Two weeks went by as Twilight, along with Spike, spent in their hometown. While the impending future was uncertain, at least their little visit was able to go by with relative ease.

According to Discord's “report” on the matter, he'd said that Fluttershy was doing just fine. No signs of heartbreak of any sort, but also no real progress on where she stood with Rainbow Dash in terms of their relationship. Stagnation, as it were. Twilight wasn't sure whether or not this was relieving, but at least she didn't have to worry any further.

He had also seen Ascentia coming out of the Carousel Boutique one afternoon. Naturally, Twilight was confused and wondered why she'd gone there. Discord gave her a grin and told her, “Why not ask her yourself?”

As much as she didn't want to admit it, he had a good point yet again.

Tonight was the night before they would be heading back to Ponyville, and she was staying with her parents, while Cadance and Shining Armor were spending time there as well. As she sat in her first bedroom ever, before living at the palace, Twilight looked around it. While it was converted into a guest room since then, it did still contain the old purple paint she remembered picking as a filly.

She exhaled, the slew of nostalgic memories had been flooding her mind since coming here, and were only the more stronger now.

“Twiley?”

Turning around, she came to see Shining Armor in the doorway.

“Hey, Shining.” Twilight smiled a bit. “I was just...well, lost in memories, I guess.”

“I don't blame you.” Shining Armor said, coming and sitting beside her. “Mom and Dad really have a way of making us feel like kids again, don't they? Sometimes I feel like I never left.”

“Me neither.” Twilight admitted, nuzzling against him, taking in his familiar musky, aqua scent. “It's like my entire life is a big fantasy whenever I'm here. Like everything that happened never quite did, and that I'm still just a young filly, playing in her bedroom.”

Chuckling, the white stallion ruffled her mane. “Heh, that's pretty true, isn't it? I feel that way, too. At the end of the day, I'm still married to Cadance, ruling the Crystal Empire alongside her, and Captain of the Royal Guard. But when I'm here, with you, Mom and Dad, I feel like I'm just that same young colt who had big dreams.”

Twilight stuck her tongue out playfully. “I remember. You always said 'I'm gonna be a big and strong pony! I'm gonna be a guard and protect my little sister and the city!' over and over.”

“And you always said you wanted to be a Princess. Like Princess Celestia!” Shining Armor grinned, laughing behind his hoof. “I remember when you were a little filly, you dressed up like a Princess, and tried to use your magic, but it never quite worked at first.”

“Are you never going to let me live that down?”

“Nope! I'm your brother. That's my job.”

“You're terrible.”

“I love you too.”

Smiling more, the lavender unicorn took in the room some more, seeing as she once remembered it. With all of her books, toys, clothes, and especially Smarty Pants. Both here and her old room at the palace were spent with many fun adventures, something Twilight couldn't help but miss. As a filly, everything seemed amazing, and so simple. Yet, a lot more complex than even she realized at the time.

Now that she'd grown, she realized just how much life can really make you feel unprepared. So many things happen left and right, big or small, and you can never truly feel ready for them. Try as you may, life was full of learning experiences and surprises. From a child's standpoint, it was an adventure, something amazing. As an adult, it was tough to face, but with no other choice but to endure it.

Yet, in the long run, the rewards were always worth it.

Now here, at home with her family, felt as if her life was one big dream. Something distant, yet so close.

Twilight exhaled, looking to her older brother. “Some things never change, do they?”

“I guess not.” Shining murmured, smiling at her. “Makes me miss those days, even if I'm happy with my life now.”

“...So am I.” She admitted softly. “There are a lot of great things in my life now, that I wouldn't trade for anything. Yet, I guess I can't help but miss the old days. All these memories just make it hard to realize that they'll never happen again. That those days are over, nothing but memories. All that's left is the present, then the future.”

“You got it, Twiley.” Shining Armor hugged her gently, then released her. “Come on, let's go back downstairs. Cadance is making her famous red velvet cake, and you know I'm not going to miss that!”

Giggling, Twilight nodded with agreement. “You said it, BBBFF. Let's go get cake!”

“Right back at you, LSBFF!”

The two siblings headed on downstairs, joining their parents, Spike and Cadance in the kitchen. At least tonight would be special in its own right, and be a perfect sendoff for when they would be heading home the next day.

Dear Princess Celestia,

A lot has happened since I came here, and I have to say that I've learned a lot. Sometimes it's better to let someone get their story out before you snap at them. It's better to hear both sides of a situation and assess the problem from there.

Emotions have a strange way of clouding your logical thinking, and that can be detrimental. Yet, there isn't much we can do about that. It's all part of what makes us ponies. We just have to do our best. And if worse comes to worse, make up for our mistakes and learn from them.

I also learned that it's not the best idea to let yourself worry about the future. It's always good to be cautious and approach things with a plan in mind, but it's also a good idea not to over-think it. You can drive yourself crazy with that, and I know that feeling all too well. Sometimes, you just have to wait until you're facing the problem head on before you can make a clear decision of what to do next. Sometimes you can't plan for things, you have to let them happen first.

