Cozy Glow flew around Equestria. Unlike her comrades she didn’t have a place to return to. Her parents had both abused her and while she had lived in Ponyville it had been for a few months, and not enough to feel like an actual home. She traveled around Equestria for now, unsure of where she would settle… if she did at all. Her wings carried her with difficulty. Being trapped in Tartarus, she hadn’t had much chance to stretch her wings and build up the muscles in them to support her weight over the years. She struggled to stay airborne for long. It would take her some time to get her wings to used to flying.
She flew in a random direction, just letting the wind take her. She was a lone pony, not sure where she would go. But there was one thing she knew she wanted. To make her destiny a brighter one, to make up for past misdeeds.
Her wings grew tired and she had to set back down on the ground. But as she did so, she saw something ahead. The city of Manehattan. It was huge, with immense buildings that dwarfed Ponyville.
Cozy Glow walked and after about an hour entered the city which was filled with traffic. Carriages pulled ponies through the streets while others walked on the sidewalks. Cozy Glow walked and looked around. Maybe this could be a place where she could start a new life and make up for past sins.
She wandered the streets for a while until fate seemed to guide her once again. She found a sign outside a building that read Police Station. The police? That could be a good way to make up for her past crimes. But would they take a pony like her? She wasn’t certain of the process, but she decided it was worth a try and stepped inside.
…
“Get out!”
The chief of police threw her out as soon as she said her name. Cozy Glow landed on the pavement outside with a grunt.
“We don’t take ponies who have a record! Much less ponies that were once national enemies!”
He was a strong light stallion with a darker blue hat and sash with a gold-colored badge on it.
“I’ve changed!” Cozy said. “I want to use my abilities for good now!”
“Well you won’t be getting in my department! Maybe you can get a job picking up trash and helping the environment. You probably belong with the trash anyway.”
Cozy felt the urge to cry at being compared to trash. But it was true somewhat. She had one of the worst of the worst. How could she ever hope to clean up the bad she’d done? The door to the station closed behind and she resumed walking, albeit in a more depressed state, her head facing to the ground, a tear threatening to leak out down her cheek. She turned an alley way that was just her luck, full of trash. She sighed and sat down on the filthy area. It certainly fit her. She looked at her cutie mark.
The tower, a symbol of success, strength, power, and wealth. But she hadn’t been successful today. She couldn’t manipulate anypony to do what she wanted, not that she wanted to manipulate them anymore. But-
Looking around at the trash around her that she’d just been associated with, Cozy Glow wondered if this would be her life now. Maybe she could just be a beggar? Use her talent to garner pity if nothing else? It would be pathetic but she might survive. Her stomach rumbled. She was about to head back out into the streets and start a begging career, when-
“Aah!”
A scream sounded from behind her and she looked over her shoulder. A female Earth ponies in a small amount of clothing, which was typical for city ponies, rounded the alleyway. She was an attractive pony with a green coat and a red mane, like a rose. Her cutie mark was of one as well and she had a rose in her mane. But right after her was a light purple Pegasus with a beard and a smirk that sent a shiver down the former villainesses spine. He flew after the Earth Pony and grabbed her hind leg, pulling her back.
“Come on Rose you know none of the other stallions are good enough for you!” the Pegasus said.
“Get off me Bruton!” the mare named Rose said.
“Give it up! You know you love me!” Bruton said.
“I don’t! I never have!”
“Why you ungrateful, after all the stuff I did for you-“
He raised a hoof and Cozy Glow flapped her wings. She caught the hoof just in time to prevent it from landing on the mare’s head.
“She said she doesn’t want to be with you!” Cozy Glow said. “Now leave her alone!”
She stared at him with a menacing pair of eyes that were just like when she’d been bad. The stallion glared back at her.
“Don’t know who you are curly! But you picked the wrong stallion to get in the way of!”
“We’ll see about that!” Cozy said.
They pushed each other back and flapped their wings. It was time for a Pegasus duel! They flew at each other, their hooves colliding. Cozy flew a little higher, but felt her wings getting tired already. She had to end this quickly or he’d have the air advantage! She managed to get on top of him and land a swift descending hoof to his back. He went down and fell in the garbage. She followed up with a dive and landed on him, striking several blows. He was now bruised and had a bloody nose and a tooth knocked out.
“And now for your complete-“ Cozy stopped herself as she was about to say the word destruction.
She lowered her hoof. Even if she was trying to change, there was still a part of the psycho filly she’d been within her. She would not give in to it!
“No. I’ll never come close to doing something like that again,” she said before turning to the mare who was watching with wide eyes. “Are you alright?”
“Yes,” the mare said.
“Good,” Cozy Glow said. “Rose is it?”
“Yes, Rose Growthspurt. Thank you, you probably saved my life! What’s your name?”
“I’m…” Cozy hesitated before saying, “Cozy Glow.”
“Cozy Glow, the same one that tried to conquer Equestria three times?” Rose asked.
Cozy nodded sadly and scratched her forehoof in shame. “I served my time and got released. Now I want to make up for the things I did.”
Rose looked at her in complete surprise. But before either of them could say anything else, a siren suddenly sounded and a black and white police carriage arrived pulled by two earth ponies with the Chief on board. He narrowed his eyes as he saw her standing there over a beaten pony!”
“Ah huh! I knew you couldn’t be trusted villain! Prepare to be put back in prison for-
“Wait!” Rose suddenly said. “No! She saved my life! That stallion was about to hurt me!”
The chief had gotten out a pair of hoof cuffs and advanced toward Cozy Glow but stopped as he heard the words. He took Bruton instead and threw him in a cell in the station where he brought them all.
“You’ll stand trial for assault,” he said before turning to Cozy Glow. “I may have been wrong about you, seems you may have changed. Trash wouldn’t have stopped a criminal like him.”
He handed her a badge. “Welcome to the Manehattan Police Force, Deputy Glow!”
Cozy Glow smiled. “Thank you, Chief!”
She and Rose left the station.
“So do you have a place to stay Cozy?” Rose asked.
“No, I only just got into town like an hour ago. Crazy one too!” Cozy said.
“Well if you want I am in need of a roommate!” Rose said.
Cozy grinned. She’d certainly had success today, shown strength by protecting this mare, acquired a job that could give her at least a modest amount of wealth, and one that came with the power of law enforcement. She would now be a defender of the innocent, like a strong tower’s wall.
She smiled as she followed Rose to her apartment. She’d changed her destiny for the better, and would continue to work along this path.