The Student and The Princess

by ModMCdl

9. The Morning After

After Sunset had fallen asleep, Cadence had moved her to her own bed, and tucked her in gently. Picking up the two bottles, the alicorn left Sunsets room and returned to her own half of the suite, ready to fall asleep as well. But sleep would not take her. Instead, she lay awake in her bed, thinking about the situation and reviewing the events of the night.

She felt oddly attached to Sunset. It was a natural feeling, perhaps. After all, the unicorn had finally seemed to open up to her, even if it was through a medium of an alcoholic influence. The alicorn just hoped that it was a step in the right direction, and that Sunset would continue to grow closer to her in the future.

Cadence thought back to her pipe-dream thoughts the other day, about how she hoped that Sunset and her would eventually be able to move past all this and become friends. It had seemed foolish at the time to assume that the steadfast and pretentious unicorn would do anything of the sort, but after last night, perhaps that dream was closer than she had realized.

Ponies often said that you're the most honest when you are drunk, not that Cadence had much experience with the idea. The older fishermen stallions in her home village often got sloshed after hauling in a large catch, but she would not equate their drunken partying with deep honestly. Perhaps it was just between the two of them then, in that brief moment of intimacy that Sunset had felt the need to be honest with her. At least that is what Cadence hoped.

Cadence tried to settle her thoughts the best she could, and turned over. She stared at the door joining her room to Sunset's, and allowed herself a small smile. Despite everything that happened, Cadence truly cared for her, and she could only hope that Sunset would accept her companionship.

The next morning was not quite as peaceful. Cadence awoke to the jarring noise of somepony retching in the bathroom. An unpleasant way to wake up, for sure. As another horrible noise escaped from the bathroom, she scrambled out of bed and hurried over to the door, quickly knocking on it.

"Sunset!" she called out, a slight panic in her voice. "Are you alright? What's wrong?"

There was another retch, and then a weak reply, "I'm f-fine." The words were unconvincing to say the least. Cadence sat worriedly outside of the bathroom as Sunset continued to vomit, wanting to help but not wanting to invade the unicorn's privacy.

"A-actually, can you come in?" Sunset's voice was quiet, and Cadence could sense the embarrassment and shame hanging from the words. She felt bad, but she also was not going to just leave her alone when she needed help.

Cadence carefully opened the door and stepped inside, her nose curling at the unpleasant smell. Sunset sat next to the porcelain toilet, her head handing over the open rim. The alicorn winced at the sad sight, stepping into the room further and coming to Sunset's side. "What can I do?" she asked.

"Can you go into my room, and get me the blue bottle in the third drawer of my desk," she asked, pointing roughly to her room. Cadence nodded and went to do just that. The bottle was indeed in the third drawer, along with several other colorful bottles. They were all lacking labels, and looked as if they had been bottled by hoof, rather than by any actual production.

She returned to the bathroom, holding out the vial. Sunset snagged it in her magic and uncorked it hurriedly, before bringing it up to her mouth and chugging it in one go. Cadence's eyes widened at the scene, and she couldn't help but ask, "What was that?"

Sunset coughed before simply replying, "It's a potion," and struggling to stand. "It'll stop the vomiting." Cadence went over and helped her up and Sunset shot a quick glare at her, but did not protest. Together they left the bathroom and made their way over to Sunset's bed. The unicorn sat down on the edge and groaned, holding her head with a hoof.

"You lie down for a minute," Cadence ordered. "I will be right back."

Sunset lay down but tried to interrupt. "You don't need to-"

"I'll be right back," the alicorn affirmed, and left the room. She went to the door to their shared suite and poked her head outside. "Can you please go and get some tea from the kitchens, please?" she asked the guard by the door. The guard nodded and turned to go and do so.

Cadence turned back into the room and went back to the bathroom. She flushed the toilet and then used her rudimentary magic to attempt and wipe up the area around it. Much to her displeasure, she seemed to feel more than if she had simply used her hoof. A chorus of "ew" and "yuck" rang out in the bathroom, but eventually the room was mostly clean. Right on queue, there was a knock at the door, and Cadence went to open it up. Tray of tea in hand, Cadence returned to Sunset's bedside, giving a bright smile to the unicorn as Sunset looked at her warily.

"What's that?" Sunset asked as Cadence placed the tray on the bed next to her.

The pink alicorn took the teapot in her grasp and gently poured the tea into one of the two mugs. "It's tea," she answered as she gave the mug to Sunset. "It will make you feel better." She filler her own mug and set the teapot down before lifting it up to her lips and taking a small sip.

Sunset took a sip of her own tea, and she visibly relaxed as the calming beverage warmed her throat. "Why are you being so nice to me?" she asked suddenly, stirring Cadence from her caretaker mode.

"Huh?" she asked in confusion. "What do you mean? Why wouldn't I be nice to you?"

