Day 26:
Cozy Glow slowly opens her eyes the next morning. She’s not sure how long she’s slept, but she feels very groggy as she looks over at her nightstand clock that says 9:21. She starts and says, “Golly! I usually don’t sleep this late. Hey! Where’s mom? She normally wakes me up by now!”
She moves her big teddy bear out of her way so she can make it to the floor where she lands on her hooves. She then flies across the house. As she quietly glides through the air, Cozy doesn’t see her beloved mother anywhere and this only unnerves her even more.
She lands in front of the master bedroom door and calls out, “Uh, mom? Where are you?”
She suddenly hears a barely audible murmur on the other side saying, “I’m in here sweetie!”
Trixie’s bedroom door opens to reveal Cozy who then stares at the unicorn on the bed and says, “Uh, mom? You don’t look so great?”
Trixie mutters out, “Ugh! I don’t feel so great either Cozy… Um, I think I’m sick today?”
“Uh, yeah! Okay mom!” Cozy snaps to attention, “Erm, what should I do?”
Trixie coughs and sputters before saying softly, “Well uh, my throat is really dry and sore. Would you mind making some tea for me baby?”
“Right away mom!” Cozy gives a solute with her right forehoof before turning to fly out towards the kitchen. She is now on a mission! She knows she saw the tea in the cabinet and if she can just find the kettle, she’ll be in business!
Cozy lands in front of the pantry and opens it with her hooves to see inside. She looks up the shelves one at a time to finally find the teakettle at the top. “Oh of course it’s gonna be on the top!” She says to herself before determinedly floating up to the top using her wings with her tongue out the right side of her mouth. She reaches the top and flitters forward just enough to grab the kettle with her forehooves and then backs up before swooping over to the sink. She sets it down there, pops open the kettle, and operates the knobs with her hooves to get the water flowing for a few seconds before turning it off and closing the cap and then flying it over to the stove. She sets it on the burner and turns it on high, knowing it will boil soon that way. She then flies over to the other cabinet to fetch a magenta teacup with swirly hot pink designs on the sides.
She sets it down on the counter and lands before staring at it as the water heats up. She then looks down and frowns before saying, “You know, I bet this tea would brew a lot better if it had a teabag?” And then she flies back over to the pantry to fetch the tea where she saw it on the middle shelf.
The kettle begins to whistle as she’s flying back with the box of tea in her hooves. “Gosh darn it! Don’t whistle just yet! I’m not ready!” she says with her tongue now out the left side of her mouth as she floats over to the counter.
She lands on the counter before using her mouth to open the box and getting a teabag out with her hooves to set it inside the teacup and she made sure the string is hanging out the side before hurriedly flying back to the stove to carefully get the handle of the noisy teakettle with her hooves. She knows she can’t touch the metal right now without being burned and is careful not to do that as she slowly hovers back over to the cup on the counter and opens the cap to pour the boiling hot water into the cup.
Sweat begins to form on the little Pegasus’s brow as she brings the kettle back up from pouring and flies it over to the stovetop on the other burner. She gently lowers herself in the air to drop the kettle onto the burner when it suddenly starts to slip in her left forehoof. She quickly compensates and regains control to gently lower the pot. After that, she hovers over the knob of the stove and uses her forehooves to turn it off before landing back on the floor. She wipes her brow with her right forehoof as she says to herself, “That sure was a lot of work! I hope mom likes her tea!”
Trixie’s bedroom door opens again to reveal a smiling pink Pegasus filly balancing a cup of warm tea on a saucer on her snout. Cozy trots in carefully before setting the tea on the counter and saying, “Hope you like it mom!”
Trixie smiles and says, “Thank you Cozy! You’re very helpful!”
“Oh golly gee mom! It’s the least I could do! Try it!”
Trixie carefully takes a sip. “This is very good Cozy! Could use some lemon, but that’s okay! I can just drink it like this!”
Cozy frowns and says, “Oh no mom! You’re sick and you should get everything you want! Set it back down and don’t touch it again until I say so!”, before purposefully trotting out the door, leaving a giggling Trixie behind.
A few minutes later, Cozy flies back into the room and hovers over Trixie’s teacup that’s now back on her nightstand. Her cheeks puff out in concentration and there’s focus in her eyes as she pours some lemon into the teacup with her hooves and then brings it back up from pouring. After that, she flies out the door again and back towards the kitchen to put the lemon juice up.
Cozy flies back into Trixie’s room and lands next to her bed smiling and panting just as Trixie is using magic and her spoon to stir the tea her loving daughter just brought her. “Okay mom! Just stir and it should be good to drink now!”
Trixie giggles and says, “You’re so considerate little filly! Thank you!” before sipping her tea and smiling at her daughter.
“Well you’re sick and you should get everything you want!” Cozy says as she primly straightens her face.
Trixie giggles some more and says, “Thanks Cozy! I need to rest now okay. Starshine should be here later and you can go play until she arrives…”
“Okay mom!” Cozy says before trotting out the door and turning to face her mother. “You just yell if you need anything okay?”
“You got it Cozy! I love you! Now have fun!”
“I love you too mom!” Cozy says before she shuts the door with her right forehoof and then takes off with her wings to fly across the house back to her room.
She lands in front of her door, operates the knob with her mouth, and trots back in.
Cozy then proceeds to read book 3 of the Dragon-Corn series while sitting with her back on a pillow propped up against the wall on her bed. She thinks to herself, “You know, when I was helping other ponies before, it was different. I knew that I was only doing that to get them to do what I wanted. But now, I don’t really expect anything?”
She closes her eyes and says to herself softly, “This is so stupid! Ponies are meant to be used right? I mean, they’re manipulated for what I want them to do? That was the plan! That’s how it was!”
