//------------------------------//
// 14) Being a Death Walker is Dangerous 
// Story: The Ghost of Cozy Glow- A Redux 
// by SapphireRose87 
//------------------------------//

{Cozy Glow}

After Betty passed out from what I sensed was a power surge, Dae heard me talking inside Betty's head during her fight with Tirek. I heard Dae ask Betty why my voice was inside her head during the fight and so it was time for me to at least see if the King of Hell can see me, since he could already hear my thoughts inside Betty’s head. Right after Dae got Betty home and Fluttershy cleaned her up before putting her to bed, I took a deep breath and hovered right in front of everyone in the room. Dae, Discord, Fluttershy and Norman were all there, they paused and I'm going to assume that they saw me when I smiled and blurted out. "Hi guys!"

Dae's jaw dropped, "Okay why are you standing in front of me and why haven't you crossed over yet, Cozy Glow?"

For some reason, I felt nervous at what I was getting ready to say. I frowned as I stammered, "Honestly, I'm not really sure? All I know is, I died in my statue five years ago. Then somehow, I talked to Betty in some sort of limbo place. Then, Betty woke up in the hospital and I saw her through the  bathroom mirror. And after that point, my soul has been bound to hers.” I smiled, "Oh and Dae, I sensed your creepy dark presence with Betty right after she went back to when she recovered. And I heard your voice inside her too, so I gotta wonder if Betty's put two and two together yet?” I lowered my gaze, “She might've done so by now, you know? I guess I'll have to ask her when she wakes up, huh?” I frowned, “But, I have no idea when that's going to be. I know she passed out from that power surge when she was fighting with Tirek. And from what I sensed, it was really bad!"

Dae nodded. "Yeah, it was a bad one."

Fluttershy tilted her head. "Hmmm, I see that Amulet of Invisibility that we gave you?"

Norman raised his left eyebrow. "Amulet of what now?"

Fluttershy smiled, "It's an Amulet that's supposed to help balance out a power surge when it happens for a Death Walker. I know it works because the Icebreakers tested it out on me." Fluttershy frowned. "But it has to be worn by someone else in order for it to work. Since Dae was stalking Betty and now he's her boyfriend, the Amulet did its job and it helped Betty during her power surges."

Fluttershy examined the Amulet and smiled. "It looks like it did the job once again! I mean that power surge would've put her out of commission for a long time after, otherwise. Although, nothing can kill her until after she's made her Death Walker decision.” Fluttershy looked down and sighed, “Which she hasn't made yet... The Icebreakers will ask her, when the time comes."

"What is a Death Walker's decision?" Norman asked with a quizzical look on his face. 

Fluttershy looked back up and sighed, "The Death Walker decision is whether or not you want to live or die."

Norman widened his eyes. "Why is that decision even necessary?"

"Well, a lot of it has to do with balancing out the power in this universe and stuff like that." Discord said as he threw his lion paw in the air forward. "However, most of the time, the Icebreakers will decide who becomes a Death Walker and who doesn't. Even if a Death Walker decides to die, it's not much of a loss because they can still go back and forth from the Land of the Dead and the Land of Living. I'm just going to assume if a Death Walker makes their decision to die, their power is weakened by that. Although Betty is the Child of Prophecy…"

"Wait, hold up, time out." Norman said while leaning forward. "You mean to tell me that the prophecy I read in school about a Death Walker being as strong as an Alicorn, that is talking about Betty?"

Discord and Fluttershy nodded and said in unison, "Uh-huh." While Dae only muttered, “Yeah, basically!”

Norman's jaw dropped. "I don't believe it, but okay then."

Dae chuckled, "Don't worry, Betty doesn't believe it either. She actually gets mad when people say that about her."

"I know," I said, "I mean, seriously? Achieving the Dark Aura right as she's been recovering from being injured? Yeah, she's not the Child of Prophecy alright! Please!" I rolled my eyes. I sighed before adding, "But no, Betty doesn't see it that way at all."

At this point, practically everybody in the room giggled.

Discord frowned with his eagle talon at his chin, "I wonder where Betty gets her stubbornness from?" 

Norman shrugged. "I have no idea. From what I know, most of the people in that family aren't so quick to deny their power and what they've accomplished? So, you gotta understand why it’s a mystery to me!"

"Hmm, interesting." Dae said while glancing at Norman. He centers his view, "Maybe one of these days, Betty'll stop being so stubborn about this?" before shrugging.

He took out of his pants, what looked like the crystal prism Betty used to catch Tirek with. I laughed when I saw Tirek's image in it with an upset battle hardened scowl on his face. 

"That's Tirek for you!" I laughed. "He never liked to lose a fight. Even when it was just a simple argument."

Dae snorted. "Really now? Well, it sucks to be him! I can't believe Betty was able to use her staff to snap his horns in two! That was amazing!"

I winced as I remembered how bad Tirek howled in pain as he got sucked into it. "Yeah, let's hope that doesn't happen to me." 

Dae chuckled, "Yeah I doubt that. Unless you become evil again."

I paused while shaking my head nervously. "Wait, what? I'm not evil?"

"You're not evil Cozy Glow," said Dae, "I sense that about you now. I don't know how your soul became bound to Betty's, but I think it's helped you more than anything."

Norman, Discord and Fluttershy snickered, I felt myself blush and looked away. Dae smiled. "Well, I better get this idiot back to the prison. I wonder if the Afterlife Court will change his punishment now?"

