Never Alone

by SoloBrony

Call Back

I glanced at Cozy as the School of Friendship came into view, chewing my lip over.

"Are you sure you're up to this, Cozy? We could just spend the day hanging out."

Cozy shrugged lightly, causing her wings to shudder slightly – probably out of discomfort. "I'm sure. What are the odds it turns out like last time, right? Bree shouldn't be here, and I really should stop back in. Mom's been worried about getting me back into school, or at least that we make a decision before the next semester."

I kicked that around in my head and nodded. "That makes sense, but no one wants to push you into anything. Just let me know if you want to leave, alright?"

Cozy snorted. "I just got done trampling on a bunch of golems and saving ponies from a collapsing city, I think I can handle some social awkwardness."

I frowned as I eyed her. "Come on, we both know that's not the same thing at all."

She sighed. "Yeah, it's just... I'm not made of glass, y'know? I get why it may seem like that after what happened with Bree, but that was moons ago, and a lot has changed since then. I don't want everypony constantly worrying."

I thought back to the awkwardness I'd experienced after the Anon-a-Miss incident with my friends, and I nodded. "Yeah... I know how that can be. Just, try not to push yourself too hard, okay? It's easy to go too far the other way or think you can't ask for help."

Cozy gave a light, little laugh. "Oh, don't worry; I learned that one a while back."

I smiled. "Fair enough! And, hey... I heard a little about the search-and-rescue mission from Twilight, but could you tell me what happened there?"

Cozy shrugged. "Some crazy earthpony alchemist decided Equestria needed better guardians than it has, and tried making a golem army. He experimented with dark magic, and, y'know—" she made swirly gestures at her temple with a hoof, swirling her eyes around for emphasis, "—went totally coocoo as a result. I hear he's getting better now."

"Dark magic, huh? What, was he trying to steal your specialty?"

Cozy looked up at me, horrified, but rolled her eyes when she saw my playful smirk. She swatted me with a hoof. "Hey, that's not funny. It's not like I meant to use dark magic! It just sorta... happens for some reason."

I blocked the hoof and snickered. "I know, I know. It still worries me a little, but as long as you're okay, I'm duty-bound to make fun of you for it. It's what friends do."

Cozy groaned, but grinned. "Yeah, yeah. Friendship is dumb."

"I thought friendship was power?"

Cozy stiffened at that, then smirked. "Dumb power. Also, deja vu."

I snorted. "So, how'd your mom take it? You got yourself into a dangerous situation again, and all."

Cozy grimaced. "She was... okay with my going to save ponies, but we had a long, long talk about appropriate tactics and attire when entering an active battlefield. Leaving my armor behind was stupid, that's on me. But she was proud of what I did, so, y'know... it kinda worked out."

I raised an eyebrow. "It's pretty unusual to have a mom that can just accept their child going off into battles like that. I'm a little surprised she didn't ground you or anything."

Cozy frowned and glanced away. "Well... we kinda met under unusual circumstances, like you know. My going off to do dangerous stuff has always been a part of our relationship. And anyway, it's not like I'm a little foal anymore. Like I said, I'm not made of glass."

I laughed at that. "Don't I know it. Watching you and Dash roughhouse every weekend really drove that home."

I looked her over, really taking in the changes she'd been through over the past year for the first time in a while. She was almost indistinguishable in height from me, or any other adult pony, now – I hadn't really noticed that, because it had been so gradual. Her original pink coat had started to come back in after she changed it to an off-white, resulting in a dull pink coloration, and her muscles rippled visibly as she walked. She had been keeping her hair straight, and now it had grown so long she had it in a ponytail, with just a few bangs framing her face. Even her wings had grown to nearly full size - larger, in some places, due to the crystal casing around so many of them. I shook my head and sighed wistfully.

"Yeah, you really aren't a little foal anymore. In fact, I don't think anypony will even recognize you without looking at your cutie mark, now."

Cozy stopped short at that, and looked herself over. "Oh... uh, yeah, that keeps taking me off-guard. Mom says I'm growing a lot faster than I should, because of all of the... y'know, alicorn-magic stuff I messed with? I don't really get it, but I definitely bump my head on a lot more stuff now than I used to."

