The Dragon King's Rebirth

by Sipioc


Chapter 14 The Occurence

Chapter 14

The Occurrence

The sounds of the mello orchestra music popped and hissed as the record turned slowly on the phonograph. Each pitch and din of the strings seemed to resonate through the hardwood floor, shiver up the legs of the empty desks and causing them to hum along to the all too familiar melody.

True, this was an orchestrated cover, which had been a heavy rock anthem done by one of her favorite bands, “MantiKorr”. Cheerilee did have a respectable image to keep after all. Still this classical instrumental rendition would serve to scratch that itch for rebellion while maintaining appearances of civility.

Her head bounced to the music passively as she continued going over her lessons for the day. Already she could hear the potential questions certain students would have and she instinctively was going through methods she could use to ingrain the information onto them.

She was brought out of her internal preparation ritual by a knock at the door. With start she gazed over at the clock on the wall.

‘6:17?’

With a raised brow she made her way to the door. It was too early to be a student. Even the most diehard of students wouldn’t trickle in on a Monday till about forty-five past. This new development had her mind tossing around the possibilities.

‘Could be an emergency situation,’ she mused, ‘hadn't had one of those since the Bug Bear thing.’ She bit the inside of her cheek at the thought and hoped everypony was alright. A small part of her mind considered the possibility that it could also be a trap. Her step halted a bit as her imagination involuntarily cooked up a group of vile Diamond Dogs, waiting behind the door to nab her. Forcing her to work in the darkness; as a prisoner and a slave. All would seem hopeless until a certain tall, broad shouldered, soft spoken red stallion rescued her from their clutches, to eventually and ride off together into the sunset.

Her hoof froze at the knob, her face feeling a bit warmer..

‘Got to stop binge reading those Inkwell Steele novels.’ Further shaking off her more fanciful notions she took a breath put on her friendly smile and opened the door.

“Miss Cheerliee?” Came a soft voice through the opening.

Recognition of the voice was automatic to the school teacher. “Mrs. Homes?”

Opening the door all the way revealed the form of the one of the newest resident to Ponyville. At first, the short haired Earth Mare had the feel of an overprotective, meddlesome mother with penchant for nitpicking over her child’s education, but after meeting the colt, it was clear that she was more looking out for her.

She couldn't deny that Flint was bright, he read better than anypony in the class. What he lacked was the interest in learning. Then their was that stare that could sharpen ax blades.

Cheerilee stifled a shudder and motioned for the the colt’s mother to come in.

“I'm sorry for bothering you so early.” Cozy said solemnly, as she stepping inside the foyer..

“No bother at all,” said Cheerilee as she shut the door behind her. “I told you from the start, if you were concerned, my door is always open.”

“Thank...you.” the purple mare replied, as she began to shake. “I don't think I can ever tell you how much that…” Her voice finally broke and Mrs. Homes fell to her haunches, a hoof just barely stifling a sob.

“It's okay,” The seasoned teacher soothed. Acting quickly she came to the mother’s side and guided her to a student’s seat near her desk. She pulled her own chair over and faced the aggrieved mare, offering a tissue. “Did something happen?”

Cozy accepted the tissue with a thankful
nod, and dabbed her eyes. “Y-Yes.” She said straightening herself. “Something...I never thought would happen.”

The cerise mare leaned closer and placed a hoof on her shoulder. “Just start from the beginning.” She said with a reassuring pat.

Cozy took a deep breath and began. “Well, it happened on Saturday; I spent all day Sunday talking to anypony who had seen Flint before he came home.” She placed her hooves together the damp tissue taking residence between her slightly trembling form. “Mrs.Cake, was able to give a gist of what happened…”

------------Two days ago---------

You were going to be ill.

Attach the word ‘violently’ to that and you could summarize how you felt at that moment. Normally that word would of given you a sense of welcomed nostalgia, but not this time.

It didn't take you long to learn about Sugarcube Corner, when you moved to Ponyville a month ago. It was brightly colored and had an almost saccharine happy vibe to it. That was enough for you to want to avoid it like a plague.

Yet, here you were. Despite your heels dug in, you were still being pushed forward by the herd of big eyed pony children, who were oblivious to current state of revulsion.

