Royal Prerogi-Thingy
Flurry Heart was not pleased.
This wasn’t that uncommon, as a lot could displease Flurry: Being told to take a bath. Being told to come out of the bath. Being told to finish her alfalfa. Being told “We’ll tell you when you’re older.” Having to wear an inhibitor ring to school even though she was a big filly—seven and a half years old!—and could definitely be trusted not to zap her classmates.
“Come on, please?”
“Nuh uh,” said Rhodolite, hugging a napkin to his dumb, red chest, probably getting crumbs in the fur and hairs on the prize. “It’s my cookie. You already had yours.”
And, of course, not being able to zap those classmates when they really deserved it, especially when they were outside the classroom and she wasn't really in school anymore. “But it’s my favorite kind!" Flurry very reasonably shouted. "You don’t even like oatmeal crystal berry cookies.”
“It’s still mine, though." Rhodolite pressed it even tighter to him. A harder cookie probably would've crumbled there and then. "Besides, you already had Cubic Lattice’s and Polished Facet’s. You’re just greedy.”
“I’m not greedy, I’m hungry! It's been a long time since lunch." Flurry tried the wide-eyed, lip-quivering look that always worked on her nanny when Mom and Dad were busy. "Pretty please?”
Rhodolite just scowled and stuck out his tongue. At her! “I said no.”
Flurry looked around. Mrs. Calcite was nowhere to be seen, which meant she couldn’t ask her for help. But it also meant…
She stomped each front hoof, left and right, and glared down at Rhodolite just like Grauntie Luna would. She flared out her wings, took a deep breath, and boomed out, “I’m the princess! I’m more important than you! Now give it!”
“Flurry Heart!”
Flurry's wings flopped to the ground. That voice and that tone never meant anything good. She looked back to see a much bigger alicorn glaring at her the way she had at Rhodolite. “Mom?”
Mrs. Calcite scurried after Mom, sweat running down her neck and doing funny things to the light going through her. “Y-your Highness, I am so sorry, I’ve never seen this kind of behavior from Flurry before—“
Mom didn't look any happier. “In that case, we can nip it in the bud here and now. Flurry?”
Flurry bit her lip, ears folding back. “Um… Sorry?”
“Go back to the castle, dear. Mr. Sentry will escort you.”
“Okay…” Flurry sighed and dragged her hooves to the guard standing a few feet away, staring at nothing like they usually did.
“Flurry’s in trouble!” Rhodolite led the chant, but he wasn't the only one.
She whirled back, crying “Hey!”
“Be nice, class,” Mrs. Calcite said, getting mumbles in response.
“Go on, Flurry." Mom turned her attention to the teacher. "Mrs. Calcite, I would like to discuss this with you later today if you’re available.”
That got shocked gasps. “Mrs. Calcite’s in trouble…” whispered Cubic Lattice.
“Be nice, class.”
“Yes, Miss Princess.”
Mom winced like she'd stubbed her hoof. Flurry tried not to look too smug at that. Especially when Mr. Sentry cleared his throat. It was his job to protect princesses, and sometimes that meant protecting them from other princesses.
Cadence wasn't happy.
There wasn't much she could honestly say she hated, but the uncomfortable atmosphere around a crystal pony trying not to get punished was definitely on the list. For all the bright colors in the classroom, Lavender Calcite's choking anxiety made the place feel like a monochrome nightmare. “I apologize for undermining your authority in front of your class earlier, Mrs. Calcite."
"I mean, that is, you don't have to, well..." The teacher trailed off, starting to tremble.
"Please, be honest with me. Was this really the first time Flurry’s tried to get her way like that?”
Mrs. Calcite mumbled the starts of several sentences, her eyes darting around and never meeting Cadence's. The closest they came were a few inches above her head.
Cadence sighed and took off her crown, making a point of using her hooves. “I’m not Sombra, Mrs. Calcite." Celestia probably would've called the mare by her first name, try to make them feel like equals. Based on past experience with crystal ponies, that would only make the panic worse. "Right now, I’m just a concerned mother who wants the best for her daughter. And I need your help to make sure of that.”
