//------------------------------//
// Today is a new day. 
// Story: What makes a villain, a villain. Cozy Glow. Manipulation. 
// by Ryoup 
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Everything was dark, I tried to move my neck, up, down or sideways, nothing. I lost? Again? Darn it! I knew I couldn't trust that foal! cursed be the universe!
"Are you there, Cozy?"
Ohhh, and it looks like I already have company, can you hear me?
"Y-yes Cozy, we can." 
Can you let me go? I swear this time I learned my lesson, I'll be a good filly! I swear!
"Pff, okay, you said the same thing the last three times, and you tried conquest Equestria the last three times!"
"Twilight, please."
In my defense, you petrified me, a helpless little foal three...four times! There must be a law prohibiting this.
"Cozy, please, not now."
"Enough of this Starlight, we've tried everything, EVERYTHING, but she doesn't want help."
Oh golly, come on guys, I'll give it a try this time, I swear! I pinkie promise! 
I hear the sound of screaming and what sounds like a... cannon?
"Don't dare, joke with this, Pinkie asked me to tell you that you're not allowed to make pinkie promises. Forever.
Sad, at least I won't have to listen to that babbler anymore.
"Why Cozy? You were making so much progress, you attended meetings, and your test results were impeccable! 	Why?”
"Look Starlight, I know you want to try to help her, but some ponies just don't want help."
Pffft, you wouldn't understand.
"So help us understand, is it about your childhood? You never commented on it."
What? I'm still a child! I'm like, thirteen. Write it down, thirteen years old, almost four conquests of Equestria, seems a good number. Right ?
"Enough of your jokes, Cozy Glow I- AHHHHH! Forget it, look Starlight, I'll see Tirek okay? I think you can handle this."
"Happy Cozy?"
Well, from the sound of the door closing so abruptly, I see-hear, I hear this as an absolute win.
"Want to talk?" 
Nope, I'm gonna find a way out.
"If you saw where you are, I think you'd take those words back. I'm referring to your problem."
I don't have problems, you do.
"Really? and what would that problem be?"
I don't know, maybe because they don't use all the power of their friendships? I used it and almost ruled the country, 	imagine if I was already an adult! 
"It's not helping, I want to help you get out of here, to be a better pony."
Why? Seriously, I never understood you. You were always around me, monitoring me and everything, golly! You looked 	like my father!
"Father?"
Ohhh shi-
"You said you were an orphan. Did you just-"
Yes Shellock, I lied, again.
"But why?"
My hecking skies, sweet Celestia, why don't you mind your own business, huh? You don't have a bill to pay or a house 	to clean? a sink to wash? or maybe grass to mow?!?
"Wow."
Don't start with your wow's ok? heck, you're a pain in my flank more than Pinkie were, and that's a thing!
"Want... wanna talk about it?"
You're with your ridiculously big glasses and a multicolored notepad?
For your giggles I'm gonna take that as a yes, look, quick question, for you Starlight, what ... What is power?
"Power?"
Yeah, from a fully-grown failed dictator to a mere thirteen years-old filly, what is power. By your sigh you must have 	rolled your eyes, oh golly, hope this isn’t a sensitive topic!
"Ha ha, well, your little mind games haven't worked on me since your second escape and…yeah, that didn't sound 	well when I say it out loud.”
Starlight focus, be concise and to the point.
"Ahmm, power means... power? being strong?"
WRONG! GOLLY! THIS IS SOOOO Tirek! NO! Power, the true power comes from one thing, manipulation, if you 	manipulate the others, you can have anything! Money, fame, a promotion where you work or even a crown!
"Bu- but Cozy-"
Starlight, don't argue with an infant, let's play a game instead?
"Please, I'm not joking here, I'm trying to help you!"
Okay, unicorn, but let's play the game and THEN you help me, does not it sound fun?
"Okay ... which game?"
It's not quite a game, more like a share of stories, you go first, what was the worst part of your childhood.
"I'm sorry? what?"
Just-just answer me okay.
"Well, that was definitely when my childhood friend gained his cutie mark."
Oh sweet Celestia! Such a crime! What more?
"More? What do you mean with, more?"
Pfffffft. that's it? like, all of it? welp, that explains a lot about you and your… reformation I guess. Are you writing it all down?
“On rainbow paper and wearing embarrassingly large glasses, yes I am. Now it's your turn.
Oh golly, from where do I start, I mean, there are so many things. But first, what do you think I… hate most?
“I can't decide between the students, the girls or me, actually.”
Funny, I would laugh but you know, petrified and all.
“I nailed it so?”
Nope, you didn't get any close actually, Starlight, what I hate most is being manipulated, being a puppet in one's 	plans, I dictate my destiny. only me.
“I-”
And about the worst part of my infancy, I think it's quite accurate to say that it all started one day.
"Which day?" 
The day I was born.





Beep-beep-beep-beep-beep-beep
Today, today is a new day.
Beep-beep-beep-beep-beep-beep
But yesterday, yesterday was a new day too.
