The dripping of the liquefying ice statue had long since ceased, seeing as it had collapsed in its entirety some time ago.
Princess Celestia suppressed a displeased groan of annoyance, habitably sipping on her cooling cup of tea as she continued to sit in seething impatience. Celestia prided herself on her stoicism, having had to brave far worse occurrences of prolonged aggravation than she was currently experiencing at the moment. It was not the boredom or the waiting that tempted her with thoughts of leaving her former student’s scheduled dinner party however, it was her defied expectations; her crushed excitement towards meeting Starlight Glimmer and one of her few friends.
Celestia had been rather giddy at the prospect. Welling with pride whenever she recalled the fact that her student now had her own student. The circle repeats and the pupil becomes the master. It made Princess Celestia happy, and happiness was often in short supply these days.
Starlight Glimmer was a testament to Twilight's growth; evidence of her success in both magic and friendship. Glimmer herself was an example of the impact and opportunity their philosophy presented; seconds chances, forgiveness and friendship leading towards renewal and a better tomorrow. Celestia understood this better than anypony, and her knowledge had been passed to Twilight.
Knowledge which Celestia apparently would not be able to witness first hoof, seeing as Twilight had abandoned her at the table sometime ago, Starlight had never shown up, and the only other ponies to have been present weren't even acquainted with her pupil’s pupil to begin with.
Sighing once again, Celestia downed the last of her tea. This was apparently not worth her time it seemed. She valued what Twilight was trying to do, truly she did, but Celestia was a busy pony — always on the move. She would have to take a rain check on this dinner, but was hopeful that she would one day get to know Starlight and her friend soon, preferably over more consistent circumstances. She simply did not have the time to wait uncertain for Twilight to return when there was work to be done.
Rising from her seat, Celestia looked across to where those other three ponies had sat earlier, long since having left due to the lateness of the day. Celestia shook her head in disgruntlement, something was clearly going on that Twilight had elected not to inform her of, and evidently those ponies had had something to do with it, being apparent friends of Starlight.
Celestia very much doubted that they were.
Considering Twilight's adeptness at organisation, Celestia had been assured that she would have had tonight planed down to the last micro detail… There was a first time for everything however. Celestia just hoped that Twilight wouldn't take her leaving personally, though admittedly, she hoped it served as a lesson to Twilight that time was a delicacy some valued more than others; as a princess she would need to know this well.
Turning with grace, Celestia intended to head out to the nearest balcony and fly home from there. Her approach towards the ballroom doors was halted however as the doors flew open with a slam on their hinges, and a frantic Twilight Sparkle flew in stammering with alarm. “Princess! Sorry! So sorry!” Twilight heaved out as she collapsed at Celestia’s bemused hooves. “Manticore! Trixie! Starlight! Important thing!” Twilight continued to incoherently relay.
Celestia donned a tiny grin at the sight. “Important thing indeed,” Celestia said with amusement, joyful that her fellow princess had returned. Thought Celestia was slightly confused by Twilight’s distinct lack of composure. “Twilight, whatever is the problem? Is this important thing a dangerous important thing?” Celestia asked, her brow furrowing as she spoke.
Twilight took a breath, rapidly shaking her head ‘no’ in response. “No, it's not a dangerous thing, I thought it might be but it wasn't.”
Her frown disappeared, and Celestia once again smiled in amusement at the situation. “Then, Twilight, I must ask... what is the thing?”
Collecting herself, Twilight breathed once more while holding a hoof to her chest. “If I'm honest, the whole incoherent mess part a second ago was just me worried about having left you alone… Sorry about that,” Twilight murmured downcast.
Celestia snorted as she reminisced on her abandonment. “Apology accepted, Twilight. Though I need to ask why you left so suddenly, was it the thing?” She asked curiously.
“It was the thing, yeah,” Twilight informed.
“And what is the thing?”
Twilight looked behind her passed the opened doors, as if she was searching for something in view. Celestia looked also, but saw nothing that would draw Twilight's gaze so suddenly. With a flick of her mane, Twilight looked back up at her teacher with a conflicted expression. “You've probably guessed by now that the thing had something to do with Starlight and her friend.”
