What makes a villain, a villain. Cozy Glow. Manipulation.

by Ryoup

The destiny, is a nasty thing isn't?

I’m sitting on the school yard, drinking my juice box and pondering about life. I see a little fly landing a few inches from me. Grinning, I step on it.

“And like that, your life ended.” I say to myself. The last days were horrible, mom got more and more… hard mornings and daddy is mad at something.

But here I’m, waiting for the day of the meeting. Counting it if you prefer. Pondering about my life, it’s my life and only mine.

But dad, I just can’t say no to him! Every time I tried, he just stared at me and I lost it. I sigh and look at what remained from that fly. Did it… hurted? So fast, the fastest way off to all your… my problems… mayb-

“AND SHUT UP YOUR DIRTY LITTLE FLANK BLANCK!”

Ahmm, well, maybe I-

“HECK NO! YOUR OPPRESSION ENDED TAINTED FLANK! OUR VOTES ARE OUR VOTES!”

What’s their problems?! I’m having an existential crisis here! Do you mind?

Both unicorns puffed, raised their heads and trotted away from each other. Finally peace! Well, where I was-

“AND WE. ARE GOING TO WIN!”

“IN YOUR WET DREAMS YOUR FLANK BLANK!”

AHHHHHH! What's their problem! I finished my juice box and started looking at them. My classmates are divided in two groups, with or without cutie marks. I love their hate. At least when it’s not directed at me.

They continued arguing fervently for some minutes straight until they started walking to two different directions.

I’d hate this time of the year. I gazed at the poster pinned beside the building and read it.

Vote for your class president! Don’t miss it! Blagh.

Every year is like this, the tainted flanks will compete and bribe flank blanks to vote them in or similar.

Although, this year some feud happened, dunno, and the flank blanks are going to compete. Considering they are like, twenty and the tainted flanks are just a dozen, they can easily win. But I know that at least three of them are going to compete for them, and for the tainted flanks, Mint is their shoot.

I roll my eyes. If I was betting in somepony, it would be in the tainted flank, at least they’re united.

Hoping they’re done, I close my eyes and start my existential crises once again and again, their sporadic curses continue to annoy me! OKAY! I’M DONE WITH IT!

I crushed my juice box with my hoof and threw it over my shoulder and walked toward them. Then I stop, how do I solve this? At that time something sparkled in my head.

---

I’m sitting in the kitchen, drawing and chewing some candies Mister Wheels gave me before bringing me home.

The door slammed violently and dad trotted in. His face twisted and hateful eyes. He threw his briefcase on the floor and layed on the table

“H-Hi da-”

“Not now Cozy.” I Frowed my face and gazed at my last colored-pencil.

I started drawing a bit more. Even though I know I’m not the best at drawing, I still like it alot. When I finished I showed it to dad.

“Dad! Look! It’s you, me and mommy!” I Said while showing him a poorly drawn picture of me, him and mommy. He just snorted and smiled a bit.

“How do you… just you to put a smile on my face Cozy.” He chuckled and kissed my forehead.

“Did you have a rough day?”

“I-I… Cozy, do you know Princess Twilight?”

“Of course! She is the newsted of them. And also saved Equestria a couple of times.”

“Yes, but… what does she represent?”

“Friendship?” Dad nodded while biting his lips.

“Considering you’re in a unicorn scholl, have you heard of friendship magic?” He said, raising an eyebrow.

“Yes?”

“And what do you think? Is it the strongest kind of magic?

“I think so? considering what Twilight faced.”

“Well, it is the-the strongest magic.” Dad mumbled, biting his low libs and leaning on his hoof. His eyes fixed on a non-existential point between me and the stairs.

“What happened dad?” He threw himself back, the chair cracking and twitching barely holding itself in one piece.

He put his hoofs on his head and started frantically scratching his mane.

“Fuck this world.”

“What-”

“I HATE THIS FUCKING CRAP-PIECE OF WORLD!” Dad yelled slamming his both hoofs on the table! My drawns flew all over the place and my few pencils fell on the floor, some of them cracking in the process.

“FUCK!” Dad hit the table again. I shivered this time and folded my ears. Just when dad said another pair of bad-words he seemed to notice my reaction.

“So-sorry sweetie, ya shouldn’t see me like this. I just. Fuck.” Dad's face started twitching in pure anger, he started biting his lips again, but this time he was full in and before he could hurt himself I grabbed his hoof. Like magic, he stopped with… that.

“What happened, dad?” Dad sighed and started rubbing his eyes.

“My boss, somepony should earn a promotion today, and you know what? Our beloved Princess is right, Friendship is magic.”

