Sandbar always had a terrible feeling in his gut whenever he found himself near Sweet Apple Acres. He rode his bicycle, a bag full of groceries in a basket at the front. Slowly he came to a stop, and forced himself to think happy thoughts. Really good and pleasant ones. She might be listening.
He carried the grocery bag as he trotted toward the house. Sweat trickled down from his forehead when he saw Cozy Glow playing with something on the grass, although Sandbar couldn’t make out what it was. His heart stopped when the little filly caught a glimpse of him.
“How do you do, Sandbar?” she greeted.
Cozy Glow gave a sweet, innocent smile that made Sandbar stand beside himself with unnerving fear, but he gained composure and forced himself to smile back.
“Oh, everything’s fine! Just fine! It’s a good day today,” said Sandbar. His enthusiastic tone isn't genuine, but he hoped Cozy didn’t notice.
As he approached the door he got a closer look at what Cozy was playing with. It wasn’t a toy. It was a rat. The creature was lying on the grass on its side, which moved up and down, meaning it was breathing. “Look what I can make it do!” said Cozy. A She used her magic abilities to make it flip and do tricks like a puppet. Sandbar thought he saw fear in the helpless rat’s black eyes.
He remembered the days when Cozy returned from her imprisonment Tartarus with her new, mysterious powers. He always shuddered under his skin when memories of the horrors he witnessed came to him. But it never lasts long, because the filly may catch it.
“That’s good, Cozy. . . that’s very good,” Sandbar said nervously. “I never seen a rat do that before.”
Cozy Glow smiled at Sandbar, childishly tilting her head at him, then returned to the rat to decide what to do next.
It’s known throughout Ponyville (population 46) that you must never have negative thoughts around Cozy Glow. Whenever other ponies found themselves near her presence or incidentally stumbling upon Sweet Appe Acres, they often try to jumble their thoughts and think randomly so she couldn’t read their thoughts. Most of the time it worked, although there were times ponies would slip by mistake and Cozy would catch their thoughts. She was very young, and couldn’t understand the difference between right and wrong, not that anybody ever attempted to teach her. If she found a pony with troubling thoughts she’d try to help them in her own twisted way. That is if she liked you.
If she didn’t. . . well, that can be worst. Much worst. Just ask Sandbar’s old friends and Princess Twilight.
Sandbar knocked on the door, then a pony answered. Applejack greeted Sandbar with a small, vacant smile and tired eyes. “Howdy there, sugarcube. What brings you here?” she said slowly.
“I got the groceries Cozy Glow wanted,” said Sandbar. He said it loudly so the filly can hear. Her attention remained on a rat, using her psychic powers to make it eat itself. It already devoured half of its belly and had difficulty reaching for its hind legs. Small pieces of gray fur and pink flesh surrounded the creature on the grass.
“Thank you oh so kindly,” said Applejack. She spoke and walked like an elderly mare, despite still looking like the young mare she actually was. Sandbar remembered the days she wasn’t like this, and the last day she still had her mind.
Applejack was the last of the Element bearers. Almost all of Equestria had been destroyed, Ponyville being the only town remaining. She capture Cozy Glow with her lasso, determined to end it all. She said terrible things to the filly, used words she wouldn’t say to anybody else. Cozy didn’t like that at all. The filly snapped and did something horrible to her mind. And that was the last time anyone saw Applejack as they knew her. Now she was a shell of her former self.
“My, my, ain’t this a hot and terrible day,” said Applejack.
Sandbar’s heart skipped a beat. He tried to tell Applejack to keep her voice down, but stopped himself. He didn’t want Cozy Glow to notice, and have something bad happen to either himself or his former teacher, so he opened his mouth and quickly said:
“I wouldn’t say that at all! Today is a good day! Isn’t it a good day, Cozy?”
Cozy did not give an answer. She remained focused on the rat, whom she made eat itself. It already devoured half of its belly, and desperately trying to reach for its hindquarters. Cozy giggled the entire time.
Sandbar quickly trotted into the house, into the kitchen, then called out for Sugar Belle. Ever since the world went away, there hadn’t been much food or anything the ponies of Ponyville can call a decent meal. When Sandbar visited the grocery store he was surprised there were still cans of vegetables, beans, and tomato soup. It wasn’t enough to fill a belly or feed an entire town, but it was something. Although Ponyville had so little these days, Cozy Glow would sustain them with what they need. . . whenever she felt like it. And that’s even if they asked nicely.
