//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: Grasping for Hope // by Haoryu Changer //------------------------------// The breeze on her face. The view is below. The way everything zipped past her. That feeling of being free. Her head was clear. All of her worries were gone. In this beautiful moment, nothing mattered. “It’s been a while since I’ve soared like this.” The two flew a few feet apart, high in the air at moderate speeds. Above, they passed many trees of a forest below. While Spike had his fists forward, Cozy relaxed her legs at her sides. Spike looked at her with an eyebrow raised. Even though her smile was small, it was a delight to see. “How come?” Cozy shrugged. “Preoccupied, I guess.” “What did you do to pass time in your village?” Spike asked. Cozy Glow thought for a moment, humming to herself. “Nothing much, really.” Spike looked taken aback. “Really? How did you not get bored?” She looked back at him. “Work, cooking, and sleeping takes a lot out of the day.” “Oh, what about that music you were playing?” She looked stunned momentarily before looking back at the space before them. “Sure. That’s a hobby, I guess.” The way she answered was weird, Spike thought. There was more to it, but he wasn’t one to pry. Then, she perked up. “I also studied magic.” “Oh, really? How much?” “Well… technically, I’ve been studying it for most of my life, but I finally get to implement it because I have a horn now. I learned this Magic Mirror spell most recently. It can deflect magic itself.” “Cool!” Spike said with a smile. “I can also use a tougher, rock-solid version of magic. I can use it to make tools or weapons.” Lighting her horn, a long scarlet rod appeared in a matter of a second. She twirled it in the air. Spike’s jaw opened. “That must be pretty useful.” Cozy nodded with a smile before charging her horn and disappearing with a spark. She reappeared on the other side of Spike. “I can also teleport now, which is nice. But the best thing I’ve accomplished was learning a healing spell. But I’ve practiced with it enough that I’m positive it’s the most efficient healing spell ever developed in history.” Spike widened his eyes. “That’s just the tip of the iceberg, though.” Spike raised his brows, a smile on his face. “Wow. You pretty good with magic for a filly who was only a pegasus once.” With a light chuckle, Cozy took her gaze downward. “Magic is pretty neat,” she said. Her smile slowly dropped. “But it’s also dangerous.” Spike frowned, looking at her. She was deep in thought. “Is that why you tried to remove magic from Equestria?” Cozy Glow replied with a slight nod and nothing more. “Great,” Spike thought. “I made it awkward again.” After that, the two didn’t talk much for the rest of their flight. While the getaway was peaceful, it was just as uninteresting. At least they had the scenery to look at. The different areas of land they passed were a pretty sight. Mountains here, grass plains there, there were a couple small villages a little ways away from their path, but they didn’t bother stopping. Soon, the sun had gotten close enough to the horizon that the sky was orange. “We should set up camp,” Spike said. Cozy nodded, and the two descended into the forest below. The forest had that fresh smell, flooding with nature. The sight was also evident. Even at night, the moonlight peaking through the gaps in the trees was a pretty sight. They found a nice spot between some trees. It provided the cover from both the harmful creatures that could be lurking around and the moonlight. Once their sleeping bags were set up, Spike made a quick fire with some wood and his fire breath. Meanwhile, Cozy brought over a fallen tree log so the two could sit down. She removed her chest plate, leaving it on the ground beside her saddlebag. Spike stared at it. “It looks cool on you,” he said. “Thanks,” she replied dryly. They took some food from their bags and ate as the sun left them for the night. The fire cracked and kept strong as the two relaxed. Spike had to admit after a full day of flying, taking a break didn’t sound insane. Cozy was right about them not exhausting themselves. All he had on his mind was freeing the others, but if he made such a simple mistake, he would have never forgiven himself. Cozy was always right, it seemed. Or always spoke through logic. When he thought about it, it was pure luck that they stopped her from draining all the magic. Sure, the school stopped her, but as a filly with no powers, she came real close. Twilight and the others only managed to catch wind of her because of Tirek. Perhaps she trusted him too much back then. Cozy Glow rarely made mistakes. She was by far one of the most intelligent creatures period, let alone compared to other kids their age. He was around the same age as her, a year older at best. Even so young, Spike found himself mature for his age, but he had to give the gold medal to her. Other fillies and colts he knew acted nothing like them. They went to school, played at the playground, and did