Not how I expected this to begin...

In the Canterlot Castle Gardens, on a chilly night, Princess Twilight Sparkle stood alone. Staring up, past two intimidating and wicked stone figures, Towards the frightened frozen face of a filly that once was one of her most promising young students. A filly for which she had conflicting memories of. Memories of her seemingly selflessly offering her and her friends a helping hoof every chance she had, and gleefully trying to hurt them. As well as many other horrible crimes. A young filly, who had been given the sentence reserved for Equestria’s very worst criminals. Without a trial. And while she and Equestria’s other heroes just stood back and watched without question.

That had been over a year ago. A year in which the raw and fresh wounds from her betrayal and attempted murder of her and her friends could fade. A year in which glimpses of her terrified visage in the gardens could begin to weigh on her mind. A year in which the magnitude of what she and Equestria’s other heroes had allowed to happen could settle in. A year in which she could awkwardly bring up the subject during what was supposed to be a casual get together between friends. A year in which she could have many debates with her friends, her former teacher, and herself about the subject. A year to wonder… just why she did what she did? Where did Cozy Glow go wrong? Where did she, her teacher go wrong?

A shiver went down Twilight’s spine. Though she did not know if it had been caused by the chill of the night breeze or her conflicted and fearful mind. With her magic, she summoned a temporary bubble around the statue and herself. To give them some privacy and hopefully prevent any escape attempts. Before she took a deep breath and closed her eyes, as her horn lit up. ‘You can do this. If Starlight and Discord can be helped. Surely she can. She is just a filly after all.’ The glow surrounding Twilight’s horn intensified. At first it seemed to have no effect. But soon enough, the sound of stone cracking could be heard. And she opened up her eyes to see the fissures forming and expanding into webs that covered the filly’s small, petrified body, as a white light burst from them.

‘No turning back now,’ Twilight thought to herself, as she focused her magic further to finish the job. Causing a layer of white, stone flesh to explode from around Cozy’s body. Revealing her natural, light pink fur and baby blue mane. As she fell from her floating position and bounced off of Tirek’s still petrified body, Twilight realized she had forgotten about this one detail and quickly caught the falling filly in her aura. No more than an inch off of the ground. And gently floated her to herself, to check to make sure she was still undamaged.

As Twilight inspected Cozy Glow in her hooves, she could feel the filly stirring and could hear her start to groan. Though she offered no resistance or any sign that she knew what was going on.

Satisfied that she did not seem to have any serious physical injuries. Twilight stepped back. Keeping a cautious eye on the evil child, as she continued to stir and seemed to be struggling to get back on her hooves. Like a foal learning to walk. Her breathing seemed loud and raspy. Her eyes struggled to open. And her ears flickered erratically. As she seemed to have to readjust to breathing, seeing, and hearing again.

Twilight stepped back to give the child a bit of space while she got her bearings and lowered herself onto the ground. Waiting patiently for Cozy Glow to recover.

Looking over the filly, as she coughed up what if Twilight didn't know better, would look like bits of stone and dust. Twilight tentably held a hoof up above her, before lowering down to gently pat Cozy on the back.

They stayed like this for what felt like half an hour or so. The only sounds outside of the ambiance of the night, being Cozy Glow occasionally wheezing as her little body figured out how to breathe again. While still occasionally coughing up what Twilight could have sworn were tiny bits of stone. But eventually, the filly’s breaths evened out. And she seemed to be fully coming to her senses. Though she gave no indication to the pony next to her.

Once she was sure Cozy had recovered enough, Twilight cleared her throat to get her attention. And she was met with a pair of light red eyes, staring into her own violet eyes. A pair of eyes that seemed to run through the gauntlet of confusion, fear, fury, and sadness repeatedly in seconds. Before finally settling on an oddly neutral and dejected look. Waiting expectantly for whatever comes next. As Twilight rose to her hooves and looked down at the torturous tyke.

Twilight cleared her throat again, as she put on her best “serious” princess tone and face. “Cozy Glow. You have committed many serious crimes against Equestria and the world at large.” Twilight waited for the filly to respond. But she got no such thing out of her. Just a couple oddly confused blinks. So the princess pressed on with her little speech. Circling the filly as she did so.