“Thank you, Sandbar,” Sugar Belle said. “This is everything I need for tonight. You are coming tonight. . . are you?” she asked hesitantly.
Sandbar nodded his head, not taking the time to actually think. At the end of the week the remaining citizens gather at Sweet Apple Acres to watch a puppet show. The performances were often a meaningless spectacle of violence and carnage.
“That’s good. I look forward to it every week. I’m sure Cozy does, too.”
Sandbar nodded his head. He knew Sugar Belle was trying to make the most of things, to see the positives of the situation, but he can feel the hopelessness in her voice.
“You know, Cozy Glow likes you a lot. More than anypony else around here,” said Sugar Belle.
“Of course I do,” replied Sandbar.
He was fully aware. It was the reason the little filly spared his life.
They both stayed silent, each pony alone with their thoughts, until Sandbar realized what they were doing and what could happen. He bid Sugar Belle goodbye, repeating “It’s a good day today!”
He stepped outside on the porch, finding Applejack sitting on a rocking chair like an old lady. He tried not to make eye contact with Cozy Glow only for his skin to turn white when he discovered the fate of the rat.
It had completely devoured the lower half of its body, now lifeless upon the grass.
Cozy turned to Sandbar, smiling innocently. “I taught it a new trick while you were inside. I wish you could’ve stayed and watch.”
Sandbar swallowed down whatever was forcing itself out of his mouth. He offered a grin full of chattering teeth.
“Well, I’m going to send it to the cornfield now.”
And with a single thought, Cozy made the dead rat disappear into a grave in the cornfield. It was the place where all the things she killed - and all the ponies she didn’t like - go when she thought about it.
Sandbar hopped on his bike and pedaled with frantic speed. He wanted to be away from the farm, away from Applejack, away from Cozy Glow. Somehow she picked up his thoughts and used her powers to make his bicycle carry him home like a swift wind, much to his terror.
She only wanted to help. Sandbar was her best friend.
It’s rare these days Macintosh had any leisure time to himself, or any free time that wasn’t dedicated to being Cozy Glow’s “father.” Since she miraculously spared the farm he worked throughout the week to keep himself busy and take his mind off of his current situation. And yet, sometimes when he’s alone, he couldn’t help but wonder why did this happen. What went so horribly wrong with the world?
Everyone knew Cozy Glow escaped from Tartarus, but nobody knew how. The information was vague. Before Equestria became ablaze with Cozy’s fiery hate rumors spread. Either Tirek, or worse, Discord (whom he almost considered his friend) may have had something to do with it. It didn’t matter. She split Tirek in half and turned Discord into stone along with the Princess, then smashed them into pieces.
Then she arrived in Ponyville.
“Whatcha thinkin’ about?” he heard someone say behind him.
Cozy Glow lay on her stomach on his bed, her cute and girlish demeanor making him feel unsettled for a slight moment.
“Just thinking,” he simply answered.
“Thinkin’ about what?”
“About what a good day this is,” said Macintosh. “It’s a fine day.”
Cozy smiled, pressing her hooves against her cheeks. A frown quickly replaced it, and she turned around and laid on her back. She sighed out of boredom.
“No kids came today,” she whined. “Not a single one of them, and I really wanted somebody to play with.”
Being her “parents” was the role Cozy had given to Macintosh and Sugar Belle. It happened right after she lobotomized Applejack with her new magic. She wanted to be their only child, meaning they were forbidden to have any foals of their own. It also meant he and Sugar Belle couldn’t be intimate, which will lead to copulation. There’s no telling what Cozy would do to either of them if she discovered Sugar Belle is pregnant.
“Consider this mercy,” she had said to them.
Macintosh sighed to himself. Approaching Cozy he said, “Remember last time some kids came over to play? Hayseed and Daisy?”
“Yeah, I remember,” replied Cozy. “We were playing a game, but they wouldn’t let me win. They said I had to play fair. . . so I sent them to the cornfield.”
“Their mother was very upset,” said Macintosh.
“Well, maybe they should’ve let me win, and they wouldn’t be there.”
Macintosh had to be careful of what he wants to say next, but he didn’t dwell on it for too long. He dared not attempt to tell Cozy to stop sending ponies to the cornfield, but didn’t know what else to say. He tried to act as “fatherly” as he can, to appease Cozy.
