Letters to Cozy Glow

by Fluttercheer

A Letter from the World's Weakest Scholar

.
Dear Cozy Glow.

My name is Stygian. I am a scholar.

“Stygian?” Cozy Glow let the letter sink and looked in front of her with a puzzled expression, lips puckered. Following a certain instinct, she inched to the corner of her cage and began to flip through the small pile of letters that lied there. “Where's your letter, Starswirl, the Beardo?”

As she had found it and taken a look at it, her expression cleared. “Oh, just the weakling who can't gain power by himself. Golly, that's going to be another boring letter.” Her ears lowered themselves against her head and a frown emerged on her face.

Maybe you remember me. I was told that my story has become a lesson at Princess Twilight's friendship school. It seems you haven't learned anything from it. I hope I can change that.

“Just as I thought, another boring letter.” Cozy scrunched her face and stuck out her tongue at the letter. Ironically, it was mere boredom that made her keep reading, as there wasn't much else to do in the underground prison. “Go on, Stygian, tell your weakling lecture of ultimate weakness.”

When I let The Shadow take me, I wasn't thinking anything. My friends had turned on me and I was lost and forlorn. I had no hope anymore. But then I heard a voice talking to me. I knew I was sitting inside the Well of Shadows.

As she was reading “Well of Shadows”, Cozy's ears perked up slightly.

And I knew the history of this place, I studied it before I found the Pillars. I should have known better than listening to the voice. But in this moment, I felt so lost that I ignored the warnings my mind gave me.

“Weakling,” Cozy Glow whispered.

I knew that The Shadow was talking to me. I should have been terrified, but I was happy. I needed someone to talk, to tell about the pain I felt. I had no other friends than the Pillars who cast me out. I welcomed its dark, otherworldly whispers inside my head. It listened to me. The Shadow understood and it convinced me that revenge was the right reaction. It would help me, it said, and I agreed.

“Revenge,” Cozy repeated. “I like the ring of this word. But you are still a weakling for not getting your revenge alone, Stygian.” Now some of the snark had returned into her voice.

But it did not help. I was led on the path to my own demise by The Shadow's words. I became its host and I empowered it to descend on the world. My decision brought darkness over Equestria and it nearly ended the world as we know it.

“Golly, nice story!” Fake cheer crept back into Cozy's voice. She used it to hide a cold shiver that went down her spine. “B-But what's the point of it all?”

I have heard that you did something similar, Cozy Glow. You formed an alliance with one of Equestria's most perilous fiends. Just like I did, you sought the help of someone with more power than you. I don't know if your intent was revenge but, just like my decision, yours could have brought doom for Equestria.
I ask you, what makes you think that Tirek would not have used you like The Shadow has used me?

Here, the letter ended abruptly. Stygian's farewell and his signature were the last remaining lines she could read. Cozy Glow lowered the letter, puzzled and surprised over the unexpected end.

Once the surprise had ceased, she shrugged. “I still did most of it by myself. I only needed Tirek's help for the spell, but everything else was my plan. You're still a weakling.”

She looked down at the letter in her hooves, then out of the cage, at the other letters in the corner and out of the cage again. Eventually, she shrugged once more, folded the letter neatly and added it to the others. Then she turned at Tirek.

“As if you were smart enough to betray me.” She held a hoof at her mouth and giggled.

Tirek raised an eyebrow and gave her a confused look.

Comments

[Tuckerx78]

You're back!

[Bronycommander]

Very nice! Was worth the wait!

[Fluttercheer]

9763634

This is the first time I received a "You're back!" comment when I updated a story after a longer period of time. I can't put into words how happy this makes me. Thank you.

[Fluttercheer]

9763637

Thanks! And I'll answer your messages when I have more time to breathe again.

[Bronycommander]

9763670
You're welcome! And sorry, old habit, I am the kind of person who prefer to be sure/gives friendly reminders.

[Kichi]

Divide and Conquer

[NovemberDragon]

Nice chapter!

