//------------------------------// // Chapter Five: The Clash of the Crusaders // Story: Bizarre Happenings // by Art Inspired //------------------------------// A serene fog loomed over the town of Ponyville the day Cozy returned. Rarity was riding in her own Caravan, and Sweetie Belle rode along with Cozy Glow to keep her company. Strong rays of light awoke the pegasus while flickering in front of her tightly shut eyes. So that the two fillies could sleep underneath the stars, their caravan tent had been taken down the night before, and as they went under a few tall standing trees that morning, Cozy got up from where she was nestled. She said to Sweetie Belle, "Hey, you awake? I think we're here." Sweetie blinked her eyes as they ran over a rock and stirred. Sleepily, she asked her friend, "Already?" She rubbed her eyes, and then looked around. Cozy Glow thought that Sweetie Belle would be happy to see her very own hometown, but not a single smile was given. Instead, she just kept looking all around the city. She seemed worried, as if she had done something wrong. After passing by the old Castle of Friendship, she saw Cozy Glow staring at her, and sighed, "I guess there's no holding back any longer... You know how I've been messaging those friends of mine that I mentioned earlier?" Cozy thought for a second, and then said, "Uh-huh." "Well," Sweetie Belle said nervously. "I have a confession to make... They haven't been messaging me back." Cozy blinked from across the caravan, and asked timidly, "They... haven't?" "No," Sweetie Belle replied slowly. "And what's worse is... I'm pretty sure that they got my letters. They've always messaged me back while I was away. I think..." She looked over as they went by Scootaloo's house, and finished, "I think that as soon as we're unpacked... Do you wanna go searching for them? This feels... kinda urgent." Cozy gave Sweetie Belle a worried look, and asked, "You don't think... they just ignored the letters, do you?" Sweetie gulped, and said, "I don't know, Cozy, but I hope not." The rest of the ride to the Carousel Boutique was peaceful, though. Rarity woke up sometime after Cozy and Sweetie had stopped talking and came out to greet the two fillies. Birds chirped happily above the caravans as they were pulled along through Ponyville. A few early citizens were already getting busy with the day's work, and some ponies didn't stop yawning. Cozy observed Roseluck strolling along with a few flowers in her muzzle, and as the pony rounded a corner, so did they. Cozy waited patiently for them to arrive at the boutique, and when they finally did, she'd be surprised to see how differently it looked compared to the other boutique that Rarity owned. They got out, and Cozy looked around while Rarity tipped the two ponies that had pulled her caravans along all the way from Canterlot. Cozy couldn't be sure why, but she had this strange feeling as though she were being watched. "Cozy?" "Huh?" she asked while looking away from the bushes. Rarity stood before her curiously. "What is it, darling?" She shook her head, and said, "I-it's nothing, really." As she started to walk with Rarity, Cozy Glow mentioned, "By the way, thank you for getting me that book. The dictionary is helping me a lot!" Rarity smiled happily, and said, "I thought you might like it." Entering the boutique, Cozy continued to say, "I even learned this one word... What was it called again?" Rarity hummed along, tending right away to her many dresses. "Oh? What might that word be?" Like a ghost from Rarity's past, Cozy Glow said, "Gollies!" "Eep!" Rarity shuffled a few times as she lost her balance and fidgeted with the rack. Cozy gasped, and then said, "A-are you alright?" Rarity mumbled, "Y-yes, d-darling..." "Like, right now. I'd use Golly to describe my surprise at what just happened." "Cozy Glow? Precious?" Rarity asked. "Don't..." Rarity got down, and just stood still for a moment. Cozy, innocent as ever, asked, "Don't what?" Rarity didn't respond right away. She bleakly looked at Cozy, trying hard not to scowl. "Just..." She felt herself tremble as she held back her emotions. "Just don't... use that word, darling..." She then held onto her muzzle dramatically while shutting her eyes tightly, and then, she ran off to her room leaving Cozy Glow alone with all the dresses and boxes still left to unpack. Sweetie came inside with a few of her things, and said, "Are you gonna come get your toys?" Cozy walked outside with Sweetie following closely behind her. "Your sister is acting funny again." Sweetie sighed while rolling her eyes, and asked, "Ugh, what