Author's Note

This is a Cozy Glow chapter; this chapter takes place during "Demon Devil" and is first person. Every now and again, there will be some of these Cozy Glow chapters that will pop up that will explain away any confusion some might have regarding Cozy Glow's reformation in this story.

Season 1, Episode 6: Cozy Beginnings

I yawned as I stretched my hooves. Wait...that doesn't seem right. I sit up on the bed I was sleeping in and did my best to recall the events that have happened so far. Let's see here...

Got released from stone by the real Grogar. Okay...check. Then decided not to get involved in the battle at first but wanted to see what Twilight's version of friendship was like. Okay...that seems right. Saw two ponies alongside four creatures fight Grogar and managed to gain the upper hand despite their differences so I decided to join in. Well at least my memory isn't jumbled. But as for why I'm suddenly in a bed...

Oh wait, I remember now: I decided to stay in canterlot with Twilight until I figured things out. That must be why I'm being so confused right now and that this must be the day after the battle against Grogar and his monster horde. Hard to believe that happened yesterday, but I have a feeling there'll be more where that came from. Suddenly, my door opened and a unicorn with a broken horn but with royal guard armor stepped in.

"Oh...forgive me. I was just making sure you were awake." The unicorn mare asked me. Pretty sure I've seen her before. Oh wait, she was there alongside a group of ponies and creatures in what historians are referring to as "The Battle of the Bell". Never got her name though.

"It's alright um...I apologize but I don't know your name." I said. Best start somewhere I suppose.

"I'm Captain Tempest; my full handle is really Tempest Shadow but...your not on good enough terms with me for that. After all, you did threaten equestria. Twice. But for Twilight and because your willing to change, I'm overlooking that. For now." Tempest said.

"R-right...look, I'm new to doing friendship Twilight's way. So...at the very least can we stay in touch?" I asked. Even if she says no, I at least wanted to throw the option out there. A few minutes passed by without Captain Tempest saying a single word.

"...I suppose we can. Just know your being monitored at all times." Captain Tempest finally broke the silence. Well it's something.

"Cut me some slack here...I'm trying. I really, really am." I said.

"It may be that way on the surface, but others will not forgive you so easily." Captain Tempest said.

Well she was right about one thing: This wasn't going to be easy. For the first few days, I did my best to try and get others to open up to me. It didn't work out. I was starting to wonder if there was no point if I couldn't even do things Twilight's way. That's when this stallion approached me. His name was Azure Flame, and he actually reached out to me just before lunch one day. Finally, my first real connection. For the rest of the day, I decided to hang out with Azure Flame as a way of showing that I really am doing my best here.

To say it worked would be an understatement. The next day, Princess Twilight gave me this blue pendent. I was approached by a mare within the canterlot walls shortly after breakfast and putting the pendent on. Turns out the pendent belonged to my birth mom. This mare chatted with me for a bit, and after a while, the mysterious pendent briefly had a blue glow emit and form a string between me and this mare I had formed a bound with. But nothing really happened. It confused us both. "...I wonder if it means we'll always be connected, no matter what." I said; trying to make light of the situation.

To say that my one line suddenly made me very popular, would be an understatement. Now that there was something that could show the bounds I was attempting to form, more and more people started to approach me, introducing themselves and asking me simple questions. Every time after that first link, whenever my bounds with someone grew stronger, the necklace tended to glow a bit. People took this and my statement as a way of showing that the necklace has to be some sort of artifact that can allow me to have a representation of my bounds.

After finishing up a letter to Luster Dawn just a bit ago, Captain Tempest had arrived at my room. "Didn't take you long to start figuring out the reality of friendship, did it?" Tempest said. I smiled at her.

"And I think I'm actually enjoying this. Maybe when the next threat after Astrottle Mondoli comes around, I can bring my new friends along for the ride and together we can show the next villain how we handle their kin here." I said. Tempest gave a chuckle.

"You really think there will be another villain at some point huh?" Tempest asked.

"This is New Equestria; if everything was sunshine and rainbows all the time, then we wouldn't need to be reminded of how great we have it here." I said. "Trust me, there will be another villain. There always will be. But at least there will be people like me, Twilight, and Luster Dawn who will stand up for our world and our ideas." I added. Tempest looked at me.

"...For such a young filly, you seem to have these moments of deep thought." Captain Tempest said.

"Yeah I still don't know where stuff like that even comes from in my mind. But I've learnt from making bounds here that everyone has their quirks. Mine just so happens being a former villain and saying things that are way above my age range of knowing." I said.

"All the same. I was wondering if...perhaps...you'd be willing to hang out whenever I'm off duty." Tempest said. I looked at her.

"You actually want to join in on my friend club?" I asked. We both laughed at that.

"My only question is if I have to tell you my real name before I join up." Tempest said, joking back. I giggled.

"Only if you want to. I'm not going to force you." I said. Tempest smiled and started leaving.

"Then I will tell you some other time." Tempest Shadow left.

I can safely say that perhaps I was only seeing one half of how friendship works. Friendship might still have power behind it somehow, but there is something magical about it too. In that sense, me and Princess Twilight were both right. And I can live with being half right, if it means I can keep this blue pendent.