We all make mistakes, even those we look up to will make mistakes. It's very humbling, it makes you realize that they're not so different from you. We all have our flaws, we all make mistakes within them, and we all end up in tough spots.

But there's always a way out. You just have to work hard to find it. Then to remember how far you've come.

As many wise ones have said: One does not achieve wisdom by simply staying alive. But to learn from failures and grow from them.

I couldn't agree with that more.

And I think I have a lot to do in the time to come.

Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle

The next morning, Twilight and Spike were at Canterlot Station, waiting on the train platform. Along with them were Shining Armor and Cadance, having come to see them off. It wasn't long before the train arrived, pulling up to the platform for passengers to disembark and board.

“Well, this is it, Twiley!” Shining Armor chuckled, hugging Twilight. “You two have a safe trip home. Be sure to write!”

“You know it, Shiny!” Twilight giggled, hugging her brother back. “I'm glad we could see each other, I had a great time.”

“We did too, little sis.” Chuckled the Royal Guard captain, letting her go. “Glad you could come!”

“I'll miss you, Twilight!” Cadance hugged her again. “I promise we'll come visit you soon, and you'd better be coming by the Crystal Empire when you can!”

Laughing with glee, Twilight hugged her sister-in-law back. “I promise, Cadance! I'll write to you about it! And you take care of baby snooks, okay? Keep me posted!”

The pink alicorn nodded. “Don't you worry, I'll keep you posted on that.”

“Thanks for everything!” Spike said, now coming back with their tickets. “I think Twilight's had all the recuperation she needs!”

“I'll say.” Shining Armor winked at him before nudging his wife.

Twilight rolled her eyes, but smiled anyway. “Very funny, guys. All right, Spike, let's go! Our train awaits!”

“After you, my lady!” Spike gave a bow, allowing Twilight to enter the train car first. He winked to Shining Armor and Cadance before he boarded as well.

As the train pulled out of the station, Shining glanced over at Cadance with a secretive smile. “So, it's true, isn't it?”

“You bet it is.” Cadance smirked playfully, giggling. “Now pay up.”

The train soon pulled up to Ponyville Station, where Twilight caught a full view of the platform. Sure enough, all of their friends were waiting for them. For a brief moment, she looked around, trying to spot a familiar figure.

Nothing.

She shrugged, deciding not to let it get to her. There would be plenty of time to take things along later.

“You ready?” Spike asked, taking their luggage.

Twilight nodded. “Yep, let's go, Spike.”

Disembarking off the train, Twilight smiled brightly as their friends came trotting over to greet them.

“Welcome back, Twilight and Spikey!” Pinkie squealed, hugging her. “We've got a welcome back party waiting for you at Sugarcube Corner first thing tonight at seven!”

“Awesome!” Spike grinned widely at the idea. “I can't wait!”

“Darling, you must have had a lovely time!” Rarity hugged Twilight as well. “You look very refreshed!”

“I feel a lot better, and pretty refreshed.” Twilight admitted, giggling a bit.

“Boy howdy, Ah'm sure glad yer feelin' better now, Twi!” Applejack cajoled, tipping her hat. “Welcome back!”

Fluttershy smiled and hugged Twilight as well. “Welcome back, I'm glad you had a good time, Twilight.”

“Heeeey!” Rainbow Dash swooped in, hugging them both. “Glad you're back!”

Greetings were made, hugs were exchanged, and soon they all headed back into town from the station. All seemed to be going well, as Twilight could see, which was a relief to her unease. However, there were still a couple of questions looming in her mind. What happened, where was Ascentia, and what was going to happen now?

But most prominently, Twilight wanted to know one other little thing.

“Rarity,” Twilight addressed the fashionista unicorn. “I heard that Ascentia went to your shop sometime last week. Why was that?”

“Why, she wanted help fixing her robes!” Rarity responded. “She came in that one day, and...well, due to my callous behaviour before, I had not wanted to impose upon her. So I asked what she needed, and she told me that she had some tears in her robes. I took them in, mended them as good as new, and then gave them back to her. It was a simple task, really, it took me less than half an hour to complete!”

Now Twilight understood, figuring it was something along those lines. It wasn't the first time Ascentia had requested Rarity's assistance in fixing her robes or any other kind of article of clothing she had, so it made sense.

“Why do you ask, darling?” Rarity queried.

“Oh, no reason. I just heard about it and wanted to know what was up.” Twilight shrugged. “Aside from that, have you guys seen her around?”

Applejack answered then, “She came by tha farm quite a few times ta help out. Ah don't reckon ta know why, but it was real nice o' her!”

“Really?” This surprised Twilight a bit. “She didn't say why?”

“Nnnope!” Applejack drawled in a similar manner to her brother. “All she said was that she felt like helpin' out, hangin' around a bit.”

“She came to watch me practice a couple times!” Rainbow Dash chimed in. “I don't get why, that's usually Fluttershy's job! But she came in and gave me some pointers on working on my coordination. I gotta say, for a creature who can't fly, she had good advice!”

