“No!” Twilight grabbed the doors in her magic, making to swing them shut on the blue unicorn standing between them. She then considered what acting drastically had accomplished for her in the past twenty four hours, let alone the rest of her lifetime. “I mean, umm, Trixie, Princess Celestia and I are in the middle of something. Would you mind waiting a moment?”
Trixie raised her snout in reply. “Trixie was told Twilight Sparkle was in need of romantic accompaniment, and that is what she has come here to do. If those accommodations do not suit Twilight Sparkle’s needs at the moment, she will come back at a different, more convenient time.”
Twilight groaned. “Take a seat.” She pulled up Flash’s empty chair with her magic.
Trixie trotted over haughtily, sitting graciously beside Rarity. “Thank you, Twilight.” She gave a sincere smile.
Twilight nodded, turning to face her partner. “Now then. Why were you blushing? And what did Rarity mean by ‘distracted’?”
Rarity was smiling at this, and Trixie was looking between Twilight and Celestia in confusion. Celestia was a master of prediction, but an ex-student of hers coming to rescue her from an uncomfortable conversation about her falling for her other ex-student was not one of the things that she had foreseen even in her wildest plans for her pupils. “Trixie wishes to know why her majesty Princess Celestia is here,” the magician said with ice in her voice.
“Twilight Sparkle invited me on a date,” Celestia said with one of her more mischievous smiles. She might not have been able to deter Twilight from discovering the truth, but she could delay it until she had the exact words she needed to escape humiliation and heartbreak. “I have been enjoying a wonderful time here with Rarity, though I confess our interactions have been strictly platonic.”
Trixie looked at her with disdain. “So long as you do not interrupt her date with Twilight Sparkle, Trixie accepts these conditions.” Celestia had to hold back from cursing under her breath,
“That may be difficult,” Rarity said with a look of devious glee. “The pair of them can’t keep their hooves to themselves tonight.” Said pair blushed furiously, unconsciously shifting apart at the prod.
Trixie levelled a glare at Celestia. “Trixie requires that Princess Celestia sit on the other side of the table.”
Celestia gave a chuckle. “That would mean sitting beside you, dear. Unless you don’t want to be able to see how Twilight is doing, of course.”
Trixie crossed her arms, seething.
Twilight raised an eyebrow. “Err, am I missing something?”
“Trixie lost everything to this prissy philistine.” Trixie raised her nose, but only faltered when she saw the glare Twilight was giving her.
“What did you just call her?” Celestia, for her part, was biting her lip, halfway between wanting to say something to reassure the angry unicorn and wanting to chuckle at her and Twilight’s antics.
The performer saw Twilight’s face and backtracked. “Trixie was merely--Well, what Trixie meant was, err--” She swallowed, then bowed her head. “No, Twilight Sparkle is right. Trixie was unfair to call her majesty that. Even if she did force Trixie to take up performing on the roads like some petty tramp!”
Twilight turned to Celestia, a question on her lips, so Celestia answered preemptively. “Trixie was expelled from the School for Gifted Unicorns. We were all very sorry, given her entrance exam had been so impressive.”
“Apparently not sorry enough!” Trixie sulked, glaring off to one side.
“Of course,” Celestia’s voice turned to that of a stern schoolteacher, “we were all considerably less impressed when we realized that our charge would resort to using her considerable talent in illusion magic to cheat at every other exam, despite being confronted about it several times.” Twilight gave a shudder of pathos for Trixie, old fears of that voice being turned on her swimming to the surface. Once she had processed Celestia’s extra bit of context, however, she was merely unimpressed.
“Oh, Trixie.” She said more in sorrow than in reproach. “Why would you do something like that?”
“The tasks were absurd! Nopony without a natural talent in magic or learning could possibly get ahead, so Trixie had to fudge it a bit.” Trixie spread her hooves across the table, eyes shifting to challenge any of the table’s inhabitants to deny her that reality.
“There was an on-campus student aid centre, you know.” Twilight said. She saw the look in Trixie’s eyes, however, and her gaze softened. “I had to use it a few times myself, actually. I had a lot of trouble with body modification magic.” She gave a blush. “Mostly because at that point I didn’t really care all that much about my body.”
