Second Chances

by Mediocre Morsov

Chapter 5

Cozy Glow wiped the sweat from her brow, grimacing and muttering a dark string of curses as she gave another swift kick to the tree. She felt only a small sense of satisfaction as she watched the last of the apples drop into her bucket, her frustration and humiliation from her poor applebucking overriding any sense of accomplishment at finishing a tree.

It didn't help that every member of the Apple family present was going through trees like a scythe went through wheat.

"Don't feel bad, kid," Cozy tensed as she heard her superior's voice from above her. Looking up, the young pegasus saw Rainbow Dash reclining on a small tuft of cloud above the tree, eating an apple. "I'm not good at applebucking either; it's not really a thing pegasi are good at."

"Then why did you encourage me to volunteer to help Apple Bloom during the harvest?" Cozy demanded, her tone barely respectful with all-too-obvious effort. The Wonderbolt captain snorted in amusement at how poor of an actress Cozy had become over the years.

"You wanted to be a Wonderbolt to make friends, right?" Rainbow asked as she glided down to land beside her recruit, "From what you've told me, Apple Bloom, Scoots, and Sweetie Belle wouldn't take much to be your friends. Heck, my former students would probably be interested, too."

"Let's... not get ahead of ourselves," Cozy grimaced at the idea of having to try and ingratiate herself with so many of her former enemies.

Apple Bloom was one thing; she was a counselor, and even compared to her fellow counselors she was open-minded and balanced in humors. Scootaloo seemed likely to forgive her, but they shared few interests and the other pegasus' excitability made Cozy uncomfortable. As for Sweetie Belle, well... the unicorn had a legendary temper and capacity to hold grudges despite her generally sweet nature. As for the Student Six, perhaps Sandbar would forgive her with his laidback demeanor, or Silverstream and Ocellus with their kindness, but Yona? Gallus? Smolder? Those three would take some convincing.

"They're good creatures, Glow," Rainbow assured the younger mare, "They don't hold a grudge. Besides, I've been making sure to put in a good word for you as often as possible!" the Wonderbolt beamed, then looked away sheepishly. "Sort of my way to make up for... y'know, almost putting you in an iron lung."

"Golly, that sure was nice of you," Cozy's sarcasm was obvious. She began to move the bucket of apples then glared back at the pegasus. "Wait, isn't Applejack your wife?"

"Uh, well..." Rainbow spluttered, blushing, "W-wife is a little... sudden, w-we think, uh... I mean, it's certainly been, uh..."

"What I mean is that you two live together, right?" the younger mare sighed.

"Oh, yeah!"

"Why aren't you helping on the farm, then?"

"Because Rainbow's about as handy on a farm as a rattlesnake in a habberdashery," Applejack cut in as she approached with her siblings to help, "Which is to say, not at all."

"Love you too," Rainbow retorted in a deadpan.

"Thanks for offering to help us, Cozy Glow," Apple Bloom beamed as she effortlessly picked up and balanced the bucket the pegasus had filled atop her head, "I'm impressed; outta all my friends, I've been the only one who could finish a whole tree off by myself. Well, until now, anyway."

"Friends?" Cozy's eyes widened at the implication, "Do you, uh... consider me...?"

She stopped herself, wincing and feeling embarrassed at how childishly desperate her question felt.

"Do I consider you a friend?" Apple Bloom gathered, then giggled, "Of course I do, Cozy. I mean, I wouldn't have invited you to the farm earlier otherwise. I confess, I'd like it if we could spend more time together, maybe doing something fun."

"Gosh!" the pegasus exclaimed, then blushed at the excited outburst, trying to regain her poise, "That sounds enjoyable."

Cozy helped carry a few of the apple buckets to the barn before Applejack and Big Mac encouraged Apple Bloom and her to take the rest of the day off to hang out. Apple Bloom explained that the three of them, and Granny Smith, had managed the farm all alone for so many years, but with the addition of Sugar Belle, Rainbow Dash, and Big Mac and Sugar Belle's foals, it was even easier to manage the farm. Admittedly, Apple Bloom's niece and nephew weren't quite up to the job yet, but they were old enough to help with certain tasks.

