//------------------------------//
// 1) Sadness 
// Story: The Ghost of Cozy Glow- A Redux 
// by SapphireRose87 
//------------------------------//

At the stroke of midnight, I stood in front of the combined statue of Cozy Glow, Queen Chrysalis, and Tirek. From what I've researched, they got turned to stone because of declaring war on Equestria. While I had nothing to do with Cozy Glow's actions, I still get teased for being a relative of hers. For crying out loud! I'm not even an immediate family of hers! I'm a distant cousin.

But, being a half-and-half doesn't help either. Growing up being half-human and half-pegasus, children like me aren't accepted here. Add onto that, the teasing for being Cozy Glow's relative. I don't even have Glow as my last name. My last name is Jewel.  My first name is Betty.

At this point, I'm sick and tired of the bullying that I get for being alive.

As I stand there in front of the statue thinking about what I'm getting ready to do, I reason with myself, I can't kill her because she's already turned to stone. So the next best thing would be to smash her statue.   I firmly planted my two human feet in the ground as I gripped the sledgehammer in my hands. 

I said to myself, "Well Cozy Glow, it's been nice knowing you, but goodbye!"

The first swing I took at the statue felt so good that I couldn't stop myself from taking another. I kept swinging at the statue, stopping only when I destroyed it completely. I stuck my tongue out at the destroyed statue happy with what I had done. After destroying the statue, I turned around and left.


*	  *	  *


When I got home, I took a shower, changed my clothes, and got into bed. I grinned, happy about what I had done. I heard a knock on my bedroom door. I rolled my eyes because I knew it was mom. My ears flattened. I wondered what she was going to do to me, this time, slap me, or maybe push me down the stairs again? I sighed because I figured might as well get this over with. I answered the door. "Yes, mom?"

Mom gave me her evil grin, and I knew what she was about to say was not sincere, "Are you okay?"

I grit my teeth, "I'm fine mom. Although I doubt that's what you want anyway."

Before mom could respond, I slammed the door in her face and locked it. My best friend Scarlett Harmony had been teaching me hand-to-hand combat. I knew for a fact that one of these days, I was going to have to have to use it against her. That is if I had the courage to do so.


* 	 *	  *


The next day at school, I was walking to homeroom. I had my books in my backpack. I felt someone tug on my backpack. I turned around to see that it was the ringleader of the bullies at this school Marble Sprint, he's an earth pony. He was also the most popular guy in school.

"Hey, huma-sus!" Marble taunted. "How's it going?"

I couldn't hold back my satisfied smirk because I knew I was his latest embarrassment. He had challenged me to a race a week before and lost to me. "What's the matter Marble? Still upset that I won that race with both wings tied behind my back?"

Marble sneered at me, "I'm the fastest pony in this school, I had to put you in your place! And by the way, I want a rematch!"

Clearly, this idiot isn't going to stop picking on me anytime soon. I looked at Marble and the fact that he already had a fighting stance confirmed exactly what I was thinking.

Okay, that's it! Time to put Scarlett's hand-to-hand combat skills to work, I thought.

"Humph! Do you really think you can win a fight against me?" Marble growled. "Go ahead, do your worst!"

Marble relaxed his fighting stance, faked a yawn, and waited for me to make my move. Well, he's offering, so his wish is my command.

I punched Marble in the stomach as hard as I could. He grabbed his stomach and stumbled back.

"Why you little-" Marble hissed after he caught his breath. The fight continued, a huge crowd gathering around us yelled, "fight, fight, fight!"

Marble threw a kick toward my stomach when we were both enveloped in a blue magic glow. We heard Headmare Starlight Glimmer shout, "Okay that's enough! Everyone clear out! The shows over!"

Headmare Starlight Glimmer walked to her office floating us in behind her.


*	*	*


Once we were inside Headmare Starlight Glimmer's office, she closed the door and locked it. She floated me over a chair and let go of her magic grip. I fell into the chair less gently than I would've preferred. I smiled as I watched Marble endure the same experience.

"Honestly you two," scolded the Headmare, "Marble, I've seen you constantly bully Betty, and for what? Because she's a relative of Cozy Glow? Really! This is getting ridiculous!"

"But I'm the fastest pony in this school! She's-" Marble started.

"I know that Marble!" the Headmare snapped. "You hold the number one spot on the field and track team. If you keep this up, you're going to lose your spot on the team, got it?"

Marble scoffed, "Fine."

The Headmare looked back and forth between the both of us. "I'm giving you a warning this time. If I see another fight between you two, you both will be suspended, got it?"

"Yes, ma'am." Marble and I mumbled.

"Good, now you two run along to homeroom, and I don't want to see you in here again!" the Headmare said.


*	  *	  *


Although Headmare Starlight Glimmer gave us a warning not to fight. That didn't stop Marble from teasing me. It kept getting worse by the day. So was my mom's abuse. As a result, I fell into a deep depression. I got tired of the situation so I felt the best way out of it was to cut myself out of the picture.