“I didn’t follow.”

“Some… the new guy, the funny guy. The literally worst employee the company ever employed got the promotion, when I… I confronted my boss and he just said… he was good company to talk to...” Dad opened his mouth but didn’t say anything for a couple of seconds.

“Meritocracy, meritocracy is a myth, a joke. Cozy, you don’t grow up in life for doing well at your job, you grow up for being a nice dude, with nice stories and good connections. I worked there for five years… I deserved… I needed that promotion…”

“It's okay dad, you’re a good employee!” Dad just laid his head on the table.

“I gotta get another job, fuck those bills.”

Oh, yes, bills. My smile faded like dad’s smile while I thought about it, this world, after all the bed-stories, it just seemed so, cold. Impetuous. Sometimes I joke to myself that some old-horror-stories could learn a thing or two from reality. I looked away from dad and gazed at my last pink pencil broken on the floor.

“Sorry sweetie, you shouldn’t hear me saying, using such language. Where is your mom?” I pointed upstairs and dad nodded.

“You know those words I used, they’re bad okay? I don’t want to hear you using it, okay?”

“Yes daddy."

“It’s just, I’m so severe with your mom when she uses it and… I never thought I would be the first to yell it to you. Sorry Cozy.” I grinned a bit.

“It’s okay dad, I heard worse at school.”

Dad snorted a bit and laughed! I looked at him and he was laughing!

“I don’t doubt you, but still, no bad-words okay?” I nodded and I was about to grab my drawing from the floor when dad cleared his throat and gazed at the window. It's already night. 10 p.m. more exactly

“Cozy, friends… there is power in having friends. You gotta more importantly learn how to use them, how to exploit their positions, make their influence be yours. If you’re going to learn one thing from you old stallion, learn this." Dad gazed at me.

“Have as many friends as you can, then use them to get what you want. Don’t let nothing stay between you and what you want. Okay?”

“Okay dad.”

I smug and scratch my hoofs. I fix my mane and clean some dust from my fur. I put my best smile and trot towards the tainted flanks. Blagh.

They’re all whispering between them and I needed to cough three times to get their attention!

“Oh golly!, hope I didn’t bother you guys! But I just heard all that comotion and I thought if I can help you!” They all bliked perplexed at me and the smaller one scratched his head.

“Who called the chicken? Get lost flank blank!”

“Yeah! We don’t need help from your kind.”

“Cutie-less or pegasus?”

“Both dump-ass”

I rolled my eyes and started flying some centimeters from the floor, just enough to slightly bigger than them but not too much.

“But I’m not just a pegasus-cutie-less. I’m also the best student! This gotta have some prize.”

Many of them opened their mouths to reply to me, some even to curse me, but none of them spoke, they just gazed at each other and then they all opened space for me to see Mint Pride who just tried miserably to look away naturally.

“What do you say, Mint?” They all said in unison. They’ll listen to him.

He coughs a bit and gets close, too close. Before I could say anything he whispers in my ear.

“I’m sorry.”

“Wha-” He pushes me away and raises his snout in the air.

“And what kind of help can you provide us? Your lucky pegasus.”

“Yeah! You just got lucky! He beat you all the other times! He is better than you!"

“Yes! Get lost cutie-less!""

“Blank flank!”

I blinked a pair of times, trying to process what just happened and I swear I was just about to swear… I hate this language. But you get it! But then I saw Mint sweating and looking at me. Ohhhh. I get it!

“Well, so good luck losing to some puny-cutie-less-ponies!” Waved my head and turned, but Mint yelled.

“Hey, what do you mean by losing? We got twenty votes for me here.”

“Yes mister second place, but they’re like, twety, they just need a neuron to beat you guys.”
One of the tainted flanks coughed while pointing at the other grup.

“They seem pretty divided to me, we're gonna win.”

“Nope, it’s a strategy, to delude you and make you think you got the advantage.”

They all started gossiping and whispering at each other. My smile grew a bit.

“So, how can you help us beat them?” The smallest of them said. I rolled my eyes from his attempts to look menacing or… I actually don’t know what he meant by turning his head in that angle.

“Simple, vote for me!” I say pointing at my chest and closing my eyes.

Silence, I expected many things, and yes, silence was one of them.

As soon as I opened my eyes they started laughing. Some rolling on the floor, some just laughing wildly and some putting their snout on some ponies on the floor in an attempt to smother their laugh.

So predictable.

Mint, however, just gazed at me confused.

When they finished laughing, the smallest of them looked at me again.

“Wait, you’re, like, for real? Oh boy, the audacity of this b-”

“As I was saying, you vote for me, I win ‘cause I got some favors on the blank flanks to charge in. So with me you got 100% chance to win.