“I, I..." After a few deep breaths that bordered on hyperventilation, Mrs. Calcite shook her head. "I’m sorry, Your High… Cadence." She grimaced like saying the name was a criminal offense. "But you’re the princess. Who wants to tell you bad news?”
Cadence held back her sigh. “I’d much rather somepony tell me than find out for myself. I've had my suspicions for some time, but I need to know how bad it is.”
After a few more, thankfully slower breaths, Mrs. Calcite said, “Flurry definitely has a temper. She doesn’t take hearing ‘no’ well.”
That got a nod. “Or being told to do what she doesn’t want to?”
“She does listen to me. Generally.”
“Generally?” Cadence echoed.
“If her classmates don’t listen to her, she gets very frustrated. Sometimes enough that I have to ask her to step outside for a moment. But this really is the first time I’ve seen her, ah…” Mrs. Calcite cleared her throat.
“Exert royal authority?”
After a few moments, the teacher risked a nod. “In so many words, yes.”
“I see. She’s rambunctious at home, certainly, but…" Cadence sighed. "I’m going to have to talk with her caretakers. Shining and I try to be there for her whenever we can, but ruling the Empire—” She cut herself off as she saw the trembling resume, enough that there was a sound almost like wind chimes as the crystal mare's teeth chattered. “Thank you, Mrs. Calcite. This has been very helpful, and I’ll do my utmost to make sure this won’t happen again.”
Mrs. Calcite nodded. It was a very large nod. Some might have even called it a bow. “Of course, Your Highness.”
Shining Armor was downright peeved.
"I blame myself," he grumbled, pacing at the foot of the royal bed.
Cadence held out a wing to hold him. "Shiny—"
"We both know you're the statesmare," he said, trotting right past her. "I've been playing war games while our daughter's turned into a spoiled little tyrant. I should've been focusing on her rather than battle plans for Twilight's alliances going sour. Like that'll ever..." He trailed off and looked down, realizing he'd been trotting in place a few inches above the floor for the last sentence or two.
"You've also been focusing on diplomatic work, athletic programs, the Arctic Rangers..." Cadence let him drop just in time to nuzzle him. "Shining, you're as much a ruler of the Empire as I am and I wouldn't have it any other way."
It was like rubbing against a rock for all he responded. "And where has that left our daughter? Coddled by nannies afraid to tell her 'no' ever since Sunburst moved to Ponyville."
"He got married, Shining. Who am I to tell a stallion not to follow his heart?"
"And now Flurry's going to be the second coming of Sombra. Or Nightmare Moon. Or some combination of them." Shining shook his head. "Ugh, I knew it had been too quiet for the last few years."
"Dear."
"Yeah?"
"You're Twilighting." Cadence glanced at the floor. There probably wasn't a groove in there. Not yet, anyway.
After a few moments, Shining sighed and bowed his head. "Okay, maybe a little." He snapped back up, that same mad fear of failing those close to him burning in his eyes as Cadence had seen in his sister's so many times before. "But this is our daughter we're talking about! I think I'm entitled to worry about her."
Calmly, reasonably, Cadence guided Shining out of the madness place, as much by a gentle wing on his back as with her words. "Yes, but she's still a foal. We have plenty of time to fix this. And the first thing we need to do is delegate more so we can actually spend the time with her she needs. And when we can't, we find somepony who can."
"Which won't be easy. Even a young alicorn inspires respect." Still, when Shining next looked at Cadence, he looked more sane. Not all the way there, but she didn't feel all the way there herself. "What did your parents do?"
That got a flat look. "Shiny, I didn't get my horn until I was fourteen, remember?"
"Right." He let out a breath as something that was half-sigh, half-nicker. "Sorry, my head's all over the place right now."
"I understand. But the pegasus from a Spurcilian kelping village doesn't know the secret to raising an alicorn anymore than you do."
Shining finally gave her an affectionate nuzzle of his own. "I do miss your accent."
