ever loved, I felt like I could face it now. I had a mother and father who cared for me, a loving aunt, wonderful friends, and a dear coltfriend. Even if I lost one, no matter how painful that would be, I would still have others who loved me. I could still go on.
I would not give up like my ancestors before me had. Like they tried to tell me to do those horrible days I was sick. Their despairing whispers of hopelessness seeping into my brain like a malevolent force. Into my very heart and causing it to break, to no longer sustain me because I had failed at what they thought was my purpose in my life. But they were wrong. There was more to me than my ability to create love and to heal. I was not a weak pony who would die out like they had. I vowed to be stronger than the heart healing alicorns I was descendent from. I would never give up no matter how difficult things became for me. Because even when faced with tragedy, when you’re rejected and feel as if you have nothing left, there will always be somepony who cares for you.
I knew Shining Armor was the pony I was destined to be with, and I still loved him with all of my weakened heart, but I also knew there was so much more to love now than the love between a mare and a stallion. I had been shown the pure and innocent love that could exist between friends through Sweetheart and little Twilight’s generous giving of their hearts to me, and the unconditional love from my mother who stayed by my side during my illness, and would love me for all time, no matter what. And my Aunt Celestia who had done all she could to try to cure me, including abandoning her royal duties for me, and giving me the freedom and confidence to become the pony I was today. I had truly found love that summer. Not just with Shining Armor, but I had learned to embrace the love that had always been there, right in front of me.
As my final days in the hospital came to a close Sweetheart came to visit me and cried over what had happened to me, showing me how much that yet another pony cared for me. I was surprised to hear she had come to see me once while I was too sick to talk to anyone. She said she hadn’t heard from me since the dance, and was so worried when she found out I was sick. She had told Shining Armor about me, and I didn’t want to scare her, but that was probably what had saved my life, and I owed her everything. I did not tell her about the Mederi, or why I had become ill. Just like I didn’t tell Shining Armor, and probably never would.
I knew that keeping secrets from ponies was what had screwed everything up in the first place, but there was no way I could let anypony know about my bleak heritage. Especially him. I could never let Shining know that it had been his rejection that led to my illness. That I couldn’t physically survive without his love. I didn’t want that burden on him. I didn’t want him to blame himself as the stallion that Princess Celestia had met had done. And most of all I didn’t want that to be my fate. I would fight it. If it ever happened to me again, if I lost him again, I would not go down. Not like them. But he would never know, and never have to worry as I did. At least, never again.
I would have to convince him of this for the rest of our days. I knew that he still suffered from the guilt when he looked at me sometimes. I could see it in his eyes. So full of love, but also heartache. I didn’t need my sensitivity to see it. It was as plain as the nose on his face. Which I would nuzzle back up whenever he seemed down, and eventually use my stronger magic to heal his heart when he was hurting. It was all I could do, and I wished I wasn’t the cause of his sorrow. It was my burden too.
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When I was finally released from the hospital, my friends came to the Canterlot palace to welcome me home and meet my family. My father met with Shining Armor for the first time, and he didn’t seem too impressed with my choice in coltfriends. But he wasn’t impressed by most things. I think he scared the poor colt because he stuck close to me for the rest of the night like a little foal. I didn’t mind, I gladly stayed by him too. I never wanted to leave him again.
My father had always been a little intimidating, even to me. With his large stature, deep gray coat and dark eyes, he could seem fiercer than a royal guard. Although with his family he was mostly quiet and stern, and difficult to approach. He had been the son of the Istalian court chancellor before he met my mother- the current Istalian princess- and he was now every bit the royal duke of our kingdom, and helped govern with efficiency and pride along with my mother. Somewhat ironically, due to the recent developments in my life, his name, Stregone was the Istalian word for healer/mage, and his cutie mark was a royal blue five-sided gem similar to mine. He had a strong magical talent that he rarely practised with his royal duties, and I didn’t really know what his special talent was since he wasn’t the type to share information like that, and my special talent just baffled him like it did everypony. He had been in charge of the Istalian affairs while I was sick, leaving my mother to be able to care for me full time, and returning when he could, such as now that I had been discharged, and for him to complete his last task in Canterlot, and break my heart all over again.
My father wasn’t a cruel pony, but he demanded respect and obedience from me, and I was frightened by his sternness and difficult to read emotions which just frustrated me, since I could usually read other ponies like a book. He wasn’t the type to offer any kind words, or any words at all really, and I couldn’t really say I had ever spent any time with him, making it seem as if he didn’t care for me at all. He also seemed to resent my alicorn blood. Because although he initially had been proud of who I was, he always seemed bothered whenever I took lessons from Princess Celestia, and any complaints I had about being a forced shut-in were met with angry words about me not appreciating my good fortune as part of the sacred race, or not taking my duties seriously, and he would turn his back on me, which may have left me hurting from his harsh emotions if I could actually feel them properly, which frustrated me to no end. I didn’t really care if he loved me or not, since my mother’s loving and gentle care more than made up for his coldness to me, but I was actually really hurt to never see him when I was conscious during my illness. Yet when I began to recover, and he returned to see me, I could feel his emotions for what may have been the first time, and his relief that I was getting better, and love for me touched my heart, even in my weakened condition. It was that strong.
