//------------------------------//
// An Enlightening Session 
// Story: An Unexpected Ally 
// by Kind of Brony 
//------------------------------//

"I'd have figured it out eventually," Cozy growls the same answer again, hooves crossed as she lies back on the living room couch. Cozy had been enjoying New Dawn's company up until today, back when the mare was content to sit there and let Cozy do all the talking. Dawn was an excellent listener, only asking occasional questions as Cozy told her about her likes, dislikes, and her favorite anecdotes of times her plans worked out or her most useful friends.

On her third visit in six days, however, her line of questioning moved to less benign topics. She began to ask about how she had intended to rule Equestria, and insisted on digging for more and more details. "Did you already have a plan for moving the sun and moon? It was daytime when you first tried, right? I imagine it would have gotten quite hot with eternal day."

"Earth ponies wouldn't be able to grow as much food without their magic. What would have been your plan to feed all the ponies of Equestria once all the stores were empty?"

"If you, Chrysalis, and Tirek had won, would you have divided up Equestria between you? As Empress, it would be your duty to protect all us subjects, right? But your friends saw us as food and magic sources. Would you have fought them to keep us safe?"

It is making Cozy furious, especially because she doesn't have answers ready. She knows she can come up with them, but New Dawn decided to just spring all this on her out of the blue. "I would have found a way to get Chrysalis love without hurting ponies," Cozy says. "Like maybe a kissing booth?"

New Dawn tilts her head curiously. "But she wanted to make a whole new hive of the old changelings. Would a kissing booth have been enough?"

"Okay, a hundred kissing booths then!" Cozy shouts, throwing her hooves up. "Grownups love kissing and stuff like that, and it wouldn't even hurt them much to give up a little love as long as it's not being forced out of them."

New Dawn seems to contemplate that for a moment, then nods. "Maybe you're right. That might have worked."

Cozy huffs, crossing her hooves again. "Of course it would," she grumbles.

"And what about Tirek? Draining magic out of us ponies is quite dangerous. I remember feeling like I was going to die when he drained me of my magic during his first attack."

Cozy winces at that. She remembers what it felt like when that stupid rainbow nullified the bewitching bell and sapped away the the extra magic inside of her. That had merely reverted her back from being an alicorn, but even with her own pegasus magic intact, it made her feel weak. Had it not been for adrenaline and fear, she probably would have found it hard to even stand right after, so she can only imagine how bad being completely drained would feel.

She quickly tries to smother the emotions as she shrugs. "I would have let him have the stupid princesses, along with any pony else who tried to rebel."

New Dawn looks surprised at that, then a small frown pulls at her lips, though her tone still remains stupidly calm. "Wasn't your rule supposed to be better than Twilight's? The ponies you would be turning over to Tirek would still be your subjects, and your responsibility to care for."

"Well golly, of course my rule would be better... eventually. It would just take time for every pony to get used to the change and for me to get everything working the way I want. Things would be worse for bit, but once I established my rule and every pony starts doing what I say, Equestria would be better than ever."

"But not for those ponies who stood against you in the beginning," Dawn repeats.

"That's right!" Cozy snaps, sitting back up to glare. "And you know what, if you think that's wrong, then that means you have to think villains being imprisoned is bad, because what I would be doing would be the same thing. Why did those stupid sisters and Discord turn us to stone? Because we were a threat to how things are now. It's the same for them if we won, though. If we took over Equestria, then they'd be the threats to my rule." Cozy stomps a hoof on the couch cushion. "Rebels would only be slowing me down from making Equestria better, making every pony suffer more in the long run! How does that make them anything other than villains themselves, huh? Huh!?"

Left panting after her tirade, Coy scowls at Dawn, the mare's contemplative, yet calm expression only serving to infuriate her more. Finally, she answers, "I suppose that could be true from a certain perspective... What if Tirek isn't happy with just the ponies you deem as villains, though? I mean, his first plan was to drain the magic of every pony in Equestria. Are you so sure he'd be willing to limit himself so much just because you asked him to?"