[Blast]

Learned nothing, forgotten nothing.

[Raven-Flight]

I like where you're going with this, though it definitely feels as "experimental", as you describe in your explanatory blog post. To have only one dynamic character and one whose dynamics are so ponderously slow is inevitably going to be difficult to write. I wouldn't by any means call this a gripping story. Nonetheless, I'm interested to see how this plays out, and I think the format you've chosen with each chapter consisting of a brief letter and Cozy's reaction is exactly right for what you're trying to accomplish.

The chapters are short enough that it almost doesn't matter that so little happens in terms of action or development. I find myself coming to read these letters when I'm idle and can't think of anything better to do—I have the same sort of indolent attention I imagine Cozy Glow does, which makes it easier for me to identify with her. Furthermore, her progress or lack thereof is slow, sticky, and frustrating for the reader, which is neat because it probably feels the same way to Cozy and all her correspondents.

All this to say, I think you're accomplishing your goal of approximating real-world experience. It may not be an exciting story, but it's messy and interesting and in a way, vital. Thank you for your bravery in publishing this experiment, and I'm looking forward to seeing how Cozy's story turns out.

[vito]

Dead story?...

[Yosh-E-O]

Been eager to read this chapter. I just never had the time to properly get to it. *Sighs*

It doesn't seem like Cozy is getting anywhere through those who were once bad but now are good. She seems to view them as showing how their failures only proves that she is better than they are because she, as far as she knows, truly came the closest to what Starlight, Stigin, Trixie, and Nightmare Moon / Luna did. It doesn't help that, like she said, she didn't have any physical help from Tirek. He, as he put it, "Merely steered her in the right direction.". So, for her, she is definitely a superior to those who talk about being bad and then getting redeemed.

Trixie was the best amongst the bad but now good lot. Her ego helped with this as Starlight genuinely is 'trying' while Trixie still wouldn't mind if something 'happened' to Twilight. Not that she'd do it but she wouldn't be all too great and powerfully caring if anything did.

The CMC gave her a good shot. I think they have the best chance to make an impact. The Student Six 'could' but she may see them more as opponents. I wonder if The Student Six would opt to challenge Cozy to some sort of battle of wits to show how friendship is powerful and that going all egocentric and self-supporting is just not the way.

I s'pose, in all fairness, she did get a taste of this in the episode 'Frienemies'. However, here, this episode has not happened. Though it shows there's something in her that could change. It just needs to be done properly or she'll be back to her old-scheming self all over again.

[Fluttercheer]

9764158

Thanks!

9765731

Cozy, indeed, hasn't forgotten anything. The question is just, what is it that she can't forget?

[Fluttercheer]

9785464

Thank you for that comment! All the things you described are exactly what I'm going for. You have a first row seat of Cozy's mental therapy here and if you continue reading, you will go with her through every single challenge the therapy brings, all the accomplishments, setbacks, mental afflictions and reactions, like you're sitting right next to her.
I'm thankful for your comment, it shows that the story works as intended! A next chapter is partially written already and I will update again next week if my health doesn't become worse in the meantime.

[Fluttercheer]

9812555

That's okay. I had problems to properly write it lately, thanks to depressions that threw me out of the loop. But the story is still going and it will likely continue updating next Friday.

For your observations, they are good ones, as always. The former villains thing could be very right for her and your observation with the Cutie Mark Crusaders is spot-on. We have just started going down Cozy's personal rabbit hole, though. The things buried deep under the surface are thick and ugly.

[Fluttercheer]

9811463

Far from it. Just on an unintentional hiatus, due to depressions that messed up my schedule. I'm not daring to mark it as "On Hiatus" yet, as it will hopefully be not more than a month. The next chapter is partially written already and if my health isn't becoming worse, it will be out next Friday and the story will continue then.

[Raven-Flight]

9819871
Looking forward to the update! I hope your health improves!

[Silent Wing]

Verry intresting aproach, i will definitly follow it