Chapter 2: Guardian Devil
Cozy Gow woke up warm. The only reason she recognized that she was awake was this profound warmth, something that had never existed in the stone of a statue. There was something strange about having all of her back as one. Though, that was probably to be expected, seeing as being a statue for even a short amount of time was life altering in a new way. She felt that she could actually relate to Discord somewhat on the matter. Maybe even build a profitable companionship?
“Bah, blasted megalomaniacal thinking,” she said angrily. Cozy stopped, her heartbeat shooting up quickly. Said? She’d… spoken?
An energetic, almost manic giggle escaped her. She heard that too, the wonderful sound of herself laughing into the air. She pursued it, giggling uncontrollably. How could she not? It was the very thought that she was able to hear herself, to hear her beautiful voice through her very ears was a miracle. She hadn’t even opened her eyes, and she was already feeling so much more alive than when she was encased in stone, with her half senses. She could speak and hear, and though it might not have been ideal, she was fine if that was the only thing she could do.
However, there was no harm in the use of her eyes, so she opened them abruptly. Instantly she was blinded by the impossible brightness of the room surrounding her. Or at least, she assumed those slightly darker, broader shadows had been the walls of some sort of confinement. Whatever they were, they were meant to be some sort of border to contain her, so it was indeed most likely a room. No matter, right now she had to deal with the bright red and blue seared into her closed eyes.
Of course, she should’ve expected nothing less. She hadn’t properly used her eyes in what felt like eons, even though it had only been… Had it been eons? She didn’t feel any older, but seriously felt as if time had passed too quickly. Maybe she was simply too disheveled from the whole experience to properly understand everything. If that was the case, why was everything she was thinking so clear? Then again, it wasn’t all that clear to her at all. This whole thought process was only serving to confuse her more and more, and she couldn’t seem to stop it now that it’d started.
Groaning in frustration, another sound joined her. A sharp, clear grumble came from her stomach, reminding that for however long she’d been encased in stone, she hadn’t eaten. Interestingly, she didn’t feel thirsty, and her mouth was surprisingly moist.
Though she didn’t dare reopen her eyes, she tried to push herself up from wherever she lay, only succeeding to discover the weakness of her hooves. She was barely able to even move them, and trying to push off of where she lay was like trying to push a mountain. Her hooves buckled without having lifted her the slightest, and frustratingly, the action seemed to take the little energy she had left in her miniscule body. Grumpily, she moaned at her helplessness, unable to even lift herself the slightest bit. She hadn’t felt this weak since… well, she supposed from the moment that she lost Discord’s powers, she’d felt perpetually weakened.
Right, she’d stolen Discord’s chaotic powers. She’d forgotten that. And wasn’t he the one that had suggested encasing her in stone. Perhaps a union between the two was less likely than she had previously presumed. The thoughts also brought up a dangerous fact and concern for her. She couldn’t remember a majority of things. She couldn’t remember who the Princesses were, only Twilight. Though, it seemed that once she thought of Twilight’s name, the names of the others reentered her head.
Cadance, Celestia, and Luna. And the little twerp that was Cadance’s child. Cozy Glow? Wait, no, that was her. She was someone else’s daughter. With the word daughter popping into her head, the name resurfaced. The little alicorn baby was Flurry Heart.
Interesting. It seemed that until Cozy thought of a trigger word related to the subject she was thinking of, she would have no memory of the details. At least she would be able to recollect her memories, even if it took a specific keyword to remember exactly what. Though, then that brought into question the effectiveness of the process, and if it had one hundred percent accuracy. Actually, she wouldn’t exactly know, considering if she didn’t remember the subject, she wouldn’t know if the test was a failure or not.
Ugh, all of this thinking was exhausting her already. She just wanted some food and to be able to open her eyes without going blind, but that would require another pony to assist her, and she didn’t want to talk to anypony yet.
After a brief pause, she realized that she didn’t know whether or not the ponies who had released her from her imprisonment were friendly or not. They could be some ragabond group that wanted to take personal vengeance on her for her actions, or maybe they wanted to exploit her for their own plan of domination. Or they were the same ponies that had encased her, wanting to make things better for her, or even themselves. The most possible conclusion, though, was that one of the others had managed to free themselves from the imprisonment, and had accidentally freed her as a byproduct of their escape. All of the options presented left her behind enemy lines, possibly captured.
The thought left Cozy uncomfortable as she lay on the warm, soft surface. She finally put it to herself that she was indeed laying on a bed, with blankets on her, and quite possibly something wrapped around her back hooves, but she wasn’t able to properly identify what or why. She was barely able to recognize her bottom half, as it felt numb, and her wings were stiff, yet folded, as if the muscles had turned to steel. It was uncomfortable, and made her squirm slightly.
