Golly Interrupted

by Golly4Ever

Familiar Faces

"I don't know where they are!" worried Tenderhoof.

"They're not where you put them?" asked Cozy.

The two foals were in a locker room of sorts. It was brightly lit and smelled of chlorine. The aqua-blue tile that covered the walls and floor was pristine and smooth. For the moment, nopony else was around, but for a reason that Cozy couldn't quite put a hoof on, there was a need for urgency.

"They were right here!" said Tenderhoof as he hovered over to a storage cubbie. "This one!"

Cozy went up to the cubbie and started inspecting the other spaces. "Maybe they got mixed up and put back in a different spot by mistake."

Tenderhoof went over to a nearby bench to whimper and cry while he adjusted the bandages wrapped around each hoof. "They keep coming off. I don't know what to do!"

Cozy glanced back at Tender for a moment before returning to the search. "We'll find your boots, I'm sure of it. If not, we'll figure it out, together."

Tender used some of the bandages to wipe his tears, "Somepony stole them. I just know it!"

"It's okay, we'll just figure out something for now, and we'll get you home. Okay?" Cozy trotted over to the bench to sit next to her friend. "Now stop crying, you sissy. Be a colt!"

Tender started to settle and softly sob.

"There you go. Here, try these," said Cozy as she pulled out a box from under the bench they were sitting on.

It was a simple horseshoe box, blank with no labeling. Upon opening, inside were found four hoof-sized pads nestled inside a pillowy velvet interior specially shaped for each one. The pads were soft and white with a gentle give. One side had a gripping texture while the other side proved quite sticky.

"What are those?" asked Tender.

"Here. Hold one in each hoof," instructed Cozy as she placed each one on the end of each of Tender's hooves. "They're sticky, so you won't accidentally let go."

She finished fixing each pad to her friend and helped him to stand on them. "Better?"

"Yeah. I... I think so."

"Try walking around."

Tender took a hesitant step forward. His hoof landed with a little squeak.

"There you go!" applauded Cozy. "Keep going!"

The pegasus colt sniffled and took several more steps, each producing a squeak that echoed through the room. "Yeah. I think it's working!"

"Hurray! Now we can tell the dragons how to find the gems that rolled away!"

"Okay!" Tender flew up to the ceiling and pulled a leaver. "Remember, hold your breath this time!!" he said, before taking a deep breath, puffing out his cheeks.

Cozy nodded before doing the same, flying up to Tender.

A mechanical whirring could be heard from within the walls before the ceiling began to split open, allowing a rush of water to fall down and begin to flood the room.

'I always hate this part,' thought Cozy.

The ceiling continued to open as the incoming flood of water increased in intensity. The level in the room was rapidly rising. All the two could do was prepare to get very wet.

The air in Cozy's lungs was beginning to get stale, so while she still had time, she quickly exhaled and took in a new breath of air. Tender saw and decided it was a good thing to do as well. Before they knew it, they were both completely underwater. They floated in the middle of the space, not having to use their wings. Instead, they moved their hooves around to orient themselves.

"Do you remember the way? asked Tender?"

"I think so," said Cozy. This way..." she said as she led Tender up and out of the room.

They waved their hooves around as they swam completely submerged. It was somehow easier than flying. They didn't have to fight gravity with their wings, just push in a direction and go. Breathing wasn't a problem either, but they had never noticed that they weren't holding their breaths anymore.

"Stay close," said Cozy.

It was getting darker and darker, the further away from the room they went. There were no lights out here; not until their eyes adjusted anyway. It wasn't long until they were completely surrounded by blackness. All they could see was each other.

They stopped to look around.

"Um... Are we lost now?" asked Cozy.

Tender looked all around. "It's okay. as long as we're together. It'll always be okay." He spent a few minutes scanning in all directions, orienting his body every which way before stopping, "There!" He pointed with a padded hoof. "I see it!"

Cozy reoriented herself to see what he was pointing at. "I see it too!"

It was a shimmering light, devoid of any defined shape. It was small but definitely there. The two quickly swam towards it, watching it get bigger the closer they got.

Cozy could feel the wind in her main, flowing down her back and over her feathers. She looked over at her friend who sped on, keeping his body straight, pointed in the direction they were headed. She looked back at the source of light they were heading towards. It had settled from a shimmer to a soft glow of a full moon. "We should be safe now," she said to Tender, angling herself closer to him, putting a hoof on his back to slow him down.

