Cozy Glow's Completely Normal Family

by scrungusbungus

Rating: mature
Tags: Romance, Anon, Original Character, Comedy, Horror, Cozy Glow, Sex, Profanity, Gore, Violence, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Alternate Universe, Human, Narcotics, My Little Pony Comic
Length: 21255

An HiE / Anon x Adult Cozy Glow Romance SoL. After Starlight hops into the future to check on the statue of the three captured villains, and accidentally brings back a revenge-seeking Adult Cozy Glow, Cozy does the unthinkable -- she marries Anon.

[Cover & Art by universe_deity on Instagram]
[Proof-Reading by Bad Touch]

An HiE / Anon x Adult Cozy Glow Slice of Life. No Foalcon. Story takes place some time after the Trio of Villains had been trapped in S9 / the damage had been repaired, with a from-the-future Cozy Glow. Tia and Luna still rule, Twilight and her friends run the School of Friendship.

Professor Arnold Y. Moruse, Villains History and Philosophy Teacher at the School of Friendship, Advocate and Sponsor of the V.R.P (Villains Rehabilitation Program), loving Husband to an Adult Cozy Glow. An equally adoring Father to their two daughters and their son, Ruby Glow (Left), Luminous Glow (Middle), and Alexander Glow (Right). Having lived in Equestria for quite a few years now, the late-30's Arnold has spent most of that time brushing up on not only Equestrian History, but that of it's neighbors -- and primarily, their Villains. He finds them a fascinating topic, and runs a class at the School of Friendship discussing their impact, personal histories, rehabilitation, and general philosophies behind percieved Villainy and its causes.

Originally, shortly following the rebuilding of Canterlot after the three Villains, Chrysalis, Tirek and Cozy Glow were locked away in stone, Starlight Glimmer became worried; they'd never trapped multiple creatures in the same Statue before, and history has proven the spell doesn't always hold. Wanting to be proactive in maintaining their emprisonment and with Twilight's blessing, Starlight used a Time Spell to leap forward several years, intent on simply checking on the statue's state and returning. Instead, she found that only Chrysalis and Tirek remained trapped -- and was ambushed by a freed, vengeful, older Cozy Glow. In a panic, Starlight quickly recast the spell, but accidentally brought the futures' Cozy Glow back with her, who promptly escaped.

It took some time, but the Elements managed to track her down -- only to find out she wasn't just laying low at Arnold Y. Moruse's house, but had been... 'Rehabilitated', the two in a committed relationship, and with Cozy now the mother of his children. With the situation being more than a little awkward, the Elements were forced to leave her be, though they keep a careful eye on their Completely Normal Family.

Cozy Glow now works in local politics as Mayor Mares Receptionist, her 'Schemes' on the backburner or relegated to more 'legal' approaches like lobbying or petitioning for change while they raise their children -- who attend the School Of Friendship, after the Ponyville Schoolhouse closed down in the merger, now the main body of Education in the town.

Of which Cozy isn't allowed in 100 Hooves of, legally. A bit of a sore spot, and it makes Parent-Teacher conferences interesting.

Published 2024-05-06 07:50:01 UTC
Last updated 2024-12-25 00:28:00 UTC

A Completely Normal Morning

Where... is it...

My eyes are shut, trying to ignore the harsh morning glow peering through the curtains. It might be start of a new day, but that doesn't mean I have to acknowledge it just yet. The day only begins when the eyes open.

Until then, my hand fumbles around the sheets, reaching across the bed, looking for something in particular. My alarm clock quietly chirps its morning alarm, trying to keep me from drifting back to sleep. Despite it's best efforts, it goes ignored like the new days glow; I've no intention of any more rest.

Because there's another Glow I'm searching for. I can hear her muttering to herself. I think she's reading something... probably the draft to the document she's submitting today. Something about tax rates, I think, but I'm still too groggy to remember properly. Plus, I'm a little distracted, as my fingers slowly creep through the sheets.

She should be right... around...

"Wh--Hey!" I hear a disgruntled yelp, as my fingers dig into something meaty and plush. There she is, a smile creeping across my face.

I can feel the bed lurch as that squishiness is pulled away -- and the mattress shifts, bringing the full weight of the familiar mare into my side with a loud creak.

I can feel hot breath on my face, chuffed at me in irritation. Maybe if I keep my eyes shut, I can avoid the consequences of my actions.

...

Nope, I can feel her hoof digging into my side. I doubt keeping my eyes shut will help me escape my fate much longer, unless I'm partial to a bruised stomach.

Slowly, the bulwark to my self-imprisoned darkness gives way, one of my eyes cautiously opening.

It's bright, and I'm not talking about the sun. There's my morning Glow, the ivory freckles that contrast her pink fur scrunched by that perpetual frown she's grown oh so fond of wearing. I'm not complaining, either; it's a look that works for her. Or maybe I just like angry women. Probably both.

Her cerulean mane is a complete mess, just like it always is when she wakes up. Wavy and tangled in contrast to her usually well-managed, rolled curls that bounce with every step. A few minutes with her curling iron would fix that, but I loved seeing this natural, disheveled side of her before she has a chance to touch up.

Her nose is inches from mine, those brilliant orange eyes sparkling in the days sun, half-hidden under her scowl as she stares at me, lip curled. She's still half-covered in the blankets of our bed, but they do little to hide the curve of the motherly hips tucked beneath them. Her hooves dig into my side with annoyance, and she's staring at me expectantly.

I slowly crack a smile, opening my other eye.
"Good morning, beautiful." I whisper playfully.

Not the answer she was looking for, apparently -- she chuffs air in my face, making me squint as her brow furrows even further.
"Good morning? Maybe it was, before you interrupted my proof-reading, asswipe. I told you yesterday..." She starts scolding me, her lip twitching as she pokes me in the side with a hoof, over and over.

I know she's chastising me, but... god, I love her voice. I could listen to it for hours -- there's this adorable tinge to her tone that she gets when she's 'upset', but only when it's with me. It's probably why I keep goading her, honestly.

She's still going, talking about how she warned me that she couldn't do with any distractions today, and that she needed to get up early and focus. She has to meet with Mayor Mare early, so she can handle her submission and tackle a reform they're working on... I'm doing my best to listen, of course, but... watching her plush lips move is devastatingly distracting. I wouldn't mind a morning kiss.

My fingers slowly crawl from the blankets beside her, ever so carefully traveling up her side. Her words suddenly pause with a sharp inhale, Cozy's back instinctively arching as my fingers start to trace just above her flank, digging through her bedraggled morning-fur with my nails.

Her lip twitches in anger, glare redoubling on me.
"Are you even listening to me, you bucking horndog? Honestly, you only --" She starts up again, but I cut in.

"You've got forty-five minutes to get to the Courthouse, which gives you thirty minutes to get ready. My classes don't start for another few hours, and the kids need to be in school in about an hour. So, I'll handle the kids and their lunches, while you focus on being the prettiest damn mare in that courtroom, and sweeping them with not only your new reform, but with the new alteration you're lobbying." I respond simply, making claw-like motions through the fur on her back, working my way up from her flank, to her withers, and slowly back down. I'd wink at her, but it's more like a blink until I actually open both eyes.

"...Alright, so maybe you were listening." She grumbles, though the stern frown remains. The hoof that had been poking my side rests on my chest, as a long sigh escapes her.
"Still, doesn't change how you still distracted me from my proof-reading. The one thing I asked you not to do, Arny." She notes coldly.

"You checked it front and back, tip to crack more times than I can count last night, Cozy. It's perfect, I guarantee it." I smile softly; my other hand comes to rest against the soft, short fur of her cheek, my thumb gently brushing across her freckles. If she's still using my nickname, that means she's still being playful.

She scoffs, raising an eyebrow in judgement. Waiting expectantly.

"But..." I continue, spacing my words out to goad her. She tsks impatiently, and it's pretty hard to stop myself from grinning.
"I am sorry for taking your attention... you know damn well just how easily you... captivate mine." I start to say quieter, throatier -- as my hands trails down her back, between the muscles of her wings, tracing a finger along her spine, until my hands lift with the curve of her flank. Cozy wasn't a particularly tall mare... but her hips didn't hear about that little detail. A shortstack through and through, and it was something that drove me crazy any time I could get my hands on her. Which, being my wife... was often.

She startles quietly, flinching as I help myself to another handful of her meaty rear, fingers sinking into the supple, furred flesh. Despite all her huff and puff, her scowls and frowns... she's yet to ever put her hoof down to my rampant teasing.

"What, are three kids not enough? How voracious are you?" She growls, looking down her nose at me disdainfully.

"You know I'd give you a fourth in a heartbeat." I retort without hesitation.

I see that soft red flush take her pink-furred cheeks, no matter how hard she tries to hide it by looking away. Her face is scrunching in frustration, and all the while, I'm slowly kneading her plentiful posterior, enjoying the handfuls it offers.

She grumbles to herself, cursing under her breath before looking back down at me.
"By that bitch Celestia, you... buck you." She mutters suddenly, before roughly grabbing my face with her hooves -- a throaty exhale escapes her as she presses our lips together hard, practically pinning me into the bed with her weight. She may be small, but she's got heft to her.

"It's... a good... thing... we got... you... snipped..." She mutters between passionate, messy kisses. Fuck, she's got such soft lips. She's irritated with me, frustrated even -- or so she acts. But her body tells a far more honest answer, the way she presses her barrel against my chest, pushing into me. Holding me to the wet smooches that I eagerly return, Cozy gasping heavily for breath as she refuses to let herself stop.
"Or we'd... have... a dozen... of the... little..." She keeps muttering.

The only thing that gets her to slow down, is when I give her flank a rough squeeze, pulling her cheeks apart, and letting them go. She arches again, wings twitching as she bites her lip.
"M-mm -- Buck you, Arny, you know I have to get ready. I don't have time, asshole!" She hisses, smacking my chest with a flustered hoof.

"Oh, I know." I admit, unable to keep the cheeky grin off my face. "Just... making sure I'm on your mind today."

"I'll cut your dick off while you're sleeping, I swear on any of those shitbag Princesses."

"I think you'd be more upset about that then I would be, honestly."

"...I despise you."

"Yet you proposed to me." I hum, planting a peck on her snout. "Think you've only got like, twenty minutes left now... you'd better hurry."

She growls, a loud grunt escaping me as she digs her hooves into my stomach, using me as a launchpad. Her wings unfurl, and she quickly bolts across the room, directly into the joint bathroom to freshen up for the day. I had it coming.

I wish we had time to shower together. Not in the cards this morning, though.

"Oh -- you want me to pack you a lunch?" I call out, slowly pushing myself up to a sit, swinging my feet over the bedside.

"Mm-mm -- lunch with Mayor!" I hear her mumble loudly a room over, her words muffled by the start of furious teeth-brushing.

Just the kids lunches, then. I slowly stretch, one arm in the air as I raise off the bed, a long sigh escaping me. Only downside of teasing the absolute shit out of my wife -- I wouldn't in be much better condition for the rest of the day. Tucking my stiffened member into my waistband'll handle the physical side, but... well, then again, not like I ever mind having Cozy pervade my thoughts.

Since I don't need to handle my classes quite yet, I'll throw on some light clothes, like shorts and a shirt -- I can get properly dressed in my usual Academia-brand fittings once the bathroom isn't occupied, and after I get back from loosing the kids. I'd call them little hellions as a joke, but it hardly applies; Cozy runs a tight ship, and our kids are damn well behaved as a result. She's a damn good mother, which is something that I'm sure surprised those that knew her previously.

She's also pretty fucking hot, and one of the main reasons I made her one thrice over. Never bumped into her in her more notorious days, funny enough, which probably gives me a little bias. I'd been studying in the Crystal Empire around that time.

Thinking about her again causes me to make a fatal mistake, however. I let my eyes roam towards where she slipped off to.

Since I'm tall, and she's short, our house is assembled to cater to my 'Obtuse Tallness' as Cozy puts it (like she's not into the size difference). That means things are almost to Human scale, since it's easier for a pony to step up on a stool or lean on a counter, then it is for me to hunch over down to a pony-sized one and throw out my back. We've got stools for the kids (and for Cozy... actually, mostly for Cozy), which means...

She's up on her hind legs, stood on a stool for some extra height, leaning against the sink. One of her wings grips her toothbrush, and she's furiously trying to multi-task, trying to sort her hair with a curler, her teeth, her fur. Twenty minutes is definitely pushing it.

I try not to let the way her Rook-Marked flank sways with her back-and-forth brushing motions distract me for too long. She'd have to curl her tail, too... The kids still have close to... probably forty minutes, if not more before they have to go. I can spare some time, for totally benevolent and helpful reasons.

She makes an alarmed, disgruntled noise of upset when she sees me appear in the doorway; worst part is, with her stood on the bathrooms step-stool, our waists are the same level. Tempting, but...

I smile softly, stepping beside her and plucking the curler from her grasp. She makes another confused, mouth-full-of-toothpaste mumble, before I start to slowly run my fingers through her unkempt mane. She's the only one in the house who curls her hair; so of course I learned how to.

"Let me? My way of making up for making you late." I offer playfully, leaning down to softly kiss her head.

The careful glare I get warns me I'm on thin ice... but she goes back to brushing, now using her freed hooves to prep a wash-cloth for her face. She takes a lot of pride in her appearance, and appreciates routine.