The squirm allowed her to discover that she was, in fact, able to move, if ever so slightly. The movement, however, proved to be an awakening in more parts of her. She felt her stomach growl once again as her legs began to ache uncontrollably, and quite painfully. Her head felt as if it were splitting in two as she grimaced at all the new and painful sensations. To top it all off, she felt the very urgent need to go to the restroom.
Great, she was going to piss herself whilst dying from a migraine. The optimal way for any great pony to die.
She involuntarily groaned loudly as she continued to force herself to stay still. She had a feeling that if she moved herself anymore, her body would completely wake up, and shatter her with the aching of every muscle and bone. It thoroughly felt as if her body was reconstructing itself after being completely destroyed. Maybe that was what was happening. Perhaps when she had been turned to stone, her body had been completely disintegrated and replaced with the rock, leaving her mind trapped, and now that her mind was reconnected fully with her body, it was reveling in the pain it hadn’t yet felt from the experience.
It made sense, and at the same time caused her even more pain. Could this go on for as long as she had been encased? Was this the second half of her punishment, this nearly unbearable pain and the inescapable room? Was this why Discord suggested this, knowing that when she was reawakened, she would suffer worse than she’d caused. She hated him! Why did the stupid draconequus open his mouth? Why did he have to know such pain, and how to cause it? It was all his fault!
Cozy began to cry uncontrollably from rage and pain, the two boiling together in a potent combination that she was unable to control. It burned her mind, body, and soul, burned it as she began groan louder and louder, pain radiating from every part of her. She wanted free from it, from all of it. She craved release, to the point of wishing she were back in the stone, hidden from the pain of it all, sealed forever from the world.
“Please,” she raspily called. “Please…”
A sudden sound pierced through her painful writhing, a sound unrecognizable, yet comforting at the same time. Anything besides this pain and hate. Anything besides it.
Almost instantaneously, the pain abruptly stopped, relieving her from it so suddenly that she felt a moment of pure, intangible joy, before reality crashed back. She still hurt, but dully, like a distant memory of the suffering she had been experiencing. Her legs and tail were curled up like that of a dead spider’s, and she had no doubt that if she were to see herself like this, she’d be disappointed, but after the pain she’d been through, she felt the weakness was justifiable.
There was a familiar warmth wrapped around her completely now, and she felt as if she was being moved, her limp body being lifted from the bed. Fur. It was unmistakable the fur of another pony, and she could recognize the scent of it as well, the faint berry tinge to whatever shampoo her savior used.
There was noise too, one that felt equally soothing and nostalgic. It was the light, feminine hushing she recognized from before, the sound that had drawn her to sleep. It was so comforting that Cozy simply succumbed to it, not giving any care to if this was what had brought her to harm. Whoever this was had brought her to life again, away from that pain. She only wanted to remain embraced like this, but unfortunately, her stomach interrupted with a particularly loud grumble.
The mare who held her spoke words that her addled mind couldn’t quite understand, but she knew they were subjected to her hunger. It also meant that the mare that held her was gently laying her back down, continuing to soothingly stroke her mane and cheek. How long had she been doing that? It didn’t matter. It felt too good to question. If she were to die like this, it was fine with her. At least this was a peaceful, near painless passing. There wasn’t much left to live for anyway. Maybe this comfort was all…
An insistent calling forced her to recognize that she wasn’t alone yet, but in fact, still in the presence of the mare. She was tapping her chin with something, and Cozy recognized the scent of fruit and oats. Without question, she raised her head and snatched the food off of the spoon presented before her. Her mouth exploded with flavor as she hungrily chewed the food provided to her. It was all too good, too tasteful for it to be real, yet graciously it was. Happily, she took another bite, then another, and another. Unable to stop herself, she continued eating until the mare presented no more food.
She whined for more, begging pitifully for more of the delicious fruit and oat combination. The flavor remained on her tongue, blessedly, and allowed her to remember the exquisite taste of sweet and solid foods. Her stomach felt like an endless pit, having had food thrown into it, but still requiring more. The voice chastised her for her gluttony, but Cozy heedlessly whined for more. Eventually, the spoon was replaced with another, also smelling of fruit, most likely cherry.
She greedily swallowed it down, and it was only after the fact that she tasted the horrendous artificial flavor of medicine that she’d willingly consumed. Gagging as it burned it’s way down her throat, she turned slightly towards the provider of the terrible food and gave her a close-eyed glare. This only made the mare chuckle, which frustrated Cozy beyond belief, and snapped her out of her reverie.
She wasn’t some stupid foal, begging for candy on Nightmare Night. She was Cozy Glow, the Empress of Friendship and scourge of the Elements. She wasn’t going to be toyed around with like this, and she wasn’t going to let herself be pulled around like a marionette. She turned away from the mare, but pitifully, she overestimated her strength and underestimated her control, ending up laying face down on the bed. Unable to push herself up, she cried desperately for help, which she received.
