Twilight Sparkle watched Novo leave the castle with a smile on her face. She never imagined that Novo would come to her to apologize, had it not been for the three princesses, Novo wouldn’t have come.
When Novo had already left the castle, Twilight got up from the sofa, went to the door and closed it with her magic.
When finished, she intended to continue reading the book. Lucky that the book was on the couch. The book she was reading was about the story of Celestia and Luna before they became princesses of Equestria, and this subject always made her curious.
But after a few steps, she heard a knock on the door. Twilight looked back as she was confused and went to the door to answer it. She wondered who it was. Was it Novo again? If so, she didn’t know why Novo would come to her again since Novo wanted to leave to return to her kingdom.
Upon opening the door, Twilight saw that it was not New, but it was...
“Fizzlepop Berrytwist! I’m so happy to see you!” Twilight Sparkle embraced Fizzlepop Berrytwist as she smiled.
Fizzlepop hugged Twilight back while smiling too, she wore a black cape. “I’m also happy to see you, Twilight.”
Twilight and Fizzlepop came out of the embrace, but their smiles continued on their faces. “Come on in, Fizzlepop.”
Fizzlepop came in while looking at the castle. Meanwhile, Twilight closed the door with her magic, when finished, she approached Fizzlepop. Fizzlepop waited for Twilight before walking again.
“So love, did something happen while I wasn’t here?” asked Fizzlepop Berrytwist.
“Yes. Queen Novo came to the castle today to apologize to me,” replied Twilight Sparkle.
Fizzlepop Berrytwist was curious as she raised an eyebrow. “She wanted to apologize to you for what?”
“About her getting mad at me about trying to steal her pearl.”
Fizzlepop Berrytwist was both surprised and concerned. “Did you try to steal Queen Novo’s pearl?”
“Unfortunately, yes,” Twilight replied as she pouted and her ears drooped.
Upon reaching the living room, Fizzlepop Berrytwist saw a book on the sofa. “Were you reading a book?”
“Yes, Fizzlepop.”
“What does the book talk about?” asked Fizzlepop Berrytwist.
“The book talks about the story of Celestia and Luna before she ascended the throne,” replied Twilight as she clapped her hoofs excitedly while her eyes were closed. “I am so excited to continue reading!”
“Can I keep you company and read with you?”
Twilight Sparkle looked at Fizzlepop Berrytwist. “Of course you can.”
Spike approached Twilight, but stopped when he saw Fizzlepop Berrytwist. “Oh. Hi, Fizzlepop Berrytwist. Do you plan on spending the night with Twilight?”
“Yes, Spike.” Fizzlepop Berrytwist hugged Twilight Sparkle with a hoof. Twilight couldn’t help but deny that she loved being hugged by her marefriend.
Spike looked at Twilight Sparkle. “Twilight, should I prepare the Fizzlepop Berrytwist bed?”
“You don’t have to, Spike. She’s going to sleep in bed with me,” replied Twilight Sparkle.
“OK. I just came here to tell you that dinner is ready. I’m going to put a plate and fork on Fizzlepop Berrytwist.” Spike left the room.
Fizzlepop had released Twilight before they started walking again.
Fizzlepop’s thoughts went to the book that Twilight was reading. She would like to read the book from the beginning so that she wouldn’t be confused by the story. But as Twilight was excited to continue reading, she wasn’t going to tell Twilight to return to reading just because of her.
Upon arriving at the table, Twilight and Fizzlepop sat together to eat. The food on the table was pasta with tomato sauce. Spike had already taken a plate for Fizzlepop and had already taken a fork for Fizzlepop and served it too.
Twilight took her fork and started to eat, Fizzlepop did the same.
When Fizzlepop and Twilight finished eating, they got up from their chairs and went to the living room to read the book on the sofa. They lay down on the couch to read together.
While Twilight was reading with a smile, Fizzlepop was trying to read, but she couldn’t because of her thoughts being in her past. She had made many mistakes in the past: To have entered the cave of Ursa Minor, To have joined the Storm King for believing that he would repair her horn, but there was one mistake that she regrets to this day, and and involved Novo, the queen of the Hippogriffons. Fizzlepop put her head on the couch sadly. Would Novo forgive her for doing this?
Twilight looked at Fizzlepop and noticed that she had her head on the couch and had a sad expression. She was worried. “Fizzlepop? Are you okay?”
Fizzlepop looked at Twilight, but pulled her head off the couch. “No…”
“What happened?” asked Twilight Sparkle.
