Chapter 4: Newest Farmer.
“Cozy Glow… Cozy Glow, come on wake up sugarcube.” Applejack gave the filly a small push.
“No,” Cozy Glow whined as she rolled over towards the wall. “Give me five more minutes.” Cozy had the best night of sleep she had had in years.
Applejack sighed as she tapped her hoof on the floor. “Last chance young filly, either get up or we do this the hard way.”
“Go away!” Cozy Glow snapped as she shot Applejack a glare. “The sun isn’t even up yet why am I getting up so soon?” Cozy Glow collapsed back into Applejack’s bed and covered herself up with the blanket. “Go away, I’ll start doing it later!”
“Your choice,” Applejack smirked as she left the room.
“Yeah my choice,” Cozy Glow let out a small laugh as she tried to drift back to sleep. The young filly was so close to falling back asleep, that was until her face was covered in a cold liquid. “Ah!” Cozy shot up from the bed and crashed onto the floor with a thud. “What was that for?!”
Applejack set the bucket of water down on the floor. “I warned you to get up little one, now come on out and get washed up.” Applejack pointed towards the door, “besides it is almost sunrise so we gotta get some things ready.”
“I hate you!” Cozy Glow mumbled under her breath as she stomped towards the door. “
“Cozy Glow,” the filly turned around to see Applejack motioning her over with a hoof. “Come over here for a second please."
“What!” Cozy Glow snapped as she stomped back over to Applejack. She looked up and gave the orange coated mare her best glare.
“What did you say when you walked past me?” Applejack asked, not intimidated in the slightest. She actually found the filly glares to be a bit cute.
“Nothing, I’m doing what you said. I’m gonna go get washed up and then get these stupid chores over with.” Cozy answered with a pout firmly planted on her face. “Can I go now!?”
Applejack lightly shook her head “listen here little filly," Applejack lowered herself down so she was eye level with the filly. She then fixed her with a very stern stare. "I am going to warn you one last time, so you better listen. You are not going to disrespect me in mah home. So here is what you are going to do, you are going to stomp all that stomping. You gonna fix this attitude or yours, and you are going to get washed up. Do you understand me?!”
“Yes, ma’am,” Cozy answered clearly not happy with this. Though she wasn't in the mood to argue with the apple farmer. "I'm sorry."
“Good,” Applejack let out a small chuckle as she placed a hoof on her head. “You know it won’t kill you to be good for a bit.”
“Can I go now,” Cozy Glow lightly pushed Applejack’s hoof off her head.
“Go ahead and keep it down for a bit, Applebloom is still asleep and so is Granny Smith.” Cozy Glow rolled her eyes as she went to the bathroom and quickly cleaned up. Afterwards, she went downstairs and joined Applejack in the kitchen. “Come on over here you’re gonna help me get breakfast ready.”
“I can’t cook,” Cozy Glow pouted as she stood next to "jailer" as she saw it. “Nor do I want to learn.”
“You don’t really get a say in the matter little one,” said Applejack.
“Can you stop calling me little one?” Cozy Glow asked, growing a bit annoyed with that nickname Applejack seemed to give her.
“Nope,” Applejack pointed towards the fridge. “Can you go and get me the following.”
After getting most of the items Cozy found that there were no eggs. “Applejack there are no eggs in this fridge.” Cozy Glow gave the farmer a little smile. “By Golly and with none of the shops open this early, and no eggs. I guess we can’t make any breakfast this morning.” Cozy Glow turned on her hoofs and walked towards the door. “Guess I can go back to sleep now.”
“Nice try but that’s not how this is gonna work.” Cozy Glow turned back around to see Applejack had a basket with her. “Go out to mah chicken coop, and fill this with eggs.”
“Fine,” Cozy Glow took the basket in her mouth and went towards the door.
“Also be careful about the rooster,” Applejack winced as the door to her home was slammed shut. “And you can stop slamming mah doors!”
“You can stop slamming my doors, I'll slam you one day.” Cozy Glow thought as she walked towards the chickens. “I’ll do whatever I want to do. You're not the boss of me” Cozy Glow pushed open the fence to the chickens. Cozy Glow was about to enter the large coop when a certain rooster blocked her path. Cozy Glow set her basket down, she looked down at bird in front if her “Move out of the way you stupid rooster, I am here for eggs.”
