They sat around a table. Fire was chatting with Sub animatedly as if they had been friends for a long time. "And she did what?" asked the demon, her ribboned tail flicking back and forth.
"She stepped right into that petticoat of hers, the one she had just been gloating about," laughed out Sub. "Made quite the spill. Right in front of everypony. She did not live that down for some time, let me tell you."
Blue colored with memories of annoyingly similar times she had stumbled over her ostentatious dresses. "Fashion comes with prices, father."
Competing inclined her head at Blue. "You used to have a very simple, dignified, wardrobe."
She had wore the same thing, basically every day, forever. "I've awoken to the possibilities, mother."
"You woke up to a lot of things..." Competing was watching Blue with critical eyes from across the table.
They weren't shouting at one another, a step up... "Oh! Parents, interesting news."
Sub inclined his head at the idea. "You'll have to aim high to surprise us at this point."
"Then I will so endeavor." Blue looked confident in her ability. "Princess Luna accepted me, taking on the role of custodial parent."
Competing blinked slowly. "Why would she do that? You have two parents." She pointed at Sub and herself. "We're right here."
Blue cleared her throat, trying to straighten herself. "And, as lovely of parents as you both are... You were..." She looked to her father. "Had I come to you with thoughts of this, ideas and concerns, what would you have told me?"
Sub's ears flipped against his head. "Oh, um... I..."
"--Would have been supportive, but a little helpless?"
Sub nodded slowly. "That sounds about right," a little chuckle worked in there. "Woulda done my best!"
"I hold not a thing against you, pa pa," assured Blue. "If you think you are confused, I was that and so much more, at the time. I hardly knew which end was up."
Fancy was watching Competing. "Ma'am, would you have had a better response?"
Competing rested her cheek on a hoof. "My first answer is not one you will like, but I can't help but think maybe I could have avoided the whole thing, if I had been involved from the start."
Blue thumped a hoof down on the table, only to color immediately after. "Sorry." That had been rude. "But, mother, dear... I am happier now. Happier than ever had I been before. You hope you could have stopped me from finding this?"
"That wasn't what I meant." She sat up properly. "There are other ways to be happy other than... all this." She waved over Blue's form in general.
"Is being a mare so awful?" Blue quirked a little smile. "You seem happy with it."
"She's got you there," added Sub suddenly. "Now, me, pretty happy being on the other side of that fence." He matched eyes with Fancy. "You're happy being a stallion, right?"
"Completely satisfied," easily agreed Fancy with a proper nod.
Competing reached across the table, a rude act, pressing a hoof just under Blue's chin. "When a mother is heavy with child, there are some things that happen to her. Do you know them? Have you learned yet about that part of being a mare?"
Blue's ears folded tight, but she didn't shrink away from her mother. "I... have not gone over that, I confess. Will you tell me?"
"That is a mother's job... Just not one I thought I'd be performing for the son I had created..." She glanced away and back. "During that time, a mare will dream vividly, of the foal they will make. They will see their face, and their smile..." Tears began to well in her eyes. "They will hear their voice, not... Not full sentences, but one thing is crystal clear. A mother knows the name of their foal."
She sat back heavily, her hooves back under her. "And you changed yours without even talking to me. You told me that precious little voice I listened to was wrong. Destiny itself was wrong. I was wrong. It was all just... wrong..." Competing sagged with defeat. "That is a heavy thing you are throwing at me."
Sub adjusted his collar line despite no pressing need to do so. Conversation around the table had died awkwardly.
"Mother... It wasn't wrong. You weren't wrong."
"But you are not Prince Blueblood," she reminded a bit sharply.
"I am not." Blue smiled thinly. "I changed. I was that. That was true, but I changed."
"Was it something I did?"
In that moment, Blue could see her mother was vulnerable and lost. "Mother, no! You were, and are, a dear and precious part of my life. I apologize for... everything. We should... We must reunite."
Fancy just ate, as if the conversation was not happening. It was not proper for him to be at all involved.
Sub did not have that excuse. "Well, I'm glad you did come to visit. I'm still a bit tickled at learning I'm a father of a mare the same day a stallion appears to ask for her hoof." He laughed at that. "Some kind of record, I think!"
Competing's laugh was a pained one. "That is not a source of comfort, dear." She looked from Sub to Blue. "You have been a mare all of two moons, and already you're throwing your hoof away?" Her vision shifted to Fancy. "He's a nice boy and all, but isn't this fast?" She gestured at him. "No offense to him, but... really?"
Blue smiled a little. That line of questioning was a step up. "We have known each other for many years, and you know that, mother dear. He knows me... the good and the bad. He even knew me before and after. He knows all the ugly parts... And he still accepted me." She licked over her lips lightly. "And, truth told, I always respected him, before. It's just... that respect changed in... color somewhat now."