"That makes one of us. It always made me feel so out of place in Canterlot, especially compared to..." Cadence trailed off as old memories dusted themselves off.
"Compared to who?"
"Shiny, I think I know what we need to do. But first I need to find a book." Cadence wrenched the doors of the royal chambers open with her magic before galloping out.
Shining chuckled as he followed her. "Now who's sounding like Twilight?"
Flurry watched snowflakes zip by the train, trying to figure out this latest puzzle of parents doing weird parent things. Finally, she looked back at Mom and Dad. “I don’t get it.”
“What do you mean, dear?” said Mom.
“Aren’t you mad at me?”
Mom shook her head. “Disappointed, maybe, but not mad.”
“Oh.” Flurry winced. Mad was scary, but over quick. Disappointed hurt, and did for a while. “But why are we taking a train ride if you’re disappointed in me?”
"We think we've decided on your punishment, but before we settle on it, we want to get your side of things."
"Even given the Crystal Express, we should have time to get everything figured out. And if we're wrong?" Dad shrugged. "We have options."
Flurry had no idea what to think of any of this. "... Okay?" she eventually said, looking from one to the other.
"Right now, Flurry," Mom said, "we just want to know why you thought it was okay to shout at that colt like that."
"Oh." Flurry's ear folded back. This was going to tricky.
"And please be honest, dear."
Really tricky. "Well... aren't I?"
"Aren't you what?" said Dad.
"More important than Rhodolite."
"Flurry," said Mom, short and sharp and scowling.
"Aren't I? I mean, I'm a princess and an alicorn. I'm gonna help rule the Empire one day, or maybe help Aunt Twilight rule all of Equestria, or help Uncle Spike make friends with the rest of the world." Flurry stood up on her bench and flared out her wings, already almost as big as Aunt Rainbow's. "I have so much magic I almost destroyed the Empire by accident the day I was born!"
Dad sighed and pressed a hoof against his forehead. "I knew we shouldn't have gotten Trixie to perform at her fourth birthday party."
"Miss Great and Powerful Trixie's great. Rhodolite's just some dumb colt who picks his nose when he thinks nopony's looking. And he doesn't even like oatmeal cookies. He should've given it to me when I asked. I said please and everything!" Flurry stomped. It should have been dramatic, but it just made the cushioning go whumph.
"And you think being a princess means you should get your way all the time?" said Mom.
Flurry sat back down. If the bench wasn't going to cooperate, then it wasn't worth getting that mad. "Well, not from you or Dad. 'Cause you're important too. It's why you can't always tuck me in or pick me up from school."
Dad winced like he'd stepped on one of his not-a-toy soldiers. "Which we're going to work on."
"And we'll talk about that later," Mom said to him. "But we can't always be there because being a princess isn't about what other ponies can do for you."
Flurry looked around the royal train car, with its glittering decorations, mini-library, fully stocked snack bar, and high-rimmed hot tub. "It isn't?"
Dad grinned. "The only reason we get treated this nicely is because nopony would want to do the job if there weren't some upside to all the work."
"But that work is what's important. Not having a crown, or both a horn and wings, or a lot of magical power."
"But..." Flurry trailed off as she took in Mom's serious face, then looked away. "Okay. I guess."
She heard Mom do the Stay Calm Breath. "It's okay, Flurry. You can say what's on your mind. It won't get you into any more trouble."
"Well... It's still gonna be a million years until I can do any real princess work. Why do I have all that other stuff if none of it matters?"
Mom and Dad traded a look. "We're still figuring that out ourselves, Flurry," Dad said. "Nopony in living memory had ever seen a naturally born alicorn before you." He leaned over and ruffled her mane. She giggled despite trying to squirm away from him. "You're special, and I'm sure that one day, we'll find out why."
Mom settled in next to Flurry, wrapping her in a wing. "Until then, we're doing our best to let you grow up as a normal little filly, because, well, we haven't had a lot of time to just be a family. We'll do our best to fix that, but until then—"
A low hum interrupted her, making Flurry look around the train car. She spotted something where Mom had been sitting, glowing and shaking. "What's that?"