The rooster fixed the filly with a mean glare. “Oh, you wanna do this.” Cozy Glow smirked as she fixed the rooster with a glare of her own. “Bring it on you stupid rooster!” Let's just say, she quickly learned not to mess with the rooster.
“What in tarnation!” Applejack jumped as her door flew open and slammed shut again. “Cozy Glow what did I tell you about slamming my door.” Applejack entered her living room and had to hold back a snicker. "Care to explain what happened to you?"
Cozy was taking deep breaths, her hoofs had some light stretches and her mane was covered in feathers. “It’s not funny!” She snapped noticing the look on Applejack’s face. Cozy Glow had her back against the door and Applejack could hear a certain rooster trying to get in. “Call off your rooster already. He is trying to will me!"
Applejack rolled her eyes, and lightly shook her head with a chuckle. “Come on let me introduce you to Hazel.” Cozy Glow hid behind Applejack as she opened the door and went outside. “Now Hazel I can’t have you trying to hurt this little filly. All she wants is to get a few eggs from the chickens.”
While Applejack couldn’t talk to animals. She did understand her rooster's body language and angry squawks. So something told her that Cozy Glow might have done something to upset her rooster. “So Cozy Glow I’m gonna ask you this one time, did you do something to make him so upset.”
“No!” Cozy Glow seemed to shrink a bit under the stern eyes of Applejack. “Ok he was blocking my path and I might have called him stupid.”
“Ok so here is what is gonna happen right now. You are going to say you’re sorry to Hazel here and then you are gonna go and get those eggs.” Applejack said as she gently pushed Cozy Glow forward.
“Why should I apologizes he tried to kill me,” Applejack let out a chuckle.
“He wasn’t gonna kill you little one. He just wanted you out of his coop since he didn’t trust you.” said Applejack.
“Do I have too?” The look on Applejack’s face gave her the answer. “Ok fine.” Cozy Glow took a breath. She then put on the best set of puppy dog eyes Applejack had ever seen. “ Hello there Mr. Rooster. I am very very sorry that I was rude to you, can I please get some eggs from your coop?”
After a moment of silence, this rooster gave her a nod, “see little one was that so hard?” Cozy Glow gave Applejack a pout, “go on now. I still need those eggs before breakfast. I’ll show you how to make my famous apple fritters.”
Once Cozy Glow had returned with a basket of eggs. Applejack went through the process of teaching Cozy Glow how to cook. This was surprisingly a decent time, she learned that this filly got frustrated very fast. So she had to take her time a bit more to show her the right way. She also showed her how to make fresh apple juice. Time seemed to fly as eventually the rest of the Apple Family gather in the kitchen for breakfast.
“Applebloom?” Applejack noticed that her sister was picking at her fritters. “Is something wrong sugarcube?”
“You said that she helped make these?” Applebloom nodded towards Cozy Glow. “How do we know she didn’t try to put something in these.”
“Applebloom enough of that talk,” Applejack gave her sister a scolding glare. “She didn’t do anything to this food and I don’t wanna hear that again.”
“Why are you suddenly defending a criminal?” Applebloom questioned, “you still haven’t explained to me why you are letting her have a second chance.”
“Because it was our choice if Queen Twilight wanted to give her a second chance. Then I will support her with everything I have.” Applejack explained shooting her sister another look. “Applebloom like I said before, I have never led you astray before. I don’t plan on starting now.”
“Alright, then I’ll trust you,” Applebloom gave Cozy Glow another glare. “But I don’t trust her just yet.”
“Oh goody you don’t trust me, please ask me if I care?” Cozy Glow gave Applybloom a sweet smile.
“Of course you don’t care,” Applebloom stood up from the table in a huff. “You knew what you were doing, and you will never be truly sorry for it!” Applebloom took her school bag and left the room.
“I’ll go talk to her,” Applejack went to follow her sister. “Cozy Glow while I’m gone I want you to take care of the dishes, sweep and mop the floor. Granny Smith will show you where you can find the broom and mop. After that Big Mac will show you to where you will be working.”