"I should imagine..." Her eyes darted to Fancy. "You know. You've known Blue here for years on years. Is this..." She rolled a hoof at Blue. "Is this?"
The question wasn't being finished, but Fancy could figure out the question despite it. "Ma'am. Blue Belle is more satisfied with herself and it has driven her to reach higher. She is becoming a better pony almost by the day, and she even means to drag others around her for the ride in self improvement." He inclined his head towards Fire. "Take our... sometimes inappropriate guest. She comes from most disadvantaged breeding."
"Hey!"
But Fancy did not apologize. "Despite that, Blue has made it her mission to raise Miss Paradox up and show her how to better herself. It's not an easy task, or a short one, but one she is doing faithfully and without complaint. I do apologize on her behalf if Fire's... heated words offended." That wasn't much a question. "Blue's maternal-like care for Fire Paradox's future and self have caused some amount of defensive desire, pressing the limits of proper behavior."
Competing blinked slowly, looking between Fire and Blue. "Who are you and what have you done with Blueblood?" she suddenly blurted. "There's no way he'd associate with someone of inferior breeding. And they're mothering the wastrel?! How can this be the same pony?!"
"It was as much a surprise to me," assured Fancy even as Blue's expression went through various clashing emotions. "Even in a court of law they upheld Fire Paradox's good behavior and adherence to contractual law to such a point that she succeeded at mounting a defense against Princess Celestia herself."
Competing sat back, flopping against the back of her chair. "You... You're joking... Blue, you... You faced Princess Celestia, in court? And you won?!" She threw a hoof high. "And you didn't think that was news worth telling?"
"Gonna have to side with her on that one." Sub nodded firmly. "I gotta hear about this."
But how... Belly worried her hooves together. "Well, you see, Miss Paradox's lineage is so... ill-favored that even to associate with her can be considered a dubious act of great concern. I... didn't... I wasn't aware of that at first. I blundered right into it." A little smile, a quirk of one. "Old habits do not go away, mother dear. Please forgive your clueless foal. She is trying to get better, I promise."
Competing rolled a hoof quickly. "Yes, yes, but then?" She was clearly invested in the story. "How did you turn that around? It sounds like Princess Celestia should have been able to hang you out to dry easily."
Fire suddenly laughed. "I think I need to step in here. See, most ponies that 'associate' with people of my 'lineage' do it because they want power, and use it for, you know, all kinds of nasty things." She waggled her brows suggestively. "But Blue here, little creampuff that she is, well... She never once used all the power I showed her for anything but the nicest things." She leaned forward, resting her chin on a hoof. "Did she even mention she's a full on wizard now?"
Sub whistled sharply. "She did not mention that! Congratulations! I always wondered what it'd be like to have a proper wizard in the family." He brought his hooves together in a soft applause, clopping with a smile.
Competing inclined her head left slowly, just to go to the right just as slowly. "She did not mention that... Blue... You're a wizard?" She raised a hoof to her cheek. "You really have changed."
Sub suddenly sat up, hooves on the table rudely as he leaned up on them, more like an eager colt, tail wagging furiously. "Did you use magic to solve the problem in our domain?!"
Blue allowed a little smile. "There was some magic involved."
"Knew it!" He threw a hoof down across his chest, a big grin on his face.
"But also some statesmareship." Blue nodded with confidence. "They needed a leader, and I filled in that vacancy long enough to get them on the right track."
"Dear." Competing was looking at the puppy dog that was her excited husband. "Down." As he slid back into his seat, she looked to Blue. "Thank you."
Blue reared back a little. "What am I being thanked for?"
"For resolving that issue." She wobbled a hoof a bit. "It is our family's responsibility to manage that estate. Thank you for taking on that task."
"With magic," giggled out Sub, clearly enjoying that part of things. "Can you show us some magic?"
"Pa pa." Blue's smile was back, easier. Her parents were both being supportive. "I never knew you had such a fascination with magic."
"Do I? I love magic." He waggled his hooves with growing enthusiasm. "But all the wizards I ever knew about were all so stuffy and hard to approach, and, pow, like that, my so--daughter's a wizard?! This is great! Quick, turn me into a cat."
All the other ponies present blinked at Sub Clause. Supporting set a hoof down flat on the table. "I think we've had more than the family's fill of physical transformations, hm?"
"Aw..."
Blue shook her head slowly. "Besides, I admit, I did not learn that spell. I can do this though." Her horn glowed with magic as she vanished from view.
But Sub was not impressed. "Did you teleport? Some unicorns can do that."
"If I teleported," the air spoke from where Blue had been. "I sure am talkative for it."
"Wha?" Sub reached out, only to feel Blue's body, still there, but invisible. "Remarkable! I take it back! Magic!" He threw out both hooves, clearly delighted at the display.