Celestia nodded in confirmation.
Scratching her neck, Twilight looked to the floor with a somewhat embarrassed look. “Well the thing is, Starlight kinda made a new friend… And I was kinda sorta against it.”
Celestia couldn't prevent her eyes widening at the reveal. Twilight actively trying to stop a friendship? Blasphemy! “I hope you didn't do something you'll regret, Twilight?” Celestia asked with a prompting tone, wanting Twilight to not leave her in suspense.
The sight of Twilight's growing smile certainly reassured Celestia. “Of course not, it's not my place to say who Starlight gets to be friends with,” Twilight said without a hint of reluctance. “I was just concerned for Starlight's sake, her new friend-”
“The Great and Powerful Trixie demands sustenance for herself and her greater and more powerful friend!”
Twilight awkwardly chuckled at the sudden outburst behind her. “She's… A bit of a character.”
Princess Celestia raised her head from Twilight to gaze upon the two ponies leisurely prancing through the doors — in rather close proximity to each other. She immediately recognised Starlight Glimmer, who held a smile larger than Celestia had ever seen her adorn before. Starlight looked towards her companion with a twinkle in her eye in response to her exclamation.
“I'm starting to think you're more interested in the food than meeting the Princess,” Starlight said with a giggle.
The Great and Powerful Trixie responded with closed eyes. “If the food is fit for a princess, surely it is worth looking forward too?” she replied in a confident declaration.
Celestia was more than a little surprised at the two ponies, for more reasons than she would care to admit. For starters, she immediately took in the aura of confidence and eccentricity this new pony practically radiated; waltzing through with her head held high and her knees lifted much further than necessary as she strided. The frayed purple cape she wore was a sharp contrast to her sparkling azure coat and cared for mane.
Turning towards the similarly radiating Starlight Glimmer, Celestia observed the evident joy she was displaying; her cheeks creasing due to the smile she wore. Her combed over purple and striped mane flopped about as she paced alongside Trixie. Celestia felt the need to introduce herself grow ever greater. “My my, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect when I heard that Starlight had made a new friend, but I must say you've certainly defied my predictions, Trixie, was it?” Celestia stated warmly.
Trixie hadn't yet noticed the Princess due to her engagement in talking to Starlight on the way in, and recoiled slightly as she became aware of Celestia’s presence. “Oh my, Princess Celestia!” Trixie exclaimed, reaching up to tip her hat, only to find that it wasn't there. “What brings you here this far south of Canterlot?” Trixie asked as she continued to paw at the air.
Chuckling at the sight, Celestia looked towards Starlight while Twilight stood at her side. “Starlight Glimmer, it is a pleasure to see you again,” said Celestia in greeting. “I am getting the impression that you and Ms. Trixie here are the reason I have been kept waiting?” Celestia asked jokingly.
Starlight looked away with embarrassment. “Yeah, sorry about that, Princess, but Trixie had a magic show to put on and I wasn't going to miss it for the world!” Starlight exclaimed, locking eyes with the also grinning Trixie.
Tilting her head curiously, Celestia looked down to Twilight with a smirk. “Well then, it seems a lot has apparently happened today, would anypony mind filling me in?”
Trixie was on her hooves in an instant. “Trixie-!” she paused and coughed. “... Would very much like the opportunity to explain.”
“In her darkest hour, Trixie stood upon the stage for all of Ponyville to see, convinced that she had destroyed any and all chances of ever rekindling the fire of friendship held between herself, and the similarly conflicted and ostracized mare Starlight Glimmer. Trixie saw no way to fix her blunder, and… for a second she gave up on any possibility of hope.
“But the show must go on.
“Trixie went out onto the stage a failure, and knew full well that even if she survived her final trick, Ponyville would forevermore be avoided by her in her travels; the pain she possessed would be too great to return. She sat in the cannon, lit the fuse, and prayed, prayed that her friend — her honest and true friend Starlight would accept that Trixie truly valued her, and recognised her gift in magic just as much.
“As she… As I sailed through the air, I knew I had made a mistake. I was not skilled enough to pull off Hoofdini’s greatest trick, not without the assistance of a mare skilled in real magic. So I accepted it. I accepted my fate. I screamed but I had still accepted it. I flew into the jaws of the manticore and everything went black.