She opens her eyes again and says, “But now I don’t want anything from her but to make sure she’s okay… Golly! I-I guess I really do care about her huh? I didn’t really know what to expect when I was unfrozen? I mean, I thought they’d want to change me, but I didn’t know it would be so nice when they did?”
She is deep in concentration when suddenly, she hears a tapping at her window. She sets down her book and looks out her window to see Starshine standing there with a frown on her face and a concerned look in her eyes.
“Golly!” Cozy says as she gallops over to open the window with her hooves and says to Starshine on the other side, “What are you doing out there Starshine?”
“Uh, yeah! I knocked on the door, but nopony answered and so I walked around the side of the house to see if you were in here. Uh, where’s Trixie?”
“Yeah she’s sick right now. I’m sorry Starshine! Come around and I’ll let you in!”
“Sure, Cozy Glow!” Starshine says before trotting off to Cozy’s left and then Cozy turns around and trots over to her door, opens it, and trots out across the foyer to the front door where she opens it just in time to see Starshine trotting towards it outside on the right.
Cozy calls out to her friend, “Ssh! Be quiet! We don’t wanna wake mom!”
Starshine smiles and nods before whispering back, “Gosh! You know, taking care of a sick pony is a responsiblity Cozy. Uh, would you like me to help you with that?”
Cozy starts again and says, “Golly! Y-you’d wanna help me with that Starshine?”
“Of course, Cozy! What are friends for? Besides! It’s not like I got anything better to do! Now listen, there’s a couple of things I need to do right quick and so would you give me about 30 to 45 minutes to go back to my house please?”
“Well golly gee! Okay uh, thanks Starshine!”
Starshine then trots forward to hug Cozy tightly and whispers, “I’ll be back soon!” and then trots away towards her house with a focused look on her face.
Cozy is later further along in her book as she lazily sits with her back on the pillow again when she hears another knock on her window. She looks out of it to, sure enough, see Starshine smiling there with saddlebags.
Cozy motions to Starshine to go around with her right forehoof, then meets Starshine at the door.
Cozy calls out, “Hi Starshine!”
Starshine trots closer while smiling as she says, “Hi Cozy!”
“Uh, what did you bring in the bags?”
“Don’t worry about that just yet Cozy. There’s something important I need to do.” Starshine says as she trots a bit closer to Cozy.
“What’s that Starshine?”
“Well first, would you mind explaining to me what that is?” Starshine says as she points forward at something with her right forehoof.
Cozy turns around and asks, “What is what Starshine?”
Cozy then suddenly feels hooves going around her little body…
“YOUHAVEN’TDONETHATINAWHILE!” Cozy says as she starts in Starshine’s embrace.
Starshine lets the Pegasus out of her embrace as Cozy mutters out, “This isn’t over!”
Starshine mimics her friend as she says, “I’m not scared!”
“Well I’m dangerous!”
Starshine rolls her eyes and says, “Dangerously cute maybe? Uh, is Trixie still asleep?”
“Um, I think so? She said she’d yell at me if she needed me and I haven’t heard anything since.”
“Well um, if it’s been awhile, maybe somepony should go check on her?”
“Yeah you’re probably right actually? Um, you go to my room and I’ll go make sure she’s okay!”
“Alright Cozy!” Starshine says as she trots inside and off to the side towards Cozy’s room.
Cozy slowly trots in behind her and quietly shuts the door with her forehoof before heading over towards Trixie’s room. She carefully opens the door with her mouth before slowly and silently trotting in and looking at the bed.
She sees a sleeping blue unicorn there muttering to an imaginary audience.
“Prepare to be amazed!” Trixie loudly shouts as Cozy stands there and giggles to herself before quietly trotting back outside and carefully shutting the door with her forehoof.
Then she flies across the house back to her room again and lands in front of her now open door and turns to face Starshine as she says, “Um, she’s still asleep! Well, pretty much! So, what would you like to do Starshine?”
“Um, I dunno Cozy? What do you wanna do?”
“If I knew that, why would I have just asked you what you would like to do?”
Starshine smiles and says, “How about because you care about me and want to make sure I have a good time?”
Cozy frowns and says, “Wait! Are you standing there telling me that I’m a good pony?”
Starshine scrunches her mouth for a moment before saying, “Well, yeah! I guess I am! You’re a good pony Cozy Glow and you care about everypony around you!”
“I, but I tried to take over Equestria!”
“Yeah! 12 years ago! And now you’re caring for a sick unicorn with your best friend!”
Cozy stops and looks at the ground as she closes her eyes. She says, “So um, I’m a good pony and I do good things then huh? I mean, I try my best, but I always wonder if it could be enough you know?”
“Yes Cozy! I’ve been trying to tell you that for awhile now!”
Cozy opens her eyes and asks, “Uh, Starshine?”
“Yeah Cozy?”
She furrows her brows as she looks at Starshine and says, “Am I ever gonna stop having stupid realizations I should’ve had a long time ago?”
Starshine grins and giggles as she says, “Well hopefully Cozy! But I’ll be here to hold your hoof while you’re still being dumb!”
Cozy chuckles too, closes her eyes, and says, “You know, once upon a time, I would’ve made you pay for such impudence!” She opens her eyes as she continues, “But now I’m actually smiling and giggling about it!”
“Um, I guess that’s what happens when you become good? You stop taking things so seriously and stop being such a jerk?”
“Yeah, maybe?”
“Who knows? Uh, hey Cozy! I’m hungry! Wanna go make something for lunch?”
“Well I guess we have to now since mom is out of commission?”
“Um, well what should we make Cozy?”
“I dunno Starshine? What would you like?”
“If I knew that, why would I uh, hey wait! Didn’t we already do this?”
