//------------------------------// // Roll Call // Story: Golly Interrupted // by Golly4Ever //------------------------------// The peaceful silence of the cave was disrupted by a light-pink flash of light. Near the center, by the water appeared Flurry Heart, standing alongside her mother, who was lying on the ground. Flurry quickly charged the glow stones around the cave with a burst of magic that dispersed around the room. "Flurry, sweetie..." "Shh, it's ok, mom. You're safe here," comforted Flurry. "Queen Chrysalis. She's..." said her mother, weakly. "I know. I had to get you out of there. Are you ok?" Flurry nuzzled lightly with her mom. "I think I will be. I'm just, tired, weak." "It's ok. You can rest for now." Flurry stood up straight before levitating over a clean bowl with which she gathered some water from the pond to offer to her mother, "Here, drink. This water, it will help. It has an energy to it, healing energy. It's good." Cadance slowly drank from the bowl. Already she could feel the energy seeping back into her body. She then cast her eyes about the cave, "Where are we?" "It's my place. It's ok. It's a safe place. We have everything we could need, here." Flurry went over to the side where she kept her supplies and with her magic, yanked the top off of a storage barrel, knocking it over to its side, and spilling its contents. Gracefully using her horn as a conductor might direct a symphony, Flurry sifted through the pile until she found a sealed package of rations. She brought it over to her mother, tearing it open before offering it to her, "Here, this will speed up your healing." Cadance cautiously nibbled on the compressed dried foodstuff. She grimaced at the bitter, dry taste, "Where- Where did you get these?" "They come from outside the borders of Equestria. Travelers will trade them for Equestrian goods and stuff. These ones are the rarest, most expensive ones I've seen. I've been saving them for emergencies." "Does your father know about... about all of this?" asked Cadance, her energy quickly returning. Flurry shook her head. "Please don't tell him. How are you feeling, Mom?" "I'm feeling better. Thank you. Your secret's safe with me." She smiled before abruptly pausing, eyes going wide. "The Heart! We must get word to Twilight!" Flurry reached a hoof over to her mother's back, "Auntie knows already. She took Cozy to Ponyville. I think she's going to work on a plan with the rest of her friends." Cadance, having finished her rations, slowly got to her hooves. "Then it's up to us, for now. We must go back, and protect the heart!" "But... What if we fail?" asked Flurry as she helped her mother to stand. "Since when has failure been something my daughter has been afraid of?" asked Cadance, nuzzling with Flurry, following it up with a gentle boop. Reaffirmed, Flurry stood up straight with confidence, wings out in a commanding regal pose. "You're right. If you're ready, I'm ready. Let's show that bug we won't go down without a fight!" "That's my girl! Now..." Cadance looked around, "How do we get out of here?" "Oh! I got this," said Flurry as she wrapped a wing around her mother, lighting her horn. A flash of light once again brilliantly lit the cave as they popped out of sight. * * * The crystal heart quietly spun undisturbed, radiating the protective love and admiration of the empire. Cadance and Flurry appeared just to the left of it, quickly going up to examine it. "It looks ok, mom." "Good. If Chrysalis were to get her hooves on this, it would spell doom for the empire, not to mention the power it could give her." "Why hasn't she taken it yet?" Asked Flurry. A voice sounded from around the corner, "Because the sudden surge could kill her," said Twilight as she came running in. "Flurry, Cadence... I'm glad you are both ok." Cadance straightened up, flaring her wings out in a regal pose before abruptly shouting, "Guards!" Within moments, a collection of guards rushed in from every entrance. They stood at attention, circling Flurry, Cadance, and Twilight around the crystal heart. Cadance walked the lines as she addressed them, "Queen Chrysalis has escaped, and has even breached the security of the castle here. She could be anypony," she said as she got uncomfortably close to her guards, making each one sweat just a little, one at a time. "She could even