Now, one would be forgiven for thinking that Cadance attended Celestia's School For Gifted Unicorns. It only made sense, after all. She was a Princess, Celestia was her adoptive aunt, and it was the best school in Canterlot. But Cadance's attendance was only part-time and mostly theoretical.
Thanks to her provincial education (as Sunset generously thought of it), Cadance was behind on a great many subjects and her role as a princess required a number of classes that weren't taught to the rank and file students at CSGU. Even more so, she had only had a horn for three-ish months and had just recently progressed beyond basic levitation. This rendered much of the School's curriculum inaccessible or impractical. So most of her educational time was taken up by private tutors - of which Sunset technically was one - with only the occasional class at the School. Those, in fact, were only to get Cadance out of the Palace and to ease her into the (semi-)public eye. She certainly didn't need to go to a class about early Reneighssance literature.
Still, Sunset wasn't going to complain. It meant just that much more opportunity to see and spend time with Cadance. (Time that was sparse but rapidly growing. Raven Inkwell's talent for schedule management had magically found at least a little time each day for them - five minutes here, twenty there. And in turn Cadance had been so open with her praise that the young clerk had rapidly jumped from one of the many minor Day Court functionaries to gaining Princess Celestia's personal attention and thanks in only a few days.)
Class itself had been dull: studying Le Morte de Celestia was hardly what Sunset would have called a good use of her time. Literature as a whole held little value for Sunset, despite her recent warming up to the arts in general. Still - the class had Cadance in it and that did markedly improve things.
Her presence meant the time after class was well-spent, too. In the week since the festival, knowledge of Sunset and Cadance's relationship had burned through the city (and by extension, the school) like fire across an angry kirin. Everypony was talking about it and Sunset had played her cards close. Every question was shut down with a simple statement: Wait for Cadance. She would answer nothing without the alicorn's presence, because without her to confirm there was no assurance of truth. And without that assurance, Sunset's comments about the relationship would hold as much weight as Blueblood's empty claims.
Plus it stoked the flames of rumor - not answering was the surest way to increase speculation and curiosity.
None were more curious than the gaggle of sycophants that constantly hovered around Sunset - ponies who hoped to be carried with her when she rose and to shelter in her aura. Most were older than Sunset (unsurprising, given her superior intellect and thus advanced placement in classes) but they never seemed to have anything on their minds beyond trivial things like what bands were popular or the latest makeup trends. Cadance called them Sunset's friends, but that was just the alicorn's naïve nature. Still, Sunset humored her and had actually started to learn their names.
Like the one speaking to Cadance now was Cayenne - a gray mare with a maroon mane - and she was absolutely obsessed with the story behind Sunset's bouquet. One of her friends - a beige-on-beige named Sweet Biscuit - was taking more notes on the flower language than she had taken during class itself.
Sunset, for the most part, ignored what they were saying as she lounged at her desk. They were inconsequential and just using the opportunity to get close to Cadance, after all. (Which was unsurprising and good common sense, admittedly.) The free period would be over in fifteen minutes or so and they would go away again.
She did notice when they all fell into a deep, tense hush, however. All eyes in the room turned to the door - and to Blueblood. Unsurprisingly, his usual sneer of superior disdain was accompanied by a barely concealed layer of fury. That, in turn, made Sunset smile.
"Princess Cadance." He crossed the room at a brisk pace, acknowledging the alicorn with a bow of his head and a terse greeting before he was halfway there. Then his eyes turned and burned into his real target. "Sunset Shimmer."
The crowd backed away a half-step.
Sunset didn't bother to restrain her smugness. "Hey Blueblood."
He responded with a low growl.
Cadance was quick to interpose herself, taking a position to block their fire at each other. "Remember - stay calm." She directed her words towards Sunset, but it was clear she was talking to them both. "I don't think Auntie Celestia would be happy if there was a repeat of last time."
Sunset and Blueblood looked at each other. They glared - but also nodded. Involving Celestia again wasn't something either of them wanted.