Dad picked it up in his magic and grinned. "It's called a book. I think you saw one or two when visiting Aunt Twilight."
"I know what books are, Dad. Why's that one buzzing?" Flurry glowered as Dad opened his mouth again. "And don't say 'magic.' I can tell that much."
Before Dad could say his next silly answer, Mom took it from his magic grip and brought it closer. The cover had no words, just a symbol with the Crystal Heart surrounded by wavy lines. "This book's paired with another one a long, long way away. Anything written in one shows up in the other. And I've been writing to a pony who's going to help us. It turns out your Aunt Twilight had thought about this, and she's already prepared something for your punishment."
Despite Mom's wing, a chill ran down Flurry's spine. "She has?"
“You know how your Aunt Twilight can be with planning ahead,” said Dad. “Remember the last Two Sisters Festival?”
Chill or no, Flurry giggled at the memory. “She tripped over her own checklist.”
“She is still growing into those new legs of hers,” said Mom.
“So this pony works for Aunt Twilight?” That just narrowed it down to almost everypony who lived south of the Empire.
“Kind of,” said Dad.
Flurry blinked. “Kind of?”
“It’ll be a surprise.”
A surprise with Aunt Twilight. Flurry tilted her head. “I thought I was in trouble.”
“Oh, you are," said Mom. "And this how we’ll punish you.”
The chill came back, and brought friends. Flurry didn't like any of them.
“That feeling right now?” Mom leaned in close and booped Flurry's muzzle. “That’s part of your punishment.”
Sometimes foals in class would talk about who the best alicorn was. (Flurry could admit she wasn’t the best. Yet.) Some said Aunt Twilight. Some said Grauntie Celestia or Grauntie Luna. The ones who said Mom never did so for the right reasons; they didn’t know her well enough.
Soon enough, the train screeched to a halt, brakes hissing. Flurry looked out the window and frowned at the unexpected view. “If we’re going to see Aunt Twilight, how come we're getting off in Ponyville?”
“You’ll see.”
Grauntie Luna could be dark and cool and tough. But even when smiling, Mom could be scary.
This ballooned into a multi-chapter event on me. It'll be fun to see where it leads. 
Cadence being born a pegasus comes from Twilight Sparkle and the Crystal Heart Spell, one of G. M. Berrow's pony novels. Her coming from Spurcily, the largest island in the Marediterranean Sea, is my own elaboration on the theme. (By implication, it also means you should never bet against Cadence when death is on the line. Which the data appears to support.)
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As always great to see one of your stories. Flurry's going to get to spend some time as a human, I take it.
Except the guy who claimed that was dead a few seconds later, and the guy he was talking to wasn't. You're also probably fine starting a land war in Asia as long as you don't try to invade Russia.
I feel like Diamond Tiara would be the better individual to teach Flurry why not acting like a spoiled brat is good, but Sunset is a close second. As usual, your Cadance and Shining are well-characterized.
10982802
Invading China might be okay as long as you're prepared to become China.
It's like the Santa Clause.
This is. Going to. Be. Amazing! I can’t wait to see where this goes.
Into the tracking list!
Flurry, be prepared to suddenly have fingers. And be a hairless ground ape.
Wow, great start! Tracked and upvoted.
YAY! I was wondering what you've been up to lately
This is so cool and exciting and I can't wait to see how Sunset and crew have turned out over the years 
Ah, childhood. Ah, warped and twisted childhood.
Excellent start, looking forward to seeing the rest.
Ah yes Twilight has planned of course she has. Not only is Twilight the ruler of Equestria she is president of the what if club. If Shining is worried about Flurry becoming the next Nightmare Moon or Sombra I'm sure Twilight has made plans and check list upon check list for those possibilities not just Flurry but few others as well including the possibility of it being her own foals someday
This would imply Sunset not only has a communication journal for talking to Celestia (and Twilight later on, with both the original and the new one from Mirror Magic) but one for Cadance as well. Did Sunset and Cadance get along well enough to want to talk to one another (and I mean before Sunset left for the human world)?