I click the curler on, as the internally-charged gem emanates heat through it, getting to it. Not too different from how they worked at home, just without a socket. I know how she likes to style it; I can get it close enough. Somehow, I manage to resist teasing her any further.

...

Can't be said for my other, however. I feel plush hips press against my crotch while I work, a few times too many to be coincidence. She's staring at me in the mirror, looking pretty damn smug.

And she ribs on me for being voracious.

Cozy and I own a two-story house nestled a short but comfortably distant length from Ponyville's center. Still doesn't take to long to get where we need to go, but we're far enough from most of the other abodes for our personal tastes. Considering Cozy's... history with the town, it's a way to provide peace of mind and a sense of privacy for her. For me, it's an excuse to have a sizable garden to sate my green thumb, and far enough from most ponies that I can partake in something vital for my species.

Grilling. Thankfully, Cozy nor the kids mind it, but the average Ponyville pony tends to be quite... vocal about the smell of grilled meats. Understandably so, but still something I appreciate the distance from town for. Griffonian imports are my saving grace out here, and were set up for me some time ago by Twilight in consideration for my dietary needs. At this point, they're just taken out of my pay from working at the Friendship School.

It's a good place; we've spent some time renovating it to fit our familial needs. Originally just my place, and a once-upon-a-fixer-upper to give me something to do while being stranded in small horse land, it felt like Cozy's arrival is what made it really feel like home.

It's a two-story cottage, foundation braced with cobble stone and wooden beams, right out of a cottage-core dream. Rough cobbled half-wall serves as our fence, looping around a hefty chunk of perimeter; I'm proud to say we've got a good bit of yard. Cozy and my bedroom is upstairs, as is the kids rooms. The sisters share the larger room, while Alexander gets his own; a bit small, but this way, they've each got their own personal space. Upstairs bathroom connects to our bedroom, while the kids use the downstairs one. Good sized kitchen and dining room, since both Cozy and I enjoy cooking, and plenty of living room space for family activities.

A wistful, reminiscent sigh escapes me. I still remember when Cozy first burst in through my window those years ago, waving one of my kitchen knives at me. God, she took my breath away. Literally -- she landed on me when she came in through the window -- but also in a romantic sense. Still, I wouldn't have it any other way, and I think it's fair to say she thinks the same.

Cozy is touching up before she gets downstairs, which gives me a few minutes to work on the kids lunches. Looks like I'm the first downstairs, too. Living room is quiet, kitchen is quiet... rubbing my hands together, I set about making sure the kids have something proper. It involves my panini grill, and some fresh ingredients I bought from our grocery haul a few days ago.

Toast, buttered -- but not Lumie's, she prefers mayo. Then, slices of cheese, tomato, lettuce. For Ruby, add onions and drop the tomato, for Alexander, add mushrooms. My kids might have particular tastes, but I'm happy to oblige. As they're set to grill, I start bagging some smaller snacks as I hear hooves take the staircase.

Alexander, our eldest and only colt, aptly trots down the steps. I often joke that Cozy was 'saving ink for the others' -- he's almost entirely white, in fur and mane, with only brilliant gold-orange eyes to match him to his mother. Ruby got her mothers fur color as her mane, and Lumie's hair matches her mothers. All of our children came out as white-furred ponies, which I was somewhat glad for despite the surprise; the prospect of a half-breed didn't sound like the healthiest thing, and I was already surprised we could even have kids at all, so I was glad to take them however they came out.

The thing about ponies, is their names come to them like cutie marks, apparently. Pre-destined or something, which is why so many of them aptly fit the little colored mark on their butt. Alexander, though -- I named him. Cozy told me to, when we saw that he had a horn. The doctors were confused, some even whispering about infidelity, but those got shot down quick; Cozy and I hold absolute trust, and I didn't even consider the option. They'd mentioned something about how a Pegasi shouldn't be able to birth a Unicorn, but Humans can't normally have kids with Horses, so... I took the doctors skepticism with a hefty grain of salt, and named him something from my home, instead. Twilight even tried to make him a Case Study, but Cozy has always been very firm in her handlings of the Elements. Primarily with the phrase 'Buck off'.

"Father." Alexander greets aptly, nodding to me as though I were a dignitary in royal court. I'm not sure where he picked it up from, but Alexander always floats this air of regality around him. Even since he was young, he's always seemed to be in control of his emotions... or just generally not very interested in showing them. Now that I think about it, I don't think I've ever seen him cry, even when he scuffs his hoof or something -- he's not the most physically adept member of our family. Huh.

"Morning, son. Your sisters up yet?" I float his way, lifting two kinds of juice-boxes for him to pick between. Grape, and Fruit Punch. He nods at the Fruit Punch, which is promptly dropped into his lunchbox. We don't do Apple Juice in this house. In fact, we don't do much Apple anything, at all. It's one of Cozy's principles related to how she feels about the Elements, and something I don't mind working around. I kind of got sick of apples pretty quick --they're like sweets, and the ponies devour both in unseemly amounts.

"Ruby is looking for something for her presentation, Luminous is doing her hair." Alexander dutifully reports, taking a seat on one of the stools that line the kitchen island. He watches me set up his lunch, clearly already set for the day.

Lumie takes after her mother in the hair department, while Ruby and Alexander tend to take after me. Ruby's hair is often messy, while Alexander's is nearly the same every day. I'm not quite sure how he does it, but he knows what he likes, and he's got it down pat.

"Right, Ruby's got that thing about the Crystal Empire. Got your bag?"

"At the door, Father. Packed yesterday."

"Teeth and Hooves brushed? Horn... horndled?"

"Yes, yes, and... if you're referring to if I'm up to date on my horn-care, I am, Father."

"Look at you, mister prepared."

"As you trained me."

"I think... raised, or taught, is the more socially acceptable word."

"What issue befalls being trained? I'm quite proud of you and Mother's regimen."

"Parenting." I softly correct, again. "Nothing inherently, of course. Being trained is often the first step to complex jobs, hobbies or tasks; but in the prospect of raising children, like you and your sisters, it puts a... sour taste in ones mouth, let's say." I explain. Another thing of Alexander's unique sentiments was his questions.

He was vehemently curious and adored discussions, already edging forward on his seat to listen. While some foals wanted to go play jump-rope or pretend, Alexander wanted to know why Saddle-Arabia horses looked different than Equestrian horses. I actually enjoyed researching that one so I could talk to him about it; something about the long-term effects of focusing Harmony and sub-species drifting.

"So it's merely more socially acceptable to lean on softer words?"

"That's a good way to look at it. Instead of saying that Your Mother rules this house with an Iron Hoof, say she's... Firm, but Fair. You want to soften others perspective, and not give them presumptions."

"I see."

...

"May I have a second pack of the chocolate crackers?"

"Sure, just don't tell your sisters."

"Tell us what, Father?" Another familiar voice chines in. Cozy's and my youngest, Luminous, floats down the stairs on flapping feathered wings. The only other Pegasus in the household, 'Lumie' as I liked to call her, lands at the foot of the stairs, head tilted as she approaches. She's wearing her little backpack, and her Bob is dutifully done. Like her sibling, she shares a near-stark white fur, but her mane much more closely matches Cozy's, with brilliant blue eyes to match.

"Sneaking your brother extra snacks. Want in?"

"Oh! Two juiceboxes, please." She smiles softly, hopping up on the stool beside her brother. Same process; I hold up two, she tells me which she wants. Looks like Fruit Punch is the popular pick today.

"Ruby still looking for her script?" Alex turns to his sister.

Lumie glances vaguely towards the wall, head tilted slightly upward, as if looking at Ruby's room.
"She is." Lumie states simply, before turning back to me, smiling.
"Good morning, Father. Why is Mother late?" Luminous greets, trotting in place.

"Still getting ready. She... woke up late, and has to rush. She's got a meeting, so she'll be out the door quick."

Lumie nods, leaning on the counter. She's tilting her head side to side, watching her Bob wobble softly. A little habit if hers when she's bored.

Luminous, like I'm sure all Pegasi are, is the excitable one of the family. Usually the one to come up with what games they play, or used as a little messenger through the house to give her an excuse to spread her wings. She's got an uncanny ability to find things, living or not, and I'll be the first to admit I've asked her where I forgot my keys. She loves knowing where things are or what's going on -- staying in the loop. She's far more accepting of things at face-value compared to her brother, enjoying watching things rather than engaging in a discussion. Staring at ponies, people, creatures, anything that falls into that blue-eyed gaze of hers. I've caught her staring at ants in an anthill, and snooping on peoples roofs. Second one wasn't quite so well received when she got noticed, and we had a long discussion about privacy. It's still something she's working on. One thing I've noticed though, is she never asks where some-pony or something is. She always seems to know.

I plop two packed lunches in front of two kids, respectively. Both chime in with a unison 'Thank you', setting about getting them stuffed into their bags.

Right on cue, here comes the third, hooves clodding down the steps, a big poster rolled up and tied off with a string which dangles in her mouth. Ruby, our middle-child, the other daughter, and the Earth Pony to our little tribal trio. Easily the sturdiest of our kids. Like her sister and brother, she shares in that white fur, but unlike Alexander, her mane is a vibrant pink that's a very near match to her mothers fur, and with deep, vividly blue eyes unlike Lumie's that we're not quite sure where they came from. Maybe something genetic, from an ancestor? She's got her pack on her back as well, like Lumie did.

"Morning, Ruby. Got everything you need?" I ask, leaning on the kitchen island.

"Yes, Father. I was trying to find my replica King Sombra horn, for my presentation today." She explains, quickly tugging it out of her bag to show me. Looks damn real to me.

"Good work on it, Kiddo, looks nearly one-to-one. How'd it escape you, it start rattling around clamoring for revenge?" I joke, chuckling to myself.

"Not yet. It rolled under the bed, but I've got it now." Ruby answers simply, smiling.

"Attagirl. Any requests for lunch? These two already doubled up on snacks." I thumb towards her siblings.

She's silent for a moment, stood at the bottom of the stairs. Ruby does this... thing, when she's asked questions sometimes. She'll pause, like she's buffering before she answers, kind of just staring into the distance. There's no point in trying to snap her out of it -- she doesn't budge or react until she's done. I've noticed her gaze even drifts a little when it's something complex, before she snaps out of it. Otherwise, she's fine. Never dropped her as a baby, and doctors said there isn't anything wrong with her, so I've never worried about it. Just one of my kids weird quirks that I love them for. Funny enough, she's arguably the most 'normal' of our kids, with an interest in helping me with the garden during weekends. I'm pretty sure that ties into the whole Earth-Pony thing, but since she's the only one who actually likes it, I'm not gonna spurn the help. Cozy, Alexander and Lumie don't have much in the way of a green hoof, they just like the bounty it produces.

"...Twizzly Twisters?" Ruby requests suddenly, ears twitching as she drifts back to reality.

I snap my fingers, rustling through the pantry. More of a treat than a school snack, but they're so well behaved, I can't justify not letting them dip more into the sugary side. As Ponyville households go, we definitely hold a record low for sugar consumption.

As I turn around to plunk the requested snackery into Ruby's lunch, I see Alexander trying to replicate my finger-snapping. I think his biggest gripe is he wasn't born with hands, the way he's always staring at mine.

"Need fingers for that one, buddy." I grin, watching him clap his hooves together in attempted mimicry. Not quite the sound, but I see that rare, perplexed scrunch on his face. I wouldn't be surprised if he figured it out, one day; my boy's a deviously clever one.

While Ruby rustles her loaded lunch into her pack, the last missing number to our family unit and my favorite pink-furred flank comes flying down the stairs, dressed in her usual. A bow-tie tucking back a chunk of her hair, while several large curls sit nestled on her head in her typical look. She hasn't changed her style in years, minus one thing. I think living with me has given her an appreciation for clothing; she's taken to wearing a yellow jacket I remember buying for her early into our relationship, which covers her barrel and forehooves. I said she looked cute in it one time, and now it's as regular as her hair tie or curls. I'm certainly not complaining, it's one hell of a look. Gives this air of maturity that matches her usual frown, since most other Ponies don't even bother with so much as an accessory.

All three kids perk up the moment she appears, excitedly turning to face her. Cozy lands hard just short of the door, wings fluttering to halt herself.

"Let's go, Mom's already late!" Cozy barks, waving a hoof towards herself as she spins around.

I watch in bemusement, leaning against the kitchen counter as the kids quickly file up, first come first serve. Just like the rules, she's iron-gripped on affection, too. Firm hugs, a kiss on the head, and well-wishes for their day at school to each. They're almost her size, which is just a reminder to how short Cozy actually is. Not something I'm keen to repeat aloud, since I'm partial to being in one piece, but hard not to notice.

Hug. Muah. "Be good, Alexander. Watch out for your Sisters." Cozy affirms, patting his shoulder.

"Of course, Mother." Alexander nods, before stepping aside.

Hug. Muah. "I look forward to hearing about your presentation, Ruby. Knock them dead." Cozy says with encouragement, grinning.

"Absolutely, Mom." Ruby says proudly, chest puffed. Lumie is quick to shoulder past Ruby, getting in place impatiently.

Hug. Muah. "Luminous, work on that staring problem. You're doing better, but we still got three complaints last week. Stop getting caught -- through your bangs, like I taught you." Cozy softly scolds... but not really.

"Right. Sorry, Mum." Lumie grins.

"Good girl. I'll be back late tonight, so tell your Father you can order pizza. Be good!" Cozy announces, turning to the door.

"Where's my kiss?" I huff loudly, pouting.