“And she helped me clean up the kitchen at Sugarcube Corner! Then she even tried to bake cookies!” Pinkie said, and then lowered her voice. “She kept burning them!”

“Oh dear...” Twilight tried not to laugh at the hilarious thought.

“It was fun, though!” Pinkie grinned. “We even started talking about crazy things, like stories about baking meat and the bodies of ponies into cupcakes! Ha! What a silly thought! How would you bake meat of any kind into a cupcake? Even the texture wouldn't work well in the batter! That's just silly! You'd be able to taste it, even if you tried to hide it! But yeah, she asked me if that possible, and I told her in a very eloquent way that it wasn't. Then she looked at me with this confused face and said, 'Huh...those stories lied to me, then.'”

Twilight blinked, unsure about what to think of that. But she shrugged it off, deciding it didn't matter. “Well, at least you had fun, then.”

“She came to see me, too.” Fluttershy said softly. “She even helped me out with caring for some animals. I...well, I didn't really say much, but she was very helpful.”

“It's all kinda weird!” Said Rainbow, flying alongside them now. “I thought she didn't care about us.”

“That's not true.” Twilight said, shaking her head.

“Well...she does care about you the most, darling,” Rarity threw in.

“I-I know she does.” The unicorn looked away with a mild blush. “But she likes you guys just fine, you know that.”

“Ah jus' find it weird that she did all that she did without you tellin' her to. ...Did ya?” Applejack asked, curious.

“No, not really. I mean, I've always said I liked when she interacted with you guys, but I never actually told her to do anything. I guess she just took initiative.” Twilight shrugged a little.

Fluttershy smiled a little. “It was thoughtful of her, though.”

This made Twilight smile too. “Yeah, it was.”

After having settled in and unpacked, Twilight decided to just get certain matters over with. At least before the party taking place that evening. Thankfully, it was only after eleven by the time she was heading out, so she had plenty of time.

With the coordinates set, Twilight this time got it right. She was in Ascentia's abode, to which she realized might've been a bad idea. But as it seemed, the oxygen levels were artificially set right, since she found herself able to breathe just as well as she normally could. Relieved, she took a look around the room. No sign of her anywhere. Even when peering into the bedroom and bathroom, Ascentia was nowhere to be seen.

“Oh...she must be off doing something else, I guess.” Twilight shrugged, lifting herself onto the couch, taking a book from the shelf. “Looks like I'll just have to wait.”

Luckily, with so many books at her arsenal, Twilight didn't mind at all. If anything, it gave her more time to try to gather herself and prepare for when they would finally confront one another. After two weeks, with her mind much more at ease about it all, for the most part, she was ready. Ready to finally face the music and work things out.

Twilight read, glancing at the clock every now and then, and waited.

And waited.

And waited.

And waited.

And waited.

Before she knew it, she eventually fell asleep.

When had she fallen asleep? Twilight didn't even remember that happening. But there was no denying the fact that a period of darkness had come about when she was opening her eyes. It felt as if she had just been blinking, coming to realize where she was and what was happening. But what was this warm, heavier feeling?

The answer came in that she saw a warm, gray soft wool blanket draped over her body. Beneath her head was a foam pillow encased with a green pillow case. Yawning, the unicorn sat up on the couch, stretching her body a bit.

“Oh...when did I fall asleep...what time is it...” She mumbled to herself.

“It's two-thirty.” Ascentia's prompt response sounded.

Twilight yawned again, nodding. “Okay, thanks, Ascentia... Guess I'll get up and-”

Wait.

Her gaze snapped right over to the woman in question, who was standing near the couch with a feather duster in her hand. More suprisingly, she even had her long hair tied back into a ponytail, and a white hairband around her head. Twilight felt her heart drop and then freeze up, as if she were caught stealing.

“Wha-! Where?! What?! Ascentia, you...! When did you get back?” Twilight squeaked, wide-eyed.

“An hour ago, actually. I saw you curled up on the couch.” Ascentia shrugged, indicating to her with the feather duster. “You seemed a bit cold, so I gave you a blanket and pillow.”

“Oh...thank you...it's really warm.”

“You're welcome.”

“Right...” Twilight twiddled her hooves, looking away from her companion and biting her lip. This was a lot more awkward than it had to be. “So, um...what are you doing?”

“Cleaning up,” she said, going over to one of the end tables and dusting it off. “It was also getting a bit dusty in here, so I was tackling that, as well.”

“Oh...do you need help?”

Ascentia shook her head. “No, I can manage for now. Although, would you hold on to my sword? I'm going to dust the bookshelves.” She indicated to her weapon leaning against the nearby wall.

Nodding, Twilight got off the couch and picked up the weapon with her magic. She strapped it around her back to keep it secure.

“...Ascentia, look, about when I left...”

The Val'Kyr silenced her. “We'll talk about it later, Twilight. I promise.”

“So...you're not...mad? Upset?”

“No. Of course not. You needed time to get away, and sort your thoughts, just as anyone would. I've done so, myself.”

“...Well, okay... I'm going to go outside for a bit.” Twilight murmured, heading to the entrance.

“All right, just be careful out there. It's dangerous.”

