All things considered, Starlight should be imprisoned somewhere. She should be banished to the moon, in Tartarus, maybe, or locked away in some mirror. Starlight kept this in mind when Twilight told her to clean the castle. To reiterate, the entire castle. It really could be worse.
Starlight noticed that Twilight was unusually fastidious today. Usually, Twilight prioritized castle cleaning according to room use. The Council Room, for example, was cleaned about once a week while the Guest bedrooms were scheduled for about once a month. Some rooms, like the secret room that Twilight sauntered into for days at a time, were never truly cleaned. Reorganized, yes, but not given a thorough scrubbing down.
“Starlight!” Twilight called, “Are you almost done with the hallway, yet?
Starlight set down her broom, and turned to look at her approaching teacher/friend.
“I’m almost done,” Starlight, “If you don’t mind me asking, Twilight, why the sudden need to clean the castle?”
“I didn’t tell you?” Twilight said, tilting her head, “I’m inviting some friends over tomorrow!”
“Twilight, If it’s just the girls, I don’t think they’ll mind the dust,” Starlight snarked.
“It’s not just the girls,” Twilight replied as she charged her horn. “Let me show you something.”
Both Starlight and Twilight were engulfed in a magical aura, instantly teleporting them from one hallway to another. This one was lined with doors each marked with a different pony’s cutie mark.
“This,” Twilight announced, “Is the Unicorn Wing!”
The two started walking through the hallway, Starlight admiring the doors on their way through.
“I’ve learned something this past year, Starlight.” Twilight said, “I learned that I did have friends in Canterlot, before I was sent to Ponyville. It’s kind of embarrassing to admit this, being the Princess of Friendship and all, but I couldn’t remember their names, much less the fact that I had them.”
Starlight raised a hoof and opened her mouth only to put it back down. Friends though they might be, that didn’t change the fact that Princess Twilight Sparkle held Starlight Glimmer’s fate in her hoof. She may have been able to out-power Twilight, but Nightmare Moon was similarly able to out-power Celestia.
“So,” Twilight continued, “to keep contact with them, I’ve set up a fun three-day weekend for all of us to get together, catch up and study!”
“That is very much a ‘you’ Idea, Twilight,” Starlight chuckled.
“Maybe, but we were all students at the School for Gifted Unicorns,” Twilight said as Starlight gave a muted grunt, “so I’m sure an exchange of ideas between friends can be at least somewhat fun.”
Starlight walked through the hallway and stopped at two doors emblazoned with two cutie marks she didn’t recognize from Twilight’s Canterlot posse.
“Who are these two?” Starlight asked.
Twilight looked at the two doors, “Well the magic wand is for Trixie Lulamoon, she’s a bit of a blowhard but she’s a great illusionist!”
“How did you meet?”
Twilight coughed, “I, uh, upstaged her street show, and then beat her in a magic duel when she vowed revenge.”
“Do you make friends with everypony that causes trouble for you?” Starlight asked.
“Well either that or we turn them into stone, or banish them to Tartarus” Twilight said with a smile.
“Uhhh... “ Starlight vocalized, trying to process Twilight’s dissonant serenity, “What about the other one?”
“Sunset Shimmer?” Twilight asked and then went into quiet contemplation, “Starlight, I… Need to show you something else.”
Twilight teleported the two of them to another hallway this time, in front of a large double doorway.
“First of all, I want to apologize.” Twilight said as Starlight tilted her head, “I didn’t want to show this to you because I didn’t trust you with that information. That was unfair of me.”
This piqued Starlight’s curiosity. Twilight trusted her with a great many things, including some magic spells that seemed to fit more with world domination than anything. The “Want it, Need it” spell gave Starlight nightmares. This must have been something dire to keep her in the dark about it.
Twilight opened the doors, “ Starlight, this is the crystal mirror.”
Starlight stared into the room in awe. The room looked like a laboratory, with various bits of machinery scattered throughout. The centerpiece of it all was a large mirror resting on some steps. Surrounding the mirror was indescribable machinery. Tubes and wires were connected to the mirror in various places. To the left of the mirror was a stand that held a book with Celestia’s cutie mark.
“So on top of being a princess, you're a mad scientist,” Starlight drawled.
