Starlight illuminated the train as it rumbled back towards Ponyville. Inside a purple unicorn gazed out at the infinite number of glowing orbs that dotted the clear night sky from her seat in the train's square cabin. Beside her sat a neatly stacked column of books, and across from her a blue magician lay on her back on the opposite long seat, one leg dangling off the side, fore-hooves pressed together atop her chest. Twilight noticed she looked oddly pensive, as she was concentrating particularly hard on the unremarkable cabin ceiling.

"Something on your mind Trixie?" Twilight asked, turning to her.

Trixie took a few moments to reply. "Just pondering some things." A minute or so of silence followed before Trixie spoke up again.

"Do you have a special somepony Sparkle?" Trixie asked suddenly.

Taken off guard by the seemingly random question, Twilight donned a confused look.

"Umm... what do you mean? Like somepony that I'd be romantically involved with?"

"Yeah," Trixie confirmed.

"Not right now, no. If I did I'm sure you would have met them by now!"

"True," Trixie agreed. "But would you like one?"

"Well, it's not really something I've really given much thought to. It's kinda something I figure that will happen when it happens. May I ask where this random line of questioning stemmed from?"

"Nowhere in particular," Trixie responded with her well-practiced apathy, making it impossible for Twilight to know if she was being honest. "Just a question that came into my head."

"Fair enough," Twilight allowed." What about yourself?"

"Trixie has not found a pony that meets her standards yet."

Twilight could not help but giggle at the very Trixie response to the question. The very sound of Twilight's laughter seemed to seize control of Trixie's facial muscles, causing them to spread into a smile without any conscious acknowledgement on her own part.

"Trixie would need a very special, very talented, very pretty pony to date her," she explained, all the while maintaining her pensive glare at the ceiling.

"Well, maybe you can begin on that task after the exam," Twilight suggested.

"Would you be willing to help Trixie with that search as well?" she joked.

"A little outside my area of expertise, I think," Twilight added with a giggle, the sound of which once again did things to Trixie's belly that were outside her mental control. She decided that she liked that sound very much.

"It's a beautiful night out tonight," Twilight observed. "I think I'll do a little stargazing tonight. Are you familiar with any astronomy Trixie?"

"I know a few constellations." Trixie admitted.

"Care to join me and my telescope tonight?" Twilight asked with an excited smile.

"Sure, why not?" Trixie's response did not betray a single hint of the hidden intense desire she held to spend a beautiful night with the lavender unicorn under the shining stars. Another large smile spread across her lips.