"A...slumber party?"

Rarity's incredulity was clear form her voice, much like it was in her expression, complete with a raised eyebrow. She and Applejack were currently standing in the doorway of the Golden Oak Library, standing before Twilight, who wore a massive smile on her face. Beyond the library, a massive storm was raging, with thunder, lightning and rain abound in every direction. Everypony else had fled to their own homes, save for these two. Twilight, seeing the less-than-thrilled looks her friends were giving each other, let out a sigh before stepping aside, allowing them further in.

"Look...I know it's not exactly your cup of tea, but I think it'll be good for us. A chance to get to know one another better."

Applejack and Rarity glanced at each other, still unsure about all this. As for Twilight, her mind was thinking things over very carefully. They never got on until that disaster with the tree. Hopefully, I can ease things off this time around. Her expression then became something of a shamed one. I can't believe I didn't see that kind of animosity the first time. It was as plain as the nose on my face, and I just overlooked it. Not this time. Putting on a smile, she walked past her friends, using her magic to levitate a few towels over to them, which they gracious accepted. After having dried themselves off, Applejack was the first to speak.

"Ah appreciate the offer, Twi. But...do y'all think it'd be good fer us to be in a slumber party like that?"

Twilight nodded.

"It may not seem like a good idea, but remember, that storm out there has you guys trapped here until it passes. We don’t know when that'll be, so we might as well have fun while we're here."

The two other mares looked to each other, clearly unable to come up with a counter-argument for that, before sighing in defeat. Smiling, Twilight walked over to her kitchen, ready to get some food for the three of them. However, it was here that a noise was heard to her right. Turning, she saw that it was none other than Trixie, who was making her way down the stairs, a book of magic levitating in front of her face as she walked.

"Hmmm...Miss Sparkle? If Trixie could be so bold as to ask, how did you first manage to pull off this spell here? It looks quite complicated."

Twilight smiled at that. She's willing to ask for help now. That's a big step forward for her. However, that smile soon faded ad she heard the distinct sound of somepony clearing their throats. Turning, Twilight looked on to see both of her friends, their eyes fixed on Trixie as she continued walking down the stairs. It was only here that Twilight rolled her eyes. Oh...right. The girls and Trixie haven't really spoken to each other all that much since I took her in. I should have seen this coming. Looking towards her student once more, Twilight saw that she too had noticed that they had guests tonight, and was looking quite unsure about it. The blue unicorn turned to her teacher, perhaps looking for guidance, and Twilight took a few deep breaths before moving over to her friends.

"Look...I know you guys don't really get along all that much. I understand that. But I want you to trust me when I say that Trixie is better than you might think of her. Just...give her a chance...please?"

Applejack and Rarity turned to each other, silently regarding the other as they thought the matter over. Twilight stared at them in this silence, her expression a pleading one. Eventually, the two mares both slumped their shoulders a little, putting on small smiles and nodding to their unicorn friend, agreeing to her request. Breaking out into a massive smile, Twilight leapt forward, embracing them in an unexpected hug. Although taken aback by this, both of the mares smiled nervously to each other. When Twilight parted, she spun around and resumed her previous plan of going to get food for all of them. Trixie, in the meantime, reached the ground fully now, making her way over to a nearby chair and sat upon it, doing her best to focus on her book instead of the two mares. Likewise, Applejack and Rarity, not wanting to start anything, looked away from Trixie, instead making their way to another part of the room, near a table, waiting for Twilight to bring the food. Eventually, their lavender friend returned, levitating a plate of cookies for them.

"Dinner is served!"

The other mares giggled slightly at this as Twilight lowered the plate onto the table, after which they began to tuck in. After her second cookie, Twilight looked over to Trixie, who was still trying to avoid eye contact with the others. Hmmm...maybe it'd be good for me to get them to talk to one another. Clearing her throat, Twilight caught Trixie's attention, and the latter watched as the former gestured for her to come over. Trixie seemed unsure about this, as did Rarity and Applejack after noticing what Twilight had done. However, in time, Trixie let out a sigh before putting her book down, after which she began to walk over to them. Twilight stepped aside, making room for her student to stand beside them all. After reaching the table, Trixie looked to all of them before hesitantly reaching for a cookie. As she ate it in silence, Twilight looked to her two friends. Given how much they dislike Trixie, it could well be that their own differences have been overruled in favour of their common animosity towards her. I guess that means I can rule out any conflict between those two tonight, which is good. Still, it's be nice if all of them could be more friendly to each other. Understanding this, she cleared her throat again.

"Well...this is nice. All of us here...eating stuff."

Applejack rolled her eyes at that.

"Yeah...sure."

Twilight frowned a little at her friend's reaction, thinking the situation over. Okay, Twilight, think. You've got to try and break the ice somehow. After a few minutes of pondering, a lightbulb-worthy look appeared on her face.

"Say, Trixie...why don't you tell us about yourself?"

The blue mare turned to her, clearly taken aback by that.