stupid or silly things. They acted like foals. Spike had been Twilight’s assistant since he was smart enough to read and write. He knew most, if not all, of Equestrian law. He's written in more royal documents than he could count, and been a part of significant developments in Equestria. He would even be written in the history books for future students. Being surrounded by intelligent and royal ponies does that to a dragon. Heck, he was a Royal Advisor now. Basically, a Prince if you ask Twilight Sparkle. On the opposite side of the spectrum, Cozy had also done incredible things. Though not to everyone’s liking. She managed to manipulate Twilight and her friends to the point they were trapped in Tartarus. She almost drained all the magic out of Equestria, and nearly took over as Empress. And through all that, she was only a filly without magic. Yeah, the two of them were some oddballs. It made him wonder what got her so sharp. What made her goals centered on domination? Why was she like this in the first place? A filly being sent to Tartarus was unheard of! Too bad she wouldn’t open up about anything. Looking over to Cozy Glow in question, Spike’s thoughtful look snapped to confusion. She was nowhere to be found. Was she sleeping? Looking over to their sleeping bags told him no. How long was he spacing out for? Getting off the tree trunk, he surveyed his options. There was a single obvious trail leading out of their camp; it was the only path he could think of. If she wasn’t there, he’d just wait back at camp. As he went along the trail, Spike kept asking himself why he didn’t mind his own business like Cozy told him many times before. Perhaps he was too stubborn to give up on becoming friendlier with Cozy Glow. She was just a hard shell that would be difficult to crack open. But once he did so, maybe he could get some answers. The trail soon came to a split of two paths. Frustrated, Spike was about to give up and head back, but he barely noticed a lake peaking through some bushes to the right. Taking the right path, he soon came across the small lake. It was still and calming as the crickets chirped. Beside the river, she spotted her. She was like a bright lamp on a dark street, an easy one to spot. Stepping closer, he began to see something that utterly stunned him. There, on her head, was a bird sleeping, nestled in her head like a twig nest. A couple of squirrels snuggled in her lap, and a tiny chipmunk cradled in her hooves. After catching himself staring longer than he should have, he blushed. Shaking his head, he smiled at her. “You like nature, huh?” Cozy nodded, trying not to move and disturb the critters. “It’s nice. When it’s not trying to eat you, that is.” “You and Fluttershy would get along then.” Cozy Glow shook her head. She gently carried the critters to a nearby tree using magic and let them sleep there. “Nah. While talking with them is cool, I keep my hooves off nature.” Spike tilted his head. “It’s not a bad thing.” “I’m not saying it is. It’s just a preference. I’d rather it be untouched. Too bad magic is indifferent. Did Celestia or Twilight ever tell you that wild magic corrupted timber and made the Timberwolves a long time ago?” “Wait, really? I thought they were always a thing.” She shook her head. “I wouldn’t be surprised if Celestia first thought it was some sort of blessing for them. Magic can create life, but then the thing they create can destroy. Timberwolves disrupt the ecosystem. They aren’t even able to be tamed. Thankfully, after years of being alive, they haven’t disturbed it to the point that we’d have to worry.” “Wow… I had no idea.” “It’s fine,” Cozy said with a shrug. “The common creature doesn’t care to learn about that stuff. I only learned about that when I was studying magic, and they popped into my head randomly.” “Why did you start to study magic?” Spike asked with a curious look. “Or, ya know, why did you try and remove it?” Cozy Glow stared at him for a moment. “Like I’ve said before, it’s none of your business.” She stood up. “It’s getting late. Let’s just head to bed.” Spike noticed she sounded way less enthusiastic. Maybe he should just stop asking about her past. It was now a few day’s worth of their journey back to Equestria. Every day was the same. A quiet flight straight, and barely any talk between the two besides basic chat. Spike was lucky to hear anything other than a “good morning” or “good night.” The “let’s set up camp” was his personal favorite. It was the closest thing they ever had to a conversation since their discussion about nature. However, they agreed on a quick break about halfway through the fourth day. Something finally differed from the other days. Cozy, a natural-born pegasus, decided to fly up into the clouds. Finding one decently sized, she laid it on top of it. Spike hovered next to her. “Is it comfy?” The young filly rested her chin on the cloud. “As always.” She sighed, thinking back to her past. She would always rest on a cloud when she got the chance. She somewhat