One night before I went to bed, I didn't feel like sleeping. I grabbed a razor blade and headed to the bathroom. I looked in the mirror and said my goodbye, and suddenly, my reflection started to talk to me. "Why are you doing this?"

"Is there another way out of this?" I said. "Cause I've hit my breaking point and I'm done."

My reflection sighed and looked at me with sorrow. "You know if you're successful, you can't take it back right?"

"I know that," I growled. "Why do you think I'm doing this?"

It looked like my reflection admitted defeat. "Well then, this is goodbye."

I nodded and looked away, "Yeah, goodbye…"

I sat down on the floor and cut my wrists. I laid on my back and waited for death to come.


* 	 *	  *


I wasn't sure if I was dead or dreaming. I was on my back and when I sat up, I tried to get my bearings but I couldn't.

"Hi, Betty!" I heard a voice say. I turned around to see a young woman about my age. She looked like a half-and-half like me. She had pony ears, red hair, and a long red tail. She held out a hand and helped me get to my feet.

"In case you're wondering," said the woman, "I'm half human and half earth pony. My name is Sami. I've been sent here to greet you and tell you've become a Death Walker."

Feeling confused, I titled my head, "Excuse me? Death Walker?"

Sami smiled and nodded, "Yup! Death Walker!"

"So I'm dead?" I asked.

"Well yes and no," Sami replied, "no, because your body is still alive and breathing, so you're asleep for now. Yes because, you're also here in the Land of the Dead, which is Equestria's afterlife. No new Death Walker's have been successful at a suicide attempt. You are just starting out. I know, because I've seen it time and time again. I've also seen that a suicide attempt by a Death Walker speeds up the development of their powers.

"In taking the action that you did, you gain your Death Walker abilities faster. The Afterlife Court and I have been watching your situation. We were hoping that it didn't come down to this, but it did.

"You are a Death Walker, tell me, have you ever read the prophecy, about the strongest Death Walker?"

I remembered reading about a child of prophecy in class but it was only one paragraph long. "Yeah, I think I've read it, but I don't understand, what does this have to do with me?"

Sami smiled, "The prophecy has everything to do with you! In any case, you're a Death Walker now and you can't change it even if you wanted to."

I choked because I had a feeling of what Sami was trying to tell me. I might be the child of prophecy. I looked at Sami in disbelief.  Sami chuckled, "I understand your disbelief, Betty. I know I would feel the same way if someone told me something like that. Now, it's time for you to go, it's daylight in the Land of the Living."


*	  *	  *


I'm going to assume that my mom was the one who found me because when I opened my eyes, I was laying in a hospital bed. Mom was sitting by my bedside. She had a sinister smile on her face.

"I'm going guess and say you're the one that found me in the bathroom?" I asked.

Mom laughed a blood-chilling laugh, "Oh yeah, I did. I thought for sure you wouldn't survive. But no, you seem to have a strong will to live. Oh well."

I rolled my eyes. "Gee, sorry for breathing." I felt confused. Why would mom bring me to the hospital if she didn't want me to live?

That was when Mom slapped me on the face hard. "What was that  for?"

Mom had an evil smile on her face, "No reason, I just felt like it." She looked over at the clock. "Well, looks like the visiting hours are over. I'm not coming back until you're released."

Once Mom left, I let out a sigh of relief, because I wouldn't be dealing with mom for a couple of days at least.


*	  *	  *


Later that night, when I finally fell asleep. I thought I was dreaming because I heard a voice say, "Hey there Betty! How's my favorite cousin?"

I raised an eyebrow, "Huh? Favorite cousin?" I turned around to see Cozy Glow staring at me.

Cozy Glow nodded, "oh yes, don't you remember me following you at our family gatherings?"

I shook my head, "I haven't been to a family gathering since I was five. Why am I having this dream? I despise you! You're the reason I get teased in school."

"Actually, I don't think this is a dream. I'm sorry about you getting teased because of me. But I don't know how I ended up here or where I am for a matter of fact," Cozy Glow said. "The last thing I remember is I died in my statue five years ago. I'm not sure if this is the afterlife, is it?"

My eyes went wide when I realized that Cozy Glow was stuck in some sort of limbo or something. I looked around to see that I was standing in darkness as far as the eye could see. "Um, Cozy Glow? I have no idea where we are."

Cozy Glow shrugged, "Huh, we'll figure it out somehow. I hope."

Before I could respond, I woke up.


*	  * 	 *


After I woke up, I was in a cold sweat. I had to use the bathroom, so I went to go take care of it. I had finished with that and I looked in the mirror and that's when I saw her. Instead of my reflection staring back at me, it was Cozy Glow, and she was grinning at me. "Hey, there neighbor? Wanna be friends?"