I shrugged. "I don't know, maybe? I mean, we can hope because he was pretty evil before he died. Which you know, is why he got turned to stone! He declared war on Equestria with me and Queen Chrysalis.” I shook my head, “Honestly, I  don’t wanna do that anymore!  Right now, I just want to figure out how to crossover! That's all."

Dae smiled. "I understand, I'm pretty sure, since you're now connected to Betty, that she'll help you figure that out." 

I nodded and Dae soon left to go to the Land of the Dead to take Tirek back to the prison there.


*	*	*


{Norman}

"I'm telling Fluttershy, this Death Walker stuff is getting dangerous." I said. "You're Betty's adoptive mother, can't you do anything about this?"

Fluttershy shook her head. "No, nothing can be done about this. You know, you sound like a worried parent." Fluttershy rolled her eyes. "You do realize she's older than you and she's not a baby, right?" before leaning up at me inquisitively. 

Fluttershy, Discord and I were sitting at the kitchen table after Dae left to return Tirek to the Land of the Dead. I paused when Fluttershy said that, "You might be right about that, but you didn't live a psycho mother that's abusive. It wasn't aimed at me, it was mostly aimed at Betty. I still can't believe I decided to leave to go be with dad so I could work odd jobs with him and send money back home. I did this right after I finished my college joint high school program.” I sighed, “Dad actually left home when Betty was seven and I was six. I guess I could say I'm a daddy's kid. I tried to ask Dad why he left, but he never told me. He always said he didn't want to talk about it."

"Let me guess," said Discord while rolling his eyes. He points down at me with his eagle talon, "You feel bad about not being there to protect Betty?"

I nodded. Fluttershy put a hoof gently on my shoulder. "Listen, that's all in the past okay? Don't beat yourself up over that. Betty's pretty much grown up for the most part. She's actually grown up a little too fast if you ask me." 

Discord nodded. "Yup, Betty should be considered an actual adult instead of a pre-adult in my book! But rules are rules and you are considered a teenager! Still Norman, you're not old enough to adopt a child yourself yet anyway. You have to be at least twenty years old."

Fluttershy chuckled, "I doubt Betty would want that responsibility either.” She eyes me curiously, “Although, you seem to be ready for it because you want to protect your big sister."

I didn't know how to respond to that. I opened my mouth preparing to answer, but then I shut it because I knew that Fluttershy made a good point about my overprotectiveness of Betty. Honestly, if anything happened to Betty, I'm not sure if I could live with myself. 

But on the other side of the issue, Betty will be Betty. If she makes a decision on something, there's no stopping her. I still can't help but worry, even if there is a prophecy about her. 

"You know, you're right," I finally said with a resigned sigh, "I just want to make sure Betty's okay, at least. But, now that she's a Death Walker and there's nothing you can do about it, Fluttershy. So I guess, there's nothing I can do about it either." 

Fluttershy gave a kind smile and nodded. "From now on, just let Betty be Betty. She needs to learn to make her own choices. She can't have you or anyone else constantly hovering over her all the time anymore.” She looks up at me wide-eyed, “But, you can at least be her friend, and I think that's what she needs more than anything right now."

I nodded, but it still didn't sit well with me that I wasn't there to protect Betty when I should've been.


*	*	*


{Celestia}

I was sitting in my office when Dae brought the crystal prism that Betty used to capture Tirek. To tell the truth, it shocked me to see Tirek being brought back to the Land of the Dead so soon, and yet, here he was, neatly imprisoned inside a crystal sitting on my table! I was so sure the other escapes would be brought back first.

It was almost as if Dae could read my mind. "In case you're wondering, yes I can hear your thoughts Celestia. I figured I'd listen in because of the shocked look on your face.” He frowned, “And honestly, I'm just as surprised as you are."

"Oh." I said before looking back up at him. "I didn't realize Betty would be that good so soon. I know she's the Child of Prophecy but she was still recovering from an injury that Twilight gave her."

Dae nodded. "Yeah I know, she achieved the Dark Aura too! She sliced through a boulder as if she were cutting a piece of paper!"

"Wow," I said with wide-eyed amazement at what I just heard, "I wish I could've been there to see it."

"She's awesome, I'm glad she's my girlfriend now." Dae beamed. "If I'm going to marry anyone, it's going to be her.” Dae frowned, “Or at least I hope it will be her." 

I chuckled, "Of course! Who wouldn't want to be married to the Child of Prophecy?"

"Um…" Dae said before blushing and looking away. 

I chuckled softly as I couldn't help but see how cute Dae's affection for Betty is. 

Dae looked back at me, "Really? It's that cute huh?"

I smiled. "Yeah it is, considering you're so protective of her now." 

"I think everyone's being protective of her at the moment, especially Norman," Dae said with a small frown. 

"I guess that makes sense, but I don't think that's necessary at the moment.” I said while looking at the ceiling, I moved my eyes back to Dae, “True, being a Death Walker is dangerous and Betty's powers haven't fully developed yet, so I can see why people are worried." I smile. "But, I think Betty can handle herself now? Well, after she’s had a chance  to rest up!"

Dae nodded. "Well, now that Tirek has been brought back, hopefully, capturing the other escapees will be easy?"

"I don't know.” I said as I shook my head, I look back at him, “However, every job that a Death Walker is sent to do, is different."

After Dae left, I wondered why people were being so protective of Betty. I mean, I'm pretty sure that since she's the Child of Prophecy, she doesn't need any protection? What she really needs right now, is friendship.