//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: Return to Earth // Story: One Thousand Years Ago // by Scroll //------------------------------// Cozy Glow did not believe that her new “mother”, Princess Twilight Sparkle, returned her to this repulsive dimension. It was bad enough to be forced to become another species as soon as she trotted through the accursed portal, let alone returning for . . . what was it again? Oh . . . Yeah . . . Now she recalled. She came to help her human counterpart with something. “What was wrong with my human counterpart again?” Cozy Glow asks both versions of Twilight in the front seat of the car that they are riding in. Cozy is hoping the irritation in her voice masks how much concern and haunting she feels at that moment. Naturally, the version of her mother that came from this repulsive dimension is the one driving this marvelous contraption. It does not seem too complicated, but with all those lights and switches on her control console, Cozy did not want to imagine what kind of damage could happen if this thing crashes into something else, especially if it is another oncoming vehicle. “We don't really know, Honey,” the Twilight from this dimension, the human one, replies. Cozy notices that there is an odd look to her eyes when she glances at Cozy through the rearview mirror. Cozy knew that, like her own adopted mother in her own dimension, her human counterpart was also adopted by Twilight by this world's version of Twilight. It also occurred quite a while ago. Cozy knew this because, not only was she told this, but her own counterpart somehow magically shared many segments of her life with her. Ever since then, Cozy had many of the memories from her human counterpart. This is precisely why this dimension is so familiar to her, as well as this human version of her adopted mother. This is also why Cozy knew that her human counterpart dearly loved this woman. It must be strange for human Twilight to behold the pony version of her adopted daughter as well, even if Cozy temporarily took human form at the moment. Despite this, pony Cozy is younger since she was trapped in stone for so long until freed by Princess Twilight, but Equestria's time frame moved faster than the human world. Ever since being freed from stone, pony Cozy was catching up to her human counterpart. Eventually she'd even surpass her human counterpart, but that hasn't happened yet. Cozy knew, in this dimension, she would be considered fifteen while her human counterpart is about nineteen now, but the last time they met each other, the age gap was more like six years apart. Her “mother” assured Cozy that the human version of herself also knew about Cozy's history in Equestria. Her “mother” claimed that her human self would not hold that against Cozy, but Cozy felt unsure. There seemed to be a look of caution in human Twilight's eyes, and part of Cozy felt hurt to see that, largely because of her memories from her counterpart. By remembering why human Cozy loved her adopted mother, Cozy felt those same feelings within her own chest towards this woman. In fact, Cozy even felt more devotion to her than her own Equestrian counterpart, for Cozy's history with that particular mare was certainly quite speckled. That is not all. It isn't just human Twilight that feels familiar. This whole town does as well. Cozy had never been here before Princess Twilight brought her over, yet she could not shake the pervasive feeling of familiarity as the town swept past the car's windows. It was all strange, yet somehow she felt each building and tree, each person walking along the street, just resonating with her deeper than she really understood. It feels like a strange mixture of nostalgia and deja vu. Cozy has to admit to herself, she is quite reluctant to come back to this dimension after so many years, but upon returning, she feels surprise to realize how much she gains the feeling of “returning home”. “She is unconscious. We do know that much,” human Twilight went on to explain to Cozy. “But the reason why is uncertain. Sunset Shimmer, however, is convinced that Equestrian magic is involved.” “Well . . . explains my 'mother's' presence here,” Cozy says, “but why bring me back to this awful place as well?” “You mean besides the fact that leaving you in Equestria unsupervised might invite a lot of trouble?” Princess Twilight, Cozy's “mother”, says with suspicion, to which Cozy replies by sticking out her tongue at her “mother.” “You do possess some of my Cozy's memories, right?” human Twilight asks hopefully, which wins Cozy's far more sympathetic look back to the human woman. “Uh . . . yeah,” Cozy replies cautiously. “What's that got to do with anything?” The driver sighs, then says, “It's a long shot, but we were hoping your insight might be able to shed some light into this situation,” human Twilight explains with another quick glance back at Cozy through the rearview mirror. “My Cozy can't talk anymore because she is in a coma for some reason, so you are the closest thing we have for her to share her opinion on the situation.” She passes a pleading look back to Cozy through the mirror. “Um . . . I may be pretty new to this dimension, but isn't the operation of this