be..." Cadance spun around to meet face to face, bumping noses with Twilight. "You." "Me?" asked Twilight, nervously as she stepped back. Cadance stepped forward, keeping her nose pressed to Twilight's. "Especially you!" Twilight stammered, "I- I just came from my castle to warn you, to check up on you." Twilight continued to walk backward, but Cadance kept pace, "When we found out, I sent Flurry here and I took Cozy home, to Ponyville, you gotta believe me!" The guards looked nervously at each other, unsure of how to respond to the two princesses confronting each other. Cadance continued to push forward, she spoke slowly in the most serious of tones, "Sunshine, sunshine." "W- What?" asked Twilight. "Sunshine, sunshine," repeated Cadance as she pressed forward, eyes locked onto Twilight's. "Uh... L- Ladybugs awake?" answered Twilight as she began to sweat. Her flank hit a wall, there was nowhere else for her to go. "Clap your hooves," said Cadance. "And..." Twilight rubbed her flank on the wall and gulped, "Do a little ...shake." Cadance held still, her nose firmly pressed on Twilght's as she narrowed her eyes, staring into Twilight's wide panicking eyes. "Mom?" asked Flurry with concern in her voice, having watched the whole thing unfold. Cadance backed off before turning to Flurry, "It's ok, sweetie. It's safe." Twilight took a big sigh of relief, rubbing her nose. "Phew. For a minute there, I thought you were going to attack me." Cadance turned back to Twilight, "Oh, I was. You can't be too careful, you know?" "I do know. It's scary when you don't know who your friends are," said Twilight. "Indeed," agreed Cadance. "So what's the plan?" asked Flurry. "We protect the heart!" said Cadance and Twilight simultaneously. They nodded at each other. "I will put my guards on patrol, three to a group," said Cadance. "Good," said Twilight. "Us three can guard the heart directly, in shifts. When Shining recovers, he can help. I'll go first, she offered. "No. Flurry, you will be first to guard the heart," demanded Cadance. "Twilight will guard it second, and then I will get the third shift." Twilight was taken by surprise. "Um, ok, then. Your kingdom, your rule." She shrugged. * * * "Starlight, can you pop us all to the Crystal Empire or how will that work?" asked Cozy, pressing her hooves to her cheeks. "Wait, all of us? Um. No. Not by a long shot," denied Starlight, flatly. "I bet Flurry could do it..." grumbled Cozy. "Flurry is an Alicorn, Cozy. I never got to be a princess," defended Starlight, before looking off to the side. "Well we can't keep wasting time sitin' 'round here, we need to go, now!" said Applejack. "But how will we get there in time? The next train won't be for a few hours and it'll take too long to ride it all the way there," worried Fluttershy. "She's right," said Ocellus. "Well," started Starlight. "There is something I've been working on, in my free time. What do you think, Sunburst? No better time to test it out than now." "I don't know about this," said Sunburst, nervously. "We still don't know where that big bushel of apples went." "The ones you borrowed? You lost them?" asked Applejack. "Just what in the hay are y'all going on about?" "Yes, Darling, do tell," said Rarity. "Well, ever since the Tree of Harmony was destroyed, the Map table's never worked again, right?" asked Starlight. "At least, for what it originally did for us." "Go on," urged Rainbow. "Sunburst and I have been doing some tests and experiments on it since Twilight left the castle for me to take care of. ...And this table is part of the castle and all." "Ooh, sounds fun! What kind of experiments?" asked Pinkie. Sunburst spoke up, "We discovered that there was still a bit of magic stored in the table, laying dormant. Locational magic. It's what the table used to point out places that the tree sensed there to be a need." "Sunburst and I got the idea that maybe if we reversed the flow of magic through it, and tweaked some existing spells just right... The table can become a portal to anywhere on the map!" "Oh, like when you went back in time and kept dragging me and Twilight with you, right?" asked Spike. Starlight laughed nervously, "Um, not so much." She lightly ran her hoof across the table's surface as she walked around its perimeter. Sunburst watched Starlight from behind, "This would only