A dim glow could be seen, an invisible horn still prone to it. The same glow swept over Sub, who began to giggle and laugh with excitement, perhaps wondering what would happen to him, but clearly looking forward to it in any event.
He was not expecting his tie and hat to become a beach bum's bright colors in a thin t-shirt across his front to match the flip flops on his hooves. "I say! Jolly good." He clopped, or tried. The sandals did not make the proper sound, paffing against one another as he laughed with joy.
Fire inclined her head. "With an extra twist there, I saw that. Your clothes'll go back to normal in about two minutes."
"Ah." Blue faded back into being. "Another thing I neglected to mention. Fire Paradox is my magical tutor." She gestured at Fire. "And a quite capable one at that."
Sub's eyes sparkled. "Can you teach me?!"
Fire smirked cruelly at the eager stallion. "Are you willing to work?"
Sub shrank back at that. "O-oh... You can't just... cast a spell?"
Fire rolled her eyes. "There is no spell to learn how to cast spells. That'd be stupid." She blew him a kiss. "But no points off for asking."
Out came Supporting Clause's hoof as if to catch that flying kiss and swat it aside. "As we were... I am... proud." She nodded at Blue. "As your father said, we never had a wizard in the family. That is an honor I cannot deny."
"Even if that wizard is a mare?" Blue smiled hopefully.
Supporting rolled her eyes. "If we're being honest, truly talented wizards these days tend to be mares. Stallion wizards fell out of favor before any of us existed." Suddenly a brow went up. "Oh. Oh! Oh... Why didn't you just say that?"
"Say what, mother dear?" Blue had no idea what realization her mother had just had.
"You wanted to be a wizard." She brought her hooves together. "And so you became a mare. Completely logical. Society will gladly accept a mare wizard with open arms, but a stallion one would raise so many questions. Completely logical. Why didn't you just start with that? Dear, we could have avoided so much of a display."
Blue blinked slowly. That was basically the opposite of how things had gone. She had learned magic to become a mare, not the other way around. Still, there was her mother, clearly ready to accept that. To accept her, to accept that choice and... "I was being foalish," she got out at last. "Just hadn't come to my mind." Truth, that.
"You're not being fair, dear." Eyes turned to Sub Clause. "She likes being a mare. She wanted to be a mare. She even learned magic to be a mare. Sounds to me like she did her part, and now she's a mare. I do wish she had talked to us about it... even if I probably wouldn't have been that helpful..." He rubbed behind his head with an awkward smile. "But she did it, and I'm proud of her, for reaching what she wanted and not letting any pony tell her not to have what she wants. Even Princess Celestia can't stop our little Bluebl--Blue Bell! from getting what she wants."
Fire smirked at the purity being displayed. "Even if she wanted to take your bits?"
"You take that back!" he shrieked in self defense. "You wouldn't?!" He looked to Blue for support.
Blue gently patted him on the shoulder. "Never, pa pa. The family's wealth is, well, the family's. Not mine."
"Of course, ha ha... yes..." He sunk in place, rattled but recovering from the idea of his wizard daughter snatching up all his riches.
"Our family is not known for taking no for an answer." Competing smiled thinly. "So I suppose there is not much I could say that would suddenly change your mind."
"No... But I am not trying to throw you aside, mother. You may not... understand the step I have taken, but I should still like you there, at my side." Blue offered a hoof halfway across the table. "Besides, who else could make those cookies?"
Competing swatted her hoof away. "You just want those cookies!" But her tone was full of mirth, not anger. "You haven't changed. Little spoiled brat!"
"Your little spoiled brat," she countered.
"My... little spoiled brat." She leaned in, and Blue did the same, their noses meeting there over the wobbling jello plate as they rubbed noses against one another. "Ugh, now that you have brought it up, this is all perfectly in line with our family. You may not be the pony I remembered, but you are so one of ours. Coming into my home with news like this! And expecting us to just go with it." But she laughed, one of pain, but acceptance. "I shouldn't have expected anything else. I'd... do exactly the same thing."
"It is our family motto." Sub pointed to the family crest there hanging on the wall. 'It Will Be As We Want It,' it read in such thick entitlement that it could choke a pony. "You've lived up to it quite well, I should think."
Blue began to color. She had walked the family line, without really trying. She wasn't sure how to feel about that part specifically. "Let us want for better things." Yes, if they were making things better, that attitude was perfectly fine! Right? "Mother, pa pa, I am still your foal, and gladly so. The date is not... set yet... but I'd love to--"
"--of course," cut in Sub. "I prefer those little oat-dogs." He held up hooves close together. "With a dash of mustard, mmm."
"What are you agreeing to?" Competing raised a brow at him.
"To attend their wedding, of course!" Sub nodded with complete confidence. "... Right?" Oops, there it went.
Fancy brought his hooves together in a silent joining. "It would be an honor to have the parents of the bride present. Ma'am, do you have any dietary preferences we should bear in mind?"
