Twilight and Flash walked through the Royal Garden, heading towards the stone statue of villains. The Princess of Friendship, despite her preparation, was anxious. She was about to free the villainess, who had twice challenged all of Equestria, capable of betraying everyone for the sake of power without remorse.
Of course, all safety measures had been taken: a secure room had already been prepared for the filly, guarded round the clock. All artifacts from the Canterlot Castle vault were sent to the Crystal Empire. And everyone was warned about Cozy Glow's release. The little pegasus had no chance of escape.
But Twilight hesitated.
"What if she charms the guards and, despite all orders, they help her escape? What if she finds a way to steal magic from all of Equestria again? And I'll be solely blamed, as her liberator!" the princess addressed the pegasus.
"Calm down, princess! Cozy's escape is impossible. Moreover, I'll be working with her all day and staying in the adjacent room overnight. Everything will be fine!" Flash reassured Twilight.
"But what if she outsmarts us again? Pretends to reform, and when we grant her freedom, she escapes and starts preparing for revenge. How will we even know if she has truly reformed?" the princess asked.
"Do you not know the spell that compels truth-telling?" the guard wondered. "Perhaps its usage is deemed unethical, but it's the only way to know when Cozy genuinely abandons her villainous plans. And I am confident that sooner or later, it will happen!" The pegasus's confident gaze pierced Twilight, instilling confidence in her.
"Yes, indeed! Thou art right, Flash. We have nothing to fear!" the princess calmly replied. At that moment, the couple approached the statue of villains.
Twilight sighed again and prepared a spell to release Cozy Glow from the stone.
"Alright, let's go!" and a magical beam struck the pegasus frozen in stone. Cracks appeared immediately, and within seconds, Cozy Glow was free.
Clearing her throat, the pegasus looked at the princess. The entire spectrum of emotions played on her face: from fear and astonishment to contempt and hatred. While Cozy pondered how best to start the conversation, Twilight addressed her former student:
"Cozy Glow! Thou hast committed numerous crimes, betrayed friendship, and all of Equestria. But, despite all thy misdeeds, there are kind ponies who care about thy fate.
"Wonder who stood up for me? Perhaps the Cutie Mark Crusaders?" Cozy thought.
"Therefore, I have decided to mitigate thy punishment: thou shalt be under house arrest in one of the palace rooms. Thy future depends on thy behavior. And do not attempt to escape: the windows and doors are protected by spells. Even if thou findeth a way out of the room, guards shall await thee outside. "
Suddenly, Cozy burst into laughter.
"Golly! Now it's clear why thou kept me in stone for so long. Thou art afraid! The mighty alicorn, Princess of Friendship, hero, and ruler of Equestria – fears a little filly!" And Cozy continued to laugh.
Twilight was taken aback, but Flash came to her aid, stomping a hoof near the pegasus:
"Silly filly! Such safety measures are necessary to appease the public. And the princess could have used tracking spells to thwart thy escape," the pegasus nodded to the princess. And Twilight confidently continued:
"And even if thou were to escape and return with new dark powers and villainous allies, the magic of friendship shall still stop thee!" proudly declared the Princess of Friendship, spreading her wings.
Cozy decided to change her strategy.
"Alright, I understand everything. Well, considering my reputation, it's not surprising why ponies are so afraid of me. But I have no artifacts or villain friends nearby. Fearing me now is just foolish. Anyway, I've come to terms with defeat and become a good little filly!" she assured, fake-smiling.
"Thou canst no longer deceive me, Cozy. Through the truth-compelling spell, I can check whether thou hast truly reformed," replied the princess.
"Then what art thou hoping for, Twilight? I'm grateful that thou hast deigned to release me from cold stone imprisonment, but I shall never give up my revenge plans!" Cozy was angry.
Twilight sighed.
" 'Tis thy choice. I have tried to teach thee friendship, and thou hast understood naught. If thou dost not renounce thy futile revenge plans, thou shalt spend thy entire life behind bars. Ponder upon it, Cozy Glow! "
The pegasus lowered her head but said nothing. The princess turned to the guard:
"Flash, escort Miss Glow to her room."
"Yes, Princess!" replied the pegasus and gestured for the filly to follow him.
Soon, Cozy was confined within the palace. Although freed from the stone, she did not rejoice in her new confinement. "I will find a way to escape anyway! And when I return with new powers, I will show everyone what it's like to be a statue!" the pegasus dreamed of revenge. Then, in a fit of anger, she flew onto the bed, jumping and tossing the pillow and blanket.
"As I suspected, she needs time to cool off," Flash confirmed, watching the enraged filly through the keyhole.