The Night Janitor

by Knox Locke

Chapter 15: The Return

After his sleepover with Pinkie Pie, Knox had breakfast with her and the Cakes. When Mrs. Cake complained about having gotten very little sleep, Pinkie and Knox looked at each other and chuckled mischievously. For once, the statue he'd found in the castle labyrinth had taken a back seat to the actual joy he felt in that moment. That being said, it didn't last very long.

After breakfast, the time had come for Knox to return home. Soon, he'd be sitting in the kitchen where his heart had been shattered or laying upon the bed where he'd been woken by the nightmare countless times. It was only a short walk, so he soon found himself standing at his own front door. He decided to dispose of his daily newspaper before he went in. After all, he wasn't ready to go inside just yet. He wasn't ready for this feeling to stop. As he looked around on the ground for the newspaper, he noticed a small, rolled-up piece of parchment. Upon closer inspection, it appeared to be from Princess Twilight. It even had her cutie mark emblazoned on the wax seal.

'A letter from the Princess?' he thought to himself as he gently unraveled the scroll. He read the words carefully, and then he read it again. And again. And again. He couldn't believe what the parchment had revealed to him. He didn't go inside the house. Instead, he sprinted as fast as he could towards the friendship express. He was going to Canterlot.

---

As he arrived in Princess Twilight's throne room once again, he had just one burning question for the wise ruler. The question sat in the back of his mind, heavy as a boulder.

"Is it true?"

"Yes," confirmed the princess, "It's true. Your last visit left me with many questions. Ones that I've thought long and hard about for the last few weeks. I've always believed that everypony deserves a second chance, and I don't think Cozy ever truly got one. Maybe, together, we can change that now."

Knox grew more emotional with each word the princess said until he was sobbing uncontrollably in the princess' throne room. This time, when he cried, they were tears of joy.

When he finally slowed his crying, he stood up and tearfully said, "Thank you."

---

He was escorted into the labyrinth by Twilight. Of course, they were followed closely by royal guards. After all, what was about to happen was dangerous. She was dangerous.

The small group navigated the hedge maze quickly (Twilight had been smart enough to bring a map), and they soon reached their destination.

Knox gulped nervously, the familiar image of his petrified friend now reflected into reality as he once again found himself staring at the statue.

"Are you ready?" asked the princess.

"Are you kidding?" Knox laughed, tears in his eyes, "I've been ready for this for a long time now, Princess."

He watched in awe as Twilight charged her horn with the powerful energy of the essence of the magical element she contained. She let out an unimaginably powerful stream of magic towards the statue.

As the magic stopped streaming from the princess' horn, something small and fluffy fell from atop the statue with a scream of terror. As the small creature cowered in fear, the princess and her guards quietly left the clearing. A gentle, charcoal-gray hoof rested itself on her shoulder.

"Hey, Cozy Glow."