The reasons we appreciate Cassandra
The seventh Element of Harmony flittered around the kitchen, busily preparing the squash, the mashed potatoes, the yams, and all sorts of other autumnal foods. The light blue pegasus smiled to herself as she imagined all the smiling face of her friends, as they feasted on the bounty she had worked so hard to prepare. As the most selfless pony in all of Equestria, nothing brought Cassandra more joy than doing good things for other ponies. And since Cassandra was the best cook in all of Equestria, a home-cooked meal by her was one of the greatest pleasure that anypony, even royalty, could hope to experience.
Satisfied with her progress on the spread, Cassandra headed out to the market to do some last minute shopping. Along the way, she saw Daisy putting up a Hearth's Warming Eve wreath on her flower stand.
"Excuse me miss," she said calmly. Her voice, even at mild tone and volume, was such that it sent shivers down Daisy's spine. She couldn't help but be attracted to the beautiful mare before her; few ponies could.
"Y-y-y-yes C-c-c-cassandra?" she said nervously. To have just a minute of Cassandra's attention was intimidating
"I notice you're already putting up Hearth's Warming Eve decorations, even though it's not for another month, and Cassandra Appreciation Day isn't even over yet."
"I'm sorry Cassandra! I just wanted to get a jumpstart on the lucrative gift-shopping! I didn't mean to disrespect your holiday! Please don't banish me to the moo-o-o-o-o-n!!!" she sobbed.
"Shh shh, it's ok, my little pony" cooed Cassandra, "Holidays feel more special when you celebrate them on the day they happen, and love every other day for what it is. Don't get too down on yourself, you are just a pony, you make mistakes from time to time."
"That was beautiful." said Daisy,
"Oh, it's nothing, poetry just comes natural to me; it's why Countess Coloratura hired me to write all of her songs."
"In the spirit of today's holiday, I'd like to say that I'm thankful for your wisdom."
"And if the Countess were here, she'd be thankful for my songwriting" replied Cassandra.
"Hello Cassandra, the dresses for Cassandra Appreciation Day are coming along nicely" said Rarity. They didn't actually need dresses, but Rarity was so insistent that Cassandra couldn't say no, "however I am shamed to admit that I am struggling with this one." Rarity pointed to a sad little red number that was off in the corner. Cassandra, being an expert in sewing, quickly figured out what Rarity did wrong.
"Don't worry Rarity, I know how to fix this. We just have to move this here, undo this stitch, clean up this part here and...voila!" Rarity was bowled over.
"Why that is the most beautiful dress anypony has ever created in the existence of ponykind! Cassandra, I'm so thankful I can depend on you to bail me out of dressmaking emergencies." She gave Cassandra a peck on the forehead. "There's a mistletoe if you'd like to return the favour... and maybe pay it forward?"
"Sorry Rarity, but holidays are meant to be enjoyed in small quantites. Live each day for what it is, not what it's going to be."
"Since this is Cassandra Appreciation Day, I am thankful for your advice" said Rarity.
"I'm so glad to see you in the spirit of the holdiays, Rarity! Now I have to get going, but I trust you've got everything under control." Cassandra was the element of trust, because her character arc focused on her being able to trust ponies that were less capable than her.
"Boop" said Rainbow Dash, sneaking up behind Cassadnra, and tapping her on the nose. Rainbow's ego was very fragile, so Cassandra pretended that Rainbow was stealthy enough to pull one over on her.
"Whoa! Who's that being so sneaky? Oh, hey Dashie." said Cassandra. She was the only one who was allowed to call Rainbow by that nickname, because Rainbow had a schoolgirl crush on Cassandra. "What are you up to?"
"I've been organizing the clouds for the Cassandra Appreciation Day dinner, and I've been doing awesome because I'm awesome!" Like most residents of Ponyville, Rainbow Dash was given a meaningless task that didn't involve sharp objects in order to keep herself occupied and safe while Cassandra was too busy to supervise.
