Carefully, carefully, focus Cozy, you can do this. Just follow the line. Just slow and stead-
…
Oh, boo. My crayon broke. Hm? Is that Flurry Heart? Why is she knocking at six in the bloody morning; she made me color outside the lines!
…
Just look at it, I spent all night on that picture for her, too. Now, I have to start all over again!
…
I better see what she wants. She won’t stop, otherwise.
…
“I’m coming!... What do you want?...Why?...Somewhere special and some time together?...Ugh...No, everything’s fine. Don’t come in! Stay out of my room!... I’m Alright. No, I’m not mad...Fine. I’ll go. Just go away and give me a few moments to get ready.”
And clean up this mess you made me cause!
***
No. Not here. Why are we here? Did she find out? No, look at the smile on her face. She thinks this is an exciting wonder. There is no malicious intent. What would she say if she knew this is where I watched them die? That this is where my entire family was slaughtered by Canterlot’s Royal Guard?
“…”
We were homeless, but we had enough. Living in this old cave, I stole my first loaf of bread that day. Anything it took to survive. Anything. We would do it. Steal, Murder...even ‘favors” in the moonlight. Bandits. Thieves. We were many things, but we had each other.
“...”
“Mom died right here.”
I can still see that stain. She got sloppy, and Mom was tracked back to our home after ransacking a supply wagon on the road to Canterlot. She failed to cover her tracks and when I came home with my trophy to show her, her body lay right here, gutted, next to the bodies of two armor guards. My father's corpse lay over there, a spear in his eye socket. The rest must have gone down fighting, cleaved and ripped asunder, their broken weapons scattered about.
“...”
This tunnel is where that lecherous Captain, with his desire for fillies, hid; waiting to ambush little old me, with the rest of his corrupt guards. They surrounded me as the shock of what happened overcame me. They beat me into unconsciousness, and unfortunately for me, they had no interest in arresting or killing me.
“...”
Those sick freaks...day and night for a moon I was at their mercy. Their plaything. There’s the hole that once held the iron peg they used to bind my chains. Beaten, starving, and violated, endlessly. I never forgot those horrible sneering grins on their faces.
“...”
This crystal shines so brightly, she’s right to be excited. It reminds me of the one good moment during that month. There was one of the guards who refused to join the others. Though I never found out his name, he set me free and told me to run, that he would tell the Princess. And at first, I did try to run, but escape quickly flew out the window.
They surrounded us and...yes! There’s the cave-in. Right where we buried them, forever. Entombed for all eternity by the surrounding walls and rocks. We brought it crashing down on them all. It’s weird, I had forgotten all about the stallion...I had been so hellbent on revenge against Unicorns; against the royal family for the injustices I suffered, I never bothered to learn what happened to him.
***
The sunlight feels warm on my fur. Though...that cave is now empty, the remains are gone, and that horrible stain has been washed away with time. The world has changed since I was frozen in time. 200 years, nopony even remembers my name, what I did. Nopony remembers that wretched fool’s name. Maybe revenge at this point isn't even worth it. Maybe it’s time I let it go, too.
I could start over. Maybe I could go to school, maybe I could be somepony, maybe this is my chance for a clean slate. And maybe...I should take it.
“Can...Can we go home, Princess? I’m done here.”
***
I can't stop wondering though, who was my savior that night and what became of them. Maybe Flurry would be willing to set up a meeting with the current Captain of Canterlot’s Royal Guard. They would have access to the files...and the answers I seek, after all. I think I'll ask her later.
Soon as I finish coloring this picture for her.