But now, I refused to look at the stern, dark stallion I called my father, as he scared poor Shining Armor, and I had more to be angry with him for that I couldn’t bare to think about as I tried to be cheerful for my friends as I greeted them at the castle doors. But there was nothing I could do to ignore the pain in my only recently recovered heart, or fix that which was hurting it.
The colts had brought me flowers to add to my still large collection from Shining, and the fillies brought me sweets and a get well balloon. They tried to bow to me after doing so for my aunt, but I nuzzled them back up to their hooves, saying I was still their friend, not just a princess. I was still Cadance, and always would be.
“We wouldn’t want it any other way!” Lyrica exclaimed with her loud, cheerful voice, and bright smile, wrapping a hoof around my shoulder and grinning as I blushed.
“It’s good to see you well again. You should come double date with Sweetheart and I when you’re up to it.” Palomides said with his ever-present lazy grin, and Sweetheart covered her face in a blush, making me giggle even as it turned into a bit of my lingering cough.
“We should race now that I know you have wings. They may be bigger than mine, but I bet I could beat you…” Ivory said somewhat awkwardly, pausing, and growing sheepish before looking around at the royal gala room he stood in, and then he cautiously added, “…my lady…” as he sank in a bow, which made me frown a little.
“Don’t call her that! She just told you not to call her a princess!” Lyrica chastised her poor, whipped coltfriend who sank deeper under her scolding.
“When I’m strong enough…” my voice broke. “….you’re on.” I held out my hoof to him and he batted it with his own, offering a grin which Lyrica mirrored.
Blue stepped forward next, looking as awkward and shy as ever, without a smile to be seen on his gloomy face. “It’s good to see you again. When Shining Armor said you two broke up---“ he started, but Medley glanced over and kicked him in the side, making him double over, and surprising me before his obliviously hurtful words could sink in.
“Uh, what he means is we all missed you and are glad you are feeling better.” Medley gave a nervous, wide grin, and Shining Armor did a facehoof as I sighed and lowered my head to them with a practised bow of content, and a murmur of thanks. I kinda figured they were a lost cause now. Medley would forever think of me as a princess now, and Blue might just kill me with his unknowingly insensitive comments and generally bleak nature. At least I had left a bit of magic on those two careless ponies who I wished one day I could truly call my friends. Maybe they would find happiness together and learn to reflect it as the others could, and as I forever tried to do with everypony who ever needed help finding hope and love.
“Hey Cadance, what ever happened with Lacolt and the others? Did you ever rat them out to the princess?” Palomides asked as we all gathered at a small snack table set up for my welcome home party. If that’s what it really was. I still didn’t have much of an appetite, and leaned against Shining Armor as the others helped themselves to cupcakes and punch.
“Oh yeah, I can’t believe I never asked you that. They better have gotten their flanks hoofed to them.” Shining Armor spoke up.
“Oh, that… I told the princess… she wasn’t very happy and said she would talk to them. I don’t think you’ll see them in class this fall…” I muttered, not liking speaking about that since it brought back painful memories for me. I had only told my aunt about it when she asked what had happened that night. She had seemed angry about what they did to me and Sweetheart, but was more concerned over my illness at the time, especially since I only continued to get worse. I didn’t think those criminal colts would get off without any sort of punishment, but they were definitely lucky that I had gotten sick right after it happened, and their heinous deed had been almost forgotten. But I knew my aunt would still do something about it, and I hoped Shining and the others wouldn’t have to deal with them again.
We continued to talk for a little while about some of the good parts of the dance, the trip to the lake, and plans for the rest of the summer that they hoped Shining and I could join. Sweetheart wanted the double date to happen still, and Lyrica and Medley said we should foal sit together again. Even Shining Armor talked about us redoing our first date, or taking Twilight somewhere to ‘slay dragons’, and that made me almost lose it until I was saved by my aunt who said that I still needed my rest, and my friends should go.
I hugged each of them before they left, gripping onto a confused Sweetheart for dear life. But she gripped me right back just as tight. I nuzzled under her chin, squeezing my eyes shut against stinging tears, and she held onto me saying it was alright, I didn’t have to cry. She had no idea, and that pained me more than I could bare, but I knew deep down in my damaged heart that this was the only way. I even hugged Medley and Blue, causing the pegasus to blush, and the proud unicorn to soften and smile, returning the hug as she said goodbye, and the group trotted together, laughing and playfully pushing at each other, into the moonlight, and away from my reach. It was the last time I saw them.
When Shining Armor started to step out the door I grabbed him by the tail and wouldn’t let go, pleading with my parents and aunt to let him stay and watch the stars from the Canterlot towers with me, just for a little while. My father frowned and shook his head, causing the young colt to wince, and my heart to drop. My mother looked apprehensive, but my aunt reached her hoof out to them.
“Let him stay. Give her that much tonight.” She spoke with authority, and my parents sighed, unable to refute the princess. My mom nuzzled me gently, saying not to stay up too late, and let us go.
