//------------------------------//
// Wake Up 
// Story: Never Alone 
// by SoloBrony 
//------------------------------//





I woke up that morning to find a note next to my bed simply saying 'Come back soon'.

I smiled, feeling the sense of warmth spreading over me.

I definitely will, Sunny.

Remember to bring the mug back. Oh, and I forgot to pay for my drink!

I snickered.

Handle it next time.

I nodded to myself and hopped out of bed, feeling thoroughly refreshed and ready to go. I glanced at my calender.

A weekend, huh? The Cutie Mark Crusaders might be free. I should try tracking them down.

I should bring them something. Maybe... cookies?

I grinned. Everypony loves cookies. Except Rainbow Dash; she hates super-sugary food.

I started bounding my way downstairs, realizing halfway down that I was pronking, and then deciding I didn't much care. I found Mom passed out on the couch again – seriously, Mom? You have a perfectly good bed, you goofball! – and, after leaving the concentrated moonlight next to her, bounced my way into the kitchen, setting up for baking, just like we'd been taught in school.

The hardest part was balancing the cupcake pan on the tip of my nose and twirling it, but I pulled it off without making too much of a racket. Pinkie swore up and down it made cookies and cupcakes come out better, and she was the expert, so I did it.

Soon enough, cookies were baking, and I took the break to snack on the batter.

Not a great breakfast. You'll get fat!

But I'll work off a ton of energy with the Cutie Mark Crusaders today. I think it'll be fine.

I ultimately fixed myself a salad to go with it, making sure to throw in some nuts for energy; I planned to do some heavy training later, and I knew from experience that combat training on an empty stomach was the worst.

I glanced at the cabinets and winced. I see the kitchen still hasn't recovered from the legendary grudge match of Luna vs Microwave. Maybe I should pick up a new one? I have the bits for it...

I shrugged and bounded upstairs, retrieving my bits. By the time I'd done all of that, the cookies were done, and I set off towards town with a sense of purpose and warmth.

It took me a bit to realize another pony was pronking alongside me.

"Oh! Morning, Pinkie!"

Pinkie giggled. "It is morning! Having a good one, Cozy?"

I smiled and nodded. She took an exaggerated sniff at the height of a bounce. "Ooo, do I smell the marshmallow-and-peanutbutter surprise cookies I taught you in class?"

"Yep! I'm taking them to the Cutie Mark Crusaders, but I made plenty extra if you want one!"

Pinkie's tongue flicked out like a frog's and snatched a cookie off of the pan on my back, which was... pretty much what I expected, if I'm honest. She chomped down for a few seconds, and then moaned in approval.

"Chocolate and cherry? Cozy, that's just evil. A forbidden combination of flavors, put into my sweet, innocent surprise cookies!"

I made an exaggerated, bug-eyed 'evil' frown at her, though I couldn't totally suppress my smirk. "Well I'm an evil filly, Pinkie Pie! I'll make all of the foals in Ponyville fat with my cookies. It's part of my eEeEevil plans."

Pinkie giggled at that. "Now that's a villain I can get behind!"

I cackled madly. "The first phase of my plan is complete! First, I bribe you with these delicious cookies!"

Pinkie leaned in, eyes wide, even as we continued bouncing. "Really?! What's step two?!"

I leaned in until I bumped into her muzzle, getting a giggle from her, and stared straight into her eyes, looking dead serious.

"Then... I start charging for them! Muahahahaa!"

"Nooooooo! I can't live without such deliciousness! You cruel filly, you'd enslave us all!"

I snorted and tried to look as imperious as a bouncing, giddy filly could. "The only thing that could stop me is if a virtuous baker were to rise up and challenge my baking prowess! But where will such a pony emerge from?!"

Pinkie Pie rolled her eyes exaggeratedly, to the point her face stretched. "Ooooookay little filly, I see what you're angling for, here. I'll go make you some extra sweets, but you'd better remember," she leaned in close and opened one eye wide, to the point that it seemed to poke out and point at me, "you owe me."

She giggled and bounded away, and I just kept with my heading. Things were quiet for a few seconds, before she suddenly bounded up from behind me, startling me to the point I almost dropped my cookies.

"Gah! Whoa, when did you—!"

"I realized I forgot to tell you! The Cutie Mark Crusaders are over at Rarity's today! So check there! Bye~!"

And with that Pinkie Pie peeled off again.

Don't forget to thank her! Being startled is no reason to be rude!

I waved a hoof at her retreating form. "Thanks for the tip!"

"Any ti~me!"

The rest of the trip to Rarity's passed uneventfully, though I did eventually stop bouncing (my hooves were getting sore; I clearly needed to do more jump-based training routines), and I knocked at the door expectantly.

