Chapter 2: Welcome to Sweet Apple Aches.
“Are you gonna sit there pouting the whole trip?” Cozy Glow turned towards the Applejack and stuck her tongue out at her. “Your lucky we are giving you this second chance.”
Cozy rolled her eyes once again, “I know that you ponies keep telling me.” Cozy stunk back into her seat, “I feel like everyone is staring at me.”
“You tried to take over Equestria. It’s gonna take a while to earn everyone’s trust again.” Applejack could tell that there was something else on her mind. “Now how about you tell me what is on your mind?”
“Nothing is on my mind.”
“Then can you tell me why you freaked out yesterday?” Applejack still remembers how Cozy freaked out for a second once she couldn’t fly. “I never imagined seeing you so freaked out.”
“I don’t wanna talk about it. Now stop talking to me!” Cozy crossed her forelegs over her chest and her pout grew bigger.
“I would stop testing mah patience little filly. I ain’t gonna take disrespect from a foal as young as mah sister,” Applejack firmly scolded. The duo rode the train in silence for a while, “let me ask you something Cozy.”
Cozy Glow looked towards Applejack, “What do you want to know, wanna ask why I thought taking over Equestria was a good idea?” Applejack shook her head, the next words that came from her mouth stunned Cozy.
“Y'all wanna tell me about your parents?” In the three months since Cozy Glow had been turned to stone. Twilight did a lot of digging in her free time. She found that Cozy Glow was born in cloudsdale. However, no matter what she tried, it seemed that all information on her parents were gone. She only had two names go off of, Cozy Heart and Glowstone. Twilight was still hunting down anything she could find about her parents.
“Why do you ask that?” Cozy looked down at the floor.
“Twilight has been looking for them for a while now.” Applejack could just tell that this was a sore subject and wasn’t planning on asking too much. “We just found it weird that no one came for you.”
“I don’t wanna talk about it. Can we please talk about something else.” Cozy answered with a slight sniffle.
“Cozy Glow can you look at me for a second?” No arguments or smart remarks, Cozy Glow did what was asked of her. “What happened to them sugarcube?”
“Nothing…” Cozy went back to staring out the window, “nothing at all…”.
“Alright, I won’t ask again.” Applejack's voice was filled with sympathy, “if you want to talk to me, mah door is open.”
The rest of the ride and the walk to the Apple farm was silent. “You own all this land?” Cozy Glow spoke up finally.
“Yep, the apple family has owned this land since mah granny smith first came here.” Applejack declared proudly, “now come on I’ll show you to your room.”
“Applejack,” Applejack sighed, she was hoping to explain this to Applebloom later on. “What in tarnation!”
“Applebloom let me explained.” Applejack put her hoof up to silence her sister for a second, “Ya’ll are probably confused right now, but we are trying to help Cozy Glow right now.”
“Applejack!” Appleboom shot the pink-coated filly a death stare. “She tried to get rid of all magic, and than she tried to take over the world!”
Applejack walked over to her sister and lowered her voice. “I know it sounds so strange sugarcube. But I need you to trust me on this, have I ever lead you astray before?”
“No,” Applebloom looked at her sister with concern filling her eyes. “But Applejack, how can we ever trust her. She ain’t gonna do anything you say to here.”
Cozy Glow watched the sisters exchange a few words. She tilted her head in confusion as a shocked yet happy look appeared on Applebloom’s face. She watched the youngest of the apple family walk over to her. “Applejack wants you to follow me, she said you’re staying in mah room while you are here.”
Cozy let out a cute little huff, “I don’t even get my own room.”
"Be glad you get somewhere to rest your head.” Applebloom turned around and motioned for the filly to follow her. “Come on, applejack wants me to show ya’ll around a bit afterward.”
“Alright,” Cozy decided to play nice for a bit. Without her ability to flight and the stupid tracking spell she needed more time to plan out an escape. A tour of the whole apple farm would come in handy.
Applebloom’s curiosity got the best of her, “what was it like… you know being turned into stone?”
“I don’t remember.” Cozy Glow shivered a bit, “it was scary when my body was being turned into stone. Then everything froze, it was like being in a weird sleep.”
Applebloom opened her door revealing her room. “Applejack said she gonna see about a bedroll for ya. For now, ya’ll can use my sleeping bag.”
“I suppose it better than nothing,” Cozy Glow walked around the other filly’s room stopping at the window. “It must be fun having all this land.” For now Cozy decided to try and play nice, she knew Applebloom probably hated her. So she would at least try to make a bit of small talk.
“It is.” Applebloom hesitantly stood next to the filly, “there’s a lot of places to play and it’s fun to explore. Just stay away from the ever-free forest.”
Cozy Glow’s ears flared up a bit at that. “What’s the Everfree forest?”
“It’s a dangerous forest on the edge of our land.” Applebloom pointed towards the east, “ya’ll aren’t allowed to go there unless someone comes with ya.” Applebloom began to walk towards the exit, “come on I got a lot to show you before supper.”
Applejack watched as Cozy and her sister left the house and headed across the property. “You sure this is a good idea Applejack.” The strong deep voice of her brother spoke up, “letting that filly out and all that?”