take you there, similar to Neighsay's talisman, but instead of just the pony using it, we all, in theory, should be able to go through. It's a one-way trip, though, and no time travel, maybe," he disclaimed. "...Does Twilight know about this?" asked Spike. "Not really. No," said Starlight, nervously. "But I think we finally worked all the bugs out," offered Sunburst. He turned to Ocellus, "Uh... No offense." Ocellus rolled her eyes, "I know what you meant." "Well what are we waiting for?!" shouted Rainbow. * * * Flurry paced back and forth diligently in front of the crystal heart monument, pausing at attention when she heard a noise, "Who goes there?" she asked. She froze in place, wings spread out to block the view of the spinning heart. "It's me, dear, your mother," answered Cadance. "Have you heard from Twilight?" "She's late," said Flurry. Her stomach growled loudly, "Auntie's late and I'm hungry." Twilight popped in with a flash of purple aura, "I got here as fast as I could." She glanced around the room and at Flurry and Cadance, "Good. The heart is still safe." "No pony else has been here since I started guarding it. It's your turn to protect the heart, auntie." "Yes. That's what your father said." She gestured to the monument, "Protect that, and to also protect you as well. I wanted to let you know that he'll be just fine. He's just resting but will be back as soon as possible." Flurry nodded at Twilight. "So, what's the plan?" asked Twilight, looking at Flurry, then to Cadance. "What do you mean 'what's the plan'?" asked Cadance. "My shift is over and I'm going to go eat something. You're late for your turn to guard the heart," said Flurry, stepping down. "I'm terribly sorry for the wait. I too was finishing up a quick meal before--" said Twilight as she rounded the corner entering the room. She paused as she looked up and saw Flurry Heart, Cadance, and Twilight Sparkle looking back at her. A sizable vortex opened up next to Twilight Sparkle and Twilight Sparkle. Out stepped Twilight Sparkle, followed by her six closest friends, Spike, Sunburst, Astral, and Cozy Glow. Just before the portal closed, Cozy Glow jumped through as well. "Flurry! We're all here!" she exclaimed. - - - Ocellus transformed, "What do you think? Did I get it right?" "You look just like her, just like earlier when we tested the door," said Spike. "Are you sure that's a good idea?" asked Applejack. "Are we sure any of this is a good idea?" asked Fluttershy. "No time. We need to move now!" urged Rainbow. "Before you go..." said Maud, stepping through the doorway, seemingly unphased. "There's something I think you should see." "Golly..." "Golly..." Spike palmed his face in his claw, "This day can't get any stranger. Let's just go already." Sunburst and Starlight looked at each other, then simultaneously aimed their horns down, giving the table a magical charge. "Here goes nothing..." * * * The map table went quiet. Everypony had gone through, leaving Maud alone. She turned to the doorway and winked, "Well hello there, apples." - - - The crystal heart room was getting crowded. "Twilight?" "Cozy?" "Twilight?" "Cadance?" "Starlight?" "Sunburst?" "Twilight?!?" "Flurry?" "Spike?" "Cozy?" "Girls!" "Oh my..." "Discord?" they all asked unanimously. "Oh, don't mind me, I just heard there was some fresh chaos-a-brewing and I just had to come see for myself. Do continue!" "Guys, I'm here too, you know," voiced Astral from somewhere behind everypony. Twilight Growled at Twilight and Twilight before leaping at and tackling Twilight to the ground. "Hey, knock it off!" yelled Twilight as she jumped in and joined the struggle, trying to separate Twilight from Twilight. "Golly!" said the Cozies as they watched, holding each other. "Wow, everypony is here. What's going-" said Shining as he entered the room, pausing to see his sisters rumbling and wrestling around in a cloud of dust. "Twily? Woah... That's kinda hot." "Shining... That's your sister!" scolded Starlight. "Only one of them is..." he said, glassy-eyed. Cadance ran up to her husband, giving him a slap to the face before shouting, "Shining! Your protection spell!!" Shining snapped out of his trance, shaking his head. "Oh, right!" He fired off his spell at the Twilights, pinning two of them against the wall, forcing them to revert back to their normal