Tempest groaned as she stirred, her mind feeling oddly full of fluff. It was hard to focus...but that didn't feel bad. It felt rather nice, actually. She could just accept the world, embrace it filled with childish delight and wonder as she stared up at her Papa-
She ground that thought to a halt as firmly as she could, focusing and sorting through her thoughts. It took time, but she was able to pull herself free of the sense of childish wonder and glee...and recognized it for what it was as she saw the Minions staggering around like they'd never seen their own hands before. The Overthought connection was complete. She was the Minions' Queen now, and for the first time in their lives - in the history of their species - they were truly whole. It changed everything about them, from the way their thoughts flowed to their view of each other...to the purity of the scents in the air. It was as though the whole lot of them had been reborn in the moment of the connection, and were seeing everything for the first time.
She looked up at Gru as he stood over her. "Are you certain she's alright, Nefario?" he asked worriedly.
"Just a little dazed, I'm sure," the doctor assured him. "It was quite a jolt to her brain, after all."
"Well, if you're certain..." Gru allowed as he leaned forward. Tempest felt herself snuggling into her Papa's embrace as he lifted her up-
Once again, she jerked her head back from that thought. She was a grown mare, whatever her body. That was the whole point of her decision with Barry! Why were her thoughts constantly reverting back to childish nature? Why did her mind keep trying to make Gru Papa?
<Because you are a child,> Barry told her softly, his own voice still filled with awe as he stared up at the unicorn horn he wore on his head. <That's what you wanted, to be able to grow as a child without giving up the responsibility that came with your memories, and the duty you were taking. So we're helping you do that. You will still be you...but you can enjoy being a child, and as we all become accustomed to the Overthought, we will grow with you.> He smiled towards Gru. <And every child needs a parent...and quite a few of us see him like a father.>
Tempest thought about that for a time. She could pull herself out of the Overthought whenever she wanted to stop the childish thinking. She was aware of how it was affecting her thinking. And...she did want to be a child again, after all. And she was going to be raised by Gru, hopefully as more a sister to the girls than a pet...in which case there was nothing especially wrong to seeing him as Papa...
...and unlike her real one, he didn't reject her for her mutilation...
She quickly pushed that thought and memory back...and felt the Overthought swallow it, helping her to push it from her mind as she settled into Papa's hold as he carried her back upstairs. She made a decision then. She might think of him as Papa...but once she started talking, she'd call him Gru just like the girls did. She needed to remind herself that she was more than just the child she was letting herself be-
...they would understand her when she started talking, wouldn't they? There wouldn't be a language barrier? Or...or would there be a language barrier when she went back to Equestria instead?
As she felt Papa's hand stroking her mane, she let those thoughts fade for now. Until she actually started talking, those questions were a non-issue. It was time to meet her sisters and see what life would be like.
Tempest did her best to hold onto her lunch as Agnes swung her around shrilling excitedly. The little filly definitely regretted that ponies had stronger hearing than humans. The other girls and Papa may have been wincing, but it was all Tempest could do not to kick Agnes in the gut to get her to stop screaming before her ears started bleeding-
"Agnes!" Papa suddenly snapped out, catching the girls attention and making her fall silent. "Do you think you could keep it down?"
"But she's a real live unicorn and she's staying with us forever and ever and SHE'S SO FLUFFY!" Agnes shrieked out, making Tempest wince as she lifted her hoofs to try and pull her ears down.
"My, what big ears she has," Margo pointed out dramatically as she reached out to hold them down for Tempest.
"The better to hear you with, my dear!" Edith growled wickedly, a very wolfish grin on her face.
Agnes' eyes went wide. "Ohhh...sorry," she whispered to Tempest, leaning in to kiss each of her ears. "What's her name?" she asked Papa much more calmly. "Do I get to name her?"
"She already has two names," Gru explained readily. "It appears she is something of a...mare of mystery." He chuckled at what he saw as a joke. "Her names are Fizzlepop Berrytwist-"
"Fizzie!" Agnes squealed happily before quickly bringing her voice back down. "Sorry, Fizzie..."
Tempest wriggled her ears around to stop the ringing.
"-and Tempest Shadow," Gru concluded dramatically.
"Oooh!" Edith purred eagerly as she leaned in towards her. "I'm going to like you, Tempest..."
Tempest managed a smile. She was right that Edith was going to be fun.
"So what does she eat?" Margo asked curiously. "It's been a couple of weeks, so I assume she's been fed down there..."
Gru blinked in surprise. "I...honestly hadn't thought about that," he admitted apologetically. "I suppose Barry and the others took care of that..."
<Fruit and vegetables!> Bob offered happily, holding up a bowl of mashed carrots and bananas.
Agnes immediately grabbed the bowl and spoon and began feeding Tempest. "Say 'ah', Fizzie!" she instructed excitedly.
Rolling her eyes with a smile, Tempest opened her mouth wide...and nearly choked as Agnes shoved the spoon practically into her throat. Reacting instinctively, she focused her magic and the spoon went flying across the room to embed itself in the wall before bursting into flame and letting off colorful sparks like miniature fireworks.
"Ooooh!" Agnes and Edith cooed in awe.
"Maybe I should feed her," Margo suggested carefully, accepting a new spoon from Mel and carefully putting it into Tempest's mouth, letting her pull the food off the spoon.