Solaria

So it's not beneath you then? For shame...

Apples and oranges, Princess. :I

Apples and oranges.

Do not deign to be cavalier with me, Chancellor.

I've always been selfish Davvy. It's why I just got ripped off by two little kids selling $5 dollar chocolate bars and bracelets for donations.

*looks at bracelet, licks lips*

Not a bad shakedown for $10.

Oh, too bad Conor left. I had something super important to tell him. Fritters.

I got the longest good-bye.

Your foal's daddy.

Blasphemous indeed! It wasn't ponified!

Fawkes left our little conversation after my Internet decided to be stupid for ten minutes. I blame him. And yes, I'm also full of kindness, love, warmth, and I'm toit like a toiger. Yay aerobics!

Colgate gave a nervous laugh as two of her new friends mentioned wanting to see the temple she'd told them about. They really didn't know what it had been like, considering the inhabitants really had been trying to tug one of her molars out before she and her partner had escaped.

"Well, I might just have to someday," she relented, not offering any more about it. Not to mention if they were scared here in Everfree, she'd seen things that would terrify them.

The dentist quietly agreed with the somber pony that said they should keep moving, and trotted to catch up with both him and the pegasus teasing him.

"So... what kind of adventure are we looking for anyway?" she asked.

*sneezes moar powur*

Starting my Aria app sometime today!

Cadence set down her cup, a small crestfallen look crossing her face. She'd thought for sure that at least catchy music would draw some visitors in if only for curiosity's sake. She had just started to think that nopony else might come when to her great delight a guest trotted in and caught her eye.

"Welcome to the CRPR Open House!" the princess called enthusiastically, moving forward to stand before the new pony and returning the bow she had been given. "I'm Princess Cadence, and this is the rest of the committee behind me. If you didn't know already, the Canterlot Royal Public Relations is one of the more accessible channels between the castle and the rest of Equestria! We often have small groups travel far and wide to meet with our subjects to make sure everything is going as well as it can. We also sometimes act as liaisons between others like the griffons or the zebras. We'd love to answer any questions you might have!"

The alicorn shook her mane before leaning forward to whisper so the older ponies couldn't hear.

"Now that I've gotten that out of the way, it's great to meet you! May I ask your name, and would you like a snack or a drink? We've got plenty!"

Cadence always melted at the sound of a foal's laughter. It was so innocent and pure, full of joy and... what was that look in the baby's eye?

"Mmmph!" the princess sputtered in surprise as the tiny horn popped into her mouth.

The princess could only smile and give a muffled laugh as she recovered. Her younger self would have seen that coming in a heartbeat. She really had been out of practice! The soft little appendage that tickled her tongue hadn't hardened yet, and tasted earthy from the soil that still clung to it. With a gentle caress Cadence wrapped her hooves around Pumpkin and plucked the excited unicorn free from her lips.

"Well aren't you fun!" the rose alicorn cooed, conjuring a soft supportive cradle of magic to ferry the baby over to her back.

Cadence angled her wings outward slightly, giving Pumpkin something to tumble into should she lose her balance and fall when the princess walked. As she began to move, the foalsitter started looking from pony to pony for any recognition of her new passenger. No faces lit up in happiness at finding their child, with only the occasional formal greeting thrown out. She looked back at the foal.

"Well, I don't suppose you can give me a hint here can you? Do you know any words? Mama? Dada?"

Cadence noticed that the proprietor was looking rather uncomfortable, and an apologetic look washed over her face.

"Oh I'm sorry, I really didn't mean to cause trouble! I'll just wait over here."

As she shuffled to the side, another pony that had been chatting stopped to give a bow and a greeting, with a most pleasant smile on his features. She returned the bow with a similar expression.

"And good day to you! I'm afraid we haven't met personally yet, but that's alright. It just means this is another opportunity for us to make new friends. What's your na-"

A loud shout mildly startled the princess, and she turned to see an ecstatic pegasus bubbling about her appearance in the cafe. The reaction was so entertaining that Cadence burst into soft laughter. She didn't often get this kind of reception, though it was one of her favorites.

"It's me!" she giggled, grinning widely at her apparent fan. As the stream of questions burst forth from Jubilee, the alicorn narrowed her eyes in a playful acceptance of the challenge.

"Canterlot is fine now. The honeymoon was amazing. It's alright! I will sign your scrapbook. I'm not sure, but I'll sign it if you find it. I'd love to see it! Thank you! Amethyst. Some rice dish I can't name from Stalliongrad. I love starberry juice!"

Cadence finished a little breathlessly, looking pleased with herself.

"And what's your name? I'd love to get to know one of my biggest fans. Tell me a little about yourself!"

I like The Ascension since so many are vying for power. That, and you created a new forest not long ago.

You cried? I giggled.

Aw, look at all the nostalgia for ponies who abandoned their friends.

Fawkes IS tasty.

Oh yes! Thanks for reminding me Angie. I don't have a scanner, so I'm going to have to take a good picture. BRB!

I've gotten my horn stuck in lots of things.

Princess Cadence cantered down one of Ponyville's main avenues, almost constantly flicking her mane from side to side to keep from trailing it in smaller ponies' faces. There was something to be said for this town: there was always something happening. It was much busier than Canterlot, where ponies would usually wander slowly from place to place and stick to the sides of the streets. Occasionally passerby would look up from their various tasks and recognize her, and the pink mare would call out happy greetings with a smile. It never became tedious, she was truly happy to meet each new shining face. Speaking of which...

That couldn't be right, could it? A small unicorn foal was crawling down the road, looking as though she had no idea where she was going. Dirt decorated her tiny horn, and she looked a little scuffled. A look of shock crossed Cadence's face, and she stood momentarily frozen in the middle of the street as other ponies jostled by with mumbled apologies.

"Hey hey hey!" the alicorn recovered with a startled gasp, galloping forward with a staccato click of hooves before folding her legs and kneeling before Pumpkin, spreading her wings protectively so that other pedestrians would give them a wide berth. "Hello cutie!" Cadence continued in a much more soothing tone, reaching forward to tug the blanket free from a persistent flower. "What are you doing out here all alone?"

A quick glance around didn't show the princess anypony that looked remotely like they might be the baby's parents, so she placed the dislodged blossom into Pumpkin's mane while she tried unsuccessfully to place the foal herself. They'd never met before, so that wouldn't work. That settled it then. Rather than attending a day out to Ponyville with some stuffy nobles, which she was late for anyway, she'd help this little unicorn out. Once a foalsitter, always a foalsitter! Cadence had even spoken her own personal oath when she was younger, promising to do her best for the little ones around her. A smile broke across her face as she offered a hoof to her new charge. Some things never changed.

I'll just hop into that one then!

It happens with every high-profile character, don't feel bad! You deserve to play her!

Speaking of which, since she is the best foalsitter in Equestria, is she gonna foalsit Pumpkin? Huhuhuhuh!?

Of course! I'd love to do a foalsitting thread with you and... I haven't checked, Ashton got Pound right?

Feeling a little guilty about how upset ponies are about Cadence, honestly.