Dawn Adopted

by Idyll

First published 5th of June, 2023

An older Cozy Glow helps an orphan filly escape Kludgetown.

It had been nearly a decade since Cozy Glow was freed from the binds of her petrification. Still at large, and at the tail end of a visit to Kludgetown, she stumbles across a battered up filly who had just escaped some nasty creatures.

Skedaddle: Part 1 (Rewritten 6/2/24)

Author's Notes:

Old version here: https://pastebin.com/Py1RTmkT

One spark trickled down a puffy roll of cotton. Soon the whole factory stood in flames.

Kludgetown had no standards or regulations. Only the fat rats could afford to have fire-duty creatures on lookout and only ever in their own homes. The fire, glowing a rich amber, feasted on a day’s worth of labor. Then a week’s. Then a month’s. Then every bag of product turned to ash, and with none of those gaps being any longer than the last. Weaved fabrics and stitched clothes manufactured by diverse rows of foals in cubicles—where metal bars on the wall served both as vents for the breathy room and as a source of hot light—destroyed. The fire arrived. Groups of workers fled their stations; their overseers saved themselves. The sound of hooves, paws, and talons galloping and stumbling drummed the factory up to its roof of wavy tin sheets anchored by wires.

Outside, vendors of illicit goods and exotic delicacies hastened to save their livelihoods. The scent of burnt wood usurped the city’s signature fetor of garbage. Changeling tongues, vials of dragon spit, and hippogriff tails fell from roof-tied strings to the dirt. Here was a place where the coats of griffons and pegasi co-mingled in hangers, or mannequins, or as amalgamations of raw fashion under glass. The owners took what they could carry; and passersby, what they could steal.

Twilight sat climates away, divided by a desert, a canyon, a mountain range, another desert, a plain, a forest, a river, another mountain; Kludgetown was far out of her eye and out of Equestria’s jurisdiction. Abyssinia had similar views. The Storm King’s ransacking all those years ago left a scar on the reputations of many species forced to flee to here. Now they were Kludgetown endemic. What a reputation.

Before the fires ended, bounty posters had been already nailed across the city. A whole district had crumpled into ash in less than an hour. And the city’s council, otherwise indifferent to the cries of one sweatshop owner, had gathered a generous reward for the horn of the culprit. And they discussed what consequences were to be enacted, both on her, and secretly on everycreature else in the building when it lit up.

In an alleyway between homes four-stories high, smothered by a halting snow of ash, a filly lay against the sandstone walls. She’s cerise with a tangerine mane as bright and as wavy as the fires her innocuous horn inspired. Her flanks bore no cutie mark and her horn was fettered along the base by a magic muffler—a cheap one, one that starts to glow red after denying enough spells. In a dry room of buyerless goods and stockpiles waiting to be shipped, you only needed a few sparks. It’s miraculous no creature perished.

The filly’s rear slid down the wall and her head sank into her forelegs; her muzzle stuck out between said legs, practically two skin-dressed bones. She had only a half-coconut-sized bowl of cactuses between her two meals yesterday. Things were tough. Today was the culmination of months of lone planning.

Maybe being selfish will destroy me, she thought. Hoofsteps. She limped further into the alleyway, lifting her injured hind leg. There seemed to be no place to hide besides a round trash bin and three steps of stairs leading up to a door.

You couldn’t have known Kludgetown would look like this, she thought. But… maybe they’ll be too busy fixing everything. Maybe they can’t look through every place. If I could just wait here until the night comes… maybe there’s a village that won’t know about me somewhere nearby…

The alleyway funneled a hot breeze. Luster’s stomach grumbled from even the smell of salt in the sand. She pushed against her gut and wished to choke the feeling. Her body should start to break down fats for fuel soon, but she wasn’t sure if she had any fat reserves left. Her belly was mildly distended. That has to be enough.

The Sun rose only an hour ago. Ten hours until nightfall. The filly quietly groaned. If no creature finds her and she makes it through one of the city’s exits, she’ll only have to traverse a desert before hopefully wandering into a friendly village. Can’t be too hard. I mean, maybe there might be scavengers, or smugglers, or—No! Don’t worry about it… please.

Twenty minutes passed by. The filly’s head fell from hunger and she caught herself on the steps. Her adrenaline had been lost to sweat and left an oily residue over her forehead. How she wished she could just—walk out! She lay her cheeks, soft despite her state, on the highest step, and looked up. I guess the oceans must look a bit like that: blue and big and… oh. She had never seen the sky unobstructed by bars or glass before. Her eyes slowly adjusted to the brightness. Must be nice to have a pair of wings…

She traced the sand, still gazing. After a wobbly circle and two dots, she wasn’t sure what expression she wanted to draw. As her eyes scanned the edge of the opposite building’s rooftop, she felt she could almost make it through the day. Her stomach growled again, but it bothered her less now. The thought of biting into a bird made her smile—it was so silly. Was it really?

Two eyes stared back at her from the roof. The filly froze. Her breathing stopped. They were dark red over large whites, glowing through a cloaked silhouette. The filly dragged herself to the other side of the alley, body not lifting from the ground.

Maybe whoever that was didn’t see me… Hoofsteps reverberated from behind the wall—and she heard two masculine voices. Bounty hunters. She needed a better hiding spot.

The filly noticed a hole to her left, a small fissure of ruinous edges along the base of the wall that seemed to lead to a small empty pocket. The fit was tight. Her head when tilted hardly measured equal to the height of the center of the crevice. But against the loudening steps and voices, she had no choice. Such a spot out of sight seemed to be a gift. The filly pushed her head in—but it wouldn’t fit. Her heart ran a lap. The voices grew louder. She pushed and pushed. The voices stopped.

“What are you doing here?” asked a male voice.

They found me… she thought. Oh, how could this happen? They—

“...I want to show you two something,” said a different, colorful, mare’s voice.

The filly sniffled, head halfway through the crevice. ...Should I even keep going? She expected to be grabbed and taken away to who knows where any second now.

“Are you sure about this, pony?” asked a second male voice, fading.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, of course,” said the mare, fading along with the others.

They haven't… The filly forced her head into the hole. Sharp rocks on the floor and top failed to dissuade her from doing what needed to be done—fit. Her head entered the darkness; her neck was still between the crevice. She took one deep breath and pulled in her belly. After one forehoof got through, she pushed against the hole-side wall, and soon managed to pop her hips into the spot. Her head was on the floor, a pipe leaked water onto her chest, and her tail was dangling over her mane, but she was through.

She pushed herself into an upright position and lay facing a crack of light. Her injured leg rung, and now the water was dripping on her head. Another pair of steps neared. A creature, bipedal, stood at the alleyway’s entrance. The filly watched as they hammered something into the wall.

Her face, monochromatic, dismal, staring at the reader on the poster. The memory of when they took that photo was a blurry mush of fear. Underneath, big bold text read: “Reward: One Thousand Stormbucks—Dead or Alive.” That last part was circled. The filly’s head retreated into her shoulders as the creature turned around to leave, half-a-seam of posters on his arm left to nail.

The question—of whether the bounty situation would get better or worse as the day goes on—lingers in her head, screaming louder than her few positive thoughts, decaying her littlest of respite.

There has to be something good I can do… The filly looked around. There’s still a trash can near the steps. Maybe if I look inside, I’ll find something useful, like something to hide myself, or a…but I can’t use my magic.

She placed one hind hoof and one forehoof against the horn ring, and her last non-injured leg against the floor for support. For what must’ve been the hundredth attempt today, she tried to get her magical muffler off. The muffler had been hammered too near her forehead to be wedged, so the filly had to squeeze. She gathered as much strength as her small bloated body could offer. But no matter how hard she pushed, the ring wouldn’t budge. It’s as if the small shackle had grown roots inside her horn, wrapping around her skull. Pushing harder made her fear she’d rip off her horn. She tried twisting the ring off. Then, she tried tugging in short bursts, which hurt much more than the steady approach.

Nothing’s working… A tear formed in each inner corner of her eyes. Well, at least I have time here… Maybe I can chip it off…

She looked around for a rock or an object of that nature to blow off her restraint.

More hoofsteps. She felt she should just ignore them at this point—many creatures go back and forth these alleyways and panic would only make her breaths more obvious—but these hoofsteps were very close. And they came closer. And she could feel each clip and clop drum her skull. The sounds stopped. The creature was near. Their shadows covered the entrance of the filly’s cave like a welcome rug. The edge of her black cloak waved in the wind.

The filly got the hunch. She held her breath. Maybe they’ll leave…

The figure vocalized her stretches and loudly she yawned. “Gosh, that fire earlier sure was something,” she said. “All those products and buildings turned to soil, oh goodness me! How will they ever recover? And, gee, when they find the little culprit, they’ll—” The figure made choking noises.

Maybe they’ll still leave… the filly thought.

“Welp, I’ve got nothing better to do,” said the figure. “Guess I’ll just sit here and keep watch in case that cherry-colored filly with the orange mane and a ring around her horn decides to show herself.” A cloud of dust blew over the crevice’s entrance as the figure sat on her cloak.

…I’m doomed.

A minute passed. The figure seemed to get bored by the lack of anything happening. Meanwhile, the filly sat unsure of which angle would make her the most invisible. There was a puddle on the floor, but the entrance to the outside stood above the ground by an inch. If she lay as low as she could, maybe the stranger wouldn’t be able to see her.

There’s a sound of something being ruffled. Then a red plastic bag got tucked inside the filly’s hiding spot by a pink hoof. The bag still smelt warm and delicious. Biting and chewing was heard as the figure chowed down on her breakfast.

“Mmm~,” she hummed for all the alley to hear. “Oh, do I sure love having the most important meal of the day in this… disgusting, smelly alleyway.” She continued with her mouth full, “I sure wouldn’t mind sharing my treat as long as some filly were to ask, very nicey, ‘please.’”

The smell was almost visible: toasted bread and sliced vegetables with a dripping sauce of imported flavors. The filly bit herself to stay away; I just—I…

More noises of fiddling preceded a piece of paper wrap getting tucked inside of what had become the figure’s bin and filly’s nest. The ball of clean trash still had crumbs of muffin bread. Of the shot glass of fluids left in the filly in total, about a pint had been wasted on salivation. She gulped, considering almost drinking the water from the leaky pipe to get by. Even the paper seemed enough. Paper is made of trees, right? Trees are plants… Ugh, this creature has no idea how lucky she is…

“Aw, yuck!” the figure shouted. “Why would that colt put peppers in a muffin sandwich?! No pony has ever done that before!” The filly watched a perfectly good piece of food splatter on the wall in front of her cave with tomato sauce oozing before falling onto the dirt.

Her heart broke and she sat in shock as if she had witnessed her own murder.

“Well, I’ve got plenty of more food back at my house,” said the figure. “Too bad I don’t have a reason to go back yet. Guess I’ll just have to stay here forever.” She lay down, back facing the crevice, which trapped the filly in darkness. “Sigh,” she continued. “I sure could use a friend…”

“Why are you saying that in an alleyway?” asked a random’s voice from outside.

The figure flashed her face, and the random fled.

The filly’s stomach growled.

“Hmm, I wonder what that sound was?” asked the figure. Still in her hood, she turned to face the wall where the filly was hiding, her belly a plug blocking the crevice.

Knock, knock, knock! The figure hits the wall three times. “Hello, is anypony home? I heard a dastardly roar coming from what must’ve been a big scary monster!” She pulls her body along the wall, and now her head is in the sight of the crevice. Still, her face was covered by the shadows of the wall and her hood. The filly recognized those eyes from the roof. Red. A bounty hunter…

The filly kicked herself off the end of the hole. Her horn shot forwards and pierced one of the figure’s eyes—nearly. The figure’s reflexes kicked into action. Though her danger stood in the dark, she was able to push herself back and avoid the needle of the filly.

“Okay, that is too far!” scolded the figure. She stood up and dusted the dirt off her coat. Then, she turned around and bucked the top of the crevice. Light shone through as the crack crumbled and grew. The figure looked at the cowering filly and shook her hooded head. “Y’know, I was coming in here really admiring what you did. When I saw your picture on the noticeboard this morning, I thought: ‘Wow, how in Equestria did a filly such as yourself end up in a place as rotten as this? Maybe I should invite her to my house for tea and we discuss all posh and proper how we both got here?’ But it seems you don’t want the help of a warm and friendly pony. After you tried to—put that rock down!”

The figure smacked the filly’s hooves, and she dropped a dagger-shaped piece of the ceiling.

“If that’s how you’re going to be, then fine! It’s your life. Enjoy your hole, which is a rat nest, by the way. I’ll go fly to Equestria all by my lonesome. Who needs a companion anyways? Hmph!” The figure walked away.

What was that last part? “E-Equestria?” asked the filly.

“Don’t you have something to say to me?”

“How far is Equestria?” ask the filly.

“No, the S-word—I mean the one with five—Oh, never mind.” The figure grabbed the filly, who failed to retreat back into her hole, and flew to the rooftop. The foal had never flown before—so she screamed.

After the pegasus landed, she pressed the cleaner side of her hoof against the filly’s mouth. “Shush!” she shouted. “Gosh, you yelled right into my ears! I’m here trying to rescue you and all—” She sniffled. “Anyways! Do that again, and—” She grabbed the foal by the mane and pulled her eyes over the edge. Bounty hunters were right downstairs. She gulped. The figure continued, “Now, before we sort out our differences, let’s get one thing straight: what’s your name?”

“...I’m…”

“C’mon, you have to know this!”

“…”

“What, you don’t trust me?” asked the figure. She walked towards the edge. “Hey fellas! Guess who doesn’t trust me!”

The filly bit into the figure’s cloak and pulled her back. “It’s… L-Luster…”

“Just L-Luster?” asked the figure, leaning towards the edge. “No middle or last name?”

“Creatures have more than one?” Luster asked.

“Not everypony, but most. Don’t worry though. Your flanks are still blank canvases so I’m sure you’ll figure yourself out soon. Anyhow, you introduced yourself, so I should be fair and return the gesture—when we get to my house.”

“…” Luster looked unsure.

“If we get to my house. I won’t foalnap you, don’t worry. Sure, I already have you here, and I could easily cash out a paycheck now—wouldn't that be evil?—but I’ll let you choose.”

“...I…”

The figure uncurled a wing to showcase to Luster. “Look at this shade of coral. Does this look like the feathers of a threatening mare?”

“A bit…” Luster said.

“Yes… Well, I can be threatening if I want,” she said. “But I can be nice too. They say I’m almost deceptively innocent… cross out the ‘almost.’ Say, you seem pretty interested in my feathers.”

Luster hadn’t noticed how still her gaze was on those long rows of pink. A coat texture blanketed her wing bones in a triangle shape, transitioning to short, fluffy covets near the tip and below, trailing down to preened, lengthy primaries, secondaries, and whatever else was covered by her cloak. Her feathers looked sharp, yet comfy, evocative of starving vultures, but also of angels.

“Not a lot of pegasi at your place, huh?” asked the figure.

“Their wings are smaller.”

“Now that we’ve established that I’m adorable and threatening, why don’t you help me figure out what you are, Luster.” The figure took a step closer and lifted a lock of the filly’s mane over to the back of her ear.

“W-what are you doing?” Luster asked, leaning her head back slightly, but in vain.

“I’m trying to figure out what you are,” answered the figure. “Based on the ears, the coat, and the muzzle shape, and the mane curliness—you should wash your hair. Hmm… maybe you’re an earth pony, or a changeling, or a crystal pony… I’m just not too sure.”

“I’m a—” Is she stupid? “—I’m a unicorn.”

“A unicorn? Here? Oh gosh.” The figure smacked her head. “Prove it. Cast a spell.”

“I uhh… got this thing over here.” Luster tapped her muffler. “I can only do sparks if I really try. And they also hurt a bit.”

“And who are your parents? How did you get here?”

“...I’m not sure,” Luster said, ears and face drooping. The wind was louder than her voice, but the mare never asked for her to repeat herself.

“Right... Oh well! I’m an orphan too. Who needs parents? Pff!”

Luster felt a smidge of comfort and started to smile at the mare before she continued:

“Gosh, it’s hot around here, isn’t it? Your head must be sizzling.” She used her wing as an umbrella over Luster’s eyes. “Well, I better go home. My throat needs a big cold glass of juice after that silly sandwich I bought. Made up your mind yet?”

Luster looked around to gague her options. To her side were windows, and she could spot other creatures—but she wasn’t sure if they had spotted her, yet. “Can I come?”

The mare laid herself on the floor in a loaf position and said, “Sure! Just hop on. But if you scream into my ears again—splat! And the bounty hunters will snatch you up. I can almost still hear the ringing you caused.”

Luster gulped. She knew this was risky, trusting a draped stranger, but if she ended up caught because she tossed away this chance—well, maybe there wouldn’t be any time for regrets. Maybe they’d chop her head off in one fell swoop, or worse, they’d keep her alive and boil her in front of her old workmates. So, she walked around the mare’s wings—scared that stepping on her clean feathers would offend her—and got onto her back through the side of her neck. The cloak made lying a bit slippery. As the mare got up and walked around, Luster’s front legs clung around the other’s neck, but not too tightly. Her head on the mare’s covered withers bumped up and down at opposite intervals to her rear. But the grownup felt sturdy, unable to be toppled. Luster felt she was the weak one.

“Come on slowpoke,” said the mare. “Get on my back already or I’ll leave without you.”

“I’m already here,” replied Luster.

“Really? Gosh, you’re like a ninja! So sneaky.” The mare’s wings were extended through slots covered by squares of black, so that if the bearer chose to hide their wings, no creature could steal a glance at their color. Though Luster noticed, when they were on the ground, a roll of blue for her tail, covered completely in a separate, removable section of the apparel. “Okay, Lustie, hold on tight! I’m about to go from zero to Mach-speeds! Don’t dangle your legs or it’ll get chopped off by a clothesline. They’ll sell it on the streets and you won’t see a buck.”

Luster grabbed tighter and also squeezed her hind legs close to the mare’s sides. The pegasus bent her front legs, wiggled her hind, “Ready for it?” and—flew at a leisurely pace, as if only trying to overtake a chatty group.

“Hope you’re not too sick back there,” said the mare, adjusting her back to not be too sloped. “If you are, you better hold it in. And I’m actually pretty serious about that.” She landed on the brick railings of a rooftop and trotted over to the next. “Here comes a jump!” Luster’s head bumped into the mare’s back as she stopped and hopped over to the next building. “Here comes another one.” And again. Finally, she ended the trip with a second-long glide down a story to an exterior fire exit. “Woo! That was a trip. Anypony still back there, or have I left an omelet of blood and bones on the ground?”

“…I’m still here.”

“Jeez, can’t believe you survived that,” the mare said, lowering her neck to slide the filly through the window into her house.

She looked over and noticed a creature entering the opposite building. “Ptz! Here kitty, kitty, kitty~” The neighbor, an Abyssinian feline bipedal, grumpily closed their curtains.

Light plumes of smoke could still be seen from the site of the fire. The mare closed her curtains as well.

Luster, limping, was struck by how comfy the room looked. The walls were clean sandstone bricks covered by paintings of Equestria’s baddest villains and photos taken of famous landmarks, each with a rook somewhere in focus, whether that be a rook-shaped pillow or a chess piece taken from a set board. Between those lay soulless motivational posters, such as an Abyssinian hanging onto a branch captioned, “Hang in there!” or “You’re Pawsome!”

An armchair sat opposite a sofa, both red with floral lace covers, and had a rook-shaped pillow identical to the one in those photos but a shade duller from age. The carpets were more suited for a bathroom, what with it being made out of bulky crocheted yarn. When Luster went over to inspect a wooden table with a glass top, she saw her hoofs had left a trail of dirt marks. The filly took a step back, only to have made more stains. Now she’s stuck.

“You’re not staining my very, very expensive white hoofmade rug, are you sweetie?” asked the mare in her attached kitchen. She took an orange carton out of her fridge, which to Luster looked to be from the future and had photos of creatures, critters, and clouds attached by magnets to its door. “Why don’t you have a seat?”

Luster, to avoid muddying the carpet, climbed onto the table and jumped to the sofa.

“You’re really stepping your hoovsies on my table?” said the mare. “Tsk, tsk, tsk. Who taught you your manner, young mare?” The sound of juice being poured overlapped the silence. “I should destroy you for that.”

Luster wasn't sure what rude meant in this new world. She wasn’t even sure what hygiene was. Meal breaks in between work were shared by rats, and water was a scarce resource. But she knew how to apologize to her superiors; so, she surfaced her head over the sofa’s back—now she was staining the laces—and looked up to see the mare—with her head now unsheathed.

Whirlpools of sky-blue hair haunted the mare’s head under cream-colored horns. Light freckles patterned her pearly cheeks. Her eyes were as ardent as Tartarus, feathers as sharp as a snake’s tongue, and now that voice soothing, deceptively innocent, made total sense… I have to get out of here!

Cozy Glow watched the filly’s eyes constrict and muscles freeze. “What’s wrong, dearie? You look as if you’ve walked into the den of a monster...” Her head cracked to her side as she smiled. “Gee, I’m hungry. Why don’t you make yourself breakfast?”

The supervillain spun a knife into the air. She grabbed the blade and threw it in the direction of the filly.

Luster opened her eyes, half believing she had entered another plane of being, or that Anguish was late to excite her nerves. The knife had only struck a pineapple in a weaved fruit bowl on the table.

“Golly! Seems I haven’t lost my throwing skills, won’tcha say?” Carrying six glasses in between her foreleg and chest, Cozy placed each one on the table. The glasses all had depictions of a member of the Mane Six. “Be careful with my fine porcelain.”

Luster jumped back as Cozy sat beside her. After a moment, her head turned to the filly. “Aren’t you going to sit down or do you want to redecorate my whole house?” Cozy asked, eyes pointed at Luster’s hooves. “Foul foal.”

“Look who’s…” Luster gulped. “Look who’s talking…”

Cozy stared on with a poker face, before losing herself to tears. “Oh, you’re right! Look who’s talking! You look so scared… Even foals in Kludgetown are afraid of me! Oh, boo. Oh, boo hoo…” She blew her muzzle on a hoofkerchief from under her cloak. “I’m guessing you already know who I am?”

“...You’re Cozy Glow,” Luster said. “Manipulator, supervillain. You tried to take over the world, twice.”

“Three times,” Cozy said, the sadness in her voice drying up. “I was just kicked out of the Crystal Empire last month. News must get to you slow. And here I thought snail-mail was a cheeky colloquialism.”

“...Why?”

“Oh, y’know, voiced a few pretty spicy opinions, sat on the wrong chair. Now they want my head on their wall. I’m not sure if that’s a better job than being a statue but I really don’t want to find out. You get what I mean?”

“...What are you going to do to me?”

Cozy jumped onto the couch and stood on her hind legs, spreading aloft her wings and front hooves, glaring her teeth, glaring at the filly, who receded into the arm of the couch with a yelp—and Cozy giggled before dropping and lying down. Now the villain’s head lay on the sofa, evicting Luster to less than a single seat cushion of space. Luster—careful not to get dirt on Cozy’s mane or else she’d wish she got caught by a bounty hunter—peeked her head over Cozy’s bow. The mare’s irises rose from the ceiling to the filly’s.

“What would I do to you?” Cozy wondered aloud. “Why would I go after a filly like you? You're just a little arsonist. I’ll say, when I saw giant towers of smoke erupting into the sky, I thought Flurry Far—Heart, Flurry Heart, had heard I was here and, oh, I guess I better pack my bags. I was supposed to meet a friend from the Empire but she’s very mentally sick and bailed on me last minute.” She sighed. “Guess I’ll have to fly all the way back home myself, alone, since, well, who would want to share a trip with a pony as wicked as me?”

“...You’re going to Equestria?” Luster asked. “Is it… is it really better… than here?”

“It’s okay,” Cozy said. “Twilight’s sinking the economy and most of the creatures are vile, but there are some good parks and the food is lovely. You don’t get how tricky it is to find even a morsel of anything edible in this city.”

Luster’s stomach roared.

“...Seems somefilly has an empty tummy,” Cozy said. “Though yours is a bit… tumid. Did you eat a cloud? They only put those around fancy drinks for decoration.”

“What? No, I just…”

Cozy reached for a tin of biscuits under her table. “You shouldn’t eat balloons either. You don’t know where that helium could’ve come from. Now come on, pick a drink and cookie.”

“...Are these normal?”

“No they’re full of filly poison,” Cozy said. “Of course they’re normal.” She bit into one that had a layer of chocolate on top. “Your bounty is like a tissue paper to me. You know how many digits are on my bounty? It’s on television. Besides, I’m not a pony that revels in meaningless violence unlike some of my very good friends. No. The only reason I’d ever have to lay a feather on another creature is if they were mean to me. But what have you done that’s mean to me?”

Luster looked at her hoof marks on Cozy’s fabrics. “...Are your ears okay?” she asked.

“Why would you bring that up, meanie? Are you still not sure about my cookies? Huh? What, you think I’m lying to you? I’m just a big fat liar? Is that it?!” Cozy’s glare flicked the filly to her back. Getting up, Luster crawled under the villain’s eyes and hovered her hooves over her choices. The tin of butter-milk biscuits was five-cookies tall and presented many treats. There were ones that were flat rings, ones that had a dollop of vanilla frosting in the middle, ones that were squared and ones that were circular, ones covered in a sprinkling of sugar, and ones drenched in solid chocolate; only one of that type was left. Luster reached for what Cozy got.

“Uh, uh, uh,” scolded Cozy, passing her a wet wipe pulled from a bag lying on the floor. “Let’s not be too messy.” Luster looked at the cold layered tissue as if she had never seen one before. So, Cozy acted as the servant and wiped the forehooves of the filly for her.

The instant Luster brought her muzzle closer to the box and felt the fragile weight of the biscuit between her lips, her hunger revived. Cozy watched in silence as Luster used her hooves to catch the crumbs. Then she licked the crumbs off her butter antibacterial-smelling soles—thank goodness they were cleaned! “Don’t bite your hooves off, filly.”

“C-can I…” Luster pointed to the box.

“No.”

“What? Why?”

“You’re not supposed to feed malnourished fillies too much. The shift in electrolytes could destroy you,” Cozy explained. “Do you know what electrolytes are?”

“Not really…”

Cozy took the tin and hovered over to her kitchen. “Do you know what electricity is?”

“Kind of.”

“It’s the bright zappy magic that powers a lot of our stuff: lights, fridges, coffee machines. I really wish the pegasi towns would stop phasing out lightning just to rely on hornhea—” Cozy forgot for a moment what tribe the filly in the room belonged to. “...spells. They rely on spells too much. I only use the coffee thing for cocoa. You ever had a cocoa?”

Luster shook her head, though because her head was against the sofa facing the fruit, Cozy couldn’t tell. “What’s that?”

“Only the most wonderful drink you’ll ever have! Fresh hot chocolate with milk biscuits and marshmallows. Oh, if only you weren’t so starved.”

“Why would you want a hot drink?”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk—you haven’t been to the skies yet. You’ll want nothing colder than a tongue-melting cocoa when your breath forms a cloud, and you’re helpless to stop your own chittering teeth, and the colorful juices in your horn start to freeze, and your tears turn to crystals, and icicles form over your whiskers. Nice set by the way.” Cozy strummed the sensitive hairs growing out of Luster’s muzzle. The filly’s whole body spasmed.

After placing a cuboid bottle with an extruding top carrying a deep-red liquid on the table, alongside a spoon, Cozy dug a large manicure set out of her bag and opened it like a book. Inside was an array of crystal care tools—which to Luster, could only be used for torturing helpless foals. She pulled out a long pair of scissors with a dull tip. “Want me to trim those for you?” Cozy asked, snip-snipping the air.

Luster covered her muzzle and shook her head, whipping her mane back and forth.

“You have a pair of predator eyes to see in front of you,” Cozy said, booping Luster just as she was opening up, “but fine. Just don’t complain later when the cold wind drives you crazy. Oops! I mean, if you decide to tag along.” She reached again for the bottle, condensation now brimming the sides, and for the spoon to pour a dose. It flowed about as well as honey and smelled bitter.

Luster already knew what she was not doing. “What is that?”

“Changeling blood,” Cozy said, straight-faced. “Kidding. It’s a healing potion.”

“...That’s a strong smell.”

“It’s only a four in strength. Don’t want to send your body into shock, now do we? That would make cashing you in too easy.”

Luster assumed that was a joke too, but she had no idea what a four even meant or on what metric, but still that sounded powerful. “Do I have to have the whole thing or…?”

“My advice is to take it all in one gulp. This will make your leg heal a whole lot quicker. Not instantaneously, but quicker.” As Cozy brought the spoon closer, Luster’s head pulled back. Cozy's pouting made Luster kiss the spoon, which was a mistake. The bitter smell had a perfumy undertone which did not help; it was as if the black bits of a fish’s liver had been dried into a chalk, boiled in venous blood, mixed with the shavings of a rose candle.

“I’m good,” Luster said.

“Now Luster,” said Cozy in a soothing voice, “I know this potion smells… not very nice… Okay—it smells really bad! Like floral stomach acids because my dearest dealer is the stingiest mare I know—more than those Flim and Flam brothers, that doctor!—and I don’t see a point in tossing her a tip, because usually injured creatures aren’t all that PICKY!”

Luster pointed her horn instinctively, scrambling to get up from her position on the couch.

“...Sorry,” Cozy said. “I was thinking of somefilly else. Anyways, how about we make a deal? I’m a very good negotiator so you’re going to have to open your ears and use that head of yours. I’ll take a spoonful of this to mend my own ear numbness caused by somepony’s screams, and if you do the same, I’ll give a cast to that broken leg, and you get another biscuit. How’s that sound?” Cozy asked, a cheek resting on her hoof.

“…” Luster saw the tools Cozy had in the open manicure set on the table. She wondered if they were sharp enough to… “What about my horn? Can you do something about my horn first?”

“Oh, that? Why? So you can blast my head off? The infamous Cozy Glow is to be defeated by a shower-free filly? Is that the legacy you’re going for?”

“What?! No, no!”

“You’re smiling!”

“I-I don’t know why I’m smiling.”

“So it’s a nervous smile?”

“I… think... so? Heh…”

“Now you’re giggling! Oh gosh, I better get out of here.” Cozy started to lift herself. “This filly’s crazy!”

“Wait, no, please!” Luster grabbed Cozy by the tail of her cloak.

“...Fine. I’ll trust you, but the horn freeing only comes after everything else, got it?”

“Yeah, that’s okay.”

“Shake on it.” Cozy, still hovering, extended her hoof. Luster looked her in the eyes as she ratified the deal.

The mare took her dose without whining, only squinting and sucking her lips. “Yum… Okay, now it’s your turn,” she said, landing. Luster’s mind was so preoccupied with fear that when Cozy sat down, and her weight depressed the cushion, she lost her balance; and she caught herself on Cozy’s side.

“I wouldn’t have thought the potion was scary enough to make you hug a supervillain, come on,” Cozy said. Nevertheless, she wrapped a wing over Luster and shook her gently. Now Luster lay trapped, forced to watch as the villain poured her concoction.

“Wait, you’re gonna use the same spoon?” Luster raised, clutching one of Cozy’s ringlets with her other leg over her wing. “Isn’t that super gross?”

“I already washed it with a wet wipe,” Cozy said. “Those are antibacterial.”

Luster stroked the bony edge of Cozy’s wing, wondering: how do these things allow her to fly? “Still gross…”

Cozy squinted at the filly. “Fine, fair, okay. I have another spoon right here in my bag.”

“When have those been cleaned?” Now she was playing peekaboo with the mare’s wing.

“I’m sorry, when was your last bath? And you’re talking to me about hygiene?! Just because these rosy clear cheeks are part of my natural good looks doesn’t mean it doesn’t need maintenance! Say that three times fast. You can do that while I go get the cleanest spoon from my drawer.” She winked.

Luster sat up straight as Cozy flew off. It’s as if she had a grudge against the floor. She loved to fly. When she wasn’t walking, her wingtips were the default for holding objects. The filly couldn’t tell if that was normal pegasus behavior because in her factory, pegasi were rarer than unicorns, and unicorns were rare. Fliers were difficult creatures to keep, and less productive than other tribes once you pluck out their feathers. There were a few griffons in her factory, and Luster knew one quite well. She never could fly with the restraints and leg cuffs she had to wear. Her coat wasn’t as flashy or fashionable as a pegasus pony’s, so she stayed around and slept next to her.

Cozy’s home had good aeration but a desert day was still a desert day; but despite the sweat-inducing climate, Luster couldn’t say she hated the comfort of Cozy’s feathers—a supervillain’s feathers, perhaps the most Evil pony in the history of everything. What other filly went to Tartarus? And what did they say? She pretends to be sweet and nice just so she can lure you right into her trap! And then she’ll destroy you. And laugh. Oh, how she’ll laugh! In ways that say she isn’t even a pony at all! But a cunning spirit of mischief that eats foals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner after stealing them from their nests and clipping off their talons with dull blades—one. By. One.

Or at least that’s what Georgia told me. But it must be—

Darkness. Cozy had sat down in front of Luster and leaned back.

Couldn’t she see me? Is she blind? Does she want to cut off my muzzle?!

“Lustie? Where did you go?” Cozy asked, a hoof over her forehead, searching for the lost foal. “I could’ve sworn you were just here! Well, guess I’ll just sit and wait for you over this comfy new message pillow. Might as well treat myself to all the cook—EOUCH!”

Cozy bent forwards, and, twisting her shoulders, she pushed Luster to her side with a wing. Wincing, she said, “I would’ve thought a slave factory would’ve filed that horn of yours. Golly, filly, you poked right through my wing joint. You know I’m still Cozy Glow, right? Supervillain?”

“You nearly killed me!” Luster said.

“Ah yes, of course,” Cozy said, tucking her wings back into her cloak through the slots. “Smothered and cooked to death like a wasp in a bee hive. You know a journalist actually called me a bumblebee before? And back then I was only a filly! Multiple articles too. When I returned to the Crystal Empire, guess what her first line for my article was. “It seems Cozy Glow has buzzed back to life—” What a jerk. I should hire a different type of bug to visit her house. It’s like they don’t even believe I’m a pony. It’s absurd!”

“…”

“No…” Cozy’s eyes and body recoiled. “Don’t tell me you buy that garbage too! How old do you think I am?”

“...Forty… six?”

“...Wow. At least it’s not a thousand or something ridiculous. That’s still ridiculous! That’s twice too high, give or take a couple of years. My birthday is a mystery. I celebrate it on the day Tirek, Chrysalis, I threw a big cupcake party. Oh, I miss those days so much. Do you know what a cupcake is? Well, you can have one—never! Now have your spoon. I don’t feel bad for bringing you a soup ladle now.”

“You felt bad?”

Cozy chuckled. “I know. That’s a good one.” She already had a dot of red goo at the bottom of the ladle. Luster swore that was more than a spoonful. The smell was forced upwards by the curve of the ladle and Luster’s ears dropped down to her muzzle. “Come on, you look like a beaten puppy. Just pitch your nostrils and take one big filly sip. You can wash it down with one of the drinks you haven’t touched.” Luster reached for the drinks. “Oh yeah, keep stalling.”

Her body acted as a bridge between the sofa and table as she used one foreleg to hang on and the other to separate a glass.

Cozy walked her feathers on Luster’s back, pretending they were an upright dragon. “Really? Twilight Sparkles cup?” she said; Luster felt tickled by the feathers reaching her neck. “Okay, it’s your choice. Not as bad as Applejack.” She mocked, “Your pen pal Tirek told us all about how he—ugh! That voice. What happened to talking normally?”

“You don’t talk normally.”

“Now don’t be silly and have your medicine. C’mon! Here comes the Friendship Express! The Wonderbolts coming in hot! Harmony ray to conquer Nightmare Moon!”

Luster rolled her eyes before returning to the brim of tears. She gulped and shoved her muzzle into the ladle—and licked up the acrid puddle.

The dose resembled peanut butter in that it stuck between her teeth and tongue. Even after most of it went down to her stomach, and coated her throat in a tar of carrion, whenever she took a breath, bitterness bounced back. She could almost see puke-colored fumes blow out of her nostrils as she rinsed her mouth with spit.

Oh, the drink! Luster remembered. Where is it?! It wasn’t on the table; instead, after a moment of whistling away from Luster’s torment, Cozy tapped the filly’s head with the glass between her feathers. She was smirking—the sick mare! But Luster grabbed the glass and chugged. At least the wave of grape juice helped kick the horror back into her stomach. “Ugh,” Luster muttered.

She offered no fight as Cozy toppled her over on the forehead. She just lay on her back, a front leg hanging over the sofa, hardly wincing—so used to pain—as Cozy wrapped a blue, shimmering bandage over her broken leg.

Cozy tucked a biscuit into Luster’s mouth, which she held between her lips like a cigarette. There was no warning. Cozy’s forehooves and wings, all four around her pastern, jolted. They shifted the filly’s bones into their proper places. Luster snapped the cookie. But the pegasus acted fast, and in only two seconds, she was finished. Her left hoof tapped the bandage twice, and the wraps expanded and solidified into a sturdy, azure crystal.

A gust of wind straightened Luster’s mane as Cozy flapped back to avoid the filly’s single-hoof kicks. Luster bit the cushions of the sofa, focusing on not twitching a single muscle in her poor leg. And her body felt too busy crying to keep the bile down her stomach.

“I know it hurts, dear, but you even think about puking on my beautiful couch, and you can consider this place your home for the rest of your life,” Cozy said. “And by that, I mean outside. My house needs to be clean in case I ever decide to come visit. I’m not sure you’re a very clean pony.”

Everything to Luster was a blur. The outlines of her vision waved as her heart drummed her temples. She failed again and again to calm her breathing. The biscuit still sat in her mouth.

“...Now that I’ve really gotten a good look at it… I’ll probably burn these cushions. Your hoofprints are everywhere.”

The pain. The visceral stinging pain. Deep into bones. Inalienable from conscious being. Networks of nerves igniting and muscles fearful to react. Just please let it end, Cozy, please.

“So, uhh...” Cozy sipped the strawberry juice in the Applejack glass. “You don’t blame me for this, right? Because I didn’t break your leg. I’m just the doctor. Maybe you should be more careful when you’re escaping next time? Or get a pair of wings.”

“You’re a featherhead,” Luster whispered loudly.

“You better watch your tongue, young mare. You can’t say things like that in Twilight’s Equestria.”

“I don’t care.”

“You don’t? Oh my goodness, please don’t hurt me, please!” Cozy dug into her bag. “But seriously, if I unlock your horn and I get one burn on my body, I will kick your pointy crystal straight off your head. That’ll feel much worse than a broken bone. Last pony I did that to was on the floor for days. She cried all sorts of crazy things.”

Cozy flew over to the still-lying filly and dug her lock picks into the muffler’s keyhole. This time, Luster watched very closely what the mare was doing. She felt the clicks of Cozy’s tooling as she jiggled two sharp picks near what was a very sensitive organ.

“Say, you’ve probably lived here longer than I have,” Cozy said, as if she were a barber chatting with the client. “What’s Abyssinia like? I always wanted to go there but I’ve been too busy. You must have some friends snatched from an Abyssinian city.” She had a few differently shaped picks in her mouth which dwindled Luster’s will to watch her operation; her eyes were right under Cozy, who started hovering and doing her work at a sloped angle. “There’s also Farasi.”

“Yeah…”

“That place with the zebras and the kelpies. It shouldn’t take more than a day’s worth of flying so long as the weather stays clear. Abyssinia’s actually closer to here than Equestria.”

“Uh-huh…”

“But I heard bad things about their food. I’ve been forced to eat meat a few times to get by. Usually I just end up swallowing my pieces because my pony teeth weren’t made for chewing corpses. You ever had to eat meat?”

“…”

“Luster?”

“Huh? Uhh… maybe.”

“...Think fast,” Cozy said, and standing on the floor for once, she dropped a biscuit; it fell on Luster’s muzzle. “Oh. Do you have a magic deficiency or…” Cozy spun the detached muffler ring around her furthermost feather.

Luster realized her horn no longer carried the feeling of being choked or heavy. Flowing from the base to the tip and back down, streams of magical catalysts had awakened from a sleepwalk. She turned to Cozy’s armchair and—

Bits of burning fabric flew across the room as Luster’s first spell spawned a sneeze of fire. A couple of those landed in front of Cozy’s hooves. None touched her mane.

Luster blew out a few embers on Cozy’s cloak. The villain was stoic.

“One burn, Luster.” Cozy’s wing symbol of a ‘one’ motioned into a slice over her forehead. “And you never even sat on that chair. That’s a pretty big waste.” Black smoke started to pile on the ceilings. Luster looked at Cozy, cringing in panic. “Don’t worry about me. I have hundreds of flight hours in high altitudes. My breath-holding skills are pretty good.”

“...But what about—” Luster covered her muzzle to avoid guzzling smoke.

Cozy sighed. She took off her cloak and placed it over Luster, got closer to the fire, and grabbed the rook-shaped pillow from the floor. Her hooves and teeth twisted the rook, and—pop! Using her wings to push forth a gust, a flurry of clouds shot outwards and choked the flames like foam. “Happy?”

Luster nodded. This was a big mess. She told herself she’d better listen to Cozy to not upset the supervillain further. She couldn’t tell if the grownup was numb, or one gawk away from snapping, or what would trigger that snap. The outside world had too many choices. If only she was invisible, then she could study how to live without having to traverse questions of how to be polite or all the odd rituals, like wiping your hooves before meals. And what’s a zebra? Or a Farasi?

Cozy opened a window and looked back at a clock. “Well Lustie, if you really are serious about wanting to be smuggled to Equestria, then surely a reasonable payment of bits to me would only be fair, no?”

“P...payment?” Luster fidgeted with the ends of the cloak Cozy dropped on her earlier.

“Well, for that and the couch. There’s never been a mare as wanted as me, and I hardly know you. So you could be a spy, or a tattler, desperate for attention or riches. Tell me why I should set myself up for a lifetime of liability.”

“I-I wouldn’t do that. I would be the most thankful creature in the world! And, I mean, that would be dumb, of course—to tell ponies about you, I mean.”

“Yeah... It would be really stupid, wouldn’t it? I’m sure even if those bounty hunters had a blade to your neck, you would never spill a letter about me, right?” Cozy smiled.

“Y-yes, of course!”

Cozy tilted head. “Of course you would or of course you wouldn’t? It’s a negative question, Lustie. You need to brush up on grammar.”

“Not! Of course, I would never, ever tell on a pony like you!”

“Pony like me?” Cozy asked, one eye bigger than the other. “What’s that supposed to—I’m teasing. You’re a smart filly. You know that if you were to tell anypony, or a critter about me, if you dare to even dream about this whole tea party, I’d—well, you know what I’d do.”

“…”

“But anyways,” Cozy went on, “you haven’t said a reason to make up for the burden of carrying you all those thousands of miles up north. Sadly you’ll be getting a royal experience with how wonderful of a flier I am, and every pegasus pony should know their worth, us factory folk. Plus, you’ve never flown before, right? And so I’ll have to go slower, and also lower, and then there’s the weather, and the pits stops, and I can’t yaw or pitch too much or you’ll fall down, and if that happens over an Equestrian town, I’ll be doomed!”

“...I don’t have any bits—”

Cozy gasped but with her eyes and body not moving.

“...Maybe I can pay you by… sweeping?”

“In the house I’m about to move out of? That sure is an offer.” Cozy saw a puddle of sweat forming under Luster’s hooves. “Maybe you can help me pack my things into my bag.” She pointed to her one satchel. “Then, if I fly just as fast as before to keep special accommodations fees low, maybe you’ll be able to afford one cold bumpy ride on my back.”

“That sounds fair!” Luster blurted.

“Excellent! You can start by chucking the couch.”

“...You want me to go downstairs by myself?” Where they’re probably looking for me?

“What? Would you rather toss it out the window?” Cozy laughed and pointed to the fire exit they entered from. “Use that one. It’s the noisiest one.”

Ding-dong. Luster never heard a sound like that before.

“Seems somecreature’s at my door,” Cozy said. “Must’ve sniffed you out. You should go use my shower before you muddy my burnt couch.” She meant it as a joke, but Luster walked over to the short hallway serving three rooms anyways. There was a bathroom to the left, door opened, and two bedrooms—one for Cozy herself, and one for guests if she decided to have any—doors closed.

“Where is she?!” shouted the creature at the door. And Luster recognized the voice. The creature was piggish, heavy build, and before would be contracted by the Boss to catch defecting foals. And they were made examples of. The sounds she heard on those days were almost worse than the sights.

Did Cozy… Did she invite… Luster grappled with the possibility.

Cozy had the front door opened only ajar. “Give me just a moment, mister.”

She pulled a dart gun out of her bag, loaded a bullet of (magical) xylazine, and pointed the barrel at the peephole.

Luster heard a loud splintery smash. But she had already locked the bathroom doors. The idea of Cozy pulling her heartstrings all long now seemed extra questionable compared to when the bounty hunter knocked. The living-room table shattered. But Evil creatures were always backstabbing each other. Either way, she should probably hide someplace safe in this bathroom. The room shook as something struck the walls. Cozy was a bit shorter than she expected; Luster wouldn’t be placing any bets on her winning.

When Luster turned to look around, her jaw nearly fell. She had never seen a room so opulent, modern, and clean. Porcelain tubs, metal faucets, and a spectrum of candles, soaps, towels, books under a glass cabinet; and to her bath, in a basket: soft, nebulous orbs. They smelt of sweets and looked to be a sort of dessert from the outside world. Thinking back, Luster was getting upset over not being able to enjoy her second cookie. Surely, Cozy, who was doomed, wouldn’t notice if one of her many treats went missing? Luster, with her hooves, grabbed a blue orb, one with a cloudy streak around its center. She bit into the melded spine of the plastic and unpeeled a blueberry scent. One drop of saliva trickled down the ball and fell to the frame of the bathtub, where she propped her hooves, and had left a depression. She took a bite.

Powdered soap. Luster spat into the bathtub until she found out how to turn on its tap. Water was never wasted for taps in the bathroom in her old place, only on public water troughs for drinking, touching who-know how many tongues. She looked around the basket to find a label: “Bath—bombs.” What does either of those words mean? Reading was hard.

There’s another house-quake.

Luster told herself to hurry. None of the inside places looked good for hiding. The bathtub? Under the sink cabinet? Behind the door where Cozy hung her bathrobe and towels? No. The only proper place seemed to be outside. There was a casement window through a square depression in the wall where two hard-covered books sat next to half a candle.

Outside were planks of scaffolding.

Perfect! Even if Cozy wasn’t planning on destroying her, waiting for their fight to blow over seemed sensible. She was only a pony. And Luster realized she still had the mare’s cloak over her head: a perfect disguise for the streets, should it come to that again. Probably not. All she had to do was stand outside the window, wait until the Sun sets, and make her move. Simple.

And if Cozy survived the bounty hunter, she’d probably be weakened.

The filly, unlike Cozy, could conjure fire. If she were to attack me, Luster thought, I could maybe say I’ll do to her what I did to her couch… yeah. Or maybe I could force her to bring me to Equestria? She is a supervillain, so it’s sort of deserved, really. Even if she was pretty nice…

She opened the window and jumped onto the plank. Wonder how Cozy’s doing… Maybe I could go back and defeat the bounty hunter? He has thick skin, but I did burn down a whole facto—

The wood below creaked. To the beam in front of Luster, something wiggled. Many things. Termites, larvae and adults, had made a nest of the timber.

Luster gulped and took a step back.

She fell through nine layers of plywood. Were it not for Cozy’s cloak, she would have felt splinters. Her back landed and slid down a repurposed bedsheet used as a homeless tent, vacant. She lay on the floor of a new alleyway for a moment, staring up at the sky. She really, really wanted another biscuit.

Skedaddle: Part 2

Luster wandered the streets of Kludgetown under a dark cloak that was comically oversized for a filly.

Her 'work experience' lent her to identify the fabric as silk, and coupled with the stitch work around the hood, it must’ve been expensive.

Most of the hood had to be creased behind her neck to prevent it from shrouding her sight, but she also had to be aware of the physical tension that caused, for if there were to be a sudden gust, and it were to reveal her mane, her colors weren’t exactly the most discrete.

And the potion she swallowed was only so strong; though her leg no longer throbbed waves of pain, it was far from a point where she’d be able to run on all fours. It might have been a city of bystanders, but her bounty was easy money.

She specifically avoided the streets near this morning’s fire, still covered in layers of ash because no creature could be bothered to clean a public area by their own good will.

Who could blame them? Kludgetown had an aura of misery. Most of its inhabitants, with exceptions like a certain Pegasus pony, were driven here by compounding misfortunes—the deceased Storm King’s ransack of Abyssinia—or were born here, and raised in its vices.

Underground kingpins needed a place to centralize, free from the reaches of Canterlot and (rebuilt) Panthera, so they chose here; they ran the Government, and they had no intentions to ever change.

Even far from the incident, gossip of the filly arsonist held every conversation. Luster survived till midday by sitting alone in the comfort of shadows; the cloak blended perfectly with the dark, and the fact it was too large became a blessing, because when she sat still she looked like just another discarded rag next to the dumpsters.

It was swampy underneath, humid by her own breath. Hard to breathe, but she could tolerate it; all she had to do is make it through today. She had dreamed of what thrived beyond the city’s walls: a land of harmony, roamed by ponykind, where true friendship never ends.

But she couldn’t stay under that cloak forever, for her hunger rebounded with vengeance. Her body had sweat itself dry, and her stomach felt like a balloon of searing acid. The smell of garbage didn’t help the nausea, and lightheadedness denied her mind the ability to distract itself.

There were food stalls nearby. Luster knew it was a shortsighted decision, but all she had that day was orange juice, and her body didn’t pack much in reserves.

She stood up, nearly falling over as her body staggered side to side on wobbly legs. A sharp zap of pain swept her body as she accidentally pressed her injury onto the ground, which drew a wince and teary eyes, but finally—she stood still, and, hood down, she looked for signs of anything edible.

Contrast to the atmosphere, the street’s offerings were vibrant and varied; an eclectic assortment of items you’d struggle to find elsewhere. But for every vivid fruit was a caged critter, and for every caged critter was their friend’s carcass, chopped up into parts for display and sale.

Luster didn’t want to know where those hollowed horns came from, or those bright coats.

It was past rush-hour, but the area was dense, so most of the stalls had at least a few creatures in line. Wanting to attract as little attention as possible for a cloaked filly, she chose an empty sandwich place.

A young colt ran the counter, Earth pony, yellowish-beige coat, orangish mane, nowhere near as orange as Luster’s. His colors appeared desaturated, probably related to the fact he looked a bit—empty. He wore a stained white apron with many stitched up patches, and above him was a menu sign cataloging their sandwich options.

Luster dragged an empty stool from one of the two unattended tables, across the sand and in front of the counter intended for tall, two-legged Abyssinians. Climbing with a broken hoof was a challenge, but after tugging her cloak off the ground she made eye contact with the young cook.

“I’m Fry,” the colt said in a monotone voice. “May I take your order?”

“Yes, you may.” Luster replied in an eyebrow-raising deep voice, followed by a pause as she tried to read the menu with her limited self-taught literacy. “What can I get?”

The colt groaned. “How much d’you have?” and elaborated after a huh: “Storm bucks?”

The filly had never bought anything before, so the fact she needed money had slipped her mind. “Oh, umm—I don’t have much on me but pleaseyougottahavesomethingIcanhaveforfree!” Pleading eyes weren’t visible under droopy hoods, but the colt, perhaps feeling a twinge of pity, rummaged under the counter to pull out a half-eaten sandwich—with the fish head still intact.

“B-but you’re a pony!” Luster said, confused.

“It’s Kludgetown. You sorta needa make that stuff to get by, also it's a freebie, remember.” he shrugged. “You want it or not?”

Luster sighed. “Sure. Thanks.”

Feeling slightly comforted by the presence of another foal, Luster didn’t move from the counter, and instead pushed the chair to the left so she could eat her meal facing the wall. Fry just rolled his eyes; he didn’t seem to care.

It was marked by a pungent fishy smell, that to her nose was spoiled. How could it not be? It was a dead animal!

Pressured by the feeling of some colt watching, Luster used the fabric of the cloak like protection to knock the fish head off the sandwich, which now just left two pungent, dead-juice filled, soggy bread pieces. Holding her breath, she started to bite the crusts of her lunch.

This is the last gross meal you’ll ever have, Luster reassured herself. Outside is filled with plants and biscuits and orange juice and stuff! You just have to get through this one day.

“Do you have any free drinks?” the filly asked. The colt exhaled a deep sigh, and slid her a chipped opaque glass of tap water.

Slowly but surely, Luster ate—half—the half sandwich, at least the driest parts of the bread. As she mustered courage to finish the rest of her meal—even though disgust killed her dire appetite—the filly heard the sound of metal being unsheathed—followed by slithering sound which got closer, and louder, and scarier—

Slam!

Luster only narrowly missed her demise, jumping just in time to watch some kind of Y-shaped pony grabber crush the counter once behind her. With a flash of light and thundering zap, electricity flowed through the device’s metal—for a second, long enough to paralyze whatever was between its prongs’ clutches.

It was wielded by a different bounty hunter, whose face was that of a cobra’s and whose limbs were moderately muscular. The counter was split into two, both ends raised, and the weapon was wedged between.

She had to get out of there.

The filly ran on three healthy legs, not even bothering to keep her hood down. Her mind could only dread. One wrong turn, one wrong dead end, and it’ll be her meat used for some feline’s sandwich.

Hope seemed to present itself, and for a moment she thought she might’ve lost the hunter, but the sounds of disgruntled creatures hitting the ground shattered the delusion. Breathlessness squeezed her lungs. Sweat drenched her cloak. She entered a network of alleyways.

Knocking things over to slow down the chaser would have been easier if her cloak didn’t get stumbled on by her hooves, but even then, lines of trash and crates hardly seemed to slow him down.

Each alley was tighter than the last.

The cobra turned a corner. It was a dead end, barricaded by a barbed fence. Luster was no longer in sight.

The young arsonist had caused tens of thousands in damages; not even every part of her body could fetch for a hundredth of the cost of repairs, but it just about covered the contract. Her freedom would invite further disaster. Justice had to be served.

The cobra crept behind a pillar of boxes, hissed, and smirked. It was almost pitiful how easy Luster was to sniff out.

Slam! Two prongs struck the base of a wall—in front of a hole. If the wind hadn’t blown sand into the cobra’s eyes, Luster wouldn’t have been able to leap out before the device lit up and sparked.

Luster fell forwards in-front of a dead end, her crown cold with blood, but in the hollowed-out shadows of the diamond-patterned barrier—laid a tunnel of light.

A hole in the fence! No time to get up!

Luster leaped forwards, and kicked as forcefully as her muscles would allow. The pain of hot wires tearing her scalp barely registered; all that did was the thud of her heartbeat drumming her temples.

The filly’s head scraped through, and her back. Luster was so close, only for her final push to be dealt with an equal and opposite tug. Hastily, she pulled her hooves through the neck hole of the cloak to take it off, but that wasn’t the only thing trapped under the webbed-foot of the cobra.

Her tail was pinned.

She screamed and thrashed with wet eyes, but was slid back between those two readying prongs—to be shocked, subdued, and dragged to whatever fate had in store. The high-pitched sound of the device readying its charge surrounded both her ears.

Luster closed her eyes, braced herself, and stuttered out: “Please…”

Zap!

Lightning struck. Luster felt—fine.

Instead, it was the hunter that was covered in branching burns. He laid on the floor, the nearby ground covered in a web of scorch marks.

Finally—relief.

Luster breathed in and out, in and out, in—and—out. You’re safe, Luster. You’re safe. She sighed, and laid on her back over the ripped up remains of silk.

I didn’t know clouds could—

Luster’s mouth was covered by a foreign hoof. The other three covered her legs and pulled her off the ground.

The filly flailed in whoever’s grip this was, dropped her weight, bit, hammered her head back against their chest, stabbed her horn into their neck, and, though muffled, tried to scream. The foalnapper’s four hooves were barely able to subdue the three-legged filly. They hit a wall, squatted, revealed their wings, and leaped off the ground.

Dashing head-first through a window, the foalnapper flunked their landing, instead drifting their sides across the stone floor. It gave Luster the opportunity to escape and—

“Cozy?” Luster asked, as if there were any doubts. “But you—”

“You!” Cozy shouted as she got up. “What in Tartarus possessed you to do any of that?! That cloak was a birthday gift, and costs more than everything you’ve ever made in your entire life—put together! And after those rescues, potions, orange-juice, biscuits, and offers I’ve given you, you not only caused me trouble, but you brought disaster to that poor little colt’s burger stand!”

“But, that creature at the door—”

“Oh, him?” Cozy pointed at a tied-up bounty hunter with an apple in his mouth. “You think I just float through life, don’t you? Can you even count the number of zeroes my bounty has? We’re not even talking storm bucks, we’re talking bits—offered by the Crystal Empire! I can handle trouble, but I don’t know why I even bothered to come back for you! Hmph!” She turned her head, inadvertently revealing red spots caused by Luster’s prodding.

“Well, you didn’t have to drag me like that!” Luster retorted.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I should’ve explained myself in an alleyway filled with lowlifes, just for you to run off again, or take forever like you did with that potion!” Cozy said, sarcastically. “You really don’t have anything else to say?”

“...Sorry.” Luster apologized. Though she felt her actions were justified, Cozy did save her, and: “You’re still taking me with you, right?”

Cozy pinched her ridge with her wing. “When I wanted Twilight Sparkles and her friends to go to Tartarus, I worked my flank off for months! When you want me to carry you across a desert… Yes, but the condition still stands.”

Luster tilted her head, confused.

Cozy sighed. “Bathtub. Now!” She tapped the back of the filly’s head to rush her, and peeked under her wings, reckoning she might need a rinse too.

Without the bright candles, soaps and décor that embellished it before, the bathroom looked empty. The only non-wall-colored object left was that purple hardcover book with the hexagram and horseshoe printed on it. Even the potted plant Luster used to climb up the window was gone! Where did Cozy even pack everything?

Her musing of the important question was cut short by a blast—of water!

Cozy held the shower head in her mouth, and turned both dials to maximum—pointed at the filthy filly. She gave no explicit warning, and had no remorse targeting her face. With no magic or special friends to save her, Luster fell to her knees.

The shower head was dropped and left running in the bathtub.

“Jeez, Lustie, look at the floor! It’s like a puddle of mud!” Cozy remarked. But Luster couldn’t look, as the remorseless monster squeezed several bottles of shampoo, coat wash, and conditioner, all at once, onto the drenched filly’s mane, back, and tail, until she looked more like a camel than a pony. If she had followed the mare’s instructions, her eyes would’ve been burnt by soap. These were the mind games they talked about.

As Luster was lifted into the bath, she asked: “Can I have some biscuits?”

“Fine, but you better start scrubbing or you’ll be left here—forever!” Cozy left.

Splashing water onto her face, Luster wiped her brow and blinked open her eyes. The book from before was right beside her. She assumed Cozy didn’t care if it got a tad bit wet, and flipped through its contents. Its pages detailed Cozy’s various defeats—all vandalized by highlights, ‘corrections’, and crude scribbles, with such maturity as giving the heroes potbellies, angry eyebrows, and marking out the ‘lurry He” in Princess Flurry Heart’s name, in—every—single—page! Even though the technical quality of the scribbles was actually pretty impressive, Luster’s face held a constant expression of an unimpressed ‘really?’ This was the first time she’d read about the stories that passed from beak to muzzle around her old dorm, but if she had to read another Cozy-written paragraph ‘proving’ Twilight’s hypocrisy, her eyes would probably roll out of her sockets.

Thump!

Luster turned and saw the cobra bounty hunter lying on the floor, initially groaning as if they had too much to drink, and stepping over their bodies was—who else—Cozy Glow who now wore a satchel over her back, and held a compact jet injector at the tip of one wing—a device used by nurses to inject patients without a needle.

There was also a loaded tray on her back, which she placed on a counter. Between biscuits and a carton of orange juice was the same healing potion Luster drank before. She poured out the dark-blue liquid contents from the injector’s tank into the toilet, flushed it, and refilled it with healing potion—capping it, shaking it, and jabbing it into Luster’s shoulder.

“Ouch!” Luster rubbed the injection site.

“Pretty cool gadget, huh?” Cozy boasted. “When you can’t do spells, you need other ways to defend yourself. Kludgetown is full of these sorts of trinkets—if you have the bucks and know-how to find them.”

Luster stayed silent, simply stuffing her mouth with as many biscuits as her (now clean) hooves would allow.