Applejack found herself halfway down the trail to the farm. “Applebloom… Applebloom I know you can hear me!” Applebloom did slow down her trot so her sister could catch up to her. “What is on your mind sugarcube, you didn’t even finish your breakfast.”
“I’m not hungry anymore.” Applebloom answered, “why is she here Applejack? Why did ya’ll decide to free her? She worked with the queen of the changelings that took you away. She worked with Tirek who tried to take over Equestria, and she tricked all of us before. Why does she deserve a second chance?”
“Applebloom she is a filly just like...” Applejack was cut off when her sister stomped her hoof on the ground.
“No she isn’t like me, fillies mah age are at school, fillies mah age are playing with friends. She isn’t like any other filly, she is evil!” Applebloom saw the look in Applejack’s eyes chance a bit.
“She made mistakes, mistakes that she will atone for sugar cube. Believe me, I know that what that filly did was nowhere near good. I know that she worked with people who hurt me, and I know that she isn’t as cute as she may seem.” Applejack placed her hoof on her sister’s shoulder. “I know all of that, but if we could reform Discord of all creatures then we can handle a filly. Applebloom there is nothing she could come with, that I won’t see through now. I know what she can do, if she tries to escape we have a tracker on her. She can’t even fly anymore,” Applebloom’s eyes went wide in shock. “Yeah, Twilight took that from her… Applebloom I need you to help me, that filly is hurting something fierce.”
“How can I help her?” Applebloom questioned.
“Well, last night you had a bit of fun with her in the river. While she is here, you don’t need to do much, just show her a bit of fun everyone once and a while.” Applejack gave her sister a smile, “if any pony can show her a good time. It is you and your friends. Just think about it.”
After dropping Applebloom at school. Applejack arrived back at the farm to find Big Mac doing a bit of work with Cozy Glow, mostly having her repaint a fence. “Do I have to paint this whole fence?”
“Yep.”
“Can all you say is yes or no?”
“Nope.”
“Can you stay something other than yes and no?”
“Yep.”
“Can you say a complete sentence now?”
“Nope.”
“You’re doing this to annoy me aren’t you?”
“Nope.”
Cozy Glow stopped painting the fence for a second, “what is 6 times 4?”
“24, now get back to work.” Cozy Glow was happy about her small victory.
“Can’t you help with this?” Cozy Glow looked up at the large red stallion with the cutest look she could muster.
“Nope.”
“How has she been?” Applejack stood by her brother’s side.
“Pretty good,” Big Mac watched the filly with a careful eye. “Though Granny was nearly gonna blow her top off with her attitude issues. That fillies got a smart mouth on her.”
“I’ll talk to her and give her another warning…her last warning about her attitude.” Applejack was gonna give this filly one last chance. “I’d rather not have to take her for a trip to the barn so soon.”
“Maybe that will do her some good,” Big Mac turned and headed towards the fields.
“See you later, I’ll call you when lunch is ready.” Applejack turned her attention back to Cozy Glow. “I wouldn’t rush that painting if I were you. Do it properly or I am gonna have you do it again.”
“Do it properly or I am gonna have you do it again blah blah blah!” Cozy mocked under her breath, “it is way too hot out here.” Cozy had come up with a new brilliant idea to get out of these chores. “I“If stay out here any longer without any protection from the sun. I am gonna pass out.” Cozy jumped as something was placed on her head.
Applejack had taken the liberty of getting her a pink sunhat. “There you go, now you will be protected by the sun. Now you have no excuse to not finish this fence and your other chores. Now you can stop trying to get out of this little one, I told you while you are on mah farm. You are gonna be working real hard.”
“Gonna be working real hard,” Cozy mocked once again as she went back to painting. “I suppose it is better than being trapped in stone.”
“Atta girl finally starting to think on the bright side.” Applejack left the filly to her work, “I better not catch you fooling around when I get back.”
Cozy Glow eventually finished painting this fence and was rejoined by applejack. “I’m done, what else do you want me to do.”
“Well, I got two more things on mah list till your break. I need you to feed mah pigs.”
