07 - Cozy's Heart

>"Psst. Cozy! Over here!" called out a voice in a loud whisper.
>Cozy looked around, hovering around over the groups of ponies. She held a cotton candy treat in her hoof.
>"Cozy! This way!", the whisper called out to her again.
>She finally spotted him in the back, holding open a panel just big enough for them to get through, waving her over. She flew down and when nopony was looking, ducked inside, the panel closing behind her.
>It was cold, dark and dusty under the bleachers. Looking forward, Cozy could see through the hooves of the spectators, the field and holiday game that the school of Friendship was hosting.
>"You made it!" said the colt, excitedly.
>Littering the floor were bits of stale popcorn joined by fresh popcorn falling from the stands above, empty cups, ...and the odd stretched out, clear balloon shriveled and dried found here and there. Cozy had never seen balloons like that before.
>Cozy looked around, "This is a neat hiding place you found!"
>"My older brother told me about it. This is where ponies would go for some privacy sometimes."
>Cozy took a bite of her cotton candy, offering some to the new coltfriend.
>"Oh, thanks!" he said as he took some.
>"It's cold under here, though," she said, shivering as a chill ran down her back.
>"Here, turn around."
>Cozy turned around, tensing up suddenly as she felt his touch on her back and wings, but quickly relaxed with the comforting massage she was receiving. "Hey, what... oh. Oh, golly. Wow, you're good at this."
>He continued to warm Cozy up, "It's my special talent, I guess."
>"Rubbing on little fillies?" smirked Cozy.
>"Massaging," he said, quickly adding, "Ponies of all ages."
>Cozy closed her eyes at the relieving tension in her back that she didn't even know she had, "Mmm-hmm."
>"Pretty magical for an earth pony, huh?"
>"...magical, yeah."
>"Especially here," he said as he reached to massage under her wings.
>Cozy suddenly retracted and kicked out in a flurry of giggles and laughs. "Not there!"
>"Where, here?" he asked as he reached and tickled her again.
>Cozy laugh and pushed him away, dropping her cotton candy. "Aww, see what you made me do?"

>>34771856
>The colt looked down, "I'm sorry. I can get you some more." He leaned back against the wall, sitting on the ground.
>"You better!" said Cozy. She sat on the ground in between his legs, leaning back on him as he wrapped his arms around her. "It's not that bad view of the field from here. And the seat is warm." She said, lightly elbowing him in the ribs in a playful manner.
>"...It's what I'm good at, apparently."
>They sat and watched the game quietly, feeding off of each other's warmth.
>"Wing warmers."
>"Huh?" asked Cozy.
>"My cutie mark."
>"Well, it fits."
>"Yeah. I guess. My mom says I'll probably work at the Spa or something. I don't know if I want to. What about you?" he asked, reaching down, tracing her cutie mark gently with his hoof.
>Cozy batted his hoof away which came back up to hold her to him. "It's a castle."
>"What does that mean?"
>"A rook. Like in the chess game. I can only move in straight lines, but I can go as far as I want each time."
>"huh... I never noticed."
>"I'm just kidding. I'm not sure exactly what it means. Maybe I'm supposed to protect the ruler. Or maybe I'll invent a new chess move using that piece," shrugged Cozy.
>They continued to watch the game, sitting together. Exciting plays would fill the air around them with muffled cheers and a heavy rumbling of stomping hooves, causing dust and popcorn to rain down.
>"I'm glad you were able to come to the game, even though you're suspended," he said, dusting off her mane.
>"I can come back to class once the holiday break is over."
>"That's good."
>"We could eat lunch together."
>"yeah."
>He tilted his head forward, burying his face in her mane, breathing it in.
>Cozy rolled her eyes, "You're so weird."
>Suddenly, the panel that gave them access was ripped back, and an adult pony, one of the gym professors peeked in. "Hey! What are you two foals doing in there? Get out of there before I call your parents!
>The two foals jumped up and bolted out through the hole past the professor, laughing all the way.
>"Run!"
>"Let's go!"

