• Published 29th Dec 2019
  • 2,729 Views, 190 Comments

A Cozy Hearth's Warming - SoloBrony



In the last story, Cozy Glow became a super hero. Mostly because of brain damage. Now she has to juggle studies, super heroics, friend-making (ugh), and... destiny? All before Hearth's Warming – can't a former megalomaniacal psychopath catch a break?

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Inversation

I leaned against the wall of the shower while the soot washed out of my coat and tried to get my breathing under control. My heart was hammering so hard against my ribs I thought it would burst any second now.

I called her mom! I can't believe I went there! She's going to think I'm messing with her or something!

I thunked my head against the shower wall while I tried to get my thoughts straight. I wasn't even sure why I'd cracked that joke; I was just desperate to get some privacy before I freaked out in front of her.

It's not like I'm unhappy about it all! This is great! It's just...

You remember our old parents.

... Barely.

Do you remember torching the orphanage records so nopony would know about them? So we could have a clean start at Twilight's school? I guess it backfired now that you've lost your marbles.

I didn't torch those records, YOU did.

Same difference.

Ugh!

I thunked my head a little harder against the wall. I had formed this image of what I used to be like in my head based on what other ponies told me, and now that I was recovering some of my memories I kept holding conversations with 'old Cozy Glow' in my head whenever I tried to think back.

I knew it wasn't healthy, so I kept trying to push it out, but I'd just sort-of slide into it whenever I thought about events before my memory loss.

Unfortunately, pushing the voice out just brought me back around to what I'd been worrying about before. Luna had been an angel to me so far, but who was to say things would stay that way? Maybe she just wanted to keep an eye on Equestria's most psychotic child, and she was just humoring me. Getting me to trust her, to need her, so I wouldn't act out again.

Or maybe she just wants a spare alicorn to point at problems, and you're nice and vulnerable. Remember when we used to be the ones who—

Shove it, Cozy Glow!

It's the truth, though. You can't really trust anypony. They all know what we did, so of course they're going to walk on eggshells around us. Their goal is always going to be to control us and keep us from causing problems, at best, and at worst you're just a chess piece. A rook to send out to take the opposing knights, just to be sacrificed to the pawns.

Oh good GRIEF, did I really think in chess metaphors back then? SO LAME. It's like I was an overachiever at being a cliche villain!

That got a chuckle out of me, despite myself, and I sat down in the shower and tried not to think too hard about what kind of pony laughed at burns they laid into their own mental alter-ego.

Oh yeah, just deflect rather than acknowledging my point. Sure showed me!

What point? That they want to use me as a shield against villains? HELLLOOOO, I'm a super hero! I volunteered for that! that's the whole point! I AM the rook on the front line, remember?!

More like a pawn.

If they want to sacrifice me, why should I care?!

I groaned and rubbed my face with my hoof. This was definitely not a healthy way to think.

I should just be happy right now! I've got a new family! One that isn't awful!

That's just it, though. Do you really? You know how this game is played, and you know she could be working you over just like we did to those easy marks at the school.

... Fine. I don't know for sure. But there's buck-all I can do about it right now, so I might as well trust her and hope for the best. I should focus on something I can actually do. Like more heroics, or studying.

Sure, sure. Be 'Quillon' and go save the day; right up until you need real strategy and manipulation to get things done, of course.

Just because I'm good at manipulation and I use it to save the day doesn't mean I'm a bad pony.

So why does it bother you so much?!

I huffed and shut off the shower.

This is dumb. I'm going to bed.

I forced my mind to be quiet as I dried off, trotted over to Luna's bed – our bed, I guess – and slumped over.

Despite everything, the last thing that came to mind for me was Luna's smile when I told her I wanted to stay with her. I smiled back as I drifted off, though there was still a twinge of uncertainty in the back of my mind.

Author's Note:

Oh okay Cozy, just hijack my fic and totally change the tone why don't you. No, no, it's fine, I don't mind, really.

Hmph!