I walked with him in silence up the seemingly never-ending staircase to the top of the palace towers, leaving me breathless from being bed ridden for so long, and my generally weakened condition, somewhat like the time we had climbed the Canterlot mountain top in a time that seemed so long ago now. He helped me up the last set of stairs as he had done back then too, and then I led the way through the twisting halls to the tallest balcony that overlooked the whole kingdom, lit up by a full moon shadowed by the dark unicorn inside, and a symphony of stars that sparkled across the skies like diamonds in the night.
“Whoa,” Shining Armor gasped as he took in the spectacular sight. “I’ve never seen a view like this. You can see forever up here.” He exclaimed.
“I know. It’s beautiful isn’t it?” I breathed, looking up at the huge moon that seemed to touch the tips of the houses and the distant hills. I tuned its mourning out. I had enough sadness of my own now. “I wanted to show you this when we first went stargazing…. I want to show you so many things still…” I sighed, longingly, my heart so full, but also so pained.
“Well, it’s certainly better than the hills outside my house. You must have thought it was so lame.” He chuckled, with real embarrassment in his tone, and I leaned against him.
“No, I loved it. I loved being with you.” I told him, passionately, sighing and hanging my head with the sweet but now somber memories of our first days together.
“What is it, Cadance? You’ve looked like you’re going to cry all night. Are you hurting still?” the gentle colt asked, concernedly.
“It’s nothing… I’m just…tired…” I muttered, and he nuzzled my head back up, smiling at me.
“It’s alright. I understand.” His kind smile, and caring eyes helped me offer my own weak smile, and we looked into each other’s eyes, before he leaned over and kissed me on the lips. It was the first time he had done so since that night at the dance that I had almost lost everything, and I relished in it. I fervently returned the kiss, closing my eyes as a tear ran down my cheek.
I’m so sorry, Shining Armor. I’m so sorry I have to do this to you. I love you. I thought, desperately to myself, immersing all the love I had to give into that one beautiful kiss. I didn’t know how long it would be until I would be able to do it again. I didn’t know if I would ever see him again. It had only been a few weeks since I had thought I would lose him to my mistakes, my own death, but now… now I had to leave him by choice. I had to lose everything again, just as I always knew I one day would. But the time had come too soon, with too much heartache for me to fight. I wanted to fight. I wanted to be stronger. But I wasn’t strong enough for this. There was nothing I could do but sit with him and watch the stars on that last night that echoed our first, and wish that it would last forever, and our time together would never end.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The next day dawned bright and warm, but it could not warm the sadness in my heart as I stood with my beloved aunt after she had raised the sun, and looked over the city from atop her chamber’s balcony.
“It’s for the best. You know it is, honey.” She said, softly, wrapping her wing around me as I trembled despite the warmth of the gentle summer sun kissing my face like a mother’s touch.
“I know… I know…” I sighed, mournfully.
“You’ll come see me again when you’re well enough. You still have much to learn. This isn’t forever.” She assured me. “Your parents need you now. They almost lost you. They were so frightened, Cadance, just as I was. Give them the time with you they thought they had lost. Grow strong again, and then you can come back here and continue where you left off. We’ll always be here for you.” she smiled as warm as her majesty, and I nuzzled up to her much taller frame as close as I could.
“I love you, Aunt Celestia. Thank you for everything you’ve done for me.” I told her, my voice breaking as tears gathered in my eyes, and I saw the same in hers.
“You conquered your fate, Cadance. You didn’t let the despair that consumed your ancestors take you. You’re one of the strongest ponies I know, and I love you too.” She leaned down and lay her head over my back, her wings sheltering me, and I was able to reach her neck to properly nuzzle her, and she returned the gesture as tears fell from her eyes and into my heart.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I held the little pony doll in my teeth by the ribbon I had somehow managed to tie around her neck. I would never be able to get used to not using my magic, I thought as I approached the two sibling ponies who had forever changed my life. The young filly who had taught me about friendship, and the colt who had shown me true love, and who I both now had to somehow say goodbye to.
Twilight hopped around her elder brother as they waited for me outside the palace gates, probably excited to think that we were going on some sort of adventure, and my heart ached for her, more than it already was. Shining Armor seemed a little calmer, but a wide smile came to his face when he saw me, and I tried my best to return it.
I had asked them to meet me there that morning together. Just them, and I didn’t give a reason or any explanation. In the end it had been those two unicorns who had most touched my life, and I couldn’t handle saying goodbye to any of the other ponies I had met. Although I would always regret not giving Sweetheart a proper goodbye. But this was how it had to be.
Shining Armor ran up and hugged me with Twilight pushing in on the embrace, and I held them as close as I could as if to forever imprint the feel of their touch on my heart.
“Cadance! It’s so great to see you outside again. You look so much better!” the beautiful unicorn colt exclaimed, happily, and I blushed, just as I always did around him. He must have just been being nice. I was still pale and thin, and had deep circles under my eyes. I couldn’t even use my magic. It would be a long time before I was actually better, but being outside in the warm sun with the soft grass under my hooves again made me feel a little better.
“Hello you two.” I smiled as best I could between holding the doll in my mouth, as well as trying to fight my grief over what I had to do.
“Cady, let’s go, let’s go!” the little filly shouted, excitedly trying to push me forward, but was unable to reach my back so she toppled over. “Uh… Where are we going?” she added, blinking back up at me and Shining laughed, while I still fought just to smile.