>>34773538
>Cozy took flight while the colt galloped alongside her as they fled, laughing together all the way from the bleachers to the common area by the field. They came to a stop once they had realized nopony was ever chasing them.
>"phew, we made it!" said the colt.
>"Look! A game!" pointed Cozy with excitement. "Let's try to win something!"
>They went up and Cozy put down a couple of bits. The Pony behind the counter handed her three apple-shaped balls made from wood. The object of the game was to knock down all of the stacked pins, win 4 times in a row, and win the life-size plush pony. The smaller prizes were little plush stars and hearts.
>She took careful aim and nailed the top pin on the first throw, sending it back into the net. "That's one down!" She wound up and threw the second ball, hitting the remaining two pins right in between them, causing them to tilt and wobble, separating them.
>"Oh no!" said Cozy. She thought for a minute, calling on her powers of persuasion and trickery. A mischievous smile crept across her face as she whispered something into the colt's ear. He nodded and put down two bits and received 3 balls to use on his own set of pins on the other side of the stand.
>"Hey mister!" she called out. "I bet you 8 bits that when I throw this last ball, all my pins will be knocked down. if I win, I get that!" pointed Cozy. She had eyes for a pony of her very own to love and care for.
>The pony looked and thought about it for a moment. "Ok, you're on!" It would have to be a miracle shot for sure.
>The colt took his cue to throw his apple balls one at a time knocking down the remainder of Cozy's pins.
>Cozy smiled and casually tossed her ball into the net. "I win," announced Cozy, smugly.
>"Well shit," said the pony, stunned. "Well, a deal's a deal. Here you go! But you can't play no more, one prize per pony. Yeah," he said, handing the large plushie over. "That was a good one, I'll have to remember it."

>>34774241
>"Here, take one of these too," said the pony, handing over a little red plush heat with a wink.
>"Golly! Thanks, Mister!"
>Cozy struggled with the plush pony. She couldn't fly with it unless she carried it under her, holding tightly with all fours, gripping the heart in her teeth. She landed, resting on its back, its firm legs holding strong to support her weight with ease.
>"I could carry that for you, you know," said the colt.
>"Oh thank you." said Cozy, dismounting the plush.
>"That was really good back there. I'm impressed."
>"It's my special talent! Plotting, scheming... ponies do what I ask them to do. It's like my thing."
>"Really now?"
>"Absolutely! would you carry my prize for me now?"
>"Sure!"
>"And here. I want you to have this too, from one special pony to another special pony," said Cozy, as she gave him her plush heart.
>"Really? do you mean it? Thank you!" he said, excitedly.
>They walked around the park grounds, hanging out, eating carnival food, pony plush in tow on his back. The sun began setting and it was time to go home. they nuzzled their goodbyes, booped and went their separate ways, Cozy once again struggling to carry the plush pony on her way home.

>>34774750
>A struggle could be heard on the outside of the door followed by a loud thump. It slowly opened and Cozy stepped through.
>"Oh, Hi Cozy! Did you have fun at the ga--" said Astral, stopping abruptly as she saw what Cozy was dragging in. "Oh, um... Who's your friend?" she asked.
>"Hi. This is... This is Sandy."
>"Sandy?" asked astral, confused.
>"Yeah, Sandy! It's short for Sandra. Plush she's a sandy color. I won her at the park. It was a lot of fun. But she gets real heavy."
>"I see."
>"I also got a heart. but I gave that to Allen," said Cozy.
>"Allen?"
>"My coltfriend!" she beamed. "you know, the one I beat up."
>"...who names their foal 'Allen'? It's like alien, without the 'I',"
>"I thought it was strange too. But he -is- a strange little colt, anyway," said Cozy.
>"And you gave him your heart?" asked Astral.
>Cozy nodded with a smile Pinkie would be proud of.
>Astral just shook her head, "Foals these days."

