Cozy Glow was very fussy as Starlight lead her, Trixie, and her adoptive parents into the caves outside of Our Town.
“Just send me to Tartarus already!” the pink Pegasus growled as she felt her stomach tighten. “It’s not worth it!”
“It is worth it,” insisted Starlight while lighting the way with her horn. “You are worth it.”
Cozy Glow was curled in on herself as she tried to soothe the pain she was feeling. Her mind could only hear echoes of Starlight’s angry voice plotting to create equality and get revenge on Twilight Sparkle.
“Cozy?” worried Minky. “Want me to hold you?”
“NO!” she boomed. “I DON’T NEED ANY PONY!”
Emerald Ebon’s horn gave off a green flame.
“Whoa, glow worm!” he called out. “Mind your mother!”
Cozy’s face scrunched up as her anger reached its limit.
FWOOM
BAP!
“Ow!” Emerald cried after being smacked in the nose by the pink Pegasus’ hoof.
“YOU AREN’T MY PARENTS!” she screamed. “I’M NOT EVEN A REAL PONY! I’M JUST A DUMB DOLL THAT STARLIGHT GLIMMER ABUSED AND BROUGHT TO LIFE BY FILLING ME WITH HER ANGER AND RESENTMENT!”
FASHEW
Starlight’s magic took hold of Cozy Glow and levitated her so they were face-to-face.
“DON’T SAY THAT!” she emotionally boomed as tears began to form in her eyes. “You are your own pony!”
Cozy Glow flailed as she grumbled and growled within the Unicorn’s ethereal grip.
“Just use the ring!” she wailed in anguish. “Summon Celestia and rid this world of my pointless existance!”
Emerald and Minky were taken aback by what their adoptive filly was saying.
“Oh, my…,” worried Minky. “I’ve never seen her like this.”
“A doll…?” baffled Emerald. “You ‘created’ her?”
Starlight felt her emotions grow conflicted as she took in the adoptive parents concerns, Cozy’s angst, and her own worry about how she knew the whole ‘her fault’ was going to eventually be found out.
“I can’t lose it here,” she thought while her magic became harder to control. “I’ve got to get her back to my old hide out.”
“Hey!” cried Cozy as Starlight galloped at full speed down the tunnels of the cave.
“Starlight!” called Trixie. “Where are you going?”
Emerald Ebon’s hoarn suddenly stopped flaming and went a solid shade of green.
“Follow me!” he cried. “We’ve got to save our lil’ glow worm!”
***
The old lair of Starlight Glimmer appeared just as she had left it.
“It hurts!” cried Cozy. “Make it stop! Make it stop!”
“As I thought,” remarked Starlight as she started to illuminate the room with the mystical lamps she had created years ago. “She is most sensitive in those areas that I forced my feelings on her.”
“Please…,” moaned the young Pegasus. “Make it stop…”
“That’s just what I’m doing, Cozy,” she replied somberly. “I’m going to take it away and own it as I should have so many years ago.”
The blue-haired filly said nothing as she continued to curl in on herself. Starlight’s magic was no longer necessary to keep her from running away.
“Okay…,” gasped Starlight as she charged her magic. “Time to see if this works…”
PASHEW
TAP
Starlight’s and Cozy’s eyes both opened wide as a transparent ray of images rushed from Cozy into Starlight herself.
“Ungh!” the Unicorn strained. Unlike before she was not exchanging memories but taking back those feelings she had implanted into Cozy when she was just a doll.
***
“AHH!” echoed an ear-piercing scream through the cavernous tunnels.
“Starlight!” panicked Trixie.
Emerald’s horn went ablaze with magical green fire.
“Come on!” he announced. “We’ve got to help!”
***
The trio of ponies arrived at Starlight’s old lair to find Cozy Glow fast asleep as the periwinkle Unicorn thrashed about.
“GAH!” Starlight growled as she galloped haplessly about the chamber. “Stay away from me!”
“Starlight…?” worried Trixie as she continued to see her friend pound her hooves on the cave walls, buck wildly, and stomp the ground.
“Cozy!” cried Minky as she scooped the resting filly.
“I feel it…,” Emerald thought aloud. “This room… Her pain…”
SHING!
Emerald Ebon’s flank shined as an image of a heart inside a star appeared.
“Starlight!” rushed trixie towards her friend.
PASHEW
A green aura surrounded Trixie and pulled her back.
“You can’t!” Emerald Ebon called as he held the illusionist in place. “She must own her feelings and come to terms with them!”
Trixie was at a loss for words as Starlight continued to buck about.
“These… are… mine…,” struggled Starlight. “I won’t be overcome!”
Starlight’s blue aura shined around her as she started to slow her movements and focus her thoughts.
“For myself,” she panted. “For my friends.”
Cozy Glow started to give off her ethereal warmth as she rested in Minky Pajamas hooves.
“It’s okay, Cozy,” she cooed. “Everything’s going to be alright.”
Trixie and Emerald watched as Starlight cringed and buckled as her aura brightened around her.
"I'm... over... THIS!" Exploded Starlight as she bathed the room in ethereal crystal-blue light.
Emerald's horn started to glow less-and-less as the light dissipated.
"It feels better now," he remarked. "Whatever haunted this cave is gone."
Starlight wobbled about until her hooves gave out and she collapsed.
"Guidance counselor, Starlight?" questioned Cozy as she opened up her forest-green eyes. "Peachy pal, Starlight?"
Minky tightly embraced Cozy without grasping how the filly had lost a noticeable amount of weight.
"Oh," she cooed while rocking the young Pegasus. "I'm so happy you're alright."
"Golly," she said as a smile crossed her face. "It's swell to be with you, Mama Pajamas."
Trixie was now over by Emerald Ebon as they ensured their Unicorn friend was alright.
"She's still breathing," she announced.
"She's also in a better place," added Emerald. "I now think I understand what my special talent is, too."
Trixie looked to see the yellow star that featured a purple heart inside of it.
"You've got your Cutie Mark," she said.
Emerald nodded.
"I felt it," he replied. "And I know I now must help starlight and Cozy through what remains of their quest to find comfort in their lives."