The Dawn of a New Mission

by ScorchingFlamesInc

Chapter 10: Dreams of Cozy

Author's Note:

WARNING: This chapter, along with chapters 8, 9, and 11 all happen at the same time. Just a heads up.

No motto here.

Cozy Glow opened her eyes. She noticed she was standing on nothing, causing her to gasp. The high intake of air echoed around a strange void. Hearing the echo caused her to look around her surroundings. The void had cyan colors, along with many swirls and what looked like stars.

She wasn't satisfied with what was going on.

She walked forward and looked around, a scowl on her face. When she finally looked straight ahead, she immediately stopped. A bright light started forming, and only got brighter by the moment. Closing her eyes and covering them with her hooves, she prepared for the worst.

Nothing happened.

"You can unshield your eyes. I'm not going to hurt you," a familiar voice said.

Cozy, uneasily, did what was told. There, she saw the owner of the voice: Luster Dawn. But something seemed off. She was sparkly and transparent and Cozy got a weird vibe from her."

"I thought only alicorns like LUNA could go into dreams!"

"Luna and Celestia have retired a long time ago, Cozy. But I'm not here to share facts on what you missed out on. I am here..."

"To WHAT?"

Luster didn't even flinch. She just smiled. "To teach."

Cozy suddenly saw Luster's horn light up. She didn't shield her eyes, but she looked around and saw that the void was changing. Swirls became waves and started forming a structure. Cozy suddenly saw Luster float up into a sitting position. A chair for Luster to sit on formed immediately after. As the landscape became more vivid, a desk appeared, being the only thing standing between Cozy and the surprisingly calm unicorn.

Cozy's confused face became one of horror as the landscape finally finished forming.

She was in the School of Friendship. Not only that, but it was one of her least favorite rooms of all.

The Counseling Room.

"WHY are we in the COUNSELING ROOM!” Cozy barked. “I DON'T NEED COUNSELING!"

"You say that..." Luster said, the glow on her horn fading. "But you need it as much as the other two."

"You don't know ANYTHING about me!"

"I know your backstory."

Cozy fell silent. But Luster continued speaking.

"You don't have to tell me. But just because you have a peculiar backstory ALONG with a cutie mark of a rook, it doesn't mean you have to do bad things."

"Isn't manipulation only used for WANTS?!?!" Cozy huffed.

"Perhaps. But if you try it in a certain way, it would be a great tool for things that would benefit many. You may be young, but if you changed your ways and were older, you would be like an agent or something. Manipulate others so your allies can help do good deeds."

"I'll never change."

"Can I tell you something?" Luster asked, catching Cozy off guard. "How do you compare yourself to Tirek? What makes you like him?"

"I don't know."

"Your desire for power. But in a whole other way. Tirek thinks he gets it by stealing magic and causing destruction. And that may be true. But your view is different. You think you need FRIENDSHIP for power! But let me ask you something: Who wants to be your friend?"

"C-Chrysalis and Tirek?"

Luster's smile faded.

"Wrong!” she said, her calm voice a more serious tone. “You three are only ALLIES! In actuality, NOPONY wants to be your friend. Because they know the REAL you. The news of what you did that led to your imprisonment in Tartarus was only known in a few cities and towns. But the news of what you did with Chrysalis and Tirek that led to your imprisonment in stone is known by ALL of Equestria. EVERYPONY knows the real you. They've SEEN your appearance in the papers while you were in stone. They saw you were afraid. But they can understand why you and the other two were punished. You nearly destroyed a pony who was going to become the new Princess of Equestria. You and the others brought back the Windigos. You did a LOT of things wrong. Now that nopony wants to be your friend, you have nothing, and you will get nothing."

“Gee, thanks," Cozy mumbled sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

Luster smiled.

"But if you change and the news spreads to all of Equestria... if you start treating friendship like magic... you will get the friends you deserve. Not for power. But for happiness. Don't you want that?"

Cozy looked down again. "I... I don't know."

"Think about it. Remember what you did on Mount Everhoof? With Chrysalis and Tirek? What did you feel when you got the bell?"

Cozy sighed. "Pleasure. Helping them felt like pleasure."

"Didn't you love that feeling?"

"Well... I did until Chrysalis snapped us out of it."

"Would you want it again?"

This time, Cozy had no answer.

"Listen Cozy... I trust that every answer you say is the truth."

"What makes you say that?"

"We are in your mind, remember? Hearing every honest answer you gave me makes me see that you have a chance. The long pauses you have only makes me think that more."

"Just because you learn about me through my thoughts doesn't mean you know me."

"But I do," Luster said.

Luster looked up at the clock on top of the doorway that stood behind the troubled filly.

"Would you look at the time! It looks like our session is nearing a close. When you wake up, I hope you and your other two allies treat Luster well."

Cozy looked up. "And WHY are you saying your own name in third person?"

Luster chuckled. "Perhaps you would have learned about me in school."

"Wait what do you mean by-"

Cozy had no time to finish. Luster lit up her horn, once again illuminating an expanding light. Cozy shielded her eyes, but that didn't stop her from seeing the flash that was the brightest light she had ever seen.

And then Cozy woke up, her eyelids darting open.

The filly sat up, noticing Chrysalis and Tirek escaping slumber as well. She stood on all four hooves before she got back on her log and sat down. Chrysalis and Tirek did the same.

Not a word was spoken out of either of them.

All they did was stare at the charred fire pit.

ZZZIIIIIP

The villains didn't even look up as Luster Dawn's tent opened.

Comments

[asdtroi8895]

So, your bringing the tree in? Interesting.

[ScorchingFlamesInc]

9919179

Maaaaaaaaaaybeeeeeee

[Jawmax]

Oh, Lusters getting assistance from the Tree of Harmony.

[RDDash]

Reformation in this story is going to be super easy, berelly inconvenience.

[Razzy]

Well, knowing canon Cozy Glow's backstory isn't difficult, seeing as it's a blank post it note.