Fizzlepop looked uncertain, she was looking to the side. Twilight Sparkle noticed her marefriend’s insecurity and smiled. “Come on, Fizzlepop. You can tell me how you feel.”
Fizzlepop blew out a breath. “Okay, Twilight. Something has been bothering me a lot lately.”
Twilight Sparkle was concerned. “What bothers you?”
“Well, do you remember when you told me about you coming to Seaquestria with your friends?” started Fizzlepop Berrytwist.
“Yes, I remember,” replied Twilight Sparkle.
“Do you remember when you told Queen Novo about your idea of using her pearl so that all the ponies would stay in Seaquestria during the Storm King invasion?” asked Fizzlepop Berrytwist, but when she said the last four words, she started to feel sad just remembering what she did during the friendship festival.
“Yes. And to this day I regret having stolen Queen Novo’s pearl.” Twilight Sparkle’s ears went down and she was sad.
“So love, let’s say that in the past I also tried to steal Queen Novo’s pearl...”
Twilight Sparkle’s ears perked up. Did Fizzlepop Berrytwist also try to steal the pearl from Novo? “Really?”
“Yes, Twilight. Storm King ordered me to steal the pearl, but I failed and I was also expelled from her kingdom,” replied Fizzlepop Berrytwist. “To this day, I regret being naive and believing that Storm King would really fix my horn.”
“Fizzlepop, I’m sorry you have to talk about your past,” said Twilight Sparkle, sadly.
Fizzlepop Berrytwist looked at Twilight Sparkle with a small smile. “No, Twilight. No need to apologize. This was something I had been feeling for several days. I needed to vent to somepony, but since no one is as close to me as you are, I knew I needed to tell you that,” Fizzlepop Berrytwist’s smile fell and she started to cry. “... If I hadn’t at least entered the cave of Ursa Minor to get that ball, none of this would have happened. My horn wouldn’t have been broken, my best friends wouldn’t have abandoned me, I wouldn’t have joined Storm King and I wouldn’t have stolen Queen Novo’s pearl.”
Twilight Sparkle felt sad and sorry for Fizzlepop Berrytwist. Her story was very sad, if it were told to other ponies, they would surely cry. “Fizzlepop, please don’t cry.”
Fizzlepop Berrytwist wiped away tears with a hoof. “I’m sorry, Twilight. But that’s what has been bothering me a lot lately.”
“I know the past bothers you, Fizzlepop Berrytwist. But if it makes you feel better, in my foalhood, I never had any friends, my brother Shining Armor was the only one I considered as my best friend. He and I spent several days together, we never fought, he even taught me how to fly a kite. Until a day came that I had to go to Ponyville at Celestia’s request to check the preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration. And oh, how I missed him,” tears started to come out of Twilight Sparkle’s eyes just remembering that.
Fizzlepop Berrytwist felt sorry for Twilight. She never imagined that Twilight had a past like hers. The difference is that Twilight had no friends besides her brother, she never joined Storm King and never held a grudge against anypony.
Twilight Sparkle wiped away tears with a smile. “But that was in the past, I saw him at his wedding with Cadence, I was very happy to see him, even though I wasn’t happy that he didn’t tell me before he was getting married.”
“Are your brother and Cadence married?” asked Fizzlepop Berrytwist.
Twilight Sparkle looked at Fizzlepop Berrytwist with a smile. “Yes. They have been married for two years.”
Twilight yawned as she placed the hoof close to her mouth.
“Are you going to sleep now?” asked Fizzlepop Berrytwist.
“Yes. But first I’m going to keep the book on the shelf,” replied Twilight as she took the book from the couch with her magic and walked to the library. Fizzlepop Berrytwist followed her.
Upon arriving at the library, they entered. Twilight flew to the shelf where the book was before it went back to the floor. Fizzlepop realized that Twilight was smiling, despite being tired.
Twilight started walking, Fizzlepop followed, but first closed the library door with a hoof.
Upon reaching the room, Fizzlepop Berrytwist approached the left side of the bed and took off her black cloak. She lifted the phonograph and put the cover down. She then sat down, covered herself with the blanket up to her neck and watched Twilight do the same too.
Twilight fell asleep straight away, while Fizzlepop Berrytwist began to reflect on her life. She never imagined that Twilight would want to be friends with her after everything she did at the Friendship Festival. But Twilight was the princess of friendship, she should have expected something like this. Of course, in the beginning she didn’t understand why Twilight wanted to be friends since she had captured her, but Twilight said she wasn’t to blame. They had then become great friends in the beginning, but Twilight started to show feelings that a marefriend used to show. Until a moment came when Twilight asked her if she wanted to be her marefriend. Fizzlepop accepted with joy, as she also started to develop loving feelings for Twilight as well.
