//------------------------------//
// Chapter Three: Collision 
// Story: Cracked Open 
// by Ghuntz 
//------------------------------//

Flurry stepped into the forthmost cart and was met with murmurs and gasps as she marched down the walkway. Oh, come on, I’m not that scary.
“Ahem, hello, my little ponies, I must apologize for this little checkpoint, but I am under reason to believe that there is an enemy of Equestria somewhere in this train.”
Ponies stood up in exasperation, some already bolting for the door.
“Oh, it’s safe, I promise! I’m just looking for this filly right here.” Flurry held up a wanted poster she’d managed to snag from the train station.
The dozen or so ponies present scratched their heads and shrugged. 
“Really? Did none of you see this filly get on this train?”
“I-I did, Miss Flu-Flurry.” the conductor pony threw his voice from behind.
“Great! Where are they?” 
“Th-The last w-wagon. There’s a d-door in the ba—” Flurry blinked into the caboose.
POOF.
“Ahh!” some ponies reacted as an alicorn appeared out of nowhere. 
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I’m just looking for this filly.” Upon seeing the poster, all eyes drew toward the seats furthest in the back, where two foals sat in place. It was a purple colt with orange mane and a yellow… filly with a pink mane. No sign of Cozy, though...
Flurry approached them. “Hi there! My name is Flurry Heart, what’s yours?” The two foals kicked their hooves and badly pretended not to hear her. The yellow one answered deadpan. “Brie’s my name.” 
“Alright, Brie. Have you two seen this filly anywhere? Anywhere on this train?”
“Nope!” Brie answered quickly.
Hmm… “Are you sure? Absolutely sure?”
Nothing. The smile turned off. Darn kids…
She investigated the surroundings of this most mysterious circumstance. The foals carried nothing with them, and it appeared as though these two were going to Canterlot totally on their own. 
“Brie, tell me, where are your parents? No way both of you are going up to Canterlot alone, right?”
“They’re in Canterlot. And there’s no problem with us riding alone, is there? It’s not illegal or anything.” The yellow foal crushed Flurry’s question.
“No, I suppose there’s not…” Flurry said. The purple one was visibly shaking. “And what’re you so nervous about, little guy?” 
Quickly, the yellow filly answered. “Uh, maybe he’s just feeling cold or something, aren’t you, uh… Eclair?”
“Y-yeah…” the colt answered.
“Cold? But the windows aren’t op—” Wait a second. They were open, actually. The side window was pulled up all the way, the cool breeze of the mountains flooding the wagon. Flurry smirked.
“Well, if you two really are just normal passengers, I’ll just peek outside for a sec. There’s no problem with that, is there?”
Silence from the two, who just stared at her, wide-eyed. 
Flurry snapped into being on the roof of the train. “Ah-ha!”
But the only thing that greeted her were the air currents that caressed her mane. The ocean of grass before her revealed no Cozy Glow. Hrumph.
Flurry flew down and popped her head into the window. “Alright, no problem, everypony!  I’ll let this train go now. Sorry, again!” She turned and prepared to—
“Hey, lady!” Muffin called to Flurry. “I think there was another train to Canterlot in like fifteen minutes. Whoever you’re looking for could be there, still.”
“Thanks, little buddy!” and with that, Flurry turned back and flew back toward Ponyville in a flash. The train started back up momentarily.







Cheesy and Muffin dropped their tension and collapsed on the seats.
“Hooh, that was close!” Muffin exclaimed. “You good, Comfy?” 
Cozy stuck her head out from underneath the seat, wiping sweat from her brow. “Yes, uh, thank you both, again.”
“Don’t even sweat it! Literally, too, heh…” Cheesy pulled Cozy up and sat her down.
“That changeling wasn’t even fooling us, right, Muffin?”
“Changeling?” Cozy asked. 
“Yeah, dummy, the pink alicorn! Furry Tart or whatever she said she was called. She was acting too strangely to be a normal pony, I could smell the stink!” Cheesy plugged her nose.
“Oh, right…” She’s not totally wrong on that front…
And so, the train chugged along, plunging into the caves of the Canterlot mountains. Unbeknownst to the trio, though, this track wouldn’t even reach the white city. 







Flurry arrived to Ponyville and heard somepony calling.
“Flurry! Flurry, please, come down! We need help!”
Help? Oh, no, what’s happened now?!
As she landed in the town square, none other than Applejack galloped toward her. Behind her was Big Mac and Applebloom, both carrying painful expressions. Panting, the now older mare slid to a halt. 
“Mah nephew is missing!” yelled AJ.
“What?!” Flurry tried to remember Big Mac’s kid, but she’d never seen them before, only heard of them from random occurrences. “Um, who’s your nephew again?” Flurry bared her teeth in a pleading smile.
“His name’s Muffin Mac. ‘Bout this tall, purple coat and orange mane? You haven’t seen him anywhere?” Mac bit his fetlocks as he swiveled his head, looking for his son.
“Wait a second… I have actually seen a colt like that!” No way, the train?
