Humming contentedly, Pinkie moved about her room, organizing one stack of things after another. “This has to be perfect,” she said. “It has to!”

After all, they’d just gotten the letter the other day. Twilight had written to all of them, informing them that she had just one more stop to make on her world tour. Her time in the centaur/gargoyle kingdom had gone really well, and now she just needed to visit the small kingdom of Dimondia before returning to Canterlot. Princess Celestia had given Pinkie free reign to do whatever she wanted for the welcome-back party, though she’d also provided her with a list of individuals who had already promised to be there, so as to at least give her a head start on that end.

“Let’s see… got the streamers, got the confetti, got the balloons, got the party poppers…” She went down her checklist. “Got the plans for the cake! Got no quesadillas; she doesn’t like those… ooh, and got the presents!” Finishing the checklist she’d prepared, she saw the last item. “Notification, not quite check.”

Then she dashed downstairs and into the kitchen. “Mrs. Cake?”

“Yes, Pinkie?” the other mare asked, taking a tray of muffins out of the oven. “Oh, could you set these aside? Derpy’s coming to pick them up in an hour.”

“Sure thing!” Pinkie did as she was asked, then turned back to her boss. “Mrs. Cake?”

“Yes?”

“Can I have…” Pinkie checked the calendar. “This day off?”

“Oh, certainly,” Mrs. Cake told her. “What’s the occasion?”

“Twilight’s coming home!”

“Really? That’s fantastic!” Mrs. Cake grinned and gave her a hug. “Here, or Canterlot?”

“Party’s in Canterlot, then she’ll be back here after that!” Pinkie said excitedly. “Not enough room in the library, or we’d hold it here.”

“Well, that’s certainly reasonable.” Mrs. Cake smiled. “Give her our best when you see her, if you don’t mind.”

“No problem!” Pinkie said. “Now I have a city-sized party to plan for!”

Mrs. Cake paled at that. “A city-sized party?” she asked, sounding a bit worried for some reason.

“Princess Celestia told me I could do whatever I want to welcome home Twilight and I am going to throw the bestest Welcome home party for my friend ever.”

“Well… if she said it was okay,” Mrs. Cake said.

“She did!” Pinkie chirped. “Oh, and I’m bringing the personal Twilight cake with me, and then we’re going to make a couple dozen Marzipan Mascarpone Meringue Madness once I get up there.”

“That many? In less than a day?” Mrs. Cake asked, a bit taken back.

“Mrs. Cake, you know me,” Pinkie said. “If I say it can be done, it can be done.”

Then she pronked off, before turning back. “Oh, if you and Mr. Cake want to close up shop for the day and come up with us, you’re certainly welcome to!”

“I’ll talk to Carrot about it,” Mrs. Cake said faintly.

It was during the middle of the day and Celestia was blessed with a moment of quietness from all the hustle and bustle going off in Canterlot. Along with the renewed ties across the world being centered in Canterlot, the sirens being the latest to establish ties to not only Equestria but the rest of the international community, the fact that Twilight was finally coming home had drawn in people from all over the word in eager celebration for the princess of the world. Pinkie Pie had also brought in her own share of people who wished to attend the biggest party of the year, with Pinkie hiring entertainers from all across the world for the day that was quickly approaching.

Some of the nobles were worried that Pinkie’s spending was a bit too coin but Fancy, who was replacing Blueblood for the moment as the prince was out in Saddle Arabia, had pointed out Pinkie was helping create jobs for the party and it would also be political suicide to try and stop such a party for their Princess’s return.

Sighing contently, Celestia raised a cup of tea to her lips before pausing. “I can hear you there, my little pony,” she said.

“I wasn’t trying to hide Celestia,” Velvet said, one of the few ponies that openly treated her as an equal with very little encouraging needed. The mare walked up to her, summoning a small platform so she could peer over the balcony too. She stared at the mass of people walking across the courtyard and smiled. “She has done very well, our daughter, hasn’t she?”

Celestia cocked an eyebrow at this with Velvet snorting. “Oh come on, she is much as your daughter as she is mine. You helped raise her, teach her, and prepared her for the world.” She sighed, shaking her head. “To think she has done all of this in more or less a year; that a year ago she would have been a complete mess at even comprehending dong any of this.”

Celestia smiled. “Velvet, I must confess,” she said. “I do love Twilight. She is as dear to me as any foal I would ever have of my own.” She blinked, almost tearing up. “But… but I didn’t want to say it.”

“Why ever not?” Velvet demanded.

“Because I didn’t want to steal her from you.”

