//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: Take Off // Story: One Thousand Years Ago, Book 2 // by Scroll //------------------------------// When Cozy watches her mother disembark the ship she has a surreal feeling. For so long she had wished for something like this, to get some distance from this supervisor and jailer. Now that it is actually happening, however, a feeling of vulnerability overcomes her instead. This is likely due to a realization that if she now assesses Twilight as less of a threat, then she can only be considered an asset but one she's about to lose due to distance.     Flashbacks of her as a frightened foal come back to her when she had to wave goodbye to her first friend who was also an adult figure. This reminds her of that feeling of once having some protection from an older and more powerful figure and then subsequently losing it.     Cozy frequently bragged to herself about her own personal assets and how it would be enough to allow her to survive. This is likely the only reason she isn't panicking now. She is smart and she is resourceful. Right now, she even has a few friends and others that she can at least call useful allies. She'll be fine.     But noticing that one layer of protection being removed momentarily makes her jittery. She is strong, but it's one thing to be strong and another to be required to be strong. With fewer safety nets, the challenges of the journey all rests on her shoulders now.     Several methods of contacting her mother are available to her, and if that happens then Twilight can just pop in using her magic. It helps to know this useful ally is still potentially accessible, but given the distance they will gain between each other, it is likely that Twilight will become less and less available. Even in her direct presence, Twilight was frequently too busy to devote much time to her daughter. The older pony once claimed that this prospect bothered her. At the time, Cozy didn't believe her, but now she's not so certain anymore.     Butterflies fill Cozy's tummy. This weakness partially disgusts her, but right now she can't help it. She is leaving the only home she's ever known since . . .     Ah . . . when and where was the last place I called home? Cozy thinks and rethinks this, then comes up with, I hate to admit it, but right now I'm thinking Tartarus. I didn't want to be there, but I was stuck there for a time, so I felt forced to call it my home.     Captivity feels so stifling, but freedom can bring with it its own sense of panic. With endless options in front of her, she might pick the wrong one which could make her situation bad. She has enough wit to potentially climb out of it, but relying on that is still taking a chance.     It's strange to think that, as much as she craves freedom, she also fears it deep down.     Facing the unknown, as all of her shipmates are about to do, feels scary, but at least she has the company of very useful and comforting allies. Some of them she'd call unusually skilled. Facing the unknown with such company almost feels like cheating, and that is exactly the way Cozy likes it! Stacking the odds in her favor is something she has always strived for.     Nevertheless, by knowing that all that extra skills and protection may soon be tested to their potential limit is unnerving to her. When push comes to shove, she really does feel safer in Canterlot. That might be a foolish feeling considering the fact that Princess Celestia was ponynapped right out of the castle several times, and a few attempts almost succeeded with her mother. By knowing that, Cozy is forced to face the reality that she can be vulnerable anywhere, but the castle still feels safer.     Related to that subject, First Officer Desora Aeroya compels a mandatory lecture to the guests aboard the ship about where the emergency parachutes are located on the upper deck. Of that, several are secured to a few posts in the middle of the deck and a bunch of them are located just under the guard rail all around the upper deck of the ship. There is more located in each of the quarters as well. Desora also gives instructions on how to put the parachute on, when to use it, and how much weight they can support. Desora is particularly critical to giving these instructions to the non-fliers of the group. Despite that, the First Officer still makes sure that all the fliers know how to secure these emergency parachutes to the non-fliers.     After that lecture, one final checkup of all the ship’s stations and critical equipment is made before Desora informs her captain that all stations are secure and ready for departure. Captain Tidus accepts this with a curt nod then passes the order to untie the ship from being secured to the dock. Once that is done, he instructs the helmsman to set course then take off.     At first the ship is very calm but, as they start to clear the city line, Cozy felt some lurching which made her stance less steady.     On the way out, she stands by the port side rail and watches as a large crowd waves them goodbye. Explosions of tons of party confetti shoot up into the air in several areas along the city then twirl down like twirling and colorful snow.     