It was a blissful morning in Ponyville. The sun hadn't yet risen, so most ponies still lay asleep in their beds. Even still, anticipation was buzzing as everypony was excited for today's coronation of Princess Twilight Sparkle. Tonight, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna would step down, and pass the responsibility of ruling Equestria to Princess Twilight Sparkle.
Inside Twilight Sparkle's Ponyville castle, housed the soon to be ruler of Equestria herself, along with her now loyal knight, Spike the dragon, the new Headmare of the School of Friendship, Starlight Glimmer, and lastly, inside a lonely chamber, underneath thick sheets, asleep in her bed, was the newest resident of the castle. She was one sleepy alicorn filly, snoring the morning away. At least until a voice came echoing into her room.
"Cozy Glow! Wake up!" Twilight's voice echoed through the halls and into the room.
Cozy Glow put her pillow over her ears. Nothing was more irritating than the sound of Twilight's voice in the morning.
"Oh, Cozy!!" she repeated.
*GROAN* Cozy Glow let out a hearty groan. In her mind, nopony commanded her when to wake up. She'd sleep the whole day if she wanted to.
"I made pancakes!" Twilight exclaimed.
*rumble* Cozy's tummy growled. As it turned out though, she was hungrier than she was tired. So she slowly crawled out of bed. She rolled off her bed, and unraveled herself from her sheets, revealing the alicorn filly, with some... extra attachments.
She stretched her limbs, which mildly hurt because of the attachments around her body. But why was this the case?
Well, in the previous story, Tirek, Chrysalis, and Cozy Glow's attack on Canterlot played out differently than expected, resulting in Cozy Glow NOT being left frozen in stone. She did however end up destroying the bell before relinquishing her magic, so she remained as a powerful alicorn filly. But that's not such a bad thing right?
Well regardless, the princesses weren't taking any chances. So in order to inhibit Cozy's magical prowess, the leaders of Equestria had attached a metal device over her horn, preventing her from using her alicorn magic. Not just that, they had also wrapped a thick leather belt around Cozy's wings to prevent her from flying. Twilight would only undo either of these restraints under special circumstances, such as magic training. It only made sense to keep Cozy's powers under control, even if their method was a bit crude.
The filly was always uncomfortable from all this gear, but it sure beat an eternity in stone. At least that's what she thought at first.
Cozy Glow had trotted out of her room and to the kitchen area, where Twilight and Spike were there to greet her.
"Good morning, Cozy!" Twilight greeted.
"He... uh buh buh..." Cozy was groggy, and had trouble speaking. She was not a morning pony.
Spike was already at the table, chowing down on Twilight's pancakes. Cozy trotted up slowly and joined him.
"Pancakes again? Do you serve anything besides pancakes?" Cozy asked. "This is like the third morning in a row."
"Why would any creature need anything else for breakfast?" Twilight asked.
"The key to a healthy mind, is a varied diet." Cozy said. "Ever try making quesadillas for breakfast? They're pretty easy, and taste great." she suggested.
Spike gestured to Cozy to drop the conversation. Cozy caught on, even if she didn't know why.
"What? What's wrong with quesadillas?" Cozy asked.
"Nothing. They're just cheesy..." Twilight answered.
"Okay. Maybe at least try making waffles? They're literally just pancakes but shaped differently. Shouldn't be too hard to make." Cozy said.
"Normally you'd be right, but Twilight doesn't own a waffling iron." Spike said.
"Well, don't let that stop you. Might I suggest you unlatch me from these restraints, so I can grip that batter with my magic, and compress it with immense pressure and heat!! Thus creating delicious waffles!" Cozy exclaimed in a devious tone.
Her comment was followed by an awkward silence in the kitchen.
"Not that I've tried it, nor am I positive that it'd work. I'm still new to this magic thing after all, but you've seen what I'm capable of. So-" Cozy said.
"Uh, thanks, Cozy. But I'll pass on the offer." Twilight said, interrupting. "After all, I've seen what you're capable of. Anyway, once you've finished eating, you've got an intense day of magic practice if you want to perform at my coronation tonight."
"Of course. I'm ready to get started." Cozy said.
"Good. So let's begin." Twilight said.