is it this time?" Cozy blinked, unsure of how she should answer this question. So, she merely stated quite bluntly, "I said Gollies to her." Sweetie grabbed a few of her things while Cozy grabbed some as well. "I, uh don't see why... Oh, wait a minute." They both stopped, and Cozy asked, "Huh?" "It's because... I think you used to say that. Like, a whole lot." Cozy blinked a few times. Smiling, she said sweetly, "Well, you have to admit, it's a nice term." Sweetie shook her head as they went back inside, and said, "It's not about it's charm. You used it a lot, so if you start using it now... ponies might not think that you've really changed. Or that you're not going to change." Cozy nodded while they went into Sweetie Belle's bedroom. There was another mattress and frame tucked away somewhere inside the establishment, but not any prepared quarters for Cozy Glow to sleep in, so the two of them had already agreed with Rarity on them sharing Sweetie's. "I suppose that makes... oh, whoa..." Cozy looked around at the decorations and beamed at how many toys Sweetie Belle had. The unicorn standing across from her smiled, and said, "This... is what a real little girl's bedroom looks like." Cozy observed Sweetie's large bed, and her mirror which had been coated with pictures of her friends. The walls even had pretty decorations on them, and the more Cozy looked at everything, the more jittery she felt. "It's... beautiful, Sweetie..." She came up to the mirror while Sweetie continued to speak. "Yeah, well, now it's your room, too. Uh, feel free to check out some of my toys, or... play with my dressing table." She lost herself as she spoke, and accidentally whispered, "I've, uh... always wanted a sister that's my very own age." Cozy hadn't heard that last part, and said, "These must be those friends you were talking about." Sweetie came closer to Cozy Glow, and said, "Yup, that's them alright! These are only a few of the crazy adventures we've had." Cozy saw Sweetie with not just ponies, but she started seeing her with all these different creatures, too. She gasped suddenly and backed away. Sweetie looked at Cozy who was turning white as a ghost, and asked, "What? Cozy, what is it?" Cozy looked from Sweetie to the mirror, and then Sweetie looked at which picture Cozy had seen. Her jaw dropped. She couldn't even really fathom how such a thing was still left hanging up there, but there it was. It was Cozy Glow's picture from back when she was attending the school of friendship, and she just smiled back at the camera perfectly. Her mane was done with those tassels keeping any strands of hair in place, and even her charismatic attitude shined brilliantly through the photograph. Sweetie didn't know what to say. That was because back at Canterlot, Rarity only kept Twilight's most recent post about Cozy Glow around. Cozy Glow had actually never seen herself from before being turned into a statue. Cozy Glow, asked, "Is that... me?" She looked at Sweetie, and asked, "That's me, isn't it?" Sweetie looked down and nodded. "Err... yeah, it is." Cozy closed her distance with the picture once more and looked at it deeply. "Golly, huh? That's what I said all the time?" Sweetie replied, "Uh, yeah. A lot, actually." She breathed, and said, "Look, Rarity doesn't let you see or read stuff about you because she's scared it'll upset you. To be honest, all things considered, I don't blame her for doing that." Cozy looked at her friend, and asked, "Why?" "Because," Sweetie said, looking down. "I know you can't remember it, but just consider everything that you've heard about yourself... Your old self, that is." "Okay?" Cozy Glow answered. "Good," Sweetie said slowly. "Now, I'm going to say this because... I care about you, and unlike some ponies that might be holding back, I'll actually tell you how it is. Okay?" Cozy nodded, and said, "Okay..." Sweetie huffed, and said, "However terrible you think you were... You were worse." Cozy blinked but continued to listen. "You were so... manipulative and focused on the negative that you didn't see any point in the true meaning of friendship. You thought that..." She grumbled, and forced herself to ask, "Has... Twilight t-told you what you thought friendship was? What it really was?" Cozy shook her head, and said, "No, I... don't think so." Sweetie looked back, and said, "You thought friendship was power at one point, but then, after that, from what I've heard... you just wanted revenge." Cozy shook her head, and admitted, "I don't remember Twilight telling me about that. I mean, she told me about the school, and that I lost it, but... I