The Prison of Shadows was a dark, dank place. Flurry crinkled her nose at the stench. She lit her horn and gasped.
An umbrum with jaws open in front of her let out a startled whine and backed away, seemingly burned by her magic. It rubbed its face, then stalked the outside of her magic radius, teeth bared, watching her with its creepy, glowing eyes.
Flurry swallowed. Protected by her magic, she slowly walked forward. More umbrum swirled around, eager for a chance for revenge, but any who dared cross the edge of her magic quickly retreated with a screech of pain.
In the distance, she saw a small pile of pink fur, curled up on the ground. She quickly neared, and one hoof gently rose. “Cozy?” she started hesitantly.
Her words were quiet. She almost missed them.
“I almost had it this time.”
Flurry hesitated.
Cozy looked up, eyes wide with fury. “I almost had it this time!” she shrieked, leaping to her hooves, her face contorted in pure rage. “I was so! Close!” She stomped a hoof angrily, emphasizing each word. She let out an incoherent scream of rage.
Flurry’s breath caught in her throat. Deep down, she’d dared to hope that it had all been an act, or umbrum influence; but here, without witnesses, it was clear that everything Cozy had done had been completely of her own volition.
Cozy was so enraged that she was almost frothing at the mouth. “I did everything right!” she ranted. “I was patient! I timed everything out perfectly! I had ponies on my side! I got the class to like me! I turned everypony against you and exploited their feelings! I had an army! And I still! Failed!” She drew out the last word, and it sounded like an animalistic wail.
Flurry Heart licked her lips. She should have felt a lot of things. Anger. Rage. Betrayal. Fury. Cozy had gotten closer to destroying the Crystal Empire than she ever had, and she’d done it all intentionally and with a smile.
But right now, all she felt was pity for this foal who could not understand. “Why?” she asked finally.
“Why what?” Cozy snapped.
“Why did you do this? You were in a good place. You were making friends. You were making a difference. You could have been a part-”
“A part,” Cozy scoffed. “If you really thought I wanted to stay in your shadow like some sniveling, tagalong little sister, you’re more pathetic than I thought. I had you figured out day one. You’re a redundant freak with giant wings, trapped in your parents’ shadow. Alicorns are immortal. I know. I was one, once. You’d be stuck under Cadence’s wings as a nopony, a redundant princess, forever. You needed a ticket out, and you chose me as the easiest way. ‘Oh, look at Princess Flurry Heart. She redeemed Cozy Glow! Guess she isn’t useless after all!’.” She barked a laugh. “You were using me, just like I used you. Except, guess what, I’m better at it,” she finished in sotto voice.
Flurry opened her mouth, then shut it. Cozy had just exposed something she’d never articulated, but her words were spot-on.
“I’m right, aren’t I?” Cozy needled.
“You…” Flurry sighed, sinking to her haunches. “Yes. I was thinking mostly of myself. At first, anyway. But then, something changed.” She looked up. “It wasn’t about me. It was about you.”
Cozy scoffed.
“Cozy, you were doing great things. You are so focused on what you don’t have that you don’t see what you do. You don’t need a crown, you don’t need an umbrum army-”
“It was always temporary,” Cozy mumbled. “The Heart needs the light from the Crystal Ponies to work. As soon as I’d taken over the Crystal Empire, I was going to seal the umbrum away again, recharge the Heart, and then take over all of Equestria.” She angrily ripped out one of her own feathers and spat it away.
“See, that’s my point! You can’t see that you, as a pony, have worth, that what you do… even if it’s… small… matters… Ugh!” She rested her head in her hoof, realizing where she had heard those words before. “I guess I owe mom and dad an apology after this.”
“Whatever,” Cozy huffed. She stood again. “Come on. Let’s get out of here. This place stinks and it gives me the creeps.”
“‘Let’s’?” Flurry repeated, as if confused.
“Yeah, yeah, I know how this goes,” Cozy grumbled irritably. “You get me out of here because ‘the Power of Friendship’-” she made air quotes with her hooves, “-means you won’t leave a friend behind, I’ll go confess to my crimes, you can stone me again, and you’ll get your life back, just the way you like it, and who knows? Maybe I’ll get another chance in a thousand years or so.”
