//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: A Scary Discovery // Story: The Nightmares of Cozy Glow // by Shadow Hound //------------------------------// Twilight sat at her desk and tapped her hoof onto the desk. She breathed in and closed her eyes. “Today is the day,” Twilight decided. “I have waited long enough.” Twilight got up. She walked over to a door that separated hers and Starlight Glimmers’ offices. Twilight Sparkle knocked a hoof against the door and considered what she was going to say. Starlight Glimmer opened the door and greeted her friend. “Hi, Twilight.” Starlight grew puzzled and then asked, “Do you need something?” Twilight Sparkle walked back behind her desk. “I am going to need for you to be the principal for the next few hours. I have a project that I need to get done.” Starlight Glimmer rolled her eyes. “Why are you locking yourself in your office this time? Ya going to organize your cupboard?” After a brief pause, she stated, “Again?” Twilight hovered a small cardboard box of things out from under her desk. Gently she turned to Starlight Glimmer. “I have been putting it off too long. I need to go through the few things that Cozy Glow owned.” Starlight Glimmer sighed. “Twilight, it has only been 3 hours.” Twilight stated, “That is three hours that Tirek could have used to corrupt Cozy Glow’s innocent mind.” Starlight Glimmer said cheerfully, “Oh, so you are thinking of a way to get her out?” Twilight sighed. “I just sent a bucking 8-year-old to Tartarus. I am not going to rest unless I can prove to the princesses that she deserves a second chance.” Starlight Glimmer nodded. “Well, if anyone can, it would be you. You have a thing with second chances.” Twilight stated, “To do this, I need to get in her head.” Twilight pointed a hoof into the cardboard box. “Maybe something in here can help me figure out why she tried to destroy all the magic in Equestria.” A portal opened up in the corner of the room. Princess Luna walked out of it and hovered an apple infront of her muzzle. She took a big bite of the apple and then walked up to Twilight’s desk. Luna reported back. “I just finished the paperwork.” She took another bite of the apple. “Cozy Glow has been sentenced. She is officially a member of the population of Tartarus.” Twilight sighed. “I hope that, someday, we can let her out. For a normal filly, it would be terrifying to be next to those monsters. What if Tirek is a bad influence?” Luna looked at Twilight, “I understand your concern, Twilight, but we can’t let her get away with what she did. On the danger level, she is one of the most dangerous ponies that I have seen. I can’t imagine what Equestria would do without magic.” Luna hovered a banana near her face. She ate the banana peel and threw the banana into the trash. “I mean, the only thing more dangerous would be messing with time.” Starlight nervously laughed, “Yeah... Good thing that never happened.” She then sarcastically responded, “Ha Ha Haaaaa.” Starlight leaned over and whispered into Twilight’s ear. “Does she know?” Twilight shook her head no. Starlight breathed out a sigh of relief. Starlight Glimmer then trotted into her office and shut the door, leaving it open just a sliver. Twilight sighed, and then she used her magic to pull more belongings out of Cozy Glow’s box. It was Luna’s turn to sigh. “She needs to be punished. Let her be punished and give her back her junk when she gets out.” Twilight hovered a few picture frames out of the cardboard box. After some examination, Twilight observed that they were all of Cozy Glow in various poses. Twilight said. “If I am going to redeem Cozy Glow, I need to figure out why she tried to get rid of all magic. Maybe somepony with magic hurt her.” Luna looked at the picture frames and responded, “There is not too much you can learn other than that she only really loved herself.” Twilight pulled out string puppets that looked like her and her friends. “Where do you even get these?” Luna laughed, “ I have a Luna mug, so this makes sense. Why wouldn’t there be products of you and your friends? You