guess that's what she meant when she said that I had really lost it completely." She frowned at first, but then chuckled, and said, "I looked so fantastic, didn't I?" Sweetie nodded while looking back at the picture. "Yeah, you did." Cozy then said, "Well, one thing's for sure... I'm never wearing my hair like that ever again!" Sweetie laughed along, and asked, "You don't like it?" Cozy walked away from the mirror, and hopped up onto the bed while saying boldly, "Who wants to go through all that work? I must've spent hours fixing up my mane just to look a certain way. I've been enjoying just combing it!" Sweetie got onto the bed as well, and said, "Well, there's advantages to doing your mane a certain way." Cozy nodded at that remark, and said, "I suppose so, but still..." Her mind trailed for a second, and she found herself asking, "I must've just been doing my mane to fool everypony, huh?" Sweetie frowned, and said, "Yeah, probably, Cozy." They then sat there on the bed together silently. Rays of light shined visibly through the window curtains thanks to all of the dust that had just been scattered. "Say, Cozy?" Sweetie Belle asked nervously. "I-if it'll help you in getting over the old Cozy Glow... I can help." Cozy asked, "How?" Sweetie took a fairly deep breath before revealing her secret. "I know... where Rarity keeps a few old newspapers." She gulped, and looked at the door, but then she looked back at Cozy to say, "She hasn't thrown them out yet because we've been away, and most of them were about you. I might... also have some news clippings, and a few school newspapers tucked away in the back of my closet that Rarity probably still doesn't know about." Cozy's eyes grew wider and wider the more Sweetie told her, and she asked, "You do? Where's the other news papers?" Sweetie said, "They're in a box stashed away in our attic. You know the string that's hanging from the ceiling just outside my door? That's how we can get up there, but Rarity might hear us if we try, so... we'll just have to wait until she's away. Besides, if you're going to look into what you did, you should probably start with the beginning anyways." Cozy agreed to that, but then said while bringing her hoof up to her muzzle, "Although, I wonder if I should even bother looking into something like this." "Well," Sweetie voiced. "I hate to distract you, but we really should be heading on out to look for my friends. Remember?" Cozy's cheeks went red with embarrassment, and she said, "Oh, yeah, I might've forgotten... I'm sorry, Sweetie!" The unicorn pushed Cozy Glow playfully, stating, "That's what they all say! First, forgot who you are; then you forgot what we were gonna do today! What am I gonna do with you?" Sweetie then swung a pillow at Cozy, but she caught it and began swinging it back at Sweetie Belle. As their pillow fight came to an end, they both giggled happily together, and Sweetie then said, "C'mon, we should go." As Sweetie got off of the bed, Cozy followed behind closely, and said shyly, "Okay... Sounds cool." Through the streets the two walked, and since Scootaloo's place was closer, they headed there first. They'd be surprised, though, to find out from Scootaloo's aunts that she wasn't home, and that they hadn't heard of any letters from Sweetie. Actually, they were quite surprised to see her back in town. Headed out from the house, and thanking the two for helping them, Sweetie Belle said, "That... wasn't very comforting, Cozy." The pegasus nodded in agreement, and asked, "Where do you think they are?" Sweetie began trotting, and said, "We'll just have to check in at Apple Bloom's. If she's not there... We'll check the club house." The trip to the Apple Family Orchard would prove just a fruitless as the one to Scootaloo's place. Again, Applejack had the same story, and seemed surprised to see Sweetie Belle, but not as surprised as she was to see her with somepony like Cozy Glow. "And what in tarnation're you doing with... her? Have you really... lost your marbles, little filly?" "Memories," Sweetie Belle corrected. "And yes, she has, but that's not important right now! You haven't seen Apple Bloom all day?" Applejack shook her head, and asked, "Why haven't you gone to the club house yet? Or did you already check there?" Sweetie gulped, and said, "I just... thought this might've worked faster. Anyways, we should be off." As Sweetie walked off, and Applejack got back to her chores, Cozy stood there for a second before following along. She then asked, "Say, Sweetie Belle?" Sweetie looked to Cozy nervously, and asked, "Hmm?" "You okay?" Cozy Glow