As Luster washed her throat with orange juice, directly from the carton, Cozy explained: “They only tracked you here because you stink! Behind the ears!”

Luster groaned but complied, and was rewarded by another cruel blast of water.

Cozy wrapped two towels around her: one for her mane and one for her torso. She giggled: “Golly, cheer up! You’re about to leave this crumby place! Isn’t that what most foals here dream of? We’re not leaving till you smile—come on! Take long enough and they might wake up.”

Hooves crossed, the filly’s face was unchanged, but as she thought of what Cozy said, it dawned: I really am getting out of here… I did it… She smiled, and started to giggle along at the harmless prank.

“There it is!” Cozy said, ruffling the towel over Luster’s mane before dropping it to the floor. It wasn’t dry, but the wind should sort that out quickly.

Groans sounded from the two bounty hunters lying on the floor.

“Ready to get out of here?” Cozy asked. Luster nodded with a gleam. The mare bit the purple book Luster read, charged her neck muscles, and tossed it through the glass paneled window. She stepped on the edge not poking with glass, and, with a wing grabbing the hinged window above, leaned forwards to survey the area.

Luster was jogging in place like the floor was lava, unable to contain her excitement as she slid down the bathtub—on her hooves to avoid glass—and climbed up Cozy’s ribboned tail onto her back. A hoof around the mare’s neck, Luster tried to peek forwards too, but was halted once Cozy jumped back onto the bathroom tiles. She stood still, worried and rapt in thought, and the uncertainty of what was happening spread to Luster’s face as well.

“Is everything ok?” Luster gulped.

“If I fly us out now, you’ll vomit all over my mane.” Cozy explained.

“No, I—” Luster held her own burp. “Won’t…”

“You’ve hardly flown, and you’ve eaten a whole packet of biscuits in a single sitting! I will not risk it!” Cozy jumped to the floor.

“Why are you doing this?” Luster asked, looking at the floor.

“Doing what?” Cozy replied.

“Saving me? Helping me? Letting me escape? This seems a bit like…” Luster had to calm herself to finish. “Like a trick.”

“You owe me a n cloak, and a cushion, and—golly, they’ll never give me back my deposit!” Cozy joked. “But actually, didn’t I already tell you? You seemed special, and I couldn’t bear to see that get wasted because the creatures here are blind! There’s nothing better than being proven right, but if you really don’t trust me then—fine! I’ll drop you by an orphanage once we get there. Just, promise you’ll try to keep this a secret.”

“How many spells do you know?” Cozy asked.

“I think about Three. I can make things fly, I can change the colors of clothes, and—.”

“Oh golly, Lustie, magic has no limits on the things it can do!” Cozy said. “But I can show you examples some other time. Have you thought of anything you wanted to do here yet?”

There was one thing Luster wanted to do, and it was something that sat at the back of her mind ever since it became more likely than not that she’d escape—but it was a big request, and she wasn’t sure Cozy was capable of it. She was only a pegasus pony after all, and only made a name for herself by befriending other villains—and still got defeated every single time.

Cozy did seem to have an arsenal of enchanted items in that bag of hers, and tales claimed she infiltrated the forbidden wing of Canterlot’s library prior to her second and most infamous conquest attempt. At the time she was Tartarus’ youngest prisoner, so for her to succeed in that step either meant she was very sneaky, or ponies were very dumb. Considering she was accompanied by those other two, it’s probably the latter. Still, she must’ve had some skill.

Then again, she did try to drain all of the magic from Equestria. That seemed pretty short-sighted. How would the day-and-night cycle or weather function without magic? If she had succeeded, it probably would have caused a new generation of ponies to grow up in a world without magic! Good thing Twilight Sparkles was there to stop her, or least teach a group of students that did.

It’s too risky, Luster decided.

“No. Can’t think of anything.” Luster replied.

Cozy stared at her blankly, and giggled: “Are you trying to lie to the Cozy Glow? That’s adorable! Seriously, just tell me! I’ve already packed all my stuff and I’m bored. Also, remember who’s on the bathroom floor! I don't have the element of surprise anymore.”

“Well… you probably can’t do this, but there is one thing I’d like…” Luster breathed in. “You think you could do something about that factory I was in?”

Cozy didn’t respond, which prompted Luster to elaborate: “I feel bad about the other foals. What if they punish them for what I did?”

“Does it matter? You’re out!” Cozy smiled attempting to comfort the filly. “You’ll make new friends, and you’ll probably never see them again anyways!”

“But… it feels weird that I was the only one to escape.”

“That’s called ‘survivor’s guilt’, Lustie, and it’s completely irrational! Nopony would blame you for escaping that terrible place, and if those ‘friends’ you had back there did—well, I wouldn’t consider them friends at all!”

Cozy’s arguments—presented with a smile—did not deter Luster’s conscience, and it pounded her mind to the point of mild tears, worsened by the mare’s use of the word: ‘survivor.’

What if they don’t survive, Luster thought. What if it’s because of me?

“Come on Lustie, don’t let it get to you!” Cozy tried to hug her, but the filly pushed off any attempts.

Why do ponies care so much about these sorts of things, Cozy asked herself. She flew towards the window to peek back-and-forth between the half-black site of this morning’s fire, and Luster, whose head laid depressingly on the couch.

Cozy inhaled through her nostrils. “Today’s Tuesday, right?”

Luster turned her head, a bit confused, but nodded. “Yeah”

Cozy sighed. “You better be grateful for this.”

Skedaddle: Part 3

Cozy dug a wing into her satchel and after seconds of searching pulled out an old relic—one that if Princess Twilight knew she possessed, Canterlot would have never suspended their mare-hunt.

Luster didn’t know what it was, but it looked similar to something she’d seen in that book she just read. There were illustrations of a blue unicorn wearing it, who in the other pages wore a purple, star-spangled cape, when donned with the relic would have a pure black cloak. Also something about a giant glass dome.

It was made of a dark metal, with a visible heft based on the way Cozy handled it. On its top depicted the profile view of a unicorn’s head facing leftwards between two wings, each with a red medial streak, all sprouting from only the top side of an upside-down triangle. At the center of that triangle, along with the entire piece, was a similarly-red diamond-shaped jewel.

Luster looked up at Cozy, who was staring at her reflection through the relic.

“I really shouldn’t be doing this...” Cozy said. She smiled. “Well, here it goes.”

Cozy held the relic to the base of her neck, and it grew a thick necklace that kept it in place. Her body became a beacon of light, and Luster felt the magic muffler around her horn tingle. It ended in a shock wave that shook the few remaining framed prints of motivational posters on her wall—one of them fell and shattered.

When the brightness subsided, Luster's mouth was agape at what she saw.

Cozy now had a horn, and her wings were now a gradient of her normal coat color and a slightly more saturated hue on their edges; they also grew a few inches.

The new Alicorn immediately tested her abilities, not on an object, but directly on herself. A soft sparkling pop emanated from the tip of her horn, and magic traveled down towards her tail in a wave, ruffling the hairs of her coat through its path.

Cozy’s appearance changed! Her coat became a colder shade of pink, and her mane was ruffled then straightened into wavy spirals, purple in color with turquoise streaks, and a fringe that folded under itself towards one side.

“Ooo, Flurry’s going to love this!” Cozy said, with a mischievous grin covered by her hoof.

“Wait wait wait—what?! How did you—huh?” Luster confusion interfered with her ability to form coherent sentences.

“I nabbed this little thing a while ago, and unlike most other ponies my mind is perfectly clear and ready for ascension! The only problem is that this particular method causes quite a lot of noise...”

“What do you mean ‘noise’?”

“Well basically, the magic is still in the amulet! It only flows into me! That causes a bit of a disturbance, one that can be detected, especially with the whole ‘ascension’ thing” Cozy explained. “Sooo, we should probably finish this before Fluttershy runs out of tea!”

Cozy’s horn glowed crimson red, even with her disguise. She cast beyond her a transparent portal with wavy blue outlines. It swiped forwards and engulfed them both.

“Woah…” Lusted breathed.

They appeared in a dark room with gray stone walls, between an executive desk, with an array of cabinets behind it, and a door. To their side was a window, barricaded by security bars, and in front of them was—a stallion!

He dropped his quill, splattering ink on whatever he was writing, and stuttered out: “P-P-Princess Flu—”

Cozy zapped him on the head, and he fell like a corpse at an angle, hitting his temple against the side of his desk before hitting the ground. Luster winced at the sound, but she recognized this pony! He was the warden who managed the entire factory she was forced to work in! The workers here rarely ever saw him, except when he ordered every creature to gather and yell at them about quotas and complaints he’s been getting from his customers.

Luster snapped out of her thoughts once she heard Cozy ask her: “How do you like your captors, Lustie? Unconsciously, amnesiac, dead, petrified? This is your revenge! You should enjoy it!”

The stallion was held by the mane in her magic’s aura, and was dragged to showcase inches in front of Luster’s face.

“I think that’s good enough.” Luster replied, taking a few steps back.

“Well golly, aren’t you Ms. Forgiving!” Cozy remarked. She let her victim drop to the floor as she turned towards the cabinet drawers.

Skimming through the tags of the many folders, she levitated the few that piqued her interest, and flipped through each one. With only occasional dwellings, it only took a minute before she filtered out around twenty of the documents that went straight into her satchel.

“What are those?” Luster asked.

“Oh, they’re just boring papers, Lustie! Nothing a young filly like you should be worrying about!” Cozy answered, landing beside Luster. “Why don’t we go look for your friends?”

As she magicked open the door, two guards (Abyssinian species) noticed them from the ends of the hallway. They reached for their weapons around their waists as they ran towards the two, less knowledgeable than the stallion on who the ostensible Princess was.

Cozy yawned; Luster made sure to stick close.

The strikes of their batons were halted midair, recoiled, and resulted in a shockwave that hurled both attackers to opposite ends of the walls. A red bubble—the same tint as Cozy’s aura—had appeared between the two groups, and promptly vanished.

Even the upper floors of the factory, restricted only to management, were in dire need of renovations. The walls were littered with cracks, some of them deep enough to see through the other side. The Ceiling tiles were yellow, green and black with mold! But the worst offender of all were the narrow fluorescent lights: way too bright and way too blue! Perhaps that was intentional, to make it harder for creatures to sleep.

The corridor split into two ways, both of them almost identical in their layout of doors, except one ended with a window—barred—and the ended with another door.

Luster deducted the latter must’ve led to a stairwell downwards. “I think we should head—”

Cozy blasted a hole through the floor, perfectly circular with smooth edges.

“Nevermind” Luster sighed as she levitated downwards.

There was one guard in the room, who looked like a chicken. Sitting near the door, he made no attempt to fight back, and instead made the sensible decision to run away from the red-eyed Alicorn. Unfortunately, Cozy was having fun, and what point was there wasting an opportunity to practice a homing shot? She was pretending to be Princess Flurry after all!

A red orb of encased knock-out spell decimated the wooden door in its path and curled towards the general direction where the guard had fled. The sound of a heavy thud confirmed her shot.

Cozy self-congratulatory smirk was met by a worried side-eye glare from Luster.

“What? He’s evil!” Cozy defended herself. “Besides, you should be more interested in those!”

She pointed to a collection of keys hung on the wall by nails. Above most of them were name tags, and with the light shining through Cozy’s horn it didn’t take long before—

“This is the one!” Luster squealed. She was so excited that Cozy had to lift her still with magic. The key floated into the lock over the base of her horn, and after a single twist—click!

The ring pinged on the floor and spun—the announcement of Luster’s magical emancipation!

Luster could feel it rapidly flowing back into her horn, accompanied by a slight tingle. She turned towards the half-destroyed door, and grinned as the knob was encompassed by an amber light. It turned; it was pulled; it opened!

“My magic’s back!” Luster hopped on the ground with a grin and giddy.

“Great job, Lustie!” Cozy patted the filly’s head, and walked through the door together to validate her achievement. “Well, seems like only one thing’s left!” Her horn lit up, she wrapped a wing around Luster’s head, and teleported off.

They reappeared, in some dark depressing barrack quarters, along with a pile of keys—intentionally brought—that spread across the floor.

The ceilings had the same bright florescent lights as before. Between every two tightly packed triple bunk beds was a wall fan; all of them had their plastic blades exposed, half of them seemed to be broken, and none of them faced downwards. It seemed whoever was on top had full control of its settings, along with access to the narrow barred off hole of a window that would’ve required a filly like Luster to stand on her hind legs over a pillow to see through.

“Lustie?” Cozy called. She was right about the filly having a weak stomach. Luster was surrounded by similarly aged creatures—from a diversity of species—with her head inside of a bin and—thankfully—the slavers didn’t cheap out on liners. “I’m sorry Lustie, but the sun’s already setting! I’ll try to stop somewhere for dinner.”

Indifferent to the sound of stomachs gurgling at the word, Cozy aimed her horn towards the wall with bars. Two youngsters were arguing over who got to have fan-facing privileges tonight, and there was no audible warning from Cozy before she fired her shot. It caused an explosion—less neat than the hole she made before—which produced a large exit for escape, along with lots of dust. There was coughing, but no injuries. Such recklessness will look bad for Flurry.

Behind the walls—an inch away from the blast radius—were the bounty hunters from before, in bandages provided by free Kludgetown healthcare. The creatures around Cozy seemed to recognize them.

“You two!” Cozy yelled, magically gripping onto their bodies with such tenacity that she mimicked the grasping motions by curling the tip of her wing. “You idiots are going to make sure all the young creatures in this facility are safely evacuated out of here! I don’t care where, and I don’t care how! If I don’t hear about a massive in-surge of escapees in the papers, as Princess Flurry Heart of the Crystal Empire, I will have both of your conscious, petrified remains thrown to Sea of Clouds—where this rathole dumps all their trash! Tell that to everyone who gets in your way! Got it!”

It was a laborious effort to nod, but they did, and they dropped to the floor. They inhaled deeply as their chests were finally free to breathe, but as Cozy turned back one of them spoke: “C-Cozy Glow! She’s around here—you’re m-majesty! She—”

Both their windpipes narrowed, and Cozy cast a silence spell around Luster so she wouldn’t hear what she was about to say. “I’m Princess Flurry Heart! I’m not stupid like some griffon, or mule, or,” her eyes searched the room, “—whatever it is you two-legged freaks call yourselves! There’s a reason Princess Twilight owns a pet dragon, and why she had to open an entire school just to teach your savage kinds the most basic lessons of friendship! I mean—it’s not called ‘Equestria’ for no reason! If we ever do meet again don’t you ever dare mention the fact that Cozy Glow was here, or any of this, unless you want a slow execution! But feel free to ask me why I have a massive crush on her! And if a certain draconequus comes along, ask him how he deals with the fact that Fluttershy will—”

Cozy tilted her head past the purple-faced bounty hunters to look at the sky. The moon had been risen. “Get out of here! All of you! Now!” she shouted.

“Happy, Lustie?” Cozy asked, dropping all her spells but her disguise.

Next to Luster was a griffon; her feathers were colored gray-to-navy, except for her crest and tip of her tail which was closer to a greenish-black. Her irises and beak were yellow, and had one of her gray hooves over Luster’s back as they talked.

“Aww, is this why you wanted to come back, Lustie?” Cozy interrupted the two.

“Her name’s not Lustie, it’s Luster—” the griffon corrected.

“I’m sure you two are wonderful friends and all, but we really have to go! Ponies only, I'm afraid!” Cozy said. The griffon's eyes turned to the other ponies in line for the exit. “Say bye now!”

Luster turned back to face her friend. “I guess this is it, Georgia.”

“I’m sure we’ll meet each other again…” Georgia replied. The two hugged each other, hoping it wouldn’t be the last, but with the embrace as if it was.

“There is no time for special hoof shakes! Go find the key to your wing shackles and try to catch a wagon or airship or—whatever! We have a scheduled flight! And Lustie if you yell in my ears, I will drop you!” Luster gulped, Cozy separated the two with her wings, grabbed onto the filly, and teleported out of there.

They reappeared in the air. Cozy was back in peach feathers, without a horn, and tucked the amulet back into her bag with her hooves. The two were very high up—around five thousand hooves above the sandy desert ground. Ideal cruising altitudes were much higher in order to take advantage of the winds, but oxygen and pressure were concerns regarding the filly passenger. It takes months of special training for pegasi to endure flight in extreme heights, and three basic rules were: avoid cloudless environments, always be accompanied by other pegasi, and never carry a passenger. If any of those conditions weren't met it was recommended to stay low, and for once Cozy decided to followed the guidelines.

Cozy flew in powerful and smooth strokes at a rate of around one to three flaps a second before she glided, and repeated. It wasn’t too turbulent, but for as first-timer the shakiness definitely frightened Luster a bit, but she knew she had to keep quiet so Cozy could focus. I mean she was only bluffing about dropping me though… right? Better not ask her—don’t want to give her any ideas for some prank!

Luster was strapped to Cozy’s back by a belt, and was outfitted with an aviator’s hat. Secured under her bow and through her sky-blue curls was a barf bag to the side and a safety booklet that Cozy drew during all that time Luster was pretending to be garbage under her late cloak.

Luster was the main character of the instructional illustrations and the potential emergencies included: how to the signal for the bathroom, how to talk to a sky cop, how to lie to a God of Chaos, what to do if you encounter Princess Flurry Heart’s Royal Guard—which took up a third of the lower page with additional emergencies, such as how to reflect spells by her Elite Crystal Sorcerers, or how to survive the ensuing storm ‘her’ pegasi would likely create. It included the reminder that the Crystal Empire has a very small air force, but the few skilled fliers that trained in the persistent storms of the north could spell trouble.

Below all of that was a warning in big red letters: ‘Do not talk to Princess Luna in your dreams!’

It had already gotten dark; constellations illuminated the skies, and there wasn’t a single cloud to block them. Luster had never seen the stars so clearly, and it was mesmerizing! The world had so many spectacles left to witness—and only half the things she’d only heard of were from Equestria.

The temperature started to drop, which compounded with the breeze given how fast they were traveling. Luster wasn’t used to cold environments, but Cozy’s tribe was suited for it. Her coat was soft and radiated heat. There was near complete silence, which had never once happened in that lawless town. The air no longer reeked of garbage, instead it was by whatever fruity conditioner Cozy used for her curls. The filly felt safe, and—well—cozy, and it was a struggle not to feel a bit sleepy.

Kludgetown could be seen from behind; an ever shrinking dot of light. A new chapter of Luster’s life had started, and it felt like a weight had been lifted off her back—but now what? Would they even let her in? She heard stories from her warden in her old factory that creatures that flee to Equestria aren’t welcomed, but could that be her? Was it even true? And if she did get in, would she have to get a job? It wouldn’t be that bad compared to her old one—she thinks.

“You okay back there, Lustie?” Cozy asked. “Look, I’ll be honest, the wind isn’t exactly on our side, and I don’t think you can handle me flying much faster. So, I don’t think we'll be able to stop for dinner.”

“Oh... It’s fine.”

“It really isn’t… But don’t worry! I’ve learned to be prepared for these sorts of situations, so I bought a sandwich from that colt’s stand! No meat in it! Just tell me if you want it and I’ll get it from my bag! I have a cloud walking potion. If we can’t find a cloud, we’ll stop on the ground. Sounds good?”

“Yeah...” Luster yawned.

“I’ll probably stop by Somnambula in a few hours. Think you can make it till—” Cozy paused her question.

Luster’s grip around her neck loosened, and she rested her cheek and temple on the mare’s back. Cozy could feel her soft breaths against her coat, slowing as she dozed further off into sleep.

“Night night, Lustie.”

Author's Notes:

That's part 3/3 of Skedaddle! Bye Kludgetown (I haven't watched the 2017 movie in years so I definitely missed an idea somewhere...)
If anyone wants to volunteer as a proofreader, or just wants early drafts, or has any pointers for my prose, send me a DM! I want this thing to be readable.
Also I didn't invent the idea: 'Luster is Cozy's daughter', I simply saw those four words and wanted to expand upon it.

Dawn

Luster squinted her eyes open. Stretching her forelegs, she let out a mighty filly yawn, and let her head drop back to the pillow. Above and in front of her was an air conditioner, beside her was a table lamp, and on the opposite end of the same bed was Cozy Glow, fast asleep on cheeks—and snoring, but Luster was used to worse.

She had flown for hours in the peaceful isolation of the nighttime desert skies, and fulfilled her promise to stop by Somnambula—which meant breakfast must’ve been soon. Typically Luster’s first meal of the day was lunch, so she eagerly wondered what differences there would be.

The filly considered getting up, but one of Cozy’s wings was rested atop of her with the duvet between them—the other wrapped around the mare herself, stretching from behind her shoulders to her hind knees. Cozy was not covered by the covers, which was white, decorated with golden laced patterns on its outlines. It would’ve been a hassle to pull from under the mare’s weight if Luster wasn’t already hogging all of it.

The filly decided to just—relax, building up her energy so she could wake up properly, but also remember the moment. Her escape plan had been in contemplation for months, and, all things considered, everything went really well! She reckoned she should probably thank Cozy once she wakes up. It was still weird to think of the supervillain as her guardian, like a fluffy pink angel, when usually that’s only what she pretends to be.

After a few minutes, once the moment was properly taken in, she sat up—back straight—and used her telekinetic abilities to pinch the middle of the cover to drop on the other end in order to blanket Cozy as a kind gesture. Due to her prior living predicaments, Luster had few opportunities to practice her magic, so the simple motions of up, down, drop, resembled a claw machine in its inelegance: pulling too high, moving too forcefully—nearly knocking the mare she wanted to comfort off the bed altogether!

Luster gave up, and held the covers between her teeth. As she tipped-hoofed towards Cozy, she accidentally stepped on her wing. Cozy reacted by retracting it, which tripped the filly, but she caught herself by accidentally poking her forehooves into the mare’s chest. She dropped the blanket, turned around, turned around again to make sure Cozy’s hind hooves were covered, covered them, and jumped off the bed.

The room of the inn Cozy booked was square shaped, had a door down Luster’s side that led to a bathroom, and near that—on a separate wall—were the blue wooden double-doors—behind show-though curtains—that led to the balcony. It had a black plastic chair next to a frosted glass table, and a view from the edge of the town. To the right was the pyramid, which was so tall for a single structure that Luster had to tilt her head upwards to gaze at all of it. The panorama was unobstructed—illuminated by moonlight—and the visibility was perfect.

Sat on the chair, she saw only a few warm lights below her, and a couple of other ponies trotting around wearing jeweled earrings and loose solid-colored garments with ribbons tied around their stomachs.

Above her was the moon, which slowly fell from its placement in the sky, and in tandem rose the sun. Stars faded, and the skies shifted from hues of midnight-blue to purple to orange. The world was so vast, and she knew she was barely even in Equestria yet. Luster started to get a bit emotional. She’d never actually seen the sunrise from an angle like this before. On the chair, she got up on her hindlegs, and rested the sides of her lower forelegs as well as her chin onto the railings.

Those old structures from before were shone with a new light, and revealed the colors that were hidden beneath the shrouding darkness.

A bedheaded pony coughed out her morning drink from behind.

“Luster!” Cozy pointed. “Your cutie mark!”

Luster turned to look behind. The chair slid backwards, and she would’ve fell hadn’t Cozy caught her—cautious of what the public could see. They both went in and closed the door, and both were about to burst with excitement!

“I got my cutie mark!” Luster screamed, “What does this mean?”

“It means you’re coming into your own, of course! You’re starting a brand new stage of your life! The dawn of a new Luster!”

“...Dawn…” Luster repeated. “What does my mark mean though!”

The duo inspected the mark. It depicted the sun, orbited by streaks of light, reflected across the horizon. It matched the hue of Luster’s eyes and mane so perfectly. An abstract celestial-themed design, the mare’s mouth was at permanent agape.

Cozy took a while before she spoke, which was unusual for her. "What were you doing when you got it?"

"I—I was just watching the sunrise!" Luster responded.

“Then—well—it’s definitely something magical!”

“But I only know three spells—and can hardly move a blanket… Are you sure?”

“Lustie, the—sadly—most powerful unicorn in Equestria used to be a nopony when it came to magic! She became so bitter she wrote an entire book blaming it on cutie marks! I actually own an old copy—it’s quite funny—but tangent aside—Lustie, she’s self-taught. You need to start learning how to channel the energy in that horn of yours! You’re just a bit rusty. After breakfast we’ll pick out your first spell-tome!” Cozy glanced at a clock on the wall. “Oh golly! We should get ready before the queue starts!”

Because being in the eye of the public was a privilege Luster never had to worry about before, Cozy helped to comb her mane, and, with red ribbon, topped it off with an adorable ponytail! And once her tail itself was done, it was now the mare’s turn to get ready.

Cozy ran her hoof down the length of her bow—and immediately combusted into light-green flames! Luster panicked and tried to extinguish it with a glass of water sat atop of a desk; she used her magic to lift it to pour on Cozy—but ended up just shattering it against a wall.

What emerged from the fire unharmed was a mare who looked almost identical to Cozy in terms of physiognomy, but with a completely different color palette. She had a yellow coat and a baby-blue mane that touched only one of her shoulders. Instead of a rook on her flank, her mark was of a white mask. However, her irises had the same gradient of maroon and pink.

“Cozy?” Luster called out.

“Shhh! Let’s not say that name aloud.” Cozy shushed. “Call me—Butter Skies! Well, outside at least. Y’know, I had this exact same bow since I was a lil’ filly! At first, I wore it because it made me look cute, but now that it’s enchanted it helps a bit with staying undercover! Only problem is that—”

Cozy fell into a coughing fit, and Luster only just noticed that the mare’s eyes looked bloodshot and her nuzzle was leaky.

“—is that I don’t have an exoskeleton so doing that makes my body feel like it’s been rubbed in peppers! A milkshake ought to fix that! Come on, let’s go!” Donning a wide sun-hat—that fashionably hid her bow—Cozy opened the door and climbed over the railings of the open corridor. She carried and secured Luster by wrapping her hooves over the filly’s chest in an x-shape, and glided at a leisurely pace towards their destination.

It was a small restaurant whose exterior matched the local houses with its architecture. Inside was painted wooden furniture in an open design, along with ceiling fans and cushions for added comfort. In the center of the table were some tissues, condiments, an unlit candle, and the specials menu.

“The pancakes here are to die for, Lustie! Do we even have to see the menu?” Cozy said. She immediately called for the waitress and ordered: “Two plates of your famous pancakes and a milkshake,” she glanced at Luster, “and some orange juice!”

Once the waitress left, Cozy asked: “Excited?”

“Yeah! I've never been to a place like this before! Usually, lunch is just… slop.” Luster tried to laugh off her remark, but there was audible discomfort in her voice.

Each of Luster’s individual ribs were discernible from her chest, and not to mention she still had a hardened cast around her hind leg hoof.

“Well, this isn’t lunch, this is breakfast! And you need it! You didn’t have a single proper meal yesterday, you little window jumper!”

Their meals arrived.

“That was quick!” Cozy commented.

She ate by holding the utensils in her wings, but Luster, after seeing a nearby unicorn lift her cutlery with telekinesis, tried to use her magic. An amber encompassed folk poked into the three layers of pancakes served—golden brown with a square of butter on top. Whilst Cozy was digging in, Luster was left salivating as she struggled to pull a piece off—its freshly-cooked delicious aroma taunting her.

“Oops! Forgot the syrup.” Cozy said as she grabbed the little glass dispenser and poured it over both their meals. That exacerbated Luster’s desire to just make get her magic to—work! Her fork penetrated all three layers and was scratching the porcelain beneath.

“You can just use your mouth, Lustie,” Cozy said. “Don’t let it get cold!”

Luster looked left and right at the other breakfast-goers, and relented. She leaned forwards and bit into the soft delight. It melted in her mouth, and had the perfect amount of syrup to complement its flavors.

There was a strange feeling that Cozy felt in her heart as she watched Luster stuff her face with pancakes—an odd selfless type of joy that was rare for her. But it was soon interrupted.

Abrupt and loud chants of cheering came from the outskirts of Somnambula, coupled by the ruffling of palm leaves. From where the duo were seated, Cozy only had to look behind to see what it was about.

“Aw Tartarus,” she sighed, annoyed.

Crowds gathered to peek towards the horizon, but none of them were cheering. No, the cheers were ubiquitous, part of the chaotic package that accompanied wherever that creature went.

“Co—” Luster had her sentence interrupted by a hoof to the mouth. “I mean, Butter Skies, that’s an—an Alicorn! And what’s that thing riding it?!”

“Calm down! Those two idiots aren’t going to suspect a thing if we act natural…” Cozy said. “Though they might be suspicious if they see a malnourished filly! Better finish those pancakes!”

Beyond the village was a—draconequus—wearing a pure white tunic, sandals, and below him was Princess—Cadance!

“Get off of me Discord!” Cadance groaned, teleporting to the side to let Discord fall on his stomach on the hot sand. “And why in Celestia did you teleport us here?”

“I’m hungry, it’s early, and the pancakes here are to die for!” Discord dusted off his knees and pulled out a grandfather-clock from the collar of his tunic. “It’s already been over twelve hours since that peculiar imbalance! What’s twenty more minutes?”

“Yeah—it has been twelve hours. You couldn’t have said anything sooner?”

“It was Tuesday! Or I call it—Teasday!” Discord explained. Cadance rolled her eyes at the pun.

“Besides, who’s to say any of this even came from Cozy!" Discord pulled a chalkboard from the right—from somewhere—and jotted down several complex calculations. "It could just be some other pony that re-balanced the mathematically calculated amount of magical energy needed for her ascension.”

Another Discord, dressed as Albert Einstallion, walked in from the left and flipped the board. "And subsequent undulations!” “

“Very strange indeed…" both Discords said in unison.

“It’s dangerous if we don’t investigate it ourselves!” Cadance said.

“You mean Flurry won’t stop nagging you?”

"You haven't told her, have you?" Cadance asked. Discord physically zipped his lips.

“If this is a trap, it's probably for her!” Cadance explained.

Back at the restaurant, Luster was frantically finishing her pancakes, washing down each bite with orange juice.

“Who’s that Alicorn?” Luster asked with her mouth full.

“Don’t talk with your mouth full, it’s rude," Cozy lectured, and answered: “Flurry’s mother, Cadance—she blesses families and stuff. Nothing important.” She squinted and took advantage of her birdlike vision, which was nearly as sharp as a griffon’s. “Y’know I was really expecting Flurry to be here.”

Luster swallowed. “Why?”

“Because she’s obsessed!” Cozy answered.

“I have to agree!” Discord admitted, appearing between the two. “She is rather obsessed, isn't she?”

Luster yelped and rattled her chair backwards, but was caught by the light-blue aura of—Princess Cadance!

“A little," Cadance answered, tucking in her chair. "This place better be good!”

Discord teleported next to Cadance's chosen table in a waiter’s uniform, and clapped into existence lavish table cloths, golden-cutlery with mini decorative Crystal Hearts on their ends—similar to the Princess’s own cutie mark. He pulled a starry backdrop curtain around the restaurant’s premises, which made the area darker and cooler as if it were nighttime, so that the lit candles could properly convey the superb quality of these pancakes.

“They are!” Discord confirmed right next to Cadance.

“How’d he do that without a horn?” Luster asked.

Cozy sighed. “Because he’s Discord.”

Ding ding ding ding ding!

Luster had to cover her last remaining pancake with her hooves as confetti fell over the two.

“Just hide it under the table, Lus—” Cozy was pulled to Discord side, who had a flashy presenter’s outfit and collar mic.

Upbeat ‘winners’ music blared, and to their sides: crowds of Discords—and a single confused filly—making up the rowdy applauding audience from their spectator stands. Discord pointed towards Discord in a blonde wig and dress (on the floor between them a trivial-trot logo) who presented the grand prize: breakfast with Princess Cadance and the God of Chaos himself!

At the snap of his paw, both groups appeared around a single table.

“But we’re almost done!” Luster argued.

Discord clapped twice, and two clone waiters served a bowl of ice cream for each of them, which contained a scoop of chocolate, strawberry, vanilla, and a wafer. For Luster, the dessert was dumped over her pancakes.

"Neapolitan," Discord-waiter-one chef kissed.

“I really should be monitoring her suga—” Cozy’s sentence was interrupted by the filly biting into the ice-cream like feed. “Lustie, slow down! You’re going to get a brain freeze like that!”

Luster held her head and winced.

“Fillies, huh?” Cadance related.

“How’s yours Cadance—I mean, thy majesty Princess Mi Amore Cadenza.” Cozy bowed from her seat and forced an unnaturally wide smile.

“Well, she definitely takes her duty of ‘protecting ponies’ very seriously!” Cadance replied. “Especially since that run-in with Lord Tirek all those years back!”

“Yeah…” Cozy’s face dropped. “I mean—that’s wonderful! What she did! Defeating Tirek! And if Luna wasn’t there to petrify him, he would’ve… So, I’m guessing Chrysalis is next, huh?”

“Actually, she’s more focused on finding Cozy Glow!” Cadance replied.

“Why’s she so obsessed?” Luster asked. The filly slowly shut her ice-cream filled mouth and shallowed once she noticed the crossed glare from Cozy.

“Why? Hwhy?!” Discord spat in emphatical disbelief. An old-timey television made of sand constructed itself in front of Luster; through it Discord spoke: “Have you been living under a rock for the past twelve months?!” The TV’s screen went blank, and reflected the filly sat atop a green armchair in similarly-colored pants that also had a purple floral patterned design. His head popped out of the screen. “Well?!”

Luster turned to the side. “Something like that…”

Cozy clarified: “Her situation is very complicated! Look, we should really get go—” Her protests were muffled by a flying spoonful of ice cream to the mouth!

Discord knocked every item from the center of the table. Flipping a switch on his left temple, his right eye projected a blue interlaced hologram, visualizing the words he spoke.

“Many, many—months—ago, after everypony—not including myself, of course—assumed the demon filly had passed, likely from an aneurysm—”

“Get on with it, Discord!” Cadance rolled her eyes.

Discord cleared his throat. “Cozy Glow had discovered a way to bypass every known Changeling detection method whilst giving herself the appearance of somepony entirely different!”

Luster side-glared at Cozy, who was casually enjoying her ice cream.

“She enlisted herself to the Crystal Air Force and quickly ‘flew’ up the ranks until she was assigned to serve as one of Princess Flurry Heart’s most personal royal guards—though I still find it hard to believe she didn’t cheat!”

The hologram showed the royal family—Shining Armor, Princess Cadance, and Princess Flurry Heart—inspecting down a line of pegasi guards, all standing at attention to be chosen.

“What about this one, Dad?” Flurry asked, and feigned a serious face. “Uhh—state your name soldier!”

“Silver Seraph, your majesties!” Silver shouted.

Flurry leaned and stared deeply into Silver's eyes, scowling, all while the guard kept serious. The Princess smiled. “Let’s just pick her!”

“Once infiltrated, she immediately hit it off with the Princess, and it didn’t take long before she got her opportunity!” Discord curled his talons and hammed his paw.

The hologram showed Silver in her armor, with a breakfast tray on her back, knocking on the door.

“Come in!”

“Good morning, Flurry!” Silver entered and greeted.

“Good morning, Softie!” Flurry replied.

“Softie?” Luster asked.

“It’s a pet name, Lustie,” Cozy said. “Soft Seraph, because apparently ‘Silver’ was too cool—or so I’ve heard!”

“D’aww, this looks wonderful! Thank you!”

“Heh! You know I didn’t make it, right!”

“I know, but you serving it adds a special touch to it!”

“It’s a job. Also, I’ve been told my love tastes bitter, actually!”

Flurry giggled. “Well, you added something to it!”

“Poison,” Discord said.

Cozy stared at the tip of Cadance’s horn—at death herself—more fascinated than she was scared. Subtle sparks emanated from it like a Tesla coil, identical in hue to the Princess’ aura. From Cozy’s evaluations, and for the Princess of Love, Cadance could be far more ruthless than ponies revered her for. She certainly never showed Sombra much clemency.

But Cozy was different; Cozy only had wings. Without surprise or any artifacts, or allies, she was hopeless to defend herself. Would Cadance kill her? Well, Shining certainly wouldn’t; he'd prefer to see the mare rot.

Discord continued: “And she sacrificed all that time, all that effort, all of that affection just to bring back Somb—”

“Look,” Cozy interupted with an empty bowl. “I don’t want to be insensitive, but we should probably get going! It’s getting really late!”

“7 AM?” Cadance asked.

“You know how windy those hills are! Plus, if this little filly has one more scoop of ice cream she might be too heavy to carry!” Cozy joked. “Come on, Lustie! Let’s hit the skies!”

“Wait!” Luster shouted. “Before we go, can we get your blessing?”

“Certainly!” Discord responded. He pointed with his index claw, and a miniature tornado of butterflies formed around it, slowly encroaching Luster's forehead, who backed as far she could against the chair.

Cadance pushed Discord’s claw downwards. “I think she meant my blessing! Princess for Family and all!”

She waved her hoof.

“There! Have a safe flight, and remember if you spot Cozy Glow be sure to report it! It’s very important that you do!”

“Of course, your majesty!” Cozy said. She grabbed Luster’s hoof and flew back to the inn.

As their pancakes arrived, Discord and Cadance turned to each other.

“Did that ‘blessing’ actually do anything?’ Discord asked.

“Eh, it’s more of a symbolic thing, you know?” Cadance replied, and took a bite out of her meal. “These are good!”

Back at the inn, Cozy locked the door behind them and checked to make sure nothing had been moved from her satchel.

"Ahem," Luster cleared her throat. "What was that about?"

“It’s just a joke, Lustie.” Cozy said. “I didn’t mean to call you fat. You’re still a very skinny filly!”

“No, not that!” Luster clarified. “The part about you—”

"Shhh! Not so loud," Cozy shushed, and whispered under her wing: "I don't know whether a part of him is inside of here… we'll stop by a bookshop on the way."

Luster narrowed her eyes.

“Fine, fine! I’ll fill you in on what happened!” Cozy relented. She sat down, sloping her back so that Luster could climb on, and once she was buckled the two left though the balcony.

Cozy really hates doors…

Last time, they skipped take-off by means of teleportation, so Luster wasn't expecting to be suddenly thrusted into high speeds—or at least it felt fast for her. The wind caused her lips to flap wide open, and she had to tuck Cozy’s (now flowing) mane between their bodies so that it wouldn't blow in her face.

“You okay back there?” Cozy asked.

"Get to talking!" Luster shouted, trying to appear tough.

"Fine. I admit it!” Cozy sighed. “I'm an excellent flier!"

"What—"

"I learnt from the best! And when I was training in those storms I looked really cool and—"

"Princess Flurry Heart! You tricked her!"

"I—humbled her, yes... But I was her a friend for a few months! It’s not like I took anything, besides maybe her ego."

“Cozy…”

“She’s a Princess! Do you know how big those birthday celebrations they hold for her are? They made her second one a public holiday and held a parade! Like she’ll appreciate or remember any of that! It’s a ridiculous waste of money! How do you think that makes orphans like us feel?”

“That doesn’t mean you can poison her!”

“Oh please! A fatal dose for us just means she’ll be tired for a few hours! Besides, my plan wouldn't have worked if she’d died—that early!”

“Did your plan work?”

“It would’ve... But somepony got cold hooves!”

“I'm worried…”

“Phhfff—they won't punish you, even if they knew about that fire—”

“No—I mean—for you! What if she finds you?” Luster gasped. “What if she finds out that you pretended to be her in Kludgetown!”

“Lustie, relax! Do you see me worried? We just had breakfast with Cadance and Klutzy back there, and they were none the wiser!”

There was a moment of silence before Luster spoke: “Cozy… please don’t do that again.”

“Do what?”

“Villainy stuff! I—I like staying with you,” Luster admitted. “And I don’t want a Princess to take you away and do terrible things to you!”

“Like put me in Tartarus? Like petrifying me? All to give somepony an ego boost? It’s far too late for me, Lustie.”

“Can you at least try, for me?”

“Lustie…”

“Please?”

“Look, I’ll take a break. Then, we’ll see—but no promises!”

“Thank you… so what happens after this?”

“After you get your book? I recall you not trusting me, and me saying I’d drop you off by an orphanage.”

“Oh.” Luster paused. “Do you have to—you know—do that?”

“What exactly do you mean?” Cozy asked, a sly smile manifesting on her face.

“I mean—you know—can I—”

"Stay with me? Golly, you haven't seen my new home yet!" Cozy said contentedly. “Are you sure? With a face as adorable as your, you'd surely be fought over! Think: powerful, wealthy unicorn parents! You could have your very own pick!”

“I’ve already chosen!” Luster explained: “From what I heard, the normal Cozy Glow would’ve lied about keeping a promise, but you didn’t! You must feel conflicted!”

“That’s… pretty keen for a filly your age… but how do you know I'm not just double deceiving you?”

“Because I think you really do care about me!”

“But do you really want to be known as the daughter of Cozy Glow?”

“...No one has to know? Right?”

“Golly, you do remind me of myself!”

“You know how to treat ponies really nicely—well, when you want to. I know you’ll be perfect! Mom!”

“Well then, we should probably get off this cloud! There’s still a long journey ahead of us!” Cozy got into a crouch start. “Ready Lustie?”

Luster hugged Cozy’s neck tightly. “Ready!”

The filly laughed as Cozy galloped to the edge of the cloud; she kicked herself forwards, and glided northwards.

Author's Notes:

Butter Skies, get it? Like 'butter up' Because Golly!

Howdy!

The house Cozy bought was a cottage, part of a village between the Smokey Mountains and Unicorn Ranges—between Vanhoover and Canterlot. It was heavily forested, and windy due to being located in a valley. A ten-minute trot away from their home was the town square, and a bit further from that was where the train-tracks intersected. Steam from one of the expresses was spotted by Luster as Cozy approached and began her descent.

Thick foliage and dark forest trees shrouded the spacious backyard, but left a slot of clear space for Cozy to land at a gentle angle. Once she undid the belt that bound them both, she touched grass with her wings to let Luster slide off.

Luster was wowed by how big it looked, though to Cozy it was just an average two-story three-bedroom house. The filly galloped to the sliding doors that led to the living room, covered by curtains inside, partly in an adventurous excitement to explore, and other part because it was much colder than what the filly was used to.

“I was told there should be a key underneath the—” Cozy paused, “gnome…”

There was indeed a garden gnome near the wall on the slim stone patio—one that looked identical to her petrified petrified expression and pose from her second defeat, only smaller, and cheaper-looking: rounder around the cuts and extrusions.

“Ugh!” Cozy groaned. “That is so distasteful! How can anypony be allowed to do that!”

She snatched the key and muttered under her breath: “I really should’ve gotten more from those brothers…”

The doors led to the living room, and as they entered Cozy undid her disguise, and wiped her teary eyes. Next to it was a couch and two recliners. On the far side of the room—near the windows facing the front lawn—was a rectangular dining room table that came with chairs, and like everything else currently was empty and bare, but the two only saw it as more opportunity for their personal customizations!

Cozy loved the furniture; it was new enough where it wasn’t on its last legs, but old enough where it couldn’t have survived if it was made of something brittle.

Behind the couch—that was against the wall—was a counter that connected to the kitchen—a narrow cut intended to allow meals to pass between the rooms, though it kept the wall flat and didn’t bulge.

Towards the right was a hallway, which split between the kitchen door and the foyer.

Luster couldn’t believe she was going to live here! It almost felt undeserving.

“Want to help me unpack?” Cozy asked, tossing her satchel to the couch in front of where Luster sat—who was peeking into the kitchen. “Just be sure not to fall in,” she winked.

Luster blew a raspberry. “How could I fall into a bag?” She opened it. “Cozy—Mom, it’s empty.”

Cozy held its opening towards Luster and fully submerged into it both her forelegs—and pulled out a pillow that was similar in shape and design to the villain’s rook, the one she had in her old apartment in Kludgetown.

“Wow…” Luster said, flabbergasted. “How did you do that?”

Cozy acted cool. “You only need to think in the fifth dimension.”

She pulled out a flipbook and played it for Luster.

The animation—which was only pencil but could pass as professional—started with a pretty miserable looking Flurry Heart, asleep on the floor, fettered by a magic muffler around her horn similar to what Luster had on yesterday, a sturdy collar seemingly attached to the wall (to the end of the page), and a bridle.

Lines indicating a yell appeared, and Flurry’s drooped ears perked upwards, then her head, then a pie was thrown to her face! Her eyes darted at Luster, the observer, back at the pie on the floor, back and forth, until she reluctantly ate her meal—parts of it dripping back onto the tin—while staring at the fourth wall with a scowl.

“Uhhh…” Luster murmured. “Why did you show me that?”

Cozy turned the flipbook to the side. “The thickness of these pages is width, the third dimension, but if you were a 2-D flatlander like snobby over here, width would be a bit like time!”

“…”

“As you move along the width, time moves forwards too! For us three dimensional ponies, time is the fourth dimension! The items inside of this bag are hidden beyond our spatial comprehension!”

“…”

Cozy sighed. “Just fiddle with it for a while. You’ll get used to controlling the enchantment eventually. But do not let yourself get stuck inside!”

Luster gulped. “Will it kill me?”

“Worse! It’ll annoy me!” Cozy joked, and booped Luster’s muzzle. “Keep the artifacts inside, dear.”

Cozy left for the kitchen. Checkered diamond-shaped tiles for the floors, white ceilings, wooden cabinets, retrofitted marble countertop, a decent fridge, and a glass door with a pet flap—both doors opposite each other.

She saw through the counter that Luster was struggling with the satchel. There was, made of a special invisible stitch, an embroidery of her rook, that would glow with magic whenever it was in use. It didn’t glow with Luster, not even dimly. Strange.

Cozy glared at the stove, and oven beneath. She turned on the gas and smelled to check it worked.

“Oh golly! Good thing the gas works!” Cozy said. “Lustie, can you pass me the bag? I need to light a fire.”

Cozy inspected the oven.

“Lustie—”

An explosion! Liquid flames burst from the stove above, and splattered onto the wooden cabinets. A few embers fell on Cozy’s wing, which instinctively shielded her body and vitals. Her pupils constricted; her feathers were ruffled.

Luster!

Cozy threaded through the counter with a jump, and hugged Luster to the floor, shielding her under both her hooves and wings.

Luster was stuttering her breaths. Her heart was drumming through her chest rapidly. Once her mind snapped back to reality, she was already fifty meters away on the edge of the yard, head resting against a tree.

She sat there for a while and watched the window. The bright blaze flickered, then permanently extinguished.

A minute passed. Luster got up.

Going back to Cozy’s house was a walk of shame. She thought she could use one of her three spells—fire—to make the mare’s life a bit easier. When Cozy became an alicorn, she could use magic so effortlessly, meanwhile Luster had a horn her whole life and could hardly lift a blanket.

There were burn marks on the curtains. Water dripped onto the carpets. Parts of the wet fabric retained to the glass.

Luster stood there, unable to muster the courage to slide the door open. Cozy did it for her, soaked. On the ceilings were clouds, crumbled and drained, and rolling on the floor was a blue fire extinguisher that was previously packed with said clouds.

Silence.

Cozy spoke: “You okay, Lustie?”

Luster kept her head down and rubbed her leg. “Yeah… I’m sorry.” She stuttered. “Are you gonna… discipline…”

“Luster...” Cozy sighed, caressing one of the filly’s cheeks with her wing. “Was that what they used to do to you?”

Luster paused, and slowly nodded.

“Well, I want you to wipe that memory from your head! Nothing’s going to happen. And as somepony who is really good at reading ponies, I don’t think I’ll ever have to resort to that.” Cozy stooped down and pecked Luster next to her horn. “You’re a good filly, and it was an accident! Besides, I’m a pegasus pony! Me dying to a fire is like a hippogriff drowning! Golly, could you imagine!”

Luster still had her head down, so Cozy double-tapped one of her wings against the back of the filly’s scalp and held it there.

“Lighten up!” Cozy said. “And if it makes you feel any better about your magic, I think my bag is enchanted to only work for me! So, I guess we both fumbled up today!”

“...Are those burn marks?” Luster asked.

Cozy held out her wings to inspect, twisting them over and under. “A few tiny burns, but I’m friends with a very talented doctor, and stocked up on plenty of healing potions! Plus, it doesn’t seem like any of my enchanted items were fazed! But there is one problem…”

“That is?”

“You’re going to have to wait a bit longer before you can taste my cooking!”

Luster face glimmered a light smile.

“Hey! My cooking isn't that bad! My cupcakes wooed supervillains and princesses!” Cozy activated her bow—her body now dried as the flames boiled the wet into clouds of steam—and bore through the irritation it caused. She donned her satchel over her back, and snapped it over her stomach. “This is a typical Wednesday for me, but you're new so your body’s agitated. A short walk to the square should release some of that negative energy! I’ll let you pick where to eat—but next time is my turn, of course!”

There were knocks at the door—very quick and hard ones.

Cozy’s wing opened her satchel and pulled out the jet injector, shaking it as she tip-hooved towards the door. She peaked through the peephole, and slowly creaked the door open.

“Ohmygoodnessareyouokay?” the kirin essentially rapped. “I heard an explosion that was really loud I was in my yard and I heard it so that must’ve been really harsh on your ears and oh my gosh your eyes!”

“...It wasn’t that loud, like loud music,” Cozy shrugged, “and I know a very good ear pony.” She slowly packed her instrument.

It’s been twenty years, but Cozy’s mental catalog of faces still had her entry, though that was aided by the fact Twilight included her in her published Journal of Friendship.

The kirin facehoofed herself. “Ugh! Where are my manners?!” She extended a hoof. “I’m Autumn Blaze!” She gasped. “You must be our new neighbors!”

Autumn was hopping in place.

Cozy shook her face. “Our?”

A little kirin foal peeked her head from under Autumn. Her mane and tail were light-green—which camouflaged well with leaves—her horn light-red, her irises a gradient of violet above a lighter purple, her coat was beige, with a brighter shade for the scaly bits of her muzzle ridge to her glabella to her scalp and back, as well as her hooves and the tips of her ears. As a young kirin, some of those lighter bits would likely grow darker with age, and have the same streaks on her horn as her mother’s!

“Yes, this is my foal!” Autumn said. “Say ‘hi’, River Song!”

“Hi!” River held out a hoof, which Cozy wing-shook. The latter’s hooves were occupied holding the side of the door—defensively.

“Sorry,” Cozy apologized, “My mind’s just a bit confuzzled after that super long flight! Butter Skies,” Cozy pointed to herself. “I had to carry my entire house and, oh—Lustie, dear, get over here! Don’t be shy, come say hi!”

The two kirins turned to each other, and Autumn said in a loud whispering voice. “Heh! That rhymes!”

Cozy let the door open fully and trotted outside, slipping into her friendly character.

River gasped. “Did she cause the explosion?!”

Cozy looked at Luster, and turned back to the young kirin. “It was mostly my fault for leaving the gas on.”

“It’s okay Ms. Skies, I’ve had a few accidents before too!” River admitted.

“She’s a bit of a loose cannon when she turns nirik,” Autumn giggled, “but so are basically all of us! She’s really nice!”

Autumn continued: “Well, see you ponies around!”

“See yo—” Luster was interrupted.

“Wait!” Cozy shouted. “My stove’s busted, and I’d love for somecreature to show me around! Maybe grab a bite to eat?”

Autumn gasped. “I’d love to! Come on, this way!”

The duo ran down the path and leftwards to a perpendicular path down the slope. It was a dirt trail; no vehicle wider than a bike could fit through.

Autumn hopped her way down while River galloped. The two kirins turned back to Cozy gliding towards them—all four of her hooves bent backwards to grab a hold of Luster, who was dropped once her hooves touched the ground.

Adrenaline masked it before, as well as Cozy’s warmth, but for the filly the area was really cold! She tried to stay close to the others to borrow some of their body heat.

Once they were in the food area, River ran ahead and tapped on a table outside: “How about here?”

It looked quite nice. On the front was a sign of a griffon with an exquisite mustache!

“What do you think, Lustie?” Cozy asked.

Luster looked at it, her teeth clacking from the frosty winds this time of year. “It looks good.”

“And you have no problems with the table she chose?”

“Um, nope.”

Cozy hovered over Luster, feigned an angry face and with her upside-down head blocking the filly’s path she stared. “Don’t try to lie to the master manipulator, Lustie! You’re cold! We’ll go find a seat inside!”

Autumn tried to hold a laugh. “Phff! The ‘master manipulator’? What’s next? You’ll start saying ‘golly’?”

“Well golly gee, Autumn! However in Equestria did you figure it all out?”

The two grown-ups laughed, and Cozy whispered in Luster’s ear: “Now I can play it off as an inside joke!” She nudged the filly and winked.

Inside was warmer, and the two groups sat in conjoined cushioned seats that were in a u-shape around a table; the grownups sat next to their respective foal, opposite to the other two. The order went: Luster, Cozy, River, Autumn.

Before the menus even came, Cozy already knew what she wanted to order: a pizza! And the thought of dragon-mailing Cadance a picture passed her mind, but—no—that was reckless now! She’s a mother now!

Golly, that really happened over a day! Jeez, I’m not going to be able to do as many things as I used to—well, unless I get a foalsitter. But who do I trust to foalsit?

“Mom!” Luster pulled the mare’s mane. “It’s your turn to order!”

“Oh—just get me a pizza!” Cozy said, and when the waiter pony asked what type, Cozy replied: “Surprise me!”

She leaned towards Luster and covered their faces with her wing. “You should try making friends with that foal, Lustie!”

Luster pushed Cozy’s wing down and asked: “But what kind of creatures are they?”

The pony duo turned and saw beside them the kirins with quizzical expressions, and their heads tilted in sync.

“Her background is complicated—super personal, let’s not get into it!” Cozy said. “She starts home-school on Monday!”

“I am?” Luster asked.

“Yes.” Cozy turned to River. “Why don’t you explain what a—what do you creatures call yourselves? A Kraken?”

“Kirin!”

“Karen?”

“Kirin!” River burst into hot blue-flames as she transformed into a nirik!

Cozy leaned back and swapped places with Luster—without permission.

“River, she’s just teasing you!” Autumn explained. “Don’t let her wind you up!”

River extinguished herself back into a kirin, but her face still showed she was irritated at the mare.

“You make it sound so malicious!” Cozy said.

Autumn chuckled. “Speaking of malicious, have you heard that Discord and Princess Cadance are heading out to the Mysterious South to investigate a strange magical anomaly? They say it might have something to do with Cozy Glow!”

Luster gulped; Cozy looked unbothered.

“Cozy Glow, huh?” Cozy said.

“Yep! We saw it on the news!” River replied. “Princess Flurry Heart’s totally going to kill that mare once she gets her hooves on her!”

Autumn nodded. “I still can’t believe she threw a pie to her face!” She tried not to giggle—not even a bit. Cozy nearly made her fail; the mare was snort-laughing.

“It happened twice, actually!” Cozy said. “She found it so funny that she didn’t feed the poor little Princess till next day to do again! But this time, with sketches!”

The ends of Autumn’s lips started to twitch. She shook. “That’s not funny.”

“Alright!” Cozy held her hooves in front of her. “Anyhow, the food’s here!”

Except it was only Cozy’s pizza that arrived.

“Hmph! Why does her meal come first?” River complained with her forelegs crossed.

The pizza was a promotion intended to be more of a party game than an actual meal. It was topped with all sorts of peppers and chilies, and to the right of each one (except the last) was an even spicier slice! Hot sauce was provided—of course!

“I can’t eat this…” Cozy muttered.

“What’s the matter Butters?” River taunted. “Scared of a bit of spice?”

“Don’t call me that! That means ugly…”

“OK, Butters!” And just to be sure: “Butter face!”

“River!” Autumn gasped, but she was too amused to lecture her filly and hid her mouth behind her hoof, under massive eyes that swayed between the two.

“That doesn’t even—I’m not—”

“Yeah,” Luster said with her muzzle shyly tucked into a complimentary drink, “Mom’s too chubby for that!”

River chuckled. “Her face will melt!”

The implication of ruined disguises made Cozy check that her fur was still hidden yellow. Once safety was confirmed, she held a gape and feigned a betrayed, horrified look. “Lustie! How could you say that about your own mother!”

“What? You told me not to lie…” Luster snarked. “Don’t spit out your feathers!”

“She needs all the help she can get to fly!” River added.

“Wow! I’m being ganged-up on! And I thought we were becoming friends!” Cozy turned to River. “You’re on!”

Cozy started at the lowest level, but—with the pizza cut into eight slices—River started at the fourth level, hovering the slice in a purple aura that matched her eyes while Luster watched—amazed by how smoothly it traveled through the air and into her mouth.

Not to be outdone, Cozy ate the fifth slice. Even grabbing it with her wings gave her a burn, so she used her nerveless hooves. She crammed the entire slice into her mouth, so her mind wouldn’t dissuade itself to finish once it actually got a sensing of how spicy spicy could be.

River was sweating, but bared it like a stoic, while Cozy had her forehead on the table. Luster held one of her hooves over the mare’s neck, the other awkwardly over the other trying to pet her back.

“Don’t kill yourself, Mom,” Luster said.

River ate the sixth slice, and since there was only one type of each, simple pattern-comprehension told Cozy what she needed to do.

“Autumn, can you feed me that slice?” Cozy asked and pointed.

Autumn chuckled, and rolled her eyes. “Sure thing! Hope you have other family, Luster!”

“There is Hope.” Cozy murmured.

Cozy’s head pounced at the hovering slice, trying her best to shove it all down quickly to minimize contact with her tongue. She coughed, and choked on the slice, which meant it got pushed back up and—burnt!

The mare’s sweaty forelegs were around Luster for comfort. A few tears fell down to her chin and onto the floor, and she was panting heavily.

Before she was teasing, but now Luster started to worry a bit. “You’re okay, right Mom?”

“I—” Cozy cough. “I need to be excused.”

The speed and force at which Cozy fled for the doors pulled on each of their manes.

“...Guess I’m paying.” Autumn shook her head and rolled her eyes, but kept a smile.

And Cozy didn’t come back even after all the others were served and had finished. Autumn didn’t want to keep two demon-fillies waiting so they left without her—because a pegasi should have no trouble finding her young.

Sure enough, she didn’t.

Once they were in the open outdoors, a figure hiding atop of the restaurant's sign grabbed the two fillies with a foreleg each and lifted them a few hundred hooves above ground.

Seems Cozy found River’s fear.

The young kirin didn’t turn nirik, instead held on very tight and muttered. “Put me down! Put me down!”

“Put me down, who?”

River groaned whilst still looking petrified. “What was that other name?”

Cozy wore a mischievous smile, and she plugged her ears with her wings. No longer flapping, they fell, and as per her prediction River screamed! To be fair, she did let go of the filly—but kept hold of Luster—and only saved her two seconds before impact. She bent a knee to support the kirin’s weight, and used her spare forehoof over her mouth to muffle the ear-ending screech of a frightened filly. She parachuted her wings and fell gently on her back.

“Never do that again!” River kicked some dirt towards tranquil Cozy. “Also, that didn’t count! I won the spicy challenge!”

“Fine.” Cozy said with her eyes closed. “I almost won.”

“You should title your biography that!” Luster half-jokingly suggested.

“I’m bringing up everything you say in your discipline lesson on Monday, Lustie. It’s the first subject!”

“Enough fighting you three foals!” Autumn said. “We’re heading to the store! Coming with?”

“Sure.” Cozy flew back up and hovered along with the group.

Luster and River ran circles around the two, and after River used her magic to hold the other’s tail, Luster tried to do the same—and succeeded! Friendly competition for magical competency was exactly what Cozy wanted! And a kirin was a perfect match for ‘The Filly Arsonist’! The forest will have many long years ahead of it.

Cozy and Autumn shared a trolley—which the former drove, hovering while the lower ends of her forelegs rested on the handle.

“Hang on!” Cozy tapped Autumn’s shoulder while she flew to the top shelves of the aisle. She dropped a few things in, covered it with the other items, looked at the kirin and held a hoof in front of her own mouth. “Sshhh!” She winked.

Autumn looked back and forth; the fillies were somewhere further on. She whispered: “Who’s this for?”

It was more of a whispering-voice than a whisper, but Cozy gave her answer with better secrecy.

“Oooh!” Autumn said, miming the motion of sealed lips. “So is that like another birthday for ponies?”

“I consider it to be!” Cozy replied as the two went to the next aisle. “The day I got mine was when I was truly born!”

“When Butter Skies was truly born?” Autumn glanced at Cozy’s disguised flank. “What’s that mask even mean?” She gasped. “Does it mean you’re a theater pony?!”

The kirin leaned forwards and gleamed, and the tips of their muzzles touched.

Cozy pushed her back. “Do you run a club?” she asked.

“How did you know?!” Autumn replied.

