Everypony questioned what made Cozy Glow evil. But a few nights before Twilight Sparkle's coronation, a shocking visitor shows up at her castle, holding answers to Cozy's past. It's not what you think.
What made Cozy Glow evil?
That was the question that everypony would wonder whenever that peculiar name would be heard. Was it her cutie mark? Was it her parents? Was it both? Or was it something more?
A few nights before Twilight's coronation, the Princess of Friendship ponders those exact questions.
Then, there was a knock on her castle doors.
Note: Just a random idea I had. Just a heads up though, this is NOT canon with The Dawn of a New Mission, or ANY of its sequels, present or upcoming. This is a standalone fic, and NOTHING more!
The thunderstorm blew violent winds throughout the streets of Ponyville. Every so often, there would be a bright flash of lightning, followed by a loud crack of thunder.
Ponies stayed inside their homes, finding ways to keep themselves busy. Some played toys and games inside thheir homes. Others read or relaxed.
And that was what Twilight was doing as she sat on a sofa in her castle. Reading. It wasn't a book, but rather, a very particular newspaper, showcasing the aftermath of Twilight's greatest battle yet. The battle against three vile villains, who sported the legendary Bewitching Bell.
But it wasn't the first time Twilight read the newspaper. Nor was it the second. Nor will it be the last.
Every day, ever since the incident with the Bewitching Bell, Twilight would always read the newspaper that showcased the events. And every time, there was only one question in her mind.
What happened to you, Cozy?
Indeed, nopony knew about Cozy Glow's backstory. Some assumed it was only her cutie mark. Others believed it had to do with her parents. A few thought she was just born that way. Most of the ponies thought it was a slight mixture of all three of them.
They should have seen it coming. That rook pictured on Cozy's flank should have been a dead giveaway. And due to their ignorance, Equestria almost fell to Cozy.
Twice.
And yet, nopony had the slightest idea about her life.
"Twilight?"
The Princess of Friendship turned her head to her dragon assistant (and soon to be royal adviser), Spike.
"What are you doing?" asked the small dragon.
"Nothing!"
In a feeble attempt, Twilight slid the newspaper under the sofa she was sitting on. Unfourtunately for her, there was no back to the couch... so the paper wound up sliding straight to Spike.
Spike bent down and picked up the newspaper. One quick scan told him everything he needed to know.
Spike looked up from the paper.
"Seriously?"
Twilight blushed a little.
"Twilight, I understand the curiosity about Cozy's past. I wonder about it MYSELF sometimes. But you seem to be the only pony I know that ponders this subject every day!"
"I'm sorry Spike," Twilight said. "It's just that... it makes no SENSE!! Why would somepony as young as COZY GLOW go on a RAMPAGE!?! First, she tried draining all the magic out of Equestria. She even trapped us in Tartarus! And then, when she returned with the help of Tirek and Chrysalis, she literally wanted to kill us! At least Chrysalis and Tirek wanted to refrain from doing that for a while! Cozy just wanted to cut to the chase!"
"Well, when you put it like that, is DOES sound kinda strange," admitted Spike.
"I mean, I literally have a list of theories! Most of them center around her childhood."
"So, that's just that. Her parents weren't the best ponies!"
"Her parents make the most sense... but even THAT theory seems awfully strange... in MY perspective, at least!"
"How so?"
"I don't know..."
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
Suddenly, the sound of a hoof pounding on a door echoed throughout the whole castle.
"Who could that be?" asked Twilight, getting off the couch.
"Probably Starlight or something..." Spike said.
The duo make their way through the castle hallways as the sound of rain and thunder continued. It wasn't frightening, but rather relaxing.
But it still didn't take Twilight's mind off of Cozy.
It didn't take long for Twilight and Spike to finally reach the enterance to the castle. Pushing open the doors, Twilight saw a pony wearing a soggy brown cloak. Twilight couldn't see the pony's face, but there were some locks of her mane sticking out of the hood. Twilight couldnt help but see that the color of the pony's mane was oddly familiar..
"Can... can I help you?" asked Twilight.
"I-I-I've been looking for you... P-Princess Twilight..." said the shivering voice of a mare. "May I come in?"
