Never Alone

by SoloBrony

Snap

Why is she here?! What in Tartarus is going on?!

She's probably come to take you away! She's going to take you away from Luna and you're going to be trapped with her again!

I felt the adrenaline cut through my system so hard my vision tilted for a second as my eyes adjusted.

Not if I kill her first!

You'll still lose Luna either way! You need to get the buck out of there, before she sees you!

Bree turned in my direction. Our eyes met for a second.

Then she moved one of her hooves to take a step towards me and I was off, running and beating my wings as hard as I possibly could.

Need a place to hide! Where do I hide?! The woods! She won't follow me into the Everfree Forest!

She's got bigger wings than you do! She'll catch you!

I spared a horrified glance back, but as it turned out I'd covered tremendous ground already; Bree had taken off after me, but she was lagging far behind.

She doesn't have all of my combat training! I can get away! Or...

Don't attack her! Luna will disown you if you go that way!

I stopped at the edge of the forest, my heart hammering in my chest and my mind whirling. I felt like I couldn't get any oxygen.

So?! I can't just walk away! She tracked me here, she'll never let me go! She needs to pay for everything!

And then what future do you get?!

I don't deserve a future anyway! BUT NEITHER DOES SHE!

I was straining to breathe when Bree landed nearby, and I glared up at her, feeling all of my muscles stiffen. It felt like the temperature had dropped to freezing while I'd been in flight; somehow, my skin and coat felt too tight on me, like they were pulled taut.

Bree called out to me, and the sound of her voice sent a wave of rage through me. "Cozy, stop! Get back here! I just want to talk!"

Just want to talk?! Since when is it ever 'just a talk' with you?!

I snarled openly, and I felt my right eye wince as memories started to come back to me.

-

"How many times have I told you not to say things like that around my family?! Hm?!"

I'd been ready to go for a few minutes, and I'd been keeping quiet in the corner while Mom screamed at Olive. She forcefully adjusted his bowtie, and he just sheepishly bowed his head.

All he was doing was telling the truth...

Mom cupped his chin and forced him to look up at her. "How many times, Olive?!"

Olive stammered slightly. "A-a lot... I'm sorry, it's just that they said I should be honest—"

"That's not being honest! You knew how they'd take what you said out of context! You're picking up these games from Cozy, aren't you?! Did you even tell them it was your fault?! Hm?"

I sighed and rolled my eyes quietly in the corner.

Mom, you don't know the first thing about being 'honest'. To you, that just means ponies saying whatever works out best for you. You don't want us to be 'honest' with you, either; you just want us to say what you want to hear.

Olive's ears pinned back as Mom leaned in over him, her eyes alight with fury. He choked as he tried to respond. "O-of course!"

Mom's eyes narrowed at him. "Fat lot of good that did. Now I'll have to deal with them all looking at me like I'm a madpony at the funeral! You think they want to be your friends? They're just a bunch of horrible, self-centered gossips! They don't want what's best for any of us!"

Olive stammered, trying to straighten out slightly. "T-that's not true! They said—" He was cut off as mom bit his ear, eliciting a shriek of pain from him, and she started slowly pulling him to the center of the room.

Olive, you idiot! You know there's no point talking back when she gets like this!

That was one of her favorite things to do. She didn't have to put on enough pressure to leave a mark, and she could force us to go where she wanted. The center of the room meant she'd be using the switch again; she'd made Olive find and carve his own just two days ago.

Making a bad switch was a lot worse than whatever punishment you would get otherwise. She'd drilled that into all of us.

To my surprise, Olive lifted a hoof and tried to force her mouth off. Then he screamed, and I realized she had bit down harder in response.

It felt like somepony had dropped a bucket of cold ice water through my body. It was like something inside of me had just snapped. My entire world was a haze, and it took me a few seconds to realize my mom had screamed in surprise.

I'd taken the switch and hit her with it, right on the rump, just like she did to us. Olive stared at me in horror, and I realized why as I looked up at Mom.

I'd never seen her look so furious. Her whole face looked like a totally different pony, like her skin had been pulled back too far and it barely covered the bone.

"You little bitch!"

She swatted my face, knocking the switch free and hitting me right in the eye. It took me a moment to realize she'd sent me sprawling across the room, because at first it didn't even hurt; it was just an impact and a lot of movement.

Then pain erupted out across the entire right side of my face, radiating between my right eye and my nose. Something felt wrong, but it all hurt too much for me to process. I tasted blood.

I held a hoof up to my face, and I shrieked, but it was cut off by the loud CRACK of the switch hitting me in the hide, causing me to gasp in shock and agony. I almost choked on something and spat reflexively, and my mom's voice was absolutely screeching at me.

"HORRIBLE LITTLE BITCH! Everypony's going to think I'm crazy because YOU attacked ME!"

I started to turn around and felt the lance of agony run through my back again. She'd never hit me this hard before, and I felt panic start to run up and down my hooves.

She's going to kill me. She's going to whip me to death because I stopped her.

"What do you think they'll say when I don't show up for the funeral?! We can't go now, because you're so fucking crazy you need to always!"

Mom whipped my dress up.

The switch fell, and I screamed.

"Cause!"

The switch fell, and I moaned.

"Trouble!"

The switch fell, and I gagged. I couldn't breathe; the pain running through me made it feel impossible to move anything, and the anguish of what was happening made me feel like my heart had stopped.

I just couldn't find motivation to breathe. I just stayed on the floor, trying to get to my hooves, but nothing moved. I hadn't realized it, but I'd closed both of my eyes at some point. My back felt so cold, it was like I had an ice pack on.