vehicle easier if your eyes are on the road?!” Cozy asks human Twilight with cautious condescension. Human Twilight frowns, but also looks back at the road. Cozy growls irritably as she looks out the window to her right. “It's not as if I really have a choice on being here or not. I may be the adopted daughter of a princess, but I'm still technically a prisoner.” “I have never said that to you!” Princess Twilight snaps back at her daughter behind her. “I'm just giving you an opportunity to become a better pony.” “Or else,” Cozy reminds with disgust dripping in her tone. The princess sighs, then replies, “All things have their own consequences, Cozy. I want to trust you. I really do . . . but you have got to provide for me the means to trust you.” Cozy growls. “Helping us to help out your human self is certainly a step in the right direction!” Princess Twilight adds brightly. “Not that I have a choice!” Cozy spits in disgust. “You always have a choice, Cozy!” Her mother returns firmly. “And those choices have consequences . . . or rewards.” “Says you!” Cozy says angrily as she shifts a narrow-eyed look at mother with a tight wince. “Punishment and reward is just a means to an end. A system of control to make me as submissive to you, just like all of your other adoring subjects.” Princess Twilight sighs, then requests, “Not now, Cozy. Okay? We'll discuss this later.” Cozy grins evilly as she taunts, “Aw! Fee-well embawissed to talk about all of this in fwont of yo widdle pitiful counterpart?” Cozy asks in sarcastic baby-talk. “Not now, Cozy!” the princess insists. “I mean it!” “Hmm.” Cozy narrows her eyes again and smiles in smug victory for her success in pushing her mother's buttons. “Gah! How do you stand this?” the princess asks her own counterpart. “Kids will always test their boundaries,” human Twilight replies to her pony self. “They'll succeed to push your buttons more easily than you'll care to admit, but that's actually a good thing. It means you care. That, in turn, means you'll also have the motive and strength to endure this. In the long run, they'll be all the better for it, and so will you.” She pats her other self on the lap briefly in a gesture of comfort. “Give her time, love, and patience. A whole lot of patience. She'll come around. You'll see.” Cozy feels it again. That intense pang of love pound in her chest for this human woman. Memories of her counterpart flood her mind, even when Cozy struggles to suppress it. It's just too intense to completely succeed. Cozy hates this world because, here, she is not a pony, nor can she fly. One thing it does have, however, is memories of those she loves. The source of those memories may have come from another, but it feels all too real. Far more so than she cares to admit to herself. And, every once in a while, she can see that human side of Twilight in her pony self. Sometimes it is in her smile, a gleam in her eye, the way Twilight hugs her, or the way she sings. All of it makes Cozy's heart pang with longing. Sometimes Cozy feels like a ghost. Somehow just a shell of her former self. She had to admit that, ever since she visited her human counterpart, she did not walk out of that room the same little filly anymore. She gained something in that encounter, and it cost her a lot as well. How did her human self even do that, anyway? Her mother said that this world hardly has any magic in it. Apparently there are some exceptions, and her counterpart may be one of them. Which, of course, is ironic considering how Cozy, herself, once tried to drain all of Equestria's magic and send it to another dimension. That also makes Cozy wonder; if that plan had succeeded, would the magic have been sent to this dimension? There apparently was a connection, and it seems that connection has been there for who knows how long? Wow. If only I could force my mind into others like that, Cozy mused to herself. Oh, the delicious control I could have forged then! I'd probably be just like King Sombra. That's interesting to think about. Cozy did meet King Sombra once, but he insisted that he could conquer all of Equestria by himself. With his dark magic and ability to control the minds of others, it was fascinating to notice how close he had succeeded. If he had not underestimated the Elements of Harmony and enslaved their minds when he had them captured, it would have been all over. “Grogar,” which was actually Discord in disguise (she'll forever curse that name!) showed her that entire thing within some crystal that kept turning into a sidewards eye slit whenever the crystal stopped showing them a distant vision. But, she also has to admit to herself, if she did have King Sombra's power like that, what would she ultimately have conquered in the end? Enslaved zombies are not really friends, and Cozy was always too sociable to easily tolerate that. Looking out the window again at a town that's all too familiar, even though it shouldn't be, Cozy is left to ponder what did, indeed, happen to her human counterpart? Why would she just suddenly fall into a coma like that? Is the condition somehow contagious? Is she next? Also, by knowing her alternate self is down like that, part of Cozy feels like she is in a coma herself. As much