The Night Janitor

by Knox Locke

Chapter 12: Nightmares

The janitor had been cleaning the hallways as he usually did every night, but he'd decided to take a break when he saw his friend a little further down the corridor. He approached her quite haphazardly, but her attentioned seemed to be elsewhere for the moment. He gently placed a charcoal-colored hoof on her small shoulder, but this apparently surprised her. She spun around quickly and dropped what she'd been holding.

"Oh," she breathed, "It's just you."

She seemed relieved, though Knox didn't know why. Cozy seemed very on edge tonight for some reason. Only then did Knox notice the large, bulky object his friend had dropped on the floor when he'd accidentally scared her.

"What've you got there?" he asked.

Cozy Glow's expression suddenly darkened to that of a diabolical grin so wide that it threatened to cut her head in twain as she let out a spine-chilling cackle.

"You," she said in a sinister tone, "are about to find out."

She screamed ferociously as she charged towards the horrified stallion. She was wielding the Helm of Yksler, aimed horns-first at his chest.

Knox sat upright in his bed, once again scared awake by the prospect that Cozy Glow had never truly cared about him in the first place.

Comments

[Starlight Nova]

Note: The Prologue IS necessary to fully introduce the main character and the story.

Wouldn't most people assume that?

[Yosh-E-O]

Short but very noteworthy.

I can see how, especially now, Knox would be struggling with his overall view on life. His one friend being a pony who tried to drain all magic from equestrian, being locked up for the crime, getting released, and then being turned to stone would certainly put one through a lot of mental turmoil.

It seems Knox has had a very hard time in his life connecting with other ponies. He finally connected with Cozy as, perhaps to him, a father-like figure and it made him feel important.

Now, on another note, I wonder how he would react knowing that it was actually Discord who intentionally brought her out with Tirek and Chrysalis? Would Cozy have done different if not having the dark influence of Tirek nor Chrysalis? Perhaps a part of Knox blames himself for not seeing how truly troubled Cozy was?