Their smiles and hubris started to shader, now they gaze at each other worried and reluctantly.

“This seems unfair, and what do we gain from it?”

“Oh you silly, you got everything you already got, I’m not messing with whatever you’re into. I just want to settle this feud.”

“For the sake of?” my mental sanity, or what is left of it.

“For the sack that’s what a friend should do!” Some of them snorted and some laughed dryly at the last part.

“Still, we have no warranty that you’re gonna keep your word!”

“Oh please Lamp Blue, we all know that half the school is on your daddy’s payroll, you’re not the brighter lamp here. If you wish, just sabote me after the elections and then you get rid of me.” He blushes wildly and tries to hide behind the others.

“Only if Mint is on it.” One of them said.

“Yeah! If he is up to trying to compete I'll stick with my boy!”

“Same here!” Snd a bunch of similar answers.

I looked at Mint. He scratched his head sometimes before getting closer and whispering in my ear. "Yeah! go there Mint, threaten her!”

“What are you up to?!”

“Do you trust me?”

“I-okay, I do.” He sighed and walked away from me.

“You hear me?! Those are the conditions!” He blinked discreetly at me. Ohhh cute… I-I-I-I-I MEAN-MEANT DUMP! Don’t blush don't blush don't blush!

In answer I just nodded since I didn’t trust my voice to answer him properly.

“So we're done here, don’t wanky us, pegasus. Let’s go boys, we gotta vote her in.”

They all trotted a bit far away from me, after some time processing how all proceeded amazingly well (despite the last bit) I shook my head and walked toward the other group.

“I'm the one with the best grades! So I should be the leader!”

“Nonsense, I got the best grades in leadership and crowd control!”

“Also nonsense! Those grades do not even exist! I’m the most beautiful and with the most bits! so I should be the leader!”

They continued debating vigorously. I sneaked the best I could before coughing to clear my throat and catch their attention.

“My comrades, my folk, my good colleagues, I have come with a solution!” I raise my hoof to the sky before landing it on my chest. “Vote for meee.” they all gazed for a few seconds before bursting into laughter. humpf, so predictable.

“Y-you? c’mon now, you’re a pegasus!”

“That too, but besides it, we got it covered, I’m gonna be the new president! Now dump-ass, line up and prepare to vote!”

“Pff, no way, I prefer voting in a door than in you.”

“ 'Kay girls, I get it, you all are pretty cool and all, but, what’s your plan? your promises? what's going to change in this scholl?”

“G-going to change?”

“Yes! like, oh golly! There are so many things! For start, you could limit the amount the parents can donate to the school. Or maybe better food in the canteen!” Okay, I gotta put it on my list, I’m sick of eating just wet flour. Being poor, it sucks.

“W-well, we kinda decided this all this morning, we don’t have that stuff Y’know.”

“Ohh, fear not my folk, I got it all covered! As I said, you just need to put me in and I’m gonna fix all your problems!” And my mental sanity of course.

“R-really? Even the bully?” B-bully? Ya gotta have a heck of a nerve to say this to me…

“And what about the bench fee? And ball fee?”

“No more fees!” I said raising my hoofs and many of them started cheering.

“Wait a minute, don’t pretend we didn’t see you talking to the tainted flanks! You are plotting with them aren’t ya?” I turn to answer him, but when I just turn I can’t see him, more exactly, among the many multi-colored ponies, I couldn’t tell who said that.

“Right! And you aren’t a unicorn! You're a pegasus!” Again I turned, and again I couldn’t tell who said that.

“You’re totally backstabbing us! You’re with them!” This time instead of continuing this fool-me-game I flew up a bit and got vision of them all. They looked at me a bit amazed and fearful from what I could be plotting now, but I just waited. Extending my hoof at them I shouted.

“What? No more arguments? If you got some horns you better spit it out! ‘Cause I'm gonna tell you one thing! You can pretend I was not here and let me win, ‘cause YES, the tainted flanks are supporting me! And I’m gonna win, you’re just too divided to even realize you must stick together! So I’m giving you the opportunity to help me assure my victory! Not for me, but for the flank blanks! I got your backs when I got there… so, what do you say my folk, can I count with you?”

They started looking at each other, frowning and humming about what to say, but then the smallest of them all stepped ahead and looked me in the eye.

“You got our back?” I nodded and flew towards her.

“In every situation. I got you, you all!” and so again they started cheering and stuff.

I even squeezed when some of them grabbed me and lifted me up in some kind of celebration.

“COZY!” They shouted with joy. I even smiled a bit while they carried me toward the class. This feels different. I like it, it feels... good.