Rolling her eyes, the unicorn kept walking, not looking back. “Yes, mommy.”

As Twilight stepped out onto the ledge of Ascentia's home, she took sight of the landscape before her. Ascentia's alvoce overlooked much of Equestria, and she could see for miles, the landscape of Ponyville clear in the distance.

She inhaled the artificially maintained air, taking a deep breath and plonking down onto her flank.

"You tread a dangerous road, Twilight Sparkle," came a soft voice behind her.

Startled, she whipped around and found herself eye to eye with Lord Ryder. His dark red irises piercing holes through her.

"Oh, you startled me," she said, backing away from his imposing stature.

"I have a tendency to do that," he replied, crouching down to her level.

"What did you mean, I was treading a dangerous road?" she asked.

"Ascentia," Ryder replied, "She trusted you with her blade."

"Yeah?"

"Our swords are not just a weapon. They are our hearts and spirits," he explained, "We forge them ourselves, and they are imbued with our power. Our weapons are what makes us unique among a sea of black and brown robes."

"Ascentia's robes are green," Twilight pointed out.

"Yes," Ryder laughed, "She spent countless days brewing the dye for her attire. You could say that the standard robes never meshed with her odd hair color."

Twilight giggled at the idea of someone like Ascentia fretting like Rarity over colors clashing.

"However," Ryder continued, "Ascentia, like any Val'Kyr, would not trust anyone but her mate with her sword."

"She just asked me to hold it while she cleaned her bookshelf," Twilight replied, shrinking down a little.

"Why would she do that when it simply appears and vanishes from her hand at her command?"

Twilight had no answer for him. Ascentia often summoned her sword out of thin air.

"A Val'Kyr would only trust their blade to their mate," Ryder continued, "And we mate for life."

Twilight looked up, "What are you saying?"

"I am saying that Ascentia has chosen you as her mate," Ryder explained, "A great gift."

"You mean... she expects me to..."

"She expects nothing of you," Ryder said, cutting across him, "Though she loves you deeply. She will guard your life with her own, and she will follow you on the most perilous of journeys."

Twilight sat back down. This information was a lot to take in, "Does she... should I..."

"I do not know what mating customs your race has," Ryder replied, "But should you choose to pursue such a relationship with Ascentia, you shall have my blessing. As both her Master and her Father."

"You're her-"

"I have raised and trained her since she was but a small girl," Ryder explained, "She has no other parents to speak of."

"Well, we've actually already been..."

"I am not referring to mere coitus," Ryder replied, again interrupting her.

"You mean... she would... consider..."

"She would not have given you her sword if she did not have such feelings toward you," he explained, "However, the choice belongs to you. Even if you decide not to progress in such a manner with her, she will still forever be your friend."

Her mind was reeling with all this information, she wasn't even sure what to make of it all. She knew the truth, the extensive truth of Ascentia's feelings for her. While she knew all too well that the woman cared deeply about her, but to that extent, while possible, was not what she thought was on the forefront.

“But...I don't get it. Why didn't she tell me? I mean, I'm sure that even she would feel apprehensive about admitting her feelings, anyone would be. But, why tell me like this?” Twilight wanted to know.

Ryder gave a sigh, looking toward the abode, then back at her. “I cannot speak for her directly, but I can say this. I think that it's because she doesn't want to put that kind of pressure on you. Not necessarily in returning the feelings, that can't be helped no matter how you feel. But rather, she knows well of your fascination with our kind. You admire her power greatly, don't you?”

Twilight nodded. “Of course I do. I think it's amazing.”

“And understandably so, many who are not at our own levels of power and abilities, whatever they may be, will indeed admire it. Much like anyone would admire power. You look up to your mentor, Princess Celestia, in that same kind of regard. She is wise, powerful, and a benevolent ruler, so it is no wonder.”

“But, what does that have to do with this?”

“As I'd said, Ascentia does not wish to take advantage of that and pressure you in such a way. Having someone who would immediately commit to you can be a very shocking, jarring prospect,” he explained.

Twilight bit her lip, catching on to what he was trying to say. “Ascentia can't help how she feels, and it's understandable that she follows these customs.”

“Absolutely. Though, I suppose she hasn't told you of cetain things in her past?” Ryder looked to her pointedly.

“No.” Twilight shook her head. “I mean, she's told me some things here and there and a lot of other kinds of stories. But nothing much involving...mate-related stuff. I know she's had experience in intimacy, but even that was vague.”

“I see. Well, it isn't my place to say them, but perhaps someday, she will further explain things to you. At the moment, though,” he stood up, “she has found that worth in you. I don't doubt that you care deeply about her, Twilight Sparkle. But don't feel that you must return these feelings. As I said, she will always be your friend. No matter what.”

He disappeared, leaving the unicorn alone with her thoughts. Now that she knew the truth, knew about where she stood in the eyes of Ascentia, she had so much more to think about.

'Do I love her back? I mean, I know there's something there... She is one of my closest friends, I trust her very much, and I enjoy her company. But...love? Do I love her? I don't know...'