You bit down on the coin purse, hard, as you were pulled through the doorway. Immediately you were punched in the nose by a frenzy of smells. Cinnamon, flour, chocolate, and...sugar? You weren't sure sugar had a scent, but based on the wall to wall confections, you filled in the blanks.

Your compatriots (not friends), had already separated from you and were perusing the cases for treats. The majority were by the large windowed chest freezer featuring the multi-colored gelatinated dairy slush. A yellow coated Earth Stallion greeted the chirping urchins, welcoming their excitement for his slop, no doubt eager for their bits.

‘My bits rather.’ You gazed down at the pouch clamped in your mouth. Looking up you see the main counter where a round earth mare smiles on at the display of easy pickings. ‘Just get the stupid cake and get out. Let those maggots fend for themselves.’

Though you couldn't deny the solid course of action, you found yourself flinch a bit at the remark, best to get this over with and leave. Stepping up to the counter you were greeted by a mare, her smile brightening a bit in acknowledgment to your presence, and no doubt what you carried.

“Welcome to Sugarcube Corner, dearie.” She beamed. “You're a new face, can I interest you in something sweet?”

You substituted an eye roll for a wretch. “Don’ bovver.” You say through the fabric. You animatedly spat out the bag, the contents coming open neatly on the counter. “I am picking something up, probably under the name ‘Sparks Fly’.”

If she was taken aback by gruffness she didn't show it, but merely smiled on in recognition of the order. “Oh yes the cake! Strawberry-lemon swirl, an excellent choice. I just need to do the letters.”

“Fine.” You reply cooly.

“What would you like it to say?”

“To Cozy.” You stated flatly

“Oh come now,” the blue mare tithered with a smile, “you can do better than that.”

Taking a calming breath, you decide to ‘do better’:
‘Cozy on this, the anniversary of your birth you celebrate another year of life. Yet through it all you fail to grasp the existential truth that: “life has no meaning”...”

------------

“Did he really say that?” Cheerilee said, halting the story a bit, her mouth hung open at the colt’s cold outlook.

“Something like that,” Cozy responded as she strained to remember all of what she was told second hand.

“That's so-”, Cheerilee began, but words failed her, at least words that wouldn't be flattering to the child’s mother.

Noticing the school teacher’s discomfort, Cozy raised a dismissive hoof. “But, Flint says stuff like that all the time.”

“A-Alright.”

-------

“...Staring into the abyss of another year which will no doubt mean more of the same events of mediocrity and soul crushing tedium.”

You never broke eye contact with the blue mare, scarcely blinking as you concluded your soliloquy, room was deathly still and you could feel the eyes were upon you both.

After a moment, Mrs.Cake jarred herself from her comatose state with a cough.

“How about ‘Happy Birthday Mom?” She asked hopefully.

“Cozy.” You corrected.

“...alright, hunnie. The cake is sweet anyway.” She mumbled as she turned to the back room.

Taking a seat you glance over to the rest of the group to find that many had finished choosing their dairy treat. The concept of ice cream made you cringe a bit. The idea of where milk came from was bad enough, but the mammalian concept also conjured up memories of when you were a foal.

You physically shuddered a bit, trying to erase the mam-MEMORY!

“You cold?” A high pitched voice queried from beside you, sending you reeling a bit. What you saw next would be burned into your mind worse than any nursing session.

She was bouncy.

She had a smile practically ingrained in her face.

She had blue eyes that seemed to sparkle with asinine intent.

She….was….

-----------

“Pinkie Pie?” Cheerilee said warily.

“Pinkie Pie.” Cozy answered resolutely.

“Oh...my.”

-----------

The pink mare stared at you. She had her eyes squinted and her nose scrunched up, seemingly taking you in.

“How did she sneak up on me like that?” You wondered as she began to circle you. After a moment you got up and returned the favor.

You both continued to turn about one another. Until she stopped and leaned in to get a closer look at you, forcing you to lean back a bit.

“Is there a reason you're doing that?” You deadpanned as she leaned even closer than you were already comfortable with.