“That is easy work,” Cozy Glow interrupted with a smirk. Her smirk faded away at the next chores she was given after that.
“Next you are gonna feed my chickens,” Applejack gave the filly a smirk of her own. “Come on I would think that a filly like you can handle a few chickens.”
“Last time your rooster tried to kill me,” said Cozy Glow.
“I told you already, he wasn’t trying to kill you.” Applejack motioned for the filly to follow her. “Come on after you finish these I will let you go off for a bit of fun.”
Cozy Glow ended up really liking the pigs, the chickens on the other hoof… she wasn't as liked.
“OW!” Cozy Glow whimpered as Granny smith disinfected and bandaged her up. “I don’t wanna do this anymore!”
“Stop all that bellyaching little filly.” Granny Smith placed a bandaged on Cozy’s back leg. “I still cannot believe all this happen, all you needed to do was feed them chickens.”
“Your chickens are evil!” Cozy let out another cry as Granny went to work on another light cut. “I tried to feed them and they attacked me.”
“It doesn’t help when you push one out of the way. You also kicked at Hazel which was just stupid.” Applejack was holding the filly steady seeing as she tried to run after the first one. “Those chickens are closer than dirt on a pig. If you hurt one you are asking for trouble from the lot of them.”
“Tell her to stop it!” Cozy Glow cried as Granny started on another cut. “This hurts too much.”
Granny rolled her eyes, she had gotten used to colts and fillies whining when she cleaned a cut. After all, she had a lot of experience raising them, “we got 4 more left and we are done. Those chickens sure did a number on you.”
“Can we please stop,” Cozy gave a sad sniffle. "I'm begging you."
“Come on now,” Applejack lifted Cozy up and sat her on her lap. “Just stay still and keep your head right here.” Applejack placed the fillies head on her chest. “Just listen to Mah heartbeat and you will be fine.”
“Ok,” Cozy Glow closed her eyes as tight as she could. The next four were as bad as the other. Cozy told herself that it was because she was braver. However, she knew the real reason why it went better. She had some pony to hold her during it.
“All done,” Granny announced as she finished putting on the last bandage. “Next time try to play nice.” While Granny went to put the first aid kit away. Applejack remained to hold Cozy Glow close to her chest.
“Alright little one, let’s go ahead and get you washed up. You have more feathers in your mane than a bird.” Applejack was going to set Cozy Glow down. However, the filly wrapped herself tighter around Applejack.
“Don’t put me down just yet.” Cozy Glow kept her face firmly hidden in Applejack’s chest. “What are you doing!” Cozy Glow Inner voice shouted at her, “get away from this stupid farmer, now!”
“No problem little one,” Applejack slowly ran a hoof through her feather-covered mane. “Take as much time as you want, afterwards I’m gonna get your mane clan up. I know mah granny’s disinfectant stings but you took it very well.”
“It felt like she was stabbing me, and your chickens are mean!” Applejack couldn't help but laugh at the filly.
“They are not that mean, just try to play nice for a change. After all you are gonna have to feed them every morning and night,” said the apple-farmer.
“I have to do that every day!" The former villain screamed in horror.
Once Cozy Glow had enough comfort and her mane was cleaned up. Applejack allowed the filly to go off on her own for a bit to look around. “Just don’t go to far and listen for the lunch bell.”
“Alright let’s see here,” Cozy Glow sat under a large appletree and rested her face in her hoofs. “I need to get this spell off my wings and this stupid tracker taken off.” Cozy picked at the black band around her leg. “Then I can find a way to get Gorgar’s bell, free Tirek, and Chrysalis. Then we try again and this time we win!”
“Maybe we should just give up?” Cozy turned to her left and growled a bit. Sitting next to her was someone who looked just like her. “How do you plan on getting that tracker taken off, getting your flight back. Getting Grogar’s bell and then freeing those two?”
“I will find a way!”
“Or... we could give reformation a try.” Cozy blinked and the other version of her was gone. “Aren’t you tired of scheming and lying all the time. Maybe we could go back to being the filly we are.”