Both fillies chuckle before Cozy says, “Hey, I saw some lettuce and tomato in the fridge earlier? And I know there’s bread in the box on the counter? Um, we could make sandwiches?”
“Sounds good to me!”
They both trot into the kitchen area when Cozy says, “Um, I guess I should get everything since I know where everything is and uh,” she flaps her little wings, “I also have these…”
“Right Cozy! Just get the ingredients and the plates and I’ll use my magic to make sandwiches! We can do it together! I like mustard, but would you like mayo instead Cozy?”
“Yeah I like mayo better!” Cozy says before squatting and flying up to the cabinet to fetch plates and laying them down on the counter. She then floats over to the breadbox and gets four slices of bread and lays them out, two slices, side by side, neatly on each plate. After that, she floats over to the fridge to retrieve lettuce, a bag of tomatoes, a jar of mustard, and finally a jar of mayonnaise one at a time to the counter. Cozy then lands next to her friend and pants.
Starshine looks at Cozy and says, “Would you get me two butter knives too please?”
Cozy huffs and says, “Oh, right! You also need that!” Before taking off with her wings and floating over to the drawer, opening it with her forehooves and then stumbling to collect two butterknives out with them.
Starshine sees Cozy is having trouble balancing the knives and she uses her magic to float the knives out of her hooves to the other side of the kitchen where she’s standing.
“Ack! Hey!”
“What? You didn’t have it!”
“I could still get it if you gave me enough time!” Cozy gruffly says as she floats back over towards Starshine and lands next to her.
Starshine giggles and uses each knife to spread condiments on the bread in front of her. She then magically strips some of the lettuce off and puts some on each sandwich before saying, “Shoot! I also need a sharp knife for the tomatoes! Uh, Cozy! Which drawer are they in?”
Cozy points over to a drawer next to Starshine while panting and says, “I can get that!” and turns to face it…
“Don’t Cozy! This knife is sharp!” And Starshine then levitates the drawer out as sweat begins to form on her brow. The drawer starts to slip in her magical grasp.
Cozy notices this and says, “Golly!” as she quickly takes off and floats with her wings over the drawer and stabilizes it with all her hooves as Starshine gently sets it down.
“Stand back Cozy! I don’t want to cut you!”
Cozy takes two steps back on her hooves.
Starshine then levitates a knife out of the drawer over to the counter and starts using it to slice tomatoes.
Cozy frowns and says, “You know, it’s not really that dangerous!”
“Cozy! It’s sharp and I’m not going to let you get hurt! Let me take care of this please!”
Cozy huffs and says, “I could get it if I wanted to!”
Once she’s done slicing the tomatoes, Starshine sets the knife down to the side and trots towards Cozy a few steps before saying, “I’m not going to risk it Cozy!”
Just then, both fillies hear a voice from Trixie’s room calling out, “Cozy Glow! Where are you my precious daughter?”
Cozy’s mouth curves as she looks over and says, “Hey, I gotta go check on her, will you be okay without me?”
“Oh, everything is done now! You should go see what your mom needs! I’ll be at the table there waiting on you!”
“Okay!” Cozy says as she turns towards her mother’s room and squats before taking off to fly over there quickly. She lands in a huff and opens the door with her front hooves, looks at the unicorn on the bed, and says while panting, “Y-yes…mom?”
Trixie looks at Cozy with a pale look in her eyes and says, “Is Starshine here yet? It’s 12:37!”
“Yes mom! Starshine is here and we just made lunch together!”
“Good Cozy! Will you please get me two apples from the pantry and some more tea please? I need something to drink now and I haven’t eaten all day! After that, I want you to go relax with your friend for a bit. You look really tired little filly!”
“Right away mom!” Cozy says before turning around and taking off once more to fetch the things Trixie asked for.
Cozy floats back in a few minutes later while holding a new magenta teacup and saucer in all of her hooves and slowly lowers that to Trixie’s nightstand before floating over to the side to pick up the other, now empty teacup and flying out of the room.
And in another minute, Cozy flies in while carrying two apples in her forehooves and she swoops over to gently put them on the stand next to the cup. She then floats sideways and lands while panting.
Trixie smiles at the tired Pegasus filly and says, “You’ve been working so hard Cozy! Go eat lunch with your friend now!”
“You got it mom! Uh, you need to stir your tea! I added lemon!” Cozy says as she smiles before turning around and trotting out the door and shuts it to leave a chuckling Trixie behind.
She looks across the foyer to see that Starshine has already set up and so she slowly walks back over to the table with sweat now on the sides of her face.
Starshine smiles and says, “Hey Cozy! You look tired! Come here and eat lunch with me! Your sandwich is right there, and I also got you a glass of that berry juice you really like. Um, you’re out now that I got you a glass. Uh, sorry!”
Cozy slowly scoots herself onto the stool and says, “That’s okay Starshine! I mean, if nopony drank it, what would be the point?”
Starshine smiles and says, “You got me there! Mayo, right?”
“Yup! Uh, you didn’t start eating yet?”
“Well yeah! You’re not supposed to until everypony is at the table!”
“Oh yeah! I think that’s right?” Cozy says before scooping her sandwich up in her forehooves and taking a bite. “Hey this is really good Starshine!” She says while chewing with a happy grin on her face.
Starshine levitates her sandwich to her mouth and says, “Glad you like it Cozy!” before taking a bite herself.
“Yeah, I just got my mom her lunch, uh, golly! You know, I was so busy earlier that I skipped breakfast!”
“That’s not good Cozy! You should eat more!”
“Yeah, I guess so, but I was just uh…” And Cozy starts for a second.
“Uh, Cozy? You okay?”
Cozy’s eyes narrow as her brow furrows and she says, “I’m being nice again, but it’s different… Starshine, I don’t really want you and Trixie to do what I say?”
“Well probably not no?”