Their bonding was ended by a loud and sudden explosion further into the store.

One of the store shelf-units leaned forwards—towards the fillies! Despite being the rustier of the two, Luster was the one to hold her stance.

She glared her horn and held the falling unit by a single shelf.

It worked—for a few seconds.

Her narrow application of telekinetic pressure made the area she grabbed on act like a fulcrum. The ground-touching base of the unit started to slide backwards, which increased the pressure Luster had to endure.

It had tilted enough that the glass jars it stored started to fall. River could see something roll; it was about to hit Luster! The kirin focused her anxious mind and magical energy.

That wasn’t needed.

The two fillies were snatched by Cozy—the mare’s hooves under their heads. Besides a bit of friction—mostly negated by their tail as their lower backs scraped the store’s tiles—the two were fine.

Behind them, most of the items shattered to the floor. Autumn was holding the unit, but since the area was predominantly unicorn, the staff were too, so they quickly assisted with their abilities.

Only one shelf unit was affected, and luckily not the ones to their sides—each aisle made of three. Unfortunately, it was the alcohol aisle. Nothing uber-premium, but cheap alcohol was still double digits in bits, and there were a lot of broken bottles.

Autumn tried to help with the mopping employees, awkwardly smiling, understandably rejected.

“Who did it?” Cozy asked.

“...It’s my fault.” River admitted. “I—”

Cozy didn’t let her finish. “Come on Lustie, let’s leave.” She grabbed the Luster’s hoof and tried to walk away, but the filly denied her request. “Lustie? Where are you going?”

“I can’t just let the kirins handle it by themselves! River and I were just playing, and I guess I annoyed her a bit with my magic, so she tried to get me to stop… with fire… Maybe I can do another job and help her pay?” Luster explained, walking towards Autumn who was frantically explaining alongside River what happened to the manager.

Cozy’s conviviality with Autumn was—super fake—only to aid Luster’s friendship with her daughter—even if the filly's behaviour encouraged Luster to join in teasing her! That wasn't a spark compared to what her mother did—though still pretty rude!

Autumn Blaze was the kirin that led her whole tribe to defeat her in her raid against Canterlot.

Cozy was yet to forgive anyone who appeared that day. None of them will ever know what dread is like when you’re a filly ossified, unable to twitch or blink, to inhale or exhale. Watching the world pass you by with eyes cataracted by a layer of rock. To be unable to shield your ears from the blaring party music afterwards, impossible for your auditory cells to ever die whilst preserved. No part of her could die. She couldn’t even beg Luna for death—statues didn’t need sleep, nor could they. Perhaps with some luck she could’ve been shattered like the Storm King, but would that even kill her? Or would she just become a haunted jigsaw of parts? A tethered soul who had to hope or trick some fool into reassembling her—or wait for the total annihilation of all magic, forever—but Twilight would never let that happen!

But—Luster was here now, and she felt an odd responsibility to pretend to be good, at least in public like she always had.

“River how could you do this, I just—ugh! You know how much harder everything is here! I guess I could use some of the funds from the theater club but—no I can’t! I only manage them—they aren’t mine!” Autumn was fast-panicking. “River, apologize right now!”

While River did and Luster joined, Cozy landed next to Autumn and walked her a few meters out to talk.

“What am I going to do, Butters—uh, Butter Skies?” Autumn asked. “I really can’t afford—”

Cozy hugged the kirin, and softly said: “I’ll cover it.”

“You’ll—what?” Autumn thought she might’ve misunderstood.

“I’ll pay for it. I’ll negotiate.” Cozy petted the back of the kirin’s mane twice, and placed a few bits in herhooves, which the latter levitated and fidgeted with. “Go buy the foals an ice-cream, or some hot chocolate. Something for yourself, maybe?”

She didn’t know why she included that Autumn should treat herself, but she did, and she never questioned what her mind told her or felt.

“Just let Butters take care of everything!” Cozy smiled. “Plus, you did pay for lunch, right? Consider us both equal.”

“That’s so nice… Thank you.” Autumn sniffled. “This is quite a lot of bits though...”

“Well, I still need groceries! Right?” Cozy winked, while Autumn telekinetically pulled the trolley from the ends of the store to where she was.

Autumn paid and brought them all to the playground. Luckily, she had a thick shell, and not sensing the hidden intent behind Cozy’s act, she wasn’t too grieved by the ordeal. The same couldn’t be said for the foals.

Being blithe would have been awkward after that.

Luster had caused three incidents now, and it had only just barely been twenty-four hours. If it was any other pony other than—ironically—the supervillain, she wouldn’t have gotten off so easily.

River was frozen when time called for her to act, and had to rely on that mare to rescue both of them. And her mother looked worse than nirik—she looked disappointed.

A while later, Cozy fell from the sky next to Autumn on the aged wooden bench.

“Got me anything?” Cozy asked.

“Hot cocoa?” Autumn floated the cup over.

“Thanks! Anyways, we’re heading home now!” Cozy assured: “And don’t worry—you’re not banned from the store. I handled it.”

“How much did it cost?” Autumn asked, trying to give back the change of what Cozy gave her, which the latter refused.

“Don’t worry about it!” Cozy grabbed the bags of groceries that Autumn grouped as hers. “Use the change to plan something! Luster seems to be getting along really well with River.”

She hovered forwards, but stopped to clarify. “Um—maybe like a beach, or a river, or a water park—or anywhere with water?”

Autumn softly giggled. “I’ll keep a mental note of that. Thanks again, Butter Skies.”

“Cya! Come on Lustie!” Cozy scooped up Luster and dumped her on her back, without a belt since she would be flying leisurely and slowly.

It was sunset, and the temperature had dropped. Couple with how much Luster played, once they arrived home, she could hardly stand she was so tired. Cozy brushed her teeth for her and tucked her under her thick wooly blankets, over the couch—since they still hadn’t gone furniture shopping.

Luster mumbled: “I’m sorry.” She yawned.

“It’s okay. I don’t think it would have happened if you didn’t spend most of your life in that crumby town! But do you know what would make Mommy really sad?”

Luster hummed to respond, almost fully asleep.

“Is if you stopped using your magic over a few hiccups. That’s exactly what happened to the kirin when I was little. You’re my special filly, aren’t you? You’re allowed to make a few mistakes.” Cozy pecked her on the forehead, which brought out a faint smile. “Night night, Lustie.”

---

A second sun shone above the skies of Kludgetown, casting a spotlight below.

Two highest-level beings descended, dressed with halos, white wings and satin. Two guards were seated at the gate.

They saw them and lifted their spears, but Discord spoke with a thundering, ominous voice: “Flee for your lives! Don’t look back, and don’t stop anywhere in the plain! Flee to the mountains or you will be swept away!” And the two guards fled.

Discord raised his hand above his head, and a meteor of molten sulfur befell and laid waste to the barrier.

Pulling off her apparel with her wing, Cadance spoke: "One of the buildings from above looked burnt, so we should start our search there!"

They reappeared at the site, a desolate building save for a few opportunistic looters and the owner's own investigators, with overlap between those groups. Discord snapped police tape around the premises and the stallion who owned the factory was brought in front of them.

With a yellow notepad in claw and an oversized pencil in paw, Discord interrogated the stallion. “You wouldn’t happen to see a pink pegasus fugitive around here, have you? About nigh big, tends to hover, styles herself like a baby doll, says ‘golly’ a lot.”

“I… I don’t know what you’re talking about,” the owner replied.

“Please excuse my client!” Discord said, appearing beside the owner, with a comb over hairstyle, mullet, and purple suit. “Listen, buddy! I don’t know if any creature told you this, but Discord—he’s really bad news! I’ve dealt with him quite a few times and let me tell you, he’s definitely not going to let a stallion get in his way! Why don’t you just tell the draconequus what he wants so he can get out of your mane pronto?”

“But I didn’t see Cozy Glow! I saw—”

“Uh uh!” another Discord lawyer shushed the owner with his paw. “My client will not speak before we properly negotiate the terms of the agreement!”

“The agreement,” original Discord said, “is that the stallion talks, otherwise he can enjoy being a pillar of salt for the rest of—”

“Discords, I found something!” Cadance shouted.

The duplicates disappeared and the original slithered around a corner. “What is it?”

In front of them was a hole that led to the cramp barracks.

“Think this could have been her?” Cadance asked.

They turned to see it wasn’t just the factory that had a hole, but the building behind it as well! There was a tunnel that stretched from where they stood to the city walls.

Discord inspected the outlines of the walls. “Destructive, but terribly brutish! I know she had never had any proper practice, but if this was supposed to be an attack it’s just plain ineffective!”

“Look Discord, a clue!” Cadance exclaimed, staring at footsteps. It started again at the other side of the blast, but before that ended in drags, like two creatures were telekinetically lifted off the ground.

“We should find out where they came from!” Discord suggested, and Cadance nodded in agreement. “Go-Go Dis-copter!”

Three red propeller blades and handles extended out of Discord’s head, whose spin lifted him upwards, while Cadance went with the traditional mode of transportation called: 'flapping her wings'.

The duo followed the steps—above to avoid the thick crowds—which brought them to a residential building. The stairwell was squared with landings on each corner, and near the very top, opposite to the highest apartment, was a damaged wall—a radius of bricks that were lighter compared to the surroundings, implying something struck it, or was struck into it, which was corroborated by a trail of blood. Not a lot of blood, but at least a nose-full that led up the steps to the door.

With Cadance’s horn charged, and Discord pointing his paw like a gun, the latter kicked the door open with his hoof.

Empty. Besides broken framed posters on the floor and a few missing cushions, the room was barren of any evidence for Cozy’s stay.

Discord looked around. “It seems Cozy had already left.”

“What keen observations…” Cadance said, sarcastically. “Come take a look at this!”

The bathroom: broken glass and mud stains. Since most of the shards were outside, what broke it must’ve originated from inside the apartment.

“I caught something!” Discord shouted, reeling in his fishing rod cast out the window. He tugged and pulled in a dusty book, unmoved since no one was considerate enough to not ignore what looked like litter.

“Seems she’s been reading the Journal of Friendship,” Cadance concluded.

The duo flipped to see if there were any useful notes inside.

“…”

Discord held a chuckle, but played it off as a cough. “That is just completely immature!” He said as he flipped to the next page.

“But it’s definitely her though, look!” Cadance pointed to an autograph inside. “Shining told me about this. Cozy coerced Flurry for her signature, and in return promised she wouldn't throw a second pie to her face."

Discord conjured a hat and held it to his chest with a solemn expression. "But she did it anyway…"

"She did..."

Discord pulled his coat like a collar and dropped the book inside for ‘safe keeping’, and sat on a red thinking-chair to muse. There were three drawings he made in his notebook, and, as he went through the points, enlarged projections of the scribbles appeared around him. “She attacks a factory, defeated some sort of creature here, and broke through the window! ” He smoked a pipe of bubbles, and pressed the tips of his claws together, “But what could it all mean…”

“What’s that!” Cadance called. Muddy footsteps let to a bin that housed a crumpled piece of paper—not Cozy’s hoofsteps, and not her wanted poster.

Cadance used her magic to straighten out the wrinkles, and held it in front of the window for both of them to read.

“Does that missing filly look familiar?” Cadance asked.

“Monochromatic colors, messy mane, no cutie mark—how am I supposed to tell?!”

“She looks like that filly we met during breakfast. I was a bit suspicious by how malnourished she looked.” Cadance created a zip-lock bag composed of her aura, and sealed the poster inside. “That mare—that I thought was her mother—did say she had a complicated situation. We should probably try to probe her to see what she knows!”

A mini-UFO cast a tractor beam to carry the poster.

Cadance continued: “My schedule's pretty busy though...”

“No need to ask! I’ll go investigate it myself!”

"Yeah… I'll pen a letter to Celestia and Luna."

"Figures,” Discord crossed his foreparts. “You obviously don't trust me!"

"I don't," Cadance bluntly responded. "If it weren't for you, she'd still be locked up in Tartarus!"

"Now now, let's not point hooves.” Discord said. “But if we were, let's not neglect the fact that Flurry was the one who freed those three from my petrification spell!"

Cadance looked away, and sighed: "She was just a filly."

"Cozy was just a filly."

"She had good intentions!"

“I had good intentions!" Discord intertwined his claws and gave a gentle smile as a halo appeared over his head.

"If the Sisters are busy, and Twilight's obviously busy—"

"Obviously!"

"—then—since it’s probably closer to Canterlot—she might be able to come—if Shining agrees."

"Wonderful! I'll go fill their schedules!" Discord disappeared.

"That's a joke, right?" Cadance asked.

No response.

"Discord?" Echoes rang through the empty hallways of the apartment. "Hello?"

It was a long flight home.

Author's Notes:

Autumn was originally going to be an OC named Eventide but then I didn't see a point inventing a clone.

Sharp-eyed Doctor

Author's Notes:

Very short chapter, bit busy.
Inbox is open for critiques and proofreaders.
Hope you've read the best arc of the comics (Mainline 34-37, FIENDship 1)!

The skies were frozen dark-blue, and if you were a stargazer on a frosty lone hill you'd have none other than the Pegasi to blame for obstructions.

It all linked back to them: the clouds that blanketed Equestria; the occasional shadow that flew overhead; the red blinking lights donned on the reflective vests that all nightshift deliverymares were required to wear, so they wouldn’t bump into each other when they glided through the fogs ordered for Autumn.

There were a few weeks left before Cozy would have to wear a jacket. Plenty of time to choose a design, order and purchase one—were she the only consideration. Luster was the main consideration. And even though unicorns tended to live in the colder environments—Canterlot, and all the major cities—Luster’s body hadn’t had enough time to acclimatize.

So, the heaters had to be kept on during the night, and on the couch Luster slept snugly. The blanket was scrunched between her hooves, trapped in a tight hug. A rook-shaped cushion was used as her pillow, and it was distended, almost as if somepony had replaced its stuffing with used rainclouds. On the living room table next to the filly in levitation’s length was a glass of water over a coaster and a tin of butter biscuits—store-bought until Cozy fixes the oven.

Knock knock!

It came from the entrance. Luster turned in her sleep.

Knock knock knock knock knock knock knock—

Luster woke up. With her shoulders on the couch, she stretched her legs. Since the knocks persisted, she would eventually be forced to answer the door—unless:

“Mom!” Luster yelled. “Should I get the door?”

No response. The filly groaned. She hadn’t the energy to stand, so she rolled off the bed, between the couch and the table, wrapping herself in a cocoon of blanket.

Like a caterpillar she crawled to the foyer, and stopped only once her eyes were at the end of the hallway over the corner.

The knocks hadn’t stopped.

Luster shouted: “What do you want?!”

The knocks stopped. Luster’s tension eased. Wooden floors never felt so comfy.

Click!

Luster’s eyes shot open. It was dark.

Surely what I just heard was just a dream, Luster reassured herself. Tired, but hesitant to leave, she sat on her blankie, head rested against the wall, eyes fixed on the door.

You’re being irrational, Luster, break-ins are rare in—

The knob turned. Luster woke up fully.

“Mom?!” Luster shouted.

The door opened—wind rushed through—and magnets on its base kept it open.

A cloaked figure revealed itself: a pony, dimly illuminated from behind by moonlight.

Luster thought she was finished with these sorts of encounters, but shook it off.

Focus!

The filly’s horn started to brew a spell she knew was destructive—the one that broke their stove. Its charge was accompanied by a noise increasing in pitch, by light, and vibrations that shook her skull.

The intruder stood still.

Not reassuring, Luster thought. She shrugged it off, and blasted her spell.

Not even a flinch was elicited to the cloaked figure as they countered with a defensive spell: a shield. It had faces and edges like a polyhedron, but only covered their front, unlike Cozy’s bubble which was round and wrapped her completely.

Luster’s fireball was completely muffled by the shield. Not a single drop of liquid fire fell to the floor, and hardly a sound was made. It only caused the opponent’s shield to glow slightly, light blue to match their aura, which lit the foyer.

Luster saw her still expression reflected on the faces of the shield, but behind it a few features of the intruder became apparent. The reflections in their eyes had sharp edges, like a crystal, beyond a purple coat.

Once its purpose was fulfilled, the shield dissipated in a fashion similar to the snapping of an overpowered light-bulb’s filament, only quieter and more elegant.

Big mistake.

Luster shot another fireball. Another shield stopped it, and dwindled.

Luster knew there had to be a better way. With inferred understanding and a little innovation, Luster cast something new. Familiar but new. She aptly titled it in her inner monologue: flamethrower spell!

Flames blew out of her horn. Five seconds later, Luster used up her magical stamina. The flames subsided.

Luster’s forehead was tingling. She lifted her head from the floor. The moment of truth.

The intruder’s shield blocked it.

They weren’t even facing the filly; they were more focused on rereading the sign outside to make sure they didn’t make an error, simultaneously dual casting a spotlight of light from their horn.

They turned to face Luster.

“What are you doing here?” the intruder spoke, in a voice that sounded soft, confident, and oddly comforting.

They stepped forwards.

Luster stepped back.

She tripped on the arm of her blanket, peeking from the hallway, but got up and ran for the kitchen door.

It was locked. Magically exhausted, she pushed herself to telekinetically turn the lock. It didn’t budge at all. She tried with her hooves.

Hopeless.

“W—What do you want?” Luster asked as she turned to face the intruder, who stopped right in front of her.

The intruder responded with another question: “Why does Cozy Glow have a filly in here?”

They undid their hood. Lit from the ambient light outside through the glass door, Luster inspected the mare. Said purple coat, with a light-blue mane that slid down her nape and back over her shoulders, the same color for her irises, and both similar to her aura.

“Did you think I was your mother?”

“Wh—”

“Because I’m not, but I can help you find her!”

Two pink hooves approached the intruder from behind, and pounced around her neck.

“Boo!” Cozy shouted.

The intruder yelped; her horn lit up.

“Easy Hope, it’s just me!” said Cozy, in her normal colors.

Hope sighed relief, then turned cross. “I know you don’t have… morals… but foalnapping a filly, while inviting me over?”

“You’re late.”

“Good thing I was! Look at how malnourished she is! And a broken cannon?! It’s like she just escaped your basement, and I won’t be looking at you until you get rid of her!”

“Relax!” Cozy held her wings out. “Lustie, care to explain for me?”

“Cozy’s my—” Luster searched for reassurance that could say that word, and after Cozy nodded, “—my mom…”

Hope stood dumbfounded.

Taking glances at both of them, the flashlight spell she used shifted green, and was shone at Cozy. Thick strings constructed of Hope’s magic wrapped around Cozy’s forehooves and a massive needle of similar material struck the ceiling. It acted like a pulley, and Cozy was pulled to her hindlegs, and Hope did an inspection.

The medical professional turned to Luster. “She must really have you brainwashed.” She turned back to Cozy. “There’s no way you gave birth to that—”

“I meant adopted, you invasive thick idiot!” Cozy clarified, upside down, her hindlegs pushing against the ceiling of her brand-new house, trying to snap the pulley off to free herself. Hope undid her binds and Cozy fell on her hooves. “I adopted her two days ago from Kludgetown!”

Hope took a while before she responded. “Cozy Glow adopted a foal out of the goodness of her heart? I don’t know…”

“Just because your boyfriend enslaves ponies doesn’t mean I—” Cozy mouth was stitched shut. It didn’t hurt—Hope made sure it didn’t—but it was a durable spell.

Magic enveloped Luster’s hoof, but the light-blue sheen felt soft and warm, and it pulled her to the living room.

“Come on dear, let’s get you checked up.” Hope said, guiding Luster and magicking on the lights.

Meanwhile Cozy closed the door; noticing a blanket on the floor she tossed it beside Luster, who sat on the couch confused about what was happening—but Mom didn’t seem worried.

Hope went through the standard:

First, and because it required the dopey filly to be awake, she tested her eyesight. Hope conjured a solid white board with black letters and numbers that got smaller the further downwards they were, and kept it afloat further back.

“Now Lustie—”

“Luster.” Luster clarified.

“Sorry. Now Luster, can you please read what you see on the board?” Hope requested.

Luster taught herself literacy so she already wasn’t too confident. She did what the doctor said and succeeded mostly, barely able to make out the third last line and hopeless on the other two.

Hope wrote no notes; it was all kept in her memory. It was impossible for Luster to tell from the mare’s expressions whether she was doing good or not.

Hope continued. She teleported besides Luster and attempted to inspect her ears.

“How did you do that?!” Luster asked, amazed, while Hope sandwiched the filly’s head between her forehooves to stop her from moving.

“Did what?” Hope asked, focused on the exam.

“You just popped from over there to right here!”

“You mean teleport?” Hope used that from x-ray spell before, which was harmless unlike conventional x-ray machines, to guide her magic as she cleaned Luster’s ear canal with several spells.

“Yeah, teleport! How did you do that?” In-between Luster’s inquiry Hope teleported again, to her other ear.

“With my horn.” Hope responded. She expanded her telekinesis to the inside of Luster’s ears, which took a bit of effort.

Creatures had a field of supernatural protection to protect spell-casters from tampering with their insides, strongest in their skulls so no random unicorn would be able to casually sever a blood vessel.

“Can I learn how to do that?” Luster asked.

Hope finished; now she could answer fully: “Your magic was pretty good back there, so I’d say with a couple of short years of practice you’ll be able to teleport, at least B-grade efficiently.”

“A few years?!” Luster said, devastated.

“The vast majority of unicorns can’t teleport. It’s like doing a back-flip, or breaking the sound barrier if you’re a pegasus pony! It took Cozy a lot of training to be able to do that (latter one).”

Speaking of which, Cozy entered the room. She had several breakfast items and beverages balanced on her head, muzzle, knees and hooves. In that order: a weaved bowl of fruit, a box of cereal (leaned on her brow), a jug of water, one of milk; her right hoof held a kettle; her left, three mugs. They came from a rainbow-themed pack of seven, though the insides of all were black. Cozy slid an orange one for Luster, her little arsonist. Red for herself, to match her eyes, since the pack lacked pink. And the final one, purple, she kept between her hooves. Tilted forwards, Cozy revealed inside a teabag of Hope's favorite store-brand soaked in sugar. She got on the floor, and hidden behind her back she scooped with her wings several pairs of scissors—all broken. Approaching with tied lips and teary-eyes she visually begged–

"Alright, alright!" Hope gave in. With a spell as sharp as a scalpel, and with the steadiness of a surgeon, she slashed through the mare's binds, and Cozy was free to say:

"How could you do that to me?!"

Hope shrugged. "I've learned my lesson putting too much trust in friendly characters," she responded, pouring the precise amount of hot water and milk for the way she liked her tea. She sipped. "This is nice!"

Hope flicked her cloak from under herself and leaned on the cushions fully. Next to her was Luster being forced by her mother to take a sip of water before she was allowed to doze back asleep, as it was 3 AM, and was pampered with a pillow against the couch's arm.

Hope watched. "So, are you raising her to be evil, or…?"

"Well, if I wanted Equestria to be burnt to the ground I would've left her as an orphan," Cozy joked, caressing the warm body under the blanket. "Then she'd turn out like you, me, Somb—"

"I'm not like you!" Hope politely refuted. "I never touched a feather on Princess Flurry's wings! Meanwhile you wrote my letter with one!"

"You could tell?" Cozy gleamed from deprived giddy. It would have scared Luster if she'd seen it, unlike Hope who was fascinated by her abnormal psychology. "Want to guess where the red ink was from?"

"I think I'll pass…" Hope answered, and lifted a biscuit from the tin left for Luster into her tea to flavor her bite. "Do you have Luster's health records?"

"She does have Silly Filly Syndrome! Don't you Lustie?"

Hope checked; Luster didn't speak. Her mouth might've opened slightly, but no response, or sign she even heard. "I don't think that's an official diagnosis."

"It is," Cozy lied. "It's new."

"Well, I'll try my best to treat it," Hope turned to Luster and promised. "So… no documents?"

Cozy had already left the room, and came back with her satchel. Of the file of papers that she stole from that factory in Kludgetown she singled out one, and passed it to Hope.

"I don't see any mention of SFS in here, and I don't see any mentions of shots. I assume you don't want her turning into a tree?" Hope duplicated herself a copy and passed the original to Cozy. "Vanhoover has the nearest vaccination center."

"Well, actually I planned to take her to Manehatten over the weekend. I'll do it there. I need to visit Suri after somepony tore my cloak!" Cozy whispered beneath her wing: "If you can figure out her favorite color, type, puffiness, accessories, et cetera, I'd sure appreciate it!" Cozy winked.

"Okay," Hope nodded. "Last thing she needs is some dental work."

"What about her leg?"

"It's mostly healed. You used my healing potion I assume?"

Cozy nodded. "You could make it fully healed though."

"I guess I could," Hope admitted.

Cozy undid Luster's blanket. Hope sliced open the filly's cast, and straightened the patient’s leg.

Streamers of light flew from the tip of her lit horn, attracted to Luster’s injury. It wrapped around it softly. If she were awake, Luster’s leg would have felt like it was adrift in zero gravity. Hope’s eyes were calmly squinted, as if she were half-asleep, a reflection of her ability to enforce an instant calm in herself. Luster’s leg was fully wrapped in construct ribbons. Hope inhaled.

Pull! Aura squeezed Luster’s leg all at once, and—voila—she was healed!

To keep it quick, and to not over-complicate a simple procedure, there was a slight pinch at the peak of Hope’s spell. Luster sharply inhaled, but her mother was there to comfort her, to hug her and stroke her back to slumber.

“There there,” Cozy soothed. “So, dental work, huh?”

Hope nodded. “I could do it manually, or I could brew a potion. However, I’m missing a herb for that latter option.” Her horn projected a 3D image of what they needed. “A purrifico flower!”

The center disk was triangled shaped, and it had the typical number of pedals, but two were most pronounced than others—those on top at opposite ends like ears. It made the whole plant resemble a cat's head.

Hope revealed its habitat: “The top of the Smokey Mountains should have a few.” Her horn charged.

“Actually, I wouldn’t mind a hike!” Cozy said. “Why don’t we walk? You do teleport nearly everywhere!”

“I walk!”

“Around the pit stops before you’re ready to teleport again!” Cozy teased. “Come on! It’ll be fun! And we’ll get to catch up!”

Hope considered it. “But what about her?” She pointed at Luster, sound asleep.

“I’m sure my little guard-dog can fend for herself. Can’t you?” Cozy hovered open and gave her daughter a peck. She moved Luster’s hoof away from her mouth; her efforts only worked to annoy the filly in her dreams as it shifted back in place once Cozy turned her back. “This is a very safe neigh~bourhood! Besides, break-ins are rare in Equestria! It shouldn’t take less than an hour—two at most!”

Hope sighed and smiled. “Alright. But I’m still using my magic!”

Cozy flew to slide open the door. “Got it!”

The two left by way of the backyard, over an aged, wet and mossy wooden fence that led into the heart of the forest. It was situated between the Smokey Mountains on the left, Unicorn Ranges on the right, and the starry skies above. They proceeded left.

Whilst Hope lit the way through her horn, Cozy held the former’s bag. The latter’s stored items that were more valuable by several factors, so she left it behind.

Cozy’s satchel was enchanted by a spell caster, but the rules, ‘settings’, were dictated by a set of instructions written in runic, like lines of code, with magical thread. Cozy learnt the basics of the language as a filly from the research she did prior to her first conquest attempt, guided by her pen-pal Tirek.

Last night, she expanded the access list to include Luster. Now the filly could take and store items as she pleases, which would come in hoofdy later today; Cozy planned to bring them both, and maybe Hope, to buy furniture.

“—you’d sleep in the guest room, of course!” Cozy said as she did a wing-assisted jump over a rocky stream.

Hope teleported. “Fair enough.”

Cozy flew above the canopy, and leaned back to sit on one of the branches of a particularly tall tree. The fog was clearer the further up they went, but there it was still quite bad. Luckily for her, in the high-up valley between the two peaks, between the clans of the Hooffields and McColts, there were a few artificial lights—red ones, soft on the eyes. It marked the animal sanctuary.

On the way down, Cozy hooked her wings around a lower branch and hung from it. “This a-way!” She pointed.

“You’re really energetic considering how early it is,” Hope said.

“How could I possibly sleep after my good friend Radiant Hope finally came to visit!” Cozy replied with saccharine cadence and grinned.

Hope was creeped out whenever Cozy did her ‘friendly’ talk; most of the villain’s friends were. It made her look possessed, when she smiled so broadly her upper eyelids touched her pupils—directed to Caelum—'Celestia's' relam. Hope couldn’t help but imagine Cozy abruptly crying blood afterwards, all whilst she held that same, rounded contour of her lips.

“You’re not mad at me for anything, are you?” Hope asked, ready to teleport at the subtlest hint of aggression.

“Golly Hope! You’re not scared of little ‘ol me, are you? A puffy pink pegasus mare?” Cozy giggled; not reassuring. “What in Equestria would Sombra do to me if I plucked even one hair from your mane?”

“...That’s still on your mind?” Hope smiled softly.

“Well, he is a valuable member of the Legion, and I really do need all the help I can get to fix the—umm, ‘Princess’ problem,” Cozy stressed those quotes. “And I don’t mean white, black or purple…”

“Oh Aurora, how badly does she hate you?”

Cozy’s eyes were fixed on an owl, fixed on a mouse. The predator observed from the shadows, and as ingenious and cunning those rodents might be, when alone they were helpless to save themselves from sweeping claws. That is if Cozy hadn’t intervened. By the mere unpleasant association towards Twilight, Cozy had a preference between critters.

“She has a crush on me and won’t admit it.”

“Wha—”

“She’ll kill me to prove she doesn’t!”

Hope took a moment to formulate the detailed response: “That’s not why.”

Cozy humphed. “What do you know? I know that mare better than anycreature!”

“That’s not why she hates you. You weren’t exactly sparing with the details when we used to have dinner together. I remember you told us—you said,” and Hope spoke in higher pitch: “Boo hoo Flurry Heart lives in a castle and is too rich and powerful to have anypony she’d confidently call a friend! I’m shedding a tear for you!” Hope continued: “Then you said you fake cried in front of her, and you were slamming the table laughing.”

“Fake crying takes a lot of practice,” Cozy commented. “Golly, I must’ve revealed more than I thought!”

“You scared Sombra—” Hope realized her slip. “Don’t tell him I told you that!”

Cozy motioned sealing her lips.

---

Luster woke up from a dry throat. It took her a full minute for her to gather the willpower to quench her thirst with the half-drunk glass specifically placed for her.

If you ignored the excitement of three hours ago, she slept well. She used to wake up from her own sweat, that is if she could even sleep, but now only her left hoof was wet—with drool. She hoped Hope didn’t see her do that. Her old griffon friend, Georgia, used to tease her for it.

Wonder what she's doing now? Hunger shook away the thought.

Breakfast had been so conveniently placed in front of her.

“Ce-re-al,” she read aloud.

‘Elements of Harmony—oes,’ labeled the box. ‘Apple-flavored deliciousness enchanted with six different flavors of marshmallows!’ The main cereal, from the cover art in front, was torus shaped and beige. ‘Free toy inside!’

Luster’s eyes widened; her eyebrows heightened. A curious hum shook her throat.

She crawled through the counter into the kitchen—because she felt like it—to look for scissors. She checked every cabinet below, the countertop, and every cabinet above the countertop. Most were empty; others were filled completely. One particular cabinet had: flour, starch, sugar, vinegar, baking soda, cocoa powder, cocoa powder of a different brand, chocolate chips, a chocolate bar, a spectrum of food coloring, a few other items. No scissors.

Luster sighed, and thought to look upstairs. She hadn’t been up there yet, so for all she knew, there could have been an entire trophy room of sharp weapons—and/or memorabilia, like those weird pictures Cozy took of a rook in front of her enemies and public.

As she headed towards the door, Luster noticed something. Slime.

It outlined the pet flap of the kitchen glass-door. Now it was impossible to open due to how sticky the ooze was.

Luster shrugged it off. Must be residue from one of Hope’s spells.

Her mother and her mage friend would be back soon.

Luster ran up the stairway, and the very first room she wanted to visit happened to be the one with the door closed. She tried to open it. Locked.

Figures.

Next to that was a room accessible. On the door was a piece of paper with the symbol of a rook, drawn in pencil and taped on.

Wonder whose room that is…

It was bare—it didn’t even have any curtains—but there was a wooden foldable table holding a small, squared bottle of red ink and a quill of a pink gradient—more saturated further up—and a stitching kit. Also the window was open. It was cold, so Luster closed it.

The upstairs bathroom was the biggest of the two, the only one with a bath, and since it came with its main components: aforementioned bath; toilet, sink, and shower, it was the most complete of all the rooms. It had nearly everything Cozy had in her last bathroom, and golly did that mare love her colors!

Luster magically opened the mirror cabinet over the sink. A few red bows—like the one that tied Luster’s ponytail—a black one in a box tagged: ‘for serious occasions’ followed by a crying face, and none were white. Oh, and no scissors.

Luster’s patients had dried up.

Light bulb! What if I just burnt it, Luster wondered. I’m in a bathroom, what could go wrong?

There was a loud thud. It came from downstairs.

“Mom?” Luster called. “Hope?”

Fervidity

“Gee Hope, this sure looks dangerous,” Cozy said, strumming the rope hoofrail of an old bridge made of infested wooden planks.

The aforementioned bridge connected a smaller peak of the Smokey Mountains to their destination. It looked as if it was built decades ago and hasn't been maintained since. You couldn’t see the bottom between the two hills; it was a sea of fog.

“Oh, whatever is a pegasus pony to do in a situation like this?” Cozy feigned a distressed damsel with the presages of fainting. A leg over her brow and a hoof over her heart, she fell back-first off of the ledge, down the gorge, and deformed a light trail of clouds as she popped out the other side.

Graceful landing: check, Cozy followed by a stroll that was dramatically casual. With no hoofsteps passing by, she assumed Hope caught her in a glare that spoke ‘unimpressed’, and peeked open an eye–then both.

“Hope! What are you doing?!”

Hope had successfully teleported the distance. Both watched as the bridge partially disappeared into the fog, lining itself against the side of the previous mountain.

It was clear Hope had cut the rope on purpose, and as Hope turned around, she saw Cozy’s empty smile, lips twitching at their edges.

“Somepony could’ve tried to cross it and got themselves killed,” Hope argued.

“Then that’s their decision! I don’t need the stress of another investigation and not one so near…” Cozy replied. “I’m a fugitive! Leave no trace!”

The sound the bridge made when it hit the cliff, coupled with the sudden sunrise, prompted Cozy to activate her bow disguise.

“Since when could your bow do that?” Hope asked, and, noticing the bloodshot eyes and urge to cough, cast a cure for Cozy’s ailments: a brief aura-hued smoke spawned and expanded as it struck Cozy face, but brought alleviation when she thoroughly inhaled and blinked.

“Thanks. Nifty parting gift from Chrysalis don’tcha think?” Cozy spun to showcase herself. “Butter Skies—normal mare!”

“I prefer Seraph.”

“Wouldja wanna guess why I can’t use it anymore?” There was that smile again.

“Uhh—look! We’re almost there!”

The trees ceased after a minute’s walk. Over a short peak and beyond the duo was a plain, ameliorated by vibrant splotches of flowers. There they could see the centerpiece of the designated animal sanctuary: a statue of those two brothers from long ago, whose ambitions inspired a home for the local critters–and more importantly: a newish garden where the purrifico flower can thrive!

Cozy continued onward, until she noticed that Hope hadn’t left the shadow of the forest.

“Golly! Were you bitten by a vampire pony?” Cozy squinted and smirked in playful suspicion.

“...I didn’t expect this place to be so crowded,” Hope replied.

About twenty or so creatures loitered outside the cafe between the statue and crop garden. Some flew, guided by the red landing light Cozy spotted earlier, but most were part of organized tours. There was a trail that stretched all the way to the edge of Vanhoover, and there were balloons that arrived, parked, and left on a tight schedule.

It was all to raise funds for continued preservation, and hopefully spark an appreciation for critters among the visitors—mostly the former.

Cameras lurked every corner, discrete, as was Fluttershy's request–to ‘not disturb the animals’. She had a large say in what was to be done and how, and her connections with the Princess and status as a hero gained her a lot of respect—to Cozy’s displeasure.

This was Canterlot-owned land. A lot of bureaucracy went into every decision–like nature intended, of course.

Best not to get caught, was all Cozy could force to care.

“Vampires don’t show up on cameras,” Cozy joked. “Also, I don’t see your wanted poster anywhere! I’m the one who should be lurking in the shadows! I have everything to lose!”

Hope relented with a nod, but stood in place wordless.

“Fine. I’ll retrieve the flower by myself,” Cozy hmphed. “Why don’t you go check up on Lustie? She should be awake by—”

Hope teleported off. Cozy was left alone.

She glided over the fields and exposed herself both to the cool breeze of the mountains, the glare of the sun, and to the other creatures. Not all were ponies; a few griffons and a yak were among the crowds.

Her muscles tensed once she was near enough to recognize a few of their faces—tighter once she recognized a few of their voices. What else was there to do when petrified but to remember with contempt: creatures and their nonchalant conversations, as if they weren’t passing by what was essentially her grave–’together forever’ and all that.

I still can’t believe Celestia had the gall to mark my grave as a park! Unredeemable fillies should at least be treated as some sort of tragedy…

Chatter and gossip filled the air, along with a squeak.

What creature makes a noise like that? Cozy wondered. What creature was exactly what Cozy brushed off—a critter—that mouse she had rescued from before. It hitched a ride on her tail and climbed onto her hoof.

“D’aww! You really followed me all the way out here?” Cozy foaltalked, nuzzling the critter with the side of her other foreleg. “You really shouldn’t have…”

She stood on the roof of the cafe; the mouse on look-out atop her mane. Though it took them a few hours to get there from home, as Hope demonstrated, if they were in a rush, it would’ve been a second’s long journey. There was no need to take in the view. She’ll save those reactions for when she forces Luster to walk here tomorrow.

Cozy spotted it. The flower she needed, in a patch inside the gated garden. A sign read: ‘No Unauthorized Personnel,’ right next to ‘Beware of snakes!’

If Cozy's memory was correct, cameras fitted around the area tracked motion.

Did it require a second thought?

With the guise of the wind, she flew, and abruptly stopped, and flicked the mouse off her shoulder to the ground, where it landed on a bush and ran away frantically.

A flick of her feather, cut, and she was out of there–in a leisurely pace upwards.

She threw in a few fake calls, “Mousey? Where are you?” before she shrugged–in the suit of the character Butter Skies to sate her moral conscience.

Let’s just hope those aren’t the carnivorous type of plants! Wouldn’t that be just awful!

---

Luster called for the two mares. No response.

Telling herself she was being irrational, Luster tiphoofed down the stairs. Because what were the chances that she’d have to fight thrice in three days?

Or maybe I’m just the unluckiest filly in Equestria…

Two pops. The sounds startled the filly, and caused her to stumble, catching herself on the rails.

“Hope?” she called once more, like a lost foal at a fair.

Nothing. All Luster wanted was a response, reassurance that she was victim to her own delusions, or even to be jumped by Cozy from a corner, and she’d endured or hugs or tickles or whatever had to ensue—whatever happened to concoct itself in Cozy’s neuro-chemical cauldron of cruel and unusual ideas.

Or maybe she was alone, but it wasn’t another intruder—no—maybe it was just the wind! She didn’t notice any open doors or windows, but maybe the wind did that too! Maybe it hit the lock at just the right angle and pressure to undo its intricate mechanisms, or maybe there was a hole in the wall, and it made air vibrate at a frequency that matched the sounds of a loud thud and pops! Two distinct noises…

It could happen… right?

Maybe I’m just tired? Yeah, that must be it! I’m just—too tired to notice it! But… we don’t have a bed yet… bed’s in the living room…

Luster touched the ground. She slowly crept through the foyer. Behind the corner, she noticed again that slime lined the pet flap on the door opposite. No average pony could fit through it. Maybe a foal or a contortionist, but not an average pony. Luster wasn’t sure if that made her feel better or worse.

She faced the wall directly; conscious of her horn, she peeked through the hallway.

Almost immediately, she noticed it, and pulled her head back.

Why did it matter what it was? Luster didn’t know, yet she risked another look.

It looks like—a bug? A big one…

It was larger than she was, but smaller than Cozy and (definitely) Hope.

Past its paper-thin, semi-transparent and teal wings was a shell of pitch black—a backdrop for solid eyes. A wide
curved horn poked below and between ears that doubled as feelers, and of identical sharpness to the creature’s fangs—too large to fit in its maw. And holes. Lots of holes.

Descriptions of a changeling flooded Luster’s mind. But—no—changelings were supposed to be a peaceful and friendly species and perhaps a bit wimpish but not intruders to other’s houses!

Well, not the new changelings. Luster heard the term ‘new changelings’, ‘metamorphosized changelings’, ‘reformed changelings’, when she eavesdropped on the wardens back at Kludgetown—harshly scolded afterwards and yelled back to work—but she never knew what the distinction meant.

Black was far from the ‘garish’ descriptions they talked about.

Wait, I think I remember something… Georgia told me…

‘They’re a swarm of potent killers that brought death to nearly every gone Equestrian civilization—and each snuffing never took more than a single night! They could sniff out a lost filly through a forest blindfolded by just the foal’s longing for her mother!’

Luster gulped.

The changeling closed its eyes and sniffed the air. On its hind legs it went to smell above, and muzzle to the floor to smell below, till it was brought to the couch, and Luster had never been more regretful to have a peaceful dream for once.

It climbed onto the couch, out of Luster's view, and once a trace was latched onto it silently entered the kitchen through the counter.

It peaked its head through the top of the kitchen’s door frame—upside down—and Luster chose flight.

She ran towards the front door and reached for the knob. A shot of green sticky and gooey slime was hurled towards her. Only by a pinch above her horn was she able to duck under the attack, but her mane was a casualty.

Frantic, Luster set her own hair alight. The goop formed a bubble, and popped, and she was free, but stumbled past the stairs, and closer to her aggressor.

It spread its wings and fluttered in place, producing a sound Luster would forever associate with dread—granted she survived.

Luster countered the changeling’s pounce with a spell: a ball of liquid fire that soaked the bug and caused it to miss its target. But it did not maim. The changeling didn’t even flunk its landing. Its furrowed smirk only grew.

The flames slid off the changeling’s shell, and set ablaze to the carpet below. Waterproof and fire proof; a natural set of armor that matured and hardened alongside its bearer. Even the irritation the heat brought against its eyesight was substituted by the scent of Luster’s love, who in her mind was still calling out ‘Cozy’, simultaneously cursing her for leaving her alone.

Fire was sprayed all around the hallways, on the walls and on the sides, and the room was brightened orange as if it were dawn.

The panic it induced only made the changeling feel smug.

Without a hint of urgency, the hungry intruder walked through the walls of fire, and sensed the filly had hidden between the side of the couch and the wall facing the backyard. It flew atop, and played into the tension, slowly creeping up towards Luster; its shadow was drawn on the wall from the bright behind, and embers that splashed from Luster’s careless spell were extinguished under its hole-ridden hooves. It let out a loudening hiss that echoed through the room.

Its forelegs were straight on the couch, and it bent down to greet the frightened filly.

A satchel smacked the side of the changeling’s face! The satchel itself. It felt empty.

The changeling’s expression shifted to genuine confusion.

Luster gave a nervous smile and made another dash. Something else, she thought, and with no time to process value, she searched for any item she could throw. An expensive flatscreen TV and newly sentimental photos of her own little family were among the objects tossed. None could penetrate past the changeling’s reflexes, let alone the shell.

Luster hid under their dining table made of wood. For the changeling it was almost pitiful, but both could hear its stomach growl; Luster let out a yelp.

Though it seemed the filly then resigned itself to nature’s wishes, for she did not move. The changeling couldn’t taste whether she was petrified, had given up, or if the stress caused an aneurysm, but what did it matter? It opened its mouth and—

A fireball distracted the changeling, and—slam! The sharp edge of the table both fell and was pulled towards its neck—covered in a cerise glow—towards the soft conjunction between the plates of its exoskeleton.

The spirit of her mother must’ve possessed her, because her eyes windowed an unapologetic sense of survival and a complete lack of mercy. A changeling had the capacity to lift many times its own weight, but this one’s hind legs slipped, and it couldn’t get up. The posture hurt.

The filly was brutal; changeling, frightened. It would’ve been beheaded—had it not been a shapeshifter.

Green flames contrasted Luster’s. It turned into a simple octopus. Its bones were dissolved. It let go of the table and slid past the hard edge—unharmed—though quickly turned back. The fire only worsened behind it.

Back to the hunt, the changeling readied, and pounced. It was halted halfway and trapped. Two chairs opposite each other collided; their legs formed a makeshift cage. A hoof sneaked through the gaps, but struck a bubble of aura.

Luster struggled to keep hold whilst she tried to run—walk—stagger away.

Another flash. A minotaur ripped the chairs into splinters.

Luster was out of sight.

---

Cozy went back to the forest with a pile of ‘refreshments’ between her hooves whilst in search of the two, and for a mare on the edge about the prospect she’d be spotted, golly was she easy to spot!

Before Hope spotted her, Cozy was already flaunting her own wanted poster she had stolen from a noticeboard–identical to the ones she found in Kludgetown.

Once Hope’s eyes were properly rolled along with a “Fine, I get it,” Cozy dropped what she bought on a nearby stump.

“I know we sort of already had breakfast, but golly! I couldn’t resist the idea of a picnic out here!” Cozy said, directed towards Luster. “You’ve never had one of those before, have you Lustie?”

The filly looked nervous. “Umm…”

“Gee Luster, are you okay?” Your voice sounds a bit… off,” Cozy tilted her head. “Is your throat sore? I’m sure Hope wouldn’t mind giving it a little peek.”

“Umm…” Luster faked a few coughs. “I’m fine…”

Unconvinced, but not to press on, Cozy brought Luster towards a second breakfast: “Muffins, a few donuts, these big soft chocolatey cookies I used to steal when I was filly,” she showcased. “After I broke free from—Hope, you’re not having that!”

“I wasn’t going to! I was just looking at it…” Hope replied, rotating the plastic-concealed cookie in her magical grip.

“I bought three and you’ve already had one. It’s fun to watch Lustie try new things!” She performed an emotional one-eighty. “You are not robbing me of this!” Cozy groaned between her teeth, in a grin that translated to ‘mildly pissed off’.

Luster looked confused, not just at Hope, but by this yellow and blue mare with a bow and red eyes that looked familiar–whose love tasted familiar.

Bitter.

“Lustie, quickly—eat this!” Cozy shoved the cookies into Luster’s mouth. “Hope is a greedy, greedy mare and I don’t want her eating the cookie I bought specifically for you!” She continued: “And as her best friend in the whole wide world who isn’t shadow dust, I give you full permission to defend your property with the most lethal force Luster can muster!”

Hope scoffed, and took a sip from one of the cups—or to at least.

“That’s not yours!” Cozy said, back turned. “Yours has your name on it.”

Hope checked, and sure enough, ‘R. Hope,’ written in cursive marker.

“You gave them my name?!” Hope shouted.

“Y'know, wearing a cloak like that, on a sunny day like this, in a nature reserve of all places, really makes you stand out.”

Hope grunted, and tasted a sip of the most bitter and hot coffee she had ever tasted in over a millennium.

“This is bitter!” Hope complained with her tongue hanging out.

Cozy pointed at the log. “You’re supposed to add the sugar packets yourself.”

“I thought you’d do it—I mean, you know every creature’s preference!” Hope said. “Can’t I at least have this one? It doesn’t have a name.”

“That’s mine,” Cozy said, directing Hope’s retort towards the wanted poster under the order, “Hot cocoa!”

“Oh, come on!” She stomped her hoof. “You bought like, eleven drinks!”

“Those are for Lustie.” Cozy placed a wing on the filly’s back. “I don’t know what she likes besides orange juice, so now’s the time to experiment! Isn’t it?”

“But you only bought three cookies?!”

Cozy nodded.

Hope further checked the labels on the cups. “These are the largest sizes!”

“Golly! If you want to whine about it, then I’ll let you finish Luster's leftovers. Is that ‘too cold!’ or ‘too little’?”

“...too unhygienic…”

Cozy flew to a nearby cloud, carrying Luster with her–and her cocoa. One hind hoof touched her thigh as she allowed Luster a place to sit or lie.

The view was spectacular. Over the mass of fog, both could see where the forest ended, and the plains began. Where Ponyville and even Manehattan on the other end of the continent was! Cozy guided Luster's head and their cheeks touched—to aid Luster see exactly where she was pointing to, of course!

“That’s Canterlot. It’s where Twilight sits on her butt all day eating hay-burgers!”

“...”

“And–golly! That’s the School of Friendship, where they had to put me in classes above my level because I was too smart for them!”

“...”

“And you can’t see it, but around there is the Crystal Empire, where Mommy ruled alongside Sombra for an entire month! Of course, he and Hope always vetoed all my big plans like–” Cozy stared at her unicorn daughter’s horn, and cleared her throat. “Nevermind… But it was fun! I built a tram and a metro, and I dragon-mailed Starlight a lifetime pass that I know she still secretly uses! I had friends that followed me around, wrote whatever I said, and agreed with me on everything! And it’s all thanks to Flurry Heart! I might’ve never been motivated to do any of it if it weren’t for her! I accomplished nearly everything she wanted to do–better–and I made sure she knew it!” Cozy tightened her hug. “It took nearly a year of hard work, but I don’t have a single regret!”

Luster looked as if she was about to vomit.

“Oh, and there’s—”

Hope teleported with a half-eaten donut in her aura, onto the cloud.

Cozy sighed. “What is it?”

Hope swallowed. “Isn’t that your house?”

Cozy turned to where she pointed, and saw fire and smoke where she lived. “We have kirin neighbors and my bag’s fireproof,” Cozy reassured, with zero urgency.

The moment was more important than a potential investigation.

A few seconds pass.

It dawned on her. She stared at Luster. “Hope, where did you go before this meetup?”

Hope shook away the memory of herself frolicking through a field of butterflies when she was supposed to meet with Cozy two days ago. “Uhh, well, like a week ago? At the Hiv—”

Cozy didn’t need another letter. She kicked the cloud they were on, knocked Hope off, and dragged Luster with her.

Teleporting to safety, Hope was now alone—with the drinks Cozy was stingy about.

There was no instruction given…

The drinks would’ve been cold by the time they’d return...

Some of the ingredients in those snacks were certainly too dangerous to let critters nibble on... She should know.

An ant touched the base of one of the cups. It seemed to Hope it was now a moral obligation to make sure none of those poor animals accidentally ingest dangerous pony food…

---

Luster was in a place, cramped and dark. She tried her very best to keep silent, to calm her breathing. Her heart thumped so violently she worried her head might explode.

All she had to do was wait until somepony was home. Surely the Princesses Cozy had almost beaten made a single changeling a bug in comparison.

Luster was shaken off the floor as the ‘minotaur’ tossed the couch across the living room; rows of her teeth clacked against each other. Each step it took was like a mini earthquake.

It got louder, and closer.

Her vertical sliver of light was obstructed. The cabinet doors opened.

Luster turned her head violently; a wrench struck the ankle of the minotaur! It had forgotten the ‘armor’ aspect of an exoskeleton. The aching pain forced the changeling back to its original form.

Weapon in mouth, Luster ran up the stairs, but there was that terrifying buzz. The changeling jumped in front of her and hissed.

She tripped and tumbled down the steps, bumping her head a few times against the hard floor–but protected her horn.

No time—another dodge! It was hard for both to keep their eyes open, or to breathe; Luster’s flames hadn’t died. Luster had hope, but even she knew her fleshy body would fail at an endurance test between the bug.

The rooms available were back to the kitchen, or back to the living area.

In that moment she embraced the delusion that something would’ve changed from before! Like she’d notice the locks for the doors were loose, or the slime that jammed the doors had melted, or her mother was outside the glass to scare off her attacker; or a fire system had installed itself, activated, and somehow changelings hated water; or maybe the Alicorn Amulet would be on the ground.

Nothing.

Another toss of rubble, another throw; it was all so tiring.

She spun around in a circle and tossed the wretch towards the window. The embers of her flames made her miss.

There was that pitch again—the changeling’s flutter.

One final effort. When the changeling was in as convenient of a position as it’d get, Luster held it with her magic. For the first time, she simultaneously grabbed another telekinetic target. She struggled, but succeeded, and crushed the changeling with a bookcase.

She piled furniture on top—the dining table was all she had the energy for—and burnt it. She’d die if she didn’t, so her own safety didn’t matter. Her horn shone like a star as intense flames reduced wood to ash.

A horn poked from the rubble. It thudded the pile of flames whilst it whimpered.

Luster tried to fight it physically. She couldn’t. She had no energy or stamina, both physically and magically. The heat of her own flames was too much to bear.

Luster felt the hooves of the changeling shove her against a wall. She could hardly raise a hoof in protest.

What was that other thing I heard?

‘They don’t usually kill their meals in a single go. They love to toy with their prey, imprison them in cocoons, and feed off the emotions of the creature trapped in dreams until the prey physically starves!'

Oh.

The changeling opened its maw, a humid, dark cavern where love quite literally goes to die.

She heard the sound it made; saw her love being drained.

I wonder what mom would think if she found me here… Isn’t she friends with their Queen? Maybe this was her plan…

Love and passion, fear and hate; it all blended into one dreary resignation. The fire in her heart, the one that motivated her to escape Kludgetown despite all risks, was being grinded on, slowly and steadily, by a hole-filled hoof.

But she didn’t feel angry. She didn’t feel scared nor resentful. She simply felt nothing. Caring was silly. Fighting was silly. She wouldn’t mind just staying here, not that she had any energy to do otherwise.

Luster yawned.

I never got to try cereal… whatever…

Just a nap…

Author's Notes:

Sorry for no updates last week. The first two scenes of this chapter will at some point be added to the end of the previous chapter for pacing. Inbox open.

Creative Names

Glass shattered. Luster’s reflection flew past. In her peripheral vision, under a foggy somnolent play of consciousness, she saw a hoof stomp the gut of the changeling. It coughed out a cloud of pink stuff, cleared its throat, and hissed. Another stomp was blocked by its hooves. Another hiss.

The doppelganger of Luster got up from the wall it struck, and looked at the other drone, then at Butters, and was hesitant to join in because something felt off about her.

It was thankful it didn’t.

A swipe down her bow and a wave of flames brought Cozy Glow back to light.

The room was silent, save for the crackles of fires to be bridled by the clouds Cozy brought along. They seeped through the new hole in the door and suffused across the ceiling, producing a drizzle.

Water dripped on the drones' faces, but they were too scared to wipe it off. It was as if any movement would startle the predator standing in front of them, whose house was half burnt by them.

Cozy glared at the doppelganger, who got the hint and turned back into its original form. It was unsure if it should brace itself or genuflect.

Meanwhile, the other drone, the one that chased Luster, stomped on tiny flames, as a desperate gesture for forgiveness.

Cozy looked at the floor, at a broken framed picture of herself and Luster in the skies she took, and at Luster herself, covered now in burn marks and a bruised head.

“Chrysalis will hear about this,” Cozy promised.

She didn’t dignify the reaction with even a glance, and walked to Luster, whilst the two drones looked at one another, sensing each other’s fear. It was as if they were hoping for a sign that this was all just a dream and that they’d wake up in their cocoon beds and forget about it an hour later.

Where is Hope? Cozy thought and groaned.

“Mom?” Luster murmured in a voice too weak for the drones to hear, even if they weren’t poking themselves.

Cozy flapped a short but powerful gust towards Luster, and picked her up by her legpits. It was a difficult sight, and it did a dent in her self-confidence at being a mother. She held Luster like a baby, aghast by the injuries, although light, and used her wings to shield her from the indoor rain. Sensing her body might’ve been too warm for a filly with fresh burns, she decided not to wait for Hope.

Pegasi had deep lungs, as Masters of the Skies, used to blow away clouds and create brief winds.

Cozy filled her lungs up completely. When she was finished, she inhaled a few more gulps. Pitching her lips as if about to whistle, she blew a concentrated channel of frosty air on the burns hidden under Luster’s coat.

Air cooled as it expanded, especially when pushed through a tight nozzle, and when you were a filly left in Tartarus with only a neighbor and two ribbons, there wasn’t much else to work on but yourself.

Once she was done, all that was left was the final step: a mother’s kiss on her boo-boo, and that was the last thing Luster saw before dozing asleep.

---

Luster woke up an hour later.

Stretching the muscles side of her neck, she looked around to figure out where she was.

She jumped in her seat; it was the changeling from before. Except it was completely tied up, in strings that looked identical to the magical construct conjured by Hope. They were thick, bulky, and loose. Considering they were shapeshifters with fangs, it didn’t look difficult to break out of. It was tied by a knot through one of the holes along its leg, wrapped around its body and horn twice like Hearth’s Warming Decorations, went through three other holes, and was tied to the leg of the table.

A similar rope was used to keep its mouth open as sparkling, pink drool leaked out, emitting an ethereal vapor that gravitated towards Luster.

Left of it was a door on the other wall, and along the wall was another changeling, tied only by a single leg around a door handle, with a ball of yarn in-between in case somepony opens it.

Her backrest tilted forwards, but a hoof kept her secure. Only then did Luster look up.

“Golly! You’re awake,” Cozy exclaimed, left-wing to a quill penning a letter, whilst her right squished Luster mercilessly into her stomach, who sat between the mare’s thighs on a chair, in the latter’s room. “I am so sorry!”—her forelegs further choked the filly as she planted endless kisses—“I thought Equestria was a safe place to raise a foal, but apparently not! Hmph! I should write a letter to Twilight about this.”

Cozy pulled a bowl of cereal from the ends of the table. “Hungry? It came with a toy.” She pulled out a cheap Flurry Heart plastic figure from a bin whose only other contents were burnt windows. She squeezed the toy’s back, which made its horn glow.

“What happened?” Luster asked as she looked up, horn poking Cozy slightly but she didn’t mind.

“Pressing the button closes the circuit,” Cozy said, dipping her quill in red ink. She signed her name on the bottom-right of her letter, written in symbols Luster had never seen before, except for the signature: ‘Cozy’, ‘Y’ branching into a heart.

Underlined, Cozy pulled out a lighter.

It had an intricate design of a golden four-legged dragon, head on top as the lid, body across a thinner side, tail wrapped around the base, and a glass body that housed a liquid. Jewels were used for its eyes, glowing as Cozy flicked it open. She allowed it to touch the corner of the letter, and pink flames disintegrated it completely, spreading faster than any fire Luster had ever conjured. The cloud of remnants disappeared.

“Sent,” Cozy stated, booping Luster’s muzzle.

“What was that?” Luster asked as she hovered a spoonful of cereal into her mouth and took a bite, dripping a bit of milk on Cozy’s thigh on the way back to the bowl.

“Oh, it’s nothing you should worry about,” Cozy said as she patted the filly’s mane. “Just another letter to another friend!” She glanced at the two drones, who stared into space. “But it does mean somepony has to chaperone these two naughty troublemakers to the Hive.”

Lowering to Luster’s level, she whispered: “And if you ask me, it should be Hope since her love was so easy to track. Don’tcha think?” She shook Luster's shoulders to coerce a response.

“So, it wasn’t your evil friend’s fault?”

“Who, Chryssie? Golly Lustie, of course not! We’re friends. There was no way she could have predicted that two of her drones would go after my Lustie—andnotsomeponyelse’sfoal. It was nocreature else’s fault besides these two drones—andmaybeHope’s—isn’t that right?”

They gave no response until Cozy gave a side-glare. They nodded.

Cozy shrugged. Good enough.

Luster looked in the same direction. The door was now wide open. It revealed the aftermath of the fire.

It was as if somepony had painted the hallway black and sprinkled over it ash and soot. There was a path of no debris that led to the stairs, likely caused by Cozy’s habit of hovering, and another clean circle, possibly caused by Hope’s teleportation. It all made Luster question:

“Are we going to be homeless?”

Cozy gave her a serious look, her curls dangling over her forehead. “I’m afraid so… I didn’t know how to reveal it to you, but we’ll have to stay at the Hive for a while until Mommy can get back on her hooves. Maybe I’ll have to find a job? But what sort of job would hire a remorseless, apathetic psychopath who cares more about bits than customers?”

Luster hugged her mother, who looked as if she was about to cry. Cozy returned the gesture, and only after the moment was over (a minute) did she burst out in laughter, slapping her brow with both wings.

“Of course not! I wouldn’t do that. Customers are potential friends! Also, I’m not worried about bits, so you’ll still get presents this Hearth’s Warming if you act nice—to me!”

