Celestia, the Lightbringer.
Luna, Mistress of the Night.
Twilight Sparkle, Master of Magic.
Cadance, Princess of Love.
Of the Four Princesses, Cadance is the one that ponies think they understand the most. After all, what could be so hard about being Princess of Love?
A lot of things, actually.
The first story in the Four Princesses, Four Demons series. Sequels are Celestia the Indomitable, Twilight the Triumphant, and Luna the Faithful.
Featured from 1-26-21 to 1-29-21, all thanks to the kind folks of this site, who even pushed it to the #2 spot.
Chapters (1)
I loved this. It gives a lot of depth to Cadence and what it means to be the Princess of Love. Her powers remind me of Raven from Teen Titans cartoon in that she can feel the emotions of others. I think the concept of love in all its forms is an important concept, and she understands it and it's a bit of a burden.
I love this. I always like seeing Cadence be a badass. And she proved it there teaching that demon a little lesson on love. This was a great story.
I'm glad to be the first upvote on this amazing story.
That 'World of Cardboard' like speech was epic.
Probably just me, but I actually respect Obscuro for enduring an entire nation worth of feelings without truly breaking down. Villain or not, he remained defiant to the end.
Great work with this. I loved it. One thing you might be interested in for stuff for Cadence is the old myths of Aphrodite. And when I say old, I mean REALLY old. There were basically three versions of Aphrodite, or epitaphs; Aphrodite Pandemus, Aphrodite Urania, and Aphrodite Areia. Pandemus is known as the people's Aphrodite and is the most famous. Lust, love, and all that. Urania is more about love of family, motherhood, and the more kind aspects of love (this is also the version Christians used to describe the Virgin Mary). But Aphrodite Areia was the rarest and oldest. Worshiped in only two places; Acrocorinth and Sparta. And one might ask "Sherlock why would a group of warriors like the Spartans worship a god like Aphrodite? The only worshiped war." And I would say "yes you're right, they did worship war. And Aphrodite was absolutely a war goddess." Aphrodite was a cultural and societal evolution of the phoenician war and love goddess Astarte, who was an evolution of the Mesopotamian war and love goddess Ishtar.
So taking the mixture of epitaphs and myths one could easily equate them to the princess of love ^^
Just an idea XP
Now do the others. They all come in for as much of the same kind of criticism as Cadence, or more.
10647805
Thanks! And yeah, I wanted to give her a chance to shine without overdoing it. Cadance is her own thing.
10647895
I actually hadn't seen that monologue before, but I can see where it fits. Thanks for your comments!
10647912
Cadance, at least in my view, would never force something upon another, so the decision had to be purely Obscuro's, and yeah, he was never going to give in.
10648148
Interesting, I'll have to look into that more.
10648521
I'm absolutely not committing to anything, but I'm toying with doing one for each, yes. "Four Princesses and the Four Demons" has a good ring to it, but I would definitely want to have the stories more or less locked for all three before I decided to move forward.
That bit about nothing hits close to home. Two of my siblings have severe depression or anxiety, and both of them have struggled with suicidal thoughts. It hurts to see my little brother suffering an anxiety attack, wanting to end his life out of hopelessness, and be unable to help him or even know what he's feeling.
To imagine Cadance feeling a whole continent's worth of nothing, all the time... I can't even comprehend how much that would hurt.
I always picture Cadance could destroy armies by making her enemies overwhelmed with hatred for one another. Making her enemies emotionally crippled works too.
10648585
I'm sorry to hear that. Those feelings are very powerful, and never enjoyable when they happen. I try to treat that subject with respect on the occasions I use it, so hopefully that was the case here.
This Cadance is tough, but while she *can* handle the burden of feeling all that on her own, if I were to extrapolate out the way I'd see this incarnation going, she would be better off finding someone to confide in. There's no reason for her to deal with it on her own, even if she technically can.
10648709
I think Cadance *can* do a lot of things, but chooses not too. She doesn't want to add to the suffering in the world any more than she has to. If Obscuro here could have been redeemed or spared, she would have done it, but that wasn't how the story was destined to end.
You've caused me to look at Cadence in a different light. I feel a bit of it was rushed, specifically in the reveal and explanation of Obscuro, but it's nonetheless a good story.
Sixty-ninth like.
Also.
Hot damn.
