Cozy Mark Crusadin'

by 5u0myn0n4

Chapter 7 - Part 2

Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom caught up with their friend, Scootaloo, who seemed hesitant to do anything with her alicorn powers.

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"You okay, Scootaloo?" Sweetie Belle asked.

Scootaloo turned around and saw her friends.

"So, you two came looking for me?" Scootaloo asked.

"Of course, your our friend, and we wer worried sick for ya." Apple Bloom said.

Scootaloo didn't appear happy, or sad. She seemed pretty firm.

"So... are you actually gonna use that bell to achieve your big goals, or whatever?" Sweetie Belle asked.

Scootaloo's eyes watered up.

*sigh* "Nah, I don't think so..." Scootaloo said.

"So... what are yer gonna do?" Apple Bloom asked.

Scootaloo cleared her throat, and turned around to face her friends.

"So, I've done some thinking, and... You know, having this item, seeing what it can do, experiencing true power, has made me realize a few things." Scootaloo started.

Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom looked at each other, with confusion.

"Such as?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"If this is all it takes to create an alicorn... it's as easy as getting a hold of this thing... If anypony can become an alicorn with just a pinch of extra magic, then... what exactly is so special about Twilight? Or Celestia? Or alicorns in general for that matter?"

"It's like this object is a hack that has exposed the true nature of magic, and broken it wide open. And that's when I realized, magic is kind of like an energy that flows through every creature. The only thing that makes unicorns special is that their horns allow them to channel it and use the energy externally. Even so, unicorns aren't special because they can expel magic, and pegasi aren't special because some of them can fly. Everypony is special, and what makes them special is what's on the inside."

Sweetie Bloom and Apple Belle looked at each other, their mouths open.

"That's some pretty deep insight, Scootaloo." Apple Bloom said.

"Maybe whoever wielded that bell stole alicorn magic, and that's what you're in possession of now?" Sweetie Belle speculated.

Meanwhile, bustling in the tree brush above, Cozy Glow peeked through and spied on the crusaders, and listened to Scootaloo's melodramatic speech.

But as for the Crusaders themselves, it was time get probe deeper.

"Did you really mean what ya said earlier, Scootaloo?" Apple Bloom asked. "About yer life bein' miserable?"

"Right. I did say that, didn't I..." Scootaloo said.

"Even with us? Was being our friend not fulfilling?" Sweetie Belle asked.

Scootaloo closed her eyes, and became more choked up.

"No, I didn't mean it like that at all. The thing is, having you two as my friends... doesn't change the circumstances in my life that aren't so desirable. But in spite of all of, it's the friends who do care that make my life worthwhile. Being a team with you has been the opportunity of a lifetime, and I wouldn't trade it for anything else." Scootaloo said, while crying. "And when Rainbow Dash took me under her wing, it's like I finally found that supportive pony who truly cared, somepony to take me under their wing. And for the first time in my life, somepony who believed I could be more than I ever thought I could be myself."

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle teared up. And even Cozy Glow had to force herself to not get all mushy.

"I'm so sorry about what I said earlier. I didn't mean to undervalue our friendship!" Scootaloo exclaimed.

"It's okay, your friendship will always be so important to us too!" Sweetie Belle said.

The three Crusaders all came in for a big group hug.

"You're always our friend!" Apple Bloom said.

That word echoed in Cozy's head. She remembered when she said Scootaloo was her friend, and they hugged earlier. It felt nice. It wasn't a feeling she had really felt before.

And it was gone. All because she didn't trust her. Was that necessarily her fault? She tried to be nice to Scootaloo, but she couldn't look past her pre conceived notion of Cozy's nature. So perhaps she deserved this. It didn't seem like any of them were interested in having Cozy around to see any more of her. So here she was, hugging her real friends, for real, but couldn't bring herself to work with Cozy.

"So, are you ready to head back to Ponyville?" Sweetie Belle asked.

*sniff* "Yes. I mean, almost. First I gotta make things right."

Scootaloo held the bewitching bell up, and pointed the open end at herself.

*gasp* "What are you?" Apple Bloom exclaimed.

"Scootaloo, wait!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed.

*ring*

Scootaloo used her magic, and activated the bell one last time. This time, turning herself back to normal.

Scootaloo was once again a pegasus, and her wing size returned to their usual size.

"Alright, I'm ready. Let's go home."

Scootaloo started trotting, and Apple Bloom followed. Sweetie Belle however stood. She was

"You okay, Scootaloo?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Really." Scootaloo replied.

"You're not even just a little bit disappointed?" Apple Bloom asked.

Scootaloo turned her head and looked at her little wings. She gave them a little flap, and they pitter pattered, without generating much lift at all. But for once, she didn't seem to mind.

"Nah, I like me. Just the way I am." Scootaloo said, smiling.

The trio hugged once again, and were almost ready to return home, but there were just a few more things left to take care of.

"But you know, there's something that's been eating me up more than that..." Scootaloo said.

Scootaloo looked around, but as far as she could tell, it was just them three.

"Gee, I don't know where Cozy Glow went, but I suppose we ought to hang onto her heirloom in case she still needs it!" she said loudly, almost as if to catch attention.

She waited a moment longer, but no response it seemed.

"What are we waiting for?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"...Nothing I suppose. C'mon girls. Let's get back to Ponyville, and... I don't know, lock this thing in a trunk or something." Scootaloo said.

Cozy Glow watched the three walk off with the bell once again. She spat at them, but she lost her focus and began to lose her balance on the branch. And then she fell from the three and into a bush.

The three stopped when they heard a rustle in the bush, the sound dissipated, and the rustling stopped, so they continued walking.

Cozy Glow was tempted to jump out, but she was too anxious, and couldn't quite muster the strength to do so. She instead chose to stay hidden, and watch them head off towards Ponyville. She wasn't done with the CMCs outright, because she had some unfinished business with Scootaloo.

Comments

[Starlight Nova]

Is there any fighting in this story?

[5u0myn0n4]

11257175
The CMC would never do something so barbaric. And Cozy pities the CMC too much to actually hurt them.

In all seriousness, having the CMC fight didn't seem right. There isn't much to fight over anyway, as this isn't the most high stakes story. Besides, they ain't got hooves as strong as horses, they got hearts as strong as horses. It's their character that's their strength, and it's their most effective tool against Cozy Glow.

[AllenVth]

Go on Cozy, talk to Scoots, this will be your only chance.

The friendship of the CMC has been reaffirmed.

[Kichi]

Well, it was luck, but Cozy managed to stay hidden instead of let her anger get over her

[hmaf43]

11257362
But that doesn't make for a good story, does it?

Drama and suffering all the way