missed those days. Her mind flashed back to a day when she and a bubblegum blue pegasus colt were sitting on a cloud. She looked over the edge, visibly shaking as she took the significant drop. “Don’t make me push you off the cloud.” the colt said with a laugh. Cozy jumped up when he poked her from behind. Turning back to him with a frightened expression, she yelled, “Don’t do that!” “I will if you don’t leap off. I told you I’d catch you. Besides, you know how to fly already!” “Yeah, on the ground, maybe,” she said, stepping away from the edge. “You’re just lucky that he sends you out on chores all the time while I’m stuck inside!” The colt rolled his eyes. “Just go, dummy.” Her mind came back to the present when Spike chuckled. “I wish I could try it. Too bad I’m not a pegasus.” As Spike turned and began hovering to the surface, Cozy Glow stared at him briefly before saying, “Wait.” Spike paused his descent, and Cozy flew down to him. Lighting up her horn, she shot a beam at Spike. He got startled at first, the magic coming out of nowhere, but it was harmless. Cozy’s aura surrounded him briefly before disappearing like it was never there. “Come on,” she said, flying back to the cloud. By now, Spike had a good idea of what she did. Ascending to the cloud, his theory was true when he managed to stand on top of it like an actual pegasus. “I remember Starlight testing the spell before taking my classmates on a field trip,” Cozy explained. She sat down flat on her stomach, her front hooves crossed. It resembled how a lion would rest. “It’s a pretty easy spell.” Spike looked at her with a beaming smile. “Cozy, I don’t know if anyone has told you this, but you’re a damn prodigy!” Cozy widened her eyes at the compliment. The blush was apparent on her cheeks. “T-thanks…” Spike sat cross-legged close to her, the two locking gazes. “No, really! I’ve watched many unicorns and even alicorns during my life. I’ve never seen any pony learn magic so quickly! Even Twilight took some time to learn spells.” Breaking their eye contact, Cozy Glow looked off into the distance. “You’re over-exaggerating.” “I’m not,” Spike said. He stopped staring at her, joining the small alicorn in looking at the vast ground. “You truly are amazing, Cozy Glow. I want you to know that.” Cozy’s breath hitched at his words. Taking a deep, quiet breath through her nose, she calmed herself. Although, nothing could hide the heat beneath her eyes. “Maybe it’s a bad thing. I’m dangerous.” “It’s up to you if you are dangerous or not. Power is responsibility.” She drew a heavy sigh. “Yeah, it sure is.” “If it means anything, I don’t think you’re dangerous,” he said, looking at her. To Spike’s joy, that managed to crack a small smile out of Cozy Glow. She turned to him as well. “I’m happy to hear that, Spike,” she said. “I really am.” The two smiled at each other. Together, they relaxed on the cloud until some time passed, and they felt rested enough. Later during the night, the two set up camp yet again. This time, the forest they chose had a beautiful light show. Everywhere in the clearing, fireflies flew about. Harmlessly dotting the air with their pretty lights. As Spike started to make some food with their campfire, he stopped when he looked over to Cozy to see her by the river nearby. Her head bent down, Cozy’s mane was dripping with water as she cleaned it with river water. Instead of cute curls, her blue strands were now long and straight. She almost looked like an entirely different pony with such a lengthy mane. If it weren’t for her freckled cheeks and alicorns, Spike would have probably mistaken her for someone else. Spike didn’t notice he was staring like a mad dragon until Cozy returned eye contact. They stared at each other for a few seconds before they both blushed, and Spike looked away. Seeing he was uncomfortable, Cozy said, “You can look if you want,” before continuing washing her mane. With a bit of hesitation, Spike did just so. Watching her for a bit, he thought she looked cute like most fillies. But there was something else about her that he found joy in. He couldn’t point it out, though. Cozy quickly finished up washing. Now, it was time for her to redo her curls. Lighting her horn, her mane enveloped with her magic glow, and slowly, it returned to its glory. “It’s easier to do my curls with my magic,” She said, not wishing it to be awkward. Spike smiled at that. “Magic isn’t all that bad then, huh?” Cozy rolled her eyes with a small smile. “Ah, so we can have evil entities threaten the world every month, but it’s okay because unicorns can fix their names easier.” “Ya know when you put it like that…” Spike chuckled. She giggled back, causing him to grin wider. As she continued to do her curls at a steady pace, Spike fiddled with his thumbs. He shouldn’t ask this question, but he couldn’t help himself. “Why did you want magic gone in the first place?” Cozy paused momentarily. Spike was sure she was about to glare at him and yell to back off. Instead, she proceeded with her