What happens to Golly?

by Golly4Ever

Good Things Never Last

The Throne room reverberated with rumblings and crashes as the battle continued. Rarity moved to drop another column of crystal onto Sombra, but not before Sombra was able to put up a force field to repel it. Sombra counterattacked with a blast of dark magic from his horn at Rarity, but Twilight intercepted it with her own magic. Rainbow flew in for another attack, but was deflected by a crystal column quickly conjured up by Sombra. Fluttershy moved in to catch Rainbow Dash, and was then quickly imprisoned together with Dash in a crystal cage. Applejack ran up and started bucking at it to break them free.

Twilight fired a blast of magic at Sombra, knocking him to the ground, “It’s over, Sombra,” she said as she approached him.

Sombra quickly fired a blast to a cluster of large crystals on the ceiling above twilight, causing it to come crashing down on top of her, knocking her to the floor under the rubble.

Astral called out, “Princess Twilight!” She ran in to try and dig Twilight out, both with her magic and her hooves. “Cozy, you’ve got to do something,” she called out.

“I have a plan,” replied Cozy as she darted around the room, sending her share of magical blasts to Sombra who dodged them deftly.

Applejack broke through the crystals holding Dash and Fluttershy. "We're ready!" she called out as they all took position.

Cozy quickly flew into position before calling out. “Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Now!” She aimed the bell at Sombra, concentrating as she lit her horn.

Sombra reacted and quickly conjured up a crystal column to block it, but Dash slammed into it with all of her might while Applejack bucked at it to break it free and move it out of the way just as the bell in Cozy's hooves rang.

Twilight, with Astral’s help, levitated the debris off of her and used her magic to blast new crystals as Sombra grew them in his efforts to block the bell from taking his power.

Surrounded and outnumbered, Sombra couldn't act fast enough and was eventually caught in the cone of the bell's aura. “NOOOooo…” he shouted as his essence was drained away, mane falling flat.

As he slumped to the floor, Cozy zoomed in and flipped up over Sombra, landing on his back. Gripping the bell tightly in her teeth, Cozy grabbed Sombra’s horn pulling back as hard as she could. “Now, Pinkie!” she said as she struggled to keep hold.

Pinkie popped up in front of Sombra with a box nicely wrapped with a bow on top. She tugged at the ribbon, and out popped Monty, eyes glowing red. It was over for Sombra.

The evil king struggled and fought, but ultimately succumbed to the stone spell of the cockatrice.

“Astral,” called out Cozy through gritted teeth as she struggled to hold Sombra's head back by his horn. “When it’s all over, and the bell is stone… Destroy it, even if it breaks me too!”

“What?” asked Astral, as she turned from Twilight to look.

Cozy was being taken by the cockatrice’s stoning spell as well.

Dash flew up, “Wait, this wasn’t part of the plan!”

Cozy replied, “This is the only plan,” she said, her body already turning solid and gray.

“No! You can’t!” cried Astral. “You’re a good pony, you don’t deserve to be stone!”

“I will be best pony,” said Cozy, as the stone crept up her neck. Cozy maintained a strong look of determination on her face, tinged with a touch of sadness. “Remember me,” she said, as she stopped moving, frozen in time.

The room grew quiet. Everypony was still and speechless. Broken pieces of crystal fell to the floor, breaking the silence.

* * *

Castle staff were busy breaking crystals, and sweeping. The statue of Sombra and Cozy had been moved temporarily to the middle of the room while a new throne has already replaced the old one.

Astral stood at the statue, her head down, eyes closed, motionless and horn a soft glow.

"She's been standing there for a long time," said Fluttershy, cradling Monty, petting her softly.

"She’s talking to her," replied Twilight.

“It was awfully kind of Cozy to sacrifice herself for all of us like that,” said Fluttershy.

Applejack spoke up, "Cozy actually told the honest truth for once. Are you going to free her?"

Twilight looked over at the new statue, "I don't think that's for me to decide, though I don't think she's the same pony that we put away all those years ago. She's changed."

