In the last chapter, Cozy Glow was sightseeing on Mt. Everhoof alone, when she was ambushed and captured by a group of royal guards, led by Gallus. They tied her up her wings, chained her legs with hoofcuffs, and stuffed her in a small prison carriage. They hoisted her down the mountain, and traveled through the landscape. Cozy sat prisoner in the carriage, but she wasn't going to take this sitting down.
"Let me out of here!" Cozy exclaimed. "If you guards are so brave, you'll come inside and face me!"
After an unclear amount of time of traveling, the carriage stopped, and the door opened. Outside stood none other than Gallus, captain of the royal guard.
"Ah, the notorious Cozy Glow. Long time no see." Gallus said. "Your days of lurking in Equestria are over."
Cozy pouted, and didn't reply to him.
"Not talking? Ran out of words? Fine. Bring her out, we've got some questions to ask her." Gallus commanded.
Two guards came in, and dragged her out against her will.
"Don't touch me! Let go!" she exclaimed.
They took her outside, and tied sat her against a chair.
"This is a little excessive!" Cozy said.
"Only the worst treatment for Equestria's worst creature." Gallus said.
"You've been doing a bad job laying low. We've received complaints from multiple sources as to your whereabouts. Tracking you down was easy." a guard said.
Another guard poked Cozy with a spear.
"Say, did Twilight Sparkle say to bring her back alive?" they asked.
"I don't believe she did." Gallus smirked.
They guard threatened her. Cozy braced for impact.
"However, we'll side on caution and keep her alive. Unless she tries me." Gallus added.
The guard put away his spear.
"What do you guys want, anyway?" Cozy asked. "Are you just gonna harass me for your sick amusement?"
"You're being interrogated. We've got some questions for you, Cozy. We're going to ask you some serious questions, and you're going to answer them." a guard said.
"Tell us, where are the others?" Gallus asked.
"I don't follow." Cozy said.
"Don't act dumb! Where are Tirek and Chrysalis!?" Gallus asked.
Cozy didn't actually know for sure. She last saw them in the cave at the top of Mt. Everhoof. However, they had almost certainly left by now. And if they did, they were likely following the map they recently completed which lead to the Rainbow of Darkness. That was too much information to give away, so Cozy refused to tell them.
"What makes you think I know?" she replied.
"Oh, just a hunch. Maybe because you teamed up with them, used the magic in Grogar's bell to attack Canterlot. Then, you three escaped together, I'd say you absolutely know where they are, now tell us!" Gallus said.
"Why? So you can imprison the only two creatures who have consistently listened to me? You're just gonna torture me either way, so forget it." Cozy said.
Cozy wondered. She knew they had a map to the Rainbow of Darkness. So they likely would head there next. But surely they wouldn't. Surely they would stay behind and look for Cozy, right?
"I don't know, I'm having second thoughts about this." a guard said.
"No! The moment you give her any sympathy, she'll stab your back." Gallus said. "No matter what, she is to be contained until we take her to higher a authority."
"What if I like, reformed now. Would you let me go?" Cozy asked.
"Stop kidding us. You're irredeemable, Cozy." Gallus said.
"Little old me, irredeemable? Have really you looked through Discord's resume? Did you ever think about the implications of Starlight altering the timeline? There could be an entire alternate universe of ponies at war in the split timeline she created. How's what I did any worse than what they did?" Cozy asked.
"You committed crimes of the highest level in Equestria. First, you nearly banished all the magic in Equestria, and then, you assaulted Canterlot with Grogar's magic bell. Twilight did give you another chance, and you fled. You'd have to do something incredible for redemption. Nopony will ever trust you again. You're best left contained where you can't harm anypony ever again!"
Cozy normally didn't mind the insults, but Gallus was so blunt, it was starting to get to her.
"Where are Tirek and Chrysalis!?" Gallus interrogated.
"I'm not telling you!" Cozy replied.
"Well if you're not going to talk, then we're not going to waste more time here." Gallus said.
Two royal guards picked up Cozy.
"Don't touch me! Let go of me!" she cried.
They loaded her into a carriage, and shut the door, and locked it with a key.
"Let us know when you're ready to talk." Gallus said.
The carriage starting moving. Cozy was left in her containment carriage alone. All she had now were her thoughts, and her emotions. And she was fuming.
She pressed her face against her hooves to muffle her screams.
"AHH! D*MN IT!" she screamed.
