Cozy Glow awakens from a deep slumber, and finds an opportunity to rewrite history. She seeks to destroy the very first Hearth's Warming Eve, but winds up getting more than she bargained for.
It's a tale long forgotten, and lost to time. How a filly who was all forgotten about until the end of days was rediscovered, and given a chance to redo her choices. But old tendencies die hard, and the future of Equestria is put at risk by Cozy Glow and her plan to rewrite history according to her desires.
This is where it all begins. Or more fitting, this is the end. Quite literally. The end of Time. Everything that can happen has already happened.
Equestria as most knew it, was no more. All that remained was an empty landscape, and fast winds.
But there's something out of place.
In this baron land with nothing but harsh wind, and dry dirt, there was one thing of interest remaining.
A stone statue of a pegasus filly. Laid on its side, half buried in the dirt. The wind rushed by, yet the statue was seemed immune to wear and erosion. The statue laid there, lifeless. As it had for an unfathomable amount of time before.
But finally, after all of this time, something was about to happen. There was an unexplainable thrust of magic through the land. Particularly unusual, the land had not seen anything like that in forever. But that tiny burst of magic was just enough to touch the statue, and make something noteworthy happen.
The statue started to glow. First from top, and then to bottom, as the glow swept the statue.
When the statue fully glowed, the magic was complete.
The glow dissipated, and what was left was a live pegasus filly.
The filly woke up suddenly, in a startle, shocked to be in such an unfamiliar location. But also shocked to be awake at all. They gasped for air in the harsh conditions. It didn't seem right. Where was everyone? Where was anyone at all?
But suddenly, she heard something that sounded distinctly like a voice.
"Where are we!?" a fierce, but distant voice cried out.
Cozy raised her head when she heard the voice. Surely she was hallucinating.
She looked off in the distance, and she saw two purple unicorns, standing around a big crystal mass. They seemed familiar. It was difficult to see anything in this weather condition, but as their voices arose, and Cozy's vision cleared, she knew who they were.
But just as Cozy Glow gained awareness, the table started to glow. It seemed like they were about to leave. Cozy was alerted, and she kicked up her legs, and ran towards them.
"WAIT! STOP!!" she cried.
But before she was even halfway there, and before any of them had a chance to hear her, the table, and everyone surrounding it disappeared into thin air, and vanished forever.
Cozy's jaw dropped, and she ceased running and let herself fall to the ground.
She was too slow. She missed her only chance to find somepony who could help her.
She pressed her face into the ground and let out all her frustration. She cried angry tears. It was about all she could do, while she waited for nothing to happen..
. . .
But fortunately for her, something did happen.
Cozy heard steps in the dirt. She looked up.
A... pony? It was tough to say. Her dust filled eyes could barely make out a figure in front of her, though they were definitely quadruped.
They poked her with a stick, which brought Cozy to life, and irritated her.
"Quick poking me with that stick!" she shouted.
The pony panicked, and pulled out a blaster and pointed it at Cozy.
Against better judgement, Cozy followed them. They led her to a seemingly random spot in the landscape.
"Okay, I have about a bajillion questions. For starters, who are you? Where are we? Where is everyone? Is today No Cozy Glow Day? Because if it is, I think they overdid it by HIDING ALL OF EQUESTRIA!!"
They did not answer any of Cozy's bajillion questions. Instead, they found what they were looking for, when their hoof tapped something invisible. Using a device attached to them, they revealed their large craft, which served as their base.
Inside their ship, Cozy was offered some sort of liquid, but it smelled weird, so she didn't drink it.
"Golly, thanks, mister." Cozy said.
The creature removed their helmet, revealing they were a rather typical looking stallion pony.
"My pleasure, little one." he said.
"Who the heck are you?" she asked.
"My name? It's been so many years since I've spoken to anyone else, I don't remember what folks would call me." he replied.
"I know how that feels..." Cozy said.
"I've just been traveling, through time, and space, searching for answers." he said.
"I see. Well at least you still got your eyes set on some kind of prize. I can't say I got much going on..." Cozy said.
"Say, you seem pretty lost. How'd you like to join me for some company. Could benefit both of us." he said.
"But, I don't wanna investigate what caused the apocalypse. I wanna return to the Equestria I knew!" Cozy said.
"Well unfortunately, that's just about impossible." he said, much to Cozy's shock and disappointment. "At least it would be impossible, if I didn't have access to time travel." he added.
"Time what?" Cozy asked.
"Yes, you heard me right. Time travel. Just downstairs and inside the leftmost door is the controls to activate this vehicle's time travel capabilities. It's been a cornerstone to investigating what caused the disaster." he explained.
"The disaster?" Cozy asked.
"Mmm. As in, whatever turned your once thriving land, into this wasteland of extinction." he said.
"So you've been zipping around all different points in time all willy-nilly searching for what caused this disaster?" Cozy asked.
"Not just willy-nilly. Using the machine is extremely energy costly. I can't just check one year at a time and find the one where the apocalypses occurs. So I've been traveling long periods of time, using clues to narrow the year that everything went sour." he said.
"Sounds like a tedious game of trial and error." Cozy said.
"Oh, but it is. Too far back, and there's no clues whatsoever. Too far forward, and it's already happened. But also, if I'm too dead on, then I'm dead meat myself potentially." he said.
"But you could use the machine to travel to any point in time you wanted?" Cozy asked.
"That is correct. It's just a matter of picking a time, and going." he explained.
"Such as the point in time before I was turned to stone?" Cozy said.
"In principal, yes. In actuality, eh." he answered.
"Eh?" Cozy asked.
"Helping you would have to go so far down my list of priorities. I still have to check the late Ponaceous period, the rise and of Eqeustria's various leaders."
"But, you must help." Cozy pleaded.
"No can do. I only have enough energy for one time travel. And if we go too far back to a point before advanced technology, then we'd be stranded for a while." he said. "Now if you'll excuse me, it's time to log my findings for the day. Do you know how much stuff occurs out there over the span of 25 hours? Not much."
The stallion went downstairs, leaving Cozy Glow alone to herself.
Unfortunately, Cozy Glow was not the kind of pony who sat around waiting for others to formulate a plan. She was the one who formulated the plans. So, she took matters into her own hooves.
Cozy Glow snooped around the lower deck herself, searching for this alleged time machine. If what he said was true, this could be Cozy's ticket back home. She found a where all the power led too. This had to be it.
As she reached her hoof to the handle, she heard a loud shout.
"STOP!!" he shouted.
The stallion ran for Cozy Glow, but quickly rushed into the room, and slammed the door in his face, and locked it tight.
"Open this door now! You don't know what you're messing with!"
Inside the mechanism was quite complicated, but Cozy figured she could figure it out.
Outside, she heard the muffled screams of the stallion, so she picked up her pace.
"Now then, which knob controls the... huh. How does this thing measure time anyway? I guess these are years, but how far in the future are we? And what year am I from? How would it even describe my year anyway.
Cozy pulled the lever, and the machine made loud whirling noises.
"That means it's on, right? That means it's working, riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii-
There was an intense vibration, and the room quickly heated up. Everything started to glow white, and before Cozy knew it, everything turned white, and then black.
Cozy Glow slowly awoke. As she opened her eyes, and regained consciousness, the first thing she felt was that it was very cold. The next thing she realized was that she was half buried in snow.
She popped her head up, and indeed it was snowy, which meant there was at least water in this world. Cozy sat up, and saw there were trees too, which meant there was life!
Cozy took in her surroundings. It looked like an ordinary snowy landscape. Nothing like the dead landscape she was in previously. She stood up and ran around, simply glad to be in a more lively time. She even tapped the trees, and touched her own face to make sure this was real. And it definitely was.
So then that meant that the time machine she had stolen worked. She successfully traveled back in time! But how far back was difficult to determine. Definitely before the desolate and lifeless time period she had awoken in, but that was a given. There wasn't much else to go off, and the owner of the time machine who helped her out seemed nowhere to be found, so she was on her own. The foliage looked the same as any other foliage would, past, present, or future. Cozy's biggest clue would definitely come from a little village nearby. From the outset, it looked quite crude in comparison to what Ponyville looked like. However, a closer look was needed to find out an answer.