Sunset stared down into the mug of tea, a sad and thoughtful look overtaking her face. "I have, admittedly, been horrible to you. There were times when I was downright nasty and cruel." Her gaze finally found Cadence's and she looked into her bright purple eyes. "How can you even bear to be near me at this point?"

Cadence's heart broke at the confession and question. "Sunset," she said softly. "It's okay. You have your own reasons for doing the things that you did, and neither I nor you need to find a way to justify it. Your feelings were valid." Cadence scooted closer on the edge of bed, right up next to the unicorn. "When I first got here, you seemed incredibly lonely. Celestia said that she would like for the two of us to get close, and maybe we could be friends."

The unicorn let out a huff, slumping further into her bed. "And you just followed that guidance blindly, I assume," she said sullenly.

"I'll be honest, in the beginning, yes," Cadence replied. "But after some time, I got to know you. I really got to know you, no matter how aloof you were. I saw that you just needed a friend." The alicorn smiled at Sunset. "I may not fully know how to manage my magic yet, but I could feel that you were lonely. I wanted to help you, to be there for you." Cadence placed a hoof next to Sunset's. "I wanted to be that friend."

Sunset Shimmer took a shuddering breath, holding back tears as she tore her gaze away from the alicorn's. "W-why?" she asked.

Cadence shrugged with a bright smile. "Because you needed one," she said simply.

Suddenly, the unicorn felt it again. An overwhelming surge of magic radiating off of the pony sitting next to her. The weird feeling she had now associated with Cadence's love flooded her chest, and this time, Sunset let it come without a fight. The strange warmth was comforting, and for the first time in a long while, Sunset no longer felt alone.

---

Cadence nervously paced outside the door to Princess Celestia's chambers. She knew she had to go inside, but she did not want to. The princess was most definitely mad at her, even though she felt as though she had made the right choice. What would she even say to her? Cadence needed to apologize for sure, but she did not want to trot back on her stance with Sunset. Before she could continue to ponder the thought anymore, the door opened and Eventide stepped out.

Startled, Cadence jumped. "Oh! E-Eventide!" she said in surprise.

Her abrupt appearance startled the unicorn as well, and she turned to greet Cadence with a small bow. "Good morning, Princess Cadenza," she said. "How are we doing today?"

The alicorn waved a hoof in dismissal. "Just Cadence is fine," she said. "I am doing okay, how about you?"

Eventide nodded in response. "I am doing fine, Cadence," she said. She turned back to look into the room she had just come out of. "What of Sunset Shimmer? Still as problematic as ever?" A wry grin overtook her face as she mentioned the unicorn.

Cadence frowned at the disapproval in Eventide's voice. "Problematic? Not at all," she replied. It was a small white lie, but she would do anything to wipe that superior grin off of Eventide's face. "She is doing the best that she can, given the circumstances," she said curtly.

The unicorn looked surprised at her defense of Sunset, but knew better than to step out of line with royalty. "W-well that's good to hear," she said, quickly collecting her stoic attitude. Eventide glanced back into Celestia's chambers. "Celestia is free right now, if you wished to speak with her," she said, looking for a convenient out of the suddenly awkward conversation.

"Thank you," Cadence said, brushing past the seneschal and entering Celestia's room. As the door shut behind her, she let out the breath she had been holding in a huff. Who did that unicorn think she was? Aide to a forgotten princess, strolling around the castle spewing her unwanted opinions like a-

"Cadence?" Celestia's voice interrupted her inner tirade, and she looked up to see the alabaster alicorn gazing at her curiously. She was standing by her bookshelf, and held a loft a fairly large book in her magic. "What brings you here this early in the morning?"

Her sudden surge of confidence spent, she shifted her hooves nervously again as she tried to gather her thoughts. She took a deep breath and looked up to meet Celestia's gaze. "I... I just wanted to apologize, Princess," she said quietly.

Celestia closed the book she was reading, and returned it to its place on her shelf. She sat down on a cushion by her table with a smile, and gestured for Cadence to do the same. Hesitantly, the younger alicorn made her way over and sat across from her elder, still awaiting a reply.

"You have nothing to apologize for, Cadence," assured Celestia softly. "You are, in all respects, my equal. It is your right to question and stand up to my judgment. An act that I will need to get used to once again." Celestia smiled at her. "And it also means you will eventually need to stop calling me 'princess.'"

The weight on Cadence lifted slightly at Celestia's words. "I didn't have to be so rude, though," she said, regret filling her voice at yesterday's actions.

Celestia reached a hoof out, and placed in on the table between them. "But perhaps you did," she reasoned. "Perhaps I was being far too harsh, as you implied." Celestia leaned forward, lowering herself to meet Cadence's gaze. "You are good for her, and I realize that now. Keep working, keep trying to get close to her and I feel as though my intervention will no longer be needed."