“You really are just going to hurt yourself, you know,” the mare said, her voice finally registering through her muddled and disoriented head. “You’re not half as tough as you think you are. You can’t even open your eyes, so please, make it easier for the both of us and let me help you. I promise you won’t regret it.”
Cozy Glow grumbled a response that even she couldn’t quite make out, but it seemed to satisfy the overbearing mare. As much as Cozy hated to agree with her captor, she was as helpless as a newborn rabbit, and the only pony around here seemed to be her. If she rejected the help provided by the mare, she wouldn’t ever be able to regain the strength she had before, the absolute power that she’d once wielded. So, for now, she’d have to accept this mare’s help and use it as a stepping stone in her progress.
Fortunately, the mare seemed the opposite of what Cozy was expecting. She was kind and caring, even if controlling in the few minutes that they’d known each other. Except, it was most likely somepony Cozy knew, but didn’t remember. Probably one of the ponies who’d done this to her, so she’d take this presented kindness with a grain of salt. If things turned sour between the two of them once Cozy regained her strength, she would like more to fight somepony she hated than one she’d come to hate.
The mare slowly pressed Cozy into the soft mattress, laying a warm, wet something over her eyes. Cozy scrunched her brows in confusion, until the mare gently instructed, “Open your eyes slowly. You’ve been out for a while, and I don’t think your eyes are quite ready for just how bright the real world is.”
Well it was too late for that warning, Cozy griped. Begrudgingly, she put her trust in the mare’s words and actions, opening her eyes at a snail’s pace. The wet, warm covering proved to be the perfect block, as it allowed barely enough light in for her eyes to accommodate sight, while also not burning them. Blinking several times, she attempted to squint through the cloth covering, but the threading was too tight, and she only ended up staring at a light yellow mass.
“Cozy Glow, can you talk,” the mare asked. Bother, she was hoping for some sort of information or knowledge. “I need you to tell me that you can talk.”
“I can talk,” she mumbled aggressively, "but I’m not telling you anything.”
“That’s not what I meant,” the mare objected with a sigh. “I was checking to see how harmed your brain might’ve been from being stuck in stone for nearly five months. There’s no telling what all it had done to you, but I’m glad to see that at least you can speak. I… don’t think any of us would feel too good about you being permanently mute after we released you from stone. How’s your body?”
“Fine,” she curtly lied. “I was hungry, that was all.”
“Alright,” the mare agreed. “In that case, if you're up for it, could you please sit up?”
“No.”
“Cozy, we need to make sure nothing has been irreplaceably damaged.”
“Nothing has,” she sharply stated.
“Being difficult will only make this hard for you.”
“That’s a lie,” Cozy chortled. “If it would only make it hard on me, you wouldn’t be so adamant about this whole check up. You want this to be quick and clean, that way you can get back to whatever you were doing before I was dropped into your clinic.”
“This isn’t a clinic, and I’m not a nurse.”
“Then why are you giving me a medical examination?”
“I thought you’d be smart enough to know that you don’t have to be a professional to know the profession.” The statement was passive-aggressive, and as much as she hated the truth to it, she had to admit that it garnered some sort of respect for her. “Anyways, I need you to be less difficult so we can get on to more important things, such as an actual meal.”
Despite knowing the words were deliberately put to hit her in her weak stomach, she caved in to the blatant bribery.
“Fine, but no funny business.”
There was a brief silence after the statement before the mare asked, “What do you mean? I won’t do any magic mind probing, if that’s what you mean.”
So the mare was a unicorn, Cozy concluded. It also seemed that she knew the age old fear of non-magic creatures. Was she some sort of professor?
Gulping slightly, Cozy began to push herself up into a sitting position. The progress was slow, and Cozy’s hooves shook and felt as if she were going to fall over at any given moment, but after an eternity, she was sitting in an upright position, panting heavily.
As she settled into the position, she felt the covering over her eyes begin to slip off ever so slightly. Unable to react to the cloth falling from her face, she clenched her eyes closed when it slipped off completely. Grimacing as the bright light partially went through her eyelids, she slid back until she felt her wings brush a surface behind her. She leaned against it gratefully, glad she wouldn’t have to support herself for so long as she would’ve suspected.
During the whole process, the mare had been gently guiding her to ensure she wasn’t harming herself, which made Cozy angry. She wasn’t a foal anymore. She could take care of herself, and she didn’t need this overbearing woman hovering over her every second of the day. Of course, if she had been hovering over her the entire time, why would she have let Cozy suffer that pain for so long, a small part of her asked. That caught her off guard, but the truth couldn’t be ignored. This mare was indeed a good one, and apparently somepony who cared more about her than what she’d done, at least to some extent.
