"Sister, that's not funny!"
Luna pouted at me, and I covered my snicker with one of my great white wings. They really were just splendidly versatile like that.
"Aww, but you look so adorable as a dapple, Luna!"
Twilight was suppressing a snicker of her own. For a moment I wondered if Luna was really offended, but she just rolled her eyes and grinned. In fact, she seemed almost giddy, just as she had when she first approached us.
She must have finally broached the family issue with Cozy. And it looks like she got a positive answer!
I smiled and politely waited for Luna to explain, but she smirked at me slyly instead.
"Sister, you didn't perchance just guess what I came to tell you, did you?"
I looked up and away as innocently as I could. "Could be. Who's to say?"
Twilight looked between the two of us in confusion, but Luna's smirk grew and she leaned in.
"Tia, did you happen to think through the part where this means you're an aunt now?"
Oh. Oh right. That's a thing.
Luna belted out a decidedly unprincessly guffaw.
"You didn't! You didn't even think about that!"
I cleared my throat forcefully, trying to push down the sudden excitement I felt so as not to let Luna one-up me. "But I already am an aunt! To Cadance!"
Luna snorted. "That has nothing to do with this, and you know it!"
Twilight leaned in. "Umm, sorry to interject, but... whaaaa?"
I grinned, but Luna beat me to the punch. "Cozy accepted my adoption of her! She even called me her mother – as part of a jest, granted, but nonetheless!"
Wow. Is it possible she's just trying to manipulate Luna...? No, based on what I've seen of her, it's more likely the filly was trying to put on a brave face. I suspect she has a troubled past, and is equal parts joyous and terrified by this...
Twilight put on a somewhat unconvincing smile. "Really? That's... great! But, um, wasn't that a bit, y'know, quick?"
I smirked almost imperceptibly before I returned to a more neutral expression.
Hah, still a step ahead! This old nag's not useless yet!
Luna hesitated, her grin faltering, and I set a hoof on Twilight's withers. "Perhaps, but Cozy's not like a normal filly. She's very perceptive, especially when it comes to social matters. I'm sure she was just as excited as Luna, and just wanted to express that."
Twilight locked eyes with me for a moment, and then took a sigh of relief and leaned back. "Right, I'm sure that's what it is. Sorry, I'm just still processing the whole, like... Quillon, Cozy, super hero thing. Even Discord was less chaotic when it came to redemption. Sorry, Luna; I didn't mean to be a downer."
Luna smiled and shook her head. "It's fine, Twilight. I know you're just concerned for my well-being. You haven't been here to see how different she is in-person, so I understand how hard it must be for you to imagine."
Twilight seemed to give this some thought before responding. "It's not that hard to imagine. I mean, I've seen plenty of ponies reform. It's just that none of them posed as my friend or student beforehand. I was so taken in by Cozy, and I felt so betrayed by what she did, I just... I guess I'm just still hurt. I can't believe I failed a student so badly."
Luna frowned, her ears flattening. "I spoke with her about all of that. She said she wanted to apologize, but she feels she needs to remember what she did wrong for it to be sincere, first."
Twilight nodded. "That makes sense. Honestly, I'm not fishing for an apology. I just wish I understood better. Maybe... if she starts to remember more, you could ask her to speak with me about it?"
Luna hummed in agreement and nodded, and a somber mood was about to descend on our little gathering.
Can't have that! This was supposed to be my happy tea time with Twilight, and it's a happy event for Luna!
I cleared my throat. "So, Luna, you were looking at apartments, correct? What did you settle on?"
Luna balked slightly. "Sister, if I was going to make a final decision I'd obviously want to invite you to come with us!"
I smirked. "Oh? I thought you'd want to avoid having me steal your thunder."
Luna fidgeted, and I realized I'd misread the mood.
"Sister... I actually wanted you to spend more time with her. She has so few friends to speak with, I worry she feels like she has nopony else to go to when she can't discuss something with me."
The part Luna omitted was that she wasn't much better-off herself; she would feel isolated if she moved somewhere without me. I mentally chided myself for the misstep and smiled at her.
"Of course I'll move wherever you head. And I'll make more of an effort to connect with Cozy, as well. So what's the plan, then?"
Luna chuckled and shook her head.