>>34774769
>Before everypony knew it, the holiday break was over. The neighborhood streets were quiet during the day once again as all the fillies and colts were back in class, and normal business resumed. It was growing late in the day, and Astral had just finished tidying up the living space when the front door slammed open. Cozy stood in the doorway.
>"Oh, hello Cozy. How was scho--"
>Cozy stepped inside and threw her saddlebags onto the ground. She stomped over to her bed, throwing herself onto it burying her face in a pillow and screamed at the top of her lungs.
>"--ol... Cozy? Is everything alright?"
>Cozy stayed face down, pounding on the bed with all 4's screaming over and over, ruffling up the bedsheets.
>"Cozy... What's wrong?"
>She sat up on the bed, looking around, completely ignoring Astral. Spotting Sandra, she leaped towards her, tackling her to the ground and proceeded to give the beatdown of a lifetime, hooves smashing down over and over with all her might.
>Sandra absorbed the blows, not fighting back; her seams beginning to split.
>Cozy bent down and bit Sandra on her neck, tugging and pulling as hard as she can with a frustrated growl. Sandra began to tear. Cozy stood up on top of her, grabbed and pulled as hard as she could. With a sickening rip of plushy flesh, the head was removed, white cottony stuffing going everywhere.
>"Cozy!" shouted Astral.
>Cozy's face contorted from furrowed brows of anger to a deep frown of distraught raw dispair. She threw the head across the room, unintentionally knocking down her trophy from a shelf, breaking it without even noticing. She finally collapsed onto her haunches on top of what remained of Sandra, tilting her head back and crying ugly.
>Astral grabbed Cozy up and sat her down on the bed, sitting down on the edge next to her, giving her a tight side-hug. "Cozy, it's ok. Settle down, now. Shhh..."
>Cozy reached over with her other arm for a full-on hug, crying into Astral's chest. Her muffled wailing was heartbreaking.
>"There-there, Cozy. Just relax. Take your time. It's ok," soothed Astral.

>>34775266
>The sobbing eventually slowed to a whimper. Cozy pushed off and sat next to Astral, facing forward.
>"Feeling better now?" asked Astral.
>Cozy nodded lightly.
>"Do you mind telling me what this is all about?" she asked, softly.
>Cozy breathed for a few moments before starting in a delicately broken voice, "A-after school. I was going to surprise Allen. I went to his locker, but he wasn't there. I saw one of the colts he hangs out with and asked him. He said he was in the gym." Cozy sniffled.
>"And then what?"
>"So I went to the gym, but nopony was around. But then I found him in the back." Cozy started to get worked up again.
>Maintaing the side-hug, Astral began to rub Cozy's side in failing attempts to keep her calm.
>"A-and... he wasn't alone. There was some other filly there. A-and, and... They were b-booping and nuzzling with each other!" She began to cry again.
>"Shh, just relax, breath..."
>Cozy had to yell out of her crying in order to form solid words, "A-and he, he, he... he--, he. He, he"
>"Breath... He what?"
>"He gave her my heart!" she screamed out, going in for another Astral Chest cry.
>"Oh Cozy, I'm so sorry!" said Astral, rubbing Cozy's back and wings. There was nothing more she could think of to say. Perhaps there was nothing at all that could be said.
>Cozy sobbed and sobbed.
>"He's just a stupid Colt, Cozy. Sometimes they do stupid things. Sometimes they're good, but sometimes you just get a bad one, and you don't know until something like this happens."
>"Stupid! He's so stupid, with a stupid name!"
>"Yes. Stupid colt with a stupid name. You don't need stupid in your life. I'll make it better, I promise."
>It began to rain.

>>34775311
>All cried out, Cozy went to bed early that evening, without dinner. She wasn't hungry. Sandra lay in a pool of her own fluff on the floor, the head placed next to the body. The trophy sat on the table, cement still curing. Thunder rumbled through the sky as the rain now poured. Cozy was so drained that she peacefully slept right through it.
>The front door opened, then closed. Astral looked around to make sure everything was just as it should be. She then washed up and went to her own bed.