Leaning against the wall, she felt the mare’s hoove gently caress her shoulders, relaxing tensed up shoulders she didn’t realize she had. She almost smiled at the feeling, but kept her expression sour, though she couldn’t quite tell exactly. Whatever face he’ made was enough to make the mare comment, “You don’t need to be so grumpy. You were encased completely in stone only yesterday. The fact that you’re moving and talking and thinking right means you’re one strong filly.”
“I’m not a filly,” Cozy contradicted vindictively. “And if I’m so strong, then I shouldn’t need your help.”
“Well, an earth pony can be strong, but they won’t be able to lift a boulder without the help of others,” the mare lightly retorted. “You’re strong, not invincible. Just let me help you regain the strength you don’t have left.”
“Fine.”
The mare finished her massage, which Cozy realized was a cleverly hidden way to check her pulse and rub an almost unfeelable lotion over them. The mare was crafty, Cozy had to admit. There wasn’t much said as the mare silently checked Cozy’s hooves and hind legs surgically. Cozy didn’t resist, and merely leaned back, concentrating on the feeling of the lotion on her shoulders.
The substance was unnaturally cool, yet not uncomfortably so. It felt more like rain on a hot summer day, alleviating and a kind gesture that relaxed her body and mind. Making a quick decision, she opened her eyes.
Though not as sudden as before, the light still burned and ignited a sharp pain in her head, but not nearly as bad as before. Whatever medicine the mare had given her was kicking in, and was causing that lingering dull ache to reside, which all but finished Cozy’s relaxation. Her eyes took a moment to adjust to the light as a figure in front of her abruptly jerked away from her lower legs.
“Ah, so you can open your eyes,” the mare commented. “How are they?”
“Terrible,” she answered truthfully. Though the pain of the light was gone, it was replaced by confusion as she was only barely able to distinguish where pony and light bordered each other. Squinting hard and forcing herself to lean forward, she was barely able to tell that the mare’s coat was of a purplish tint, with a horn protruding from her head. So she was, in fact, a unicorn. “All I can see is that you have a horn and are purple.”
“Ah, yes, okay,” the mare mumbled, as if noting down what she’d told her. This set off alarms in Cozy’s head. Her own description of the mare fit only one pony she knew. This mare was acting, and looking, like Twilight Sparkle, the cursed Princess that had managed to somehow defeat her. She was one of the main reasons that she was even in this position!
“Hey, Cozy, can you hear me?” The mare’s voice cut through her thoughts like a hot knife through butter and reminded Cozy of a key detail. This mare didn’t sound like Twilight at all, so there was no way she could be the Princess.
“Yeah yeah,” she said, “I can hear you. I was just trying to determine who you are.”
“Oh, well, let’s do that later,” she transitioned hastily. “I was asking if your eyes hurt from how bright the room is.”
“No, they don’t,” Cozy answered distractedly. The mare was uncomfortable about being recognized, huh? Well then, it seemed Cozy needed to recognize her.
Without a second thought, she launched herself onto the mare, landing on her chest. The mare cried out in surprise, lifting Cozy with her magic, but the damage had been done. Cozy was close enough to see the face of her guardian angel. It was one that she would recognize just as easily as any other student of the School of Friendship. The mare that had been so kind to her, that had given her food, medicine, and help, was none other than the mare who had initiated this misery, Starlight Glimmer.
With a growl, Cozy Glow fell sideways, her vision fading to black.
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Great chapter, I love how detailed the healing process here is. It gives me the same vibes as the previous chapter and I think thats a good thing. It was also nice to see more of Cozy's personality come back now that she can think more properly.
Interesting, so Cozy seems to be aware of and dislikes some of her flaws here.
Yea, what Discod did was utterly malicious. Also did you mean mouth?
Initiated this misery? Does this mean that Cozy blames Starlight specifically for everything that heppened to her?
10739895
Well, considering that Starlight was technically one of the ones that defeated her, and that she can't remember well, she instantly presumes to think that she was the one mainly defeating her, despite the Young Six.
Seems like being in stone really did a number on her. Apart from slowly regaining her senses, she seems a little detached from reality at points. Slow and steady recovery process it is. Me like this.
Really feels like Starlight wants to help, and is taking all measures to make sure Cozy's healing process is smooth, and warm. How sweet of her, even if Cozy still can't help but push back at times.
Poor Cozy seems a little paranoid. Can't blame her though. She hasn't exactly been able to rest peacefully, or even have peace of mind in a while.
10740613
Oh, I love having such smart readers that I don't have to tell exactly what's going on.
I assume this was meant to say "eternity"?
Probably meant to be a "she."
Another promising chapter.
11182139
Thanks for the points! It's been a while since anyone has commented on this story, so I'm glad to hear from someone. Unfortunately, this story is on a long Hiatus, of sorts, but there will be a chapter that comes out sometime this year, after I finish Blood Moon, one of the stories that precurses this one.