Later on, Twilight returned inside, all while taking the sword from her body and holding it up with her magic. Ascentia, seeing this, took it in her hand and then made it disappear. She was now sitting at the table, drinking some tea, with another cup and saucer already set up across from her. Wordlessly, Twilight joined her, pouring some tea for herself.

“Don't be coy. I know why you let me hold on to your sword.” Twilight stated.

This made Ascentia smile slightly, but she didn't say anything.

“...You really did do it on purpose, didn't you?”

Ascentia sipped her tea, still smiling at her. Not in a mocking or teasing way, but more in an amused sense.

“I know why now, and I know what it means. Lord Ryder explained it to me. You only trust your weapon, which is more than just a sword, to someone you trust. Namely, your mate. Because you take being with someone seriously, it's no wonder you'd entrust them with your weapon. And you gave it to me right now. When you had no reason to. You keep it in freaking hammerspace and can summon it at will, there's no chance that it gets in the way and you need someone, namely me, to hold on to it for you while you work on chores.” Twilight took a sip of her own cup to soothe her nerves. “And with everything I learned... You're in love with me.”

“Yes.” Ascentia set her cup down onto the saucer, then wrung her fingers as she set her hands onto the table. “But before we get to that, I think we have other matters to discuss.”

This caught the unicorn off guard for a moment, but she knew that she was right. “Oh! Well, yes. You're right. Listen, I really wanted to apologize for snapping at you like I did, and I-”

The woman held her hand up to silence her. “Twilight, don't be. I understand that you were angry. You had every right to be.”

“I spoke to Princess Luna while I was in Canterlot, she told me what happened.” Twilight interjected. “She sincerely regretted what she had done, and knew that it was wrong. I understood why you got angry, and reacted like you did. I don't blame you for it.”

Shaking her head, the Val'Kyr sipped her tea before answering. “I will say that I do understand why you were angry, and you had every right to be. But it does not change what happened, and it does not change that I enjoyed every second of it. For that, I will not apologize, nor will I explain myself further of it. I don't expect you to sympathize with my reasoning, or even my courses of action, nor do I ask you to.”

“But I'm still sorry. I didn't give you a chance to explain yourself, even if you wanted to.”

“I understand, but you didn't have to. What happened has happened, there is nothing I can say or do that will change it. Regardless of it all, I do regret having hurt you. But there is nothing I can do to help change it.” Despite her words, an unreadable look overcame her features.

“...I guess sometimes... I forget that you're not like me...or a lot of ponies... I forget that you follow a different agenda, guidelines, and everything.” Twilight looked down at the table. “I forget that everything here is unlike you. And sometimes... I feel like I'm trying to change you, to 'tame' you, to make you...understand.”

Reaching over, the woman touched her hoof gently. “You don't. Your ways, even the ways in this land, are just different from my own, from those of my kind. To be honest, being here is much like placing a children's fictional character into an R-Rated horror movie. Or even placing Anakin Skywalker in my place, in a sense.”

This remark amused Twilight a bit as she smiled.

“This world is like that, a place of right and wrong, where evil exists and where good is there to combat against it. Where I come from, that's unrealistic and comes from fictional stories and fairy tales. There is no good and evil, not in the same way it seems to be right here. Our worlds are two very different places, with different kinds of outlooks on life, those we oppose against, and how we live.” Ascentia shook her head lightly, finishing her tea.

Giving a nod, the unicorn sipped her tea as well. “You're right about that. Sometimes the things you talk about can really knock me off my hooves. Yet, at the same time, you do all have good points.”

“Well, that's just it. Neither of our ways are right or wrong. It's how we are. There are good points and bad points, neither is worse or better than the other. That's just how it is. You disagree with many of mine, yet agree with others and vice-versa. There may be objective points in between, but it also isn't defined by a black and white scale. Your ways work for you, mine work for me. You know the term 'People do what works', don't you?”

Twilight nodded. “Of course.”

“Let me guess, it's just ponified. 'Ponies do what what works', right?” This time, Ascentia smiled.

“How did you ever guess?” Twilight couldn't fight off her smile. “Well, you know what? I don't want you to change who you are, just for my sake. Why would you? I mean, learning from mistakes and growing up from them is one thing, but to drastically alter yourself is...well, that's lying to everyone and yourself, isn't it?”

“Exactly. I would never ask you to change your ways, or who you are. I wouldn't love you if I expected that of you.” The woman leaned over a little. “Don't think you must change, Twilight.”

“And I won't ask you to change, either. I'm sorry if it seemed that way.” Twilight touched her hand with her hoof.

Chuckling, Ascentia reached over and tousled her mane. “Don't you pull a Fluttershy on me, you silly.”

“Hey, I'm trying to bear my soul here! Give me a break.” Twilight pouted.

“You amuse me so much.”

“Shut up.”

Poking her snout, Ascentia just smiled. “You don't have to worry about that. I have never felt pressured to change my ways. So don't worry.”

“....Okay, I won't.” Twilight got off her chair, and then came around to hug her. “Thanks a lot. I'm glad we had this talk.”

