Cracked Open

by Ghuntz

Chapter Four: Doubts

Twilight’s sun was in the center of the sky by the time Flurry Heart realized something had happened. Around her were a plethora of guards, to make sure Cozy could be captured nice and safely. But as the morning came and settled itself at noon, the train did not arrive on time. I didn’t arrive at all, actually.

“How much longer are we going to wait here for?” A fatigued guard whispered to another.

“As long as it takes! Cozy Glow, Lil’ Cheese and Muffin Macintosh are missing, they’re top priority.” Flurry used her commanding voice. “It just doesn’t make sense that the train would be so late. Something bad had to have happened in the mountains.”

Scampering steps caused everypony in the station to turn. An older stallion dressed as a conductor rushed toward Flurry, horror in his eyes. He collapsed onto her forelegs.

“*wheeze* Princess… *wheeze* the t-train… *wheeze* w-was attacked!”

A collective gasp was heard.

“Attacked? By whom?” Has Cozy already gotten allies?

“N-not who… what! *pant* It w-was a Winterzilla!”

The world faded for Flurry. “A… a Winterzilla?!” She opened her massive wings and blasted onto the sky. I need to find them myself… no more messing around!

---

Cozy was awake before her eyes opened. The delicate wind of midday ruffled against her coat. She felt Cheesy breathe against her. At least she’s alright. Opening her eyes, Cozy saw a yellow claw inch toward her mouth.

“*gasp*—” the fingers wrapped around her face… gently? Looking up, wide teal eyes and a beak greeted her.

“Shhh… Don’t wanna wake up the filly, don’t you?” the grey griffon said with a chuckle. Cozy fought the restraints, but was too weak to break the bird’s grip. “I don’t wanna hurt you, silly! I’ll let you go but just promise me you won’t scream. I’ve got someone out there also taking an extended nap, hehe.” Cozy nodded, and was let go.

“*sigh*, thanks—”

“The name’s Gabby, little one! What’s your name? I could swear I know you from somewhere, but I’ve been doing deliveries to-and-from Ponyville for ages and I’ve never seen you around town. Even then, it’s not like I’m in Ponyville much anymore, haha!”

This griffon talks quite a bit… “My name is Comfy Shine. You said you had somepony with you?”

Gabby shushed and pointed outside. Cozy carefully removed Cheesy from herself and tiphoofed outside to take a peek. The first thing she noticed was that most of the snow was gone. The dreary fog from the night before had disappeared, and the godrays touched everything. Right outside was also a wheeled cart of some sort, and inside were some boxes, some rolls of cloth, some pottery, and none other than Muffin Mac.

“Muffin!” Cozy yelped, jumping down and rushing to him. He was asleep, but he was breathing. Various scratches mottled his coat and his left ear sported a large bandage. Beside him also rested a tiny creature; a rodent of some kind with white fur and—

“...black claws?” This is just like the creature from yesterday!

“That little cutie patootie is called a Winterchilla, Spike told me about them one time… apparently they get really big at night, though! We’re pretty lucky this guy came up to us in the morning.”

“Yeah… real lucky.”

“Anyway, I was just taking some very delicate materials over to the Canterlot Carousel when I spotted your friend running away from nothing. He was just going crazy thinking something was chasing him!” Gabby began mimicking her actions. “As soon as he was close, he collapsed, so I took him in my arms, and he said, ‘Help! Cheesy! Comfy! Train!’ and he pointed over here before passing out!”

He did all that for us?

“You said you were going to Canterlot?” Cozy asked.

“I did!”

“We were on our way there when we were attacked. Do you think we could take a ride up with you?”

“*gasp*” The grey griff let her wide smile do the talking.

“...of course. Thank you, Gabb—”

“New friends!” Gabby went up and squeezed Cozy into submission.

“Egh…” a sordid grunt appeared. Cozy and Gabby drew their eyes to the source.

“Uhhh…” Muffin shuffled and turned before dragging his eyes open. “Cozy?” he looked at Gabby. “Griffon… griffon?!” Muffin shot up for a second in fear before fatigue took him over once more. He lied on his back. GRUMBLE. His stomach gave its opinion.

Cozy gave Gabby each other a look.

---

Cozy woke up softly for the first time in forever. The cool breeze of the mountains adjacent to Canterlot brushed her carefully, and the warm sound of wooden wheels on smooth dirt soothed her thoughts. For a second she thought she was back on—

“Whoops!” Cozy heard Gabby yelped as a bump careened the cart to the side. Cozy and her two sleeping party members rolled to the side and crashed against the edge wall.

“Wah-huh?” “Cheesy!” both of them muttered as they took in the strange environment. After a moment of recovery, Cozy noticed the two foals falling into a panic.

“Guys, guys!” Cozy called out. They both shrunk, looking worriedly at her. “It’s okay, we’re alright. We’re getting to Canterlot.”

“Well, we’re still a bit away from the main gate, Comfy. Especially considering the cargo! Ha!” Corrected Gabby.

“Anyway, don’t worry. That nightmare from last night is over.”

“Ah… my whole body hurts.” Muffin complained, drooping back.

Cheesy must’ve just realized that Muffin was there, safe and sound. For a moment she stared, but soon enough she clutched him. She wept softly.