as she hates to admit it, there is an undeniable connection between them now, especially after that memory transference. Ever since then, she could not help but review those memories so many times, and it has given her new perspective on her own life all too frequently. Cozy reaches to touch the window beside her. Fifty-fifty, Cozy thought to herself. This could have easily ended up as my true world. In a way, it already feels like it is. I know what it's like to be here. I am . . . She sighs. I don't really know who I am anymore. I just hope I find those answers . . . someday. Cozy watches in fascination as the car she's in pulls into a multilevel building apparently designed to store other vehicles like this. She looks out the window as they drive past row after row of these four-wheel things. There are so many designs and shapes to them. Only a few times does she spot a few repeats, and there usually is still some distinctive detail about them if she looks closely enough. As much as she feels fascination, she also feels intimidated. Her own world is full of possibilities because of magic, but here . . . the possibilities are very open for an entirely different reason. It feels so cold and sterile, yet she could not help but admire its efficiency. It actually reminds her of another society she once met beyond the borders of Equestria. That society, too, elevated themselves with technology, but the power source of that technology was magic at its core. But this . . . she had never seen anything anywhere near this advanced, except within the memories she gained from her alternate self as well as her previous visit to this world. Stepping out of the car after it is parked, she proceeds to follow both Twilights as they make their way to the hospital. Along the way, she hopes they don't notice how closely she chooses to follow them. Even if they do, she can't help it. This place is way outside of her comfort zone. It's so intimidating to listen to that sound of cars echo in this squarish, concrete building. She even jumps and yelps when she hears a car horn echo in this building. After that happens, her mother pulls close to her and hugs her from her side, even as they continue walking. Right now, Cozy does not mind displaying her vulnerability. It is just too intense to hide. Even if she is being held by somepony she once regarded as her greatest enemy, it actually feels comforting right now. Upon exiting the building, she is momentarily dazzled by the brightness of the sun of this world. She also hears a swarm of flutters and cooing sounds from somewhere nearby. As her vision adjusts, she sees a flock of pigeons swerve back and forth as they make their way further into the air. Looking upon them, a pang of pain grips her heart, for she should be able to do that too. Just fly away whenever she wants to. But here, by being stuck on the ground, it feels like a whole dimension of possibility is closed to her. It feels like being squashed into a linear, 2D plane. “Cozy, watch OUT!” her mother cautions as she forcefully pulls her daughter back. Cozy blinks, feeling startled, when a car drives past her and honks a complaint along the way. “You need to look both ways before crossing the street, Honey,” human Twilight cautions Cozy. “It's just a basic rule around here. Those things can do a lot of damage if they hit you.” “Well, if they did, at least we're next to a hospital, right?” Cozy asks with an amused but also nervous grin. “Hey!” her mother complains. “We're here to try to heal your counterpart, not get you injured as well!” “Do you humans always have to risk your lives just to cross the street every time?” Cozy asks with disbelief. “Gah! It's so annoying that I can't just fly over all this mess! It feels so terribly limiting.” “Well, yes,” human Twilight answers as she pushes up her glasses on her face with a finger which is, in itself, one of the key differences between the two Twilights. That, and their attire as well as their hairstyle. “However, we do have a safer way to cross the street. Follow me and I'll show you.” Cozy follows both Twilights as they make their way to an area of the street designed differently than the rest. This area has a white line painted across the street, but the other passing vehicles seem to ignore it until the lights change in this funny-looking rectangular box with three lights. At first, the top green light is on, then it switches to the middle yellow for some reason. The only thing that seems to change during that time is the cars go faster. But then, when it switches to red, the cars stop behind the white lines if they had not already crossed it. When she sees that, Cozy starts to realize how this system works, at least a little. “Okay, now it's safe to cross,” human Twilight informs encouragingly. “Hold my hand, Honey, and I'll lead you safely across.” “Ah . . . okay,” Cozy says in a small voice before offering her hand. The moment her left hand clenches within human Twilight's right hand, her mother also snatches up Cozy's left hand. Together, they lead Cozy across. Along the way, she cautiously eyes the other vehicles. Although they did stop, she could hear their engines still running as if prepared to resume at any