“Princess Celestia? There's something I'd like to talk to you about, if you're not too busy.” Twilight Sparkle stood at the foot of the dais, forelegs bent and head bowed low, her hooves dragging a nervous furrow in the long red carpet beneath her, the muffled clop of striking fabric on stone. The court’s business for the day had concluded, including Twilight's meeting with the diarchs, and now that Luna was gone, she took the opportunity to intrude on her former mentor’s strict schedule.

“Twilight, please,” Celestia laughed out, beckoning with a hoof, “Not so formal! It's hardly appropriate for your station. Join me up here, we'll have a conversation as friends.”

Twilight bit down on the elation that shot through her. Celestia’s friend! Her equal! But bigger concerns clouded her mind as she climbed each daunting step to the throne. The diarch gave a conspiratorial wink as she slid Luna’s cushion off her throne and onto the floor in front of Celestia's own, and she waved towards it gently to direct Twilight over. Twilight stood staring at it for much too long, then slowly, carefully sank down onto it, as if afraid of breaking it.

“So! What's on your mind, my little pony? It must be quite serious to come to me and not your friends in Ponyville.” The princess’s voice was jovial and comforting. It didn't mix well with the anxiety still crawling beneath Twilight's skin.

“How do you know if you've found your special somepony?” Twilight's head was still downturned, eyes tracing the complex embroideries of the cushion beneath her.

Celestia's laugh was full and gentle, which didn't stop it from stinging. “Twilight! This old mare has been ‘off the market' for most of our recorded history! I'm afraid I'm not the best pony to ask a question like that. Shouldn't you speak to Princess Cadance about matters of the heart?”

Twilight nodded, “She was… Less helpful than I hoped.” Her mind lingered on the painful details. The suspicion and concern, the argument that broke out, short and fierce. They had both made their apologies, but not every bridge had been mended yet. “Okay, different question. How do you know you can trust a pony who's hurt you before?” She grimaced, building up to the next question, “How do you know you can trust Princess Luna after everything she did? How can you be certain?”

Twilight glanced up, immediately fearful of her words. Celestia's contented expression had faded into a mix of concentration and concern. One broad wing extended to cover half the world from Twilight's view, hovering close but not quite touching her. It was comforting anyways. “You can't be.” Celestia said simply after a moment, “Some ponies make mistakes. Other ponies show you their true colors. Other ponies still have simply lost their way. All we can do is have faith in our fellow ponies, and choose our own paths with wisdom and kindness.”

Twilight nodded, relief washing through her. That was the sort of advice you got from a princess with a millennium of knowledge behind her. Of course, Twilight didn't have a millennium of knowledge, so she didn't feel entirely confident with that advice, but it was a good direction.

Celestia beamed again as Twilight perked up, “So, might I ask who the special somepony is? One of the Elements? Or did you meet a nice stallion? I'm sure they're a very lucky pony, whoever they are.”

Twilight hesitated, then breathed deep. After everything the mare had done, the grief she’d caused and the joy she'd brought, Twilight trusted her. “Princess Celestia, I think I'm in love with–”

“Starlight! Ohhhh Starliiiiight!” Trixie waggled a hoof haphazardly in her direction, catching the eyes and ears of every pony in the town square.

Starlight Glimmer sighed and rolled her eyes. She had been trotting down the path to the square for a couple minutes now, and had seen Trixie and her ostentatious hat at the table for just about that entire walk. Starlight knew Trixie knew that too, but the unicorn would likely combust if she went too long without being the center of everypony's attention.

“Hey Trix, how's tricks?” Starlight greeted her as she settled into her seat and floated a menu into view.

Trixie gave her a slightly puzzled frown, “You should know how my tricks are, you taught them to me.”

“That's not what that- It's an expression, it- Ah forget it,” Starlight gave up midway through the sentence, taking the spare moment to murmur her order to their waiter. “How have you been lately, Trixie?”

“Trixie is doing just grand!” The showpony announced far too loudly for their seating arrangement, once again drawing looks from nearby, “Especially since her best friend in all of Equestria showed up to lunch!”

Starlight narrowed her eyes, “You say that like there's a chance I wouldn't.”

“We both know how busy you've been with your new marefriend, I wouldn't want to burden you.” Trixie reclined and took a not-so-casual sip from the straw of her water as the glass hovered near her head.

Starlight rested her head in her hooves, “Trix, if you've got a problem, can we talk about it instead of doing this?”