Cozy watches the familiar sight of the buildings of Canterlot start to shrink as they ascend in height while also picking up speed. She knows this because she flew over the city plenty of times before, but this is the first time she has done so on a massive zeppelin.     A small grin grows on her face when she considers the fact that so many of those creatures down there wish they are her right now, or anyone else aboard this ship. It is likely how the astronauts felt in human Cozy's world before they took off into space, or better yet . . . to the moon.     Cozy grins further as she wonders what Princess Luna would have told those astronauts about the moon if she had the chance.     Once the Flying Carpet leaves the airspace of Canterlot, a squadron of Wonderbolts zip past the airship in aerial formation. Colorful clouds trail after them as a means to help keep track of them even from a great distance. They spiral around the airship several times then depart only to return adjacent to the ship while performing complex aerial acrobatics and formations.     While this is happening, Cozy happens to spot Rumble partially following along, but he is not joining their formation despite his training. Instead of that, he takes pictures of them with a professional-looking camera that has a long-necked lens to it. Sometimes he parks himself at a certain spot and waits for the Wonderbolts to come to him. No doubt that his training on their routines allows him to predict where and when they'll be. As a result, he is prepared to take close-up photos of them right as they zip past him or while they perform one of their multitude of fancy aerial formations.     Cozy rests her elbows on the rail. Her face sinks into her hooves as heart symbols pop about her head like bubbles rising from a boiling cauldron. During this moment, she finds Rumble absolutely dreamy! She especially likes it when she watches his mane swish in the wind as the Wonderbolts pass by him at very close proximity.     Cozy grows alert when she notices Rumble suddenly fly ahead of the ship really fast. Her ears perk up and her eyes follow him when it suddenly looks like he's leaving them altogether. Then, at a great distance ahead of the ship, he flies backwards and aims the camera back at the ship. Cozy almost felt like posing until she hears a massive sonic boom close by. Feeling startled, she looks off the rail of the ship and notices a huge ring of rainbow light seem to project away from the ship. The origin point of that blast started behind the ship but not that far.     Cozy realizes that she is witnessing a Sonic Rainboom, a signature move of Rainbow Dash that, to this very day, nopony else can replicate. Since this is the case, it confirms, without a doubt, that the Element of Loyalty herself must be among this flight formation.     Only a moment later, that theory is fully confirmed when Rainbow Dash zips up to the ship's port side, gives a final and somewhat cocky salute (which several crew members on the deck of the ship happily return) before veering off to rejoin the rest of the Wonderbolts in mid-flight.     Even from this distance, Cozy hears an uproar of cheer from those back in Canterlot one last time as that colorful ring of light explodes away from the aft of the ship as if the Sonic Rainboom is helping to propel the ship itself.     And yeah, Cozy actually did feel the ship lurch forward for a brief moment when the shock wave of the Rainboom caught up to the ship.     After that, Cozy hears and even feels explosions on this ship. Looking down, she notices canons being fired from this ship in a rhythmic pattern. What is being fired are fireworks and cannonballs which explode into giant balls of confetti.     “Party canons! Awesome!” Cheese Pie cheers next to Cozy which momentarily startles the young mare because she didn't hear Cheese's approach at all. “My folks are probably proud of this.”     “Cheese! You startled me!” Cozy complains, then asks with a coy grin, “How do you know they haven't snuck aboard and are the ones firing the canons right now?”     Cheese thinks on this for a moment, then admits, “You know . . . I wouldn't put it past them.” Cheese passes her friend a soft smile as she notes, “So . . . we're underway. How does it feel?”     Cozy does not answer right away. Instead, she trots toward the bow of the ship until she arrives there. From there, she gazes down at the vast landscape that is sprawled out in front of her. Nice, puffy white marshmallow-like clouds dot the air which casts columns of shadow down upon the mostly green terrain. Cozy also spots the considerably shrunken sight of Ponyville itself. From this distance, the two things that stand out the most are the large orchard of apple trees and a single giant purple crystal tree, her mother's former castle, which gleams in the sunlight. Likewise, the visible lakes, rivers, and waterfalls also shine in the light, the latter of which also cascades a rainbow down the waterfall to the sides of the School of Friendship.     Gazing upon that school from this distance gives Cozy an unexpected pang of longing. When she analyzes those feelings, she finds herself questioning her life's choices. One of the most critical pivotal moments of her life occurred at that school. Part of her wonders how different life would have been with just a few different turns at that point of her life.     