>"Thanks again, for the house call." said Astral.
>"Oh, Darling, not at all. This was emergency surgery after all. I just wish you had called me sooner!" said Rarity as she stepped outside. "Do let me know if there is anything else you need."
>"Thanks again," said Astral, as she waved goodbye, closing the door. She stood Sandra back in her place by Cozy's bed, adjusting the new hat made just for her. She nodded in satisfaction, then looked to the clock on the wall. "Any minute now."
>A moment later, and Cozy came in. She wasn't happy, but at least she wasn't angry either. Astral was glad.
>"Hello, Cozy. Did you have a better day at school today?"
>"Hi, Astral. I did," said Cozy as she set her saddlebags in their usual spot. She spotted Sandra and gasped, "You fixed her!" She ran up to her and gave a big plushy hug and nuzzling, "Oh Sandy, I'm so sorry I hurt you!"
>"I had her repaired, good as new, with quality thread. You can thank Rarity for that!"
>"Oh Sandy, I like your new hat!"
>"You should thank Rarity for that too."
>"Oh, I will!" said Cozy, spirits lifted.
>"Ok, now. Go wash up. We're doing hayburgers tonight."

>Dinner was mostly quiet. Cozy finally spoke up, "He wasn't at school today."
>"Oh?" Astral acted surprised. "I wonder why."
>Cozy shrugged. "I don't care."
>"Nor should you. You don't have to worry about him anymore."
>"Some foals were saying he was in an accident. Others said he was just sick. One of his friends said that he just went crazy or something," shrugged Cozy.

>>34775382
>"I'm sure he got what he deserves," said Astral, taking another bite of her burger.
>"Astral?"
>"Yeah?"
>"Did you go out last night, in the rain?"
>"Oh, um. yeah. I did. I uh, was going to see if Rarity was up, if she could fix Sandra before you woke up. But she was already closed. Why?"
>"I thought I heard something. Maybe I was dreaming still. I had a dream last night."
>"Yeah? What was it about?"
>"I dreamed that Stupid was all tied up. He couldn't move or talk, but I could tell he was panicking. Then Princess Luna came and saved him. I asked her why and she said something was wrong. I don't remember the rest," recalled Cozy.
>"Do you think it was really her? Or just a dream?"
>"I don't know. It wasn't scary or anything."

* * *

>The next several days proved quite uneventful. It was a full week later when Cozy noticed that day, there were strange whisperings and glares from other students. She tried to ignore them at first, but later she realized they were at and about her.
>Cozy turned the dial, "17, 1, 15..." she thought to herself. She pulled up on the latch and the locker clicked open. She emptied the school books from her saddlebag into her locker, closed it and gasped in surprise as she saw Allen right beside her.
>"Here," said Allen. He shoved the plush red heart towards her. "Take it!"
>Cozy stood there staring, shocked, unmoving.
>"Take it!" he said, louder. He forcefully pushed the heart onto Cozy, letting it go. It just fell to the floor. There was a sense of urgency and fear in his voice. "Take it and stay away from me," he said as he backed off.
>"...What is--" Cozy began to ask.
>"Just stay away! ...Freak," he said as he turned and quickly trotted away. The students in the hall stood around and stared at Cozy for a moment before continuing on with their business.
>Cozy picked up the heart, looked it over, and slipped it into her saddlebag. "Astral... What did you do?"

>>34775453
>It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents -- except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which swept up the streets (for it is in Ponyville that our scene lies), rattling along the housetops, and fiercely agitating the scanty flame of the lamps that struggle against the darkness. In a dark corner of an alley stood a lone figure, a unicorn shrouded in a hooded cloak deep in the shadows. She tilted her head up towards an upstairs window. The tip of her nose and glow from her horn were her only distinguishable visible features. Lightning flashed in her eyes as it jumped through the clouds. There was no light coming from the bedroom window, its occupant having been asleep for quite some time. It was already the first hours of the new day, after all. There was an unsettling presence in the air around our pony.
>A loud unnerving scream came from the room of the upstairs window just as a gust of wind blew back the hood of our ...hero?
>Astral grinned, turned and headed home.