"Oh, and Twilight. If you don't think I'm ready by the time we're done, then that's alright. I gotta know my own pace." Cozy said.
"How honest of you to say." Twilight said, raising an eyebrow.
And you read that right. Twilight Sparkle had promised Cozy Glow that she could use her magic to create a spectacle at tonight's coronation, but only if she could prove that she had full control of her magic, and wouldn't go ballistic.
Soon after breakfast, it was time for one of Cozy's practice sessions. Twilight had temporarily removed Cozy's horn restraint so that she could practice magic. For this lesson, Twilight had tasked Cozy with something relaxing, and that was setting the table for tea.
"Now, Cozy. Levitation is a cornerstone of practical magic applications. It's about putting your mind into an object, and concentrating on moving it. Not in a destructive way, but a deliberate way. But in your case, you have the magic, but being deliberate can be hard, and what you deliberately want to do isn't the outcome. The easiest way to be deliberate, is to be precise. I want you to be precise." Twilight said.
"Precision, got it." Cozy replied.
Cozy very carefully moved one tea cup with her magic.
"Careful." Twilight said.
"Easy does it." Spike added.
Cozy placed the teacup onto the big table successfully.
"There you go." Spike said.
"Nice job." Twilight said.
*phew* "So is that it?" Cozy asked.
"Far from it. Next, I want you to set the plate." Twilight said.
"If you say so." Cozy said.
Cozy used her magic on the plate, and began to move it.
"Almost there." Spike said.
Cozy was almost there, until...
"AH!" Cozy concentrated so much, it hurt, and she had an impulse.
Cozy let out a jolt of magic and flung the plate against the castle wall, shattering it.
"I can't do it!" Cozy cried.
"It's okay! You nailed the first step. You clearly have it in you." Spike said.
"I tried concentrating, but even the slightest thought sent that plate flying!" Cozy cried.
Twilight looked at the damage. Her supply of tea ware was limited, and those shards on the ground looked sharp.
"Tell you what. Let's have a crack at something else." Twilight said.
For Cozy's next lesson, Twilight had her move things less... shatterable. Books! Twilight tasked Cozy with organizing books using only magic. She had already explained to Cozy the system at which the books are organized, so it was up to Cozy to put them in place.
Cozy picked up a copy of Myths & Legends: An Illustrated Guide with her magic.
"There you go. That's it. One book at a time." Twilight said.
"I'm doing it!" Cozy said, excitedly.
Cozy Glow was getting energetic and excited, but with excitement her magic glowed brighter.
"Careful. Don't concentrate too hard, or you might-" Spike said.
The book Cozy was holding with her magic got too hot from the intense magic, and suddenly burst into ash.
Book burning made Twilight cringe, but she tried to keep her calm.
"T-That's okay, I can just get another copy." Twilight said, irritated, and eye twitching.
"I personally didn't care for that book anyway." Spike said, deadpan.
After just a short couple of lessons, Cozy Glow was already losing her cool.
"UGH! I'm an alicorn! I have alicorn magic! I have enough power to move earth! So why am I setting tea parties and organizing a lame library?!" Cozy asked.
"Magic isn't just shooting beams of energy." Twilight scolded. "It's a well understood, and studious discipline. Sure, you have the raw magical capacity, but the point of these lessons is to help refine your abilities, and make you more precise."
"I can shoot powerful beams of magic and bring destruction, but you expect me to be precise?!" Cozy asked, angerly.
"Cozy, I'd like you to calm down." Twilight ordered.
*exhale* Cozy took a nice relaxing breath. "Whew. Right. Relax..." Cozy said, softly.
Surprisingly, at Twilight's command, Cozy calmed herself down.
"Wanna take a break, Cozy?" Twilight asked.
"I'd like that." she replied in a soft voice.
The group took a break, and rested on top of Twilight's castle. Although today was a busy day, Twilight had no issue taking time out of her day to relax. Half of magic was in the mind, so Twilight wanted to make sure Cozy's mind was in a good place.
Twilight and Cozy each laid back on separate lawn chairs on top of the castle, while Spike was sitting in the pool.
"How are you feeling, Cozy?" Spike asked.
