"I think I'm starting to understand you Twilight Sparkle."
Twilight looked up from her plate hopefully. They had mostly finished eating, Twilight was just debating whether or not she dared challenge the last slice of cake. Trixie had been impressed again. Apparently all Twilight had done was tell the staff that her "friend" had missed dinner and within ten minutes one of the most lavish feasts Trixie had ever seen had been brought in for them. There had been enough food to feed several ponies, and in her previous state Trixie had taken that as a challenge. Due to this, their conversation during the meal had been sparse and mostly revolving around how good the food was. Twilight's cake was the last bit of food left and as she looked up at Trixie she noticed her eyeing it longingly. She engulfed it in her magic and floated it over to the other mare. Smiling, Trixie sliced a large chunk off with her fork and devoured it as if it was still her first slice. It was in fact her third.
She noticed Twilight staring at her expectantly and swallowed the bite quickly. "You're kind of a spoiled brat."
Twilight's face fell at these words, she had been hoping her gesture had warmed the other unicorn to her some but apparently that was not the case. Remembering what had transpired before the meal Twilight held back her initial reaction and decided to take a more measured approach. "Well... That's a new one. I guess I've been called naive on certain things from time to time, but a spoiled brat is something I don't think I've ever heard."
"Well somepony usually becomes a spoiled brat by never being called one." Trixie noticed the look of dejection growing on Twilight's face, and though she still couldn't say she liked the mare she was certainly in a good enough mood after such a great meal to be at least a little more sympathetic. "Listen," she took another bite of cake to give herself a moment to think of a gentler way of putting it. "It just doesn't seem like you and I live in the same world. I mean come on, do you really think anything that has happened between the two of us today is normal."
"I don't know what you are talking about. What about today would you classify as being so abnormal?"
Trixie snorted slightly before responding. "Well first of all, I'm not sure who you're banging to afford all these amenities but I can pretty much guarantee you're not doing a good enough job." Twilight had been taking a sip of her drink to hide the disappointment on her face but suddenly choked on it slightly and roughly spat it back out. Trixie took another bite of cake to hide her smile.
"What the... I'm not. I don't sleep with anypony to get anything." She was sputtering out her words. Trixie found she agreed with whoever it was who called Twilight naive, if she actually liked this mare she might have seen the blushing embarrassment as cute.
"Well what is it then? Trust fund baby? Hereditary nobility? Because I gotta tell you; if I sold my old cart, with all the stuff that was inside it, I still couldn't manage enough bits to pay for a night in a room half this nice."
"Pay? I don't pay for this room."
"That's what I'm saying. I can't imagine you have any kind of sense of what things are worth if this sort of thing is normal to you. From what I could figure out when I snuck back into your town to see if I could recover any parts of my cart, you are a librarian. A librarian in a small backwoods town no less. I've heard ponies can procure royal suites in the castle, but usually you have to be really important or really loaded or both to manage it. What makes you special enough to get one of these."
"This isn't a royal suite, those are actually much nicer. I don't pay for this room because it's my room."
"... Your room?"
"Yes, my room."
"... Who the hey are you?"
"Princess Celestia's personal student."
Trixie blinked slowly, thinking over what was just told to her, then she did again while taking another bite of cake. "Well, that answers a few more questions. And clarifies most of the others." Twilight watched her expectantly. Somewhere along the way she had realized that despite their past and where this day had started she found she was trying to redeem herself to Trixie and not the other way around. "I guess I'd like to apologise. Calling you a brat was probably a bit far. If you're the student of the princess herself you're probably not a brat. I suppose that is why you'd bring me back my bag of bits without even thinking about keeping it." Twilight smiled at this just a little. "You're still spoiled, but I don't think you're a brat at least." And Twilight's face fell again.
"Well that's progress I suppose. I guess since you made that gesture I should at least try to make one as well." She took a deep breath and held it for just an extra second to gather her thoughts. "I'm not sure how I missed that you were putting on a show when you came to town. I guess it just wasn't the kind of show I'm used to. I think also that when I saw the way my friends reacted I just assumed they were in the right. For that I apologise, I should have given you a fair chance. I can't apologise for my friends, but I can say that if they understood what they did, both in interrupting your show and hurting your career, I think they'd be sorry as well. I also can't apologise for what happened to your cart. I couldn't tell you why Snips and Snails thought bringing an Ursa into town was a good idea even if they thought someone could defeat it, but I guess they were just so convinced of your skill. Guess there's something that can be said of doing your job too well huh?" She made a forced laugh and even more forced smile, which Trixie decided to spare her a small one back. "I am still sorry it happened to you though. I can't imagine what it would be like to lose literally everything."