"COZYYYYY, WAKE UP DEAR, you're going to be late for school."
I sigh as I get up from my… bed. if an old mattress on the floor can be called a bed.
I trot towards my mirror, a pink foal with a messy blue mane stares at me. I get a comb to straighten my mane. After 	finishing I fill my chest and smile.
"Today is a new day!"
I grab my school bag and quickly fill it with today's class books and other things. My dad shout one more time, better hurry up, daddy 	gets angry when he has to shout three times.
Before leaving I stop and look at my room. it was small, some old toys scattered here and there, my old desk and my… 	bed.
As I was about to go downstairs I heard a moan coming from Dad's room. Mommy had a rough morning. Again.
"I arrived father." I say for the dark-blue pegasus sitting at our table reading the newspaper.
"Sweetie, you have to be faster and stop sleeping late."
"Yes dad, sorry" He chuckles a little inwardly and goes back to reading the newspaper.
I put my school bag on the table, that's when it hit me.
"DAD! YOU STILL HERE!"
Before he could respond I flew towards him and hugged him as hard has I could.
“Y-yes? I mean-”
“You never stay in the morning, oh golly, is it something important? Is grandpa going to visit us?!"
"Sweet Celestia Cozy, is it so hard to believe I wanted to spend more time with you and go late to work?"
"YES! Who’s coming?!" Dad rolled his eyes,
"Nopony, for your sadness. My pals are going to cover me, but I'm already going to work." Daddy hugged me back and 	lifted me up with his hoofs.
"Where's mommy?" I say looking around, she is always the first to wake up.
"Your mother had… a rough morning honey, soon she arrives."
I scrunched up my face as I tried to get out of his grip, but it was in vain.
"No no no, I got you now!" he declares, laughing evilly. Oh no, Celestia, have mercy of my soul. “because I'm the tickling 	monster! muahahaha!" 
"Stop it!" I shouted between laughs and giggles, after a couple of seconds he lets go of me while laughing too.
I shake my head and straight my mane while gazing at him. He just shrugged, smirked and laid on his chair. 
"You're mean."
"I know, and I'm the best father due to it." He said, sighing heavily and going back to reading his paper.
I stick my tongue out at him before flying to the shelf! He is so mean, I mean mean, not mean, but mean, I... you know What I mean-meant! I hate this language.
When I open the shelf I am surprised with a lot of nothing, I grunt and fly to the others, after opening them all and 	finding nothing but an empty bottle of wine. I looked the last shelf. 
I open it and there is a stale and hard as stone bread , I feel a smile forming as I take the bread and set it on the table, 	a small sound of crack echoed with the bread hitting the table while my father was startled and fell off his chair.
He stood up, a little astonished and began to poke the bread.
"What is this?"
"Bread? Food I guess.” I say picking up a small blunt knife to start cutting it. “Dad, the knife didn't bend! this bread 	shouldn't even be that old!" I lick my lips as I tear off a sizable piece of bread, but before I could eat it my father snatched 	my precious bread out of me! 
"Good joke Cozy, where's the bread?"
"Don't know dad, this bread was in the shelf."
He blinks for a couple of seconds before making that face, serious face, furrowed brows and slow breathing.
"I leave money for your mother to buy food before leaving for work, you've been eating… this." He signals by shaking 	the bread in the air. "For how long?"
“It has been a while, is mom in trouble? oh golly if she is gonna get in trouble so this is the first time! I swear!"
Dad stared at me for a few more moments before a horn from the street caught our attention, almost as if by magic 	he seemed to wake up and put me on the table. He sighs and grabed his keys and opens the only shelf that has a lock and 	From there he takes a jar.
When he opened it I feelt my mouth watering and my heart racing! There it was! A cookie!
He smiled and grabed two more and handed them to me.
"Time to go to school sweetie."
I wave vigorously as I immediately swallow one of the cookies and tuck the other two into my school bag and I flew towards the door.
Before I leave the house I can hear Mom coming down the stairs and I spy on her, a unicorn with very beautiful pink 	fur and golden eyes like Newly minted bits. She was bad, some bruises near her face and back. She had a rough morning.
I open the door and I fly smoothly towards the waiting school bus. The last thing I want is to get my hooves dirty in our muddy backyard.
"Your cunt, didn't I tell ya to buy food!? Where is the alcohol?!"
I looked around as I flew, There was a broken swing in one of the trees. Dad says he is gonna fix it, besides that there is only tall grass in the backyard. I like to hide in it.
“Fuck you, I g-got necessities, besides, there is bread, see? ”
The shrill sound of the bus horn wakes me from my almost daily-trance about a repaired swing. The driver, a 	Pegasus, beckons me to go and then points to his other hoof as if he had a watch.
"You-you piece of - you- that money is for my daughter! How many days has she gone to school eating this-this 	bread?! come here!”
When I got on the bus I looked at it’s floor, the whispers started immediately. I quickly looked for an empty seat and 	when I found one I sat on it. There was no one beside me, so I could lean on the window.
Today, today is a new day.