Sweetie Belle swung the door open, and her face lit up as she saw me (or maybe the sweets). I missed that look from ponies.

"Hey, Cozy! We just got done helping somepony; did you need something?"

I smiled slyly, leaning in. "Oh, I was just looking for some company to help me eat through all these cookies. I baked way too many, and a fighter like me needs to keep fit."

Sweetie Belle looked confused. "Wait, how did you bake too many?"

I stood, frozen on the spot, sly look slowly becoming forced.

Okay, look, anypony can be a little dense sometimes. Just be polite!

I took a deep breath as I reclaimed my balance. "I made them to share with you guys, plus anypony else who wanted some. So... feel like hanging out?"

Sweetie's eyes lit up, but then she frowned slightly. "Cozy, you didn't have to do that."

I rolled my eyes, smirking. "I know that. I just felt like it today! Anyway, I'll just drop them off if all of you are busy."

Remembering her manners, Sweetie took a few steps back and opened the door wider. "Oh, no! I mean, come in! We're free to hang out!"

Still a little awkward around me, huh? Well, no fur off my scruff.

I skipped into the room with a self-satisfied grin, sidestepped up to the table, and flipped the tray off of my back with a wing – eliciting a gasp from Sweetie Belle – and catching it in the other wing, casually juggling it back and forth a bit, before smacking it and letting it slide off of a wing and onto the table while making a yawning gesture.

Aww yeah, my old wing tricks from my Dashing Savior days still work with the new models! Hah!

I drew myself up tall, wings flared, and quirked an eyebrow at Sweetie Belle with a smirk. I expected applause, but she just gawped at me.

Oh well, good enough!

I turned to start setting out the cookies, but Sweetie's voice jarred me from it. "Cozy, your wings—! What happened to your wings?!"

I flinched, and held a wing out for inspection.

Wait, what the hay?

I examined the black veins growing through my wings with some alarm.

I saw marks like these yesterday, but I thought they were all gone!

I felt a panic rising in me, but I fought it down.

Gotta keep it cool... Mom would have told me if it was a serious problem. Or Sunset would have! It must be under control.

I huffed a breath and folded my wings. "Nothing to worry about."

Sweetie walked up, grimacing. "That looks really painful, though. Are you sure it's okay?"

I nodded, forcing a smile back on my face. "It doesn't hurt a bit, actually!" I gave my wings a demonstrative flap, and now I noticed where the crystals were by touch; they really didn't hurt, but they did feel a little weird.

"See? Totally fine."

Sweetie considered that for a second. "Well, if you say so. But I can grab you a dress or something, so you don't freak everypony—"

"NO!"

I'm done covering up whatever harm that mare brings me!

Take it down a notch! You're scaring Sweetie!

I realized I was breathing deeply, and Sweetie's expression had just blanked out in shock while she stared at me. I leaned back, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly through my nose, closing my eyes in the process. I opened them again and tried to smile reassuringly at her, with some success.

"I'm sorry about that, Sweetie. I really don't like covering stuff like that up. It's fine if other ponies stare. I didn't mean to yell at you, though."

Sweetie slowly recovered, squinting at me in obvious concern. "Okay... why don't you like dresses, anyway?"

I cleared my throat. "Long story! Don't worry about it. Let's just get to hanging out, yeah?"

Sweetie shook her head. "But—"

Scootaloo cleared her throat very loudly from the side of the room, causing us both to whip around to see her. She strode out with an annoyed little frown, followed closely by Applebloom.

"Sweetie, she obviously doesn't wanna talk about it."

I winced slightly. "How long were you two over there, anyway?"

Scootaloo trotted up to me and set a hoof on my shoulder. "We caught the whole thing, we just didn't want to be rude. That was a cool trick you did, by the way."

Finally! Somepony appreciates skill when they see it!

Maybe express my gratitude without sounding like a braggart?

I smiled appreciatively. "Thanks. I used to do that as a combat exercise. Wing training for dexterity."

Scootaloo's eyes lit up. "Cooooool! You can show me, right?"

I nodded hurriedly, thankful for the subject change. "Oh, yeah, definitely! You want me to show you now?"

Scootaloo opened her mouth to respond, but we were both distracted by the sound of a chomp, and looked over to see Applebloom holding up half of a cookie, watching us. We started for a moment, and she just raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

Sweetie huffed. "Applebloom! She hadn't handed those out yet!"

I laughed softly, throwing my head back a little. "It's no problem. That's what they're there for!"

The four of us proceeded to lay waste to those cookies, and spent the rest of the day engaging in shenanigans, tomfoolery, mischief, and just generally getting up to no good. One thought kept coming back to me over the course of the day, and it always brought a bemused smile to my face.

I can't believe I ever traded this away.