A long sigh escaped the young pink pegasus as she looked over the papers upon her desk. Meeting schedules, suggestions for trade relations, notes on how to address specific issues if they ever come up. All of these things and more littered the surface before Cadence's eyes, and she grew more and more tired with each and every moment she looked at them. Bottom line, she was exhausted, to the point of checking to make sure nopony was around to see her before unceremoniously banging her head against the desk. She grumbled quite a bit, with her face buried in that paperwork she hated so much. In fact, so preoccupied was she with all of this that, unbeknownst to her, somepony else now began to enter the room. Shining Amour, her Captain, her friend. He took one look at her, face-palming the desk, and broke into a knowing smile. Trotting up to the side of her, he gave her a few moments, before promptly raising a hoof and clearing his throat. Immediately, the mare sat upright, as though terrified of having somepony see her like that.

"Sorry! I was just...!"

But, as she turned to see Shining standing beside her, she let out another sigh, visibly relaxing a little before matching his smile.

"Oh...Shiny...it's you."

The stallion let out a chuckle to this, nodding.

"Yep...it's me. But...erm..."

Silently, he gestured to his cheek, and while Cadence was at first confused by this, realisation soon dawned for her. For as her eyes drifted down to her own cheek, she noted, to her horror, that a single slip of paper was stuck here, glued to her fur as a result of a tiny bit of drool that must have come out of her while her face was meeting the desk. Rolling her eyes, she let out an annoyed grunt, before yanking the paper off, scrunching it into a ball, and then flinging it into a nearby basket, Shining watched it fly through the air, landing in the thing perfectly, before looking back to his friend, sounding impressed.

"Good aim."

Cadence raised an eyebrow, prompting Shining to raise his hoof in a defensive manner.

"Joking! Joking!"

Letting out another sigh, Cadence leaned back into her chair.

"Sorry...it's just...what am I even doing here?!"

Shining looked to her with some confusion.

"You're...doing your job? Being an Ambassador? Helping to build bridges between us and the Lunars?"

Leaning forward again, Cadence nodded.

"Yes, Shiny, I know what I'm supposed to be doing...but you and I both know my work here hasn't really done that much good."

The stallion gained a somewhat incredulous look to him.

"What? Of course it has! You've done everything you can to make things good between us!"

Looking to her papers, Cadence paused briefly before responding to that.

"I know I've tried...and I know Princess Celestia believes I was the right choice...but I don't think I am."

Slowly, she looked to him.

"Shiny...back when I served in the Canterlot Royal Palace, that work was all I ever really wanted to do. I enjoyed doing it, I found it fulfilling. Serving Celestia, being her aide."

She frowned slightly.

"But this? Most of the time I have no idea what I'm even doing!"

Her shoulders slumped.

"And do you know what's worse? Ever since the fire at the Embassy, Ambassador Rarity has absolutely zero faith in my ability to represent Equestria."

A look of despondency came to her.

"And who can blame her? Twilight has done more to help relationships just by spending time with them, while me talking with her in our official meetings has resulted in almost nothing."

She let out a groan.

"How can I do this job when my counterpart thinks I'm no good at it?"

A pause came to her for a time before she continued.

"And...I'm not good at it."

Again, silence fell over them, and Shining looked to her for the longest time before finally speaking up after all of this.

"You know...if you don't want this job...you could always tell Celestia. I'm sure she'd understand. Heck, she'd probably be happy having you close by again back at Canterlot."

Another sigh came out of Cadence in response to that.

"I can't just quit this job, Shining! Celestia placed her faith in me. I...I've got to make sure I don't let her down!"

Shining frowned.

"Cadence...I may respect the Princess a great deal...but I don't believe she would want you to remain here if all you're going to feel is miserable."

Cadence looked to him, but stayed silent as he continued.

"Besides...I believe you're doing good here."

The mare raised an eyebrow, prompting Shining to carry on.

"I mean it. Ambassador Rarity may not say it...or even show it a lot of the time...but I think she does respect you. She knows you’re working towards peace, and that’s something she’s willing to admire about you. Besides..."

He took a step closer to her.

"...she grew up in a place where it was expected for her to gain skills in things like diplomacy. And while Celestia may have chosen you, I don't think even she can deny that this isn't something that you were ever really trained for."

Shining then paused deliberately, giving Cadence a chance to respond to that, which she did soon afterwards.

"If...if Princess Celestia already knew I have no experience in this...why would she have chosen me?"

A smile came to the stallion at that, and he gently placed a hoof upon her shoulder.

"Because she knows you're a good person, Cadence. Ambassadors might be chosen for many reasons, and in your case...I think Celestia wanted to show the Lunars one of Equestria's best."

Cadence blushed to that, looking away from him.

"Oh...you're just saying that, Shiny."

But Shining shook his head.

"I'm not. Cadence...you're one of the most remarkable mares I've ever known. Kind, caring, always willing to put others ahead of yourself. Heck, you were willing to uphold your duty to Celestia even when she asked you to do something you knew you weren't the best at."

His smile widened.

"You have a lot of qualities that people have always admired you for. Remember when you used to foal-sit for Twily? She adored you so much that she thought of you as a sister."

A nostalgic look came to Cadence at that.

"She was a sweetheart. And I was happy to spend time with her."

Shining nodded.

"Cadence...you may not be some diplomatic expert...but you are a mare who knows what's right, what's good...and what's best for your people."

Cadence looked to him, seeing him look down to her with clear respect in his expression.

"Celestia did not make a mistake in choosing you...and in truth...I think the only mistake she made was not telling you all this before you came here."

The pink mare, naturally, was a little taken aback at everything the stallion had just said to her, and for a time, she found herself incapable of really saying anything. But then, as time went on, she gave him a warm expression and, in a move that greatly shocked him, leaned forward and gave him a tender kiss upon his cheek. Shining, as one would expect, erupted into a massive blush all over his face, much to Cadence's amusement, as she let out a small giggle.

"Thank you, Shiny...you always were my knight."

Shining chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his head before finally answering.

"Oh...well...it's no biggie, Cadence."

Another giggle came to Cadence after that, and after one final look at the papers on her desk, she got up, taking Shining's hoof and leading the flabbergasted stallion away.

"Come on...I think the two of us could do with a coffee."

Shaking himself out of his earlier shocked state, Shining let out a laugh himself.

"In that case...lead the way, Ambassador."