“I trusted you. We all did. You were… I thought you were my most promising student. You had friends who cared about you. A promising future. And you threw that all away and betrayed us all. You tried to hurt everypony… everyone I cared about. Everyone I thought you cared about. You tried to drain all of the magic from Equestria. You left me and my friends in the depths of Tartarus! You tried to take over my school! You tried to take over Equestria!" She took a second to regain her composure. "Then when you came back, you attacked Canterlot and tried to kill me and my friends, alongside two of our worst enemies. So you could divide Equestria among yourselves."

Tears were starting to form around Twilight’s eyes. But she wiped them away with her hoof. While Cozy Glow managed to stand back up and cocked her head as she looked at her former teacher. While Twilight calmed herself with a few practiced breaths.

“But despite this, I can not allow you to continue to suffer as you were any longer. Not without at least trying to help you. You're still too young and somepony I at least thought I was close to.” She took another breath and slowly exhaled it. “So I have set you free to give you this offer, Cozy Glow. Renounce your evil ways, become my student once again and let me teach you what friendship truly means. Or be sent to the dungeons till you're ready to learn."

Twilight looked down at Cozy Glow expectantly. Who gave her a few blinks in response. Seemingly still processing the offer. Or the fact that she wasn't stone anymore. Either one.

"Well, what will it be?" The princess asked, to which Cozy sighed.

"Sure, why not," she finally said dejectedly with a shrug. "So where do we begin?"

"Uh, what?" Twilight asked. Now blinking in confusion herself.

"I asked where do we begin," Cozy responded nonchalantly. Taking the following moment of silence to stretch out her still stiff legs and wings. While Princess Twilight raised an eyebrow at her.

"Sure why not? That's all you have to say?" Twilight looked over the filly suspiciously. "You're just going to go along with it? You're not going to try to… argue with me about anything?"

"No, I'll…" Cozy looked down. Rubbing her upper leg anxiously "I'm ready to listen to you now. You were right all along, I guess." She laughed half-heartedly with sadness in her eyes. "You… you win."

As Twilight was processing the villainous filly's unexpectedly casual responses, the terrible tyke walked up to her and did something she never would have expected: she hugged her leg. It was not a long hug. Or a particularly tight hug. But it was a hug.

And that was nothing compared to the shock of what happened next. What Cozy Glow said next. "I'm sorry momma, you win. I'll be good now."

Thirteen Years In The Future

Princess Twilight Sparkle sat regally on her throne. Calmly sipping from a cup of tea. Though the look in her eyes and the subtle fidgeting of her guards betrayed her serene exterior.

The door to her throne room opened and a small contingent of four guards marched in, escorting a small pegasus filly in the center of their little formation. Who looked solemnly down at the floor, as she moved forward. The guards in front of her broke off to the sides of the room as they reached the throne. The ruling princess looked down at her expectantly. Though the filly continued to keep her eyes to the ground. Until the alicorn made a loud throat clearing sound.

The filly let out an exasperated breath. Before looking up at the alicorn. Who was staring daggers at the pegasus. Electing a nervous chuckle from her. "Hey mamma. I can explain…" She said, though whatever explanation or excuse she may have had, didn't leave her mouth.

"You were caught trying to sneak into the restricted section of the archives. Again." Twilight stepped down from her throne. "The guards found dangerous artifacts and restricted scrolls hidden in your room. Again." Princess Twilight began circling her daughter. Who's face hardened for a split second, before returning to a timid and apologetic appearance. "And yet again, you made the guards chase you around the Castle. But this time, you stabbed one of them in the leg with a pen and bit another trying to get away."

The pegasus took an uneasy step back, as if considering trying to flee. But a gaze from her mother froze her in place. And she instead, just tried looking down sadly towards the floor.

Twilight gently lifted her daughter's head with her hoof. Who tried to give her mother the best puppy dog eyes she could muster. "I'm sowwy.. I didn't mean any hawm." This succeeded in plucking at the alicorn's heartstrings and causing her harsh facial features to soften… only for a second.