This was quite enjoyable. I've always thought that Cadance was passed over entirely too much during the show, and this is an interesting take on her. And you're right about the Caddie Love/Lust comparison, many get it wrong. I'm glad you represented what love means so well. The slight overlap with Twilight, in regards to platonic love? That's the kind of thing I love to see. You managed to make it work so well, I'm extraordinarily impressed with that! I adore great authors, and you're definitely one.
This is a good portrtayal of Cadance and I like how there are clues early on that things aren't waht they seem.
ow
dagnabbit now my self-consciousness has risen and it hurts
greatly executed. BRAVO.
10648821
I always considered Cadence's domain over emotions scarier than Celestia's over the Sun. Same way Luna having a backdoor to the minds of everyone via dreams is far more terrifying than being able to move a satellite.
10649106
Yeah, it's never the raw power that's terrifying when it comes to the other alicorns, but the implications of their specialty. Celestia and twilight might actually get the short end of the stick on that one up until the point where twilight can literally rip out someone's magic.
Well, I always considered Cadance the scariest of the four Princesses. Celestia can only burn your body, Luna can't hurt you while you are awake, Twilight is pathetic on her own. But Cadance, if she is willing to use her power, would unmake who you are with just a thought.
10648889
I actually added about 300 words in the revision process to loosen it up a little, but some of that tightness was intentional (if perhaps not ideal). My sentiment on it was that this was a 10,000 word story in the body of a 3200 word story; there would be unanswered questions, because I wanted to focus this on Cadance, not the villain. Thanks for your comments!
10648918
Thanks for your comments! Like I said in my note, I don't mind when Cadance is done more playfully, but I don't think it's really delving into her character the way it should. I wanted to dig into that space a little with this short, and I'm glad you liked it.
Out of the character in the show, I fear and worship her the most.
Did he not tell her about the mindcontrol, or did he not know? I'm more annoyed with Celestia's idiocy.
10650035
For that, I’m going off the assumption that Chrysalis didn’t immediately mind control Shining Armor. I think that’s a reasonable assumption given what we see in the show.
10649214
Don't count Celestia out of the running scary-power-wise. She is a seeress who gets prophetic visions.
Twilight is a planeswalker, and not just through the mirror - she ripped open a hole to Limbo, and was able to follow Pinkie through an iris wipe.
10649394
what are you even talking about???
10650180
I forgot Tia could do that, is that a canon thing? We know there were prophecies, but I don't remember if we got confirmation on that being celestia. Even if so, I doubt it would go so far as to know every move you make before you make it. (Though some fictions have taken it that far)
They both have scary amounts of raw power, don't get me wrong, but I see twilight's special strength as more like a super generalist, ace of spades kind of thing. She has the power and skill to do pretty much anything (should she pour enough power behind it), but the finesse of a specialization like luna and cadence have is something she doesn't have an obvious tell for. On her strength and skill, she's scary powerful, but there doesn't appear to have the hidden strength.
As for being a planestrider, I could see it, (and have, a lot of stories make her out to be one, and they do fantastic.) but again, raw power being used to essentially brute force the solution. (When did she follow pinkie through a transition? I don't remember that.)
10650312
In Twilight's Kingdom Part 1, the glimpse we the audience are given of Tirek draining his first unicorn, Tia sees it too. In her sleep. Luna calls it "not a dream, but a vision." I suppose that's more clairvoyance than prophecy, but as you say, there are prophecies floating around too, and I'm willing to be generous and chalk those up to prophetic visions. Also, clairvoyance is scary enough on its own.
In Magic Duel, at the very end of the episode. Pinkie clambers through the iris wipe Looney Tunes-style, and Twilight teleports in after her. She also gives Pinkie her mouth back moments later.
10650312 I think quite a few people think so because of that scene in "Twilight's Kingdom" where she wakes up having seen Tirek's return. Luna explicitly calls it "not a dream, but a vision". It's never outright stated that this is a power Celestia has, but I can't think of any other explanation for what happens there.
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10650338
Right! Right. It's been a while since I've seen it, so I couldn't remember for sure.
I don't know if I would consider the looney tunes gag as canon, considering it's an old animation gag, but it's certainly within the realm of possibility of her doing it, so no reason to discount it. Thanks for the refreshers.
10650289
Cadance is the one Princess who can dominate your mid at any moment if she feels like that. Which makes her scarier than her aunties (who either don't have such capability or can't use it at moment's notice) or Twilight.
10650312
Yes its cannon she woke up with a prophecy, as did luna or else she had the same one again and luna already knew about it. Plus theres the book predictions and prophesies which i assume celesta is the author of.