Cozy snuck by a house on the outskirts, and swiped a filly size robe, and used the coat pocket to hold the box of matches she'd stolen from the traveler's ship. She figured it may get colder soon, and the combination of cloak and matches was sure to keep her warm.
Cozy wandered through the snowy streets of the town. The basic structures were an indicator that she might have gone too far back in time, which started to concern her. The only way to be sure was to ask the locals, or try to find a calendar or something.
Cozy walked slowly through the streets, and spotted a nearby earthpony all by themselves. She approached them with the intent to ask about her current whereabouts(and whenabouts?).
"Excuse me, sir. Would you mind helping a poor little pegasus in need?" she asked, with a big grin.
The earthpony gave her a glance, but continued to walk, and paid her very little mind.
"Well, that was rude." Cozy said to herself, feeling slightly peeved.
The next few ponies she tried all gave her much the same general response. Just a scoff, and a trot.
*Ugh* "What's with everypony here?" she wondered aloud. "Every... earthpony..."
Cozy started to realize that everypony she'd seen thus far was an earthpony. Say for these two fillies who seemed to be following her. One of them was a little unicorn, and the other a pegasus filly. I say "follow" loosely sort of. Cozy never saw them move their hooves, yet she managed to run into them on multiple instances.
"What are you two staring at, huh!?" she asked upon the third or fourth encounter.
They never spoke to her, but they did stare at her intently any time their paths crossed.
"Eh, suit yourselves." she said.
Cozy found them creepy, and refused to talk to them. Besides, what could a couple of weirdo fillies know? What was their obsession with Cozy anyway?
For the next normal pony she found, she wasn't going to let them off the hook so easily. Cozy was getting real tired of making no progress, so she decided to act a bit more abrasive.
"You there!" she shouted at a green earthpony with a hat.
Cozy made them nervous, and they started the other way slowly.
"Don't trot off without speaking to me! I've got some questions for you, miss!" Cozy shouted.
"Pfft. As if I'd give answers to a snooty pegasus." they said.
"So that's what this is all about?" Cozy asked. "Nopony's been talking to me because I'm a pegasus?"
"Quite. You want answers, kid? Fly back to your pompous cloud town." they said.
There was Cozy's first clue. The earthponies she spoke to all seemed very disinterested in speaking to a pegasus filly. So that was possibly why there were no unicorns or pegasi in this town.
As Cozy Glow was lost in her thoughts, she caught a glimpse of the pony attempting to wander off again.
"Hey! Come back here!" Cozy shouted.
"Would you quit your yapping, kid?" they said.
"Why won't anypony listen to me?! I tried being nice! I even tried being manipulative! But nopony will listen to me no matter what! Why's Everypony being such jerks? That's my gig! What's with the sudden bias against pegasus ponies?" Cozy asked.
"Sudden? Kid, this has been going on for some time, though I suppose everypony's especially on edge about the upcoming tribe meeting." they replied.
"Tribe meeting?" Cozy asked.
"Been living under the snow, kid? Somehow those awful pegasus and unicorn leaders convinced our prideful and cheery Chancellor Puddinghead to a meeting between our three tribes." they explained.
"Chancellor Puddinghead? Wait, is she meeting with... what were their names? I think it was Princess Platinum of the unicorns, and uh... Commander something. Commander Hurricane?" Cozy asked.
"Yep, that'd be them. So you are knowledgeable." they said.
"It was a... lucky guess, I guess." Cozy said, covering her tracks.
"So uh... how did you celebrate Hearth's Warming last year?" Cozy asked.
"Hearts warming? I don't know what you're talking about. Ain't nothing heartwarming lately." she said. "In fact, things seem to keep getting colder by the day."
That's when it dawned on Cozy Glow. She knew exactly what year she found herself in. The upcoming tribe meeting was very likely THE fateful meeting as told in the story of Hearth's Warming. Cozy found herself on the cusp of the very first Hearth's Warming Eve. The one where the three tribes met, disagreed, and would venture off to find their own new land, only to wind up fighting over the same plot of land, but would eventually find solace between them all when one member from each of the tribes united, and sparked the flame of friendship.
But while Cozy was thinking, she noticed the pony was wandering away from her again.
"Wait, you're just going to wander off?" Cozy asked.
"I got places to be, kid." Smart Cookie said.
"Well, what are you going to do? Isn't it cold? And aren't food rations running low?" Cozy asked.
"Hmm, those are valid concerns. What with the difficulty of growing crops in this weather, and feeding all three tribes." Smart Cookie pondered.
This was Cozy's opening to manipulate the earthpony tribe, via one of their most trusted members.
"You know, you earthponies work so hard to feed the three tribes. You do all the hard work, but are never properly rewarded." Cozy said.
"Okay..." Smart Cookie said, confused.
"So, if you wanna stick it to them where it hurts, you should cut off their food supply!" Cozy suggested.
Smart Cookie stared at her, confused. "Why would we do that?"
"It's called artificial scarcity! Pretend like there's a food shortage so you can double the price of food, but in actuality, you'll be hoarding most of it to yourselves! Heh, heh? It's a free idea. It's yours for the taking. Maybe run it by your chancellor and see how she likes the idea." Cozy said.
"Just leave me alone, kid. Go find one of your fellow pegasi to annoy. Maybe they'll want to listen to your weird ideas, and annoying voice." Smart Cookie said.
Smart Cookie wandered off, seemingly disinterested in Cozy's ideas. But their advice got her thinking.
"Hmm. Other pegasi who'll listen to me?" Cozy thought aloud.
"Well bye! Tell your Chancellor Puddinghead about some of my ideas!" Cozy shouted as they wandered off.
"No can do..." is what Cozy thought Smart Cookie said in the distance.
Cozy Glow took a step back and looked at the big picture. This was the eve of the very first Hearth's Warming's ever! A pivotal moment for the history of Equestria. The moment where tribes found friendship, and agreed to build society together, and would set the stage for Harmony and friendship to come years later.
"Tribal meeting, eh?"
Cozy pulled out her match box, and lit a single match.
"I've got a bright idea. It'd be a shame if none of that happened... hee hee hee."
She dropped the match into the snow and it fizzled out.
Cozy Glow flew up to the pegasus cloud city.
She flew through the town, but it was difficult to find anypony wandering about outside. That was until she found a shy looking pegasus with armor. They seemed busy, as indicated by how they flew around frantically. But Cozy was never one to be courteous of anyone's time.
"You there!" Cozy exclaimed.
"GAH!" the orange pegasus was startled by Cozy's shout.
"Sorry, did I startle you?" Cozy said, in an apologetic tone.
"Oh, it's alright. How could I help you, little one?" the pegasus asked.
"Has Commander Hurricane left the town for the Hearth's Warming- I mean, the tribe meeting?" Cozy asked.
"Why no. But also, an oddly specific question." she replied.
"May I speak to them?" Cozy asked.
"Hmm... I don't know. As Private Pansy, Commander Hurricane's trusted... private, I don't wanna get in trouble for letting in some kid. Or worse, a spy." she said.
"Won't you please? I'm just such a big fan." Cozy said with a whimpering tone, and big cute eyes.
"Alright, kid." Pansy said with a hesitant, but happy smile.
Private Pansy brought Cozy Glow to Commander Hurricane's base. The base was decorated with decommissioned weapons, and strategies written on paper.
She approached the gruff looking pegasus, who was carrying their helmet on their side.
"Excuse me? Commander Hurricane, sir? Won't you help a fellow hungry pegasus?" Cozy asked.
"What's this? Another poor pegasus filly who has grown hungry, and cold, eh? Another victim of the earth ponies and their gluttonous habits." he said.