Does she feel regret? Her life has turned out pretty swell right now, but she went through hell to get here. Hell that still leaves vicious scars on her psyche.     All of a sudden, Cozy is blasted in the face by headwind that the ship drives into. It causes her to squint and drags her backwards for a second, but then she leans into it. She makes her way back to the bow of the ship then latches onto it with her forward hooves.     At that point she basks in the wonder and freedom of all of this. She lifts her head, closes her eyes, and spreads her wings a bit to catch and savor the wind that passes her face, through her mane, and through each of her feathers on her wings. She even feels it ripple the fur on her chest.     The exhilaration she feels at this moment reminds her of her first flight, as in her first true flight into the sky without the threat of being shocked from her magic collar for straying too far from Verko's remote.     Back then, she remembered being scared at first, but her first friend not only eased her fears, but empowered her with words of encouragement.     Scorpan bent down and soothingly stroked Cozy's withers as he said, “There is no reason to fear this, little one. The sky is your heritage,” he assured her calmly. Cozy looked up to him while still shivering a little, but she admired the fact that he recovered his speech so well during these past few moons. The more of that he recovered, the more she realized how educated, sophisticated, and above all old he was.     “You wanted freedom very badly,” he reminded her. “Have you ever asked yourself why? It's because pegasi like you are not meant to be caged. Instead, they are meant to fly free!     “Look at those clouds up there!” he encouraged with a voice full of wonder. With a point, he guided her gaze up to it. Far above and somewhat ahead of them, they saw what kind of looked like a tower of clouds. It was thicker and wider at the base, and it was the only part of the cloud that looked gray. Above that, it billowed and puffed out, eventually somewhat narrowing at the tip almost too high to see.     Cozy recalled a longing stir in her chest as she gazed up at it.     “Your kind can walk on clouds,” he told her as he looked back down at the little filly with soft fondness.     “What do they feel like?” Young Cozy asked with awe and wonder.     “I don't know,” he said with a slightly mischievous grin, which suggested to her that he wasn't being entirely honest with her. “Why don't you go up there and find out? You can tell me about it later.”     “You used to fly before,” Cozy reminded him as her gaze shifted back at him, “although I don't know how long ago. Can't you tell me what it's like from your experience?”     The fondness and love in his eyes towards her seemed to deepen for a second, and yet he bade, “Close your eyes.”     She did.     “Breathe deep,” he went on.     She did.     “Let the air fill inside you. As you do, remember this always . . . you are one with the air, and one with the sky. With each breath you take, you shall feel it beckoning you; eager to welcome you home!” he told her passionately.     Cozy recalls smiling, for she felt enchanted by his words. Some tears formed in her closed eyes both in the past and present.     “Spread your wings, my little filly.”     After he said that, he backed off a bit to give her room to do so, which she did.     “Feel the wind rustle within your feathers,” he instructed with wispy passion.     She did so.     “The song of the sky calls to you. The magic of the wind brushes through your mane, tail, and feathers as you stand there. Freedom awaits you. Be brave, and take the plunge.”     Thanks to his encouragement, she felt energized and empowered. She slowly opened her eyes and gazed up at the sky. She no longer feared it. She felt excitement instead.     “Now fly, little filly!” Scorpan coaxed. “Fly!”     Cozy sniffles back in the present as she opens her now tear-filled eyes. Everything about that moment felt incredibly symbolic of what she's going through now. It's a thrill but also scary, and now a lot of regret taints her heart as well. Growing up has been a very painful experience for her. So much so that she really has to question if all the maturity she gained since she was a little filly was really worth it.     But now she's standing at the bow of an airship as it plunges her into the heart of another grand adventure, and this time she isn't facing it alone.     As if to prove that particular point, Cheese Pie suddenly embraces her friend in a hug from behind.     “What are you doing?” Cozy yelps, startled.     “I felt from you that you needed this,” Cheese answers as she continues to squeeze her friend in a tight hug. “Plus, I like giving hugs. It's one of my things.”     Cozy smiles softly and gratefully at her friend over her shoulder, then looks forward again as she wraps her wings around her friend’s forward hooves.     Even back then, as a little filly, Cozy grew addicted to friendship because of her experience with her first friend. It was something she wanted to experience more. The journey between now and then was quite rocky, but she finally feels likes she is making decent progress. Progress that makes her feel all warm and fuzzy inside.