“She sacrificed herself for her friend. That’s loyaltee if I ever saw it,” said Rainbow Dash.

"Not only loyal but generous too, making sure Sombra would never be a threat again,” said Rarity.

“She sure knows how to throw the best parties!” said Pinkie Pie.

“Yes. She certainly has learned the magic of friendship,” said Twilight, turning back to face the others.

"What do you think they're talking about?" asked Fluttershy.

"I'm sure we'll know soon enough," answered Twilight.

Astral’s horn stopped glowing. She opened her eyes to look up at Cozy, who was once again frozen in stone, a single solid tear on the side of Cozy’s face. Astral exhaled slowly before making her way toward Twilight and the others.

"Will she be joining us for dinner?" asked Twilight.

Astral shook her head. "She said she doesn't think she deserves to. That with all the bad that she’s done, she thinks this is the only way she can make sure she is always doing good. That it’s the only way to show ponies how good she can be, and be remembered for doing good as the last thing she did."

"I see," said Twilight.

"I tried to tell her, she is a good pony. She is. You have to believe me now. But she won't fully believe it herself, that she doesn’t have to be stone. She's not ready to believe."

"I think she just needs you to keep telling her. Every day. Some day, I hope you will be able to properly introduce her, your friend, to me."

Pinkie popped up, "I think we should throw a party, for our new friend, Cozy Glow!"

The others cheered in agreement.

* * *

The evening sun had begun to set, bathing the castle garden that had been festively decorated in a warm amber light. It was golden hour. Octavia and company played music on one side of a stage while a podium had been set up on the other. The stage had been set up next to the statue of Cozy which had been situated nicely on display as a garden centerpiece. All traces of King Sombra had been chipped away and removed, leaving only Cozy Glow to stand on her own. Careful use of sculpting magic and stone generation was used to bring a more dignifying form to the filly, displaying victory over all that might trouble her. Unlike the prison statue garden, this one was reserved for memorials and monuments to honor those that had served the land well. Cozy, however, was the only statue to have been made from real live pony. Regardless, Twilight saw fit to have her placed among the memories of other such great ponies of history.

The ponies that filled the garden quieted down as Twilight stepped up onto the stage taking her place behind the podium, and clearing her throat. “Friendship can come in all shapes and sizes, and also from the most unexpected of places and ponies. Cozy Glow is one such instance having once been a pony thought to be a lost cause. With the help of my best student, Astral Bell, we all know today that not only is Cozy a good pony, but she is also a great friend, a best friend. Her sacrifice to ensure the peace and harmony of all Equiresta shall go down in history as the single greatest display of Friendship a pony could ever see. We will all eagerly wait for the day that we can all tell her ourselves, what a great friend she truly is. Cozy, you have all the friends in all Equestria now. May their power be your guiding light. Thank you.”

Twilight lifted a glass of sparkling cider. “Cheers to Cozy Glow.”

"Cheers, to Cozy Glow!" everypony said, lifting their glasses.

The reception continued on, while stories of Cozy’s adventures and exploits were told. Astral did not join them, however. She instead opted to sit comfortably, eating hayburgers and ice cream next to her best friend as music and memories played into the night.

Author's Note:

And that my friends, is my story of Cozy's reformation. Her redemption, at least how she sees it for herself, is yet to come in the next several stories of my Golly Saga. Many adventures await!

Special thanks to Kumi Yi for her artwork shown above. I think she did a great job at capturing the final moment of the story.

Apologies for taking 5 months to complete the story! Life happens, plans change and a bountiful share of procrastination can at many times get the better of me. To that, I hope it was worth the wait, and I'll hope you all will stick around to follow Cozy and Astral and see what happens next!

Comments

[LyraEureka]

Yeah, I'm really looking forward to what will happen in the future. The stories between cozy and astral are wonderful.

[Saphire Systrine]

Overall a very wonderful and engaging story friend , but wow is that a bittersweet ending
Suffering in that void for longer, I hope she gets freed sometime...

[hmaf43]

magic of bushindo yay!

equestriato banzi!