>>34781843
>"...What do you mean?" asked Astral, playing innocent.
>"You did something to him, didn't you?" accused Cozy. "You didn't go to see Rarity at all!"
>"Cozy..."
>Cozy dug her face into the pouch on her side, pulling out a red plush heart, dropping it onto the floor in between them. "Something happened to him. He's not the same, I can tell. It was you, wasn't it?"
>"Oh, he gave it back to you, did he?"
>"He practically threw it at me!" Cozy looked down at the heart, "He called me a freak. All the students are talking, saying things. Whispering things."
>"I'm sorry, Cozy."
>"What did you do to him?"
>"I... Took your pain, while you were sleeping. Your anger at him, the hate. The feels. I gave them to him, all at once."
>"...," blinked Cozy, shocked.
>"I, I felt so bad for you. It hurt me too, to see you like that. So I gave that to him too. It... reminded me of when I was your age, and how ponies treated me. How it felt. And..."
>"No..."
>"I gave that to him too. He hurt you. I wanted to hurt him back. For you. For me. I didn't mean to take it too far, but once I started, I couldn't stop myself. It felt. . . good."
>Cozy backed off a step, "Astral, you're scaring me."
>Tears began to roll down Astral's face, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." She stepped closer, but Cozy backed off more, keeping her distance. Astral stopped and turned away.
>Cozy continued to back away slowly, "I... I can't. I... Astral, you're... I..." She turned and ran out the door, leaving it open behind her.
>Astral picked up the heart and curled up on the floor with it. "Astral... What did you do?"

>>34781850
>It was so very late. There was only trouble to be found out at this hour, so Cozy stepped inside and closed the door quietly behind her. The lights were on, but the house was quiet. Dinner was on the table, cold, dried out. Astral was passed out on the bed, clutching the plush heart to her chest. Salty streaks of dried tears lined her cheeks. Neither place setting had been touched. Cozy quietly moved the plates to the kitchen sink, taking a few bites of the parts that still looked edible, and downed the drink in her cup. She turned the lights down and went to the bathroom to quietly wash up.
>Clean and refreshed, she carefully climbed into bed, sandwiching the plush heart in between them, pulling up the covers. Without waking, Astral instinctively pulled Cozy in closer, a subconscious smile creeping its way across her face. Cozy, eyes closed, lightly smiled too. Her own bed could never feel this warm.

    * * *

>"Aren't you going to ask me where I went?" asked Cozy, doing her part to tidy up the living space.
>"You went wherever you thought you needed to. It doesn't matter. You came back, safe, that's all I cared about." replied Astral. "I was worried, though. So I was glad you were here when I woke up."
>Cozy took in Astral's words for thought as she folded laundry that had been draped all over Sandra.
>"Cozy, about yesterday, this whole thing, I'm sorry,"
>Seemingly unphased, Cozy continued with one article of laundry after another, "I'm sorry too, Astral," she said, speaking softly. "It's nice."
>"Hmm?" Astral was in the kitchen washing dishes.
>"That you look out for me, I mean. It's nice."
>"Oh."
>"But, I'm not a helpless little filly." She was careful in her tone to sound as non-aggressive as possible. "I may be little, but I'm strong. I know that. I once brought Equestria to its knees before, after all.  I survived Tartarus."
>Astral listened.
>"We've known each other a long time, now. You should know that too, how strong I can be. And because of you, I know I'm even stronger." Cozy spoke casually, finishing up the last of the laundry. She picked up the heart, holding it close, turning to face Astral in the kitchen from where she stood by her own bed. "Sometimes, I just need you to save me in here. Not out there."

>>34782299
>Cozy went over Astral's bed, gently laying the heart on her pillow.
>"I know, I guess. It's hard, strange," said Astral.
>"What is?"
>"Us." she said, quickly adding "But not in a bad way. I mean... Just," she took a moment to gather her thoughts.
>Cozy went to brush Sandra's mane, while she listened.
>"We're friends. Close friends. Best friends, I hope. But at the same time, I take care of you too. Not just because it's my job, or a condition of your freedom. I don't just feel like I have to, I want to; I need to."
>Cozy sat on her bed as she moved on to Sandra's tail, careful not to get the brush stuck on any tangles.
>"So it's like... I'm also your..."
>"Mom?"
>"Yes?" Astral quickly corrected herself, "...I mean, yeah."
>"I don't know what a real mom is like. Maybe you'd make a nice one someday. I hope I'll be a good one, I'd want to be like you." Finishing up, Cozy set the brush down on the nightstand. "There you go, Sandy. You are very pretty today," she said as she adjusted her hat and stroked the plush fur.
>Astral smiled from the kitchen, watching Cozy play.