"Indeed I am. Please, you've got to do something. If those greedy unicorns and earthponies have their way, then more pegasi will starve!" Cozy, in a desperate tone. "You simply must help the pegasus ponies!"
"Well, that's the plan. When I see that unicorn princess, and that earthpony leader, I'm gonna give them a piece of my mind!" Commander Hurricane shouted.
"We're doing everything we can as is." Private Pansy added.
"But, is it enough?" Cozy asked.
"What do you mean?" Hurricane asked.
"What's your backup plan? What are you gonna do if they don't adhere to your demands? And you know they're stubborn and probably won't cooperate." Cozy said.
Commander Hurricane scratched his head.
Cozy Glow explained to the two pegasus soldiers her stance on the situation.
"So you're saying that the pegasi are best, and we shouldn't have to make a compromise with the other two tribes." Hurricane said.
"Mmm hmm." Cozy nodded.
"And that it's time those earth ponies shared fairly?" Private Pansy asked.
"Yeah, I think they ought to, I think you oughta demand that, oh I don't know, that the unicorns give up their magic! And should they refuse your demands, you have the brute force power to get your way!" Cozy said excitedly.
"Hmm. Force the unicorns to stop using magic?" Commander Hurricane pondered.
"By means of b-brute force?" Private Pansy said, worried.
"Yep. You guys have the strength to get your way. I think it's ripe time you stretch that right! Especially if the Princess and Chancellor aren't willing to compromise! If they don't wanna help, then what do you owe them? In fact, if push comes to shove, just take what you want from them!" Cozy said.
Private Pansy gasped in shock at the idea of stealing from the tribes.
"But, if that's too bullish for some of you, perhaps you could offer a trade." Cozy said.
"What do we have? The earthponies have all the food, and it's not like we can control this magic storm." Pansy said.
"Kidnapping!" Cozy exclaimed.
Private Pansy let out an even greater gasp, and nearly fainted.
"That's right! Make those unicorns pay for their disloyalty, by kidnapping one of their own, and holding them hostage, and in exchange for their safety, you should force them to give up their magic!" Cozy exclaimed.
"Ludicrous! We'd be putting the lives of so many pegasi at risk if we invoked any needless violence." Private Pansy said.
"Um... yes. But of course, Private. Such reckless acts should only come as a last resort, if at all." Hurricane said.
Private Pansy wasn't satisfied. She wanted to make sure Commander Hurricane would never carry out any of these ideas. So she gave them, the stare. The stare intimidated Commander Hurricane, and made him come back down to reason.
"I-I mean, has your brain frozen over, kid?!" Commander Hurricane said. "Everything you just suggested sounds like a mad pony's plan." Hurricane said.
"Mad pony? I'm just a humble idea pony. And, I get it. You don't wanna stir the pot if you don't have to. But desperate times call for extreme actions." Cozy said.
"Indeed they do, kid. Indeed they do..." Hurricane agreed. "Which is why... we've decided to recruit you into our army!"
"What?!" Cozy and Private Pansy exclaimed simultaneously.
"Yes, Private Pansy, I believe an F4-II order is in appropriate." Commander Hurricane said.
"Oh, yes! An F4-II." Private Pansy said, cheerfully.
Private Pansy attached a backplate to Cozy to suppress her wings.
"But how will I be able to fly if this thing is holding back my wings?" Cozy asked.
"We'll get back to that in a minute. Now, little Mosey, close your eyes, hold out your hooves." Commander Hurricane said.
"My name's Cozy, but sure!" Cozy said, excited.
"Now do us a favor and hold our munition." Commander Hurricane said.
Hurricane dropped a heavy boulder into Cozy's hooves.
"How heavy is, woah- AHHHH!!!!!!"
The rock was heavy enough that when Cozy held it, she sank through the cloud layer and fell from the sky.
Fortunately, during her free fall Cozy Glow kicked off the backplate, and fluttered her wings fast enough to slow her fall to a reasonable thud.
But the message was clear. She was unwelcome in the pegasus town.
She kicked her hooves in the dirty snow, furious.
"EH, WHO NEEDS 'EM?!" she shouted to herself. "I don't need an army! I befell an army all on my own!"
Cozy was once again alone. The only ones there to greet her were, somehow, the two stalker fillies from earlier.
"What are you two looking at? Were you waiting for me down here? Ya creeps!" she exclaimed. "What's your deal anyway?!"
The two fillies stared at each other, and then her, without saying any words.
"Still not talking? Whatever. Just stay out of my mane." Cozy said.
Cozy leaped out of the snow, and trotted off angrily.
Cozy had no idea when or where the tribal meeting was, so it wasn't like she could plan further ahead. For now, all she could do is hope that her words had an effect on the tribe members. But she would have to worry about that later, as for right now, the sun was going down, and the air was getting even chillier.
The next day, the winter storm was far worse. Temperatures dropped to record lows.
It was too cold to do anything. Every town had called on a blizzard warning, and deemed it too dangerous for anypony to leave town. She knew the fated meeting of the tribes was supposed to happen the day before, but unfortunately, she hadn't a clue as to how the meeting went. She had no idea if the six ponies were on their way to search for new land or not, and whether the storm would subside soon.
The winter storm continued to rage on, and ponies took shelter indoors. Those who had no shelter could only help but shiver outside, and wrap themselves in as much warmth as they could get ahold of. And unfortunately for Cozy Glow, she fell into the latter category. She was vulnerable during these stormy times, and struggled to find any shelter. She was already banned from the pegsus city, and just as before, no earthpony or unicorn was interested in helping her.
She kept her stolen robe, and wrapped herself in more stolen garments. She still had that pack of matches in her pocket. She held the match stick in her hoof, and used it to keep her warm in this cold climate.
Cozy shivered, as she slowed.
She wandered through the city, in an attempt to keep herself moving, as to not freeze in place.
She peered inside the bookshop, and saw a copy of a book titled, "A Very Snowy Ending". Whatever that meant. Not that it hardly mattered. She'd had all she could take, and could barely withstand the cold for much longer. Her heart pounded as her internal temperature dropped. She fell on her plot in an alleyway, where nopony could see her.
"Hmph. Doesn't matter when or where. Doesn't matter whether you act nice, or act vile. It's the same story. Nopony wants you around..."
As she moped, she felt her life fleeting from her.
*Brr* "It's freaking freezing. Where's my matchbox?"
Just one more match, to keep her warm through the night. The scene darkened, but she managed to light the flame. In doing so, seeing the bright fire in her eyes brought up flashbacks to events that happened in her past.
She imagined herself in the past. Err... her past, and remembered her time with Queen Chrysalis and Lord Tirek. She remembered the moment her pursuit of teamwork began. It started with some humble research in the School of Friendship's library. She knew she wanted power, but also that she likely couldn't achieve her ambitions alone. So she sought to learn as much about Equestria's greatest villains, and seeing who would be the easiest to communicate with. She settled on Lord Tirek. The ancient centaur sitting in Tartarus, with not much else to do. He seemed like a prime candidate for a partner in crime. His knowledge of how magic essence flowed through ponies proved invaluable for her pursuit of power. As she thought about them, her vision blurred, but once it refocused, she found herself climbing Mt. Everhoof with Lord Tirek, and Queen Chrysalis. The thing that made this memory stood out to her, was simply what a novel experience it was. Not just the physical exertion, or the bruises that were still visible on her body. It was the experience of helping other creatures and working together, working towards a common goal.
Looking back on it, she'd never felt more happy at any other point, and more complete than she did when she worked together with the two of them. After many attempts of getting them to work together, only to refuse, the fruits of their labor finally paid off when they put aside their differences, and used their individual strengths to work together to climb the mountain. From Tirek's strength, Chrysalis's flexibility, and Cozy's wits and small size, working together not only was more effective, but it also felt better somehow. For those brief moments at the top, after they succeeded, it was almost as though she finally found a sense of belonging. Bound together against a common enemy, but also in a common circumstance. It was either listen to Grogar, or suffer. But they were on the same page, and thus planned their own invasion of Equestria, but unfortunately, that narrow sighted notion was the beginning of their downfall. Nay, being recruited by Grogar in the first place, was the beginning of their downfall. Or was it simply when Cozy decided to actually carry out her magic erasing spell? Well, whenever her downfall began, it mattered not. Her desire for power is what got her here, and she was paying the ultimate price once again.