The relief Luster felt nullified any potential anger she might’ve had. “Where do you get all your bits anyways? This is—was—I mean—still is a pretty nice house. With some cleanup…”

“You mean besides the handsome salary Flurry used to pay me? Y’know those—ugh—‘Comfy Shine’ toys they sold while I was losing my marbles as a statue?”

“No.”

“Oh.” Awkward silence. “Well~, let’s just say I retroactively ‘negotiated’ a cut from a certain pair of brothers who I happened to notice showed up on a particularly distressing day for me. Y’know, even after I helped them start their stupid University free of charge, all they ever care about was bits, bits, bits, and perhaps a bit of Starlight’s Egalitarianism rubbed off on me because I wasn’t really having it with them treating me like I was some sort of pawn in their—”

Cozy looked at Luster, who resembled a turtle with the way her head scrunched between her raised shoulders, nervous by her mother’s rising tone.

Cozy cleared her throat. “I have bits, and I’m sure Hope knows a dandy ol’ repair spell—”

“I don’t,” Hope shouted from below. “Not for fires caused by magic!”

“Golly Luster, your cereal is getting soggy,” Cozy pouted. “Y’know they made a Cadence version? Actually, I shouldn’t have said that aloud. These drones might get hungry. Better hide it in your tummy quickly!” She tapped Luster's stomach like a bongo to reiterate and hovered towards the door.

“Now Lustie, I promised that I’d never ever, ever, ever let you leave my sight after what happened today—and I’m keeping that promise because today’s not over. I have something really important that I need to do with Hope, and I’m afraid downstairs will be a no-filly zone until further notice. But, since the door is gone, you can come and check out your room now!” She tapped the wall to indicate it was the one next to hers, previously locked.

“It’s empty, and burnt, but as it just so happens Mr. Fire completely missed the catalogue I left out for you!” She winked. “You can pick whatever you want—that fits in your room, and also you can only pick one of each type of furniture. Except chairs, we both need one in your room since I’m homeschooling you. Monday’s second lesson is fire safety by the way. But if you ignore those few rules, I think you’ll find it to be the perfect canvas to express yourself!”

Luster got up and rushed to the door. She tried to be cautious and alert around those two changelings, in case they suddenly tried to attack, now as a pair. Cozy sensed her uneasiness. After Luster was a few steps away from the door, she brought her far enough that the drones couldn’t hear, and whispered under her wing:

“Listen. Reading the board is one of my special talents, so trust me when I say that I doubt those two will cause you any trouble, but if they do, don’t be shy to ask for help! You have a supervillain and Equestria’s best healer just downstairs. All you have to do is shout. Got it?”

“Got it! Thanks Mom.” Luster hopped to her room, but feathers blocked her.

“One more thing. Don’t try to be friendly to them. Their job is to suck love, not engage in love. Okay? They don’t have names, so don’t even talk to them. Got all that?”

“Got it! Got it! Got it!” Three ‘Got it’s. That was enough assurance for Cozy, so she let Luster off towards her catalog.

The drone who attacked her daughter, whose mouth was now dry, was lucky that Hope happened to be around. She was able to heal Luster’s burns and bumps, though couldn’t fix the marks on her hair—and she had a soft spot for dissident drones.

Cozy landed and grabbed the ear of the other drone and pulled them both together. Lowering her head between their ears, she warned: “If anything happens to the filly, I will pike both of you myself.”

Cozy got up and shouted: “Lustie, you forgot your cereal!”

She thought she’d fly and hoof the bowl over, but as she entered the hallway it was encompassed by a glow and levitated into the filly’s room. Luster peaked a smile around the corner.

“Now what happened to the filly who couldn’t control a fork yesterday?” Cozy squinted around with a hoof across her forehead. “Keep it up, Lustie,” she praised, saluted, and left.

Luster found the catalog in the middle of the room’s floor. To her, it felt like a jewel on a pedestal left in a ruin.

Simple, modern, beautiful, and lined with bent corners; Cozy’s bookmarks.

One bookmarked page was for a rocking-chair—well, it wasn’t the only item on the page, but the idea of Cozy using it made Luster giggle. Her mother styled herself and talked as if she were an actress out-of-style eighty-seven years ago, so it wouldn’t be completely out of her aesthetic. Luster wanted to buy it, just to see her mom sitting on it, but would that hurt her feelings? To imply she was old. Luster contemplated as she turned to the next page.

It was covered in sticky note drawings of Luster over furniture—in the baby section. There was a drawing of her being pushed on a pram, another of her asleep on a crib, one of her sitting on a highchair, hoof-fed a potion, and text that said: “Hi Lustie XX! Any ideas?”

For some peculiar reason, Luster no longer had any compunction with a rocking-chair purchase. A chair for each of us, huh?

As for an actual bed, it was too complicated: single, twin, queen, king, Princess. There were duvets and covers and frames and mattresses and colors and compartments and stickers and curtains and it was all too much! Next page.

“E-lec-tron-ics?” Luster pronounced. Her eyes widened at the numbers. That’s a lot of bits for something hoof-sized…

Her discovery was halted by cries; subtle.

Shaky gasps and sniffles from a creature failing to hold it all in. There were only two plausible sources.

‘Don’t even talk to them’ was what Cozy told her, but those sounds were difficult to ignore.

Well, I can’t not listen, Luster rationed. Surely if I stood next to the door it wouldn’t hurt…

A peek revealed the attacker drone with a void mind, empty, not the source of the sobs. It was the pretender drone. It—or he—lied on his side, top edge of his temple to the floor, face covered by his hooves. Through one of his holes, he looked at his partner.

The drone could taste it—the guilt.

Luster mentally referred to him by the creative title of ‘Atty’ short for attacker, and the other ‘Prety’ for pretender, though only by placement could she tell them apart.

So consumed by guilt was Atty that he sat motionless, pretending he didn’t exist. He wanted to detach himself from reality, but he didn’t have such power. Not magically, nor over his own mind.

How could he have attacked Cozy Glow? Out of all the ponies in Equestria. Could he have known? He was supposed to watch Hope; who else could Hope visit? He wanted to apologize to his partner, but didn’t want to acknowledge life.

The sobs continued.

Luster was scared of the pair, but the pair seemed more scared of her mother—or their mother. It spoiled her chances to go back to the catalog; there was no way she’d be able to focus.

In increments, she came closer. First, she peeked an eye, then her head, then a hoof entered the room’s territory, and failed to win a glance.

Dread must’ve killed their appetites.

Cozy’s giggles from downstairs didn’t make them feel much better. Those were followed by a different voice: “But you don’t actually blame me, right? It’ll only be for a few nights, and I’ll find a spell right now that’ll hide my… hope.”

Instead of Atty who tried to perceive time more slowly, Luster paid her attention to Prety; a mess on the floor. At a leg’s distance, Luster started to have second thoughts. She had to prepare herself before she spoke. But the drone smelt something odd, looked up from his hooves, and jumped.

The tables had turned; the drone was the one backing from the filly.

The shocked poked Luster to ask: “Why are you crying?”

Silence. Perhaps he couldn’t talk.

Luster spoke again. “Why did you two attack me?! You tried to eat me!” she scolded Atty, trying to bury her sympathies.

After a moment’s hesitation, Prety responded: “I’m sorry…” and fell against the wall to the floor.

“…You are?”

“We didn’t know you were Cozy Glow’s pet,” He sniffled.

Luster would’ve refuted that categorization if Atty hadn’t spoken. “Cozy Glow’s going to kill us.”

“What?!” Luster gasped. “She wouldn’t… Well, I mean…” She would. “Maybe she’ll forgive you if you apologize?”

“That’s not funny.” Prety sniffed up her runny muzzle. “Not every drone is lucky enough to be on her friends list. We had one job and we failed…”

“I know her super well, I’m sure if you asked really nicely…” Luster stopped once she realized how dangerous her suggestion was.

“We know her too,” Prety responded. “Well, kind of I guess.”

“What do you mean?”

Prety looked left and right. “Was I allowed to tell you that? You’re not going to tell on me are you—please don’t!”

“I won’t! I’m just a bit curious. I spent a long time ‘living under a rock’.”

“You mean like a nest?”

“Uhh, maybe?”

Prety turned towards his partner, who shrugged. “I don’t know if I should really be telling you about those sorts of things. If you end up escaping and told anycreature else—oh, Cozy Glow won’t kill us. She’ll keep us alive!”

“Um, I won’t tell. I promise!”

Prety was silent in doubt.

“Well, it’s okay. I can always ask her,” Luster said.

“Wait,” said Atty, now on his hooves. “Don’t. I’ll tell you!”

Prety walked over and whispered: “Are you sure about this?”

Atty whispered back. “She’s clearly important to Cozy Glow. If she gets angry…” He wasn’t brave enough to specify what he thought might happen.

Prety sighed. “We knew Cozy Glow since we were hatched.”

“We? Are you two brothers?”

“We’ve only just met,” Prety replied. “But I guess biologically speaking every drone is related.”

“Even the ones in the Captured Hive,” Atty added.

“Captured?”

“Yeah,” Prety said. “The old one that you ponies know about. Where wimps like Thorax are elected to rule.”

“Is he a drone?”

Atty sighed. “Technically…”

“So he’s your brother?”

The pair looked at each other wide-eyed. “Can we change subjects?” Atty asked.

“Oh, okay.” Luster thought for a moment. “So what was Cozy like?”

“She was fun,” Atty said.

Prety checked the window and door. “Except when you caught her on a bad day. If you bumped into her during one of her tantrums you were lucky to keep your legs. She got ‘better’ at controlling her anger, but it cost an entire class of drones…”

Luster gulped. “She killed them?”

“Maybe. Mom didn’t let most of them switch roles. It became a problem when they needed to train therapists for the therapists, and they say that most of the others have never been heard from again.”

“Woah,” Luster gasped. If Cozy had kept her shorter fuse Luster knew she wouldn’t have been here. “How did your mom take care of so many baby changelings?”

“I guess we grow up quickly,” Prety explained. “We had to start training a year after we were hatched. On the first day, we weren’t allowed to sleep until we were able to keep our pony forms, but it’s mostly instinctual. Mom couldn’t risk any of us getting caught. We didn’t know Ponish at the time, but she had very strong emotions, so we sorta pushed ourselves…”

Atty sensed a nostalgic bliss in his partner, even though their memories from that age were blurry. Despite how grueling those two months were, it was before they elected drone leaders, so Chrysalis was always present for the drills. “It was necessary! There’s no end to the cruelty of ponies! We learned all about how ponies used to imprison the Changelings before and would’ve turned our species mad as a mare if we hadn’t escaped. Forced to feed on our own pride—and over what? The stolen love of a few million ponies from some random civilizations?”

“And ponies will even go as far as to imprison a filly of their own kind in Tartarus!” said Prety. “I can’t imagine what they’d do to us! Luckily Cozy Glow taught us all about how to fit in.”

“Those were fun classes,” Atty admitted.

“Remember that time she taught us how to bake pizza?” asked Prety.

Whilst she didn’t doubt her mother’s abilities, Luster interrupted and contested: “But, you two got caught?”

The pair acted an emotional slideshow as they formulated a rebuttal; by Prety: “That’s only because we were supposed to follow Hope—and maybe get a snack along the way...”

“I’m not food!” Luster shouted, a bit too loudly.

“Lustie, is everything alright up there?” Cozy asked from below. “They aren’t causing you any trouble, are they? Want me to come up?”

Cozy’s suggestion made the pair’s necks tense and backs arch forwards. They had been reminded of the monster that lurked downstairs—one whose backstory proved that punishments worse than death do exist, and re-awoke a chronic pit in their stomachs.

The filly’s words were royalty. All it took was a ‘yes’, a ‘yeah’, or silence, and at her behest, Cozy would sentence the drones to who-knows-what fate; her threat of impalement didn’t paint a bright outcome. And in the two’s minds, they questioned why Luster would even care, and failed to form a reason, yet they could sense as well as each other that she did:

“No!” Luster responded. “It’s fine!”

“You sure?”

“I’m sure!”

“Okay, good!”

A minute of silence proved Cozy took Luster’s word, and the pair sighed a breath of relief. They tasted love plenty of times before, in all of its flavors, but never had they willingly ‘received’ such an emotion: empathy.

The bleak future might’ve caused Prety to feel a bit kinder that day. He suggested, for Luster’s sake: "Maybe we shouldn’t talk anymore…”

“Aww, why not?” Luster asked. “I want to learn more about the Hive.”

(New) Drones never had to ‘teach’ others about their Hive before, both because hatchlings learned on their own and because of its secrecy. But changelings were curious creatures, often outed in the past by their fixation on streetlights. They had to implement a tolerance test because of it.

Revealing information about the New Hive to outsiders carried the harshest penalty of any offense. The specifics were unknown, to let the minds of dissatisfied drones fill the void with their worst fears, but their mother and Queen told them to rest assured that the punishment was far crueler than what any of them could imagine—it was designed by Cozy Glow.

But Luster wasn’t an ‘outsider’; she didn’t feel that way to Prety, and because she was Cozy’s pet, why not sate her curiosity and indulge in an artistic outlet known as ‘theatre’.

“Well, I have performed in plays before…” Prety said, transforming into a Sparkly-Eyed Pegasus: tangerine coat, wavy black mane and bread, a golden crown—here, a brittle magical illusion—and a colorless cloth around his neck; “Do you know who King Orion is?”

“No.”

“Oh. Wait—that’s perfect! This’ll be your first time! I mean, it’ll be difficult without any sets, and there aren’t a lot of actors, but—”

“Actually,” Luster interrupted, “since you said you met Mom before, can you show me what ‘Silver Seraph’ looked like?”

“Cozy’s old alter ego?” Prety gulped.

Cozy and her disguises are some of the few forms drones aren’t allowed to turn into willy-nilly. There were rules and restrictions on the portrayal of her likeness, especially in reenactment, imposed by Chrysalis for their protection. Breaking the taboo felt immoral, especially when Cozy was just below her, but for her pet, and with Atty on the lookout through the door, a quick display wouldn’t hurt anycreature.

Green flames were brushed off by the swipe of snow-white feathers, and thus in-color Silver Seraph was revealed, Butter Skies’ predecessor. The color of her feathers extended to her coat. Her mane was silvery, eponymous to her title, with a sparkle to it, as if somepony mixed glitter into her shampoo. The end of her tail had a diagonal cut, longer laterally, and was tied at the base by a familiar ribbon, no bow. Her cutie mark was of a dagger, pointed at an angle southwest. But the feature that struck Luster the most was her eyes: blood red. Perhaps it was an optical illusion caused by the contrast of an otherwise monotone palette, but her irises appeared darker than they did on Cozy or Butter S.

“She looks… not as chubby as she does now,” Luster commented, eliciting shocked faces from the other two. She was either brave or stupid to insult Cozy, but who were they to lecture; indeed, Seraph was more suited to the physique of a Royal Guard.

“Well, that’s because Cozy—Seraph, had to work up the ranks before she could even be considered for the role of Personal Guard to Princess Flurry Heart,” Prety explained. “We can reenact the post-anointment informal scene, but I’ll need the help of a fellow drone.”

Atty captured a deep look down the hallway, trying to tune into the sound of Cozy’s flutter before he turned and saw Luster’s face: begging. He hesitantly complied. “Okay, but you have to keep a lookout.”

Luster budged to the door, whilst Atty transformed as he got up. Princess Flurry Heart, equipped with all her royal slippers. The interaction happened quite late, according to official reports and Cozy’s testimony, so no regalia.

It was supposed to take place in a dimly lit, crowded room, with Seraph sitting alone in the corner, but with burnt curtains and no sets, accuracy had to be sacrificed.

Without further delay, they started their act to the eager audience of one:

“My majesty, Princess Flurry Heart!” Seraph bowed.

“Yeah yeah, that’s me,” Flurry said. “Listen, you’re one of my guards now, so don’t do the whole ‘your majesty’ act every single time I enter a room,” she added with a playful roll of her eyes.

“As you will,” Seraph replied. “So, what do I owe the honor of your grace?”

Cozy sure acted differently, Luster thought but resumed her attention.

“I just thought I’d check up on my replacement guard,” Flurry explained as she inspected the room. “Not a lot of privacy in here, huh?”

The pair looked at Luster, as a quirk of the play. In real life, the room housed a troop of guards, underground, semi-detached from the castle. In the proper version of the play, many actors were cast as off-duty guards.

“Heh, it’s not that bad,” Seraph assured. “I’ve slept through Tartarus before. Honestly, I’m just glad I can sleep! Though it’ll be a bit difficult after you’ve been bestowed the most sacred honor throughout all of ponykind...”

Princess Flurry chuckled at Seraph’s response. “Noisy neighbors? Tell me about it. I learnt a noise-canceling spell on an out-of-kingdom visit. Speaking of which, you really should try to catch some. Us and Dad are gonna travel to meet Uncle Thorax at the Hive tomorrow,” and she whispered: “Usually it’s the ‘newbie’ that has to pull the carriage.”

She winked and smirked.

“Oh,” Seraph responded. “What a privilege…”

“It’s either that or night watch,” explained Flurry. “Anyways, if you need anything I’ll be awake in my room.” She turned and trotted away.

“Uhm, thanks,” Seraph replied as she bowed her head: “Your majesty.”

Both characters turned to face Luster, fully immersed in the act.

“And then what happened?” she asked.

“Umm, and then a guard told her to not knock on the Princess’ door by herself or without permission because it might make her angry,” replied Seraph. “It was only really intended to be a short pre-show warmup. That’s why it hasn’t been edi—I mean, nothing!”

“Oh,” Luster murmured. She looked at her hooves and recalled when a bunch of creatures, bucks in grip, chanted around two griffons clawing at one another, so Luster clanked them together; she clapped.

The pair knew more about theater than the filly did, and experienced more of Equestria via love-gathering expeditions, but never had a creature shown appreciation for one of their acts. It was considered too dangerous by Chrysalis.

“You—like it?” Seraph asked.

“Well, yeah! You two are really good actors. You should perform for our neighbors. They’d love it! Well, if you didn’t have to go back to the Hive…” Luster frowned.

“I mean”—Seraph turned to Flurry—“we don’t have to go…”

“W-What?!” Flurry whispered with the rhythm of a shout. “Are you suggesting we defect? From Cozy Glow and Mom? Have you considered what will happen if we get caught?”

The thought stressed him to the point where he reverted to Atty, a more comfortable shell, with Pretty following suit.

Luster empathized fully. She knew those phases, those thoughts. They were all the internal conflicts she cycled through before she made her move to escape Kludgetown. What if I got caught? What would they do to me then?

“Well, I only came to Equestria yesterday,” Luster revealed with a faint smile, and now it was the drones’ turn to pay attention, and they did. “I used to work in a terrible factory, making clothes all day without any rewards other than a warm pillow in a humid room, just to wake up and do it all over again. It sucked, really. It was bright, tiring, miserable, stuffy, and I wasn’t the only creature stuck there. I also wasn’t the only creature who wanted to escape. But do you know why I’m here?”

The two drones shook their heads. Luster revealed: “It’s because I tried. I had to leave a lot, even my best friend, and I nearly got caught in every step of the way, but I made it! Now I get to enjoy all these new things, like flying and plays and cereal, that I never would have known existed if I didn’t try!”

“But there must have been lots of failed attempts,” Atty argued. “Those must’ve been punished pretty badly…”

Luster knew that was true, and the possibility her coat would have sold at a stall if Cozy didn’t happen to pass by was an eerie thought. She answered with another question—a morbid one: “Aren’t you going to die anyways? I mean—you’re both shapeshifters! And Cozy was on the run since she was a filly. I’m sure you two will do just fine on your own! If you tried.”

The pair looked at each other, voicelessly, to reach a consensus whilst they read each other’s emotions. They weren’t novices in their abilities, and if they tried it was possible they’d be able to assimilate into another society. They’d have to go someplace remote, or otherwise ask Cozy how she forged her legal documents.

…

Remote it was! Still better than what awaited them back home.

“Okay, maybe for just a week,” Atty caved. “I mean, maybe the whole letter and impalement thing is just another one of her tantrums.”

“Yeah. Just for a while,” Prety agreed. “But… how do we get out?”

As the pair pondered, Luster opened the window.

“Oh, it wasn’t even locked?” Prety said, a bit disappointed. Part of him wanted to venture around a bit longer. “Well, I guess...”

Now came the awkward moment; it was time to depart. Time was ticking, and their lives were potentially on the line, but they couldn’t leave yet. They had to do something.

A ritual performed by family and friends to showcase affection, once only served as means to suckle love from their victims, now used as it was intended.

Prety was first. She extended her forehooves and delicately squeezed Luster in his grip. His outside might’ve been an exoskeleton covered with sensitive bristles, but the conjunctions were soft, so to Luster it felt natural when she hugged the drone back. It might’ve been the drone that tried to eat her—It wasn’t—but she couldn’t tell. That drone joined in too.

“Thanks for not being too mad about that whole ‘trying to drain your love’ thing,” Atty nervously chuckled.

“And sorry about your house,” Prety added.

“I’m sure Mom will handle—” Luster was stunned by a bright light. It beamed not from the windows, not from the doors, but from the hearts of the two drones.

It wasn’t one of their typical transformations; this one was a bright spectacle of emotions and magic and emotional magic, powerful enough that Luster could sense its ethereal glean. It was rebirth, a new chapter, likened in Luster’s mind to when she got her cutie mark.

Their bodies floated independent of wings, as mindset brought a new form, of those ‘garish colors’ Luster had heard about.

For Prety it was a turquoise shell, red wings with orange underneath; for Atty it was a light green, indigo wings, dark green under. Both of their eyes were teal, and the holes in their legs—which new drones only wore to reflect the tragedies brought against their mother—had vanished.

There was no going back to the new Hive now. They had become what Chrysalis had feared, and it took a moment before the significance of the event was processed by the trio.

Prety was the first to say it: “Did you just call Cozy Glow ‘Mom’?”

“Luster Dawn!” shouted Cozy Glow, appearing at the door with Hope by her side. She did not share the three’s wonder. Worse to the pair than a glare towards them, Cozy was focused on Luster.

“M—Mom! I—”

“When I left to go downstairs, what did I tell you?” Cozy asked, sternly, and Luster was stuck. She couldn’t face her mother, not until Cozy used a hoof and forced her head upwards. “Look at me when I’m talking to you.”

The face she pulled when she asked ‘what possessed you’ back at Kludgetown was not a candle to how Cozy looked now. That was just a bit of irritation; this was genuine anger—disappointment drowned by rage. Cozy had to do breathing exercises to control herself, and that made Luster feel guiltier because her mother looked as if she was due for an aneurysm.

“I was there when Chrysalis hatched a new generation of changelings, and with every rule I proscribed alongside her, there were two values we had in mind: the secrecy of the Hive, and the well-being of the drones. And in all those years, before you were even born, I have never, ever had a case of a drone metamorphosizing.”

“W-We”—Luster wanted to look away, to not cry in front of the others, but was denied—“We were just having fun?”

She knew that was a stupid answer—Cozy knew—but what else could she say? Luster didn’t know what the Hive looked like. She didn’t know who Chrysalis really was, but the blurry recollection of conversations she overheard long ago wasn’t comforting. It was only corroborated by the fact she was friends with Mom.

“I promised Chrysalis that either I or Hope would go to the Hive and return two normal drones,” Cozy stated. “What should I tell her now, hm?

“I—I don’t know…”

“You don’t know?”

“…Sorry?” Luster wanted to wipe her teary eyes but was scared to disobey Cozy command for eye contact.

It was tense for the three others, though all comprised ‘Team Luster’. Hope had her horn on standby. She didn’t know what the actual relationship was like between Cozy and the filly. As smart as she acknowledged the former to be, Hope didn’t believe she knew the first thing about parenting. How could she? Both of them were orphans.

“Am I being too nice to you?” Cozy asked. “Do you not appreciate my second chances? Do you think you can just do whatever you want, and that I’ll let you off scot-free? Do you think you can take advantage of my love?”

“Cozy, calm down,” Hope said as she pulled Cozy’s hoof back. “It’s not… well…”

Both had met Chrysalis. While Hope could never understand why she had any of her rules, Cozy co-wrote them. Was there something she didn’t get? It would’ve been easier to form a response without her stare.

Cozy turned back towards Luster and raised her hoof.

The filly covered her head and braced, not wanting to use magic against her mother. The drones jumped at the movement, and so did Hope take a step. But Cozy only did it to point.

“You better know I don’t normally do this: you have two options,” Cozy stated. “Either I bring these two drones back to Chrysalis myself—I’m sure she’d love that—or you come with me and explain to her directly where her two drones went.”

“No!” shouted Prety. Cozy turned. “I-I’ll go.”

She turned to Atty. He growled. All this time he’d been scared, yet what had Cozy done? When she told him to stay, he complied, like a pet collared by fear. He had had enough of it. He wasn’t going to let Cozy Glow drag a filly as sweet as Luster to Chrysalis’ quarters.

He transformed—into a manticore.

Cozy’s wings spread, for readiness and to appear tough. Bluffing, a primal response, though in this case, it was a warning for the drone to turn back and stand down—he didn’t.

He charged at Cozy. His partner was shocked.

She fended with her hooves. Front wedged her face from the manticore’s open jaw, hind pressed against the wall. It was a showcase of strength, a tug of war between drone and pone.

Cozy remarked, “Gross,” as his breath brushed her mane, and tilted her head so drool wouldn’t stain her bow.

She walked, dragged her hooves, up the wall, struggling to keep her forelegs straight.

Right-wing spread, Cozy looked into the manticore.

She smirked. He was confused.

Perfect.

She grabbed the bottle of ink and splashed red over his vision. With a flap upwards, she slipped past the beast’s grip. Blinded, he had pushed his paws to the wall, whilst Cozy had her forehooves bent against the ceiling. Her mane smudged against it and calculated where to strike.

Her hindlegs were bent.

She boosted herself from the ceiling, downwards, and struck the manticore’s legs with a kick. He screamed.

It all happened so quickly, thus was the trait of the tribe—and now Cozy would showcase to Luster why she called herself ‘Silver’.

Guessing where his head would turn, she flapped and kicked herself back towards the wall opposite, which gifted the manticore a secondary shock of pain. Her left wing’s wrist extended, pronated, at an angle, winded backward and built itself to charge.

Perfectly preened feathers of a creature capable of Mach speed were as sharp as daggers.

All her legs touched the wall, save for her left wing’s front, for it served as a torque, alongside a tilt of her shoulders, and she pounced.

Her predictions came true; she was at a perfect angle to his jugular.

I wonder what color will gush out?

She slashed a polyhedric shield of light blue. Magical shards showered Luster, whose magic fettered Cozy’s right hind leg. So did icky changeling slime glue her offending feathers to Hope’s shield. The colored transparency allowed her to see how badly they’d been bent by that impact, for nothing. She aimed to have only their vanes slice through, but Hope’s shield was a few inches in front of the now-transformed-back-to-normal drone’s neck, so she struck her bones. It hurt a bit.

“Mom?” Luster called. “Are you okay?”

Well, I am stuck in midair. “I’m fine. But if you need to use the bathroom, go now. We’re leaving in a minute. Right, Hope?”

Hope undid her spell, and so did Luster, and Cozy landed on her hooves. She tried to flick the goop off her wing and failed, so she rubbed it off against the wall. Most of it came off, but a thin layer kept it colored green.

“You can’t go to Chrysalis,” warned Prety, who attended to his partner hissing from pain in both his eyes and leg. “Lustie—”

“Luster,” Luster corrected.

“—Luster doesn’t deserve to be eaten!”

Cozy stared. “Doesn’t deserve to be eaten? What are you even trying to say? To think we once baked pizza together.”

She remembers that? Does she actually recognise us? The possibility was both a tear-jerker and cruel. They never could have guessed by the way she acted. It was as if she was didn't value their lives.

“Hope, will you please put them down for me, pretty please?” Cozy wore her 'angel' face.

“What?!” Hope gasped. Sometimes she wondered why she remained friends with a psychopath, other than all the connections and shared interests and benefits and whatnot. “Umm, okay… sure…”

Prety turned. “Wait, wha—” He caught himself as he fell to the floor. His head rested on Atty’s back like a pillow as both fell unconscious.

“I didn’t know euthanized drones still breathe,” remarked Cozy, still scraping her wing against the wall.

“They’re, uhm, bugs—so their muscles spasm for a few hours,” Hope ‘explained’.

“I feel like I would’ve known a fact like that,” Cozy said. “Luster you better not have escaped out the window again! We’re leaving.”

Luster joined in on Hope’s side instead of her mother’s and took a confirmation glance at Atty and Prety so she wouldn’t be left wondering if they actually had been ‘put down’, as Cozy’s requested.

Hope bent her head down next to Luster, and whispered: “escaped out the window ‘again’?”

“Hope!”

“Alright, alright.” She placed her forelegs over Luster and Cozy’s backs and teleported.

Luster still didn’t understand what she did wrong, but could only wait and pray that Queen Chrysalis wasn’t as cruel as she was led to believe. Maybe Mom’s the reason the changelings were so scared?

Who knew being Cozy’s daughter would’ve been so hectic?

Author's Notes:

Chapter took a while. Inbox open if you want to proofread the next chapter or for any other reason.
Also 'mad as a mare' is an expression because Cozy is first mare the drones knew.

Crawl Space

Hope cast a spell on herself and Luster so that neither of them would faint or puke from the altitude and speed that Cozy, currently Butter S., flew. The Hive was too far for Hope to teleport to in a single jump, especially with two passengers, but Cozy refused to stop. She wanted to be in and out by teatime.

Hope was sloped against Cozy’s back, forelegs around her neck, whilst Luster was between the latter’s.

She flew fast considering Hope was heavier than she was, as pegasi typically had more streamlined bodies compared to the other tribes. Though not transonic, Cozy flew at a speed far greater than her trip back from Kludgetown. About three-hundred kilometers per hour, or around the average speed of a race car.

Because of her crystal pony physiology, Hope was able to keep her eyes open. Whilst pegasi athletes such as the Wonderbolts often practiced at transonic or even hypersonic speeds, they wore goggles to keep their eyes protected and moist. Cozy forgot hers, and Hope acted as if she didn't know a spell for that, even though Cozy was sure she saw Luster's eyes glow for a second. She must know some sort of 'invisible eyewear' spell—or something!

Cozy looked at her daughter accusingly. "Wind's not bothering you, huh Luster?"

"Hm?"

Look at her, acting like she doesn't know!

Luster awkwardly pushed her mother’s head away by her muzzle.

…How dare you.

“Eyes to the sky, Cozy,” Hope reminded.

“Golly, thanks Hope! We could’ve hit something!”

The sky was empty.

“So,” Cozy said between howling winds, “I really do hope you’ve carefully thought out what you’re about to say to Chrysalis?”

Luster gulped. “I’m… I’m almost done.” She wasn’t, but she feared if she disappointed her mother with a truthful answer she’d drop her—literally—and get a new filly for a daughter. What if this turns into one of those, ‘I’m disappointed that you lied’ type of deals? Wait, doesn't Cozy love lying?

“Cozy, you can’t seriously be expecting Luster to tell Chrysalis the truth,” said Hope.

Cozy sighed. “Lying is fun… Fine. Luster, you’re allowed to lie about it, as long as you give her a good reason why two of her drones aren’t coming back. Got it?”

“But why can’t you do it?” Luster whined.

“Because that’s not the point,” Cozy answered. “Actions have consequences. It’s a lesson I had to learn the hard way. That’s why I always make sure to research everything there is to know about a rule before I break it. For example, if I got caught picking that flower we needed for your teeth earlier, I would’ve had to fight a fine of a hundred bits. I made an informed choice to break it. Sadly, Princesses can just sentence you to whatever they want. Sometimes they have a bad day and take it out on you!”

Hope rolled her eyes. “I think I can make the jump. Just try to get a bit closer to the ground.”

Confrontation loomed closer and closer, leaving a pit in Luster’s stomach. Five minutes later, they landed on a cloud. Hope cast a cloud-walking spell and oriented herself towards their destination. She wanted to try a final time to convince Cozy to turn back, but a single look convinced her it would've been fruitless. Casting an empathetic look towards Luster, the trio disappeared in a flash.

On the other side, Luster was thrown at an angle upwards and caught by Cozy midair. Meanwhile, Hope stumbled and had to catch her breath. The exhaustion a pony feels after completing a marathon was similar to how Hope felt now, except it only affected her magically.

She had to cancel the spell a mile away from their destination; otherwise, they might’ve ended up burnt, separated, or both. So, there they were—in a jungle.

It didn’t matter; they were close.

Hope, unlike Cozy, had brought her satchel, and chugged the magician’s equivalent of an energy drink, which left a dark-blue, luminescent trace around her mouth.

“Gee Hope, I think somepony deserves to sleep in my guest’s room! If you want to nap, that’s totally fine by me! I’ll take Luster there myself, you can go back home. I mean it’s burnt, and this whole thing is sorta your fault, but what are friends that don’t forgive each other?”

“No,” Hope replied, “I’m fine! My horn’s just a bit numb, but I can walk!”

There was a dirt path to follow—a steep one. It took a lot of energy to balance, so it was easier for Hope to run down than to trot. Yet, she failed to keep up with the pegasus.

Luster wouldn’t have minded if she were the one who had to walk. Anything to delay the inevitable.

As Cozy glided over the trees, at a smooth pace that would’ve otherwise been lovely, a village came closer into view. In a patch of land clear of trees were wooden houses, covered by only a moderate number of ivy tendrils.

It was small for a village, consisting of around twenty houses. No roads connected it to the outside world, and there were no neighboring settlements either. There was a river, library, and town hall, but other than that it looked—not much like a kingdom. Definitely not as grandiose as Luster had expected.

As they were about to land, two ponies—both stallions—walked towards them. Each had a spear lined against their shoulder, but they weren’t flimsy wooden sticks with flint heads wrapped by vines. The rods were made of metal; the tips, crystal. It seemed out of place in a village that lacked streetlights.

They turned their heads, squinted, and drew their weapons. Those eyes, that bow, and the redolent scent of her love. They turned to each other wide-eyed, made a gap, and retracted their spearheads upwards.

A wing behind Luster’s neck guided her to where they needed to go. They walked through the town’s main road, with Hope struggling to catch up from behind, as all the inhabitants stared. Luster looked at the windows; the ponies ducked their heads.

A separate guard, a pegasus mare, flew from the town hall’s entrance towards the visitors. Her wings fluttered more rapidly than the average adult pegasus, more like a hummingbird, or a filly—or a changeling.

She was fastidious over those sorts of quirks. If you can’t blend in completely, you can’t leave. The exam to become a scout required participants to mimic a glossary of creatures, beasts, critters, pets, and even a few objects.

“Are you…” The guard didn’t want to say the name without confirmation.

“Oh golly,”—Cozy sniffed under her wing—“Am I that bad?”

“You taste slightly happier…”

“You always were a B- in flattery,” Cozy chuckled. “Go run off to Chryssie and—actually, don’t. I want to surprise her!”

“As you say!” The guard flew a bit further to look at who was under Cozy’s wing. She didn’t question why, only: “Do you want me to carry the foal for you?”

“There’s no need for that.”

The guard nodded and flew into the town hall. Opening a door—which her partner kept open for the visitors—she hurried to one of the rooms and stared at a corner’s base. Her eyes shone fully green, and thus the floor’s illusion was broken.

Hope caught up with the two, panting. “You first.”

Luster looked down at the shaft. Dark. There was a green flash from the bottom, which was when Cozy made her way down. It wasn’t a smooth vertical tunnel; instead, it resembled more of a cave. There was no ladder, no light, and Cozy, who had undone her disguise, called for Luster twice to sit on her back, basically giving her a fillyback ride downwards.

Of course, ponies’ shoulders don’t protrude outwards, so Luster, sweating with fear, had to hold on as if she were a backpack—forelegs around Cozy’s neck, hind legs around her chest.

This tunnel really is shallow, Luster thought. What if I fall and Cozy can’t turn around to catch me?!

Well, it was so tight it was unlikely she’d have enough space to slip past.

What if I get stuck?!

“Don’t scream,” Cozy demanded.

Luster found out why. Cozy didn’t climb down; She free-fell, the tip of a wing skimming the walls. The filly screamed at a high pitch, but voicelessly, without any vibrations in her throat.

Cozy’s hard hooves jammed against the walls and wings parachuted their descent. They stopped, but way above the ground. Luster lit her horn to see what had happened, fearing her mother might’ve been stuck. Three of Cozy’s legs were used to wedge herself in place, whilst the upper side of her left foreleg pushed Luster by her bottom to the top of her head, facing down to be less of a slope.

Luster pushed her legs through her mother’s bow to pull herself up and saw a horizontal crack. “Am I supposed to go through there?” she asked, knowing the answer but hoping for a no.

“That’s right,” Cozy said. “But don’t worry. I’ll be there to guide you.”

“Guide me?”

“It’s best to just get it over with.”

No more words. There was only one way through. Luster tried to find the best angle that her head could fit through: sideways. She sucked in her gut, and in a superhero’s position entered the narrow crack.

There’s no way Mom can fit through here, Luster thought.

It was a cool temperature at least, and not too dusty or damp. By slowly kicking her hind legs, it took five minutes to crawl through ten whole meters.

“Stop!” Cozy shouted. “Go to the hole to the right, then to the second one on the left.”

Luster’s amber torchlight spell revealed the route she was talking about. It sloped downwards, and it was a narrower entrance.

After another five minutes of awkwardly trying to slide her front hooves back, and head inside, where at one point she cried:

“I think I’m stuck!”

Only for Cozy to assure: “Don’t worry. You’re not. If I can fit through, I’m sure you can.”

And for Luster to reply: “But I have a horn!”

And for Cozy to pout and say: “But I thought you said I was chubby?”

And for Luster to reply softly: “I only meant your face…”

And the conversation ended because she really didn’t need her mom bringing that up right now.

She made it through.

There was more space on the other side, enough for her to stand up to walk to the second exit, which wasn’t far. After a few more steps, the route ended. It was a drop. Based on the sides, a very deep drop. How deep? Luster wasn’t going to peek her head over to find out—not on that thin edge.

She was startled when she was grabbed by two hooves that emerged from the dark.

“Are you okay?” Cozy asked.

Luster nodded.

“Good.”

Her mother kept one of her legs in front of her, and, to avoid the drama, pounced and grabbed her as they fell down the shaft. Cozy slowly flipped forwards to land smoothly on her hooves. There were teeth marks on Luster’s lower lip, but at least they were on the ground.

“Finally,” said Hope. “I was getting worried. You do know you could’ve just waited for me to catch my breath, and I could’ve teleported the two of you here, right?”

Once Luster caught her breath, she looked at her mother. Her horn was scorching red.

I did all that for no reason?!

Her mother only half managed to subdue a smile. A side-glare and second-long scowl got her daughter to face forwards.

In a smoothly surfaced, spacious hallway lit by bright, luminescent flowers, was Hope, surrounded by a squad of undisguised changeling guards. One of them was the ‘mare’ from before, but neither Luster nor Hope could tell.

“Right this way,” instructed the previously mare—now their guide.

She walked them down the hallway, to a tunnel that looked the exact same as any of the other tens of thousands of tunnels that made up the labyrinth known as the Hive. But for those that grew up there, it was simply a direct route.

They traveled in circles, shifting upwards only to shift back down, reaching one end only to fall a level and go back towards the direction they came.

“Can’t you just teleport us?” Luster whined.

Hope shook her neck. “Chrysalis doesn’t let me use my magic in this place.”

Hope was only able to teleport to that one specific room near the hallway, one of the more heavily patrolled areas. Only after a lot of convincing, and a few embarrassing moments, did Chrysalis finally relent by allowing her that one room, and because of whom she was friends with.

Luster doubted the Hive had that many rooms to justify all this walking. Changeling must sure love digging tunnels… She followed Hope leftwards.

“No you two, it’s this way.” The guide peeked her head from a hole through the ceiling.

The unicorns needed a moment to groan.

“I swear, each time I turn around this place changes its layout,” Hope said.

Luster’s brain cogs turned. “Maybe if I looked behind, then it won’t happen?”

Hope giggled. “You can try that, but I’m not carrying you.”

Luster looked back. There was nopony there… Seems even Mom got lost.

“Baah!” Hope screamed, nearly falling from the high-above tunnel had Cozy not grabbed her by the cloak. Of course, she wouldn’t have been startled if the other hadn’t popped her head out of nowhere.

Cozy retreated into her hole, reappeared out of another to grab her daughter, and flew back up, past Hope, and into the center of the Hive—the main intersection, where every major tunnel line intertwined.

A massive well, dark, ginormous, and deep. Hundreds of tunnels connected to it, and it held several times as many drones. There were no bridges across, as Hope was painfully aware, whose eyes darted to a cliff-side path that circled up to where the others were—without rails, intended to transport only heavy goods. Crystal ponies were quite heavy. The ceiling was sprinkled with cyan, sparkling mushrooms, an underground tribe’s makeshift stars, bright enough to make a city dweller jealous. The ground, meanwhile, was an abyss, with only the gray tip of a rock spire visible.

It was hard for Luster not to notice the number of heads turned towards her. She hoped those looks were for Mom.

“Woah!” shouted a drone next to her, who faded into the void.

It dropped the larvae it was carrying between its mouth.

Hero’s instincts kicked in. Luster tried to save it, but her magic was just as muffled as Hope’s.

On that same level, another drone swooped in and grabbed the silent hatchling.

Five pairs of eyes were at the bottom (not including the many others): Luster’s, Cozy’s, Hope’s, and the two drones'.

About seven seconds pass. Splash! The bottom of the well was surface to an intricate network of underwater caves. That was when Luster saw that Cozy had her hoof out, exactly where the drone tripped.

“Pretty deep, huh?” Cozy said, eyes fixated on the other drone—the one with the larvae. She bent her hind leg.

Luster smashed her head.

“Ow.”

“How could you do that?!” Luster scolded. The drones were aghast by her bravery, or stupidity. At least those expressions were readable.

The drone who fell was fine; they all were used to this sort of treatment. It was safest for them to ‘play along’ when incidents like this happen, not making it too obvious how they survive. Such events were much more common in Cozy’s earlier days, and no one dared to tell her off. Only Chrysalis had that power, and if you brought it up with her there was a ninety percent chance she’d tell you to suck it up. It did seem a bit silly, complaining to the queen herself about being cut in line, or when she loitered in some place she shouldn’t be, or when she brought up your grades on a holiday, but it really was annoying. They all had to be so disciplined and orderly, but none of those rules extended to Cozy.

A complex, collaborative effort was required to discuss these sorts of topics, drone-to-drone. Cozy's guards, stationed outside her room at night, judged by her snoring whether she was truly asleep. It helped that Chrysalis, for her and only her, maintained a bedtime schedule, only because Cozy was simply too much. But it only meant Chrysalis’ location had to be more strictly monitored. Patrols would hide in the tunnels and, when out of sight, would update their location to their nests.

The result: they could gossip about Cozy. Imagine if she had to do guard's training or hoof drills! She wouldn't even have the discipline to stand still.

Occasionally, once the first scouts were sent out, they’d share smuggled ‘outside stuff’, such as snacks or comics. Once, a nest figured out how to power a ‘lamp’. They were discovered staring at it the next morning.

Another time, they brought back a JoyBoy that, after a month of fearing eventual discovery and the consequences of secrecy, was shared with Cozy, who confiscated it and never shared it back—except on one occasion. Stuck on a level and to prove it was impossible, she offered the handheld to a nearby drone. It won on the first try. After she mocked both the game and drone as stupid, she threw the device to the floor, stomped on it, jumped on it, spat on it, extolled chess, and left. The drone took extra long routes to avoid her after that.

Being on her ‘friends list’ was a dream for many. After all, she was older and cooler, a filly so dangerous even Tartarus failed to contain her. Her image was cemented in the Pantheon of Villains, as one of Equestria’s biggest baddies, and the smallest. But of course, she only associates with real villains, like Mom or Tirek—not drones, and they were painfully aware of that.

“Well?” Luster asked, forelegs crossed.

“To show how deep it was. And because I felt like it, duh.”

“You should apologize!” the filly commanded.

“Don’t you have somecreature you’re supposed to apologize to?” Cozy looked up and rubbed her chin to try to recall who it was. “A certain supervillain…” She looked at Luster with her head upside down.

Luster maintained her tough look, despite how difficult it was. She squinted at Cozy, menacingly.

“Alright, alright. I’m sorry,” Cozy said.

“He can’t hear that. Say it louder!”

“Golly, somefilly’s bossy today.” Cozy shouted: “I’m sorry!” Her voice echoed. That tactic would not have worked with Chrysalis.

Hope finally arrived in the claws of a roc, a large and majestic bird of prey.

It transformed back into their guide. “This way.”

“Actually,” Cozy suggested, “I can lead us the rest of the way there. Dismissed!” She moved her by the muzzle over the ledge. Initially hovering in place, she dropped like a fly to escape Cozy’s stare.

They slid down a tunnel, past a few drones. Cozy guided Luster, and by extension Hope, through branches and paths until they fell from the ceiling and arrived outside their destination. There were two guards, one on each side of the main door. Both wore, unlike their surface counterparts, cobalt-blue headgear, chest plates, and had spears identical to the ones before, only these matched the color of the armor pieces.

It didn’t matter; they knew who Cozy and Hope were. They turned ninety degrees towards each other, stomped the legs closest to the trio (opposite the direction they turned), grabbed the door handles, and marched back. Cozy remembered when she had to act like that.

The trio entered the antechamber of Queen Chrysalis’ throne room. Between each pillar half-submerged into the walls was a painting, and under that was either a statue or an artifact atop a pedestal. Each art piece depicted key events in historical Changeling attacks. They were either stolen or recovered based on who you asked, and were protected by invisible, magical anti-vandalism enchantments, and by the guards, of which (in the room) there were currently eight. Four for the doors, and one for each of the indoor balconies that were placed in the top middle of each wall.

After a showcase identical from before, the doors to the throne room were finally open.

There wasn’t an empty seat. There weren’t any false reveals or tricks to be played. Only the inevitable—Queen Chrysalis, sat atop her throne.

The village above had killed a few of Luster's fears. Those fears were now revived.

Author's Notes:

More stuff will happen next chapter.

Thanks to Ep0na for proofreading!

Perfect Killer

The Queen of the Changelings; Nature’s perfect killer. One of the three Legion members who comprised the paralyzed trophy of Friendship’s victory. Socially isolated, yet publicly showcased. Punishment was swift, without warning nor trial, when they were dealt a fate worse than death. Only between realizations were their pictures taken for the history books. Tirek’s body was too weak to face the light. Cozy’s face was contorted by fear, though tour guides dismissed it as a desperate trick. But Chrysalis refused to forfeit dignity, and with her last breath pounced at her executioners. One perforated the holes in her legs. The other tried to conquer Equestria twice before. And the last one brought her into this mess: his plan, his friends, his fault—but does he of a thousand pardons care?

A Princess could only count in centuries, but the Changelings were an adaptive race. Nature didn’t intend for her subject to lose her sanity, whom she birthed to be the Predator of all Ponies. Thus, she included a failsafe, one imbued by internal magic and intended to aid resilience against ponies’ sick desire for long and solitary punishments.

After it became clear that she wouldn’t be let out, Chrysalis entered a phase of hibernation, but only once she forgave herself for cowardice. The day after the conflict’s conclusion, drones that entered the soon-to-be park were introduced to the scent that questioned empathy. The site afflicted them with guilt, not only due to it being the grave of their mother, but also from that filly. She looked scared, and they felt her fear. Her howls were loud, but silent to non-drones. Canterlot assured it to be a simple quirk of Discord’s chaos magic, and that Discord was a peculiar case due to him being the God of Chaos. Cozy was only a filly. Drones forced themselves to ignore it, and nicknamed the statue ‘The Legion of Gloom.’ After a year, the sobs stopped.

Only Chrysalis could recall the months that followed release. If it hadn’t been for that divine accident, Cozy never would have grown her wings, or touched another cloud, or watched the sun rise over the horizon, and Chrysalis never would've been able to continue the mission assigned to her by Providence through the constitution of instincts: to rule the Changeling tribe, to indulge in the pleasures of love, and to trample over every—single—kingdom that showed up that day, when Cozy was cast from the heights of Canterlot to the depths of her own mind.

Oh, and Tirek too I guess, Chrysalis shrugged.

Luster didn’t expect Chrysalis to have irises, or hair, or to be so tall. The filly wasn’t even at the height of her knee. Even characteristics that should’ve made her less frightening, such as fangs shorter than her drones’, only exacerbated the scent of her fear.

Chrysalis spoke: “Cozy! What a pleasure it is for you to visit.”

“Jeez! Has it really been so long?” Cozy said as she flew up for a hug.

“You left for Kludgetown over a month ago and I was worried sick. You know that place is a cesspit of depravity and violence—unbridled... It could use new rulers.”

“I completely agree!”

“And I really am hoping you’re not about to say you’ve lost the Alicorn Amulet—the one that I lent you?”

“I wouldn't even fake it! It’s safe and sound in my bag.”

“Good… Because I heard that Cadence went with the Chaos God to the Mysterious South to investigate a certain anomaly. Care to explain why I shouldn’t be worried?”

“It’s just a teensy-weensy hiccup. They’ll find nothing but ruins caused by this little filly!” With a wave of her front hooves, Cozy showcased Luster Dawn to Queen Chrysalis. “Go on Luster, don’t be shy! Introduce yourself.”

Chrysalis looked at the filly next to Hope, who felt bad since her love was the beacon that brought those two drones to her house. The queen stepped forwards; Luster could hear the heavy hollowness of her legs. But the filly had to look up. She knew she had to act confident, like her mother was with Cadence. Otherwise, she might end up wishing she stayed at Kludgetown.

It became a staring contest. You had to be Cozy or a changeling to read Chrysalis’ emotion.

“Um… I’m—Luster Dawn…” she said. She extended her hoof.

Chrysalis stared at it for a few seconds, glanced at Cozy, back at the filly, ignoring Hope. “Luster Dawn… What an unfortunate name.”

“W-What?”

“I think it’s a wonderful name,” Cozy asserted. “I take credit for the ‘Dawn’ part.”

“Yes, but it’s just something I’d name my cattle,” Chrysalis said. “Is she cattle? Or a gift? Or perhaps that Starlight Glimmer’s secret daughter?”

“She’s my daughter!” Cozy revealed with a gleam, right in front of Chrysalis’ face.

She swiped Cozy to the side. “Even for a pony of your mental acuity and fortitude, you’re still but a pony. I guess being a co-ruler of a dormant hive isn’t as ‘big’ as you like to think. So, in order to fill the void left by Tirek and those subjects you ruled along by King Sombra, you foalnapped a filly and will attempt to shape her into your next partner. Am I correct?”

“I rescued and adopted her!” Cozy said, as a matter-of-factly.

Chrysalis rolled her eyes.

“As for the partner part, I’m just going to let things play out by themselves. Y’know, see where it goes. After all, if every filly was as evil as me, I’d be out of a title,” Cozy replied. “Who knows? She might grow up to be Twilight’s next protege!”

Chrysalis laughed. Cozy giggled. A few guards snickered.

Luster didn’t get what was so funny, though to her, Twilight was only a name that gets tossed around.

“Perhaps we should head to a more suitable location? I’ve already informed the chefs of your arrival.”

“Hmm… Luster, we can stay here for as long as you like, but wouldn’t you feel so much better if you got it over and done with?”

Chrysalis turned to Luster, awaiting elaboration.

“I-I-I accidentally—unknowingly…” Luster saw Cozy’s supportive face, inwardly circling hooves, and felt Hope’s slightly-cool leg around her neck. “I accidentally…”

Chrysalis furrowed her brow and squinted.

“...killed your drones?” Luster braced herself. She looked away, eyes closed, but after ten seconds of nothing, looked back at Chrysalis.

“Okay?” Chrysalis said.

“I’m sure you got my letter,” said Cozy. “But a little accident happened after that, and the guilt has been eating this poor filly up! She just had to apologize to you in-pony.”

Well, I didn’t do anything, Luster thought. You’re the one that’s making me talk to your scary friend about—wait, what if she can read my mind?!

Chrysalis looked at Cozy, who hovered at her eye level. “What are you talking about?”

“Didn’t you send two drones after Hope?” Cozy asked.

“Yes, but I never received a letter.”

“What?! But I definitely sent one! Lustie can attest to that, can’t you sweetie?”

Luster nervously nodded.

“I…” Hope muttered. “Might’ve also accidentally—halted delivery…”

Cozy and Luster looked at her.

Chrysalis hmphed. “I’m not surprised by that at all. But for those two scouts to have lost to a filly is quite an embarrassment. Perhaps I should have the first generation of scouts reevaluated on their competency?”

If Atty and Prety heard that, Luster knew their hearts would’ve shattered.

“Maybe I’m simply a good fighter?” Luster blurted.

Chrysalis looked at the filly and turned to Cozy. “Shall we go?”

“Of course!”

“But I thought that was it!” Luster shouted. All eyes were on her, and she realized the scene that she had caused.

“Excuse her. She didn’t have a proper breakfast, so she’s a little bit grumpy,” Cozy said.

Chrysalis stared at Cozy for a moment and looked at Luster. “If it’s only over the plight of hunger, then I won’t sacrifice the mood to discipline this filly some manners.”

Luster got caught in a tractor beam emitted from Chrysalis’ horn. The queen wrapped a hoof around Cozy and teleported.

All but Hope reappeared, each on one of the four chairs tucked into a white, circular table, in a room that looked as if it were taken from a Victorian home. Beyond white-over-pink floral wallpaper were display cabinets that encased valuable memories, from a Cozy lookalike plush that bled stuffing through its bitten-off head, to shelf-sized sculptures of Cozy’s Alicorn form, to plastic figures of Silver Seraph, the ones native to cereal boxes and Hayburger meals for foals. The wall had newspaper cutouts of articles reporting Cozy’s run-ins, her portrait as a royal guard for the Crystal Empire, and the one Twilight had on her desk, stolen from an exhibit, back when she swore, “Cozy’s the most polite, innocent, and kindest filly you’ll ever meet!”

It all looked so—Cozyesque. There wasn’t a speck of Chrysalis or Tirek anywhere. It was only her.

“Is it just as disgustingly sweet as you remembered?” Chrysalis asked as she pulled a green-wrapped rook pillow from her bottom to her lumbar.

Cozy stretched her wing to grab the backrest of Luster’s chair and drag it closer towards her. “It’s perfect!”

A drone swooped by and, in the center of the table, placed a pastry stand loaded with butter cookies that sandwiched a viscous strawberry jam; each had a red circle cut through the top layer and a secret ingredient that had Chrysalis magnetized.

A second drone brought a silver tray that had on top a steaming teapot, a bowl of sugar, a creamer, saucers, and porcelain cups, each with a teabag and teaspoon. Handel in mouth, it went on to pour water into each of their cups, whilst Cozy added her own sugar. She sipped, and while she did, Chrysalis hid her cup under the table. Behind the back of the first drone, a sparkly pink liquid poured from a pocket flask.

“Is that other mare carrying your bag?” Chrysalis asked.

“Oh, no! I just left in such a rush that I forgot to bring it.” Cozy bit into a cookie. Her visit was the first time in over a month that top students of Cozy’s old baking class were able to express their talents, and it was the ‘easiest’ way to earn Cozy’s respect. And Chryssie called it a waste of time. These are almost half as good as mine! Almost. Maybe.

“So that ‘apology’ was the only reason you came to visit?” Chrysalis sighed. “That’s disappointing. You usually come back with presents.”

“I’ll be sure to bring a big stack next time! But I should probably focus on integrating her into Equestrian society before I promise any sleepovers.”

“So, you have no plans to move back?” Chrysalis kept her eyes on her tea as she stirred, her expression blank.

“Maybe you could ask Hope to keep you company?” Luster suggested.

Chrysalis paused her stirring. “She won’t have me play into her ridiculous plans. All it would take is a single sophist to trick her into friendship, and she’ll have our corpses next to the topiary.”

Both her eyes and Cozy’s turn towards the mare they mentioned, who stood frozen. Chrysalis could not have cared less that she heard that. Cozy cared about Hope’s feelings—or at least the closest emotion she expressed for others that matched Care’s description—but her plan was to deal with this later tonight, outside the Hive.

Luster thought it was bogus. “Hope wouldn’t do that. She’s nice.”

“That’s the problem.” Chrysalis withheld calling the filly a ‘grunt.’

Hope wasn’t sure if she should leave. Where would she go? Drones dug every tunnel and room with only themselves, Chrysalis, and Cozy in mind, and Hope was denied magic to compensate. Each second of inactivity only amassed her additional stares, from the trio and the drones: those two butlers and the ones that passed by. She walked up; without confidence, it looked as if she only intended to loiter. The side of her hoof pushed the front of the chair’s seat, all whilst the conversation was yet to resume. Second hoof embarrassment was bad enough as a pony. How would it feel for creatures whose sixth sense was emotions?

“You’re pitiful,” Chrysalis remarked.

Cozy mixed a cup of tea to Hope’s exact preferences and slid it over a coaster to her, along with the cookies. “No need to be a mopey mare.”

Hope smiled. “Thank—”

“May I excuse myself?” Cozy floated off her seat. “Watch over Lustie for me, will you?” She winked.

Panic struck the filly. “Actually, I need to go to the toilet too!”

“Hope, can you please help her out?”

“Mom, can’t I just…”

Cozy was already gone.

Great, Luster thought, I’m stuck here with the scariest supervillain in all of Equestria, her thousands of love-thirsty drones, and Hope and I don’t even have our magic…

Chrysalis drank until her cup reached sideways. Licking her lips, she got up, and circled around the table, until she arrived at Luster’s spot. No words were passed, only the expressions of creatures whose eyes tilted upwards. Except the filly’s. If she stood on the seat and tipped hoofed on her hind legs, the peak of her horn would barely scale the queen’s chest.

She could command a room by her presence alone. None of her drones had bad posture. That would’ve conveyed they didn’t care; ergo, not true drones; therefore, gone. Hope didn’t offer much comfort; if anything, her fear pervaded more than Luster’s. She felt smaller than a bug in the Hive. Why couldn’t she have gone home like Cozy offered? But she was reminded why: Luster. She didn’t know what Cozy truly intended, and she didn’t trust Chrysalis to be left alone with her.

“You two, keep your eyes on her,” Chrysalis commanded the butler drones. The seat turned empty as she teleported herself—and Luster.

Hope jumped off the chair; the drones jumped onto the table. As she searched for a green flash through the hallways, before her mind calmed to think, she was never more than a table’s length away from her overseers.

It was pointless. If her magic was fully restored and Chrysalis’ half-muffled, Hope would still lose a duel. She was a healer, not a fighter; all she could do was resign herself to tea with the drones.

---

Luster’s view shifted; from the comfort of lavish tableware to the dark walls and pillars of the throne room.

“Why’d you bring us back here?” Luster asked.

Chrysalis flew a boxing ring’s length from the filly.

Luster’s brow scrunched. Oh please, no.

“Your ‘mother’, as you claim to put it, is a reckless mare!” Chrysalis stated. “For as many misfortunes as she might’ve suffered, she’s lucky they haven’t crucified her by the wings yet! She lacks the ability to cast spells, and though her reluctance to use the Alicorn Amulet’s is justified, she was completely brain-dead to—well, even to go to Kludgetown, but to bring one of the most powerful artifacts known to any of us there? And not here?! It’s absurd.”

Luster looked around to confirm that the speech was for her, then nodded to the prompt of the other’s silence.

“You’ve killed two of my scouts,” Chrysalis said. “Show me how.”

Luster stepped back—and met an invisible wall. One hind leg lost balance. The other tripped on her tail. She fell on her bottom. Not wanting to test the queen’s patience, she tried to get back up but slipped on her heel. Enough seconds passed before a ring of aura formed around her and lifted her to her hooves.

“I’ve granted you permission to use the full capacity of your magic,” Chrysalis said, “I want to see what you’re capable of.”

All Luster could conjure was an excuse: “Uhh—I had to use a lot of furniture to destroy those two. And, umm, surprise! The element of surprise!”

She didn’t respond, only squinted.

The filly took a page out of Cozy’s playbook. “I couldn’t possibly defeat a queen, could I? I mean those were only drones. You’re like, Equestria’s most powerful-est supervillain!”

Nothing.

Luster sighed. “The truth is, Cozy defeated them. One of them was halfway through eating me before Cozy showed up... I didn’t do anything. Once she sent you her letter, she left me alone with the drones, and then I… I, umm… I defeated them?” She quivered a smile.

Chrysalis wasn’t sure she heard that right. “So, you defeated them after they had already been defeated?”

“...Yes?”

