Putting on a Silver Robe and Wizard Hat

by David Silver

294 - Second Chances

Discord looked to Twilight, who nodded silently. "Alright." He raised a hand into the air, eyeing the statue before him. "Don't make us regret this."

Twilight inclined her head towards Discord. "We managed to learn to get along with you after you were set free."

"Oh, sure, rub that in." With a sharp snap, reality was modified, and Cozy Glow fell forward with a squeak, bouncing off other parts of the statue on her way to the ground to be caught in a magical grip. "Ta da." Discord bowed in place, but no wild cheers came for his work.

The magic hadn't come from Twilight. A pony of advanced age stepped forward, setting Cozy on the ground upright. "Are you feeling alright?"

"No..." Cozy rubbed at flecks of stone, cleaning herself off and looking around. "Where is... Night?"

He shook his head. "She insisted this not be about her."

Twilight nodded in agreement. "Welcome back. We didn't... leave on good terms, but I am willing to extend a hoof." She did just that, putting a hoof forward.

Cozy squinted at the hovering hoof before turning back to Star Swirl. "So, we're together, right?"

"I am your parole officer, yes." He nodded in a smooth single motion. "I will not be leaving your side until I can confirm your behavior has changed for the better."

Cozy fluffed up her ornate locks, eyeing her guard, who could also become a friend... "Well... hi." She cleared her throat and stood up. "I am Cozy Glow, and it's nice to meet you." She fought against the childish inflection she had spent so long developing. She would be a mare for that pony, not a foal.

"Not our first meeting." His lips twisted in a faint smile. "But I accept your greeting. Our first destination will not be what you are likely imagining."

Cozy inclined her head. Where they'd go first hadn't really gelled in any specific place. "That would be?"

Twilight leaned forward. "A few friends of mine are especially talented at diagnosing cutie mark dysphoria. They'll help you find and chase after what will fulfill you."

Cozy frowned in thought before her eyes went wide. "You don't mean?!"

"The Cutie Mark Crusaders," announced Twilight with a nod. "They really are quite skilled at their--"

"I am not a foal!" shouted Cozy, her expressions twisted in anger.

"I didn't say you were." Twilight inclined an ear, but didn't shrink from the outburst. "They have helped no small number of grown ponies realize their true purpose.

"They've even lent a hoof to a peer of mine, Rockhoof." Star Swirl seemed confident in the selection. "You must at least give them a chance, an honest chance."

Cozy grumbled as she glared at the two commanding her. "Right, fine, one little chance. If they start talking nonsense, I'm out!" She stormed off, towards Star Swirl. "Let's go."

Star Swirl turned with her, the two walking off together. "We will be spending some time together," he noted, glancing aside at her. "If you have particular needs, this would be the time to bring it up."

"Needs?" She hiked a brow. "I'm not hungry right now, if that's what you mean."

"Mares have different... needs than stallions," he stated with a strange mix of confidence and apprehension. "I do not claim proficiency with them."

Cozy's brows went up together. "Are you..." She trailed off, seeing he was entirely serious. "Look, I'm a pony, just like you." She pointed at him, little wings beating to carry her upwards. "I need most of the things you do. I will be really grouchy if you don't let me get myself looking decent in the morning." She curled her arm, tapping a hoof on her chin thoughtfully. "That's about it."

"Well, you are a pegasus," he noted. "I am not one of those."

"Stop messing with me." She rolled her eyes. "You have a pegasus friend, that soldier? I don't remember his name but I know he's there. I'm not the first pegasus you ever met."

Twilight watched the two wandering off, talking. She smiled a little, hope growing. Neither fully understood the other, but they were talking. They could figure it out.

---

Star Swirl stepped off the train, adjusting his beard, not that it had fallen out of place. "Ponyville," he announced. "You were here previously, I recall?"

"For a little while." She decided there was no reason to go into details. "I've met them before." She glanced away. "There's a chance they're just going to see me and jump to conclusions."

His hoof came down on her other side. "You are reforming. I will not tolerate baseless accusations."

Cozy blinked, surprised by the conviction of his words. "You barely know me. Hay, don't you know them better?"

"Be that as it may." He resumed his walk, weaving around other ponies coming and going from the train. "You are my responsibility." An ear twitched. "And there is still more yet to learn."

She flittered up above the crowd and came down, perched on his back. "Yeah, so what have you figured out so far?"

"You enjoy being thought of as cute," he started confidently.

"I'm not a foal!"

"You do not like being assumed for being immature." He turned an ear towards her, but continued his waving, stepping off the platform and starting into the town proper. "Your favorite flavor is fizzy berry."

"Who doesn't like fizzy berry?" she asked in a defensive tone. "You like it, don't you?"

"Certainly." Not that it was his favorite, but it was a fine flavor among many. "Have you tried lime razzle?"

She blinked, caught off guard by the sudden turn about. "Lime razzle's alright. I like the sour punch, but fizzy berry has it beat." She sat down on his back, smirking a bit. "They have a Hayburger in town. Wanna grab something to eat after we meet with the crusaders?"

"A refreshment before continuing sounds... good." He looked left and right before moving towards the apple orchard in the distance. "Allow me to ask, what have you learned about me?"

"Hm? Am I being tested?" She stuck out her tongue a little. "You're old, but curious. You want to get involved. I think that's part of why you agreed to watch me, since that means you're doing something that somepony needs, but you also want to get around and see--"

"--You have a canny eye for ponies," he interrupted as they went down the road. "And you enjoy getting rides."

"And you don't seem to mind giving them." She flopped down, hugging him from above. "We're getting along!"

He chuckled quietly, not arguing her conclusion. "There they are." A fanciful tree house awaited them. "Hark, I come seeking the assistance of the Cutie Mark Crusaders," he called out as they came in closer.