Although power was what she wanted most, she wondered if it was really worth it, and thought of what else she could've wanted, and how things could've been different. If her time working with Tirek and Chrysalis was any indicator, maybe there was something she wanted more than power, that she hadn't realized before...
But it didn't matter at this point. All that mattered now, was that everything she had, was all gone...
As the match dimmed, and her mind returned to the present, she was reminded that she was alone. There was still no sign of that mysterious time-traveling horse anywhere near, and nopony offered her any support.
Her vision faded, as she struggled to support her own weight.
"From a deserted wasteland hellscape, to a frozen hellscape about to freeze over. Guess this wasn't much of an improvement after all." Cozy said. "It seems no matter where you go, or when in history you are, the suffering and loneliness is inbound..."
She slowly collapsed, and fell face first into the snow. Too tired, too cold, and too hungry to even keep her eyes open for much longer. The last thing she saw before closing her eyes was those two fillies again.
"You two again... here to bury me? Good....."
Cozy Glow laid in the snow, and allowed for more snow to fall on top of her.
She dared not waste energy trying to imagine what happened to them, as that was impossible to figure out. She closed her eyes, and imagined being reunited with them. It's all she wanted at this point. Was to be with her friends...
"Are you okay, little filly?"
"Huh?"
Cozy Glow heard a familiar voice from the outside. She opened her eyes, and awoke. She found herself wrapped in a warm blanket, and inside a cabin.
She saw she was in a little home full of lonely fillies, and one purple unicorn in a cloak.
"Thank goodness I found you when I did. You were freezing out in the cold of night all by yourself." said the adult pony who presumably helped Cozy.
Cozy was dazed and confused by all of this.
"Um... who are you?"
"Pardon me for forgetting the introductions. My name is Clover the Clever." they said.
"Clover... le Clever...?" Cozy said, half dazed. "Aren't you like, really important?"
"In a way, yeah. As Princess Platinum's assistant, normally I should be in the castle, but Princess Platinum ordered all of her subjects to return to their homes.
"Why do you think she did that?" Cozy asked.
"I can only infer that yesterday's meeting went horribly! I'd never seen her so upset before, but it makes sense. From what Princess Platinum told me, for some reason the pegasi were extremely aggressive! They hit the earthponies and unicorns with all kinds of accusations that weren't true! Where did they get the idea that the unicorns had a huge secret stash of food?" Clover explained. "And then Chancellor Puddinghead threatened to cut off food reserves entirely! She toyed with the idea of tripling the price of food! Why?!"
"Really?" Cozy asked.
"Princess Platinum could barely speak for herself, her subjects were upset too! Even crazier, towards the end of the meeting, the pegasi said they'd try again to fend off the storm, only if the unicorns agreed to never use magic again! Talk about a bad time!" Clover exclaimed. "I understand everyone's on edge because of the harsh storms, but knowing that our last shot at cooperation failed this spectacularly doesn't spell good news for the future."
Inside, Cozy grinned and beamed with excitement. It seemed that her plan to create tension between the tribes worked! Clover was weirded out that Cozy was giggling to herself.
"Cozy?" they asked.
"Oh, sorry. So, what do we do now, Clover?" Cozy asked.
"I'm not sure. I already suggested to the princess that we venture out and try to establish a new settlement, far away from any earthpony or pegasus settlement, but she wasn't in the mood."
"Huh? No expansion? No travel?" Cozy asked.
"I'm afraid not. Even if we wanted to. The weather is far more fierce than I would've predicted. It's far too cold for anyone to venture out into nature. So it seems everypony from all three tribes is hunkered down for now, until the blizzard warning is over." Clover explained.
"Oh, golly. A blizzard?" Cozy asked.
"Yes. Hence why everypony's staying cooped up indoors. At least the ponies that can are. Not everypony is so fortunate. Just look outside." Clover said.
Cozy attempted to look through the frosted window. She breathed on it and rubbed it with her hoof.
Outside, she saw rows of ponies, old and young, freezing in the weather. Fillies huddled their parents for warmth.
"It absolutely just chills my heart seeing all these poor ponies suffering..." Cozy said, with her eyes sparkling.
"Mmm hmm. I saw you freezing out there, and I simply couldn't just leave you there." Clover said.
"Why'd you save me? And all these foals here. Aren't you gonna help those families freezing outside?" Cozy asked.
"I helped you, because you were all alone." Clover answered.
"Alone? Me?" Cozy said. "So does that mean all the other foals here are...?"
Clover nodded.
"I can't save everyone I'm afraid. I barely have any food for myself. And it isn't exactly toasty in here. But still, anything to help fillies who don't have anyone else looking out for them..." Clover said.
"How generous of you. Helping poor little orphan fillies endure the storm." Cozy said, half sincerely.
There was a loud knock at the front door.
"Hang on, let me get the door." Clover said.
Clover opened the door, and on the other side, was a hooded pony.
"Can I help you?" they asked.
The hooded pony simply stood there, and did not answer her. Suddenly, a mob of pegasi broke through the windows and invaded her home.
"What are you? Get away from me!" Clover cried. "What is going on!?
Through the front door, entered the pegasus leader, Commander Hurricane.
"Clover the Clever, you're under arrest!" Hurricane exclaimed. "If those unicorns won't give us what we want, perhaps they'll be willing to make a trade. The Princess will be sure to pay a huge bounty for your safe return!"
"You're kidnapping me!?" Clover exclaimed.
"Oh, wow. You guys took my advice." Cozy said to herself.
"Well, let's not waste any more time, fillies. To the field!" Hurricane said.
"But wait! My fillies!" Clover cried.
"To the field!" the pegasi army cried in unison.
"Cozy Glow! Help me!" Clover exclaimed.
"Meh. This is for you unicorns and pegasi to settle." Cozy said with a sinister smirk.
Clover gasped.
Cozy waved good bye as Clover was hoisted away.
The pegasus rioters left, but Cozy did not follow them. She watched as they carried Clover away. She could've followed them, but it wasn't necessary.
It seemed as though things were going exactly the way she planned after all. In fact, that's when Cozy realized the storm was extra powerful, because the tribe meeting went especially bad! Tension between the tribes was at a tipping point, which gave the Windigos more strength.
"I guess things are going according to plan after all." Cozy said to herself. "This could be a very good thing for me."
Cozy grinned thinking about how much fun it'd be enacting the next phase of her plan. But then Cozy realized something else.
"Wait... how did Clover know my name? I didn't tell them, did I?" she wondered.
The orphan ponies in the house stared at Cozy Glow, speechless.
"What are you all looking at?" she asked. "You've never seen a home invasion and kidnapping before?"
One of the orphans, a unicorn, started to weep. And then others followed suit.
"Ugh. Please don't cry." Cozy said. "Everything's going to be okay. Everything's going to get warm after the tribes beat themselves up, and I step in and unite everypony together!!"
...
"You're a meanie." one of the foals said.
Cozy slammed the door shut, and indeed left them behind.
Outside, where two familiar faces were outside to silently greet her. It was the unicorn and pegasus from earlier.
"You two again? If you're looking for Clover's make shift orphanage, it's in there. But you won't find Clover in there."
Cozy trotted past them and left them to be. The two stared at Cozy with pleasing discontent.
Cozy Glow trudged through the storm, and climbed a nearby hill, in hopes of finding the highest peak where she could observe the unicorn and pegasus tribes clash.
"This is perfect. No expedition to find new land, which means no flame of friendship." Cozy said to herself. "Just more conflict, and hopefully soon an outbreak of war between the unicorn and pegasus tribes! Oh this is just too good. The only thing that could make this better is if I still had access to the..."