"Why?" asked Spike.
"Y-y-you know the filly... n-named Cozy Glow?"
Twilight seemed slightly shocked at the mention of the filly's name.
"Yes..." said Twilight, slightly suspicious.
"I kn-know everything about her... I've been looking f-fo-for you because I wanted t-to help you un-understand her better..."
Twilight and Spike were taken aback by what the pony said. Somepony who knew about Cozy's childhood life? This was a perfect opportunity to figure out the mystery of Cozy. But... could the mare be trusted?
"How do we know that we can trust you?" asked Spike.
"Twilight possesses a g-g-great amount of magic. Enough magic to re-restrain me no m-matter what I tr-tr-try. Besides, I am n-no-no unicorn."
Twilight and Spike looked at eachother before they looked back at the mare.
"Alright..." Twilight said. "We will go to my library. You can tell us everything."
"Oh thank you..." the mare said with gratitude.
Twilight and Spike allowed the mare to pass them, before they closed the castle doors and followed her.
Their walk in the castle halls was silent, with only the sound of raindrops and thunder making noise. But finally, after three minutes, Spike managed to speak.
"So..." he began. "How do you know about Cozy's past?"
The mare sighed.
"Before she went to the school of friendship, she was in my care," the mare said, no longer shivering. "I would be the one to tend to her. I would feed her, buy food for her, everything. But not out of manipulation. Motherhood is a more fitting term..."
"Oh!" Twilight said. "You must be her mother!"
"Kinda..." the mare said.
"Huh?" asked Twilight. "So... adoptive mother?"
The mare shook her head.
"No."
"Did you disown her?" asked Spike.
"No."
"So why did you say that you KINDA Cozy's mother?"
The mare sighed again, before she picked up the pace, turned around, and stopped. As a result, Twilight and Spike stopped as well.
"I may get the reaction from you that I expect, Twilight..." the mare said. "But I must be honest...”
The pony removed her hood, revealing the face of a mare in her thirties. Her ragged coat was salmon, and her messy mane, was a light and dark shade of sky-blue. And the irises in her eyes were rose-colored.
Twilight and Spike gasped at the mare in shock.
"I know Cozy Glow so well..." the mare began. "Because in a way, I AM Cozy Glow.”
The mare could see Twilight's facial expression transform into a mixture of a scowl and confusion. Immediatly after, Twilight grabbed her with her magic aura and lifted her a few inches off the ground.
"How..." Twilight said. Her voice was just life her facial expression. A mixture of confusion and rage.
"I've expected this..." the mare said. "But before you begin asking questions or imprisoning me, at least hear me out."
"Why should I?" Twilight said.
"You know of a lie-detector spell, right?"
"Of course she does!" Spike said. "She knows LOTS of spells!"
"Well, I want you to do something... use it on me as I tell you about who I am. I know that you can't trust me because I am technically Cozy, but at least hear me out."
Twilight stayed silent. But her look changed, making it obvious that she was thinking about this.
Finally, she answered.
"Oh, alright!" she said. "But you ARE aware that you backed yourself into a corner, right?"
"Of course!" the mare said.
Twilight took a deep breath, when suddenly, the glow surrounding her horn and the mare intensified.
"Ok," Twilight said, slightly straining for a brief moment before regaining composure. "What is your story?"
"Well..." the mare began. "I am technically Cozy Glow, and at the same time, a FAMILY member of Cozy Glow. My life started breaking into pieces, before Cozy made my life even worse! Not JUST mine! My friends too!"
When the mare finished her short story, Twilight appeared to be puzzling for a moment, before she gasped and whispered to Spike, who then gasped too. Finally, Twilight put the mare down.
"You believe me?" the mare asked.
"The lie-detector had no issues," Twilight said. "You were completely honest. Come with us. You and Spike can relax in the library while I get you something to drink. You can tell us more about yourself if you want."
The mare nodded in response, and Twilight led her to the library.
Minutes later...
Spike and the mare were both silent while they waited for Twilight to return. The mare still had her cloak on, concealing her cutie mark. To pass the time, Spike told the guest about some of Twilight's best adventures. The mare seemed highly interested. It took about 10 minutes for Twilight to walk into the library with a small cup of cocoa.
