//------------------------------// // Muffin // Story: Starting Over // by Twilight Nightmare //------------------------------// Twilight sighed as she walked through town, she kept wanting to run back and hide in her room now that her cloak was gone. No pony would admit to knowing what happened to it, though she suspected a nurse threw it away. She would have suspected her sister, but Trixie had sworn that she didn’t do it. Without it every pony was staring at her, welcoming her home while giving her looks of love and support…there were no looks of fear or disgust. While that made her feel a little better, she still couldn’t help feeling self conscious. She was sure that they were just being nice…but something was telling her that they truly either didn’t see the scars or just didn’t care about them. “Twilight!” A pegasus mare cried out hugging her tightly all of a sudden shocking the unicorn. It took a few moments to remember who the pony was, her memories being more like a searchable index at the moment. Sure most of them were back, but they just didn’t seem to be meshing with her life at the moment. She would remember things when trying, but sometimes it took an effort to dig up the desired memories. “Derpy?” Twilight asked, hugging the pegasus back for a few moments before they pulled apart. “Pinkie told me what happened.” Derpy said, worry in her mismatched eyes as she gave Twilight a look filled with love and worry. “Please don’t be mad at her, all of your friends are worried about you. They love you.” “I don’t know if I can call them my friends.” Twilight sighed, rubbing one of her legs with the other nervously. While she enjoyed spending time with Cadence, Luna and her parents, she refused to see any pony else for the time being. Her parents had been trying to convince her to give Shining Armor a chance, but she just wasn’t sure of what to believe. “They want to be, but I won’t push you.” Derpy said, pulling a pink box out of nowhere and opening it. She held it toward Twilight to see a box of banana oat muffins making the unicorn’s mouth water. “Have one.” “Thank you.” Twilight said, truly grateful for the offer as she remembered Derpy only shared her muffins with those she cares deeply about. It made Twilight feel good knowing that the pegasus cared enough to offer Twilight one of Derpy’s favorite flavors. Slowly Twilight lifted one from the box wither magic, slowly peeling back the paper and biting into it while letting out a moan at just how good the thing tasted. “They’re really good.” Derpy said happily as she took one herself and stuffed the box back in a saddlebag Twilight just noticed that seemed far too small to safely keep the box. “I…wanted to talk to you about something though.” “Please don’t try and convince me to go see them.” Twilight sighed, but Derpy shook her head slowly as sadness filled her eyes. “No, that’s between you and them. What I wanted to talk about was our daughters. You probably don’t know this, but…one of my daughters has a lot in common with your own. From what I’ve seen of you with yours around town before you took that silly thing off, I can see how much you love her…and I want to thank you for looking past where she came from. I know…I know from personal experience how hard it can be to move past what happened, but if you keep remembering that she is you silver lining…your little angel…then everything will be fine.” Derpy said hugging Twilight again, “It might get hard for awhile with your memories coming back…but you have ponies that love you and will be there for you. And if you need a pony who knows what you are going through…I’ll always be there for you.” “Thank you.” Twilight said, sniffling a little as she wiped her tears away as the two separated again. Derpy was wiping her own tears away, giving Twilight a nuzzle before pulling back. “You are very welcome dear; if you ever need anything at all just come find me. Okay?” Derpy asked, spreading her wings. “I will, thank you.” Twilight said, Derpy nodding. “Good, I have to get back to my deliveries now, but remember that she’s your light when things look dark.” Derpy said before spreading her wings and taking to the skies. Twilight couldn’t help let out a small giggle when she heard a noise followed by, “I’m okay!” With a much lighter heart than before, Twilight continued her trip to the lake where she planned to bask in the sunlight for awhile. She needed to get out after spending so much time inside. A few hours just relaxing near the lake were just what she needed to sort her thoughts. She still wasn’t too sure who she was…was she Rose or was she Twilight? She had admittedly been thinking of herself more as Twilight since her memories came mostly back to her, but at the same time did she even want to be Twilight? She was happy being Rose with just Trixie and Summer by her side, but she had ponies from Twilight’s past that loved her…and that she loved in return. Did that make her Rose any less? Or did it make her Twilight any less wanting to keep her life with her sister and daughter the way it was? Sure they had a hard time sometimes, but they were happy. “I love her.” A male voice said breaking Twilight from her thoughts. It sounded strained as if it was trying not to cry drawing Twilight’s attention. Looking up she saw the backs of not only her sister, but her brother sitting side by side watching out over the lake. Gasping, Twilight ducked into some bushes and watched the two as the white unicorn hung his head. “All of this is my fault…the changeling may have had me under a spell…but I should have known better than take my attention away from guarding against the invasion. I lost everything because I let Cadence get ponynapped and let that imposter enchant me. I tore my little sister’s heart out…and I deserve everything that has happened since…but she doesn’t.” “Look, I don’t really know what to think of you. I want to get to know you, at the same time I’m so mad at you for treating me like you did…and you weren’t under a spell. I also don’t really have a good opinion of you over what you did at the invasion…how you treated our sister. She may not admit it, but she loves you so much. It’s why it hurts her so much…I can see it in her eyes. She wants to run to you and have you hold her and tell her everything is going to be okay before…before she remembers and her anger takes over.” Trixie sighed, “I wish you cared for me even a fraction of how much you care for her, but I’m not your sister. I’m just a stranger…” “No you aren’t.” Shining Armor said, reaching out and pulling Trixie into a tight hug. “You are my little sister…and I want to get to know you. I know I was shocked when we met at the hospital…and I admit I was a little suspicious…but you really are my sister and I’ll do anything for both of you.” “Butter me up all you want, I’m not going to betray Twilight and try and get her to talk to you.” Trixie sighed, “I wish we could all just be a happy family…but you don’t know the things she’s been through.” “I wish she would just tell me…to talk to me.” Shining Armor sighed. Twilight wasn’t sure what to do, she hated seeing Trixie feeling bad…and she was also feeling the same about Shining Armor despite still feeling so angry with him. Every pony had told her it was a spell that drove him to act the way he did at the wedding disaster. Maybe…it was time to listen to his side of things. “Are you sure that’s what you want?” Twilight asked nervously as she came out of the bushes and scared the two unicorns who spun around to look wide eyed at Twilight. She couldn’t help it, she started giggling before bursting out in full laughter at seeing that. A few moments later the other two joined her. The three sat staring out at the lake, Shining Armor between his sisters as they lay against each other sharing their body heat. It had been a long talk; one that Shining felt so much anger at himself and the ponies that had hurt Twilight. He was also happy and proud of Trixie for being there for Twilight when no pony else would. “Big brother…I…forgive you for what happened. It wasn’t your fault…but it might be awhile before I can completely forget it, if I can.” Twilight said, “I do want to take Cadence up on her offer though. At the end of the week, if Trixie and Summer want to, I plan on going back with her and spend some time away from everything.” “I…guess I can get a room at the Inn here while you are there.” Shining Armor sighed. “Like hay you will, we need a big strong stallion to carry our stuff!” Twilight said, smiling a little at the confusion on her brother’s face as it slowly changed into happiness at the indication. “Are you sure?” Shining Armor asked. “Hey, I’m not carrying all that stuff.” Trixie said, smiling herself. It looked like her family may just be healing. She had hopes of her family becoming whole…to finally have the love of a family she always wanted.