“Yeah but when I was nice earlier, I was just getting ponies to do what I want!”
“And now you’re reformed!” Starshine says as she takes another hearty bite.
“I guess so huh?” Cozy says before she starts scarfing her sandwich down more aggressively.
Starshine starts to giggle when Cozy raises her left forehoof to shush her. Cozy looks back down at her sandwich and continues to eat it voraciously.
Starshine smiles and floats her sandwich over to her face and starts taking more bites out of it.
They finish their sandwiches like this, Cozy first, and Starshine a few moments later.
Just then, they hear another yell from Trixie’s room. “Cozy! I need you again!”
Cozy scrunches her mouth and says, “Oh pony feathers! I better go see what she needs!” before taking off with her wings and floating over to Trixie’s room door, landing there, and opening the door to walk in.
Trixie hacks on her bed and says, “Okay Cozy, I know you’re very tired. But I needed to go to the market today to get a few things. Can you do that for me please, baby? Well know you don’t like to be in public though, so it’s okay if you’re not ready…”
Cozy pants and says, “Yes mom! I’ll take care of it for you!” Before looking down and suddenly remembering she doesn’t like it outside and frowning while thinking about that.
Right then, Starshine trots in and says, “Oh no Cozy! You’ve been working hard! I’ll go to the market and you pony the fort in case Trixie needs something!”
Cozy starts and looks at Starshine. She knows this is her way out and from the way Starshine is winking at her, she’s pretty sure Starshine is having similar thoughts. She says to her friend, “Are you sure Starshine?”
“Sure Cozy! I got four hooves and Ponyville isn’t exactly a dangerous place you know? You stay here and take care of Trixie and I’ll go to the market and get anything you need!”
Trixie smiles and says, “Well aren’t you two the perfect little team of adorable little fillies!” (Cozy frowns as she continues), “Alright well I know we’re almost out of berry juice and I need more tissues. Oh! And get some noodles for dinner too please! They uh, help with my throat…” She then looks at Cozy and asks her, “Uh, Cozy! Would you be a dear and get my purse from the left side of my closet please?”
Cozy snaps to attention and gives another salute with her right forehoof as she says, “Right away mom!” And then determinedly trots towards Trixie’s closet. She opens the door with her forehoof and looks inside. She quickly sees the purse sitting on the floor to her left, but she also can’t help but notice a large stack of boxes on the right. She looks at them closely and scrunches her eyes and mouth before asking her mother, “Uh, mom? Why do you have so many peanut butter crackers?”
Trixie replies, “Oh never mind that Cozy! Do you see my purse on the left there?”
Cozy looks to her left again and says, “Uh yeah, hang on mom!” Before going in further to snatch the purse with her mouth and then trotting back over to Trixie and setting it down next to the bed.
Trixie levitates 5 bits out of her purse and over to a smiling Starshine’s left saddlebag.
Starshine trots a few paces over to Cozy and hugs her while whispering, “I’ll be back soon my wonderful friend! Be careful!” And then she trots out of Trixie’s door.
Trixie smiles at the panting Pegasus filly and says, “Why don’t you take a nap now Cozy? You look like you could use the rest!”
Cozy looks down and says, “Yeah um, okay mom! But you just yell if you need anything okay?”
Trixie giggles and says, “Will do Cozy!”
Cozy trots out of Trixie’s door, shuts it with her left forehoof, and trots across the foyer to her room while deep in thought. She thinks to herself, “Golly! So, I’m doing this? I’m being a…” She gulps, “good pony?” before reaching her door, opening it with her mouth, and trotting in to see her bed still disheveled with her two toys on it.
She says, “Well I guess I should straighten this out before laying down?” before trotting over to her bed, standing on her hind legs with her little body leaning on the side and making it with her forehooves like usual. Then she climbs in and has her big bear to her back and clutches her dolphin to her chest.
She whispers to Snorkel, “I’m actually doing it! I’m being a good pony and taking care of a sick unicorn now! Golly!” She closes her eyes and feels her tired little body begin to softly drift to sleep.
Later, Cozy wakes up as she feels legs slowly making their way over her body again. She begins to scream when a hoof quickly goes over her mouth and all she can do is make a little, “MPH!” noise.
She then hears a familiar voice whispering from behind her, “It’s okay Cozy! It’s just me, Starshine and I’m holding you!”
Starshine removes her hoof from Cozy’s mouth as Cozy starts while saying, “You have a really bad habit of sneaking up on me you know that? New rule! No sneaking up on the curly haired Pegasus filly!”
Starshine giggles and says, “But where would the fun in that be?”
“I’m not playing here Starshine! Horrible vengeance!” Cozy says as her little body vibrates.
Starshine giggles again and says, “Hush now Cozy. Let’s cuddle and snooze together now okay? Trixie is asleep and I know you were tired earlier…”
“Um, okay Starshine! Er, you can hold me… Um, if you really want to…”
“Cozy, would you stop acting like you don’t like this already? We both know you do!”
Cozy looks down and giggles for a second before saying, “Yeah it’s just hard for me to admit, I guess? You know, I don’t really like to admit that I kinda um, need other ponies in my life?”
“Yeah tell me about it! When you’re an only child and you spend most of your time by yourself, you kinda forget how great it is to just have somepony there for you, you know?”
“Yeah, or when you’re camping out and crashing at other pony’s places!”
“Well your story is a lot more interesting than mine!”
Cozy looks down and closes her eyes, “I’d still rather have yours Starshine… I really miss my mom…”
“I know Cozy… I know… I’m sorry…” Starshine hugs Cozy tightly.
“Um, it’s okay Starshine. Just uh, please be there for me okay?”
Cozy feels Starshine’s warm body behind her snuggle up very closely as Starshine’s voice says the words, “You got it Cozy!”