forms. Chrysalis hissed and struggled against Shining's forcefield. Ocellus strained but didn't fight it. She turned to face her former queen, "Chrysalis, this isn't the way!" "It's Queen," snapped Chrysalis. "Traitor! All of you!!" she said to Ocellus as she struggled to break free. Castle guards swarmed around the two changelings, aiming their spears. Shining dropped his spell allowing Chrysalis and Ocellus to slide down the wall to the floor. Twilight went up and retrieved Ocellus, "It's ok everypony, she's with us." "Thank you," said Ocellus. Flurry stepped through the line of guards, "You have a lot of nerve, showing your bug-eyed face here!" She turned to Ocellus, "Um, no offense." Ocellus scowled at Flurry,"No, that's exactly offense!", her feelings hurt. Fluttershy rubbed Ocellus' back. "Chrysalis saw the hurt on Ocellus and gritted her teeth at Flurry, "You're going to pay for that!" "Flurry, dear. Stand down. Let the grownups handle this," said Shining as he approached. Flurry grumbled to herself, stepping back to the pony side of the guard line. Discord floated down and quietly whispered into Cozy's ear. Cozy perked up at Discord's words, looking at him with stress in her eyes. "Golly. Must I?" "It's your choice. It's always been. Will it be you to make the good one? I've just simply allowed you to make it an informed one," Discord said aloud, stepping back. "Toodaloo!" and with that, he winked at Fluttershy and backflipped into a swirling spiral, disappearing from sight in a bright flash. "What did he say to you?" asked Cozy. Cozy didn't respond, furrowing her brow in deep contemplation. She began to pace a small circle. Ocellus shouted to Chrysalis, "You care! I know you do. There is good in you. It doesn't have to be this way!" "Doesn't it?" asked Chrysalis, lurching at her. The guards raised their weapons at Chrysalis, forcing her back. She stared the guards down. "I've lost everything. What more could you take from me?" scoffed Chrysalis, knocking a spear tip away from her face. The guard quickly put the spear back into position. "Oh, I'm sure we could think of a few more things," said Shining as he approached the line of guards. "No!" shouted Ocellus to Shining. She turned her attention to Chrysalis, "Thorax, our family, your family, we thrive! We're never hungry anymore. Isn't that what you want for us?" "Impossible!" shouted Chrysalis. "It's true! You must believe her," said Starlight. "Rest assured, I will not be following any of your orders, Starlight Glimmer," hissed Chrysalis as she charged her horn. Cozy saw the impending attack and gasped before beginning to push through the forest of hooves and legs. 'I'll never make it in time!' she thought to herself. A blastwave emanated from Chrysalis sending everypony back. "I will have my empire back. I will have my revenge!" Guards scrambled to their hooves as Chrysalis blasted a hole high on the wall to the outside. Chrysalis took to the air towards the new hole before pausing and turning around to face everypony, "Starting with you!" she shouted firing a green bolt of magic at Flurry. "Flurry Heart!" shouted Shining as he charged towards her, intending to intercept the bolt of magical energy. He was never going to make it, but he had to try. Flurry countered with her own bolt of magic right at Chrysalis. In that instant, she had deemed it more important to aim at her attacker than to block the oncoming attack itself. Chrysalis' attack hit first, causing Flurry to fly back into the wall behind her, doubled over, and not moving. Her wings had spread out and now lay motionless, keeping her body wrapped and covered. Flurry's half-charged attack barely hit, throwing Chrysalis' flight off. She struggled to right herself. A barrage of spears and magical bolts went into the air at the changeling as she made her escape out through the hole in the wall that she created. Twilight took flight through the hole after, followed by Rainbow and Ocellus. The room went quiet as the attention was quickly turned to Flurry. "Baby!" cried Cadance as she galloped up to her. Shining was quick to follow. "Please be ok!" Shining held Cadance tightly. Cadence cried as she gently nudged Flurry. Flurry did not respond. Everypony, gathered around, watching the events unfold. "Don't just stand there, you fools!" Shining shouted to his guards. "Get