She leaned onto her back, and just started crying real tears.
*sniff* It's over! Tirek and Chrysalis are gone. You have no chance of ever finding any sort of power! Now Twilight Sparkle's going to put you in stone for longer! Or worse! she thought.
Cozy had a complete mental breakdown.
I failed. I screwed up so badly. I really messed up. Now I'm screwed for the rest of my life... Cozy lamented. They're going to do something awful to me for my crimes.
Was Cozy showing remorse for being bad? No, she was remorseful that she wasn't bad enough. That she ended up getting caught.
I wasn't cunning enough! Tirek was right. My plan was too slow. And now they caught up to me. she thought.
I wonder what Tirek and Chryssie are up to anyway. They're probably off to find the Rainbow of Darkness without me. They probably don't notice I'm gone. They have the completed map, they don't need me for anything any more. Why would they come save me? *sniff* If you two truly care about me, you'd come back. I sit and hope you come back. Even if you try and fail, I just want to see you guys one last time. I don't wanna lose you again...
Cozy pressed her hooves against her face to suppress the tears.
It's the story of my life. I'm all alone again. That one mare and her daughter took me in, but we split after she prepped me for Twilight's school. I was lonely at the school, I was lonely in stone, and now I'm lonely here again.
We're taking you to Twilight Sparkle. Gallus' words echoed.
*sigh* Twilight Sparkle. Haven't seen her in years. If there is ONE positive that can be said about her, whatever she did, she sure did make Spike happy...
Flashback to Cozy's time at Twilight's school.
Cozy was wandering through the halls, when she heard Twilight and Spike laughing. This peaked her curiosity, so she took a look. She peeked her head through the door and saw them.
"Heh heh heh." giggled Twilight.
Cozy Glow entered the office.
"Cozy Glow?" Twilight and Spike asked simultaneously.
"Oh, sorry. Am I interrupting something?" Cozy asked.
"Oh, Cozy Glow. Not at all." Spike said.
"We were just having a little conversation." Twilight said. "Did you need something?"
"Uh, no. I was just on my way to water the garden, when I heard you from the hall, and was wondering if you needed help." she replied.
"That's my Cozy, always looking for ways to help." Twilight said. "You know, Cozy, you remind me a lot of Spike. Spike's been my assistant for a long time. And you, you've been such an excellent assistant yourself here at the school."
"But no one else will be number 1 assistant besides me." Spike bragged.
"Spike and I are tighter than bark on a tree. I just can't imagine life without my little guy." Twilight said.
"Stop it Twilight, you're embarrassing me." Spike blushed.
"Well, I'm glad you two have each other. Now uh, I really gotta go now." Cozy said.
"Okay, we'll see you later, Cozy!" Spike said.
"Bye, Cozy!" Twilight said.
Cozy exited the office and wandered off.
Spike and Twilight. Such a wholesome pair. It would be a shame to separate them. So I'll have to make sure Spike accompanies Twilight in Tartarus then. Cozy thought.
"Such an unlikely combination. a pony and a dragon. Spike always seemed so happy in her presence. Just being together cheered them up. I always wondered what it'd be like to have someone like that myself. If I'm Spike, then who is my Twilight?" Cozy wondered.
Cozy's sadness eventually evolved into more anger.
If you're so nice, and so forgiving, Twilight, then why did you let Discord put me in stone!? Cozy fumed.
Nopony will ever forgive you, Cozy Glow. Gallus' words echoed.
If nopony will ever forgive me, then why bother trying to win over anypony? I'll show them. I'll show all of them! You haven't seen the last of me!
.
.
.
Later:
Cozy awoke from her nap. She wasn't sure how much time had passed, or where she was. She was awoken by the carriage's abrupt stop. The door opened.
The door opened and Gallus appeared.
"Alright, Cozy. You're allowed one bathroom break before we continue." he said. "Guards! Get her out of here."
Two royals guards stepped in. One a female unicorn, the other a male pegasus. They tied some restraints around Cozy, which lead to a tether which they held on to.
"These two will watch over you and contain you while we plan our next course of action." Gallus said.
The royals guards led Cozy outside.
They took her to some thick brush. They were away from the rest of the guards, it was just them three by themselves.
"...Well, whatever you gotta do. Just, do it." one of the guards said.
"Fine, just don't look." Cozy said.
Cozy stepped into a bush, while the guards held onto the tether. The two guards waited, and had some small talk.