"So, what do you wanna do?" Apple Bloom asked as they left the barn and headed towards the exit of Sweet Apple Acres.

"What?" Cozy cocked an eyebrow, unsure how to proceed, "What do you mean?"

"Well, normally when ponies hang out, they do something," the earth mare giggled, "What do you like to do?"

Cozy Glow thought it over. She'd developed a few hobbies from being raised by Starlight and Sunburst, but she wasn't sure how much fun Apple Bloom would have with them. Studying artifacts and bones wasn't exactly a universally-enjoyed hobby, and flying kites probably wasn't either. Reading? No, she couldn't suggest that!

"What do you like doing?" Cozy asked instead.

Apple Bloom frowned.

"You don't have to just do what I want to do, Cozy Glow," the mare explained, "I'm just curious is all."

"To be honest, I'm just excited to be spending time with a... a friend," Cozy gave a small smile, but it fell, "and... I really don't know what kinds of things ponies are supposed to do together."

"All sorts of things!" Apple Bloom declared, "Oh! I know! How about we meet up with the girls and go shopping?"

"Oh, uh, I-I don't know, that's not really necessary..." Cozy blanched.

"Wow, you must not like shopping," the earth mare chuckled, "What if we all just got lunch, then?"

Cozy Glow stayed quiet, straining and feeling to look comfortable. Apple Bloom's eyes widened as she realized what was bugging the other mare.

"Wait, do you not want to hang out with Scootaloo or Sweetie Belle?"

"What?!" the pegasus' reaction was all the answer Apple Bloom needed, "Th-that's not it! I... Um..."

"You don't like them?" Apple Bloom tried to process how anyone could not like her best friends.

"No! I just... I feel... really..." Cozy struggled to find the words, shifting in discomfort, "I'm worried they don't like me."

Apple Bloom stared at the other mare for a length of time before letting out a loud laugh, unintentionally making Cozy's face flush in embarrassment. Seeing what effect her laughter had, the earth mare queited herself.

"I'm sorry, Cozy Glow, but that just caught me offguard," she explained, "Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo have been bugging me to hang out with you since I told them we were friends. They're so excited that you're finally opening up, and they want to be your friends!"

"...Really?" Cozy struggled to believe that, "I mean, after everything I did-"

"For the love of Celestia, not this again..." Apple Bloom rolled her eyes, "Cozy, it's been over a decade, alright? Besides, the worst you did to us personally was lock us in a closet. Trust me, we don't hold that against you."

Cozy stayed silent for a moment, looking at the ground, processing her feelings. When she finally looked up, she forced confidence into the expression.

Look at how much I've changed, the mare thought to herself in amusement, I used to be able to lie through my teeth, and I almost never lacked for confidence, but now even the idea of getting lunch with three mares makes my heart race in panic! I guess having loving parents for 13 years will do that to a filly.

"Alright," she nodded, "lunch sounds good."
...

Flurry Heart let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding as she stood before the door. Headmare Starlight Glimmer was still standing beside her, just behind her, waiting for the filly to make the decision of her own volition. Seeing Flurry's anxiety stretch on, however, the headmare decided to be a little more proactive.

"Did you know my daughter studied under your aunt, Princess Twilight?" she asked, suddenly.

"Which daughter?" Flurry returned, putting up a feeble smirk.

"Luster Dawn," Starlight explained, pleased that Flurry respected Cozy Glow's relationship with her. "She was a prodigy, you know. Magic, science - everything, really. She's nearly as powerful as me and only a filly, and a genius. Cozy was so jealous growing up; I think she was relieved when Luster went away to study in Canterlot."

"Why is she back here?" Flurry asked. "I mean, Aunt Twily told me she didn't finish training under Celestia until she was a mare. Luster Dawn's smart, but I don't think she's smart enough to finish her apprenticeship under a princess as a filly."

"I finished my friendship lessons in only a year," Starlight chuckled, "but you're right - she didn't graduate. Twilight realized that there was something she couldn't teach Luster, and it was the same thing Celestia couldn't teach Twilight when she was younger: friendship. So, Twilight figured, where's the best place to study friendship?"