Her thoughts then went to Novo. Despite what Twilight told her today, she still felt sad and guilty about stealing the pearl from Novo. She wanted to apologize to Novo, but she feared that Novo wouldn’t forgive her. What was she going to do?
When morning came, Fizzlepop opened her eyes, lifted her head from the pillow to stretch. She looked to the right and didn’t see Twilight on the bed. She was worried. Where was Twilight?
She got out of bed, put on her cloak and left the room looking for Twilight around the castle. She intended to search the living room, until she saw Twilight eat pancakes on the table. Fizzlepop calmed down. Good. For a moment, she thought Twilight had abandoned her. She approached the table to eat the pancakes.
Twilight heard footsteps, she looked back and smiled when she saw that it was just Fizzlepop. “Good morning, Fizzlepop. Sleep well?”
“Yes, Twilight. Although I woke up without you, I sleep well,” replied Fizzlepop Berrytwist as she smiled. But when she remembered when she had stolen the pearl from Novo, her smile fell.
Twilight Sparkle, noting that Fizzlepop Berrytwist was from happy to sad, said, “Fizzlepop? Why you’re sad?”
Fizzlepop Berrytwist looked at Twilight Sparkle. “I still feel guilty about stealing the pearl.”
Something came to Twilight Sparkle’s mind. “Why don’t you apologize to her?”
Fizzlepop Berrytwist was surprised. “But, she must still be very angry with me. If she was still mad because you tried to steal the pearl, I imagine she must still hold a grudge against me yet.”
Twilight Sparkle got up from the chair. “Fizzlepop, you know what I’m a princess, don’t you?”
“You are the princess of friendship. Why?” asked Fizzlepop Berrytwist as she was confused.
“Because it is my duty as a princess of friendship to not let any friend down, always helping others and most importantly... spreading the magic of friendship,” replied Twilight as she smiled.
“I know that, Twilight. But how can that make Novo’s bitterness go away from me?” Fizzlepop Berrytwist was nothing more than confused. How did Twilight intend to help her with that?
“I’m going to write a letter to Queen Novo to come here to talk to you, but I won’t tell her your name, so you and Novo can apologize to each other!” Twilight excitedly announced as she hit her hooves.
“Apologize?” Fizzlepop looked concerned. “Twilight, she has practically been angry with me since I stole the pearl. She won’t forgive me.”
“Come on, Fizzlepop. This is your chance to tell Queen Novo about how sorry you are and how much you’ve changed,” said Twilight Sparkle.
Fizzlepop Berrytwist’s ears drooped. “I still don’t know if it’s a good idea...”
“Fizzlepop, if Queen Novo forgave me for stealing her pearl, I’m sure she will forgive you too.”
Fizzlepop Berrytwist smiled hopefully. “Do you really think so?”
“Yes, Fizzlepop Berrytwist,” smiled Twilight. “So? Can I write the letter to Queen Novo?”
Fizzlepop started to think should she let Twilight write the letter? Part of her didn’t want to because she feared that Novo might not have forgiven her, but partly because she believed that Novo might have forgiven her, since it had been years since she tried to steal the pearl.
But she decided to trust Twilight Sparkle, her ears went up. “Yes. You can write the letter to Queen Novo.”
Twilight Sparkle brought out a scroll, ink and a quill before starting to write. When she was finished, she rolled up the parchment and screamed. “Spike!”
Spike ran to Twilight Sparkle. “Yes, Twilight?”
“Send this letter to Queen Novo,” Twilight replied as she handed the scroll to Spike.
Spike took the scroll with his paws. “OK.”
Fizzlepop Berrytwist and Twilight Sparkle watched Spike out of his sight. When he left, Twilight Sparkle looked at Fizzlepop Berrytwist. “Would you like to read while Queen Novo isn’t here?”
“I think it’s a good idea, love.” smiled Fizzlepop Berrytwist.
In Seaquestria, Novo was sitting on her throne, watching her subjects. She started to remember the day she was summoned to Canterlot at the request of the three princesses, she couldn’t help but agree with them that she was being selfish with Twilight. Because in the beginning, Twilight had made it clear that her intention was to save Equestria from Storm King. It was a pity that she had been rude to Twilight that day.
But now it has changed. She and Twilight were practically friends now. They didn’t see each other so much, but they already considered themselves friends because they started to get along.