"You can drop the act Cozy. I know you too well to fall for it anymore," Twilight said with a shake of her head. While Cozy Glow's expression immediately shifted from pitiful to furious. "What were you trying to do?"

"You know what I was trying to do," Cozy spat out and looked back up with fire burning in her eyes. "And you know why!"

Princess Twilight met her daughter's gaze with a stern look, but with a hint of sympathy in her eyes. "Yes, I know. And I told you before, you can't just force your way into becoming an alicorn, Cozy Glow. You have to…"

"Yeah, it's something that has to be earned. If it ever even happens at all." Cozy waved a hoof dismissively. "Just like how your favorite niece had to earn it."

"Do not bring Flurry into this Cozy. I've told you, that is not something we can control."

"It's not fair!" Cozy flared her wings aggressively. "She gets to be born as a goddess. While I don't even get a bucking horn!" Cozy began to hover in the air as she waved her forelegs around in frustration. "Do you know how frustrating that is! The daughter of Princess Twilight Sparkle! The magical prodigy who trained under Princess Celestia herself! Until she became an alicorn princess and succeeded her! Is not only not worthy of the same honor, but can't even use magic like her mother and most of her family, just because she wasn't even worthy of being born a unicorn!"

Twilight just stood there, trying her best to keep her calm composure, as her daughter got the worst of her anger out and started to settle back down. After Cozy returned to the floor, Twilight decided that it was as good a time as any to rest a hoof on the filly's head and speak up. "Cozy, I know it's frustrating for you, not having as ready access to magic as the rest of your family. But that's no reason to feel lesser about yourself or to be envious of others." Twilight tried to put on a sympathetic smile, but it soon faded into a frown that she covered with a sigh. "And it's no excuse to go behind my back, in some scheme take what you feel you lack by force."

"Easy for you to say," Cozy Glow said under her breath with a roll of her eyes. Electing another sigh from her mother.

"Take her to her room and keep her there for now." Princess Twilight said offhoofedly to the guards. Before turning her attention back to her daughter. "We'll discuss this when I get done with business for today." She pulled the pegasus into a quick hug and leaned into her ear. "I love you, but you can't keep doing this," she whispered.

Present

Twilight Sparkle stared down at the villainous foal in wide-eyed shock. 'Did she just call me mama!? What.. is this… is she.. No. This is Cozy Glow. It's just another one of her tricks. Just ignore it.' Twilight shook her head. Then furrowed her brow as she looked back down at the filly. Who was just standing there, quietly looking towards the ground. Presumably waiting for the princess to take the lead.

Twilight cleared her throat to get her attention. "I'll escort you to your quarters. I've taken the liberty of making sure they're comfortable. But if you try to escape, I'll be forced to send you to the dungeons till you've learned your lesson," Twilight said authoritatively. Before lighting up her horn. "Unfortunately, till you can be trusted, I have to use a spell to temporarily suppress your pegasus magic. As well as enchant one of your ribbons to use as a makeshift tracker."

Cozy simply nodded in confirmation. Only showing minor irritation as Twilight's magic flowed over her. But not saying or doing anything in protest. Before being scooped up and placed on the alicorn's back as she prepared to leave the gardens.

The Next Day

Princess Twilight was drinking from a fresh cup of coffee while watching over Cozy Glow from the railing of the second story of her new royal "quarters". Though it was more of a private palace within the palace. And where Cozy would be sequestered off in, till it was deemed safe to let her out.

Cozy had been sitting in front of a window, just staring out of it in silence for what felt like half the day. A half eaten plate from breakfast, pancakes and heybrowns, that had long since gone cold sat beside the pegasus filly. She had moved over to this spot during her and Twilight's first breakfast together some hours ago. And hasn't really moved or made a sound since.

Twilight was not sure what to make of Cozy's behavior since releasing her. When she brought her to her new room, showed her around, explained the magic security measures she had installed, layed down the rules, and explained the detailed plan she had to reintegrate her into society, she had expected some form of attempted subterfuge or manipulation from the filly the entire time. But no. Cozy had barely said anything in response. Mostly just nodding along and following Twilight's lead until she was allowed to go to bed for the night.

