//------------------------------// // Can I Finally Learn Chess? // Story: The Legend of Cozy Glow // by kleia //------------------------------// Cozy Glow observed Sprout for a moment, watching him as he eyed her. It was time to see if her charms still worked. She drew in a breath. "Goodness! I didn't think my tiny face would startle you so much, Mister! It's only me! The one you freed!" Cozy Glow said with a sugary sweetness, pulling out a face of pure innocence. Sprout's mind came back to reality. "O-oh! N-no! I came here to free you, like your book said to do!" Sprout quickly reached for the book in his saddlebag, showing it to her. Yep. That was the one. Good. Someone who shared her mindset had heard of her legend and set her free to bring hellfire down on upon Equestria and -- "Cozy Glow?" Sprout spoke, shaking Cozy Glow from her thoughts. Hopefully he didn't see her face contort into a wickedly evil grin. "Yes?" she replied sweetly, batting her lashes. "Now that you're free, can you teach me chess?" Wut. Cozy Glow's smile faded instantly, her face displaying nothing but confusion. Cozy blinked. Who was this... this .... SIMPERING SIMPLETON?! How did this IDIOT free her? He did not share her mindset! Cozy Glow felt rage build in her chest. But she forced it back down. She could still take over Equestria. She'd just have to get this idiot out of the way first. Cozy Glow drew in another long breath, returning her sickly sweet smile to her face. "Why golly, of course! I'll teach you through real world example!" she said gleefully. Oh she'd teach him alright. And he'd unknowingly help her takeover Equestria. Her plan was now in action. He was clearly not very bright, and she was the master of charms and manipulation. "Shall we?" she asked, trotting past him and looking behind her at Sprout. He nodded and quickly packed his bag back up, trotting behind her. The journey back to Maretime Bay was nothing other than a spectacle. Listening to Cozy Glow prattle on about chess and how she used many of it's strategies in every day life was strangely fascinating. Quite honestly, you'd think hearing about wanting to be the literal Empress of Friendship and how she literally played Twilight right into Tartarus and all that would be a red flag. Double quite honestly, Sprout is not smart. Sprout lacks logic. Touché, me. Anyway, moving on. "So, Sprout," Cozy Glow spoke up after a few moments of thoughtful silence, her tiny wings flapping in the air. She had just regaled him on the use of pawns, and how while they may seem like the most unimportant piece - truly, they're the ones that can bring on the heat if played right and played well. What I mean is, they're perceived as unimportant - on some level they are - in the beginning and middle of the game, they're sacrifices, but become significantly important in the endgame." "Here's one strategy I like to use. It's called a "pin"," Cozy gestured quotations in the air with her hooves. "A pin is where a piece can't move, otherwise you risk losing one of your big pieces, such as a Queen. Either the Queen sacrifices her rook, or you lose the Queen. Obviously, giving up your rook is your only option," Cozy explains, gesturing with her hooves. Sprout just... looked confused. Chess was way harder to understand than he initially thought. "You ... look confused. Let me give you a real world example. Do you know any queens? Princesses, perhaps?" Cozy asked, eyeing Sprout. Queen Haven and her daughters Zipp and Pipp immediately came to mind. Sprout nodded enthusiastically. "The pegasus kingdom has a Queen and two princesses! You... wanna head there before we hit Maretime Bay?" he offered, smiling at the tiny pink filly. A wicked grin sprawled across Cozy's face. A laugh erupted from her tiny body, Sprout chiming in with laughter of his own. Cozy Glow's laugh slowed. "You really need to work on your evil laugh, dude." she said neutral toned, eyeing him. Sprout's face reddened... more than it already naturally was, and he rubbed behind his ears. "Sorry... anyway, it's this way to Zephyr Heights," he said, turning to lead the way, trotting off. "Eh, it's whatever. We'll work on it. Ready for a real world example?" she asked, flying beside him. He nodded excitedly. Raucous evil laughter could be heard from far below Zephyr Heights, echoing from the canyon the massive city stood before. Two guards that stood at the city gate furrowed confused brows at each other, having a conversation in facial expressions alone. "I'm not the only one hearing that, right?" came the twitch of a brow. "It's not just you, don't worry. But be on your guard." Came the flick of the eyes. They nodded to each other and returned to attention. Sprout and Cozy Glow loudly approached, stopping before the guards. "Hello, dear guards, we're here to see Queen Haven." Cozy Glow said, batting her lashes at the pair of guards. The guards once more shared a glance, looking between each other and the tiny pink filly. Sprout only smiled politely. "... Sorry... how does Her Majesty know you?" one guard piped in. Cozy Glow fluttered her wings. "Golly! I didn't even explain! You see, I'm a pegasus from far off, and I carry news of other pegasi that have never been here before. They'd be very disappointed