Suddenly, a scroll appeared on Novo’s right side. Novo began to wonder if it would be a letter from the three princesses again. Novo picked up the parchment with a hoof and began to read. “Hi, New Queen. Are you too busy today? If not, could you go to Ponyville? My marefriend would like to chat with you. Signed Twilight Sparkle.”
When Novo finished reading, she went to the surface. When it reached the surface, its fins turned to hooves.
”I wonder who the Twilight marefriend is and what she wants to talk to me about.”
Twilight and Fizzlepop were reading in bed. The book they read was about the Starswirl story.
Although Fizzlepop is happy now, she was nervous about Novo’s arrival. She knew she agreed to let Twilight write the letter for Novo, but she started to wonder if it was a really good idea. Should she have let Twilight write the letter?
She looked at Twilight and saw her reading. She was nervous about seeing Novo. Because after all, she was the first pony to steal the pearl, but she didn’t do it for good reason, unlike Twilight.
Suddenly, she heard a door slam, it wasn’t from the bedroom door, but from the castle entrance door.
“I’ll be right back, Fizzlepop Berrytwist.” Twilight Sparkle got out of bed and went to the front door.
She opened the door with her magic and smiled when she saw Novo. “Queen Novo!”
“Twilight Sparkle. How long. How are you?” asked Novo as she smiled.
“I’m fine,” replied Twilight. “Comes. You can go in.”
Novo did what Twilight asked. Twilight closed the door when Novo entered and went to Novo.
“How are things at Seaquestria, Queen Novo?” asked Twilight Sparkle.
“They’re fine, Twilight. Now, there aren’t that many Seaponies, but that doesn’t mean that there are few,” replied Novo. “What’s your Marefriend’s name?”
“Fizzlepop Berrytwist,” replied Twilight. “You don’t care that you and she talk in my room, do you?”
“No. I don’t care that I Fizzlepop Berrytwist talk in your room,” replied Novo. “How’s your life?”
“It’s good too. Fizzlepop Berrytwist stayed with me last night after you left,” replied Twilight Sparkle. “And I founded a Friendship school in Ponyville for ponies and creatures to learn about friendship.”
“Silverstream told me about your school. She even befriended five creatures: a female Changeling, an Earth Pony, a Griffon, a dragon and a Yak female,” replied Novo. “I never imagined that you would have done two things that involved friendship. First a festival, then a school. You really are different from Tempest Shadow.”
Twilight smiled. As much as she liked the compliment, inside she felt guilty. Since Novo was saying that Twilight was good while Fizzlepop Berrytwist was mean.
Twilight and Novo entered the room. Novo started looking at the decor of the room. “Your room is beautiful, Twilight.”
“Thanks, Novo,” said Twilight as she smiled.
When Novo finished looking at the decor, she looked ahead and saw Fizzlepop. She stopped walking and was shocked to see Fizzlepop. Fizzlepop’s ears went down as she looked at Novo in fear.
Twilight Sparkle realized that Novo didn’t speak and didn’t move a muscle. She started to worry about Novo. “Queen Novo? Are you okay?”
When Novo recovered from the shock, she shook her head because she couldn’t believe what she was seeing. She looked at Twilight as she was confused and maybe a little angry because she couldn’t believe that her friend was dating somepony who was evil before. “Twilight, do you date Tempest Shadow?”
“Yes. And her real name is Fizzlepop Berrytwist. ” corrected Twilight Sparkle.
“But why do her want to talk to me?” asked Novo, now looking at Fizzlepop Berrytwist.
Fizzlepop Berrytwist was now more nervous than before, she knew that now would be the time, she just hoped everything would work out. “Queen Novo, do you remember when I went to your kingdom and asked you if I could stay in your kingdom?”
Novo look at Fizzlepop, and was angry just thinking about it. “How could I not forget?”
Fizzlepop Berrytwist was bothered, but continued. “You remember when I tried to steal your pearl?”
“Of course I remember. You were the first pony that tried to steal my pearl,” said Novo, still angry.
“I understand why you are mad at me, Queen Novo. But I’m really sorry I tried to steal your pearl. Could you forgive me?” asked Fizzlepop Berrytwist with hopes that Novo would forgive her.
Novo was not surprised by the phrase “Sorry.” Seriously that Fizzlepop Berrytwist was apologizing? “Why should I be sorry? You wanted to use my pearl for evil reasons.”
“I know. I haven’t really been a good pony before. But it is because I had broken my horn, I really wanted it to be fixed,” said Fizzlepop Berrytwist as she looked down. Twilight, noting Fizzlepop’s sadness, went to her to comfort her.
