"So you didn't panic?"

"Oh, I panicked," Twilight replied. "Once we were back in Cloudsdale and I was untied, I panicked like you would never believe."

"Pretty sure I would," Trixie mumbled to herself.

"I shrieked, I hyperventilated, I shouted for minutes about how I could have been killed, and finally... I passed out."

"That sounds like you alright," Trixie said with a smirk.

"Oh, ha-ha." Twilight rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Anyway, after I regained consciousness, we.... well... they... decided that it would be best if they... I ... stayed in Cloudsdale for the night and made sure I didn't develop acrophobia."

"Which is...?"

"A fear of heights."

Trixie sighed and rubbed her head.

"Twilight," she said calmly, "you were foalnapped, had your magic blocked, held hostage by an insane pegasus, dropped from hundreds -- if not thousands -- of feet in the air and nearly plummeted to your death. I think you have more than enough reason to be scared and never want to be up in the sky like that ever again."

"I know," Twilight responded. "Doesn't mean I want to though."

The sound of a whistle from the kitchen interrupted the conversation. Trixie's horn began to glow as she grabbed the teapot, lifting it, the cups, and some cookies from the kitchen to bring to them.

"I appreciate you listening," Twilight said as her tea was poured, "but..." she took a deep breath. "That wasn't really the reason I came over."

"Oh?" Trixie looked at her friend, tilting her head and raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah." Twilight shifted, looking down at the floor as her ears drooped. "There was something I wanted to talk to you about, and... what happened in Cloudsdale kind of made me realize that life might be shorter than we expect so we-ow! Hot! Hot! Hot!"

Trixie let out a squeak as she realized she was still holding the teapot and pouring it into Twilight's cup. Unfortunately the cup was completely full and overflowing, causing the liquid to spill out and some of it onto Twilight.

"Sorry-sorry-sorry!" Trixie cried out as she put the teapot down and grabbed a napkin. She started dabbing at her friend's coat and the spilled tea on the table.

"It's okay," Twilight responded, grabbing the napkin. She continued to dab at her coat while Trixie cleaned up the spill on the table.

"Getting back to what I was trying to say." Twilight took a sip of the tea so her cup was not so full before adding some sugar. "First... I wanted to apologize for the way I acted toward you."

"You don't-" Trixie started.

"Yes, I do. You had a point. Romantic feelings aside, you still tried to be a good friend to me and I never even noticed or gave you the chance. For that, I'm sorry."

Trixie smiled, biting on her lip a little. She looked at her own cup as she started filling it for the first time.

"Speaking of us..." Twilight continued, causing Trixie to jump slightly.

"I... I'm sorry. I needed time to think about what you said... and ... did..."

"Again, sorry for that," Trixie said with a sheepish grin. Her cheeks turned bright pink as she did.

"I know. Anyway, I needed some time to think about it and..."

She shifted, rubbing the back of her head as she looked up toward the ceiling.

"I'm... I'm not sure I feel the same way as you do..."

"Oh..." Trixie's ears dropped as she looked at her cup. She let out a sigh. "I understand. I me-"

"Wait, wait, wait," Twilight cut in. "Let me finish."

Twilight took a deep breath and continued.

"I'm not sure if I feel the same way you do because I'm not sure how I feel. I've never thought of you like that, but I've never really thought of anypony like that. That being said... I want to give us a chance..."

"Pardon?" Trixie asked, looking at Twilight curiously again.

"I want to give us a chance," Twilight repeated. "I want us to date, to spend time together, to get to know each other... romantically. I want to give us the chance for us both to figure out how we feel about each other."

Trixie stared at Twilight for a moment, chewing her lip. The scrutiny started to make Twilight uncomfortable. She looked at her cup, the cookies (which were untouched), the wall, the books, her hooves. Her ears twitched. She licked at her lips.

"I really don't know if it would work between us," she blurted -- more to fill the silence than anything else -- "but I've thought about it. The best case scenario is that things work out between us and we end up in a loving long-term relationship. The worst case scenario is that things don't work out, in which case you no longer wonder about what a relationship with me would be like -- helping you move on -- and I have a better understanding of what it is I actually desire from a relationship."

Trixie continued to stare, saying nothing.

"Okay, okay!" Twilight cried out. "The actual worst case scenario is that we find out that we hate each other that one of us kills the other then spends the rest of their short life locked up in a tiny cage and banished to some distant lonely place far from Equestria until they die lonely, hungry and forgotten."

Trixie took a sip of her tea.

"Trixie, say something!"

"Do you want to ask me out, or do you want me to ask you?"

Twilight's jaw hung loose as she stared at her possible marefriend.

"...what...what...what?" Twilight managed to spit out.

"There's that brilliant wit," Trixie said with a smirk. She took a deep breath and repeated herself slowly.

"Do you... want to... ask... me out? Or... do you... want me... to ask you?

"After all, one of us should at least ask the other out on a date, seeing as we are discussing the matter. Personally, I would prefer if you asked me since I was the one pursuing you for so long. It would be nice to feel wanted for a while."

Twilight let out a huff and rolled her eyes.

"Is this how you're going to be the whole time we're together?" Twilight asked.

"Oh you better believe it," Trixie replied with a smirk.

"Oh, fine." Twilight took a deep breath and looked at Trixie, "Would you like to go out on a date with me tomorrow?"

"Oh, my." Trixie let out a mock gasp and brought a hoof to her mouth. "Such short notice. I don't know if I can make it. I'll have to check my schedule." She grinned as she got up and headed for the stairway. "Be right back."

"I hate you," Twilight growled, her cheeks heating up.

"No you don't," Trixie shouted back in a sing-song voice.

Twilight let out another huff, but said nothing more.