"Of course he would because he's my friend!" Cozy declares, though a niggle of doubt enters her mind. She's sure he'd try, at least at first, but Tirek is just as ambitious as her, so could she really blame him for going against her wishes? And when he did, what would she do? Well, she'd fight him, of course, but she wouldn't be happy about it. Plus, depending on how much magic he ate up to that point, Cozy might have to ask Chrysalis to help her, but Tirek would expect that, and might make a deal with the changeling queen first.

Her thoughts begin to spiral and she's forced to shake them out with a unequine growl that her old partners would be proud of. She returns her glare to the source her of frustrations, and accuses in a harsh tone, "Golly, I thought you said you wanted to be my friend, but all you've done today is question every little thing I've done. How's that being my friend?"

Dawn actually gives a sympathetic smile at that and answers, "I'm sorry if my questions come off as mean-spirited, but it's not my intention to upset you, Cozy. As a matter of fact, I'm trying to help you."

"Help me?" Cozy repeats skeptically. "Help with what?"

"With your ability to plan, I suppose," she answers. "A good friend does more than just blindly agree with everything you do or say. I want to hear what your plans were, your thought process in making them, to help identify where you might have made mistakes."

"I don't need friends who try to make me feel like an idiot," snaps the filly, crossing her hooves. "Friends are there to do what I say, not try to tell me what to do."

"Hmm, I'm sorry, but I have to disagree," Dawn says as she rubs her chin in thought, getting Cozy to roll her eyes.

"Of course you do," she grumbles, and Dawn chuckles lightly.

"I'm sorry, let me explain myself better," Dawn begins. "Tell me, do you like games? Competitions? That sort of thing?"

Cozy looks curious of where this is going and nods. "Yeah, I guess."

"Right, and you like winning too, I bet."

"Golly, and here I thought I was the only pony who likes to win," is Cozy's sarcastic reply, which Dawn ignores.

"So that's a yes. Now tell me this, what sounds more fun, playing a game against someone who doesn't try at all and lets you win, or a pony giving it their all, challenging you, and forcing you to give it your all in turn to win?"

Cozy narrows her eyes and remains silent for a while, then sighs. "Alright, I see where you're trying to go with this. Of course I'd rather have a challenging game, or else I might as well just be playing by myself. You're saying that friends should challenge each other."

"Very astute of you. That's exactly right, and just like how playing a game against tough opponents will help you improve at that game faster than just practicing by yourself, friends challenging each other can help each other improve," Dawn says with a smile.

"Golly, I guess I see what you mean... It's still annoying, though."

Dawn gives a sympathetic look and responds, "I know. I'm the one saying it, and even I don't like being told I'm wrong or made a mistake. It's natural, but it's also important that we don't just shut those opinions down. Imagine if you were telling me about a new plan to take over Equestria, and I noticed something that seemed like a flaw in what you told me. Would you rather I speak out and annoy you because you'd already thought of it, or keep quiet and risk your plan failing because you hadn't?"

Cozy looks like she just ate something sour, but sighs and flops backwards. "I'd rather you say something, I guess, even if I probably would have thought of what you noticed already and didn't need your opinion. It's better to be safe than sorry, though."

"That it is."

"... So does this mean that you really want to help me plan for Equestrian domination, then? Is that why you're asking all these questions?"

Dawn rubs the back of her head and gives a sheepish smile. "I wouldn't say I'm ready to go full blown treason just yet. Sorry. I'm just helping you reflect on your old plans and getting to know you better at the same time."

Cozy rolls on her side to look at her, expression serious. "It wouldn't be treason if I won. You'd be a hero who helped the rightful ruler take her throne. There'd be a parade in your honor and everything. Golly, I might even make you my official advisor."

"Really? Not Green?"

"Pfft, she'd be lucky if she didn't end up in the dungeons for being so annoying."

"Surely you don't mean that. She's you're friend, isn't she?"

"She's a pest," Cozy grumbles, then adds, "Maybe she could be the court jester, though... or like my hoofmaiden if she promised to be less stupid all the time."

"That's nice of you. I wonder if she'd want either of those jobs, though."

"Why wouldn't she?"

"Maybe she'll want to stay here, or live somewhere else. She seems like a pretty easy going pony. Perhaps living in a castle as one of your servants would be too much for her."

"Ha! Like she'd leave me alone after she's done all of this-" Cozy gestures vaguely around them, "-just for my sake. She's obviously obsessed with me or something. Heh, there's no way that jerk would turn down my offer, even if I wanted her too." As she speaks, her expression loses some confidence, and Dawn barely hears her whisper, "Right?"