At the top of the hill was somepony trying to fix a machine. Cozy recognized them as the time traveling pony who found her in the middle of the lifeless and empty future. So when Cozy stole the time machine, he did end up in the same period as her after all.
He was standing on top of the capsule, holding a magnifying glass pointed on its roof, attempting to concentrate sunlight. But unfortunately, the last bit of sunlight was covered by the storm clouds.
"Cursed solar powered time machine. Ugh. Huh?" the pony looked down, and saw Cozy Glow.
"Oh, it's you again." he said.
Cozy backed away slowly, worried if he was planning revenge about what happened earlier. But in spite of the fact that Cozy stole his time machine after he was generous enough to help.
"It's okay. No need to be afraid, I've cooled down, and I'm not angry, so long as you promise to behave yourself." he said. "You sure picked a grandiose time to get us stuck in. My solar powered time capsule can't recharge with all these clouds. This is one intense ice storm! I would've already frozen over if I didn't have my protection gem." he said, tapping the green gem on his coat.
"The protection gem... Uh, I mean, yes indeed it is. So... any luck fixing the time machine?" Cozy asked.
"Only just. While I would've liked to have a full charge before traveling again, there's only enough power though for one time warp. And since your timing is impeccable, and I'm feeling generous, I'll let you join me whilst I continue my investigation searching for the great force that caused the extinction of Equestria." he said. "We'll travel to some point in the future where I can stock up on more energy. Once we have that, we'll continue our investigation."
Cozy looked at them with sad eyes in order to sway his opinion.
"...and maybe consider sending you home." he added.
They looked up at the clouds, and quite the storm was brewing. The air was getting chillier. Vegetation was freezing solid over. It was getting dangerous being out in the open like this.
"Well, if you're coming, come on. The weather's getting worse." he said.
"Like, now?" Cozy asked.
"Yes. There's no use staying longer. Now come." he said.
The time traveler was about to enter the time machine, but Cozy looked off into the distance.
"Not coming?" he asked.
"In a moment. It's just..."
"You'll be frozen in a moment!" he shouted.
Cozy Glow looked over at the vista, and could see the three tribes marching towards one another. What she wouldn't give to see the three groups battle it out. But there was a lingering worry. Even with the extra tension she added, there was a chance that they could unite and light the flame of hearth's warming.
"You know, Mister Time Traveler, there's one thing about me that everypony should know about me." Cozy said.
"And what's that?" he asked.
"I make the plans." she said.
"What you have right here is an actual time machine! I'm going to use it to travel to exactly where I want in the future! Not too far ahead when nopony is... around. Just far enough into the future where everypony's spirits are crushed, and they all live sad and scared. That is when their savior will appear from a flash of light in the sky, and rule over all of them!"
"What are you rambling about now?" he asked.
"I'm not just rambling. I'm also claiming what now belongs to me." Cozy said, suddenly holding the the traveler's protective gem.
"What the? How did you?!" he tapped himself to be sure, and indeed, Cozy had taken it from him. "YOU insolent little BRAT! So you never do learn after all!" he exclaimed.
He pulled out his blaster, and pointed it at Cozy .
"WAH!!!" Cozy cried.
Cozy flinched and braced for impact, but before he could use the weapon, his forehooves had frozen over, and he dropped it.
"What the? NO! Give me back my gem! Without it, I am susceptible to the elements, and these creatures' magic! AAHHH!!!" he screamed.
Suddenly, the Windigos targeted the time traveler with their ice spell. He started to freeze from bottom top, until the when he completely froze over in ice. Cozy winced at the violent sight of watching him turn to ice. She wasn't sure why the Windigos attacked him so suddenly, but hey, a victory is a victory.
She now possessed this... weird device. Whatever it was, holding it made her feel warmer. So this was how the he managed to avoid freezing over in this weather. And now the gem would come in handy for Cozy, as it would protect her as things inevitably became colder as the tribes fought. But why stop there? Mister Traveler did leave behind his working time machine.
"Hmm. He said the time machine is functional..." Cozy said to herself.
Cozy giggled as she envisioned her master plan.
"With Hearth's Warming Eve ruined before it could even begin, and with the tribes on a course for war, the future sure is looking bleak for everypony. Which is why I shall travel into the future! Not so far into the future that everypony is gone. But far enough into the future that everypony is scared and defeated because of today's war." Cozy said to herself in a villainous speech.
"And when I appear in the future, from their perspective, a flash of light in the sky will appear. A new pony will descend, and she'll be their savior! She'll bring them salvation, and rule over them! That pony will be me! Their Empress of Friendship!!"
Cozy laughed as she was gearing up for the next phase of her plan. But before she went inside the time machine, a thought occurred to her. Something about Clover the Clever seemed really familiar, and she was bothered by this thought. And besides, although the tribes were on the brink of war, there was still no reason why Hearth's Warming couldn't still happen. If she went into the future now, she could very well end up in a future where Harmony and friendship come to fruition anyway.
"Hmph. I suppose there's still a chance that somepony could still light the Hearth's Warming flame and initialize the holiday, as per typical! Alright, pre-Equestria. I'll stick around a little longer. Only because I want to witness everypony's downfall myself. I'll just have to make sure that no pony ignites the Hearth's Warming flame!" Cozy exclaimed.
"And if you want the heat... oh I'll bring it, baby." she said, picking up the time traveler's blaster.
The unicorn tribe marched across the frigid wasteland. Opposite them, the pegasus tribe marched, and flew above the icy field.
Above them, was Clover the Clever who was tied to a wooden post that was planted atop a floating cloud, high up where nopony besides pegasi could reach. Clover was brought before their fellow unicorns by the pegasi, to prove that they meant business.
Finally, the tribes were close enough when they halted in place, and stared each other down with intense animosity.
"Commander Hurricane! I will give you one last chance to surrender, and relinquish Clover the Clever over to our tribe! If you do, we might spare you, and call off our army." Princess Platinum said.
"Spare us?! HA! You think we need to be spared from you!" Commander Hurricane mocked.
"I didn't want it to come to this, but I'll be honest, I am tired of you unicorns abusing your magic, and taking resources from us! You already had your chance, but for failing to heed our needs back at the meeting, this is your final warning before I unleash my angry side!" Private Pansy exclaimed.
"I ask you again, promise to NEVER use your magic again, and we'll surrender your lackey to you!" Commander Hurricane said.
"But how would we unicorns survive without magic?" Platinum asked.
"I don't know. We seem to have survived just fine without it. But if you want pointers, ask the earthponies. They've survived all this time, in spite of there being nothing special about them!" Hurricane said.
As the two tribes shouted, seemingly right on cue, they had noticed that the earthpony tribe just arrived onto the scene.
"Speaking of, here come the earth ponies!" Pansy teased.
"Late to the party as usual!" Platinum exclaimed. "You're just here following in our hoofsteps because you have no original ideas of your own!"
"Nuh-UH! We totally came up with the idea to use brute force on our own!" Chancellor Puddinghead exclaimed.
"Brute force to gain what? What more do you need?! You already ate half of all the food!" Hurricane said.
"That's because we MAKE the food! If you want your own food, make your own!" Puddinghead said.
"We would, if these pegasi would clear up the sky and be rid of these clouds!" Platinum said.
As the tribes argued, the snow storm grew far more fierce. But nopony seemed to pay mind of it besides Clover, who grew increasingly weary.
"For the last time, this storm isn't us! We haven't been able to be rid of these powerful clouds! Why don't you unicorns stop it with your super powers?!" Commander Hurricane mocked.
"We told you, unicorn magic DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY! We can't just think of what to do, and have it happen!" Platinum exclaimed.
"I don't care who clears these clouds, somepony just do it, we're fresh out of food!" Smart Cookie shouted.
The pegasus and unicorn tribe leaders all gasped. The Earthponies didn't even have any food to claim.
"Way to spill the beans. Not that we had any beans anyway..." Chancellor Puddinghead said.
"Are we here to shout? Or are we here to fight?!" Private Pansy exclaimed.