Trixie frowned, the gesture of kindness bringing back not so fond memories. "I liked that cart." She said as she poked at the last bite of cake. "I worked really hard to be able to afford that nice of a cart. It was kind of a symbol that I had made it. I had a place to go that wasn't just a place to sleep, it was more of a home."
Thinking of something Twilight tensed up. "Was... Was there anything you lost in it... Anything, you know that... Can't be replaced."
That question actually shocked Trixie. It wasn't just said to try to make up for what had happened, it was said with legitimate concern. "Don't worry, I haven't reached a point of luxury like that. When you travel you usually try to avoid keeping things like that, you never know what's going to happen on the road. Like I said, I can't afford security so I don't keep anything that really needs to be secured. The only things I have with me like that I was lucky enough to be wearing when it happened.
"Wearing?...Your costume? The hat and cape? What makes them special?"
Seeing the genuine interest coming from the pony she was starting to have a hard time hating Trixie decided to tell her. "They were given to me by my mentor. It was the way he passed down The Great And Powerful name and persona to me. It was how he told me I was ready to go out and make something of myself."
"The pony who trained you... He must have been a strong magic user."
Trixie snorted and began to cackle hysterically again. "You really think.." she struggled to get in between laughs, "Luna almighty, you really are too naive to hate Twilight Sparkle."
Twilight was starting to get used to the feeling of confusion that seemed to come from dealing with this mare. "Well I just figured that since you are a pretty good magic user then he must be as well." Trixie only laughed more.
"If I see him sometime soon he is really going to love this story. No my mentor was not a particularly powerful magic user. In fact, he was a pegasus." Twilight's mouth did it's best to hit the floor. As it sat open and flapping slightly Trixie took the last bite of cake she had not finished and shoved it into the wide opening. Twilight's thoughts were interrupted at the sudden intrusion as she struggled to gulp down the tasty treat.
"That makes absolutely no sense, how could a pegasus train you to use such powerful magic," Twilight got out through a still slightly full mouth as she tried to lick some of the cream off her lips where Trixie had slightly missed. This time Trixie had to admit Twilights confusion was quite cute.
"Please, you saw me against the Ursa. Do you honestly still think I'm really so great and powerful?"
"I just thought you were struggling because of the situation. I mean, I was struggling a little without having proper time to prep."
"So you're saying you're even stronger then what I saw against that thing." Trixie sighed heavily, a slight look of exasperation on her face. "Well, I guess I shouldn't be too surprised by anything coming from the student of a princess. But no, what you saw against the Ursa was pretty much the best I had." Trixie lit her horn and started moving the various plates and platters off the bed the two were currently sharing. She had definitely eaten too much and needed to sprawl. "What I managed against your friends was all stage magic. You don't even need real magic if you know stage magic. I can't teleport yet disappearing and reappearing tricks are some of my best." Setting the stack on a nearby desk she rolled all the way over and went spread eagle on the bed with a groan. She realized the action had put her head so that it was resting on Twilights leg as she had also been stretching to get comfortable, though not quite as much as Trixie was. The show mare looked up to see the other mare suppressing a giggle. "Are you laughing at my magic skill now." She attempted to put some snark in her voice but was way too comfortable to manage.
"No. I'm sorry, it's just the way you're getting so comfortable, it's.. I don't know, I guess, cute?"
The slight blush on Twilight's face made Trixie suddenly want to see how much redder she could make it. "Well right back at you," she added to this by reaching her hoof up and stroking it up Twilight's chin. Panic crossed Twilight's face as all purple on it was replaced by a deep red. Trixie could even feel the heat immediately start radiating through her fur.
"That's not, I mean, I didn't.. I didn't mean it that way!!!"
"Awwww, so you don't think I'm cute anymore?" Trixie hung her lip and gave the cutest pout she could manage.
Somehow Twilight's face actually got redder, "no no, I mean yes, I mean,.." Twilight kept going like this for some time and Trixie wanted to see how much longer it would go, but even with her showmareship training she couldn't hold it any longer.
"Hahahaha, oh you are too easy to play with Twilight Sparkle, hahahaha."
Twilight's face was still red but it almost seemed like the nature of the color had changed as Trixie's laughter subsided. Twilight was now scowling. "That was not funny." The fact that Twilight was attempting to be angry before her face had even recovered from her embarrassment made Trixie laugh again.