"That's great Rainbow Dash. It's so wonderful that you can be trusted to handle such an important task." She went on her way to her last appointment of the day.
"She's so beautiful isn't she?" said Fluttershy
"I don't usually get mushy, but yeah, she is" agreed Rainbow Dash.
This errand was one she was dreading, but for the good of the town, she had to bite the bullet.
"Well howdy there Cassandra, welcome to Sweet Apple Acres. Ah'm thankful because ah just had a roll in th' hay with Braeburn." said Applejack.
"Did I indicate that I wanted to talk to you? Just give me my apples and try not to injure yourself."
"Will do Cassandra. Mighty generous of ya to pay double th' goin' rate fer these here red delicious."
"I didn't; you just can't count."
"Huh. The fancy mathemicas're harder'n ah thought." Applejack was so distracted with trying to remember how numbers work that she walked straight into a tree. "Aw dagnabbit, who put that tree there?"
"Applejack, you mind if I borrow this? It doesn't look like you'll ever need to use it" asked Cassandra, holding up a plaque of wood with the number 1 on it.
"What's that fer?" asked Applejack. Cassandra pointed to a signboard that read ____ days without accident, with a hook for hanging plaques in the blank space.
"Please just give me my apples, Applejack - this is the one time where I do need you to think about nothing but apples... and breathing" she clarified, noticing that the farmpony's face was starting to turn blue.
"Boy howdy, ah sure hope ah get ta eat at the adults' table this year."
"Well that all depends on if you act like one." Since she didn't have a million years to wait for AJ to think of a comeback, Cassandra took her apples and left.
It was night time, and almost time for the Cassandra Appreciation Day feast to begin. Guests started to filter in to Cassandra's house, reciting the reasons they were thankful for Cassandra.
"Hi Cassandra, ah'm thankful that you taught me advanced calculus" said Applebloom.
"Well aren't you just the sweetest thing. Go take a seat at the foals' table next to Applejack."
"Hey Cassandra, I'm thankful that you exorcised the evil spirit Pinkamena from my body" said Pinkie Pie
"That was its own reward" said Cassandra.
"Hi Cassandra, I'm thankful that you help me with how to be a princess" said Twilight.
"It comes naturally to me, since I'm the long-lost sister of Princess Celestia. How's about you give me a hand in the kitchen?"
Twilight was happy for any and all time that she got to spend with Cassandra.
"I should put away these pans now that I'm done with them." said Cassandra. "Twilight, would you be a dear and open the cabinet for me?
"Ok, Cassandra." Using her magic, she opened the lower cabinet door, and the moment she did, Cassandra swung the pan like a cricket bat, and whacked the pony that was hiding inside.
"Ow!" moaned the pink pony with a mane, and a bruise, of deep purple.
"Starlight Glimmer!" gasped Twilight.
"Hurry, Twilight, there'll be time for questions later!" said Cassandra. The two of them used their magic to tie her up and put a damper on Starlight's horn.
"Cassandra, did you know she was there?" asked Twilight
"Starlight Glimmer has a very weird notion of 'hiding,' she thinks that nopony can see her when she covers her face. I've been pretending not to notice her for the past few months, but I saw her so many times today, that I knew she was planning something soon. First I saw her behind Daisy's flower cart. Then, she was pretending to be a mannequin in Rarity's dress shop. And later, she was at Sweet Apple Acres, watching Big Mac shower." Starlight blushed at that last one
"I'm so amazed at how you saved the day!" gushed Twilight.
"No, I didn't" said Cassandra, "you did."
"But Cassandra, you had the pan-"
"Twilight, I am a pony of many talents, but the most important of all is humility. I can't take credit for evertything, or else ponies will get jealous and call for my exile. So let's go back to the dining room, and tell them the story about how you foiled Starlight Glimmer's evil plan."
"As long as we're embellishing, can we add in something with time travel?" gushed Twilight.
"I think we can" said Cassandra, wrapping her wing around Twilight.
"Cassandra?"
"Yes, my little pony?"
"I'm thankful that you're my friend."