"You got yours. Quit whining." Cozy retorts without looking as she slams the door shut, already on her way. Fair enough, I did get one... or ten sloppy ones. I can see her flapping off down the path towards town through the window, making good time.

Alexander and Ruby look stoked for dinner, now, looking to each-other and at me with wide, excited eyes. Luminous, however, is staring towards the stairs with a distant, spacey gaze.

Forgot to mention; all of our kids were born with a Cutie Mark. Apparently, that's not something that happens, ever, but Cozy didn't seem surprised. Apparently, she was born with hers too.

Cozy's is a Rook. Alexander, a Bishop. Lumie, a Knight. And Ruby, a Pawn. All styled and colored exactly like their mothers, like they're all plucked right from the same chess set. Twilight tried to make a case study out of that, too; but no dice. Cozy wouldn't budge, and I wasn't really interested in being bugged about it either. I always knew Cozy was special, so figures our kids are, too. Plenty special to me, and I don't really care if they're different in the grand scheme of little-horse things.

"Well, we can decide what kind of pizza, now, or do you guys wanna decide it tonight?" I ask, now looking for something to do for breakfast. They've still got a few minutes... maybe cereal?

I don't get an answer, as the other two stare at their distracted sibling. She's still staring somewhere vaguely towards the second floor.

"Lumie? All good?" I call over, waving a hand to catch her attention.

"...Mum forgot her bag." Luminous states idly, blinking as her eyes re-focus, looking to me.

Ah, shit. Now that I think about it, I don't think I saw Cozy with it, either. She needs that, it's got her documents and shit, and today's an important day. If she doesn't have it, she's gotta come back and go down again, and then she's late, and then she's pissed, and then...

Well, there goes walking the kids, but I've got a darling pint-sized nuclear bomb of a wife to prioritize.

"Alexander -- make sure you and your sisters eat a good breakfast and get to school on time, alright? I've got to run your mom her bag." I quickly instruct, darting through the kitchen and pausing at the bottom of the stairs, pointing to him.

My son nods. He's the reliable sort, and we've had mornings like this before. Attaboy.

"Hanging off the bed post." Lumie states aloud. Right, her usual spot to hang it. I flash Lumie a thumbs up, hauling up the stairs, and flinging myself into our room.

Yep, there it is, packed full of her days stuff. I quickly sling it over my own shoulder, 'flying' down the stairs.

I stop by each of the kids, leaning down to plant a firm kiss on each of their little domes. I may be in a rush, but you can't put a rush on love.

"Be good, I'll see you at school later today! Lock up when you go!" I call out, as they watch me with rapt attention. Alexander nods, and I'm out the door, barreling down the path to Ponyville in my comfy clothes. No way I'm catching up to her, but I can probably intercept her before she starts heading back, if I'm quick enough.

The door to the Cozy household clicks shut, the three siblings staring at each-other in unison, left to their own devices.

"Lunch will suffice as our nourishment." Alexander notes, the sisters nodding at the same time. They both rummage the extra snacks granted to them out of their own lunch, hoofing them over to Alexander wordlessly, to help sate his appetite. The offerings are tucked away into his bag.

"Sister. Observe Mother and Father, please. Assure our solitude." Ruby asks Luminous, who nods. The youngest of the Glows trots go the window, peering through the curtains.

"Brother. It stirs." Ruby states suddenly, looking to Alexander. She produces the Horn of Sombra, seemingly not so fake after all, which pulses with a quiet power. "Might you contain it? You may swallow it once I have finished my schoolbound tasking."

Alexander's answer comes in the form of a long seam forming in his fur, from the tip of his chin to the center of his chest. It slowly splits open, his neck spreading open to reveal an impossibly deep maw, lined with jagged teeth, spittle and drool hanging from ivory daggers. A long, prehensile tongue slithers from the shadowy depths of his insides, tenderly wrapping around the remnant of the once-king, before it's subsumed into Alexander's gullet. His flesh slowly seals, the seam disappearing into his fur as the maw shuts.

"...He will behave." Alexander announces, after a tense pause. With the horn dealt with for Ruby's upcoming event, they turn their attention to the days question.
"Sister. How fare Mother and Father?"

Luminous slowly turns, her face completely split open beneath her blueish bangs. Like four split flaps, they reveal a singular, large eyeball in the center of her skull, which pulses quietly, bloodshot veins rounding its edges.
"We are undisturbed. Mother has yet to realize her folly, and Father did not partake in his stretches. He will take longer than he expected to catch up to her." She answers.

"Good. Then, the question. Today?" Alexander asks, tone turning grim on the final word. Luminous and himself look to Ruby expectantly, and their fur bristles with anticipation like a startled cat, hardly able to contain themselves.

Ruby's head and neck begin to twist sharply. Her body stays stock-still as her neck, like the hand of a clock, begins rotating in jumpy motions. Each jagged motion makes a horrid bone-crunching snap, as Ruby calculates. Processes. Perceives. Predicts. It's a long moment, the two siblings waiting in tense interest, the quiet of the house interrupted by crude crunches, as Ruby's head nearly comes full circle. Then, it pauses -- and snaps back forward, undoing it's twisting. Her body reformed, as if nothing had happened.

"...No. Today's court is important to Mother and her progress. Father is excited for his class, as he's to speak on the Washouts, a topic he's had difficulty approaching due to their tendency to skip out on interviews. Additionally, I have my presentation; and you've a test today, Brother." Ruby lists off. "We do not wish to disappoint Father, nor Mother."

Luminous' face slowly re-forms, hiding the pulsing ocular organ from deep within her skull, the seams remerging like Alexander's flesh moments prior.

"Today is not the day. We delay." They say in unison, their fur standing down, calming themselves. They blink several times, before trotting to grab their bags, as if what just happened, never happened, carrying on from the moment their Father left.

"What test do I have, Sister?" Alexander asks, his horn glowing a soft orange as he nestles his own back up and around himself.

"...The Element of Kindness is quizzing about Animals. Your answers will be... Bears are Omnivorous, the Jerboah, and that Timber Wolves have never been found outside the Everfree." Ruby relays after a short pause. This time, her head only slightly tilts, rather than the morbid, grim crunching of moments prior.

"Thank you, Sister. What time is your presentation?" Alexander ponders. "So I might deliver the horn to you."

"... Just after lunch. When I'm done with the Horn, you should be able digest it. Luminous has assured me they are unaware of its disappearance." Ruby states, glancing to Luminous for confirmation before throwing her own on with her mouth, pulling a clasp taut. The youngest smiles, nodding.

"Yep, they don't have a clue." Luminous agrees, wriggling her pack on with her wings. "And nothing to trace it back to us."

"Good. Shall we delay and aim for another artifact?" Alexander offers, stood by the door.

"... I'll look into what they might not miss. After Mum's previous attempt, they've increased security measures in the school -- but I don't have any exams, so I should have time to see how thorough they really are." Luminous explains, trotting outside.

"Time circumvents all, and we have plenty of it." Ruby states, following her sister. "It's been years. They'll have relaxed their standards."

Alexander nods in agreement, locking the door behind them with his magic.

As the trio of white-furred siblings make their way to school, bags and lunches packed, a distant form watches them from the forest line that edges the field surrounding their home.

"....Getting around that blue-haired one sure is something. It's unnerving how observant she is." Equestrias' somewhat pacified Draconequus mutters to himself, body twisting around the trunk of the tree, face green to match the leaves. His eyes are distended like binoculars, fingers fiddling with them to adjust their length.

Ever since the entire Tri-Villain incident years ago, Discord has been loosely following a hunch. He and the Princesses got their power back from the Bewitching Bell... but something wasn't quite right. He didn't get all of it back, he swore. It was just a loose notion at first -- whatever was missing was so minor, it was almost unnoticeable. But, Pinkie Pie had dabbled in using the Bell on that day, and he could still sense loose traces of his magic on her, even to this day.

Which lead him to find out just who else dabbled in that same magic. With the trio still frozen, his suspicions were put on ice... until Cozy Glow came back. From the future. She'd evaded his observations for some time, but now...

Her and her children. Not the Human -- he was bone-dry as a desert dune when it came to magic. Completely empty. But Cozy and her offspring... there wasn't just hints of his own magic. He could sense something Alicorn-y about them.

"So that's where it went... normally, I wouldn't do much about it, but... perhaps a little warning." He mumbles, before snapping his fingers, disappearing.

Luminous pauses, head twisting suddenly as she stares out to the distant tree line. The other siblings pause, glancing back and waiting.

"Sister?" Ruby asks, tilting her head.

"...Nothing. Let's go." Lumie mumbles, quickly catching up.

Author's Note

(AI that served as the ref for the cover)
Cozy Glow

Ruby Glow

Lumen Glow

Alexander Glow

A Friendly Visit

The purple and blue carpets that run the length of the School Of Friendships' halls are trodden over by a tired, purple pony who should have gone to bed much, much earlier. A warm cup of joseph softly floats beside her, encased in a soft, bluish glow. A vain attempt to best the bags that sit heavily under her eyes, but it's not like she ever learned proper bedtimes from her equally purple mentor.

That's right, it's the other purple pony, Starlight Glimmer. Having been made the Principle of the School a few years ago thanks to Twilight Sparkle, the equally purple Founder, once Starlight graduated from her admittedly short term as Twilight's student, It's been an... interesting challenge. Starlight finds she's settled into the role well, despite the hurdles. Positions of authority seemed to be places she naturally hovered to, and one where her control was reasonably limited to assisting friendship helped keep her on the straight and narrow.

Trixie was a godsend in her mornings, ever since she learned how to make actually good coffee. The two have been in a committed relationship for some time, having worked through most of their problems. They still have a day or two where they bicker, but... they have a few ways to make up for it. A few of the students pass by, greeting Starlight idly or carrying on with their conversations, as Starlight finally reaches her office door. She's pleasantly surprised to find a complete lack of a line when she arrives. Perhaps she could take it easy... the idea of stealing a nap was a scandalous, but equally tempting one.

She had little use for keys, using her magic to toy with the lock until it clicked. She knew the tumbles for every important door in the school, slipping inside before somepony thought it'd be a good idea to try and get in a good-morning friendship question.

Though recently, she's had to answer actual academic questions too. When the School of Friendship 'grew' from the tree of Harmony, Princess Celestia put a sizable donation forward to Twilight's friendship efforts. This drew significant local attention from the slightly rural, outdated in comparison level of Education from Ponyvilles schoolhouse, and a merger was discussed. Now, Standard Education has joined the ranks of the numerous classes being taught at the school, with Cherilee and the other Schoolhouse's old staff members joining the School of Friendships ranks as faculty. Not only Ponyvilles Fillies and Foals, but other young and old ponies alike seeking general education, or specialized classes, depending on their interests. Schooling was free, funded by generous benefactors usually related to those coming for the offered education, and lightly subsidized by the crown. In another few decades, the School might very well be the reason that Ponyville becomes Ponytown.

That had added a little bit of responsibility to her title, to say the least, but Twilight played the role of a very active Founder, making it a digestible task, and they had numerous well-meaning teachers to boot. Sighing to herself, Starlight sinks into her chair, setting the cup down atop her desk. A long, slow breath of mental preparation for the days tasks, primarily paperwork and guiding confused students, Starlight glances to her leafy confidant. Phillis, the ever-enduring potted plant, and receptacle to Starlight's often verbalized thoughts.

"Good morning, Phillis." Starlight the pony hums, settling in.

"Good morning, Starlight." Phillis the plant responds, startling the absolute shit out of Starlight.

She nearly falls out of the chair as she flinches back, staring at her plant as her hooves grip the desk for support. Sure, she'd always spoken to Phillis, but Phillis had never spoken back before! Had she always been alive? Had she --

A mouth, with a prominent snaggletooth slowly forms on one of Phillis' leaves, grinning widely. It's a very familiar snaggletooth that Starlight wasn't very fond of. The culprit leaf falls from Phillis, swirled by an unseen wind, depositing it directly on the seat of the chair across from herself.

It grows arms, and legs. At first, far too many to count; then, a tail. It sheds the extra limbs like a lizard might shed its skin, twisting and forming into the Draconequus' much more familiar shape.

Starlight shakes her head, resting it on a hoof propped on her desk. Oh.
"Oh! Hi... Discord. It's... goo-great, to see you again. Here. Un...supervised."

"What, can I not visit one of my friends, friends... friends, Starlight?" Discord grins 'innocently', sitting on the chair. Or rather, the chair sits on him. Or the chair is upside down, and he stands on it. Starlight stops watching, for her own slowly crumbling sanity.

"My, another late night? It's starting to show." He follows with a pang of worry, pulling at his eyelids. And he just keeps pulling, until they stretch down to his chin, letting them snap back up.

Discord was... well, he didn't get away with his little Grogar stunt, to put it lightly. Fluttershy was tasked with carrying out a rehabilitation sentencing that involved understanding that subjecting your friends to nigh-world ending torment was in fact, not the maneuver, and had half his power sealed in the Bewitching Bell, which now sat in the Princesses firm grasp. Once he'd been deemed improved, he may have the power back. This was projected to occur in the next three decades, as Discord had been making terrible progress.

Although, for not the most terrible reason.

"Yes, I'm aware of the bags under my eyes, Discord. Very astute." Starlight grumbles, sipping her coffee.

"Actually, I was going to point out the grey hair, but --"

"The WHAT --" Starlight sputters, spraying precious Joseph across the room.