“Yup.” She chirped distractedly, giving the ‘p’ an exaggerated pop as she looked deep into your eyes,....and saying nothing else.

After a few beats you were torn between spitting or biting into this lunatic’s face when she finally backed off. She rolled her head to the side in a quizzical way before she remarked.

“Did it hurt when you fell out of the sky?”

---------

“What?” Cheerilee asked, wondering if she heard right.

“That's what I said too!” Cozy exclaimed rather animatedly. “It's weird, right?! Mrs. Cake just said ‘Oh, don't think too much on it, dearie.” The indigo mare was clearly exasperated by that response, among other things she no doubt had seen and heard from the pink party pony. A clear sign she was still very new to Ponyville.

Sympathizing with the befuddled pony herself she simply took a deep breath in. “Believe me, it's really best not to.”

Cozy opened her mouth to argue the point, but eventually relented for now and opted to continue with her story.

----------
The world was still going on around you and yet all seemed silent next to what you had just heard said to you.

“Wh-What?” Your shock came out a hair above a whisper. “What did you just say?” You now truly felt chilled to the bone. She could only be referring to your ‘death’ a millennia ago. Your felt your jaw hang slack as you looked at the curious looking mare. Your mind went into a panic. ‘Why would she say that? What does she know? Is she gonna turn you in? Is she an agent of the Alicorns?’

“I said ‘did it hurt when you fell,” she said with a snort, “there's a bruise on your head, silly boy.” If she was an agent she was doing an amazing job of appearing aloof.

“That's not what you-”

“WAIT!!!” You jumped a bit as she cut you off, pointing a hoof at you with eyes the size of dinner plates. “I know who YOU are!”

‘This was it!’ You thought to yourself. “I’m gonna have to run. Leave it all behind.” On instinct survival mode began to kick in. Out of your peripherals you analyzed the room, matching it up with your memory of the layout in your walk in. It was then that you wished you had been to this place more than once so this escape could be more detailed, but within moments you had three plans to escape the building and five to get out of town toward the Everfree.

You didn't break eye contact with the wide eyed mare, who was now smiling maniacally at you. You cautiously backed up a step taking a breath.

“YOUR’RE THE-”. You didn't give her the chance to finish. In a heartbeat you bolted away, only to be blinded by cushion of white and red.

You heard a distorted shriek as your senses became dulled.

---------

“He...dove face first into the cake?” Cheerilee said with a slightly amused look on her face.

“Heh-heh, yeah” Cozy’s own features betrayed a somewhat tickled look. She had to admit that the idea of her normally stern and irritable son face planting into something he expressed to no end that he reviled, was...well it was hilarious. “Mrs.Cake says she came out to show Flint the letters before she boxed it up, and he did a complete about face, BAM! Straight into my birthday cake.”

The two mares faced each other for a moment in complete silence, before they both burst out laughing.

----------------

‘……..Someone…. is going... to DIE….’

You had felt rage before. It was your thing. This was not rage.

This was blood boiling, tooth cracking, brain cell bursting, FURY!!!

The haze you were in was thick so much so that you had hardly moved much less removed yourself from the cool sticky confines of what you could tell was a cake. The aforementioned lemon and strawberry swirl scent that was now forcibly jammed up your nostrils, was your first hint.

Sounds of the world around you could be heard. A scramble of hooves around you, the poorly stifled sounds of laughter coming from the pony children on the other side of the room, and the worried squawking of the chubby mare who put you here.

As if by some comical coincidence the entire square cake hung on your face for a moment more before it finally began to slowly peel away from your face. To your painful displeasure, your eyes had remained open through the ordeal. As the cake began to fall away more and more light returned revealing your absolutely vacant expression.

“Oh sweetie! I'm so sorry, are...you….” Mrs. Cake began before your face was revealed to her, making her stop cold. Likewise, the laughter from your classmates stopped replaced by a dead silence. You weren't sneering, you weren't scowling, you felt that much. All you were really aware of is that at any moment, you were about to explode. You weren't sure, but you could almost feel tiny spider web like cracks forming on the surface of your mind.

The silence was finally broken in the worst way.

