"So," Twilight said, sipping her tea, "now that I told you what you asked me to tell you, I want you to answer what I want to ask you."

"O-OK," Trixie stammered, setting down her teacup carefully with her own magic. Her own, relieving, free magic, not magic powered by some stupid trinket that possessed ponies.

Trixie still couldn't comprehend what she had just heard. Twilight Sparkle had become princess by showing how friends could help each other. She imagined how great that would feel. She wished she would become princess one day. But Trixie knew she didn't deserve it, not if it involved friends in order to make it to royalty. She was far too behind for that.

Twilight pondered upon the million questions popping into her head about Trixie. She could only ask one question; Trixie hadn't been so nosy about her business, and the least she could do was to be just as polite.

After a long term of tension between their staring eyes, Twilight finally asked, "Why did you come back?"

Trixie's eyelids twitched. It was a hard question to answer. Her pride and faults laid upon the answer. She let out a huge sigh and mumbled, "I came for help."

"What?" Twilight breathed, pupils widening with curiosity. Trixie, coming to Ponyville, asking for help? That was hard to believe.

"I came for help," Trixie repeated, voice shaking. "Nopony wants me now, because they already know about what I've done to Ponyville. They wouldn't accept me, probably because they were afraid of me attempting to take over their community. So I came back to Ponyville, my last hope for a permanent shelter.

"I wanted to prove to them that I had changed. . . but I wasn't given the chance. Ponyville was the only town left for me. And you forgave me when I last fled," Trixie said, gazing into Twilight's eyes, filled with sympathy. "So I decided to ask you for help first. But when I went to you, I was shocked by the fact that you had wings. . . and I guess that's when my illness took its toll," she finished blandly.

"Oh, come on, Trixie!" Twilight exclaimed with a playful nudge. "I'd be happy to let you stay! Besides, the Mayor will probably tell everypony you've come, so you don't have to worry!" Twilight's mind was already racing ahead of time. To think that her former rival had been reformed and had reached a more tolerable state! Together, they would be able to do anything, brush up on magic, and maybe she herself could learn from Trixie how to put on a good magic show, but without the bragging--

It took a while for Twilight to realize that Trixie was not sharing the same joy. The blue unicorn was hanging her head, poking the handle of her teacup. "Um, Trixie?" Twilight asked, carefully bringing her face closer. "Is something wrong?"

"Th-thanks, Twilight, r-really," Trixie managed to say. "But I have a lot more to worry about than you think."

Trixie waited, expecting Twilight to come up with some sort of reply. But the young alicorn was silent. So she continued. "You say I don't have to worry, but. . . I think you're perfectly aware that most ponies haven't forgiven me for controlling Ponyville."

Twilight winced. How could she have forgotten that? Would anypony trust Trixie, or even her own self, to not bring Ponyville under forced corruption once more?

Then she saw the discomfort in Trixie's face, and off of Trixie's eyes, Twilight saw her own face of doubt, reflected. Twilight facehoofed. How could she?! She was supposed to comfort Trixie! With her face showing so much doubt, Trixie would never cheer up!

With all the bravado that she could muster, Twilight managed a brave smile. "Trixie, I still forgave you. And I'm a princess now," she added, giggling. "How could anypony challenge me?"

Trixie forced a grin, but it didn't last long. "Well, it's just. . . I've made mistakes in the past."

"Duh, Trixie," Twilight chuckled, flapping her wings slowly. "Everypony makes mistakes."

"Well. . . yeah," Trixie continued. "But although I haven't made too many mistakes, those mistakes were huge. Unforgivable flaws of mine. It's just. . . I. . . what if. . ."

Trixie couldn't hold it anymore. She thought her eyes would burst from hanging onto the saltwater welling up in her. She finally lost control.

"I'M SORRY!" she cried, with all her heart. "I'm sorry, r-really sorry. . ."

"Shhh," Twilight softly leaned forward and hugged the sobbing mare, allowing Trixie to cry into the hairs on her shoulder. "It's OK, I forgive you for everything. Really."

"S-sorry for breaking down like this," Trixie sniffed. "It's just. . . what if nopony else will ever grow to like me?"

Twilight sighed. "You're right, Trixie. You have made mistakes. Great mistakes. But it's all in the past. They don't matter anymore. . . they shouldn't matter to anypony. Nopony has the right to be angry at you anymore for what you've done. They've seen you ask me for forgiveness.

"But there is one thing that still matters," Twilight said, pushing Trixie away gently, tilting the unicorn's head up with a forehoof.

"What?" Trixie asked. "What still matters?"

"The only thing that matters now is that you don't make the same mistake again," Twilight said. Her words suddenly cast a gloomy air about them.

Or upon Trixie at least. Her mind was swimming with worry. What if she ended up making more mistakes, let alone the same ones?

"Trixie?" Twilight waved a hoof in front of Trixie's face. "Hello, anypony home?"

Trixie blinked. "Oh! Uh, sorry. I'm just, still worried."

"Seriously, Trixie," Twilight said, bouncing off her stool. "You should relax, friend."

Friend. The word struck Trixie like lightning.

Friend. . . she called me a friend. . .

Trixie swallowed the new lump in her throat. "OK, Twilight. I'll relax. . . and I'll behave as time goes along."

Twilight replied with a warm smile. "Of course you will."

The purple alicorn walked towards one of her bookshelves.

"Now, who wants to learn some serious magic?"

Author's Note

This chapter has been finished within a day, I am proud to say. . . and I am HAPPY. Wait, that's an understatement. Anyways, a little notification for you all.

Apparently, according to certain friends of mine who've read this, this should have a slice of life tag, since the story starts off like this. DON'T PANIC. I'm not going to change the main storyline or something like that. All I'll be doing is add a new tag.

Also, season 4 is officially out. . . I get it. BUT IT NEVER HAPPENED. NOT IN THIS STORY. If you are to read this enjoyably, just forget season 4. Not that I don't like it, but apparently "Daring Don't" will come soon, so it might get in the way with my personal headcanon. Unrelated news, I have more than one headcanon. Those stories will come along in the future.

Still, don't worry, the appearance of Daring Do will come after a few chapters. And happy Running of the Leaves, everypony.