Trixie sagged. “Yes, Trixie could have tried that. Trixie was young...and naive. I apologize.”
Celestia smiled. “If you wish to learn magic more honestly, we would be happy to give you a second chance.”
“Yes, yes, always with ‘second chances’ with you. Then one slip up and you’re out on the curb.” Trixie did not stop the bitterness from looming over her voice, an angry storm cloud hovering above her words.
“Trixie,” Celestia sighed, “you ran away before we could talk with you. The reason for your expulsion was because you were dealing with dangerous magic at the level you had cheated your way into. Had we allowed you to continue, you could have seriously injured yourself, and possibly several others at the university.”
“Trixie...Trixie understands. She merely wis--”
Celestia held up a hoof. “I wasn’t finished. As I said, I wished to talk with you after the notice, but you packed much more quickly than I anticipated. I had a list of suggestions for tutors for you to turn to and a set of recommendations. I had been thinking on your problematic status at the academy for some time. I could do the same again, especially in light of your recent desires to make amends for your past lifestyle.” She smiled at the magician, who blinked.
“Trixie...I...I would be very grateful for that, your majesty.” She bowed her head, and Celestia gave a smile to this. Twilight looked at Celestia with appreciation, only to find her attention being pulled back to the enchantress. “But Trixie did not come here to talk about her magic or her schooling!” The stage pony pulled her head back up to face Twilight, giving a flourish of her mane with the movement. “Your friend who loves rock farms told Trixie that Twilight Sparkle was lonely on a day dedicated to togetherness and special feelings. Trixie will not have it! Her saviour from the Ursa Major and the Alicorn Amulet, lonely and unloved? Inconceivable!” She banged a hoof on the table. “Thus, Trixie has arrived to give Twilight Sparkle the best night of her young, eggheaded life!” She spread her hooves, and to the confusion of the others pink and white confetti flew from her outstretched limbs.
Twilight pursed her lips. “Err...thanks?” She bit her lip. “I have some concerns, that said. Firstly, my friend’s name is Pinkie Pie. It isn’t that hard to remember. Please, please don’t spend the entire night talking about how great I am or ignoring my friends and the other ponies in my life.” She thought for a moment. “Or talking about how great you are, either. I really, really just want to spend the night on a nice, normal date, having a quiet, ordinary conversation with you and then seeing if I want to go further from there. Secondly, I saved you from an Ursa Minor.Why do ponies always think it was an Ursa Major, anyway? Most sorcerers from Celestia’s academy could have done it, I’m sure. And, um, ‘inconceivable’? I don’t think that means what you’re thinking it means.” She shook her head, drawing in a breath very slowly. A hoof came up to her chest, then pushed outward with the exhale. Finally, she addressed Trixie’s actual concern. “As to dating, I don’t know...I suppose I could give it a try, but--”
“Hurrah! It is decided!” Trixie pumped a hoof, looking smug.
“Erm...okay.” Twilight gave Trixie an uncertain smile. “Shall we, uh, maybe...talk over some of the things we’re interested in, then?”
“Naturally.” Trixie smiled, brushing a lazy hoof through her mane. “Trixie has heard that Twilight Sparkle enjoys running, and--” Trixie squinted at Twilight. “There is something different about Twilight Sparkle’s figure.” She gave a flirty smile. “Has she lost weight?”
Twilight blushed, waving a hoof lightly. “It’s just side effects of the growth. I can eat a lot more than I used to. Sometimes I even get to my seventh hayburger before I start to feel full.”
Celestia chuckled. “Just wait until you discover the wonders of being able to eat endless cake and still be the size of a model.”
Rarity could not help but allow an envious glower to permeate the table, but she collected herself within a moment. “A lady does not get jealous.” She repeated under her breath.
Trixie snickered at Rarity, then looked to Twilight once more. “Side effects? Has Twilight cast some manner of spell upon herself simply to lose weight?” Trixie tilted her head. “And would she be averse to sharing?”
Twilight giggled. “No, Trixie. I didn’t cast a spell, the Elements of Harmony did, but-- wait, you mean you really didn’t get the news?”
“Trixie has been serving odd jobs on the road since her return journey to Ponyville. At the moment she is working to make fireworks in Hoofington, and news does not travel there easily.”