Trixie dropped her pose, settling normally back into her seat and frowning, “Fiiiine, we can do it the friendship-y way. You're spending a lot of time with Twilight, and I know she doesn't exactly love that we're friends, so I'm just… the worried and a bit lonely Trixie.”

Starlight's gaze softened at Trixie’s rare vulnerability, the mask of her persona sliding away, “Oh Trixie, you're still my best friend in all of Equestria, not even Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship could change that if she tried.” She reached a hoof across the table to offer some comfort, “And I'm really sorry about missing lunch last week. I'll say it again if you want, I'll apologize every day for a whole moon.”

“It'd be a start,” Trixie sniffed imperiously, the act returning a bit as the unicorn brightened up, “But you better have a good excuse, too.”

“I had to fix a mess I made. And then fix the mess I made after I'd cleaned up the first mess. It's not like we were off frolicking in meadows.” Trixie threw her a pointed look. “Okay, we weren't frolicking in meadows when I missed lunch with you. That Hayburger was pretty important, it turns out!”

It was Trixie's turn to roll her eyes, “Spare me the details, please. Trixie is just glad to keep her great and powerful assistant. You're a hard one to replace, you know.”

“Trust me, I'm not going anywhere. Besides, I don't even wanna think about what Twi would do if she found out I was neglecting my best friend just for her.” She smiled sheepishly, thankful for the arrival of their drinks. She took a sip of her tea, grimaced, floated in a sugar cube, sipped again and this time seemed satisfied.

“Where is your princess, anyways?”

The phrasing caught Starlight out. Your princess. The way that made her lightheaded, a tingle of elation in her gut, wasn't important right now. She filed that thought away for later. “Oh you know how it is. Princess business. She said the meetings might be a bit longer today but that's only if you're already used to how long they are in the first place.”

Trixie nodded, apparently satisfied with her allotted time. There was a lull as they sipped their drinks and chatter turned to unimportant subjects, their food still yet to arrive. Suddenly, Trixie made a grandiose clearing of her throat.

“You know, Princess of Friendship shacking up with her pet ex-villain,” Trixie's tone was casual, but her face wore a devious smirk, “That's a pretty big headline, really a fine example of her work. Are you sure she's not just–”

“– using you?”

Twilight swallowed hard, her mind a flurry of racing thoughts. It wasn't possible, was it? Of course it was, her spiraling brain reminded her, if anypony could pull off a scheme like that, it'd be Starlight. Possible wasn't probable though, and definitely not certain. How did it come to this? Didn't Celestia just tell her to have faith in her fellow ponies? Where was that faith now? She couldn't hold onto any one idea for too long before the next distressing thought rammed its way through. “I… Don't understand?” Was all that she managed to croak out.

Celestia loomed over her, the pity on her face boring into Twilight, overwhelming her wits. There was comfort in that look, hearkening back to bygone days of mentor and student, when everything was simple and doubtless, when the word of the sole Princess of Equestria was unquestionable law to a tiny foal. “Oh Twilight, this isn't an accusation, I just want you to understand how this might look to some ponies. You hold a very prominent station now and sometimes we must consider the image of such a public decision. Starlight's status as both a former villain and your star protege are well known, and taking this next step may have some ponies asking uncomfortable questions about her sudden… Meteoric advancement.”

It made sense. Of course it made sense. That timid, uncertain part of Twilight longed to accept this more than anything. Life would be so much simpler if the decision was made for her. It was nothing she hadn't already thought about herself, over and over and over again, and didn't Celestia know best?

The part of Twilight that had grown and learned and experienced so much friendship and hardship since those nostalgic golden days couldn't accept that simplicity. That part of her bristled, indignance and rebellion starting a low simmer just beneath her panicked exterior.

Celestia's hoof on her shoulder felt gentle and cruel, “It's your decision to make, Twilight, but as your former mentor, I would ask you to reconsider.”

“So much for a second chance.” Twilight scoffed miserably.

“We both know just how well Starlight's second chance has gone, she's a model student and absolutely a credit to your lessons. I would never deny you that. But if you go through with this, every aspect of your life and every decision you rule upon will come under scrutiny by ponies who can't help themselves from wondering ‘what if!’” Celestia’s wing edged a hair closer, brushing ever so softly against Twilight's flank.