time. It sounds menacing to Cozy's ears, like a bunch of hungry lions that are being held back by some invisible force. The feeling of danger never leaves her system until they fully cross the street. Along the way, other people cross the street as well. Some did it with them and others went the other way. There did not seem to be a dedicated side for them, so both directions of human foot traffic cross through each other. Cozy heard that cross-town traffic can be quite busy like this in bigger cities back in Equestria, such as Manehatten, but such experiences are mostly foreign to most of Cozy's young life. If it weren't for all the diplomatic meetings which Cozy was dragged around with her mother, she would have had no experience quite like this. On the other side of the street, the three of them double-back the northern direction until they came to the entrance of the tall and looming building above. In front of that is Sunset Shimmer, patiently waiting for them. “Hey, you three. Thanks for coming,” Sunset greets when they met up. Cozy notices that Sunset is wearing bluish-looking pants made from a material she does not recognize, a dark purple shirt with the symbol of a red and golden sun (quite likely her Equestrian cutie mark), and a black leather jacket worn over that. Cozy also notices bags of fatigue under Sunset's eyes. “Of course we'd come!” Princess Twilight says brightly. “Why wouldn't we? You said it was an emergency.” “It is,” Sunset assures as she ran the fingers of her right hand combing through her hair. “I'm afraid that, whatever condition Cozy is afflicted with, the doctors in this world are ill-equipped to handle it.” “Don't you mean 'hoofle' it?” Cozy corrects uncertainly. Sunset grins in amusement at Cozy as she assures, “I know what I said.” Sunset then proceeds to affectionately pat Cozy's curly teal hair as she bids, “Nice to meet you too, kiddo!” Cozy growls in annoyance, then irritably informs, “I'm not a little filly anymore! I've grown up!” Sunset's grin holds as her hand drops back to her side as she says, “Yes. I'm sure you are.” “So what is the emergency?” Princess Twilight asks anxiously to Sunset. “Um,” Sunset looks around her before answering, “Not here. Let's discuss this further inside where it is more quiet. I'll explain in the waiting room.” Cozy Glow had been in hospitals before, but something feels different about this experience. She can’t put her “hoof” on it. Maybe it is the multiple floors, maybe the technology, maybe the smell, or maybe it is that curious room they step in. At first it does not seem to have a purpose because it is a dead-end. Inside this small room, there is a rail around it and the walls are made of metal which is slightly reflective. Two double doors close from the same direction she came in, and there is a series of buttons on the side of those doors. For some reason, some of them are lit up. There does not seem to be a discernible pattern to the ones lit up compared to those that aren’t, at least for Cozy. Once the doors close, Cozy suddenly starts to panic due to a sense of claustrophobia. A pegasus is meant to be wild and free in the open air, but this is the exact opposite. In this tight space, she is crowded by not only both Twilights and Sunset, but a few other strangers as well. Why are they all just standing here anyway? Are they all going to run out of air soon? Cozy really does not want to show any weaknesses, but this uncomfortable situation is quickly overwhelming her. She is about to ask why they are all just standing in there when she feels the whole room suddenly lurch up. When that happens, Cozy screams for a second since she is greatly startled by a situation that came at her with no warning. This reaction won curious and disturbed looks from the other strangers in the room. They give her that, “What's your problem?” kind of look. In response to that, Cozy's face flushes in embarrassment. “Ah . . . she's new around here,” Sunset says to the other strangers. “Also, I'm pretty sure she does not like tight spaces.” Sunset looks down with a sigh. “Which . . . is something I probably should have warned her about before stepping inside, now that I think about it.” Sunset covers her tired-looking face with a hand and shakes her head. “Oh, I hear that,” a dark purple-skinned lady in a business dress suit agrees. “I have a cousin who feels the same way. Normally his skin is yellow, but as soon as he steps into an elevator . . . boy howdy. I heard his skin flushes green within mere moments. “Then there was this one time when the elevator actually stopped along the way up for reasons unknown. His panic doubled at that moment. I heard he spilled his lunch all over the floor, and you can imagine how much that smell filled such a tight space. The hotel staff couldn't get the occupants out of that room for fifteen minutes, so I heard. I'm sure that was an experience.” Cozy's mother looks at her in confusion as she reminds, “Cozy, Honey, you've been in elevators before.” For a moment Cozy is distracted with weird noises coming from outside this boxy little room and the fact she can continue to feel this room rising from outside, but then looks at her mother and asks, “I have?” “Yeah,” Princess