"Wha...didn't Trixie already tell you?"

Twilight nodded.

"You did. But I figured these two might want to know a little bit more about you, since you'll be living in Ponyville for a while."

Trixie turned to the others, both of whom wore looks that made it clear that they most definitely did not want to learn more about her. However, from the encouraging looks her mentor was giving her, it was obvious to Trixie that Twilight wasn't going to let up on this matter. So exhaling deeply, she began to speak up.

"Well...Trixie was born in Canterlot, first of all..."

That knowledge perked up Rarity's ears, to which Twilight had to resist the urge to smirk a little. I had a feeling that her being a Canterlot native would get Rarity interest. It did when she found out Spike and me were from there. But, she said nothing, as Trixie continued.

"...when she was old enough, Trixie auditioned for a role in Celestia's school for gifted unicorns. Naturally, she got in."

Although that remark earned another rolling of eyes from Applejack, Trixie's words nevertheless caught her interest.

"Wait...y'all were Celestia's student too? So y'all and Twi met before?"

Trixie shook her head.

"No. The school may be run by Celestia but she rarely teaches the students personally, save for a few classes here and there. Only her personal protégé's, like Twilight here, got to be tutored by her directly. As for others, like Trixie, we remain with the regular unicorn teachers. So...the two of us never met until recently."

Both Applejack and Rarity nodded at that, seeming to be far more interested than they first were at the unicorn's story. However, a look of curiosity appeared on Rarity's face as she thought of all of this.

"What of your parents? I imagine they were quite proud to have their daughter accepted into such a prestigious academy?"

Trixie's expression, in stark contrast to her usual demeanour, became a slightly pained one, and she looked away from the alabaster unicorn. Twilight, likewise, was looking rather uncomfortable with the way the conversation had gone. Rarity took on an expression of confusion as she looked to the two, and in time, Trixie finally managed to get her words out.

"Trixie...never knew her parents. She spent her childhood in an orphanage before enlisting with the school."

The looks on Rarity and Applejack's face made it clear that they knew they'd overstepped, and immediately, they looked to each other with guilty faces. Applejack especially seemed to have been saddened most by what she'd just heard, and Twilight looked to her with understanding. You know what it's like to grow up without a mother and father too, don't you, Applejack? However, like before, she remained silent, instead watching as Rarity cleared her throat a little before replying to Trixie.

"I'm...I'm so sorry! I shouldn't have..."

But she was stopped by a raised hoof from Trixie.

"No...it's fine. Trixie came to terms with it years ago. But...thank you, all the same."

Rarity looked to Trixie, seeing the soft expression on her face, and for the first time since this whole thing began, the two actually gave each other a genuine smile. Twilight, seeing this, couldn't help but smile herself. Well, we're heading in the right direction. I wish it could have avoided painful pasts to get there, but still, it's a start. After having thought that, Twilight looked up as Applejack began to speak up.

"So...how does a filly from Celestia's school end up on the road as a performer?"

Trixie let out a dry laugh at that.

"The lessons they taught at that school were hardly ground-breaking, Applejack. They were so...dull! Trixie wanted excitement! She wanted ponies to see her works and love them! And there was very little chance of me getting to know that by learning all the boring stuff they had to teach in the classroom. So, as soon as she was old enough, Trixie left Canterlot and headed out to her first performance. It was a small one at first, but ponies seemed to enjoy it. So...the rest is history."

Rarity raised an eyebrow.

"Well, I certainly can't look down on a self-made mare. But...if you never completed your training at the school, where did you learn all those fancy tricks you did at the show? Making flowers from nothing and all the rest of it?"

Trixie gained her usual look of pride, placing a hoof upon her chest.

"Why...Trixie taught herself, of course! It took a while...a long while actually...but she did!"

Despite the kind of boasting that had once earned Trixie such scorn from these two, now, they were looking at her with some semblance of genuine awe.

"Ya mean...y'all taught yerself? With no help from nopony?"

Trixie nodded, prompting the two mares to look to each other. In time, they looked to her once again, Rarity giving a sly smile.

"Well...if I may say so...colour me impressed."

The blue unicorn looked at them, clearly taken aback at actually being spoken to in that manner by them. However, eventually, she broke out into a smile, as did the other two. Trixie, to the surprise of all of them, seemed to look a little bit nervous about something, before eventually managing to get her words out.

"Um...would it be alright if...Trixie asked...a little bit about you two?"

Both Rarity and Applejack seemed genuinely shocked at having been asked that by her, as did Twilight for that matter. However, after giving each other a glance, the two mares smiled at Trixie, leaning forward and giving her a single nod, accepting her request. Twilight, seeing this, grinned widely. However, rather than say anything, she used her magic to levitate the now-empty cookie plate, gesturing to the others that she was going off to get more. As she moved off and into the kitchen, she looked back over her shoulder, seeing her friends, and her one-time rival, conversing with each other in a truly friendly manner. Giggling slightly at this, Twilight let out a sigh. It's just a start...but it's a good one.