"Cozy?"

"Can we just talk about something else, now?" Cozy asks in annoyance, rolling onto her back to glare at the ceiling. "And not my old plans anymore, either. Even if you are just trying to be a good friend, friends talk about more than old attempts to take over the kingdom." She waves a hoof through the air. "Usually fillies will talk about dresses, or their favorite desserts."

"Or colts," Dawn says with a giggle as Cozy sticks her tongue out.

"Augh, don't remind me. I hoped when I got to the School of Friendship, the girls there wouldn't be like all the fillies back from Hayseed Junction and want to talk about actual important stuff, but nope, just more gross boy gossip."

"Sorry, I was just remembering my own foalhood, and how often the topic of colts came up with my peers," Dawn explains as she taps her chin in thought. "Hmm... Well, do you like chess?"

Cozy blinks and looks over at her. "What sort of question is that? I have a rook cutie mark, don't I?"

Blushing a little, the mare explains, "Well, yes, but I didn't want to presume. When I was making that earlier analogy, I was going to ask if you preferred a challenging chess match or not."

"Golly, if that ain't the truth," Cozy responds with a sigh. "None of the foals at the orphanage were any good, or Matron Kettle. There were a couple of old stallions that always used to play outside who taught me, but I started beating them after only a few months of practice."

"Oh? Is that when you got your cutie mark?" guesses Dawn. "When you finally surpassed your teachers?"

"Hmm? Oh golly no! Can you imagine getting your cutie mark at just six years old? No, I actually didn't get my cutie mark playing chess. Or at least not conventional chess."

"Really? That sounds like an interesting story."

"It is," Cozy confirms with a proud nod. "Do you want to hear it? Golly, what am I saying? Of course you do." Cozy takes a deep breath and closes her eyes, letting her mind go back to those days. "It happened when I was eight years old. See, there was this unicorn filly named High Light who was the daughter of the mayor. She was the popular, rich girl of our town. You know, the type every school seems to have? Well, anyway, she used to brag about how she was going to go to Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns and how she'd come back and make the town less of a dump with the magic she learned there."

Cozy pouts at the memory. "It was all a load of hooey. That filly had as much magical talent as a tree stump, but she was confident, pretty, and rich, at least by Hayseed standards, so other foals flocked to her like she was their own personal princess. It was absolutely pathetic." She shakes her head, frown easing as she continues. "Anyway, so for as useless as she was with her horn, High Light did at least know how to control ponies pretty well, almost as good as me, and part of taking control of a group is finding another to pit yours against. Ponies love their us versus them mentality, after all, no matter how much Twilight likes to pretend differently, and back then, us orphans made the perfect 'them' to mess with."

"Oh dear..." Dawn breathes worriedly. "I take it you and the other foals of Bright Side Orphanage were bullied?"

"Mhm. High Light spread all sorts of nasty rumors about us, like how we were thieves, which pretty much meant whenever some stupid foal lost a toy, they'd accuse one of us of taking it, then not even apologize when they found it under their bed or in a bush or something. I remember this time she said she caught one of us eating out of the trash behind the school because we were too poor to bring our own lunches. Golly, did that lead to some fun name calling for a while."

"That's awful," Dawn says with sympathy. "And the adults didn't do anything?"

Cozy looks over to give the mare a deadpan look. "When in the history of forever have adults ever stopped foals from bullying each other? I bet they didn't even do that when you were a little filly. And before you say that they did, that just means you were either not the one being bullied, or were one of the bullies yourself."

Dawn's mouth snaps shut. It's true, she never was bullied when she as a filly, though she certainly never bullied others either. She does, however, have faint memories of other foals being picked on, usually for getting their cutie marks later than their peers or some other superficial reason, and she has to admit, she doesn't recollect any of her teachers doing anything about it.

As a foal psychologist, she has had to build up the self-esteem of more than one bully victim over her career, so she knows how much of a persistent problem it is across Equestrian schools. She has thought about trying to set up some sort of seminar where she and other advocates would speak at schools to the students about the harm bullying causes and how victims should seek help, but it just never got off the ground. Considering the story she's hearing now, she decides to make it a top priority as soon as she can.