I'm sorta with Flurry on this one, only because I'm surprised Twilight didn't take the mirror with her to Canterlot, but seemingly entrusted it to Starlight (along with the castle).
Sombra and Luna both had a persecution complex the size of the moon. Luna's from ponies ignoring her in spite of being supposedly on par with her sister. And Sombra from being treated as a freak since foalhood (and the Crystal Heart being fatal to his kind). I'd say Chrysalis for being surrounded by those afraid to tell her no, but Chrysalis was simply "changelings hungry, ponies food."
I'd say she's more like Diamond Tiara, but without a father blind to her flaws and a success obsessed mother. So I guess she's more like Cozy Glow, whom we never got any answer in universe what so ever for what her motivation and origins were supposed to be.
Now now, if he was actually Twilighting, it would be an ACTUAL problem, and EVERYONE ELSE strangely treating it as no big deal.
I introduce that continuity to the glue factory.
Flurry to the human world to learn that she can't always get what she wants from those weaker than her, interesting.
For a split second I thought this was going to be something with Diamond Tiara, but I see that EqG tag up there. And cover art. And title...
Let's see what Sunset has to say about Flurry's temper.
I don't see any links or notes, so I 'm assuming that this is to be "regular" Sunset and not "Goddess" Sunset?
This gonna be oversaturated or more mainline EQG?
10982881
I would imagine not, but they probably have patched things up afterwards.
10982975
Probably, it just makes me wonder why they would have their own journals in the first place, unless they came after Sunset's reformation.
10982802
And if you do decide to invade Russia, be sure to pack some winter clothes.
Very little I can say that other reviewers haven't already said better, but I DO appreciate the effort that went into the exchanges, characterizations and future chapter set-up in all the right places. Can certainly understand why Shining and Cadance would be so worried and certainly sympathize with Flurry's nannies. Of course, soon we're going to learn how Sunset and her friends have been doing since they graduated from Canterlot High (it HAS been enough years, after all).
?
Great aunt?
10982802
No no no, You need to invade it on horseback from the other way around. Preferably while throat singing.
10983034
I thought it was a mix of Grandma and Auntie. You know, since the sisters are the aunts of Flurry’s Mom.
Inconceivable!
Liking this so far...
10983035
I'm pretty sure a big part of the reason the Mongols managed was more their nomadic lifestyle rather than horses specifically... or just a general "the Mongols don't count".
Ah. I see.
Sunset and Flurry moments for the story? I dig it lol
But lmao Twilighting runs in the family
10983155
The Mongols also won a bunch of land wars in Asia. (Admittedly, they were _starting out_ in Asia, but still.)
10982802
Yeah, but the author was cheating there: Westley is clearly an overpowered OC.
Sunset: "You know, you really need to start paying me for babysitting services."
i.gifer.com/origin/c3/c312d1052bbadb8d0a27fb149dad7739_w200.gif
10983051
It's pretty much a portmanteau of Great Auntie or shortened form of GrandAuntie
100%, I like the fresh concept here and where you're going with it is unique and interesting. However, I have to say I'm also peeved by it as well in a grander sense. Story wise, this is great, but the facts are that a young child is about to have their wings and magic removed with a complete body change and I don't think that's at all okay.
Maybe if it was an ongoing issue, like eventually getting sent to military camp for troubled teens, but while this seems like a a problem that's been growing it also hasn't been fully addressed till just now with this upcoming punishment. So ya, as a comedy not taken too seriously it's pretty funny and interesting, but when considering it more rationally that's kind of super messed up to do to a young kid before trying alternatives that don't strip them of fundamental aspects of their identity.
Someone's going to the human world, where she won't be an alicorn! Just a normal little girl. and Flurry's gonna hate it!
10983629
I, for one, think it’s unique and creative. Not to mention, cute, because it’s from Flurry’s seven-year-old point of view.