"I believe a fight is still in order, because I don't see any of you surrendering yet!" Hurricane said.
"I'd rather freeze over in this mysterious storm before ever giving in to your horrifying orders!" Platinum said.
A snowball hit Platinum right in the face. It was from Private Pansy!
"I'm tired of words! I want action!!" Private Pansy roared.
"Woah. You go, girl." Hurricane said. "You heard her, every pegasus! Attack!"
The pegasus army flew forward.
"Attack too!" Princess Platinum exclaimed.
The unicorn army charged forward, magic poised and ready.
"Attack three!" Puddinghead exclaimed.
And finally, the earthpony tribe galloped into battle.
They all charged forward, and their tribes collided head to head, and hooves started to by thrown.
Clover the Clever watched the battle from their cloud post, in utter shock. They still couldn't believe things were going this badly.
Princess Platinum wasn't normally a fighter. But with her father ill in the castle, and all with the unicorn's future at risk, she was willing to put herself on the line. She felt that her tribe had been wronged by the other two for far too long, and so she was willing to give it her all to protect her tribe.
Commander Hurricane went head on fighting Princess Platinum's top soldiers.
Pegasus soldiers flew just high enough that they were too high for earthponies to reach. They teased, and blew raspberries to spite them. Some earthponies climbed on top of one another, and formed stacks of ponies, which unfortunately made them very easy to tip over.
A unicorn used her magic on a flying pegasus, and brought them crashing down into the snow.
Clover the Clever watched the battle from their cloud prison in utter horror. Seeing the tribes all fight this vigorously was the opposite of how this day was supposed to go. But then suddenly, they heard the weeping and crying of somepony. They looked and saw a weeping pegasus filly.
"Cozy Glow? What are you doing here? And why are you crying?" Clover asked.
*sniff* "Oh. I just feel so terrible for ruining Hearth's Warming." Cozy said, with a stuffed up face.
"Is that so?" Clover asked, skeptical. "Did you have a hoof in any of this?"
"Sure, I wanted everpony to fight, but after seeing how ugly all this fighting is, I wish I could take it all back." Cozy said, weeping. "If only we there were still a way to light the Hearth's Warming flame."
As the tribes continued to fight, the storm above them grew more powerful. The wind speed ramped up, and the temperatures dropped even lower. And that's when things really started to turn bitter.
The Windigos roared, and flew about above the fight scene. Their eyes glowed, and they targeted the ponies down below. They used their magic on the poor ponies below, and ponies literally started to outright freeze in place. Frozen solid.
Everypony was exhausted. Those who weren't outright frozen hardly had the strength to stand up.
"Cozy Glow, help!" Clover exclaimed.
Cozy tapped her face with her hoof while she thought of what to do next. And then she made up her mind.
"Hmm. Nah." Cozy said.
"What?!" Clover exclaimed.
"I have everypony right where I want them." Cozy said. "This was all part of the plan after all! Let the tribes fight among themselves, and let them crush their own spirts. And from the ashes of their hate, their savior will rise!"
Clover gasped. They were in partial disbelief as to what Cozy was saying.
Ponies continued to either drop in exhaustion, or outright freeze in place. There was hardly any more fighting. Just suffering.
"In fact, with ponies dropping like horseflies, perhaps it's time I took action after all." Cozy said.
Cozy Glow flew down, to see everypony eye to eye.
"Everypony, listen!" she exclaimed.
"Your tribes have made a grave error! Fighting amongst yourselves is what's fueling the Windigos' chill! The only way to save your loved ones, and the rest of you, is to join hoof to heart, and unite against the Windigos'!" Cozy said.
"WHAT!" Clover exclaimed.
Cozy's speech was met with a soft chatter among the crowd of still surviving ponies.
"How do we know we can trust you?" Smart Cookie asked.
"I can answer that. You CAN'T!" Clover exclaimed.
Clover's eyes started to glow... nay, it's about ripe time I stop calling this pony by their false name. They freed themselves from their captivity, and ditched their robe, revealing underneath a pair of purple wings. It is time to refer to them as-
"Twilight Sparkle?!" Cozy exclaimed. "What are YOU doing here!?"
Twilight Sparkle flew down and spoke.
"I could ask the same to you, but since you asked first, I may as well explain." she said. "It's actually quite a simple explanation. Every year for Hearth's Warming, I use a spell to travel back in time, disguise myself as Clover the Clever, and with my special magic, ensure that the Hearth's Warming always comes to fruition. Though this year has been quite different, and I think I know why now."
Twilight's explanation was a lot to take in, but Cozy's immediate reaction was that of rage.
"THAT'S! NOT! POSSIBLE!!!" she exclaimed. "IF YOU'RE FROM A TIME IN THE FUTURE WHERE HEARTH'S WARMING HAPPENED IN YOUR PAST, THEN WHY DO YOU HAVE TO GO INTO THE PAST TO MAKE SURE THAT HEARTH'S WARMING HAPPENS?!"
"It's complicated. I don't have time to explain every little detail now." Twilight said. "Now stand aside! Since you're the one who broke everypony's bond, allow me to fix it!" Twilight exclaimed.
Twilight showed off her wings, and her horn started to glow. She was going to attempt to unify the tribes. Cozy panicked and thought of ways to thwart Twilight's takeover, and that's when she came up with a quick but dirty plan.
"Wait!" Cozy exclaimed. "Uh... Everypony, look! It's an alicorn!"
Everypony looked up at Twilight, and saw her alicorn attributes.
All of the tribe members gasped at seeing Twilight's wings.
"What is that?"
"Does she...?"
"If unicorns and pegasi are enemies of earthponies, and each of you are enemies with one another, does that make alicorns a common enemy to all of you!" Cozy shouted.
"What?!" Twilight exclaimed.
"Indeed. Pegesus tribe, how does it feel to see a flying unicorn? The one thing that makes you special, and she has it, plus a well of magic!" Cozy said to Commander Hurricane, and his army.
"And earthponies, how does it feel that she gets everything, while you get NOTHING?!"
"Cozy, stop this!" Twilight scolded.
"And Princess Platinum, pray tell, if that is the pony who claims to be Clover the Clever, then where is your Clover the Clever?"
Princess Platinum gasped upon this realization. "Imposter!" she shouted.
"NO! I swear, Clover is fine, see, he-"
Twilight spoke, but she was outspoken by the final part of Cozy's speech.
"Sure, there's just one of her. But who's to say that there aren't more of them on the way right now? You think unicorns are snooty, imagine a tribe of alicorns! Are you going to let a group of alicorns move in, and disrupt each and everyone of you?!"
"NO!" everypony shouted.
"If pegasus ponies control the weather, but the pegasi aren't controlling this storm, then this wacky unicorn pegasus is probably controlling this storm!" Cozy said.
"What?! Wait! No! I'm not-AH!!" Twilight was befuddled by what was going on. But before she could make her case, the tribes made up their minds, much to Cozy's pleasure.
Ponies threw ropes at Twilight, and tangled her up, and brought her crashing down.
They tied her up, and plopped her onto the dirty snow. Cozy walked up slowly ,basking in her victory.
"You can't do this, Cozy!" Twilight exclaimed.
"Why not, Twilight?" Cozy asked.
"Because, the tribes are supposed to find peace together! You're the one who made the tribes fight in the first place!" Twilight exclaimed.
The few ponies that were unfrozen scratched their heads.
"She is?" Chancellor Puddinghead asked.
"We're fighting because we're low on food, and can't agree on how to share it." Private Pansy said.
"No! You've all been manipulated by her lies! This is exactly what she wants! You can't follow her!" Twilight said.
"Lies? So the earthponies aren't hoarding a bunch of food?" Hurricane asked.
"I admit it. We're out of food too." Puddinghead said.
"Then, you all... uh... um..." Twilight bit her lips, and struggled to think of what to say next.