Scratching my head I finish my drawing. It's about me weeding an unknown foal.

“Cozy Glow.”

A big question mark on his face since I never met him and his fur is white like fresh milk. I blushed a bit while a face started filling the gaps and the question mark.

“Cozy Glow.”

I sighed, nah, that would never happen, dad knows what’s better, I think, I hope.

“And Cozy Glow. Heck.”

I raise my head, some of the teachers are in my class, Sunny Side, the most eccentric of our teachers are counting the votes of our election.

Cozy Glow - 33

Mint Pride - 0

Powerful Blast - 0

Sneaky Peak - 0

“I don’t know what your little brats did or what she said to you. And I’m pretty sure this is against the rules, but heck, congrats Cozy, you just did it.”

I felt some light from behind me blinding me, probably some of my loyal voters pranking me a bit.

I raise my head and trot toward the teacher where I should hear my prize. A big piece of blue cloth. yes, it’s sick, I know.

When I was about to reach it, I remembered something. I sit at the back of the class.

I hear many gasps and some of them are even pointing at me. Rude.

Then I saw Mint also gazing at me! I blush a little and I fix my mane the best I can before following his eyes. He is… he is looking at my flank? Curious if I got pranked, I looked at my sides.

“HOLY FUCK I GOT MY CUTIE MARK!”

I slam the door opening it and chase in. Mom is half-sleeping on the table hugging a bottle of wine and looking everywhere half scared and half confused.

When she spotted me in the middle of her panic, she just mumbled something and went back to laying on the table not before taking a sip of her wine.

"Mommy! I bet you can’t guess what happened today!” She looked at me with her expression-less face and sighed.

“You’re not letting me sleep until I answer right?”

“Noupe!”

“Well, you got expelled?” I chuckled with the mere mention of it.

“No you silly! I GOT MY CUTIE MARK!” I braged while showing her my flank.

All the time her eyes were half open, but when she heard me saying that she gazed at me with her eyes widened! I got her attention!

I closed my eyes expecting many things. Knowing mommy she wouldn't not care much, maybe she would just shrug, maybe tell me to shut up and go to my room. What I didn’t expect was a dry and expontaneous chuckle.

I opened my eyes and looked at her a bit curious. She was no longer laying on the table, instead she even put her bottle away while gazing at me and laughing occasionally.

“What's wrong mom?”

“A piece, of chess? I’m deadly curious about how you get it.”

“Well, that's a thing, I guess it’s about… my fr-coleaguess? I helped them solve their feud and BAM! I got this beauty!” I said, shaking my hips.

“You are. my, heavens and above, you are so screwed. My, Celestia, have piety of you.” Mom said shaking her head and laying again on the table

“I, I didn’t, what do you mean?”

“What day is today Cozy?”

“Last day of the month, why?”

“Oh crap! Your dad is gonna be right here!” She is right! Daddy always gets home early at the end of month. Mom hides her bottle magically and throws it on the shelf before trotting towards her room.

Just when she disappeared on the stairs, the doors opened again and dad was standing on it.

Right when I turned to talk with him he passed by me and sited. I heard the most heavy sigh dad ever sighed, tough day.

“Hi sweetie.” He said without looking at me, just gazing at that invisible point he always gazes at when he is mad or tired. Today he may be both.

I sat too. “Hi dad, tough day?”

“You have no idea. I got a new job with Wheels, so we will be able to pay the bills. Did you know your ballet class just doubled the fee last week?” Did it? They didn’t tell me, I shook my head in denial.

“Well, in one hour I'm gonna go to my new job, so daddy needs some rest now sweetie.” He said, trying his best to smile. That was a total mess, but he tried at least.

“Wait, help me here, you go to work at 8 a.m. and get home normally at 10 p.m. now you’re going to have a new job at… 6 p.m.?

“No sweetie.” she said, his voice a bit cranky. “The first part is okay, but now I get a new job from 11 p.m. to 6 p.m. but on the first day I gotta start early.” I blink a pair of times.

“This gives you… three hours of sleep?!”

“Indeed it does. B-but this will end soon! I promise! Just the rise of the fee ends and everything goes back to normal. I guess. I hope.”

“How much time.”

“A month or two.” That's, a lot of time.

“So daddy gonna sleep now okay sweetie, I need to recharge my energy and all but you know what I say, today is a new day!” He tried to laugh, but he just did a shy chuckle.

When he get up and did his first step on the stairs, I call him, and he stopped and stared at me a bit tired.