“So am I.” She returned the hug, stroking her mane gently. “Twilight, I want you to know that you can be honest about how you feel of things with me. If I do something that upsets you, tell me. I won't apologize, I won't explain further than I need to, but I will listen to you and try to understand how you feel. I will take it into account, if nothing else.”

“I think I can live with that. And you do the same for me, too. If I say or do something that offends you, I'm going to apologize whether you like it or not. I know you don't apologize, but I do.” Twilight said firmly.

Ascentia briefly nodded. “I understand, Twilight. Fair enough.”

“But overall, let's be honest with each other, okay?”

“Absolutely.” Nodded the Val'Kyr, kissing her forehead. “Now, I do believe we still have time before the party. Is there anything you'd like to do in the meantime?”

“Well, we do have two weeks of stuff to catch up on, some books to read, and some blankets!” Twilight clapped her hooves eagerly. “I think our afternoon is booked solid.”

Ascentia smiled, ruffling her mane again. “You're so adorable. Let's get to it, then.”

Much later on, the sweet fun party at Sugarcube Corner was in full swing. While Pinkie did of course go all out to make a fun welcome back party, it was still just an inatimate setting. It was just the six of them, along with Spike, and also Ascentia coming along for the ride.

Although welcome-back parties weren't necessary, Twilight still found it to be a fun idea to spend time with her friends again. Most especially after having been gone for two weeks, it was nice to get back into the swing of things and just have fun. Tensions were gone, bouts were resolved, and she had a whole set of things to mull over. Yes, they would indeed be tough to sort out, but at least she wasn't worried anymore. At least not in the same manner as before.

It wasn't the first time Ascentia joined them for a party or some kind of group event, either. While she may not have been a “party animal”, considering she mostly did the observing, it was clear she seemed perfectly fine with being there. She was even chatting with whoever happened to be near her, a lot more than Twilight expected.

'I guess she took some chances to reach out to them more.' Twilight thought, observing all over friends, smiling. 'That's nice of her. I wouldn't go as far as to say BFF's, but at least she seems to like spending time with them.'

Hearing loud laughter, the unicorn turned to see Applejack and Rainbow Dash in the middle of what looked to be a stare off. Curious, she went closer to see what they were talking about.

“If ya can handle it, then Ah'll dare ya. Fer one of 'em free Darin' Challenge T-Shirts they give out.” Applejack said, smirking.

“Then bring it, AJ!” Grinned the cyan pegasus. “Name the challenge!”

Looking toward a makeshift stage, the farm pony winked at Rarity, before turning back to the daredevil. “Ah dear ya ta go fer that there 'Sing A Love Song With A Mare' t-shirt!”

This of course made Rainbow's eager smirk fade ever slightly.

“With Fluttershy, I might add!” Rarity threw in.

“...Fine! Challenge accepted!” Rainbow declared, as if she weren't even hesitating. “C'mon, Flutters! Let's go! We can take this!”

What a hilarious dare this was going to be! Twilight was sure glad she wasn't going to miss this. She knew all too well that Rainbow Dash would never turn down a dare, much less the chance to get a free t-shirt. It was amazing how Fluttershy ended up agreeing to playing along, considering her own insecurities and fears of performing in front of others. Luckily, it was only the six of them, plus Spike and also Ascentia, so there wasn't much problem.

Sitting back, the unicorn watched as her two pegasus friends went up to the small platform serving as the stage. Applejack and Rarity went over to the karaoke machine, making a selection. Twilight couldn't hear what they were saying, but it was clear by the smiles on their faces that they had a diabolical plan in mind. She wasn't sure what was so diabolical about it, the idea of the t-shirt was to get up there with another mare and sing a love song. Maybe it was exactly what love song they were choosing?

Sure enough, Rainbow Dash looked at the screen on her side and made a face before turning to their friends with a glare. Flutteshy meanwhile looked a mixture of uncertain, yet pretty happy.

Now Twilight was curious, wondering just how it was going to go. Most especially in the fact that the two pegasi had certain matters going on. The big “would they or wouldn't they?” question was looming in on her mind, and she wondered if the rest of their friends thought the same.

The music started, and Twilight perked a bit, “Oh, this should be good... ” She giggled.

Ascentia glanced over at her, clearly amused. “Indeed. This is going to be something. I suppose the sight of Rainbow Dash singing a romance song would be considered a huge feat.”

Twilight snickered. “You have no idea.”

On stage, Rainbow Dash took the lead and started singing the first verse.

“Just an ordinary day
Started out the same old way
Then I looked into your eyes and knew
Today would be a first for me
The day I fall in love” She sang, sounding awkward and unsure, but still trying her best. Her eyes drifted toward Fluttershy for a brief moment, then snapped away when the said pony looked at her.

Not missing her cue, Fluttershy sang the next verse, softly and with nervous uncertainty. But still with giving her best, as well.

“On the day I fall in love
Sky will be a perfect blue
And I'll give my heart forever more
To somepony who is just like you
The day I fall in love.”