"Kidding, kidding." Discord holds up his hands, window-wipers popping out of his eyelashes to scrub his eyes clean of the spit-take.

"Discord, I'm going to alert the Princesses." Starlight firmly warns, wiping her mouth clean with a hoof. She could tolerate some degree of tomfoolery but Discord was still on thin ice.

"Yes, I'm sure you would, party-pooper. No, Starlight, I have an actual reason to be here. One that attributes to your little school, and some of its..." His face scrunches, fingers raising.
"Students." He says mockingly.

"...Then spill it, Discord. And no tricks."

"No tricks."

"Pinkie Promise?"

"Actually, Pinkemania is part of the reason I'm here. Do you remember the Bewitching Bell, Starlight?"

Starlight's eyes narrow, just waiting for him to offer some hairbrained scheme to fork it over and return his powers early.

"Well, before I got my powers halved... I got my powers returned, as I'm sure you remember." Discord begins to explain, idly floating around the room on a legs-crossed, relaxed pose.
"Only... I didn't get all of it back. A sliver of my power was missing -- and has been, since."

That catches Starlight's curiosity, the furrow in her brow slowly disappearing.

"It took me time to figure it out, but I believe those that tasted my magic... kept a small part of it with them. I'm sure you've noticed Pinkemania has been a touch... more Pinkie, in recent times?"

Starlight tsks. As one of the Schools Teachers, Pinkies hijinks had seen a marketable increase in... absurdity, following that whole event. Appearing suddenly, producing items of absurd size or complexity on the spot, and her brand of physical... 'comedy', which had already presented itself as unusual, involved even more physics-and-anatomy bending, if not outright breaking, then normal.

"...I have always felt like I'm the only one who noticed, since the Elements had been so used to Pinkie before." Starlight muses aloud, Discord nodding in agreement -- his head makes a rattling sound, eyes bouncing numerous times as they catch up.

"That's why I came to you, Starlight. You notice these things." Discord hums with approval, spinning around in the air.

"So... what, you want me to get your power back from Pinkie? How would I even do that -- and why would I?" Starlight asks, incredulous and suspicious.

"Oh, no. By this point, that sliver of Chaos has all but merged with her. For all intents and purposes, it's gone." Discord tuts.

"Then... why bring it up?" Starlight questions.

"There's another. A second. One that I'm sure you're familiar with, that I believe dabbled in my magic." Discord warns, holding up a single finger, that splits into a second, wriggling around.

"...But nobody else used the bell, that we saw. Only the villains that are..." Starlight trails off, eyes widening. Discord watches her expectantly, nodding as he watches her realization settle. Chrysalis. Tirek. And...

"...Cozy Glow?!" Starlight slams a hoof on her desk. The two had a difficult history, neither quite the fan of the other. At all. 'Rehabilitated' or not, Cozy's stark personality didn't make her the most popular figure in Ponyville. The one doing most the weight-pulling in that category was her doting husband, who vehemently stood to her defense, and was most of the reason that terms had been agreed to allow her to live in Ponyville.

"It took me years of sniffing around, but I tracked it down. Like Pinkie, it's deeply settled in her now, and I doubt I could get it back. But... that's only one side of the potential problem." Discord explains -- a suitcase poofs to existence beside him, and Discord adjusts his tie, before rummaging through it.

"So Cozy Glow still having access to Chaos Magic somehow isn't the bad part?" Starlight mutters.

"Somehow, no. Two more bad parts, I'm afraid. One... I don't believe mine was the only sliver of magic missing." Discord mumbles. His tone is... surprising un-playful, despite his actions. Honestly, even his usual bit doesn't feel as amusing as it usually does. "But you'd need to follow up on that one. I'm not chasing that lead."

It sets a foreboding tone for Starlight.
"What?" She asks, confused.

Instead, Discord continues.
"Two... I don't believe Cozy is the sole holder of said Magic anymore." Discord states bluntly, slamming the suitcase shut with a click. He's holding... a photograph? Starlight can't see it from this angle, but its a simple, printed polaroid.
"Not much I can do about it in my position... and, it might not even be an issue. I'm hardly the one to make a call like this." Discord snorts, holding the photo out towards Starlight.

She goes to reach for it, but he tugs it away.
"This... I leave this to you to decide, Starlight. I know how you feel about Cozy Glow, but I believe you might be the only one level-headed enough to decide this for yourself."

Her? Level headed? Why was Discord offering her praise? Her reach falters in soft confusion, a pang of worry settling deep in her.

"Discord, you can't..."

"I know. Just... look at it. And decide yourself, what it is that you see." Discord sighs uncharacteristically, before quickly flashing that snaggle-toothed smile.
"Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm late for a picnic with Fluttershy -- we're reviewing how to help a distressed friend, and how recruiting all their prior villains does not actually help. Who knew? Anyway, I can only pretend to be going to the bathroom for so long. Ta-ta~" He waves, the same arm branching off and growing a second arm that snaps it's fingers -- and he's gone.

The polaroid idly floats down, landing picture-down on her desk.

Starlight is alone in her office once again. Why had he been so... aloof about the topic? A sliver of not only his power, but somepony else's who was trapped in the bell...

Starlight racks her brain for a moment, hooves to her temples, eyes widening.

The Princesses. The Bell had usurped their powers too, if she was remembering right. Chaos Magic... Sun and Moon Alicorn Magic? Even a sliver was plenty...

But Cozy Glow was rehabilitated. Like herself. Sure, personality wise she wasn't interested in making friends... but she settled down. She had a job in town, a family... a husband and three children. She abided by the rules, the restriction on her being allowed near the school, and...

Starlight's eyes widen.

Cozy's children. That attended this school.

Cozy, a Pegasus. Who birthed a Unicorn, and an Earth Pony, as well as a Pegasus. Who were born with Cutie Marks. All unexplainable things, but if she held a sliver of that level of magic... A grim realization is settling over Starlight, and her gaze slowly shifts to the photo Discord left on her desk.

Of all the things he could leave, why a photo? A photo of what? A tense worry settles in place of that realization, staring at the photo for a long time. Her horn glows softly, poking at it.

It reeks of Chaos magic.

... Discord said it was up to her to decide if she should look. Things were peaceful, now. Cozy wouldn't plan anything that would ruin the life she'd built, right?

But she was one of the villains who nearly returned the Windigos, and almost brought ruin to Equestria. To be frozen with Chrysalis and Tirek... there were few villains of that caliber, and Cozy was one of them. In fact, their Cozy still yet remained in that stone.

And it was Starlight's fault they now dealt with an Adult Cozy Glow. Twilight had claimed equal responsibility, but...

Hm. Part of her wants to ask Phillis for advice, but... maybe she'd take a break from talking to her plant. Discord put a sour taste in her mouth in regards to that.

Starlight sighs, slowly. Her coffee was getting cold. She was the Principle of the School of Friendship... graduated student to one of the Elements, and had gone on several Friendship quests, including helping the Princesses themselves. She had to look. There was no reason to let this dread sit in her chest any longer.

Slowly, she lifts the photograph, staring at it. Something felt wrong about it.

It's... a family photo. That's it? They --

The polaroid shifts unnaturally, strangely warm to the touch. It pulses with a thick, vile magic, akin to a heartbeat, revealing Discord's implications.

Oh.

Buck.

She needs to speak to Twilight, and quickly.

'Catching' Cozy

'Catching' Cozy

Cozy might be short for a pony, but damn if she wasn't fast. Those wings of hers put in the overtime. Can't say they're hauling less weight, either. She's got flank. Phlank, even.

Now, I'm pretty confident that I keep up my athleticism enough. I eat good, I'm up and down at good hours, lot's of stairs, workout every few days, and 'cardio' with Cozy. One, minor, itty bitty, crucial problem though.

Didn't do my morning stretches. A fatal mistake that's going to cost me a day's worth of peace. Legs sore, lungs burn, sweaty... overall, no fun. I'm still in what's borderline my pajamas, too.

Shit, I'm not as young as I used to be. Alright, I'm not that old, either, but I'm damn well gonna use that excuse. I've got kids, I can get away with it.

Hunched over against my knees, huffing and puffing for breath, I'm probably about three quarters of the way there, dabbing the sweat from my brow with a sleeve. Ponyville was coming into view a few minutes ago with it's innumerable cottages, just downhill. Cozy works at the City Hall, smack in the center, just off the side of the plaza -- honestly, we got a real good deal with our little lot. Plenty of space without needing to worry about neighbors, and the commute isn't terrible at all. Fifteen minutes for Cozy into town, about ten for me to reach the School, same with our kids...

Hang on. As I'm squinting out towards the quiet, sunrise-speckled pony town, I see a familiarly-colored Pegasus flapping back up this way. Yep, wouldn't mistake those curls anywhere.

And she is cursing up a storm, goddamn. I can hear her from here. She's combining pony slang with the stuff she's heard me say, and that's how I know she is goddamn livid.

"Buck, buck, shit-slinging useless no-good -- what's the one Arny says, Fuck? Fuck. FUCK!" I hear her, progressively getting closer and louder. She's too busy angrily flailing hooves around and punching air to notice me, and she's flying right over my head, headed right back to the house. Probably best not to let her get there... but that means redirecting a lot of latent anger my way.

Oh well, the things we do for love.

"Damn, Ma'am! Where do you think you're going with all that flank!?" I yell out in the smarmiest tone I can muster, making no effort to hide the shit-eating grin.

Cozy pumps the air-brakes so hard I'm surprised she doesn't leave skid marks in the sky, coming to a complete stop. It's like a horror film, the way her head slowly turns with an outright furious glare scouring for the source of that catcall; like all that bottled rage just popped, her teeth grit in a snarl that tells how she's about to break whoever said it in half. I swear, it's hard to see from here, but I'm certain her teeth get sharper, wings flaring out.
"GOLL-Y!" She growls. "SOME-PONY MUST WANNA DI--"

She pauses, confused as her gaze falls to the sole other occupant of the long, quiet road that leads up to our house, recognizing me. Man, she even broke out the Golly. That little number only comes out for sarcasm and outright murderous rage.

I wave, smiling.
"Hey, hon! Forgot something?" I 'ask', hoisting up her saddle bag -- effortlessly (not at all) playing off how out of breath I am.

In a moment, she's swooped right down to my face, grabbing my shoulders with her hooves, flapping in place. For once, her face is... soft. It's not often I see her without that cute scrunchy frown to her face.

She takes a long, measured breath with closed eyes, just like her anger management classes taught her.
"Arny." She says simply.

"Yes, Cozy?" I return, my tone far more playful.

"I was this close to ending you." She states, completely deadpan. "You're lucky that stupid grin of yours is so recognizable."

Pfft. Like she wouldn't recognize her favorite biped.
"Hot." I chuckle dumbly.

"No, not 'Hot', Arny. I'm being serious. I was about to turn you into a paste." She says firmly.

"...Are you flirting with me, Miss Glow?" I ask coyly, an eyebrow raising.

"...You have issues." Cozy groans, rolling her eyes.

"That didn't sound like a no." I purr, pressing my nose to hers. That breaks her deadpan stare, that little nose-scrunch returning as those lovely eyes roll in mock annoyance.

"...You have serious issues." She aptly corrects, scoffing.

"Well, we both do -- and I think it's why we work so well together." I muse. She chuffs, pulling her nose away.

"Are you saying I have issues, Arny?" She glares at me, leaning back to scowl.

"Stable ponies don't break into homes waving knives around."

"Something you're oh-so-fond of continually bringing up." She tsks, the face-scrunch returning. I love the way it dents her freckles.

"Of course I am. It's the first time I laid my eyes on the most beautiful pony I'd ever seen." I follow, tracing her cheek with my thumb.

Cozy purses her lips, that scowly little nose scrunch softening ever so slightly.
"Hrm." She hums, refusing to comment any further, eyeing me over. "Where are the kids?"

I jostle the saddlebag, pursing my lips expectantly.
"Alexander is taking his sisters to school, lunches packed. Only one left to worry about is this sweet little freckled lady in front of me."

"Well... thank you, for bringing it. As much as I hate to be percieved as inept, the Mayor... did excuse me for another half an hour to retrieve my bag. Apparently the other cabinet members are... also running late." She mutters, one of her hooves pressing against my chest. Her pride was a big thing for her, especially since she had such an uphill battle in proving herself as a Ponyville resident.
"...Can't believe you ran after me in your pajamas." Cozy snorts, looking me over.

"I'd go anywhere for you, in anything, shortflank. You best remember that." I whisper.

Cheesy, sure. But it works. I see the smile start to crack that face.

"Yeah, I know." She retorts quietly.

"All the way up to the Moon, to even the lowest depths of Tartarus." I continue, dramatically raising a hand up, before letting it fall.

"Arny, you know you can't actually get to either." My oh-so supportive and darling Wife reminds me.

"If they put you on the moon, I'd simply invent a rocket ship to go get you. Tape Twilight to a log, aim it down, and have her laser me up into the sky..." I joke, getting a short giggle from Cozy.

"What, you wouldn't overthrow the Princess and force her to bring me back?" She tsks, feigning disappointment.

"Nah, that's more your style, if they ever put me up there. Instead, I'd teach you about Kinetic Bombardment before we go back, after bringing some Tungsten Rods up with me." I chuckle.

"And just what is that? Sounds... lethal." She mumbles, a touch more breathy than before. She's hovering closer and closer.