"I know it isn't winter..." Twilight said. "But this was one of the first things I pulled out."
"That will do nicely," said the mare. "Thank you."
Twilight placed the cup of cocoa on the table next to the couch the mare was sitting on, before Twilight sat next to Spike on the sofa across from her guest.
"So..." Twilight began. "Any desire to tell us about yourself?"
"Well..." the mare began. "My actual name is Prudent Sagacity."
"Interesting name..." Spike said. "So, what is your talent?"
"I used to work as a therapist in Manehatten. My cutie mark is of a clipboard next to a brain with glasses on it."
"Oh."
"So, Prudent..." Twilight said. "What was life like before Cozy came along?"
Prudent sighed.
"Before the day Cozy was brought into this world... it was OK. I had a special somepony... we were engaged. I lived in the more gloomy half of Manehatten, but I made good work. It would take a while to get to work every day, but it was fine. I had good money, and a decent life. But then, life started to fall and I soon began to feel hopeless..."
"Oh. I'm so sorry to hear that!" Twilight said.
"It was worse when Cozy came along..."
Silence overtook the room for a minute.
"I used to wear my hair like Cozy's you know," Prudent said.
"Really?" said Twilight.
"Yeah... and then after the incident, I started to ... not have it done up in curls."
"I thought you didn't find her to be a disgrace," Spike said.
"It doesn't mean I don't find myself at fault for what she has done."
"I'm curious..." Twilight began. "You look like an adult Cozy Glow... and you said that you ARE Cozy Glow. But you also said you are a FAMILY member of Cozy. It doesn't make sense."
"Well, that's what I'm here for," replied Prudent. "To tell you the story. The story about how Cozy Glow came to be..."
Prudent lifted the cocoa mug with her wing and took a sip before putting it back down.
"It will take a while to tell the whole tale. I hope you don't mind..."
"You have our highest interests at heart. Right Spike?" Twilight said before she turned her head at her dragon assistant.
"Twilight, relax," reassured Spike, "I'm as interested in this as you are. Suprisingly."
"Alright," Twilight replied. She then turned her head back to Prudent.
"Infertile?" I asked in disbelief. "W-what do you mean infertile?"
"I'm sorry, Ms. Sagacity," the doctor said, holding a clipboard with his magic aura. "But according to these tests, you're just not fertile. No tumors. No cysts. Just infertility. That's all we know."
I gulped the huge painful lump forming in my throat. I have wanted a child for so long. Just hearing I can't conceive is bringing me to the brink of tears.
But I tried my hardest to stay calm.
"The only other suggestion I have for you is adoption," the doctor said. "Since that is the only alternative."
I nodded, still trying to hold back the tears in my eyes.
"Take as much time as you need. When you're ready, just go to the lobby, sign some paperwork, and you will be good to go."
I got off the bed.
"No, no. It's fine. I can sign it. I insist..."
The doctor shrugged.
"If you say so..." he said.
With that, he opened the door, and exited the room. I immediatly followed.
Thirty minutes later...
The streets of Manehatten were dark as I made my way closer to home, walking along the right side of the road.
The street I lived on was probably the darkest area of Manehatten. While all the streets were bright due to the many lights, where I lived was nearly the opposite. There were no lights on buildings, and there would be only one streetlight every few blocks. While the other streets had beautiful buildings and ponies wearing wonderful clothing, MY street had more dirty buildings and clothes. Plus, crime was more likely in my street.
Another disadvantage of my home was how far it was from work. Without a cab, it would take me at least 30 minutes to get to work. I didn't mind though.
By this point, the streets were as dark as they would get, meaning I'm almost home. If my special somepony was there, I would tell him the news. Otherwise, I would tell him tommorow.
Yeah. I had a special somepony. He wanted kids like I did. Just not as badly.
Anyway, as I resumed making my way closer to home, another thing happened that made my day even worse.
I was using my wing to carry my purse. Another thing about me was that I usually used my wings instead of my hooves or mouth.
Anyway, in the corner of my vision, I saw an orange aura surrounded the purse and yank it from my wing, bringing it into the alley next to me.
