I kept running, heedless of whatever might be ahead. I just had to get farther away, as far as possible, as far as my wings and hooves could possibly take me.
I have no idea how long I fled until I had to stop and rest. I do know my hooves and wings ached terribly, and I felt the blood streaming from my mouth and my eye the whole time. Part of me wondered if I would pass out from exhaustion or blood loss first, but I was more concerned with other pains.
I can't go back. I can't go back, and I can't stop her, and that means I can't go back to Ponyville! She's ruined everything! Again! Why can't I get away from her?!
I slammed my hoof against a tree, and I heard one of the branches snap off. I tried to take deep breaths and calm down, but my chest started hurting worse as I slowed down and it all caught up to me.
Why didn't Mom stop her?! Why did everypony let this happen?!
They always wanted to get rid of me. I'm baggage; a nasty reminder of events they want to forget. They had to reform me, but it was just their job; now that there's a chance to get rid of me and feel okay about it, they took it! I meant nothing to them!
I flopped down in my rump and shuddered, clutching my hooves tightly around myself. I'm not worth anything to anypony. Why should I be? I'm just some insane, deranged little filly that caused a lot of trouble. I bet they know exactly what Bree is like and they think I deserve it.
Maybe I always deserved it.
I hated it, but I sat there and wept, choking and sobbing as I tried to come to grips with everypony I'd come to know secretly hoping I'd just disappear one day.
Maybe I will just disappear. They don't really care whether I end up with Bree or I just disappear, right? I can just keep flying until I can't even see Equestria anymore.
And then what? Be alone and useless and broken some more? What's even the point?
I paused in my thoughts and weeping as I heard another twig snap, and I looked up, entire body seizing with terror and adrenaline. I saw two green eyes glaring at me from a shadowy spot in the trees.
A timber wolf!
I leapt to my hooves and braced myself for a fight, and the wolf growled as it drew closer. For a second, I was going to flee, but then something about its behavior reminded me of Bree.
I roared at it, so hard my lungs burned, and I leapt at it with all of the strength I could find. The wolf had been mid-step, and wasn't able to pounce. It snapped out at me, and I plunged a hoof so far down its jaw that it couldn't bite down.
I wrapped myself around it, trying to wring the life out of the damnable thing, and started biting, tearing pieces off of it. The ears went first, and I heard it yelp in panic before I ended up snapping it in half.
I stood there, panting over what was left of it, and started laughing uncontrollably.
They say you shouldn't mess with a pony who has nothing left to lose! I'm not scared of dying, so you were at a disadvantage!
I stomped on what was left of the wolf. "Stupid, stupid, stupid creature! In your wildest dreams you wouldn't be half the monster I am! You don't have enough hate to match me!"
I panted from the exertion, thoroughly satisfied with my job for a few moments, before I really started to think about it all.
And this is why I can't live in Equestria. Something like me should be out where the other monsters are. That's why they threw me in Tartarus; that's where monsters in Equestria go.
I staggered off of the dead monster, and began idly walking in the direction I'd been flying in, before.
Should I have just let it eat me? Maybe this was destiny trying to give me a hint... and of course I missed it, because I'm just too twisted to even recognize when I should stop.
That thought echoed around in my head as I walked, trying to ignore the ache in my hooves. I looked down at where the timber wolf's jaws had scraped my fetlock, and winced.
I paused against a tree, trying to catch my breath again, and I cried out as I suddenly slipped sideways, my hooves yanked taut by a rope that dug into my coat.
"Got'er, y'all!"
I looked around frantically, and saw that Applejack was holding the other end of the lasso. Rainbow Dash zipped up besides her, and they traded a hoofbump.
"Aww, yeah! That's record time! At this rate we'll be wrapped up before dark!"
I panicked, trying to stand up and failing. "Let me go! I didn't do anything!"
Applejack raised an eyebrow at that. "Didn't ya, though? Anypony can see you've snapped, Cozy. You're a bad filly. Bad fillies get locked up until they learn their lesson."
I screamed in incoherent rage, and hurled a vase at Mom. She blocked it with her wings, and I cringed backwards as her wings parted to show her face etched over with rage.
"You're going to clean every piece of that up! I can't believe you would be so clumsy! Don't you know how much that cost?! You're turning this house into a pigsty with your stupid antics!"