if I didn't get to speak to her," Cozy's face contorted to that of puppy eyes and a pouty bottom lip. She held the face until the guards caved. "Right this way," said one guard, who nodded his head as he began to walk off. Cozy looked to Sprout and winked at him. Woah. She just did that. Maybe it was part of his chess lessons. He'd ask about it later. A short walk later, and the pair plus the guard found themselves in an elevator, leading them straight to the throne room. Sprout and Cozy followed behind the guard quietly. Cozy leaned in near Sprout, whispering in his ear, eyeing the guard to make sure his ears didn't turn towards them. "Watch and learn, Sprout. You're about to witness a pin, that tactic I told you about, in a real life example." she whispered. Sprout nodded in reply, eyes forward. "-- But Mom! Me?! Queen?" Zipp's voice carried from the throne room, it's glory coming into view. The white pegasus was clearly distraught. A smaller, light pink pegasus with down feathers came into the throne room, clearly distracted by her phone. Cozy eyed the smaller pegasus engrossed in her phone. She'd be the first piece played. The trio regained their composure and stood regally together, Pipp stuffing her phone under her wing. Cozy Glow leaned in and whispered once more. "The Queen is the queen, and her daughters are pawns, okay? Like I explained in the tactic," she nodded to Sprout, who nodded again in reply. Cozy composed herself as she and Sprout came into view. Royal fanfare announced the pair's presence, to the dismay of the royal trio. "Your majesty," Cozy spoke sweetly, bowing. Sprout bowed as well. "You have Sprout with you! How nice to see you again. And what can I do for you, little filly?" Queen Haven asked, meeting Cozy's eyes. "Well, you see... I've lived with my family outside Equestria for my whole life. When we met Sprout, we were scared, but he told us of your city. That we'd find peace and solace here?" Cozy Glow batted her lashes, her ears drooping against her head, eyes big like a begging dog. "Oh, I see, well of c-" Queen Haven was abruptly interrupted. "Oh EM gee! Pipsqueaks!" came Pipp's shrill voice. "This just in! New pegasi! From BEYOND Equestira! EEE!!" Pipp was very quickly in Cozy's face with her phone. This was it. It was time to initiate phase two. Cozy shifted uncomfortably away from the phone, smiling awkwardly, trotting over to the Queen. "Um, your majesty?" Cozy asked innocently, her tone honeyed. "I have a question..." "Of course! What can I answer for you?" Haven replied, all too eagerly. Silence fell over the throne room as Pipp continued to film. "What happens when a Princess, such as her," Cozy pointed to Zipp, "doesn't want to be next in line?" she finished, practically pulling the secret from thin air. Zipp's face was quick to contort to shock, as was the Queen's. Pipp's hoof was over her mouth, eyes wide. Pipp did not end her stream. "Wh- Zephyrina?! Explain yourself! You know you must be Queen someday! You are crown princess of Zephyr Heights!" Queen Haven's voice rose in volume the longer she spoke. "There is no other option for you! When the day comes, YOU will be crowned Queen! I have not spent years and years preparing you to be queen for you to do nothing but throw that all away!" Queen Haven huffed deeply, anger spread thick across her face. Another realization seemed to cross her mind. Pipp was streaming. She whirled around to face Pipp, rage now fueling her movements. "Phone. Off. Now." Haven practically growled the last word. Silently, Pipp turned off her stream and put her phone under her wing. "Zipp, Pipp, out. Now." she said, looking between the two. Haven seemed to have forgotten about Sprout and Cozy Glow. Zipp and Pipp quietly left, tears streaking the crown princess's cheeks. The two spared no glances to Sprout or Cozy as they left. Haven trotted, pacing back and forth in a line. "Pipp was livestreaming?! How many times have I told her?! The throne room is private! And now everypony will know! I had my suspicions but? What about us! The last time a scandal happened, we we're set to be arrested! What about their image? What about my image?" Queen Haven was clearly spiraling. Cozy Glow cleared her throat, causing her to stop in her tracks. "Um... I may just be a filly - but, what if you made a statement? If you're so worried about your image, their must be something you can do to preserve yours, right?" Cozy glow said ever so innocently. This was the pin. Haven had two choices. Admit her faults to the entirety of her kingdom, or throw Zipp under the bus and put the blame all on her. It was all too satisfying. "Either way you explain it though, one of you is in the wrong... I'd be careful with your verbiage, your majesty" Cozy Glow bowed and turned to leave, flicking Sprout with her tail, indicating for him to follow. Queen Haven's eyes stayed on the pair as they left, watching the spot they stood in long after they had left. Haven returned to her pacing. On some level, that little filly was right. Something had to be said. She had to save face. Her own face. Cozy Glow and Sprout sat at a table in a part of Zephyr Heights surrounded by what Sprout had taught Cozy Glow were massive televisions, where the news was regaling the events