"Oh, dropping an object so it achieves terminal velocity and precision-strikes a target with enough force to level a small city, while burying hundreds of feet into the ground, destroying any hidden structures. Just imagine the damage it would incur on Canterlot. It might even level the entire mountain it was built on."

My darling wife, the very rehabilitated villain, gasps softly.

"...Arny, are you talking dirty to me right now?" She purrs, the hoof she placed on my chest sliding down to my stomach.

"Am I? Is the discussion of the complete and utter annihilation of Canterlot..."

"Mm..."

"...Or the fall of and subsequent ruin of the Princesses..."

"Hoh..."

"...Maybe even watching the Elements turn on each other, as they scramble to recover?"

"Arny."

"Yes, love?"

Cozy quickly glances around, before she yanks me roughly off the road, wings flapping. I stumble along after her, an inkling of an idea where this might be going. She's pulling me off the path, towards the forest line that speckles the grass just a few feet away.

Oh, hey. I think I recognize this tree. Wonder why.

"Pants off."

Ah, that's why. The 'did not make it home in time' tree. We've stopped here a few times over the years -- yeah, there's the little carving from our first time. C + A. She did that, actually. The C has an evil little crown and is twice the size of the A of course, but I dig the sentiment.

"You sure you got time, Cozy? We --" I try to retort, but one hell of a scowl is thrown my way.

"If you don't let me suck your dick, I am going to kill you." She growls; until she yanks my waistband off, my member slapping her on her nose.

We're both quiet, staring at it.

"...Did that just make you harder?" She mumbles.

"Told you we both have issues."

Further words aren't really needed, as Cozy launches up and slams into my torso, wrapping her hooves around my neck; the ensuing kiss is anything but careful or measured, sloppily carrying us to the bush-hidden grass for some pre-work relief.

Cozy was late for work, obviously -- but in a much better mood. I consider that a win, even if that means I'll be hosting my classes from my chair today, courtesy of that Phlank.

An Entirely Standard Lesson

I'm fully reclined in my teaching chair, complete with lower-back support, idly spinning in place with my feet as we wait -- resting my poor aching hips. Barely had time to scuttle back home and throw on something appropriate to show up to the school in, but I made it.

Still a few minutes before class, I'm sipping from a nice cup of hot chocolate. A teacher's treat, passed around by Pinkie; living at Sugarcube Corner put her in easy reach of being the pony to show up with donuts to work every odd day, though, given her nature, I'm sure she could show up with them even if she lived across town.

My classroom is one of the corner spots nestled up on the third floor. Maybe not a prime location, but the stairs kept me fit, and I had a wonderful view of the outside fields and gardens from the window including the distant mountains and forests beyond them. Midday sun barely peers in from its above-head overhang, leaving the room comfortably cool. We've left a window cracked for that nice, fresh breeze.

About two dozen 'spots' are arranged in front of my desk and the chalkboard, mostly a few rows of benches with cushions and comfortable carpets. Ponies and their fellow species didn't fare too well with the standard school desks of my world, nor chairs in general, so it was usually either very wide benches, or blankets and cushions. Well, I didn't think they handled chairs well, personally. Watching them use them, sitting up awkwardly straight... I've read a few anatomy books, and I don't think it's that great for them. It's why the seats we've got at home are nice and wide, so they can sit on their haunches. More natural. I don't care if they've got funny pony anatomy, and my students don't seem to have an issue with my choice of comfort over utility. I don't lean too much on writing and tests with this caliber of topic, either. I prefer vocal engagement from my students to having them jot down every little detail. So, my budget was a little loftier, since I wasn't spilling on writing utensils and such. Honestly, it looked more like a room for napping.

I hold no comment on how much napping actually occurred during my classes. A well-rested student is an attentive student, after all; and my students are quite fond of my classes.

Right now, four of said students sit sparsely spread out, including a pair of Ponies, a Griffon, and a Changeling. The ponies were a Unicorn and an Earth pony. Hash Browns, the Unicorn was one of muted mud-like colors, the other an eye sore of colorful splashes named Sprinkle Bits, were chatting with each other. The griffon was an off-white almost owl-like bird named Haymitch, idly preening his feathers.

The last one... I was still getting used to how Changelings ended up looking. Their colorful twist, from their fascinating bug-like status. Like... ants to butterflies, almost. Said Changeling, Ocellus, was one of the very few attending the school as most of them were still at their colony, adapting a lifestyle to their new forms. She was practically an ambassador for their species and had a vested interest in my classes. Perhaps because their founder, before their evolution, was one of the prime topics of several of my talks. I'll happily admit she's been a wonderful gateway to their community, getting answers to my bug-horse-related questions, and generally just an interesting youth. If a bit skittish at times.

I may get up to... certain antics that the students and other faculty are used to at this point. Namely, dragging 'Villains' into the school to speak in my classes. Which, happens to include right now.

Besides my desk, watching me spin back and forth impatiently, is a black-suited Pony with green stripes. She sits on the floor at the front of the class, looking irritated and bored, tapping her hoof. Lightning Dust. Several posters and pamphlets of theirs sit up and about on the walls and in front of the students' seating, arranged like a military recruitment drive one might see in their school halls, all for their associated group.

The Washouts. A group of fliers opposing the Wonderbolts, known for their daredevil approach to stunts and general disregard of safety. After a few too many incidents, they were forced to adopt a certain amount of safety regulation, or face being forcefully disbanded; but they continue to maintain a stark difference from the Wonderbolts by still focusing on high-profile, dangerous stunts. Now, just with a touch more safety precautions. Like a hastily thrown-up net that's usually 'close enough'. While not a traditional, Equestria-threatening individual one might expect for a class like this, their spiteful contrast held their notoriety high enough that there was some overlap in perception.

So, I'd been trying to get them to come by for a talk. They'd balked at a few promises to visit already, but I finally managed to get one in. Perhaps a chance to set the record straight? Probably not. Lightning made sure not to leave the attitude at home.

"I thought you said I'd be doing this thing to a whole class?" Lightning Dust huffs loudly, crossing her hooves. The Washouts agreed to speak to my class and answer questions on the grounds they were allowed to try and recruit -- obviously, they aren't allowed to try and induct children again, something that was heavily clarified within their safety reforms to be allowed to continue operating, but they could try to drum up some attention. Maybe even get a future flier or two. Not that I intended would push them into it, but the choice was there for any that wanted it. I understood that alternate paths through life existed for many, and wouldn't deny their choices if they so chose.

So far, no biters. Wonder why.

"You are. Just waiting on a few more." I nod, glancing over the folder spread on the desk. I had gathered some information about the Washouts, their creation, how their contrast and competition with the Wonderbolts impacts both groups, the changes that they've endured over time, and so on. A little bit of history, little bit of philosophical discussion about why some might choose the alternative path, and how a group with a reputation like this might still find those who resonate with it. Maybe some time for questions at the end.

"This is like, what, four students? Seriously?" Dust points towards the primarily empty classroom. Even at its peak, my classroom was usually on the quieter side. My course wasn't standardized -- other than baseline education provided by Cherilee and the others, no classes actually were. The friendship school was about offering choice. Usually, students would sign up for mine expecting me to be pro-villain and cry against Equestria, only to get bored and drop the class when they realized we were more of a philosophy class.

"Should be... seven, we've still got a few minutes before the lecture starts." I figure, spinning slowly to face Lightning Dust. She'd been a spicy one to negotiate with, but the appeal of getting to advertise in the same school that Rainbow Dash taught at won her over. Sorry Dash, but using you as a target to stick it to is probably what got them to finally show up, for the bragging rights.

Naturally, I scheduled this lecture for a day when Dash would be busy.

"You seriously tracked us down to chat with seven students? I see like, two here that can even fly!" Dust retorts, huffing loudly.

She'd been mostly silent until now, so my gaze floats over the students to see their reactions. Hash and Sprinkle are getting a bit antsy, glancing back and forth, though Ocellus and Haymitch are watching the conversation with quiet interest.

"Of course," I reply simply, shifting through a few stacks of informative papers with my fingers. "I'd do this for a single student. It's about engaging those with an interest, and most students just tend to be more interested in Rockhoof's stories. But, for those interested in Equestria's 'Villains' or the alternative-minded, their histories, and the general philosophical reasoning behind them, I run these classes."

Dust rolls her eyes, slumping back.
"One of those bleeding heart types. Fun."

"Of a sort, I suppose. I mean, it is the School of Friendship." I laugh.

"And what's with the name? We aren't Villains. Sure, we're antagonistic, the counter-movement to the Wonderbolts, but I see what you've got on your walls. You trying to slander us?" Dust gestures to the adjacent wall beside them, where several posters, news clippings, and artworks of some of Equestria's 'Villains' stay presented. Sombra, Chrysalis, The Dazzlings, Tirek... Cozy Glow.

"Never agreed to that title, myself. I moved for the Equestrian-Opposition Groups, E-O-G, but got rolled over for the term 'Villain'. Just one of the numerous things I bring up in my lectures, now. The Equestrian Harmonic Disposition, I like to call it." I explain, looking up from my desk. "Ultimately, I cover anything that bumps heads with Equestria's general idea of Harmony, for the sake of knowledge and all that."

Lightning Dust shifts in her seat, leaning forward with a frown.
"The what?"

Ocellus' hoof shoots up in the air, drawing both Lightning's and my attention.

"Go for it, Ocellus." I nod, pointing in her direction while I open one of my desk drawers.

"The Equestrian Harmonic Disposition is a theory that Professor Arnold is working on!" She pipes up. Ocellus, out of most students, was familiar with my research.

Lightning Dust raises her brow, looking back at me -- right as I produce a pamphlet from my desk, holding it out to her.
"Introductory sheet to the E.H.D. I've been working on it for a few years, but it details the --"

Lightning snatches it out of his hand, rolling her eyes as she flips it open. She scans the pages for a few moments, squinting.

Leaning back into my chair as it creaks, I dig into another drawer. Plucking out a candy from my participation-bowl, I lob it towards Ocellus, who buzzes into the air to grab it.

"This is... is this you posing with Queen Chrysalis for a photo?" Lightning prods, looking up from the pamphlet.

"Yup." I nod. "During the Changeling shift, there was still a portion of the population that followed Chrysalis. I met with her to discuss the effects of love on the Changeling body. Went pretty well, actually. Until, well, you know." I grimace slightly. The whole attack on Canterlot and all that.

"Professor Arnold has been heavily involved in the Changeling cultural merger since our transformation." Ocellus pipes up again, sitting forward.

"And most cultural mergings." Another Griffin adds with a snort as they walk through the door, claws clacking on the stone floors.

"Glad you could make it, Gallus," I comment, recognizing his sarcastic tone right away. Gallus was one of my more variable students, a coin flip if he'd show. Mostly if the topic interested him. Which, honestly, fair.

"Wouldn't miss this for the world." Gallus laughs to himself, hopping into the seat beside Ocellus.

On the topic of what Ocellus mentioned, I may have wiggled my connections into getting to sit in with any possible cultural merger whenever I could. Every connecting path was a potential way to learn and meet with those Equestria didn't quite agree with, and the longstanding Griffon/Pony relationship was a source of interest for me. Knowing Twilight, the Princesses, the other Elements -- I tend to show up at a lot of talks and situations.

As Lightning continues to question various parts of the pamphlet, primarily out of confusion and wondering just what my deal is with my 'weird villain obsession', Ocellus scoots closer to Gallus to whisper.

"Gallus? I thought you said you weren't coming to this?"

"Well..." His beak clacks, tsking.

"You said the Washouts were the boring, runner-up to the Wonderbolts. And that even the Wonderbolts were boring compared to your High-Fliers." Ocellus continues, wide, buggy eyes staring at him.

"I mean, they are, but that's not why I'm here," Gallus admits.

"Then why...?"

"Rainbow Dash found out Lightning Dust is here on her day off," Gallus smirks, leaning back in his seat and crossing his front claws.

"Oh." Ocellus physically recoils, scooting further back into her seat.
"Oh dear. I should warn Professor Arnold." Ocellus taps her hooves together, a bead of sweat running down her brow.

Gallus waggles a claw, shaking his head.
"Oh no you don't. I wanna see this unfold. I didn't come here for a fun little lecture on why the Washed-Ups want to recruit us."

"Washouts." Ocellus corrects.

"Whatever. Just watch." Gallus says, getting comfortable.

The sound of intense flapping can be heard rapidly up the hall, as several students' muffled voices shout in surprise.

"But... oh no." Ocellus mumbles, hunching down in her seat.

Quietly trotting down the hall of the second floor, Luminous Glow is approaching the steps to head down to the first floor. She'd walked with Ruby to her Equestrian History Class and was now heading to her own Pre-Pre-Calculus class, when she pauses by the stairs, causing a few of the other walking students to move around her.

Her brow furrows, looking down at her feet, watching something.

Suddenly, she steps aside, out of the way -- right as the startled yelps of the students that just passed her cry out, Rainbow Dash rips up the steps in a furious storm of rainbow-edged wing flaps.

Lumie watches her P.E. teacher flap past, well past the third-floor staircase and down the upper halls, staring at the ceiling. And she continues to stare at the ceiling, looking further and further down the hall until it stops at --

"Father's Class." She mutters, finally looking forward. Her brow furrows further, as she starts to climb the steps up to the third floor. She would be late, for now.

Ruby Glow sits outside the bathrooms on the second floor, idly watching some of the other students, carrying books and writing utensils any which way they can, waiting.