"So, Mag, what do you make of all this?" the pegasus asked.
"Well, Stud, despite my drone like status of guard, I am a very opinionated figure." she replied.
"Yes. Go on." he said.
"It is my opinion that... that is the cutest caterpillar ever!" he said.
"Where?" he asked.
She pointed at a grounded tree log. Stud got really close and looked at the caterpillar.
"Wow, what a specimen." he said.
These guards are bigger eggheads than Twilight. Cozy thought.
"Hiya!" *SMACK*
"What the?" Cozy wondered.
The unicorn emerged and spoke.
"You're coming with me." she said to Cozy.
"What the-"
She grabbed Cozy's mouth closed, and her horn lit up.
*poof*
With a flash of magic, they were both gone.
They reappeared in some other location in the forest. Cozy was overcome with surprise and joy. She was freed.
"Oh, thank you Chrysalis! I knew you'd come back!" Cozy said.
She was overcome with emotions, and embraced the guard.
"Uh... sorry to damper your expectations, but there's no changeling or shape shifting going on here." they said.
Cozy's face dropped, and she backed away, confused.
"What the-?" Cozy asked.
"I'm not a changeling in disguise. My name's Magnolia. I'm part of the royal guard." she introduced herself.
"Wait, you're actually a traitor?" Cozy asked.
"Not exactly. Well, I guess I sort of am now..." Magnolia said.
"What exactly do you want?" Cozy asked.
"That's the thing, I'm taking you to Twilight Sparkle myself."
"WHAT?!" Cozy exclaimed. "How is this an improvement?!"
"Just listen to me." Mag said.
"...I'm listening." Cozy said.
"I just think that if you turn yourself in, give yourself up, that Twilight might go easy on you. Not dragged in by guards against your will, but you come back on your own terms. I'm giving you a chance to get on her good side. Turn yourself in, tell her you'll embrace the magic of friendship. Even if you don't mean it, just say it, and maybe she won't put in back in stone, or in Tatarus." Magnolia said.
Cozy raised her eyebrow very high.
"Why are you doing this?" she asked.
"I uh, just thought that you deserved a better chance. You've been in stone for a long time, everyone has aged, but you haven't. I want you to be able to grow up and make back those years you lost."
Cozy stared at Magnolia. Even with the helmet on, Cozy could see there was something about her that rubbed her oddly.
"Do I know you? You seem vaguely familiar..." Cozy asked.
"I uh... I get that a lot." she replied.
Something was odd about this guard. She was definitely familiar looking, but Cozy decided to worry about that later.
"Alright, I can see your angle. Turn myself in, and continue to lie for my salvation. But what about Tirek and Chrysalis?" Cozy asked.
"What about them?" she asked.
"What are you gonna do about them?" Cozy added.
"I mean, if they're willing to change and/or lie about changing, then I don't why not." Mag replied.
Cozy Glow thought about it. The prospect of finally being able to return to Equestria in open arms was a tempting one. But there was something in the way.
"No, I can't do it. I won't go back." Cozy said.
"Why not?" Mag asked.
"Gallus told me that I was a vile, sinister, irredeemable demon, and that even if I tried to be good, nopony would accept me, and that everyone would hate me if I tried. And I believed every word that he said." Cozy said.
"Is that so?" Magnolia asked.
"I have no interest in trying to prove anything to anypony. I'd rather be encased in stone than to listen to Twilight Sparkle. But if I could have things my way, I'd like to see Tire and Chryssie again..." Cozy wept.
Magnolia stood.
*sigh* "Okay, I have a better plan." Magnolia said.
"What's that?" Cozy asked.
"We're going to fake your death." she replied.
*dun dun dun*
"Oooh. I love a good conspiracy." Cozy said. "How are you gonna pull it off?"
"I have an idea. Listen." Magnolia said.
Magnolia whispered the plan into Cozy's cute little ears.
"Are you sure about this?" Cozy asked. "Sounds risky."
"Do you want my help or not?" Magnolia replied.
Cozy was reluctant to trust the unusual guard.
"Why should I trust anyone who wears the royal armor?" Cozy asked.
"I don't know. I personally don't really trust you. I've got you in my clutches. What are you gonna do?" Magnolia replied.
"If you don't trust me, then why are you helping me?" Cozy asked.
"I have my reasons..." Magnolia replied.
To be continued...