“Whoopsi-daisy.” The squeaky voiced mare spoke up, your eyes focusing on her so slowly and directly that you swore you heard a rusty hinge turning. “Like I was saying, I know you! You're that little colt that moved to town with his Mom and Dad almost a month ago. Well not quite a month more like twenty seven days, four hours seventeen minutes, and thirty one, thirty two, thirty three seconds.”

‘........her.’ You silently turned around to face her once more, your eyes never leaving her cluelessly jabbering form. “....her first…”

“Anyway, is it true you don't. Like. Parties? I was gonna throw you guys a party, like the day of when you got here to Ponyville. I always throw a welcome to Ponyville party for all new families that come to Ponyville, but when I went to ask your Mom what kinda party games and candy you liked the best she practically begged me not to, saying that we should ‘ease you into it’. I'm not really sure what that means but it's been killing me not to throw you a party, are you ok?”

It had been so long since you felt this. Wild animalistic kind of way. It was purely predatory, purely primal, purely bloodlust. You might of enjoyed if you weren't absolutely livid. You lacked the hardware in fangs or claws but you were willing to look past that, you knew the weak spots. The past kills surged through you, the squeals and screeches, the helpless twitching, then the end. Eyes, throat, joints.

You took a step forward.

Your mouth hung in anticipation for your next atrocity as you took another step. The pink pony still oblivious to what was about to happen to her just looked at you, almost pitifully.

A large chunk of frosting dislodged itself from your muzzle. It fell for what could've been for a small eternity then landed neatly in your mouth.

This was enough to halt you mid step. For the first time your eyes left the prey.

Sensation crept into your brain. It was dull at first like tasting metal, but only at first. It soon changed into something else as it seemed to melt into your mouth, saliva seeming to pool onto your tongue overtaking the small flake of sugary confectionary glaze. The sensation seemed to tickle the inside your mouth and spread a sort of warm feeling that began in your tongue and made its way throughout your very being.

“That's…” A small voice seemed to resonate from the source of the new feeling.

‘Never mind that, keep your mind focused’

“....kinda…”

‘...what?’

“....good.” The small voice finished.

---------------------

Cozy had to admit it. Sparks had done it again. He had thrown a party to remember. The gifts, the guests, the music, the food and drink all her favorites, all presented perfectly as he knew she liked. She was a luckily mare and she was already planning on how to one up him on four months for his birthday.

As always, Flint was missing from the festivities but it brightened her more than a bit to learn that he was out playing with friends. Actual friends! The already festive atmosphere coupled with this fact made her positively giddy, and the apple cider didn't hurt either.

‘Note to self: Self, Sweet Apple Acres makes the best Apple Cider EVAAAAAH!’ She warmly giggled to herself as she came to a seat by her old college roommate and her sister-in-law who were gossiping about the latest news to come out of their old circle of friends.

“...Apparently CC, has really come up in fashion world. She working with a up and coming trendsetter from... here in fact!” Misty exclaimed happily, inviting the birthday mare into the already bustling conversation.

“I also heard she met a guyyyyy!” Charter scandalously pointed out. “She's really quiet about it, go figure, but his name is Silver Shil-”

The conversation, and likewise mood was overall halted with the door was callously slammed open.

All eyes fell to the entrance and the music began to skip a bit as a small figure walked in and he seemed to be shaking.

The dark blue coat and orange mane made it clear to her who it was, but the expression this pony had made him seem completely alien. ‘Is he...smiling?

The form of her son seemed take a second to realize he was being watched. To which he seemed to simply look around the room, that same unsettling smile still on his face.

Immediately concerned, she came to greet Flint at the door, followed close behind by Sparks who had heard the commotion and seemed equally as worried.

“Flint?” She prodded, his eyes snapping to her so fast it made her jump back into Sparks arms.

“Y-you alright son?” Her husband took the reigns of the conversation.

“Fine. Fine. Fine. Fine.” He said his voice trailing off in a way that coupled with that smile made her skin crawl.

He was silent for a time and seemed to just stare at the two of them. Worry had been replaced by a growing sense of dread as the silence grew. Cozy didn't want to admit it, even to herself, but she couldn't ignore the fact that her son had the makings of somepony dangerous, it broke her heart to think of it but seeing this before her brought the real fear that he had just done something truly horrific.

