//------------------------------// // The Morning Adress // Story: Crafty Cozy Glow // by Silvermyr //------------------------------// Starlight didn't know what to expect when she went to meet Cozy's substitute teachers, but she knew these weren't it.  The town mayor… a yellow pegasus with strawberries for her cutie mark, and… "Muffins?" Starlight turned to the dust-gray, ditzy pony. One eye was focused on her, the other on the floor slightly off to the left. She held out a small basket of pastries that she absolutely had not brought with her into the room. "No… thank you." Derpy shrugged and took a bite of her muffins. "Okay." "So… Cozy Glow asked you all to come, right?" Starlight began. "Did she tell you what you would be doing?" "Filling in for the teachers while they were gone," The yellow pegasus said. "Including that pony who grows those disgusting apples. Repulsive…truly a vile fruit… but the righteous condemnation is nigh, I can promise that…" "Sorry? Didn't quite catch that last part," Starlight said, stepping closer.  "Oh, nothing. My name is Strawberry Sunrise. Nice to meet you," She shook Starlight's hoof. "I'd love to help out! The school is a Ponyville pride point, and I'd love to say I was part of that, even if it was just for a little while." "The same," Mayor Mare chipped in. "I'd love a chance to see how the Princess runs things up close. Her organizing skills are second to none, and it would be great to see how things are applied here." "And I'd like to help too!" Derpy exclaimed, waving a hoof.  "Well… you all seem to have the heart in the right place, and with the guides Twilight put together for all of you, I'm sure it will all be fine," Starlight said. She didn't really know most of these ponies, but they all seemed perfectly capable in their own right, and this way she could split the teaching workload between six ponies rather than just three. That'd leave her with plenty of time to observe everything and assist where needed.  "Oh, the princess's own lesson plan?" Mayor Mare's ears perked up. "Can I see it?" "Of course you will. I'll get them for you so you can start reading up on your lessons and subjects." Starlight said. "But do any of you actually know where Cozy Glow is? I thought she was going to be here with you?" They all shook their heads. Starlight was just about to continue when the door opened and a small, pink pony with a blue mane flitted through, desperately balancing a stack of paper larger than her on top of her head. "Sorry Starlight, I came as quickly as I could! I had to make sure Twilight and the others got their travel supplies, and then I had to hurry up and write your address for the morning too, and get the lesson plans from Twilight's office." She landed, panting, and handed a few discreet notes to Starlight before she passed out the rest of the papers to the waiting ponies. "Golly. I thought the others would be here too. They need their lesson plans!" "Oh…" Starlight looked from the notes to Cozy and then back. She hadn't expected to have anything more than five minutes where she introduced the teachers and told everypony Twilight was away. A whole speech, complete with key words and everything was far more than she had planned. And she had even brought the lesson plans too.  Cozy was a scary good helper. "I can send the plans to the others with magic," Starlight offered.  "Okay, this goes to Trixie, this to Maud and then this one to Spitfire, should be good," Cozy spread out the files in front of her, and Starlight magicked them away in short order.  They stood silent for a few moments. "So… you've written an address for me?" Starlight asked.  "This way everycreature will see that you are prepared and have things firmly in your hoof," Cozy shrugged. "You only get one shot at making a good first impression, so I figured I'd help make it good! Especially after your last tenure with Discord being…" Cozy shrugged.  "I… see," Starlight said. "Well, it may be a bit more than I had planned, but you're right, Cozy. If everypony is used to Twilight's careful planning, then they are going to see that I'm no worse than her!" Cozy nodded. Her curly mane bounced slightly on her head. "Good! Let's go, it's almost time for the school day to start. Everypony will be in the main entrance, 'cause that's where I told everypony you'd be yesterday." "Perfect," Starlight said. She turned to her teachers, all of them absorbed in their lesson plans. "Alright, please all head to your classrooms. None of you will have any lessons in the first time-slot, so use the time till then to study your lesson plans. If you need help with anything, let me know and I'll be happy to help." She glanced at Cozy. "Or, if you can't find me, talk to Cozy Glow. She's one of our best students, and I'm sure she can help you." "Golly yes!" Cozy chirped. The three teachers dispersed to different parts of the school, and Starlight and Cozy both started towards the school entrance. "So… Student councilor Cozy Glow," Starlight said lightly, slowing her steps to accommodate for the smaller pony's short legs. "Have you decided who else should be on your council?" "Uh-huh," Cozy nodded. "I was thinking that I'll just be monitoring stuff for now, helping out here and there and such… and once Twilight comes back, we should have a proper election for the council president and board. It's not fair that they just choose somepony." Starlight nodded. "Huh… it seems you are really taking these friendship lessons to heart, Cozy. Very good. Very noble of you." She saw the corridor being packed with students from a while away. Once they noticed her, they shuffled to the side to let her and Cozy through to a small podium on top of a stage where the entire school could see her.  "Welcome, everycreature," Starlight began. She swallowed and glanced down at the topmost card Cozy had given her. It said just one phrase: Twilight away, substitute staff. "As maybe Cozy may have told you all, Twilight and her friends have been called away on an important friendship mission. As such, today and for the rest of the week, there will be some substitutes to the staff." Somepony immediately raised their hoof. Starlight thought his name was Sandbar or something. "Yes?" "It's not Discord again, is it?" Sandbar asked.  Starlight shook her head. "No. This time, I'm the only principal. However, aside from the temporary staff, Headmare Twilight also wanted to introduce a student council, to help get your perspective and let you help improve your time here. For the moment, as a test, she has selected Cozy Glow to serve as the council president until she is back." A murmur went through the crowd at that. "Twilight's decided, huh," Silverstream said. "Well, I suppose Cozy's okay…" "It's just temporary," Starlight said. "However," she emphasized the word. Things would be easier for Cozy, and the idea of a student council as a whole, if everycreature understood Cozy's good intentions. "However, Cozy herself suggested that an election should be held once Twilight returns, and it will. However, until then, Cozy will serve as the interim president to figure out the responsibilities and the rights of the future council, and she does so with my full faith." Cozy took a few steps forward. "We are the friendship school! I know that with the good friendship we all share, we can make the school even better! Twilight and her friends started us off, but we have learned much under her already! I think we have a duty to build on what she started, and make the school even better at friendship!" "Well said, Cozy," Starlight nodded. "Now, please go and find your classrooms. Your lessons begin soon."