Never Alone

by SoloBrony

Powerlust

I smirked to myself as I laid out the ingredients for the Dragonheart potion. A few purchases – and evasive answers – to Zecora, a carefully-constructed alchemy kit, and some memorized information from my otherworldly 'withdrawals' from the Canterlot Archives had laid the groundwork for my return to power and superheroics!

Just need to carefully measure each ingredient. They say it's easier for earth ponies to do this, but I had earth pony magic as an alicorn, and anyway, if they can do it why can't I? And with this, the power of dragons will be mine!

I cackled manically to myself as I prepared my alembic, and wondered what I should call my new superhero persona. Dragonpony? Dragonheart? The Scaled Savior?

Plenty of time for that after I get my new powers and take to the skies! Get ready, Equestria! You're not ready for this!

Starlight smiled at me as we walked across the pasture near the school. "Not that I mind taking a walk with you, Sunset, but I get the impression you didn't just take me out here for the scenery. What's on your mind?"

I sighed, trying to brace myself for the negative turn the conversation would take. "Well... you know how I was using my empathy spell to see Cozy's memories of me these past few months?"

Starlight's eyes brightened as she perked up. "Oh, right! Twilight told me all about that. Really fascinating application of mixed magic theory, I really wanted to ask Discord about the details aaaaand that's not really the point right now, is it? Sorry."

I grinned at her. "Oh, don't worry. I get it. Twilight's exactly the same way – and I've been known to go off on research tangents of my own. But, yeah... so, my empathic magic's been on a hair-trigger after all of that practice, and I set it off accidentally earlier. There was this mare yelling at Cozy, and I guess it must have reminded her of her birth-mother, because I got all of these images of Cozy's old family."

Starlight jumped slightly at that. "Are you serious?! We've been trying to track them down ever since she took over the school! What did you find out?!"

I grimaced and I felt my ears flatten out as I held up a hoof to calm the mare down. "Starlight, listen. I think there may actually be a really good reason Cozy didn't want anypony finding out about her family – or them finding her. I really don't like going behind her back like this... I know I'd be furious if anypony did something like that to me, especially a few years ago."

Starlight smiled sadly at me as we went.

"I know what you mean, on both counts. I can only imagine somepony invading my privacy like that, but... well, this is serious, right? And we're only trying to help her; at this point, confronting her directly about her past is likely to do more harm than good. Based on what you're saying, it might dredge up a lot of painful memories at a time when she really doesn't need that."

I set my jaw, still at war in myself over sneaking around like this.

"I understand it's important for you to look into this. At the same time, even though she's only a former student, I expect you to do everything you can to protect her... you understand me, right?"

At some point while speaking I must have taken a more assertive stance, because I found Starlight leaning back and holding a hoof up, ears back and eyes wide. I did my best to rein myself in as she replied. "Easy, Sunset, I understand! I do! Look, I'm not going to go causing any trouble. We just need to know who they are and how all of this happened in the first place. It's for her benefit."

I took a deep breath and made sure I was centered before I said anything else. "I know. It's just – the stuff I saw was a blur, which is strange in and of itself. I think Cozy must have blocked a lot of it out, but what I did see wasn't good..."

Starlight frowned, looking ahead as we walked. "I haven't had to deal with that so far at this school, thank Celestia. Most of the parents are really concerned about their kids, though we've had some friction with a few griffin and dragon parents. That's more a matter of them being uninterested, but if her memories were triggered by some mare yelling at her..."

"Yeah. Just... be careful how you go about looking into it, okay? Cozy's in a pretty vulnerable spot right now, the last thing she needs is to feel like she can't safely come to us for help—"

"HELP! HELP!"

Starlight and I whirled around just in time to flinch as a jet of flame went overhead. We quickly spotted the source; a very panicked-looking Cozy Glow, flying unevenly through the air, shooting flame out of her mouth every time she opened it. I quickly grabbed her in my magic and held her in place as Starlight carefully wove a spell to disenchant her.

As soon as the fire went out, the filly just hung there in my magic, panting and holding a hoof up to her chest. I ran up to her and put a hoof on her back in concern.

"Cozy?! What happened?"

She smiled at me nervously. "I learned why alchemy has a reputation for being so hard...?"

Starlight and I looked at each other for a moment. Then we both burst out laughing.

"I remember learning that the hard way!"

"Celestia took a full day to get spores to stop growing through the school!"

Cozy glanced between the two of us uneasily. "Soooo, does that mean you don't have to tell mom?"

I smirked at her. "Not a chance, little filly."

Author's Note:

Top 10 anime betrayals

Comments

[Nyronus]

I smirked to myself as I laid out the ingredients for the Dragonheart potion. A few purchases – and evasive answers – to Zecora, a carefully-constructed alchemy kit, and some memorized information from my otherworldly 'withdrawals' from the Canterlot Archives had laid the groundwork for my return to power and superheroics!

Oh no.

You know you're in for a ride when the chapter opens with a 12 year old fakes symptoms for a prescription for an incredibly ominously named potion.

Starlight's eyes brightened as she perked up. "Oh, right! Twilight told me all about that. Really fascinating application of mixed magic theory, I really wanted to ask Discord about the details aaaaand that's not really the point right now, is it? Sorry."

You know, I feel like this really nailed Starlight's voice and when I read it I was instantly happy she was in this chapter just like when I would see her in an episode. Kudos.

"I know what you mean, on both counts. I can only imagine somepony  invading my privacy like that, but... well, this is serious, right? And we're only trying to help her; at this point, confronting her directly  about her past is likely to do more harm than good. Based on what you're saying, it might dredge up a lot of painful memories at a time when she  really doesn't need that."

Yes, yes, expose the emotionally unstable hyper intelligent suicidal twelve year old with a murderous vengeful streak to her past abusers when she's highly vulnerable and relying on you for trust and safety.

NOTHING CAN GO WRONG WITH THIS.

"It's for her benefit."

i.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/facebook/000/023/021/e02e5ffb5f980cd8262cf7f0ae00a4a9_press-x-to-doubt-memes-memesuper-la-noire-doubt-meme_419-238.jpg

"Yeah. Just... be careful how you go about looking into it, okay?  Cozy's in a pretty vulnerable spot right now, the last thing she needs is to feel like she can't safely come to us for help—"

"HELP! HELP!"

IRONY STRIKES AGAIN!

"Celestia took a full day to get spores to stop growing through the school!"

Cozy glanced between the two of us uneasily. "Soooo, does that mean you don't have to tell mom?"

I smirked at her. "Not a chance, little filly."

Some delightful schoolyard comedy.

Shame it looks like everything is about to go horribly wrong.

[Cackling Moron]

Oh Cozy, too clever by half - there's options! As you shall see, no doubt.

And oh Sunset, you grass.

[RK_Striker_JK_5]

Ooh, Cozy. Come on, now. You should've known how that spell was gonna go!

[GMBlackjack]

Zecora

did they give her memories?

I really wanted to ask Discord about the details aaaaand that's not really the point right now, is it? Sorry."

Good Starlight characterization.

Cozy didn't want anypony finding out about her family – or them finding her.

…Oh boy. This is not going to end well.

Top 10 anime betrayals

I see you are becoming the master of mood whiplash.

-GM, master of whiplash mood.

[Juicer]

Just need to carefully measure each ingredient. They say it's easier for earth ponies to do this, but I had earth pony magic as an alicorn, and anyway, if they can do it why can't I? And with this, the power of dragons will be mine!

Sounds like What Opaline did

[SoloBrony]

11596109
Huh. True.