"Okay," he said, coming to a full stop.

They floated together for a little while as they looked around, their eyes finally adjusting, seeing the stars come out little by little.

Tender shook the pads and bandages off of his hooves one by one, "I like it out here. It's quiet. You can be yourself, and nopony cares."

Cozy watched as the coverings on her friend's hooves unraveled. Underneath were normal pony hooves, perhaps in need of a little care and maintenance (as most colts his age had).

"But the bandages... Your boots," said Cozy with concern. "The dripping..."

Tender looked at his front hooves. They were in fact, dripping again. It was very light, but if you listened and watched for it, was definitely there. "Don't worry about it. We're both here. It's okay."

*tap-tap*, *tap*.

Cozy watched the drops float away. She suddenly felt sad. "No. It's not. Make'em stop. Before it's too late."

"I'm sorry, Crazy... It's just how it is." He looked at his hooves now turning transparent as they faded away, carried off drop by drop.

"No." It was all Cozy could utter. She felt powerless to even move.

"Close your eyes, Cozy... Close them for me," said Tender with a melancholic smile.

Cozy shook her head, "No. I'll find a way."

"No. You know how it has to be. You know what will happen if you try to change it." He floated over to her to give her a hug with the remaining portions of his legs before the fading continued onto his body.

Cozy could feel him wrapped around her. He was hot and stuffy; not quite how she knew him to be, but she had to accept it.

"Now close your eyes, please."

Cozy nodded. She closed her eyes tightly, her tears floating off of her face and into infinity. She could feel him leaving her, filling her body with an incredible weight and mind with a strong sense of groggyness. "No," she forced herself to say, her voice low and weak.

* * *

It was quiet. Of course, it was quiet. It was the middle of the night. No. It was too quiet.

Cozy opened her eyes. It was dark. She could see the light from out in the hallway under the crack of the door. It had a faint tint of green to it. Her eyes adjusted and she was able to start making out shapes. Had she actually uttered a word out loud in her sleep?

She sat up unraveling the stuffy blanket from around her and looked around. Flurry's bed. The Window. The Closet. "Flurry Heart?" whispered Cozy.

No answer. No sound at all, save for a very faint sound of dripping she had to hold her breath to be able to hear; it was coming from somewhere else down the hall or several rooms away.

Cozy slowly got up, dragging her blanket to Flurry's bed, her outfit lightly squeaking with each step. "Flurry? I don't want to sleep alone..."

She pat Flurry's bed gently. It was cold. On further inspection, Cozy discovered it was also empty. "Flurry?" said Cozy, louder.

The light changed as a shadow passed in the hallway. Somepony was up. Maybe it was just a guard. Maybe it was Flurry...

Her throat was dry; she needed a drink.

Cozy remembered seeing a cup in the bathroom. It was meant for mouthwash, but it would do. She dropped off her blanket at the guest bed and squeaked her way to the door.

The door creaked softly as she opened it slowly, peeking out.

The hallway was empty.

"Hello?" called out Cozy in a soft voice. "Anypony?"

There was no water in the sink. The toilet didn't flush either. She was glad she didn't have to use it just then but worried about it for later when she did. Hopefully, somepony would be up by then and it would be fixed.

'Where is Flurry?' she thought to herself. 'Where is anypony?'

Cozy crept down the hall in a failed attempt at keeping the squeaky hoof pads quiet, carefully peeking into the various living spaces as she passed them. They were all empty. Was the place completely deserted?

"Hello?" she called out, louder. It was so quiet, not even her voice seemed to echo.

She continued lightly squeaking down the hall towards the source of the greenish tinting of the light. She knew this hall well. Before bedtime, Flurry and Cozy practiced running and sliding down the halls on the soft fabric of the hoof coverings of their bedwear. "Squeeeeak!" This wasn't the time for that, though. Something was wrong; she could just feel it.

The green of the light deepened as she moved down the hall. She began to hear the familiar sound of faint slow rhythmic tapping. 'what is that?'

She knew the path she was on. She was headed to the throne room.

*tap-tap*, *tap*. It got louder as Cozy continued down the hall.

"Hello?" she called out once again.

She was almost there. There had to be guards there at least. There were always guards in the throne room.