the castle Doctor, NOW!" he ordered. The guards quickly scrambled off to their urgent mission. "Hang in there, daughter, my little Flurry," said Shining softly. Cozy slowly broke the line around them and approached quietly. "Flurry. Please. Be ok," she whispered. Shining began to silently fume internally. He did not care for Cozy, the 'reformed' villain in the slightest. He wanted to push her away from his daughter. He wanted to do a lot of things. He could take it out on her. But he knew he shouldn't, not in front of everypony. Cozy gently nuzzled her face on Flurry's, "Please wake up." "Cozy..." said Shining, using every ounce of his strength to remain civil towards her. "Cozy, please..." His voice was firm. Cozy could sense Shining's disdain for her. She looked up at him with tears streaming down her face and slowly backed off. Astral came up and held her tightly. - - - Cozy and Flurry continued to sit in front of each other in the privacy of her filly cave. "What do you want to check on?" asked Flurry. "It's in the garden. The statue garden," answered Cozy. Flurry rummaged through her saddlebag, digging out the small carved box from the outpost they just came from. She examined it closely. "The castle garden. Yeah. Mind if we stop somewhere on the way? It's a cave that's been sealed off, broken into, and then re-sealed, so that means we have to go see it." "Yeah. That's fine, I guess. As long as it doesn't take too long," shrugged Cozy. Flurry nodded while turning the box over in her magic. She carefully opened it with her magic, levitating the wire-wrapped gem out of it. The gem rang out with an almost musical characteristic to it as it pulsed with amber light. Surprised, Flurry dropped both the box and the gem onto the cave floor. Cozy and Flurry gasped at the new development. The gem glowed softly as it lay still on the floor. "That's new," observed Flurry. "What do you think happened?" asked Cozy. She poked at the gem with a hoof. "I don't know," answered Flurry, also poking at the now unresponsive gem with her hoof. The light inside the gem gradually faded away. Cozy pulled her hoof back from the gem, "Try lifting it again." Flurry gently applied her magic to the gem and it once again began to glow and softly hum. They both watched in awe. "What do you think this is?" asked Cozy. "I'm not sure. But there are two ponies I know that might," answered Flurry. She gently put the gem back in the box and moved the box to the side. "But maybe another day. Your mission sounds important." Cozy nodded. Flurry sighed softly, glancing back at her new little box containing the mystery gem. "Flurry?" "Yes, Cozy?" Cozy hesitated to ask, "Does... Does your dad hate me?" Flurry hesitated to answer. Cozy looked down at the ground. "Well," said Flurry, pausing to think. "I wouldn't say 'hate'..." "He wishes I never came back from stone." "No. Well, I don't know. You shouldn't be worrying about stuff like that. I'm the one that has to live with him, not you." "I know. I just, my past, isn't it?" asked Cozy, looking up at Flurry. Flurry sighed, "Yeah. Because you were... well, I mean..." Flurry tried to sugarcoat the truth. "Bad," said Cozy, softly. "Evil." Flurry cringed lightly bit at the harsh word, "...Yeah." Cozy nodded softly. "It's not you specifically. Just what you did. I don't know. You, and when you were together with Tirek who humiliated him, and Chrysalis who stole mom from him. When all the magic disappeared that one day, the crystal heart even stopped working. Ponies died, Cozy." Cozy nodded softly as her face began to contort, her eyes welling up. "I'm not trying to be mean, Cozy," said Flurry as softly as she could. "I'm your friend. I know all of this, and I choose to be right here with you, to welcome you into my... sanctuary." Flurry stretched out a wing to rest on Cozy's back. "Especially that last part. We all know that was Tirek's idea, not yours. It was his guidance that led to that." Cozy took a few calming breaths, soothing her emotions, blinking some tears out, wetting the ground. "I... I was still the pony that carried it out, though." "Would you have done it if he hadn't reached out to you first?" Cozy didn't respond. She remained still, looking at the ground where her tears had fallen. "You've never been blamed for it after Astral's help with your redemption." Cozy