Cozy smiles as a tear goes down her right cheek, “Golly Starshine! Y-you’re uh, my first real friend!”
“Mine too Cozy! Now hush and go to sleep here in my hooves okay?”
“Thank you Starshine! I love you!” Cozy then pulls her dolphin up to her chest while in her friend’s hooves. She begins to smile as she feels Starshine’s snout nuzzle the back of her head and they both peacefully fall asleep together.
Later, Cozy awakes in Starshine’s hooves again and looks at her nightstand clock to see that it says 2:48 on it. She says, “Hey wake up Starshine! It’s almost 3 and I need to go check on mom!”
Starshine whispers back, “Okay Cozy! But meet me back in here when you’re done!”
“Alright Starshine!” Cozy says as she scootches out of Starshine’s hooves and makes her way to the side of the bed to get off it and onto her hooves on the floor. She trots over to the door, opens it with her mouth, and trots across the foyer cautiously towards her mother’s room.
She opens Trixie’s door with her forehoof and looks inside. She sees Trixie over on her bed lightly snoozing and a new box of tissues on her nightstand.
Trixie looks down at Cozy and says, “Cozy my precious daughter! Would you bring me another cup of tea please?”
“Right away mom!” Cozy says as she starts back across the foyer towards the kitchen. She gets to the kitchen and then squats to take off with her wings and flies over to the cabinet. She then flitters over to the stove to get the teakettle and prepares it with water inside on the stove to boil same as before. Then she flies over and hovers by the cabinet and opens it to fetch yet another magenta teacup from the shelf with her forehooves and then flies it over to the counter.
She eventually flies back and lands on the floor. She wipes her forehead with her right forehoof again and says, “Golly this is hard… Oh! Teabag!” Before taking off once more to get another teabag from the middle shelf and drops it into the teacup from holding it by the string in her mouth. She lands again and says, “Okay uh, now I’m ready!” And turns to face the teakettle on the stove. In a moment the teakettle starts to whistle and she says, “Golly that stove is really fast!” and then squats again to take off and flies over the kettle to very carefully pick it up and pour the now boiling water into the teacup. After that, she flies the teakettle over to the other burner once more and turns off the stove before flying back to the floor.
Cozy catches her breath for a few minutes while letting the tea steep. She says, “You know, I used to work about this hard for the School of Friendship, but it was never this draining before? I guess spending some time locked up in Tartarus before being frozen in stone for 10 years makes you out of shape?”
She breaths for another few moments before looking up at the tea and saying, “Okay! I bet it’s ready now!” Before squatting down and taking off once more. She then picks it up with all her hooves before flying back across the foyer and into Trixie’s still open door. She hovers inside and gently sets the teacup down on Trixie’s nightstand before saying, “Not yet mom!” and then flying back out again.
She returns a few moments later while holding the bottle of lemon juice in her hooves and pours it into the tea slowly. After she thinks it’s had enough, she stops pouring and floats it back out. She eventually flies back in and lands next to Trixie’s bed with an accomplished smile on her face.
And as Trixie is stirring her tea with her spoon, Starshine slowly trots into the room behind her and says, “Cozy! Where have you been? I’ve got everything out and I’ve been waiting on you!”
Cozy looks back at her and says, “Oh sorry Starshine! Mom wanted some more tea!”
Starshine smiles and says, “That’s fine Cozy!” She then looks at Trixie and says, “Miss Trixie! May I spend the night with Cozy and keep her company while helping her with anything she might need? I already asked my mom and she said it’s fine!”
Cozy looks at Starshine with wide-open eyes and an agape mouth as Trixie says, “Now I think that’s a great idea Starshine! Cozy can take care of me and you’re there if she needs any help!”
Starshine smiles at dumbfounded Cozy and says, “Yeah! And when we’re not getting you better, we can hang out and have a slumber party!”
Cozy gulps at this prospect as she says, “S-slumber party? Golly! Do you really think I can do that now? I mean um, now?”
Trixie says, “And why not Cozy? You gotta admit, taking care of me is draining you and you could use the help?”
Cozy frowns and says, “Well when you put it like that, it sounds like a better choice than being all alone and by myself?”
Trixie smiles and says, “Exactly Cozy! Now it’s almost 5 and dinner needs to be started soon. Do you know how to make homemade mac n cheese Cozy?”
Cozy frowns and says, “Golly! I don’t know how to make that!”
Starshine speaks up and says, “I know how to make it Miss Trixie! I can show Cozy! It’s easy!”
Cozy looks at Starshine and says, “Golly Starshine! You don’t have to…”
Starshine cuts her off by saying, “I set the noodles on the counter and I know where your pots and sink are. But I need you to get me a few things alright Cozy?”
Cozy then says with a grimace, “Um, alright Starshine! Let’s go make mac n cheese!”
The two fillies trot across the foyer back to the kitchen area when Starshine looks over to her right and uses her magic to get a big pot out of the cabinet, sets it in the sink, and starts to run cool water into it. She then looks over and adds a little bit of salt to the water before saying, “That keeps it from sticking!”
Cozy smiles and says, “Oh okay Starshine! Um, you need cheese, right? What else do you need?”
“Well I also need milk and butter, but don’t get them until I’ve strained the noodles and am ready for them! Just put a colander in the sink for me for now, okay?”
“You got it Starshine!” Cozy says before taking off, flying over, and fetching the colander from the back cabinet with her mouth and then dropping it neatly in the sink.
Then she lands next to her friend who’s staring intently at the pot of water she just prepared to boil. Cozy stares at Starshine for a moment and finally says, “You know, they say a watched pot never boils right Starshine?”
Starshine then looks at Cozy and says, “Well that’s fine because we aren’t watching the pot right now! We’re facing each other!”