"See, Twilight. I may have planted the seed, but it never would've grown if the ponies themselves didn't have the hate to fuel the fire." Cozy said. "The drive to fight, and the urge for war, it was in them all this time."
"No..." Twilight said, in a worried tone.
"Face it, Twilight. Discourse is inevitable. If friendship was so strong, then why do you have to go back in time to keep it in check? This Hearth's Warming is going to be a little different with me unifying the tribes together in order to vanquish the Windigos." Cozy said.
"No... no! That's not possible! You're a-a-a. Ugh! You just want to lead the tribes in order to control them!" Twilight shouted.
"What makes your way of leading any more right than my way?" Cozy asked. "Why can't I unify and lead a group of ponies, but you can, Twilight?"
"Because, because... AH!!"
Twilight had just about enough of Cozy's antics. Now she was serious. Twilight's eyes and cutie mark glowed. Everypony stepped back when Twilight glowed up. She used her magic to disintegrate the ropes that bound her, and she broke free.
"I refuse to let you do this!" Twilight exclaimed, in a loud impending voice.
"She's escaped!"
"She's going to zap us all!"
The crowd shrieked in horror.
"NO! SHE'S BAD!" Twilight exclaimed. "She's bad, and she's the real reason why you're fighting! I know because I've seen the first Hearth's Warming play out before! Without her, there is friendship! Without her, there is warmth! Without her, Equestria can prosper!"
"She's no harbinger of friendship! She just wants you all to be her subjects. This is just a means to an end, and nothing more!!!"
Everypony gasped, and was surprised by Twilight's overbearing speech.
"Is this so?" Smart Cookie whispered to the Chancellor.
Cozy Glow could hear the doubtful chatter chilling through the air. (In fact, Twilight's rant seemed to chill the air on its own.) It was too late. Her reign as their Empress was short lived.
*Grr* Every time I'm about to get the upper hoof! Doesn't matter when or where I am! Twilight Sparkle always thwarts me! she screamed in her mind.
"You okay, kid?" Commander Hurricane asked.
"I swear, I'm gonna... I'm gonna..." and that's when Cozy remembered something that cheered her up.
"I'm no match for you." Cozy admitted. "Twilight. Go ahead. Prove to me that friendship really is strong. Show me that it has the ability to vanquish the Windigos." She said this sentence with an alarmingly calm demeanor.
Cozy Glow trotted off in a joyous gate. A very sudden shift in mood, it was very strange. But there wasn't any time to worry about that right now.
"So wait, both of you claim to wanna help?" Private Pansy asked.
"So why were ya fighting? So who do we listen to?" Smart Cookie asked.
"Please everypony, we must join together. It is tradition, or rather, it will be tradition. I know you have your disagreements, but it's that needless bickering that's been fueling this awful storm. Trust me, when we join together, that is what will bring the warmth that can extinguish the Windigos."
Twilight extended her hoof, but she was met with a cold and quiet reception. Her claims were a stretch, and many of the ponies were still skeptical about this powerful stranger. Finally, Private Pansy broke the silence.
"Hey, has anypony else noticed that the wind has stopped?" she said.
"The wind has stopped?" Twilight asked. But soon after everypony noticed the calm weather, the storm immediately picked back up. The Windigos returned, and more ponies were frozen by their chilly spell. They froze Commander Hurricane, and Chancellor Puddinghead immediately on the spot.
"Private Pansy! Smart Cookie!" Twilight called out.
"Us?" Pansy asked.
Twilight ran to the two of them.
"We have to join hooves!" Twilight said.
"But, we barely know you." Smart Cookie said.
"Excuse me, but who are you, and what have you done with Clover the Clever?" Princess Platinum asked.
"I'll explain everything later. But for now, please, let us join together. Put aside the differences between our tribes, and ignite the Hearth's Warming flame, and defeat the Windigos and drive out this storm!" Twilight exclaimed.
"I don't know what is with you and your weird stories, but it's ripe time you-AHH!" Princess Platinum's hotheadedness was cooled when the Windigos froze her in ice. Twilight knew it was now or never to bring Hearth's Warming.
Smart Cookie and Pansy looked at one another, and then at Twilight. They were unsure of her proposal, but it she promised a powerful flame that could thaw the whole land, it was worth a shot.
From the top of a ridge, Cozy Glow slouched against a stone wall, and watched Twilight attempt to make friends in such a short amount of allotted time. Fortunately she still had the protection gem, so in theory she would be fine, should the rest of them freeze.
"Go ahead and try, Twilight." Cozy said to herself. She pulled out the time traveler's blaster device from her mane, and aimed it at Twilight. "Little do you know you've walked into a lose lose scenario. Fail to light the flame, and you shall freeze. But should you succeed *giggle* you want the heat? I'll bring the heat."
You wouldn't scorch ol Twilight, would ya? said a little voice in Cozy's head.
"Hmm, nah, I wouldn't. That's too mean." Cozy admitted. She jostled a lever on the blaster, setting it from fire to electricity. "But I would give her a little jolt." she grinned.
Twilight stood close to Smart Cookie and Pansy. She held their hooves, and focused, attempting to light the Flame of Friendship.
Cozy watched, and then she noticed something magical. Twilight's horn began to start the flame. It looked as though it was almost going to work. The flame started small, but Twilight's special alicorn magic fueled the flame.
And then finally, in a burst of light, the flame ignited. The Flame of Friendship was lit.
Twilight fired the flame of friendship up into the sky. The Windigos retaliated by gathering in formation, and firing a beam of ice at Twilight Sparkle's flame.
The ice and the flame collided, and fought for power.
Cozy watched the sight from above, with the protection of her weather gem. She witnessed Twilight try with all her power to light the flame and burn the Windigos. She was determined. Giving up was NOT on her agenda. This surprised even Cozy. So much so, she hesitated herself from taking down Twilight, just because she wanted to see how far she'd get. And the answer was... not much farther.
After giving it her absolute all...
...it wasn't enough.
The Windigos and their ice overtook Twilight's flame, much to her horror and shock, but it was too late to do anything about it. Twilight froze into ice, along with Private Pansy, Smart Cookie, and with that, the last of the ponies were frozen over by the Windigos.
And that was that. Cozy Glow overlooked the field. And absolutely everypony was frozen over. Hearth's Warming was over. It was over before it even started.
"YEAH! Woo! Hearth's Warming warmth has been-" She lit a match in celebration. A gust of wind blew by, and extinguished the match. "-frozen over." she concluded.
"And now to... huh. Now what?"
Cozy Glow should've been excited to have won, but the excitement quickly blew over when she realized that there was nopony left to follow her.
Cozy Glow looked out at all of the frozen ponies. In a way, she succeeded in her plan. She was the last surviving pony in Equestria. Anything and everything was hers for the taking. Yet something didn't feel quite right.
She realized that the idea of ruling over a bunch of ice sculptures would've been no fun at all. But that was all she had left.
The plan was to just have some ponies frozen, but then lead the remainder of them to a warm future, but since everypony had been frozen, there was no warming glow of leadership led by herself like she envisioned. And not to mention, watching ponies freeze in place, reminded her of the eternity she spent frozen in stone.
There seem to be any way to unfreeze anypony. Aside from-
"Okay, I'm bored."
Cozy Glow held up the weapon and used the flamethrower setting to torch the Twilight sculpture, but somehow the whirring flame did absolutely nothing.
"What the?! Damn useless future technology." she growled, and tossed the weapon away.
She shook her head and tried to convince herself that everything was just peachy.
*Pfft* "What do they matter? None of them did you any favors. The pegasi betrayed me, and took my ideas. Twilight never actually helped me. Except she did save you from freezing to death in the cold but... that doesn't make up for leaving in me stone until the end of time!" she ranted. "This should've been a more victorious victory. So what's missing?"
Cozy hung her head, and tried to put a different positive spin on things.
*sigh* "It would've been worth it to see them all bow down to me. But I suppose frozen ice statues will do." Cozy said to herself. "Look at how miserable and helpless they are. Carried away by their hatred for one another. The last thing they ever felt before being frozen over was a hate-filled bickering towards their rival tribes."