“Oh, this’ll be a treat, then.” Twilight spread her wings with a smile.
Trixie’s jaw dropped, her eyes shrinking to pinpricks. Twilight giggled at the other mare’s attempts to form words. “Trix...Twili…” And all at once, Trixie went from gaping to glaring. “No! That’s not fair! Trixie has w-worked so hard, and done so much to be good, and Twilight Sparkle still gets so, s-so much more than her!” An angry blush formed across her face, and she glowered at the mares across the table, daring them to try to console her. “Trixie has to work to be good, but being good comes naturally to everypony else, and she ends up working all so she can have some crummy job in some little town and--” Trixie was cut off by the sensation of being hugged. She did not notice when Twilight had crossed the table, but she felt the hooves around her nonetheless. Trixie looked as though she was tempted to slap Twilight’s hooves away and continue her tirade, but she eventually melted into the hug, angry tears fading into a bitter acceptance.
“Trixie...The way I got these wings took a lot of hard work to reach. I had to learn about the powers the Elements of Harmony had through a lot of trial and error, and a lot of horrible things. I broke both of my front legs trying to understand the lifestyle of one of my friends, and I caught the nastiest rash on my horn for trying to investigate why my friends were so afraid of a pony they’d never met before. And I fought a lot of horrible monsters that the Elements had to defeat, and sometimes they hurt me before I did. Sometimes quite a bit.” Twilight shuddered. “…A-anyway, I’ve been covered in bees, turned to stone, hit over the head, chased by carnivorous insects, trapped in killer vines, wrapped up in Changeling goo, bruised from head to toe, laughed at by the whole town at some point or other, coated in mud, scorched by fire, dropped to my near death and blown up for my troubles.”
Trixie looked like she was going to retort something, but Twilight continued. “And only one or two times was there any kind of reward for all that. Any kind of physical reward, that is. But the point is, all of those moments...I treasure them. Not because they made me a better pony, although they definitely did, but because each of them I spent with one of the five greatest ponies in the world. Because I had friends who were there for me, succeed or fail, every single time, and each of those experiences brought me closer to them. And that is something always worth cherishing. I don’t even really care about these, sometimes.” She spread the wings. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, I love the boost to my magic, and the chance to fly. But all the distrust and bitterness it brings to some ponies? That...less so. A lot of ponies that could have been friends of mine aren’t because these things keep making me seem distant or threatening to them.” Twilight sighed, then perked up.
“The real reward has always been that I have friends with me who care about me. And who have been there to help me when I screw up.” She chuckled. “And I do that a lot. The last time cost me my house, and all of those books I love so much, because I was silly enough to hide something from my friends.” Celestia looked guilty at these words. “But my friends helped me restock a new house, and I’m ready to fill it up with new memories of great times spent with them now. So, Trixie, being good doesn’t come naturally to me, either, and it’s true that it is a lot of hard work. But if you spend some time away from those dusty old showpony tricks and make some friends, it might come naturally to you. And the reward for that is better than anything you’ve ever known.” Twilight gave a sigh, sitting down and trying to catch her breath. “Sorry if that was a lot all at once.”
Trixie simply scrutinized Twilight. “How did you know Trixie has no friends?”
“Because I used to be a lot like you. I mean, I never tried to use my magic to hurt or bully people, and I never cheated, but I used to think I didn’t need anypony else because I was so smart and good at magic. I used to think they were silly, and I was so great and powerful that none of them could ever hope to help or understand me. And I tried to change, just like you, but it only stuck because some ponies reached out and asked.” Twilight touched a hoof to Trixie’s shoulder. “And what you said earlier made you sound lonely to me. So believe me when I say that I, and hopefully everypony else here,” She looked over at Rarity and Celestia (and the Pinkie Pie rising over Celestia’s shoulder), who smiled and nodded back, “want to be able to extend that same offer to you. Would you like to make some friends, Trixie?”
The light blue unicorn straightened. “Trixie doesn’t--Trixie is--I--I do not know, Twilight Sparkle. Trixie has been alone for so long, she--” Trixie’s eyes glazed over, her teeth working at her lower lip. The room filled with silence.
“I’ll give you some time to think on it, alright? Umm...you said you wanted to try a date with me, right?”