just shrugged lightly, keeping her focus downward. Flurry softly lit her horn. "Mom is teaching me," she said as she closed her eyes to focus. "My magic. Part of it is hers, part dad's... part crystal, who knows what else." The magic aura around her horn began to take shape off of it in the air in front of her. "There's magic that comes from the mind and body, magic like Auntie and Starlight use. Astral too, maybe." She opened up her eyes to look at the swirling ball of magic in the air as it softly glowed. "...And then there's magic that comes from the heart. Like mom's." She lightly strained, squinting at the magic, forming it into a heart shape before floating it to Cozy. Flurry smiled before booping the filly in the nose with it. The heart splashed onto Cozy, dissipating as it absorbed into her body. She let out a shuddered breath as the raw feeling of love washed over her, something she was so unaccustomed to. She didn't know how to cope with it. Cozy shook and whimpered. All Flurry had to do was spread her forelegs and wings in a welcoming gesture. Without a word, Cozy leaped into Flurry's warm embrace, bawling syllables and fragments into the floof of her chest. "I know... I know..." said Flurry. "Let it all go. You carry too much with you." All manner of un-composed muffled vowel sounds came from Cozy. Flurry's coat and feathers were getting messed up, but she didn't mind it. "Cozy, you did those things. But that's in the past. That's not who you are anymore." Cozy turned her wet face to the side to try and get some shakey words out in between deep sobs, "Ev- Every... Everypony keeps... Keeps telling me that." "And we'll keep telling you that, you silly filly, until you believe it, because it's true!" Cozy still didn't want to believe it as she shook her head, burying her face into Flurry for another round of bawling and sobbing. "It's true, Cozy. Everypony new who's lives you touch, you've helped in some way. You might not see it right now, but we all do. Nopony but you is calling you bad, Cozy," comforted Flurry. "Well, maybe my dad, but he just hasn't seen the good that you can do, the good that's in your heart." Cozy pushed away from Flurry, shaking her head, "There's no good in my heart." "There is, Cozy. Want to know how I know? How I am so sure of it?" Cozy looked to the side, wiping her face on her foreleg, sniffling. "Because my heart magic worked on yours," answered Flurry, proudly. "Mom's magic only works on good hearts; even lost ones that need saving. So don't give me that! You are a good pony. Say it." Cozy mumbled something barely audible, still looking away. Flurry leaned in closer, "What was that?" Cozy turned to face the other way and mumbled again, slightly louder this time. "Say it!" shouted Flurry. Flurry moved to intercept Cozy's gaze once again. Cozy looked down at the ground. "I'm a... good pony," she said, flatly. "Louder!" ordered Flurry, using a hoof to raise Cozy's chin. "I'm a good pony," repeated Cozy, at almost a speaking volume. Flurry threw her hooves up in the air, "Louder!" Cozy began to get annoyed. "I'm a good pony," she said, firmly. "Louder!" shouted Flurry, repeating her gesture with emphasis. Cozy furrowed her brow at Flurry. "I'm a good pony!" she began to raise her voice at her. She brought a hoof down, putting it up to her ear, turning it towards Cozy, "What?" "I'm a good pony!" said Cozy, louder still. What?" "I'm a good pony!" shouted Cozy. "Again!" "I'm a good pony!" a fire could be heard igniting in Cozy's voice. Again!" "I'm a good pony!" Cozy's voice echoed all around the cave. "Again!" "I'm... A... Good... PONY!!" Cozy's voice cracked as she huffed and puffed. Flurry smiled brightly at Cozy, before reaching up and pulling her down from the air. She scooped her in for a tight hug. "You better believe it soon enough." Cozy let out sounds that floated in between laughter and cries. "I'm a good pony," she softly whispered. "You better believe it," said Flurry. "Come on. Let's get cleaned up and go check out that cave." - - - Cozy wormed her way out of Astral's grasp, running back up to the downed Flurry Heart. Astral called her back, but she ignored her. Shining lifted a hoof as Cozy squeezed by. "Cozy!" he shouted, as he began to anger. "No! She's ok! I just know it!" Cozy cried out, shaking Flurry by the withers. "Wake