I laughed at that. "Sorry, filly, there's no getting around that! That's the downside of getting taller."

Cozy huffed and we continued in companionable silence until we reached the front of the school. Despite her brave words, Cozy grimaced slightly and looked around sheepishly. I rested a hoof on her withers, and she glanced up at me with an unconvincing smile.

"So, uh... I guess we go to Starlight now? Ask for a tour, or whatever?"

I nodded. "That seems like a good idea. If you're sure you're ready, let's go."

Cozy nodded back stiffly, and we strode into the school. As we passed through the empty hall, Cozy smiled, looking around.

"This place really brings back memories. I mean... a lot of them are bad, but it's like, weird nostalgia." Cozy Glow gestured vaguely at the autumn decorations. "I remember organizing this place, y'know? Managing it. I put up decorations like those two years ago! And..."

She sat down and shook her head, her expression wistful. "Wow, I remember meeting the Cutie Mark Crusaders out by their clubhouse. I had just flunked a big test, and they offered to help me. I was so suspicious of them at first – like, why would they help someone they'd never met?" She laughed and rolled her eyes. "I was such an idiot."

I sat down next to her and nudged her shoulder. "I had the same problem once. It was actually Twilight who broke through that barrier for me. You can't blame yourself for not understanding that culture, y'know?"

Cozy smiled and shrugged. "Oh, I'm not blaming myself for that. It's just funny, looking back. I was so shy I could barely talk to new ponies, I was suspicious of everypony... and then, once I started to get the hang of it and understand just a little about it, I decided I should take over." She snorted and then giggled. "Actually, I guess it was really predictable, too! Like, I've read up on psychology, I know how an abused pony can often try to take control of everything. Y'know, feel powerful and secure. It just seems so, uh... lame, now that I've moved on."

"Banal?" I supplied helpfully, and she nodded hurriedly. "Yeah, that's it! I thought I was being cool and clever, but it was actually really banal. I like that."

I smiled and glanced up at the decorations in thought. "So... you've been studying psychology lately, huh? What brought that on?"

Cozy stuck her tongue out at me. "Don't worry, I'm not planning on using it for evil Cozy manipulation schemes. Aunt Celestia actually suggested it... she said that if I'm going to be so self-aware, I should make an effort to understand myself. And it's helpful for, like, comforting abused kids or helping ponies in shock or whatever. Superhero stuff."

I rolled my eyes at her exaggeratedly. "I didn't think you would use it for evil, Cozy. But... yeah, that all makes sense. It just hadn't really occurred to me."

Take my eyes off of this one for ten minutes, and she's always doing something new. I'm used to hanging around studious people, but she really takes it to another level.

Cozy hopped up into an upright posture and dusted herself off. "Well, we can't just sit here. Let's go see Starlight!"

I nodded as I rose to my hooves and we resumed walking, but just as we rounded the corner to Starlight's office, Cozy froze, and her face scrunched up in confusion. She glanced around the hallway like she was looking for something.

"Cozy? What's the matter?"

She rubbed her chin with a hoof. "I don't know! It feels like... something's wrong? It's hard to explain, it's like the feeling I got in the kirin village." Her wings shuddered as she spoke, looking around.

"You mean, like someone's in pain? I thought you just put that together through intuition and detective-work."

Cozy frowned and glanced over at me. "I mean, I thought so, but this is different. It's like I just know something is up."

She slowly walked over to a pair of potted plants against one of the walls, and scrutinized them carefully. After a moment, one of them suddenly opened up a big pair of bug eyes, causing Cozy to leap back with a terrified yelp and hover in place with slow wingbeats – and eliciting a cry of surprise from me, too. The plant suddenly turned into a light-blue changeling with deep blue eyes. She waved her hooves frantically.

"Sorry, sorry! I didn't mean to surprise you, I was just, uh, I heard you talking, and I didn't want to interrupt, so, umm... I was just going to let you pass by?"

The changeling gave a big, uneasy smile and darted her eyes (not that it was easy to tell) between the two of us. Cozy blinked a couple of times and then her eyes widened in recognition as she raised a hoof.

"Wait, Ocellus?"