And when she woke her up a few hours ago for breakfast, she got up just like any other young filly who wasn't ready to leave the comfort of her bed: an annoyed roll of her eyes and haphazardly fighting her way out of a blanket she had managed to get herself tangled in, before marching to the dining room with her head held low and miserable look in eyes. The only oddity was the fact she stopped to give Twilight another quick and halfhearted hug. Which she struggled not to recoil from. And a "Good morning mama". Which she couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at. Though if Cozy saw that, she did not react. Before taking her seat without a word.

Twilight, of course, tried to just write it off as some attempt to butter her up and cause her to let her guard down. That she had anticipated from her. But this just felt off. There were none of her attempts at being overly sweet or nice. It seemed spiritless on her part. And though she could explain away most of Cozy's poor mood as just a natural result of the situation her actions had landed her in, she could not explain why she would call her mama of all things. That's something they both knew was not true and a very odd thing for a villain to call their sworn enemy. Even a former enemy they were trying to get on the good side of.

While she was lost in thought, a little purple dragon walked up beside her. "She's still just sitting there?" Spike asked, while looking over the little pegasus warily.

He had been waiting for Twilight and Cozy anxiously when they got in that night. With a stern speech of his own, about how she better not betray or try to hurt Twilight or anyone else, ready to go. Whenever she tried to open her mouth at him. But she hadn't bothered to do any more than give him a passing glance.

"Yep. She's hardly moved a muscle." Twilight took another sip from her coffee.

"Almost makes you wonder what the point of unpetrifying her was," Spike joked sardonically.

"Spike!" Twilight called him out. But couldn't help letting a brief laugh slip through. "That's…" She decided to just brush it off and move on. "It looks like I'm going to have to go talk to her first."

"You need me to come with you for backup?" Spike asked, while standing up tall, trying to look imposing. Earning a good natured chuckle from Twilight.

"I think I'll be alright," she said as she finished off her coffee. "But I'll call for you if I need rescue." She handed him her mug with a sigh, as he left to put it away.

After a moment of silence, Princess Twilight Sparkle worked up the nerve to walk over to her new ward and (hopefully) former enemy.

Back To The Future

Cozy Glow hummed happily to herself with a joyful and malevolent smile on her face. As she looked over the old scroll she snatched from her dear mother's personal collection of dangerous magical artifacts. A scroll she had managed to pester Auntie Starlight into telling her about, while "innocently" asking about her mother's old adventures.

This was it. The moment where she would prove that she wasn't just the great and noble Princess Twilight Sparkle's pegasus daughter, who probably was never going to live up to the legacy of her alicorn and unicorn family. The legacy of The Princess of Friendship. She was going to show all of Equestria she was nopony to be underestimated! If the power of friendship could make her foolish mother a princess of Equestria, it'll make a pony as brilliant as her an EMPRESS!!! And with nopony knowing who she was in the past, she'll be able to operate freely without her mother and her cronies suspecting a thing.

Cozy merrily leaped onto her large bed, doing a happy little twirl as she landed. Then dug into a large pile of stuffed animals, before finding what she was looking for. A simple homemade wand, just an enchanted piece of wood with a small gem crudely attached to its bottom end to serve as a battery of sorts. Nothing too fancy, but it should make up for her sad lack of a horn well enough to cast the spell.

She gingerly hopped off the bed with the wand in her teeth. As she prepared to cast the spell… Just as she heard the advanced magic lock on her door gently click open. Something only a particularly skilled and powerful spell caster could pull off…

Present

"Cozy," Twilight said with a friendly smile to get the pegasus' attention. "Do you mind if I sit with you?"

Cozy forced on a smile of her own. Still not as bright as the one she put on during her past attempts to manipulate Twilight. But it was a smile. Albeit one Twilight doubted was genuine. "Of course not mama." The younger pony said faux-happily with a small amount of her old synthetic sweetness to it.

Twilight cringed internally at the younger pony's new moniker for her, but brushed it aside and filed it under "questions for later". Before taking her seat next to the small pegasus and turning to the window. Through which one could see a large chunk of Canterlot.

"This is a beautiful view," the princess said. Trying to break the ice.