are heros in Equestria.” Twilight looked shocked. “Where do you find mugs of yourself?” Luna shrugged, “Mostly eHay.” Twilight held the puppets up. “But puppets?” Luna snickered. “Maybe she liked the idea of pulling your strings. Little puppet master.” Starlight yelled from her office, “You mean marionettist.” After a few moments of silence, Starlight yelled back. “Getting back to work.” Twilight pulled a unicorn horn out of the box. “This is just bucking wrong.” Luna responded, “What is it now, Twilight?” Twilight hovered a unicorn horn out of the box. “What is this doing in here?” Luna tapped her hoof to the floor. “Twilight I took her to Tartarus. Can I leave now?” Twilight shouted, “Luna!!! I just found a unicorn horn in the box. How can you be so calm?” Luna rolled her eyes, “A common ingredient in many potions from the Zebra kingdom.” Twilight asked, “But where is the foal that it belonged to?” Luna shrugged. Twilight gasped and dropped the box on the floor. Luna responded, “What is it now, Twilight?” Twilight held up a pony skull, “Please tell me this is fake.” Luna tilted her head to the side and hovered the skull away from Twilight. Luna stated, “Now this is interesting. Maybe thou should have gone through the box sooner.” Luna investigated the empty sockets of the skull. “I am afraid to tell you that he is authentic.” Twilight gasp, “She murdered a pony?” Luna laughed, “No, he is very much alive but only through magic. Very dark magic.” Twilight said, “What are you going to do?” Luna danced around the desk while looking at the skull. “First, let me find out how I can help my new friend.” Twilight nodded. Luna stated, “Next, I believe it would be best if I visit Cozy Glow in her dreams.” Twilight responded, “Let me help.” Luna shook her head. “You are the reason she is in Tartarus. She might be more willing to speak to me. Besides, I am the ruler of the dream world. She doesn’t even have to know that I was there.” Twilight responded, “Please be careful.” Luna turned to Twilight with the skull in hoof. “I’ve got this!” Cozy Glow sat in the corner of the cage with her hooves crossed. Her hair was frazzled. What was once a light blue mane with curls was now muddy and nearly straight with several sticks caught in it. Bags were under what was once cute and hopeful eyes and her pink fur was a dirty mess. Quietly Cozy Glow looked up at the sky and cursed it for the fact that she was in this situation. She looked at Tirek, who, as usual, was seething. Cozy asked, “So what are you going to do today, friend?” Tirek responded, “Thinking of how many different ways I wish I could end you.” Cozy Glow let out a nervous chuckle. She whispered under her breath. “Nice talk.” Tirek yelled back. “And if you call me friend again, I will gut you for breakfast.” Cozy Glow weakly smiled and spoke through her teeth. “Noted. Anything else…. Um… sir?” Tirek yelled, “Shut your filthy pony mouth!!!!” Cozy Glow rolled her eyes, “Gee, ok, mister.” Tirek yelled out loud, “Between the dog and you, and I am going insane.” Cerberus whimpered in disapproval. Cozy Glow laid down on the cold metal of the cage and turned away from him. Eventually, after what felt like hours, she shut her eyes and fell asleep. Cozy Glow woke up in a dark hallway. She could hear a faint voice saying, “Cozy.” Cozy gulped. The only sound that she could hear was the sound of her own clop stomps. “Cooooooozzzzzzzzyyyyyy.” Cozy Glow looked around. The only thing in the room was a door in front of her. She turned around to see nothing but an empty hallway with no doors behind her. Cozy Glow looked at the doorknob and debated what to do. Her heart pounded, “Oh great,” she told herself. “Why don’t they just write trap on the stupid thing?” Cozy Glow gently put a wing up to the doorknob and turned it. She grit her teeth as she heard the metal turn. And she pushed the door open. “Cooooooozzzzzzzzyyyyyy.” On the other side of the door was a long hallway with a lone window. A curtain on the window blew in the breeze. Cozy Glow yelled out. “Oh come on!” Cozy Glow jumped when the door behind her