*tap-tap*, *tap*. 'What is that?' she thought to herself again.

The smell of sewage wafted through the air. 'Maybe there was a leak or something, and they turned the water off. Is that what's tapping?'

"Where is everypony?" asked Cozy out loud.

*tap-tap*, *tap*

Just around the corner, and she would be there. The light was mostly a sickly lime green now. The stench of sewage was strong.

Cozy had to start breathing through her mouth. She thought she could almost taste it, but knew it was all in her head; because if it wasn't, well she couldn't dare think that it was getting in her mouth.

*tap-tap*, *tap*

*Squish!* Cozy stepped in something wet. A puddle. It soaked into her PJs. "Eww..." she said to herself. A thought ran through her mind, 'Well, at least it stopped squeaking.'

She rounded the corner and stood in the large open doorway, the throne room.

It was the source of the puddle, the stench, the green light, all of it.

*TAP-TAP*, *TAP*

Dripping.

The throne was empty. There were no guards.

Her fur stood on end as the fear began to grip her as she hesitated to look up. She had to. She was afraid of what she was going to see. She already knew. She had to look anyway. She couldn't. She was frozen stiff. It didn't matter to her anymore that all four of her hoofs were now wet (but thankfully also silent).

*TAP-TAP*, *TAP*

'Run' was a thought. Where would she go? What was behind her? If there was a trap set for her, she knew she was already well within its clutches by this point. 'Don't look up.'

'Look up. No!'

The dripping. It surrounded her.

*TAP-TAP*, *TAP*!

'Close your eyes.'

'No, don't close your eyes.'

Cozy closed her eyes tightly.

'Don't you dare open them.'

"Go away," uttered Cozy. Her voice was dry, strained, and barely audible.

*TAP-TAP*, *TAP*!

She knew she wasn't alone. She could feel the presence of another, and it was close.

It was very close. She could budge in the wrong direction and might bump into it. 'Don't open your eyes. Don't move a muscle.'

Her. Not "it", Her. Cozy knew. She had seen the clues before. The smell, the coloring, the dripping.

*TAP-TAP*, *TAP*!

She knew where she was going to find Flurry Heart, Cadance, and the guards. All she had to do was look up. She couldn't. She didn't want to. She had to keep her eyes closed. Maybe it would go away. She knew it wouldn't, but she had to believe something.

Her breath was heavy, shakey.

Her wings were shakey. Her whole body shivered out of fear.

She could feel the presence of Her moving around her as she stood quivering.

Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in... Breathe out.

Her breath was hot. She could feel it on her face. She could feel it bouncing back onto her face, that is. Bouncing off of...

Cozy held her eyes closed even tighter. The stars were brighter than ever. That didn't matter, she was face to face with a piece of her past she'd rather forget about.

"Go, away," tried Cozy. Her voice barely squeaked out.

*TAP-TAP*, *TAP*!

She gritted her teeth, tears being squeezed out of her tightly shut eyelids. Her body was not cooperating. She couldn't will it to do anything but stand there and shake.

Run, jump, fly, do something!

'I can't.'

'Open your eyes.'

'No. She's waiting.'

'Do it.'

'It's the only thing keeping the attack away.'

'Do it.'

'No.'

*TAP-TAP*, *TAP*!

"Go Away!"

Cozy lost the inner battle she was having with herself and opened her eyes.

She stepped back. "No, you're..." She glanced around frantically, backing up.

"Free?" replied Chrysalis with anger and determination in her voice. "No, thanks to you, Cozy."

Cozy looked up, and it was just as she feared: Flurry, Cadance, the royal guards, all were trapped; cocooned and drained of life-giving love. They dripped with the essence of Changeling.

*tap-tap*, *tap*

"Oh, do you like what I've done with the place?" asked Chrysalis. "There was so much love here, getting my energy back was a breeze. If only this place had returned sooner, my brood would have been neigh unstoppable! Soon..."

"No!" uttered Cozy as she turned to gallop out of the room.

Chrysalis was quick to catch her, "And where do you think you're going?" she asked, beginning to turn Cozy over in her hole-ridden rotted hooves, wrapping her in green slimy ribbons of changeling silk. "Home?"

She flew Cozy up to the ceiling, attaching her upside down with the others. "Now that sounds like a good idea."