"Uh-huh"

"If you want, we could take a walk through Canterlot later, maybe go through the park, get some ice cream." Despite herself, Cozy's ears noticeably flickered at the mention of ice cream and gave a slight glance in Twilight's direction, before quickly turning back and trying to play coy.

This small show of childishness from the evil foal put a small, but actually genuine smile on the alicorn's face. But it quickly turned into the frown, as Twilight looked away to the side. "Of course, measures will happens to be taken to make sure ponies don't recognize you, not yet, and to make sure you don't… (fake cough) escape… A simple color changing spell to disguise you natural color, a new mane style, and another illusion to cover up your cutie mark… and putting the tracking enchantment back on should do."

"Of course," the little pegasus said evenly. Though her head and ears had noticeably dropped. Twilight felt a small twinge of pity at this, but pressed on.

"But first, I need to ask you some questions. About everything that happened." Cozy simply nodded and resigned herself to whatever Twilight had to ask her with an annoyed expression like a child might bare, when they're about to get another lecture from their parents. "First of all…" Twilight struggled to find the words, as a mix of emotions flooded through her as she thought about her student's betrayal.

"Why? Why did you betray us?" Twilight asked. Part of her dreading that it was simply for power like Cozy had declared before. Another part hoping there was more to this. What she did not expect was Cozy's actual answer.

"You know why," she answered with an annoyed roll of her eyes. "Or at least you should have started to put the pieces together after getting to meet me for the first time." She let out an amused giggle. "Must have been a real shocker for you and everypony else, when you all looked at me for the first time and realized who's birthday it was you had all gathered for." Twilight raised an eyebrow, as Cozy snorted trying to hold back her laughter. "Almost wish I could have seen the looks on your faces myself… though I guess in a way, I was there to see it." Cozy couldn't help but let a slight evil cackle out while imagining the utter shock and horror on the faces of her former "family members" and current enemies.

Twilight was not sure what to say to that. But at least Cozy's mood seemed to be picking up.

"Speaking of which, how long was I in that statue anyway? And how old am I right now? Golly, that is going to be an awkward meeting… Though I guess I'm going to have a lot of awkward meetings with everypony else. After, everything." She shrugged as Twilight looked over her while in a state of utter confusion. Though she somehow found it in herself to nod in agreement at the last part. While wondering just how hard Cozy Glow had hit her head on the rest of the statue after she freed her.

The princess did manage to shake off the confusion enough to think on Cozy's questions. "Well, I'm not entirely sure how old you are exactly. That was kind of something I was hoping to ask you… but as for how long you were in there. About a year." Cozy's body went rigid at that.

"How-how long?" She asked timidly.

"About a year. A little more if I'm being honest…" Twilight reanswered. Looking away somewhat ashamedly. "I considered letting you out earlier, but… well you're out now." Twilight hesitantly put a hoof on the smaller pony's shoulder.

"But, if not…" She shook her head and tried to regain her composure. "Why now?"

"Oh, well, I just didn't like how things… ended. And decided it was time to try to fix that." Twilight shifted awkwardly. While Cozy's eye twitched. "Are you ok?"

"I… I was just expecting more time to pass, I guess. Enough time for you to have… found out about certain things. Ma-Twilight."

Twilight raised an eyebrow, as Cozy went silent and turned back to the window. Though she looked a bit flushed now and did not seem to be looking at anything in particular, so much as she was just trying to look away from something.

"Ok, what is up with that, mama thing?" Twilight Sparkle finally asked. Accidentally letting a bit more frustration show in her tone than she had meant to. "I mean it's kind of odd for you to be calling that given…" Twilight waved her hoof around anxiously as she searched for a gentle way to describe their relationship. "Given everything that's happened between us."

"Uhh.." Now it was Cozy's turn to search for the right words. Though she also had an alicorn, who held her fate in her hooves looking down at her waiting for an answer to a very hard question to give an answer to. Truthfully or otherwise.