“And how did you think your horn would be fixed? Stealing my pearl?!” shouted Novo as she was angry.
“Novo, please don’t yell at Fizzlepop. She is trying to explain why she did this. Let her keep talking, please,” said Twilight as she comforted Fizzlepop Berrytwist.
Novo took a deep breath to try to calm herself. It worked a little, but she was still mad at Fizzlepop Berrytwist. “Keep going.”
Fizzlepop Berrytwist looked at the ground. “Storm King realized my sadness that I had lost my horn. He came up to me and said that if I joined him, he would fix my horn. I innocently believed it and joined him. My name was changed from Fizzlepop Berrytwist to Tempest Shadow. Until he asked me to steal your pearl… ”
Novo’s angry expression changed to neutral. So Fizzlepop Berrytwist wasn’t to blame? Was she forced by the Storm King?
“I really didn’t want to do this, but his words helped me to gain the courage to do this,” Fizzlepop looked at Novo. “Novo, I know that you must think I’m naive for believing in his words, but you have to understand that the loss of my horn resulted in the distance of my two best friends, mainly because they were invited to go to Canterlot to join Princess Celestia’s school for Gifted Unicorns.”
Fizzlepop Berrytwist lay on the floor as she cried. Twilight lay on the floor to comfort her marefriend. “I couldn’t go because my horn was broken and it resulted in my best friends getting away.”
Novo was only watching this scene sadly while she reflected. Novo never imagined that Fizzlepop had reason to join Storm King. When she found out that Fizzlepop had tried to steal the pearl, she thought that Fizzlepop was an evil mare who wanted to use the pearl for her benefit. But it was actually the opposite. Fizzlepop was just a misunderstood mare who got emotionally hurt by the loss of her only two best friends.
Novo approached Fizzlepop sadly. “Fizzlepop, I’m sorry for being mad at you and thinking you were mean from the start.”
“Why are you apologizing?” tears kept coming out of Fizzlepop’s eyes. “It was my fault for being naive for thinking that Storm King would fix my horn.”
“Fizzlepop, please. Don’t blame yourself, ”said Twilight, already sad.
“But I still feel guilty about joining him. If I hadn’t joined him, none of this would have happened... ” said Fizzlepop Berrytwist.
“The fault for all this is Storm King. He used you,” said Novo.
“But it was also mine because I believed he was going to fix my horn...”
“Fizzlepop, look at me,” said Twilight Sparkle. Fizzlepop looked at Twilight, still with tears in her eyes. “Do you trust me?”
“Yes. But…” replied Fizzlepop as she tried to explain, but was interrupted by Twilight Sparkle.
“So trust me that you aren’t to blame for this,” said Twilight Sparkle.
Fizzlepop Berrytwist looked uncertain. Should she trust Twilight that she was not to blame? She didn’t even know anymore… “I don’t know, Twilight. Because it was my fault that I lost the horn, that I entered the cave and… ”
“No,” interrupted Twilight. “It wasn’t your fault, Fizzlepop. You didn’t know that Ursa Minor lived in that cave. It was Ursa Minor’s fault that caused all this.”
“So am I innocent in the story?” asked Fizzlepop Berrytwist, now surprised but still with some tears in her eyes.
“Yes, Fizzlepop. Ever since you told me your story of why you joined Storm King, I knew you were innocent,” replied Twilight as she smiled.
“But I turned the other princesses into stones and even captured you...”
“Fizzlepop. I already said. Don’t blame yourself. You were being forced.”
Fizzlepop Berrytwist got up from the floor. “So, won’t you stop being my Marefriend?”
“Because of your past? No. Never,” replied Twilight, still smiling.
Fizzlepop Berrytwist embraced Twilight Sparkle. Twilight returned the hug. When they finished the hug, they looked at Novo.
Novo tried to apologize again. “Fizzlepop, as you didn’t answer if you were going to forgive me, I’m going to ask you again: I’m sorry for being mad at you and for thinking you were mean from the start. Could you forgive me?”
Fizzlepop Berrytwist smiled at Novo. “Yes, Queen Novo.”
Twilight smiled at Fizzlepop and Novo, who now hugged. Twilight was happy that Fizzlepop had forgiven Novo, even though Novo was rude to her even though she tried to steal the pearl in the past.
When they left the embrace, Novo said, “I’m going. I am happy to know that we were able to understand each other.”
“Me too,” said Fizzlepop Berrytwist.
Fizzlepop and Twilight watched Novo leave the room and the castle with a smile on their faces.