Twilight shook her head, and Celestia snapped back like she'd been hit. She opened her mouth to say something more, but when Twilight met her gaze, the Princess of Friendship’s eyes were full of fire. It wasn't anger that broke through, but sheer stern loyalty. “I'm sorry, Princess Celestia, but I just can't accept that. Starlight needed to be shown the right path, but she walked each step with her own four hooves, the whole way to becoming the mare she is today. We owe her a real second chance, not glorified parole. Denying how I feel about her just because some ponies might not like it… I won't betray her like that, and I won't betray myself.”

Celestia was leaning away from her now, wing tucked back in place, her eyes fearful rather than piteous, “Please Twilight, you don't understand the court how I do, the rumors and the suspicious looks. These things touch even the Princess on the throne, we can't simply disregard what some ponies might think!”

Twilight stood from her seat. She was still dwarfed by the ancient alicorn, but raising herself up to her fullest height imbued her with confidence. “You told me to have faith in my fellow pony, and I do. They follow the example we set, and the example I want to set is that you don't compromise on your true feelings. Celestia, I truly love Starlight, and I think she truly–”

“– loves me too.” Starlight Glimmer had just finished recounting her tale of the past week, including all the romantic parts Trixie was nearly begging her to skip. The magician made a face, sticking out her tongue, and Starlight rolled her eyes in reply.

“Bravo, bravo!” Came a voice that was neither her nor Trixie, undeniably distinct and clapping its claws together, “Such a touching story, Starlight! Ohh yes, we do so much for our second chances, don't we just?”

“Oh hello, Discord, what brings you to town?” Starlight was acutely aware her polite greeting was more than a bit forced. Discord was a friend of a sort, but his unexpected visits were rarely the most pleasant.

“Well I stopped in to say hello to Fluttershy, of course, but I'd forgotten she was away this week! And what with your princess seeking sagely wisdom from my princess, I don't have many other friends to drop in on!” One of Discord's eyes manifested in Starlight's periphery and gave her an exaggerated wink, blinking its way back out of existence. Trixie barked out a laugh while Discord continued, “Luckily for me, it seems the Reformed Villain Club is having a get-together today. My invitation must have gotten lost in the mail.”

“Discord, the Ponyville Post Office won't even deliver to you anymore. They got tired of their mailponies showing up three days before they left with horns where their wings should be,” She shook her head, a bit exasperated, but the corners of her mouth couldn't help but tug up into a smile, “What are we supposed to do? Walk outside and shout ‘hey Discord, lunch at noon, don't be late!’”

“Well you hardly need to go outside for it.” The draconequus sniffed with mock indignance.

Before their banter could continue, they were interrupted, “Trixie wants to know what the princesses were talking about.”

“Well I certainly don't know, that would be eavesdropping, which definitely isn't very friendly. Luckily, a little birdie told me- Oh, hold on,” a small bird with Discord’s head, much too large for its body, popped into existence and began to whisper in Discord's ear. “Oh,” he stage-whispered, “How fascinating.” The bird blinked away and he looked back to the table, “Well girls, the little birdie tells me their conversation has gotten a bit tense since Princess Celestia suggested that a relationship with a reformed villain might not be the peak of court decorum.”

“What!” Starlight stood, hooves clopping hard on the table, rattling dishes and empty cups. That drew the attention of the crowd again, eyes on her instead of Trixie.

A few beats later, Trixie remarked off-hoofedly, “What I wouldn't give to be a fly on the wall for that conversation. Just imagine meek little Twilight Sparkle, ‘Oh yes Princess, of course I'll break up with her Princess, anything you say!’ Ha!”

The magician had the decency to at least look contrite as she saw Starlight's face, bottom lip quivering and eyes starting to glisten wetly. She shot a nasty look at Discord, as if her words were his fault, “Not that she actually would say that, of course…”

“You know, Trixie, you might be smarter than I thought,” Discord sniped, “Fly on the wall… Now that's not a half-bad idea. Not that we would, of course, being good reformed non-scheming ponies or otherwise.”

As one, Trixie and Discord stared at Starlight, the only one amongst them who might have a genuine moral compunction. However, she was still on the cliff's edge of full blown panic, and not thinking entirely properly, “Well I'm not sure if it could hurt anything, but…”

Discord clapped, claw to paw, and smiled, “That settles it then, it's truly an opportunity we couldn't afford to miss!” He snapped and the world began to warp around them.

“Hang on,” Starlight stammered as the chaos magic began its work, “I didn't actually agree! Discord! D–”

“–iscord?”

“I don't expect our ponies to entirely… Understand Discord. He is not the most comprehensible creature.” Celestia held herself upright and tall, regal and absolutely rigid. Posturing, but for her own confidence.