Finally, Alexander Glow emerges from the Colts' bathroom, his horn glowing softly as he carries the Horn of Sombra. Its color is slightly muted, even within the soft, golden glow of his magic.

"Here you are, sister," Alexander notes simply, hovering it into her pack.

"Thank you, brother. You were... surprisingly delayed."

"Containment was difficult. Absorption will be further so. Even in his current state, King Sombra is... willful. Lively." Alexander explains, as the two start to walk down the halls.
"He won't present an issue during your presentation, will he?"

Ruby pauses walking, Alexander waiting for her without missing a beat. One of the passing students stares as Ruby just... watches the distance blankly, before resuming walking.
"He won't. But, you should come by quickly to contain him again."

"Very well. Meet here again, sister?"

"Sounds good, brother."

The two nod, before departing in separate directions. Ruby off to present the Crystal Empire and its turbulent history to her class, and Alexander towards the cafeteria. One of the lunch-mares was sweet on him thanks to his cooking classes and would sneak him sweets.

And he was getting pretty hungry.

Cozy's lip twitches.

Despite having a... good morning with her idiotically naive yet equally endearing husband, it wasn't even lunch yet. And she was about to knock somepony's teeth out.

The reforms she'd been working on pertained heavily to the economic status of Ponyville, and its relationship to Canterlot. As a pivotal location, the local infrastructure was lacking to meet the growing demands.

Cozy wanted to expand the train line, invest in a new subsection of housing, and get the local council to agree on a new direction of economic pursuit to help the town grow. Because right now, they were kept afloat by a few individuals.

Beyond the small-town shops, all Ponyville had to its name was the success of the endeavors made by the Elements.

Applejack's Apple Family Farm, the largest exporter of Apples in Equestria, ponied by the Apple Family. A near-monopoly on the product.

Rarity's Boutique, several locations of which are cropping up around Equestria to provide customized clothing for the burgeoning, mixing population.

Twilight's School of Friendship, turning the quiet Ponyville into a hub of Academic activity, bubbling the population and attention on the region. Not to mention the amount of Elements, and Pillars, who taught at it, drawing even further attention.

Pinkie's Sugarcube Corner, a tourist hotspot as one of the prime 'Sweet Treats' locations this side of Equestria -- though this one was double-sided, as there were rumors of a 'Chaos Cult' swirling around it, following some eye-witnesses during the entire Canterlot Tri-Villain debacle.

Fluttershy's ever-growing animal reserve, which was on the fast track to becoming a National Park, as she'd been leading the deals between the local Deer population that resided deep in the Everfree, alongside their resident Zebra.

Rainbow Dash... well, she was more involved with the Wonderbolts than anything, but her notable presence at the Friendship School as their resident Gym Teacher kept her tied to the area, and meant that the Wonderbolts were a popular attraction for the area.

Ponyville was, in short, nothing without its Elements, and Mayor Mare agreed with Cozy's blunt report of such. Without them, or that damned Celestia forbid, they ever choose to move out of Ponyville, the town would take a huge hit. So, Cozy had been workshopping numerous reforms, actions, and headings to help steer Ponyville during this time, to use this bountiful economic golden age it currently benefitted from, to turn into Ponytown proper.

However, the rest of the Council wasn't as wise as the aged Mayor-Mare, who was looking to retire soon. Other local shop-owners were more than happy to simply bathe in the traffic that they brought to town, not thinking of the town's longevity or their unfortunate reliance on the Elements.

In fact, the current topic that Cozy was hard-lining against was a move to request a subsidy from the crown to add more tourist spots.

They're just sitting there, chatting about how excited they are to have more ponies come and spend more money.

As Cozy tries to read from her paper, one of them scoffs.

The paper crumples between her hooves, as a vein bulges on her forehead.

She was gonna end somepony.

I hardly even notice Lumie peer into the room, tilting her head at me.

Rainbow Dash blew in here some minutes ago, and both she and Lightning Dust were in a yelling match in the middle of my classroom.

Honestly, you can't pay for this kind of lesson. Wonderbolt yells at Washout, Washout screams right back. The students seemed interested in letting it play out, so I just sat back to let them.

Funny enough, they've covered a surprising amount of the topics I was going to bring up in the form of insults and jabs at the other. This might even culminate in a race.

"Dad? Is everything alright?" Lumie asks as she trots up to my desk, watching the argument.

"Oh, hey Lumie. Aren't you supposed to be in class?" I note, leaning against my desk.

One or two more students have filtered in since the argument started, bewildered before I told them to just take a seat and watch. Ocellus is hiding behind Gallus, while he eats it up. The rest are a mixture of ducking in case anything gets thrown, or watching with the excitement of witnessing one of their teachers potentially come to blows in a classroom.

"Yeah, but Miss Dash raced past, and I wanted to see what the fuss was about." Lumie pouts.
"Can I stay and watch?"

"...Hm." I hum, tapping my chin. She's supposed to be in class...
"As long as you get down there the moment this wraps up, sure. Go take a seat." I eventually relent, waving my daughter off. She excitedly hops up to the closest seat, right beside a startled Ocellus, staring at Dash and Dust as they bicker, point hooves, and insult the other.

I don't even think she blinks.

Oh -- one of them just picked up... a cushion. Pillow fight wasn't on my bingo card.

And it was getting savage.

Sticky Wings

"That you, Starlight? I got your letter, is everything alright?" Twilight calls from her Element-Marked chair, watching as the door to the main map room gets pushed open, the other notable purple piling in.

She looks tired. Starlight's hair is frazzled, and the bags under her eyes indicate she probably hasn't slept since Discord's visit. She nearly bumps into the doorframe, apologizing to it as she stumbles in.

"It sounded... erratic, at best." Twilight laughs softly, watching her friend and ex-student approach.

Thesaurus SparklingWater, designated Main Purple and Founder of the School of Friendship. While she normally remained a background figure, working on Friendship problems, setting the curriculum, or assisting the faculty, she'd received a very... interesting parchment from her friend and fellow pony in purple, the Secondary Purple, Stained Glizzy.

That Discord had come to talk to her, revealing some upsetting news. Considering his probation, that was cause for worry enough -- but the letter specified that what was occurring was not directly born of his fault, but rather, a butterfly effect from an event years ago.

Vagueness aside, Starlight wasn't one to complain. Fret, sure -- but after the Cozy incident, she'd taken a heavy backhoof on partaking in preventative measures. This was the first time in a long time that she'd thrown up any warning signs.

A very tired-looking Starlight slowly meanders into the largest room in the Castle of Harmony. Bags under her eyes, while the soft blue glow of her magic fiercely grips a cup of coffee... and a potted plant.

Wordlessly, Starlight sits beside Twilight, setting both on the table, before slumping down and leaning against it.

"Hey Twilight." Starlight mumbles.

"Starlight, you're... are you okay? You look like you haven't slept a wink." Twilight asks, leaning closer, worry in her voice.

"Because I haven't. I've been trying to research something." Starlight groans, sitting up.
"Remember the Bewitching Bell? The Tri-Villain event some years ago?"

"Of course. How could I forget? Did something happen to it? Discord didn't take it, did he?" Twilight asks, concerned.

"No, nothing that pressing. Just... I need to speak with the Princesses. Can you schedule something for me?" Starlight relents, looking into Twilight's eyes.

"Oh. The Princesses? Starlight, if something is the matter, the girls and I can help you with it." Twilight offers, trying to reassure her friend.

Starlight just smiles weakly and takes another sip of her coffee.

No, nopony else can help her with this right now. She needs to be absolutely sure before she so much as mentions this.

The difference between her, and Cozy, was her greatest crime was known by only one other pony. Twilight, the only one to stop her from ruining an entire timeline.

She'd been granted a forgiveness, out of convenience, that Cozy never had. It's why Starlight tried to avoid Cozy as much as she could.

Starlight needed the absolute, certain facts before she did anything. If she alerted the others to exactly what was happening, they'd react.

And truth be told, Cozy's husband wasn't someone she wanted to upset either. He was an alien with a lot of baggage, nestled directly in the heart of her problem -- kept safe by direct contact through Twilight, the Princesses, their friends, and his numerous outreaches that have earned him a spot in the eyes of several species, one wrong accusation towards a fellow member of faculty could blow up right in her face.

So, she needed to handle things very carefully.

"It's alright, Twilight. It's nothing pressing and harsh now, but... you know how cautious I get about things. We've enjoyed a good few years of quiet, and I'd like to keep it that way." Starlight sighs. "But if you can, could you schedule a time for me to meet the Princesses? I have a few questions for them. Regarding the Bewitching Bell and their powers."

Twilight nods.
"Of course, Starlight. And remember I'm here for you, okay? If you need to talk, or anything." Twilight offers, placing her hoof atop Starlight's.

Starlight wouldn't. Not until she knew for sure. She wasn't making another mistake.
"Of course. Thank you, Twilight." She says, despite this, placing her own hoof atop Twilight's.

Between Cozy and myself, we make a good bit of money. Or a good bit of bits. This means that when we don't feel like cooking -- we can splurge a little bit.

The living room looks like a corporate pizza party, like I'm trying to stiff my kids out of a pay raise. We've got five pizzas laid out in the kitchen, each with different toppings. Every single one of us has a personal preference towards the 'za, so we all get our own little personalized pie. There's a wonderful little place that moved in a few years ago, and we've been going there since.

Everything-On-It Pizza for Alexander, obviously. He's sat politely at the kitchen island, using his magic to fold each slice on top of itself, before taking some pretty big bites. Despite his generally, almost regal attitude, he loves his food. Been a big eater since the day he was born.

Lumie likes the simple Cheese Pizza. Extra, extra cheese. It's always interesting watching Pegasi use their wings like pseudo-hands, helping as she hoofs the slices down, braced by her feathers. She's sat comfortably on the floor, using the coffee table.

Ruby...

I reach down with another napkin, wiping Ruby's mouth.

Earth pony. No wings, no horn. She just eats the slices right off the box, which does little in the pursuit of keeping her face clean. Or the table clean. Or me clean, really. Kid's got a splash zone when she eats.

Oh, and she gets a different pizza every time. This time, it's a half-cheese, half peppers.

Mine's a self-made meatlover's. Ordered a cheese with some greens, and spread some heated-up leftovers from my latest grill-session.

Cozy is late like she said she'd be, so we went and ordered her usual for her when she gets home.

Hawaiian. Truly, a Villain to her very core.

"So, Ruby -- how did your presentation go?" I ask between dabs of the napkin, trying to clear up some of the inevitable messy buildup of her eating style.

Ruby smacks her lips, shrugging. An odd gesture, considering it's on a quadrupedal horse, but I've long since stopped questioning their anatomy. "It went good. Very few other students brought anything more than posters, so I got a bonus grade for the horn."

"Attagirl. What'd you think of the Crystal Empire?" I ask, curious about her thoughts. Maybe she'd like to study there for a summer, like I had.

"It's okay. Too cold. Nothing I like grows there." She shakes her head, before getting into another slice of her pizza.

"True, there's a much smaller pool of growables that far north, without dipping into Crystal-Pony magic." I relent, reaching for my own slice.

"Father, Luminous informed us of a commotion that happened in your class today. Between Miss Dash, and the visiting Washouts member? What happened?" Alexander suddenly asks, turning in his seat.

Lumie starts laughing as it's brought up, giggling to herself.

"Ah, Lightning Dust and Rainbow Dash have some... history. I tried to book Lightning to speak to the class, but Dash found out. They had a bit of a... tussle, and some of the other staff had to step in." I explain, unable to stop myself from smiling when I see Lumie laugh. I'd been concerned at first, but their fight mostly restricted itself to a pillow fight thanks to the limited supplies in my class. That, and they agreed on a race later, wrapping up the worst of it.

"I see. Did you orchestrate such?" He presses, interested.

"Nope. No clue how she found out, but I can't really see that day playing out any other way." I shrug.

The students seemed to enjoy the show well enough, though, so I guess that counts for something. Twilight couldn't do much about it since I'd already taken necessary precautions and forwarded her letters as to my intentions.

The front door suddenly slams open, and then shut, as heavy hoof-steps announcing a loveable and familiar arrival, drawing all of our attention from our cheesy goodness. The last missing piece to our little pizza party, the kids visibly perk up at her return.

"Welcome home, hun!" I shout, cupping my mouth with my free hand, realizing I'm still holding a slice as a chorus of 'Hey Mom' joins in.
"How'd it go?" I add, lifting it to my mouth.

Right as I go to take a bite, Cozy rounds the corner from our entryway, into the living room.

And she is livid. Face a flushed beet red, her teeth clenched together so hard they might very well chip, or at the least, crack. Not to mention a sizable vein bulging out of her forehead, disappearing under her frazzled curls.

"Bucking wonderful, Arny." She mutters, throwing her bag and jacket to the side, against the empty side of the couch.

"Oh?" I ask. "Well, your pizza's in the kitchen. Want me to grab you a slice?" I try offering. Seems like she could use some pampering; a rough day isn't exactly out of the ordinary for her.

Instead, she steps up to me, furrowed glare flitting between me, and my meat-added pizza I'm yet to take a bite of.

Leaning against the couch, Cozy takes a bite of the pizza I'm holding, teeth digging into the dough as she maintains firm, glaring eye contact.

"That's, uh... a meat pizza, hun." I try to warn her.

It was a pretty big bite. Over half the slice -- and instead, she pulls away, chewing.

Then, she leans closer, tone falling low.