“Here, Twilight. Thank you for lending her to me, she was a big help.” I said, leaning down and dropping the Smarty Pants doll at her hooves, and she grinned.
“Yay, Smarty Pants!” she cried, and hugged the doll tight. I had kept it by my side in the hospital for almost a week now. She must have missed it, and I felt so grateful to her for giving it to me. “Ohh, look at your pretty ribbon!” she cooed to the little stuffed pony.
“I gave her that to thank her for taking care of me. It looks nice on her, don’t you think?” I asked.
“Look, Twily, its Cadance’s mane tie.” Shining Armor said, looking down at the doll, and pointing his hoof at the little blue ribbon as he somehow recognized it right away. My mane now hanging loose around my shoulders may have given him a clue though.
“Oooh! Thanks, Cadance!” The little unicorn smiled, and I did too. She always brought a smile to my face. Even as I was hurting “It looks great on her.” she paused. “But… but… what will you wear in your mane now?” she added, distraughtly.
“It’s alright. I have other mane ties. You and Smarty Pants get to keep it now.” I replied.
“You look prettiest with your mane down anyway.” Shining Armor said in his lame and cute way that always made me happy no matter how cheesy it sounded.
“Yeah!” Twilight agreed and I managed a giggle.
“So, what’s up, Cadance? Did you really have to invite my silly little sister here today too?” the colt joked, causing the little unicorn to glare at him.
“Yeah, where are we going? Are we gonna go find the crystal empire?” Twilight spoke up.
“Twily, that’s just a story I made up.” Shining groaned.
“I wanna see the crystally ponies!” she shouted, stomping her hooves.
I looked at both of their expectant faces, wondering why I had called them there together, Twilight thinking we would go off to her fantasy land, and Shining Armor just hoping we could be together again, and I realized with a heavy heart that the time had come.
“Shining Armor, Twilight… I asked you to come here today because I need to tell you something,” I started, shakily, and Twilight continued grinning, sitting on her haunches and waiting for me to continue, but Shining seemed to sense the tension in the air and looked up at me nervously, with his ears bent back. I had hurt him too many times already.
“I….” I tried to continue, bending my own ears back, and taking a deep breath in so I could keep going without hyperventilating, or bursting into tears. “I have to go home now. I have to… I have to return to Istalia to continue with my recovery. I…I’m so sorry.” Every word seemed to pierce my heart, and I hung my head as a tear fell down my cheek.
“Aww, already?” It was Twilight who was the first to speak, and I jerked my head back up to regard her. “But you just got better.” She added, with a whiny tone, but I could feel her actual sorrowful emotions, along with something stronger that threatened to knock me off my hooves. And when I looked over to Shining Armor he was sitting down on the ground, his head lowered, and looking like a helpless little colt.
“Shining, I…” I tried to say to him, déjà vu from when he had found out my identity hitting me as hard as ice cold water, and I lost my breath as I feared he would reject me again. But what he did do was worse. He looked up at me with tears streaming down his face, and I gasped.
“I knew it. I knew you’d have to go. I… I didn’t want you to, but I wanted to be brave for you. I tried…I’m sorry, Cadance.” he said, tearfully, grabbing onto me in a hug as tight as he dared give to my fragile body. I held him with all my pitiful strength, and looked down to see the little lavender filly rubbing against both our legs, looking up at us with wide, mournful eyes. I brushed my wing over her just as my aunt had always done for me, and I tried to be brave for them.
“How did you know?” I stammered.
“I could see it last night. You aren’t the only one who can read a pony’s emotions, Cadance. I knew when you said goodbye to Sweetheart. You were shaking.” He brushed his hoof through my mane.
“I’m so sorry! I didn’t think I could do this. I’m still too weak, and I don’t want to leave any of you. But I’m leaving today, Shining. The carriage is already here. I thought if I just told you and Twilight… I could… I would be able to… oh, but I can’t.” I sobbed into his chest.
“I know, Cady, I don’t want you to leave either. But I’ll always be here for you. I’ll never forget you.” he sniffled a little, and I looked up at him, seeing his eyes glassy and full of tears, but also so full of love it warmed my hurting heart, and I leaned against him.
“Hey that’s my name for her!” Twilight cried, coming out from under my wing with angry, stubborn eyes that were also full of tears, and she glued herself to my front leg. “I don’t want you to go. It’s not fair.” she muttered, angrily.
“I’m sorry, Twily. I wish I could stay with you too.” I said to her a little shakily, using Shining’s name for her as somehow speaking to a child made it easier to be strong. She deserved better than this. I had basically abandoned her when I got sick, she had had no idea where I was. Now I was better, and I still couldn’t be her foalsitter again. It really wasn’t fair.
“Do you really have to go now?” the little filly whined, rubbing her head against my leg.
“Twily, we’re all going to miss Cadance, but this is hard for her too. Let’s try to be brave for her, okay?” Shining Armor leaned down to his sister and spoke to her gently, but his deep voice broke and the little unicorn ran up to him and cuddled him.
“I’ll come back. I won’t be gone forever. You guys can write to me if you want.” I offered, bending down to the two of them and feeling a little stronger now.