She scoffed and teleported.

Luster blinked. She spun in a circle, head searching aimlessly, trying to figure out where Chrysalis went. She couldn’t have just left, could she? Maybe she got bored? To a guard in a far-off corner, it looked as if the filly was chasing her own tail.

Chrysalis came back—with Cozy’s neck between her magic’s grip. “You said she was your ‘mother’ now? Hmm?” She grinned, pitched the tip of the wing closest to her, and fiddled it in circles, inspecting her preened pink feathers.

“Oh jeez, golly! What’s gotten into you, Chryssie?” Cozy asked.

“You’ve exhausted your usefulness to me.”

“What?!” shouted both mother and daughter in unison.

“You abandoned the Hive, signed up to become Princess Flurry Heart’s plaything, all to accomplish your third failure to usurp Twilight’s throne. And then you adopt this filly? You've clearly gone weak. I believe it’s best we end your life on a—high note.”

Her telekinetic grip around her neck and wing tightened. Chrysalis stretched her neck, looked at the filly, grinned, and all at once, tugged.

Cozy let out a scream so loud it ruffled dust off the roof; one so high, that Chrysalis dropped her.

A single feather swayed to the floor.

Her head to the side, Chrysalis inhaled. “Over a feather?” She sucked in her lips, filled her lungs, ready to scold and label Cozy an adult brat; but when she turned, her face met a balloon of liquid fire. It popped and splashed on her shield, an inch away from her muzzle.

She was the cardinal changeling. Thorax couldn’t cast a candle to her magical prowess. Her ancestral birthplace was a swamp of dead creatures, whose genes Nature snipped, knitted, and tailored into a being that rivaled Gods. But her eyes weren’t compound eyes. They were closer genetically to pony eyes; they lacked a waterproof layer of chitin. In the long run, it didn’t matter; she possessed a tremendous ability to heal herself and cast spells, but pain would invite a window, and with the opponents she usually went up against, that’s all they needed to win.

A round stalactite from one of the top edges of the room flung towards her—by the filly. It exploded. Cozy let out a yelp as an amber aura pulled her back by her tail, away from debris.

With a swipe and glow of her crooked horn, Chrysalis magicked away the dust.

“Love is such a potent motivator,” she said. “So, you’re like a guard dog, biting at whoever touches Mommy?” A green glow pinched Cozy’s left cheek.

“Stop it!” Luster shouted. “Leave her alone!”

“What? She’s lived with me for so long that I’m no different to her than a mother! And where would she be without me? Her body was so lifeless when she exited stone that they likely would’ve used her gaping mouth as a birdbath for that Fluttershy’s porch! She owes her life to me. I’m simply taking it back.”

Chrysalis took one step forwards. Luster engulfed her in a field of her signature spell, transforming the area into an inferno, one ruled by a demon filly, who herded an ardent conflagration as if it were cattle.

“Oh, Lustie. Why is it always the pink and purple ponies that cause all the problems in the world? Twilight, Starlight, Flurry Heart, Cozy, and you! And you even have that name, ‘Dawn.’ Celestial motif. But I’m afraid you can't defeat me by spewing flames out of your horn haphazardly. Use a different spell.”

Does she want me to beat her? Luster thought. She didn’t want to play into Chrysalis’ hoof, but couldn’t deny she was right. She had yet to win a single fight, always being swooped in and saved by her mother last minute. But now her mother lay hurt, thousands of hooves underground, in a maze that muffled magic, and Hope was who knows where.

“I’m waiting,” Chrysalis said. Her horn glowed; the invisible barrier that prevented Luster from leaving inched forwards.

Luster's flank flew over her head as the wall forced her closer to Chrysalis. On her back, she tried to wedge her legs to the ground but knew that would only cause her to crush her hooves.

A look to the side, she saw Mom. She didn’t look all that worried. Perhaps in denial that Chrysalis would betray her, or maybe because she never let fear control her. She always bounced back up, made do with what she had, and never accepted her place, even if it led her to the pits of Tartarus or a bleak eternity as stone.

Luster had to do something. She knew she could. A spell. What spell? What could I possibly cast? This is Equestria’s biggest baddie. There must be something I’ve seen before. Something that could get us out of this mess.

The hero’s instinct was a powerful magic. In times of desperation, when all seemed to be lost, when one was stripped of all they owned, would a faint glow of hope present itself in the deep, turbulent oceans of dread. When fate seemed to be set in stone, and concern for one’s self—brutality, egotism, and greed—were nullified by loss, could the mind break to leak one’s purest beliefs and desires. Despite its name, it didn’t exclusively infect heroes.

Life was nothing but a snack for Chrysalis. She saw herself above the Alicorns, and lived her self-granted right to feast on the love of whatever creatures she happened to stumble upon. She only ever needed herself.

Yet, when her eternal confinement was interrupted, and she felt her solid insides crumble into lifeblood, hidden by an intact layer of rock over her skin—she could’ve immediately left. Cozy’s corpse captured the full attention of the Filly Princess. If she had turned into a critter, chipped away a hole, and left Cozy to deal with her own species, they might’ve never noticed she was ever gone.

Cozy is reliant on surprise, she thought in those moments. Now she’s the face of the most villainous pony. What use would she have?

But Chrysalis rescued her, never regretting her decision to do so.

Until now apparently.

Now Luster sat here, her temple against Cozy’s fluffy chest, soothed by the motions of her breath—a reminder that they were still alive.

I’m a unicorn! There are books of spells I can cast! I just need one. What have I seen before? What could get us out of this…

A spell only cast by mages and toddlers, not those in between. Performed by Cozy, Hope, and Chrysalis—a leg’s length away.

Luster’s horn lit up the room. It was so bright, her amber aura shifted to white, and Chrysalis flew back as her mind was flooded with memories of the last time she saw such a light; hot, it turned the room into an oven, and the drones that gathered to witness the ordeal fled, ditching their armor plates if they had any; Cozy, it was a lot for her to handle. She covered her eyes with her wings and hooves, but Luster knew she could take it; Mom was the strongest mare she knew. Luster wrapped her hooves around her mother, squeezing her tight for comfort, focus—and for the spell to work.

At the apex of its radiance—they disappeared.

A black scorch mark was left where the two once sat, and the flames she once controlled vanished.

Chrysalis turned to the nearest guard. “Do you think she’ll be upset about this?”

---

“Did you hear something?” asked a drone with a chef’s hat as Cozy pulled, with mitten-clad hooves, a tray of cookies out of the oven.

“Nope!”

“Are you sure? It sounded like a pretty loud scream. Sorta like a you scream.”

Cozy closed the oven with a flick of her hind leg. “Well, if it’s a me scream, then it can’t possibly be me, now can it?” Placing the tray onto the countertop, she siphoned the cookies into a paper bag with her nerveless hooves.

She cast a glance at her two diligent co-bakers. With only three cookies yet to be packed, she folded the tip of her left wing into her mouth to whistle. Attention properly grabbed, she tossed two cookies into the air. Both drones caught one each and, hovering in the air, looked at Cozy for confirmation. A wink. That meant they were good to go.

That cookie contained Cozy’s love, a type known as ‘respect,’ more specifically an exclusive delicacy known as ‘Cozy’s respect.’ It was odd; anycreature that knew Cozy’s history would assume her personality to be empty, yet just one of these cookies could feed a drone for days.

Brewed by her vigor and the volume of her personality, a ‘soft’ quality was mixed into their bites. Respect melted in their mouths alongside chocolate chips. You couldn’t sell these; you had to be the intended recipient. That made it all the more satiating.

One of the drones swallowed. “Thanks, Cozy! But, what do you want to do with the chocolate—”

The co-bakers turned to find Cozy licking her chocolate-covered hooves. They all looked at each other with blank expressions, until Cozy slid the bowl over. It did seem a bit unhygienic to use uncovered hooves, and they could’ve sucked the respect out of the bowl without the risk of contamination. But Cozy’s respect was one of the highest honors, and she offered them a taste of the mix. How could they say no?

The drones stuck their hooves into the bowl and held them high to catch in their mouths the chocolate that leaked below.

Cozy joined the two bugs, and for five minutes they engaged in disposing of the leftover mix until a shadow blocked Cozy’s view; she turned her head back.

Hope looked down at her, a disgusted and concerned look on her face, mimicked by her two overseers. Similarly, Cozy’s drones mirrored the baker’s actions: utterance of an incomprehensible excuse before gulping. They wiped chocolate off their faces and Cozy walked up.

“Hope, I promise it’s not what it… well.”

Hope stepped back from the pegasus painting her thighs with chocolate.

“Oh, come on. You’re an overly obsessive germaphobe! That’s who you are...”

“I saw chocolate leak from your chin onto the bowl, then you shared it with those two... Did you even clean your hooves?”

“Well excuse me for not being able to move things with my mind!” Cozy hmphed, and shifted: “By the way, can you hurry back home and carry this with you?” She flew to the countertop and tilted her spine backwards to carry a white box that was larger than it was heavy, with a bag atop, plopping it onto the hooves of the two butler drones.

“So, is that my permission to leave?” Hope asked.

“Yep. Permission granted!” Cozy straightened her foreleg down like a rail gate.

“Okay,” Hope said.

“Wait.” Cozy flew up to her. The chocolate on her coat was now sufficiently suffused that it wouldn’t rub off, though it shifted her colors a tint. She handed her a cookie, one of those big, soft, and chunky ones that Hope adored, freshly baked from the oven. “Sorry about Chrysalis. We can talk about it later tonight.”

Hope grabbed the cookie in her aura and smiled. “Did you make this before or after you ducked your face into the bowl?”

“A million percent after! Right guys?” Cozy turned to the baker drones, who nodded with the expressions of angels.

Hope took a bite and followed the drones outwards.

“Wait, one more thing!” Cozy shouted, and Hope turned. “Can I borrow a few bits?”

---

Well, since I’ve settled all that stuff out, all I need now is—

Cozy was halted by a flash of light, and out of that light popped out—

—“Lustie! How’d you find me? Wait, don’t tell me you can smell my love too? Golly, I really need to order some—Oof!”

Luster jumped up to hug Cozy around her neck.

A bit pointy with her horn, but Cozy returned the kind act and caressed the back of her head. “Who’s your friend by the way?”

Luster didn’t really want to break from her warmth, but glanced an eye back and realized: “Who are you?”

The other Cozy was blackened by scorch marks. It was one thing to teleport; it was another to teleport whilst carrying a passenger.

“Spatial awareness is very important for a successful passenger jump,” Cozy explained to Luster. “And you!” She pointed to what was obviously a drone. “I’m in a good mood, so turn back now and hope Chrysalis didn’t see you, and we’ll all pretend like nothing happened.”

“But Chrysalis was the one who must’ve made her do it!” Luster said. “She teleported off and came back with her and said she was you! I thought she was about to kill you…”

Cozy used her gentle wings to prop Luster’s head closer to her own, her forehead touching the filly’s temple. “Oh Lustie, dear, Chrysalis would never do that to me. I’m basically like a daughter to her! Has she been acting mean?”

Luster's depressed head rubbed up and down against Cozy’s cheek.

“Right. I’ll make sure she doesn’t do that again. All I wanted was for you to apologize, not be tricked into thinking I was about to die. I'm sorry and I promise to make it up to you.” Cozy pecked her daughter’s cheek. “Now I couldn’t help but notice that the teleport I’ve just seen didn’t have a green color… I wonder who could’ve cast it?”

“I did...” Luster shyly admitted.

“Phff! A filly your age casting a teleportation spell?! You’d have to be some sort of Starswirl to do that!” Cozy whispered: “Seriously though, he’s a bit underwhelming in real life.”

“Am I interrupting something?” asked Chrysalis, who appeared from the corner of the tunnel.

Cozy placed Luster on her back. “Now Chryssie, somecreature told me that you’ve been acting a bit mean to my daughter. I want you to apologize to her.” She crossed her forelegs.

Chrysalis stood still. “You’re kidding, right?”

They engaged in a showdown of stares.

Cozy sighed. “Alright, fine! I’ll wait until we’ve all calmed down. But I expect a proper apology when we come back for Hearth’s Warming.”

“Hearth’s Warming!” both Chrysalis and Luster repeated in unison, with opposite emotions.

Chrysalis added: “Oh, I can’t wait! I appreciate your visit, Cozy.” They both shook hooves. “If you are serious about being a mother, then there are worse choices than this filly.”

“Gee, thanks.” Luster rolled her eyes.

“Raising a child can be an incredibly gratifying and fulfilling process!” Chrysalis declared and whispered into the other’s ear: “Until they get brainwashed by Twilight and her friends. Then they’ll betray you, denounce you, strip you of your dignity, leaving you with nothing, only so they can come back and smirk once you’ve been defeated. Then, only once you’ve been rendered harmless, will they turn your body into a paralyzed, mute, blind statue, for all to laugh and gawk at. Guards will spit on you, and you know first-hoof they won’t see your tears. Or maybe they’ll think you’ve caused too much trouble, and shatter you like the Storm King or Princess Amore. Say, didn’t you tell me Sombra had no clue whether Amore was still conscious?”

Chrysalis looked the newfound mother in the eyes. “Have fun parenting, Cozy Glow.”

Author's Notes:

Chrysalis didn't get a cookie because she didn't behave herself in front of Cozy's friends.

Thanks to Ep0na for proofreading!

Judgy

A golden bell chimed the arrival of a frantic filly, who popped past the glass door and ditched her mother to explore the tens of thousands of books that adorned a maze of shelves.

The night a month ago, Luster stared at the ceiling and wondered, “What lies outside these walls?” She must’ve wondered aloud because Georgia answered: “From what I heard, lots of papers: logs, records, scrolls, texts—all outsiders ever do is write about stuff—different types of grass, their own thoughts, whenever somecreature buys something. Doesn’t that sound weird?”

Luster agreed, a lie, because that conversation occupied her mind when she planned her escape, and now she was here, in the ‘book store.’ Her head felt as if it were about to explode.

The room was as warm as the lights that showcased each genre’s best sellers. Outside, rain poured against the glass of the street side displays. Luster was another one of its victims. Earlier, she ran outside the range of Suri’s umbrella spell once Cozy pointed to the store. The filly’s hooves now clanked as she galloped on hardwood, dripping a wet trail destined to paint the floor a darker shade.

A system had to be implemented to help readers navigate. It assigned a number in the hundredth’s place for categories, and one in between for sub-categories. Number seven hundred to seven hundred and ninety-nine point ninety-nine: Magic. Upstairs, take two right turns, then a left. Off she went.

“You’ve raised a mini-Twilight,” remarked Suri Polomare, Cozy’s fashionista. Today she sold a new jacket to an old client she assumed was six hooves under. Surprise! The client was alive and dandy, a bit happier than usual, had an extra wardrobe they needed to fill, and arranged to later that week discuss the details of an order for a replacement cloak. It was a good day for business.

So good, Suri considered thanking Rarity for those libelous pages against her in Princess Twilight’s Journal of Friendship. It never mentioned her by name but was specific enough for Cozy and Hope to research archives, match dates, perform interviews, and discover: ‘Suri Polomare.’

Wonderful clients they were! Hope thought she could’ve been a potentially useful asset in infiltrating the Crystal Empire before Cozy revealed her ‘personal guard’ plan and winged it. All the latter wanted was a fashion designer who hadn’t shown up for her petrification.

She made an odd request: costumes themed after chess pieces. Cozy had memorized thirty-two measurements, and for each one whether to add a slot for a horn, two for wings, or none.

For five pieces: both; she wanted three slots. Suri asked why.

Cozy responded, “Just a bit unsure, is all.”

“But you provided five sizes? And they aren’t really—you know—pony sized?”

“Jeez, aren’t you judgmental!”

Suri completed the set, omitted her usual embroidered signature, and received the second half of her handsome payment, plus a bonus by Cozy’s suggestion. It would’ve been her favorite commission, had it not kept her awake at night. Under a blanket, she’d stare at her door, mostly on her bed, a few times on her couch.

She couldn’t clear her mind or focus on anything other than the likelihood that Canterlonian agents would show up at her doorstep and arrest her for complicity in whatever Cozy had planned. At least the deadline was loose; she could sleep in. Though it didn’t get better when news broke of her coup, her disappearance eased her a bit.

Other than that, wonderful clients! Until her third defeat, every three days, an hour after sunset, Cozy would call to ask about the progress of the order, and how her health fared personally, speaking as if Twilight’s rule was Tartarus. Those calls continued after completion.

Meanwhile, Hope only ever asked her to patch a few tears on the kitchen rag she called a cloak, and complained about her rates. Quality had a price! At least she wasn’t slave labor, which is partially why Cozy chose her to design Luster’s wardrobe. Where did Suri’s fabrics come from? Until Luster asks that question, it will remain a mystery.

Cozy flew up to the indoor balcony of the second floor, and found her filly with twelve—now thirteen—stacked books in her aura.

She held her hoof like a stop sign. “Now Lustie, I didn’t bring my bag and Hope only had a hundred bits. We’ll only be able to afford around three books.”

“Only three?!” Luster whined.

“Only three.” Cozy confiscated the pile and held it in case Luster wanted to single out a book she chose, but the filly decided to start fresh.

Along the sides of the shelves were posters that depicted Equestria’s most prominent wizards and brewers. In front of the one that had a lanky old stallion who forgot to shave, Luster paused and turned to the wall. A framed photo half the wall’s height showed an Alicorn, purple, Princess, whose mane had a streak of indigo and magenta. It showed her outside the entrance, cutting a ribbon with a comically-large pair of scissors.

“Princess Twilight,” Cozy said and sighed. “Equestria’s chosen Princess and Savior I-don’t-how-many times.”

“Is that what she looks like?” Luster had never seen a pony so big. She looked as tall as Chrysalis.

“Yep.” Cozy whispered, “She can’t lay off the Hayburgers.”

Luster gazed in silence for a moment, before she resumed her search for three books to take home.

The utmost consideration had to be given to various factors, such as the quality of information, how similar the spells were to other books, and the number of spells covered. Luster leaned her neck to squint at the title of one book that piqued her interest.

“The Mage’s Foundational Textbook for Intermediate Transfiguration for Equines Vol. 7,” Cozy read aloud from behind, a smirk on her face. “You sure you want to start at that level?”

Luster lowered her head but sprang out and declared, “Yeah! I’ve cast many spells.” She teleported up to Cozy’s height, knew her mother could catch her, and poked the other’s muzzle while saying, “What do you know! You’ve never cast a spell—well, I mean—”

Cozy shushed her. “Alright, alright, I get it. Wasn’t trying to be judgmental. You’re the mage, not me.” She placed Luster on the floor. “But that costs more than a hundred bits anyways, so tough luck.” Cozy stuck her tongue out.

“I can lend you some bits,” said Suri who appeared to the delight of Luster’s smirk.

“With what? Interest?” Cozy asked, who hovered so she could cross her forelegs.

“What?! No! But I mean like, it’s not as if you’re broke, right?” Suri said. “How much do you have, anyways? Hundreds of thousands of bits?”

Cozy giggled.

“Shut up! No, you’re kidding!”

“I have enough to raise a family, but,” Cozy whispered, “I’m not retiring yet.” She continued, “You aren’t only pretending to be my friends for bits, right?”

“What? Nooo0…” Suri held the syllable as her pupils drew one-quarter of a circle: left, along the arc, and ended at the apex towards Cozy, whose shadow engulfed her.

“Good,” Cozy replied. “Because I can read liars.” She flew down, inches away from Suri’s face. “And I’ve also happened to have read quite a few interesting things about your customers, Suri Polomare.”

“Hey now…”

“Did you know that the Crystal Empire and Canterlot share most of their internal records? It’s an interesting tidbit.” Cozy looked around. “Y’know, to be fair to Twilight, I doubt she has the time to look through all of it. We wouldn’t want to waste her valuable time now, would we?”

Suri shook her head. “Nope! No way.”

“Mom, Mom.” Luster tugged on Cozy’s dangling hind leg. “Look, it’s, y’know.” As Luster showed her the book she found, Suri walked off.

The most recently published edition of a book that told Equestria’s magical history had a cover that depicted the Alicorns. Twilight made up the center, faced forwards. On Cozy’s left were the Sisters, with Celestia atop. On the other side, the two Crystal Princesses (Flurry below), who weren’t even crystal ponies. Hope got robbed big time! Cozy thought.

But that wasn’t why Luster wanted to show it to her. On the bottom of the cover was a mass of shadow, part of Sombra, and of all the villains depicted, there was one that stood out: a red-eyed filly (though they all had red eyes here) with a horn and wide wingspan.

The publisher or artist neglected to add Starlight, but at least they included Discord. Cozy flipped through the pages until she found her own.

“Precocious young filly… blah, blah, blah, shallow plan, wouldn’t have worked, ‘squandered her second chance?’ I must’ve forgotten that. More like, ‘got punished for answering Twilight’s question truthfully.’” The quote, ‘Friendship is Power,’ had a box on the bottom of the page, printed in a large serif font. “We’re not buying this, Lustie.” Cozy snatched the book.

“I didn’t want to buy it,” Luster groaned and stomped her hoof. “I only wanted to show it to you. Why are you so judgy today?” She turned the other cheek and hmphed.

Cozy fell on Luster and grabbed her by the neck. “I’m sorry!” she cried, a wing on the ground to support her because she didn’t want to crush her filly, though pegasi were the lightest tribe on average. Luster’s legs were still at their limits, but she refused to show it; she kept her mouth closed and breathed heavily through her nostrils.

Cozy’s forehead touched Luster’s temple, her muzzle against the filly’s cheek. She said, “I wasn’t trying to be a wet blanket! Speaking of which—you’re still soaked…”

Luster turned to the opposite side, slapping her mother with her half-wet mane. Her legs started to fail, so out of instinct, she lifted Cozy's body with magic—for the first time.

“Woah!” Covered tail to bow in her daughter’s amber aura, she floated an inch above the filly’s mane. “Lustie, if you’re trying to make me borrow money from Suri—”

“I’m not!” Luster faced her mother, and on the dawn of realization, she dropped her. “Sorry…”

Cozy descended. She didn’t show it, but Luster’s magic trick worried her a bit. Of course, it was absolutely one hundred and ten percent impossible that the Cozy Glow could one day fail to control her own filly, but she crossed her feathers that Luster didn’t get any ideas.

Luster cleared her throat. “I think I’ve made my choice. But don’t be judgy!” Her horn flared.

Cozy held out her wings. “Alright, alright.”

Her daughter showed her first book, and Cozy read aloud: “‘My first twenty spells.’ I think it’s a fair judgment for me to say you’ve made an amazing choice!” She nearly joked that it was too basic, but realized she didn’t have her purse to pay for property damage or funeral fees.

Second choice: “‘Dummies Guide to Teleportation.’ Lustie, I didn’t kill your confidence, did I? You’re not a dummy.”

Luster couldn’t lash out when her mother did her soft voice. “I know, Mom, but it’s just the name of the book. And it has pictures.”

“But I don’t want my daughter to engage in this sort of ‘self-deprecating humor.’ Never!”

“Not even as a joke?”

Cozy shook her head.

“Then what do you find funny?”

“I…” Cozy mentally flipped through thoughts. Don’t say that time with the fake rescue. Don’t say that time with the stage. Oh jeez, definitely don’t say that time with the two horns. I wonder if Flurry has gotten over that yet? “Okay, fine. I’ll buy it for you, but don’t you ever put yourself down, ever!”

With a playful but serious tone, Cozy added, “Or I’ll put you down!” She held the harder side of her right wing’s tip against Luster’s neck, who didn’t know what that expression meant, but knew it must’ve been a threat. “So, what’s the last one?”

Luster presented to her mother her final selection: “‘Pyromancy—for Kirin?’”

“It’s for a friend.”

“Right. I wonder who?” Cozy already added the price tags up and found they had enough change for another book, so she made her own selection: ‘The Basics of Cryomancy,’ for the sake of the forest, and glided down to pay.

Luster only teleported when the moments were tense, so she galloped down the stairs to catch up but halted as she overheard Suri’s conversation with her magical silver walkie-talkie thing.

“You have to fix it, now!” yelled a mare through the device, loud enough for most of her voice to distort into bass, and for Luster to hear. “I need it in like, an hour max! It’s only a small rip!”

“If it’s small then—look, fine! Where are you now?”

“I’ve just passed Canterlot, so a minute away. You’re at your store, right?”

“My boutique? No! I’m at the bookstore with—actually, you won’t believe who’s still alive.”

“Is this really that important?”

“It’s CG,” Suri whispered into her phone.

Silence.

“Oh, come on! That mare with like—you know—she threw a pie at somepony’s face? Nearly fainted from laughter? On my end, she went to… SA’s ‘room’, and told her about it for the fourth—”

“Her?!” shouted Lightning Dust behind her.

Suri yelped in high pitch, tossing her device into the air. Lightning used her crumpled-up uniform like a pillow to catch it, presented the pedestal to Suri, and said, “I woulda thought she’d be six hooves under by now.”

“Yeah well, at least she’s—mostly—friendly. She pays me better than you do!”

“I pay you partly in exposure.”

“Ha, ha,” Suri said robotically. “But seriously, it’s weird. She has a foal following her around now.” She tilted her head and raised her eyebrows to point at Luster, poorly hidden behind a corner. “I’m not even completely sure she’s worth a renovated kitchen and a weekend in Las Pegasus, but what choice do I have?”

Luster and Lightning saw each other, the former seemed to scan the other’s body by the way she nodded her head. “How are you not wet?” the filly asked.

Lightning smirked. “Guess I’m just too fast for the rain, kid!”

“Also, it stopped raining,” added Suri.

“It was raining on my way here!” Lightning defended. Her eyes shifted to a pair above the filly’s.

“Jeez, how are you not dead?” asked Cozy, her left wing raised upwards, similar to a shrug, to hold a plastic bag of books. “At least I had Hope to patch my scars.”

“Heh! All you gotta do is avoid making mistakes,” Lightning said.

Cozy nodded. “Yeah… Well, I’ll see you all around! I’ll be back later in a few days with my cloak, Suri.”

The three mares waved at each other as Cozy headed to the door. Hovering, Lightning tilted her body, noticed the time on a clock, and bolted to the door before Cozy could reach for it, dragging along Suri. They left like a shot; disturbed dust from outside took a second to catch up.

“Woah! Can you fly that fast, Mom?” Luster asked.

“Uhm, not right now…” Cozy answered as she flew at a pace that was quicker than a car, but not as quick as Lightning. It wasn’t as if Luster could handle half her top speed anyway.

Cozy slid between skyscrapers. They might’ve been leaving, but that didn’t mean Cozy wouldn’t give her daughter a proper pegasus-eye view of the sights Manehattan offered.

In lieu of mist or fog, Manehattan had smog and haze. Instead of birds chirping, they had the honks of rush-hour commuters. In central Equestria, shy creatures would worry that strangers would try to strike up a conversation on the bus. In Manehattan, Cozy could undo her disguise, walk into the Relics’ Exhibit without a ticket, and no creature would stop her. Many would take photos of her, and a few creatures might ask for a selfie—and she’d give them a proper Cozy Glow smile—but unless Canterlot called or the policemares got bored, she’d be able to pay a week’s worth of average labor for a hotel and sleep soundly.

Yet, despite her preference for indifference over vitriol, unless it fitted into a scheme, Cozy would never live here. She preferred quiet places.

When her plans for conquest inevitably succeeded—when admiration for her was constitutional, mandated, and ideologically ingrained into common culture—she planned to retire to someplace quiet: a log cabin in the woods, a bit more remote than the one she had now.

Even at an old age, a trip to a nearby city shouldn’t take a pegasus of her physique longer than an hour. Seclusion meant a view of the stars unlike any other. The cozy glow of the fireplace, a blanket, and cocoa would keep her hoofsies warm whilst outside a storm piled layers of snow. Nothing could beat that vision—unless a grown-up Luster Dawn decided to visit. And Chrysalis. Tirek too.

One day, she imagined she’d be discovered by a group of adventurous foals. She’d invite them inside for tea (or soda), and she’d tell them the story of how an orphan rose to rule Equestria; how she overcame trials and tribulations and won everycreatures' heart, affection, and love—in her grip, as Flurry Heart had. She’ll never let go.

But that would be years from now. Ten years, at least. For now, she has to focus on raising Luster. She turns her back for one second and somehow the filly finds herself stuck between ten fireproof baddies, five of whom would turn out to be one of Cozy’s friends.

“Sorry for the smog, Lustie,” Cozy said. “But hey! At least it makes the city a bit warmer?”

“Must be that thing’s fault!” Luster shone her horn towards a train’s pipe, chugging out steam as it approached the station.

“That’s only steam, Lustie,” Cozy explained. “It’s the gaseous state of water, so basically clouds.”

Luster hid her chuckle with a question. “If clouds are made of water, does that mean you can walk on water? Because you can walk on clouds.”

“No, but I can hold my breath for a really long time! Deep lungs come in hoofdy when dealing with wet weather.”

Lightning flashed.

“Maybe there’s a water-walking spell in one of the—”

Thunder sounded. The showers weren’t over.

“Oh golly,” said Cozy. “Forgetful me forgot to check the forecast today. They’re probably emptying the clouds in storage before snow arrives.”

“Can’t we just fly above it?” Luster asked.

Cozy pitched her wings back. They came to a stop. The act hurled Luster off her mother’s back, forwards, to be caught by Cozy, who twisted her around, so they’d face each other. Luster sniffled, her muzzle runny from the cold. The filly smeared a mustache of snot across the coat of her leg and face.

“Yeah, no,” Cozy said.

It happened between nineteen to twenty years ago, but dialogues between parents and foals that sat on the bench (Discord) placed next to her petrified body served as Cozy’s basis of a good parent—or at least an average one (she hated those parkgoers). During the cold months, if the foal caught a runny muzzle, one of the parents would reveal they’d packed a hoofkerchief or tissue pack.

Foals would complain about how heat-trapping clothes restricted their movements—Cozy felt so sorry for them—but the parents forced them to keep each layer on. Cozy looked around; most foals had a scarf at least, and all she had for snot was a receipt, hardly suitable for wiping.

“You okay, Mom?” Luster asked.

“Hm? Oh, I’m fine.” Cozy’s eyes locked on the train station. “Why don’t we take the railway home? That should be fun! It’ll be your first time.”

She squished her daughter to her chest and flew towards the station, Luster’s face turned to one side as her mother’s forelegs buckled behind her back. The filly watched the building shrink shorter as they descended.

“But we don’t have any bits,” Luster reminded.

Cozy landed on the floor and swiped her hoof. She noticed a used ticket on the ground, stained by dirt from steps. “Phff! I’ll talk us into a free ride.”

As she scraped off dirt and walked, Luster's attention was stolen by the colorful displays of different stores. Some were dedicated to selling items the filly hadn’t even heard of, such as ‘video games’ or memorabilia in the form of jarred pollution.

She failed to notice her mother’s head was turned back as they went because hers was glued to the side. Cozy noticed those dilated pupils: signs of a filly deep in thought. Luckily, Equestria hadn’t reached the stage where they’d placed Hearth’s Warming decoration at the start of autumn.

The ticket booth stood between the rows of mechanical gates that led to the platform. She dragged her little zombie in line, only two pairs behind the counter.

Even on a weekday, gloomy weather between the lunch bracket usually meant a longer queue. Maybe other creatures planned their days out better? Better than her? Cozy wanted to know. Psychological profiles made up the basis of her ability to predict, so she’d know what tone would shift a conversation towards her desired outcome.

“You sold me a used ticket!” Cozy slammed her hoof on the counter.

The storm clerk, an elderly long-necked dragon triple that of Cozy’s height, squinted whilst he adjusted a pair of round wireframe glasses. “I don’t think I recognize you…”

Cozy’s brow furrowed, her mouth gaped, she hovered to the plane of the dragon’s height, and tapped the glass divider. “Excuse me?”

“Look, ma’am, these gates are automatic for ponies now,” the ticket clerk said.

The new gates were longer, and a screen protruded above where a creature would slot their ticket, one made of a slab of translucent crystal. A pony served as an example. Once her flank reached the sensors, the turnstiles dropped; she entered without a ticket—and that gate’s screen displayed her cutie mark.

“Who installed those?” she asked, her head yet to return.

“A few ponies from the Crystal Empire under Canterlot. I couldn’t ever forget it! Princess Flurry Heart herself was the first creature to pass through!”

Cozy knew she recognized those sensors and that type of magical technology; she knew roughly how it worked, as well as how her bow disguise worked. She can’t go through.

“Of course… Well, I refuse to take it. It seems a bit inconsiderate to all those non-pony creatures without cutie marks: they’ll end up arriving later to their jobs or homes than non-ponies!”

“Well, the lines are shorter—”

“And what about you? Once they find a way to spy on everycreature, your job’s donezo!”

“Okay, okay! I’ll check for your name right now, Ms…”

“Butter Skies, and please be quick about it. My filly’s about to freeze to death!” Cozy plopped Luster onto the counter and forced her head upwards, so the clerk could see.

The clerk typed out her name, clicked, scrolled, and said, “Sorry ma’am, but I don’t see your name in the system. No records.”

“Well, you must’ve made a mistake, or the technomancers spoilt your system. Either way, I refuse to use those gates. I’m appalled by this gross overreach of authority and the city’s favoritism towards ponies,” Cozy complained to the dragon. “What’s your name?”

“I don’t see how that’s—hey!” The clerk covered his nametag as Cozy flew to look, angling her head upwards and downwards to peek. “Look, fine. If it’s about the health of a foal, I’ll print you a new ticket.”

“I’m not taking those gates,” Cozy said.

The clerk sighed, and opened the door into his booth for Cozy and Luster to pass through.

“Thank you.” Cozy smiled. “Come on Lustie. Let’s go!”

As Luster hurdled over the clerk’s tail, she muttered, “Sorry…”

The dragon held out a claw and returned a casual wave.

“Come on, Lustie! The train’s about to leave!” Cozy clamped a foreleg around her daughter’s back and rushed towards the beeping doors.

“You didn’t have to be so mean,” Lustered said to her mother.

“He doesn’t own the train station, dear. He’ll get paid all the same and he probably doesn’t even care about his job. Besides, Flurry’s sneezes used to cost as much as my scholarship. The city will be fine.”

Money wasn’t the point, but Luster didn’t press on.

The Friendship Express’s whistle indicated her due departure. Though made of metal, her exterior bore a resemblance to frosting-covered gingerbread: brown with an occasional pink carriage below roofs whose hues were picked from a triadic selection of yellow, pink, and light blue.

Cozy pulled her daughter’s hoof across the platform. The doors were a second too slow to catch her tail. Light from the ceiling blended with what penetrated a dark mountain range of clouds. Heaters provided warmth, to Luster’s rescue (not that the cold bothered her, or anything). Hopefully, the comfy temperatures didn’t kill her chances for snuggles. She deserved it after all that ticket booth drama.

Most of the seats were occupied. Most of them were taken by creatures, but a few were taken by bags and hind hooves. A few specimens lay asleep across a row. Cozy scoffed. They might’ve been homeless; Cozy didn’t care. She didn’t bother to cause a fuss, because her daughter wasn’t about to sit next to a slob.

Looks mattered; otherwise, she wouldn’t have been here. If she didn’t look innocent when she was a filly, her letters to Tartarus would’ve aroused more suspicion. They thought she was due to be a victim of her own innocence. If they had caught onto the truth sooner, who knows how events would’ve played out.

Would she have been sent to Tartarus a few weeks earlier, as a less-accomplished filly? Would Twilight have tried at least once to reform her, if she never saw the extent of her will to achieve her life’s goals? Would she have even been an orphan? Maybe her looks played a role in her abandonment? Who knows? But what would have happened to Luster? Starlight made a lot of jokes about time travel…

A passenger asked Cozy to move.

She did, and afterwards called out, “Lustie?”

“Mom!” Luster shouted. “I’ve found us a seat!”

‘A’ seat? Not a few? Oh golly, thought Cozy. Feathers crossed she picked a couple of friendly creatures…

Luster waved a hoof above the commuters who sat mirrored. Cozy walked towards her. The filly’s seat stood further up front, next to the end of the carriage, close to the next door. They wouldn’t need to surf tides of creatures to depart, but Cozy could’ve always flown out of a window or through the open gateway connections.

A drizzle textured the windows, a sign of what was to come. Cozy couldn’t wait! To be cradled under warm lights, next to her filly eager to explore a brand-new book—what could be better suited than the slumberous contrast of a dark, rainy landscape? Maybe they’d even get train service? Luster devoured that carrot dog she bought her prior to going to the bookstore. Hardly substantial for lunch.

“I’m here!” Luster called again. Her upper body stood towered above the heads of the seats. The filly’s smile shone as bright as her mother’s, but they went out of sync.

Cozy pace slugged. Luster was oblivious.

Unless her daughter also mastered self-levitation, and judging by the lack of an encompassing aura, she must’ve been held up by the creature sitting next to her.

Claws.

Gallus—now ‘Captain Gallus’ though she refused to call him that—always held a breath of suspicion over Cozy. Even back when they were classmates, when accusations of her cussing seemed outlandish, he sensed an air of fakeness around her. Cozy hated to admit it, but that made Gallus smarter than most. It also made Cozy’s second deception all the more satisfying.

As Flurry’s favorite guard, she had diplomatic immunity outside the Crystal Empire. When they visited Canterlot, Princess Flurry would demand privacy for one or two hours a day. During that time, Cozy never had a nap or went to the bathroom; instead, she followed that griffon everywhere he went like a guardian angel, one that existed only to tease him on paw timing.

At least Cozy knew she was a glorified foalsitter. Gallus and the other guards only served to provide a reference for this Tuesday's supervillain’s power—or tourism.

Cozy wished it was Gallus on that train, not his friends.

Silverstream and Smolder: Cozy nearly forgot they existed. At least Sandbar and Yona—who weren’t on the train—were memorably boring, and if Cozy was held at hornpoint, she could perhaps spit out a few words of respect for that griffon. The same could not be said for those four.

Luster’s hind legs stood on the palms of Silverstream’s claws, who sat opposite Smolder. They’ve aged a decade too far.

Ponies of Cozy’s mental makeup were rare, but not one-in-Equestria rare. None ever graced her heights; they got put in normal prisons for petty crimes. Cozy was the result of many factors: her precocity, cutie mark, orphanhood, etc., and it lent her a personality that uniquely refracted emotion. The subtleties were lost to most, but to those who knew her personally, she wasn’t impossible to suss out, even with a new disguise.

An amber light formed around Cozy’s tail and tugged her to the reserved seat. Luster forgot the strength of her own magic. She nearly squished herself through her own mother, but Silverstream caught her, effortlessly able to support the pegasus’ weight.

It would’ve been suspicious to leave at this point; Cozy sat down. Her daughter sat between her hind legs and rested her back on her stomach.

The storm had fully set in. Rain now had its intended meaning: not one of relaxation, but of despair, like an abandoned foal without purpose, wandering through alleyways under a cardboard umbrella.

Compound eyes stared at her; a poker face she wore, but Cozy could read past those plates.

Between the Princesses, Mane Six, Pillars, the Students, Cutie Mark Crusaders, and all their honorary members, there was no creature Cozy dreaded more to sit opposite to—than Ocellus.

Author's Notes:

The next chapter may or may not take a while... Cruel, I know, but the short story contest is imminent! And just in case people get the wrong subtext, petrification might work differently in that story.

Thanks to Ep0na for proofreading!

The Awkward Train Ride Home

Ocellus: Twilight’s most gifted student second to Cozy. Changelings had hunted ponies since before Sombra’s first reign, and after all the loveshed they’ve brought, all those civilizations lost to their hunger—Timbucktu, Trot, nearly Canterlot—Ocellus had a very important responsibility. Her species' reputation had not been tarnished, because there was no point in history where creatures felt less than fear and vitriol towards Chrysalis’ children. Without her hive or the comforts granted by a disguise, she had to convince the pony populace that the changelings had—well, changed.

Cozy’s antics didn’t help. Did she hate the changelings? No; in fact, she probably had a warmer opinion of them when compared to other ponies at the time. She didn’t know whether she was in one of the affected territories during Chrysalis' takeover—the one that led to her hive disowning her—because why would drones pay a resentful orphan filly much attention? Even in a cocoon, she would’ve embittered the hive.

Why did she pin ponies against non-ponies during her school takeover? Divide and solidarity simply worked well for her plan.

The winds outside picked up. Tree stems slanted diagonally. Orange leaves scraped the windows, whilst a layer of black hid the sun. The carriage had more creatures than any of the country towns they passed: more eyes to validate a Cozy Glow sighting. And the train had cameras, Cozy didn’t doubt.

Why can’t the universe just leave her alone? This was supposed to be a fun day out for Luster: an apology for what Chrysalis had done. Now there’s a metamorphosed changeling in front of her, one that had smelt Cozy’s love before and caused her downfall. One that probably laughed at the news of her Tartarus sentence. Foal Protective Services (FPS) would twist this into a tragedy.

Cozy’s ears subtly twitched at the sound of magic, and she looked down to watch Luster pull out a book from their plastic bag on the floor: Dummies Guide to Teleportation.

Between that and jumping out of a gateway connection, given they were seated right next to the door and the bridge to the next carriage, at least they had contingencies. But she never had to change somepony else’s identity. Cozy was lucid to the situation, but for an empathically-average foal, it’d be an unbearable stress. The FPS would see her as a victim, but would Luster believe that? Or would she fear they’d lock her up in Tartarus, or petrify her—right next to her mother?

“Pss! Mom,” Luster muttered behind her book. “What are these creatures?”

Cozy wanted to avoid talking, even though Butter Skies talked differently: less sugar-saturated for one. Her living amongst shapeshifters for eight years helped her control her voice; she could solo a choir. She felt odd falling to such irrationality, but Ocellus—those alien eyes glanced from the window periodically; otherwise, she was too invested in the black-and-white countryside. Ocellus was suspicious. All that creature needed was proof.

Silverstream looked at her, not even trying to hide it: her neck was bent at a right angle, downwards, with wide eyes.

Golly, she’s tall, Cozy thought. Do I want her educating my daughter?

“Lustie,” Cozy said before turning towards Silverstream. “She used to live under a rock.” She bent her wing around Luster’s right hoof and used it to point as she went, “She’s a hippogriff, she’s a dragon, and she’s a changeling.”

Luster stared at Ocellus. Ocellus stared back, and after a while stiffly waved with a crooked smile.

“So, she’s a new drone?” Luster asked.

An innocent question, but that language: ‘new drone’. No one calls them ‘new’ drones anymore. They didn’t even call them ‘drones’, just ‘changelings’. Ocellus didn’t look offended—luckily—but Butter S. had to fix her image.

“Call them ‘changelings’ dear.”

Luster turned to her, the ridge of brow scrunched and mouth folding a tiny ‘O’ shape.

Oh, frolicking Flurry, here it comes.

“But you call them drones.”

I really got to mind my language around her. Cozy inhaled. “Yes, but I was talking about the older, non-reformed changelings.”

“Older? But—”

“Sweetie, can we talk about this at home? It’s a bit awkward for Equestria’s heroes, the ones that saved the world twice.” Cozy smiled.

“You recognize us?” Smolder asked, grinning, glaring down at her claws to play it cool.

“Oh, it’s really no big deal,” Ocellus said. “Besides Gallus, none of us really do hero work anymore. The only thing we could really take credit for is that time we defeated… Cozy Glow…”

Why did she stress my name? And why is she looking at Lustie?

Ocellus continued—“Is she your—” but was interrupted.

A train attendant pushed a trolley of complementary pastries and snacks. Because they were at the front, the tray was full, so Luster hovered over two muffins, took a bite out of one, and continued reading her book on teleportation.

Only chewing and chatter filled the moment, until Ocellus tried again.

“Is she your—”

Both of Cozy’s wings pounced at her daughter’s shoulders. The filly flinched; a few crumbs fell to the floor. “You’re not just staring at the pictures, are you Lustie?”

“What? No! I’m just, like, getting an idea of it.”

Cozy glanced at Ocellus. Jeez, her butt’s not even on the seat, and the only one of them either… She definitely thinks I’m going to kill my filly.

Between Ocellus and Smolder lay a bag. Smolder’s eyes shifted as the other pulled out a phone. Her hoof on the backrest, she left her seat.

Oh gosh. “You wanted to ask me something?”

Ocellus turned. Cozy could tell by subtle muscles that the changeling was looking at the ceiling, assessing the situation.

Ocellus sat back down. “What’s your name?”

“Butter Skies.”

“Ocellus.” She pointed to her chest, then to the filly. “Is she your sister or nephew or…?”

“She’s my—”

“Daughter!” Luster declared, teeth gleaming. She pushed her head deep into her mother’s stomach, shifting to get comfy. Her mother shared her soft feathers with a wing around the filly’s chest, but her eyes remained fixed on Ocellus.

“Aww,” Silverstream cooed. “Doesn’t she just like the coziest filly in the Equestria?”

“Yeah… Cozy...” Ocellus murmured.

“You look a bit young to be a mother to a filly that big,” Smolder said.

Luster explained, “I’m her adopted daughter.”

“Since when?” Ocellus asked.

“Two days ago.” Luster took another bite out of her muffin, and noticed that Mom hadn’t touched the one she reserved for her. She attempted to feed Cozy. A muffin held by an amber aura poked the mare’s lips and twisted itself, raining crumbs. It wasn’t working. The filly stoked her chin; her horn shined in sync with her light-bulb moment. Her aura prodded Cozy’s mouth open—directly. With a putty of aura the size of two talons, Luster’s magic clung as deep as the backside of Cozy’s teeth, and pushed down—

“Alright, alright!” Cozy smirked, rolled her eyes, and bit into the floating muffin.

Silverstream giggled.

Ocellus looked confused, though cognitively she knew she shouldn’t be. Cozy could’ve been an actor—Cozy should’ve been an actor, she thought. As a filly, she could’ve been Equestria’s sweetheart, lover of creatures and critters. Outwardly lovely, rotten underneath: she would’ve fit right in. And if she had burnt out before she reached puberty, at least there would’ve been media spotlight.

Ugh! Focus. Ocellus looked around. Cozy didn’t have a bag, only those books. Next to that villain was a hippogriff (one and a half times her height), next to herself was a dragon, she was a changeling, and there were a bunch of other creatures around: mostly Canterlonians and Manehattaners. Considering Cozy once destroyed Canterlot, there was good reason to trust the former would help in a fight.

What am I worried about? She reeks of Cozy: morally empty, apathetic, villainous; that bow and those eyes. I would’ve thought she’d come up with a better disguise… And awfully suspicious for that filly to be ‘adopted’ the same day as the Kludgetown anomaly. Doesn’t have the same stench though. Probably isn’t evil. Though there’s no fear either, just—glee. It could be a potion, but why does Cozy have that... ‘motherly’ scent to her?

Ocellus looked back up at Cozy, and they both stared at each other. Cozy didn’t look hostile, and though it was hard to tell with her, neither did she smell hostile. What changelings recognized her by was more of a tinted prism than a light. If you remembered the scent of her light—emotions—by a wide enough range, you could cancel out the differences and realize her prism—her psyche.

“This’ll sound weird but, do I know you?” Ocellus blurted. She wanted to know how Cozy would deny it, and it wasn’t as if she could escape anyway. The mare was trapped.

Cozy’s freedom was on the balance. If the FPS gets a hold of Luster, they’d no doubt try to turn the filly against her. She didn’t want to imagine what would happen if they won, and if they lost, it would leave a scar on the filly’s mind. Luster already had to deal with Kludgetown. It wasn’t fair.

The mare sighed. “You might’ve.”

If Ocellus had eyebrows, they would’ve been raised.

Cozy hugged her daughter, and only then did Luster start to catch clues about the situation.

The mare continued, “When I was a filly, I ended up being something of a… street performer, you could say. I stood around all day, did nothing. But… it didn’t have to be that way.”

“So you’re a victim, huh?” Ocellus asked.

“Of myself, yeah.” Cozy ducked her head. “Before I ended up where I did, I used to live in an orphanage. My parents didn’t drop me off; I was found by strangers with a bow tied to my mane, and they took me to a pious mare—or that was what she told me. She was madly devoted to Celestia, and that inspired me.

“To cut a long story short, I received my cutie mark, and my caretaker wasn’t really that pleased. Probably mostly had to do with some boring old context: a bit of a fight happened. Anyways, she was super into the idea that cutie marks told how good a pony’s character was, even more than her devotion to Celestia, apparently. I must’ve caused her to forget about her loyalty for a moment.”

Cozy shifted her eyes at Ocellus and raised her head. “She wanted to bring me to a… I shouldn’t be saying this—pony, who specialized in that sort of thing. But I didn’t want to go, so I left.”

“You left?” Ocellus asked, less tonally exacerbated than before.

“I ran away, yeah.”

“So it’s your foalhood that turned you this way?” Ocellus asked, genuinely curious.

Cozy sighed. “I was always who I was; my foalhood only helped me figure it out sooner than most. After two years and some hard work, I earned everything I needed: warmth, food, a future, frie—” Cozy stopped herself. “You wanna hear a funny story about my street performance days?”

Ocellus slowly nodded.

“A mare passed me by once, or a few times actually. Oh, pity stained her heart. I didn’t see what she looked like, but from the way she talked, I would’ve thought we’d met before.”

“Wait, you heard her?”

“You bet,” Cozy replied in a tone that mimicked defeat. “She was with a couple of friends the first time. You want to know what she wondered?”

“What did she wonder?”

“She wanted to know if I was okay, probably because she felt bad, like she could’ve done something. And you know what? Before I ended up on the streets again, I was stuck in a bit of a box. Nocreature visited me, or sent me a letter, or even tried at all with me. I bet they laughed when I left, or threw parties, or danced; likely all of the above. When I got out of that place, no one knew—not until hours before I showed up. Before that, somecreature would fetch me the papers every day, and my name was never on it. It was Tartarus.

“So yeah, maybe she could’ve done something. But could I’ve told her that? Nope! Had to be dedicated to the role. I wanted to cry, y’know, or scream? How could creatures be indifferent to that? My mind tore in front of me, over the course of days and months and years. Maybe at some point… I would’ve told her that I was sorry, sorry for what I’d done to her, and her friends. If she had done something and given me that opportunity, I wondered how much differently my life would’ve turned out.”

“Hey…” Ocellus reached out a hoof to pat her, but was rejected by a scrawl, and a surge of spice in Cozy's emotions.

“That day has passed. Because I picked myself back up, and you couldn’t tell from the pony in front of you the torment I’ve been put through. When I got out I—made the same mistakes, fumbled, yes, and I can deal with the creatures I’ve angered. But now… I feel like I can finally retire, because a few days ago, while I was wandering around, I spotted a tragic, horrible fire, and nearby, under a tiny little hole in the ground, I found this filly.”

Cozy wrapped her forelegs around her daughter and gently shook her a few times.

She continued, “She was so vulnerable and scared, and I never really felt these sorts of obligations before, but it just felt so wrong to leave her there by her lonesome. After I patched her up, and a hilarious little misunderstanding, we left, then the next day when I woke up, something really magical happened. You okay with showing it off, Lustie?”

Cozy let go of her daughter. She knew what Cozy was referring to, so she stood up and turned to the side.

“Dawn,” Ocellus said.

“That’s exactly what I called her. At first, her name was just ‘Luster’; now, ‘Luster Dawn’. It felt like a new opportunity for me; the dawn of a new opportunity.” Cozy chuckled. “My caretaker always wanted a foal with a celestial cutie mark. Cadance never had one but, her being a pegasus originally inspired some false hope I’d have one. One of my friends told me that fate is a ruse, and maybe there’s truth to that, but when I look at my daughter, I see a part of myself, and when she’s a grown-up, I’ll get to discover what I could've been.”

A teardrop fell on Luster’s crown, opposite to the side her mane flowed. Cozy turned to Ocellus. “I want to give Lustie the foalhood I never got, and maybe prove to myself and my daughter and that mare from those years ago that… I could’ve been a good pony.”

Ocellus could sense the mare’s emotions; it confused her. She didn’t notice any changeling perfumes or spells being cast. Cozy is a manipulator. If that filly had won two decades ago, she, her friends, and Starlight would’ve spent the rest of their lives adrift in a void, and Cozy wouldn’t have cared; that night, she would’ve slept like a baby on her cloud of lies.

“If what you said is true,” Ocellus stated, “then I’m—I mean, that mare, would've been really proud of you.” She inhaled. “But she’d tell you to fess up.”

Smolder and Silverstream looked at Ocellus, who held hooves up, shrugged, and elaborated, “Her story’s vague.”

Cozy smudged off her tears, and said without sadness, stutter, or fear, “Well, if that mare was here, I’d want her to know that if I was a demon filly, she hasn’t met me as a mare. I’m trying very hard to fix my life, but I’ve had my mind shattered in silence whilst ponies held concerts in front of my corpse; forgive me if I’m a bit resentful. If she thinks I’ll let her toss me to pits she’s oblivious to, just for some petty drive to hear that I’ve suffered, then she better be aware that I’ll be crawling with a hole through my stomach before she’ll ever see me bow.”

Ocellus’ back and forehooves were against her seat, her head a tilt upwards. She looked at Luster, who was taken aback.

The other two looked at each other and clapped.

“A few odd metaphors here and there, but what a fiery speech!” Silverstream said.

“Yeah!” Smolder added. “Was it a bit too strong for you Ocellus?”

Ocellus gulped to clear her throat. “Well, I definitely—”

“Now arriving at Canterlot,” sounded a prerecorded voice through the train’s speakers. “Canterlot.”

“Well, see you two around,” said Silverstream. Both she and Smolder waved goodbye, and Luster returned the gesture. Smolder hovered whilst Silverstream walked because of the crowd and height.

Luster went to the edge of the seat but didn’t jump down yet. She turned back and saw her mother and Ocellus.

“Gosh, you look frightened! Was I a bit too intense? Sorry, it's just that it annoys me to no end when creatures assume that because I’m a bit—lacking—in certain, exclusively emotional, parts of my brain, that I don’t have feelings! I probably have more brainy connections in those regions than you to be honest.”

Cozy looked at the scurry of passengers remaining and continued, “Welp! We should probably get going. There’s nothing better than spending time with creatures you love, is there?” She extended her hoof.

Ocellus looked at the offer, glanced at her eyes, at Luster, at the door, bounced back a few times then sighed. She shook it, and left, staring at the filly as she did.

“Please don’t make me regret this,” Ocellus said in a clear voice with eyelids scrunched together, shaking her turned-away head.

“Oh, how could I possibly even dream of such a thing?”

Luster and Cozy walked out, but the latter looked at Ocellus one last time as they crossed the platform of the station. “Don’t make Mom sad, Ocellus.”

“Wait, what?! Is she—”

“Hey Ocellus,” said Gallus, Captain of Canterlot’s Royal Guard.

When Ocellus turned back, the mare and the filly were gone.

Cozy dashed. With Luster on her back, she galloped over the railings and off of the mountain. Maintaining her plane, her daughter grabbed onto her neck as her bottom lifted upwards, tail wafting. A second before impact, Cozy extended her wings. Maintaining the same altitude, the ground sunk, and blended into a valley sprinkled by forts. The skies around Canterlot were sunny. With only a zephyr against their manes, and after Luster had gotten a good view of the river, Cozy titled at a gentle angle towards home.

Cozy took a deep breath and exhaled through her mouth. Luster copied her.

“Oh fudge cakes!” The mare facehoofed. “I forgot our bag. Gosh, am I getting old? It’s not like me to—”

Pop!

Cozy stopped. She did not just—

The mare dropped an inch as Luster reappeared on her back, and showcased in front of her the bag she left.

“I showed up in the staff room for some reason, but they had our stuff there,” Luster said.

“Must’ve been their counter-teleport system redirecting you there,” Cozy explained, shocked. “Lustie, you’re scaring me.”

The mare felt her filly’s grip grow distant; she clarified, “In a good way!”

The filly’s grip returned, and she asked, “So who were those creatures back there?”

“Oh, just one of the students that sent me to Tartarus.”

“What?!” Lusted shouted.

“Yeah, and do you want to know something else?”

Luster climbed closer to her mother’s face and nodded.

“When I said ‘a mare’ in my story, I actually meant her.”

Luster gasped. “So, were you a street performer or not?”

“Huh? Oh golly, no. That was a euphemism for ‘statue’. Do you know what a ‘euphemism’ means?”

“This is too complex,” Luster groaned, rubbing the side of her head.

“Yeah, maybe on Monday I’ll make you watch a documentary on myself so you don’t make me sit next to creatures that want to see me cremated.”

“Oh… Sorry about that, Mom.” Luster mimicked what Cozy used to do and kissed her mother in front of her ear.

Cozy sighed. “It’s alright.”

Their house soon came into view, without any smoke this time.

Luster had an idea. “Hey, what if I teleported us home!”

“Uhm, Lustie a few hours ago the dro—changeling you teleported seemed a bit… crispy. I really wouldn’t mind if we just—”

“Phff!” Luster waved her hoof. “I’ve read every page of that guidebook twice!”

Flipped through you mean… “But dear, teleportation is an art, like painting or baking. You can’t just read a book and—”

Luster didn’t listen; they both teleported. She compressed two points in the fabric of space and brought their destination closer. Though the filly wouldn’t have understood the science if her mother drew it out for her, she didn’t have to.

Cozy was flung into the couch back home, covered in patches of black. The corners of her curls raised lines of smoke like incense. Her bow remained at room temperature, unfazed by means of enchantment. She didn’t want to suffer the side effects of undoing her disguise whilst covered in burns.

The bag hovering next to the filly: only a bit warm. Maybe I should’ve bubbled Mom in my magic… Luster looked up at her mother. She noticed colorful triangles up at the edge of the wall, and only once she reached the ceiling, she realized she would've fallen backwards if she continued, so she turned around—to an agape Hope—with a party hat on.

“Surprise!” Cozy said, frazzled, and fell to her side on the couch.

“A-A party? For what?” Luster asked as Hope magicked a hat over her head.

Cozy responded, “For your cutie mark, silly. That’s a big occasion for a foal. Why else would I have been so busy all the time?”

Luster jumped to hug her mother. Having a warm filly against your burn marks wasn’t the most pleasant experience in Equestria, but love drowned the sting.

“Well, aren’t you going to eat your cake?” Cozy gestured to the table stitched together by blue magic. “I baked it just for you, y’know. But I’m sure Hope would love a slice.”

Hope conjured a paper-sharp chef’s knife—and a shield. Luster teased her; she hovered the knife, but made her aura act like a rod. The distance between the object and her horn remained constant, and the two rotated in sync. Luster tilted her head upwards, shuffled her hooves, and jolted her head down. She cut the cake, and struggled to pull the knife out of the table.

Hope stepped in; the healer cast a spell that divided the cake into eight perfect slices, and made the knife explode into confetti.

She conjured paper-like plates of her aura’s construct and allowed Luster to present her mother with the first slice. The healer was second and the filly let herself be last. What a sweet foal, Hope thought.

“Cutie mark celebrations are much more special than birthdays!” Cozy ate her slice, earth-pony style.

“Do you even know when your birthday is?” Hope asked, spearing her slice with a light-blue fork.

“Do you?”

“Roughly.” Hope placed the cake-covered fork into her mouth. “It’s been a thousand years. Sombra probably remembers it though.”

Ding dong!

“How in Equestria did the fire this morning not destroy the doorbell?” Cozy asked.

Hope swallowed. “Strange. Some firemares tried to use it this morning and they couldn’t get it to work.”

“Lustie, dear,” Cozy asked, “can you please answer the door? Because, y’know, supervillains.” She gestured to herself and Hope.

Luster nodded and went towards the door.

Hope turned to the mare. “I think you meant supervillainnnn—singular.”

Cozy rolled her eyes and took another bite.

The filly left the conversation and entered the foyer. She telekinetically hid a pile of ash, once a horseshoe rack, to the corner. An amber sheen covered the handle, pressed down, and opened the door.

Luster gulped the cake in her mouth, wiped off stains of chocolate from her muzzle, and teleported.

Hope healed Cozy on the sofa, and the mare felt reinvigorated. She could handle anything: a bounty hunter, her old classmate, an overpowered daughter—the last of whom appeared in front of her.

“You teleported again!” Hope praised. “How’d you learn that so quickly?”

Luster rubbed the back of her head. “Mom, uhh—”

“Ah, don’t need to ask me!” Cozy shoved the side of the knife under the cake. “You can have one more slice before we put this all in the fridge—actually, does our fridge still work?”

“Actually, it’s about—”

“Oh, just tell those creatures my grumpy ol’ Mom told them to go away! They won’t blame you.”

“But Mom… Discord and Flurry Heart are at the door.”