“And yet you expect them to accept him, right? To treat him with the respect and friendship anypony- anycreature in Equestria deserves.” Twilight held her ground in front of the princess, one front hoof placed just a step forward from the rest.

“Well, certainly,” Celestia seemed to hesitate, not sure where she was being led.

“And if he took a romantic interest in some creature?”

Celestia forced a laugh, attempting to deflect, “I'm really not sure what the prospects for a creature like Discord would even look like, the market for ageless manifestations of chaos must surely be worse than that of a millennium old princess.”

Twilight gave her a flat stare. “Celestia, you could show up to the next Gala hoof-in-claw with him and it would be news for about a week, until the Canterlot rumor mill got bored of it,” She did her best not to register the odd flash of emotion that crossed Celestia’s face. Months later, she would tell herself she just imagined it. More important thoughts held her attention right now, “I don't know what things were like a thousand years ago, but I do know Equestria has changed a lot since your day. I think you should have more faith in what our fellow ponies can accept.”

Celestia raised a hoof to her chin, her posture beginning to soften, “I suppose you may be right that these are more enlightened times.”

“If they can accept that the manifestation of pure chaos is actually a pretty cool guy when you get to know him, I feel confident they can handle this,” Twilight grinned, her own stance relaxing back. She dropped her rear onto the cushion and breathed a sigh.

“I really must caution you there may be hardship on this path, but you've reminded me there often is when ponies seek to do the right thing. If there is anypony I trust to rise to the challenge, it's you, Twilight.” Celestia proffered a hoof, then hesitated. Twilight darted forward and grabbed it between both of her own hooves, tugging it back between them. She stared up at Celestia with unbridled joy.

“Even when it gets hard, I'm never alone. I have a wonderful mentor to guide me, the most amazing friends in Equestria to support me, and now…” She swallowed. In that moment, everything felt like it clicked into place, falling out of fantasy and into the reality of it, “Now I'll have the most amazing mare in all the world at my flank through everything. I hadn't even thought about how important she'd become to me, and now I don't know if I'll ever stop.” She cleared her throat with an embarrassed look. She had to stop there or else she'd start to gush.

Celestia flared her wings and enveloped Twilight in a hug, drowning her world in downy white. It was soft and warm, and Twilight was certain everything would be alright.

”Yuck!” Was the first word spoken by the trio, Trixie managing to look as grumpy as ever despite the whiplash of the fading chaos magic returning to them their forms and locations. “I thought we'd get something exciting, not all mushy and lovey-dovey.”

She put her hoof firmly in her mouth as she once again noticed Starlight's face. The unicorn was still standing, hooves down on the table. Apparently flies aren't much for complex emotion as every feeling washed through Starlight's brain all at once. She wanted to laugh. She wanted to cry. Somehow, she did neither. Her gaze fell on Discord, who was helping himself to hayfries off both of their plates. “You…” She croaked around the lump in her throat, “You did that on purpose, Discord, that wasn't a coincidence.”

He held a claw to his chest in mock offense, doing his best to look aghast, “Now Starlight, I thought I was clear earlier, I'm out of the scheming business! That also includes deception, sleight-of-claw, and of course skullduggery.” He chomped down a few more hayfries, stole a sip from Starlight's cup of tea, and then looked at his bare wrist with purpose, “Well would you look at the time. I have an appointment to keep with dear Fluttershy, and I just hate to keep her waiting.”

Trixie shot him a look and cut in, “I thought you said Fluttershy was out of town.”

“Oh, did I now? Well, you know how it is, the whole honesty bit doesn't come easy to a creature like me! But we live and learn, Trixie, we live and learn. Now I really must be off,” His whole body went transparent and began to fade from existence, one claw remaining behind to give a casual wave as his ethereal voice floated to them on the wind, “Tata, girls!”

Starlight fell back into her seat, looking worn and distant, despite the elation filling her to the brim. Discord had that sort of effect on ponies. She reached a hoof out to her plate, eyes open but unseeing, and found she came up short on hayfries. Her plate was emptied, and she hadn't had a single one for herself. The shell cracked, and she began to laugh, and laugh, and laugh.

“She really loves me, Trix!”

Even Trixie, who had been angrily muttering about her own empty plate, couldn't help but share in her best friend's joy. She looked up with a smile and nodded, “I guess she really does.”

Starlight couldn't wait for her princess to get home.

Author's Note

I hope you enjoyed. This fic is in the same continuity as my previous fic, What She Deserves, so if you enjoyed this then please check that out for more.