After a few more moments of growling, Blueblood restarted the conversation. "Would you care to speak in private, Miss Shimmer?" His eyes darted to Cadance. And as predicted, she took another step forward.
Sunset pre-empted that. "I won't touch him," she promised before the concern could even be raised. "Physically or with magic." And before Cadance could turn her attention to Blueblood, Sunset interrupted again. "He'll be fine, too. It's not like Bluey can hurt me."
The heavy stench of confidence made Cadance frown and Blueblood snarl - but it squashed the alicorn's objections.
Still bathing in the glow of romantic victory and superiority, Sunset sauntered out of the room with Blueblood. She knew how this was going to go: he would lead her to somewhere semi-private, yell impotently about how dare she do this, she would say a few snarky comments and then walk off. It was dull, honestly. Predictable.
The hallways were empty - after all, it was the middle of the day. Everypony was in their classrooms, learning and reading. Blueblood still paused to look around and be sure there were no observers.
Sunset drew up beside him with a smug grin.
The grin vanished as she slammed against the wall with enough force to jostle her teeth. A magical grip, she could have broken in an instant. But Blueblood was using his hooves, with one against her shoulder and the other on her throat. The taut, wiry muscles he had built as captain of the fencing team weren't much, but they overwhelmed Sunset's lackluster physical form that considered lifting anything heavier than a teacup the exclusive work of magic.
"Wh--"
Blueblood let up his pressure, just so he could shove her again and rattle Sunset's skull (and demeanor). "How dare you," he hissed. That part of Sunset's evaluation was at least accurate. "It was infuriating enough that you were trying to thwart me, but now that I truly see what you're up to? I had not imagined you capable of such gall."
Squirming, Sunset tried to break his grip - unsuccessfully. Her magic started to shove Blueblood away, but all she got for the trouble was a hoof to the horn that left her head ringing.
"I don't know if you took Princess Cadance away from me as part of some wider plan or if it was just out of jealousy." He pushed harder, managing to slightly lift Sunset off the floor. "I also don't care why. Your actions with her are a slap in the face and an obvious attempt to humiliate me." Blueblood's eyes were familiar to Sunset: she'd seen them in the mirror enough times. Her temper was infamous throughout the Palace and now it was sitting in Blueblood's furious face. "If it was just my own, I would tolerate it. But by flaunting your momentary triumph, you have trod upon my family's honor and name. That means nothing to you, but it means everything to me."
A dozen easy insults sprang to Sunset's mind. The only thing that got past her lips was a helpless gurgle. Her hooves pawed at the wall behind her to try and gain leverage but merely slid off the smooth tiled surface. Unfamiliar panic rose inside her as Sunset realized that for once she had no power over the situation. Her horn lit again in desperation, only for Blueblood to smack it again. (At least it meant her neck was free for a breath-long moment.)
"You will be released once I am finished and not a moment before." Blueblood leaned closer, his face filling her vision. The hot anger he had started with had rapidly cooled to its more dangerous cousin: calculated, calm fury. That level, even tone carried far more power with it for just how much rage it held back. "Normally I would demand you cease your pathetic attempts and get out of my way, but I know you're too petulant for that. So I will simply make three things clear, Miss Shimmer."
He slowly lowered Sunset down, letting her hooves touch the floor again as his strength waned. She didn't fight back further - yet. The thought of another crack to her still swimming head was enough to dissuade her. "Firstly, that your relationship is destined to fall apart. You're intelligent but you are not smart, and that will be your end because you think yourself more clever than you are. In time, both Princesses will see just how flawed their little pet is and will put you in your proper place."
Blueblood's sneer deepened. "Second, once that happens I will be there to lift Princess Cadance back up from where you've dragged her down to. All your struggling against your station can do is delay the moment. We were inequal from birth. That is how the world works and no amount of magical power in your or any horn will change that."