Twilight's eyes trained on her friends as she listened further, amazed. Most especially when Rainbow and Fluttershy were singing the next verses together. Surprisingly, the awkwardness and discomfort they'd had in their singing were slowly beginning to fade. There was more passion, more effort, and it felt less like they were reading lyrics off of a screen and more like reciting it from their hearts.

All around, it seemed like something out of a typical romance film. Cheesy, super sweet, adorable, and meant to be taken as such. To see it actually happening felt a combination of surreal, and yet so downplayed, despite it being a near-perfect rendition of a typical scene.

Her eyes drifted to Ascentia, who was still watching the performance attentively. It was hard to tell what she was thinking about.

Catching her gaze, the woman looked over at her, then ruffled her mane. Twilight giggled, her lips stretching into a smile.

Looking back to the platform, Rainbow and Fluttershy were then singing the next verse together. But not only that, they weren't even looking at the screens anymore at the moment. Instead, they were looking at each other.

“Ponies all say love is wonderful
That the bells will ring and birds will sing
The skies will open
I wonder where's that great big symphony?”

Rainbow Dash came closer to Fluttershy, a little smile coming to her face now as she sang in a little ad-lib. “I'll be your Beethoven”

Smiling, Fluttershy didn't miss a beat as she continued, “Roll over Beethoven-”

“Come and play with me”

Twilight giggled at this. It was nice to see the levity coming back between them as they were really getting into the song together. If there had been any doubt that they would make it through and get the t-shirts, it was all gone now.

A song of how ordinary it really was to fall in love. How normal it actually was, not in the same others made it out to be. Nothing grand nor spectacular occurred, it just happened. Like on any other ordinary day. That it was a feeling you just knew. Twilight felt that this concept made so much sense. It was all about feeling. Not a thing happened overall, yet it felt that way.

'It's exactly how it feels. Nothing big happens, there's no angels singing or anything like movies make it out to be. You just feel it, you know it. That's all.'

“Just an ordinary day
Started out the same old way
Then I looked into your eyes and knew
“Today would be-” Rainbow and Fluttershy sang together, still coming closer to one another. Their eyes were locked and their smiles grew, looking more relaxed than ever.

Fluttershy reached over and gently touched Rainbow's cheek with her hoof, drawing back a bit of her mane. The tender gesture was making the daredevil blush, but made no attempt to stop her.

“-a first for me” Fluttershy sang.

Rainbow sang then, “A first for me”

“The day I fall in love
The day I fall in love” They finished together.

Eyes going wider, Twilight tensed as she could swear they would kiss on stage. They were so close together, most especially their faces. Rainbow's smile faded as she looked to Fluttershy with an unreadable gaze. Fluttershy on the other hoof had despondency in her eyes, almost pleading.

But instead, they nuzzled one another before they replaced the microphones. With a big grin, Rainbow Dash waved erratically while Fluttershy blushed immensely, but stood tall and proud nonetheless, smiling at their friends. Hopping off the stage, they parted ways to do their own thing.

Biting her lip, Twilight wasn't sure what to think. The display was absolutely adorable and there had been a clear genuine passion and chemistry between them. But what if it really was that one-sided? She wasn't sure, and knew that going forth to them about it wouldn't help.

She felt Ascentia's hand run through her mane gently, whether in comfort or in mere play, she didn't know. Either way, it was what she needed to relax.

“Twi-Twi!” Pinkie dashed over, a blindfold in her hoof. “Time to play some pin-the-tail-on-the-pony! And since you and Spikester are who we're welcoming back, you first!”

“Go ahead, Twilight.” Ascentia gently nudged her toward the pink earth pony. With the amusement in her tone, it was clear that she was not going to miss this.

Rolling her eyes, Twilight accepted. “All right, Pinkie. Bring it on.”

After the party, Twilight carried a sleeping Spike on her back, walking alongside Ascentia. The pair was silent, without much to say as they traversed back to the library. Though calm by now, a surge of rushing excitement and happiness overtook the unicorn as she felt herself smiling. The warmth within her heart and body only grew, filling her with a sense of joy. Even with the nitpicks of issues poking at the back of her mind, she didn't let them deter her.

Eventually, they made it back, heading inside and closing the door behind them. Once the room was illuminated, Twilight headed upstairs and placed Spike into his bed. Making sure her baby dragon friend was tucked in safe and sound, she nuzzled him before heading back downstairs.

Sure enough, Ascentia was sitting on the floor, her gaze staring out the window. The only other presence in the room was Owlyoiscious, who was wide awake and keeping watch.

Twilight yawned a bit, taking a seat next to her companion.

“Feeling tired?” Ascentia said.

“A little. It's been a pretty long day.” Twilight murmured. “But I guess I feel better now, so that's good.”

A smile overcame the Val'Kyr's scarred features. “I'm glad you feel better. I suppose we did indeed have tension between us. I hope you know it was not my intention.”

“No...it wasn't, and it wasn't my intention, either,” said the unicorn, leaning against her a little. “But like I said, I'm glad we managed to talk and get it all out.”

“As am I,” Ascentia murmured, not quite looking at her, but brought an arm around her, “it helped to get it all out on the table.”