“I’ll try to talk to Dinky’s aunt. Maybe she’d like to play with you,” he said.
“Oh goodie, a playdate!” squealed Cozy.
A dog barked outside. The good vibes Cozy Glow felt instantly faded. She fluttered her little wings toward the window to get a look at the noisy canine. She hated all animals, big and small, and had sent them all to the cornfield along with the other ponies and species she didn’t like.
“Stupid dog! It’s always barking!” said Cozy. “You know, a long time ago somepony said I shouldn’t have made all the animals disappear. She said it was a bad thing that I have done that. Who was it who said that, daddy?”
Macintosh felt a cold shiver under his skin for two reasons; Cozy had called him “daddy,” which he hated, and for the pony Cozy referred to. A pony whom he used to know very well.
“Fluttershy. . . it was Fluttershy,” he muttered.
“Oh yeah, that’s right,” Cozy answered happily. “Well, she was very upset that I made all the animals go away. Do you remember what happened next?”
He knew very well. Cozy used her powers to materialize a bear. It didn’t look like any bear he’d ever seen. Its fur was unnatural, pitch black as the night with eyes that glowed blood red. She sent it on Fluttershy.
“Yes, I remember,” Macintosh said, his voice shaking a little.
“Did I do a good thing, daddy?”
Macintosh nodded. “Very good.”
The dog outside barked again.
“That stupid, idiot dog! I hate it so much! I hate all dogs! I just wanna. . . I just wanna. . .”
Cozy stared at the dog from the window. Macintosh didn’t watch, but knew what happened. The dog whimpered, choked, gagged, and then silence. When he looked out the window the dog was no longer there.
“Serves him right,” said Cozy. She flew to Macintosh to hug him. “I love you, daddy,” she said.
The little pegasus flew out of the room, leaving him along with his thoughts. He heard his wife rush up the stairs into their room. They gazed at each other. Neither of them didn’t need telepathy to know how the other was feeling. They desperately clung to each other for comfort. It’s the only thing they can do.
Cozy Glow inspected her puppets while she waited for everyone to be seated. It had not taken her a long time to make them. When she carved the pieces of wood she knew which ones will carry the familiar image of ponies she knew. She made sure each individual puppet was the correct size, with no wet paint spots, no loose strings. Everything was perfect.
And once Sandbar comes, the show can finally begin. The weekly puppet show had become the highlight of the long week. The stories can be about anything; a retelling of some of her favorite fairy tales, something exciting or scary. This night she will tell the story of how she saved everyone in Ponyville from what she called “The Great Catastrophe” that destroyed Equestria, and how she disposed of what was left of civilization of undesirables. It is to be her most ambitious show yet.
She peeked from behind the blanket that served as a curtain. No sign of Sandbar yet. Cozy grew irritated. She really wanted to him to see this, and she knew he promised he’d be here. The young stallion hadn’t changed his mind, has he?
The door opened and Sandbar stepped inside. Hardly anyone noticed him coming inside, as they were much too busy thinking about what a wonderful puppet show this is going to be. The young pony took his seat at the front; sitting beside him were Macintosh, Sugar Belle, and Applejack. Now that everyone in town is finally here, it was time for Cozy to begin the show.
She dimmed the lights, then aimed a spotlight at the blanket.
“Mares and gentlecolts,” she announced, “welcome to my weekly puppet show - Cozy Theatre! Tonight is going to be a very special night, and this performance will be dedicated to all of my wonderful friends!”
Everyone applauded, and through it all gave forceful grins and smiles. So did Sandbar. For a brief moment he felt her eyes landing on him, as if she specifically wanted him to be here to experience this. He didn’t know what the show was going to be about or what Cozy Glow had planned, but decided not to question it.
The blanket rose, revealing a stage with a blue sky painted in the background. Sandbar became instantly surprised, because there was a little house at the side of the stage that looked almost like the School of Friendship. Glitter showered down, a purple wooden alicorn descended upon the stage.
The disembodied voice of Cozy Glow spoke through the puppet with a regal voice, “Greetings, my loyal subjects. I am Princess Twilight Sparkle. And here is my greatest accomplishment, the School of Friendship, where everyone young and old can learn about the value of friendship and harmony. All are welcome!”
A few more puppets appeared on stage, and Sandbar couldn’t believe his eyes. He saw puppets shaped like a griffon, a yak, a changeling, a hippogriff, and a dragon. “Even us?” Cozy said, using her voice to speak for all of them.