Cozy watched and protested as Chrysalis transformed into a mirror image of herself. "I will destroy you!" threatened Cozy.

"Oh, golly!" said changeling Cozy, pressing her hoof to her cheek. "That doesn't sound very nice at all! I better go tell Astral and Starlight back in Ponyville about this!" She fluttered back down to the ground, looking up at Cozy and the others. "You know, that really is a nice little town. Just a little pocket of love tucked nice and cozy just south of Canterlot. Tee-hee, Cozy! You know, I think I could use a little snack there before taking on the royal capital!" Her eyes flashed a changeling color as she grinned malevolently at Cozy.

Cozy struggled to get free but to no avail. She was helpless and could only watch as Chrysalis gleefully trotted out of the room in her stolen form. Before leaving completely, Chrysalis turned and spit up at Cozy, sealing up her pod completely.

She had to stop her, but she couldn't budge. She felt paralyzed, only able to breathe and move her eyes. Try as she might, she was unable to will her body to move; panic trying to set in. What was happening? She closed her eyes, wishing it away as her groggyness began to take her over.

Cozy let out a pitiful whimper as she cried on the inside. With all of her efforts, it was the most she could do to make a sound. She began to feel a familiar cold overtake her. 'This is bad, isn't it?'

She opened her eyes but nothing changed. Endless darkness surrounded her. Sound itself seemed to disappear. She was losing her senses, once again trapped in her mind. This wasn't how it was supposed to be.

'Astral. Boots.' All she could do was think of them. 'Chrysalis.' How could she warn them?

* * *

'How long has it been? Is it already too late? What's that?'

A presence began to surround Cozy from behind. She struggled to fight it, but the more she resisted, the tighter it gripped her. This was different, however. It was warm, soothing. Cozy reluctantly relaxed. She could feel the warmth. It had a heartbeat; it was also warm and soothing. It had a breath that flowed through and over her mane; also warm and soothing. She felt as if she could melt right into its protective cover; she wanted to. If she never saw the light of day again, it wouldn't be so bad as long as she could remain within the grip of whatever held her.

Slowly, her senses returned. She could hear its breath; light, gentle. She more clearly felt its grip around her; soft, warm. A dim light barely filled the room. It was the color of peaceful night; cool, bluish. She held still, glancing around the room with her eyes, barely able to make out the shapes.

Flurry's room.

She was in her bed, never having left it, covers kicked off. But then what had her? Cozy carefully rolled in its grip as it slept.

It had a horn. She felt it had wings. It cooed lightly, voice giving it away.

Flurry Heart.

Cozy sighed quietly in relief. She suddenly felt so much better. The only thing that was real throughout her whole ordeal was the safety and comfort she now felt. She reached back feeling around and found her covers, pulling them over both her and Flurry in the chill of the night air. She draped her foreleg over companion, returning the embrace as she closed her eyes, a light smile growing across her muzzle as she felt herself drifting off once again.

* * *

"Flurry?" Cozy opened her eyes.

She and Flurry Heart were still sharing a warm embrace. The morning light snuck in from behind the drapes covering the windows and doors leading out to the balcony.

"Flurry," she said again. "Flurry stop!"

Flurry Heart did not wake but instead continued munching with her eyes closed, a happy look on her face as she pulled Cozy in closer.

"Flurry!" yelled out Cozy, trying to push away from Flurry Heart. She beat lightly on Flurry's foreleg.

Flurry Heart finally opened her eyes and stopped.

"You're chewing on my ear! It's all slobbery now," said Cozy in a huff, pulling her ear out of Flurry's mouth.

Flurry Heart smiled sheepishly. "I had a dream. I was eating taffy. It was cotton candy flavored. It was so chewy."

Cozy sat up on the edge of the bed, cleaning her ear off, "Well it wasn't!"

Flurry chuckled, saying with a light-hearted sarcastic tone "Well good morning to you too! Are you hungry? Breakfast should be waiting for us by now."

"Yeah, I think you're the hungry one!" replied Cozy.

Flurry Heart rolled over and laughed.

"It's not funny!" yelled out Cozy, causing her to laugh even harder. Cozy turned and shoved her off of the bed. Flurry Heart hit the floor with a thud and muffled laughter. She had pulled the blankets off of the bed on top of her in a failed effort to keep from falling. Cozy followed it up with a barrage of pillows and squeaky half-hearted punches.