curls and said, “Many reasons, I guess.” Spike got up and sat a little closer to her. Besides her blush, Cozy Glow didn’t react. “Luna got corrupted and turned into Nightmare Moon,” she said. “You could argue and say it wasn’t magic, but the fact that she had powerful magic made her a threat. If it wasn’t for that, it would have just been a normal quarrel between siblings. And how ironic that Luna was adamant about sending me to Tartarus. They didn’t even fucking visit or try to reform me.” Listening to that last bit made Spike frown. She wasn’t wrong. “Discord would have been another Pinkie Pie. Sombra is another victim of corruption. Honestly, the Changelings had me stumped for a long time, but Chrysalis told me herself it was a part of their digestive system linked to their bodies, not magic. Don’t even get me started on Tirek. His whole ‘being a major threat’ stemmed from family issues.” She paused for a moment, raising a brow at Spike. “And didn’t Starlight do something?” “Oh.” Spike nodded and scratched the back of his neck. “She traveled back in time to stop Twilight and her friends from meeting in the first place.” She stopped doing in curls, staring at him blankly. “What?” “Yeah. We tried to stop her a bunch of times. Every future Twilight and I saw was worse than the last.” Cozy Glow looked as if she was going to explode, her mane hanging limp in front of her face. “Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. WHAT?! I was talking about the thing back in her home village! What the fuck?! A normal unicorn learned time traveling?! Something that could change literally the entirety of everyone’s lives!?” Spike opened his mouth to retort, but he didn’t know what to say. “You know,” Cozy began, “It doesn’t matter how often friendship wins. All it takes is one defeat. And you know the best part? Magic leaving Equestria doesn’t really take away their friendship, does it?” “I guess not.” “And they thought I was insane.” Spike frowned. She had perfect points. “You could try and talk to them. I don’t think anything will convince them to drain all of the magic, but at least they won’t think you’re crazy. And who knows? I don’t know enough about magic, but they could convince you it’s needed in Equestria.” Cozy Glow scoffed, lighting her horn to continue her curls. “I broke out of Tartarus, which is a crime by itself. Whether it was with Discord or not doesn’t matter. I also have the knowledge and the power to remove magic from Equestria. They wouldn’t give me the light of the sun or moon. And anyway, I researched every inch about magic, and I found nothing in its favor. If every dragon, griffon, or whatever can survive without it, so can ponies.” Spike thought that was fair. He assumed arguing with her research would be like arguing with Twilight’s. “Well, you didn’t do anything bad after you escaped Tartarus. That counts for something, right?” He scooted closer to her. “And I’ll vouch for you. If you explain everything, I’m sure they’ll understand. You might not agree with each other, but that’s a great first step at peace.” She sighed but didn’t say anything. Instead, she finished the last few touches on her mane. A few seconds later, she was back to her usual curly self. The two sat silently, watching the calm river and meadow behind it. The gorgeous fireflies still occupied the air, giving a light show they could relax. “Do you still want to drain all of the magic?” Spike asked. Cozy turned to him, but Spike kept his eyes on the fireflies like he was frightened to make eye contact. Slowly turning back to the silent performance, she shrugged. “I wanted it gone for the sake of Equestria. But I couldn’t care less after the way it treated me.” Spike was silent for a good while. He wondered what she meant. From his point of view, Equestria treated her fairly, just as everyone else. She was enrolled in the friendship school, met a lot of extraordinary creatures, and made some friends. She had a chance to live happily ever after. Then again, she entered Twilight’s school to enact her plan to drain her magic. So that meant something happened before they met her. She was hiding something. He chose not to dig any further for fear of driving her away. And as she said multiple times before, it was none of his business. Even without the full context, he understood her reasonings better. So on that note, he said, “I’m sorry.” She widened her eyes and looked at him. “For what?” “For not speaking up. I knew it was wrong, sending you to Tartarus so quick, but…” “It’s fine,” Cozy said. “You’re a kid surrounded by powerful ponies. I wouldn’t expect you to speak up for someone like me. “It didn’t stop me from speaking up for Thorax,” Spike retorted. “And I made a very good friend that day. I could have helped you, too.” Cozy Glow stood up. “Thanks, but it’s all in the past now. Let’s get some rest.” Spike picked himself up as well. “Sure.” Another few days went by of uneventful flying. At least it wasn’t walking. It was still at the point in Spike’s life where