“I got a surprise for you.” I said while trotting towards him, a bit surprised he didn’t noticed my cutie mark for himself. He blinked his eyes a bit tired, I was scared he would just tell me to zip it, but he waved his hoof towards me and I nodded with a smile on my face.

I showed him my cutie mark, a bit nervous with what mom said and dad's eyes widened when he realized what that was about. A smile starts to form, but quickly disappears from his face.

“A piece of chess.”

“Y-yes! I got from-

“Tell me, how in the nine circles of the Tartarus, a piece of chess is related with ballet, piano or classical poems?”

“I-”

“I BEG YOU, HOW IT’S RELATED?!” Dad yelled, hitting his both hoofs on the floor and walking towards me.

“I-I it’s not I thi-”

“So, you’re telling me that those bit’s I used to you have a good cutie mark are useless and you get this shit? A fucking piece of chees?! I’m gonna kill you grandpa.”

“N-no! my talent is not to play chess! I think-”

“SO WHAT IT IS?!” Dad yelled again. I folded my ears and felt the wall behind me. I can’t walk backwards anymore.

“I-I-I-I think it’s s-something about se-self sacrifice.” I whispered the last part. Dad eyes wided a little and his rage seemed to cease.

“Self sacrifice?” He whispered to himself.

“Y-yes, like in chess, castling. The rook put itself in a more dangerous position to help the king. I think it has something similar, maybe a metaphor.”

Dad stared at me for a few seconds before he started shaking his head frantically. Then he yelled, then screamed.

He raised his hoofs in the air and I wheezed in fear and raised my hoofs to protect myself. Dad yelled again while he smashed his hoofs on the table, breaking it in two! He turned to me, his eyes impregnated with anger in a scale I never saw before!

“I didn’t raise a child to do self-sacrifice!”

“Bu-” He slapped me, my cheeks hurt and burn due to pain. I gaze at the floor incredule with his actions, he never hitted me. Never.

He grabbed me by my mane and raised me a few inches from the floor.

“I wanted a boy, but I got a girl, I wanted a unicorn, but I got a pegasus, I WANTED A FUCKING GOOD CUTIE MARK AND YOU GOT A PIECE OF CHESS?!” His grab intesifed while he shaked me.

“Leave her alone String.”

Me and dad looked in the eye of each other before dad turned to see mom standing on the stair looking at us.

“Get lost.” Dad was about to turn to me when mom hitted the stairs.

“I SAID. leave her alone.”

Dad let me go and I had to flap my wings to keep from falling to the ground.

“Get lost Sprint, Imma talk with you later.” Mom Gazed at dad for a few seconds, then at me, after sighing she leaves to her room. She said something, but I was unable to hear it.

Dad stayed looking at the stairs for a couple of seconds before turning to me. I shivered and looked away, I was at the edge of crying, he is mad at me! He never… I felt so cold despite my burning check.

“Cozy.” Dad said, his eyes gazing at my flank. “You are, a special filly, and you’ll NEVER do this self-sacrifice bullshit. I’m clear.”

“Bu-”

“NEVER! You’re going to be someone, not a nonoby. Now with me. About your… self sacrifice cutie mark. ”

“I-I-”

“REPEAT!”

"I’ll never do it, please don't hit me again!” I closed my eyes and raised my hoofs. Dad sighed and walked towards the door.

“D-dad?”

“I’m gonna work.” He shouted while slamming the door.

I shivered with the sound of it. I looked at the stairs and I was surprised to see mom again in the stair staring at the door. She smacked her lips and waved her head.

“You’re a so stupid Cozy.” With that said she troted up to her room.

I touched my check yet a bit astonished. It hurts, I say to myself feeling the tears forming.

“Why is everything so complicated?” I dislike, no, I hate this life. I screamed internally, failing to hold my cry.

The days went on, soon it became weeks, and then months until finally the day came. I sighed looking at myself in my half-broken mirror. My mane, which was smooth like mom’s mane, is now curly and tight with a yellow ribbon.

I touched the ribbon for a few moments, personally I didn’t like it, neither did I dislike it. But my dad said it's the last possession of his mom he owns.

It’s important to him, I smiled with the thought of how much he cares about this ribbon, and yet he gave it to me.

My dress is not what I’d say pretty, but well, my opinion doesn't dictate what is pretty or not. Mom and dad said it’s pretty so I'm gonna have to believe them.

I flew a bit and saw white lines adorning this golden fancy cloth. I know a pony or two who'd pay lots of bits for this. Is it rented? Probably.

I opened my door and flew towards the hall but I stopped in the daddy room.

The door was opened and mom was inside it. She was… astonished, her pink fur contrasting with the golden dress she used. She was smiling while she put on makeup, her golden eyes almost shined, she seemed almost… not her.