What hurts to have to remember is that the Thing that will Go Wrong Very Badly is something that nopony can foresee. It'll look super-obvious to Sunny and Izzy but to these equines? I doubt that they think that the causative factor can exist!!
This should be fun. Seeing how a being reliant on magic copes without it (and being in a new body to boot) should be entertaining.
10982927
Really? I thought that plot beat was introduced in one of the chapter books.
10982802 10983035 10983228
Conclusion: Temujin was an overpowered OC. Which also checks out given the historical record.
10982811
If it were just the happenstance of birth, Diamond would be the perfect mentor for Flurry. Throw in the happenstances of culture and genetics and we have some extra issues. (And there's the slight risk of Diamond lashing out at her past self's foolishness through Flurry, but the Crusaders have assured me that that only happens if she has at least three drinks in her.)
10982838
It's not really the kind of thing you can prepare for. I imagine that's why Celestia was so vague before Twilight went in to retrieve her crown. Or, you know, because "wise, but vague" is Celestia's default mindset during national emergencies.
10982859
That is the question, isn't it? Even with the vague temporal relationship between the two worlds, after six-ish years, the Humane Seven have almost definitely graduated from high school by this point.
10982870
If it weren't warped and twisted somehow, could you even call it childhood?
10982877
Batman has nothing on Twilight Sparkle's contingency planning. Rumors have it that Celestia's old cake vaults beneath Castle Canterlot have been repurposed as the Midnight Sparkle Memorial Strategic Cheese Reserve.
10982881
As 10982975 noted, Cadence's quantumantic journal is a more recent development as Sunset has tried to reconcile with more of the ponies she left behind. It hasn't seen much use since it was first created, but it's one of those gifts where you may not use it much, but you're glad you've held onto it every time you do.
As for the portal, both Princess Twilight and Sunset agreed directly exposing the human world to pony Canterlot (and vice versa, but mostly that) wasn't going to end well.
10982927
Polite but firm reminder that your headcanon doesn't necessarily apply to stories you aren't writing.
10982958 10982969
This will be a more mainline human world... though given several more years of magical shenanigans and Twilit thaumatology, it's not going to be exactly as we left it in "Holidays Unwrapped."
10983029
Glad to hear it. I didn't want this to just be a matter of parental fiat. Flurry's a bright kid, and her parents try to respect her. But they do still need to make sure she understands the wisdom of Uncle Ben.
10983034 10983051 10983629
Flurry came up with it when she was three and has stuck with it ever since. No force in Equestria can convince her otherwise, not that most of them want to. Celestia thinks it's adorable and Luna wears the title with as much pride as any other, if not more.
10983171
Anxiety tends to. Though it takes a lot more to trigger Shining's than Twilight's.
10983230
"At least she's not another cursed artifact. Technically."
10983631
You do raise a fair point. But as we've seen many times with Starlight, the equine understanding of crime, punishment, and redemption rarely lines up with ours.
10983649
I'm not sure what you're referring to, having avoided the G5 leaks as best I can, and I ask you to keep the intimations of doom to a minimum until after the official release.
10983786
Ah, that makes sense. I would imagine (as alot of fanfics and headcanon go) that Cadance would be a primary target for Sunset's bullying, with her wanting to be a princess and all, so no wonder Flurry's bratty behaviour reminded her of Sunset.
Though I would also imagine very few (if any) of Sunset's reconciliations would result in a journal. She doesn't need a collection of those things
If this is going where I think it's going...
This gonna be good.
10984122
I wholeheartedly agree.
Looks like another interesting premise and unique character pairing, the kind of stuff I like the most from you. Will be good to see where this goes, especially your take on the non-Oversaturated EG world's future. Also, really like "Spurcily." That's a good one.
10982927
The Cadance of Cloudsdale interpretation is better.
10984789
All the chapter books did was recycle the plot of Magic Duel, so I have to concur.
10983786
Twilight strikes me more as a Tony Stark type, pretty sure that's the route her human counterpart will end up going down.
I am mildly disappointed that, thus far, there are no pierogies.
10985209
Pi(e) Rogues?
but why?
In the bud in the bud?