	“Really?!” The apples exclaimed simultaneously, blowing Flurry back. 
“Yes, he’s—”
“Apples!” A distant, piercing yell flew over the hilly roads of Ponyville and quickly brought the mare in question forward: Pinkie Pie.
“Pinkie, what’s going on, can’t you see we’re tryin’a find mah neph—”
“My own is gone too! He promised to be back by noon and it’s been fifteen minutes! That little weasel, when I get to him—”
“Him? He kinda looked like a filly to me...”
“This tall, bouncy pink mane and mustard coat?” Applebloom asked.
Flurry nodded.
“You’ve seen him?!” Pinkie jumped at Flurry, sending her back once again.
“Yes, yes, I saw both of them! They were on a train heading for Canterlot, I just saw them.”
“And whah didn’t you bring’em back?” Applejack stared Flurry down.
“I… well, I was… I was kinda looking for someone else…”
Applejack’s eyes narrowed. “Oh, don’t tell me… Flurry, where’s Cozy Glow?”
“Cozy Glow?!” Pinkie and Applebloom exploded. 
“She’s back? How did that happen?!” Pinkie questions the universe. Flurry’s downward stare answered that for her. “Oh, no…”
Flurry flopped to her haunches. “Yeah, about that… I accidentally underestimated Cozy’s desire to do evil and let her sleep alone for the night which, uh, means that she’s… well…”
“She escaped?!” Applejack’s face darkened. “Ugh, I’m gonna catch that snake…”
“Wait, so you say you saw Lil’ Cheese and Muffin Mac together on a train to Canterlot for no reason?” Pinkie asked.
“Yes…?”
“And you’re sure you didn’t see a third filly with them at the time?” Big Mac added.
“I didn’t, they were alone. The window was open, but when I checked, Cozy wasn’t anywhere around the train either.” 
A bulb lit up over Applebloom’s head. “That’s right!” the crusader came up to Flurry.
“Did you check under the seats?”
Silence took over the alicorn.
Everyone else groaned. “That’s what Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo and I did that one time we snuck into the Crystal Empire. Of course they’d try the same, heh. Scrappy little geniuses.”
“And when was this?” Applejack glared from behind.
“Oh, drat.” Applebloom gulped. “Well, it’s not important right now.”
“I don’t know why those two decided to join Cozy, but we know where they are now. I’ll head over to Canterlot and wait for them there. They’re most likely deep in the mountains by now, it would take too long to find them. You guys stay here in case they come back at all… and, I’m sorry. I really, really messed things up this time.” Flurry scrunched as she sucked a tear back inside.
And with that, Flurry dashed away, leaving the others in the dust.
“Let’s hope she doesn’t mess things up more…” Applejack muttered.







As the steep crags and rounded edges of the Canterlot mountains surfed by the now darkening horizon, Cozy Glow stared out from the rattling train, not really looking anywhere in particular. So far, it had been a tumultuous journey, but soon enough she knew she’d be back to where it all started. I’ll bring you back, my friends…
A purple face stuck itself to the window, almost ignoring Cozy’s existence. 
“Wow... “ Muffin’s smile was all-encompassing. 
“I told you coming to Canterlot was gonna be fun! How’s that view, bumpkin?” Cheesy held back a chuckle.
Muffin returned a sour face before turning back to the great outdoors. “...huh?” He narrowed his eyes. “What’s that up ahead?”
Cozy and Cheesy pressed their snouts to the window. Precisely, running alongside the outer wall of the perilous cliffs, was a makeshift post with an elevated platform, a roof, a swinging lamp, and about four unicorns in armor standing steadfast. As one of them lifted a hoof, the train squealed to a lowly pace.
“Oh, no.” The trio let out. Not again!
As the train rolled to a stop, two guardponies walked up to the conductor and held up a wanted poster again. The conversation was indeed longer this time, but the two guards looked at each other and still barged in.
“Okay, same plan.” The three foals nodded in unison. Cozy slipped underneath the seat as Cheesy and Muffin sat on their haunches with their hindlegs dangling over her.
The rumbling steps of the guardponies grew closer and closer, and suddenly, the last door flung open as the glistening gold of their armor made everypony hold their breath. 
Alright, no surprises and we should be good to go.
Almost instantly upon entering, the guardponies lowered their heads to check under the seats.
Cozy’s sweat froze. Her fellow’s legs began to quiver. They knew it, too. 
What do I do? The frame was closing. The guards were three seats away from her now. 
What if I jump out of the window? 
Too risky, the other two guards would spot her instantly from where they were.
What if I dash under another seat while he’s checking a different one?
	The one near the door could probably see the whole room, so she’d be caught.
What about… what about just trying to run past them?
Unicorns could do a little something called “Telekinesis”.
Is this really the end?
The guardpony arrived at the last seat. Muffin and Cheesy looked up and smiled.
“Excuse me, but I need to check under that seat.”
“What seat?” Muffin blurted out, before receiving a light kick in the shin from Cheesy.
“Oh, sorry, sir, but we’re awfully tired and would really like to— Augh!”