Using her magic she letitated some ribbons and other adornish to put on her dress. I could not hold a smile, she was gorgeous, her mane almost seemed alive like Celestia mane!

Then mom spotted me, at first she probably thought I was nothing, but after a quick check she saw me. Her smile faded immediately and she closed the door with her magic. Oh shoot.

I headed towards the kitchen, flying on the stairs and sneaking up on daddy and Mister Wheels who were shouting and arguing about Tirek, a minotaur who got defeated by Twilight some time ago.

Dad hitted the table. “Ten bit’s that bastard’s gonna show up in a year, those punks always do.” Mister Wheels smiled maliciously.

“I fucking-double it! And it's gotta happen in half a year! Mark my words!”

They both burst into laughter.

“Ahremm. Language please, there is a child present.” They stared at me and both blushed. Mister Wheels even bow his head and shaked his hoof.

“I’m deeply sorry your majesty, such language shall never cross my lips again! For I make an oath to retain my curses for my mind only!”

“Heck, you found a book or something to speak this fancy.”

“Stop dad, that was beautiful Mister Wheels.”

“Indeed it was. And for your knowledge sir Silk String, yes, indeed, I found a book about speaking fancy, a trilogy in fact.”

“Zip it Wheels, we’re not royalty, just Cozy will be in some years actually.”

I landed on the floor and looked at daddy's clothes. Quite simple compared with mine or mommy clothes. Just a black suit with a blue tie. Mister Wheels whistled and nodded.

“What a stallion, right princess? Gonna tell you a thing, if I was not as straight as the Lon’ Straight Street between Manehattan and Portmare I would tighten him up!”

“D-dude! She is a kid!”

“Nahh dad. Had heard worse in school.”

“Tell ya, those schools, even the fancy ones are getting worse than my points!”

“Whatever, zip it near her okay?”

“Oh, what an outrage! Didn’t thou hear my recent declaration to the miss?”

Me and dad chuckled from mister Wheels jokes.

“Yeah, it’s happening.”

“Yes it is.” Dad sighed and Mister Wheels grabbed his fancy hat. I pointed at it.

"Feldora!"

“Almost princess, it’s a fedora, best of the hats. If there should be a hat to rule them all, then it shall be a fedora!”

“'Kay fancy boy, you got your time of fanciness now cut it.” Mister Wheels raised an eyebrow and threw his hat at the table.

“Get and wear it.”

“What? Your hat?”

“Yes, my bro isn't goin’ to a fancy party naked in the head. I know ya could’t find a topper as you wanted.”

“It’s… it’s your pa’s fedora.”

“He would've wanted it. But I want it back! 'Kay?” Dad grabbed the hat and looked at his friend.

“Thanks, I know how much this hat means to you. I’m going to keep it safe, you got my word.”

“Well, from what I see, you also gave your sentimental stuff away.” Mister Wheels said while playing with my ribbon.

“I’m ready.” Said mommy trotting down the stairs.

Daddy got up and I followed him and when the door was opened we all saw the biggest of the carts! White-marfim and golden lines- wait, is it made out of marfim? I-I dunno.

“Pretty sick uh princess.” Mister Wheels whispered from behind me.

“I prefer your cart, it’s more authentic.”

I didn’t turn to him, but from his laugh I bet he is smiling. Today, to-

“Today is a new day.” Dad said to himself before entering the cart.

I never saw a house this big! It broke the rules of houses, it’s a mansion! I could barely count the windows!

“Big-fancy-house!” I shouted excited.

“Cozy, manners dear, please.” Oh right. Yes.

I sat, put my back against the bench and sighed a bit disappointed. Dad poked my shoulder and pointed to the house.

“You’re going to live here one day.” I put on the best smile I could and nodded. When dad looked away I sighed. I don’t want it, do I?

If I thought the exterior was huge, I could barely guess how big this hall is! I thinked about flying towards the ceiling, maybe it’d take thirteen seconds to reach it! thirteen seconds!

Dad poked me out of my fantasy and we all trotted in. A pony wearing a fancy suit announced our names and some of the guests gazed at us.

They're so many! And they’re all looking at us! At least for a couple of seconds before they went back to do whatever they were doing.

Mom and dad walked holding each other hoof like a lovely couple toward the center of the party. They seemed happy. Both smiling and waving to the other guests. A part of me wanted to believe in them.

I was following them during the whole party, remembering from all the rules, all the mannerisms and words I should avoid. I tried to keep my head up, chest stuffy and ears alert.