“This is who I am… you died the moment they left us… I lost my foal hood the moment he broke in. The moment he gave them a choice and they picked the wrong answer.” Tears filled the fillies eyes as she looked up at the sun. "He did this to me…".
If there was one thing that Cozy Glow had to commend Applejack on. This mare could cook really well, if there was one thing that being turned to stone did. Was give the filly a huge appetite, so she was more than happy to eat the food Applejack would make. After a good lunch, Cozy Glow was back at work. Doing some odds and ends around the farm. After her little run-in with the chickens, Applejack was gonna take it a bit easy on her.
“Now it is onto some good old apple bucking.” Applejack led the former villain over to some of her trees.
“By golly Ms. Farmer, a weak little filly like me trying to kick those big scary trees. It seems like a very bad idea, especially with my injuries.” Cozy Glow gave Applejack an innocent smile. “I guess I should just go back and do a little playing.”
“Nice try but no,” Cozy Glow’s face immediately turned into a cute glare. “You know you trying to glare at me is the cutest thing. I've seen in a while”
The filly felt her cheeks heat up, “I am not cute, I was trying to be mean and intimidating!”
“Hard to do that when you’re so cute,” Applejack ignore the soft kick to her leg. “Now you are not gonna be doing any bucking. You take the basket, and put it in the little cart I got you. Then you are gonna put that basket in mah barn.”
“How many baskets do I have to do?” Cozy Glow was assuming she was gonna do about 5 or 6. The answer she got sent chills down her spine.
“Until I get tired,” Applejack set a basket under a tree. “Yeah, this is gonna last a long while.” Applejack reared up and with one of her powerful bucks, she filled the basket with ease.
The first two baskets were easy to take care of, the third and fourth were nothing she couldn't handle. Basket number 21 however… Cozy Glow was starting to wish she would have stayed trapped in stone. Her muscle hurt, her body was killing her, and she was sure her legs were gonna fall off. For every basket she would bring, Applejack would have 3 more waiting for her. It didn’t help that Applejack seemed to pick trees nearly 500 yards from the barn. Cozy Glow finally came back with the cart, after she unstrapped herself. She collapsed to the ground in a heap.
“I’m done,” Cozy Glow rolled onto her back and covered her face with her hat. “It’s too much work.”
“Come on little one, I haven’t even broken a sweat yet.” Applejack walked over to the filly and laid down next to her. “You should know you have a pretty good work effort, little one. Your attitude, on the other hoof, is something we are gonna work on while you are here.”
“I don’t have an attitude.” Cozy Glow argued sitting up and resting on her haunches. “Even if I did, why is that an issue with adults so much?”
“Because it is disrespectful,” Applejack said bluntly, “I’m pretty sure that you would hate it if someone younger than you, always had a mean and nasty attitude with you. While I can handle it, for the most part, you should watch your tongue around my granny. Now that is a mare you don’t want on your bad side.”
“What is she gonna do to me?”
“You don’t wanna know so I would be very wary if I was you,” said Applejack.
Cozy Glow grew courage to ask the question to ask what was on her mind. The question she wanted to know since she got there. “Where are your mom and dad, are they away on business or something?” Cozy noticed Applejack changed a bit. “Are they gone?”
“Yes little one,” Applejack took a deep breath. “They died a bit after Applebloom was born.”
“I’m sorry,” Cozy Glow announced sadly. “I didn’t know that… were they nice?”
“They were amazing, always filled with love, and always there when I needed them.” Applejack noticed that Cozy Glow changed a bit. “Do you want to tell me how your parents were little one.”
“They were… I’m sorry,” Cozy Glow shut her eyes tight trying to stop the tears from falling. “I-I don’t want to talk about them ever again…”
“Fine, I understand.” Applejack pulled the now sadden filly close to her. “Just know that if you want to talk about this. I am right here…”
“Thank you,” The duo sat in silence for a bit. “How many more basket’s do I have to do?”
“Until I say you are done,” Applejack hopped up to her hoofs. “Come on now, we got a lot more basket’s to get. Tomorrow we are gonna take a trip to ponyville to sell some. As well as a few more Apple products that I am gonna have Applebloom help us out with.”
“I think my hoof is broken.”
“Get up already.”
“Fine!”