Cozy smiles and says, “Okay that’s better Starshine! You know that stove makes water boil really fast! I’m not sure why?”
The two fillies then face the stove as Cozy continues, “Although I think a pot is a bit bigger than a teakettle, right?”
“Yeah, I mean, even if the teakettle boiled really fast, this should take a bit longer?”
“You know, I just said we shouldn’t watch this thing and so we both start watching it… Am I the only pony who thinks that’s kinda counterproductive?”
Starshine giggles and says, “Well yeah, but, just because we’re watching the pot doesn’t mean it’s gonna take longer right? Just because we’re watching it isn’t really going to affect how the heat goes into the pot I wouldn’t think?”
“Okay but um, what if we’re wrong? You gotta admit, it’s taking it’s sweet time!”
“Okay Cozy! Here’s my plan! You watch it and I’ll turn away! That way, we can know if you watching it will affect the boiling rate!”
Staring intently at the pot, Cozy says, “Well I don’t see how that makes any sense Starshine…” When suddenly, she is hugged against her will and squeals, “HEYWHATAREYOUDOINGTHERE?”
Starshine then lets the Pegasus out of her hooves, grins, and says, “It’s been too long and that was backpay!”
Cozy is muttering to herself about righteous fury as the pot begins to boil on the stove and Starshine notices this. She magically turns down the burner and puts noodles into the pot before using the ladle from the holder on her left to stir it. She says, “Okay now it needs to boil for about ten minutes now!” as she sets the timer on the stove with the knob.
“Golly! Ten minutes?”
“Yeah well, we can talk?”
“Um, sure Starshine! What do you want to talk about?”
“I dunno, Cozy? How do you like being Trixie’s daughter so far?”
“Well I didn’t expect this? Um, you know, I didn’t really know what to expect when I think about it? I just did what she told me because well, spending ten years in stone really makes you think about things!”
“Yeah I remember you telling me about that? What’s it like being in stone Cozy?”
“Well, it’s really boring! I slept for as much as and as long as I could, but there was nothing to do and all I could do was just watch what was going on outside and think… Golly ten years is a long time and I thought an awful lot!”
“What did you think about Cozy?”
Cozy looks down and slowly says, “Well, I thought about everything I did… I wondered if I could’ve done it better. I wondered if maybe I could’ve gotten away with it if I just did things a little differently… But then I started to have other thoughts…”
“Um, other thoughts Cozy?”
“Cozy looks back up with her auburn eyes open and says, “I started to wonder if there was another way you know? Like, what if I didn’t HAVE to be bad? What if I could…” She closes her eyes.
“Could what Cozy?”
Cozy opens her eyes and looks at Starshine as she blurts out, “Do something else you know? Like, maybe what I did before wasn’t really the best thing I could’ve done?”
“Well, it got you encased in stone and so probably not?”
Cozy giggles to herself as she says, “You know, you ponies sure are something! I really didn’t expect having a real friend to be this great… I love you Starshine!”
Starshine smiles and says, “AWW! I love you too Cozy!” when suddenly, the timer goes off and she turns her head to pull the knob and then sets the pot over on the other burner with her magic and turns off the stove. Then she furrows her brows as she concentrates to float the heavy pot across the kitchen while saying, “This is hot Cozy! Don’t touch it!”
Her tongue is out the right side of her mouth as Cozy looks on with her big auburn eyes to see the pot turning over in mid-air to pour the boiling water into the colander. The noodles soon fall into the bowl and Starshine lets out a sigh of relief as she then balances the hot pot on the metal edge of the sink while switching her tongue to the left side of her mouth. She uses her magic to pour the noodles back in before setting the pot back down on the other burner.
Starshine catches her breath and turns to face Cozy before asking her, “Cozy! Please get the block of cheese, butter, and milk from the fridge for me!”
“You got it Starshine!” Cozy says before squatting, taking off, and floating over to the fridge and opening it to look for the requested items inside. She finds the milk first and floats that over to the counter before heading back to look more. She finds butter next and then gets that to the counter before floating back over and furrowing her brow as she looks inside. She looks for a moment and finally spots the cheese before saying, “Oh there it is!” and then carefully swooping forward into the fridge to scoop it in her forehooves and bringing it back to the counter with the other requested items. Then she flies over to shut the fridge and lands next to her friend, huffs before smiling, and says, “There you go Starshine! Everything you wanted!”
“Great Cozy!” Starshine says as she magically opens the sharp knife drawer again and pulls out another knife.
She slices off some of the cheese and puts it into the macaroni pot and then uses the knife to add butter before pouring in a little bit of milk. She then gets her ladle and magically uses that to stir the pot slowly. She looks up and turns the burner on low as she says, “A little bit of heat helps the cheese melt!”
Cozy nods and says, “That makes sense!” as Starshine continues to stir the pot with a smile on her face. Cozy slowly frowns and says, “My mom never got the chance to teach me this recipe… You know, I never realized how much I missed by not having her around?”
Starshine then gets done stirring and starts to use the spoon to break apart the now melting cheese. She says to Cozy, “Well that’s okay Cozy! You’re not alone anymore and you’re gonna be fine!” Then she sets the spoon off to the side on a plate and turns the burner off before turning and hugging Cozy again.
This time, there’s no exclamation from Cozy…
She hears Starshine whispering in her ear, “Somepony as nice as you shouldn’t be alone!”
Cozy can only stare blankly as more thoughts about “being nice” and “doing the right thing” flooded the filly’s mind.
Starshine pulls back again and says, “Uh hey! Go check on Trixie, Cozy! I’ll serve you! I know where the plates and stuff are, so I should be fine! Uh, meet me at the table!”