“Trixie, yes, she…” the performer trailed off, a blush appearing across her cheeks. “Trixie felt swept away by Twilight Sparkle’s power when she first met her. Jealousy turned to...well, Trixie may have been slightly obsessed. She was so...angry.” She put a hoof to her temple. “ Though Trixie does recognize that those feelings were unhealthy. Poster eleven was perhaps excessive.”
The table was silent. Twilight cleared her throat. “Okay, um, it was unhealthy, yes. And then you realized that I’m a normal pony and not a perfect hero or a manipulative monster, right?” Twilight sounded so nervous that Trixie and Celestia both raised their brows at this.
Trixie waved a hoof, chuckling. “Of course, that all culminated in Trixie’s plot for revenge last year. She knows better now. When Twilight Sparkle saved Trixie from her folly, her feelings of anger became...confused. Trixie was torn. On the one hoof, Twilight Sparkle had shown her to be a fraud. On the other, Sparkle had forgiven her for deeds Trixie would have disowned a pony forever for. And when we started thinking of all the good Twilight Sparkle had done for Trixie...” The stage mare blushed. Celestia was not narrowing her eyes at Trixie, but there certainly was a pull around the lids. She was currently weighing the value of allowing the unicorn to continue against a dedicated attempt to push her and Twilight apart, at least for the evening.
The showmare attempted to start again, and Twilight smiled back at her in response. “So you got over the anger because I saved you, okay.” Celestia could swear she could almost hear the “check!” that would accompany the end of any other sentence said in that way only Twilight could. “And then those feelings changed pace, and…?”
“Trixie went through a phase where she would compare herself to you, try to be more like you.” On the one hoof, Celestia reasoned, separating Trixie at this point would undo all of that progress toward becoming a better pony. “And then she went through another where she would wonder what you were doing, and it would make her happy and calm her down.” Celestia had to weigh that risk against that of Twilight entering into an unhealthy relationship with a bitter ex-rival. “Trixie tried to keep strong, and do what she thought would make Twilight Sparkle proud, and thus she managed to turn her life around.” But even then, Celestia would also have to deal with the risk that a jilted Trixie might return with a dangerous artifact again. Of course, if the relationship failed, that might be a risk anyway. “And because of that, although Trixie is jealous of Twilight Sparkle and still mad at her for having an easier life than Trixie’s, she also has grown to care for Twilight Sparkle for the things she has done for her and the way she has inspired her.” Of course, Celestia was fairly certain the relationship would fail. “And she has returned in the hopes she could give back to Twilight.” Trixie seemed proud of herself for the explanation, her nose turning upwards and her neck stretching to bask in imagined praise. Celestia raised an eyebrow, but the motive provided did satisfy her, if only for the time being.
“Well, um, thanks.” Twilight blushed. “But, uh, it’d be great if you could not hate me, please? I-I don’t really like it when ponies do that.”
“Trixie will be sure to try,” again, Trixie appeared to be appreciating her own efforts. Her eyes were even closed in a smug grin.
“That’s...good of you.” Twilight said unsteadily. Trixie gave a nod, satisfied.
“You said topics to discuss. Hobbies, yes?”
“Trixie knows she and Twilight must share several hobbies. We are both interested in magic, after all.”
“So what is it that you know about magic? Oh!” Twilight suddenly looked ecstatic. “Maybe we could talk about the intrinsically aemagerial properties of organisms with metabolically inspired internal magical matrices!”
Trixie blinked, and Twilight gave a disappointed sigh.
“She means to say animals such as dragons and Ursa and plants such as Poison Joke with a natural resistance to magic based around the magic systems that are key to their biology, such as Poison Joke’s pranking powder or a dragon’s fire breath.”
Trixie straightened herself, smoothing her cape at the sides. “Yes, of course, Trixie did know that. She was merely following along so that Twilight Sparkle might gain some of the joy of explaining to others she…”
Celestia raised an eyebrow, and Trixie deflated.
“No, Trixie had no idea what Twilight was talking about. But the idea does sound worth hearing about!” Trixie fixed Twilight with a smile, and was met with one. Celestia, for her part, bit her lip and tried to suppress any signs of her mounting jealousy and frustration.
Rarity then looked between Twilight and Trixie. “Perhaps we should give you two some privacy.” Her smile turned predatory. “Celestia and I have some discussing to do.”