I made the mistake of looking at the alley where the purse went. When I looked at the direction it went, I suddenly saw a pony holding it for a split second before the purse struck me across my face. Hard. My eyes shut when I was hit, and when I opened them and looked at where the thief went, he already vanished around the alleyway corner.
I didn't even go after the theif. For all I know, they could be in a gang. And it would be too dark for me to find them in an alleyway.
My face felt bruised, and I could tell my right eye was puffy from the contact, because some of the swollen flesh obstructed my view.
For the second time today, I tried my best to not cry at my rotten luck.
As I made my way closer to the apartment building I lived in, I wondered how things could get any worse!
When I finally arrived, I opened the enterance, checked in with the clerk, and began searching for my room.
It didn't take long for me to find my door since it was so close to the lobby. Room 15. Under the number, was a dirty note. A plastic bag was next to the door.
I checked the note.
It was from my special somepony.
Prudent,
I am writing this note to tell you a secret I have kept from you...
I am dating somepony else.
When she discovered I was also dating you, she gave me the option. It was either you or her. I chose her.
I apologize, but that was what I chose. I wish you the best of luck, and if you are ever with child, I wish you luck with caring for it.
Oh, and she is getting over a phase where she would steal stuff. Don't worry, she didn't do much. When she came with me on my last visit herem she went inside to use the bathroom. No biggie. Sure, I told her you apartment number. But I promise that you are fine.
I didn't even bother reading the rest. it didn't matter anyway. It was just his signature.
His stupid, stupid, signature.
I picked up the plastic bag with my left wing and used my right wing to search the pocket of the coat I had on. I immediatly found the keys and took them out. At least I had keys in my pocket.
Opening the door, I saw that my apartment was extremely cluttered.
Looking around, I saw junk scattered on the floor. Not only that, but I discovered that some of my things were missing.
She didn't use the bathroom... I realized. She actually had the guts to barge in here and steal everything! I'm suprised that airhead of a colt she's dating didn't find out! Then again, she probably hid everything somewhere and made up an excuse for what took her so long...
I placed the plastic bag on the counter and began to look around.
I felt relieved when I saw that all the big things were still here. My fridge, table, couch, all of it. I noticed that the expensive small stuff was gone. Including... MY JEWELRY BOX!!!
When I saw it was gone, I looked under the small table it sat on and breathed a sigh of relief. It was still there. A very valuable gold and diamond necklace was taped to the bottom of the table. It was a family heirloom that was first obtained almost 500 years ago. I felt glad that the mare didn't look under the table during her theiving spree.
I went back to the kitchen, opened the plastic bag, and took out one of the items that was in there.
My former coltfriend's homemade jelly.
I told him I liked it when I first tried it. But you know what?
I hated it.
I put the jar on the counter when I heard a knock from the door.
Hoping it wasn't somepony I didn't want coming over, I went to the door and looked through the peephole. It was a mail pony, a unicorn, levitating a stack of mail. He must be working the night shift. Why he knocked on the door at this time of night, I have no idea.
I opened the door.
"Yes?"
"Um... are you Miss..." he looked at letter resting on top of the stack and read the name. "...Prudent Sagacity?"
"Yes... that is me," I replied.
He handed me a stack of letters.
"These are for you."
I took them with my wing.
"Thank you."
He nodded and then trotted away.
I closed the door and went back to the counter, before opening the first envelope.
It was a note.
I read the note.
Ms. Sagacity,
We regret to inform you that your services at the Manehatten Therapy Center are no longer needed.
We ended up getting the requirement to get rid of some of our oldest workers. And you are one of them.
We are sorry for the inconvenience.
Sincerely,
The Manehatten Therapy Center
I dropped the note, my eye twitching. That was the second time today I lost something through a note!
I resumed opening the rest of the letters. They were all bills!
And worse, I didn't have the money to pay for them!
That was the last straw! First, I discovered I couldn't conceive a foal! Then, I got hit in the face with my purse before it was stolen. Later, my former coltfriend dumped me through a letter! And then as I searched my apartment, I discovered that I was robbed again! And to top it all off, I got fired along with getting a ton of bills!