"And third, I wish to make it clear that even after you have lost and I have won, I will not be forgetting this betrayal. Under other circumstances, I would be a gracious winner and let you slip away into the shadows of shame. But your actions have publicly besmirched my family's reputation and the honor of my line, and that is intolerable. So long as you remain within Canterlot, you will not have peace. I will ruin you tomorrow, next month, next year, and as far past that as you are within my reach. I and my children and my children's children will dog you until the day you die - and when you do, we will pay to ensure that whatever grave you are buried in is unmarked and in the poorest pauper's cemetery so that none will ever remember the name of Sunset Shimmer."
He spit it as the most vile curse he could imagine, backed with chill venom. Against a noble of Canterlot, it would have likely struck home. They cared about family and bloodlines and legacy. But Sunset Shimmer knew her destiny - the mirror had shown it to her. There was no substance to Blueblood's threat and it washed over her like a breeze.
He glared at her with hate, waiting for her to break.
She glared back with defiance.
Blueblood gave Sunset one last shove before releasing her. "I hope your next date is enjoyable."
It was tempting to smite him then and there. But Sunset knew the consequences were high and the reward only temporary - blasting Blueblood through the wall would feel amazing, but it wouldn't solve anything. It wouldn't get Blueblood out of her life.
And in that moment, Sunset wanted him gone more than being a princess.
Blueblood seemed to anticipate her lashing out - he waited, standing before her, braced for the strike. When it didn't come he slowly backed away, each step growing more nervous. After ten, he turned and walked away as fast as his dignity would allow.
Out of the corner of her eye, Sunset spotted an observer peeking out from the bathrooms: one of her circle of 'friends'. She had learned the pink mare's name earlier that day - Clear Sky - but hadn't bothered with anything more. She hadn't been important. Before.
Closing the distance, Sunset put herself eye to eye with the mare. She was older - a year further along than Sunset was, even before accounting for Sunset's advanced placement. But despite the age, Clear Sky shrank back when CSGU's fiery terror approached her with intense purpose.
"What did you see happen here." Sunset's tone stayed flat and even.
Clear Sky cowered back from Sunset's well-known temper. "Nothing! I--I didn't see anything!"
Sunset shook her head. "No, you saw everything. But you aren't going to tell anypony about it yet." She stepped closer - Clear Sky tried to step away, only to hit the wall. "I can handle Blueblood, and when I do? You're going to tell everypony what happened here and they'll see just how far his threats got him."
The frightened unicorn nodded rapidly - and Sunset left her be.
Cadance - and everypony else in the room - turned towards the door as Sunset returned. The others faded back, giving the alicorn room to approach her marefriend. "Are you okay?" It was a tentative question from the alicorn - both concerned and guarded.
It didn't need to be. Sunset's confirming nod was strong and quick. "Yeah. He made a lot of threats, but it's just Blueblood. There's nothing he can really do, so I let him rant." She gave Cadance a saucy wink. "You should be proud of me. I didn't blast him when he turned his back on me."
Cadance let out a held breath and wrapped her wings around Sunset. (The crowd cooed a quiet "Awwww.") "Thank you for keeping calm. I was worried."
Sunset hugged her back. "No need to be. He's got no power - let him do what ever he wants. He can't stop us."
Yes!!!! Yes!!!!
Oh boy. I was not expecting Blueblood to literally assault Sunset. And with the benefit of foresight, we know that only one of his threats will bear fruit. Unfortunately, it's probably the most painful one.
Huh, didn't expect to want to commit murder this afternoon but here we are.
The catharsis shall be legendary.
I do have to wonder what the plot of Le Morte de Celestia would be when Celestia is still very much alive. And who fills the other Arthurian roles.
Darn it, now I want to sit in on that class.
Another bit of unspoken tragedy in how Sunset can’t believe that ponies would ever want to be friends with her. For all her swagger, she really doesn’t think much of herself. Or anypony other than Cadence, and even that’s a recent shift.
In any case, Sunset’s arrogance will be her undoing. The question is how much Blueblood will have an active hoof in it and how much will just be him taking advantage of Sunset crashing and burning on her own.
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In his defense, I don't think he was expecting to either. It isn't his style. But in the heat of the moment, well. Things happen.
And yes. There's a certain tragic irony to his threats.