“Sorry, kid, it’s protocol.” The guardpony picked up the yellow foal and stuck his head right under the seat. A nose boop revealed the little pink filly hidden underneath. 
Cozy tried to squirrel away, but she felt herself lifted by an appendage-less force. 
“What’s this...? *gasp* Ah-ha! We got her, Steel Shield. Let’s take her back to Canter—”
BOOM. 
Silence. Everypony was still as a statue. 
BOOM. Closer now. The snow trickled outside, a thousand drops in the pitch black abyss just beside the train.
BOOM. Cozy turned her head as she floated. A huge, clawed, furry grey hand reached out of the pit and dug into the edge. Then two ears, and a big-toothed, small-eyed face peeked at the tasty, tasty ponies inside.
A pin dropped. Then panic did. Ponies scurried toward the wagon's exit as they trampled over each other. 
The guardponies remained still, mouth ajar. Summarily, Cozy stopped floating and fell on her butt. 
“It’s a- it’s a Winterzilla!” some poor stallion yelled as he threw himself off the train.
Cozy looked around. Cheesy and Muffin were as white as the fur on that… Winterzilla, she guessed.
The guards around had completely lost interest in whoever Cozy was at the time.
No time to think!
She rushed toward her sidekicks and pulled them by their forelegs. 
“Run, you foals!” Cozy exclaimed as he bonked each of them on the head. 
“Are you kidding?! If we go out that thing is gonna eat us!” Cheesy said.
Out of nowhere, the cart was violently shoved with enough force to knock everypony inside to the floor. Or was it the wall now? Cozy appeared to have landed on a window, now below her. The Winterzilla’s eyes pierced through the window now pointed at the sky.
“Eugh… maybe we should get out now…” Muffin rightfully admitted.
The trio shot through the walkway at the exit, dodging through the two guardponies’ legs. 
“Hey, you three, stop right there!” the one likely called Steel Shield yelled out, his voice vibrating to the resounding movements in the background.
“Why don’t you come and catch us, buster!” Cheesy raspberried as they jumped down into the deep snow outside. The cold struck like a dozen needles, and light faded quickly into the unknown ahead. The wind played tug-of-war with the three little ponies. The only clear path forward was the tracks and the now abandoned carts. 
“We have to keep moving!” Cozy yelled over the deafening ambient.
Muffin buckled his hindlegs.
“...Muffin, you okay?” Cheesy came up to him.
Muffin’s eyes twinkled. 
“Whoa!” Cozy and Cheesy cried as Muffin hoisted them up on his back, icy sweat bearing down his face. As the massive shade of the ‘Zilla towered over them, Muffin began to run, sinking into the knee-high snow as he carried the two foals away. 
BOOM. The bleached monster had crashed down on his fours, his two beady oculars glowing a sickly amber. BOOM. A slow but heavy claw put forth made him look much closer. 
Cozy clinged to Muffin’s neck as Cheesy dangled from his plot, the orange tail swishing against her face. They were approaching the front of the train. Jumping out of the locomotive, a royal guardpony, armor falling off, hair frazzled, and eyes darting in every direction, stumbled into the snow. As he straightened himself out, his eyes landed on the trio. The guardpony slapped on a coat of confidence as he approached them.
“Hey, y-you! Stop right th-there, you little—” BOOM. A claw slammed against the side of the second cart, feet away from the trio.
“Oh, are you kidding me?!” Cozy couldn’t deal with these types of idiots anymore. “Do you see that giant hairy thing?! Stop chasing us, for Celestia’s sake!” 
The guard arched back in shock, pondered his chances for a moment, and ran off without a peep. As his hoofsteps fizzled out, the heavy breathing of the Winterzilla resonated throughout the desolate and fog-ridden checkpoint. They were alone. The cold chewed at their coats.
“Muffin, get inside the engine! The coal there will keep us warm!” Cozy yelled.
“Are you kidding, that thing is gonna tip it over, we have to keep moving!” Cheesy argued.
“Muffin will never outrun that thing, can’t you see—ah!”
Cozy and Cheesy found themselves hurtling toward the locomotive, landing squarely in the still-lit coal room. They couldn’t even come to their senses as they noticed Muffin running right past them. 
“Muffin?” Cheesy whimpered. She stuck her head out of the engine. “Muffi—”
SWOOSH. The beast charged past the engine, blowing Cheesy back onto Cozy. “Oof!”
As it passed, the two foals stepped forth. In the distance, Muffin ran in glimpses between the limbs of the Winterzilla. Their figures dimmed into the fog. A stream of sunlight punctured the grey sky signaling the end of the night. 
Cozy watched in silence. He… he just… he just did that. Why would he do that? Cheesy’s sudden wail snapped Cozy out of it. The yellow foal tried stepping out, but Cozy held her. “Are you crazy? You’d get lost!” Cheesy sank her face into Cozy’s neck, muffling her cries.
The adrenaline of the moment dissipated, and the two foals fell into a cuddle. Cozy had never felt so tired before. Or so warm. She closed her eyes as Cheesy’s quiet sobbing lulled her to sleep.