Breathing heavily, I picked up the jar of jelly and threw it against the wall. On impact, the jar immediatly stattered and glass flew all over the place. Unfourtunatly for me, one of the pieces recoiled and flew past my right cheek, cutting it open.
"ACK!!!"
I yelped as the glass cut my cheek before breathed heavily and then I lowered my head. Blood dripped out of the cut and onto the floor, and the tears were already starting to pour.
I stayed that way. For about 30 seconds. Before I finally brought my head back up and made my way to my room.
My bed was still there, fourtunately. The covers were ruffled, though. Probably because the theif searched the covers for anything hidden.
Slowly, I crawled on the bed and curled into a ball.
And that was where I stayed for the rest of the night, as I finally began crying at full force.
I awoke in my bed, realizing that I cried myself to sleep last night. My vision was blurry and the light was slightly blinding. I noticed that the pillow I cried on was stained with blood.
Blood...
I got off the bed and slowly trotted to the bathroom. When I got there, I looked in the mirror and got a good look at my face.
As I expected, there was a large bruise on my cheek and my right eye was mostly swollen. And right across the bruise on my cheek, was a large red cut. Dried blood ran off my cheek.
I immediatly realized that I forgot two things last night due to my mood.
First off, I forgot to contact the pony police about the thief that took my purse and the mare that raided my apartment. But it was too late for that. Both thieves could be long gone and I don't know who they are. Though I suppose I could use my former special somepony to help find the mare that raided my apartment. Then again, he could back her up.
Deciding to push the subject to the back of my mind for the time being, I searched the cabinet in the sink and took out exactly what I was looking for: a first aid kit.
Using my hoof, I held a soft pad on my cheek while I used my wings to tear off pieces of adhesive tape and put it on the pad, sticking it to my cheek. Due to using my wings, I did accidentally tear off a couple feathers. But at least the pad was now secure to my bruised face.
Next thing that happened when I looked back at the mirror was me noticing how unkempt and stringy my mane is.
Now, I'm not a fashon pony. But sometimes, when I am in bad moods, I tend to style my mane in weird ways. It helps take my mind off of things.
I opened another cabinet and took out some combs, scissors, a few random hair-styling tools such as rollers and clamps, and a couple ribbons. I used the scissors to slightly trim my mane before I went to work on combing it and then doing other things. I spent ten minutes combing, cutting, clamping, and curling my mane before I did one final thing: tied it all together with an ivory ribbon. And without looking in the mirror, I preceded to curl up my tail as well, tying another ribbon on it when I was done.
After another five minutes, I was done. I took a look in the mirror and saw what my mane had become. A few curls were hanging out from under the ribbon, draping themselves in front of my forehead. A couple strands of hair that weren't completely curled draped on my forehead as well. Behind the ribbon, my mane was lumpy and all done up. Another curl or two hung on the side of my head. I then took a look at my tail, which was done up in one giant curl. The whole time I looked at my mane and tail, I was shocked at how I was able to pull this off. Plus, it kinda made me look cute...
"Wow... I may begin to wear my mane like this more often," I said.
Then, I looked at the ground and saw the many clumps of hair laying on the floor.
Sighing, I went to the bathroom closet and opened it. Thankfully, my broom and dustpan were still there.
I grabbed it with my wing and began sweeping up the hair and throwing it in the bathroom garbage can. It didn't take long.
Then, remembering the mess I made yesterday, I went back to the kitchen to resume sweeping. Once again it didn't take long to sweep, and it was even quicker to wipe up the spilled jelly with some napkins.
As soon as I threw away the last napkin, I heard a sound from the door.
Fwip-tick-tick-tick
I turned and saw a letter resting in front of the door, and the mail slot on the door flipping in and out.
"Huh... the mail pony that actually uses the slot must of been here..." I quietly said.
I went to the letter, picked it up, and looked at returning address on the front, expecting it to be another bill. But there was no return address.
Filled with curiosity, I opened the letter and read it, hoping it would be something good this time.
Hey, Prudent!
I just got back from Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns about a week ago. I've been hoping to visit, but I've been busy. But luckily, I am able to come this Friday. I hope to see you at the train station soon. Let's say, 12:30.
Your Friend,
Sparkle Gleam.