Competing's ears danced. "Oh, well..." She shook her head slowly. "When it comes to parties like that, I tend to just nibble a little. Don't fret over me on that account. Just be sure there's some nice calming music playing. It's a wedding, no need for theatrics." She rolled her eyes. "Ugh, were you there for Princess Cadance's union? That music, ugh. Completely lacking in taste." Her eyes fixed on Blue. "No child of mine will have music like that at their wedding!"
"I know exactly the pony and the philharmonic I will request." Blue nodded with confidence. "She plays an enchanting cello, and her fellow musicians are just magic. They've played for Auntie Celestia no few times."
"Now that sounds lovely." Competing brought her hooves together with a bright smile. "Now tell us when the date is, and if you show up that very day with the news, I will end you."
"I would deserve it," chuckled Blue. "The very instant we have the date set, you will be informed, and there will be at least a moon of warning in advance."
"If not more." Fancy nodded. "Proper weddings can be quite a complex event to schedule. I've done that planning no few times." He looked towards Competing. "I am one of Princess Celestia's trusted advisors in such matters.
Competing inclined her head. "I thought a mare was in charge of events at the castle? What was her name... Lemon Hearts?"
"Oh, a dear compatriot." Fancy nodded at that. "But she helps schedule and manage events more broadly through the city. Quite the daunting task, don't get me wrong. Celestia trusts in me to handle her events specifically, though I do get some support from Miss Lemon Hearts. She is good at what she does."
"I see..." Competing nodded slowly. "I confess, my circle is... the last generation." She cycled her hoof as if rewinding things from there. "So I have not crossed paths with Miss Hearts as often as one might think."
"In any event. I will gladly take up the task of planning my own wedding." He nodded with conviction. "I wouldn't be able to relax if I let anypony else take charge of it."
"If you want it done right," chuckled out Sub.
"For the work she does," mused Blue. "She sure doesn't dress the part. She rarely bothers to dress at all. I don't understand it, but it is up to her how she wishes to portray herself."
Fire clapped her hooves with a sudden strike. "So if we're all buddies now, can one of you pass me that jello? It looks kinda tasty from here."
Several horns glowed at once, the plate wobbling with so many influences on it at the same time, but they got it over to land before Fire without spilling it. "Thanks," sang out Fire before she began attacking it without cutting off a piece for herself, ruining it for anyone after her.
Blue set a hoof on her cheek with a little sigh. "My work extends far in front of me. I am quite proud of her for asking and for saying thank you. Foal steps."
Competing chuckled softly. "What is it with wizards being such social bores? All of them, I swear. The newest princess? She's a mess. Star Swirl? Complete cad, socially. I hear Twilight took on a talented pupil... Who is also a social outcast." She narrowed her eyes at Blue. "Are you going to prove you can be a wizard and still have some sense of decorum?"
"Mother, dear... You taught me better than that." Blue set a hoof on her chest. "I will not forget my royal upbringing. I know my actions reflect on the family."
"I'm glad to hear you remember that, with or without magic. As if any spell could fix a lack of manners." She rolled her eyes in distaste. "Why, do you remember Sombra? He was a stallion wizard, and quite a cad."
Fancy inclined his head. "I admit I am surprised to hear you bring it up." That was not a common topic or thing ponies really discussed.
"I am not an empty headed noble mare," Competing huffed. "In any event, he had magic. He had a lot of magic, and he was terrible with it. And he controlled ponies! He had it all, and they still talked quite poorly about him when he wasn't in view. They still do, to this day. All I'm saying is that magic can't cover for good manners."
"Now that, mother dear, is quality advice." Blue nodded in complete agreement. "My advancement as a wizard has not changed my need for propriety. But does allow me to do this." With glowing magic, the jello split in two, the portion Fire was attacking remaining to be slain, but the rest, saved, becoming a new freshy wobbling serving on its own plate that quickly hovered to move over and sit where it had started. "And if I can save my mother's cooking, well, that's a good cause."
"I didn't cook that one," admitted Competing with a blush. "You're old enough to know the truth. Cookies are the only thing I do know how to prepare... We have chefs for a reason, silly foal. Whyever would I get my hooves dirty every day just to make our food? What are they being paid for?"
Fancy inclined his head. "I must admit I feel that statement. I have not prepared an entire meal in some time."
"Not me," joined Sub. "I pay ponies good bits to have that done by the time I get there. Got more important things to do."
They all nodded in agreement. Cooking was best left to the professionals. Well, except Fire, who took a moment to appreciate the rich entitlement of the ponies around her. They wouldn't last a single day where she came from. Some part of her wanted to see exactly how comedically horribly that'd turn out if it happened. Probably for the best it wasn't up to her if that happened.
They wouldn't cook their meals, except mom's cookies. She could, and should, continue doing that.
Please.