“...Flint...what did you do?” The question came out as a ghostly whisper, magnified by the fact that should see something stained on his face, something red.

The colt remained silent.

She jumped forward and grabbed him by the shoulders. “FLINT! WHAT DID YOU DO?!!!” She shouted, officially killing the halted atmosphere of her own party.

Recognition of the action finally registered on the boy’s face as he looked into her eyes. “I’m-sorry…” He whispered to her.

She immediately fell back, her pupils shrank to size of needle heads as she reeled.

“I…

...ate…

….your birthday cake.”

“.......What?” The confusion of what she just heard only further floored her.

“It was really good. At first I was really, really, REALLY, mad and was gonna do something awful to Pinkie Pie, but then I realized it tasted so good that I ate it. Pinkie helped and my friends, did I say friends, whatever. CAKE TASTES AMAZING, DID YOU KNOW THAT?!!” Flint finished what easily had to be the most he had ever said to her in one sitting, with his hooves pressed up against her chest looking deeply into her eyes, the same smile on his face.

“I-I...wuh?” Was all Cozy could sputter out in response as she looked down into the face of the colt that was supposed to be her boy.

After a pause Sparks came to her side, an equal look of bewilderment etched on his features. “You must of really hit your head hard, Flint. You feel okay?”

Once again, Flint’s head snapped to her husband in alarming speed. “My head does hurt,”. He paused, a hoof coming to his muzzle as he poked at the smile on it, “my face hurts too.”

Finding her voice, Cozy spoke up, “Well, maybe you should go lie down, hunnie.”

With a sigh, his eyes fell tiredly to the ground. “Okay, Mom.”

If the room was silent before, the very planet was now hushed.

------------------

For the final time, the story ceased.
The enclosed space of the school room was also silent, save for the patter of tears that fell from Cozy Homes closed eyes, a smile of quiet contentment about her.

“My little pony is not easy to like.” She said without bothering to open her eyes.

“He is abrasive, cold, uncaring, and pushes anypony away who tries to show him the least bit of compassion.” She opened her eyes and looked at the cerise pony before her. “Anypony.”

Years of crushed feelings and unrequited maternal love poured from those eyes. Only to be uplifted with a smile.

“He called me ‘Mom’. She smiled even brighter as tears continued to fall. “I've never felt more closer to my son then I have ever felt now, and that is all thanks to you and Miss Fluttershy.” With a beaming smile Cozy leaned over and hugged the mare before her. Who returned the hug with her own eyes glazed over. “Thank you, so much.”

With a chime of the clock the two separated. “Thank you for telling me that, and I'm glad we could help.” Cheerilee said as she returned to her seat.

“Yes, well I really should be going. It’s my turn to make breakfast this morning for the boys.” Cozy said as she got to her hooves. Cheerilee followed the mother to the door, a sense of pride in her step for having a hoof in this transformation.

Cozy couldn't of felt better herself. Even if Flint tried to deny it not moments after, then stormed off or his room berating himself. It couldn't change the fact that she was his ‘mom’. And he had said it.

As the pair came to the door they hugged once more.

“Keep me posted on anything else.” Cheerilee said happily as ever.

“I will,” Cozy promised, before she paused a moment in thought before she smirked to the teacher, “think it would be wrong to put frosting on Pancakes?”

This elicited a final laugh from the two as Cozy opened the door to reveal a grey Pegasus frozen in a pre-knocking motion.

“Oh! Morning Mrs. Hooves!” Cheerilee said to Derpy.

The mare, shied away, a bit embarrassed by the abrupt meeting. “Oh sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt.”

“No no. It's okay,”. Cozy smiled to the Pegasus. “I was just leaving.”

With a nod of further gratitude to the teacher Cozy began to trot her way home.

Turning to the local Mailmare, Cheerilee renewed her smile. “Is there something I can help you with this morning?”

“Well, I have a bit of a concern.” The wall eyed Pegasus shuffled a bit on her hooves. “For the last two nights Dinky has been having nightmares. And I was wondering what kind of things are you teaching the children about dragons.”