Cozy takes her silence as an answer and nods. "That's what I thought. Anyway, I figured that the only way I was going to get the bullying to stop would be if I stopped it myself, so I started to plan." The filly's smile becomes devious as she remembers the defeat of her first foe. "See, High Light always had the best parties. Her cute-ceañera was practically a town holiday. Of course, that's mostly because, in Hayseed Junction, the most interesting thing that usually happens is a farmer deciding to rotate his crops or the local store getting a new shipment of toys that were all the rage two years before.

"Being the mayor's daughter, and with a mom running the only floral shop, too, that meant that her birthday parties were pretty darn big and about the funnest thing a foal could do every year. A big cake made by the towns best baker, balloons in every color, and even a bounce house most years. Even I can admit that it was pretty great when she invited us Bright Side foals, even if she did frame it as pity for us poor, stupid orphans.

"Anyway, so one year, when she went a step too far by convincing one of her friends to take my favorite ribbon to toss it in the river, I decided that enough was enough. The first step in my plan was pretty simple, really. I gathered all my friends at Bright Side and started a fundraiser." New Dawn furrows her brow at this, which Cozy notices with a giggle. "Heh, yep, that's exactly what you should be feeling. Confused. I didn't want the grownups connecting what I was doing to what was going to come next, after all. So, the fundraiser was to raise bits to fix the playground equipment in town, which was really old and unsafe. Seriously, that place was like one big tetanus shot waiting to happen.

"We had lemonade stands and sold flower bouquets for snacking. Little things that would maybe raise enough bits in a decade if we kept at it. All that was really important was that ponies saw us being good, helpful little foals.

"See, because while we were doing that, High Light was talking up her birthday in a couple of weeks, and how great it was going to be and how all the foals in our class were invited. It was going to be pretty fun from the sounds of things, with plenty of party games and cake, until I had some of my own friends start to say it sounded lame. They'd ask why there wouldn't be any clowns, or why couldn't there be a petting zoo, or if she was going to have the same old tiny bounce house full of patches instead of a new one.

"Golly, you should have seen how angry Light was getting when the poor foals started accusing her family of being cheap. I wasn't surprised at all that she went crying to her parents demanding a bigger and better party, just like I wasn't surprised those saps gave into her tantrums and gave her everything she wanted. By the time her birthday rolled around, it was the biggest she'd ever thrown, and she had uninvited the Bright Side foals. Don't worry, though, we decided to have our own fun at the old playground. Sure, the equipment wasn't exactly safe, but we knew to be careful, and to not go down the slide that was rusty and had a piece of metal sticking up partway down.

"I definitely didn't hint at one of the colts that I knew had a crush on me that I thought it would be cool if somepony was brave enough to go down the slide even though it was dangerous. It's a shame that silly colt still did and got a really nasty cut. Luckily I was able to fly super fast to High Light's party to tell the grownups a foal had been hurt on the playground.

"Later, after they all rushed off to find and help him, we all started being asked why we were there instead of at the party, and I explained that High Light told us not to come. Golly, they were pretty mad about that, just like how they were mad at the mayor for not having that slide removed or replaced yet, and he said there wasn't enough bits in the budget. I decided that was a good time to mention how we foals we trying to save up for it ourselves and that we would give him the bits if he didn't have enough. Though I couldn't help but ask where the bits for the big party came from. I mean it's an honest question, and a lot of the grownups thought so, too."

Cozy snickers to herself as New Dawn stares wide-eyed. "Needless to say, the mayor didn't get reelected. Poor High Light was grounded for telling the Bright Side foals not to come to her party, too. Luckily, by the time the new mayor was elected, we had raised enough bits with our fundraiser to actually help pay for new playground equipment, and suddenly we poor orphans were like school heroes, and High Light was the bully that had tricked all the other students into picking on us.

"Finding out that High Light's parents no longer had the bits to send her to Canterlot for Celestia's School was icing on the cake when I was given the honor of cutting the ribbon at our new playground's opening, and it was that moment as everypony cheered for me that I got my cutie mark!" Cozy finishes her story with a proud smile as New Dawn gapes.

The mare clears her throat and adjusts her glasses. "Well... That truly was an interesting story. I'm honored you were willing to share it with me."