Cozy nods and says, “Right Starshine!” as she turns towards her mother’s room and takes off to fly to the door and open it with her forehooves before hovering inside and landing in front of the doorway. She looks at Trixie and says, “Me and Starshine made mac n cheese mom! It looks really good! You want some?”
Trixie smiles at the little filly and says, “Sure Cozy! And would you also be a dear and bring me some more tea please?”
“Right away mom!” Cozy says before turning, squatting, and taking off again with her wings.
She flies into the foyer and calls out to her friend, “Hang on Starshine! I gotta get mom some food and more tea!”
Starshine yells back, “You get the tea! I’ll get her food!” Before turning to trot towards the table.
Cozy finally smiles while flying towards the pantry to fetch what she needs and says, “Alright Starshine!” before hovering in front of the pantry to get the supplies.
She gets the kettle, fills it with water, and sets it to boil same as before and then gets a teabag and yet another magenta teacup. She floats over the teacup and drops the bag in after holding the string with her mouth and before muttering, “How many of these teacups does mom have anyway?”
A few minutes pass. Cozy saw Starshine use her magic to get some mac n cheese before she trotted back to Trixie’s room while levitating it, so she knows that’s taken care of. As she catches her breath, she can’t help but be thankful that she doesn’t have to do all of this by herself.
Then once Cozy is sure the tea is ready, she floats over it and grabs the cup with all 4 of her hooves just as before and flies it back into Trixie’s room to set it down on her nightstand. As she flies in, she sees Starshine is already standing next to the bed after delivering the food. After setting the cup down, Cozy picks the other cup up with her hooves and flies it back to the sink before returning and landing next to her friend.
Cozy says to her mother, “Okay! That should be everything! Oh, horse apples! I forgot the lemon juice!” And Cozy turns around and squats once more.
But before she can take off, Trixie says, “Stop Cozy!”
Cozy freezes, turns back around to face Trixie with wide eyes and says, “Uh, what?”
Trixie smiles and says, “Seriously Cozy! You’ve done enough! Go eat and rest for a bit now little filly!”
Cozy frowns and says, “B-but you’re sick and should have what you want…”
Trixie smiles and says, “I asked for tea and dinner. I didn’t say anything about lemon juice! Now go eat and rest little filly!”
Cozy vibrates again and squeaks out, “Technicalities!” sighing, she continues, “Well um, okay mom! If you’re sure. Golly Starshine! I think we’re finally done! You ready to go eat?”
Starshine smiles at her friend and says, “You bet Cozy!”
The two fillies trot back out across the foyer to the kitchen and dining area. Starshine says to Cozy, “Go sit down Cozy! I’ll use my magic to serve us!”
“Alright Starshine!” Cozy says as she trots back to the table.
Starshine then squints her eyes in deep concentration as she says, “Now please stay quiet Cozy!” while using her magic.
“Okay Starshine! Oh! Sorry!” Cozy says as she covers her mouth with both forehooves.
This doesn’t faze Starshine as she gets everypony’s food and puts the bowls of food at the table with forks in them.
She then breaths out a sigh of relief as she trots to the table and says, “Wow! That sure was a lot of work Cozy! I’m so glad you’re here!”
Cozy smiles at her friend and says, “Yeah Starshine… Me too… Golly I’m hungry after all that! Um, we just made food, didn’t we? Let’s eat!”
The two ponies begin to giggle together and scarf down their food in a hurry. Once they’re most of the way done with their bowls, Starshine finally says, “So um, Cozy! How’s the whole reformation thing coming along?”
“Well golly gee! You know it still feels so weird, even after all this time? I was just wondering if I can ever get used to this? I mean, it’s been over 3 weeks Starshine!”
“Cozy, just stop it okay…”
Cozy stops and stares at Starshine with an open concerned look in her eyes and says, “W-what?”
Starshine stares at Cozy and says, “Cozy, have you looked at yourself lately? You’re taking care of a sick unicorn, who you’ve accepted as your new mother! You’re hanging out with and helping your best friend! And you’ve been learning and actually using friendship lessons you got from a teacher! For Twilight’s sake Cozy! You’re either the worst villain ever or one of the most confused ponies I’ve ever seen!”
Cozy just lowers her head and begins to softly giggle as she says, “Yeah… I guess I am being silly again huh? You know, I’m so glad I have you here to tell me these things!”
“Well what are friends for?”
“Yeah… I know I need to stop this huh?
“Well, I guess it would help to have other ponies around to tell you when you’re being silly?”
“Yeah…” Cozy looks at Starshine and grins, “Magic of friendship, right?”
“Yeah I think so?”
“You know, I’m still hungry and this food isn’t gonna eat itself?”
“Well let’s eat Cozy!”
The two fillies then finish up their bowls quickly. Cozy then sets hers down and says, “Um, Starshine? Can I please have seconds?”
“Sure Cozy! I guess skipping breakfast caught up with you, huh? You never get seconds!” Starshine says as focuses her eyes on the pot at the center of the table with her tongue out of the right side of her mouth. She concentrates and uses her magic to bring Cozy’s bowl up to it and spoon out two more hearty scoops of mac n cheese for Cozy before setting her bowl back down in front of her.
“Thanks, Starshine! And that’s the third time you’ve ended a sentence with “huh?” you know? Although you still haven’t said golly yet!” Cozy says before picking up the bowl with her forehooves and then eating out of it with her snout.
Starshine grimaces, looks down, and finally decides to just sip her berry juice while watching Cozy finish up her food over the next several minutes.
Cozy finally finishes munching before licking all the excess cheese from her lips and saying, “That was really yummy Starshine! Golly! Now we have to clean up here huh?”
“Yeah Cozy! We’ll clean up together!”
Cozy smiles and says, “Well okay Starshine!” And then collects Starshine’s bowl with her forehooves and sets it into her bowl before using her wings to fly it back to the kitchen sink while holding it in her forehooves. After dropping it there, she lands in front of the counter and says, “You get started in here Starshine! I’ll be back with mom’s bowl and cup!”