Twilight confirms. “It was in this exact same hospital, as a matter of fact. The last time you came here to visit your . . . ah . . . cousin,” Twilight decides to say with a brief scan of the other occupants in the room. She pauses for a moment and clears her throat nervously while putting a bent finger near her lips, then drops her hand back to her side as she resumes. “you stepped in an elevator just like this one. You had to, because your cousin wasn't on the first floor back then, either.” “Huh.” Cozy blinks. “I must have blocked out the memory for my own sanity's sake.” “There are stairs in this hospital as an alternative method up and down this building,” Sunset mentions with a look to Cozy, “but it's a long way up and down, and the space in there is almost as tight.” Cozy growls in annoyance, then says, “Let's just get this over with!” She looks at Sunset hopefully. “Are we there yet?” “Um,” Cozy notices that Sunset looks at a series of lights with unknown symbols on it of some kind light up one by one above the door. For each one that lights up, another light shuts off. “Two more floors, Honey. We're almost there.” Cozy grabs a part of her frilly pink dress and crushes it between her fingers. However long it takes, it did not feel soon enough. Then she glares at a few of the other strangers in the room as they snicker in amusement at her reaction. Oh, you are all so lucky that I am not the Empress of my native lands! Cozy thought to herself viciously. If I was, I'd invade this stupid dimension and throw you all in the dungeon for at least five years! Even then, after you are out, I would only allow you out if you show me proper deference and respect! I bet that would wipe your stupid little smirks off of your ugly little human faces! When the doors finally open, Cozy is the first to push her way past the others and charge out of the room, but then she comes to a sudden halt and yelps, startled again, when she notices how high they are outside a window across from that dreaded elevator. Heights themselves did not scare Cozy. As a pegasus, she is plenty used to that, but whenever it happens, it is usually under her control. By being confined in a tight space with no way to see the outside as she rose, suddenly revealing the results upon exiting catches her off-guard. “Cozy,” Sunset says as she places a hand on Cozy's shoulder, startling the little pegasus again, “this way. Come along.” “Ah . . . sure,” Cozy says a little lamely. “How high are we, anyway?” “Ah, this is the fifth floor, I believe,” Sunset recalls. “I think this hospital has a total of ten.” “Why is this building so tall in particular?” Cozy asks as she follows the others rather closely. “Most of the other buildings in this valley aren't. I've been in a big city before where there is a whole cluster of tall, towering buildings bunched up together, but that is because the population was so high and the land space so small.” “Manehatten, for example,” Princess Twilight chips in, but she says that to the others by way of explanation and elaboration. “There are some cities like that in this world too,” Sunset informs as she pushes a button that makes two double doors open, thus allowing them admittance to the next hallway. “In fact, I'd say the human world has far more of those since their population is higher. I would even say it’s larger than all of the sentient races of our world put together. Here in Canterlot Heights, the humans are more spread out, so it's cheaper to build shorter buildings. However, this place is of critical importance and it has to stay ready for a massive influx just in case of an emergency, for this is the one place many gather in a wide province if they are very injured or sick.” “Huh. I guess that makes sense,” Cozy somewhat accepts. “But only the greatest emergencies are delivered here,” Sunset goes on to explain. “If the problem is less serious, humans can visit smaller and more local clinics to get a check-up or get a prescription for some drug that may help with their illness, but such places have nowhere near as many resources as this hospital.” “Has running out of air ever become a problem with so many people gathered in one place?” Cozy asks with nervous concern. Sunset shakes her head as she continues to lead the way, stepping around some parked gurneys in the hallway, some of which have some elderly patients. “No,” Sunset answers. “Most people can just open a window if they have to. They also have some machines in this world that can not only cycle air through these vents,” Sunset points at some of them, “but also control the temperature of that air as well.” “Through heat and chill stones?” Cozy asks with some recognition. “Ah . . . what?” Sunset asks with a glance back at Cozy. “Heat and chill stones,” Cozy reiterates. “You know. They are magically heated or chilled stones that heat or chill the air around them.” “No, we don't have that,” human Twilight answers. “Remember, Equestrian magic is very rare in this world.” “And yet my counterpart is suffering from a magical affliction?” Cozy asks skeptically, then says sarcastically, “I guess she's just lucky like that.” “It's not quite that simple,” Sunset says with a tone of regret. “And . . . here we are.”