slammed shut. She turned around and tried to open the door only to realize that now it was locked. She sighed, “Guess there is only one way to go.” Cozy Glow turned back around and looked down the hallway. Her eyes strained to see down the hallway, but it failed due to a lack of light. Cozy Glow’s body shook. From the other end of the hallway, she heard. “Coooooozzzzzzyyyy.” Cozy Glow breathed out and saw her breath. The cold air felt like it was reaching her spine. Cozy walked down the hallway past the window. She jumped when she heard a howling sound and felt something touch her, only to discover it was the curtains blowing in the wind. She quietly walked down the hallway to discover that it was a dead end. Quietly she heard hoof steps coming behind her. She looked back to see a blank wall. Cozy Glow’s eyes widened. “Where is the hallway?” She turned around to see that a wall formed behind her. The walls were surrounding her. Just then, behind her, she heard a colt screaming, followed by a loud thump followed by the sound of bones cracking. She nearly ran into the wall away from the sound. When she turned around, she saw a staircase with a red streak going down it. Cozy Glow looked around. The room started feeling cold, so cold that it hurt to breathe. With no choice, she climbed the stairs. At the top, she found another hallway. Cozy Glow scoffed, “Well, at least something familiar.” Cozy Glow looked down the hallway and a door with her old room number on it, “Well, this is new,” she told herself. She heard the same voice behind it say, “Cooooozzzzzyyyyyy!” She quietly entered the room to see that a single candle, in a gold candelabra, on the bed dimly lit the room. Cozy trotted up to the candle, and it started to float in the air. Slowly a young colt named Drizzle Rain faded into the room holding the candle. Drizzle Rain’s eyes were shut, and with folded wings, he hovered 3 feet about the bed with his legs crossed. Quietly he said, “Cooooozzzzzyyyyy.” Cozy Glow yelled, “What do you want?” He said, “Save….. Me…….” Cozy Glow responded, “How?” Drizzle Rain attempted to speak, but before he could, cracks formed in his coat. He turned to mud that fell onto the bed and soaked the sheets. Suddenly the door behind Cozy Glow slammed shut. Cozy snapped around to see a stallion with skull face paint standing against the door. The stallion’s eyes opened to reveal green glowing eyes. He cynically said, “Sorry cozy, but you are not going anywhere.” He slid toward her like his hooves were on ice. Skeletons of various ponies and other creatures started coming out of the walls as if the walls were water. The skeletons rattled and clanked as they crawled almost mechanically towards her. Cozy Glow fell backward to the ground and put a hoof in front of her. Cozy Glow screamed, “Stop! Please wake up!” The stallion with skull facepaint grinned, “Oh, it is not going to stop. You used my potion on your friend. I am here to collect my fee.” Cozy Glow yelled, “Nooooo!!!!” as the ground opened up. Fire burst from the floor, and giant heavy chains wrapped around her ankles and started to pull her toward the fiery pit. The stallion gave a sinister laugh. “The bill always come due, little girl. You should know nothing is free.” Cozy Glow started to tear up. Her hooves and limbs started turning skeletal. “Make it stop. Make it stop! Please, I will do anything.” The stallion in the skull facepaint laughed, “You are pleading to the wrong person.” He twirled a top hat around. It landed on his head, “This is only the beginning. You and Drizzle Rain are going to serve me for ETERNITY!!!” He then laughed insanely. Tears flowed down Cozy Glow’s face. She could feel the fire burn the bottoms of her hooves. Cozy Glow started feeling dizzy from lack of oxygen. She fought, and with the last bit of air in her lungs, she screamed, “Take me, just let Drizzle Rain go.” “STOP!!!” the canterlot voice echoed through the room. The stallion in a top hat started to turn to dust. He grinned evilly at Cozy Glow. “I will be back.” The ground sealed back up, and the skeletons retreated into