“We can?” Twilight asked, hopefully.
“Sure, Twily. I’m gonna be bored without you around to make me laugh. You can write to me whenever you want, and I’ll always reply.” I promised with a weak smile.
“Cadance, honey, the carriage is ready now. Have you said your goodbyes to your friends, yet?” I jumped a little when I heard my mother’s voce behind me. She trotted over to us dressed in some of her regalia, her mane pulled back with a little tiara with a lavender crystal at the centre, and carrying a saddle bag on her back. My heart jumped in my chest to think the time was coming so soon, and I looked over to Shining Armor, longingly as he tried to comfort his little sister.
“I just need a little more time. Can you take Twilight for a bit? I need to talk to Shining Armor alone.” I asked, solemnly, and my mother smiled and nuzzled me.
“Of course Mi Amore, you take all the time you need.” She said softly, and I smiled, grateful for her small kindness in this difficult time. She truly understood how hard this was for me, and tried to make it easier any way she could. It wasn’t her who was making me return now. I looked back into the distance where the carriage waited and the tall form of my father stood waiting, and sighed.
“Little Twilight, how would you like to see a real princess’s carriage? An Istalian carriage is much different from the Canterlot ones. Come, and I will show you.” my mother said, leaning over to the little filly, who jumped to her hooves and looked up at her.
“Oooh, a princess carriage!” She mused.
“An Istalian princess carriage.” Mom corrected, grinning.
“Good morning, Lady Little Bell.” Shining Armor bowed.
“Good morning, young Shining Armor. Will it be alright if I take your sister to see our carriage for a little while?” she asked him, returning the bow with a nod of her head.
“Uh… yes, that is alright.” He replied, confused to be asked permission by my mother.
“A brother who looks after his little sister such as you is a true soldier at heart. I expect one day I will see you as a mighty royal guard.” She smiled, warmly at him, and he stood up taller, puffing his chest out with pride at her compliment and thanking her. I felt happy for him as my cheeks grew warm in a blush against my tears. She would have been so proud of what he would become, just as I forever was.
Twilight skipped after my mother as they walked over to the carriage. I would see her when I joined her over there myself. It wasn’t the last I would see of her. Now it was time to say goodbye to the colt I loved.
He came over and to me and we nuzzled neck to neck, before looking into each other’s eyes, and my heart pounded against my chest as if we were meeting for the first time again. I felt all of his heartache, his pride from what my mother had said, and most of all his undying love as we rested against each other.
“I wish we could’ve had more time together. I really wish you didn’t have to leave so soon.” Shining Armor said, sadly, his eyes still glistening.
“I know. If I hadn’t gotten sick, I would’ve….I-I mean…” I tried to say, but stopped as his ears bent back and he turned away, and I was attacked by his immense feelings of guilt so that I could only bend my head and squeeze my eyes shut against the pain. Noticing my discomfort he turned back around and reached his hoof to lift my chin up so that I was looking into his eyes again, his emotions calming down for me.
“I know you say it isn’t my fault, but I still blame myself for you getting sick. It’s my fault you had to suffer and we lost all our time together. I’ll never do anything to hurt you like that again, Cadance.” he promised me, and I knew he would never stop believing he had been the cause of my illness; and if I chose to believe in the fate of my ancestors than it probably was, but I would not leave that burden on him without at least showing him that it would never happen again.
“It wasn’t your fault, Shining. I’ll never think that. But if you do truly believe that, know that I’ll never let it happen again, and I’ll work hard to be stronger. I won’t let the despair consume me, and I’ll learn to face pain like every other pony does. Because I know now that our lives can be full of sadness and pain, but it can also be full of hope and light, and I’m meant to spread that to others, sometimes at the cost of my own happiness. And I’ll take that burden as long as there can be joy in this world; and love. It may weaken me, but I will learn to deal with that, and the next time you see me I promise I will be a stronger pony.” As I finished, a little breathlessly, he jumped up against me and hugged me around the neck, almost knocking me over.
“Oh Cadance, I know you’re strong. You’re the strongest and most beautiful pony, and I…” he paused, putting his hooves back on the ground, then his tearful eyes grew serious and sultry as he came closer and touched his horn to mine. “I love you.” he breathed, and my weakened heart that had still caused me pain and would leave me breathless at times, seemed to swell up and repair the last of the damage, so that my next breath came easier than ever without any pain, and a warmth spread inside my whole body like the warmth of a summer day. I collapsed against him, wrapping my hooves around his neck, and he fell to his haunches so that I could hold him closer.
“Oh Shining Armor, I love you too. I’ll always love you.” he held me like he held Twilight; a child in his arms, and I felt the tears stream down my cheeks as I nuzzled against him, seeming to fit perfectly against him like we were two matching puzzle pieces. “I’ll come back to you. I’ll always be yours, no matter how long it takes.” I promised with probably more resolve than he could ever understand. He was my destiny. My life now. We were bonded like the stars in the skies, and no matter what happened I would stay faithful to him. Even in death, I would follow him to the heavens because that was who I was. A Mederi. A heart healer who would forever be with the one they loved. For as long as the sun and moon rose in the sky, and love existed in all of our hearts.