“I thought that was it.
“Then I woke up, and the walls collapsed around me. ‘Where was I?’ I wondered, but the cheering was the only sign I needed. I was hoisted up, and found my lovely assistant by my side- no not my assistant, my friend.
“My friend, who Trixie can never ever repay for what she did for her."
“I couldn't exactly leave you inside that manticore could I?” Starlight interrupted.
“Perhaps, but then you wouldn't have had your moment in the limelight, would you?” retorted Trixie.
The telling of the story's conclusion derailed into a fit of giggles between Starlight and Trixie, sat side by side across from Celestia and Twilight at the adorned and exquisite dinner table with properly placed silverware. Her fresh cup of tea had gone cold during the course of Trixie's recollection of events, but Celestia had been too enthralled to notice.
“I say, that is quite the tale, Trixie!” Celestia proclaimed enthusiastically, deeply having enjoyed the story. Starlight and Twilight had chimed in at multiple points to reveal things Trixie didn't know about, or to refute details she was purposely exaggerating or sensationalising. Overall though all were agreed on the stories authenticity, even if the group shunned away during the parts they weren't too proud of.
Celestia was informed and enjoyed it, which in the end was all that mattered. “The moonshot manticore mouth dive has never been replicated before, no pony has been brave or strong enough to go through with it until the end! My, once word gets out amongst the magical community, everypony will want to know how you pulled it off!”
Trixie humbly revelled in the princess’ praise. “And I look forward to it. I must ask of you all though, could you not reveal how the trick was done? Once you reveal how a trick was accomplished, it is no longer by definition a ‘trick.’”
Celestia eagerly nodded in affirmation, as did Starlight and Twilight much more slowly, with Twilight detesting the obligation of secret keeping. “Of course, I wouldn't dream of it,” Celestia stated factually, earning another grin from Trixie.
Looking back and forth between the pink and blue mares, Celestia decided to bring the conversation back to what it was originally intended to be. “Well, it seems today has been a learning experience for everypony. But if the end result was the blossoming of your friendship, I'd say that all that hardship was worth it. Wouldn't you agree?”
Starlight laid a hoof on Trixie's in reply. “I agree completely, Princess,” Starlight proclaimed, locking eyes with Trixie once more, enjoying the warming feeling growing in her chest.
“I'm curious though, what drew you both together in the first place? You said you met at the spa but didn't elaborate much further.” ‘Probably for dramatic effect,’ Celestia thought with a snicker. “Was it just that spontaneous? Or is there a deeper meaning to all this?”
Starlight and Trixie exchanged a wary look, both unwilling to voice the truth, for fear of the Princess’s response but also due to the inherent regret that would only resurface if they reflected. Starlight was resilient however, and voiced herself to the Princesses after taking some time to think. “Me and Trixie… We got a second chance,” Starlight began with feigned confidence.
“Both of us did things we wish we could take back,” interrupted the voice of Trixie in a hushed tone. Twilight and Celestia continued to sit on their haunches in growing anticipation. Starlight looked to Trixie in expectancy for her to continue, who did so with reluctance in her ever eccentric tone. “But we also accept that the things we did made us who we are. Better ponies.”
“But the thing is, not everypony can understand that,” spoke Starlight yet again, Trixie pausing herself in response. “Not everypony knows what it's like to be… Guilty all the time. To feel like everything you do is judged for the worse.”
Twilight looked away in shame, the statement hitting close to home, especially considering today's events.
Trixie looked up once more, a renewed sense of vigor shining in her eyes. “But it is for precisely these reasons why Trixie and Starlight became friends in the first place.”
“As well as to one up Twilight.”
“I know, but as I said that was just an added bonus, which I instantly regretted the moment I realised it had cost me my only friend.”
Twilight lurched to the side upon hearing the indisputable sound of Celestia awing.
The two friends weren't even paying attention to the Princesses anymore, instead both had turned towards each other, staring into the eyes of the only other pony who accepted them without pause for who they were. “You understood what it was like to feel this way, and honestly, even though I sometimes feel like I don't deserve it after what I did, I don't think I'd want anything more than for us to always be this,” Starlight said happily, her hooves held out in emphasis.