"That's just it; she said she's actually happy here. She doesn't seem to have any interest in meeting other ponies her age. When I brought it up, she just pointed out what a step up over Tartarus this place is, and shrugged the whole thing off. I'm not sure if she's just trying not to cause a problem, but... the impression I got is that she doesn't want unnecessary change right now."
I leaned back in my chair and took a moment to breathe and process that.
"That does make sense. Things have been so chaotic for her I'm surprised Discord hasn't gotten jealous. But it's probably not the best idea to let her carry on in isolation like that."
Twilight nodded vigorously, and chipped in at that.
"I can attest to that. She's throwing herself into her magical studies in every spare moment; I can tell just from the book orders she sends. I know she needs to learn all of the basics, since she just got her horn, but the rate of learning she's putting in definitely doesn't strike me as just obsessive studying. I think she's trying to distract herself from everything with it, and, well... that just puts off dealing with those feelings and memories. She needs to make new memories, good ones, to help deal with it all."
Luna and I both beamed at Twilight, and I was starkly reminded then why I put her in charge. I nodded and looked to Luna.
"I agree with Twilight. Luna, you should urge her to make some friends. Especially with Hearth's Warming coming up, I think it will do her a lot of good."
Twilight laughed. "Here's hoping the fate of the world doesn't depend on her making friends like it did for me! I don't know how many more crises I can handle during my first year in office!"
Luna cringed slightly. "Tempt not ye fates, Twilight."
Twilight snickered. "I'm sure it'll be fine."
I facehoofed.
Man, the Dapple-Luna headcanon has gotten legs.
Also: So many perspectives.
Gotcha, bitch!
This got a hearty silently giggle from me.
Awww. Feeling for Purple Smart, here.
Man, the use of "oof" as a short hand for "this sentiment both made me empathize with these characters and their suffering and made me reflect on similar events on my own life, causing a stab of wistfulness/bittersweetness" is gonna run thin fast at the rate that you keep putting me in that position... but still. Oof.
This is why Purple Smart gets to wear the pointy metal hat!
Even Celestia agrees with me!
Also: Get out of my head, fic!
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Will be interesting to see the differnt perpectives in this story.
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I'm glad you appreciate that aspect. Not everyone does.
What Twilight should be asking is why did the Elements of Harmony remove Cozy Glow's memories? What were they trying to accomplish? Just give Cozy Glow a fresh start? Just to take away her justification for being evil? Or... was there something wrong with those memories, that had to be destroyed? What isn't Cozy remembering, and why?
Damn you Twilight, damn you.
Twilight, Twilight, Twilight...have you not learned there are some things you just don't say?
I can see why Twilight would be hesistant after hearing the news from Luna. For her, the last she knew of Cozy Glow was this villainous, manipulative child that was trying to destroy Equestria and kill Twilight and her friends. For this same person to suddenly be fighting as a hero could give someone whiplash like "what the heck just happened and who is this person?". But I do like that even Luna, who knows firsthand how Cozy has changed, has to fight with inner doubts about her intentions from time to time. Back to Twilight, she's right that Cozy could use other friends her age - just wondering who that may end up being.
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Cozy Glow pulled the fastest redemption arc in the west, and all it took was a GIANT RAINBOW LASER CANNON
I really lack the context for any of this. But still! Proper talking, delightful.
And Celestia! Immediate bonus points.
Of course it’ll be fine, after all, the Fates aren’t there to be tempted, they are part of Greek mythology(or was it Norse?) and Discord doesn’t like Hermes(or Loki) muscling in on his turf.
Twilight, you did not fail Cozy Glow. She wasn't your student. She never wanted to really 'learn' from you, just gain power. She failed herself. It speaks well of you to think that-and well of the author to get that bit of characterization right-but this was all on her. It's like blaming Celestia for Sunset Shimmer. Again, it was all Sunset's willing actions.
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The fates are greek
The norns are norse
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And we all know which way I swing!
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Slower than Luna I'd say, but that may be nitpicking and/or debatable. She's maybe about where Luna was at the start of "Do Princesses Dream of Magic Sheep"? Which I would call completely REFORMED, just not completely RECOVERED.
Really Twilight... you should know better
Seriously, the dramatic irony in the original version of that line was palpable.