~~~~~~~~~
My mother and Twilight were waiting for us when we made our way back to the packed and ready to leave pegasus drawn carriages. My father stood silently by the luggage carriage, coldly regarding Shining Armor and I, but I ignored him, focusing only on the colt I loved and my last few moments with him and his little sister.
“Wow, Cadance, your carriages are amazing! They’re like….white instead of gold, and shiny with purple jewels, and even the guards have different armor!” Twilight exclaimed galloping over to us.
“I thought you’d like them.” I smiled, rustling her mane with my hoof. The biggest difference about our carriages from the Canterlot ones is they were smaller, with less of a workload to do than my aunt Celestia’s private carriage which was occupied at all different times to carry her to places far across Equestria’s mainland. Ours were only used for ambassadorial trips, and visiting the capital as I had done that one magic summer.
“Do you have to go now, Cady?” the lavender unicorn asked, looking up at me with her wide, soulful eyes which I would never forget.
I looked around at the two carriages glinting in the early morning light. “It seems like it.” I sighed, sorrowfully, but Shining Armor nuzzled against my neck and I felt a little better.
“I’m gonna miss you.” she mumbled, cuddling up to my leg again so I knelt down to her to lean my head against her back and wrap my wings around her.
“I’ll miss you too. You’ll always be my favourite little filly.” I told her as a tear came down my cheek. My heart that had felt so full only a few minutes ago ached to be saying goodbye to the little unicorn now. She had been my first friend. The child who had learned along with me what it was like to play and to have a friend. I didn’t think I had completely changed her. She was still the little bookworm with a thirst for knowledge that I had first met, and she would probably forever put her studies ahead of playing with other fillies and colts, but that was okay. She was just fine the way she was. At least I had been able to show her, and myself that friendship was a wonderful thing, and it was as much a part of creating happiness as finding love, and something we could forever hold in our hearts.
I looked up again and Princess Celestia was standing to the side of the back carriage talking to my mother, and my heart started to pound as I knew time was growing short.
“One last time for good luck, Ok?” I crouched down and met eyes with the filly who excitedly figured out what I was doing, and joined me in the starting position.
“Sunshine, sunshine, ladybugs awake! Clap your hooves and do a little shake!” We said in perfect unison, and when we fell over I caught her and cuddled her, and she giggled in my hooves. I could see Shining Armor watching over us with a smile and tearful eyes, and I smiled up at him.
“Cadenza, it’s time to go.” I suddenly heard the deep voice of my father call to me, and I stood up as little Twilight rolled off me, and swallowed hard.
“I guess this is it.” I stammered, trembling on my hooves.
“Be strong, Cadance.” Shining Armor whispered as he held me up against his strong neck, like he always had done when I was weak. He had always supported me. I wished I could have done as much for him as he had done for me. One day I would. One day I would grow stronger and repay all the kindness he had shown to me, and forever show him my unconditional love.
I walked over to the front carriage and joined my mother who put a gentle hoof on my back as she climbed into the passenger seat, and I stood by the door where the two unicorns met me.
“Goodbye Shining Armor, goodbye Twilight.” I said, shakily.
“Bye bye, Cady.” Twilight smiled, waving her hoof.
“Goodbye Cadance. Get better, okay?” Shining Armor said, hugging me around the neck, his eyes still glistening.
“I will.” I smiled for him, if only to help him be a little stronger for his little sister. “And you keep training to be the best royal guard you can be, my knight in shining armor.” I added, and he grinned, the familiar grin I would always love. Then I climbed up the steps into the cart, and they became two faces just outside my window. My father joined us and I leaned over to wave to my aunt who said goodbye to us through the other window. I took a deep breath as I heard the pegasus captain call to his herd for the final flight check, and then the cart shook and rumbled as they began their ascent.
When I turned to wave one last time back to Shining Armor and Twilight, I saw him galloping alongside the carriage with the lavender filly on his back waving avidly with both hooves in the air, and I waved back and shouted to them as the tears streamed down my face. But I still smiled.
Goodbye Shining Armor. Goodbye Twilight Sparkle. Thank you for showing this lonely princess what friendship is, and that being able to spread love cannot truly be mastered until you’ve found it for yourself.
~end part 1
A/N: Well that's the end guys! Kind of bittersweet, but this was always the plan for the end of part 1. They'll get back together for part 2 which is not going to be completely canon. It will have a few more scenes of them in their youth before we move up to the wedding. I hope you enjoyed these more sad last few chapters, because part 2 will be quite melancholy and a bit dark.
Thank you so much for reading everyone! Your comments and encouragement really helped. Sorry if I was late sometimes, and especially sorry about this weekend promising a chapter and then not delivering. That was because I came down with a cold which I still wrote through, but maybe I couldn't think as much with it. I still have it, but feel a bit better and really wanted to finish this for you.
Anyway, writing this note is delaying the release so I'll shut up now. Thanks everypony! I'm still inspired so part 2 won't take as long as it might have, but I'm not going to be obsessively writing for the next while either. I'll let you know when it starts to come together. It might be set at Hearth's warming eve so you might see something around Christmas... maybe. Heh. Take care 
PS, I drew the sunshine sunshine card, but I had one of the seven year olds in my group I teach write the script. Cool huh?