Cadence nodded. She internally debated whether or not to tell Celestia about what happened overnight. She did not want to get Sunset in trouble, but she also felt it was important to tell the princess what had happened. Eventually her dedication to Celestia won out, and she opted to tell an abbreviated version of the night's events. "Actually, I think I've already made some progress on that front," she said excitedly. "We spent the night together, and even this morning!"

She paused for a moment, gauging Celestia's reaction. The white mare raised an eyebrow at her with a playful smile. "Wow, moving quickly aren't we?"

Cadence was confused for a moment, before the message sunk in. A blush erupted on her face, and she sputtered. "What!? No! No- I mean... That wasn't what I meant!" she stammered, desperately attempting to clarify what she meant.

Celestia laughed. "I know, Cadence," she said. "I was just teasing." The alicorn took on a playful face again. "It wouldn't have surprised me though."

Still blushing, Cadence tried to reign in her surprise. "W-what do you mean?" she finally managed to ask with minimal stuttering.

An aide entered the room then, carrying a tray of tea. They set it out in front of the two ponies, and Celestia quickly went to pour herself a cup. "Well Cadence, it's quite plain as day, if I may use such an analogy. You are the Princess of Love, and I believe in one of Sunset's outbursts she alluded to your physical beauty." She levitated the teapot over to Cadence's cup, and poured her a cup as well. "Plus, you can only act as an amplifier of love, not a generator of it. So if she really was feeling an effect from you, it would have to mean that she was already, in some way, attracted to you."

Cadence just stared at Celestia, watching as the older princess lifted her steaming cup of tea and took a small sip. "You're joking," she said after digesting everything that was said.

"Why would I jest?" was the simple reply.

Cadence did not reply immediately, and instead stared into her teacup. Mixed emotions bubbled up from her chest, and she did not know how to process all of them. The idea that Sunset might like her was, to say the least, confusing. She couldn't say she was opposed to the idea, as it sparked one of the warmer feelings within her. However it also didn't make much sense to her. Why would Sunset like her? She seemed to hate her.

"Are you alright?" asked Celestia suddenly. "You look like you're about to either cry or laugh."

It was apparently the laugh that won out, as Cadence let out a small chuckle. "Yeah, I think I'm okay," she replied. "Just... confused." She broke off her gaze on her teacup, and looked back at the princess. "I don't know how she could like me."

Celestia nodded. "Well, she certainly seems to have an odd way of showing it," she said. Then she asked the question. "Do you like her?"

Did she? Cadence sat back and thought for a minute. She recalled all of the emotions she had felt about the unicorn in the time she had known her. Many thoughts and moments came to mind, however one that seemed to rise above all of the others was the one that prompted this whole turn of events: care. Cadence cared about Sunset, and not just a little bit. In the recent days and weeks, the unicorn had become the apparent center of her world. Her actions revolved around her and her thoughts were consumed by how to help her.

Could she see herself loving Sunset? Cadence tried to picture the two of them together. Images of last night and this morning drifted into her mind, and she found herself smiling at the memories. Maybe, in a way, she already loved her. Her smile grew brighter as she realized this, and the idea of Sunset liking her back suddenly became a beacon for her.

She went to give an answer, but Celestia stopped her. "You don't have to give me an answer. As long as you know the answer for yourself, you will be fine." Cadence nodded in understanding, the smile not leaving her face. "Now why don't you go get some breakfast?" Celestia suggested. "Perhaps you should grab something for Sunset as well."

Cadence stood up. "Thank you, Princess," she said, before turning to leave.

"It was my pleasure," Celestia said. Then she added, "And stop calling me 'princess!'"

Cadence laughed. "Then what should I call you? I don't think I feel comfortable calling you by your name, it seems too informal."

Celestia gave her a warm smile. "Well, a while back, one of my pupils took a liking to referring to me as her aunt. Perhaps that would be more comfortable for you?"

"That sounds nice, auntie," Cadence replied, testing out the word. The warm smile that Celestia gave her solidified the new title. With a wave goodbye, Cadence left the chambers, a smile on her face, and a comfortable warmth radiating from her heart.

Author's Note:

Yes, I know horses can't throw up. But Sunset is a magical unicorn. She can do whatever she wants.

Comments

[Omegaweapon1000]

Yes, I know horses can't throw up. But Sunset is a magical unicorn. She can do whatever she wants.

Horses can't, no. But the episode Applebuck Season implies that these ponies can.

[clubbzz]

Yes, I know horses can't throw up. But Sunset is a magical unicorn. She can do whatever she wants.

As we saw in the show, after eating the baked bads, Pinkie and the other ponies were throwing up, so it is cannon that they can.

[JustFalcon]

And so the arc of Cadance being awkward begins

[Vaguely Demented]

I’ve always found the word auntie weird. Something about just rubs me the wrong way.

[Bicyclette]

Celestia's teasing of Cadance (about her own student, no less!) feels very inappropriate here, which continues the impression I had before. I also find her motivations are really hard to parse, here. Eventide's odd maliciousness also really stands out. Just a lot of weird stuff going on in this castle!