"I didn't mean to—"
She barked out a laugh. "You think anypony in the real world is going to care what you meant to do?! You need to learn restraint so you don't make mistakes like that!"
I felt something catch fire in the back of my mind. "Well it shouldn't have even been there! You don't let us play outside so this is the only place Olive and I can do anything together!"
Mom drew up to her full height. "You know what backtalk means, filly."
Get the switch.
I gasped as pain lanced through my back, and I whirled around, slamming my hoof into Bree as hard as I could. I heard a sickening crunch as she toppled over, and it felt like the whole world shook from the impact. I staggered backwards, holding my head.
When did she...? I'm going crazy...
I tried to breathe, but I immediately choked on something, causing me to go into a coughing fit and stagger. I looked down and saw my tooth lying there in a pool of blood. I staggered backwards.
I'm never coming back. If I see her again I'll kill her!
"Go on. Leave."
I snapped up and saw Mom there, glaring down at me, horn glowing. She scoffed.
"You never deserved a home with me, anyway. What makes you so special? That you turned your violent insanity against other monsters? There must be a hundred more deserving fillies in Equestria."
I worked my jaw frantically, trying to speak, but I had to clear my throat a few times before I could get a sound out.
"But, but none of them are me! You love me!"
Mom rolled her eyes. "You were a pity case, Quillon. If I'd known who you really were I'd never have stayed around you."
It's true. It was just pure blind luck you ever got to spend time with her at all.
I grit my teeth. "None of that matters now! How it came about doesn't matter! We love each other!"
Luna glared down at me. "You don't even know what love is, Cozy. You aren't capable of it; that's why you can't charge that necklace of yours. You only appreciate me as long as I facilitate your whims; you don't care about me at all."
I threw myself on the ground in front of her, weeping and waving at her frantically. "That's not true! Please, just tell me what you want me to do, I'll do it! I can be a good filly, just don't leave me, please! Please!"
Luna scoffed. "Okay. What I want you to do is leave."
It felt like somepony had grabbed me like a sheaf of paper and torn me in two, right down the middle. The pain I felt spilled out of my heart like I'd been cut open.
It's like the day I left Bree...
I sucked in a breath, and slowly got to my hooves. I opened my mouth to speak, but thought better of it and hung my head as I walked away.
The only good deed I can ever do is leave. Nopony deserves to deal with me.
Why did I ever think it could be something else?
"Cozy?"
I snapped my head up and over and saw Discord floating there between the trees. He looked taken aback as he looked me over. After a few seconds he leaned in and spoke.
"Are you a good filly, Cozy?"
I cringed, and then snarled as I took to the air up in his face. "You! You're the one who convinced me I could be better! That I could be a good filly! Is this one of your insane pranks?! Did you do all of this just to hurt me?! Why?! Because I stole your magic... and hurt you?"
The anger went right out of me as I realized that he was just one of the many, many creatures I'd hurt with my misdeeds. I landed and struggled to breathe, guilt clawing its way through me.
Discord shook his head, seeming surprised.
"Cozy, it's nothing like that. I just wanted to hurt you, because I hate you."
I glared up at him, baring my teeth. "You hate me, huh? Well I don't care! I'm not going to let you walk all over me just to make yourself feel better! Never again!"
Discord raised his arms, and I realized he was about to do something to me.
I have to get out of here!
I pulled in all of the magic I could to my horn, forming a reflector matrix. I had no idea if I could beat Discord, but I knew everypony believed in me; Sunset, Celestia, Mom...
"DRAGON BALL!"
I fired the matrix at Discord, hoping it would entangle him. He took a step back in surprise and raised his lion's paw in a snapping position, and the matrix slammed into it.
I saw him strain, and then glance at his arm in alarm as his fingers turned to stone.
I got him! Now I need to go and get Twilight and her friends!
I took off at full speed, tearing through the air and desperately hoping I'd put enough distance between us before Discord got free of whatever the spell had done to him. I grinned to myself, feeling the air whipping around me.
Heroes always win in the end, sucker! Should have learned that the first two – no, three times you tried this!