“Mm-hmm...” Twilight nestled against her a bit, managing to relax.

For a while, the two remained silent as the quiet, soothing sounds of the night filled the room. As much as that air of tension was cleared, Twilight knew all too well of the other elephant in the room. All day, she'd had snippets of thinking about the fact, but never quite extensively. Now here she was, alone with her, and it felt very familiar. Like the very first night they'd been together like this. To think it was barely three weeks ago, when it felt like so long ago, yet like only yesterday.

She sighed, looking up toward the ceiling, feeling a cool breeze from the open window flowing in.

“So...okay, let me get this straight. You love me.”

“Yes, we've established that.”

“And...?”

Ascentia looked down at her, then shrugged. “And what?”

“What do you mean, 'and what'?” Twilight parotted, baffled, “That's all you have to say?”

“I think you know the extent of everything, don't you? Well, what else is there to say of it?”

“Um, a lot!” Twilight exclaimed.

“All right, then tell me,” the Val'Kyr said, eyeing her.

Biting her lip, the unicorn tried to gather her throughts. All the while, she came around the woman, and rose up, placing her forehooves onto her shoulders. She had to get this out, to be able to talk more about it, since her body was going nuts right now.

“I don't know how I really feel, okay? To be honest, I'm really confused. I-I know there's something there, and I know I care about you a lot!” Twilight managed, looking around her nervously. “Oh, man...this is harder than I thought!”

“Calm down, Twilight,” Ascentia told her in a firm, but soothing tone. “Just take your time.”

“But I just... I really don't want to say anything like it until I know for sure. And I know you're not...trying to force me or anything, and I don't feel pressured. I just... I want to be able to really think about it. I'm not about to brush it off like it's nothing and just ignore it. I want to give you am honest answer. I just...can't give it right now.”

Twilight bit her lip, and then nuzzled her head under her friend's chin. Ascentia embraced her, a lot closer than usual. She melted into the embrace, closing her eyes.

“I understand. Whatever my Master told you is true. However you feel will not change how I feel. I don't want you to feel pressured, nor to make any promises you cannot keep.”

“I-I know...but what if I really don't? I know you take these things seriously, and I know I'd take any relationship I have seriously... But would it be worth it if your love for me was one-sided?”

Ascentia smiled. “It wouldn't be one-sided. Only in terms of romance. But beyond that, the platonic love we share will always be mutual.”

“...True....” Twilight murmured, seeing what she meant. “But, what about being friends with benefits? Isn't that...are you sure?”

“I told you a million times now, it's fine. I'm happy to service you.”

“Stop saying it like that. It sounds like you're my slave or an employee.”

Ascentia chuckled. “Maybe I am your slave, Master Twilight.”

“Very funny.” Twilight stuck out her tongue. “...Okay, fine. Look, we'll just...keep things going and see what happens. We won't rush anything and won't make promises we can't keep. We'll let it evolve naturally. I just... I need to think.”

“Take all the time you need. I'm not rushing you. I'm only being honest about how I feel,” the woman ran a hand through her mane.

Smiling, the unicorn nuzzled her. “Now saying you love me will have a whole different meaning. But I don't mind at all.”

They shared a little laugh, embracing once more.

“By the way, I heard from my friends that you'd been spending time with them lately.” Twilight pilled back a little, curious.

Ascentia shrugged mildly. “I see you heard. Well, I don't really have a reason beyond the fact that I had wanted to merely reach out more to them.”

“That's really nice of you.”

“It isn't about that, I just wanted to. They're good company in their own ways.”

“Even Pinkie?”

“Let's just say that she grew on me.”

Twilight giggled, smiling in understanding. “I know what you mean. When I first met her, I thought she was annoying and crazy. But as I got to know her and spend more time with her, I realized just how much of a delight and a good friend she really is. She's just...Pinkie being Pinkie. Besides, she makes me laugh. And I wouldn't change her for the world.”

“I know you wouldn't, Twilight.”

Feeling her body relax, Twilight turned herself so that she was sitting up between the woman's legs, laying her back against her stomach. Robed arms came around her, as did Ascentia's cheek laying against the top of her head. Smiling, the unicorn felt comforted in the embrace, closing her eyes.

'The day I fall in love...?'

Author's Notes:

You know one movie I love? Beethoven's 2nd. It was a film I grew up with since childhood, and actually the first of the franchise I ever saw. I saw it before I saw the first film. Which I also really like. :D Even upon re-watching the film today, I still love it. One thing I remember, is the song included. "The Day I Fall I Love" by James Ingram and Dolly Parton. It's a sweet song, playing over an especially adorable scene with Beethoven and Missy at the drive-in. Oh Beethoven, you're awesome. I will name a St-Bernard after you one day!

And ever since, now that I'm older and understand the lyrics and its content, I think I just felt entranced with feels. Then of course, I got the idea to incorporate it somehow. Then the karaoke scene was created. <3

Well, this is now the longest chapter, and took some time for me to perfect. But luckily, the end result turned out just as well. So yay for that!