the walls. Cozy Glow gasped for breath. Her lungs hurt as she felt cold air rush into her empty lungs. The room became lit, and a warm feeling entered Cozy’s body. She slowly opened her eyes and wiped her tears. Cozy Glow looked up to see Luna standing over her. Cozy Glow cleared her throat. “We gee golly thanks for helping me, Miss.” Luna looked lazily at Cozy Glow. Luna rolled her eyes and took a sip from a teacup. “You can drop the act, my little pony. I know who you are.” Cozy Glow yelled, “In that case, why didn’t you do that sooner?” Luna shrugged, “I wanted to see where that would go.” Cozy Glow said, “What!!!? Legend says you protect ponies from nightmares.” Luna responded, “Yup.” Cozy Glow smacked the cup with a wing. It hit the ground and shattered, “So why didn’t you stop it?” Luna created a teacup out of the either and started drinking from it. “Because that was not a nightmare.” Cozy Glow’s eye twitched. She knocked the cup to the ground and it shattered just like the last one. Cozy Glow screamed, “Well then, what was it?” Luna took a sip of hot cocoa. “It is delicious. Do you want some? It might help you calm down.” Cozy Glow smacked it to the ground. Luna giggled. “I have all night. Keep doing it if it makes you feel better.” Luna waved a hoof to create another cup and start drinking from it. Cozy knocked it to the ground. “Stop it! I asked you a question. Now answer it.” Luna responded, “Why? If you think you can scare me? You can not. This is the dream world. Nothing can hurt me here. Not even a ghost like that.” Cozy’s ears perked up, “Ghost?” Luna took a sip. “You are correct.” Cozy Glow said “FINE!!!” and then grabbed the cup from Luna. Luna smiled. Cozy Glow drank from the cup until it was empty. She then asked, “What is a ghost doing in my dream?” Luna responded, “It means that your past is haunting you. Or, more specifically, somepony is haunting you.” Cozy Glow took a sip. “Gee, this does taste good,” Cozy Glow cheered in surprise. “Thanks. you really are the best princess ever!” Luna responded, “You are doing it again. Your cute act does not work on me.” Cozy Glow responded, “Just go with it. I have two modes; cute, and you don’t want to see my other mode.” Luna shrugged, “Yeah, you can act cute in that case. At least I can finish my coco.” Cozy Glow asked, “Now who in all of Equestria would ever want to haunt a cute little thing like me?” Luna said, “Why don’t you ask him?” From behind Luna walked a familiar blue unicorn. He said in a quiet voice. “Hello, Cozy Glow.” Cozy Glow responded with a rather rough voice, “What is Drizzle Rain doing here?” Drizzle Rain started to cry. “I didn’t mean to scare you. Please don’t be mad at me.” Cozy Glow crossed her hoofs. “Well, I am mad.” Cozy Glow looked confused, “Why would you haunt me anyway?” Drizzle Rain said, “I am sorry. It has been so lonely. You are the only one I can talk to. I was trying to warn you when he was not watching me.” Drizzle Rain fell to the ground, “I want to go home. I want to pet my dog. I want someone to fix me. I need someone to save me from the stallion in the skull facepaint.” Cozy Glow looked up at Luna, “You found him? In my things?” Luna nodded. “Indeed. He told me everything.” Cozy Glow snapped at Luna. “Why do you care?” Luna responded, “I gave in to my own hatred and anger over a thousand years ago. It cost me my love, My son, and a thousand years from my life. The same feelings you have right now about regret I let control me until it manifested in creating a creature named the Tantabus. In my own guilt, I almost released the Tantabus into the world.” Cozy Glow calmed down. Cozy Glow responded, “If I could, I would save him, but how can I?” Luna spoke, “You need to stop the evil that turned him into a skeleton. Without the stallion in the skull facepaint, Rain’s spirit will be free. Once you defeat him, then you can get Rain a new body created from mud.” Cozy Glow yelled, “Great! So, Luna, can you let me out of Tartarus so I can cure my friend?” Rain perked up and wiped his tears. “Do you mean it?” Cozy Glow blushed, “Anything for my