Cozy Glow awoken, even thou she hoped she had not. She was in a nice house, still the confortable bed she was lying down mean nothing to the poor filly.
She knew it would be a matter of time before the princess or her friends would appear to turn her to stone once again, even thou any injury she sustained no longer hurt… she was hungry.
Cozy Glow got out of the bed trying to be silent, maybe she had a chance of escape. She tried to fly but she was still half sleep, so the filly only managed to fly half a second before falling to the ground. The impact made a sound that made the inhabitant of the house realized she awoken.
Cozy was on the floor, unable to even cry at this point, she could only close her eyes. Then she open them she saw a pink unicorn with golden eyes and mane.
¨am glad you are awake. When me and my friends saw you we thought you were death, but after I inspected your body we discovered you only had small bruises but you had sings of exhaustion.¨
The unicorn was right, Cozy Glow had the fight of her life before being turn into stone, and after escaping she was even more tired, and still she somehow managed to run from Canterlot to be near Ponyville. It was a great feat for a filly of her age, a grater one considering how tired and injured she was.
¨You might be still weak, I know how i can take care of you. My books said that you need food after waking up.¨
This might be the last meal Cozy Glow could get before being turned into stone again, so she stood up and followed the unicorn to the kitchen.
¨Even thou I read many cooking books I am still only able to make food edible, I’m still working on giving them good taste.¨
Said the unicorn, trying to light up the mood.
Cozy glow sit in a chair while the unicorn cooked the food, the pink unicorn talked about various things, but never got a response from the little pegasus who was completely silent.
After many minutes finally the unicorn went to the table with a bowl of soup, it was brown and clearly poorly cooked, the unicorn wasn’t lying then she said her food was only edible. Still Cozy Glow dint mind, she started to drink the soup, it tasted awful… but it tasted something, it was the first thing she tasted in decades, to the filly that awful soup was the best thing that happened to her in decades.
The unicorn was smiling, happy than somecrature dint complain about something she cooked for once, joyful that the little filly was enjoy it.
But that happiness ended then she noticed that the filly stop eating before could finish her meal, before the unicorn could try to ask what was wrong the pegasus spoke.
¨I’m sorry.¨
The pegasus face was full of tears. Everything she has done, the memories of the life she had, the evil thing she done and her ultimate punishment came back at her. And now she was getting kindness from some dumb unicorn that probably was completely unaware of whom she was.
The unicorn hugged the filly, it was the first shown of affection she had in a long time. Affection that she never got from a mother, neither at the orphanage, she would NEVER get it in Manehattan. She would finally get it the school of friendship… but she betrayed them and for that got dragged into Tartarus. That memory would only bring back the memories of Tirek and Chrysalis, their attack on Equestria and… the cold, the stone, the decades she was trapped in stone.
¨I’m sorry.¨
Those were the only words that Cozy Glow said, she repeating them again and again, at this point don’t even her knew why she was apologizing or to who.
After the filly calmed down the unicorn stood up and said to the filly.
¨So… I noticed your mane is a disaster.¨
If that was an attempt to joke certainly dint made cozy glow smile. Still it was true, her mane was a disaster after the events of yesterday.
¨Somecreature teach me how to leave a mane quite beautiful, I can give you good look like me if you want too.¨
The mare was waiting for a response, anything, hopping she said anything besides ¨I’m sorry¨
Cozy Glow slowly nodded. Causing the unicorn to smile and the two of them exited the kitchen.
Once both of them went at the bedroom Cozy Glow sat as the pink unicorn did just behind her. The contrast between them was clear with the unicorn having a smile that irradiated an aura of happiness while with Cozy Glow was clear barely she was barely able to keep herself from crying again.
¨Pretty please try to not cry again, it would make me a little more difficult to give you a good look.¨
Again the unicorn tried to make a joke, again the silence made her clear her attempt of humor fallen flat again. But then she got a response from the filly.
¨No promises, but I will try.¨
That response gained an even bigger smile from the unicorn, who with her magic levitated a small box of tools. Cozy glow lowered her head while the unicorn took from the box some tools to brush cozy mane. While the Unicorn worked on the little filly mane a small question came from Cozy Glow mouth.