"Well, because I always, well you were the closest thing to a mother I ever had." Twilight, unsurprisingly raised a skeptical eyebrow at this. "Before I came to your school, I lived in an orphanage and the caretaker never gave me as much attention or affection as you did when I was your assistant." That was technically true, as she did move into an orphanage after arriving in the past, until her mother opened her school. And the caretakers had over a dozen foals to take care of, each, so it was easy for her to fade into the background and lay low. "And I thought after you freed me, maybe you, well I could..." Cozy lowered the volume of her voice to a whisper and threw in just a subtitle bit of waterworks as she finished her statement. "Maybe we could… have something like that for real."

Twilight looked over the filly for a long moment. Who was now anxiously waiting for her response.

"You tried to have me and my best friends imprisoned in Tartarus, then openly attacked and tried to kill us. And you were manipulating me the entire time you were my assistant." Twilight finally said. Surprisingly bluntly. "And now you want me to believe you saw me as some kind of mother figure during all that?" The princess asked suspiciously in an almost sarcastic tone.

"I was evil enough to backstab and try to kill my own mother figure," Cozy answered casually with a shrug. Which was a surprisingly honest and upfront answer from her. Though a glare from Twilight told her it may not have been the best way she could have put it. "But that was in the past!" She added while waving her hooves defensively. "I really do want to be use this second chance to be better! And I really was hoping you could be something like that to me. If-if it's, if it's alright with you."

She lowered her head timidly, while Twilight continued to look over her skeptically while thinking over her words.

"Ok, I'm still not sure about… that. But if you really do see me or want to see me like that, I guess it's ok. Though I'm not sure I feel the same, just yet." Twilight rubbed her own foreleg nervously. While Cozy nodded contently. "But what about all that other stuff you said, about us all being shocked to find out something?"

"Oh, I just assumed if you were letting me out, it was because you found out something about my past. But I guess you still don't know." Cozy was once again starting to speak more timidly. And Twilight could not tell if it was genuine or not. "I'd rather not talk about it right now. I'm-well, I'm not ready to talk about it yet." She shifted uncomfortably. And to both of their surprise, Twilight found herself scooting up closer to the filly.

"Ok, if you don't want to talk about it yet, I won't force you to." Possibly against her better judgment, Twilight wrapped her wing around Cozy Glow to pull her against her barrel. Which Cozy, surprisingly, leaned into pretty naturally. Despite everything that had happened between them.

The Future

Twilight looked down at her daughter with a harsh scowl across her face. The scroll now safely held in her magic. The homemade magic wand her daughter wielded was now lying in pieces between them. Cozy was looking down at the floor in utter shame.

The princess shifted her gaze to the pieces of the wand. "You tried to shoot me with that," she said coldly.

"You… I panicked!" Cozy shouted in her defense. Tears had formed around her eyes. But her mother, sadly, could not tell if they were genuine or not anymore. "You caught me by surprise," she muttered.

"I looked you in the eye, Cozy Glow. You had just enough time to recognize me and make your choice." She shook her head in disbelief. "Just… where did I go wrong!? How… how did you get like this?" Tears were now forming around her eyes to. While her daughter tried her best to look away. "I've shown you nothing but love your whole life. You've always been sourounded by ponies that adored you. Why are you like this?" The filly seemed recoil at Twilight's almost pleading look.

"I'm sorry," Cozy said weakly. Her mother snorted at that.

"No you're not! You never are." Twilight glared down as Cozy hunkered pitifully under her gaze. "At least I can't believe you are anymore," she added under her breath.

After a moment of silence and stewing in the tension, Twilight turned her attention to the scroll she was holding. "What were you trying to do with this?"

Cozy looked at the scroll, as memories of the plan she was moments away from enacting flooded through her mind. "I… I wanted to be like you." A fire inside the little pony that had simmered, seemed to start reigniting as she spoke. "I was going to go back to before you and the others found the elements and defeated Nightmare Moon!" She wiped away her tears as she forced herself back to her hooves. Her wings flaring out.

"I was going to find and make some friends of my own, then we were going to snatch the elements for ourselves! And I'd be the one that became an alicorn!" Cozy's features seemed to turn increasingly manic as she spoke. "I'd defeat Discord, Chrysalis, Sombra, and all the others easier than you could have ever hoped to have! And then maybe after I'd created a timeline where I took away all your greatest accomplishments for myself! I'd finally be worthy of having your respect and admiration! I'd finally be worthy of being your successor!!! finally be worthy of being your daughter!!!"