The door swung open, Sweetie Belle poking her head out and looking around before her eyes fell to Star Swirl, with a Cozy Glow on his back. She gasped and ducked back inside, door slamming.

Cozy hiked a brow at the sight. "Did nopony tell her we were coming?"

"I... had thought Twilight would." He considered the door a moment. "But, perhaps, she did not."

"Figures." Cozy lifted from his back, darting to the door. "Sweetie Belle, it's just little ole' me, Cozy Glow! I'm not here with any wild schemes, promise."

The door creaked open an inch with no sign of life beyond it. Cozy glanced at Star, and the two shared a shrug. With permission given, she nosed the door open wider and poked her head inside. "Any--"

"Surprise!" shouted three fillies, throwing their hooves wide as confetti rained down around them. A big banner hung from the roof, announcing, 'Welcome back to Ponyville!'

Apple Bloom was the first to close in with a big smile. "Shoot, we thought you were another day or two out."

"I thought you were a day late," admitted Scootaloo.

Sweetie raised a hoof. "Welcome back!"

Cozy eyed each of the smiling faces one by one. "You... aren't worried?"

"Why should we be?" Apple Bloom threw a leg over Cozy's withers, drawing her in close. "Hey, Star Swirl, c'mon up!"

Cozy shoved her back, freeing herself. "Oh, I dunno, I took over your school, almost destroyed Equestria? Twice? I can think of a few reasons."

Sweetie shrugged. "But you came back. You didn't do that because you wanted to be mean."

Scootaloo rolled a hoof. "There are way easier ways to do that than coming to Ponyville." With a smirk, she leaned in. "So, feel better?"

Apple Bloom nodded firmly. "Even if ya don't, we are ready to help!"

The door swung open with magic as Star Swirl entered at a light clip-clop. "Those stairs assume a youthful disposition," he huffed, though he had made it. "I hope everypony is getting along?"

"Sure are." Sweetie saluted before starting to bounce around Cozy. "You made us so sad!"

"And a little mad," continued Scootaloo.

"But we're glad now." Apple Bloom offered a hoof but didn't immediately grab for Cozy. "You were our first friendship student, and even if it went all kinds of wrong, you still have a special part, in here." All three fillies put their hooves on their chest, a welcoming smile on their faces.

Cozy rubbed behind her head, mussing her locks. "Alright, great... But, seriously." She hiked a brow high. "Seriously, you have to be a little mad. I know I would be mad."

Sweetie Belle suddenly bonked Cozy, clonking her hoof on Cozy's head. "That was mean!" she blurted.

Apple Bloom huffed softly. "If you want me to lash out, just stand still a moment." She turned, bringing her hind legs into proper aim. "But I try to save mah bucks for apple trees, and you ain't one of those."

Scootaloo laughed softly. "I'm not so picky, still..." She pointed to her scooter parked in the corner. "I'll be satisfied if you can make it over the ramp outside on that."

"No," clearly stated Star Swirl. "I will not abide by this. We have come seeking guidance, not martial punishment. I must insist you do not attack Cozy Glow. She came here on good faith, and I will not see it tarnished."

Sweetie raised her hooves flat to Star Swirl. "I'm done, promise. I just thought it'd make her feel better..."

Cozy rubbed where she had been bonked. "What a way to show it... So, uh, how's school?"

Apple Bloom pointed off towards it. "Normal school's alright." She turned the hoof towards Twilight's school. "But we have way more fun helping students there." The others murmured soft agreements with that assessment.

Scootaloo's brows raised together. "Oh, hey, if you're here, are you signing back up? We should tell Star--"

"--Pass." Cozy frowned at that. "I'm not a foal. I'm done with foal school."

Sweetie blinked owlishly. "It's not just for foals. Grown ponies go there too, also... aren't you a foal?"

"I am not a foal," huffed out Cozy, turning away. "That was just a stupid lie, and you fell for it."

Apple Bloom rubbed behind her head. "Huh... yer an adult? But... yer so--"

Star grabbed her lips in his magic, silencing her with just the right amount of pressure. "She is a mare. Mares come in different sizes."

Apple Bloom backed away from the grab, swatting it away. "Alright, alright. Don't gotta grab a filly."

Scootaloo inclined her head. "Huh, shoulda told us. We give different lessons for grown ponies."

"Speaking of that." Star Swirl pointed towards his ward's rump. "We came for a cutie mark analysis."

All three sets of eyes settled on her back end, studying it intently. "It's a chess piece," announced Sweetie Belle.

"A, uh, tower," continued Apple Bloom. "What's a tower mean?"

Sweetie raised a hoof. "That's called a 'Rook'. They are powerful units that can divide invading forces."

Scootaloo laughed at that. "Well, that fits. You like thinking strategic-like and making ponies break apart."

Apple Bloom suddenly perked up. "I think I know exactly who you need to talk to, and it ain't us."

Author's Note:

Who does Apple Bloom have in mind?

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Comments

[erictheblue]

this reminds me of a story called "three second chances", where Discord tries to reform Cozy Glow, Chrysalis, and Tirek.
he wound up passing Cozy on to Sunset Shimmer.

[David Silver]

10460162
Never read that one, and Sunset Shimmer is not who the CMC are thinking of.

[Booster Spice]

Powerful piece who divides the opposition?

The first one that springs to mind was also stoned, but the otherone I would suspect fits, divides equally?

[WanderingPony]

Diamond Tiara. They're likely to have an understanding.

[harts fire]

Oo i am liking this twist in the story. i can see several things for Cozy.

[xonxt]

I know Starswirl wanted her as a platonic female friend (if I remember correctly), but still... That's a crackship if I ever saw one.

Also, yeah, very cool seeing the CMC actually going all serious and analytical on her.