“Of course! The magic of friendship is a blessing for all!” said the Twilight puppet.
Sandbar found himself becoming dumbfounded, confused. Why would Cozy dedicate an entire puppet show to how life used to be? As the play continued he figured out why. Cozy skewered and distorted Twilight’s lessons, had made unflattering portrayals of his former teachers, but nothing prepared him of what kind of characters Cozy made of his old friends. They were sneaking, conniving, lying, untrustworthy. Soon a little puppet that looked like Cozy appeared, and depicted them as trying to push her away. Things grew worse by each scene; his friends were cause of the disappearance of magic in Equestria, she had them plan in secret to take over the school while Princess Twilight was away on an adventure, changed it so that Chancellor Neighsay was right about not allowing non-ponies to attend the school. At the end of the first act Cozy was framed for everything and was locked away in Tartarus with Tirek. The blanket was lowered, allowing Cozy to set up for the second act.
Sandbar frowned the whole time. Everyone else had the fakest smiles they can put on. Sugar Belle tapped his arm. “Isn’t this a wonderful show?” she whispered to him. Sandbar said nothing. His eyes stung with redness. The mare knew that look, understood what Sandbar was thinking. Sugar Belle wrapped her hoof around his. Silently, she pleaded with him to not do anything that will get him in trouble.
A few minutes later the blanket rose, and the show resumed.
“And now for the exciting conclusion!” Cozy’s voice announced.
Sandbar’s friends appeared on stage again. Interestingly, there hadn’t been a puppet version of himself to be seen. Since their plan to take over the school had somewhat failed, they decided to kill Princess Twilight, in which they all agreed enthusiastically. Meanwhile Cozy was in Tartarus praying to a higher power to let her out until an angel descended on to the stage to release her, and to warn Cozy of the “degenerate species” plan to take over not only the school but Equestria itself.
Sandbar put a hoof on his chest. He couldn’t believe what was just said that he had trouble breathing. There were so many things wrong with this story. So many things. How can five young students single-handedly plot a series of attacks against Equestria? Gallus will never suggest to poisoning the princesses. Ocellus will be disgusted at the thought of swearing her allegiance to Chrysalis and suck the love out of Flurry Heart. Silverstream will never lead the rest of their professors (sans Applejack) on a wild goose chase, only to have them meet their fates at Ghastly Gorge. Smolder burning down an orphanage was just unthinkable. And Yona making mares and fillies into slaves was heartbreaking.
A large alicorn entered the stage from the left. Apparently this was Cozy Glow, who had somehow had enough magic from “a long lost artifact” to give her enough power to defeat the degenerates and their forces. The dragons, the changelings, yaks, the hippogriffs, and griffons were sent to “the Abyss” for all eternity, and the remaining ponies left alive settled in Ponyville.
Cozy Glow reappeared on stage.
“And evil was vanquished from Equestria forever and ever, and all was right with the world. The End.”
She took a bow as everyone applauded. They realized Cozy was right, it was the most ambitious puppet show anyone has ever seen or will see again. How was she going to top herself now? Cozy brought out her puppets so they can bask in the glory as well, but just the ponies. Sandbar’s friends were not allowed out of the Abyss.
Not everyone seemed to be pleased with her puppet show. Cozy noticed Sandbar wasn’t applauding. He wasn’t even smiling.
“What’s the matter?” she asked Sandbar sweetly. “Didn’t you like the show?”
Sandbar thought about lying, to say he liked it, that it was very accurate to what happened. Then he thought about his old friends and how they suffered right in front of him. His teachers. Princess Twilight. He couldn’t do it. He felt something that had been trying to claw out of his gut for a long time finally let itself out.
“It’s wrong,” he muttered.
Cozy’s cute demeanor faltered. “What did you say?” she inquired.
“It’s wrong. . . it’s all wrong,” said Sandbar, his voice growing louder.
Sugar Belle tried to rush to his side, but Macintosh stopped her. He knew what was going to happen. Once Cozy Glow gets upset, there is nothing anybody can do to stop what happens next.
“What do you mean wrong?” said Cozy. She sounded more like an adult.
“Everything in that stupid puppet show! My friends never plotted against Equestria, they were loyal to Twilight! They were loyal to the magic of friendship! They believed in friendship so much that they fought for it when all was lost, and even then they kept fighting! And now their gone! Everyone is gone!