"With how often I eat you, you think I care at this point?" She whispers harshly into my ear, glaring into my eyes as she pulls away. Her wings give her a boosting flap, hopping up onto the couch beside me, nestled into my side. "But if you wanted to get me a plate, I don't think I'd mind." She adds, speaking normally again.

... Jesus Christ, woman. I swallow hard, quickly pushing off the couch and tossing my own slice aside. Horses were like... opportunistic carnivores to a degree or something, right? Probably fine.

I love that mare.

"How did it go, Mother?" Alexander asks, now that she's gotten comfortable.

"We're... still working on it. There are some stubborn ponies on the council, who view things only in the short term." Cozy offers, though I can see her physically restraining herself from rambling.

Tonight's gonna be a venting night, I figure, as I throw a few slices of her Hawaiian onto a plate. I also add another slice of mine.

"Everything go well at school today?" She asks broadly, looking over each of our yet unbothered, pizza-munching kids. Their mother's temperament was nothing new to them, but like I said -- she's an amazing mother. They've never been on the receiving end of it.

Me, on the other hand, not so much. And that was moreso my fault, because I find my wife extremely attractive when she's angry, and can't help but bug her on occasion.

They begin repeating how their day went to their Mother as they had me just a short few moments ago. Ruby's Sombra Horn replica earned her big points in her presentation, Lumie hung out with me and witnessed the RD/LD pillow-based scrap (something that got Cozy snort-laughing, since she enjoys anything that bothers the Elements), and Alexander did well on his test.

Even after I've slid her plate over to her and rejoined her on the couch, she still can't help but giggle as she imagines Rainbow scrambling through the halls in a huff.

"Ponies think she's the cockiest one, but that Sparkle has an unbound ego." She mutters to me between bites, nestled into my side.

"Does she now?" I prod. After the day like it sounds she's had, the best thing was to let her vent. That, or let her kill somebody, but since one of those isn't legal, venting it is. Not like I mind having her jammed up against me, cuddling me, and looking to me for attention most nights.

"Oh, psh. You know her, Arny. The special little Princess' pet? The most special little pony Equestria has ever seen?" She continues, turning to look up at me, slice still held in her wings.

"She does have a lot of cards stacked in her favor." I purse my lips, nodding. Almost like she was the lead of a TV show or something.

"Oh, don't even get me started. Specially-made Alicorn, supposedly the strongest Unicorn -- psshh, I'm a PEGASUS and I had her on the ropes! All of them!" She throws her hooves in the air. If she had hands, they'd probably be balled into fists, in a 'curse-you' fashion.

"You certainly did, Hun. Can't recall any of the others having such an impact it brought back the Windigos, of all things." I agree, planting a kiss squarely on her excitable head.

"Right? Tirek, Chrysalis, and I were unstoppable! We... hrm." She sighs.

And her mood swings downward, the anger fizzling out of her uncomfortably quick. Tirek and Chrysalis were a sore spot for her.

Arguably her first real friends, we'd often visit the statue. It'd been moved to a quiet spot just outside of Ponyville, and ever since the Cozy-Starlight situation, has hosted a detail of guards.

It was a bit odd for her, considering that she was still trapped inside. Time-travel fuckery did that, and even getting close to the statue was something we had to fight for. They originally wanted to ban Cozy from going anywhere near it, but I've got a surprising amount of influence where it matters.

Never got a chance to meet Tirek myself, but during the whole transitional phase of the Changelings, I got to meet Chrysalis once or twice. She seemed like a nice, if overprotective, Bug-Mom to a hive leaving the nest for the first time.

"Want to see them this weekend? We should be pretty free unless you've got a follow-up date." I offer, jostling her softly to help her snap out of it. Her pizza slice was drooping, about to fall out of her wings.

"...That would be nice. We're still setting a new court date to carry on where we stopped, so we should be good. You don't have anything this weekend, do you?" She asks, frowning at her food's weak will.

"Nope. Wrote the incident report while Dash and Dust had their little tiff, and I've got nothing to grade." I shake my head.

"Can we go?" Lumie perks up, ears flicking.

"You kids want to see Aunt Chryssi and Uncle 'Rek?" I ask, looking up.

They visibly perk up, interested. They might have never gotten to meet them without a sturdy layer of stone between them, but they always seemed to enjoy the stories Cozy told them of her youth, and their trials together leading up to said statue-ifying.

"Absolutely, Father." Alexander quickly chirps, while Lumie nods.

Ruby doesn't seem as excited -- probably because she'd rather spend the weekend in the garden -- but being outnumbered, she simply goes back to eating her pizza. She still looks like she went head-first into her food, as I push away from Cozy for the moment to wipe Ruby's face. Again.

"Oh, can we play outside when we're done?" Lumie continues, politely dabbing her face with a napkin, smiling.

"You can play in the yard for a few minutes, but it's bed soon. You've got... they were good today, right?" Cozy asks, looking to me.

Their hopeful eyes stare at me.

"Yes, they were," I affirm, slowly sinking back onto the couch. Cozy shuffles over to make room for me, pressing right up against me again once I'm settled.

"Alright. You've got thirty minutes, then you wash up. Go." Cozy barks -- all three of them scatter, bolting out the back door at various speeds, headed for our backyard.

The backdoor slams shut, and quiet returns. I can hear their muffled voices through the door, but that's not my focus. I slowly look down to my other, who I'm all alone with.

She's staring at her pizza slice, frowning and trying to spread her feathers. There's cheese stuck between them. "Eugh. I got cheese on my feathers... I need to stop offering the kids a pizza night. This happens every time."

"You ever think of just... not using your wings?" I unhelpfully offer, smiling.

"Buck off. You try and eat without your... hands, and tell me how that goes." She scoffs.

"Well, if you'd prefer... I could feed you." I tease, hanging a slice in front of her face. She frowns at it, batting it aside.

"I'd find that... passable at best, if I wasn't watching my feathers glue together." She states dryly, shifting to get up.

"Want me to preen you?" I offer quietly.

Cozy freezes, quickly looking at me. "Mare, would you? After the day I've had..."

Preening is one of those tasks that ponies deem seriously intimate... but was actually kind of just tedious. I'd gotten decent at it over the years, but it was no small favor. There was a big difference between a gentle, tender preen, and working gunk out of feathers.

Pegasi were an oddity. They valued their wings so heavily, but were just as willing to use them to hold or touch things, usually ending up in a miserable pegasus with dirty wings. I've watched every pegasi I know do the same thing. Cozy, Lumie, Dash, Fluttershy...

I toss our plates aside onto the table, before wrapping my arms around Cozy, hoisting her up against my chest. She makes a quiet "Golly" as I do, getting a snort-laugh out of me as she flusters.

"Sh-shut up." She grumbles, trying to hold her wings out so she doesn't stain me with melted cheese.

"I still can't believe it slips out of you now and then." I sigh wistfully, stepping around Ruby's mess to start upstairs, heading for our bathroom.

"I forget how easy it is for you to pick me up sometimes, that's all. Asshole." She mutters, sighing heavily. "I'm not exactly light."

"You'd remember more often if you let me pick you up more often. You're about as easy to pick up as Lumie, you know? I think you winged ponies have hollow bones or some weird bird thing, if I remember." I ruminate, trying to recall the last thing I read out of a pony biology book. I dug through them all when I first arrived, but it's been some years since I looked one over. Magic aided their wings, but they were undoubtedly the lightest species.

Even with all this flank. Can't help but peek.

"I'm a pegasus. It's demeaning, and I can fly. And I know you just want the chance to --" She pauses, glaring at me as my hand squeezes her rump, letting my fingers dig in a little. "-- grab me up." She finishes coldly.

"Can you blame me?" I say quietly.

"I can still remember when I thought you'd actually calm down about my body. You weird, interspecies-obsessed freakazoid." She says as she taps my chest with a hoof.

"Freakazoid?" I question playfully as we reach the top of the steps. "Sorry, but not sorry. Still infatuated with my favorite pony."

"...Good." I hear her quietly retort, just as we get through the bedroom and reach the upstairs bathroom door. She opens it for me, as we step inside.

Leaning, I slowly set her down in the tub. It's a wide model, to better fit us both; plenty of room for us to get in and enjoy a good soak together.

"Good thing you took your jacket off at the door," I note once she's on the floor.

"Wait, my bow." She leans her head forward, for me to handle it. Right. She adores that thing. I carefully untie it, taking a moment to run my finger through her curly mane as it's freed from its cloth binds, Cozy humming warmly.

"At this point, just want me to wash you?" I offer, tossing the unwound cloth on the bathroom counter.

"...Probably. I can feel it setting. Buck, I hate pizza." She huffs, looking her wings over. She's got cheese... and a chunk of pineapple stuck in her feathers, sticking them together.

"Just gotta let me feed you it." I leer, sitting on the edge of the tub.

"Yeah, yeah." She rolls her eyes.

"Kids love it, though." I idly comment, watching her out the side of my vision as I gather the wingcare products.

"...They do, don't they. Lumie didn't get any in her wings, did she?" Cozy asks, glancing up.

"Not that I saw. You know, for someone who dislikes it so much, you sure seem to offer it a whole bunch." I smile at her, starting the tub. The water splashes against the base of the tub, as I sit my finger inside of it, waiting for it to warm.

"Well, I -- I just want to make sure they're... you know, not upset I didn't have a chance to cook for them. Or something. I don't know. Buck off, Arny." Cozy snips at me, as she shuffles closer to put her back, and her wings, towards me and the water.

"They know, and they love you for it. I can cook too, you know." I remind her softly, digging my fingers through her pinkish back fur as I wait for the temperature to adjust.

She glances over her shoulders, eyes partially closing from the attention.
"Sure, but I don't want you worrying about that after you've been working all day. I can handle it."

"We both work you silly little thing. How about tomorrow night -- it's gonna be... Friday right? I'll make you some of that carbonara you like so much."

"Don't call me that." She grumbles, leaning her head back against my knee. I feel all that tense breath slowly escape her as she tries to relax, the water slowly pooling against her hooves. "That... would be really nice. It's been a while since I last had it." Cozy nods to herself.

My hands start to massage her back, digging into the fur and lithe musculature around her wings' shoulder blades. She's got strong wing muscles, considering she spends most of her time flying. Something that's accentuated by the rest of her being fairly... plush, despite her smaller form.

A throaty hum escapes her, and I can see her eyes close shut as she leans into my touch. Now, a massage wasn't exactly preening, but I find it best to warm her up before I go pulling feathers.

"When's the last time you took care of your wings?" I ask her, wetting my hands with a healthy lather of feather-friendly soap.

"Last... month?" She slowly figures, her words paced and slow.
"Too long." She finally decides.

"Agreed. You push yourself too hard." I scold her softly, leaning down to kiss her head, my words muffled by her hair. My hands slowly trace the base of her flighty appendages, digging in with my thumbs.

"...I have to." She responds simply.

She has so much to prove, even after years of being set on the 'right' course.

"I know. And I've got your back the whole way, so don't you hesitate to talk to me, you adorable thing, you." I whisper between quiet kisses.

Her head tilts back, face upside-down as she tries to look at me. Those big, usually scrunched eyes just stare up at me.

"...Yeah. I love you, Arny."

"Love you too, Cozy."

That, of course, was rescinded about fifteen minutes later as I was prying dried cheese from her wings, amidst cursing and vehement promises to murder any pizza-delivery pony she saw on sight.

Cost her a few feathers, but she was right as rain for the kids' bedtime.

Hearths Warming? Oh, you mean Christmas

Starlight's been stood in the doorway for a while, scarf drooping around her neck and bag slung over her back, a few uncertain expressions drifting onto and leaving her face as she processes how she feels about what she's witnessing. She seemed cold a second ago, the way the snow drifts down in a growing torrent from above, but now she's just staring. Snow is even starting to pile on her.

"Well? You coming in, or we inviting the cold air for a visit too?" I chime in, remembering the price of firewood wasn't cheap.

"Oh, right. Sorry." She quickly corrects, stepping inside after shaking off her hooves. Her expression hardly shifts from that uncertain, tepid look.

Outside, the blanket of snow rests across Ponyville's usually grassy hills. Especially out here with our short distance from the town itself, a journey out here wasn't for the faint of heart or cold of hooves. So I firmly shut the door, keeping that nasty, if pretty, frigidness out there, and our nice, expensive warmth in here.

Before the School had had closed for the holidays, I was amidst some idle conversation with Starlight in the teachers lounge about the upcoming curriculum, when a little personal talk slipped in. Most of the other staff had family they were off to visit, though with her role in the School being so high-up, and Twilight heading off to Canterlot to visit her family, Starlight couldn't go visit hers. She didn't seem terribly plussed about the idea of it anyway, so she'd told me that her plans were to simply sit in and try to stay warm.

So, obviously, I invited her to enjoy the holiday with my family instead. 'Tis the season, and all that, and the polite thing to do, though I didn't actually expect her to say yes.

Was it a terrible idea to invite the Principal of the school that banned her from going within a hundred hooves of it's grounds? Nah, Starlight wasn't an Element. Kind of. Muddied waters, there.

Color me surprised when she eventually agreed.

"Arnold..." Starlight mutters, looking around the inside of our house.

"Yeah?"

"What is all this?"

"What do you mean?"

"This is... a weird way to celebrate Hearth's Warming Day. Where's your flag?"

"Oh, that's because we're not." I dutifully inform, helping take off her scarf, bag, and set both aside by the door. One thing that's nice about being in an all-pony family is the lack of shoes clogging up the front closet, leaving plenty of room.