I felt a huge jump in my chest before I rushed to my calender.
Today is Friday!
At first, I panicked, but one look at the clock calmed me down. It was only 10:30, so I had a whole lot of time to relax before I made it to the train station.
I spent my time picking up the stuff that was scattered all over the place when the apartment was robbed.
One hour and fifty-five minutes later...
I sat on a bench at the Manehatten train station waiting. Patiently.
Since I haven't said anything about Sparkle Gleam yet, I may as well speak about her now.
Sparkle is a unicorn, and my biggest childhood friend. We knew eachother since we were foals. We were so close, that when Sparkle was told she had to go to Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, we cried for hours. We hugged so hard, that it took a lot of convincing for us to part ways. Since then, I have recieved a few letters from her. One letter I got from Sparkle had her coming out of the closet as a lesbian. I couldn't have been any happier for her. Other letters would tell me stories of some of the most hardest tests that had to be taken. According to the letters, Sparkle passed every single one!
Storytelling aside, I bit my lip. Another thing about Sparkle was that she was very defensive of me. I knew that if she saw my face, she would get upset. And when she gets mad, she does two things. Either she tries to convince me to do something to never get into those situations again, or she hunts down ponies that robbed or beaten me. And what does she say she will do to them? She promises to break their face.
Finally, I noticed a train finally ride into view before it stopped on the tracks at the station. Once it stopped, it opened it's doors and multiple ponies walked out.
The last pony that left the train was one who was all too familiar to me.
The mare had a royal blue coat, and a violet mane and tail with a streak of hot pink on both. Her cutie mark had a bunch of twinkles and stars swirling around, a few faint lines making it seem like they were orbiting something. Her horn was lit with a purple aura, a suitcase following her in the same colored aura.
She turned her head to look for me. When she turned her head right, she saw me sitting on the bench.
She immediatly recognized me. Her mouth curved into a smile before changing to shock.
"Prudent?" she gasped.
"Hey..." I called out with a fake smile.
I got off the bench, and Sparkle immediatly began to dash towards me, her suitcase following close behind.
I took a step forward, before Sparkle stopped directly in front of me and wrapped her hooves around me in a great bear hug. I let out a huge gasp of air as she tightened her embrace.
"I missed you," Sparkle chirped. She leaned back, and I could see the obvious worry in her eyes. "Prudent, what the hay happened?"
I really didn't want to explain why I had a bruise on my face, a black eye, and a cut on my cheek.
"I... really don't wanna talk about it," I muttered. "But what about you? We need to catch up. How about we go and get milkshakes?"
Sparkle looked at me as if she knew I was hiding something. But she gave in.
"Ooookaaay..." she raised her brow.
Ten minutes later...
I poked at the straw that was in my milkshake, which I have only drank a quarter of. I didn't look up to Sparkle, who sat on the opposite side of the table, but she was definetly drinking her milkshake more than me. Most of the time, we were silent, but we had small talk a few times.
"So, Prudent..." Sparkle said, earning my attention. "I see that you went for a change of pace on the hairstyle."
I patted my curly mane.
"Yeah... just thought I'd go for a change of pace," I replied.
More silence.
"Prudent, you can't hide," Sparkle brushed her milkshake aside. "I know something's up. It's not just the bruises on your face. You don't seem like the adorable happy mare I knew as a filly."
I put my hooves on my face and groaned.
"You wanna know the truth?" I whimpered. "Fine! Just yesterday, I have gone through, I guess you can say, a gauntlet of trauma. I discovered I was unable to conceive children, a crook stole my purse and swatted my face with it, and when I got home, I found a letter telling me that my special somepony was dumping me."
"Prudent-" Sparkle began.
"But that's not all!" I interrupted. "He found some other mare, who ended up stealing from my apartment! I got a huge load of mail minutes later. Almost all of them were bills! The only thing that wasn't a bill was a note from the place I worked at, telling me I was fired. I got mad after that and threw a jar. A piece of glass bounced off the wall and cut my face. And... the only lucky things that happened was that my family heirloom was safe and... well... I get to see you."
Sparkle had no words. She looked down at her lap and then looked back to me.
"Prudent..." she muttered, rubbing her forehead for a moment. "I am SO sorry to hear that!"