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5 Spikes
Can't wait for Part 2!
Wow, that was pretty good been reading since the beginning, and the had a lot of good writing and depth to it, great job.
Also first at 11 pm, or just a lag of connection in a bad connection spot, which ever.
Wow, an update! sweetness.
That was really heartbreaking though. :( But at least it's not forever. :)
Update! Yeah! I read now!
EDIT: A great end to a great story! Can't wait for Part 2!
And several other sentences have the word "bear" mistaken for "bare". "Bare" means nothing on it, like a guy with a bald head or having no hat on, "His head is bare". You should use "bear".
Can't wait for Part 2! This just makes me feel so nostalgic.
And that part about it being a little "dark"... 
Jk. I have always enjoyed sad stories (something I might want to bring up next time I see my psychologist) so part 2 should be right up my alley. I have thoroughly enjoyed this story thus far merely for the fact that it gives a somewhat reparable backstory to Cadance and Shining Armor, but it is also beautifully written and the characters seem spot-on
This was....
Words can not express my feelings, so have a few gifs.
25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m6ncbsoZXx1rzz3r3o1_500.gif#
media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mbizujDJMh1qf52n4.gif
thatschurch.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tumblr_maq77ecMHG1qejf6u.gif
She never saw her friends again?
dashie.mylittlefacewhen.com/media/f/img/mlfw4496-BVqwB.gif
Whelp, heart's irreparably broken. Time to drown in my own tears. Ciao!
Wonderful story, I can't wait for part 2. Though sad and dark are kinda iffy to me, but since this isn't an alternate Universe I kinda already know they get together in the end so it's fine with me. ^-^
Crystal Empire.
Brilliant.
She never saw them again?
... Why not? Didn't she see them for the wedding at all?
Aaaaand that is why I started following you so long ago. Kuromi, amazingly done as usual
Ugh....her never seeing SweatHeart again about crushed me.....like don't get me wrong, I pretty much cried the whole time, but that one hurt me deep down in the feels......
So good....you are amazing!
1649341>>1649466
I know right? Why wouldn't she ever see them again...?
Very interesting conclusion, I kind of like the idea that Candance is sort of a reverse Changeling in that she needs love to survive. Can't wait for Part 2!
1649891
It's fairly realistic... Unless you go to reunions, it's very easy to not see your High School friends again. People go away to colleges, move to new cities, settle down elsewhere. Back before social networking it took real effort to maintain even basic contact. Or maybe I was just lazy.
1650077
I wouldn't exactly call them 'high school' friends. They were the very first friends she had. Of course she'll try to stay/get back in contact with them!
"The last time I would see them." ? DON'T KILL THEM OFF OR MAKE THEM MOVE AWAY!! I can't believe I'm crying on a chapter twice in a row! Excellent story, canon or not. Five out of five dashies:
... I hope her friends will be okay...
filesmelt.com/dl/FEEL_feelstorm.jpg
Right in the feels, man. x_X
Looking forward to the 2nd part.
I loved this all the way through, and can't wait till Pt 2
Hmmm...
Interesting headcanon. Did make me grin cruelly.
And your OC friends of Cadance are great. Please do not let this be the last we see of them.
there were some run on sentences in the middle. (*is booed off stage for being a grammar nazi to such a wonderful story*)
I now want to see adorable Twilight and Cadence playing at Christmas time. Adorable I say! Not dark or angsty! I write enough dark and angsty already! Heartwarming dang it!
"Man this is like... I mean... du- girl, you know that I'm having some biiig feels right now. I- wait. Dafuq is that?"
"Hi! My name's Mr. Tear."
"Oh god..."
And when you make me shed even a one, single, friggin, tear, you know that you've done something BIG. I'm one of those persons who don't get sappy over anything. But this just hit me so well... Maybe it's because I know that they will see again, I'm not sure.
Anyways, can I hug you for making this? At least an uber hi' five?
That ending deserves one of the most amazing INTRO songs in the history of intro songs:
A KH intro song!
It only works though if you literally imagine the scene playing in your head as you read from:
To the end
The FEELS! It hurts so bad
I liked the explanation of Cadence's powers and the joke about the Crystal ponies.
Makes her easy to write for since she can do [u(fill in the blank)] role in government.
Does that joke essentially just say flat out: "Crystal ponies don't exist in this fanon" to avoid having to explain her being the long lost crystal princess?
Admitedly, I liked Cadence being the princess without a stated specific role or principality
I eagerly await pt 2 and the lead up to the wedding.
I've been reading your comments and encouragement all day during work and have been dying to answer you all. The biggest thing I want to say is YES SHE SEES HER FRIENDS AGAIN! I meant 'it was the last time I saw them' BEFORE she went home. She intentionally did not say goodbye to them because she didn't want to face it. Her emotions and health were too fragile. I have her explain that a little, but it may have been too vague. I will have to fix it eventually. She made it so she would only have to say goodbye to Shiny and Twilight which was hard enough for her. I have big plans for her friends. Especially the ones who I have seemed to discard with less story and less identifiable personalities. hint, hint
But yes, Sweetheart will be back, and no she is not Fluttershy. She's gentle but more outgoing then her. MUCH less shy too. Who wants to see what she looks like? I drew her awhile back and she's cute. My kids liked her alot. I'll try to get a scan up for you during my little break... which I might get bored during and just start writing again. Stupid season premiere making me all inspired again. Screw Finding Harmony, I'm still stuck in Cadance love.