“She is just a filly Big Mac” Applejack turned to face her brother. “I know all about her ways, she can’t fool me again. I’m planning to work her good for a while. Some good hard work for a while should set her straight.”
“I hope your right.” The soft-spoken Big Mac looked out the window as well. “What if ya’ll plan don’t work out?”
“Twilight is sure this is gonna work. I have faith in her.” Applejack responded, “besides if this doesn’t work. She is gonna go to the castle dungeons until she is ready to try again.” Applejack gave her brother a hopeful smile, “for now let’s show her some good old Apple family love… discipline.”
Cozy Glow followed Applebloom around the farm and the massive land that belongs to the family. Finally, they came to a stop by one of the rivers running through the land. “So where is this Everfree forest anyway?”
“I can show ya’ll in a bit, but we aren’t going inside of it.” Applebloom rested her hoofs in the water letting out a small sigh. “Maye one day, I can get Zeroca to come to walk with us.”
“Who’s Zecora?” Applebloom smiled a bit.
“A good friend of mine that lives in a safer part of the forest.” The more Applebloom talked about Zecora, the more Cozy Glow was interested.
“Maybe she can break this spell on me.” She thought another fact caught Cozy’s attention, “the castle of the two sisters? What is that place?”
“The former castle of Princess Celestia and Luna. Applejack said it was in ruins and to never go there.” Cozy smirked a bit at that, “maybe it has old spellbooks. Maybe something powerful is there.” Cozy got lost in her thoughts so when a soft splash of water hit her in the face.
“Hey what was that for!” Cozy Glow shot the smirking Applebloom a glare.
“Mah bad, I wanted to get your attention.” Applebloom yelped as a splash of water hit her in the face. Applebloom narrowed her eyes as giggling Cozy Glow pointed a hoof at her. “Alright, ya’ll wanna play this game!” All of Tartarus broke loose in the form of a splash fight!
“Applebloom! Cozy Glow!” Applejack walked around the farm looking for the two fillies. “Now where did they get too. It’s time for supper!”
The sweet sound of giggling caught Applejack’s attention. She headed over to one of the rivers and smiled at the sight she found. Applebloom and Cozy Glow having a splash fight were one of the cutest things she had seen in a while. “Didn’t ya’ll hear me calling you?”
The fillies stopped and looked at Applejack. “Sorry about that sis, we must’ve been having too much fun.” Applebloom was shocked at the words that came out of her mouth.
Cozy hadn’t felt like the filly she was for a long time. “That was kind of fun.” She thought to herself, she looked up and saw the sun was setting a bit. “How long have we been out here?”
“For a while,” Applejack let out a small chuckle. “Now ya’ll come on and get dry. I’ve got supper ready.”
“Ok,” the group headed back to the house and were quickly dried off. They were greeted with the wonderful aroma of what Applejack had prepared them. Once dinner was over Applejack gave Cozy Glow her first (of many soon to come) chores. Cleaning off plates and washing them.
“Why do I have to do this?” Cozy Glow complained, “I didn’t do any of the cooking or dirty any of your dishes just mine.”
“Because i asked you to,” Applejack answered as she sipped a cup of cider. “Now stop all that complaining.”
“Just stop all that complaining,” Cozy Glow mocked under her breath.
“And I wouldn’t mock me if I was you,” Applejack scolded. “Remember young filly, you are on mah property right now and I expect you to listen to me.”
“Oh, I’ll listen alright!” Cozy thought as she angrily washed the dishes. “As soon as I get to that old castle. You’ll be listening to me when I rule Equestria!” Cozy slammed a dish down in frustration, “I don’t even know what I’m doing! So I’m not doing it!”
“Now don’t get your mane in a twist.” Applejack stood up and walked over to the filly. “If ya’ll need a little help just ask for it.” Applejack took a cloth, “just follow what I’m doing ok.”
“Didn’t your ma every show you how to wash a dish?” Applebloom spoke up, the room got very quiet. Cozy Glow quickly stared at the dishes in the sink for a bit. “Did I say something wrong?”
“No… she didn’t?” Cozy Glow let out a small sniffle. “Can you please show me how?”
“Of course sugar cube.” Applejack carefully ran a hoof through her mane. “Just follow me alright.”
It took a bit of time but they finished cleaning the dishes. Cozy seemed to go back to normal, as she went to Applebloom’s room to lay down. “What happened Applejack?”
Applejack sighed and motioned her sister over to her side. “I don’t know all the details. But I can tell that something happened to her ma and pa. Something she wants to keep hidden no matter what. Don’t bring it up to her ok.”
“Of course.” Applebloom knew what Cozy Glow was feeling… she felt it before.
The night went quickly and soon it was time for bed. Applejack had come and tucked in Appleblom, and Cozy was surprised when she did the same thing to her. “Why are you tucking me in?” Cozy Glow had to know this.
Applejack gave her a soft smile, “because, I want to.” Applejack walked over and turned off the light. “Get some sleep you two.” She slowly closed the door behind her.
Cozy took a couple of deep breaths to try and contain her emotions. “Mommy….”.
Next Chapter title: Nightmares: Pieces Revealed.