"Eh, I wasn't always the luckiest mare in the city..." I swirled my straw around my malt. "So... what happened to you?"
"Aside from magic school, not much," Sparkle shrugged. "I mean, I did get a marefriend. We're actually engaged, and planning on moving nearby. I also ended up getting a huge inheritance from my late grandfather. Rest his soul."
I sat there dumbfounded.
I then put my hooves on my face and groaned.
"What is wrong with me?" I hissed. "I mean, you, my first and greatest friend, is out there getting all the happiness, while I recently got stuck into a mood where I feel like a loser. It's not you! But I feel like at the bottom of the barrel. Sometimes, all I want is to be the one to run all of Equestria, and have all the friends! I would never be sad again, and maybe the world will have learned to respect me!"
I sighed.
"Sorry..." I groaned. "I let my thoughts carry me away. I would never do that! It's just the evil in my mind speaking. I mean, I'm supposed to not think like this! My talent is to heal the minds of those who are troubled! But I feel like I can't save myself!"
Sparkle rubbed her chin.
"You know, Prudent, maybe I could help," Sparkle offered. "If you feel like you can't calm your mind, come over to our place tonight. My marefriend's brewing skills match that of a zebras! Maybe she could make a tea that could just help you relax. Focus on a positive outlook. We can make the tea, and if you want, do other things. Play cards, go to a movie, whatever we can all agree on."
I tapped my chin.
"I'll think about it," I concluded. "I can try to therapize myself. If it doesn't work, well then... I'll see you at 7."
"You do you," Sparkle said.
"Hey could you pay?" I asked. "I'll need to pay those bills."
Sparkle smirked.
"You're lucky I have a soft spot for friends," she chuckled, opening her purse.
I soon arrived at my intended destination: Sparkle Gleam's home! She wrote the address on a piece of paper, which, I guess wasn't too surprising, was a Canterlot apartment.
When I got to the room, I knocked on the door. The door opened, and a carrot-orange pony with a green mane opened it and looked at me.
"Hi..." I waved a hoof very slightly. "It's... um... me, Prudent."
"SPARKLE!" the mare yelled, bringing me to fold my ears. "FRIEND'S HERE!"
She turned and retreated, and I followed her, ignoring the slight discomfort in my ear.
Sparkle came up.
"Heh... sorry about that," she said. "Anyway... it's not much, but... it's better than nothing."
"I think's its worth the train ride..." I say.
The other mare came out of the kitchen.
"Hey, it's nice to meet you," she said. "Sorry for yelling. Call me Mage."
"She prefers to be called that," Sparkle whispered. "She's not a fan of her real name."
"Anyway, the tea that we promised is almost ready. In the meantime, try to get comfortable."
I nod. I went over to the couch and went on, before letting my body relax. It wasn't a bad couch. It was pretty soft, which obviously played a big role in my physical comfort.
Sparkle sat down.
"Thanks again for the invite," I say.
"Anything for a struggling friend," Sparkle sighed, crossing her hind hooves and putting her forehooves behind her head. She was pretty relaxed as well.
We continued to talk. I told Sparkle about the good things in my life, the ones that faded and the ones that continue to this day... much less of the latter. I tried my best to not seem like such a downer, as I don't like bad impressions.
However, five minutes later, Mage came in with a small teacup on a tiny plate.
"That's the tea?" I asked, slowly extending my hooves. Mage placed the place on my hooves, and I could feel the slight warmth of the plate coming from the cup.
"So here's what you do..." Mage began. "Just drink it, and let your mind do the rest."
I did as I was told. I took a sip, eyes closed. I exhaled a gust of air, and when I opened my eyes...
Everything was dark.
Not pitch-black. It felt like I was in some sort of gray-ish forest, with a very light breeze.
"What the hay..." I whisper.
The sound of the breeze whistled throughout the landscape.
I explored the area, curious as to what was happening. Was this part of it? Or was I going crazy?
I heard a dark whisper, and I quickly turned around. There was nothing there.
"Hello?" I called out.
I heard it again. It sounded like it was a distance away on my right.
I turned right and ran forward a few steps, but once again, nothing was there.