10650387
Fluttershy, the CMCs, and the parasprites might disagree that Twilight can't dominate minds. She's not a terribly careful enchantress, so her spells tend to have unforeseen effects, but she can do it.
I always enjoyed stories where Cadance could be a badass. She gets tossed around by the show cause the main characters need to do things. She just isn't the main ruler like Celestia so has more scenes of her losing. Though, even Celestia gets smashed for plot purposes.
10650387
luna has control over the mind, celestia over life and the sun with the strongest magic out of all of them, and twilight has powerful magic (a little less stronger than cadence)
cadence isnt a sorceress, shes a diplomat
her strength doesnt lie in magic, it lies in wars and relations much like twilight
besides, we rarely see her use magic, and when she does its extremely powerful like the shield that held sombra at bay
As said an Italian poet "Amor che love il Sole e le altre Stelle." (The Love that moves the Sun and the other Stars).
Love isn't a word or something that help people to sell flowers and chocolate. Love is a primeval force, the core of almost all our life.
The Sun cold freeze, the Moon could fall, but love will never fall untill someone is alive.
So, thanks to this Great focus on the best Princess ❤️
Now cadences true power is seen. May she always be unbroken
10648531
On the idea of exploring all four Princesses, I recall at least a few concentrating on Celestia and how she's not as weak as the show would make us believe. Again, often a variation on the World of Cardboard speech. On her own for a 1000 years? Quite believable.
I'd love to see Luna's side explored. She's so often second fiddle, hastily written off as the first to a fight as if desperately trying to prove she can be just as much a cherished protector of Equestria as Celestia. Rarely have I seen her explained to not be the sword of Equestria but instead the shield.
I love this take on a powerful empath version of Cadance - a much better interpretation than most.
10652281
I started the Celestia story last night, actually. Going to dig into why she's often staying on the sidelines in the show, or at least a possible reason.
My rough plan is to work on each Princess in reverse order of their departure from the rift mentioned here, with each short opening up the story more, so the order would be Cadance, Celestia, Twilight, and Luna with the 'ending'. Twilight's going to be the most tricky, but I have a few ideas on how to tackle her.
I just hope I've got the skill to tackle this, especially Celestia. Writing from the perspective of a character that's lived for over a thousand years is a unique (but fun) challenge.
10652455
Cadence was right when she refers to Twilight being a selfless hero. Sure, there's the OCD and other quirks she's been working on but aren't most super genius types a little "off" compared to the average joe?
Heh, I still remember an old fic that featured Celestia just after The Chronicles of Riddick came out...
10652584
Hasn't been working on. They just disappear and reappear between episodes depending on how recently the freelancer writing each episode watched Lesson Zero, and on whether they realize it was supposed to be a dimension-adding exception to Twilight's character as opposed to the all-encompassing whole of it.
In a world where "Friendship is Magic" I can't believe Cadance isn't one of if not the most powerful Alicorn out there, because nothing is more powerful than love.
Seeing Cadance kick ass is always fun to see. A really fun read, nice work
Emotional strength is still strength. Cadence is the heart to Twilight's mind, and her domain is just as mysterious and devastating. Excellent portrayal of her.
It's worth mentioning that Cadance is the only alicorn consistently shown as being able to fight her way out of a paper bag. What she'd been doing against Sombra until the main characters get there dwarfs her own husband in his own specialty and she wasn't even born with a horn. She was the only princess to even attempt to stop Tempest directly; even the actual main character gets her plot armor in the form of a third party saving her.
The greatest strength is sacrifice.
Very nice. Definitely going to go read the Celestia story next.
The idea that Cadence's power of love is weak is a complete misunderstanding of what she is capable of. While the power of love is self evident, there is a far darker side. One of the cruelest thing she is capable of doing is giving a monster a heart. She doesn't need to fight, just let the guilt of their own actions consume them.
10663118
I read the Celestia one first and then found out about this. And now... MUST HAVE MOAR!
Finally, some good Cadance fic that wasn't a smut.
Good build up, nice pay off, great pacing, and a satisfying conclusion. Do kind of wish she'd used the Despair on him to get him to end himself, though this was less cruel. Very good stuff.
The princess of love and 1-2-2-50
While the Celestia story of this collection was remarkably cookie-cutter* this one actually tried things I haven't seen. Not everything you threw at the wall stuck, but you tried, and that means a lot. I enjoyed this.
*Not that I didn't enjoy it, but I'm a big Celestia Stan so I'm not sure how much my word count.