//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: Redemption // Story: The Nightmares of Cozy Glow // by Shadow Hound //------------------------------// Twilight paced back and forth. Her mind was full of different thoughts and worries. To her, it felt like it had been many moons since she spoke to Princess Luna. In fact, it had only been several hours. She had been trotting long enough that a groove started to form in the stone floor. Starlight leaned back and reclined in Twilight’s office chair. Twilight stopped for a few moments and looked at Starlight Glimmer. “What if Cozy Glow trapped Luna in her dreams? What if Luna decides that Cozy Glow cannot be redeemed? I hope Cozy Glow made a good impression.” Starlight sat back in Twilight’s chair and looked out the window to see that the sun was starting to rise. She glanced at Twilight and said, “Hey look, the sun is coming up.” Starlight slammed her head back and sighed, “It looks like you have been up all night.” She looked at the deepening groove in the floor and said, “Twilight, there is not much you can do about it right now. You need to get some sleep.” Twilight galloped over to Starlight Glimmer and spoke with a crazed look in her eyes, “I can’t sleep at a time like this when either Luna and/or Cozy Glow could be in danger!” A portal opened in the office. Luna walked out of the portal and into the room. Her eyes were full of sleep, and she had bags under them. She let out a loud yawn. Luna looked at Twilight and said, “We need to talk.” Twilight stopped pacing and asked, “What is the matter? Is Cozy Glow safe?” Luna grinned slightly and yawned. “Twilight, I can answer all your questions. Just please ask them one at a time.” An apple appeared next to her. Twilight demanded, “Then what have you found out?!” Luna hovered an apple and took a bite. “About what?” Twilight’s eyes started to twitch. “Well, for starters, what did you find out about the skull?” Luna responded, “The skull belonged to a colt that used to go to this school. He also liked Star Horse and Video Games. He also wanted to beat Buttons Mash, but I know he is not going to. For not even I can beat Buttons Mash at Coltnite.” Twilight sat down. Her ears started to fold to the sides of her head. “Is he.. you know... gone?” Luna said. “Fear not, young Twilight. He is still alive. However, the magic that is keeping him alive is the darkest I have ever seen. Only Nightmare Moon used magic this dark.” Twilight asked, “Is he safe?” Luna responded cheerfully. “Yes, Twilight. Rain is safe back at the castle and watching Star Horse. He seems to be a fan of Luke Skytrotter. He is feeling much better and hopeful that Cozy Glow can find a cure.” Starlight commented, “Well, that raises five different questions.” Luna took a bite of another apple. She turned to Starlight, “Like what?” Twilight shouted, “How could you eat at a time like this?” Luna sighed, “So now I am not allowed to eat my dinner?” Starlight changed the conversation, “Why is Rain at the castle?” She gave a wave of the hoof, “And I don’t know with his parents.” Luna answered, “He is a skull. As much as I want to tell his parents that their colt has been found, it would only bring them sadness until we can fix this,” she let out a long and loud yawn and put two hooves into the air making quotes, “condition.” Twilight responded, “Well can you fix it?” Luna said, “That I don’t know. I need to check the library in Canterlot.” Twilight looked at her bookshelf. “Between the library in my castle and Canterlot, we can find the cure. I am sure of it.” Twilight turned to Luna and asked, “What about Cozy Glow?” Luna responded, “I have talked with Cozy Glow. She says that she is going to help cure Rain.” Twilight responds with, “So when is she going to be released?” Luna let out a big yawn. She hovered a pineapple in the air. “Twilight, I have many things I need to consider first.” Twilight said in a panic, “When are you going to let her out of Tartarus?” Luna responds with, “I am not sure.” She ate a hole in the side of the pineapple through its skin. Twilight begged, “But you have to let her out.” Luna looked at Twilight, “Cozy Glow said that she would cure Rain.” Luna sighed, “I have to consider that she may be lying to get out of Tartarus.” Twilight responded, “If there is a chance that Cozy Glow is telling the truth, shouldn’t you take it?” Luna said, “She is a master manipulator. She fooled you and your friends once. I have to make sure that she does indeed want to help cure Rain.” She then ate what was left of the pineapple including its leaves. Twilight responded, “But Cozy might be able to cure him?” Luna responded, “Maybe.” Twilight continued, “If she is out of Tartarus.” Luna sighed, “She would have to work very hard to prove to me that I can trust her.” Twilight said, “I am a princess. Don’t I get a say in what happens to Cozy Glow?” Luna asked. “Ok, what is your vote?” Twilight responded, “I declare that Cozy Glow should be released.” Luna responds. “My sister and I both voted to send her to Tartarus. So two against one. You are outvoted.” Luna took a bite of