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It focuses primarily on her period of grief just after the Nightmare Rebellion - she fell into a deep depression and one poet at the time referred to her as "Alive in body yet dead in soul." The tale revolves around the nobles and court who kept Equestria together while their Princess recovered and regained her resolve. (She insists the entire thing is almost entirely fictional and blown out of proportion, with her period of grief only lasting a week or so. But the classics are the classics, regardless of truth.)
(Why yes I did think that part out in advance.)
This was something I hinted at in the other school-based chapters before bringing it to the forefront here: Sunset has friends. Quite a number of them. She's just poisoned by her own perspective.
I am incredibly hyped for this arc. This chapter was just the warning shot - the first real salvo that's coming up is one of the first story signposts I wrote in my outlines, and the act climax is something I'm really looking forward to. (And to the reactions to it because a properly angered Sunset is scary.)
Argh! I am ever more dreading the moment when this all goes wrong, now with the added dread of Blue Blood getting to feel smug for about five seconds before Cadence (presumably) moving on to Shining Armor slaps him in the face again.
I don't know if that's a line Sunset rehearsed or that really came from her heart—He can't stop us. Not me. Us.
With the Tragedy tag looming about, I'm saddened that at least one of Blueblood's predictions would happen. I just don't know how it would happen. As for the threats, I would think he's dead serious about it, if we're heading to canon. There probably is a reason why Twilight didn't know about Sunset when she went to CSGU. Even though Sunset is the most prominent and promising student back then and those kinds of alumni are what people love to mention especially when she had dated Princess Cadance, even if her behaviour is questionable. In a normal situation, someone at least has to mention about her in passing and Twilight has a direct interest in Cadance with she being her foalsitter to know. Maybe it was intentionally meant to not be mentioned. Maybe Blueblood really did follow through with his threats and tried to quash any knowledge about Sunset's existence in CSGU. Or maybe Twilight isn't bothered to, given her social situation back then. Still food for thought.
I think there’s so much patchworks required for this to fits into cannon timeline.
Mirror portal doesn’t have any time dialation effect. Twilight was accepted as as personal student in her kindergarten year. Sunset story still in her early 20-ish and can blend in with students. Only thing in her mind is alicorn stuff.
Like, how the hell this going to fit in it? What kind of mental gymnastics will required to fit twilight into big picture without making sunset early 40 lady that somehow looked and acted like hight schooler?
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Because the canon timeline does not work unless there's some sort of time dilation or other shenanigans going on.
The only alternative is that somehow Sunset Shimmer was Celestia's personal student at the same time as Twilight Sparkle without either of them knowing about the other and that Seasons 1-3 take place in a year-ish of time or less (and that Seasons 4-7 take place within another single year) and that the comics that explicitly show Sunset as a teen while Twilight's a foal are non-canon.
And that's without even touching how this story plays into it. That's just canon conflicting with itself. I figure if people can mentally make actual explicit series canon work, this should work just fine.
My only hope, at this point, is that there is some kind of epilogue post-EQG where Sunset and Cadance cross paths again and make amends.
I absolutely love your takes on Sunset, Blueblood, and Celestia. I also love how they are a bunch of stupid, emotional teenagers playing at court politics while the one adult in Equestria tries to wrangle them. The emotional immaturity at play in Canterlot's court is very in tone with the setting, I feel.
Heartbreaking: The Worst Person You Know Just Made A Great Point
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Not to get ahead of myself, but there's five chapters worth of epilogue planned.
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Well that sounds familiar.
(There're probably hundreds of them but this is the one comes to my mind.)
https://www.fimfiction.net/story/24569/the-sun-is-hiding
What a perfect bastard (I wanted to say "perfect asshole" at first, but considering his obsession with his noble bloodline calling him a bastard would probably infuriate him more). Then again, he has to be to make pre-reform Sunset look so much better in comparison.
Rarity really dodged a bullet by not getting involved with him.
The only real question I have is. If this story will follow the normal route for such an act, or will it hit a curve ball and shatter my teeth? The former makes it easy to predict and assured of catharsis in the end. the latter allows for lots of plot twists that actually hit differently. Don't make it too easy for me.
