//------------------------------//
// Return to Ponyville 
// Story: An Unexpected Union:  A Princess and a Former Showmare 
// by StormLuna 
//------------------------------//

As Twilight left the castle she decided she would go to the base and notify Starlight of when the wedding would be.  She also decided that she would get Starlight to go with her to Ponyville so she could be measured.  As she headed north towards the base she had many ponies stop her and congratulate her.  When she arrived at the base she was greeted by a guard.  "Halt.....oh Princess Twilight, it's you!  How are you doing?"

Twilight sighed, "I'm doing ok.  I just need to speak to Starlight."

The guard replied, "Follow me your Majesty, she should be available."

Despite being a princess and knowing that it was probably one of the absolute safest places for her, Twilight couldn't help but feel nervous being surrounded by that many guard ponies.  When they finally reached Starlight's office the guard knocked on the door.  Starlight opened it and asked, "Guard, why are you not at your post?  State your business."

The guard replied, "Princess Twilight is here to see you."

Starlight pointed her hoof towards her office and said, "Go on in Twilight, I'll be there in a minute."

As Twilight headed towards the office she ran into someone who had once been a great friend of her's, Spike.  She said, "Oh, hi Spike."

Spike replied, "Oh, hi Twilight."

While both wanted to say more to one another, neither one felt comfortable doing so given what had happened in the past year.  Eventually Starlight arrived in her office to find an awkward situation between Twilight and Spike as the room was silent.  Starlight sat down and asked, "Twilight, what are you doing here?  State your business."

Twilight replied, "Well I'm here to let you know that the wedding is one week from today."

Starlight grunted, "Yes, and?"

Twilight continued, "And I have come to see if you'll come with me to Ponyville so Rarity can get you measured."

Starlight opened a drawer and pulled a sheet of paper out.  On that paper was her armor measurements.  She handed it to Twilight and sighed, "Here are my measurements.  Give them to Rarity and make all our lives easier."

Twilight replied, "But Starlight, your measurements for armor are likely different than what they would be for a dress."  She saw a look of disapproval forming on Starlight's face as she continued, "Besides, you'd be able to go see your friends.  Wouldn't you like to do that?"

Starlight's facial expression changed to one of slight approval as she replied, "Sure, why not?  I haven't got to see them in a while and besides, I haven't been out of town here recently either so a little change of scenery would be nice."  She looked at Spike and continued, "Let's go Spike, let's get this measurement taken care of."





As the three headed through the base and towards the train station, many of the guard ponies had shocked expressions as normally Starlight does not just leave without telling anypony.  They received more strange looks once they left the base as seeing Starlight out and about was a rare event.  Everypony they came across threw her a salute, which she promptly returned.

Twilight saw this and asked, "Does everypony salute you when they see you?"

Starlight replied, "They do.  I kind of wish they wouldn't but given my role, they probably just do it as a sign of respect and my saluting them back is a form of respect as well."

Twilight commented, "Well I guess when you are a military princess the culture is going to be quite different for you."

Starlight nodded, "Yep."





The train to Ponyville was unusually full that day.  While they did have room to sit, both felt uncomfortable because everypony was staring at them.  They were staring at Twilight because of her pregnancy and were staring at Starlight because she is almost never seen in public.  One pony asked, "Your Highness, you are almost never out and about, is everything ok?"

Starlight replied, "Yes, everything is ok."

The pony then asked, "Princess Twilight, I never knew you were pregnant.  Who's the father?"

Twilight blushed, "Well I don't think she wants me to mention her name."

The pony asked, "She?"

Twilight had been through this before but felt a bit flustered that she would slip up like that again.  Fortunately for her, Starlight would come to the rescue, "The identity of the father is classified information."

The pony sighed, "Oh, alright."

Twilight smiled, "Thanks Starlight, I slipped and said she when the cutie mark crusaders asked me and now once they get older, Trixie and I are going to have to tell them about what happened."

Starlight laughed, "I take it you promised them you'd tell them?"

Twilight sighed, "Unfortunately yes, we did."

Starlight chuckled, "Maybe they'll forget about it by then."

Twilight replied, "I hope so!"





Once they arrived in Ponyville they headed to The Carousel Boutique to see Rarity.  While Starlight would not show it, she was actually glad to get away from the base for a bit.  Once they arrived at the boutique the very first thing Starlight did was rush to Rarity, "Rarity, it is so good to see you!"

Rarity joyfully replied, "It's good to see you too darling!"

Starlight gave Rarity a tight hug and continued, "Oh it is so nice to get out of Canterlot and see some of my friends!"

Twilight was surprised by her statement.  She asked, "Starlight, when we left the base you seemed like doing this was going to be a chore and now you suddenly seem happy."

Starlight replied, "Well perhaps getting out of town and off the base is helping me let my mane down."

Rarity asked, "So Starlight, I take it you are here to get measured?"

Starlight began to get out of her armor and replied, "Yes but make it quick.  I want to get to Sugarcube Corner so I can see the rest of my friends."

Rarity said, "Wow Starlight, even after being gone for so long you still have our get together schedule memorized?"

Starlight replied, "Yep."





After getting Starlight measured they all headed to Sugarcube Corner where Starlight was greeted warmly by her friends.  She headed over there without her armor on and this was quickly noticed by Applejack, "Starlight, why aren't y'all wearing your armor?  Aren't you worried something might happen?"

Starlight replied, "I'm not worried and besides, I just want to let my mane down since I'm out of Canterlot.  If something were to happen, my armor is at Rarity's and it isn't that far away."

Out of all of them Rainbow was the most shocked, "Wow Starlight, are you starting to mellow out or are you just being like this because you are down here."

Starlight replied, "I'm just being like this since I'm down here."  She stood there in silence for a moment and continued, "Although I'm thinking that maybe I should try being more relaxed up at the base too.  It feels good not being so formal all the time."

Twilight interrupted, "I'd certainly hope so."  She pointed her hoof at Starlight and continued, "When I went to see her she told me to state my business!"

Starlight replied, "I'm sorry Twilight.  I guess it has become a habit for me."

Twilight sighed, "It's alright Starlight.  I guess when you are completely immersed in a military culture you'll wind up being like that."

Rarity interrupted, "So Starlight, what do you want your dress to look like?"

While Starlight had a general idea she realized that it would likely be up to Trixie.  She replied, "Isn't that up to Trixie?  After all, doesn't the bride usually decide what her mare of honor's dress looks like."

Twilight interrupted, "How about this Starlight.  I'll talk her into having yours designed like Cadence's.  If I can get her to agree it will be an off-white with accents that match your coat and your cutie mark on the flank."

Starlight replied, "Well that sounds good to me."  She paused and continued, "Speaking of Trixie, perhaps you and I should discuss this with her together.  It would seem rather cowardly on my part to simply have you discuss it with her."

Twilight said, "Alright, let's get going to my castle then."

Spike, who had been quiet to this point asked, "Twilight, I know I'm not your assistant anymore but can I come too?"

Twilight replied, "Ask Starlight, you are her assistant." 

Starlight ordered, "Hop on Spike, let's get going.....oh wait, wait.  I need to go and get my armor from Rarity's before we head to the castle."

As Starlight was rushing back to Rarity's Twilight couldn't help but chuckle, "Even though you are wanting to be more laid back, you still want your armor nearby!"

Starlight sighed, "I can't help it, it's just habit!"

While going and seeing Trixie was one of the absolute last things she wanted to do, Starlight felt as though simply trying to get out of this would be an act of cowardice and would be not only dishonoring herself, but her role as Warrior Princess.