"Shh..." Twilight shushed. "Try not to disturb her. She's relaxing." she whispered.
Here was a rare sight. Cozy Glow was calm, laying with her eyes closed, and feeling the wind against her curly blue mane. Her round little belly gently lifted up as she breathed in, and lowered slowly as she breathed out. She'd never really taken a moment to just take a breath. In spite of the uncomfortable restraints, she managed to relax.
She opened one eye lid and gazed at the landscape below. From the top of Twilight's castle, you could see so much more of Equestria than you could at ground level. From the serene plains, the mountain which Canterlot was built next to. It was all so wonderful.
It felt so good to see the world. The world she almost lost forever...
.
.
.
"Cozy Glow?" Twilight asked.
"Wha...?" Cozy Glow awoke abruptly.
"You fell asleep." Spike said.
"Oh. Whoops..." Cozy said, pressing her hoof against her cheek, embarrassed.
"I almost didn't want to wake you, you were so cute." Twilight said, jokingly.
"Yeah. Imagine if I didn't wake up. Equestria wouldn't miss a beat..." she said, deadpan.
Cozy got up and trotted downstairs.
Twilight and Spike looked at each other, confused.
Cozy Glow continued her way downstairs, when-
*poof*
Twilight Sparkle reappeared in front of Cozy, grinning.
"Ready to resume your practice?" Twilight asked.
"No." Cozy replied.
"No?" Twilight asked. "But you're full of so much potential!"
"No. I'm full of someone else's magic! It's not my magic. It's not the same as having true potential." Cozy said.
Cozy trotted faster, but Twilight appeared in front of her again.
"Where are you going?!" Twilight asked.
"My room!" Cozy replied.
"Nuh-uh! This is my castle! They're all my room!" Twilight exclaimed.
"Yeah, well I'm going to occupy this room, ALONE!" Cozy exclaimed.
"Not until you apologize!" Twilight exclaimed.
"Me apologize? You're the one being rude." Cozy said.
"I'm not-"
Twilight paused and thought her words through, to be careful not to say anything that would tick her off more.
"I'm not trying to be hard on in an effort to be rude. It's just, magic is a really tough discipline. But even more important than the discipline, it's the morality, and what to do with the magic." Twilight explained. "Magic isn't about being the most powerful. If too much magic goes unhinged, that's how you end up with King Sombra." Twilight said.
"And Sunset Shimmer." Cozy said.
"And Sunset Shimmer, sure." Twilight affirmed. "So-"
"And Starlight Glimmer, Tempest Shadow, Trixie with the alicorn amulet. Oh, and Discord of course. Need I go on?" Cozy went on.
"Cozy, I-" Twilight said.
"How come THEY DON'T HAVE ALTERNATE TIMELINES OF AN ETERNITY IN STONE?! WHAT MAKES ME SO BAD?!" Cozy exclaimed.
"...You don't know they don't have bad timelines. I mean, if the many worlds theory is to be believed, then they do have bad timelines, because every possible future already exists." Twilight explained.
"Okay, okay, smarty pants!" Cozy sassed.
"As I was saying, I studied magic for years, and it was only after I completed Starswirl the Bearded's unfinished spell, did Celestia trust me with wings, and the duty of bearing both my horn, and a pair of wings. With you, we're working backwards. You're already an alicorn, so we just gotta make sure you live up to such an important title. And what separates us even further, is you were born a pegasus, so you have next to no experience with conducting magic directly."
Cozy felt that Twilight actually made a compelling argument. So she chose to sidestep the subject.
"Hmm. I see what you mean. You do make an excellent point, Sparkle. You possess a large reservoir of magic, and you're very skilled at magic. But allow me to ask, why aren't you, as you put it, evil?" Cozy asked.
"Me? Evil?" she asked.
"Why, if you wanted the throne sooner, I'm positive you could've just taken it from Celestia." Cozy said. "And you probably would've been just successful."
"Absolutely not. Because I learned early on that magic is in the responsibility of the beholder." Twilight explained. "Magic is a very powerful tool, and it feels rewarding to use it to help other ponies."
"You say that now, but Spike, remember how Twilight was before moving to Ponyvillle? The bitterness? The anxiety? I guarantee at this point in time she'd be a villain if she didn't move to Ponyville and never meet her friends." Cozy said.