an apple and smirked. Twilight said, “What about Cadence?” Luna responded, “Twilight, she has her own kingdom. She doesn’t influence what happens in Equestria.” Twilight replied, “But it is not fair. Cozy is just a filly.” Luna said with a sympathetic sigh, “I can not go against my sister.” Twilight said, “But she is only eight.” Starlight stomped a hoof as she corrected, “Actually, she’s seven.” Twilight corrected herself, “But she is only seven.” Luna explained, “I understand your concern, but there is nothing else I can do.” Luna sighed. “Cozy Glow almost erased all the magic from Equestria. It was decided that to keep Equestria safe, she needed to go to Tartarus.” Starlight blew air out of her nose. “It is a good thing you and Celestia didn’t judge me.” Starlight stormed into her office and slammed the door. Twilight fell to the ground and begged, “Luna, please!” Luna rubbed her hoof through Twilight’s hair. “I understand your feelings, but ifI let Cozy Glow out, then any suffering that she causes would be my fault.” Luna looked through the window at the rising sun. “When you saved me from Nightmare Moon, I told myself I would never let anypony else suffer. I can’t take that chance.” Twilight responded, “What if I adopted Cozy Glow? Then it will be my responsibility to take care of her. If she does anything bad, then it would be my fault. She deserves a good life.” Luna raised an eyebrow and said, “You would do this for her?” Twilight responded, “I would do this for any one of my students.” Luna stepped away from Twilight. Twilight looked up and asked, “At least check up on her and keep her safe.” Luna gave Twilight a weak smile and said, “I have not given up on the filly, but I do need to be careful. If Cozy Glow can be redeemed I will let her out.” Twilight got off the floor and said, “Thank you. I know there is good in her heart.” Luna tapped her hoof to the floor. As a result, a portal opened. Luna replied, “I hope you are right.” Luna walked through the pool of energy, and then the portal closed. Cozy Glow walked through a dark fog and walked out into a circus at night. What once was busy dirt paths were now chillingly empty. The only light came from the flickering lights of various game booths. Discarded wrappers, plastic cups, and an upside down tricycle lined the dirt roads. The tricycle squeaked as the wind blew its big wheel. Cozy Glow walked around until she came to the spot where she met the pony with the skull makeup. She noticed an old brown suitcase on top of a table where the skull pony was. As Cozy Glow walked up to the suitcase, she heard muffled talking coming from inside it. Carefully Cozy Glow opened the briefcase. A group of puppets that looked like Twilight and her friends jumped out. They hovered in the air and started circling her. Twilight’s puppet started singing. “Ring around the filly. Lets all get Cozy. Ashes, Ashes. Your soul is now MINE.” The Twilight puppet hovered an inch from Cozy’s face. It said quietly to her. “Join us.” “No!” Cozy galloped away from the group of puppets and dashed into a tent. Cozy skidded to a stop when she saw the Skull pony. The Skull pony smiled, “Hello Cozy. Miss me?” “Leave me alone!” Cozy wailed before running out of the tent and into another one. Cozy Glow fell into a large metal bowl. She struggled to keep her balance as It swayed from side to side. Cozy Glow panicked and grabbed the sides of the bowl as a giant crucible started to pour hot iron into the bowl. The iron slowly flowed up to Cozy Glows hooves. The heat brushed up against Cozy Glows hooves. She bit her lip as her hooves started to burn. Cozy Glow screamed, “Help! I am too cute to get melted.” Luna flew in and grabbed Cozy Glow by the hooves. Cozy Glow blew out and sighed relief before looking up at the princess. Luna dropped Cozy Glow on the ground. Cozy Glow fell on her flank with a thump. Cozy Glow sat up and said, “Thank you for the rescue but next time, could you be nicer that fall hurt?” Luna laughed and cackled as her fur turned black. Her teeth grew sharp and a black armor helmet formed on top of Luna’s head. Luna opened her eyes to reveal that her irises turned to slits. Cozy Glow whimpered, “Golly Luna, you don’t look too good.” Luna replied back with a mocking tone, “Golly, Golly, Golly This, Golly That. Who is that cutesy act going to fool?” Cozy Glow gulped and crawled on her back away from Nightmare. Luna stood over Cozy Glow and said, “You can call me Nightmare Moon. There is only one thing that I can do to a criminal like you.” Cozy Glow begged, “I have changed. I want to change.” Nightmare pulled a large Sledgehammer out of the ether. “Sorry, you insufferable welp. I can’t take that chance, for only I can rule Equestria. There is no room for the Empress of Friendship.” Nightmare swung the hammer. Cozy Glow rolled to the side just as the hammer slammed against the cement. Hot sparks fell onto Cozy Glow’s coat and the air filled with a metallic ring and the hammer nearly hit her. Cozy Glow responded. “Golly, whatever did I do?” Nightmare yelled, “There you go again. Drop the act. If you say