“I don’t think so,” Flurry mused. “I mean, I still have to answer for my choices, like trusting you.”
“If it makes you feel any better, you weren’t the first and you probably won’t be the last,” Cozy said comfortingly.
“I also have to live with the fact that I almost destroyed my home.” She snorted. “Again,” she added wryly. “And this time, I don’t have the excuse of being a tiny foal.”
“Don’t give yourself too much credit,” Cozy said with a wink.
“And it may be awkward without you there to explain what really happened about those pictures, but I think I’ll manage it. If not, well, maybe Cloudsdale could use a princess.” She cracked a wry smile. “Or I’ll just wait for anypony who remembers to die. I’ll have time.”
“Wait,” Cozy said hesitantly. The tone of voice Flurry was using was starting to concern her. “You’re not going to just leave me here, are you?” She raised a hoof. “I mean, you came to rescue me, right? Because friendship?”
“That was my intent,” Flurry conceded, “and you’re right that I wouldn’t leave a friend down here.” She stood up and took a steadying breath. “But I think you’ve made it very clear that you are not my friend.”
“Y- you can’t be serious,” Cozy said, coming up closer now. Her eyes widened and her ears drooped. “Flurry Heart?” She reached out.
But Flurry took a step back. “You made your choice, Cozy. And now I’m making mine.”
“You can’t do this,” Cozy protested. Her fear turned to anger. “You can’t do this to me!”
Flurry turned to walk away, pausing only to brusquely wipe a hoof across her eyes. “Good-bye, Cozy Glow.”
Cozy took off, trying to catch up to her, but Flurry solidified her shield, and Cozy bounced off, bouncing backwards on the ground. When she got up, all she could see was the tip of Flurry’s tail disappearing through the wall, and then she was gone. “Flurry Heart? Flurry Heart!” She rushed over and pounded a hoof against the wall. “Flurry Heart!”
But try as she might, the stone remained cold and inert.
Slowly, it dawned on her that Flurry was not coming back.
She slowly looked behind her, and saw the ghoulish, grinning faces of the gathered umbrum.
“So, Cozy Glow. Looks like you’ll be staying with us for the foreseeable future,” one said, a cold smile curling at her lips. “Well, we’re glad to have you. We’re going to have so much fun together, aren’t we, friend?”
“Look!”
Flurry Heart stepped out of the door and let the magic fall, sealing it again. She stumbled forward, and Shining caught her before she hit the ground.
“Are you alright?” he demanded. “What were you thinking?”
“I was a foal,” Flurry said, her words tumbling out of her mouth. “A silly, foalish foal.” She paused. “That’s weird to say.”
Shining conceded. “That is a strange constr-” He shook his head. “Are you ok?”
“I’m fine. I’m just dumber than a box of crystal shards. I just… I really thought I could get through to her. I thought I had. I thought she was changing.”
“Cozy is… not like other ponies,” Shining said.
“But you tried,” Cadence said. “Even after everything Cozy had done, you saw the possibility for good in her. You were her friend. She refused it-”
That was putting it mildly.
“-but you were earnest. You have a kind heart. I’m proud-”
“We’re proud of you,” Shining agreed.
Flurry winced. She couldn’t accept this. “It wasn’t just… I was trying to…”
“Prove you could?” Cadence supplied dryly. “We’d guessed as much. Your Aunt Twilight had similar concerns.”
“It’s such a good song,” Shining said.
“But she figured it out. And so will you. I promise.”
Flurry forced a smile. “Thanks.” She had recovered enough to push herself up. She looked around at the gathered crystal ponies, and the six. “I think my first duty is to get this place cleaned up.”
“Oh, yes. And then after that… you’re grounded.”
Flurry winced. “How long?” she asked.
“For the rest of my life,” Shining said.
“Longer,” Cadence interjected.
Flurry sighed. “Better get started, then.” As she did, she noticed the six starting to help, and she smiled.
She was going to be just fine.