he could say he lived more without wings. Even though their journey had no action, the two young ones started talking more often. It made the days go a little faster, whether because they were too bored or they finally bonded enough. One thing that made Spike especially cheery was that Cozy smiled more often. Her complex expressions had seemed impossible to break. Now, she let a bit of herself go, laughing at Spike’s jokes or being openly happy when she talked about something she was passionate about. It made it a little easier to pass every day and night. Spike didn’t need to fall asleep thinking he said something wrong. However, he always held back when it came to asking questions. He would have to wait a while before trying to uncover her secrets. Of course, he only wanted to know them so he could help. Cozy’s part was simply to realize that. Spike could make that cute smile appear more often if she were more open. Maybe that was what made it difficult; Cozy Glow has trust issues. “I’ll make dinner tonight,” Cozy told Spike while setting up his sleeping bag. “Alright, sounds good.” For the past few nights, Spike was the one to get food ready. Cozy probably felt obligated to take a turn. Spike was about to start the fire when she said, “I’m going for a walk to find some water. Wanna come?” Seconds away from breathing his fire on a bundle of sticks, Spike stopped and replied with a smile, “Oh, sure. Lead the way!” “I think I saw some water that way before we landed.” Cozy pointed a hood in a direction. With a nod, Spike followed Cozy Glow into the forest. He hoped they wouldn’t lose track of their camping spot, but he always had a good sense of direction. Together, they went a little ways through the forest. While it was dark out, the moon was bright tonight. There was a slight wind, a tad chilly, but that didn’t bother them. In fact, because Spike was warmer than usual, Cozy unconsciously walked closer to him than normal. Neither of them noticed. They hopped across rocks on top of a muddy pond, dropped a tree trunk over a deep gap to make a bridge, and climbed a rocky hill with their claws and hooves. All for the fun of it. The two had smiles painted on their faces as they looked at each other constantly. Eventually, they reached an area that looked serene. A waterfall surrounded by stone and boulders surrounded a clearing at the side of a hill. A long river flowed from the falls and trailed until it got lost deeper in the forest. Reflecting off the waterfall was the bright moon, which illuminated the area. “Maybe we got too hasty picking a spot,” Spike said with a chuckle. “ Cozy giggled. “You’re right. Let’s head back to grab our stuff. And this time…” She fluttered in the air with a sly grin. “We’ll fly.” Spike nodded with a chuckle, ascending to her level. He looked up to the moon. “Yeah, we kind of lost track of time. Looks like we were walking for about an hour now. Sounds like the smart thing to do.” “But,” Cozy raised a hoof. “How about we race there?” Spike raised a brow with a grin. “Sure! Sounds fun.” “The first one back to camp wins. We’ll go through the forest since flying above the trees will be boring. The loser has to carry everything back.” Spike nodded. “Deal.” The both of them faced the direction of their camp with determined looks. Cozy raised a boulder with her magic. “We start when this hits the ground. Ready?” Spike nodded with furrowed brows. “Alright then.” The blue colt and her floated high above town. He held a decently-sized rock in his hooves. “When this rock hits the ground, we’ll start, okay?” Cozy nodded, eager to begin. “Alright, here we go!” The two foals dashed across town, flying above the roofs of the buildings. The finish line was their home, a busted old house near the end of town. Nopony paid them any mind as they zipped overhead, giggling and having the time of their lives. Cozy ended up winning the race at the end. “Wow! You’re so much better than I am!” he said. She turned sheepish, smiling while kicking a hoof in the dirt. The colt put on a prideful look. “Where’s my ‘thank you’ for pushing you off the clouds? If it weren’t for me, you’d never be pulling moves like that!” She giggled. “I guess you’re right. Thanks.” Cozy Glow dropped the large boulder. The next few seconds were quiet and tense. Both dragon and pony stared forward, waiting eagerly for the sound of it crushing the ground. Spike squeezed his fist, and Cozy stretched her forehooves and neck. A loud echo boomed throughout the lands. Two figures dashed forward. Neck and neck, the two descended into the forest, vanishing among the trees. Spike and Cozy Glow swerved as they dodged multiple trees. As they sped through the forest, they noticed the many milestones they passed recently. Cozy Glow knew that pegasi may be lighter than dragons, but scaly creatures were naturally faster than they were. Spike may have been a novice flier, but he wasn’t one to underestimate. Even now, he was slowly gaining a lead on her as they passed the trees. Smirking