asked. "I know how you must feel, but they've gotta be somewhere. Right? Let's just go check the clubhouse, and if they're not there, we'll figure something else out." Despite the pep talk, Sweetie was still feeling unsure about all of this. Eventually, they would arrive at the clubhouse, and while they went up, Sweetie Belle mentioned to Cozy, "I'm not sure what's going to happen, but..." Cozy Glow helped her up, and Sweetie Belle finished, "If they really have been ignoring my letters..." Cozy interrupted Sweetie Belle by saying, "I understand completely." They both looked at the door, and Sweetie Belle walked up to it, gently knocked, and then asked, "Hello?" From beyond the thin wood, they could head scuffling, and voices. Sweetie could even tell that it was Apple Bloom and Scootaloo in there, and heard Apple Bloom say, "Ah just... don't think this is a good idea, Scoots." "Shh! They'll hear us." "Uh," Sweetie Belle said, feeling offended. "We already did, and what're you two doing in there? We've been looking for you all day." A quick moment of silence went by, and then Sweetie asked nervously, "D-did... you two even read my letters?" Again, only silence followed. Cozy felt chills run down her hooves, but despite that, she said, "Sweetie must've wrote you, like, every day. Why would you ignore her?" Sweetie looked behind her, and said, "It's probably because they still don't trust you. Which... if you two had read my letters, you'd understand what's going on." She huffed, and said louder than before, "I thought we were friends!" Scootaloo spoke up after hearing that, and pointed out, "We are friends, Sweetie Belle! But we're not friends with Cozy. She's... pulling a trick, or something! I got your letter, but I didn't need to read much to figure out what's going on." Sweetie lowered her head, and asked coldly, "You didn't read much?" She looked back up at the door, and asked, "Well? How much did you read?" At that point, they heard Apple Bloom say, "What? Don't look at me! Just... tell them, Scoots." "Okay," Scootaloo said timidly. "I, uh... only read a sentence or two." Sweetie Belle huffed again and backed away. "A... sentence..." "And... then I panicked, and uhh..." Apple Bloom spoke up after that, and said, "She wouldn't let me read my letters! Even though Twilight gave Equestria her word, for some reason, we still thought that we would've been brainwashed if we believed any of those stories made up about her, but this just doesn't feel right anymore. Scoots and Ah wanna know... Did she... really lose her memory? That's what Ah accidentally read in the news. Ah was really convinced when Ah heard her say that she was reading some dictionary! Sweetie Belle?" Cozy Glow stepped up, and asked with concern, "Wait a second... You two were spying on us?" From the other side, Apple Bloom could be heard saying, "Ah... might've seen Rarity's caravan pull up. Ah just, sorta... hid in the bushes." It went quiet for a second, and then Apple Bloom said, "Ah'd like to add that Ah really am starting to regret all of my recent decisions that Ah've made these past few days." The unicorn just sighed, shaking her head, and said, "Scoots, Apple Bloom... You'd know it in your hearts that Cozy was harmless if you had just read my letters. Scoots, you shouldn't have freaked out, and Apple Bloom... You should've been more trusting of me." She blinked, and added, "Also, spying on ponies is wrong. I knew we did it a whole lot when we were really little, but we're grown now." She waited a moment for a reply, and then Scoots said, "That's a little harsh on Apple Bl-" However, she was cut off by Sweetie Belle yelling, "I don't wanna hear it from you two!" Cozy gasped, and backed away, but Sweetie Belle wasn't done. She turned around and bucked the door harshly. It didn't give way, but it certainly did startle the two fillies inside, and then Sweetie Belle said, "Cozy really has lost her memory, by the way, but I'd rather have her over you two, and do you know why? Because unlike the two of you, she hasn't gone completely crazy!" She was in such a fuss that she actually managed to teleport herself and Cozy Glow right off of the clubhouse porch, and back down to the solid ground in front. They began walking off after that with Sweetie Belle leading the way, and Scootaloo and Apple Bloom came out hastily. They stood there watching the other two walking off, and Apple Bloom said, "Ah don't think that was well planned." Scootaloo grumbled, and said, "Oh, alright! C'mon, we gotta go talk to her!" As she took off, she heard Apple Bloom mention, "Ah hate to say it, but this