Golly one more time, I am going to squash you like a bug.” Cozy Glow responded, “Listen, you old buck, this is a poor way to get anyone to worship the night.” Nightmare swung the hammer. It barely missed Cozy Glow again. Nightmare yelled, “You will show your queen some respect.” Cozy Glow said, “This must be why your son left you.” Nightmare screamed, “You don’t deserve to worship the night.” Cozy Glow sat in the same spot, “I am done running. Just do it. Anything would be better than wasting away in Tartarus.” Nightmare grinned, “Your wish is granted.” Nightmare swung the hammer down. “STOP!!!” The canterlot voice echoed through the circus. A gust of wind blew the hammer away from Nightmare. It landed cracking cement with the handle sticking straight up. dark shadows reached out of the ground like arms and hands and grabbed Nightmare. Nightmare screamed out loud in pain. The circus filled with the sound of Luna laughing. Nightmare yelled, “You will fear me.” Luna grew out of the shadows and looked Nightmare in the face, “Why? Because you have the darkness?” Luna rose off the ground. The wind swirled around her. “You silly foal. You think that you can control the darkness? You only adopted the Shadows. I was born into the Shadows, crafted and molded by them.” Nightmare squirmed as the hands pulled her toward the ground. Luna looked Nightmare in the eyes. “You will not hurt this filly anymore.” Luna blew out a gust of air. The hair blew off of Nightmare, revealing the pony in skull makeup. He said with a deep and gritty voice. “If you think that I am done, you are sorely mistaken.” Luna squeezed him until his eyes started to bulge, “And what are you going to do about it?” The skull pony looked at Cozy Glow and grinned, “I will collect my fee when we meet again.” His body turned to dust then blew away. Luna looked at Cozy Glow. “He is really getting annoying. I think it is time for me to put a block in your head.” Cozy Glow said, “I don’t want anything in my head.” Luna giggled, “It is a simple spell to keep him out.” Cozy Glow said, “You said you would get Rain to stop.” Luna responded, “I am afraid that was not Rain but someone much worse.” Cozy Glow said, “He keeps showing up whenever I think of the time I was at the circus with Rain.” Luna looked around at the circus as she realized, “It makes sense. He must not want you to remember something.” Luna cleared her throat. “Is that really what you think of me?” Cozy Glow responded, “I don’t know what you mean. It was just that guy messing with me.” Luna responded, “He is trying to stop you by attacking you with your worst fear. Tell me filly ... do you fear me?” Cozy Glow blushed and stuttered, “Well, a little.” Luna looked down, feeling hurt. “Oh. I see. My sister would tell me that I should not be upset by that revelation, but it still does hurt.” Cozy Glow pat Luna on the back and said, “You know the old me would have used this opportunity to say something to make you feel bad.” Luna responded, “Well, I guess I should appreciate it if you do not.” Cozy Glow rolled her eyes and grinned. “I would have taken that opportunity to try to wrap you around my hoof.” Luna snickered. “I get your point.” Luna asked, “So why aren’t you?” Cozy Glow raised an eyebrow and grinned, “That is going to have to be my little secret.” Luna pulled a cup out of the ether and started drinking out of it. “I think we both need some calming tea.” Cozy Glow looked up at the night sky. “Besides, even if you did let me out, I doubt my grandfather wants me.” Luna took a sip of tea, “What would your parents think?” Cozy Glow blushed, “They died when I was young. My grandfather raised me.” Luna dropped the teacup to the ground where it shattered, “I am sorry for your loss.” Cozy Glow quipped, “I didn’t break that one.” Luna and Cozy Glow both laughed. Luna replied, “You seem happier since we last spoke.” Cozy Glow said, “The nice thing about Tartarus is, after speaking to Tirek, I realized how nice my grandfather was.” Luna asked, “Would you like me to send him a message?” Cozy Glow replied, “Na. It is ok. I would be more scared about what he would do if he knew.” Luna replied, “Didn’t he enter you into the School of Friendship?” Cozy Glow replied, “He did. I convinced him it would be a good thing. I think he thought it was good too.” Cozy Glow sat on the grass and gazed up at the stars. “Growing up, I didn’t have any friends. Between bending and selling metal, I guess it is hard to meet foals my own age. When the school opened, I thought it was a chance to finally make some friends.” Cozy Glow looked down and sighed, “Too bad I am such a disappointment.” Luna wrapped a wing around Cozy Glow. “You are not a disappointment.” Cozy Glow responded, “Well, golly Luna, but I only wanted to make friends, and so far, I have hurt more ponies than friends that I have.” Cozy Glow looked up at the moon. “I have messed up so many things. Some Empress of Friendship.” Luna responded, “Messing up is a part of life. I would know. All I have ever wanted is for the kingdom to love me as much as they love my sister, yet I doubt that even my