Ocellus nodded sheepishly, keeping her rear pressed to the wall continuing her uneasy smile. "Y-yep... long time no see, Cozy!" She laughed nervously.

Cozy's jaw opened and closed a few times, but no sound came out. I had to stifle an inappropriate laugh at the sight before Cozy finally spoke up.

"Right, uh... it has been a while. How have you been since, uhh..."

"Since you tried to destroy Equestria?" Ocellus supplied helpfully. "Or, uh, that time you nearly destroyed all magic in Equestria and we almost got flung into another dimension?"

I cringed, but Cozy, for her part, just froze, blinked, and landed, saying "Uh, yeah. Since then."

Ocellus perked up slightly. "Pretty good, actually! There was a lot of tension after the big battle, but things are looking up. Everycreature here has been getting along again since then."

Cozy nodded, clearly relieved at the direction the conversation was taking. "Yeah? Looking forward to the holidays?"

"Oh, definitely! I even invited Smoulder to come over to the hive this year and celebrate some of the Hearth's Warming season with us!"

Cozy sighed in relief. "That's so good to hear. I was worried it might take longer for everycreature here to get over what we did."

Ocellus shuffled uncomfortably, glancing away. "Well... it's been a little tough. But we all have each other, so it's not so bad. Somecreatures took it harder than others."

Cozy nodded at that with a frown. "Yeah, that's about what I figured. I'm, uh... for whatever it's worth? I'm sorry."

Ocellus nodded, and I was surprised to see her actually walk up to Cozy and plant a hoof on her barrel. I realized belatedly that Cozy was actually taller than her, now.

"I know, Cozy. We changelings know a thing or two about big mistakes. If you ever wanna talk about it... maybe swing by the hive sometime? We have a feelings forum for that kind of thing."

Cozy caught herself rolling her eyes and making a gagging face, and coughed politely to cover it up. "Erm, yeah! I should... I should do that, actually. Thanks."

Ocellus nodded, and then suddenly stiffened. "Oh, right! I need to get to my next class! I'll see you later, okay? Bye, Cozy! Bye, strange pony I don't know!"

She took off in a hurry down the hall after that. I called out, 'It's Sunset Shimmer!' behind her, but didn't get a response. I turned to Cozy with a shrug, and found her rubbing her chin in thought again.

"So... that was kind of strange."

Cozy shrugged at that. "Nah, that's actually pretty typical for Ocellus. She's probably nicer than she ought to be."

We resumed our walk towards the headmare's office, and Cozy remained distracted. I nudged her.

"Bit for your thoughts?"

Cozy snapped her attention to me in surprise, then shook her head. "Whoa, that's weird."

I leaned my head back and frowned quizzically. "What is?"

"Oh, uh, you reminded me of someone else for a second, sorry. Umm... I was just thinking about Ocellus' reaction to me, that's all. And how the rest of the school must be feeling."

I nodded as we continued walking. "I know what it's like to worry a whole school might hate you, but trust me, you can work through it. And I'm sure you'll find friends here who can help you. Don't get discouraged, okay?"

Cozy shook her head at that with a distant, distracted frown. "I'm not worried about that, I know I can make it work."

I found that perplexing, but Cozy didn't elaborate before knocking on Starlight's door. What immediately followed was a series of, 'Huh?', 'Oof!', a loud crash, the sound of unicorn magic moving objects around rapidly, and finally the door opened to reveal a frazzled-looking Starlight trying her best to look confident and smile.

"Uh, hi! Wel—Oh! Cozy! Uh, come in! I wasn't expecting you!" Starlight backed up, opening the door fully and waving us in. There was an actual tower of books on her desk, no doubt the cause of the crashing sound we'd heard before, and hastily reassembled prior to our entry. I smiled and nodded to her.

Wow, she really has become a replacement Twilight here. I bet this office was an absolute catastrophe when she was in charge.

Cozy nodded to Starlight, and trotted into the office. Soon enough, we were both seated in front of the desk while Starlight sat behind it, her hooves steepled together in front of her.

"So, uh, Cozy! What brings you here today? Did you want that tour we had talked about, or were you already planning to re-enroll?"

Cozy pondered for a moment, then shook her head.

