Maria stood frozen for several seconds, eyes darting between Joy and Aqua as if she were trying to make sense of a riddle that kept getting harder the longer she looked at it.
Finally, she managed to breathe out.
"W-Wait...You're telling me you're the one opposing my daughter?"
She blinked twice, as if waiting for someone to shout, 'just kidding!'
When no one did, she turned toward Joy, then back to Aqua, her expression slowly crumbling into bafflement.
"This doesn't make sense...why would you two be on opposite sides of anything?"
But then her face softened suddenly with a thought dawning upon her, and before anyone could stop her—she clasped her hands together dramatically, and rushed toward Aqua with an expression full of motherly guilt.
"Oh, I see now!" She exclaimed, tears already welling in her eyes as she grabbed Aqua's hands in both of hers. "Aqua, my poor dear girl! I'm so sorry for whatever my stubborn daughter has done to you!"