Author's Notes:

Okay, NOW there'll be a while before a new chapter (a week or two maybe).

Thanks to Ep0na for proofreading!

Fugitive

“You’d be surprised how much chocolate Chrysalis keeps hidden in her pantry,” Cozy said, sitting on the couch next to Hope who was spoiling herself with her slice of cake. “It turned out to be perfect, right?”

Hope knew the mare was fishing for praise, but she couldn’t lie. She swallowed. “This is amazing.” But then she noticed something peeking out from under the couch. It had spilled along with a few other sundries from Cozy’s satchel. “Is that my jet injector?” Hope asked.

“Definitely not,” Cozy said as she bent down to kick it deeper under the couch. “But even if it was, it’s not like you need it or anything with all that magic or yours.”

Hope said nothing, instead giving her the side eye whilst taking another bite from her slice. Cozy watched her, amused by how a unicorn could stain so much of her lips with chocolate. What does Sombra see in this mare?

Luster teleported in front of the two to the side of the couch’s arm.

“You teleported again!” Hope praised. “How’d you learn that so quickly?”

She really was impressed by the rapid pace at which Luster picked up such a complex ability. Sure, a baby teleporting was a common-to-uncommon phenomenon, but those abilities almost always diminish once a unicorn becomes anything more instincts. Hope herself only really learned how to teleport when she entered Celestia’s School, but her talents were in healing magic anyways. The relationship between cognition and magic precocity has a long and wordy chapter in the textbooks.

Luster looked back at the door and rubbed the back of her head. “Mom, uhh—”

“Ah, don’t need to ask me! You can have one more slice before we put this all in the fridge—actually, does our fridge still work?” Cozy peeked behind at a metal block of melted plastics.

Luster cleared her throat. “Actually, it’s about—”

“Oh, just tell those creatures my grumpy ol’ Mom told them to go away! They won’t blame you.”

“But Mom… Discord and Flurry Heart are at the door.”

---

Snow had piled over the branches of Equestria’s northernmost boreal forest, despite the volunteers’ best efforts. Located only twenty miles away from the Crystal Empire, normally it would be under the rule of a storm, especially so close to Hearth’s Warming. But today, the Sun could be seen, and the sky was clear except for a few heavy clouds.

Next to a narrow stream that conveyed chunks of slush down from the Crystal Mountains, a bush rustled. A few drops of snow fell off its frosted leaves. Muffled hoofsteps grew louder. Scarlet berries soon turned dark as a shadow towered overhead.

The bush twitched. The guard pounced.

It was only a critter. The dark-magenta mare’s predictable failure won her laughter from the other members of her search party group. She peeked out of the bush with a furrowed brow and a snow pile over her trooper hat to glare.

“You actually thought she’d be hiding in a bush?” asked one earth-pony stallion. “With your wings, you’ll probably be more useful joining the aerial search.”

A unicorn mare joined in. “Yeah, but to be honest, I doubt there’ll be any trace of her here. They say she’s a pretty durable flier, granted she didn’t cheat in her exams and all.”

“Cozy Glow cheating? Don’t be ridiculous!” joked the pegasus guard, flying out of her nest of branches to kick a few twigs off her tail.

Each of the three, as well as every other creature involved in this expedition from Canterlot, wore a thick cargo jacket, and a hat with flaps that fell over their ears. The pegasi scouts of the group, part of the Royal Air Force, had regional attire more decorated compared to their peers from other tribes, personalized by patches either ironed on or sewn, bought from shops in the locations they’ve visited. With so many known different kingdoms and Twilight’s doctrine of Friendship, they end up being thrown to quite a lot of places.

However, they only got their snow gear after completing basic training because they had to be toughened up first, so Cozy only got hers after she got assigned to be an interior guard. It would’ve been an embarrassment to wear amongst the crystal ponies, even if she had the opportunity to do so; Shining would’ve killed her if she took off her metal.

The weather’s only force was a breeze. Volunteers led by soldiers cleared out most of the clouds, but a few were kept to be used as outposts. They had tents, supplies, and equipment to subdue the scourge: nets, crossbows loaded with potion-laced arrows, a bridle and chains and a cage and a bit, plus spares.

The unicorn of the group levitated out a pocket watch from a compartment in her jacket and checked the time. “Looks like it’s about… three hours since sundown,” she said.

Yet the Sun still flared from above, reminding the soldiers without goggles not to stare directly at the ground for too long, unless they wanted to be snow-blind for next week. Flurry had requested for the Sun not to be lowered so they could focus on finding Cozy Glow before she gets away too far. Twilight said she’d put it off for only an hour at most.

The earth pony sighed. “Should we just head to camp already? We barely had anything for lunch and Cozy’s probably waiting for the Sun to set.”

“And she'll probably fly out.” The pegasus sighed. “Might as well eat before then. Yeah, let’s go.”

The unicorn turned off her horn’s torch and followed the others as they made their way towards a grounded outpost. She looked up at the hovering pegasus and asked, “Mind fetching us something from one of those cloud camps? I always feel like they get the best—”

There was a yellow flash in front of them. The three had their hooves on their crossbows. Then they saw her: Flurry Heart, standing in a circle without snow. She wore no regalia, no crown, and without introduction, asked, “How’s the search over here?”

The three bowed and earth pony said, “Your Majesty, Princess Flurry Heart—” Flurry rolled her eyes. “—we…” He looked at his partners. “We haven’t found—”

“You’ve found nothing?” Flurry finished, not very surprised yet disappointed nonetheless. “And why aren’t you in the sky?”

The pegasus guard gulped. “I’m usually a guard, not really a scout. I’ve been assigned to this grounded group, and I really couldn’t disobey Gallus’ orders.”

“Well, how about the orders of a Princess? Fly around the area, find Cozy, then you can chat with your friends. Equestria can’t sleep until she’s brought to justice. You get what I’m saying?” Flurry asked.

The guard bowed. “Yes, Your Majesty.” She flew to the left between pointy trees to fulfill her directive.

A bush in the distance rustled, far enough for the two remaining soldiers not to hear. Flurry shot a silent beam towards the movement. It exploded on impact. For a brief moment, hues of oranges fell over the backs and faces of three ponies.

Behind a flat pile of crumbling twig ash, a squirrel took a moment to process what had happened, and slowly walked away empty-clawed.

There was another sound, closer, but shrouded by trees. Flurry shot another beam. The spell went forwards, then upon passing the stream sharply curved leftwards. It struck something—metal.

“Hey, who shot that—oh.” Gallus hovered, holding his front-melted shield, its design now obscured. “It’s you.”

“Any good news?”

He landed between the two soldiers in front of the Princess. “None, I'm afraid. We’re not even sure she’s here.” He looked back at the crater where a bush once stood and said, “I know you’ve been through a lot, but Twilight told us not to destroy any of the forest. She was hesitant to even touch the clouds…”

Flurry’s horn made a sound and she stomped one of her hooves. From that spawned an aura-hued fire that melted inches of snow off the ground as if it were lit cotton, spreading outwards in a circle. The flightless soldiers sank a few inches and fell onto soil that had not seen light in years.

“Flurry!” Gallus shouted.

“What? Cozy has light colors. She’ll stick out more this way. Plus, it’ll be easier for your troops to get around. Once we capture her, we’ll leave and a storm will flood this whole place white again.”

“Or she could cover herself in dirt and become super camouflaged,” Gallus said. “Or maybe she has a cloak?”

Flurry closed her eyes, sucked her lips, and sighed through her nostrils. “You know, I regret asking Twilight for your help. All you’ve done is make the place more hospitable for that scum. Why don’t you gather your soldiers and leave, because I know a spell that’ll surely freeze Cozy in whatever hole she’s hiding in. I don’t want anyone caught in the crossfire.”

“No!” Gallus nearly grabbed her horn but realized how disrespectful that would’ve been. “Just leave it to us, Flurry.”

“Leave it to you?” Flurry scoffed. “What have you ever accomplished? Do you even know what you’re looking for? What Cozy’s wearing? Her style of flight? Did I tell you she’s carrying the statue of one of her friends?”

“Statue? That’s new,” Gallus said, and Flurry smirked. “But Twilight never gave her Tirek.”

“That’s because it’s not Tirek,” Flurry said. “It’s some mare. We’re still investigating it. As you can imagine, it’s really difficult to do so with what Cozy’s left behind, but from what I can infer based on our conversations, her petrified friend is more familiar with Sombra than that coward.”

Neither of the two soldiers knew what to do. It felt awkward to stand there listening, but it seemed that Captain Gallus and the Princess Flurry Heart had different ideas on how things should be done. They were supposed to aid the Crystal Empire in recovery, so while they were to listen to their captain, overriding Flurry’s instructions felt to be at odds with their mission’s purpose.

Flurry's head turned upwards towards the side. A pink pony was flying towards her, but it wasn’t Cozy.

Cadance landed. She glared at the Flurry. “There you are! What are you doing out here? And where did all the snow go?”

Gallus pointed at Flurry with his thumb in a tired expression.

Cadance continued, “Twilight only allowed the Sun’s setting to be late by an hour. She’s been trying to lower it for the past two. Celestia, Luna, Discord, and I haven’t done anything—”

Discord appeared. “Honest!” He disappeared.

Cadance looked back at her daughter.

“You think I’ve been stopping the Sun from setting?” Flurry asked. Cadance held her glare. “...I might’ve been—but it’s important! But, but—now that I’ve talked to a few of Twilight’s soldiers, I realized that there’s no need for a marehunt. We should all just leave and let the ‘forces of nature’ take care of that psycho.”

The two Princesses flew away, Gallus let out a, “Yeah. Bye to you too, Cadance.” He looked at the group of soldiers, now joined by the guard that Cadance found and talked to and gestured for them to move. “Not sure if I can stop her at this point. You three should head to camp. We want everyone to be close by in case she goes through her plan.”

Gallus went towards the clouds whilst the three ponies headed deeper into the woods. The pines could now be seen as Flurry’s spell left not even a layer of frost and seems to have affected every square mile of forest.

“You’re still going to go grab us a drink, right?” asked the unicorn soldier. “I’ll be upset if it all gets taken. I heard those scouts only pack enough for a day.”

“Fine,” the pegasus guard said, before splitting off and heading backwards towards the camp that housed most of her flier friends.

She glided at a leisurely pace between the trees, though leisurely for a pegasus meant near, often beyond the speed of a gallop. Her route brought her to a turn, then flying parallel along the stream.

Might as well keep a lookout for Cozy, she thought. Catching her would bring a generous promotion.

The Sun started to set. Now they entered the domain of darkness.

From a tree to the side—she attacked. A figure kicked against the stump she clung from and dashed towards the guard. Their speed went from zero to a blur.

The guard’s back struck a tree at the opposite end. The base of her wings took most of the shock. Hollow bones had the tendency to shatter and splinter over producing a clean snap.

Cozy hovered as the guard dropped to the floor. The former wore a face paint of mud and a dark cloak. The latter's wings were no longer strong enough to parachute or glide. When the guard tried to catch herself, she twisted her pastern against a protruding rock.

Logic dictated that she should’ve screamed, but Cozy had swept down and covered her mouth. She grabbed her victim across her gargled-up stomach and dragged her to the stream, where she towered over her body desperate to limp. She shoved her victim's head into the icy waters.

Pain inclined her to pant. She tried to push herself free against the ground, but Cozy would trip her hooves. Her wings were useless but the fugitives’ were free. Her plea for pity was to thrash and produce a violent show of bubbles. What hope did it have to change Cozy’s guiltless mind?

Maybe it did; moments before she would’ve been choked to the point of unconsciousness, Cozy pulled the guard’s head up and sighed. “She'd be very upset with me if I drowned you…”

The guard coughed out a lungful of water onto Cozy’s chest.

“Yuck,” Cozy said.

Once her sight returned, she rolled onto her back and bucked Cozy in the stomach—tapped; her body was too weak. The guard tried to get back up but fell.

“Okay?” Cozy said. “Well, when you wake up, you better not say I’m merciless.” She stood over the guard and took off her hat. With her wings holding the guard’s head in place, she reached for a nearby slab and placed it under her victim’s forehead. “Sorry, but I’m in a bit of a tight spot. Flurry’s always so tough with her stuff. If she kept me as furniture I’d be puzzle pieces before next the hay season! Hopefully, you’re one of those creatures that understands.”

Cozy jumped and with the side of her leg, she slammed the back of the guard's head before she could respond. The victim went out cold.

The fugitive grabbed a crossbow attached around the other’s side and shot a unicorn spying through the bushes. It struck her leg. The potion on the arrow’s tip made her stumble unconscious, but her eyes remained wide open.

“Seriously?” Cozy flew over the stream to the other body. “Why would you lace your arrows with a paralyzing agent instead of a tranquilizer? Because I’d hate it more? You’re all a bunch of jerks!” She held the unicorn’s head up by the mane with a wing as a deterrent. Somepony was nearby.

Head still in grasp, she ducked and kicked against the ground, jolting towards the earth pony. He dodged to the side. Cozy’s wings clutched onto the branches of the tree she landed on. The unicorn’s crown struck the stump. That solved the ‘conscious’ problem.

Cozy’s legs were bent like a swimmer’s on the side of the stump. Soon, she mimicked the movements and pounced. But the stallion had sharp reflexes; he caught the fugitive’s hind legs between his forehooves.

She trashed her wings, trying to fly away from his grip, but a slam to the ground had her stunned. The stallion took out his crossbow. He aimed it at the fugitive's forehead.

Cozy took a deep breath. She straightened her wings and feathers.

Her eyes met the stallion’s.

She sliced her feathers across his knee.

Her speed rivaled a mantis shrimp's punch. It left no chance for reaction. The barbs of her wingtips acted as hooks that made the cut less clean. Her position made her only able to use the duller side of her feathers. She still managed to snap a tendon and muscle. Four of her ten primaries contracted a bend, but she got her chance.

Cozy bucked the stallion up the jaw. He fell to the floor with a thud.

She rubbed her sore back as she dragged the earth pony and the unicorn to a pit and covered it with shrubs. The pegasus guard, her only intended target, had a jacket that fit her perfectly, as she expected. She wore it and tied her cloak, which had no wing slots, over her waist like a sarong to hide her rook and tail.

Once she let the guard join her friends in a hopefully long snooze, she traveled towards a different stream.

It flowed through a depression that needed a ladder of three ponies to climb out of, but the channel of water itself hardly reached up to her fetlock, at least not now.

Cozy slid down and crept along the trench-like riverbank until she found a congregation of snow-furred bunnies, to where, inside their den, she hid Hope: petrified for now.

She knew they wouldn’t have found her hiding spot, so she didn’t sigh with relief. Losing Hope would’ve dealt a deep blow to any potential plans, so she made sure to pronounce her promises clearly.

“Well Hope, I best be off. For all I know Flurry might make it daytime eight hours early, and it’s easier for me to escape under the shadows than stick out in the Sun.”

“…”

“Gallus showed up. Good thing he did. Flurry was at the edge of my ears, but he drove her away. Cadance too. Mr. Chaos, you know who, for a brief second. She wanted to re-freeze this place, so I assume she’ll turn it into a glacier if Cadance can’t stop her, but at least I’ll remember where you are.” Cozy looked up to the stars. “Don’t worry, they taught us celestial navigation during basic training. I’m one hundred percent certified!”

“…”

“She also called me a coward. Not sure what part of slipping through a thousand ponies authorized to shoot you makes you timid.”

“…”

“Don’t give me that look. If I left you there, Flurry would’ve knocked your body over before lunch. But I’m sure that if I fail then eventually after a month or a year somepony will discover you and you’ll be pampered by Twilight. Celestia’s probably confused and doesn’t hate you, right? She’ll let you out and pat your back and you’ll apologize and cry into her chest and—ugh! But of course, my apologies are fake.”

“…”

“I’d love for you to be out too.” Cozy pulled back her jacket to show a side of her chest and wings—completely scorched. “Flurry got a shot at me before I pulled you out of the Empire. Scorched a few of my secondaries.” She looked at her other wing. “That’s just berry juice on my left tip… Anyways, better bounce! Hope you don’t lose your mind by tomorrow because that’s when I hope to see you again. Bye bye, Hope!”

---

“You really risked that the last words I might've ever heard were two puns of my name?” Hope asked.

“At least it’s not laughter. Also, it was only four-and-a-half days, not a week,” Cozy responded as Hope hyperventilated. “My mind went to that speech Flurry made where she swore to deglove my hooves and have them carved into a stamp of her mark.”

Hope wasn’t who they were searching for, but she knew a considerable lot about the pony they were, but also she had many blank spaces of her own. Not even Sombra believed at first that she wasn’t a subservient puppet to Cozy, a pawn to her shrouded agenda. But she could forget to expect sympathy from a Princess, especially not Princess Flurry Heart, and not if they found her in the fugitive’s adobe, chattering and eating cake with an unknown, malnourished filly. That couldn’t have looked more suspicious.

All Hope wanted was to free Sombra, but Cozy went along and kicked the flash bees’ nest to do it, acting superfluously cruel for her own twisted amusement—like that time with the pies. Discord would’ve found that funny; he was at the door too—Cozy’s executioner in the past.

Hope got up from the couch, dizzy, circles flashing over her sight, and patted a hoof around Cozy’s neck. “Good luck,” she said, and teleported off.

Luster felt bitter that Hope didn’t offer to bring them along, but didn’t know the full context, so she held her judgment. At least she didn’t foalnap her. Then Mommy would’ve been left to deal with the two visitors by herself.

Cozy, still in her buttery disguise, only reacted a second after Hope had left. She smirked. “Some friends I have, huh?” As calm as she appeared outside, unlike the encounter with the pancakes at Somnambula, she was terrified. Why is Flurry here? Cozy thought. And why’s it her, not Cadance or a Canterlot agent?

She went to peek through the window, and there she was: Princess Flurry Heart, sitting grumpy on a retractable chair with hooves against her cheeks. To her side lay Discord whose head stuck out of a tent. There also had a bonfire and a mini fridge, as if both were camping for the latest flip phone.

She sensed that Luster might’ve gotten a garbage idea when the filly headed towards the couch’s arm closest to the sliding doors. Cozy’s satchel lay near that corner of the wall, which held the Alicorn Amulet.

Cozy grabbed the Luster’s side—Golly, she’s sweaty—and said, “That’s a really lousy idea, Lustie,” forgetting her consciously-controlled inhibitions which she very well needs if she doesn’t want to be a coat hanger for the rest of eternity.

Luster breathed heavily under her mother’s shadow as she tried to come up with a plan. She felt a sense of responsibility to safeguard her mother as the one with the horn.

A similar feeling in Cozy gave her the strength to say, “Why don’t you teleport yourself out of here, Lustie?” She felt around the filly’s mane with her eyes closed and willed to soak in her warmth and touch before walking towards the door.

Luster ran along beside her mother. “Why don’t I teleport us both?” she asked.

“Flurry picked up a few investigation spells over the past few months,” Cozy said. “It’ll doom us both—and I guess Hope too—if I leave her with the suspicion to use ‘em.”

Luster blocked the door, and proposed in a loud whisper, “Maybe I can beat them?”

Cozy silence revealed her thoughts on that plan.

“…My magic’s getting really good now.”

“I know it is, dear.” Cozy bent down and kissed her daughter next to her eye on the temple, held her head an inch away for a second, and sighed before heading back to the door. “I want you to keep working on your magic. For now, why don’t you go check up on River? She’s probably really worried after that whole supermarket incident, or maybe she’s wondering why our house caught on fire.” She paused. “Well, she probably knows why.” Cozy winked.

Luster didn’t argue, not since Discord or Flurry could be eavesdropping outside. But she refused to leave her mother all by herself and instead backed up in front of the kitchen to physically give Cozy some space.

Cozy never felt the compulsion to obsessively check her feathers or coat for splotches of pink. She thought of herself as beyond such irrationalities, but fear grips the heart quite tightly, and can mold the mind in curious ways. Once she knew her flank was rook-less, she opened the door ajar and peeked through.

Discord slammed his cards onto the floor: a Royal Flush. “I win again,” he said, tallying up his score from thirty-one to thirty-two on a small blackboard. Flurry’s score was four.

“You’re definitely cheating,” Flurry said.

Oh, gosh. There she is.

The Princess noticed the mare at the door, and uttered, “Finally!” She wore her silver horseshoes today, a tiara, and a broad collar embellished with a miniature of the Crystal Heart. Her cutie mark also depicted the Heart, outlined by spikes of gold. When the Alicorn got up, she stood about as tall as Cadance, but not as lean. Her physicians predict she’ll rival Twilight’s height in due time.

Cozy let out a deep breath and opened the door fully. She bowed, her forehead a pebble’s length from the ground. “My Majesty, Princess Flurry Heart of—”

Her formality was intercepted by a yellow hue around her body, as yellow as the Sun, as tight as a cave, yet gentle enough to be cold. The sound of the Princess’ metal steps as she approached caused Cozy’s heart to drum against her ribs. Her shadow soon enveloped the measly pegasus pony.

Their eyes met. Cozy lips reclined and revealed her rows of teeth, clenched with the force to sever joints. She wondered if fate had given her a daughter only so she’ll have a regret when Flurry re-completes Harmony’s agonizing trophy.

Royalty stood still—and let go. “Yeah, no need for that,” Flurry said.

Cozy landed on her hooves. Yes, she knew, ‘No need to bow,’ meant, ‘I want to appear humble, but if you actually don’t bow I’ll be pretty upset.”

Flurry walked to Cozy’s side. Whilst she checked out the mare’s cutie mark, she laid out her business. “We’re only here for a couple of questions. Nothing serious.”

Cozy stopped breathing as Flurry dropped her heavy leg onto her back. The muscles underneath her skin had the vigor of an earth pony and the strength of a star, though the Princess probably meant it to be ‘casual’ with her subjects.

Discord followed suit, his talons landing on top, and Cozy could feel her legs start to cry under the weight.

Discord spoke. “I mean, we are searching for the stone-hearted Cozy Glow, so it’s kinda serious.” He patted and smacked down on Cozy’s withers.

Flurry put an end to that: she lifted the draconequus’ arm. Cozy caught her breath but was hesitant to label Flurry her savior just yet.

Without feeling the need for permission, Flurry went inside. “No wonder you took so long…” Mostly the color black presented itself as the Princess fidgeted and scratched ash off the walls with her magic. But sensing (disguised) Cozy's stillness, she clarified, “I mean, who am I to judge? I’m sure you’ll work very hard to fix this mess—well, mess is subjective. Personally, I wouldn’t present this to Twilight, but we came unannounced so I can’t really hold it against you.”

Once he was satisfied with his wall scratch painting of the Archangel Flurry overthrowing Cozy, and Luster saw her mother’s trampled-up depiction, Discord asked, “What exactly caused this?”

“…I did,” Luster said, head down to her hooves. “I’m… pretty good at starting fires.”

Discord pulled out a poster and compared it with Luster. Then he rolled it up and shoved it into one of his ears. His fingers formed a rectangular shape and produced a flash as he snapped a photo of Luster that got printed out from under his wrist. He ate the photo. “Computer, analyze this filly!”

Everypony else stood confused whilst he tapped his hoof, arms crossed.

Flurry rolled her eyes and headed to the living room.

Cozy flew over to her daughter. “Come on, babe. Flurry and Discord aren’t interested in you. It’ll probably be for the best if you leave the grownups to talk.”

An oven timer dinged. Discord spoke. “Actually, it does involve you.”

Luster looked sideways, then up to her mother, then behind her back, then pointed to herself.

“Yes, you, the filly whose face is on a wanted poster!”

A phantom organ produced: “Dun dun duuun!” A flash of lightning followed.

Discord said, “They’re offering a very generous amount for that horn of yours.”

Luster covered her horn.

“And I have been meaning to treat Fluttershy to vacation for quite some time. Your bounty would surely cover a week’s long cruise. Perhaps two.”

Luster glared her teeth, pressed her hooves against the ground, and channeled her magic until her amber aura turned her horn into a bright white.

Discord scowled with a smirk, while Cozy stood in between, expressionless. After a moment, Discord fell into a fit of laughter.

“I’m kidding, I’m kidding!”

Luster sighed and lowered her horn down to idle.

“But no, we do have a few questions, and we really shouldn’t leave Flurry waiting. She has a frighteningly short fuse.”

“I heard that!” Flurry shouted.

Discord teleported the two to the living room, where they caught Flurry eying the remaining five-eights of Luster’s cutie mark cake.

The two mortals would’ve ignored it had Discord not cleared his throat and asked on Flurry’s behalf, “Neither of you would mind if she has a slice? She’s a growing Princess, after all.”

A subtle string of droll fell from Flurry’s mouth onto Cozy’s couch.

“…I kinda do…” Luster murmured, but Cozy overrode the special filly’s decision.

“Of course, we wouldn’t!” She tapped Luster and grabbed the cutter and placed two of the pre-cut slices of eighths to Flurry. “It’s a life-defining honor to feed you, Your Majesty.”

“Wonderful!” Discord said. “I’ll have two slices as well. Two-thirds of the remainder, or a quarter of the original, in case you didn’t know.”

Cozy’s smile twitched. “I knew.” She presented Discord with his request.

Discord levitated the final slice onto a plate and kept it floating in front of Luster.

He looked at Cozy and poked the side of her tummy. “You clearly didn’t need it.” He pitched Cozy’s chubby cheeks, and she closed her eyes. It took all her willpower not to react.

Flurry grabbed a fork and hovered a bite into her mouth. Her telekinesis was silent, elegant, and tight enough to restrict the strongest monsters known to Ponykind. Any mage that aims to replicate her style should instead expect to fall like Pony Icarus.

The moment the taste hit Flurry’s taste buds was visibly evident to everyone else in the room. She moaned in delight at the soft, sweet delicacy. Cozy was unsure whether to be actually honored or bitter that two beings of the highest level that wanted her worse-than-dead loved her the cake made for her daughter.

Flurry noticed a vivid liquid on the prongs of her fork. She swallowed. “Is this liquid love?”

Cozy inspected her knife. Sure enough, a few of the crumbs along its side were soaked with sparkling pink. “My baker’s a changeling,” she said.

“Mind telling me the name?” Flurry asked.

Luster groaned. “Can you two please just ask Mommy your questions already?”

Flurry kept chewing but her eyes shifted to the filly along with a face that looked confused and concerned—not angry though, and Cozy wanted to keep it that way; she bowed.

“Please don’t mind my daughter,” Cozy said. “She’s just a bit grumpy today and agitated by Discord’s prank. Lustie, don’t you have something to say?”

The filly had her hooves crossed on an almost broken wooden chair but relented to not disappoint her mother. “Sorry Flurry.”

Cozy said, “Don’t you mean Princess Flurry of the—”

“Didn’t I say there’s no need for that?” Flurry asked.

“Y-Yes, you did,” Cozy said. “Sorry.”

Discord teleported beside Luster, fork pinched between two of his paw’s digits. He patted the filly on the shoulders, not deliberately weighing her down like Cozy before. “Don’t worry, I’m finding myself a bit grumpy today too, and perhaps a little bored. Why don’t we finish our meals someplace more… fitting! Anypony up for another pop culture reference?”

He snapped.

Author's Notes:

And we're back!

Thanks to Ep0na for proofreading!

The Interrogation

Discord’s snap brought himself, Flurry, and the two interviewees to a restaurant filled with very important ponies. Directors of companies, CEOs, and wealthy clients sat nearby, a few of whom Cozy recognized; Flurry recognized no one.

Cozy also noticed Suri through the windows. She eyed the menus and discussed with some other pony whether to eat here until she noticed her, Luster, Flurry, and Discord. “Actually, we should try somewhere else,” Suri’s lips read.

They all sat on cushioned wooden seats in a room lit by chandeliers and candles. Cozy sat opposite to Discord; Flurry, opposite Luster. The Lord of Chaos had a dark suit topped by a purple, polka-dotted tie with swirling green patterns resembling that of hydro dipping.

Cozy realized she too was dressed. She had on a similar suit to Discord’s, but instead of a chaotic collage, her tie was her own head bow. Thankfully, her disguise hadn’t dropped. Her mane flowed backwards under a layer of gel, and her body smelt of cologne.

Luster had on a school uniform: a white collared shirt with a chest pocket, a dark dress, light socks with Twilight’s cutie mark medially embroidered, and a weighted school bag. It looked as if she went straight from school to visit her mother and friends for lunch.

Flurry’s appearance hadn’t changed.

“Sorry for the casual choice of restaurant,” Discord said. “Dorsia was fully booked.”

He hollered for a waiter.

In her mouth, a formally dressed mare laid a dish on the table and lifted the dome to reveal a notepad and pen.

“Thank you.” Discord tucked a dollar between the waiter’s ears and mane, and slid the note-taking apparatus to the Princess. Flurry groaned, but she grabbed and clicked the pen with her aura.

“So,” Discord said to Cozy, “I don’t believe you told us your full name? Care to speak up on that?”

“Butter Skies,” Cozy said. “I considered you and me friends after we had breakfast together in Somnambula. Thanks for the ice cream by the way. Lustie’s never had anything like it!”

Discord’s eyes glanced at Luster. “I can tell. And what’s your name?”

“Don’t you already know the answer to that?” Luster asked. “Don’t you have like, documents or something?”

“Of your records, no,” Discord said. “Somepony stole your particulars as well as a list of clients associated with that sweatshop back in Kludgetown.”

He called for waiters again; two different ponies showed up and moved a chalkboard, covered by a blanket, to behind Luster's chair, in front of Flurry. Discord pulled a projector from the floor and plopped it on the table. “I do have a memory record of this.”

The projection showed Luster and Butter Skies with a sunhat eating at the restaurant at Somnambula:

Luster: “Who’s that Alicorn?”

Cozy: “Don’t talk with your mouth full, it’s rude! Flurry’s mother, Cadance—she blesses families and stuff. Nothing important.”

Cozy stared directly at the screen to avoid Flurry’s glare. She could hear the Princess take notes of her comment. Golly, please…

Cozy: “Y’know I was really expecting Flurry to be here.”

Luster: “Why?”

Cozy: “Because she’s obsessed!”

Flurry stopped writing.

Cozy took a deep breath and turned to Flurry. The Princess’ perfect posture and apathetic demeanor made Cozy feel meek.

“Now, Princess, I meant nothing negative by the comment,” Cozy said. “You’ve suffered a lot and though you’re the most justified in your pursuit of that monster, we all worry about your mental well-being.”

Flurry kept silent for a moment; she spoke. “Do you have the slightest idea what she’s put me through?”

“I… happen to know a bit,” Cozy answered.

“She spent months cozying up to me, abusing my truth after everything I’ve offered her, all so she could poison and toss me into a cell for Sombra. You know that, right?”

“...I—you’re right. I hadn’t grasped the severity of your torment until you—”

“Sombra gave her a random percentage of his enslaved population and she brainwashed them into her own loyalists. Stallions, mares, foals—they’re all still causing me problems.”

“Those poor things—”

“She read my most personal diaries and stole all the ideas I’ve waited so long to implement. She stole them all and passed them off as her own!”

“And I—”

“All to upset me!” Every object in the room jumped as a shock wave of emotional energy escaped Flurry’s horn. “She tricked me into believing that my parents were dead all because of my refusal to give in to her commands,” Flurry said, her voice starting to break a bit.

“...I lit a candle for you that Nightmare Night,” Cozy said.

Luster assembled enough courage to speak up. “But that’s not the whole conversation.” She pressed a button on the projector:

Discord: “I have to agree! She is rather obsessed, isn’t she?”

Cadance: “A little… This place better be good.”

“See,” Luster said. “It wasn’t just Mom who said those things.”

They all looked at Discord, who shrugged. “What?” he said, pulling out a hand puppet of Flurry on his paw. “If greeting everycreature that walks into the room with, ‘any news on Cozy Glow?’ doesn’t spell ‘obsessed’, then I don’t know what does. BS over here has a point.”

I really regret this name, Cozy thought.

Discord turned to Luster and said, “Flurry can hardly focus on her day without a report of that mare’s whereabouts every thirty minutes. Why else would Cadance not want her to come.”

Body leaning away, Luster nodded slowly. Her eyes were kept on her mother, whose forehooves were pressed together on the table. To any other pony, she’d seem calm and attentive, but Luster could sense Cozy struggling to keep it all together.

Flurry inhaled deeply. “Whatever. Can you just move on to the next question?”

“Yes, of course,” Discord said. “Ms. Butter Skies, if that is your real name, your house is pretty large for a family of only two, isn’t it?”

“I suppose,” Cozy said. “But a small family size only means fewer mouths to feed and more bits to burn.”

Discord jotted down a note. “Yes. What exactly is it that you do?”

“I come up with ideas for Flim Flam Co.,” Cozy answered. “You’ll find it all in my records. I assume you have those.”

“No,” Discord said.

“Oh… I can call them up now to send you a—”

“Just kidding, I do.” Discord unzipped a hole through the fabrics of reality and pulled out a file to flip through. “B, B, B, Ah! Here you are! ‘Creative designer’?”

“I’m a pretty good artist,” Cozy said. “Drawings and sculpting, mostly.”

“Ostensibly so…” Discord asked, “Why were you in the desert two days ago?”

Cozy paused for three seconds before responding. “The company wanted to make sure that all of our products were ethically produced, so I pulled a surprised check on our partners.” She looked at Luster. “When I discovered that they were using foal labor I was appalled! I managed to rescue this one, but how I do pray that those other ones are safe…”

Flurry seemed unmoved by her concern. “So you went to Kludgetown?”

Cozy responded, “Yeah, I know. I don’t exactly look like the type of creature that would wander into a lawless world of thieves and bandits, but the company needed a representative from higher up, and at the time I was by myself, soooo I volunteered.”

Discord asked, “And you wouldn’t happen to have encountered Cozy, would you?”

“About that, I—”

“Wait,” Flurry interrupted. “I want to hear it from her.” She pointed at the filly.

Luster gulped. “M-my memory is really bad. Sorry.”

“Oh come on,” Flurry said. “There’s no way you forgot you could’ve forgotten these past few days. You know, setting fire to the place, encountering Cozy Glow? We found your poster in her bin.”

Cozy sucked her lips and mentally kicked herself.

“Uhhmmm,” Luster murmured. “I—she might’ve foalnapped me and”—Discord looked up from his notepad—“she was totally awful! She grabbed me from the streets and fed me all sorts of disgusting poisons in her home! I escaped but she found me again and tried to drown me as a punishment, calling me all sorts of names like dirty and stinky and… that’s all I know.”

Flurry nodded. “No creature is too innocent to be her victim. What about afterwards? Surely you remembered how you met Butters.”

“Don’t call her… well, Cozy told me,” —and Luster said the next part in the whiniest, most insulting voice Cozy had ever heard— “‘Gee, I’m gonna take you to Chrysalis’ Hive to be used as cattle, Golly,’ and then she—”

“Wait,” Flurry said as she held out her hoof, “Chrysalis’ Hive?”

Luster could feel her mother’s eyes burn a hole through the side of her head, so the filly added, “Uhm, well, she never showed me or explained who this ‘Chrysalis’ even is…”

“So if you don’t know who Chrysalis is, it couldn’t have been a mishearing,” Discord said.

“Well, I…” Luster stuttered. “I really hate all these questions.” She sniffled.

Flurry tapped the side of Luster’s back and hovered over a piece of tissue from the box at the center of the table. The Princess waited a moment. “You wouldn’t happen to remember which direction Cozy was heading, would you?”

Luster shook her head.

“Ah, okay,” Flurry said. “But sure you—”

“My apologies, Your Majesty,” Cozy said, “but your presence alone is already pretty nerve-racking for a filly. Her days have already been stressful enough without all these important questions, and I don’t want her to regret saying the wrong things to a Princess. She’d probably be up thinking about a fumble like that for years...”

The Princess looked at Luster, fidgeting, sweating, looking at the ceiling above Discord. Flurry sighed. “It’s not that nerve-racking.”

“Honestly, it is,” Discord said. “Though I don’t know why nopony seems to revere Discord.”

“Sorry,” Flurry apologized to Luster. “It’s just that there’s been no verified sighting of Chrysalis for years! If we can deal with her, Cozy will definitely come out of the woodwork.”

Perturbed by the Princess’ suggestion, Cozy spoke up. “Pardon my ignorance, but why would Cozy Glow care about what happens to Chrysalis? How do you know she wouldn’t celebrate her defeat? Wasn’t the fact those three hated each other part of the irony of their petrifications? But I’m no expert.”

“It couldn’t hurt,” Flurry replied. “But I know she cares about that so-called ‘queen’. Under her rule, she treated me like a punching bag, but Mom? Cozy wouldn’t lay a feather on her! Cadance was reserved for some other creature’s amusement… I think you see what I’m getting at. Maybe she had a trick in mind, but as far as I know, she looks out for her fellow criminals.”

Cozy would’ve admired how far Flurry’s acuity had progressed since they first met, had the mare’s anger not been bubbled by the Princess’ disrespect.

Flurry finished the final bite of her cake. “This was delicious,” she said. “You really should tell a Princess the name of your baker.”

“I’ll have to ask them first,” Cozy replied.

“Fair enough.” Flurry wiped her muzzle. “Can we move on with the questions, Discord?”

“Certainly!” Discord said.

He tapped his hoof twice against the ground, and the room went dark. A craw from behind pulled the head of Luster’s chair downwards, reclining and shifting it into a seat for dental operations. A surgical spotlight blinded Luster as Discord, and only Discord, reappeared in a blue gown and face mask.

“Say, ‘AAAA’ for me,” Discord said.

Luster was confused but complied. “AAAA—”

Discord stuck a lollipop into her mouth and used it to look around her molar teeth. “Oh dear. Have you heard of a purrifico flower?”

Luster, unable to move her teeth, tongue, or lips, managed to say, “No.”

“I was merely asking because you really should talk to a dentist about those.”

He grabbed onto his gown by his chest and pulled it off to reveal a detective’s suit, body completely monochromatic, donning a mustache, holding a pipe.

As she grabbed onto the stick of her lollipop, Luster noticed that her seat had been turned back into a wooden one and that her forelegs were now resting on a table.

Discord paced around the room and spoke. “There’s actually a patch of those flowers nearby.” Another spotlight shone on a seat to the side, revealing Cozy. Back facing the mare, Discord added, “They’re a protected species. Plucking. Strictly. Prohibited.”

“I had 'dental appointment' on my urgent to-do list,” Cozy said.

Discord turned around and revealed Fluttershy between his top appendages.

“And this over here is—oh!” Fluttershy said. In between her hooves stood a cage. Inside sat a mouse.

Discord plopped Fluttershy onto the table and explained, “My dear Fluttershy here happened to be in the area when a mouse of an equally endangered species ran towards her group. It’s uncommon for them to wander so close to a snake’s den.”

Discord teleported to Cozy’s side. “The mouse claimed that a rook-bearing mare saved it from an owl. What was that saying? No good deed goes unpunished?”

Cozy remained silent.

“You wouldn’t happen to have noticed anything suspicious around your area of the woods?” Discord asked.

“Not that I can remember,” Cozy replied. “My mind has been too busy watching my daughter.” She looked at Luster. “Okay, maybe I haven’t been watching twenty-four-seven.”

Discord took down a note. “I admit, our cameras were tricked. Perhaps prioritizing action was a rare mistake on my part. Luckily for us, this mouse had seen Cozy Glow and claimed that she ventured into the light of the public. Even a pony who failed as many times as she wouldn’t have done so without the proper precaution. For example, a disguise.”

Cozy looked at the mouse. “Who knows…”

There wasn’t much comfort to be found in the villain’s predicament. Out of a disdain for Twilight’s pet’s species, Cozy had rescued a mouse and used it as bait for the cameras to pluck that flower for Luster’s teeth. Now it stood as a witness to her bow’s transformation to Butter Skies, and if that comes out… She looked at her surroundings. Flurry was no doubt nearby, but hidden. Conscious of how intimidating she was to the filly perhaps? Discord was here too. Teleportation was out of the question… but what other options were there? Maybe Lustie had a point with the satchel, but are we even in the living room? …This is going to be awkward.

Cozy thought about a few of her experiences as Flurry’s personal royal guard and vomited onto the floor.

Discord took a step back and snapped a bin into existence. “Maybe I am intimidating, Fluttershy.” He noticed Cozy hadn’t ‘stopped’ so he turned to Luster and pointed to a side of the darkness. “Your restroom’s over there.”

Luster got off her seat and walked her mother towards where Discord pointed. After walking a few meters, the room’s opacity went up and two appeared in their hallway, and Luster saw their bathroom’s room under the stairs. After her daughter closed the door, Cozy activated all the locks and looked around. She swallowed and rinsed her mouth of acid under the tap.

Luster patted her mother’s back between her wings.

“Thanks, dear,” Cozy said. “You okay?”

“Am I okay? You just puked all over the room!”

“It wasn’t all over the room...” Cozy was weary of either of those two’s ears on the door. “At least I got us a quick break.”

“…I’m a bit scared,” Luster admitted.

Cozy hugged her; Luster was slightly detached. She was already warm from the anxiety of two powerful creatures wanting to take away her mother.

“Yeah. I’m a bit scared too,” Cozy said.

Luster's face showed her doubts, so Cozy continued, “I am! Anypony would be petrified talking to the God of Chaos and Princess Flurry Heart, especially when they’re accusing you of being Equestria’s most wanted criminal. Mommy has years of experience keeping herself presentable under any situation.” She paused. “I love you, dear.”

“What’s up with that rat?” Luster asked. “Is it serious?”

“...It’s nothing,” Cozy lied. “But if anything bad does happen,”—she whispered into Luster’s ear—“try to pass me my satchel.”

“Didn’t you call that idea bad?” Luster whispered back.

“I didn’t expect it to go this badly. Your idea wasn’t lousy after all, I was wrong.” She turned towards the door. “Come on. Let’s get this over with.”

Author's Notes:

Sorry this took a while.

The Useless Jury

Cozy and Luster walked out of the bathroom and towards Discord’s spatial anomaly. They no longer felt the Sun’s warmth as they stepped into what was once their living room, now covered by a cloud of darkness that seemed to be a gateway into an expansive pocket dimension.

Before they did, however, Luster looked under the sofa and pulled her mother’s satchel lying on the other end. With her eyes towards the muffled sounds of Discord, Flurry, and Fluttershy quarreling, Cozy rummaged through the bag and pulled out a small vial of purple, hiding it under her left wing.

That wasn’t what Luster expected. “What’s that?” she asked, whispering.

Cozy looked forwards. “Just don’t breathe it in. Remember that.”

Luster followed her mother into the darkness. The sounds of the three creatures and a critter grew louder as they did. The table came into view and soon the two could make out what had happened since they left.

“You couldn’t have mentioned it earlier?” Discord asked the critter, foreparts crossed.

The mouse squeaked, and Fluttershy translated, “Mr. Mouseington says he’s very sorry for misleading you, but you and Flurry seemed so excited. He didn’t want to let you down.”

With a glare at the critter on the yellow mare’s hooves, Flurry scolded, “Do you have any idea how—” She noticed the suspect at the side of the table.

“What happened?” Luster asked.

Discord clutched a deck of color vision tests in his talons; they busted into flames and fell between his grip as black sand. “Somecritter turned out to be completely colorblind! Bit of an anti-climax, wouldn’t you agree?”

Neither of the two responded.

Discord groaned. “No matter.” He picked up his notepad. It had no words; instead, a sketched up design for a room that won a wow from Fluttershy when he showed her. “Don’t be too relieved, you two. We’re not done yet!”

A string from the ceiling fell and dangled. Discord pulled it; it made a click, and the lights of the courtroom turned on. Modeled after the Canterlot’s Royal Courts, Luster had never seen a room so grandiose: spacious with high ceilings.

Flurry sat in the judge’s seat. Discord had a purple suit, acquiring the role of the prosecution's attorney. Fluttershy and the critter made up the jury. Cozy still had her suit on, and was seated next to Luster as Discord made his opening statements.

“Your honor, BFF and critter of the jury, I’ve gathered us all here today to suss out the truth about Cozy Glow’s whereabouts. Specifically, an article reeled in from her last suspected known location. Exhibit A, our only exhibit.” He pulled from under his collar: “Seraph’s signed copy of Twilight’s Journal of Friendship!”

Phantom gasps filled the room.

“Yes,” Discord continued. “This book right here contains her very most personal thoughts on the Twilight’s messages and each of the Princesses.”

Flurry got up from her high-up seat. “Wait, what? You have that?! Why didn’t you mention any of this earlier?!”

“Well, I thought we had a witness,” Discord said, glaring at the critter. “I had no intentions of sharing this treas—atrocity! But things were getting stale. Now, let us continue.” He teleported on top of the table in front of Cozy and Luster. “Ms. Butters, does this book look familiar to you?”

Cozy leaned forwards. “I recognize Twilight’s Journal, but this specific one and all that vandalism... not so much.”

Discord squinted at Cozy. “Well, perhaps these passages will evoke a few memories.” He flipped through a myriad of bookmarks, none of which Cozy remembered placing. “Ah, here’s a good one!” He placed a crystal speech device to his neck that sounded exactly like Cozy.

“On the Great Galloping Gala: ‘Golly, what a joke that was! If you’d’ve told my filly self in Tartarus that she’d be paid to attend a concert of snobs and carry around sleepy fatty, I might’ve reformed right then and there! How can a Princess be so incompetent talking to her own kind… Was it always this way or did Twilight ruin another good thing? Used to dream of attending the Gala… and Flurry was so clingy. I almost feel pity that I’m considered her best friend, but really what does she have to complain about?’”

Luster looked up to the judge’s seat at the Princess, a frown staining the latter’s lips. Cozy, on the other hoof, feigned shock.

“How could anypony write that?” Cozy asked, holding a hoof to her mouth.

Flurry sighed.

“…Here’s another one,” Discord said. “‘How pathetic can you be to buy a self-proclaimed Stoic’s book on how to control your emo—’”

“No!” Flurry slammed her judge’s shelf. Discord hugged the evidence between his limbs, but failed to protect it from Flurry’s pinpoint-precise blast.

Discord’s head slowly twitched downwards to stare at what was now nothing. He fell to his knees and caressed the ashes. The Princess had obliterated the most valuable exhibit they had of Cozy’s thoughts.

Flurry rolled her eyes. “Oh please. Nothing of value was lost...”

“Nothing of value?!” Discord got up. “That book was priceless evidence!”

Flurry asked, “What were you gonna do? Ask the suspect, ‘Do you recognize this?’ for the next hour?”

Discord leaned the tips of his digits together. “Perhaps…”

Flurry teleported to the floor and looked at the suspect and her filly. In silence, she walked over to the two, her horseshoes producing louder and louder clanks as she neared. “You know what I thought of Seraph during her first week?” she asked.

Cozy looked around, unsure whether Flurry wanted a response or not. “No…” she replied.

“Guess.”

“...She was too friendly?”

“I thought she was a suck-up,” Flurry revealed. “Too many apologies: so desperate for approval, and a submissive mess, but at least—for a time—her loyalty was to me and not my parents. She was very good at what she did, and she never seemed to be tired of my presence. We… even when we talked about our lives. I’m tempted to believe her responses were genuine, because a lot of what she said could’ve gotten her in serious trouble.”

A desk stood between Flurry and Cozy as they stared at each other. The Princess continued, “She vented to me about how stubborn the two creatures she considered her adoptive parents were, how she discovered that one of her biological parents had died whilst she was ‘incarcerated’, and how her caregiver nearly got her to join Starlight Glimmer’s old cult. Looking back, a cutie mark of a dagger was a bit on the muzzle. Any one of those secrets could’ve gotten her into a lot of trouble...”

Cozy remained calm. Suspiciously calm. Any normal pony would've at least sweat if Princess Flurry Heart implied accusations towards them, but Cozy couldn’t force herself to cower. If she started, she wasn't sure she’d be able to control herself. And if she allowed herself to be manic with fear, and the vial under her left wing broke without a proper plan… hopefully Luster hadn’t grown too attached to her magic. Cozy could survive without her main means of escape, but the risk of getting caught afterwards guided her brain towards forming a less desperate plan.

“Yellow compliments Cozy’s colors, don’t they?” Flurry asked.

Cozy looked at her lemon-hued disguise. “Ponies come in all sorts of different coats.”

Flurry tilted her head. “You know what else compliments Cozy quite well?”

“…”

“Her red eyes.”

Cozy took four seconds to respond. “Yeah, plus my turquoise mane and you roughly get the primary colors. Sorry if you find it garish, Princess, but it’s not something I can control.”

“It isn’t?” Flurry asked.

“...This is my body? Wait, you’re accusing me of being fake?! Please, Your Majesty,” Cozy said, “I’m not her!”

“You’ve been bowing and scraping since I got here,” Flurry said, twirling Cozy’s tie.

“I wanted to be respectful to my Princess. Is that wrong?”

“Cozy was eager for approval too. At least when she attached herself to somecreature, she cared—obsessively.” Flurry paused. “Why does she do that?”

“Why does she care?” Cozy held a hoof to her chest. “How would I know? I have friends and a job and a family, Princess. I couldn’t force myself to imagine what I’d do if Cozy had hurt one of those creatures I care about the same way she hurt you.”

Flurry turned to Luster, who kept her gaze at Discord out of intimidation. “I’m guessing your family is a single filly you adopted a day ago?” Flurry asked.

“Two days,” Cozy corrected. “But I have other ponies in my life. They’re just a bit difficult to get to. Some of my relationships are… complicated.”

Flurry stared at Cozy's eyes, and while charging her horn. Cozy clutched the vial tighter against her body and curled the assigned wing discretely to catch a better grip.

The Princess’ horn flashed, and Discord’s chaotic courtroom became undone. They were all back in the burnt living room, without their fancy clothes (except for Flurry’s regalia). And without a desk between the two, Flurry took a step forwards. “Prove it,” she said. “Show that you have a parent or an uncle or anypony else.”

“...I—”

“Don’t tell me you’re adopted too. So many similarities. You’re losing your touch.”

“My touch?” Cozy backed further into the couch. “Princess Flurry Heart, how could you say that, I—”

Right before Cozy could give her excuse, two creatures walked in from the hallway: two ponies. A mare and a stallion, orange and a duller yellow; both older pegasi with shares of Butter’s physical characteristics, dressed in modest clothes.

“Honey, what’s going on?” asked the old pegasus. “Why are Discord, Fluttershy, and Princess Flurry Heart in your living room?”

Who are they? Cozy played along before she could make sense of the situation. “Oh, they’re just asking a few harmless questions, Mom.” She smiled. “Actually, you couldn’t have visited at a more perfect time! These are my parents, Princess Flurry.”

Flurry inspected the older duo. “You both look… tired.”

“Oh, forgive us, Your Majesty,” the stallion said, bowing. “We overslept, but had only recently got the letter that our little filly had decided to become a mother of her own and adopted her a daughter. It was all so sudden! Kept us up at all night.”

“That’s…” Flurry paused.

The older mare walked and wrapped a hoof around Cozy’s neck. “Oh, we’re so proud of her! I know she’d be the most perfect parent there could be for—well, a pretty feisty young unicorn by the state of this place. Goodness!”

Luster asked, “You have parents?”

Cozy glared for a second but shifted back to happy. “Surprise, Lustie!” She turned back to her folks. “Sorry, about the mess. And the lack of cake… I’m sure you’d be happy to know that Princess Flurry Heart adored what would’ve been your slices.”

“Uhh…” Flurry looked at Discord on one side, Fluttershy at the other, and looked at a melted clock on the wall. “Maybe your colors are genetic… Everything seems to be in order. Perhaps we should get going—”

“Oh, no, really?” Cozy said. “But my parents only got here! Perhaps you could show my daughter a spell or two? She’d be honored.”

“I would?” Luster asked.

“Maybe some other time?” Flurry suggested. “We’re a bit busy… Aren’t we Discord?”

Discord didn’t respond.

“Discord?”

The God of Chaos watched Butter Skies and her parents—and smirked. “How adorable! Did you actually think we’d leave so soon?”

He teleported between Luster and Cozy on the couch, a talon wrapped around the latter. “I may be a laid-back Bringer of Mayhem, but there are matters I do take very seriously.”

Discord’s talons brushed off Cozy’s back and went towards her chin, propping her face towards her accuser. “You haven’t outsmarted me,” Discord said.

An amber ring of magic appeared around Discord’s body, tugged on by a filly. “Get your paws off my mom!” Luster shouted.

“I only have one paw.” Discord used the index claw of his paw to pop Luster’s hold as if it were a balloon. “It is a shame that young Lustie here will have to live the rest of her life knowing that her mother is a crook, one that thinks she can get away with robbing a Princess.”

Luster tried again to fight the God of Chaos. She shot a bolt of flames towards the back of Discord’s head, but he turned around and returned a spray from a fire extinguisher, neutralizing the flames.

Shacking foam off her coat like a puppy, Luster aimed to try again, but before she could, Discord snapped. Two giant pieces of tape forming an ‘X’ shape glued the filly to the wall.

“Discord, come on,” Cozy said. “What you even—”

“Don’t play games with me. Really, as if I wouldn’t have caught on to the glaringly obvious.” He cracked his knuckles and flew in front of Cozy, his shadow enveloping her narrow pegasus frame.

There’s no other choice, Cozy thought. She eyed Fluttershy. She always was the best of the worst. Shame she had to associate with a heartless God, but it’s not as if she cared about my petrification. So no, not really much of a shame.

Cozy looked around the room, calculating the best course of action. Flurry and Discord were close enough together. If she threw her vial against the two, they’d be stunned.

As for those two drones… not sure if they’d be worth a rescue. Too heavy, and ascending into an Alicorn after the vials breaks it would be plain ol’ stupid.

Despite Cozy’s internal willingness to ditch her ‘parents’, those two stood by her side as Discord towered above them. They glared their teeth, ready to fight.

If only they knew, Cozy thought, as she tensed her muscles and prepared to sprint.

Discord grew to a gargantuan size and looked down at Cozy. He spoke. “You. Will. Pay.”

Cozy flew off the couch towards Discord’s face–but was halted midway. A long strip of paper blinded her, tangled around her wings, and caused her to tumble to the corner of the room. The position of her body made her able to snatch the vial that rolled out of her wing before Discord reappeared at a normal size next to her.

He grabbed one end of the paper and pulled, causing Cozy to spin like a top. When Discord tapped the mare to make her stop, Cozy found herself on her hoofs, staring directly at—a bill.

“Honestly, just because her Crystal Castle is the only building in the Empire taller than three stories does not give you the permission to make Cadance pay for your pancakes.” Discord crossed his hooves, the bill remaining in place. “The nerve of you! I expect an immediate payment.”

Cozy rubbed her eyes and looked around the room. Everycreature seemed as confused as she was.

Cozy took another moment. “Oh, right, of course,” she said.

Discord gently tapped the side of his forehead.

“What does it say? Nineteen bits? I’ll pay right away,” Cozy promised as she left the room.

She walked between her confused parents, who followed her into the kitchen, and Discord joked loud enough for her to hear, “I thought your filly attacking me was a quirk of her time at Kludgetown, but now it seems to me that she adopted that quality from you!” He chuckled.

“Maybe so…” Cozy said, checking through the burnt pantry. “Look, I’m sorry! Really, it was self-defense because I thought you were going to—”

Discord's head popped out of a cupboard. “Treat you as if you were Cozy Glow?” he said, smug.

“Haha…” Cozy stepped back.

Flurry looked outside. “We should get going. Maybe we’ll be able to interview the next suspect on our list. Thirty-third time’s the charm, right?”

Cozy’s ‘parents’ couldn't force a natural laugh, so Flurry sighed and walked towards the foyer. “I’ll be outside, Discord. This place is so cramped. I don’t know why other ponies build their houses so small, like they’re cats or something. Come on, Fluttershy. You too… mousy… whatever your name was.”

Golly, she knows nothing about the housing market.

After Flurry and Fluttershy left, Cozy said, “Lustie, can you look around my bag for my spare pouch? Our friend must’ve accidentally kept my main one. Told her to buy a few things and take what I owed her, but apparently she wanted interest too. It’s red and heart-shaped. I made the ‘zipper’ on the bag a bit friendlier for you.”

The filly teleported out of her trap and pulled out Cozy’s satchel from under the couch. She rummaged her forelegs through the top and felt around for what Cozy described. After a few attempts—“I found it, Mom!”

Discord teleported to Luster’s side and snatched the pouch. Flipping it upside down and tapping the top, exactly twenty-four bits fell to his paw. “I believe I deserve a small interest fee as well.”

A floating bank vault door appeared in the air. Spinning it open, Discord revealed an ocean of doubloons and other golden treasures inside, and tossed the twenty-four bits to join the pile. After dusting his parts and returning the pouch to Luster, he smiled and shook her hoof excessively.

“What a blast!” he said. “This was the most fun interrogation I’ve had all day!” He whispered, “Don’t worry, I made an extra copy of Cozy’s journal,” winked, and shushed.

He looked through the counter at Cozy, who had dinner’s ingredients on her counter. “Does your stove even work?”

“I have a fire-breathing filly, Discord,” Cozy said. “I can cook without a stove. These are enchanted as well, but—”

Discord snapped. The whole house looked as good as new, including all the appliances.

“Woah,” Lusted muttered. “But I thought magical fires couldn’t be fixed?”

“The chaotic side of Magic is a pathway to many spells some consider to be unnatural,” Discord revealed. “I believed I’m owed something?”

Cozy sighed from the kitchen. “Thanks Discord…”

The Sun started to set. A loud groan could be heard from outside.

“Discord!” shouted Flurry. “Hurry up!”

“Alright, alright. Sheesh! Anyhow, I’m off!” Discord said.

With Cozy preparing dinner, her parents watching from the side, and Luster fiddling with her mother’s satchel, Discord conjured himself a warm coat and hat, and left the room.

But he watched Luster as he left, and as he entered the hallway, he spotted something.

A rook symbol on the satchel Luster was playing with, illuminated by special embroidery. He paused.

Was that… Discord thought. He listened as Cozy turned on the stove and started to cook her dinner. Using X-ray vision to spy through the walls, he noticed an odd object under one of Cozy’s wings. Though he was unsure what exactly the liquid inside was, he swapped Cozy’s vial with a harmless identical fake, and held the real deal.

“What’s taking you so long?!” Flurry shouted, appearing in front of Discord. The God of Chaos teleported Cozy’s vial to a drawer in his dimension.

“Oh, nothing,” he said. “Making sure you didn’t make the suspect cry this time.”

“Well… Are you done?!” Flurry said.

Discord peeked at Cozy through the entrance of the kitchen. He thought of raising the suspicious object to Flurry but felt a strange reluctance.

There’s no rush, he thought. Plus, Princess over here did destroy my—her journal. He looked back at Luster, who immediately hid her head behind the wall. She seems pretty happy with her arrangements...

“Discord?” Fluttershy said. “Are you feeling okay?”

“Hm? Oh, of course!” he said. “Right! Let’s go! To the next creature on our list?”

“...I’m sure they wouldn’t mind a nightly visit,” Flurry said.

“Got it! Bye, everypony,” Discord said. “You’ve been a terrific audience!” He snapped; the three were gone.

After two minutes with only the sounds of food frying on the pan, under the warm-hued glow of the kitchen lights, Cozy released her stress. “Wow! What a nightmare, huh Lustie?” She turned to her ‘parents’. “Let’s keep our ‘forms’ on in case somepony’s peeking through a window. But uhm… I appreciate your help.”

The two drones smiled.

“Well,” Prety, ‘Cozy’s mother', said, “we heard that last part of your conversation and weren’t sure if we should intervene but—”

“Yeah, yeah, I can guess,” Cozy said. “We didn’t tell Mom about you two but in case you have doubts, you will die if you go ‘there’ ever again.” She stirred her vegetables. “Hey, have I smelled any different recently?” Cozy asked.

“Uhm, a bit happier?” Atty said.

“I have to do something about your rebellious elder sister, Ocellus,” Cozy said.

The two drones went wide-eyed at the seemingly random mention of her name.

Cozy continued, “But in the meantime, I—” She yawned. “—might have an early lie in tonight. A homemade meal, candled bath, then I’ll barricade all my windows and tuck myself in. I’ll send Hope a letter tomorrow. Lustie, do you want to have your bath before or after mine?”

“Didn’t I already take a bath this week?” Luster asked.

“Oh golly,” Cozy sighed. “You’ll go after.”

Prety rubbed the side of his leg. “So can we stay here, or…?”

Back turned, Cozy responded, “I have rugs for you two to be snug in.”

“…”

“For a while, you’ll stay, in case bratty shows up again.”

“And what’s in that vial?” Atty asked, pointing to what Cozy had placed on the counter so her wings could be free to fly.