I'm trying to think of something darker and more demeaning than left to rot in an unmarked grave in an unknown town, but other than being fed to timber wolves I'm coming up blank.
Oh Sunny. You better sharpen you political senses because they are gonna come at you sideways.
That was a good chapter.
Blueblood looks on his way to becoming a more serious antagonist than I expected. You don't usually see him presented this way. I like it.
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Minor note: While you're absolutely correct that the timeline of Equestria Girls (and Fall of Sunset Shimmer) does not work without assuming some degree of time dilation between the worlds, those assumptions of the season timelines are actually more or less the case. Seasons four and five do present the first three seasons as taking place across a single year, particularly in episodes like Princess Twilight Sparkle and Tanks for the Memories.
Four to seven taking place in a year is iffier (and I'm especially doubtful of it personally, since we see at least two Hearth's Warming episodes in that time), but there is indeed evidence of that in season seven, most especially with Pinkie celebrating the Cake twins' one year "sneezeaversary" in It Isn't the Mane Thing About You. That's a continuity mistake of its own on season seven's part, but canon is full of that kind of thing (especially in the later seasons). So yeah, assuming a non-chronological episode order, the first seven seasons taking place across less than three years is pretty much what the writers are telling us to accept.
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That's what I thought as well. Physically attacking her does not sound like something he would normally do. It reeks of desperation. I don't think he expected to be assaulting her; I also don't think he expected it to actually work. Sunset Shimmer is powerful and versed in offensive magic.
It is, however, easy to forget that Blueblood is big. He's a tall lad. Blueblood's model is at least as big as Big MacIntosh's. Sunset describes his muscles as unimpressive, but Sunset isn't a reliable narrator. He's strong enough to comfortably hold her in place with just one hoof without getting tired.
In any case, he fell right into the same trap he explained to Sunset a little while ago. He lost control. And that led him to do something stupid and self-damaging.
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Cadance is lucky to end up with neither of them. Sunset will at least find a possible love interest in Flash Sentry in the human world, where her status as Celestia's former student means absolutely nothing, freeing her of that burden. Blueblood... I hope he can make peace with Cadance at least, because he will need the help of the Princess of Love to overcome his own issues when it comes to matters of romance.
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You're 100% correct. This could have gone extremely poorly for him - if Sunset had gone to Celestia (or even Cadance) with what happened, Blueblood would be in huge trouble. But her ego... well. She's still underestimating him.
(And yes, Bluey is a big boy. He's plenty chunky enough and that's another moment of Sunset underestimating him.)
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He was probably going "Oh, excrement!" in his head over and over when he hurried away from Sunset Shimmer at the end there.
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At least half the time, Sunset acts like her current life doesn't matter. Because she'll be a princess, and then she'll be invincible and everypony will bow down
and love her. She's missing the life right in front of her. And she's wilfully ignoring how the two princesses she knows in person are also not invincible and untouchable. She's caught up in her belief that Celestia is too weak and Cadance too immature, while she, Sunset, will be perfect and strong. It's like a religious delusion.Incidentally, I wonder how much Blueblood's animus is fuelled by unspoken resentment of Sunset taking away "his Auntie". Or if he's come to the misguided belief as a prince, he is obligated to marry a princess and Celestia provided Cadance for this purpose. Or if he convinced himself he's the hero out to protect his sovereign and blood relative from her treacherous student. Or a combination of any of these.
oops i read this whole thing in one sitting instead of working on a Very Important project
Ah, an eruption of fury...
Tell me, have you ever heard of the incident between a five inch field gun and an American battleship? Truly a case of inequel retribution. I believe you have something similar in the works.
Temper, temper... Miss Shimmer.
Fuuuuuck Blueblood, he got a little bit of good will by being impressive a few chapters ago but nnnope, out the window I hate him (in a good way i assume he was meant to be hateable). Which obviously makes it very fucking painful that going by the tragedy tag he's right about Sunset and Cadance's relationship not working out. God damnit why must this tragedy have tragedy in it?!