first friend.” Rain ran up to Cozy Glow and hugged her. Cozy Glow winced, and her body tensed up. After a few moments, Cozy Glow hugged him back. Luna responded, “I am sorry, but I have to leave you in Tartarus.” Cozy Glow dropped Rain and yelled, “What? Then why did you do all of this?” Luna took a sip of coco. “To help you.” Cozy Glow said while gritting her teeth, “Then….. Let…. Me…… Out…..” Luna said, “A punishment is what you need.” Cozy Glow responded, “And what about Rain? Does he deserve this?” Luna said coldly, “No, but you did it to him.” Cozy Glow grit her teeth. “I hurt Rain, and now I am going to fix it.” Luna laughed, “Good luck fixing it in Tartarus.” Cozy Glow screamed, “That is why I want you to let me out!” Luna rolled her eyes. “You tried to destroy all the magic in Equestria. You need to think about what you did wrong.” Cozy Glow yelled, “Let me out.” Luna stated, “You were sentenced to 5 moons in prison.” Cozy said, “I have been in here longer than five days.” Luna laughed and created another drink, “It has been three hours.” Cozy Glow whined, “I am going to waste away in Tartarus.” Luna took a sip of coco. “A moon is a little shorter than a month. You can spend five months in Tartarus.” Cozy Glow knocked the coco to the ground. “Luna responded, “So we are back to that,” Luna sighed, “again,” She looked down at the shattered cup, “I see.” -------------- Rain looked at Luna and pleaded, “Can you let her go now. I want to go home.” Luna looked at Rain and explained. “She needs to think about what she did.” Rain grew frustrated, “but Luna, it is so boring being just a skull. What am I suppose to do?” Luna smiled at Rain, “now that I found you, we can do many things.” Rain looked confused at Luna. Luna continued, “I can take you to the castle, and we can watch the Maredalorian or Star Horse the space movie with the Millennium Stallion.” Rain whined, “I can’t wait to play with my dog again.” Luna grinned, “Then I can take you to his dreams. And you can play with him there.” Rain Cheered, “That sounds fun.” Luna walked toward the window. She looked down at Rain. “Then I trust that you will leave Cozy Glow alone for now?” Rain nodded, “I will.” Rain nodded, and then he faded from the room. Luna looked at Cozy Glow, “Rain being kept alive with very dark magic. I would be foolish to send a filly to defeat the creature that did this without a plan.” Cozy Glow responded, “How do I start creating a plan?” Luna pointed at Cozy Glow’s chest, “You have everything you need. Think back to the day that you met the stallion with the skull facepaint, and you will discover what you need to do.” Cozy Glow tilted her head, “What does that mean?” Luna started to fly out the window. “Good night Cozy.” Cozy Glow yelled, “I hate you.” Luna opened her wings and started to flap them. She then stated, “I know you don’t mean it. Good night Cozy. Get some sleep my little filly.” Luna faded from the room. The moon glowed brightly through the window. Cozy Glow looked up at the moon and then breathed out in anger. She yelled out the window, “Thanks for nothing.” Cozy turned around and stomped away from the window. She kicked a tall bookcase until it wobbled and then fell toward her. Cozy Glow stood there and watched it fall toward her. “Oh horseapples.” Cozy Glow felt a burning all over her body. She opened her eyes and flew up to the top of the cage. She looked over to see that Tirek was sound asleep and snoring rather loudly. It sounded like buzzsaws which made Cozy Glow ponder if she was going to get any more sleep. Cerberus looked at her and wagged his tail. Cozy Glow looked at the giant dog and sighed. Cerberus licked Cozy Glow through the bars of the cage and covered her in drool. Cozy Glow dripping in drool landed on the ground. She shook some of the spit off of her body and whispered under her breath. “I will get out of here and save Rain.” Cozy squinted in the dark and looked at the sleeping dog guarding the entrance of Tartarus. “no matter what it takes.” Cozy Glow then laid on her side and started thinking of a plan to get out of Tartarus.