Celestia gave a start. “Rarity, my dear, what was that?”
Rarity took this moment to check Twilight’s face. The unicorn was scrutinizing again. “I requested that we might give our two romantic potentials some space.” She gave each of them an encouraging smile, which was met with a swelling chest and proud grin from one and a fierce blush and avoidant gaze from the other.
Celestia cast her eye across the unicorn population of the table. Trixie’s face was completely neutral, while Rarity looked meaningfully at the spare room when she searched her face. That only left Twilight, who was showing quivering pupils and lips chewing on one another. “What do you think, Twilight?”
“I would like to talk with Trixie on my own, but…” She sighed. “I want you to be there, too. I guess I’ll let you know when we’re ready, and you and Rarity can be sure to have your chat. Alright?”
“Of course. Enjoy yourselves.” Celestia rose, and Rarity rose with her. The two of them trotted towards the back room, with Celestia casting one last glance at the two dates. Both seemed happy enough, but she was still uneasy with the idea of her ex-students together.
“You have a crush.” Rarity’s plain tone was betrayed by the teasing sing-song that cut off the end of her statement.
Celestia was pulled away her concern instantly. She gave a scoff, hoping to downplay what she was certain she just heard. “I’m sorry, my dear, it seems I am quite distracted this evening. What was it you were just saying?”
“I’m saying, Celestia, dear,” Rarity’s grin was positively sinister, “that I can see the ‘distraction’ quite easily. You have a crush on Twilight, and it’s getting worse from the look of it.”
“I believe you are making assumptions, my dear.” Celestia gave a laugh, though it was a good deal flatter than her high, gentle laugh of usual. Rarity only smirked.
“ But surely, dear, you must see that--” Rarity could practically feel the sea ice raising up between herself and the pony she was trying so very hard to make friends with. There was no way she would scale it within a night, nor was there any way she could break it down with her dainty hooves and prim, proper lifestyle. Rather, she would call upon the only force she of that could break down the otherwise unmoveable mask. She gave a dramatic sigh. “Really, it is too bad, too. Tragic, even. Twilight will never know. She will lead her life in the hooves of another stallion, or mare, and she will never be the wiser to the heart she is breaking.” Rarity used the eye obscured by the hoof she had placed on her forehead to observe Celestia. The mare’s ears were drooping, and her head was bowed. Her hooves were tightly clenched in front of her.
Rarity gave an internal smile, but externally she bowed her head as if to weep. “And Twilight, so uncertain, so easily upset outside of your presence, might jump to the hooves of a pony using her for naught but cheap affection and a chance to posture in front of their peers. Somepony might use her, Celestia. But alas, you will never be able to save her, because you will never grant her the good grace of knowing your true feelings.”
Celestia caught on to the manipulation by the word “easily”, but the words struck home no less. “It is her decision who she will be with, not mine.”
“Your brain says that, of course, but deep down you know that your heart wishes otherwise.” Here, Rarity did not have to act. She touched Celestia’s shoulder with a forceful hoof, looking into the large pony’s eyes with the utmost severity. “You saw what happened just keeping the jealousy towards a pony she clearly had no interest in out of your interactions with her when Flash was here. She was terribly hurt by your ignoring her--why, you could see it written all over her face. And now you’re doing it again with her and Trixie. And she’s on your trail, too.”
“Of course, you had no hoof in that.” The accusation in Celestia’s voice was hidden by a heavy, forced calm that had permeated her voice. Rarity’s eyes flashed with the memory of the last time she had cornered Celestia like this, and she backpedaled.
“Celestia, you wanted to be my friend, yes?”
“I still do, yes. I had hoped by this point we might have made it to that stage.” Rarity attempted to cut her off, but Celestia was quick to the draw. “However, just as you expect me to be honest with you about my problems, I expect you to respect my privacy and the degree to which I hold dear what few bonds I do still have in this world. If you cannot do this, then I am afraid that I cannot extend my hopes of the friendship lasting to you. It is a pivotal part of knowing who I am.”