might be our very first real fight. Isn't it?" Scootaloo gulped and quickened her pace. "Can we really be sure, though? Can we really trust Cozy Glow? What if... this is all part of some huge, elaborate plan, and she's actually just playing with everypony again? Like she's always done!" Apple Bloom matched the pace, and said with some sweat sliding down her cheek, "Ah think... we'll just have to take a leap of faith on this... We'll just have to take that chance." Scootaloo commented, "That's easier said than done." Sweetie and Cozy Glow were found together in front of a pink statue of a mare. They waited, but only because of something that Cozy Glow had said. It was almost enough to bring Sweetie Belle to her senses. Almost, but not quite enough. "I don't want to be the one who broke you three up!" With that said, Sweetie had stopped walking and stood while listening to the rippling water. "You didn't do anything, Cozy," Sweetie said as she shook her head. Cozy replied, "I got involved with your life." A few passersby, and traders at their booths took notice to the two as they spoke. "That happened, and now, this is happening because of me. Don't tell me that I didn't do anything, Sweetie." She looked away, and said, "I know I've done things. Things that... I wish I could take back, but I can't. All I can do now is... try and make things right again... as best as I can." Sweetie nodded, and said, "I know, but you're not the one who told them to ignore my letters. You're not the one who made that call for them. They made that choice all on their own. And now..." She looked off into the distance where she could see her fellow crusaders, and said, "Now... I don't know what to do." Apple Bloom ran up followed by Scootaloo. "There you two are," Scootaloo said. "Sweetie Belle?" Apple Bloom asked nervously. "Ah know we messed up. We're both really sorry!" "Yeah," Scootaloo chimed. "We're, uh... even willing to give Cozy Glow a chance." Sweetie had been looking at the grass beneath her muzzle, but after hearing this, she looked up at them, and said, "Are you really gonna give her a chance, though?" She shook her head, and said, "I just... find it hard to believe." "Because, we-" Apple Bloom began to say, but she was cut off by Sweetie Belle finally exploding. She spoke up, and louder than her friend, "Because I find it very hard to believe that anypony else but me, my sisters, starlight, and Twilight are going to really trust her!" Cozy said, "Also, Discord. I suppose he counts." Sweetie continued to get louder and louder. "Twilight used a spell on her to make sure she wasn't lying! You-" She stammered, "You should've seen her jump at her picture! I thought she was about to pass out. Oh, but nopony is going to believe it. You two didn't even bother to read my letters! It was even in the news from Princess Twilight herself! Instead of trusting me, you two panicked, and assumed the worst! What? That Cozy... brainwashed me?" Apple Bloom hoofed at the ground with guilt, and admitted, "It's definitely... starting to sound silly." Scoots commented, "Well, the whole brain washing was your idea." "Was not," Apple Bloom said in shock. "Yeah-huh," was Scootaloo's reply. "It was day one. You heard me say Cozy Glow's name, and..." "Oh," Apple Bloom said with deep realization. "Yeah, uh... I remember that now." Sweetie was then heard growling, and she yelled to the two, "I don't care who's idea it was! You're both equally at fault in my book!" Cozy Glow began to back up. "Although, you wanna know something interesting? I'm not the one you need to apologize to." Cozy turned just as Scootaloo asked Sweetie Belle, "Huh?" Sweetie said with an unpleasant scowl, "You need to say sorry to..." She looked at the filly who was now galloping for the Carousel Boutique, and finished, "Cozy Glow..." Sweetie extended her hoof, but by then, the filly was too far away from them for Sweetie to catch up. She looked back at the two with tears, and rage in her eyes. As she began crying, she shouted at the two of them, "This is all your fault!" She sobbed and collapsed to the ground. Shaking her head, she felt the hooves of her closest friends nearly catch her and embrace her in a hug. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo didn't say anything. They just held onto Sweetie Belle, and cried along, worried that their friendship could come to an end. Sweetie Belle began to say again, "This is all-" She was cut off, however, by Apple Bloom saying, "We know. We messed up, alright?" "Yeah," Scootaloo said. "Is that what you wanna hear? Of course we'll go apologize to Cozy Glow, too." She squeezed Sweetie Belle, and said, "We shouldn't have doubted you in the first place." "We shouldn't have doubted Cozy Glow, either," Apple Bloom added. Sweetie sniffled, and calming down, she then said, "Alright, okay... You know that I'll forgive you. Just... go ahead. I'm worried about her." The two let go of Sweetie Belle, and backed away while smiling, their cheeks wet with tears. Then, since it's where Cozy Glow seemed to be headed off to, they started towards the Carousel Boutique. Sweetie just watched, regretting that she had allowed her old friends as well as her new friend to see that side of her. Inside the Carousel Boutique, Rarity was busy showing a customer her wares. When Scootaloo and Apple Bloom came running by, Rarity shouted out, "Be with you in a moment." Apple Bloom replied before going upstairs, "It's just us! We'll be in Sweetie Belle's Room with Cozy!" Hearing this, Rarity swiftly returned her attention to her client, and the fillies opened the door above her. Lying on the bed was the pegasus that they had come to see. Although she had her back facing them, that didn't stop Apple Bloom from entering followed by Scootaloo. "Heya," Scootaloo said first. Apple Bloom got fairly close to the sobbing filly, and said, "We... came to hopefully try and patch things up." Cozy turned around and got herself as comfortable as she could. Looking into Apple Bloom's eyes, and then Scootaloo's eyes, too, she asked, "You know what's funny?" They both shook their heads, and Scootaloo asked, "What?" Cozy looked down. She had stopped crying for the time being, and said, "Despite what you did... What Sweetie Belle thinks you did... I'm the one who should be saying sorry." She looked back at Apple Bloom, and said, "I'm the one who trapped you three in a closet. That was... you two as well, right? That's only one of many things that I should be apologizing for." Scootaloo couldn't help but to glance away when Cozy looked her way, but Apple Bloom managed to find the strength to ask, "Is that why you ran away? You think that you should be the one apologizing?" Cozy didn't say anything. "You... did do a lot, but if you've forgotten... Truly forgotten... Ah mean..." Scootaloo finished for Apple Bloom, "We'll just have to take that chance. Y'know?" Cozy breathed, and said, "Thanks for that, but even if you still doubt me... even a little, just know that I totally forgive you, too." Together, both Apple Bloom and Scootaloo chimed, "Aww!" Shortly following, they grabbed hold of Cozy Glow, and hugged her tightly, just as they did with Sweetie Belle. Cozy Glow returned the kindness with a tug of her own, and a sigh. She looked up and saw Sweetie Belle coming up to the door. Extending a hoof, Cozy gestured to her friend from across the room and invited her to join them. As Sweetie Belle walked up, she voiced serenely, "That sounded... perfect from down the hall, girls." With her latching onto the other fillies in the room, all four of them snuggled peacefully together for a few seconds, and even when the embrace had ended, Cozy Glow still couldn't shake this new, and overwhelming feeling of tranquility. She smiled at her new friends, hopped off the bed, and said, "I'm... really happy to have you girls as my friends." The Cutie Mark Crusaders all smiled back at the pegasus, and Sweetie Belle told her, "We know we can sometimes be a ridiculous bunch..." Scootaloo then inserted, "I mean, we're the Cutie Mark Crusaders! What she means is... really, really ridiculous." Apple Bloom then said, "But, if you just give us a chance... we promise not to be overwhelming." Looking at the other crusaders, Apple Bloom then offered, "In fact, perhaps someday, Cozy Glow could actually be a Cutie Mark Crusader, too!" Cozy nodded with a smile, and the others all seemed to agree that this sounded like an interesting proposal. She said to the three fillies in front of her, "Well, that's awfully nice. I promise, uh... that if you decide to let me be a member of your club, I won't be a bother." Sweetie grabbed Cozy by the hoof, and pulling her out of the room, Sweetie assured her, "We know you won't! Now, c'mon, and let's go have some fun." After a quick trip to the rest room in order to dry their eyes, the four of them all ran outside together. As they were rushing back to the clubhouse, Cozy's mind began trailing back to the attic located just outside Sweetie Belle's room, and all of the news entries that could be found up there, but that was for another day. For once, Cozy Glow was having too much fun while playing with her new friends to worry about such things.