Trixie sat scared in the center of the castle chamber being looked down upon by three of Equestria's most famous ponies. Applejack element of Honesty, Pinkie Pie the Element of Laughter, and Twilight Sparkle Princess of Friendship. Behind the other vacant chairs was Guiding Wind and Starlight watching as Thunderclap held the azure mare in place with her magic. The sigil glowed beneath the unicorn as she endeavored to explain herself to the Friendship Council.
"You see Princess, Trixie was passing through to see her sibling. Last She was her she didn't get a chance to see him." she said lowering her head sorrowfully. "That was when I ran into your zebra friend Zecora. She helped me when I need it most. Starving and on the road in the Everfree, she offered Trixie food and shelter. Trixie refused of course," she paused seeing the sigil glow deeper red. "Bu-but in the end Trixie accepted her gracious invitation!"
"Uh huh." Applejack hummed unconvinced.
"Shhh Applejack!" Pinkie hushed her friend. "So what happened next? A fight with an ursa saving Zecora from certain doom and became best friends forever?!"
Trixie looked a little disturbed by the pink pony's outburst. "Erm, no. Trixie didn't fight an ursa but she did fight a giant rock alligator and Zecora saved Trixie and her trailer!" the unicorn said happily. "Had it not been for her, Trixie very well might not be here today."
Twilight seemed relieved when the sigil under Trixie turned light green at her words. Applejack not realizing still gave Trixie a skeptical look while Pinkie seemed all to happy to take the mares words like sweet honey.
"Trixie was then out in the forest collecting, er, stuff and when she returned the filly Starlight ran into her trailer. She took the filly and tried to care for her but lost her after she was attacked by some mad mare named Amber Anvil."
Saying this the sigil turned yellow with a hue of orange. This indicated to Twilight that Trixie was telling the truth but was still hiding something. She decided to let it slide to see if the mare would bring it up. For now however she had other questions.
"Are you responsible for my student's condition?" she asked.
"Condition?"
"Yes Trixie. Starlight Glimmer was a grown mare." the princess said, making Trixie feel uneasy. "She is now a filly and I have no idea why. You were the last pony to come into contact with her and now she's a filly. Trixie what did you do?" The mare leaned over her seat.
"Well that's a bit of a story." the unicorn said. "Trixie will get to the finer points to make this short."She then stood to stretch and looked around for something to sit one. Finding nothing she turned to her captors and asked, "Can Trixie have a pillow or something to sit on?"
This time Applejack answered. "Be honest and truthful and we just may let you."
"Oh come on!"
Trixie's protest fell on deaf ears. When nothing was presented to her she sighed dejectedly sitting on the cold crystal floor and recounted her story. "It all started with your friend Zecora, she took Trixie in and has been living with her for some time now. Trixie offered her services for a while now to her for taking Trixie in. Trixie would do odd jobs for her here an there. *Sigh* Zecora was too kind to Trixie."
"I'll bet." Applejack quipped making the blue pony cringe.
"Come on Applejack. She hasn't caused any trouble yet." Twilight tried to reason with her. "Can't you let it go?"
This seemed to anger the orange pony greatly. It was clear to Starlight whatever Trixie did greatly affected the farm pony. It made her wonder just what Trixie did. Having been living out of contact with most of civilization for most of her life she never heard of the mare except from the words others have said in the last few days she was in Ponyville.
Applejack then responded with, "Well, if she hadn't gone crazy with that amulet of hers none of this would have happened."
"Like when Rarity became possessed by a book?" Twilight replied calmly.
Applejack gasped at the accusation. "Now how'n the hay is that the same thing?"
"Applejack please. It's the same thing." Twilight said pulling out a long letter and showed it to her. "After Rarity changed Ponyville I had to help clean it up. Trust me when I say what Trixie did was nothing compared to that."
"That aint the same thing though Twi!" Applejack retorted. "That was all fixed within a day. She did a lot more damage cause it took over a month to repair and regrow all the food she wasted!"
Pinkie remained silent watching her friends argue while eating some popcorn.
"That maybe true, but what Rarity did was far worse Applejack."
"How can you say that?!" the farm pony yelled at her unusually calm friend. "She-"
"Rarity used dark magic, Applejack. Something that is FORBIDDEN for a common pony to use." the purple princess said. "Trixie and Rarity BOTH used dark magic but neither really knew what they were getting into. If I were to punish Trixie for her transgression then I would have to do the same to Rarity."
"But Rarity is our friend Twilight! How can you say that so calmly?!"
"Because I have responsibility to not only my friends," She turned to face Trixie gesturing to her with a hoof. "but to my subjects as well. Besides we didn't have three alicorns helping to fix Trixie's mess but we needed that for the dark magic Rarity used all over Ponyville which would have been worse had we not intervened."
Trixie seemed relived by Twilight speech and Starlight who had been listening the whole time was now pondering till her head was sore. Friendship was complicated now more than ever to her. As a princess, Twilight was obligated to treat all fairly and without bias when dealing out punishment. When that conflicted with her loyalty to her friends she went so far as to break the law to keep them safe, even a mare who had done so much wrong to them all.