Princess Twilight looked at her in stunned silence. Before her shock turned to sadness as she realized the true level of Cozy's anger and resentment. And worse yet, the darkness Twilight could sense forming in her daughter's soul.

And she looked to the scroll and back at her daughter, who having nothing more to say, settled on scowling at nothing in particular as she sat back down. Twilight steeled herself, before thinking long and hard. She could now sense her daughter was heading down a dark road. And she did not know if she could help her. At least not while dealing with her responsibilities as Equestria's main ruler and protector.

She looked at the scroll. An idea was forming. An unconventional idea. An idea that made her heart sink. But an idea that might help her daughter.

Closing her eyes and taking a long breath, Twilight lit her horn. The scroll started to glow as well…

Present

"Are you ready Cozy?" Twilight asked earnestly.

"Ready whenever you are Princess Twilight!" Cozy responded with an excited flutter of her wings. Before heading towards the door. Only to be grabbed by Twilight's magic.

"Hold on, I just have to put on you disguise and cast the tracking enchantment," the princess said as she got to work. For a brief moment, an irritated frown formed on the filly's face. But it was soon covered up by a chipper smile. Though she didn't actually say anything about it. While her signature baby blue curls were straightened, though with a slight curl remaining at the ends, and magically dyed redish-orange. Followed by her light pink coat turning a vibrant blue. And her cutie mark was turned completely invisible.

"Uh, did you have to undo my curls?" Cozy asked in what was meant to be a polite tone, though a small bit of annoyance slipped out. While she poked at her bangs with a hoof.

"Sorry, but it was a bit of a recognizable hair mane style." She turned her head up to see a little dragon was watching them, or more specifically Cozy Glow, suspiciously. "Excuse me Cozy, I have to go speak with Spike real fast." The filly simply nodded. Before flying up to a nearby mirror to look herself over, as Twilight teleported away.

Four Years Earlier

Cozy Glow tumbled out of the portal from the future with nothing more than a satchel hanging from one of her shoulders. Over a vacant field on the outskirts of Ponyville, late into the night. Beating her little wings to try to avoid hitting the hard ground or at least trying to stir herself into a smooth landing. But wound up bouncing onto the ground and rolling to a stop.

"Ughrhh" She groaned as she tried to shake off her bumpy arrival. Before angrily swiping at the ground with her hoof, then struggling back to her hooves. And taking a look around at her surroundings.

She snorted and beat her hooves at the ground, before collapsing onto her rear. As it sank in that she was actually here. Her own mother had actually abandoned her in the past.

Oh she gave her some spiel about it teaching her a lesson and she'd come back when she was ready, even gave her a note with some instructions on where to begin. But Cozy knew what this was. She had finally crossed the line and now her mother had sent her away, where know pony would even know who she was. So she couldn't disgrace her good name anymore. She pulled out the envelope her mother sent her with from her satchel and considered reading it. But ultimately crumpled it up and shoved it back in. Not caring what it said.

Tears formed around her eyes and she began to sniffle to herself, but forced her hurt feelings down. And buried them under a fury consume her and all of Equestria if need be. "I'll show her! I'll show them all!" She shouted out into the night. Brushing off the remains of her tears as she did so.

Cozy looked out towards Ponyville. Her mother's iconic "friendship castle" that Cozy had the misfortune of having to bear witness to her whole life, had not yet risen to deface the quant town's aesthetic yet. And knowing her mother would not be quiet foolish enough to send her far enough back to enact her original plan, she now had a rough idea of how far back she had been sent.

A wicked grin began to form on the little pegasus' lips. As she thought of the "silver lining" to her predicament. "My mother was a fool to send me here. Now I'm free to have my revenge without her even knowing to look out for me! And I can leave a mark on Equestria that it will never forget!!!"

She broke out into a mad cackle, as ideas for her perfect revenge and take over flew through her maniacal mind.