"You're right, it was hilarious." Even more laughter followed.
"What I was trying to say, was that I like you better this way. Even taken for a cartoonish persona I still don't think I would have liked you the way you were back in Ponyville. But the way you are now seems much more natural, it suits you better." The brief anger had left Twilight's expression as she looked down at the mare in her bed using her leg as a pillow.
"That.. is actually nice to hear." Twilight looked inquisitively down at Trixie, some hope returning to her. "Since I officially don't hate you anymore here's a little industry secret. It is actually really hard to not start becoming your own persona sometimes. You can't really have friends outside of the industry because of travel and stuff, and friends in the industry you have to be professional with. Plus you can't get too close because you never know if someone's after your secrets. When the only pony other ponies know is your persona it's hard not to just be that pony." Trixie let out a slight yawn before rolling off of Twilight's leg and facing her. "Listen, I'm gonna apologize to you for being a little harsh earlier. I'm also going to thank you, I think I was starting to live the character a little. It was probably a good thing for somepony to knock me off the pedestal I was putting myself on." Twilight smiled warmly at the words. "You didn't have to knock me quite so far off though!" Trixie gave a very fake scowl, and rather than get discouraged this time Twilight actually laughed. Seeing her do so made Trixie laugh as well.
"Well keeping each other grounded is something friends do. And non-industry or otherwise I would like to be your friend, maybe even earn your forgiveness for what happened in Ponyville."
Trixie gave her a skeptical look. "I don't know. Complete forgiveness might require a few more of these lavished feasts." They both giggled a little before another, much deeper yawn slipped out of Trixie's mouth. "I might also steal your bed and take it back to my cart with me." She snickered at the thought of trying to get the massive bed into her cart.
"Oh it is getting late. And you must be tired, your transformation spell just wore off."
Trixie looked over to a mirror in the corner of the room, "hmmm, so it did. I must be getting better at that, I totally forgot I was even casting it. No wonder I'm so wiped out."
"If you really want you can have my bed for the night, I don't mind."
"I was kidding Twilight Sparkle..."
"Just Twilight is fine," she gave a hopeful grin.
Trixie smiled back, "I was kidding Twilight, as much as I'd like to I'm not kicking you out of your bed."
"It's not a big deal, I barely ever slept in it back when I did live in the castle. I could always find a random guest room, either that or we could share."
"So now you're trying to get me into bed with you, for someone so naive you do move fast." Trixie purred out in a sultry tone.
Twilight's face lit up a bright red again. "Would you stop doing that!!!".
Trixie was almost sad that Twilight was already starting to recover from her baiting so quickly. "As soon as it stops being so funny and cute." That did nothing to relieve the red from Twilight's face. "Honestly, I'm not refusing because I feel like I'm putting you out, and I'm definitely not doing it as a way of refusing your advances," she added with a wiggle of her eyebrows which made Twilight scrunch her face both in frustration and to try to force the red out of her cheeks, "I just gotta be at the theater I'm performing at early to get ready for my show." With a stretch Trixie finally and begrudgingly stepped off the bed for the first time since entering the room and started for the door.
"Wait," Twilight cried out as she jumped off the bed and caught up with Trixie.
"Still can't stand to see me go?" She gave a suggestive purr that this time only made Twilight's face redden a little and sputter a second.
"N, no!.. I just wanted you to know that I was being honest when I said I wanted to be your friend and that I wanted to make it up to you."
"Twilight," Trixie smiled as she looked between the mare and the pile of plates on the desk. "Travelers are a lot like stray animals, if you feed us then you'll never get rid of us even if you want to. We are friends," Twilight's face lit up with a smile, "but I still live in a totally different world from you." Twilight's face fell just a little as an idea suddenly jumped through Trixie's mind. "Actually... " Twilight's expression brightened again as Trixie paused to consider for a second more before smiling in a slightly devious way. "If you really want to make it up to me I think I have an idea."
"Anything! Name it."
"There's a little play house on the lower rent side of the theater district called The Candlelight, do you know it?"
"I might, I don't actually go to the theater district much but I go through it to get to my favorite book store so I think I know the one you're talking about."
"My cart is parked out behind it, that's where my show is being held. Be there around noon tomorrow. Just don't tell anypony where you're going and definitely don't tell them about me. If that sounds ok I'll tell you the rest then."
"That sounds great, I'll see you there." Twilight's smile was so giddy that Trixie couldn't help but return it.
"Goodnight Twilight." She continued to smile as she opened the door.
"Goodnight."