“My, my, my if my eyes don't witness Silk String so I think I’m blind or alike.” A fat, I mean, a robust and tall-silvered unicorn approaches us wearing a blue suit and a weird hat. Like, really weird. It's got some sticks on it- I mean, exoctic, an exoctic hat indeed.

Dad and mom bowed at him, so do I .

“Your highness, it’s an honour to be here. But if you allow me.” Dad looked around and the noble noded. “I expected a humble party, just for you to see my daughter.”

“But it is! I only invited my closest friends!”

“I see, you have… a lot of friends, your highness.” I looked around and started to count. When I finished I saw thirty four diferente couples!

“Oh yes indeed my friend, as you well know, the more friends you have, the more power you have mister neck-N-string.” Mom was drinking something and almost choked with mister noble last words and dad became some shades whiter.

“Yes, I know a lot about you my friend. This way please.” He pointed to the corner where a few ponies stayed.

I was about to follow them when mom got me by my wing! That 's rude mom!

“Stay here Cozy, you can’t and shouldn’t hear them talking… and just in case, look for an escape route okay?

“A wha-”

“Just do it.” I nodded and started gazing at the ceiling. A dome filled with paintings decorated the ceiling.

The windows were just stained glass telling tales. I lost myself while walking towards one of them.

It showed two alicorns, a blue-dark and a white one, both falling from the skies and from where they should be standing. There is a crown with many rubies and sapphires and emeralds and… a lot of gems actually encrusted on that gorgeous piece of art. But a bit over the crown a paw of a lion and a claw of an eagle waited, or was going to grab the crown?

“Beautiful isn't it?”

“Yes, it is.” I said to my mysterious friend.

I extended my hoof and touched the crown, it was magic, it almost called me. My eyes shined with a feeling I can’t describe before I let my hoof off the stained glass. Something called for me to touch the crown again but I resisted the urge and turned to my mysterious guest.

My eyes wided, my heart sped up and my mouth became dry in a instante.

“M-miss Dedicated Poem?” I almost screamed internally seeing mister Fancy Pants wife! She fits the description! cream fur with wine-red mane and eyes pink like a recently-bloomed rose!

Her eyes widened slightly from behind her fan.

“I see my name has even reached your kind, my little filly. Pardon me but, you’re Cozy Glow?” closing my eyes and remembering everything my dad has ever told me I bowed to her. Nor too much, nor too few.

“It's an honour your highness.” She giggled softly, almost like a child!

“You even know how to talk and bow! Astonish for your kind my little filly. Tell me, my husband informed me that you write and appreciate classic poems, does that proceed?”

“Indeed your highness.”

“Ohh, how exotic! I would love to hear classic poems from pegasus! Please, amuse me!”

I froze, what is a classic poem from pegasis? is it different? I never heard about this sub-class!

“I-I pardon your highness?”

“You know, poems of pegasus and alike! I’m excited! When I heard you were I pegasus I almost got a stroke, but then I found out you do poems? This can be interesting I thought at time and here we are! Amuse me, please.” She said waving her fan.

Now it was my time to have a stroke! I don’t know what to do! I’ll fail and she will be mad and mister Fancy Pants will be mad and dad will be mad! I’ll fail and the marriage… the marriage will be cancelled. I’ll be… free…

“Miss Poem? Is this marvelous voice I heard yours?”

We both looked at mom who stayed besides Miss Poem and magically floated some cups of a pink liquide.

“My eyes are lying to me, miss Sprint? is it you?” Mom nodded and when Miss Poem started giggling she closed her eyes and mom shook her head with a clear message: Get the heck out here!

I quickly did it and disappeared from there but not before hearing a bit of their talk.

“My, my, the years darling, they were not friendly to you if I may say so. But tell me, are you still doing ballet since your… tragic incident?”

Oh no. oh nonononono! I turned expecting to see mom smashing her cups on Miss Poem face, but mom just sighed and… and laughed! Not wanting to press my luck I followed mom’s tip and I got the heck out there.

I continued walking in the middle of the party, eating some goodies from the long-long-long-really-long table filled edge-to-edge with food! After a couple of minutes avoiding mom and Miss Poem and eating a bit more of goodies of course, I found daddy and mister- is that a piano over my head? Why is there a piano floating in the middle of the party and why do I seem to be the only one caring about it?

“Cozy dear! Please come here.”

I looked at the piano for some more seconds before going after daddy.

After I arrived Fancy Pants started looking at me from hoof to mane. He walked around me and even poked me sometimes!

“Seems pretty healthy and she even got some fat here! Impressive, considering your situation, String.” I felt sick, each time he pokes me I feel imensurabelly sick and this served to remind me about one thing I heard years ago. I'm a just gift.