“This mirror was meant to be a window to other worlds, used by Starswirl The Bearded, of course.” Twilight sighed, “ Again, I’m sorry I kept this from you, but I didn’t want the mirror to be abused.”
Starlight stared at Twilight. “I don’t know what’s weirder: the fact that you kept this room from me, or the fact that you have two magical artifacts just lying around the castle.”
Twilight just smiled, all her worries were lifted by that statement, “This mirror leads to a world that is similar but completely different at the same time, Sunset Shimmer lives in that world now.”
“Why?” Starlight asked.
“Er… It’s a long story, but to put it simply, She had a falling-out with Celestia,” Twilight said.
“Friendship is weird,” Starlight stated.
“I can’t really argue with that,” Twilight said, “But it’s weird in the most wonderful of ways.”
Suddenly a large bang was heard from outside of the castle. Starlight jumped a little while Twilight just sighed and teleported both her and Starlight to the castle’s entrance, where a large wagon was waiting.
Suddenly, some heavy jazz music started to play. Starlight tried to look around for the source of the music while Twilight remained straight-faced. The Wagon then exploded open into a stage, smoke machines spraying everywhere to obscure it for a few tension building seconds. The smoke dissipated revealing the stage: The backdrop was a rustic city by the bay. The edges of the stage were decorated with golden masks and colorful feathers. Smoke erupted from the center of the stage, revealing The Great and Powerful Trixie.
“Watch and be amazed as you witness the mistress of illusions: The Great and Powerful TRRRRRIXIE!”
Starlight started to raise a hoof before Twilight lowered it for her. Trixie cleared her throat.
“Hello, Twilight Sparkle, or should I call you ‘Princess’?”
“Hi, Trixie,” Twilight greeted, “Trying for a Mare-di Gras thing now?”
“Trixie thought it was a good idea to revisit her roots”
“Wait, you’re from Neigh Orleans?”
“Nothing more shall be spoken of the subject! Rather, Trixie wishes to be introduced to her new fan.” Trixie indicated Starlight, who stood there with her mouth open, trying to process just what had happened.
“Oh, right,” Twilight said as she pointed to Starlight, “Trixie, meet my new student, Starlight Glimmer. Starlight, this is the Great and Powerful Trixie”
Starlight didn’t respond, her mind still was stalling. She wasn't even looking in Trixie’s direction anymore, her eyes were just transfixed on the stage.
“Well, It seems like Trixie has captivated another audience!”
“More like Starlight has never seen a pony enter like that,” Twilight snarked.
“Hm, Twilight Sparkle hasn’t tired of ruining other ponies fun,” Trixie said as she kicked the wagon, causing the Stage to fold in on itself, startling Starlight from her stupor.
“Only when Equestria is threatened,” Twilight said evenly.
Trixie grunted as she took her bag from the wagon and walked with Twilight and Starlight into the castle.
“So,” Trixie started, “Tell Trixie more about yourself.”
“Um… Well… “ Starlight stammered trying to summarize her story.
“There will be time for introductions when everypony’s here. It’ll rip the bandage off all at once” Twilight said.
“Hmph… Trixie guesses that’s fair enough, When is everypony coming, anyway?”
“Tomorrow,” Twilight said, “you’re the only one who came early.”
Trixie scoffed, “Early, late, It’s all the same to Trixie. Traveling by hoof doesn’t grant the luxury of keeping track of the passing days. Trixie does wonder how you sent her invitation.”
“It’s sort of complicated. I’ll tell you about it while I give you the tour of the castle,” Twilight started to explain, “Starlight, do you mind tidying up some more?”
“Not at all,” Starlight said, “I think some chores would help clear my head.”
Starlight picked a broom up and started sweeping. All things considered, she really deserved worse, but based on what she had learned today, so did a lot of ponies. Forgiveness wasn’t the word she would use to describe how Twilight treated her redemption. Trust seemed better, Twilight trusted ponies to not turn on her. Starlight still didn’t know that much about Trixie, but what she did know is that Trixie, like herself was Twilight’s friend, despite something that had happened in her past. Starlight couldn’t help but wonder if the rest of these guests would have similar stories.