Spike crossed his arms and didn't reply to her.
"Who am I kidding? Maybe even before that. If it wasn't for the help of your first friend grounding you, you would've just been Sunset Shimmer 2.0." Cozy said.
"Cozy!" Twilight exclaimed. "Enough of this! I thought you said you wanted to change!" Twilight shouted.
"I just wanted to NOT get turned into stone for 1,000 years!" Cozy exclaimed. "I could care less being a privy alicorn princess like you!"
"Well, I'm sorry to break it to you, Cozy, but if you're going to be free and live in Equestria, then you're going to have to learn to behave!" Twilight exclaimed.
"You call this free?" Cozy asked, pointing to her restraints.
Twilight took a look at Cozy. The alicorn filly all covered in scuffs and restraints. The leather belt wrapped around her wings, and the headband wrapped around her horn.
"I'm like some restrained freak." Cozy said.
"You'll be free once I can trust you!" Twilight exclaimed.
Twilight's exclamation echoed through the castle, and when the echo ceased, a deafening silence filled the hallway instead.
"So, this isn't even about improving my magic skill, this is just about building trust, because you still view me as a threat. I can past your ruse, Sparkle." Cozy said, deadpan.
Cozy was done with this conversation. She turned the other way and walked past Twilight and into her room,
"Cozy, wait!" Twilight said.
Cozy was about to close the door, but halted to hear what Twilight had to say.
"I know I may not be the right kind of teacher you need, but, I thought you'd be a little more grateful. Would you have rather we left you in stone?!" Twilight asked.
"You know, now that I've seen both, I don't know which is worse." Cozy said.
Cozy slammed the door, leaving Twilight very frustrated.
"Geez. Cozy Glow is right. She glows like a little ball of sunshine. Am I right, Twilight?" Spike held is fist out expecting a hoofbump from Twilight, but instead she just trotted the other way, grumpy.
"Twilight?"
Twilight Sparkle paced back and forth in the library, kicking the ash from the burnt book she hadn't cleaned up yet. Spike stood in place and was there trying to see the light in the situation.
"Don't beat yourself up, Twilight. Cozy's just being stubborn." Spike said. "Which frankly isn't unexpected of her."
"Was I wrong? I saw the future, but all I saw was the statue. I don't know how her punishment would have affected the rest of Equestria versus not punishing her. So... maybe we were supposed to put her in stone, and this is the incorrect outcome." Twilight said.
Spike was surprised to hear Twilight be so pessimistic.
"Don't say that, Twilight." Spike said. "You're the Princess of Friendship! What kind of Princess of Friendship intentionally turns ponies to stone?"
"Yeah, well she's a... a-" Twilight said, but couldn't muster to finish her sentence.
"A what? What, Twilight?" Spike asked.
"She's difficult! Okay!" Twilight shouted. *sigh* "I wonder if Thorax is having an easier time with Chrysalis and Tirek..."
Twilight had almost had it with Cozy. And with a few hours before her coronation, and Cozy's still far behind on magic studies, things did not line up the way Twilight had hoped. In spite of the chance she took, so far it mostly amounted in frustration for both ponies.
"She isn't ready for tonight. And she's only going to be more furious when I tell her that." Twilight said.
*sigh* "I had to jump through so many hoops to make this happen. Celestia and Luna urged me to put her back in Tartarus, at least until after my coronation. But I fought against that. I argued that a moment more in Tartarus was too long, and I promised I'd watch her myself. I gave her a chance, so I just wish she'd give me a chance." Twilight said.
"Maybe she still will. C'mon, Twi. Let's check on her." Spike said.
"It's so hard for us to see eye to eye. I wonder if somepony else would've been better off in charge of her..." Twilight said, as her mind wandered and ignored Spike.
"Twilight." Spike said, to get her attention.
"What does she mean by my first friend? By what definition is she using? Who could she be referring to..." she pondered.
Spike looked... disappointed. He thought the answer to Cozy's riddle was obvious. But, that was something to talk about later.
Twilight looked at Spike.
"Are we checking on her, or what?" he asked.
*sigh* "Alright. No time like the present." Twilight said.