Cozy took a small step back as Match Smoke came closer.
"You thought you could get away with it? Well, I'LL SHOW YOU WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DISOBEY ME!"
Cozy quickly darted for the stairs only for her father to grab her by the tail and toss her on the rug near the fire.
It was warm near the fire and normally it would provide Cozy with a sense of comfort, but this time, it didn't. Match was heating up a metal pole above it, and the pole was red with heat.
He pushed Cozy down on so she was flat on her stomach, and he pressed the metal pole on her back. The pain was agonizing. Every second the heat grew stronger, and Cozy Glow couldn't prevent her scream.
"DOES THAT HURT?! HAVE YOU LEARNED YOU LESSON YET, FILLY?!" Match yelled. He pressed the pole down harder.
Cozy nodded, tears streaming down her face.
"I CAN'T HEAR YOU!" Match's voice echoed throughout the house. The pegasus filly squirmed under his grasp, trying desperately to escape.
"YES! By Celestia's name it hurts so much! I've learned my lesson! So please! JUST LET ME GO!" Cozy screamed.
This left Match Smoke in a stunned silence. Never once has Cozy Glow talked back to him, let alone shouted. Why did that remind him of something...? Match shook his head, not allowing himself to be consumed by thoughts. He growled, grabbed Cozy by her wimg and said, "You're gonna regret that. SO MUCH!"
Cozy whimpered and braced herself for the pain she was about to endure.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
Match dropped Cozy on the floor and said, "Upstairs, now. Before anypony sees you."
Cozy limped the fastest she could up the first few stairs, before resorting to flying. She darted to her room and curled up on her bed. She kept anything from touching her back, knowing there'd be a scar from the burns.
___________________________________________________________________
Match opened the door and smiled widely.
"Officer Blaze! How wonderful it is to see you! Have you come to pick up more cigs for the stallions?"
The orange unicorn stallion huffed. He adjusted his police cap with his magic.
"I don't wan' any of your smoke-sticks, Match. Us police have been hearing that this household has some very suspicious screams coming from it. Now you're a close friend and you have very good ties with me and the rest of the force, but I will need to know what those shouts are all about." He said. He stared at Match as if trying to find the answer in his eyes. The red pegasus stared right back. It was a silent stand off. There could only be one winner and and the truth could only be told. But Match knew how to bend the rules, he would not spend his life rotting behind bars.
"My daughter and I are practising for a school performance she has coming up. I am playing the part of an evil wizard, as the actual foal is sick today I practised with her. Cozy is playing the part of the main hero. We were up to the scene were she is being tortured in the evil wizard's dungeon after being captured. That is why you heard those screams, Fire Blaze."
"Officer Blaze." Although the unicorn trusted Match, he was always wary of how nice he was sometimes. It was like he was only your friend for his own advantage, but if the other officers trusted him, Blaze figured he would trust him. "Alright, I trust you Match. Enjoy your rehersal." He walked away and Match shouted after him.
"See you later, Carrot!" Blaze grumbled at this and pulled his cap down further to hid his green mane.
Match closed the door and dropped his smile. "FILLY, DOWNSTAIRS NOW!"
Cozy trudged down the stairs, and looked up at her father.
"What did you make me this morning, Cozy?" Match asked as he walked to the kitchen. He motioned for the filly to follow.
"Egg on toast, sir." Cozy answered. Her movements were stiff with fear and she walked as slowly as possible. He father was being nice. Too nice.
"Good. You are a very smart filly. So do you know what I am going to do now?"
Cozy Glow shook her head.
Match let his nice tone drop and it turned into a deep, menacing one, "You are going to make it again and again until you get it just right, and every time you get it wrong you will slowly and painfully loose a feather. And I don't care if I pernamently ground you, because you are a useless waste of space, are we clear?"
"Yes, sir."
"Good, now begin."
___________________________________________________________________
Cozy collapsed onto her bed and moaned pitifully. Her father had pulled out so many feathers that the pain had gone numb. Every time she did it it was either "Too hard!" or "Too soft!" however if ended up with him saying, "Well, done! You did it! Well, actually, you did it the first time, I just wanted to play."
Cozy looked out the window and at the stars, she remembered when she was younger, her mother actually spent time with her. They would go star-gazing every Friday night. And her mother would say, "The stars up there are all the ponies from before us, did you know that?" And Cozy would reply. "No, but how did they get up there?" Her mother would laugh and say, "Well, it is said that the Princess of the night still has good in her and she escorts them to the sky." Cozy would pause and then ask, "Is Grandpa Glow up there?" Her mother would be silent then nod saying, "Yes, yes he is."
Cozy sighed and covered herself with her blanket and drifted off to sleep.
___________________________________________________________________
"Oi! Blaze! Didya' get the cigs?" Officer Pellet asked, all while continuing his hoof wrestle with Officer Bones.
Blaze sighed and rubbed his forehead. "No, I didn't Pellet." The brown pegasus groaned which put off his concentration, allowing the white earth pony to win.
"Ha! I did it! I finally did something!" Bones yelled in victory. Bones was Blaze's closest friend on the police force and the normally took care of cases together. His full name was Funny Bones. The reason why is because his parents thought it would be pretty humerus.
"Well, done pal. Just got back from Match's. Something's off about that fella. You wanna help me investigate tommorrow, Bones?"
"Sure, just let me win another round then I'll tell Rimestone she needs to sort out a case file."
"See ya' mate I'mma turn in for the night." Blaze said as he took his cap off.
What are you up to, Match Smoke?