Velvet smiled. “Celestia, Celestia… Twilight loves you as much as she does me, and we both know it,” she said. “I don’t see you as stealing her. I see you as giving her as much love as I do. And I guarantee, as immortal as you both are now - don’t give me that look, Cadance told me a long time ago about your lifespan as an alicorn. It relieves me, to know that she’ll still have you long after I’m gone. You, and Luna, and Cadance...”

Celestia smiled. “Velvet… that means so much to me.”

“Now, do you think you could see about figuring out how to grant immortality to a few others?” Velvet asked. “Like that mare you took under your wing last year, who thinks I don’t see her lurking in the library and mooning over a picture of Twilight when she’s not studying.”

Celestia raised an eyebrow. “If I could, I would see about doing it,” she said. “I don’t know if she has alicorn potential yet; I keep hoping.”

“Well, I hope she does,” Velvet said as Celestia took a sip of her tea. “That girl’s got it bad for our daughter.”

“Velvet, I promise,” Celestia said after coughing on her tea. “I will do all I can. Remember though, Twilight doesn’t know yet. Moondancer wanted to tell her personally, and Twilight hasn’t been back since I found out.”

Velvet nodded. “We’ll see how things go then,” she said. “But really, those two would do well together, I think.” She gave Celestia a wry look. “And think of the grandfoals!”

Celestia’s next coughing fit lasted almost two minutes after that.

Twilight sighed as Spike brought them in for a landing. “Finally,” she said. “The last stop.”

“Yup.” Spike nodded. “The kingdom of the Diamond Dogs.”

“Right,” Twilight said. “And then home.”

“Hopefully, these guys will be more reasonable than that trio,” Spike said as they climbed out of the airskimmer.

“Hopefully,” Twilight agreed.

The two descended into the valley, moving cautiously as they passed by a number of holes in the ground where Diamond Dogs were busily working. Most of them ignored the pair, though a few looked up curiously.

As the two kept moving, they finally found what they were looking for: a village of small white houses, all with red roofs. In the center was a stone wall around a set of buildings that looked similar, plus a stone tower with a red roof of its own.

Approaching, the two saw a Diamond Dog in a blue dress shirt, his face somewhat resembling a bulldog. “Greetings, your majesty!” he called. “I’m Jim, the Queen’s chancellor!”

“Oh… nice to meet you,” Twilight said as she waved. “You were expecting us?”

“Oh, our Queen heard through the underground that you were coming,” he said, gesturing for them to follow. “She was oh so excited to hear it. You know, she really thinks you’re one of the smartest ponies she’s ever met.”

“Met?” Twilight looked confused as they entered the throne room. “I didn’t know we’d ever met before.”

“Oh, we have,” a voice said from the throne, causing Twilight to look there. What she saw left her in shock.

“Trixie‽” she and Spike practically shrieked.

“That’s Her Royal Highness, Lady of the Royal Order, Queen Trixianna the First,” Jim corrected them.

“Quite.” Trixie leaned forward. “Thank you for bringing the royal visitor, Jim. Would you mind giving us some space now?”

“Of course, my Queen!” Jim bowed, and then left the room, shutting the door behind him.

Once he was gone, Trixie practically flew across the floor, directly into Twilight’s face. “You have to help me!” she begged. “Trixie cannot stand to be here another minute!”

Twilight blinked. “Trixie, what’s going on?” A year ago, she might have been somewhat irked at the other mare, but her experience had allowed her to put all that past her. “Why wouldn’t you want to stay?”

“Because this is a trap!” Trixie gestured to the crown she wore. “The Diamond Dogs of this kingdom saw Trixie spill a trunkful of costume jewelry, and they think she can find jewels for them now, so they took her home and made her their queen! But Trixie can’t; she never could! You have to he-e-elp me!”

“Trixie, calm down!” Twilight tried to calm herself as well. “Seriously, why do you need my help? Why can’t you just sneak out?”

“Trixie told you, it’s this crown!” Trixie gestured. “It is enchanted so it cannot leave the head of the one who wears it without the agreement of all the Diamond Dogs of Dimondia; and it cannot leave the valley. If Trixie tried, she would just be stuck!”

Twilight glared. “And they didn’t tell you this before you put it on?”

“No,” Trixie said. “Trixie only found out afterward.”

Twilight’s nostrils flared. “Well. We’ll just see about that.” She spun around and headed for the door.

“Wait! Where are you going?”

“To tell the Diamond Dogs that their Queen has called a meeting,” Twilight said. “And then I am going to show them why they do not mess with a citizen of Equestria.”