“And it’s all because of you. . . all because of you!
“You were the one that trapped Starlight Glimmer in that magic orb! You were responsible for magic disappearing in Equestria! You tried to turn the whole school against me and my friends! You tried to be Empress of Friendship, but it didn’t work! We found out who you really are, and you got sent to Tartarus!
“I don’t know how you got out, but whoever did made the stupidest mistake of their life! They let out a monster more horrible than Tirek, more fiendish than Chrysalis, more ruthless than Grogar! In fact, you stabbed Tirek and Chrysalis in the back when you defeated Princess Twilight and her friends! You declared yourself ruler of Equestria, and killed those who stood against you. . . pony and non-pony alike!
“You took my home, my life, and my friends away from me,” he sobbed. “If there’s anyone who should be in the Abyss is you!”
“You’re a bad pony,” said Cozy. “A very bad pony. Do you know what I do to bad ponies like you?”
“Go ahead, keep thinking bad thoughts about me. I’m not afraid of speaking the truth and I’m not afraid of what you do. And then everyone will see what kind of monster you are.”
Macintosh held Sugar Belle in place as she tried to beg for his life. Meanwhile, the ponies present just stood and watched, afraid of what wrath Cozy will reign down on the young Sandbar. There was no stopping what’s going to happen.
Cozy focused all of her energy, her hatred, her will to teach this pony a lesson. For one long minute there was only silence. Sandbar coughed, softly then violently, which gave way to ugly gagging. It felt like a hoof forced itself down his throat and grabbed at his insides. He knelt down on the floor, wailing in pain. His skin grew tighter and tighter, like some invisible force pulled at it from the back, until his entire skin ripped apart from his body.
Now Sandbar was horrible, twitching, gagging mass of flesh and muscle. He lost the ability to walk on his legs. A small pool of blood oozed on the surface of the wooden floor, and he made a disturbing noise as he tried to call out for help. Most ponies screamed in horror, others vomited at the hideous sight, many fainted. Sugar Belle looked away, her mind being lost in a deep fog.
Macintosh couldn’t look away. He saw how Sandbar withered in pain, felt how his sharp and unnatural cries sent shivers through his soul.
“Cozy. . . please. Send him to the cornfield,” he said. “Please.”
And with a single thought, Sandbar was gone forever.
She turned around to glare at her terrified audience.
“Does anybody else have something to say?” she commanded.
Nobody answered.
The good vibe Cozy had been feeling throughout the evening was gone, so she ordered everyone to go back to their homes. They slowly trotted out of Sweet Apple Acres with the ghastly and morbid image of Sandbar’s final moments. It was a crying shame that he was one of Ponyville’s youngest citizens. The house was silent again. Macintosh tried to console Sugar Belle, who mourned for the young pony. Never again will he rides his bicycle through the dirt trail of the farm, saying what a wonderful day it was.
Applejack, too, had witnessed everything, but felt nothing. Like Sandbar, she will forever be trapped in the deep abyss of her mind, her inner screams and pleas to be put out of her misery being lost in the void.
Macintosh felt a sharp chill enter the room. He rushed toward the window to shut it, only for his nerves to feel a sudden shock when he discovered it was snowing outside.
“Cozy, are you making it snow?” he asked.
“Well, you see, Applejack said it was terribly hot earlier today, and I didn’t mean to make it so terribly hot. Do you like it, daddy?”
It wasn’t supposed to snow. Cozy had promised him she’ll never make it snow as long as she lives here. Why would she go back on her promise? Macintosh tried to compose his anger. Doesn’t she realize what will happen to the apple trees? All the vegetables they have left? He opened his mouth, but stopped himself. Although he didn’t want to admit it, he did not want to end up like Sandbar.
“Yes. . . yes, I like it,” he said. “It’s a good thing, Cozy. A very good thing.”
Cozy’s face beamed, giving Macintosh a quick hug before flying upstairs. In a few moments Sugar Belle will go to her room to read a bedtime story. Macintosh gazed out the window as the snow continued to fall. Equestria is gone. His life is gone. They all belong to Cozy Glow.
It kept snowing on the next day, and then the day after that. Days turned into weeks, weeks into months. The apple trees were dead by now, the vegetables withered also. Macintosh and Sugar Belle held out for the hope that Cozy will make the weather warm again, whenever she felt like it. Until then, they will keep saying “It’s a good day.”