"The School of Friendship?" Flurry guessed.

"Bingo!" the headmare giggled. "I was excited to have my youngest daughter move back in, but..." the smile on the mare's face faltered, "she was different. More confident, but... distant, somehow. Self-assured, arrogant even... Well, I'm sure you know."

"Everybody knows about Luster Dawn," Flurry snorted, "no offense. What's your point?"

"Living here, in the dorms... it's helped her, even if only a little," Starlight elaborated, "and I think you're making the right decision. I think it'll help you, too."

"It's funny that you mention Luster," the alicorn noted, "since Cozy was the one who suggested the idea of moving in to me. Anyway, speaking of that... who's my dormmate?"

"Ah, yes... well, that's a good question..." Starlight cleared her throat, suddenly looking nervouse. "I wasn't sure where the best place to put you was. The other faculty and I discussed it, and... you should know it wasn't my idea."

"That's as unnerving as it is unhelpful," Flurry deadpanned. "Who are you rooming me with? Professor Tirek?"

"That'd be scandalous," Starlight muttered under her breath. "No, none of that. You'll be bunking with our resident prodigy."

"You can't be serious."

"Again, it wasn't my idea, but..." Starlight rolled her shoulders, "I mean, it is a good idea, really."

"Putting the two smartest students who are the worst at making friends together?" Flurry scoffed. "Oh yeah, brilliant! If you were writing a sitcom!"

"Look, I'm gonna level with you," Starlight lowered her voice, "Luster could use a friend in order to better understand friendship, but she's so... confident."

"Confident?"

"That's the word we'll use," the headmare explained. "She tends to drive others away by being a little... well, belittling."

"You're really selling this, you know that?"

"Look, creatures are intimidated by her because she's my daughter. No one is willing to talk to her like an equal because they're afraid I'll punish them or something, but you..."

"...I'm a princess," Flurry Heart sighed, then mulled it over.

Really, Luster was in a similar boat to her. They were both given a bit of a higher status by being the daughters of important figures to the school. It was difficult to make friends when creatures were afraid they'd get expelled for hurting your feelings, and to be honest, Luster never seemed fully sane. She acted a lot like Aunt Twily did when she was younger, at least according to Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and... well, everyone who knew Twilight, really. Luster could become obsessive and neurotic if something eluded her understanding, and more than once she'd snapped back at members of the student and faculty bodies... Flurry Heart wouldn't have that problem; she had absolutely no problem telling the upstart filly off.

"And if I get a little rough with her, that's not gonna rock the boat between Sunburst and me, is it?" Flurry asked.

"Still trying to steal my husband from me?" Starlight smirked.

"I say I want to marry Sunburst when I grow up once as a foal, and you guys will never let it go, I swear!" Flurry rolled her eyes, blushing.

"I'm kidding," Starlight giggled. "I don't think Sunburst will mind if you snap back at her. I mean, if we can forgive Rainbow Dash for what she did to Cozy, then- actually, forget I mentioned that."

Flurry Heart raised an eyebrow, but chose to ignore the remark. What did Rainbow Dash do to Cozy Glow? The two seemed pretty amicable whenever she bumped into them.

"Let's meet my roommate, then," Flurry shrugged.

She followed Starlight to the dorms and to her future.

Comments

[Comickook]

REALLY good job on the exchanges, characterizations and future chapter set-up in all the right places. Yeah, I DID like the scene at Sweet Apple Acres between Cozy, Rainbow and the Apple sisters. As well as Apple Bloom's reassuring Cozy that her friends don't hold her past against her and Starlight assigning Flurry a dorm room with Luster and the explanation for that.

And, on to the next chapter.

[Block]

"Putting the two smartest students who are the worst at making friends together?" Flurry scoffed. "Oh yeah, brilliant! If you were writing a sitcom!"

*insert Seinfeld theme here*

[Razzy]

Roomies! I give the school a week before they cause a structural collapse.

Needs more Chryssie.