“...If I had broken it,” Cozy said, “Flurry and the God of Chaos would’ve been sick for a while.”

“A while?” Atty asked.

“For three days. Maybe a week,” Cozy said. “Alicorns are pretty resistant.”

“What would’ve happened to us?” Prety asked.

“...Optimistically, we could’ve only lost our magical organs,” Cozy admitted bluntly to gasping faces. “Heard that Lustie? Be careful around my stuff, please. You’re too old for me to have to foal-proof the house. When I was your age I… burnt down my orphanage… We’re a lot alike, aren’t we?”

Luster yawned. “I guess we are…”

“Sweetie, how are you always so sleepy so early? I forbid you from sleeping until you’ve had dinner and cleaned yourself up!”

---

Cozy cooked a sauce for her vegetables and prepared enough wraps that even the drones could have a few. Though she was one who told them to keep their disguises on, at least until morning, Cozy would be lying if she said she didn’t find it eerie.

Their designs weren’t shoddy, which made her feel more uncomfortable around the table. Traces of sadness and anger found themselves emerging from the bottom of her mind, but she wouldn’t take it out on the drones. At least not today.

Luster’s head kept lolling to either her mother’s side or that of the closest drone’s, and after essentially force-feeding her—“Dear, you have to eat something before you go to sleep.”—Cozy compromised on her mandatory bath and settled for brushing her daughter’s teeth. She used a splotch of Hope’s floral concoction and tucked Luster into, what was for now, their shared bed. Leaving a glass of water and a lamp by her side, Cozy intended to leave the room so she could unwind for the rest of the cold autumn night, but as sleepy as she was, Luster didn’t want her mother to leave.

“You’re going?” Luster asked.

“Golly, I thought you were asleep,” Cozy said. “I had to carry you up the stairs, you cheeky foal!”

Luster giggled. “That flower thing had a terrible taste. It woke me up.” She looked nervously at her covers, and on a bed that was as soft as a cloud, she asked, “Can you stay here for a few minutes? Bad things always happen when you leave.”

Cozy kept the door ajar so the warm hallway lights could provide enough brightness that she wouldn’t have to turn on the bedroom’s, and walked towards her filly. Luster budged up so her mother had space to sit. The filly hadn't gotten used to the cold yet, so she really clung onto the blankets. But under those covers, she tried to get closer to her mother, who had plenty of warmth to spare.

Luster placed a leg around her mother’s tight; Cozy realized her fate.

“You two handle yourselves for the rest of the night,” Cozy shouted as swiped her wings, creating a gust that closed the door and delved the room into darkness, illuminated up only by slivers of moonlight seeping between the walls and the curtains.

Now alone in the dark, Cozy asked, “Today was scary, huh?”

“I really thought she was going to take you…” Luster said, eyes watery on the prompt of her recollections.

Cozy saw her daughter's tears scatter light through her visual acuity. “Oh, babe.” She laid down fully and took off her, undoing her disguise, and caressed her daughter. “You don’t have to be upset now. I doubt they’ll bother us, at least not for a good couple of weeks.”

“Oh…” Luster murmured. “Weeks?”

“Could be months. I’ll try to get my ear out and have a few of my friends alert us in advance whenever Flurry decides to feed into her unhealthy habits, but by the looks of it she doesn't feel comfortable anymore having personal guards following her around so–I’m sure I’ll find a solution.”

Cozy got herself under the covers, and remarked, “No wonder you wanted me here. You’re cold! I’ll have to teach you an anti-freeze spell without my unicorn assistant, won’t I?”

“...Were all those things Flurry said about you true?” Luster asked. “About how you hid her away from her parents?”

“Oh…” Cozy rubbed the back of her disheveled curly mane. “She’s exaggerating, Lustie. I… got angry maybe once or twice. Maybe a bit more than that. But she wouldn’t listen, and her life is so extravagant and lavish, a couple of weeks in a different bedroom isn’t all that bad. It’s a lot better than how any alicorn ever treated me. That’s how they all are. I don’t know what about ascension makes them remorseless, but the ones that were naturally born seem to be the worst.”

Cozy continued, “Do you know why she released me in the first place? Back when we were both fillies?”

Cozy felt Luster shake her head and answered, “She wanted to slay me. I guess I’m sort of an easy target. Defeating wasn’t a power fantasy—unique—to Flurry, actually, but she was the only pony privileged enough to get away with it. Even socially, all the creatures forgave her. She ended my confinement and I felt moist flesh return and warmth for… well, I don’t really remember much of it. My psyche took a while to regather itself, so I wasn’t what Flurry had prepared for. I might’ve died if it weren’t for Chrysalis. Tirek couldn’t be rescued though.”

Luster only heard surface-level tales of Tirek’s rampages, but she could sense her mother’s sadness. Cozy’s muscles relaxed and now she wanted to fall asleep. Recalling the memories she had of that grumpy centaur at night wouldn’t do her any good.

“What happened to him?” Luster asked.

“...He’s alive–I think–in a room in Twilight’s dungeon. Even if I broke him out I… I don’t know what I’d do after that. Do I transfigure his body, so he can escape easier? Apparently, he was delirious when he was released… Most of my problems stem from Flurry’s Empire. I don’t want more Canterlot involvement… Difficult decision, aren’t they?”

“What exactly would Flurry do to you if she...”

Cozy filled in the blanks. Staring at the ceiling, she responded, “I don’t know. Dear, don’t worry about it, please. Trust me, it’s nothing you should lose sleep over.”

“…Okay. I trust you,” Luster said, hugging her mother’s side, who reciprocated by wrapping a wing around her daughter’s.

In reality, Cozy was pretty sure she knew what Flurry would’ve done, but there was no point scaring her daughter. She hoped that Flurry would get over her obsession soon, but the realist corner of her mind begged to differ.

Luster fell asleep quickly, but Cozy with her head under her wing, she wouldn’t risk waking her up by moving. As Cozy lay with her thoughts in silence—she heard a noise.

Her head jerked up, and she turned towards the window. Luster hadn’t been disturbed but… Must be another rat, Cozy thought. Or maybe I’m that tired… Really should’ve installed that security system already.

Occasionally sighing, and tuned the metronome of her daughter’s breaths, Cozy dozed off to sleep.

The God of Chaos heard her snores. He never thought he’d feel weird spying on Cozy, though perhaps that was mainly due to Luster's presence. With chemical test results fresh from Canterlot between his talons, he pulled his ear from the wall.

If that mare’s only housing that filly for a revenge plan Flurry would surely…

Chrysalis had children too. Discord knew Cozy hadn’t become another Starlight, especially without a Twilight to guide her… The idea that Cozy was even neurologically capable of such emotions surprised the draconequus.

Cozy's annotations on the Journal of Friendship had many rambles between the profanities, and on the pages of Tirek and Chrysalis, a common theme could be discerned. He expected those three to hate each other, reluctantly working together only to achieve their own evil ambitions. And if given the chance, Cozy would've been the first to obliterate him from existence, but Discord still felt...

I might’ve said 'together forever', but I would’ve released her eventually… probably. Well, Luna and I had to suffer a thousand years, so... If this is her trick to get me to back off, then—honestly, why do I bother? It's not my job to be Equestria's hero! And she's far too weak now for her defeat to be satisfying. Now, if she got a power-up, then the fun will ensue! For now, I’ll consider the joys of her journal an unintentional apology.

One of the lights in Autumn’s house flicked on, and Discord saw directly inside, which meant he wasn’t hidden either. He saw no point in turning invisible now.

He threw away the thought of the fact that Cozy had held onto a vial of potent poison earlier today—the one that she used on Flurry before no less—and flew away from the house.

Done with his secret check, he held up his paw and snapped.

Author's Notes:

And with that, we move into the next arc! Let's jump a few years!

Cozy's Cosmic Karma

Cozy woke up in her own bed, in her own private bedroom. The days when she and Luster shared rooms were long over, unless the hotel they were staying in only had one bed. If her daughter had a nightmare, she preferred to deal with it alone nowadays.

It had been years since Discord and Flurry crashed Luster’s cutie mark party but (thankfully) none of them ever returned to cuff the Supervillain away.

Before, Luster was younger than Cozy was when she enrolled in the School of Friendship. Now, Luster was roughly entering her teenage years, according to Hope’s estimates; and if she had told her that today, Cozy would’ve mocked her for saying the most obvious fact in all of Equestria.

The hour hand of the round analog clock that sat on Cozy’s bedside table was only a right angle away from the twelve at the top. It was 9 AM now, three-and-a-half hours later than when she usually woke up. The ‘early bird’ stretched her shoulders and wings, and after tying her bow over her bed-headed mane, she went to open the curtains.

She had installed a security system for her house which had privacy features that not only hid her true appearance from the outside world, but also kept her voice contained indoors.

Inches of snow covered the yard. A bird bath installed on one of her neighbor’s patios had frozen over. Icicles that had formed on her roof’s drain refracted a constellation of light rays across her coat. The biting temperatures outside made Cozy glad she was a pegasus pony, and the fact that her daughter hadn’t shoveled (or flamethrower-ed) the yard, as she was supposed to, elicited a roll of the eyes from the mare, who flew downstairs.

She didn’t bother checking the bins or the sink, but her eyes caught an accidental glance at the drier; her sharpness was a curse.

“Lustie, you were supposed to take your own clothes out of the dryer!” Cozy swiped a basket towards the front of the machine’s door and its unloaded contents, taking a risky whiff of a dress to make sure no mold had formed overnight. “How could you make your hornless, overworked, old (mid-twenties) single mother do your chores?” she cried. No response. And I’m evil…

Nothing ever got done around here unless Cozy forced it, because, apparently, flicking her horn and willing a spell was too much work for the poor filly, who always brought up the fact that her mother wasn’t a unicorn—so what would she know? There was a brief moment during this era of Luster where she did her chores and get rewarded in real bits, determined by the quality of the job, and it all worked very well until she heard what River’s cousin was getting paid. That caused an upheaval. Luster wanted to be at least paid five bits for just vacuuming the floor, and after some deliberation, Cozy gave in. The next week, she wanted twenty bits. “Ridiculous!” Cozy had said, and that brings us to today.

The mother flew to the living room to find none other than her demon daughter lying on a pillow propped against the far end arm of the couch under a gray blanket. The TV was running and the curtains were closed, and while the filly did look cozy: asleep with her legs curled up in a wooly nest, that was no excuse to not be awake by now!

“Oh my golly, dear, you’re still on the sofa? Couldn’t have at least teleported up to your room? Maybe do what you’re supposed to do on a FRIDAY 9 AM!” Cozy pressed the top-most red button on the remote to turn off the TV. “Y’know, when I was younger than your age, I had to wake up at—”

The TV turned back, all whilst Luster kept her eyes closed. But Cozy knew what was happening.

“Dear, I saw your horn flash. And that couldn’t have been the Sun because there’s NO LIGHT IN HERE! And they call drones emotional vampires! If you’re not watching TV, you’re wasting my bits,” Cozy lectured as she turned off the TV again, only for it to ‘mysteriously’ turn back on again. Cozy groaned. “Lustie, seriously. I’m already upset your chores weren’t done, and don’t you dare lie and say you went to bed before me, even for last night. You were probably listening to the drier’s alarm go off but couldn’t be bothered to get up.”

Luster opened her eyes, but she wasn’t looking towards her hovering mother; instead, she was watching whatever was on television so the electricity used wouldn’t be a complete waste.

“Ahem? My eyes are up here,” Cozy said, forelegs crossed. On the third attempt to turn off the TV, nothing happened. She pressed the red circle, but the TV kept running. “Dear, did you do something to the remote?”

Luster smirked.

“Turn it off now!” Cozy demanded.

The filly didn’t comply.

Cozy closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She placed the laundry basket on the living room table, dragged a chair from the dining area, placed it backwards in front of her daughter, and sat down, blocking the view. Luster’s face fell.

“Lustie,” Cozy said, “you know I had to look far and wide for a foalsitter on such short notice after Hope bailed on us last second to attend—some concert or whatever with Suri, and after a couple of calls I started to wonder whether maybe you could handle a few days by yourself, and also whether there was no concert at all and my friends were pulling a bluff because they're scared of you, but—hey, are you even listening?! Why are your eyes and horn glowing?”

Luster gave no response, but Cozy knew what she was doing. It happened before, when her daughter used an X-ray spell to watch TV during a heart-to-heart lecture. Therefore, Cozy would skip gradual escalation and go straight to what got her to listen last time.

She flew off her seat, grabbed her chair—and smashed its legs into the TV. She struck multiple times, destroying the screen, chassis, and even the speakers, raging as she did. And once she was done, she collected her composure, tossed her weapon to the side, and said, “There, are you—”

Luster had her phone out: a flip phone with a keypad. It was levitating above her head, and based on her perpetual presses on the buttons, Cozy inferred she was texting River and doing it out of spite. Perhaps she was a traditionalist or old, but texting felt so dull to Cozy, especially compared to the flow of ink over a fresh piece of paper through an Alicorn-feather quill, all sent by the vivid ignition of portable dragon fire.

“I seem to have recalled somepony promising that they’d do whatever they were told if their mommy got them a certain electronic for Hearth’s Warming,” Cozy said. “All the drones looked with envy because it’s super hard to get one of those at that time of year… Somepony had to fly through a bunch of hoops… They’re really starting to regret it now… Might not be so nice when that foal’s birthday/adoption day comes around…”

Luster ignored her mother and kept texting.

Cozy opened the curtain blocking the sliding doors, causing Luster to squint, cover her eyes, and hiss. The base of the glass was covered in a sea of white, and though frost collected on the far-off trees, now, the Sun’s rays of warmth could pass through.

“Those two reformed drones of yours aren’t even that much older than you, and they’re running a perfectly okayish bakery selling cakes to Princesses,” Cozy said.

Atty and Prety became apprentices to an old couple, both bakers, once the only two working bakers in town, and learned by them how to bake, occasionally by Cozy via correction. Neither of them particularly enjoyed being watched over their shoulders, but to be awarded an ‘okayish’ from Cozy was an honor. She calls those two ‘the better half of the business’, berating the owners as ‘pathetically incompetent.

One day, while she was reaching for milk at the store, Discord’s face appeared inside the refrigerator.

“Ah, Butters!” he had said, wearing a face that was smugger than she remembered. “I’ve scoured all across Equestria to rediscover your secret—the drone that baked your cake, or should I say drones.”

Discord had then teleported her to the inside of the bakery, leaving Luster at the store. “These two made your Luster’s cutie-mark cake, am I right?”

“Those two?!” Cozy blurted. “Absolutely—”

“Flurry couldn’t stop thinking about it,” Discord said. “She told all the Princesses, and they’re all very curious. Perhaps I should ‘invite’ you to a royal tea party, and we’ll all try our best to ‘persuade’ you if it’s not them?”

Cozy looked at Atty and Prety, whose expressions were eagerly awaiting her response, acting as if Discord being there was a daily occurrence. She bit her lips hard and forced herself to utter, “Yep.”

Not a week later she heard from Autumn, who heard from the news, that Discord shared those samples with Flurry, who shared her samples with her mother, Twilight and the Sisters. When she passed by the store that same day, she noticed a golden plaque hung under the ‘open’ sign on the glass door reading ‘Royal Recommendation’ followed by five crowns alluding to stars. That night she dipped her quill in red ink and wrote each Princess an angry letter, only to not send a word.

Ending that recollection, Cozy said, “You’re super lucky you ever have me, Lustie!”

Texting.

Cozy groaned and flew to the ceiling, pointing as she said, “Luster Dawn! Get your flank off the couch right now, wash your face, and go hang your clothes! Your foalsitter will be here soon.”

The Supervillain’s unrivaled assertion was no match for the filly’s indifference.

“Are you having a silent stroke, or will I have to confiscate your gadgets until I get back from my—” Cozy had reached out for Luster’s phone, but her hoof slid over a round barrier, now made visible by amber ripples. The mother gasped. “How dare you!”

But Luster still pretended to be deaf.

“Luster, I’m not foaling around. Undo that bubble right now or else!”

Cozy noticed that Luster’s blanket wasn’t completely encapsulated inside her bubble. Her dome measured the length of a back couch cushion, but her blanket nearly stretched arm-to-arm. So, she bit the blanket and pulled, aiming to deprive Luster of her debilitating warmth. Cozy wedged her legs on the side of the sofa, straightened her back, and flapped her wings like a fettered bird, but Luster’s bubble held the blanket tighter than a weld. Try as she might, Cozy couldn’t un-cozy her daughter. But during her workout, she found another target: Luster’s tail peeking under the blanket, outside of her bubble.

Cozy ominously encroached into grabbing distance, only for one of Luster’s hind legs to pass through her barrier and lightly push her away mother by the joint of her jaw.

Cozy gasped. “You kicked me!” She landed on top of Luster’s bubble. “How could you do that to your own mother? That really hurt…” she lied. “Is that how you say goodbye when Mommy’s going away on an important trip? You don’t say good morning to me anymore.”

The filly’s eyes shifted up towards her mother. For a second Cozy thought she had finally gotten through to her.

Luster farted. She looked back at her phone while flickering her tail under her blanket.

Cozy groaned. “You foul foal… Fine!” She grabbed the laundry basket and plopped it upside down on Luster’s bubble. “We’ll have a chat about your behavior when I get back. Just don’t act like this when your foalsitter here, or they’ll call me asking why a Princess replaced my daughter.”

She stormed out of the room, legs dangling, only to peek her head back out. “And since you're soooo grown-up and cool, you can sort your own breakfast out. Hmph!”

She re-entered the hallway only to fly back out. “All I’ll have you know, there’s plenty of food here, so don’t call Foal Protective Services on me. Either way, you're almost as heavy as I am.”

Luster retorted, “You’re just short.”

“…Smarthind.”

Cozy wouldn’t shorten her lifespan further by continuing the conversation. She flew to the kitchen to turn on the kettle and took out a plastic container from the fridge. If her daughter wasn’t showing attitude, she would’ve brewed her a coffee, but noooo—Luster’s a big filly, she doesn’t want Mom’s help. So, Cozy only made hot water—and ate one of the two last slices of banana bread from the cold container.

“Heyyyy!” Luster whined, still inside her bubble, “You promised I could have those!”

Cozy continued chewing. “I never promised, I only said it casually.”

“Same thing!”

The mare ignored her—fire versus fire—and flew to the upstairs bathroom while hastily finishing the bread.

Once inside, she had a shower—using shampoo, soap, and featherwash—blow-dried and combed her mane, brushed her teeth, flossed, powdered her cheeks, and gargled a shot of peppermint mouthwash which she despised; Luster bought it for two whole bits only to use once, and for some reason Cozy now cared about not wasting money, even though she had more than she could possibly ever spend. An extravagant lifestyle would not only arouse suspicion, but worse than Flurry knocking on her door again, Luster would be even more spoiled.

“Luster’s going through a phase”, Cozy repeated to herself. “I’m not a suck-up. This is part of every pony’s foalhood. It’s not my fault.”

“Totally Mom!” Luster shouted.

“Luster Dawn, when I taught you that eavesdropping spell, didn’t I specifically tell you not to use it on—”

The doorbell rang.

“…me. Finally!” Cozy said. She flew downstairs, saying, “Y’know Luster, I might not even come back after this. Maybe I’ll get an apartment and you can have this place for yourself. I’m sure there are places here that’ll hire foals. You can pay your taxes—ask some stranger on the internet how.”

“The internet is as reliable, if not more than, a library, Mom,” Luster said. “Creatures are critical, and they’ll point out whether something’s wrong and they’ll get called out for it. Also, technically, most of the questions have already been asked by some other creature so—”

“Yeah, yeah, those experts, huh? The ones that share all their knowledge for free?”

“As long as you check multiple sources and aren’t stupid, I’d trust them more than some random book!”

Cozy rolled her eyes. Before she opened the door, she activated her disguise; her bow has gathered a few extra enchantments over the years. It no longer required a swipe, and instead could be turned on and off hoof-free, but more notable was that changing in and out of Butter Skies no longer left her feeling as if she had been pushed into a pool of grounded peppers with chapped skin. Hope told her that the bow’s old painful side effects were completely unrelated to the transformation bit and were placed there on purpose, but how could that make any sense? Chrysalis applied that enchantment herself, and there was no way she could’ve messed that up!

Cozy greeted the foalsitter. “Golly! You’re late!”

Lightning Dust had a scarf and soft boots. Both she and Cozy could tolerate this level of cold, but considering the skies bore even lower temperatures and windy conditions weren’t uncommon, especially in a valley, going out au naturel wasn’t the most comfortable. Even Lightning knew wearing nothing made you look more forgetful than it did resilient. So, Cozy grabbed her satchel and cloak from the pegs on the wall whilst the other pegasus gave their excuse for not showing up two hours ago.

“Oh, well, you get how it is… a lot of air traffic these days under Flurry’s rule, heh…”

“Flurry rules over West Equestrian airspace?” Cozy asked, knowing full well that Lighting had performed for the Crystal Empire less than a week before Hearth's Warming last year; Luster showed her many photos from the internet that suggested she was less than critical of the Crystal Royal Family.

“…So, heard a bit of a ruckus in here,” Lightning said. “What’s all that about?”

“That’s your demon to deal with now,” Cozy answered.

Her cloak started to glow changeling-green and transformed into a formal blouse and dress, white above, navy below, and her satchel went under an illusion that would hide her embroidered rook when in use. Those threads were both crucial for the bag’s extra-dimensional enchantment to circulate, but they also once served as a symbol she would flout when she served as a high-ranking official of the Sombra’s Empire. Also hers. It was a complicated rulership structure. But otherwise, her bag was hardly distinguishable by itself.

Her new cloak was as good as the one she wore as an official. There was a deep-pink and heart-shaped jewel that clipped the bottom ends of the hood together, housing most of the magic that allowed it to change its shape and appearance. Best of all: it had slots for her wings. In many ways, it was better than what she wore as an official of the usurped Crystal Empire, especially after a series of events ruined that cloak’s magical enchantments. Afterwards, she only kept it for sentimental value. Then, less-badly-behaved Luster stole it and jumped out of her window. Now it rests in a box in Cozy’s closet.

“Come in,” Cozy said as they swapped places. “You can keep your boots on. Somepony turned my lovely house into a pigsty!”

“Mom, it’s Twilight’s Equestria,” Luster said. “She says you can’t say that anymore.”

“Twilight never said that! And they’re pigs! You’re trying to get me to spit out my feathers on purpose, aren’t you? You find it funny when I get mad?” Cozy shouted, before turning to Lightning who was trying to conceal her own giggles.

The mother landed on the ground to ‘level’ with the foalsitter. One of them was several inches shorter than the other.

Cozy whispered, “Look Lightning, I don’t care whether you have to yell or take her stuff or banish her to the timeout chair at her age, because chances are you can’t. I had to pause the spell-casting portion of her homeschooling curriculum because I’m too good of a teacher! I don’t know how that’s possible, but then again, Sunburst is Flurry’s Crystaller… Either way, I can’t bridle her magic anymore!”

“...So she’s like younger you?” Lightning asked.

Still whispering, Cozy said, “What?! No. I was an active, determined, ambitious filly! Maybe I was a bit moody after all those years of torment, but I was never this sassy to Chrysalis—plus look at this place! And you should see her room—it’s disgusting!”

“But isn’t this your house?” Lightning asked, bluntly.

Luster laughed.

“Luster, you’re not using that eavesdropping spell again, are you?” Cozy shouted.

“What? Noooo, definitely not,” Luster replied. “Just like how you totally don’t go inside my room, because, you know, I have a sign that says you're supposed to ask for permission!”

Cozy looked (up) at Lightning. “See what I mean?!” She grabbed the other’s hoof. “But… do keep her safe.

“Phff! No problem!” Lightning replied. “Safety’s my middle name!” She attempted to pull her hoof back, but Cozy kept hold.

“I care about safety, Lightning.”

“Uhh… yeah, a lot of ponies do…”

After staring deeply into the other’s eyes, Cozy let go, switching to a happy state. “Welp, I best be off!” She skipped her way to the snowy outside and got ready to dash, bending her hind legs, extending her wings, and tilting her spine. “Oh and by the way, Lustie broke the TV. She hides her bits under the floorboard of her closet, you can use that to buy another one.”

Upon hearing such an absurd suggestion, Luster teleported to the front of the house, alone with her blanket—and the bucket of laundry; it fell on her head and caused her to stumble over the layer of snow. “Hey!” she shouted, but Cozy had already flown off.

Luster magically lifted the basket off her head, gathered each article of clothing that had been dumped onto the snow, and teleported all of it to her room. Her body had gotten used to the cold over the years, but that didn’t make her any less of a unicorn, a tribe that lacked the feathers and fluff of a pegasus, and the physical resilience of an earth pony. What she did have, however, was the ability to cast an ensemble of spells. But she was lazy, so she just walked inside, closing the door behind her.

Lightning had taken off her boots, despite Cozy’s half-serious suggestion, and wrapped her scarf over the stair’s railings.

As Luster walked past, she spotted her foalsitter. Her eyes widened at what her foalsitter was doing.

Luster grabbed Lightning with her horn and lifted her above the ground. “Those are mine,” Luster said, voice dropping.

Lightning read the labels on the can of soda that she held in her wing and swallowed. “Well, you didn’t put your name on it so…”

Luster dropped Lightning, who flapped once to land smoothly on the ground. The filly said, “That’s only because Cozy doesn’t really like soft drinks. She says they’re ‘too sugary,’ but she eats all sorts of cookies and cupcakes!”

“She sure does make good donuts…” Lightning said. “So, you two seem to get along well.”

“Phff! I hardly ever bother her,” Luster said. “She’s the one that rushes me to do stuff so quickly. It’s tiring living with a Supervillain! All I want is a bit of space.”

“Fair enough.” Lightning threw her empty soda can into an overflowing bin. “Soooo—what do you want to do about lunch? Or brunch? I haven’t really eaten breakfast yet.” She whispered, even though they were the two creatures inside, “I only woke up ten minutes ago.”

“Me too,” Luster whispered back. “Cozy ate my breakfast.”

“Should we go somewhere outside then?”

“Yeah.”

Lightning spoke normally. “Great! Let’s go!”

Luster watched as her foalsitter re-wore her scarf and went towards her boots. “You mean now?”

“Well, duh,” Lightning replied. “How long do you want to wait? I mean, unless you want to stand in line by yourself because it’s nearly lunch hour and lines aren’t my thing.”

Luster rubbed her chin and thought deeply about what her foalsitter said. “Okay, you’re right. But let me go grab my stuff first.”

Lightning leaned against the wall in front of the stairs. “Go ahead.”

The filly nodded her head and teleported.

Lightning could hear her reappear in the room upstairs to the left. She waited for a whole thirty seconds, sat on the steps, waited a while longer. Two minutes had passed, and Luster had yet to return.

“Are you okay up there?” Lightning called. She got no response.

Sighing to herself, the foalsitter hovered off the ground and went towards the room that was obviously Luster’s. Leftover residue from tape marked the body of the door and a paper plastered on—that wasn’t written in Cozy’s cursive, but instead in print with red markers—read: “PLEASE knock before entering!” So, Lightning knocked twice and entered before Luster could say ‘don’t’.

“You done, squirt?” Lightning asked.

Luster’s room was a mess. She had an unmade single bed, her curtains were closed, and the clothes Cozy passed her had teleported to the floor of her ajar closet. The only reason the floor itself wasn’t littered with junk was because she swept everything to a corner of her room.

“Please knock next time,” Luster said, only a bit annoyed. Thirty items orbited around her, from books to old birthday cards to air fresheners and candles, dumbbells; a boxy monitor, desktop, and keyboard; and her mother’s—or Seraph’s—old diplomatic passport. There was an illustration of the Royal Family in front of the Crystal Heart on the page it was ccurently opened. The cover of the passport itself was made of a pink-colored crystal, and the motif of the Crystal Heart Appeared again at the back in the form of Cadance's cutie mark. Surely Cozy would’ve kept that in her own room for sentimental value?

Feeling pressured by Lightning waiting behind her, Luster forced her mind to focus on performing an object-finding spell.

A light flashed from under her bed. Between a few pens and papers that fell behind the wall side of the mattress, and boxes that were empty but she kept for future usage, Luster saw her target. She pulled from the darkness of her bed: a leather jacket; design: black all over. It was a size larger than ideal for the filly, nearly touching her tail, but it fits her well enough to wear outside.

“Just hang on for a sec,” Luster said as she turned around and levitated a punch of spikes out of her bedside drawer. A concentrated beam flowed out of her horn continuously as she welded the spikes onto her collars.

Lightning would’ve been taken aback by Luster’s lack of tidiness if her room wasn’t in the exact same state.

The only real shocker was how Cozy allowed it. She used to go on long-winded tirades over Flurry’s room being a mess. The Princess wouldn’t let just any officially appointed member of the staff barge into her room and rummage through whatever they pleased. There had to be a degree of trust first, and you could probably guess one of the few creatures she trusted. Although after a while, Flurry started to care too much about Seraph’s opinions to let her continue room-cleaning duties, that didn’t erase the images of filth from Cozy’s mind.

“Nice jacket,” Lightning said.

“Thanks!” Luster replied, a smile showing on her face. “Cozy made me take off the spikes because she thought it would’ve been bad for Butters’ reputation. But at the worst, most creatures would probably only feel bad for her if they saw me wearing this—uhm, maybe not that depressing, but I meant only at the worst! Many well-behaved foals wear these sorts of clothes. My mom just doesn’t understand that most creatures nowadays don’t care about those sorts of things, right? And I mean, she’s Cozy Glow!”

“Totally,” Lightning replied. “But it’s a bit thin, no? Aren’t unicorns a bit sensitive to the cold, even though they all live in the mountains?”

“I know a warmth spell,” Luster said. “It’s pretty cool—or, warm. Haha.”

Lightning nodded. “Alright then. Now all that’s left is... how are we gonna get to wherever we’re going? Should I carry you?” the foalsitter chuckled.

“Uh… I can self-levitate.”

“Woah, really? So, we can race?” Lightning smirked.

“Well, it’s probably not really as fast as you…” Luster admitted.

Lightning walked up closer. “But you’re faster than your mom, right?” she teased.

Luster looked away. “It sorta depends on your definition of fast and stuff, relativity and all that…”

“Of course,” Lightning said. “You can tell me about it when we get to the place. You teleported a bunch of times since I got here. How far can you jump?” She raised an eyebrow.

“I could probably make it to Vanhoover,” Luster said, trying hard to sound humble though, really, she wanted to brag to her foalsitter.

“Aww, dang!” Lightning punched air across her chest.

“What?”

“Oh nothing… It’s just that I was really meaning to try out this one restaurant in Canterlot but—if you only make it to Vanhoover, and don’t want to be carried there, then I’m totally fine with that.”

Lightning was only playing around by ignoring how impressive Luster’s current abilities were, not that she would really get it being a pegasus stuntmare. But Luster took it a bit more personally than she expected.

“I can totally make it to Canterlot!”

“Heh, listen, you don't even know what place I'm talking about and I’m—”

Luster took out her phone. “You send me a message and we’ll find each other when we get there!”

“Yeah, but your mom—”

Luster vanished in a flash of light.

Lightning stared at where the filly once stood, face yet to react. “…Aw buck.”

---

“Now my friend Silverstream will show you all to the dorms,” Ocellus said to a group of young creatures. “All of you, please follow her.”

“This way!” Silverstream said, waving her waving away her claw.

The School of Friendship was conducting their annual tours of the campus for those aspiring to one day study there, and because of that, and the upcoming exams, all the current students had a week without classes to study by themselves, or preferably in their own groups, for the theory portions. As such, Ocellus was knackered. She led the outside tours of today’s first group, and like all the other days since last Saturday, there were two other tours left until she could finally relax.

At least she had an hour-long break until the debrief. She was certainly not going to waste it this time by doing anything productive, so she headed upstairs towards her favorite teacher’s lounge. Smolder would’ve passed off her group to Trixie by now, so she was expecting to meet the dragon there, though they made no plans and she wouldn’t be mad if she didn’t. Maybe she could use an hour by herself. There’d probably be other teachers in the room, but they’d only be close friends, not one of her five best friends.

She was about to pass by Starlight’s office when she noticed a light-pink mare with a mane and tail split into six colors: purple, cerise, orange, yellow, turquoise, and blue, and a cutie mark of a notepad. The mare was shaking whilst memorizing a piece of paper filled with common interview questions and tips for impressive answers.

“Nervous?” Ocellus asked.

“…Yeah,” the mare responded, “a bit nervous. The creature before me was so confident and talky. If that’s who I have to compete with—” She forced out a chuckle.

Ocellus smiled. “I’m sure you’ll be fine. Starlight has multiple positions she wants to fill before she ‘steps down’,” she said with big quotation marks around the last two words.

“True…” the mare said. “Maybe that creature was just particularly outgoing. She acted almost as if we went to the same school together, but I don’t remember seeing her before, and I feel like I’d remember knowing a pony who’s ten years younger than me, though maybe my memories are just a bit hazy. I remembered seeing you though! We both used to be students at this school, but I was in a class of mostly other foals.”

“I thought you looked familiar,” Ocellus said. Noticing that the mare was still overly anxious, she added, “Instead of worrying, try wondering how it would be to work with a creature who, you said, was very friendly.”

“Yeah…” the mare replied.

“Rest assured,” Ocellus said, “Starlight isn't exactly a judgmental pony. You shouldn’t let stress get to you on a Friday—” She turned her head—and saw another’s popping between the Headmare’s doors: lemon-coated, bow-wearing—and lacking the noisome scent that followed her the last time they met. "—morning…"

The changeling’s mouth froze agape. She took a few steps back.

Butter Skies smiled. “Gosh, it’s been a while, hasn’t it, Celly?”

Author's Notes:

I'm sorry for the fart joke.

Back Again

Ocellus dragged Butters by the hoof, skidding past corners across the crystalline floor, and to one of the more remote bathrooms on that level of the building. By a mirror they stopped, the changeling attempting to transmute shock into anger for strength in facing that pony monster, and the monster itself entertained, checking herself out in the stained mirrors. There was a moment of internal deliberation where Ocellus stood frozen in what to do. It felt foolish even to talk to her again. Remembering what Cozy was served as the only sense of mental protection she had against her deception and trickery.

After a selfish look at herself, Cozy turned to face Ocellus. She encroached on the other with a lean forwards, a squint, and asked, “Do I know you?”

I’m not falling for that, Ocellus said but not loudly, then normally, “I recognize it’s you.”

Cozy didn’t respond. Her reason for not doing so was ostensibly because she didn’t know what the older creature was implying or even who she was, but after watching Ocellus do nothing besides sway between weight-bearing legs, catching herself fall into the repetitive motion, then ceasing all activity in her muscles, Cozy tossed her a bone. “Busy day? Wait, don’t tell me… We met on a train ride, during autumn a few years back! You and I chatted, and I revealed a bit more than what strangers should know about me. A lot of that was pretty personal, but I needed to vent a bit about my tragic life because I was pretty upset that day, and, well, you probably sniffed it out by the look on your face that I remembered. I’m all calm now so that’s why I smell normal.”

A playful smirk on Cozy tried to set the tone, but Ocellus wouldn’t relent her guard. “Why are you here?”

“Because I need a job?” Cozy said. “I’d love to spend all my hours being a mother and baking and teaching but I’m afraid to say that snuggling my daughter doesn’t pay the bills. This is the next best thing.”

Ocellus had completely forgotten about that filly by Cozy’s side last they met. What dynamic or roles those two had to each other kept her up on the night following their last encounter because it just didn’t make sense unless… “What happened to…”

“Lustie? She’s fine,” Cozy said. “Healthy, somehow. But no, she’s fine.”

“Right, and she’s being taken care of?”

“As much as she lets me.” Cozy shrugged.

“Being well fed?”

“A bit too well fed, but her metabolism makes up for it. Jelly.”

“She looked like a skeleton the last time I saw her,” Ocellus pressed.

“Being undead would explain the stench,” Cozy half-joked, half-whined.

“What?”

“Listen,” Cozy said, pressing on the sink’s tap. “My name is Butter Skies. I’m here to get a job to provide my filly with a soft bed and a bright future. I don’t cause trouble for creatures that don’t get in my way. Let me be clear: there’s nothing for you to worry about. Relax. You really should.” Cozy walked towards the exit. “But if you want to hang out, I’m always open.” She winked.

“…Couldn’t you have gone to Friendship U.?”

Cozy flicked the wet tips of her wings at Ocellus’ face, dousing her in a drizzle. “Don’t be silly! I can’t stand working closely with… those two,” she stated vitriolically. “They pay well though. Better than here, hah!”

Cozy entered the hallway with Ocellus on her tail. The latter said, “You know Twilight comes here often?”

“Wouldn’t that be an honor to meet her!”

“The Sisters come around occasionally.”

“Okay.”

“Flurry and Candance?”

“Their schedules are—probably—busy for the next two months even though I’m sure they’ve made a couple of commitments. I wouldn’t count on those.”

“Disco—”

Cozy shushed Ocellus by smacking a wing over her lip. She looked behind and around herself then back at the other. Resuming her character: “When is anypony ever free from that chaotic bully?”

“…What about the Cutie Mark Crusaders? They pop around sometimes.”

“Are you trying to make me upset?” Cozy asked. “Please, I’ve had years to get over my missed opportunities. You’re so salty for an ex-drone.”

Cozy turned her head forwards, away from Ocellus who, taken aback by a rare mention of her own past, slugged in her steps. As the former faced the front, she bumped into a chest full of feathers and flapped her wings back. Pink and Princess-sized with sharp claws, Silverstream, had appeared from the hallway’s corner and Butters was too focused to pay attention. It’s been a few years since she’s done anything of this scale. The pegasus dusted her blouse and hovered to reach an equal eye level.

Silverstream spoke before Cozy could. “You’re that mare we met on the train that Ocellus felt weird about!”

The shock that escaped Cozy’s managed to push her pupils towards a wall for a brief second. “You—have a great memory! Yep, that’s me! Butter Skies: loitering mare looking for a job.”

“Wow, Equestria’s so small,” Silverstream said. She noticed Ocellus. “You two were catching up!” She hid under her arms. “Did I interrupt that? I can go.”

“No, stay!” Ocellus asserted. “I was actually going to take ‘Skies’ here to grab a bite. A quick one, before the next tour. Shouldn’t be that busy.”

“Aren’t you going the wrong way?” Cozy asked, a pretend look of uncertainty placed on her face as if the School’s most infamous expulsion was clueless as to where anything or everything was. She could traverse from one end of the campus to the other, blindfolded, through windows and vents, avoiding the sound of creatures she recognized, owed to the preparations of leftover plans for Equestria’s domination plotted when she was a filly—those never went anywhere—from late nights spared of studying by early bird under candlelight in a room absent of a bunkmate (Cozy used to have one; they filed a complaint to the school because of a snoring somepony but caught a nasty strain of both salmonella and E. coli the next morning. Cozy was kind enough to organize the class a hospital visit).

The mare led the way with Ocellus following behind, and Silverstream also but cheerfully. When Cozy brushed through the cafeteria doors, a wave of nostalgia washed over her. Freshly mopped floors between a maze of tables and benches with wet floor signs as the mines preceding the enemy counter manned by a lunch pony who looked extra miserable today, engrossed in a magazine.

Cozy sat on the nearest seat. “I brought my own lunch.” And she pulled out a cup of noodles stolen from Luster’s kitchen cabinet. That marked twice that she stole from her daughter today, though Cozy intended to buy a set of six squared packets later as an apology replacement, or if she didn’t notice, a gift. She poured, into the cup, water from the bottle she pulled from her bag (now a purse) and mixed the flavoring powder and magical oil causing an exothermic reaction that heated the broth, producing a pop and small geyser.

“Yeah, I wouldn’t eat here,” Cozy continued, mixing the ingredients with the plastic fork between the tip-feathers of her left wing. “The food in this place nearly destroyed the stomach of a pony I knew. Y’know staff and students in the Crystal Empire’s enjoy freshly sourced produce, young Yaks in their schools don’t have to pay, and those Kirin plus wherever Mistmane comes from have different stalls with all sorts of eclectic cultures, and culinary variety.” She took a bite and added with protruding cheeks, “Like mini food courts.” Swallowed. “Gosh, this is spicy!”

As Cozy checked the cup to see if they changed the ingredients of the instant meal she knew, Ocellus glanced at the bag dividing her from Cozy, with Silverstream sat opposite, and slowly used the tip of her hoof to prop the top lip of the opened zipper. A pink wing shoved itself inside and opened it fully for the nosy changeling to inspect. Tissues, a banana, an A6 notebook, a brown mug clearly molded by a foal with permanent maker-written words reading “Equestria’s Baddest Mom”—Ocellus had no clue on what to make of that—a telephone, and other sundries, were the only objects she could spot in Cozy’s bag that had a bottom. And also an hourglass-shaped water bottle which Cozy pulled back out, sparing no looks towards the other, squeezing a jet of water through the narrow nozzle into her mouth. Her lips were pepper red, her nostrils became drippy and her saliva thick.

Cozy, in a spice-induced mania, took out her phone, flipped it open, and texted her daughter, missing none of the keys, asking whether she heard of a recipe change in the noodles she usually bought, not giving away too soon that she stole a cup. Luster responded immediately in a language of colorful hieroglyphics. Her mother understood none of it.

“Are you alright?” Silverstream asked. Cozy was tapping away, panting. Water only made her stomach feel bloated. “What are you doing?”

“Calling my daughter,” Cozy said. “You wanted to hear she’s doing well, right Celly?”

Celly… Ocellus still wasn’t a fan of that nickname—too sugary bordering on a pet name—at least not when coming out of that mouth.

Two rings and the filly picked up.

“Why do you sound like your mouth’s on fire?” Luster asked, rushing out the sentence with a puff through her nostrils as if a funny thought was pacing around her mind.

Cozy hadn’t said a word and furrowed at the phone, which Luster couldn’t see but the other two creatures could. That confirmed her suspicions on tampering. “Did you place some sort of ‘spicy exacerbation’ spell on our food?”

“You mean on my food?”

“I share my snacks with you!”

“Yeah, but I always ask for permission first.”

“You don’t! You ate all my brownies last Saturday.”

“That’s because you always say yes, and I know you wouldn’t say no. I know you. I know you very well. I say no sometimes. ”

“Of course you do…” Cozy padded a tissue against a layer of sweat forming around her lips, now stained red with soup. “So that’s a yes?”

“I don’t see why that’s important unless you’ve stolen something from me, but that would be really bad parenting.”

“I forgot which cabinet was yours—I was in a rush okay?”

“Liar. You never forget.”

“Lustie.”

“Okay fine, I placed a spicy spell on my own noodles, but it’s not my fault you stole them! That’s your own fault.”

“You understand today’s very important for me, right?”

“You probably don’t want to hear about the laxative spell I also placed.” Foal laughs proceeded as Cozy’s eyes twitched. She thought, she must be kidding, but revived memories of her daughter’s past “incidents” placed that thought into question. She rivaled her mother in cruelty, though in her own more playful subset; she nevertheless lived without inhibition or sanity—unlike Cozy, who was very sane and restrained—and while her mother’s most active months were under the wing of some good-destined pony or goat, where apologies were uttered every other action to paint herself as some weak insecure filly or mare, Luster never apologized.

“Sorry, I was joking,” Luster said. “Actually, no, I’m not. Maybe. Which one’s the lie, Mom? You should be able to guess since you’re a—”

“Dear, you’re on speaker. Remember Ocellus and Silverstream? From the train ride a few years ago? Back when the fires you set were accidental? They’re here with me now,” Cozy said. “Ocellus was actually wondering about you!” Cozy passed the phone to the wondering creature, but she kept quiet.

“Hi, Ocellus.” Luster paused. “So… you weren’t wondering about how I was doing?” She sobbed very fake sobs.

Cozy said, “You had me blocked until last—”

“Is it cozy in whatever room you’re in?” Luster asked.

“…”

“Cozy?” Luster repeated. “Does it have a lovely glow?”

“Okay, bye dear,” Cozy said, ending the call with a kissing sound and a sigh once the connection was severed. She slammed her head onto the table. “I forgot to ask about her foalsitter…”

“Luster never said hi to me…” Silverstream said, turning to Ocellus.

“She remembers the colder impressions more,” Cozy enlightened. “Does that answer your doubts, Celly?”

“…She lets you hug her?” Ocellus asked. “You said earlier you’d snuggle with her all day if it could pay the bills.”

Cozy rolled her head along the table and looked up. “Fine. You caught me.” She raised her wings into the air. “I lied. I only came here to take a break from my daughter. Getting a proper job is therapy that pays… in half-bits, at least around here.”

“You became a teacher to destress?” Ocellus asked.

“…Yes.”

“Oh, don’t get her worried,” Silverstream said to Ocellus, and placed a claw on a hoof Cozy had resting on the table. “I’m sure you’ll love it here! I’m hoping Starlight accepts you.”

“I know Starlight will accept me,” Cozy said as she lifted her head back up, twisting a wing over the withers of the headmare whose surprise had been thwarted, patting twice.

Starlight allowed the wing to stay. Any unicorn could use a sheet of warmth on a cold late-winter morning, though the mare wasn’t bare; she had a cyan collared undershirt, a velvet long-legged wool jacket, and a dress of a darker shade. Her age was starting to show; Cozy was glad. She wondered why none of these good-doers ever resorted to an age-reduction spell, which should’ve sat comfortably in Starlight’s skill range; perhaps she knew immortality as a curse, but that wasn’t a reason to not at least use an illusion to cover up those wrinkles.

There were different types of immortality: the one where you gain control over when you die and how, and the one without limits, death or life, a punishment where you’re stripped of the ability to make choices, a voice, an experience that made haunting Tartarus preferable, and Cozy had visited Tartarus; noisy, humid Tartarus, hot with howling monsters, each of whose sole crime was being what they were, without the cognition to make up for it. Touch-starved and pathetic. Except for her and Tirek. There was a reason they sat on the highest ledge. And also limbo. There’s a difference between joining a collective consciousness and an eternal white room, Rockhoof!

It must’ve been some sort of embracement culture or perhaps because mages become more powerful as they age and so a lovely stereotype emerged. Cozy scanned Starlight’s look again, more intensely as she did during the interview. A goofy soft smile upon lilac lips—how terrifying! Luckily, Cozy’s train of thought ran quickly so the air being awkward could be faulted to Ms. Obvious.

Starlight spoke. “You’ve passed the interview stage alright, but there are a couple of other hurdles before you get hired. Sorry.”

“No, no, it’s fine,” Cozy assured. “Background checks and test runs are no hassle if it means keeping our foals and youth safe from whatever insidious monsters lurk beneath the shadows—” She side-eyed at Ocellus. “—waiting to enact some glorious plan.”

“Precisely!” Starlight said, oblivious. “But don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll do fine.” She whispered, “I’m rooting for you!”

“But of course,” Ocellus interjected, “Starlight will be objective and take all of our impressions into consideration.”

“Of course,” Starlight said. “You won’t have to worry about Trixie’s vote though. She’s a big fan of your muffins.”

“They’re my secret weapon!” Cozy said. “Don’t tell the Princesses or I’ll be locked into servitude.”

Starlight laughed.

Cozy added, “I’m serious. I’ve seen it happen.”

Starlight interrupted her laugh with a cough. “Well, I have a few more interviews to get through later,” she said. “Your visitor's pass should be valid till the end of the day so feel free to wander around. Make a few friends. There’s a student-run café on the—”

“Actually,” Ocellus said, “our next tour is about to start—” Silverstream eyed the nearest clock. “—so why don’t you join us? A comprehensive supervised walk around the school that you’ve never visited before because this is your first day.”

Cozy rolled her eyes and smirked like a mother being pulled from her friends to be shown her filly’s cardboard time machine. She wore her bag and flew to discard her half-eaten noodle cup, pouring the soup down a long trough sink and tossing the rest into a bin. “Well, we better hurry up then. Smolder must be waiting for you two. That is her name, right?”

Ocellus walked over and Silverstream flew. “Right,” said the changeling, and they left Starlight to her lunch, also brought from home.

The sun shone through the graphic windows of the school. Ocellus watched Cozy's hovering limbs to make sure she didn't try to trip her down the stairs. They approached the new group waiting for them, being three minutes late; Smolder managed to entertain the group with a few generic questions and glared at the two, and was a bit surprised when she saw Butters.

“We should stop by that café Starlight mentioned. You two haven’t had a bite to eat.” Cozy pouted; her stomach growled. “I’m still a bit hungry myself.”

Ocellus stayed silent. She felt obliged to watch Cozy though she didn’t have to; she could have raised a word then and now and the fugitive would be met with her very own response team, teleported straight in from Canterlot, trained by Flash Magnus and commanded by Gallus, who would cut a claw for such an opportunity. Though maybe that’d be too predictable. Cozy wasn’t that sort of stupid. She always had a plan, and perhaps her reporting is part of that plan—a lure. And what would happen to that filly? Their dynamic was… mysterious. Cozy couldn't have Luster actually out of her control; she wooed the Princess when she was nine turning ten, and when she was eleven, she destroyed Canterlot Castle, alongside Tirek and…

“Lost in thought, Celly?” Cozy asked as the group she was meant to help guide walked (or flew) past; Silverstream picked up the figurative mic.

“No, yeah,” Ocellus said.

“That café wasn’t there back then in my day. Of course not that I remember hearing from that friend of mine; I’ve never studied here a day in my life.” Cozy hovered lower in case Ocellus was tired of looking up (a cheeky habit carried over from her foalhood). “I was serious about you needing to relax. I’m only here for a job.”

---

“Have a golly—oh.” Mom hung up. Luster shrugged and plopped her phone into her jacket pocket, turned ninety degrees, and continued her stroll around the central food district of Canterlot, sightseeing all of the different restaurants. But did she have enough bits to buy what she wanted? She stopped walking and closed her eyes. A locked metal box appeared in front of her, contained in her amber glow. She opened it with a spell—click!—and sorted the bits inside as she walked around the streets. Snow piled around the edges of the buildings with pegasi still shoveling the roofs, but the paths were salted.

Somepony screamed—a trio actually—from the side: a white unicorn, purple mane, but difficult to discern from the sea of creatures. Luster wasn’t sure if she was even the one that screamed, because the thief's claws weren't on her. The figure was robed, had two of their claws on a backpack worn by—was that a pegasus?—not a unicorn. The robber was flying above the ground, using some pair of wings shrouded by the cloth to pull themselves backwards and the bag. They also had a tail brushing the floor. Luster continued walking while eyeing the commotion that had gathered a ring of bystanders following the public doctrine of non-interference. If she just could just get a clear visual...

A laser shot between the limbs of the strangers, narrowly missing a foal but popping their balloon, as it made a touchdown on its target: the hip of the robed creature. The magic worked immediately. One blink later and the scene had changed. The figure was trapped in a heavy transparent crystal—basically the hydrogen of conjuration—cerise, like Luster’s coat. And with the threat subdued and an earth pony uttering something in a country accent that Luster couldn’t hear very well nor understand even if she could, the hungry teenager continued on, looking totally cool. Her face suggested indifference. Really, saving the day was a casual occurrence for the filly; it was only muscle memory; she wouldn't deign a glare at who exactly she had defeated. All she had to do was walk away, like a hero before an explosion.

The jacket helps with that, Luster thought. They’re all probably gazing at me—no biggie.

Her stomach rumbled. Well, Mom stole my food and she’ll probably kill me for my ‘special touch’ so now I really don’t have an option but to eat… where? Let's see: that place looks fancy, and so does that other place; there’s a griffon restaurant and a… changeling? Do they even need to eat? Those two that I know only ever went to that modern art thing where they serve you a spoonful of weird flavors for a truckload of bits. That and their bakery. It was about the “experience” or something. They’ve survived a long time without food before. Apparently months. And they said that a long long time ago Celestia trapped the old Hive in a volcano and a few of them started eating each other but… How did Mom survive Tartarus again?

All those thoughts of cannibalism made Luster hungrier so she told herself she had to find a place soon. Was she supposed to do something after that? Certainty lingered around the word “texting”.

Oh yeah, I should text Mom a picture of my food.

But the question of what to get remained in tow, until she spotted someplace that would represent liberation from her Mom’s trip had granted her and a mischievous grin rose from her face. Cozy was so bossy when it came to fast food which Luster theorized was only because Twilight loved fast food. She also never drank coffee like Luna or ordered pizza like Cadance, though she did enjoy cakes like Celestia and cupcakes like Flurry, who she heavily implied only grew addicted to the treat because of her so really it was plagiarism. Luster loved coffee and pizza, and Hayburgers, but besides special occasions (birthdays, a Princess being caught in controversy, etc.) she was never allowed to indulge in it. Why waste the opportunity?

Luster was right in front of the glass doors belonging to a Hayburger.

Relax, Luster. This’ll be cool.

She opened the doors thoroughly and basked in the Sun’s warmth on her back as she prepared for her applause for saving the day. But nocreature turned from their seats or the line, and both of those were packed. There was a pair of guards at the counter reading from a long list.

That’s it? No free meal for saving the day? Ugh!

Luster wasn’t going to be there all day. A different restaurant would surely appreciate her presence. So she looked around for a place that wasn’t too packed and wasn’t too pocket-draining. That brought her to a more vitamin D-starved area of Canterlot: dry, cold, but also cleared of snow, because snow had no avenue to seep. A dark alleyway. It reminded her of some place buried within a distressing chapter of her past.

She peeked through the windows of this new food place (the corners were shattered) and spotted a few customers so she hadn’t fallen into a desolate alt-reality. There weren’t any lines, they sold burgers, and the food looked oily enough. Sometimes a pony simply craved the taste of junk, or what Mom would call: garbage, and a famous cello player: rubbish.

Those customers look rough. I mean, look at those synthetic leather jackets…

Luster had her horn on standby as she entered and walked to the counter, amassing the stares she wanted to the Hayburger.

Curse you, fate, and your ironic sense of humor!

The items on the menu were more expensive than what she remembered Hayburger offering but she justified it as a fee for a fast pass. The pictures on the menu looked genuine, which she wasn’t sure was a good thing.

That burger looks like it wants to be eaten alright…

As Luster skimmed through the menu, she sensed the creature at the counter looking at her. Not wanting to leave a blind spot, she looked up to make eye contact.

An earth pony manned the counter. A familiar colt around her age with a beige coat and orange mane. A stare-off ensued.

Author's Notes:

Sorry for the lack of updates I was wagie-slaving for six days a week and managed it terribly.

(Filler Chapter)

Author's Notes:

I was writing the next chapter (written ~6000 words so far) and wanted to write a short example for some point (After the phrase "pressed for comments" next chapter) but it went on for too long. If this is poorly written/has more typos than usual it's because I really want to get this posted already (Haven't sent it to my proofreader yet, sorry Ep0na) and I'm tired/busy. But I'm still really invested in this story!

Seven months ago on a wet summer night:

Cozy was lying across the couch, playing through all the available jingles in her brand-new flip phone in pursuit of a ringtone to match her style. The majority came with the device, but a few of the longer ones were installed via cable by her daughter. She offered to “set everything up” using the computer Cozy bought for her: “The stupidest decision I ever made,” she would very publicly voice. Luster’s cheek hadn’t reached the height of the present day, so Cozy was spared only a locked door and hours of silence when she asked her to get off the dammed thing: annoying, but better than being the victim of whatever spell she happened to learn surfing the web. The songs she installed were pirated from those shores. And now that one act of kindness will be used as a defense of that Pandora’s box—Cozy knew.

She was about to push herself off the sofa and to her bed—at 9 PM—before her phone rang. The call was announced by a heavy-metal song called, “Howls of a Fallen Filly.” It was what Luster used to demonstrate how to change a ringtone. Cozy wasn’t sure her daughter believed her when she said that they had technology in her days and that she knew how to use a phone. To be fair, her birthday and age were off by ten years. But she still had the foalhood that a mother now raising a pre-teen would’ve experienced, minus anything outside of school or proper friends—not those traitors; they don’t count for anything. The lyrics were a play of her months in Tartarus, although it suffered from many inaccuracies, from the title implying she ever howled, or the allusion to Tirek being the one pulling her strings when they were penning each other letters.

He’d be fuming by ears if he ever got a load of this… Cozy smiled and frowned. She considered writing a few of her suggestions to the band—what they did wrong and what they did… She wasn’t really a fan of the musical aspect.

She answered the call. An old stallion spoke from the other side of the line. It was a cop, and not just a cop, but the sheriff of the village.

The stallion told her his name, his position, and why he was— “Sorry, I didn’t really catch that,” Cozy said. “Can you please say that again, preferably spell it out? Please?”

After fulfilling her odd request and niceties were out of the way, he asked, “You’re the guardian of a ‘Luster Dawn,’ correct?”

Cozy replied, “Yes.”

As the sheriff went on, Cozy left wing gradually placed her fountain pen on its side and crept upwards to pinch the bridge of her muzzle. And the sheriff kept on going. And Cozy wingtip suffused to blanket her whole face and pull her eyelids down towards what little exceptions she had remaining.

“Did you get all that?” asked the sheriff.

“Yeah,” Cozy responded, dead. “Sorry, it’s just—ugh.”

“I understand ma’am,” he said. “Perhaps you’re interested in a ‘how to control your foal’ course? It’s run by my brother. Wonderful guy! He has a degree in family counseling.”

“Uh-huh…” Cozy’s wing returned to the pen. “What’s his name, and where does he live? Letter by letter, pretty please?”

---

Cozy spotted Luster before she even entered the station. She was on a foldable chair behind the counter where a receptionist sat between calls. When the filly saw who entered the building, her head went back to being enchanted by the tiled floor.

The sheriff would eventually come out of his office and offer to shake Cozy’s hoof.

Her face looked contorted. Her words were very stern: “I can’t believe she’s done this,” “It’s just ridiculous,” “I’ll have to teach her a proper lesson when she gets back!” “Well, perhaps I’ve been going a bit too soft on her.” Luster was seated right next to her. The officer beyond the desk nearly reached out to pat the mare’s shoulder. After giving his personal advice, to which Cozy would nod, he allowed the duo to leave. The phone call was now an hour ago. Cozy, using the power of words to detain the office’s better judgment, managed to talk down Luster’s punishment from a Sunday of community service, what River Song got, to a whole week. This was to: “spare her the guilt.”

They left the building to humid air. Darkness and clever tricks called “keeping quiet” and “looking away” helped Luster hide her bloodshot eyes. But those were only from tears.

She wanted to wait until her mother calmed down before opening her mouth, which would probably be after the final day of community service. But Luster couldn’t help but notice her mother had taken a wrong turn leading opposite to the direction of their house.

“...You know where you’re going?” Luster asked

Cozy continued walking, ignoring her daughter’s question. Instead, she asked her own. “Vandalism?”

Luster should’ve kept her mouth shut. “I only really watched. It’s River Song’s Ponish teacher. He’s a huge jerk! Apparently.”

“Only watched? You stole the toilet paper from our bathroom,” Cozy said.

The ground transitioned from peddled roads to wooden planks to a dirt path formed by earth-pony trampling. The creature who had wings used hers, whilst the one who could command reality to do her bidding decided to abstain from spells. She wanted to appear less arrogant for now, so she bared through the occasional rock or root poking out of the dark.

“Sorry,” Luster apologized, stumbling. Her eyes weren’t as sharp as her mother's.

Unbeknownst to her, Cozy wasn’t holding a furrow. Her face had turned indifferent once they left the sight of other creatures. But she felt disappointed. So she asked Luster what had bugged her since she got the call. “How in Equestria did you get caught? Can’t you teleport?”

“…River got caught first.”

“Do I need to state the obvious? You teleport to our kitchen to grab mayo whenever they run out to restaurants. You teleport to the supermarket whenever you’re hungry for free samples. When it started to come down on our trip to the seaside, you teleported me, River, and Autumn—”

“Alright, I get it,” Luster groaned. “They saw our faces so, and I thought somepony had my back since she’s in no place to judge.” The filly realized what she had just done: validated Cozy’s fear.

“Rely on me? Honey, you’re nearly a teenager. Most parents don’t give their foals as much liberty as I give you. And we both know what it’s like not having a lap to lie on. If you want to keep your freedom, you’ll have to learn to handle situations on your own. That doesn’t mean you can’t ask me for help, but it does mean you should know how to get yourself out of a simple pickle.” She turned around but kept flying in the same direction. “Unless you want to be treated like a drone?” She shrugged. “They don’t see that much sunlight, and trust me, I know. Those first years since becoming unfrozen were… not filled with the skies I had longed for.”

“How often did you see the Sun?” Luster asked.