up! Wake up, Please!" "Cozy..." said Cadence with a kind softness. "Cozy, please." Cozy continued to shake Flurry. Starlight stepped up, putting a hoof on Cozy's back. "Cozy, stop..." Cozy turned around and glared at Starlight before pushing her back. Starlight tried reasoning with Cozy, "We're all feeling the same thing. But... But I think you just have to face it. She's-" "Don't Say it, Starlight!" shouted Cozy. "Don't you dare say it!!" She pounded on Starlight's legs and hoves. "Cozy..." said Astral, trying to grab hold of Cozy, but the furious filly would not be restrained. The others looked on over the commotion in sadness. Flurry Heart groaned softly as she began to stir. Everypony froze in place, looking at the wrapped-up alicron on the ground. "...So much noise. Just five more minutes," moaned Flurry, keeping her eyes closed. Cozy ran back to the young princess. "Flurry, you're alright!" she said as she gave her a shake. Flurry lifted her head, opening her eyes. "Yeah. I'm sore, but I'm ok. You worry too much," she said, straight at Cozy. "Chrysalis can sure pack a punch." "Flurry, baby! Oh, I was so worried about you!" cried Cadence. "But, how? I saw her magic, she intended to kill!" Flurry folded her wing back revealing a devastatingly injured Cozy Glow. Flurry frowned, "Oh. I guess it's you that packs the punch, Cozy." The injured Cozy groaned and coughed. Things did not look good for her at all. She looked up at Cozy. "I did it. I did the most good. But... I think it's time for me to go, now." "Golly, no!" said Cozy. "It's ok. I'm just glad I got to see that..." She stopped to cough magical sparkles. "Got to see what?" asked Cozy. "Got to see that your world, it's the good one." Cozy scooted over to Cozy to hold her hoof, "The good one?" "Things aren't so bright on my side of the pool." Her energy was fading quickly. She strained to talk. "You wondered... wondered if my eyes looked like yours. Back at the pool. I know. Because... HNGH! Because I wondered it too. But..." Cozy was tired of crying, but she just couldn't help herself. "Now that I've seen just a little bit of your world, I'm... I'm glad you're the one that gets to enjoy it. I think it's time." "Time?" asked Cozy. It was a question she didn't want the answer to. "Time to go back," said Cozy, coughing magical sparkles. "No, don't go!" Shouted Cozy. The guards rushed in, escorting the castle medic with them. Cozy looked up from Cozy and saw. "Doc! Over here, hurry!" Cozy shook her head, waving the doc off with her free hoof. "I... I must go. My ponies need me." She pulled Cozy in close to whisper in her ear. "I... I know." said Cozy, tears freely running from her face. Cozy slowly nodded at Cozy before peacefully closing her eyes as the primary building blocks of her being began to lose cohesiveness, dissolving into a display of salmon-pink sparkles as they floated up, leaving Cozy holding nothing. The mass of magical essence swirled and trailed through the air around everypony before making its way through the hole that Chrysalis made and out of sight. "Where- Where did she go?" asked Fluttershy, wiping tears from her eyes. "Back to the pool, to her world, where she belongs," answered Pinkamina, her mane was deflated as it hung straight down. "The copies. When they- they die here, they don't really die, they just go home." Several of the others in the room nodded in acknowledgment. "Cozy, what did she say to you?" asked Shining as he stepped up to gaze down at her. Cozy looked up at Shining, hesitating to speak for a moment. "She told me, that I'm a good pony." Shining stared down at the filly stoically for what seemed like an eternity. He then nodded firmly, "...She's right." Flurry grabbed Cozy in for a hug, whispering quietly to her, "Told ya!" Cozy just cried and cried. The other ponies gathered around her to offer their hugs and support. * * * It was a long, ride home. Cozy eventually cried herself to sleep, on the train and slept the rest of the way. Astral levitated Cozy off of her back and into her bed, tucking the sleeping filly in snugly with a gentle kiss to her forehead. She stood there over her for a while, quietly watching her sleep, finally at peace, at least on the outside. "Luna, watch over her," she said softly, finally as she moved on to her own bed before turning out the lights.