Also, thank you again! You have been the greatest readers and I was happy to always write this as much as I could to see your wonderful reactions and hear your thoughts. And now for some replies,
1649293 Yes my word document caught that but I was like... whatever, maybe its a mistake. I couldn't believe it was actually spelled 'bear'.
Oh well, guess it is. Thanks XD
1653002 This made me happy. That song was my favourite song BEFORE the KH franchise. I love Utada Hikaru and was so happy to see her featured in an English game. I am a fan of the games too, although I don't have a 3ds yet, and I'm stuck on the psp version... waiting patiently for ps3 game. That arrangement is very hopeful and nice. Maybe a little too happy for the scenes you described? Oh well, thanksXD
1653203 The crystal ponies thing was just a joke to reference them. I was gonna have Shiny say it was from a storybook but remembered nopony seemed to know about them (why don't these ponies know about history from only one thousand years ago?) I do want to put that part into the story because as you've seen Cadance is desperate to grow strong, and when she helped save it she was being very strong. Its perfect for my themes.
And also even though I said part 2 will be dark... I seem to be unclear what that means. It won't be gory or violent. I guess I just mean it will be tragic. There is one big foreshadowing point in this chapter. See if you can find it. And if you think about it, all we've seen of Cadance in canon is her suffering, so what do you expect? Poor thing. But I hope for a happy ending. At least we all know they get together... right?
Can't wait for part two oh my god! So exiting
1654277
So Armor made a lucky guess while spinning a fish tale for Twilie?
I can dig using the series to show how much stronger she grew since these events.
Tears have been shed ,hearts have been touched by this ending to part 1. I know I cried a little bit when twilight gave her gifts.
You have without a doubt made the best non-canon story for Cadance I've read filled with creative and original ideas from her being very sensitive to others ponies emotions to the idea of a whole different race of Alicorns was very well thought out and delivered. This is one of the best stories on here I applaud you Madame and keep up the spectacular work in part 2 I can't wait.
*reads the beginning about the Mederi* Interesting...
*reads the part with the "Get Well Soon" card and Smarty Pants* Oh, God, right in the damn feels...
*reads the rest* Oh, God, it's too much. The feels... They burn...
*reads the part about Part 2* THERE'S MORE?!?!?
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Twily knows how you feel
1654277 I could always use this theme too:
Starting at
Sooo... ETA on part 2 plz?
If Cadence has a 'broken heart' from Shining dumping her, how come she doesn't from when Shining is tricked into thinking Chrysalis is her? Because she knows he still loves her?
1654277 Your very much welcome!!! And thank you for writing such an awesome story. It seems that English isn't your first language?
Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay update!
I very much wanted to cry... But my tear ducts are as sleepy as I am...
Yeah... Its wonderful. I was waiting to see how this would end... And it's sad to know that Cadance has to leave. But a promise that she will come back... Even though she may have been just a little filly at that time... She should've made it into a pinkie promise.
Still... I will hold on to that.
Again, yay.
Er. mah. gurd. I neerd mur.
Love that story
And the thing about the Mederi makes me thinking.
They can sense emotions and can only survive with love...
...just like the changelings.
Maybe Crysalis is a corrupted Mederi.
1654277
Oh thank god.....her not seeing her friends again was a bit too much for me.....
As always, an amazing chapter....I kind of want to read it again, but I don't think I'm ready for the amount of crying to happen again.
1657781
Oh. My. Gawd.
Dem Possibilites, they be endlessly amazing
1656057 haha, yes it is my first language. I actually used to work in Japan teaching English to little kids. I guess I just never had the reason to spell 'bear' in that context before. Or I'm just out of touch. Oh well.
Oh my, you guys are smart.... I will have to get this story going before you all guess the ending.
1658692 I'm sorry about your friend. My condolenses. I lost my mother to illness too. It is very hard.
1655462 Hmm... I will be tackling the whole wedding so you'll see how she feels when she's stuck in that cave, but she never really believes Shining loves that creature. She gets stronger by then anyway. You'll see :)
ETA? Christmas. I'll be off work and itching to write again, and it has some Hearth Warming Eve scenes. I'll keep you posted
Oh yea
Fluttershy is best Pony!
Oh here is something I've been meaning to tell you guys. For everyone who asked why Shining didn't snap in the last chapter and beat up those bullies, its because I had established that they are strictly monitored even on their free time (this is based on real occurrences in Japanese schools which are mostly military based) and could get into trouble or expelled for those types of acts. I didn't want that to happen to him on top of everything else, so they fight him instead. He does come pretty close though. Wait'll you see what I put him through in training in the next part
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Cadance and Shining Armor are way more awesome than most people seem to think. I'm glad you feel the same way I do about them.
"Love, it will not betray, dismay or enslave you, it will set you free"
Good show, looking foward to your future works.
1668894 I like that. It would be a good quote for a chapter start. Do you know who wrote it? Or did you?
This... I don't even know what... there are no words...