Half an hour later, all the Diamond Dogs had gathered in front of the stage where Twilight, Trixie and Spike sat.

“Ahem.” Using what she had learned, Twilight called upon the Canterlot Royal Voice. “Citizens of Dimondia! You have been summoned forth for a meeting of great importance!”

The Diamond Dogs flattened their ears, a few of them whining.

Lowering her voice, but still loud enough for all to hear, Twilight continued. “I am Princess Twilight Sparkle, of the Royal Triarchy of the nation of Equestria. And of course, you all know your Queen Trixianna.” Mentally she rolled her eyes; Trixie had confessed to her that she’d made up the name to sound more grandiose. Her real name, she had admitted, was Beatrix Lulamoon.

“Queen Trixianna has told me of how she came to be your queen,” she said. “How she was chosen for her great abilities. But then, then she informed me of how she was tricked into putting on a crown that chains her here, forbids her from going away for even an instant. Traps her here among those who would use her to do their work for them.”

Leaning forward, she gave them the dirtiest look she could. “We citizens of Equestria have a word for that sort of thing, a word for something that has been outlawed since before our nation became a reality. We call that sort of thing slavery.”

The Diamond Dogs began muttering amongst themselves.

“To keep one a prisoner, forced to work for them, no matter how well they are treated, is a crime,” Twilight continued. “Equestria will not stand for it! We demand that you release our citizen at once, or you will not like the results!”

One of the Diamond Dogs, a grungy-looking fellow with a grayish brown coat, stepped forward. “And what if we don’t, pony?” he demanded.

Twilight grinned. “You remember my friend, don’t you?” she asked as she conjured up an illusion of Rarity.

The Diamond Dog gasped. “No… no!”

“If you don’t let your Queen go, and promise never to use that slave crown ever again, I’ll call her.” Twilight gave him her most malicious-looking smile.

The nervous Diamond Dog immediately turned to the others. “Let Queen Trixianna go! We don’t want none of that whiney pony!” he yelled, gesturing to the illusion. “She more trouble than she worth!”

“But, Princess Twilight!” Jim protested as he came over. “If we let our Queen go, then what are we to do? With no proper leader…”

“Then chose one of yourselves,” Twilight told him. “Chose a Diamond Dog who’s smart, who knows how to run a kingdom! From what Trixie has said, you’re pretty good at that, aren’t you?”

Jim scratched his head. “Well, I… I suppose…”

“Then it’s settled! You can be king, and we can make arrangements for our two nations to work together,” Twilight said. “How’s that sound?”

It took a little more time, but soon enough, the Diamond Dogs had agreed, and removed the crown from Trixie’s head. Once Jim had been properly crowned with a new, non-enchanted one and the three Equestrians had slipped away to a room they’d been assigned, Twilight sighed.

“This is not how I expected my day to go,” she told Spike.

“Neither did I,” Spike said. “But hey, we solved another problem.”

“We certainly did.” Twilight turned to Trixie. “All things considered, that worked out pretty well, didn’t it?”

“It certainly did,” Trixie agreed. “And… can Trixie catch a ride with you when you leave? If you don’t mind?”

Twilight nodded. “Pack your things, Trixie. We’re going home.”

“Home?”

“Home,” Twilight confirmed. “I’ve been away for too long. We’re going back to Canterlot, first thing in the morning.”

Trixie sighed as she flopped back on the bed. “Canterlot sounds good to me,” she said. “The Great and Powerful Trixie… needs a vacation.”

Twilight smiled. “Trixie, you’ve got it.”

“But Trixie doesn’t know where to go, Trixie really can’t stay in Equestria,” the mare said.

“Trixie, as one of the harpies I met in Ornithia said, if you live life right, every day is a vacation.” Twilight smiled. “You’re more than welcome to come and stay in Ponyville with me. Or sign up for the School for Gifted Unicorns. Your illusions are impressive enough.”

“Trixie attended there once,” Trixie said. “Trixie narrowly graduated. Trixie does not think going back would be a good idea.” She perked up. “You’d really let Trixie come and stay with you?”

“Just… tone down the bragging act when you’re there, please?” Twilight asked. “I know it’s all part of your stage persona, and you like using it even off-stage, but it really got on a lot of people’s nerves.”

“Trixie will consider it,” Trixie said. “But seriously, Princess… thank you.”

“You’re welcome, Trixie.” Twilight yawned. “Let’s get some shuteye. Tomorrow, we go home.”

With that, Twilight and Trixie made their way to their separate beds while Spike curled up in the basket beside Twilight’s.

The journey was almost done.