Cadance didn’t know how long she had been wandering around the city. The street lights were all off, and there was no one around. The only thing that accompanied her was the unchanging profile of the Prisoner Moon Pony hanging in the sky.

She didn’t want to go back to the youth hostel, and she couldn’t go back to her aunt so early, but she didn’t know where else she could go. After a long sigh, she sat down by a sculpture fountain, irritably pushed her suitcase aside, and covered her left face, which was aching slightly under the bandage.

Just a few hours ago, the old pony who had taken care of her for several months, Mr. Fire Gun, suddenly exploded in anger and splashed hot soup on her face. This little burn was nothing to the extraordinary recovery ability of the Alicorn, but the “reward” she got from working in the nursing home for the past few months was far more heartbreaking than this scar. She was at a loss for what to do with the grievance, anxiety and anger. Her lips and teeth trembled, but she still held back the angry words that were about to come out. They turned into a small string of tears, silently crossing her intact right face.

“Cadance? Cadance?” A vicissitudes of life but kind mare called her.

Cadance looked around, she didn’t see any pony, she was still accompanied by the moon and the nameless Alicorn statue standing in the center of the fountain. When she looked into the statue’s pupilless eyes, the voice rang again.

“Child, who hurt your face like this?” The other party’s concerned tone reminded Cadance of her foster mother. She should have been alert to this sudden supernatural phenomenon, but at this moment, the mood of not being able to speak out prevailed.

“…I have been working in a nursing home for the past few months. I was assigned to take care of an old pony named Fire Gun. He…is not a bad pony. He has many children, but no pony is willing to visit him…I can feel that he is very lonely and always scared. He is afraid that we caregivers will ignore him and abandon him, so he is always nervous…He is really not a bad guy…but…”

She is not defending the old pony who hurt himself, these are all facts. She could tell any pony’s likes and dislikes clearly, but she had only been an Alicorn for a few years, and she was just a young girl in adolescence, both physically and mentally. “But…how could he do this…I really tried my best. I spoke to him in a nice voice, but he couldn’t hear me. I spoke louder, but he blamed me for not respecting him…No matter what I did, he would never be satisfied, even the texture of the vase and the material of the spoon…oh my dear Celestia, this nursing home has always used stainless steel spoons, why did it become ‘intentionally changing to iron to murder him’ when it came to me?!”

The usually docile mare suddenly raised her voice. The unexpectedly rough voice brought her back from her anger. Cadence looked around awkwardly, but fortunately no lights were turned on because of her.

“So he hurt your face? Just because of a spoon?” The statue was clearly in front of her, but the voice was so far away that Cadence couldn’t tell whether she was confused or indignant, but she continued to talk.

“…I’m really sad…Why is he worried about being ignored, but also turns a blind eye to other pony’s kindness, and even makes up stories? And…and!” She became excited again, and the wound that was regenerating under the bandage began to hurt, “And my colleagues…We usually get along very well, I thought we were already friends! But…why…no pony is willing to help me? Why can’t a pony help me…I’m really hurt…and so sad…but…no pony…”

The young Alicorn began to sob softly. The statue did not respond, but stood silently beside the mare. The light of the moon shone on it through the gap in the clouds, and the shadow of its huge wings silently wrapped up crying Cadance.

“…I don’t understand…why Celestia chose to upgrade me to an Alicorn? I have neither great power nor wisdom that can convince the ponies…I can’t even reassure an old pony…How can such an incompetent me be qualified to take on such a sacred responsibility…”

“But you are already an Alicorn, you can use your power to rewrite the hearts of all ponies like Fire Gun, and make them become the good ponies you want who can understand love and repay kindness.” The voice was said calmly, and for some reason, these words that should have been sympathetic made Cadence’s back cold, and she woke up.

“No! I can’t!” She shouted, and with a spring of her hind legs, she moved in the opposite direction of the statue’s face. “That’s pure brainwashing! If we only rewrite the ponies’ minds with virtues, but don’t let them understand and feel, and then identify and practice from the bottom of their hearts, then even if we build a utopia where everyone is good, it will only be a castle in the air that will collapse at any time!”

“But if we let those evil ponnies do whatever they wants, it will only make the world further away from love, right?”

“Evil?!” The genuine confusion and doubt made Cadence alertly use magic to lift the suitcase and block herself and the statue. “Oh lady, I don’t know what you have experienced that would define those ponies as ‘evil’. Every pony has good intentions and bad intentions, but there are many factors that contribute to their current appearance and attitude towards others. I used to think that as long as I teach others with the love I know, I can make them avoid good and avoid evil… But this idea is too superficial and too arrogant… After all, every pony’s situation is different. “She paused for a moment, and her voice became softer, “It is because of this arrogance that I failed to save a child who went astray…” The magic crystals formed by the centipede witch’s blood condensed in her pupils were astringent and itchy, and she rubbed her eyes subconsciously.

“Since you know this, why do you force yourself to get along with these unstable factors as an ordinary pony?” The voice sighed, “You have been running around outside for many years, child. Think about it carefully. Among all the jobs you have done and all the ponies you have met, how many ponies are sincere in facing and returning your kindness, and taking you as an example to carry forward the “love”? They only treat you as an ordinary, even lowly service provider, and enjoy your service as a matter of course. Then, relying on their different status, they laugh at you and bully you at will.” She gently persuaded, and the shadow of the moon made the statue’s face more hazy in the night. “But if you appear before them as an Alicorn, they will immediately obey you, and no matter how harsh the test you put forward, they will go through fire and water in your name. Go back to your aunt, my child. Remove your concealment magic, put on your crown, and train those ponies as a princess, so that they will be convinced of your love, and let every pony spread your fame throughout Equestria, so that the whole world will know your title of “Princess of Love.”

As if waiting for Cadence’s answer, the statue was silent for a long time, and only the faint sound of wind blowing the trees on the street.

“…I don’t work for fame.”

“If you are not famous, who will be convinced of your love?”

“If I don’t understand the hearts of ponies, what position do I have to be famous? Excuse me, ma’am, I’m tired.” Cadence didn’t continue, quickly picked up the suitcase with magic, and left without looking back. The sound of the suitcase wheels gradually faded away.

When the streets returned to silence, the statue let out a long sigh.

“If only I had a few more children like you among my brothers and sisters.”

The fallen leaves blew in the wind, and she stopped talking.