"What?" Starlight blinks a few times.

"We celebrate Christmas in this house. You know, Santa Claus. Reindeer. Cookies and Milk. Naughty and nice?"

"...Who?" Starlight mumbles, eyes drawn to the variety of decorations that pepper the inside of our home. I could've sworn I've talked about it before, but then again, I do tend to ramble.

The tree itself, a good sized little one that I dragged in from the forest just outside our house with (picked by Lumie, help from Ruby, and judged by Alexander), has a collection of decorations we've gathered over the years. A good, numerous number of little ornaments purchased in the moment that each accrue to their own memory, each valued by each of my family for different reasons. Like a bug frozen in sap that Lumie got obsessed with, a laminated brownie recipe hanging off a ribbon for Alexander, and a cool mushroom Ruby found in our garden that we slathered in preservatives. Cozy had set up parts of a chess set with little hooks dug into their tops, each matching to our families Cutie Marks. Bishop, Pawn, Knight, Rook, all white -- but since I didn't have one, and Cozy is a Rook, they unanimously settled on making me the black Rook, which I thought was a cute choice.

A few additional streaks of fabric pinned to the walls help spice up the color, though I wish we had proper Christmas lights. Closest I could find was some bead of half-charged old gems that didn't quite have the same kick, but were close enough. Instead of a star for the tree-topper, we put that recreation of Sombra's horn up there for Ruby, since she was so proud of it. Alexander must really like it, the way he keeps staring up at it. Lastly, we've got about seven stockings set out above the fireplace. It's a little crowded, but besides one for the each of us, Cozy sets out one for Chrysalis and Tirek each year, and we put a few goodies in there for them to bring with us whenever we visit.

Overall, pretty normal stuff. Though now with someone else looking over my fairly hefty level of decorating, it makes me wonder if I went a tad overboard.

I'm reminded of the Reindeer I've got on the roof, and the fake Santa stuck in the chimney. Well, beside the chimney. Wouldn't want an actual fire hazard blocking the thing.

Mmm.... nah. No such thing as too much during the holidays.

"Cozy, kids -- we've got a guest!" I call out, startling Starlight.

"Oh, you don't have to..." Starlight tries to wave away the announcement, but it's far too late for that. The sound of various hooves clattering up the hall and down the stairs leave Starlight bracing for inevitable social interaction.

None of the kids seem surprised to see her, greeting her in their usual fashions. That reminds me. I... may have forgotten to tell Cozy about my offer.

"Hey Miss Glimmer!" Ruby greets, pausing on the upper steps. Lumie shoves her way past her sister, waving to their Principal. Alexander doesn't take much longer, meandering out of the kitchen with a pout on his little face. Cozy probably wasn't forking out any freebies and was left to starve until dinner, poor thing. "Hello, Miss Glimmer."

"Uh... hello." She tries to greet them at the same time, but Starlight is still working past the initial awkwardness. Probably because she's still tensed, waiting for the arrival of...

Cozy steps around the corner from behind Alexander, brow raising at the commotion. She's wearing one of my ugly, oversized sweaters, the sleeves pinned back so she doesn't trip over her own hooves, and an apron tied overtop of it.

"Who would be dumb enough to trudge out here and knock on our... hm. Yeah, that tracks." Cozy doesn't finish her verbalized thought, giving Starlight a once-over as the two share a gaze.

"Uh... Hey Cozy. Thanks for having me." Starlight manages, rubbing one of her legs. The delicate, loaded nature of the meeting practically bouncing around off the tension that's drawing in the room, pulled so tight it's like a trampoline.

"Starlight. Welcome. Entirely unrelated, but Arny, can I speak with you a moment?" Cozy smiles through gritted teeth, nodding towards the kitchen.

"Get yourself settled, dinner should be soon." I lean down to Starlight, before following after my darling wife. The kids are starting to crowd Starlight, so I know she won't be bored at the least.

By the time we're both in the kitchen, Cozy is leaning to look past me, making sure nobody is eavesdropping.

"Why is Starlight standing in our living room?" She suddenly prods, poking at my leg with a pointed hoof. There's a frown on her face... but it doesn't look as deeply set as I expected.

"I may have invited her to spend the evening with us for dinner." I explain, taking a comfortable position against the counter. Smells good in here.

"Why would you do something like that?" Cozy doesn't relent, stepping right up towards me, staring up.

"Couldn't see her own family this year. Thought it was the holiday-orientated thing to do." I shrug. Wasnt really any other explanation, and judging by the look Cozy gives me, it's not an entirely unexpected outcome.

Cozy glances back back down the hallway, watching our kids badger Starlight with questions. For a long moment, she simply watches them, until the ding of the oven distracts her. She shoos me out of the way as she cracks it open, carefully pulling a piping-hot green-been casserole out of the oven's depths.

"...Alright." Cozy settles the food down atop said stove, tossing the oven mits aside. I have to check my jaw isn't slack when she turns around.

"Really?" I ask, more then a little surprised.

"Oh, don't look so relieved. I'm still going to kill you for letting somepony into our house unannounced." Cozy quickly snips with a sharp poke at my stomach, turning to trot back up the hall. I clear my throat. I should've expected things wouldn't play out so smoothly.

But then she pauses, taking a long pause. Looking over her shoulder at me, I see her face soften. "But... I suppose out of all the ones you could have let in, you could have chosen worse. Set her a plate, would you? I'm not going to let anybody gossip that we don't run a tight ship."

I don't think I've ever seen someone wait for food so awkwardly. The kids keep her company as I help Cozy set out the food, remembering a little too late that we're serving meat with some of the plates... but hopefully she doesn't mind too much.

Starlight Glimmer

Never in a thousand years did I expect to just get... invited to their house. And to just be let inside, just like that. Like Tartarus I would've ever said yes before, but... I couldn't turn down a chance like this, no matter how awkward it might be. To actually get a closer look. It's nearly impossible to get anything done at the school with how nosy the teachers are, so I haven't found anything out since my last larger attempt.

Nearly froze my hooves off for this too. Why do they live so far from Ponyville? Okay, they don't live terribly far, but I took to teleworking short distances to not have to trudge snow the entire time.

I'm sat in their dining room, surrounded by... Luminous Glow is to my left, and she hasn't stopped staring since I got inside. She's been polite and cheery whenever I speak to her, but every time there's a silence, she just... stares. Even when she's talking. Unnerving doesn't feel like it explains just how her gaze makes my neck tingle, my fur standing on edge.

Alexander Glow is to my right, and it's not any better. Despitw being the picturesque student at the School, despite maintaining that outward expression even at home, I can see the little tics now that we're this close. His hoof keeps fidgeting, and he's repeatedly wiping drool from the corners of his mouth.

Speaking of Glows, Ruby is across from me, looking bored. She seems the most normal out of the bunch... and that's making me more weary. Nopony in this house is normal, and I'm reminded of that as I watch Arnold and Cozy set down several plates, refusing my help.

Because one of the plates has the pungent stink of cooked flesh, reminding me that even the most placid of the bunch has a stomach for broiled life. But, through deep breaths, I stay strong and keep my stomach's insides where they belong.

I'm half-expecting some kind of Hearth's Warming adjacent speech or something when they all sit... but they just start eating, if I can even call it that. I'm trying to at least pick out something I'd manage, and there are a few pony friendly options... Cozy seems a surprisingly good cook.

But Sweet Celestia. Ruby is just... shoveling it into her face. And Alexander is no better, taking unnervingly large bites of everything. I don't think mouths are supposed to open that wide. I'm just surprised Cozy herself eats normally, as she engages in small talk of all things with Arnold. Talking about work. Their day. Cozy's plans for the month... right, she's got a job in local politics, however that happened.

The entire dinner kind of just goes by as a traumatic blur that I'm going to spend the next week trying to forget. The moment most of us are done, and Cozy stands to start taking plates, I find myself offering to help just to get out of the dining room and get some fresh air.

Cozy seems surprised at my offer, but accepts.

~~~

As I settle the dishes in the much quieter kitchen sink, her voice behind me catches my attention, nearly making me flinch.

"I'll be honest. I couldn't care less for any of this." Cozy sighs, stepping in beside me and turning on the water, starting to soak the plates.

"Sorry?" I prompt, surprised.

"Arnold loves this kind of stuff. Holidays, Birthdays, Events... eats it up. Every year. Christmas, Hearths Warming Day, whatever you want to call it. He's thinking about each one months in advance, planning and ordering things. It's annoying, half the time."

I think Cozy notices the once-over I give her, as she looks at the sweater she's wearing. An ugly mishmash of green and red, with little reindeer running across it. She doesn't really react though, just glancing down at it and shrugging. "But... it makes him happy."

To say I'm startled by that statement doesn't nearly cover it. "You care if he's happy?" I ask, realizing the harshness of the words a little too late, pursing my lips.

Surprisingly, Cozy just... chuckles. Covers her mouth with a hoof, and laughs to herself. I'm not really sure how to react to that.

"Stupid, isn't it? From trying to tear Equestria down, to..." She doesn't continue her words, sighing and sitting on the floor of their kitchen.

She looks down the hallway, where Arnold is trying to wrench Luminous from perching atop the tree. Ruby and Alexander are watching, and as strange as the entire situation seems... they look like a normal family. As normal as four ponies and a human could be.

I look at Cozy. Gone is the little terror that tried to uppend the entire school, though it's hard to see past that mischievous sneer of hers when she laughs.

"Does it bother you that you're banned from the School your children go to?" I find myself asking.

"No. I had that one coming, and they've got Arnold. They're smart, too. It all works out." Cozy shrugs.

"I thought you'd be a little more opinionated about that."

"Used to be. Then I realized how much of a stink Arnold threw just so they wouldn't try to shove me back into another statue or dump me back through time."

I remember that discussion, had at Canterlot between the Elements and the Princesses. A conversation they never had about myself.

"You... still don't like the Elements though, do you?"

"Oh, not at all." Cozy scoffs immediately.

"Then why are you alright with me being here?" I ask.

"Because my husband invited you?" She retorts bluntly, giving me a look.

"Is that... it?"

Cozy rolls her eyes, standing up. "If you're looking for some answer that reveals how I've changed my tune, and sing the sweet praises of harmony-- don't bother, Starlight. I dislike you the least, because the only difference between us is you got away with it." She pokes my chest, startling me.

"Well, there's a bit of a difference between what we both got up to during our... formative periods." I try to deflect, but Cozy just raises a brow.

"I'm not talking about your shitty little village where you played dictator and stole cutie-marks, Starlight. I just hope you've learned to quit meddling with time. Technically, I'm your fault, too." She leers, my stomach dropping.

I'm not quite sure what to say. I'm not sure if I could even muster the chance to say anything.

"Don't look so gob-smacked, Glimmer. Arnold told me about your little timeline-attempt. Decently smart choice, though I wonder what got Twilight to forgive you. Minimal impact? Purple fur? Unicorn?" She lists, and I can't tell if she's messing with me or actually upset.

"....Minimal impact." I quietly mutter, my long conversation with Twilight following that day ringing in my mind. Cozy nods, like she expected that answer all along.

"Figured. Why throw a stink if nopony else remembers it?"

It would be a lie if I said I didn't think about the difference in our positions now and then. We both tried to ruin everything at one point, only I did it alone. And now her friends, and even herself, still sit in a stone statue. I swallow hard, muttering the words, "I'm sorry."

She looks like a mix of surprised and offended, huffing. "You ever say those words to me again, Starlight, I'll kick your flank."

My eyes widen, and I start to stammer. "But--"

"Starlight, will you shut up?" She suddenly steps in my face, scoffing again. "Seriously. I know you're stunted socially, but seriously."

I flinch, stepping back, and my mouth is stuck shut.

"I think I'm more upset that the one who got ahead of me lost all that backbone she had." Cozy laughs, surprising me. She finds this all funny? Is she... teasing me?

"The weather looks like it's clearing up, so if you want to head back, now's the time. If not... you're welcome to stay for a while. The kids seem to like you, as surprising as that is." Cozy says, looking out the window.

"I..." I start to mutter, looking at Cozy. Is she smiling? "Sure, Cozy. Thanks for having me."

"Don't thank me, thank my idiot husband."

Luminous, Ruby and Alexander Glow

Alexander and Ruby quietly crowd Luminous in the living room, leaning close to whisper. Father has taken to the bathroom, and Mother and the guest still reside within the kitchen -- though their conversation is not as quiet as they presume.
"Miss Glimmer nearly ended the timeline?" Luminous mutters, as both her and Alexander glance to Ruby.

There's a loud, deep crunch as Ruby's neck twists, eyes rolling back.

"Everything alright? What was that?" Arnold calls from the room over.

"Sorry, Father! Stepped on a fallen ornament!" Alexander quickly calls back.

"Anyone hurt?"

"No, and I'll clean it up!" That seems to appease, silence falling.

Ruby's face turns to a sneer as she looks forward again. "She did."

An air of distaste hovers over the trio as they share a look.
"Perhaps we judged Miss Glimmer too harshly?"
"A source of inspiration, perhaps, as dubious as time remains as a means."
"I shall research her history more deeply."
"And I shall pester her with questions."
"Agreed."
"A suitable course."
"..."
"Say, Brother."
"Yes Sister?"
"Why have you not eaten the horn?"
"Ah."
All three look towards the tree, and Horn of Sombra that tops it.
"Sour."
"Truly?"
"Very."