“Thank you your highness, if what we discussed was settled them-”

“One more thing, little one. I sadly can’t see your cutie mark due to your beautiful dress, do you mind telling me about it?” I tried to look at dad but my head just didn't move! Then my own head moved on it’s own and gazed at Fancy Pants! His horn is shining- OH! oh…

“Don’t mind him, just tell me, what’s your cutie mark?”

“It-it is-”

“Hmm, what’s the matter? You don’t have one yeet?

"I-I- got one!”

“And so?”

“It is a ro- a tower! A pink-salmon tower, your highness.”

“Wow, amazing little one, but tell, what you salmon tower stands for?” His eyes stretched at point I couldn't tell if his eyes were open or not.

"Friends.”

"Friend?” He said a bit surprised and I can hear dad sighing.

“Yes, your highness, it defines my total ability to make friends, because as you know, friends mean power and influence!”

His magic grip stopped and I felt again my ability to move my head.

“What, if I may ask of course, does a tower, a pink-salmon tower and friends have in common?”

Gulping, I looked at dad and he was sweating.

“Do you know chess? Your highness?”

“Yes of course, little one!”

“So you know about castling?”

“Ahmmm, I’d not mind you refreshing my memory.”

“You see your highness, when it’s necessary, the rook can change positions with the king, and so make a connection with the other rook. And nothing, your highness, nothing I say, has more destructive power in chess than a pair of rooks!”

“Still lacking the friend thing little one.”

“You see, that's the best part! The rook not only saves the king! It also got a better position to create… connections with other pieces… and so reach the objective... by exploiting the other pieces since the rook is the piece which makes more mates…” Celestia… my talent is to manipulate others… I… it’s…

“I can’t tell if it’s a good thing or not, but it may help my son in the future little one. Personally, I prefer something like piano. You see, one of my dreams in my old days is to have a daughter, or a daughter-in-law, to play piano for me. I would like you to play a bit for me and my guests, since I know you can do it.”

He clapped his hoofs and the piano which floated in the air landed in the middle of the party!

“I-”

“But of course my daughter can do it, your highness!” Dad looked at me and whispered in my ear. “You must nail it Cozy, or we’re gonna lose him.” I gulped while looking at that enormous piano. It has to be bigger than a conventional one.

“Any preference, your highness?”

“You see, as a pony with many friends, it reached my ear that some ponies call you the new Frank List. Which, pardon my language, you must have guts to own this title and not having a piano’s cutie mark, don’t you agree?

“I- yes your- I mean- I- my teacher nicknamed me this your highness.”

“Well, you didn’t try to wash this nickname away didn’t you?”

“No your highness.”

“So it's decided, I want you to play La Campanella from Frank List.” oh no, no no no no no no!

“A wise choice, your highness!” No dad! That's many things but a wise choice it’s not!

“I’ll be waiting.” Waving his head, Fancy Pants trotted slowly towards the center of the party.

“Okay Cozy, you have one job, you know that music right?”

“Y-yes but-”

“Now go there, and nail it like you never nailed a music before.”

“B-but dad-”

“No Cozy! I don’t want buts, I want you to go there and play that piano!”

“O-okay dad.”

I flew toward the piano causing some gasps from some guests. I think not all of them noticed I’m a pegasus.

I sat and touched one key. The piano came to life in an instant and when I stopped pressing it the sound ceased. I sighed, this music is a nightmare.

I closed my eyes and sighed again, then something sparkled in my head. If I fail, I won't marry. I just need to fail and, and I win?

Dad and mister Fancy Pants couged. I just need to fail. I pressed another key and the piano roared again filling the salon with it’s music.

I don’t see anything, I don’t hear anything but music. How much time has passed since I pressed this key? I can't tell, but I quickly started pressing the other keys. Key after key I played, and note after note the piano produced and soon his roar became a shy song, and then I heard the gasp of my spectators when the hard part began, and the song became music.

I just need to miss a key, be late to press one, but this thought never crossed my mind. I opened my eyes. my body is almost moving alone.

The piano was so large I had to move my whole body to press a key in one extremity and quickly get back to press another key in the other extremity.

Soon I began sweating from sheer excitement. Why did I have to have this cutie mark? Why not piano? I love this. I bit my low lips while continuing to press the piano keys more and more fast.

Then I slowed, and after three solid presses I finished. I… I did it… dad…

When I turned I saw dad and mister Fancy Pants holding each other's hoofs.

I sealed my destiny

Comments

[Myrkin]

While interesting this story could use an editor...

[Ryoup]

11026701
Sadly yes.
I try my best