I came to a clearing I thought looked vaguely familiar, and slowed down. Something about it seemed very important to me, but I couldn't quite put my hoof on it. I flew down a slope, and came to rest in a small valley between the forest and what looked like a swamp.
Why does this place seem so familiar?
"The stronger we will all be. Together!"
I whirled on the spot at the new voice, and I saw a huge wave of rainbow-colored energy rushing towards me.
"No! NO! I don't want to forget!"
I don't want to forget Mom, or Sunset, or Starlight, or my days as Quillon... please...
I curled up into a ball and protected my eyes with my hooves, waiting for the impact, but it never came. I glanced around, confused, and saw Discord standing there with a malicious grin.
"I hope you enjoy your time as a statue, Cozy Glow. Canterlot Garden does need a new 'useless life-form' exhibit."
I quailed as he lifted a paw and snapped, only for nothing to happen. He snapped a couple more times and then plucked his paw off and glanced inside of the back end, confused.
"Is this thing on?"
Then he suddenly deflated like a balloon and vanished, and I saw another Discord with a lion's paw turned to stone standing behind where he had been, holding out a talon he had used to 'pop' the first one.
"I never said that. Honestly, is that how you see me?"
He rubbed his stone paw with his talon, like he was trying to work the numbness out of a hoof.
What just...? Whatever, Discord never makes any sense! Keep running!
I took off into the woods again, hearing Discord shout after me as I went. Adrenaline pumped through my veins, but I could feel my energy draining; I'd broken out in a cold sweat all over, and I was still having trouble catching my breath. I kept going until I found a dark little crevice in a huge stone, barely big enough to fit me, and I wriggled into it, desperate to hide.
I stayed there some time, trying to shake off my fatigue and the horrible shakes I felt after the adrenaline. It felt like my bones were rattling around inside of me, and I just curled into a little ball and tried to hold myself together.
Maybe if I go to sleep here, I'll get lucky and never wake up.
I sighed, rubbing my head and trying to get comfortable. After a while, something struck me as odd.
I don't know how long I've been out here, but shouldn't it be getting dark?
I chalked it up to adrenaline confusing me and tried to shut my eye and get some sleep. I was starting to doze off when a rustling sound woke me. My eye shot open and I glanced out of my little hole to see Sunset Shimmer looking around.
Oh no. Even Sunset is after me? I didn't think I'd have to fight her, too...
Sunset peered down into the little crevice I'd burrowed into. "Cozy?"
I remembered something Chrysalis had done, and I pounced out of the crevice with a hiss, hoping to terrify her away. She flinched in surprise, but held her ground. I tried to bolt past her, but I felt a tug on my tail and realized she'd caught me in her magic. I flailed to try to disrupt it, but it was no good.
"Let me go! Just let me go! I didn't do anything! Please!"
Sunset pulled me over to her. She looked concerned.
"Cozy, shut up. I didn't come here to listen to you."
I flinched, and grit my teeth again. "So Bree got to you, huh? You can't believe a word she says! She's evil!"
Sunset recoiled in surprise, opened her mouth, then shut it, studying me closely. She started to reach for me, and I snapped at her hoof reflexively, causing her to draw it back.
Can I really fight her? If she wants to drag me back...
I was still fighting myself over the idea of it when she reached in again. I strained away from it, but she still had me in her magical grasp. To my surprise, all she did was rub my head. At first I desperately wanted to get away, find out what she was planning, but...
This is... nice. Why is she doing this? Does she just want to remind me of what I've lost?
No, that doesn't make any sense. Sunset's just being Sunset.
I couldn't help but lean into the warm feeling of it, and soon she had pulled me into a proper embrace. We stayed like that for a time, and I slowly started to actually catch my breath.
Eventually, Sunset leaned back from me, looking at me closely with a frown. I saw her charge up her horn, and I cringed, expecting the worst. To my surprise, her magic came out a deep, dark red, and it flowed over me like a warm summer breeze. The sensation was relaxing, and I felt the tension in my chest go out, resting against her.
Sunset brushed my hair gently as I rested against her barrel. "Cozy?"
I shuddered slightly. "Mm-hmm?"
Sunset hesitated. "Can you understand me?"
I looked up at her with a tired, confused expression. "Of course. What kind of question is that?"
Sunset smiled, pulling me in tight. "Don't worry about it."