"Actually... I've decided not to come back."

Starlight balked at that, as did I. She beat me to the punch, saying, "But, why not? I thought you wanted to come back!"

Cozy sighed. "That's not it. I'd probably really like it here, now that I actually understand the lessons. I get why these things are important, now. But... well, I'm just not sure it's a good fit for me. I've got a lot of bad memories here, and I don't want to be reminded of all of that constantly."

Starlight leaned in, concern plain in her eyes. "But you have good memories, too, right? We worked together so well here! I know a lot of that may have been some kind of, y'know, evil plan or whatever, but you can't say it was all bad, right?"

I winced at that. This must be really hard for Starlight. She doesn't even know how much of their friendship was real, and she's got her position as headmare here to consider when talking about this...

Cozy started. "Oh, it wasn't all bad! I enjoyed working with you and Twilight. I... I actually do miss it, but I also don't want to fall into old habits. Does that make sense?"

Starlight froze in place, blinked a couple of times, and then smiled as she leaned back. "Actually, yeah. I understand completely. I, um, actually had a bit of a similar situation – after I had reformed, the ponies from my village almost put me in charge again, and I just freaked, out. I expected them to hate me, not, y'know... Well, anyway! Old habits can be hard to break, especially in a familiar place. I get it."

Cozy nodded, and smiled weakly. "Thanks, Starlight."

After exchanging a few pleasantries with Starlight, we were soon making our way back towards Cozy's home on the outskirts of Ponyville. I'd kept quiet for the most part, but I finally spoke my mind once the school was well behind us.

"Cozy, are you really sure about this? It seemed like you really did want to go back... you didn't decide not to because of what Ocellus said, did you?"

Cozy grimaced and looked away a bit sheepishly. "So what if I did? I mean, that's my choice, right?"

I kept quiet for a moment to think that over. "Well, yeah, it is your choice. But I just want to make sure you're making it for the right reasons. I don't want you missing out on good experiences because you're worried about what everycreature will think of you."

Cozy shook her head. "It's not that. I'm really not worried about my ability to fit in... it's just that, well, I don't think the other creatures at the school deserve that. I put them through enough as it is. Besides, this might be better. I mean, I want to spend as much time with my mom and my aunt and with you as I can. I only just got a family, y'know? Learning more about friendship can wait until I understand that."

I laughed at that. "Did you just include me in your family?"

"Well duh, you're... uh, right, nevermind."

She smiled sheepishly and rolled her eyes at herself. I tilted my head in confusion, but decided to put it aside for the time being. "So... you're not just doing this to punish yourself, right?"

Cozy shook her head firmly. "Definitely not. I just don't think it would be a good fit for me, and... well, my main reason is that I don't think it would be good for the students. I'm trying to be better about that stuff. Y'know, thinking about how my actions will impact other ponies. Creatures. Whatever."

"Should you really be making that decision for them?"

Cozy just shrugged. "I used to help run that school. I can tell what sort of impact coming back would have, and it's not great."

I finally relented, nodding. "Alright. Sorry I doubted you, I just wanted to make sure. I'm behind you if that's your choice."

Cozy smiled up at me. "Thanks, Sunset. I know you're just looking out for me."

Author's Note:

Hiatus? I barely know us!

Comments

[RK_Striker_JK_5]

Ah, holy crap I nearly forgot about this series! Welcome back!

[SoloBrony]

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Thanks, good to be back. I'm honestly surprised anyone was still following along, heh. But I figured I should finally complete this story.

[Cyana Flame]

[Teaspoon of Godzilla]

Good to finally see an update!

[SoloBrony]

10949351
That's me, heh. Write a novel or two's worth of prose in a couple of weeks, then just drop for a year. In truth, things just got really bad for me IRL for a long time, there, and it was hard to write anything.

[SlimCognito]

Nice to see another update! Cozy’s character arc here has been fun to read. I’m sure it will continue to be that way!

[SoloBrony]

10950226
I RETURN TO YOU NOW, AT THE TURNING OF THE TIDE

[Cackling Moron]

Emotional torsion

[Herald of Opera]

10949137
For what it's worth, there's no meaningful limit on how many stories can be in Tracking at a time.