¨What’s your name?¨
¨Luster Dawn.¨
That’s her name, it’s the name of first creature she spoken in decades, the first being that show her kindness and generosity. One that tried to even tried to bring her some laughter. The first pony she actually respected was called Luster Dawn.
Even then, she didn’t feel like she deserved that joy, she knew only 2 words would be needed to destroy all of that happiness… but being kicked out of the house or turned into the authorities would mean this mare would be safe, safe from Twilight, would might think Luster Dawn had anything to do with her scape.
Cozy Glow knew how it feel to suffer the princess wrath, she experience it 2 times. In both of them she only managed to escape thanks from factors outside of her control.
Cozy Glow refused to let Luster Dawn suffer thou that, knowing the price she would pay she said 2 dreaded words.
¨Cozy Glow¨
¨What? I didn’t hear you¨
¨Am cozy glow, the evil filly that betrayed Princess Twilight Sparkle, the filly that later joined some of Equestria biggest villains and got sentenced to be turned into stone for eternity.¨
Luster Dawn was silent, still treating cozy mane like she told her something irrelevant, like she doesn’t care.
¨Please, I can’t remain here, if Twilight catch me she will turn me to stone, if she catches me here she might turn you into stone.¨
Luster Dawn continued to treat Cozy Glow mane, almost finishing.
¨I don’t care about that, what I care is your mane, is going to look so good.¨
Cozy Glow was static, unable to find an answer to that, she was crazy? She had some hidden agenda? More and more questions and theories went through cozy head, and then the unicorn levitated a mirror in front of pegasus face, luster asked cozy.
¨How it look?¨
What kind of look was that? Luster Dawn gave Cozy Glow the same style she had. Now both shared the same mane style, thanks to both of them being pink anycreature would be forgiven if they believe these 2 ponies were related.
¨It looks fine I guess. But you should not be with me anymore, could be dangerous.¨
Luster dawn stood up, Cozy Glow dint knew what to expect at this point.
¨I don’t fear danger, and if danger comes I promise you we will face it together.¨
Luster Dawn should had given her royalty to somepony else. that was the only thing cozy could think, after all she was one of the most vile beings ever walked in equestria, Cozy Glow was fully aware that haven Luster Dawn being around back then she was allied with the of other of Equestria biggest villains no doubt she would had oppose her, Cozy considered that back then she would probably manipulated her and use her. Cozy Glow feel like she dint deserve that royalty from her.
¨Look, it has been decades, and to be honest I think your punishment was excessive. True, you needed some punishment for what you had done, but even now you are still young. You have a whole life that could be worth living. Maybe you could try to make amends by helping somecratures or at least get some peace instead of living tormented by your past.¨
Those words truly hit home for Cozy Glow, she dedicated her younger years to get power and made others miserable, and as a consequence she spend the rest of days suffering for it. Maybe she could try to help and do some good in this world, at least until Twilight or her friends found her and turn her back to stone.
At least she would go back to stone knowing she did something right. For once in her life, and even if it was small… for her that would be enough.
Cozy Glow, for the first time in a long time look forward for the future, but for now she was tired. Even thou she had a good sleep she was still weak from what happened yesterday, and this day mentally drain her, Luster Dawn noticed the fatigue in the little pegasus eyes.
¨I’m sorry, the medicine i used to treat you is one very exhausting. also I guess all of those years as a statue might have atrophied your muscles, so tomorrow if you are not too tired we might do some exercise so you get better. First you need to help yourself before you can help others¨
¨Thank you¨
Cozy Glow hugged Luster Dawn and walked straight to bed, she almost immediately felt sleep, hopeful for tomorrow and no longer afraid, now she had a home, with someone she trust. she no longer needed to run away.
After the little filly fall sleep Luster Dawn exited the house, after walking a few meters she spoke.
¨I know you are here Princess Twilight.¨
Behind Luster Dawn appeared a flash of light, revealing Princess Twilight Sparkle.
¨My dear student, you truly are the best.¨
Twilight complemented Luster Dawn, the unicorn knew that the Princess was in her home the entire time, accompanying them with a invisibility spell. Luster sent her a letter informing her of her little finding, but Twilight never told her that she would be alongside her the entire time. Still Luster Dawn somehow knew it the entire time.