Just like myself. Starlight thought, but continued to listen as the conversation drew on.
Applejack had now risen from her seat and glared at her friend, a look of betrayal on her face. "Ah can't believe you'd side with her after everything she's done, Twi."
The princess of friendship seemed hurt by her friends words. "But Applejack I-"
"No Twi, I get it. You can't play favorites ah get it truly I do." she said rubbing the friends mane affectionately. "Ah just don't get what you see in her is all."
"The same thing I see in everypony, hope."
"Hope?" Trixie asked from the floor. "What hope?"
Twilight smiled flying over to the azure unicorn and landing beside her.
"The hope I see is the hope of you learning from your mistakes and improving yourself afterwards. It's the hope that you'll grow and become a good friend of mine and everypony else." she said looking over towards Starlight's direction. "You two can come out now."
Starlight and Guiding Wind jumped at being found out and slowly walked around the chairs to the center of the room. the maid pony bowed and greeted them.
"Salutations Votre Majesté. Young madame Glimmer wishes to speak with you."
All eyes turned to the pink filly who waddled up to Trixie,glaring at her, and walked past to Twilight. The filly glowed a light blue and lifted off the ground landing on Twilight's back nuzzling her. All present, except for Trixie, d'awwed at her. Twilight gasped at the sight of her nose splint and lifted her off her back to inspect it.
"Starlight Glimmer! What happened to you?! First you turn into a filly now you're nose is splinted?! What is going on?"
"Twi, let her take a breather for a moment." Applejack said rubbing the mares back. "Well howdy there Starlight. How ya holdin up?"
"Well Applejack. Very well thank you. How about you?"
"It's been a rough afternoon." she said taking off her hat.
"So Star, can you tell me what exactly happened to you?" Twilight asked.
The filly looked at the azure unicorn who looked like she was ready to bolt. Thunderclaps presence quickly dispelled that delusion. She looked at the princess and said, "I fell off my bed this, morning? Afternoon? Eh, when I woke up I jumped off my bed and misjudged the distance. I fell face first into the floor." she then rubbed her muzzle. "It hurt a lot."
"I guess I have Guiding Wind to thank for your recovery?" the princess looked over at the maid pony who bowed again.
"It was nothing you majesty."
"Still, thank you." she said to the mare. "You may take your leave Guiding Wind."
"Oui madame." the mare said turning to leave but stopped to take one last look and saw Starlight waving to her. She smiled and waved back before exiting the room.
Twilight and Applejack watched the mare leave when a loud 'eep!' echoed in the chamber and they turned to see Trixie trying to climb out a window. She was held in place by two large hooves belonging to Thunderclap who unceremoniously pulled her back and threw her to the floor.
"You brute!" Trixie cried out rubbing her head. "You could have injured Trixie!"
"Then next time don't try escaping."
"Thunderclap! That's enough! Stand at attention!" Twilight bellowed at the guard mare making her stand up right. She walked over and circled around the guardsmare looking her over like a drill sergeant did with recruits.
"I thought I made it clear Trixie was not to be harmed in any way shape or form? Was I not clear enough on this?" she asked the orange mare.
"Yes your majesty."
"Yes? Yes I was, or yes I wasn't?" she asked sarcastically. "Clearly I was not specific enough for you, Captain. So let me make this as simple as possible. You will not harm anypony under my watch. If I find out you did so much as harm one hair on anyponys head without my authorization I will send you back to Canterlot and have you demoted to Private again WITH a red letter. Is that clear, Captain?"
"Crystal clear Princess." the orange Captain said saluting.
"Good." she turned to help Trixie up. "I'm so sorry Trixie. Thunderclap is a good mare at heart she's just, overzealous. Please have a seat. You deserve it after all this trouble."
"You wouldn't say that after you here what you filly has to say." Trixie replied sadly.
"What do you mean?"
This was it, the moment of truth. Trixie was going to come clean with what she really intended to do once she found Starlight. It wouldn't be pretty in her mind but it was worth setting things straight with her former rival. Maybe she would be let off easy?, or at least Trixie hoped.
"Trixie was-"
"Trixie saved me from that thug Amber Anvil!" Starlight piped in appearing on top the azure mares head. "She was helping me get home when Amber attacked her and me."
Unbeknownst to her, the sigil turned yellow as Trixie was still on it, but Twilight quickly dispelled it and focused on Starlight who made herself at home on Trixie's head.
"What made you turn into a filly, Star?" she asked worried that Trixie was somehow involved.
"Poison joke." was her reply.
"Poison joke?" Twilight repeated.
"Poison joke." Starlight nodded with a smile rubbing her hooves against Trixie's mane. "Oooo! So soft!"
"Hey stop that! Is it bad enough you whizzed on Trixie that you must now get her mane dirty too?"
"Oh! Sorry." the filly said sheepishly hoping of her head, much to the mares annoyance, and flew over to Twilight landing on her head next. "Twilight's mane is much prettier anyways. And poofy."