pet Opossum Tiberius likes me.” Luna growled. “The only thing I seem to be good at is scaring fillies. Stupid Nightmare Night.” Cozy Glow said, “Nightmare showing up may not have to do with what I fear. The pony in the Skull makeup always shows up in my nightmares. I wonder if they are both related?” Luna poured herself some more tea and then teleported the kettle away. A blue aura held the teacup in the air. During that time, Luna asked, “Yes, but how do you think they are related?” Cozy Glow answered, “Golly ... they both seem to use dark magic. He also seems interested in ponies paying their fees. Do you think he is collecting the fee to pay Nightmare?” Luna took a sip of tea, “Very interesting. I am surprised that a young filly made that connection.” Cozy Glow responded, “Well, I had the best princess to teach me.” Luna sighed, “Yes. Twilight is a good teacher.” Cozy Glow smiled, “Well Golly, I meant you, Princess Luna. You are the best.” Luna responded, “Thanks.” Luna took a sip of tea. Cozy Glow asked, “Can you let me out of Tartarus?” Luna responded, “Nope.” Cozy Glow slapped the tea cup out of Luna’s magic. It fell to the ground and shattered. Luna responded, “Oh we are back to this. Ok, I thought we were beyond it, but, yeah.” Cozy Glow’s face turned bright red. Steam started pouring out of her ears. Cozy Glow yelled, “How could you? After all that, you still keep me next to Tirek? He yells and makes fun of me for snoring. He also threatens to hurt me.” Luna said, “Is he in a cage? How is he going to hurt you?” Cozy Glow yelled, “That is not the point.” Luna responded, “Do you want to know why I agreed to send you?” Cozy Glow screamed, “Yeah! Tell the world. Why did you send a seven-year-old to a place like Tartarus?” Luna responded, “Because you are just like me, my little filly. So full of potential. So smart, and yet the darkness calls out to you.” Cozy Glow responds, “You know nothing about me.” Luna said, “You are the way you are because you feel like you are always in the shadow of somepony more liked than you. You crave adoration and never get any. On top of that, your mentor figure of yours gets all the glory and love, and you never seem to be able to escape their shadow.” Cozy Glow beat her hooves to the floor, “Stupid Twilight.” Luna placed a hoof over Cozy Glow’s, “It is not Twilights fault. Everything you did, you did to yourself. Now you have to prove to me that I can trust you.” Cozy Glow stopped and snapped back. “Yeah well, ya genius. How am I going to prove anything in a cage?” Luna replied, “There is one thing that you can do.” Cozy Glow grinned, “What do you have in mind?” Luna mentions. “Tirek likes power. I do not doubt that the skull pony would have offered him a helping hand. Can you find out from him if he knows anything about the pony with the skull makeup?” Cozy Glow responded, “Why don’t you find out from his dreams?” Luna answered while her eye twitched, “His best dream is not safe for anypony. You don’t want to know the horrors that he dreams about.” Cozy Glow giggled then assured, “I will do my best.” Cozy Glow watched as Luna flew up into the moon. She was bathed in a warm light from the rays of the moon. Cozy Glow woke up from her sleep. She looked over to see Tirek seething. Cozy Glow rolled her eyes. Wow. What a surprise. Golly ... is he ever happy? Cozy Glow thought about what she learned in the letters that she received from Tirek. The only time he ever seemed happy was when he talked about the adventures he had with his... Cozy Glow thought about it. So I identified a point of weakness. Next, how to best exploit it? I could talk to him, but that would fail as has every attempt before. Cozy Glow grinned as she came up with an idea. Time to try something that fools everypony. Cozy Glow thought about the saddest thing ever. Tears flowed down her face and formed a pool under her cage. She cried and whined as loud as she could. Tirek yelled, “Stop that right now!!” Cozy Glow sobbed, “I can’t.” Tirek said, “If I could, I would make you stop.” Cozy Glow whined, “I just miss my brother.” Tirek sighed, “I know the feeling, but you are just making everything miserable for everyone else here.We all have family that we miss.” Cozy Glow stopped crying and then sniffed, “Golly. Why? Do you miss any family? I thought you just had your brother.” Tirek snipped back, “It doesn’t really matter. I am never going to leave Tartarus.” Cozy Glow said delightfully, “Awww, why so glum, my new chum?” Tirek shrugged, “Out of everyone here, you are the most likely to leave someday. I mean, what kind of monsters sends a child to Tartarus.” Cozy Glow grinned, “Golly, Sir, that sure is kind of you.” Tirek said, “Now calm down and don’t get too sappy or I am going to get sick.” Cozy Glow snickered to herself. Wow, he sure calmed down. Cozy Glow looked down at her cutie mark, a red rook chess piece. She grinned. Step one: Get him to open up. Step two: Get him to like me. Step three: Ask him about the skull pony. All is going as planned!!! Before long I will have him as a friend. It will take time but soon I can say checkmate!