This must’ve been scary for these too… they’ve most likely never been through something like this in their lives.

“What in Tartarus happened last night?!” Cheesy said through her tears.

Cozy let down her guard. “Um… apparently Winterchillas turn into Zillas at night time. We were lucky it happened near the morning. Muffin saved us when he ran into Gabby, and… now we’re here.”

“Who’s this Gabby?” Muffin inquired.

“The griffin you woke up to a few hours ago.”

“Ooh… sorry about that, Gabby.”

“No worries, little one! Always a pleasure to host some wayward pony out in the mountains!” the bird pauses for a moment. “Though I do have a bit of a question…” Cozy tensed up. “Why were you three in that train anyway? Where are your parents?”

Cozy tried to talk but was harshly cut off by Cheesy, now much more casual than before. “Our parents are back in Ponyville… well, at least we think they’re our parents. Comfy here told us about a changeling invasion taking place! … you’re not a changeling, are you, Gabby?” Cheesy sharpened her eyes.

“Oh, hahaha! That’s a good one! Except, it’d be funnier if I was one, huh?”

Cheesy shrugged at Cozy. She’s too weird to be a changeling for sure…

“Oh, and I bet none of you are changelings, right?” Gabby threw the taunt in the air as she chuckled softly.

“Who are you kidding, missy?” Muffin rose and stood on his hindlegs with a mean streak. “We’re the goodest, most loyal and proud adventure ponies around! We’ll outrun, outfight and out… figure-out any changeling around! We’ve done so before.” His chest fluffed up.

“Oh, boy, what a brave little guy we have! Brave, just like he was against that Winterzilla yesterday!” Gabby laughed.

“Hey, that Winterzilla was real!”

“Sure it was,” the bird replied, “just like that changeling invasion you three keep talking about. Who’s the big bad meanie this time, is it still… Chrys… Cricket?”

“Chrysalis.” Cheesy said. “Apparently, her changelings have come back and they’ve taken over all our families.”

“Ohh, yeah! I remember Chrysalis.” A pause. “Didn’t she have a team, or a… league?”

“Who, that weirdo Tirek?” Cheesy said.

“Him too, but I remember somepony else…”

Cozy lay silent.

“Are you sure? Those two seem like they had enough evilness to knock down Equestria on their own.” Cheesy kept the discussion going.

“From what I heard, they were a little too evil to be partners… they needed somepony to reign them in.”

“Some… pony?” Muffin finally chimed in.

“Why would a pony help out such meanies? To take over Equestria no less? Seems to me like whoever that was wasn’t such a good pony to begin with.” said Cheesy.

“Why do you say that?” Cozy asked sharply, to the slight dismay of everyone else. She shifted. “Well, I just ask because you’ve never met this pony… and will never meet her, either! Uh… how are you so sure she was just evil and that’s it?”

“Duh! She must’ve been if she chose an ugly goat and a shapeshifter instead of her own friends.” Muffin said.

“Well, maybe she didn’t have any friends…” Gabby bluntly theorized.

“...Exactly! Maybe she just had her own idea of what Equestria should’ve been. Not enough reason to call her evil, don’t you think?” Cozy added.

“So she teamed up with two monsters to steal Equestria from the princesses? I wouldn’t trust a pony like that if she begged me to!” Muffin crossed his forelegs and huffed. Cozy felt a little itch on the back of her neck.

“Doesn’t sound like her ‘idea of Equestria’ was very good at all if she used those other two to help her realize it.” Gabby said.

“She should’ve counted on others in the first place. That’s how we were taught to solve problems. Heck, that’s how we’ve been solving them during this whole journey!” Cheesy passionately preached. Muffin nodded in approval.

Cozy stewed in her own thoughts. Tirek and Chrysalis weren’t exactly the most trustworthy ones around…

“Oh goody, we’re here!” Gabby chirped as the spires of Canterlot came into view in the distance. Even from all this far outside the city, the crew could see white and gold dots marching toward them. “And it looks like we’re in for a little interruption.”

Final stretch through the thorns… hopefully.

Comments

[GamePlayer64]

9971274
Agree and showed that friendship is becoming toxic for being in peace for so long. They mock them like their superior than them and barely know them

[ledezma25]

This is really good.

[asdtroi8895]

This story is really good. I hope Flurry will catch Cozy and give her the help she needs.

[ScorchingFlamesInc]

This is a neat concept. Gets my seal of approval.

[Chicago Ted]

But as the morning came and settled itself at noon, the train did not arrive on time. I didn’t arrive at all, actually.

Then where are you right now?

“How much longer are we going to wait here for?” A fatigued guard whispered to another.

I wouldn't capitalize "A" right here.

She opened her massive wings and blasted onto the sky.

*into

“*gasp*—” the fingers wrapped around her face… gently?

Hands have fingers, claws have talons.

The dreary fog from the night before had disappeared, and the godrays touched everything.

"Godrays" is a slang term for volumetric light scattering, neither of which are heard outside of video game development. Put "sunrays" instead.

“Who, that weirdo Tirek?” Cheesy said.
“Him too, but I remember somepony else…”
Cozy lay silent.

It'd be good to get Cozy's internal panicking here.