that just occurred in a form of breaking news. It was all anypony was talking about! Cozy Glow grinned widely. "That, Sprout, was called a pin, like I taught you. Now, we wait on the result of that pin..." Cozy said sweetly, keeping her eyes on one of the many surrounding screens. Sprout nodded, his neck twisted to watch the news. The two didn't have long to wait. "Breaking news straight from the Zephyr Heights palace! Queen Haven speaks on the days events!" cried a news reporter. "Hello, and good afternoon, my subjects. Firstly, I sincerely apologize for any actions you may have seen earlier. Princess Zepyhyrina is in a... very fragile state where she's constantly at ends with me... and well... Moms? You know how it is. Sometimes, you just get to your wits end. I assure you, she will be Queen one day. Your crown princess loves you, and can't wait to serve you!" she said jovially, smiling into the camera. Cozy Glow grinned wickedly. "This, Sprout, is the pin I taught you about. The Queen had no choice but to save face, else she risks her own hide." Cozy glow said, rubbing her hooves together. Something about this didn't feel right to Sprout, but he couldn't place what. He ignored the feeling for now, her voice breaking him from his thoughts. "Sprout? Did you hear me?" she asked, pouting at him. Sprout nodded. "Yes, the pin? What an interesting play in chess. I never knew you could apply chess to the real world … or at least certainly not in that way." Sprout replied, smiling awkwardly. "Shall we?" Cozy said, getting up and beginning to walk off. Sprout nodded, trotting to catch up. "Would you wanna meet my friends back home? Oh! I can also show you the unity crystals. I bet Sunny would love to meet you!" Sprout happily said, smiling at the pink filly. "Golly would I! I'd love some new friends to help me traverse this new era!" Cozy Glow replied just as happily, flapping her wings excitedly. The journey back home to Maretime bay was relatively uneventful. Sprout and Cozy Glow conversed about various things, mostly though, Cozy Glow had more and more questions about this era of Equestria. She had seen and learned so much, so figures she'd want to learn even more. "So those televisions work through electricity... we had that back in my time, but it was far less advanced," Cozy stated as the Crystal Brighthouse came into view, the sun falling beneath the horizon. Cozy eyed it, and the rainbow that came from the top. She could feel it. That rainbow contained motic power. Magic. If she could get her hooves on it, she could so easily take over. Her plan was working so far. Sprout was a fool enough. And apparently Sunny was an alicorn, though only at times. Which didn't make sense to Cozy, but eh oh well. She'd cut her losses and figure that out later. Sprout held open the door for Cozy, who flapped inside. The air inside the Brighthouse was pregnant with tension and silence, save for Cozy's wingbeats, and the news playing on the TV. Sunny, Izzy and Hitch were sat in silence, watching with intensity. "Tensions rising to astronomical levels in Zephyr Heights as a livestream straight from the palace illuminates the truth on the kingdom's crown princess. Riots, one after the other, have broken out in the streets, many saying to let the crown princess go, others saying she must rule! Is pegasi civil war on the horizon? More at 8." Sprout cleared his throat, garnering the three's attention. Sunny, Hitch and Izzy all turned to face them. "Oh! Sprout! There you are! We were wondering where you'd gotten off to. Who's this?" Sunny's voice came, the concern of the news washing away from her mind. "So - this is Cozy Glow - I read a book about her and...well it led me to a few ancient cities, where I freed her from a stone prison!" Sprout proclaimed excitedly, smiling brightly. "How fun! I'm guessing she'll need friends to help her adjust to modern times?" Sunny suggested, offering a smile to the filly. Cozy glow eyed her. How naïve of her. No alicorn in sight, either. Just an earth pony. Was Sprout lying perhaps? "Golly, I'd really appreciate that!" Cozy remarked, offering a fake smile in return. "Well, it's late so we'll show you everything tomorrow. The rest of us are sleeping over here, and you're both welcome to join us!" Sunny offered, looking between the two. Sprout and Cozy shared a look, and then nodded in agreeance. The rest of the night went exceedingly well, everyone took a shining to Cozy, happy of the new friend. Soon though, popcorn, movies, and snacks ran dry, and it was time to get some rest. Sprout lay in bed with little comfort. The events of the day had plagued his mind, whispering from the back of it. And now, with nothing else to do, they had returned to the forefront. Finally, reason had seemingly returned to him. Why was Cozy Glow in stone? What if their was a deeper, darker meaning to it? The book mentioned 'domination of Equestria' but it didn't make sense. He was learning about chess. He just figured, at least up until now, the book contained more real world examples. Was Cozy Glow evil? Her being trapped in stone was described as a prison. [INSIGHT CHECK - What Have I Done?] DC: 15 Bonuses: +0 [If you rolled 14 or lower, click here] or [If you rolled 15 or higher, click here]