“Okay Cozy!” Starshine says before getting off her chair and trotting over to the sink as Cozy takes off to fly to Trixie’s room.
She opens the door with her forehooves, flies in, and lands in front of the bed. She sees the mac n cheese on the table has been mostly eaten and the tea is now empty.
Trixie smiles at the filly and says, “You two did a wonderful job cooking! Did you like dinner Cozy?”
“Golly I sure did mom! You know, food tastes better when you work for it!”
“That’s right Cozy! Just like being good takes work! But it’s worth it in the end.”
“Oh golly gee mom! Starshine already explained to me that I’m a good pony once today! Uh, maybe twice? Do I really need to hear about it again?”
Trixie giggles and says, “So Starshine told you you were a good pony huh? What do you think?”
“Well, I mean, I am taking care of you and I think I’ve been a good friend to her? At least I try to? You know, I probably wouldn’t care about these things if I was bad huh?”
“No, you wouldn’t Cozy!”
“Yeah uh, hey I gotta get your bowl and teacup and stuff. Golly you sure have a lot of those little magenta teacups! I guess they had a sale at the store or something?”
Trixie smiles and says, “Yeah, something like that!” before giggling to herself with what Cozy can only assume are happy memories before Cozy takes off and floats over the nightstand. She sets the teacup and saucer inside the bowl with her forehooves and then grabs the whole assembly with all 4 of her hooves before flying out the door with it.
She flies across the foyer to see Starshine is already mostly done with the dishes. She gently floats down to drop the bowl, saucer, and teacup into the soapy water on the right before landing next to her friend and asking her, “Anything I need to do now Starshine?”
“Yeah go put up the pot in the fridge and put the top on it! There’s still some left for later!”
“Sure thing Starshine!” Cozy says before taking off and getting the pot with her 4 hooves and flying over to the fridge. She opens the fridge with her mouth and floats forward just enough to move her 4 hooves into the fridge and gently drops the pot on the shelf.
Then she flies to the center of the kitchen before flittering over to the cabinet to open it with her forehooves and uses her lips to grab the pot cover, flies back over to the fridge, opens that with her forehooves, and sets the lid down on the pot before closing it again and landing.
A now panting Cozy Glow trots over to Starshine, who’s standing in front of a drained sink and a stack of clean dishes drying on the rack. She says, “Golly! Thanks a lot for helping me Starshine!”
Starshine sighs, looks over, and says, “Well you’d do the same for me right Cozy?”
“Um, yeah I guess I would huh? Because I um, care about you?”
“Right Cozy! Hey, go check on Trixie one last time and meet me back in your room okay?”
“Well uh, okay Starshine!” Cozy says before turning around, squatting, and taking off with her wings once more to fly towards Trixie’s door. She hovers in front of it, opens it with her forehooves, and flies in, to land in front of the bed.
Trixie smiles and says, “Close the door Cozy! I need to talk to you alone for a minute…”
Cozy gulps and says, “Um, okay mom!” And then turns around, uses her right forehoof to close the door, and then turns back to face Trixie before saying, “Er uh, yes mom?”
“How does it feel to be a daughter?”
“Huh?”
“Cozy, you’ve been taking care of me very diligently. You’ve brought me everything I asked for, even to the point of going above and beyond what you really needed to do. You worked very hard for your mother today little filly. So, I ask you again, how does it feel to be a daughter?”
“Honestly?” Cozy says as she looks down as her little body shivers, “It’s pretty tiring!”
Trixie giggles and says, “Yeah it takes a lot of work little filly! But now tell me something… How do you feel after doing all of that work?”
“Golly! Um, I really just wanted to make sure you’re okay? I uh! MPH!” Cozy then covers her mouth with her right forehoof while Trixie giggles at her.
“Exactly Cozy Glow! You care about me! You’re not a bad pony! But you know, that’s not enough right?”
Cozy drops her right forehoof to the floor again before asking, “Well gee mom! Uh, what do you mean?”
“Cozy, it wouldn’t matter if the entire class of the school that year forgave you along with Princess Twilight Sparkle and even Princess Celestia herself! That wouldn’t be enough! Cozy, do you forgive yourself?”
“Um, you mean for being so foolish?”
“And selfish and power-mongering and evil and…”
“Okay! Okay! I get it! I was bad! Um, golly! You know, I never really thought about it like that? I guess I’m gonna think of myself as a “bad pony” until I can get past that stuff huh?”
“Right Cozy! And we’ll go as”, (Cozy chimes in here)” slow as you need to!”
Trixie giggles and continues, “Anyway Cozy, just get me a glass of water and then go to your room. You’re done for the day!”
“Well okay mom! But you just let me know if you need anything okay?” Cozy says before taking off to flitter above the nightstand, collecting the teacup, and flying back out the room as Trixie smiles.
A moment later, Cozy flies back in carrying a glass of water in her forehooves as she says, “Here you go mom! I’m serious! Anything!” And then setting it down on the table and then banking to her right to fly back out the room. She hovers in front of the door, shuts it with her forehoof, and then starts back across the foyer.
As she flies, she thinks about all the hard work she did today. She thinks about how Trixie will recover faster since she didn’t have to do all the things Cozy did. She thinks about how she just made Equestria a little bit better by helping the school’s beloved counselor recover. And she thought about what it means to be a daughter. To learn and grow under an actual mother again! To be a child once more! It all seemed like some fantastic dream.
She lands with all these thoughts in her head in front of her door and opens it with her right forehoof. As she stares into her room, her eyes grow wide as saucers while her chin goes towards the floor. She then says, “Starshine! What did you do?”
(To be continued…)