I have no idea how long I stayed like that. I heard Mom tell me to get up, I felt her hit me again, but it was like a wave on the ocean; the pain ran across me, but I just let it run through me and away without response. She yelled at Olive, and I heard her follow him upstairs.

Probably to bandage his ear. I wonder what story they'll come up with.

My chest was burning, desperate for air. The first breath I took after all of that was to gag and choke down a sob.

I don't care if I'm a bad filly like she says. Someday, I'm going to kill her.

I grimaced, my left eye shooting open, and I craned my neck up from where I was. Nopony was in sight.

I'm never, ever, ever going to let myself forget this.

I stood up, staggering, and I started coughing. I realized dully that she had knocked one of my teeth out when she'd hit me. I scowled.

I'll come back and knock all of her teeth out. I'll bite her ears off. Then we'll see how everypony looks at you, Mom.

I spat out enough blood to breath a little through my mouth – my nose was having a lot of trouble, my right nostril seemed completely blocked – and forced myself to walk straight to the door.

Never, ever, ever coming back. I'll kill her or I'll kill myself first. I'll never live here again. I'll tear this fucking house down before I live here again!

I slipped out onto the streets of Cloudsdale, but I took to the sky as quickly as I could.

If I talk to ponies here, they'll just try to bring me back to Mom. Canterlot's not too far; if I show up there, looking like this, I should be able to get them to let me stay away from her.

I drew in a sharp breath.

Olive, Fuchsia... I can't let them send me back. I have to get them out of there, too.

I landed, being careful to stay off of the road. My wings couldn't take me all the way to Canterlot on their own. I tore off the stupid dress my mom made me wear to cover up marks and examined my back and haunch. There was blood streaming from two cuts Mom had given me with the switch. It looked like the third mark must have fallen where the first one did.

I hummed. Is that good enough?

I thought about the times Mom had tied me up so I couldn't run away and cause trouble, and then covered up the marks. I found a tree with a hollow in it, and began scraping my fetlocks against it, wearing off the fur and skin in an even pattern.

It hurt like hell, but I didn't feel like there was really any room for more pain in me. In a way, it felt almost cleansing.

Can't hide it anymore, Mom.

It was sort of funny. I giggled, but it felt different from any laughter I'd felt before.

-

It was like I was back in that room. I felt the pain radiating from my eyes; I felt my tooth snapping out, tasted the blood. I shuddered as my back felt like it was tearing open all over again.

Bree's eyes went wide. "Cozy, what are you—"

I tried to scream at her, but what came out was more like a roar.

I promised I'd kill her! I can do it!

We can't go that far! Stop and think!

So she can hurt us more?! So she can get away with it all?! No!

We have to let it go!

I can't!

GET OUT OF THERE!

I turned and fled into the woods, as fast as I could. I felt like my mind was collapsing; nothing seemed to make sense, and I didn't realize I wasn't breathing until I nearly fell over.

She'll catch me! I need to keep running!

I sucked in air in deep gasps, scrambling to keep my hooves under me as I drove deeper and deeper into the woods.

Author's Note:

Equines actually have baby teeth like humans do, more or less, in case you didn't know.

Comments

[vren55]

.... I think I need to re read this in the morning to describe the roller coaster I was on. But damn. Good chapter

[SoloBrony]

10046188
I know the feeling. Writing it was no walk in the park.

[Cackling Moron]

I see you, Bold Voice, I see you!

Don't think I don't notice you developing!

[asdtroi8895]

That was certainly an uncomfortable flashback. Nice to see Bold Text being helpfull for once.

[Nyronus]

So?! I can't just walk away! She tracked me here, she'll never let me go! She needs to pay for everything!

And then what future do you get?!

I don't deserve a future anyway! BUT NEITHER DOES SHE!

Fuck fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck-

Mom's eyes narrowed at him. "Fat lot of good that did. Now I'll have  to deal with them all looking at me like I'm a madpony at the funeral! You think they want to be your friends? They're just a bunch of  horrible, self-centered gossips! They don't want what's best for any of us!"

... I can just feel my fucking ability to feel any emotion draining from me, man.

Olive stammered, trying to straighten out slightly. "T-that's not true! They said—" He was cut off as mom bit his ear, eliciting a shriek of pain from him, and she started slowly pulling him to the center of the room.

FUCK

"HORRIBLE LITTLE BITCH! Everypony's going to think I'm crazy because YOU attacked ME!"

Everythingisawful. Everythingisawful.

Never, ever, ever coming back. I'll kill her or I'll kill myself  first. I'll never live here again. I'll tear this fucking house down before I live here again!

At this point I'm just so fucking numb, man. It's all so awful.

Christ, just make it stop.

Can't hide it anymore, Mom.

It was sort of funny. I giggled, but it felt different from any laughter I'd felt before.

And this is where it all begins...

Equines actually have baby teeth like humans do, more or less, in case you didn't know.

What a disturbingly mundane thing to say in this context.

[Sylica telca]

Wait seriously? They do??

[SoloBrony]

10048761
Yeah. I brought that up because the tooth that her mom knocked out was a baby tooth, hence her not having a gap in her teeth in the show.

[RK_Striker_JK_5]

Okay...

This brought back some bad memories for me. Cozy, if you need help hiding the body? Call me.

[Frazzle2Dazzle]

10060370
...Should I be worried?

[Herald of Opera]

10060370

Cozy, if you need help hiding the body?

She won't. It's the Everfree, something will eat it. Probably whatever kills her so that it isn't Cozy's fault.