"You should be," Cozy agrees. "The only other creatures I've told the real story to are Tirek and Chrysalis. Golly, it is kind of nice to actually be able to tell another pony, though."

"I hope you don't mind me asking, but was the colt who went down the slide okay?"

"Oh sure, he was fine. Only needed a couple of stitches, and when I gave him a peck on the cheek at the hospital, the dopey grin on his face told me he thought it was worth it."

New Dawn actually chuckles at that and shakes her head. "The pains a colt will go through to impress a filly. Some things never change," she says, taking her glasses off to wipe with a cleaning cloth. Looking to the clock on the wall, Dawn begins to stand, stretching her legs. "It's that late already? I suppose it's time for me to go then," says the mare as she puts the cloth away in her bag.

Cozy sits up and gives a genuine moan of disappointment. "Already? I was just starting to enjoy talking to you again, too."

Dawn gives a wry smile as she pats the filly's head, saying, "Well, hopefully that goodwill carries over to our next session, then."

Cozy is a little peeved at her curls being mussed up, but also happy for the physical show of affection as she beams up to the mare. After that, the pair step outside and call up to the guard house, only to hear voices call for them in return from the backyard. Moving around the house, they come upon three guards standing around an in-use ping pong table that had been brought in on request a few days ago.

As for the two ponies currently using the table, there is a guard on one side, and a hovering green filly on the other. At a glance, there were other peculiarities also, like how they weren't using the paddles, and the cups set up in triangle formations on each side of the net. Green, tongue out and one eye closed, holds up a ping pong ball and gently tosses it through the air, and surprisingly gets it into one of the cups with a plonk. The guards cheer along with the filly who pumps her forehoof, and the guard on the other end picks up his cup and swallows down the contents, spitting the ball out when he is done.

"What sort of game is this?" Dawn asks as they approach.

"One Green came up with," one of the guards answer. "You see, you toss the ball at the other team's cups, and whichever it lands in, they have to drink. The first one to have to empty all their cups loses."

"Yeah, it's pretty fun, if a bit strange," another comments. "The ciders good, though, so I'm not complaining."

"It's a good way to pass the time," Green says as she touches down on the ground. "Though I'm guessing we'll have to call this one short. I take it your gab session is over?"

Cozy rolls her eyes and answers, "Sadly it is, which means I'm going to be left with your company for the rest of the night." Green smiles at that and hooves Cozy one of her cider cups, which she accepts and takes a drink from. One of the guards does the same for Dawn and says he and his partner will go strap in to take her home, leaving the others to empty the cups and clean up.

"What an interesting game you came up with," she tells Green, who shrugs.

"Eh, it's nothing. It'd probably be better with hard cider, I bet. You guys should try it some time." The guards in earshot share a look and a small smile pulls at their lips, telling Dawn they'll be doing just that soon enough. She sighs and wonders once again where Green learned of such things. She doubts, or at least hopes, she's not familiar with drinking alcohol.

Still, it's been a long day, and Dawn is honestly looking forward to some rest. She's happy to be helping Cozy Glow, but the filly can certainly be intense and she needs to unpack what they discussed today. It honestly fills the mare with hope to know that Cozy hadn't considered many of the consequences that would have proceeded her plans had they succeeded. It shows that she isn't as malicious as many believe, and more just rash and egotistical.

She's still self-centered and willing to resort to violence to achieve her goals, but perhaps if she learns to think of the full ramifications of her actions in the future, she'll be less willing to act out her plans. She doesn't want to harm ponies needlessly, after all, only willing to do as much harm as she thinks she needs to get what she wants, and justifies it by telling herself that it's for the greater good. Now the question is, can Dawn make Cozy consider that her being on the throne is perhaps not the best for everyone?

New Dawn climbs into the chariot and sighs, watching out the window as they ascend, pondering if it's possible, and how it can be done. "One step at a time, Dawn. One step at a time," she tells herself, watching below as two small fillies wave goodbye to her. She smiles back and returns the wave as they become specks swallowed by the forest. She feels her resolve strengthen at the reminder of how isolated and alone the pair are.

She will help Cozy Glow see the light so that she can rejoin Equestrian civilization where she belongs.