Trixie saw an opportunity. “I don't know, it's only been a day, perhaps there's more to the two of us than we have yet considered.”
Her head bolted upright, and Twilight looked frantically between the pair, particularly disturbing thoughts running through her head due to what she thought Trixie was implying.
“If you became Trixie's assistant full time, we could travel Equestria as the greatest and most powerful magical duo in the world!” Trixie proclaimed, shocking Twilight out of her daze.
“Wait, what?!” Twilight injected, looking frantically back and forth between the pair, silently pleading that that suggestion had not just been voiced. “Wait, Starlight, you can't leave! What about your studies? We were just about to move onto ‘social gatherings’!” Twilight shouted with her hooves held to her mane.
Trixie snickered at the sight, as did Starlight with a sudden and noticeable downcast expression. “As tempting as it sounds, Trixie, I'm afraid Twilight's right. I'm learning a lot here, even if I don't always seem to appreciate it. I can't just up and leave after everything Twilight has done for me. I hope you understand.”
To Twilight’s genuine surprise, it looked like Trixie did understand. “I thought as much. Don't worry, no hard feelings. It was a bit of a stretch to ask you to uproot your life just for little old me.” Trixie's calming tone gave way to one of noticeably more sadness, which drew Starlight’s concern. “I did bring this up for a reason though, and I hate to dower the mood but it needs to be said.”
Starlight grew anxious. “Trixie, what's wrong,” Starlight expressed worryingly. “Come on, you know you don't need to hide anything from me- us,” Starlight assured.
Trixie still continued to frown. “The point I'm getting at, Starlight…” Trixie paused, forcing herself to continue. “I'm a travelling showmare.”
“Yeah, I know,” Starlight replied dimly.
“Traveling showmare,” Trixie reiterated.
It took Starlight several moments to get what Trixie was telling her, and she was not pleased by the revelation. “Oh? OH!” she proclaimed with shock. “You mean, you're leaving?!”
Trixie shrugged her shoulders. “Eventually, not right now if that's what you're thinking, but within the week at least.”
Starlight jerked about as her eyes darted between the three ponies present, desperately searching for an answer to this evolving problem. Trixie couldn't leave, not yet, they had just met. “You can stay here though! Right, Twilight? We have enough space!”
“Well I-”
Starlight continued without taking a breath. “I mean you don't have to leave so soon right? You just got here! Kick your legs up for a bit, see the sights!” Starlight pleaded with ever widening eyes.
Trixie shook her head sadly to crush Starlight's hope. “I'm sorry, Starlight, but this is who I am. I need to capitalize on this success while I still have the chance, not because I want to, but because I have to. The Great and Powerful Trixie is back in action, and this is her time to shine!”
Looking away with blurring vision, Starlight attempted to ignore the feelings of dread that had begun to linger in her thoughts. Trixie's soothing tone changed that however.
“But that doesn't mean I won't come back.”
Her voice prompted Starlight to look up once more, and she found that Trixie had shifted herself closer to her during her conflicted pondering. Trixie's smile held firm as she laid a hoof on Starlight’s quivering shoulder. “And it also doesn't mean that Trixie values you any less, but it does mean that she wants nothing more than to stay here as long as she can and enjoy the time we still have together.”
That answer lifted Starlight’s dampened spirits majestically. She made a silent decree to herself; if she only had a few more days until Trixie left for an unknown amount of time, then they would be the best days either of them had ever had!
Throwing her forelegs around Trixie, both mares sought comfort in the legs of the other. Both weeping at the realisation that they had finally found another pony who accepted them for being them.
Author's Note
You'll have to forgive the overall roughness and general simplistic quality, I didn't exactly spend long on this, but the inspiration was there and I wasn't going to let it pass.
Trixie is back! Let the friendship commence! (As well as the onslaught of shipping)
Edit: Just need to say, whoo! Thanks all! This story has exploded past my expectations! I should write stories of episodes immediately after they air more often...
Edit Edit: Whooo! Again! We broke 100!
