And I Hope You Die

by Aquaman

The Rising Black Smoke

“Took you long enough to get here,” Cozy said, hopping off the dais with what Flurry could tell were unnaturally enhanced reflexes. Another sin atop a mountain of them—she was using the Crystal Heart’s magic for herself, stealing it right out of its pulverized natural vessel. Even without a horn, she was as strong as any unicorn who’d ever lived now, and probably twice as deadly. “I thought I might have to blow up the castle too.”

Flurry said nothing. Her gaze remained stoic, even as Cozy’s eyes glowed brighter and the Heart shard rose from her hoof to hover beside her head. “Fine, don’t talk,” Cozy went on. “Just do what you do best: stand around, do nothing, and try to figure out some way that this is all gonna work out fine.”

There was venom in Cozy’s voice now, a hatred that burned deeper and blacker than anything Flurry had ever seen in another creature. She already knew this wouldn’t work out fine. She still hoped Cozy would realize that too.

“I can’t believe you just let this thing sit here,” Cozy scoffed, nodding up at the pieces of Crystal Heart still floating outside either pony’s reach. “More power than any normal pony could ever dream of, and you used it for what? Keeping the lights on? Tricks at parties? You could’ve conquered Equestria, the whole damn world. But no, that wouldn’t be proper. That’s not what a Princess would do.”

Cozy had begun pacing back and forth, dragging her Heart shard along the ground and drawing sparks out of the pitted crystal floor. “Princess,” she said again, even more bitterly. “Not a Queen, not a Duchess. ‘President’ would’ve at least sounded polite. But that’s not what you are, is it? You aren’t a pony who wields power, you’re a pony imprisoned by it. A coward. Just like your parents, and your dear Auntie Twilight.”

Suddenly, Cozy stopped. A flash of malevolence passed through her eyes. “When I’m done with you,” she said, “I think I’ll kill her next.” Then she lunged at Flurry with unnatural speed, shard extended before her, face contorted in a snarl.

Flurry leaned to the right, and Cozy shot past her, the razor-sharp chunk of crystal missing her throat by inches. Panting, weapon still raised, Cozy stood stock-still for a moment—then the shard clattered to the ground, her shoulders sagged, and she turned around as peals of laughter reverberated off the castle’s walls.

“Aw, hell, it was worth a try,” Cozy Glow sighed after a few moments, still chuckling as she walked back towards the throne and nudged Flurry in the ribs as she passed. “C’mon. If you’re gonna be a killjoy, at least spot me a drink before we do this for real.”