Cozy Glow tries to sleep that night, but that mare's questions keep bothering her. She would have found a way to make everything work out in the end, right? After nearly an hour of staring at the canopy of her bed without being able to solve all the problems Dawn had pointed out to her, she tells herself that she'd have figured it out with enough time, but the assertion isn't ridding her of the agitation, and she eventually decides that she needs a distraction if she's going to get any sleep that night.

Getting out of bed, she leaves her room and goes to the only other occupied one in the house. She opens the door, dragging her pillow behind her, and flies over to the vacant side of the two pushed-together twin beds. As she throws her pillow down and crawls under the blankets, she hears a groan and sees a pair of green eyes shine in the moonlight coming from the window.

"I'm sleeping in here tonight," Cozy declares confidently.

"Wha-? Why?" Green grumbles. "I told you this was going to happen with that crowded mess you call a room."

"I'm sleeping here because I feel like it," Cozy says. "And unless you want to try and wrestle me out of here for the rest of the night, you better just deal with it. Just remember that I'm bigger and stronger than you."

Green glares and says, "I could go ask one of the guards to come in here and kick you out."

"And we both know you're way too lazy to crawl out of bed and go all the way outside to do that. Not when you're warm under your blankets and it's cold out tonight," Cozy shoots back.

Green blinks a few times, then sighs and rolls over. "Whatever. I'm going to sleep. Do what you want."

Grinning victoriously, Cozy flops back and and snuggles down with the blankets up to her chin. Sadly, the joy of getting what she wants doesn't last long. Soon, those stupid thoughts come back to bother her, and she starts to toss and turn, trying to use the act of finding a comfortable position to sleep in as a new distraction.

There's another sigh from the other filly and Green asks, "What's wrong?"

"Huh? Nothing! I just can't get comfortable."

"You know, you could go back and sleep on your expensive mattress if that's the case."

"You wish."

"I do, yeah."

"Well too bad!"

"Cozy, just tell me what's up so I can go to bed."

"Augh, it's nothing, alright I'm just thinking about stuff is all."

"What stuff?"

"None of your business."

"Cozy..."

"Just some stupid questions, alright?"

"Details, Dimples."

Cozy pouts, not willing to admit to the annoying filly what is actually bothering her, so she instead tries to redirect the conversation. "Dawn wanted to know my cutie mark story, so I told her."

"And...?"

"It got me wondering, you didn't have a cutie mark before I left for Twilight's school. I guess I'm just curious on what it could mean."

"That's what's been keeping you up?"

"... Yes."

"Seriously, you wake me up for this..." Green grumbles under her breath, then adds more loudly, "My talent is making others ask questions."

"Huh? What kind of talent is that?" Cozy asks, and Green chuckles.

"See, just like that. Now go to bed. Hey!"

Cozy pulls her hoof back after giving the smaller filly a hard push and says, "Real funny, now I'm serious, how is that a talent? It's so stupid."

"It's not stupid," Green counters as she rubs her shoulder under the blanket. "I'm good at making ponies question all sorts of things. Questions are powerful tools."

"How?"

"You mean, like, besides the entire scientific field? Ponies questioning authority can lead to rebellion. Ponies questioning tradition can lead to innovation. And getting a pony to question their own sanity is probably one of the cruelest things you can do to them." Green trails off and rolls over. "Questions are powerful.... and dangerous. Uncertainty is a terrible thing. It can keep you up at night. Destroy your confidence. Make a pony question loyalties, friendships, or loves, and you can cause their lives to crumble under them."

Cozy looks at the other filly's back in surprise as she goes on, voice growing quieter. "And if you can get a pony to question something fundamental, one of the pillars they built themselves upon, they'll fall apart, and let you build them back up in anyway you want." The room grows deathly silent as Cozy stares wide-eyed at the filly, the silence only broken when Green exhales loudly and hunches in on herself. "Just... go to bed, Cozy, and stop asking questions. Just think of puppies or something."

Cozy wants to say something biting, but nothing comes to mind, and she rolls over, pulling the blankets closer to herself. Taking Green's advice, she forces the many questions out of her mind and tries to think of cute, fluffy animals instead. Surprisingly, it works, and eventually, her breathing evens out, leaving a pair of green eyes to watch her sleep from behind before closing themselves.