//------------------------------// // The Way to the Heart // Story: A True Princess // by bahatumay //------------------------------// Early the next morning, Flurry walked into the kitchen, and paused. She sniffed at the air. That smelled good. Muzzle lifted and eyes half-closed, she followed the smell deeper through the halls, and found her way into the kitchen. She poked her head in and saw Cozy, hovering in the air, humming contentedly to herself as she put the finishing touches on a batch of cupcakes, topped with pink frosting and covered with blue sugar sprinkles. “Now that’s a fun breakfast,” Flurry said, reaching for one. “Not yet!” Cozy playfully swatted her hoof away with her tail. “I’m bringing these to school today. You can have one then!” “That’ll be fun,” Flurry said, already looking forward to it.  “I hope so,” Cozy said, setting the frosting bag down. She looked at Flurry with hopeful eyes. “I bet this little treat will help them want to get to know me.” “I think you’re right,” Flurry agreed. “Especially if they taste as good as they smell.” Cozy giggled. “They will.” When Cozy brought them out before lunch, Flurry gladly took one. For one wild moment, she expected it to taste wrong, but it was sweet and moist and the sugar crystals added just the right touch. It was absolutely delicious, and she let Cozy know.  But when the tray came back to Cozy, it looked just as full as it did when she’d started. Her brow furrowed. She looked to her left, then her right. “Oh,” she said quietly. Her offering had remained completely untouched, and she knew why. “It’s ok,” she said quickly. “See?” She picked one up and took a bite. “It’sh good,” she said, her mouth still full. For some reason, this didn’t seem to convince her classmates. Nopony took a step forward or reached for one, or even met her eyes. Cozy looked around, her breathing becoming a little more ragged. Almost desperately, she began shoving more of her cupcakes into her mouth, as if to demonstrate definitively that they were safe. Flurry winced, but wasn’t sure how to insert herself into this situation.  And then she didn’t have to. With a soft clink, Cozy’s hoof hit an empty plate. She looked and realized that she’d eaten them all. “Ah,” she said softly. “I’ll just… take this back, then,” she said, picking up the tray. She brusquely wiped a hoof over her eyes and quickly buzzed out of the room. Flurry looked around at her classmates, but nopony would meet her eyes, either. Irritably, she shoved the rest of the cupcake in her mouth and chased after her.  It didn’t take long to find her. She was curled up with her back against the wall, wings wrapped protectively around herself, holding the tray over her legs like a shield.  Her heart went out to her. She neared and crouched down nearby. “Hey, Cozy,” she started gently.  “Hey,” Cozy sniffled.  Flurry shuffled awkwardly in place. “Look, what happened back there-” “I get it,” Cozy said plaintively. “Nopony trusts me.” “You’re trying,” Flurry said comfortingly. “You’re doing so well. I know it’ll take time. Honestly, they didn’t like me, either, when I first started. Something about almost destroying the Empire on accident. But most ponies are cool with me now. And honestly, they’re missing out. Your cupcakes were great.” “Thanks, Flurry,” Cozy said. She brushed against Flurry’s hoof. “You’re a good friend.” Flurry smiled. “I try. Come on. Let’s get back to class before they tell my mom I was cutting class.” Flurry was working through a math problem in her room when the clock nearby dinged. Gratefully, she threw her pencil down and trotted over to the dining room, ready for dinner.  She was the first one there, and was soon joined by both parents, and just her parents.  Cadence looked over at Cozy’s empty seat and frowned.  Flurry glanced over and winced. She was supposed to be keeping an eye on her, huh? Come to think of it, she hadn’t seen her since they’d gotten back from school. “I’ll go look for her,” she said, pushing her chair away from the table. The first place she decided to look was Cozy’s room. For some reason, her parents had decided she’d fit best in a separate wing. With a burst of pink light, Flurry Heart appeared in front of the room, startling the guard posted there, and gently knocked on the door. “Cozy?” she asked hesitantly.  Her answer was a soft groan.  “Cozy, can I come in?” Flurry asked, concerned.  “Mm-hm,” came the weak answer.  She nosed open the door and glanced around. This was her first time in Cozy’s room. At first glance, it looked like any of the other guest rooms in the castle, decorated but not personalized. Her backpack hung on one side of the chair, but there wasn’t much else. With the bland walls and sparse decoration, it didn’t look like a little filly’s room at all. But there was a filly here. Cozy lay on the bed, curled up. Her stomach was looking a little distended.  “Are you alright?” “I ate too many cupcakes,” she groaned pitiably.  Flurry Heart hesitantly stretched out her hoof and rubbed her stomach in a small circle.  Cozy made a soft nicker and seemed to settle down a bit.  “I guess you’re not making it back for dinner?” Flurry asked Cozy groaned and closed her eyes. “I’ll take that as a ‘no’,” Flurry said.  Cozy forced a weak smile that quickly faded, and closed her eyes. “It was silly of me. I should have known.” “You tried,” Flurry said, as comfortingly as she could. “They'll come around, I'm sure of it.” “Thanks, Flurry,” Cozy said. She winced again. “You’d better get back. I don’t want you getting in trouble because of me.” “Don’t worry,” Flurry reassured her. “You just get feeling better.” With soft steps, she moved out of the room, and as soon as the door was shut behind her, Flurry appeared in a flash of light back in the dining room. “Where’s Cozy?” Shining asked. “She’s just in her room. Tummyache,” Flurry said coolly.  “Oh,” Shining said. Social convention dictated that he ask questions about her, and offer help if needed, but he had absolutely no desire to do that, so he settled for taking a drink of his crystal berry juice.  Flurry explained anyway. “Yeah. She was trying to do something nice for her class and baked a bunch of cupcakes, but nopony ate them.” “Mm,” Shining murmured.  “Thought they were poisoned.” “Reasonable,” Shining commented.  Flurry glared at him. Not helping! “You know, this Crystal berry juice is just superb today,” Shining said, twisting the glass in his hoof, as if admiring the refracting light in it.  “You are so bad at deflecting conversation,” Flurry said witheringly. Cadence pursed her lips and nodded, wryly agreeing with her daughter.  Shining shrugged and took another drink.  Flurry huffed. “She is trying,” she insisted, “but nopony is giving her a chance.” “She was pen pals with Tirek,” Shining pointed out. “Most ponies like their magic.” Flurry huffed into her salad. He’d see.