.
Cozy Glow's incessant hoof-tapping on the bottom of her cage came to an abrupt halt as Cerberus approached her cage once more, only two days after Starlight's letter and therefore much earlier than Cozy Glow expected. Cozy first looked up tiredly, then her eyes became huge and began to sparkle and she left her lying position and shot to the cage bars. She stuck a foreleg out and made grabbing movements again, like she did when Starlight's latest letter arrived.
Cerberus was carrying a package in his mouth this time, not a letter. It was just thin enough to fit between the bars of Cozy's cage. As it lay in front of her, Cozy Glow ripped open the package's cardboard, in an almost violent fashion, and hastily unearthed the content that was inside.
A colorful, thin box made of metal came into view. It was adorned by the picture of a filly who had a red colored pencil sticking between her lips. It was long and reached from the filly's left cheek all the way over to her right cheek. The filly displayed a happy smile, slightly contorted by the pencil, and her cheeks were puffed up. Next to her was an assortment of colored pencils that took up the rest of the space on the box' lid.
Cozy Glow's eyes began to sparkle more, brighter than the eyes of the filly on the package did, and she rushed to open the lid. A set of twenty-four pencils greeted her inside of it with a spectrum of bright colors that would put a rainbow to shame. Cozy Glow lifted the box out of the package and giggled.
“Oh, Starlight, that's the best thing you could have sent me!” There was no snark in Cozy's voice and no sarcasm as she spoke the words. “Now I finally don't have to be bored anymore!”
Under the box was a stack of paper. Not a particularly high stack, but high enough to keep her occupied for a good while, Cozy deducted by taking a short glance at the stack. And she could always use the backside of each paper, as well, if one side wasn't enough.
Of more interest than the drawing paper was another piece of paper that was fixated on the inside of the lid with simple tape. Cozy removed the tape carefully, took the paper out and turned it around. Her widening smile indicated that it was a note by Starlight.
Here is a little gift for you, Cozy. The days in Tartarus are dark and lonely, but now you have something to fill your place with happier colors.
And I hope this will help you to fill your mind with colors, as well. I would be very happy to see some of the kites you are going to draw, I hope you will add a few of your drawings to your next letter. They would look great on the corkboard in my office, right next to the drawings by the students who came to me for help.
With love,
Starlight
Cozy's eyes collected water as soon as she had finished reading the note. She gulped and her lower lip quivered. Tears of joy running down her cheeks, Cozy folded the note neatly and placed it on top of her stack of letters. Then she carefully put down the box with the colored pencils next to her and one of the drawing papers in front of her. The package also contained a sharpener and an eraser, which she took out, as well, and situated on the right side of the paper. Cozy discarded the empty package by leisurely tossing it out of her cage, before she flopped onto her belly and reached for the first colored pencil.
Kicking her hindlegs into the air, Cozy began to make a drawing. She shivered while she made it and her hooves were slightly shaking as she drew the irresistible picture that had forced itself into her mind all of a sudden.
But very soon, Cozy's skilled hooves had drawn a bunch of purple grapes and a strawberry to the right of them..... The two fruits touched each other ever so slightly.
A very lovely idea!
I for one think it should be a torture, they act as if Cozy Glow, a teenager was offensive enough to throw her in a dark hole with nothing to do, and even knowing about that, after a long time they only remember there is nothing to do and give her some colored pencils.
And yet, they act as if they are better that her.
What possesed her to draw Berry Punch's cutie Mark? Is their a special connection between this two or is it just coincidence?
I can only wonder and hope that this will get answered soon.
Yay, Cozy has something to do. As 10629843 said, it can't have been nice just sitting there rereading her letters, but who knows, maybe her wild imagination was able to compensate.
10630027
I don't think it's supposed to be Berry Punch's cutie mark. I think it's supposed to represent Cozy and Tempest.
Nice of them to give Cozy some stuff to draw with, although I suspect that the limited amount of paper won't last very long. Not sure why they can't send her a pillow or some blankets.
Cozy Glow is more the type to think about kiting than kites...
10629843
Almost two years since I started publishing "Letters to Cozy Glow" (unfortunately, with not as much progress as I would have liked, but let's not look at bad aspects of the past) and 26 chapters so far and I see I invoke a great amount of emotion and feelings for Cozy with the story by now. This was always the goal of this story, showing people that Cozy is more than a villain and that she is not evil. I am happy this effect is finally happening since a couple chapters ago now.
However, it still needs to be remembered that Cozy Glow is, if she acts as a villain, very dangerous. She can very easily find ways to work on a new plan to conquer Equestria. A plan that, if she would get the chance, would be harder to stop than her first one.
Right now, it's still too early to let Cozy out. But I hope she makes enough progress soon.
10630027 10630136
Berry Punch's cutie mark or not? The answer on that question is hidden behind the mists inside Cozy Glow's mind at the moment..... But there is an answer and, eventually, the mist will clear.
10630477
From what I can see, all of the letter writers think that it is beneficial for Cozy to work for such rewards. Starlight's colored pencils, they are a gift because Cozy didn't feel too well lately, ever since Moondancer's second letter. But Cozy is a difficult filly to therapize and incentives might just give her some encouragement to work harder on herself..... maybe. The time for pillow and blanket might come, but according to our team of letter writers, it is not here yet.