Rarity ran her tongue across the roof of her mouth while she thought. It only occurred to her in the moment after that it was a very unladylike thing to do. “Yesss, I do understand that. And I can abide by those conditions, at least in compromise with my own expectations that my friend will behave in accordance with honesty--one of the very elements you were so keen on us bringing into our own friendship, I might add--when and where it is possible.”
“Yes, though I may caution that the reason the Elements ceased to work for me was because I lost my ability to trust in them long ago. That is why I passed them on. Honesty was the first of them to fail for me.” Celestia’s pupils shimmered in the dim light.
“I...can understand that, your majesty. I do understand that, I suppose. However, it seems to me that you and Twilight share something that is far closer to you than anything else you know. Either of you. You can trust her not to turn on you, and you can always share your life with her and know she will cherish every moment you do so. She gives you hope, and, as you said, she comes first because she gives you back the things in your life you are missing. Please, stop me when I am not making sense.”
Celestia gave a quiet smile. “You are missing the most important part.”
Rarity drew back. “I am?”
“I love her for the things that she is, not the things she can do for me. I love that she has so much concern and care for everyone else, and that she is passionate about all of the things she finds in life, be they good for her or ill. I love that she loves learning as much as I do, and loves others as much as I do, and I love that she is shy, bookish and awkward whenever she isn’t used to something or someone. More than that, I love her flaws, too. I love the way she gets so focused on the big picture that she misses the nuances, or that sometimes she fumbles a conversation, or that she has an atrocious sense of fashion and no skill in dancing. I love that she is so emotional about everything that she encounters and that she lets her worries control her. I love being there to help her through those flaws, and I love that I can be a part of her life. I love her for her, not because she does something for me, or the other way around.”
“So, we are clear, then. You are in love with her.” Rarity gave a smile.
“Well, naturally, who wouldn--” Celestia realized her mistake far, far too late. “I am in love with her, but I do not love h--No, I said that incorrectly. I love her, but I am…” She saw the look on Rarity’s face, and she realized her efforts were futile. She gave a helpless shrug of her shoulders. “Yes, I am in love with her. And I do not know what to do.”
“What else is there to do? Tell her, of course. Sweep her off her hooves, and she will be overjoyed with you.”
“That is not how she phrased it.” Celestia shrunk further into herself, her body wilting under the memory of Twilight’s unintentional rejection.
“What ever could you mean, dear? You don’t mean to say to me that you were rejected by her just this afternoon and still spent the day with her instead of recovering?” Rarity’s mouth was agape.
“No! No, goodness no. I merely…” Celestia mouthed over her words, uncertain. “I eavesdropped on you, I am ashamed to say. I heard my name come up in conversation and, since, as you are by now well aware, I am in love with Twilight, I needed to know what she thought behind my back. Given you were able to witness what she said first-hoof, I am certain you can appreciate what it felt like hearing that from my perspective.”
Rarity sighed. “Celestia, darling, you are almost as bad as she is, do you know that?”
Celestia raised her eyebrows. “Bad as she is in what?”
“You assume she thinks the worst of you and any flaws you have. You are worrying yourself to pieces over whatever you might say to her, and why? Because she was angry at me for assuming she thought of you that way at that very moment? What is stopping her from changing her mind? And even if she doesn’t, why would it matter? Dear, she loves you. She thinks you are the greatest pony in the entire world. Of course she would want you to go to her if something was upsetting you. And whatever silly thing you think might make her stop loving you won’t get in the way of how she feels about you. At the very worst things will be awkward for a bit and then you will fall back into your old routine. Tell her, and you both will feel much happier and closer to one another.”
“But--”
“And if you don’t tell her, darling, then she’ll eventually just figure it out for herself.” Rarity’s certainty in this caused Celestia’s wings to shudder in alarm. “And you know she’ll be crushed if you try to keep pushing her away when she does.”
Celestia sighed. “Yes, you are right, of course. But I do not wish to simply confess. I--truth be told, I don’t want to simply get over these feelings. I feel they are appropriate, and I want to act on them. I want her to love me back. So, I--I want to try something of my own. Treat her in some way, I suppose? A date? No, maybe more like an experiment. An alteration of our current meetings. I want to change our relationship for the better. I want this love of mine to make her happy, too.” Celestia concluded the sentence with a satisfied exhale, her whole body turning to an expression of legitimate and serene calm.
And then the dining hall exploded.