¨You know what I have to do. I told you that Cozy Glow is manipulative and extremely dangerous, yet you insisted in taking care of her.¨
Luster Dawn was fully aware of how dangerous is Cozy Glow, she was the one who discover her by mere chance while she and her friends tried to have a picnic. She did not saw the evil being that attacked Equestria and took the princesses power, the one that almost destroyed all magic from Equestria causing its collapse, or the one that triggered a gang war causing much harm to many ponies. What she saw was somepony that was injured and needed help.
¨I’m happy that you send me a letter informing me that you by chance found Cozy Glow while you and your friends tried to enjoy a day off, I’m proud that you were honest and told me the truth instead of hiding her from me. But look my student, I never intervened then Cozy Glow was in your home and you were taking care of her, I let you treat her injuries and give her something to eat, but she is still a ticking time bomb, in any moment she could betray you and try to destroy Equestria again. I’m sorry my student but I have no choice.¨
Luster Dawn didn’t even look at Twilight, but she responded with that struck a nerve on her.
¨You could said the same regarding my mother.¨
Twilight did not know how to respond to that, Princess Celestia gave her the reprimand of her life for turning Starlight Glimmer into her own student in spite of everything she has done and could do in the future, but Celestia later apologized after she saw how Starlight not only denounced the idea of creatures living in a authoritarian and stagnant society like she once leaded, but also help redeemed the changelings and even tried to offer a hoove to chrysalis.
even thou the former changeling queen rejected her and went thru a path of revenge the point was clear. Starlight glimmer made the point that anycreature was capable of doing good.
¨Twilight, I know how dangerous she can be, I know she could be trying to manipulate me and try to hurt somecreature else…¨
Twilight student took a deep breath.
¨But you know what else could be? That she is broken, she grew up as a runaway, raised without the warm love of a family but instead with the coldness of the streets. I know than after you became ruler of Equestria you helped those foals from Manehattan. But she spend decades as a statue, you leave her behind. she needs help, and I want to help her.¨
Princess Twilight stood silent, never once her best pupil defied her on something, maybe with her little idea of having friends being a waste of time, but that was something childish she got over quickly. In this issue Luster Dawn was standing her ground, she promised to keep Cozy Glow safe, and nothing twilight said would make her student break that promise.
but there was something else. Twilight lowered her head in shame and said something that her student never expected to hear.
¨Cozy Glow is my biggest failure, when I opened the school of friendship I wanted to spread the values of friendship so no other creature would had to suffer from war, cozy took part of a war I was unaware off, I failed to see that. The lessons that she learned in those days stuck over the ones I gave her. After I discovered that, I made everything in my power to help the runaways from Manehattan and other cities. But even now I can’t look Cozy in the eyes, even less help her.¨
Luster Dawn never heard her teacher speak of a problem without a solution, it was Twilight who told her that no matter what kind of problem she faced, every single one of them should be seen a puzzle to be solved. But for once she had an unsolvable puzzle. She was unable to do anything to help Cozy Glow, the filly hated her and her friends. Twilight was aware than any attempt from her or her friends to redeem the little filly would be meet only with hostility. the only thing the alicorn could do was to visit the statues monthly to reflect on her failure to never make the same mistake again.
¨I’m sorry, I know you put a lot of effort to help those foals, you alongside my mom put them in the right track and gave them home and safety.¨
Twilight, remembers than at one point neither had faith in discord. But it was Fluttershy who shown him kindness and with that he started to go in the right track, and after he betrayed everypony in Equestria to help Tirek… he did the right thing and gave her the key she needed to open the box that safeguarded the way to defeat Tirek.
That would later bring to her the map that would guide her towards Starlight Glimmer. If weren’t for that, Starlight would had continued ruling her little corner of Equestria. She would never had reunited with Sunburst and with that it would never been born one of most talented unicorns in history, maybe wasn’t her place to redeem Cozy Glow.
¨Luster Dawn, my dear pupil, I’m going to give you a test...¨
Princess Twilight took a deep breath, preparing herself to give her student perhaps the single most important test she gave to her student.
Luster Dawn meanwhile did not know what to expect, would Twilight would give her a test about restrain and keep away from Cozy Glow?
¨Your test will be to save the last of the runaways.¨
Luster Dawn knew this meant that her teacher had faith in her, now she was sure she was doing to right thing, it was now her duty to help Cozy Glow. Luster Dawn knew whatever the future holds for both Cozy Glow and her… She would be ready.