Present

Spike and Twilight looked over Cozy from upstairs. As she waited patiently on them. Whether she knew they were watching her, she gave no indication.

"So… do you think she was serious about the whole seeing you as a mother thing?" Spike asked the mare beside him.

"Honestly, not really," Twilight replied with a shrug. "I still think she was just trying to mess with me. But it's a unique tactic that did catch me off guard. I'll give her that."

"So, why did you just go along with it? Instead of calling her out?" Spike asked with a raised brow.

"I do have to give her some benefit of the doubt and let her know I'm on her side, if this is going to work Spike." Twilight looked over the filly for a long moment. "Besides, you never know. There might be some truth to it."

The little dragon gave an indifferent shrug. Though he could not help but look down at Cozy with a wary eye. "If you say so, Twilight. But you better be careful around her."

"I will Spike, though I don't think she'll be too much to handle. At least now that I know what to expect and she doesn't have any magical artifacts or evil friends backing her up." Twilight let out a halfhearted chuckle as she looked over the little filly that somehow managed to make herself a major threat to Equestria. Before turning to her fateful companion. "Hey Spike, do you want to come with us? You can help protect me from the dreaded, little filly and grab some ice."

Spike smiled. "Sure thing! Someone has to have your back if she tries anything, after all."

Twilight let out another chuckle at her little dragon's bravado. Before calling out to her new charge. "Hey Cozy, are you ready to go?"

"Yes Twilight!" Cozy called back in an excited tone. Though there was a moment of hesitation that would have betrayed her apparent excitement if one were to notice it.

Twilight and Spike both flew down to her. Where unexpectedly, Cozy leaped onto Spike in a sort of tackle-like hug. "Hey Spike! How have you been?" This was their first interaction since the events about a year ago. "How are your wings?" She asked casually while pointing at the appendages in question. Electing an uncomfortable expression from the dragon, as he rubbed one of the aforementioned wings.

"They're fine," he said somewhat uncomfortably with a forced smile. Choosing to believe this was a genuine attempt at burying the hatchet on Cozy's part and not an intentional attempt at making him uncomfortable for her amusement. "How are you doing?"

"Alright", she replied with a hint of melancholy. "Sorry about what happened before. Things kind of got… out of hoof and I got a bit caught up in the moment." She rubbed the back of her head while giving him a sheepish grin.

"It's… alright. Now, I guess." He scratched the back of his neck nervously. Sensing an awkward scene, Twilight cut them off by clearing her throat.

"Alright, is everyone ready to go?" The other two responded with enthusiastic nods. Before they all departed together.

Author's Note:

A/N: And there we go. I know the ending left some things dangling and may have been somewhat abrupt. But this is supposed to be a short story and I felt that was a good place to leave it for now. I may continue this in some form later. Though I'm kind of busy with other ideas at the moment. So I unfortunately can't guarantee anything like that.

The whole twist of Cozy Glow being Twilight's daughter from the future was inspired by another fanfic I read a while back. Though unfortunately, I can't remember the name and I could not find it the last time I searched. Though I do remember feeling unsatisfied with how it went and wanting to take the premise in another direction. While the idea I had about Twilight freeing Cozy Glow, only for Cozy to be weirdly nonchalant and cooperative with the whole thing and Twilight not knowing what to really make of it started as its own idea. But I didn't really have a plan on where to go with it. So I decided to combine them into this.

I considered writing out at least some of what Cozy Glow was thinking during the present segments to make things clearer. But ultimately decided to keep what's going through her head and whether she is sincerely going along with Twilight's plan to reform her, mostly ambiguous. Maybe if I give this story any kind of continuation, I'll probably clarify what she's thinking about her current situation.

I was also on the fence about including Spike or any other characters for that matter. I didn't want to spend too much focus from Twilight and Cozy with how short this was going to be. But the ending seemed kind of bare without him there. And he gave Twilight some one else to talk to. So I decided at the last moment to keep him in.

I tried to make both future Twilight and Cozy's actions seem understandable, if not reasonable. Especially Twilight's. Though I still can't say I'm 100% satisfied with how I wrote her. But I can live with it.

Anyway, I hope someone out there enjoyed it.

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