at him, she knew what was coming up. Spike’s heart was beating fast, and he was sure Cozy’s was the same. Racing her like this was the most thrilling thing he had done since retreating from Equestria. Except this time, it was fun. With every tree he weaved, he was that much closer to beating her. Up ahead, there was a drop after a cliff. He had a good feeling Cozy knew it was also coming up quickly. As expected, the cliff soon arrived, and with the shining moon above, the two of them dipped down to enter the forest below. However, Spike didn’t expect to see Cozy slowly pass him with her wings closed and hooves tucked close to her sides. His mouth agape, he watched as she gained more than enough distance from him. To make matters worse, Cozy Glow flipped over and continued falling with her back facing the ground. She stuck a tongue out at him, both nearing the ground. Then, when they were close enough, she flipped back around quickly and spread her wings, entering the lower forest. She kept her speed while falling, and she slowly gained more distance. Spike looked on in awe. She just closed her wings for less air resistance. Something he saw rarely in comics but never thought about until now. In the heat of the moment, she thought about doing something like that? Or perhaps it was the intuition of a pegasus. Anyhow, it didn’t matter. She was ahead, and he had to find a way to catch up to her. Streaks of purple and pink appeared in the forest as dodging trunks began once more. As a dragon, Spike was slowly catching up, but he wasn’t sure he would be able to do so fast enough. Cozy Glow wasn’t even looking back at him. At first, Spike thought he could get a chance when she got cocky and slowed herself down, but that was something that Rainbow Dash would pull, not Cozy Glow. Thinking quickly, Spike gasped when he briefly remembered some steep hills they had to scale. He could catch up and win if he could do the same trick Cozy did. Then he looked around. Cozy Glow was nowhere in front of him, lost in the dozens of trees. Worrying over her would just slow him down. Besides, she was an alicorn, so there wasn’t a need to worry. Continuing forward, there was a small clearing of plain grass. He knew they first saw the clearing on their left when heading to the waterfall. That meant the steep slopes were on the left. Following his plan, Spike took the left group of trees. After swerving through several trunks, he came across the steep slope. Grinning, he started to glide down. Tucking his wings, he held his arms close to his side, copying Cozy Glow’s pose. The wind started to hit his face harder and harder. Soon, the slope ended momentarily, forcing him to spread his wings again. A few moments later, the hill began again; this time, it was much longer. When he reached the bottom, he unfurled his wings again, hovering close to the ground. To his right, he saw her as the trees passed between them every second. Cozy Glow looked back at him with a toothy smile. She seemed to be having the time of her life. Replying with the best smile he could muster, he evaded a tree. “Not bad!” Cozy yelled at him. Spike laughed. “You’re amazing!” They both dodged a few more of the forest, eager to stop them. Before they knew it, they were beside each other again, speeding through the woods like it was up in flames. There it was up ahead, their campsite. This was the final stretch. Like the forest was making it easy, no tree blocked their path to the campsite. Spike, being a hair length behind Cozy, inched closer every second. In mere seconds, a winner will be decided. At least, that is what they both thought. It appears “tie” didn’t come to their minds. Spike flapped his wings to slow down, landing and dragging across the ground. He clawed at the dirt to brake himself. When he finally stopped, he looked over at Cozy, who seemed to stop herself easier than he had. Both of them breathed a little heavier than usual. But other than that few seconds of collecting themselves, they were fine. Cozy Glow floated towards him, her forehooves behind her back. Laughing, she landed before him and said, “Golly, that was disappointing. I thought I could win.” Spike beamed at her. “That was so fun! Great race, Cozy!” He held out a claw. Cozy Glow lifted a hoof, and they shook, but Spike pulled her in for a hug before she retracted. “Let’s do it again sometime,” he said, squeezing a little. Cozy hid her blush behind Spike’s back. Despite that, she smiled. “Of course. I can’t wait.” Interrupting their hug, both of their stomachs growled. Spike stepped back and rubbed his belly, chuckling. “Well, let’s get a move on. I’m starving.” Cozy stifled a giggle. “Good idea. We can fly back and get there quick.” Spike nodded. Together, the two flew across the top of the forest, returning to the majestic waterfall. It was quiet. But unlike the previous days and nights, it wasn’t awkward. The two would occasionally look at each other, and their smiles grew when it happened. Tonight was a great night indeed.