“...More often than I did under Celestia and Luna’s arrangements, that’s for sure. Those two love hogging everything for themselves,” Cozy answered. “When I first snuck out to watch the sunset over the clouds, despite my bounty, and all creatures who work without rest to see me suffer… I felt free.”

“Must’ve been nice.”

“…Sometimes I wonder if you know much of the world there is. Also, I never got caught. At least not by cops.”

The trail of hoots, crickets, and the wind’s hum through the trees followed the duo up until they reached the other side of the hill. From there, they could spot the lights of Vanhoover’s skyline. The city was where Luster got her Swamp Fever shots and went to for the odd lunch.

Pegasi loved to travel! Hovering was less tiring compared to walking; A dash, less than a gallop. Luster could expect her mother to sneak out after lunch each day to catch her favorite ice cream truck—in Ponyville. And she’d be back on the couch before whatever garbage reality TV show they were watching finished playing. Whilst teleportation was infinitely quick, it was exhausting, and, outside of short jumps and emergencies, the train still served as the preferred mode of travel for most unicorns. Even Luster, who could teleport up to the peak of the nearby Unicorn Ranges whenever she got too sweaty during summer, had a cooldown. If she teleports to Canterlot in the morning, then the earliest she’d be back would be early afternoon—via the train. Otherwise, she’ll be lifting her fork with her mouth for the next twenty-four hours.

Sitting on a log behind her mother, Luster yawned. Cozy hovered, admiring the view.

“What are we doing here?” Luster asked.

“...If you were so big I’d carry you to where we were doing,” Cozy said. Her words meant less that she was physically incapable; more so, she didn’t want to embarrass her daughter in front of the fireflies. Without any elaboration, she flew forward, glided down the hill, and redirected her momentum upwards into the dark.

Through the habits she developed living with Cozy—adaptations to which she wasn’t taught—Luster shot a tracking spell on her mother. Managing to strike her back, Butter’s body made a single pulsation of orange, syncing with Luster’s horn.

There wasn’t a building for miles where she was heading. Just to eliminate a small, optimistic possibility, Luster waited for Cozy to return. She lit up her horn and stood up.

Ten minutes have passed. She should probably get to looking. Throughout this time, a few dot-sized bugs hopped onto her body. Sluggish by her worry, Luster only used her legs or tail to flick off the intruders. But as she moved, she felt something. There was something on her cutie mark. She creaked her neck backwards; and she saw in her light: a tarantula. Now, filly Cozy would’ve told her to kill that thing with fire. But older Cozy, having grown comfortable about bugs, would’ve said that there was nothing to be scared of. After all, the filly was practically a mage. Luster Dawn carried the same oomph as a mute pulling a minigun out from under their trench coat.

Bucking the air like an angry bull, Luster forgot where in her head she placed that pesticide spell. So, she went back to the basics. An aura-made welder’s mask appeared over her head and wore itself. Whirlwinds of fire ensnared her horn, and from that hellstorm shot a laser of thermal energy, white at the point of conjuration. She nearly burnt her flank, despite the thermal protection spell she had placed on herself prior.

The spider was now a liquid. Its grave was a yak-sized patch of dust. What was a grassy, flower-filled meadow was now a field of brittle spikes, crumbling into ash, whose surfaces contained veins of a fire, and whose molten rivers flowed from a pillow-sized rock. Nothing survived, and to make sure her flames don’t cause more destruction—and get her into trouble!—Luster froze the patch under a mound of snow.

The tracking spell worked by pulling her horn towards her target object. It took six jumps from the hill to find Cozy. Each time, she’d let her horn be pulled almost magnetically, and she’d use the strength and direction to guess where her mother was. The closer she was, the stronger the pull. She shot the last jump a kilometer too far. So, she readjusted her aim.

Luster’s horn was beating from exhaustion. She only traveled seven miles, but the energy needed to perform a teleport followed an S-curve. An initial amount of power was needed just for the spell to work at all. Splitting her jumps at this distance was inefficient.

On one side of Luster was a wall blocking light. On the other: a hill leading to the forest where she had started. She looked around but failed to spot her mother.

Luster reckoned she should use her tracking spell again. The strength of the spell took her off guard. She lost her posture. Her horn dragged her hooves across the dirt. Cozy was really close. Not a second later, Luster found her target.

A piece of metal fell on the steps of a raised door. Every fiber of Cozy’s body halted. Her elbows were at the angel, suspended, and her breathing had stopped.

Luster’s pupils moved upwards. Two red glints behind reflections of white looked back. Those slowly squinted and over the course of a moment closed.

Luster realized she still hadn’t removed her horn from Cozy’s hip. Immediately, She pushed herself back, accidentally kicking her mother’s hind hoof. The sensitive endings of her horn felt a drop of liquid form a cool trail down to her forehead.

Cozy inhaled. “Hi honey,” she said in a high-pitched voice.

Luster was taught a healing spell; she couldn’t remember how to cast it. Hope’s teaching used too many technical words for basic things. She couldn’t just call it: “healing skin;” she had to say: “thaumaturgical epithelialization.” Oh, but there were many other processes that needed to be done for proper healing, such as wound assessment and aftercare. And, of course, if the client is Cozy, a modest fee.

The mare used the wall as support to drag herself back up vertically, but only after laying on the ground for five minutes. She cried only two or three tears and only bled the same amount. The wound wasn’t bad, but Luster’s magic stung her pain receptors, and it wasn’t as if she cared about her body enough to ever file the tip of her horn.

A wing reached out to the door handle. She opened it, blinding Luster, whose eyes only just adapted to the shadows, and stumbled inside. Luster had hurt her mother both physically and mentally today, and what could she have done to deserve it? She didn’t question where she was going until her tail was already past the door’s frame. Once inside, Cozy quietly shut the door and sat on one of the many crates inside of the room.

“You okay, Mom?” Luster asked.

Cozy, on her hooves, answered, “I’m fine.”

“…Sorry about stabbing you.”

“Honestly, I thought you would’ve gone home,” Cozy said. “I mean, I didn’t even tell you where we were breaking into. Nice job, sweetie!”

“Thanks, I—wait. D-did you say ‘break in?’” Luster’s eyes shank.

“Well, duh! Why else would I have these lock picks?” Cozy said, displaying the lighter underside of her right wing. There, she carried her lock picks by hooking it through a band tied over her coverts.

“What would you do this?”

“For a lesson, of course? Gosh, you must be tired! Funny, it’s not even three AM yet.” Cozy smirked.

“A lesson?” Luster repeated. “Who are you? Discord?”

“Shush! I told you not to ever say his name,” Cozy scolded.

Luster pulled an abandoned pocket mirror from the side of the exit door’s base and gazed at it. “Discord, Discord, Discord. Can you please get me out of this mess?”

“Honey! That isn’t funny!” Cozy nearly shouted, swiping one of her wings to create a sideways gust to blow the mirror out of her daughter's hooves. Luster let go if only Cozy could hear it hit the wall and make a loud smack. “Don’t you get how important these skills are? This is called: ‘active learning.’ Now come on.” Cozy got up and went to the door opposite the one they entered through. But as she turned the knob, she noticed her daughter wasn’t moving.

“Yeah, I’m not doing this,” Luster revealed. “Enjoy your… yeah, just, whatever.” Her horn lit up, and a flash encompassed her body. But nothing else happened. She tried again. There was a flash accompanied by a sparkling noise. But she was still in the room, in front of Cozy, who was now opening the door.

Luster knew her chances of getting caught were higher if she stayed. Cozy might’ve been a synonym for psycho, and Luster truly believed petrification had messed up sanity, but her plans usually don’t fail early, so she followed along.

“Why didn’t my spell work?” Luster asked, casting a noise-canceling spell around their conversation and her hooves.

“You know that a lot of these sorts of facilities have anti-teleportation systems,” Cozy responded. “Don’t worry, well find a way out.”

In her head, Luster was screaming every vulgarity she knew. She just got in trouble with the law, and now she was breaking into a facility? The two traveled across the gray hallways, brightened by lights that were too blue, on large tiles producing hollow sounds to the tap.

Those weren’t theirs. Cozy took a turn to a sub-hallway containing an elevator and the entrance to the stairwell. She pressed the button, entered the elevator, and went to the third, highest floor.

Luster said, “So, Mom—”

Cozy shushed her. “Don’t give that information away. Not here.”

“...So, partner,” Luster said in a country accent. “, you brought me to admire how calm you are? In this one specific scenario,” she clarified.

“Good point,” Cozy teased. She dropped Luster two lock picks and pushed her ear to the door, which led to the stairwell from earlier but was on a higher story.

“Really?” said Luster.

“What? You won’t always have magic to rely on,” Cozy said.

“Okay, pegasus.”

Cozy thought for a second. “Well, I supposed this is a bit sudden.”

“You think?”

“Hey, it’s not as if you know any—”

Luster melted the door handle. She wouldn’t admit to Cozy that she knew a lock-picking spell; otherwise, the mystery of who ransacks her cookie jar—her daughter or a guest—would be solved. Cozy barely taught her any spells these days. The last useful bit of information she got from homeschooling was three weeks ago: a wake-up spell. Cozy would go through the series of intentions and understanding needed to draw her influence over the physical world. The lesson lasted only an hour, but the consequences would haunt Cozy forever. Luster didn’t use the spell as she intended: to keep herself awake during class; somehow instead, she used it to keep herself up at night. And once the Sun was up, the filly was too tired to pull together another spell.

“That works...” Cozy said as she scuffled backward and pushed the door using only the edge of a hoof. “But I would probably—”

Luster shoved her mother through the door and speed-walked up the stairs. Another door, another knob turned to syrup. She waited at the rooftop for her mother, who seemed less worried about getting caught than her daughter, despite which one was the supervillain fugitive—a super fugitive.

Luster looked back. “What are you doing?!”

Cozy was leaning against a wall. If you saw a mare leaning against a thing looking that cool, you’d think, “Wow! That mare doesn’t have a care in Equestria. Not a mare who leans on things that cool.”

The filly stood dumbfounded.

“I’m mimicking your friends,” Cozy said.

An amber hue wrapped her body. “Oh yeah, sure,” Cozy said. “Just lift up my whole body, why don'tcha. You’re a unicorn, right? Why would you need, I don’t know, permission? Or—”

Luster pulled her mother closer. “Fly us out, right now!” she demanded.

“I can’t.”

“What?”

“This place has an aerial defense system. Can’t fly above the walls.”

“W-what!?”

“Tell me about it. Can’t do anything in Twilight’s Equestria,” Cozy said, despite such systems being the invented since Celestia’s reign.

“Ugh! Is there another way out,” Luster asked, peeking down at the facility. None of the edges had railings unless you count an electrical fence on the outside-facing wall. There were roads below for forklifts to operate and entrances to various warehouses marked by letters.

“Yeah, there is,” Cozy said.

Luster waited. “Well?”

“Not telling. You’re supposed to figure that out by your—” Cozy went from being suspended in midair to having all her legs straightened and muscles held stiff. But that was only preparation for the horror Luster had planned. A floating pair of scissors opened its fangs and surrounded a large lock of Butter’s hair. She called her disguised locks: boring and straight; but both knew that any damage sustained to Butters would carry over to the few hours each day, safe inside her cottage, where Cozy Glow could be Cozy Glow. “You wouldn’t…”

“Try me,” Luster said.

“...Alright, alright! Gosh!” Cozy scoffed. “Just go through one of the checkpoints... Woah!” she exclaimed as her body floated in uniform motion to the curved tin roof of warehouse A, across where Luster was look

The filly followed, self-levitating herself less smoothly due to the difficulty of the act. She had to let go of Cozy to gather her focus. Basic telekinesis would exert a force on the caster: if you pushed an object away, you’d feel yourself being pushed back too. Level two of telekinesis involved distributing the reactive force across the caster’s whole body instead of just the horn. Posture was key. One of the trickiest evolutions of the spell took the caster out of the physical system altogether, but more freedom meant new responsibilities. If basic telekinesis was like moving a phantom claw, advanced telekinesis was like blowing on a falling leaf. You had to push the object upwards against gravity, and often while practicing Luster would either exert too little, too much, or way too much force; and her target would either be crushed under the pressure of a hundred Kilograms, or concentrated her energy on such a tiny area that she'd pierce the bark of the logs she was using. And to think Cozy suggested practicing on Atty and Prety first!

But what was more advanced? Altering the fabric of space to modify the position of an object directly. As a master of teleport, Luster understood well enough how to push herself over a horizontal gap.

“Wowie! Maybe soon you could follow me on my morning—” Cozy’s coat returned to orange in safer telekinesis. “—flights… Listen—”

“Hush! There are creatures nearby,” Luster said. She opted to tread over and through the center of the roof so that they wouldn’t be spotted. The sheets of metal screwed together underneath her hooves would’ve made popping noises weren’t it for her earlier muffling spell.

Cozy wasn’t too upset about being dragged. Au contraire. This was all part of her plan: get Luster to take initiative by having her escape a well-guarded area without getting caught—and charged under the consequence of the law. A perfectly appropriate lesson! Because:

What if she becomes reliant on me? Cozy had thought earlier. What if she gets worse and worse? Gosh! What if one day she snaps and melts the heads off coworkers?! Oh Cozy, imagine getting a call telling you that the child you invested years of loving attention is going to get their life shortened because of a murder! And she has such a long life ahead of her, with so much potential, so many dreams, hopes, and ambitions; so many moments to be had and memories to be shared. Is there any worse pain?

Cozy stomach touched the floor as Luster got on hers to scout the area.

“Ugh,” Luster uttered. “You couldn’t have just told me not to vandalize, or, taught me an invisibility spell, or, I don’t know, not made us go through this in the middle of the bucking night!”

“Woah! Jeez, calm down,” Cozy said. “Come on, you wouldn’t have listened.”

“I would’ve!”

Cozy smirked at her, unconvinced, not helping mitigate the frustration of the young mage whose magic tightly wrapped around her body. “Look, this and the upcoming lessons—”

“The what?!” Luster spat.

“—will teach you a lot of valuable skills that’ll give you an edge up against all the other creatures you’ll be competing with! Who becomes successful by being nice?”

“Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Apple—”

“Don’t list off my enemies, dear,” Cozy said. “Fine. But who makes their millions by playing by the rules?”

“Rarity’s pretty successful, isn’t she? And I mean, Twilight—”

“Exceptions! Most upper-class ponies lie, cheat, manipulate; and they never get punished for any of it!”

“...You got punished.”

“I’m not upper class!”

“You have a lot of bits.”

“Yeah, but—I spent a chunk of my foalhood on the streets, okay! And the few bits I have now are a fraction compared to what they made off of my image, without permission, and a pittance compared to what Flurry has! If I had followed the rules, I’d have nothing!”

“…”

“What?”

“Honestly, from what I heard, if you just stayed friendly with Twilight—”

“Don’t even,” Cozy warned. “Now focus on the task at hoof, dear.”

Luster squinted at the area beyond. “I can’t see anything.”

“We can add a visual enhancement spell to the vote of what you can learn next month,” Cozy offered.

Luster rolled her eyes and pulled Cozy in front. “You’re the one who’s birdlike. Tell me what you see.”

“...There’s a guard in the security booth right now, and another guard resting on the wall nearby, one of whom’s a unicorn,” Cozy said.

“We’ll need a distraction…” Luster said. Her gaze went towards Cozy’s bow. Seeing a supervillain would surely get a lot of attention.

Cozy already knew what she was thinking. “No.”

Luster spent another minute thinking. She plotted so hard that her head started to hurt. Her horn lit up as she had her lightbulb moment. “I might not be able to give myself bird eyes yet, but—I did read about a certain transfiguration spell…”

Read—about? “I never taught you transfiguration,” Cozy said.

Luster turned her whole body towards Cozy, and her horn started to warm up.

Oh no, she’s giving me that look. “Luster Dawn,” Cozy said, “turning living creatures into different species is really advanced magic. You wouldn’t Mommy to have a bony tail, or fingers! Or—”

---

An earth pony mare looked up from her magazine from inside her checkpoint booth. “Did you hear something?”

The question woke up a unicorn stallion who had nearly fallen asleep against a wall. “What? No—didn’t hear anything…”

“Oh,” said the mare. “Just thought I heard some sort of spell being cast.” She slowly returned to her magazine. “Sounded powerful.”

“Yeah, must’ve been your imagination. There couldn’t possibly be—”

Something fell—as if it had been tossed from the rooftops. The stallion summoned a spotlight and frantically shone it across the floor whilst readying to pull out his non-lethal horse-tranquilizer gun (which looked like a regular gun). He thought he also saw a pair of reflections on the rooftop, but as turned his head and light in tandem upwards, he spotted what had fallen.

“D’aww, a gray kitten snuck inside,” said the stallion.

The cat hissed at the light, but after squinting felt her head and realized—her ribbons! Where were her bows?! She recalled the blur in her photographic memory and hoped That Luster picked one up before tossing her, but the other one? She panicked.

“Hey, don’t be scared,” said the stallion. But cat Cozy ran off.

I’ve had those bows since foalhood! Doesn’t Luster know that? They’re all I know I have from my—oh, thank Golly! Cozy found her head ribbon in a puddle. She placed a hundred preservation enchantments on the accessory, so nothing should be damaged. The main problem was that her size made the ribbon as big as a sash.

Magic appeared around her stomach, but it wasn’t Luster’s; it was blue, and it came from the stallion. He picked Cozy up despite her clinging to the asphalt floor.

“Where’d you get, little guy?” he said, pouting, in condescending foal-talk. “This isn’t food. You shouldn’t—”

Cozy hissed when he attempted to grab her ribbon; she hugged it for dear life.

At the top of the rooftop, Luster leaned on her knees over the edge, giggling. Her plan solved the guard one, but the real issue was still in the booth. The mare likely sat behind magic-resistant glass. If Luster gets her to leave her booth without causing a ruckus, an opportunity for escape should present itself.

Cozy had a few items tucked under her bow that fell out during her transformation. Luster had picked them all up, including her tail bow, which she held at a distance, and started to shuffle through. There were lock picks, her ID, a single bit for a vending machine, and—passes. Two passes, each attached to a string. Luster had purposefully dimmed the brightness of her aura so that they wouldn’t get caught. So, she turned it up, and…

"Visitor passes."

Luster walked to the side to look at the logo on another warehouse.

"Flim and Flam Co."

Luster levitated herself to the checkpoint. The stallion missed her completely as he was still wrestling Cozy for her ribbon.

“Hey,” the mare shouted. “How in Equestria did you get in here?!”

Luster showed her the pass that had her name and the picture her mother took of her six months ago for their homeschool version of a yearbook (basically a scrapbook). The mare scanned the bar code and shone a black light to check for the added security features. Information about Butter Skies must’ve popped up on the mare’s computer screen as her eyes went wide. She asked, “You’re not a changeling are you?”

“No.”

The guard was given nothing to test for changelings, so returned Luster her pass and let her off to the outside world.

I knew there was something fishy about Mom not caring about all those security cameras!

Meanwhile, Cozy had scratched the stallion: once after digging her left claws into his nostrils, and again after using said left claws to pull herself closer and scratch him again over his eyelids; she was aiming to blind him, but he closed too quickly. She was dropped, and she ran towards the exit as the guard mare left her box to check what had happened. There, she found Luster.

“Merr me meck meow meow!” Cozy said through her cat vocal cords.

Luster didn’t laugh or smirk. She looked down at her mother, eyes forming a "V", as she showed the two passes she found.

“Meow?” Cozy said in the rhythm of a “what.”

She noticed and snatched her tail bow from Luster’s aura. When looking back up, she realized Luster was still holding her crossness.

Cozy tilted her head and gave cat eyes. “Meowmr?”

Luster teleported. Without Cozy. And without changing her back.

“Did that filly just teleport?” the mare said in the distance whilst pulling the antiseptic cream out from a laid first aid kit.

“She forgot to bring her evil cat with her,” said the stallion, sniffling and wiping away a tear (and a little trail of blood) from his eyes.

It was a long walk home.

A Coffee

The first ten minutes of the tour had Silverstream unwittingly repeat everything Smolder had said before they arrived. Basic things: building layouts, protocols, names, rules, and a couple of fun tidbits here and there.

“And these are some of the trophies we’ve won,” Silverstream said, moving along.

But Ocellus couldn’t help but add on, “This one was won by our buckball team two years ago. It had to be the most exhilarating match I had seen! I’d never heard our school cheer so loudly. And I’m pretty sure Rainbow Dash shed a tear.”

Ocellus continued, “Oh, and this green candle was brought by our first Abyssinian student. It’s an interesting scent they seem to really enjoy. But it’s not something liked by most changelings.”

They passed a painting, a gift by Celestia depicting her inspecting a Griffon school with their ambassador dated a century ago. Or two. Silverstream couldn’t remember the exact date.

Ocellus could. “It took place—”

“A hundred-and-twenty-four years ago,” Cozy interrupted. “And during a very hectic period of history. Gosh, aren’t we glad all our kingdoms made up? Wouldn’t want to live during those ages!” She nudged the changeling beside her, causing her translucent wings to briefly peek out of their casing from shock. The ponies from Cozy’s days often had primal reactions to the sound of a changeling flutter. But this crowd was too young to remember Chrysalis’ invasions and reformed drones had been integrated into Canterlonian and especially Crystal circles for so long. The interest soon dissipated. Everycreature went back to looking in front, and Cozy would go on as if nothing happened, barely hiding her smugness behind a poker face.

Over and over, she kept leaving the crowd, sneaking up each corridor to peek into each room, counting the number of changes. The nearest study corner had sturdier seats to accommodate for heavier species, more fire sprinklers lined the ceiling, and a medical guide as thick as a textbook was placed alongside an emergency first aid kit on the wall. The carpet was a different shade of purple, and the potted plants were geographically all over the place. But though a few walls were knocked down and added, and the function of some rooms had swapped, nothing was too dissimilar from her initial impressions of the school all those years ago. After all, the “Shield of Harmony” was still the school’s insignia and Twilight’s stained-glass portrait still blemished the entrance. Cozy knew she visited often.

Ocellus wouldn’t ditch her friends without a reason. But Cozy had popped in and out of her sight four times now, always reappearing in a hallway separate from the one she entered. She couldn’t be insane, could she? Ocellus thought. Well, she’s Cozy Glow, so insanity might need a stricter definition, but… maybe she really doesn’t have a plan.She might’ve just…

“—And she lit the pool on fire!” Cozy said to Silverstream and Smolder. “How is that even possible?! So I canceled our next day at the water park—this one had a hotel—and she cried, ‘But Mommm~ the pool was cold. The other foals thought it was cool. Aren’t you listening?’ Then, for her Ponish oral exam, I made her call up a bunch of creatures and apologize to each one, and she called me a hypocrite! When have I ever burnt a pool? I would’ve gotten the paddle!”

Lost it. She seemed to getting along well with the others. Gallus claimed he always hated Cozy’s voice (only after she was caught), and Smolder would agree, but there she was, asking to hear more about when Cozy’s daughter tried to get a tattoo. To be fair, Butter’s voice was different from Cozy’s. That wasn’t only because none of them had actually spoken to a non-prepubescent Cozy Glow. Besides televised speeches and quotes of her during the Crystal Empire debacle, only Gallus had spoken to this Cozy directly. She wasn’t sure if Cozy was still upset at her and her friends, but if she had to shove one of them into a tank of sharks, she’d have to choose—

Smack! Ocellus hit a wall—and an armor stand.

Good going, she said to herself. Oh Celestia, she continued as she heard the flaps of a butter-hued somepony hovering backwards towards her.

“Oh gosh,” Cozy said, lifting the visor of a headpiece that fell over Ocellus’ head. “Are you alright in there?” Cozy offered a hoof, but Ocellus ignored her and got up by herself.

“I’m fine.”

“If you say so,” Cozy said as she gave a “thumbs-up” with her wing to Smolder and Silverstream.

“…Alright,” said Smolder, detracting a few pairs of eyes away from the two behind. “So anyways, here’s a library everycreature! A library. We have quite a few of those around here…”

“Oooo,” Cozy said, “a library. Sounds like a ‘chill’ place to hang out. We should trade schedules.”

Ocellus walked past her.

“What? Am I wrong?” Cozy asked. “Too shallow of an inference? That you’re the type who likes to read? I read too! Not a Twilight-some amount but when you’re dealing with a grumpy foal every morning, you end up combing through a lot of sources to find an interesting lesson. But they still don’t learn. Well, unless it’s—”

Ocellus wore a look that said, “You’re still talking?”

“How dare you ignore me,” Cozy said only loud enough for Ocellus to her.

She wasn’t sure if Cozy was being fully playful. If Ocellus’ glare weren’t so loud, Cozy would’ve smacked her on the head, but instead, she retreated to her boundaries. Though Cozy got no response, her offer hadn’t fallen on deaf ears.

A private one-to-one with Cozy Glow? Well, that definitely won’t be boring, Ocellus thought. Gallus would chop off his own claw for such an opportunity. Hmm. If I can choose the where and the when, then maybe I could—wait, where did she go?

“Ocellus?” Smolder called, approaching from the side. “So, you were okay back there, right?”

“What? Of course!” Ocellus rushed out. “Why would you ask me that?”

“No reason,” Smolder replied. “It just seems like you’re a bit… preoccupied.”

“Huh? No. It’s just been a long day and I had to make sure nocreature ran off and got themselves lost. Say, where’s Silverstream?”

“I’m… not sure,” Smolder replied.

The two as a pair decided to look around for the hippogriff. But it only took three rows of bookshelves before they found their friend—and Butters. The first was standing up and waved back at her friends as they appeared from the corner. The other: on her knees, on the hard floor, head peeking inside an open vent. A carpet had been placed over the site but was now curled up into a roll a few steps beyond, and the lid had been opened just enough for a pegasus’ head to fit through.

“What are you two doing?” Smolder asked as Ocellus flew to ‘watch over’ Cozy.

“Oh, I just stumbled over a thing on the floor and couldn’t resist taking a tiny peek,” Cozy said, her words echoing through the maze of tunnels underneath. “Wow. It’s a whole other world down there! But… a bit empty. Have you ever thought about doing something with all this space?” She surfaced her head. “Y’know, like an underground landfill or a sewage plant?”

“I don’t think we can put that underneath a school,” Silverstream answered.

“Oh, I was joking,” Cozy said, sliding the vent cover back on, producing a reverberating clank.

“You know, this was where the Tree of Harmony once tested us,” Silverstream said, proudly.

“You don’t say,” Cozy replied, focused on unrolling the carpet.

“Yep! It had a test for each of us,” Silverstream added. “Pretty cool.”

“Must be,” Cozy responded, looking away. “Just a real shame it got blown to a million tiny pieces by that stubborn shadow pony.”

“Oh, don’t be sad,” said Silverstream, flying over to Cozy and pulling her head up. “The Tree of Harmony still lives on in our hearts… And also the Treehouse that formed from its pieces!”

“…Seems this school is just the same as it always was… in all those promotional pamphlets you mail out. You have a wonderful design team.” Cozy walked ahead. “Welp, I’m getting pretty bored of this room. Why don’t we go to a different building?”

The trio joined her, along with the other visitors. But Cozy allowed a different creature to take the lead while she waited for Ocellus, her supervisor.

“You got any other suggestions for the school?” Ocellus asked.

Cozy mentally fought with herself and smirked. “Better security.”

Ocellus’ eyes widened.

“Sorry! I couldn’t resist,” Cozy said, trying to place her leg over Ocellus’ shoulders only to have her fly two steps to her left.

The silence between the two held for thirty minutes. When Ocellus had her turn narrating the tour, Cozy would be at the front chatting with her friends and a few other ponies nearby. She spilled stories of her “daughter,” ones which would probably get her killed if she knew.

The head of the crowd laughed. “—And that’s why we can’t go anywhere on-boat,” Cozy said. “Say, this place looks different.”

“Different from those pamphlets?” Smolder asked. “Yeah, last year we had some renovations done to the dorm area. Basically just a new coat of paint.”

“Oh,” Cozy said, tilting her head. She eyed the numbers on the right-side doors, climbing by two, until she could confirm where she was. One part of her didn’t want the attention, but the other wanted to spectate the reactions. Cozy herself wouldn’t be the one to bring it up as the door came closer and closer, but she already knew that would be unnecessary.

A stranger, unicorn, to Cozy’s side tapped the talkative pony. “I think that’s Cozy Glow’s room up ahead.”

“…What makes you so sure?” Butters asked.

“Room 611. That’s what I heard at least.”

Smolder and Silverstream stopped. “Yeah, that used to be her room alright,” Smolder said. “You should see it during Nightmare Night.”

“…Is it empty?” Cozy asked. “I can’t imagine you just let any ol’ creature sleep in—”

“Oh no, there are creatures living in there,” Silverstream revealed.

“Yeah, so don’t knock or anything,” Smolder advised. “We basically threw away most of that filly’s stuff anyways.”

“Probably not a filly anymore,” Silverstream corrected.

“Debatable,” Smolder said. “I mean, you heard how Gallus speaks of her. He was—” They both suppressed a chuckle. “—so mad.”

“So, what did you all do to her stuff?” Cozy asked. “Surely her things must be in some sort of a museum or lab.”

“They would’ve been…” Smolder admitted.

“If Smolder hadn’t burnt most of it,” Silverstream blurted, fiddling her thumbs innocently.

Smolder defended, “It was a sneeze! There were a hundred scent candles and oils in that room. I mean, she had baby powder on her bedsheets!”

“Yeah, but you were the one that wanted to go there in the first place.”

“Gallus wanted to go there too, and for your information, there were still things left for Twilight to collect. And we were going to replace everything anyways.”

Cozy asked, “…Twilight collected things like?”

“We… weren’t really allowed back in there to check,” Smolder said. “You’ll have to ask Twilight.”

Cozy’s face was an utter blank. Her eyes twitched twice. She inhaled and restarted her character. “Oh well!” She shrugged. “Accidents happen. Say, the tour must almost be over by now! Why don’t we go to the courtyard? I’ve been reminding myself to check out that café Ms. Glimmer speaks so highly about… Oh, hi Ocellus.”

The rest of the tour group went on as Cozy and Ocellus occupied the back, staring at each other without exchanging words.

“What? Is there something wrong with my eyes?” Cozy asked, rolling them.

Gallus had competition. Ocellus didn’t need her sixth sense to detect the hatred brought out by Smolder’s revelation. She knew at least a couple of her letters received from Tirek had been irreparably burnt twenty-five years ago, along with a few plushies she kept over her pillow. Parts of Cozy’s roommate’s belongings were also destroyed. They were supposed to be collected after he mysteriously fell ill, but the colt was against the idea of coming back.

“Wall,” Cozy said.

Ocellus stopped short of making another fool of herself. “Thanks,” she responded instinctively.

“You really need to pay more attention to where you’re going,” Cozy recommended as she floated through the doors.

The courtyard outside was chilly for a changeling in their ordinary form. Cozy had no issues. She went over to the café, stood behind a line of two creatures, and took out her phone.

Lightning Dust hadn’t responded to her texts. She tried three times to call the foalsitter, only to be directed to voicemail. It took merely five seconds for her fourth attempt to be rejected. Cozy knew this would happen.

“Foalsitters, am I right?” Cozy said as she scrolled to and called her daughter’s contact. After thirty seconds of dual beeps, right as she was about to cancel the call, her phone made a click.

“Hi, this is Luster.” The voice was almost silent.

“At least you unblocked me.” Cozy turned up her phone’s volume. “Hi—where are you? Why isn’t your foalsitter answering my calls? The Sun hasn’t even been lowered, and you’re already—”

Bass-boosted, and high-pitched sounds of moaning struck Cozy’s ears at point-blank range, loud enough to vibrate her hoof. She retracted her head and held out her phone, fumbling to end the call. “Oh, Gol—” She nearly said the g-word. Enraged, she raised her phone, now silenced, in a motion indicating she was about to toss the thing to the floor, but she held her temper long enough to place it into her bag.

They now had the opportunity to order as the next ponies in line stood to the side waiting for their drinks. Cozy stepped forward, and the ponies next to her tried to be discrete with their staring, but they weren’t subtle enough for Cozy’s keen eye.

“Sorry,” Cozy said, trying to laugh it off. “That was just my daughter.”

“…”

“No, I mean—she’s a foal.”

“…”

“…She’s pranking—SHE LIKES TO TORMENT ME, okay?!” Cozy shouted, letting go of the barista’s apron and gesturing to the sky. “This is all just a game to her. I’ve got no idea where she gets it from. It’s like she’s just born a certain way. There are no values or virtues in that heart of hers. No compunction or respect for others. No voice telling her, ‘Hey, don’t do this. Maybe don’t say that in public.’ No. There’s only maniacal laughter and whimsicality at my misfortunes, and—”

The ponies beside her were snickering at Cozy's tirade. Ocellus thought she was acting a bit dramatic too, like a driver when you turn on the carriage lights. Why Cozy let Luster act this way was beyond her. If it were her daughter, she thought, she’d have no problem gaining the respect of the filly, and Cozy was younger than her, once by ten years, now by twenty. How hard could it be? Plus, she was a pony and an amicable one at that. And when she had a grip over the Crystal Empire, she had no trouble keeping ‘subordinates’ in line.

And then it hit her. Cozy doesn’t really have a lot of experience around other ponies. She spent ten years unable to communicate and the next ten years with… supposedly Chrysalis, who knows where. It’s doubtful they had many friends come over—at least none that a filly could attach themselves to before dinner—not even for the purposes of “learning.” Even Ocellus had a decade of integration above her. Sure, Cozy could charm ponies around her hooves and drive a cult of personality, but this didn’t seem to be the type of “control” she wanted over Luster—even if Ocellus still held doubt she was anything more than a long-term project.

Does Cozy really need help parenting?

“Ahem? Equestria to Ocellus? Gosh, you’re broody today,” Cozy said. “What’s your favorite drink?”

“Oh, I’m fine,” Ocellus said, reading Cozy for any information that might confirm her claim.

“Get her a coffee,” Cozy told the barista.

Well, coffee isn’t exactly my favorite, but maybe she doesn’t know.

“A black coffee. Only that one’s to go. She likes to savor her drinks.—Yeah, I’m paying.” Cozy was smirking.

Of course she knows.

Cozy collected four drinks and a couple of pastries and brought them to a table where Smolder and Silverstream were sitting.

“The prices here are half as much as that café up the Smokey Mountains. Thanks, Fluttershy,” Cozy joked, sliding Silverstream a strawberry milkshake. “It’s never too cold for a dessert, right?” She winked. “And here’s your drink Celly.”

“Thanks…”

“And as for you…” Cozy served Smolder a water. “I wasn’t sure what you wanted.” She innocently smiled. It wasn’t even a bottle. It was a cup. “Be sure to return that. We wouldn’t want to be wasteful, now would we?”

Silverstream was already halfway through her drink before Cozy finished her sentence. Ocellus was planning what to tell the pega-medics if the villain, who knew how to work with poisons, slipped a drop of something into her friend’s drink.

“How did you know I loved strawberry-flavored milkshakes?” Silverstream asked.

“Uhhh lucky guess,” Cozy answered, blowing at her hot chocolate.

“You made one lucky guess, at least,” Smolder said.

“Yeah,” Silverstream added, licking away the whipped cream around her muzzle. “Ocellus isn’t exactly the craziest over coffee. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I totally get why you’d think that, but caffeine doesn’t blend well with Changeling taste buds.”

“Oh, what a silly mistake. Guess I’ll have to try my best to remember that next time,” Cozy said, knocking her head before sipping her cocoa. She finally managed to give Ocellus a “comforting” tap on the back of the shoulder. Then she locked a leg over the other’s neck and started to pull her closer. “Today’s been swell! I’m so thankful that you’ve invited me, but I really should go powder my muzzle and make sure I look my best for Ms Glimmer’s tests. And prepare myself mentally of course.” She chugged her drink, panted, and said, “Hey can you three return this for me? Thanks a bunch!”

Cozy flew up from her seat and eyed the nearest exit. And Silverstream got up too. She went in to hug Cozy, but her movements were too sudden. From an upright position, Cozy swung herself downwards, head ducked, heart drumming her ribs, now backing her hooves across the grass. “Woah! Sorry! You startled me a little,” she said.

“Yeah, she does that sometimes,” Smolder said. “You have pretty sharp reflexes for an ordinary pony...”

“Mothering a unicorn can be a real workout,” Cozy said, jokingly flexing her muscles before scurrying away. “We’ll probably see each other soon anyways. We can save the hugs for then! Besides, if I got this gig, you’ll all probably be sick of me by the end of the year.”

She laughed, but Ocellus found her comment to be eerie, as if a repressed part of her timid conscience had hailed a warning. Or perhaps Cozy was playing another dimension of chess. But She was right. They would probably see each other soon. Cozy had left her sight. If the supervillain’s previous plans were anything to go by, it’ll probably be a while before Cozy’s true side shows. She wasn’t like Tirek or Sombra. Her plans were slow and meticulous. They had to be. She couldn’t conjure spells or drain the magic out of living beings. All she had was her mouth and grit. Ocellus knew how bad of a mistake she’d be making if today really was just the first step of a long meticulous plan at revenge, but if today wasn’t that—if Cozy was trying to better herself after all those mistakes she’d made in the past…

“You’ve still got a lot left to finish,” Smolder joked.

Ocellus stared at her coffee. Sigh.

---

Cozy got out of her blouse and dress. Clothes—how formal! She tucked her folded attire into her satchel and went to the array of bathroom sinks to gaze at the mirror above. No matter how hard she tried, her disguise could never match her. Being herself, even at home, felt dangerous, which she knew was an ironic concern to have considering where was and what she was doing. The sunlight had ceased shining through the narrow awning windows. Starlight would want to see her soon. Cozy adjusted her bow to be perfectly in the middle of her head and rinsed her mouth with a portable mouthwash. She went to dry her hooves. Her phone rang. She made sure it was on a tolerable volume before answering.

“Finally, somecreature calls me! Listen, my daughter…” “What about the Cutie Mark Crusaders?” “She did WHAT in Canterlot?!” “Oh. Well, that is still completely peanuts!” “No, why would care about—” “I’m not a politician. Can’t you deal with it?” “I doubt she could tell you’re a cha—” “Tomorrow, okay?” “Yeah, tell ‘em I said hi.” “Scare her a bit.” “It’s already her fault. And tell her to change her voicemail!” “Okay, bye! See you tomorrow!”

Author's Notes:

Sorry about the long break. I rewrote and shorten this chapter for pacing. The things will happen in the next few chapters.

Stale Donuts

They looked at each other, unmoving. Luster reassessed the details along her least favorite alley of memory lane. This was a burger joint. The colt she met that day served her a burger. He had the same coat, mane color and style, and either he witnessed her act of nonchalant heroism and wanted early in on her career, or he recognized her too. He wasn’t even trying to hide his gawk, but neither was she. So, she told herself, I should probably say something. But she didn’t want to make her a fool of herself in case that first possibility was correct.

Mom always scolded her for her short memory. Of course, she never said it aloud, but Luster could read her face. Cozy would flare her nostrils, dramatically inhale, bite her tongue, look away—whenever Luster failed to remember the name of the third-last Pegasi leader prior to the founding of Equestria, or, as Cozy called it, “The Beginning of the End.”

Then Cozy would try to ‘lighten the mood’ by describing which old Pegasus leaders she’d date, which she’d delight in choking, and which of those first partners, post-marriage, would soon be found dead in their bedrooms (assassinated by the Griffons, obviously; through General Cozy will not be forfeiting an inch of airspace to the Alicorns, no matter how harsh the frost). Being forced to listen was unusual punishment.

Maybe ordering something will break the ice a bit, Luster thought. She walked sideways to where she remembered she saw a chair, eyes still glued to the menu signs. The head of one chair struck a flank. She rescued her stumble by leaning on the seat and blindly sat down. Why do they print the price tags so small? That’s scummy. Maybe I do need to tell Mom to get me an eye check… Eventually, she looked away at a nearby table to know what she was in for.

The closest burger had a top bun of a healthy hue and was served alongside a purple fizzy drink. A bite mark revealed a patty of golden hay flavored with pickled fine grass. Even sliced tomatoes outlined the plastic plate for pizzazz! At a table separate to that glaring stallion sat a mare. She wore a puffy blanket over her body as if the room was cold, and refused to peek her legs out of her cocoon; so she used her horn to levitate balls of basil from her dish which had a sprinkling of pasta. Tilting her head to see if she got the visual right, Luster found the source of a minty smell which plagued the room since she got here; but she hated to make a scene.

The food was not at all what Luster expected from the shattered windows. The customers were exactly what she expected. Anyhow, after she finished squeezing her eyes to decipher enough of the menu, she narrowed down what she could afford. Easier to do when a colt wasn't staring a pair of holes into your temple. After a bit of mental arithmetic, Luster options came down to a drinkless quarter-pound hayburger (not to be confused with a Hayburger); but she couldn’t afford much hay, so she’d have to settle for a patty of grass. And not the lush, fine grass the neighboring stallion was having, but the big weedy, garden-pest type that only grows in blotches. She’d have enough bits left over for a banana, but only the leaf. And not enough for a plate or cup, which costs extra. Maybe I should beg him again…

A pony walked up to Luster: not Fry, but a stallion who looked half-similar; “J. Fry Sr.” read his hat’s name tag. He was much older and big-boned than Fry colt, though slimmer than how she predicted a grown-up Fry would look. Sr. seemed to have nothing better to do than to visit tables at a fast-food restaurant. “Can I take your order,” he asked.

“Uhh,” Luster stalled. “Still thinking.”

“Fine,” he grunted, “but be quick.”

…Rude.

As Fry Sr. left, Fry Jr. arrived. Now Luster could get a good look at his flank. And we’ve got a cutie mark! It was of a burger—big shocker—but the patty was green, like what Luster considered ordering. Coincidence?

He spoke first. “Do I know you?”

Luster responded under a muffling spell and hoof, “Kludgetown?”

His eyes grew. “It is you!” He tried to ease the look of his father, leaning on the counter, by sending an awkward smile. “How did you get out? I never—I mean, that’s a nice jacket. Real leather?”

“Synthetic,” Luster said, hugging herself to feel the quality. “Why would you and Mom ask if it’s real? That’s a creepy question… Fry?”

“That’s my name,” Fry said. “And sorry. Guess there’s still a bit of that place left in me…”

So my memory was correct. Mom is such a drama queen!

Fry continued, “So, how did you get out? Of, you know…”

Luster chuckled once as she smirked and started rocking her chair. “Oh, I didn’t do anything special. Just escaped my captors, my own slavery, every bounty hunter in that Tartarushole, and made it all the way to Equestria by the very next day. Been training ever since—” She stretched her neck upwards and folded a swan with a table tissue. “—honing my magical powers, building my knowledge, expanding my mind, and other sorts of things.”

“Woah,” Fry uttered. “You unicorns sure get up to cool stuff. I’ve just been flipping burgers. I mean, it’s my mark, my talent, I love it, but here, it’s sort of… is what it is?”

Luster’s chair nearly fell backwards but she caught herself. She subtly looked back and whispered to Fry, “That mare’s smoking catnip…”

“...Yeah, so?”

“...Nothing.”

“Are you a cop or…?”

“What? No! I just don’t get why you’d smoke something you’re supposed to sniff. I mean, I wouldn’t know. Well, my friend knows, and she told me that’s not how it’s done.”

“...Are you gonna tell her off…?”

Luster slammed the table. “Of course not! Just making sure you were aware for legal reasons, duh! I mean, she’s smoking indoors, like, next to two foals, so there’s no point being in the dark. You know about your decisions…” She wiped her forehead with magic, then wiped her oily magic with a tissue, hoping the earth colt wouldn’t notice her sweating.

“Uh, take it easy on the napkins,” Fry asked.

Luster dropped her magic. “So, uh, what do you recommend on the menu? You’re the chef after all.”

“I guess I am… Uhm, a burger and fries, obviously. Heh,” Fry chuckled. “The fried bananas are pretty good. We’ve got a fresh batch today... Fresh-ish.”

“Right, those… cost bits… Do you have a tab or option to pay by installments?” Luster shyly smiled.

“No,” said Fry’s dad, who stormed in after Luster forgot to hold her muffling spell. “Did you splurge all your bits on that piece of fast fashion?”

Luster rolled her eyes. “So, do you, Fry Jr.?”

Fry felt uneasy by his father’s groans. “We don’t… but maybe we could trade our numbers and—”

“Trade numbers? Why?! I’ve never seen this filly before,” said Fry’s dad. “Are you trading for a tab or something worse? We don’t do that, creatures don’t pay!”

“We’re friends,” Luster said.

The stallion raised an eyebrow.

“Old friends,” Fry added. “Years old. We haven’t seen each other for at least a couple of years. We’re catching up but she’ll have to leave soon.” He winked.

“No, I don’t,” Luster said. “Teleportation is such an advanced magic and most mages can’t even travel a mile. Jumping all the way from the Unicorn Ranges to Canterlot as a filly is exhausting.”

“Filly… magic…” Fry’s dad muttered. “You’re that filly from the posters! The one that brought the bounty hunters to our business step and—you really came here to beg for a meal?”

Luster pretended to have forgotten. “Oh yeah~ Guess I’ve dealt with too many baddies to keep count.”

“‘Old friends.’” Fry’s father scoffed. “You probably still have a target on your head.”

“Look, dude,” Luster said, “I escaped Kludgetown even with all those bounty hunters. One shows themselves at the door and they’ll be sent back to their mommy’s in an urn.” Yeah, that’s a cool line.

Fry Sr. was not convinced.

“Come on Dad,” Fry said. “I’m sure…”

…Did he forget my name? It’s only been like five years. “Luster Dawn,” she said with a head bow.

Fry finished, “I’m sure Luster Dawn isn’t being followed.”

Fry’s dad whispered to his son, “But what if she’s part of some gang? We had Cozy Glow that day asking about her. She tossed you her wallet for her directions, remember? That was more money than her bounty... she could be a target.”

“Relax,” Luster said, horn dimly aglow from an eavesdrop spell. “Cozy Glow is nothing! No creature is ever going to—”

A pastel-blue pop! manifested itself to their sides at the center of the room. Two figures were brought. One was evidently a unicorn; the other, Luster wasn’t sure. Dark orange robes covered their bodies from head to hoof. Their tails were cloaked, but from the lack of any extrusion, they seemed to hang loose, emo-styled or depressed, or as if they were soaked; pony tails usually had a bit of puff and an arch. From the edge of their hoods hung a zigzag pattern of protruding squares, bordered an inch upwards by a yellow line. A reddish shade of brown outlined the flat bottom edge of the drapes. The unicorn’s horn poked out of the hole through a division in the center of the hood. And where you would wear a saddle was a symbol of a triangle below a circle, both equal in width. Luster said to herself they were obviously cultists.

Dread replaced Fry Sr.’s anger.

“Hi friends!” said the pony, mare, of ambiguous tribe, whose eyes glowed over the shadow of her hood as she turned to Luster. “New patron today? You shouldn’t hotbox her with catnip smoke. You know it’s an aphrodisiac for felines, right? We don’t know much about how it affects ponies.” The mare did a nod of the head to young Fry on her way to the stallion. “We’ve only got a few questions to get through. Shouldn’t take long.”

Luster caught only a glimpse of the other pony, who looked back at her. They, a unicorn, had a very wide smile, one that smudged their cheeks against their bottom eyelids. And their eyes reflected light in a crystalline way, like Hope’s. Everything else was concealed by their attire. The duo went to the back room and Fry’s father led the way but as if he was held at hornpoint. Fry’s name was not called. The smoking blanketed customer kept smoking. The other stallion finished his burger and seemed to be waiting for the cultists to leave before leaving himself, perhaps to not attract attention.

“...You want to go somewhere else to eat?” Fry asked, already leaning towards the front door.

“What? You sure?” Luster replied.

He grimaced. That suggested to Luster that his idea was for his own sake and not hers. So, she followed the colt into the alleyway. The wall outside blocked sunlight and channeled a breeze. This had to be one of the most rundown areas of Alicorn capital. A misty drizzle came from clothes being hung out of the windows and rusted balconies, forming a few puddles. But still, even the most neglected alleyway here was better than where the two foals were from. There were also a lot of cats: the critter type, as opposed to the upright ‘creature’ type; and rodents: critter type also.

“You sure you want to leave your restaurant alone without anycreature at the counter?” Luster asked. “What if a customer shows up?”

“I doubt we’ll get any more.”

“...Oh. Not even on a Friday?” Luster asked.

Fry sighed.

“...So, what’s up with those two weirdos?” Luster asked.

Fry’s eyes darted over the bins, windows, and sky. “What do you mean? She likes to smoke and the other’s going through a tough few things in his life.”

“I meant the robe wearing ones. They look sort of… mysterious? You know, if they’re causing you problems, you really should—”

“I know, I know,” Fry said, “go to the royal police or guard.”

“I was gonna say you should ask me to deal with it,” Luster said.

Fry, still walking, looked at Luster. She was a filly around his height, with a horn that seemed to have never been ironed down, a stubble of whiskers, clumpy hoof-combed hair, and a jacket with its ‘arms’ rolled up to avoid kissing the floor.

“What?” Luster asked.

“Oh, nothing, but how would you deal with those two?”

Luster hopped a hoof close to Fry and flicked her fringe over her horn. He seemed put off by the physical response to a question about dealing with dangerous creatures, wondering if he should specify, “Don’t use me as an example.” As he stepped away, he met an amber wall, and magical matter swam up his legs, as if petrifying him. He inhaled to speak but failed to get a word before they disappeared in a flash and popped back out at the center of his district.

That happened to be at a fountain entrance to a half-busy park.

Luster’s eyes felt harassed by the Sun’s rays. Fry held puke in his mouth, then he puked into the fountain, a very popular one. A statue of Twilight and her Friends, one of many statues, had been erected at the center of this centerpiece. And Fry vomited right into the water as if he had no shame, and in front of parents, pets, and other foals, no less!

“Ew!” Luster expressed, a sentiment shared by two families now speed-walking away. “There’s a bin over there and a drain right here! And a bunch of potted trees. Why would you use a fountain?”

Fry wiped off his sick. “Why would you just teleport… me without a heads-up?” He rubbed his eyes, hardly able to see Luster under the blobs of light in his vision. “Ugh… Your teleporting was so bright.”

“What, you don’t know how to close your eyes?” Luster said. “I never had that problem with my first teleport. I don’t even look when I’m casting.”

“I can tell…” Fry said bitterly. “Not even sure I want lunch anymore.” He slid down to the floor. “It’s not as if you have a lot of bits anyways.”

“I’m not broke, okay,” Luster said, denying Fry the Sun’s warmth by conjuring an umbrella. “Bits aren’t even a problem for my family. My mom’s just stingy, Canterlot is so insanely expensive, and she refuses to pay me a reasonable amount for the chores I do, and she says I can’t have a job because I’m not ready. I can’t win!”

Fry rolled over. His stomach squished the cold ground. A zephyr brushed his back. He just let it happen. Who cares anymore?

“You look dead,” Luster said.

An acute eye shot at her.

Luster entered a state of self-reflection and looked deep into her heart to find her next few words: “Uhm, sorry.”

“So what are we doing about lunch,” asked Fry, muffled by the floor.

Luster paced around the fountain to help herself conjure a few ideas. On her second round, she spotted a road that led to a path that led to a view facing south. And part of that panorama was a certain school. The School of Friendship. Mom had bits… Lightbulb! Luster disappeared.

Fry sat up straight and stared at nothing until the filly returned. Pop! There she is again. But Fry’s expression tightened as he saw how much worse Luster looked. She had lines of smoke rising from grayed strands of her tail and crown. And she was also drenched. Her lips puckered and her lungs pushed against her ribs as she breathed in and out wearing wide eyes ready to snap.

“Are you okay?” Fry asked.

“...They have… an anti-teleport system… and I couldn’t get in… and it redirected me to the moat…” Luster’s eyes snapped to Fry. “You have any suggestions?”

Fry stroked his chin. “I know a—”

“It’s such a stupid thing to add!” Luster stomped on the floor. “It’s not as if it’ll keep any supervillains out, anyways! …Alight, continue.”

“...I know a place that throws out their donuts.”

“...That’s your idea?”

“What? You’re so judgy.” Fry got up “Not everycreature can be adopted by some, what, noble mage?”

“Pegasus pony. They move so quickly. I can’t get an hour of sleep in the morning.”

“...I feel bad for her.” Fry walked away.

“Hey!” Luster caught up but now Fry made sure to keep a distance. “Fine, fine. I’ll try out these donuts. And I was in a bad place too, you know. Probably worse than yours. Did you have to work until your hooves crack?”

“I still do.”

“Yeah, but—okay, that’s a bad faith, false equivalence. Canterlot has parks and playgrounds. Your job isn’t a sweatshop factory, and your cutie mark doesn’t lie. You enjoy cooking, so it’s not even that bad.”

Their bickering continued until they passed Canterlot’s square, where, up from an elevated path, they spotted a base of crystal, guards, and yellow tape.

“What do you think happened over there?” Fry asked.

Luster smirked. “I happened. Stopped a robbery by myself. Look at those guards, way too late. Bested by a filly.”

“Captain Gallus is there,” Fry said.

Indeed he was. He and a few other guards, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders. As Apple Bloom recounted the event, Scootaloo noticed Luster, because she, though lacking flight, still had a pair of sharp eyes. She tapped Sweetie Belle on the shoulder. Sweetie Belle squinted and noticed Luster too, especially based on the jacket. Luster slowed for a moment and waved. They waved back. When the filly looked back to the side, Gallus and his squad were gone.

Seemed she wouldn’t be getting any more praise today. Fry took Luster to a two-lane corridor of houses with traditional shops and glass displays along the sides. Many alleyways branched out from here, but none of them seemed too dreary. Seemed Fry’s family business was cosmically unlucky.

They got to the donut shop after an endless number of steps. Luster couldn’t have guessed it would be so far. This was almost as tiring as the times when Cozy would wake her up to go hiking. She’d get cross at her for teleporting, and Luster would say, “You use wings for every other step.” She’d fire back, “At least that’s physical exercise, Lustie.”

The donut shop alleyway had one-and-a-half donuts left. The rest had been nibbled on by pigeons. Luster groaned and made sure Fry could hear. She stomped around in a circle before slicing the treat into six-fourths—by casting a laser. Luckily the donuts were in a paper box on the bin because the bin itself was given a vertical incision of molten plastic.

“Woah…” Fry uttered.

“Please cool, huh?” Luster hovered Fry his half of the donut as she took a bite out of hers. She stopped chewing. “These are stale.”

“Well, what do you expect?” Fry ate his share without complaint. “I know another donut shop.”

Luster was nibbling on a disposed bouquet of roses, preferable to the donut. “Fine. I’m still too tired to teleport back home.”

They left and walked down the streets. Fry said he should get back to his dad soon. This was to be a quick jolt to the second café and hopefully, if he felt safe; and Luster, reinvigorated, she could teleport them both to his family business. Nothing should distract the two.

Hours later and both foals were still glued to a local arcade. The place also sold comic books and general nerdy pop-culture merchandise: mugs, shirts, trading cards, a tin for bits in the form of a retro console. And the walls and rug were dark: perfect habitat for a vampire like Luster (Cozy’s words), Dawn being when she goes to bed. Fry won the jackpot from a bit pusher and needed to dig a plastic from the bin just to use as a pouch. Luster got half of his winnings as she was the initial investor, funding his attempts to prove how rigged the machine was. She didn’t mind losing. Fry bemoaned something about unicorns, nobles, and the system; but Luster had already moved to claim a claw machine. Ultimately, she wasted a Princess’ allowance trying to get a plushie of Mom in her mad filly form, which was so cheaply made, and fittingly, looked to be melting. She hadn’t won the prize yet, but she will. Quitting now would be a waste after all the sunken costs. Fry couldn’t even be mad watching her lose and lose—and a digit of the claw went through a hole in the bow of the plush. Then it slipped again—she lost another bit.

“...That’s the trick,” Luster said to Fry, pointing. “Just need to try a few more times.” He was just disappointed. Somehow that devolved into an argument where Luster said, “Fine. I’ll text my mom right now. Prepare to get humbled because her cutie mark isn’t even food-related.” She pulled out her phone from her jacket pocket. “Huh. Mom tried to call me earlier... It’s four?!”

“...How long have we been in here,” Fry asked, taking another bite into the bouquet.

“Well, we did walk for a while. I’m sure the pigeons had gotten ahold of all those leftovers by now.”

Mechanical dancing noises of the claw machine said ‘Womp womp.’ “Did you say something?” Luster asked, pulling away from the stupid rigged scam to go check the others for neglected change. And, bingo!—she found a bit in the coin catcher of a gumball machine and plopped it into the claw machine. One more try; this’ll be the one!

“Hey Fry,” Luster asked as she worked her magic, “why do you live in Canterlot? From what I’ve heard, unless you’re a ‘really big and busy pony,’ you should defect to a quiet place like… Fry?” And down the machine’s pillars went a show of red light, two disappointed sound effects played, and the bit slot and action button on the front panel blinked, begging for another go. To the entrance side of the room, she spotted Fry. He had nothing in his hooves and stood upright before approaching her.

He asked, “Should we go?” in a voice slighter higher than normal.

Luster wasn’t a quitter; so, glaring at herself in the glass of the machine, she promised, “I’ll be back here tomorrow. Yeah, let’s leave.”

The colt took the lead out of the arcade. Right as Luster stepped on the pavement, the Sun set; as it did, the street lamps illuminated. “Already?” Luster said. She shielded her eyes as a breeze picked up, though soon it suffused.

She seemed to have lost Fry, but as a carriage passed through the road, he whistled his whereabouts: an alleyway entrance. “It’s around four o’clock,” he said. “And it’s still winter, Lustie. You should leave your room more often.”

“…Don’t call me Lustie,” Luster said.

Fry replied nothing; his legs slowly backed into further darkness with the rhythms of a spider.

“Another dark corner?” Luster asked, framing the question as a tease. “You’re familiar with this place, right…?

“Of course.” Fry’s body was shrouded by shadows except for his emerald eyes. “I’ve been here many times.” He turned towards where he was walking to and disappeared from Luster’s sights. She switched on a flashlight spell in her horn.

Fry had hopped twenty meters further up despite Luster thinking they were going at the same speed. Well, it was dark, and with temperatures dropping, why wouldn’t he move in a hurry?

He stopped. The dead of the night emphasized itself with silence. Then Luster made out soft choking noises, and Fry’s head seemed to bob back and forth. “Are you okay?” she asked. A pile of trash on the wall rustled upon hearing her voice.

Fry let out a particularly violent cough before turning to Luster with a phone in his mouth. “I’m fine. I just need to make a brief phone call. Please don’t retire to the road. It should only take a minute. I need to check a few things.”

Luster’s pupils bounced from the side of the floor back at the colt. “Okay.” But as Fry walked further up Luster brought her attention back to the pile. Her horn still faced Fry, but only so he wouldn’t notice her realizing something was odd.

She used her hoof to part a trash bag on the floor with a roof of unstapled newspapers from a metal bin. The peripheral light of her horn reflected off of the wall. There was a crack, and the crack widened downwards, till it looked to form a crevice, and the scene was too familiar. Luster gasped, but despite how softly she did so, something in the crevice, with the force of a baby’s kick, jerked. She felt unsafe. Luster flashed her horn to her back, to check herself, and as an excuse to move at all. Continuing her head motion, she poked the edge of her spotlight over the edge of the crevice. A green, slimy substance reflected her ember hue. That gave her the courage to face the crack directly.

There lay a colt’s body, dulled by the color of the slime, eyes closed, packed in a fetus position. If his hair wasn’t enough, his cutie mark confirmed Luster’s fear.

Ostensible Fry was still talking. Luster checked the entrance of the alleyway again. They seemed to be in a quieter part of the city. She walked over to ‘Fry,’ unsure whether to be sneaky or make herself known. He noticed her, shifted his phone to his other ear, and turned his head to face a wall. An eye now periodically shifted from empty space to her. Casting a flicking eavesdropping spell which blended into her torchlight, Luster made out a snippet of ‘Fry’s’ conversation:

“She’s been praying to see you, literally. The others, not as enthusiastic. But as much as her mind’s an art piece—your art piece, maybe you should—” “...Should I tell her that? And should I add anything—” “I will! And can I just be sure what you want me to do? Though now it’s too late to…” “Got it! Will do. See you tomorrow! Hopefully I won’t meet a Twilightian lecture.” “Okay.” He hung up and looked back ahead.

“...Hey,” Luster said. She heard a swallow, and the creature in Fry’s body faced her. With an offense, defense, and get-away spell on stand-by, she proceeded to question the changeling.

Author's Notes:

Next Chapter is another Luster chapter.