Trixie growled at the filly while twilight and Applejack laughed at her expense. She then turned her nose up with harrumph. Twilight walked over to the unicorn her a playful nudge to her shoulder. "That was really nice of you to help my student Trixie. Isn't that right Applejack?"
"Indeed it sure was. You're alrigh Trixie."
"Uh, thanks?"
The princess turned to face Thunderclap who still hadn't moved from her spot. She nodded once and walked past her guard, still unmoving, and set Starlight down on her Throne.
"So Starlight, are you ready to get back to normal?" Twilgiht asked the filly.
"I can grow up now? I'm not stuck like this?" she asked hopefully.
"Mhmm. Actually Zecora helps produce a special bubble bath to cure ponies of their poison joke symptoms. It's really quick and relaxing."
Starlight was about to say yes, but then a sad thought passed through her mind. She lost so much time in her quest to equalize the world. She lost her childhood and her teen years, wasting them in a half cocked scheme that took her entire life to build only to have it torn down in a few days. Perhaps this was not only a chance to make up for the lost time but to help her make new friends as well. Maybe, just maybe then she could really learn what friendship could have been like for herself and make up for it all.
Looking to her teacher she said, "Actually Twilight, I'm not ready yet."
"And why's that, Star?" the princess asked with a knowing look.
"I lost my entire childhood because I wasted it. Maybe, I can stay a filly for a while? Go to school and make some new friends?" she asked hoping the princess would say yes.
Applejack and Trixie looked worried at her wondering if it was a good idea for this to be allowed. In the end Twilight nodded to her student and agreed to let her stay small but there were a few conditions.
"What kind of conditions?" the pink filly asked.
"First of all you will be atending classes at Ponyville Elementary. There you'll learn from Cheerliee. She a wonderful mare and a great inspiration. Second, you'll be escorted by Thunderclap-"
"Uh, begging your pardon your majesty but is that really a good idea?" the orange guardsmare asked. twilight glared at her making her shut her mouth instantly. Starlight chuckled at this. *Maybe this will be fun after all.* she thought.
Twilight's expression softened and returned her focus on Trixie. "As for you Trixie, you are my third condition."
"Excuse Trixie?"
"Yes Trixie, you will help Starlight after hours here at the castle. You have great magical capabilities but you lack the training to harness it. I want you here at the castle every night for training." she said to the azure mare. Trixie could tell this was not a request but pressed forward anyways.
"Trixie is busy with other things your majesty, surely we can-"
"Need I remind you of the seriousness of your crimes Trixie?" she asked silencing her. "All I'm asking is for you to come and I'll let what you did slip under the radar. Besides, you need friends Trixie. Zecora was a step in the right direction. Just give me a chance to help you."
This seemed to take Trixie by surprise. Sure she was hoping to be on her way but if she could milk this she could later say she had been a student of a princess, the youngest on at that who was mentored by Celestia herself! The stories she could tell were endless! Her career could finally go somewhere. Sure she'd have to kiss a lot of flank to do it, but to finally have a friend she could understand, bless Zecora's heart she was a sweet mare, but Trixie couldn't stand her rhyming! It would be nice to have a normal talking pony for once.
"Very well Princess. Trixie accepts your terms." she said with a bow.
Before Twilight could say anything Applejack whistled fanning herself with her hat. "Dang sugarcube it almost sounded like you were trying!" she said with a laugh.
Starlight grinned covering her mouth while Twilight rubbed Trixie's back. The azure mare blushed looking away as Twilight scolded the farm pony only making her laugh harder.
In the end they all went their separate ways. Trixie returned to Zecora's hut, Applejack went home and Twilight went to her room with Starlight on her back ready to study for the evening. Entering her private cambers, Starlight realized they were in a other library that had a bed off to the side with a pile of books around it and a small basket at the foot of it. *It figures she'd live in a library.* Alright thought.
That was when Starlight realized she hadn't seen Spike in a while.
"Where's Spike?" she asked.
Twilight set her down on the bed and rearranged a few books. "Oh he's off in Canterlot right now with Princess Luna. He's taken quite a shine to her recently."
The pink fillies eyes gleamed with mischievous intent. "Oh ho ho! Spike and Luna are getting down?" she asked.
Not turning to face her Twilight grinned slightly as she placed books in a large pile. "Maybe. Now who wants to play book jenga?"
Starlight's hooves flew in the air as she squealed. "I do! I do!"
The filly leaped off the bed and this time flew over to a large pile of books and landed beside Twilight clapping her hooves. "OH! I haven't played in so long! Wait... Aren't you a little old to play book jenga?"
Twilight smiled saying, "Filly please! I still make bookforts!"
"You do too?!"
"I love bookforts!"
"I do too!"
*Dual gasp!*
"Do you know what this means?" Twilight asked in a serious tone crouching to Starlight's level.
"Mhmm!" Little Star nodded with a serious look of her own. "The thing we always wanted to do but were to afraid to tell anypony..."
"The one..."
"The only..."
"BOOKFORT JENGA!"