But even this was not of total satisfaction, because there was still the matter of Twilight Sparkle.
Cozy Glow looked at Twilight, who had a determined face underneath all that ice. Even though the odds were stacked against her, she never gave up, up until the bitter cold end. The opposite of Cozy's defeat, where her face was frozen in a distressed state for eternity, and this bothered her. Because even though Cozy was the one who survived the Windigos, Twilight appeared as though she was the stronger pony regardless. This fact angered Cozy. It angered her so much, she began to shout at Twilight.
*Errgh* "I hate you, Twilight Sparkle! And ruined so many of my plans! You left me in stone for eternity, but then I thought I had this era all to myself! I was going to lead everypony out of the frost, and put myself in the history books! But somehow YOU still showed up! You took my idea from me, and you didn't even succeed anyway! So now nopony has anypony!"
As Cozy ranted and raved, her hooves started to feel chilly.
"Huh? What the?"
She looked down at her own hooves, and noticed they were frozen. The Windigo spell was starting to claim her as well.
"What? But how? I thought I had-"
She looked at herself, but noticed her protective gem was gone! Somehow she must've dropped it at some point.
Cozy looked up at the Windigos, and realized that she was their focus. She seemed to be the last pony around, and her hate-filled shouting at Twilight Sparkle made her their prime target.
"No. No no no no no!" Cozy cried. "It's not like that. I-I-I-I didn't mean- *Ugh* Okay, Twilight Sparkle! I... don't hate you... that much? For what it's worth, you sure showed me how powerful magic could be! Heh heh heh..."
But it wasn't enough. She was still freezing over.
She tried to resist the Windigos, but ultimately, she realized she was out of options. She closed her eyes, and thought about her new fate. From one frozen state, to another.
She closed her eyes, and let the Windigos freeze her. Unlike before where she cowered in fear, and nearly cried as she was being frozen, this time, she braced for it, and accepted her fate as the ice crept up, and engulfed her...
...
But right before the ice made it to her eyes, it stopped.
"Huh?"
And then the ice slowly started to recede, freeing Cozy from an icy prison.
Cozy looked around, curious, wondering what could've made the ice cease it's control. And the only thing she saw was, somehow not too surprising.
She saw those two fillies again. The pegasus and the unicorn somehow weren't frozen like everypony else. She looked at them, perplexed.
"Did you two save me?" she asked.
The unicorn held up Cozy's protective gem. It seemed that they used it to unfreeze Cozy. She handed it back to her.
"Really?! You two had it! Did you two steal it from me?!" Cozy exclaimed.
The fillies nodded no.
"Oh, so I misplaced it." Cozy said, calmly.
They nodded yes.
"You're giving this back to me? But you'll need it to survive the Windigo spell. Without it, you two will freeze." Cozy said.
Cozy Glow handed them the gem, but the fillies nodded no, and pushed the gem back to her.
"You insist that I hold onto it? Since it belongs to me?" Cozy asked.
The two fillies nodded affirmatively.
"You two don't speak much. Is it because you don't want to? Or because you can't?" Cozy asked.
The two looked at each other, unsure how to convey to Cozy what was on both of their minds.
Cozy was shocked at their generosity. And then she realized that if they weren't frozen in ice yet, it meant there was something very special about the two of them.
"You know, legend says that the Windigos can be vanquished by a powerful flame. One lit by the unification of a true friendship bond between one earth pony, one unicorn, and one pegasus. I'm of course a pegasus, as you can see, but so are you. And your friend is a unicorn which is progress, but there's no earthpony in your little group." Cozy said.
The two fillies looked down, sad.
"Oh..." Cozy said, realizing what their sad expression meant. "Well, we might not be much of an EUP ourselves. We're more of an... UPP?"
The two fillies giggled.
"What? You think what I said was funny? PP? Heh. Even you fillies from the past have a sense of humor? That's nice."
Cozy watched the two fillies giggle. She was surprisingly touched as she watched them laugh. In spite of every member of their tribes being frozen, and the vicious storm above them. The fact that they found reason to just laugh playfully at her unfunny joke truly surprised her in a pleasant way.
"Say, you two aren't so bad. I mean, I barely know you, but still. All I know is that you've been following me around since I got to this place, and my time as Twilight's friendship student taught me that ponies like you probably want to be my friend." Cozy said. "I don't want to see you freeze, so I guess the only way to prevent that from happening is..."
Cozy cleared her throat before her next question.
"Do you two want to be my friends?" she asked.
The two fillies happily nodded, without hesitation.
"Thanks. I don't think it's going to warm anything up, but it's the thought that counts." Cozy said.
Cozy Glow huddled with the two fillies while holding the protective gem, in hopes of protecting the two of them as well.
She would rather freeze with them than be the only living pony in a world of frozen sculptures. As they huddled, they felt each other's warmth, but they also felt the chill of the Windigo spell creeping up on them.
"I'm not sure if it's working. I think I'm out of options anyway. At this point, I'd rather freeze with you two, than be the only one in this world not frozen."
The three huddled closer together, and embraced each other for warmth. They were about to be completely frozen. But this is where the magic kicked in. A light began to emanate from Cozy's forehead, and her eyes started to glow, and then suddenly-
Cozy's mane burst into flames!
"WAH! My mane's on fire!" Cozy exclaimed.
But her two filly friends insisted that this was no ordinary flame. It was a magical colored flame. Cozy recognized what it was, and realized what was happening.
"Wait, this is the Hearth's Warming flame! B-but how? I'm not a unicorn! How is this..."
The two fillies smiled at her. They didn't appear surprised one bit by this anomaly.
The bright flame on Cozy's forehead irritated the Windigos, and made them more vicious, but this was Cozy's chance to make things right.
"Okay, flame. Uh... do your thing and burn out the Windigos?" Cozy said.
The Windigos roared at Cozy Glow, and rallied all together in front of her.
They all combined their forces, and charged a powerful ice spell.
"I don't like the look of this." Cozy said. "But with my friends by my side, I'm sure I'll be fine."
The Windigos fired a powerful ice spell at Cozy Glow and company.
Cozy's eyes turned white, and the flame of friendship ignited into a full burst of flame! Cozy Glow fired the flame from her forehead, and it collided with the Windigo's ice blast. Just as Twilight attempted earlier. The flame was powerful, but just like before, the Windigos slowly built up an edge, and began to overtake the flame.
"It's not enough! Hug me closer" Cozy exclaimed.
The two fillies embraced Cozy Glow tighter. Their added friendship warmed Cozy's heart, and made her flame more powerful. But even with their added warmth, she was still evenly matched against the Windigos.
"It's still barely enough! I don't know if we're going to do it!" Cozy said.
Come on, Cozy Glow. You're so close. You can't let the Windigos freeze you over. There has to be a way to win. How are you gonna defeat the Windigos, Cozy? she thought in her head.
Cozy looked at the clouds behind the Windigos. She recalled what that time traveling pony had done earlier by focusing sunlight to power his time machine, and that's when she came up with an idea.
"I'm gonna defeat the Windigos by doing what I do best. Cheating!" she exclaimed.
"Unicorn! Know anything about parabolic lenses?" Cozy asked.
The unicorn paused for a moment, but then nodded affirmatively.
"Excellent! When I pierce the cloud layer, I want you to focus the sun's rays on the Windigos." Cozy said. "I know it sounds wild, but I think it could work."
With some affirmative nods, their plan was aloft.
Cozy Glow fended off the Windigos, and at just the right moment, she fired a blast of fire at the clouds, which indeed punched through the cloud layer, and exposed the direct sunlight.
"NOW!"
The unicorn manipulated the air molecules high in the sky. She made it twirl around, and form a lens like shape, in order to focus the sunlight into a concentrated beam.
The intense sunlight pierced a single Windigo, and the great concentration of light caused it to immediately vaporize! The unicorn bent the air in order to aim the ray at the other Windigos, and vaporized each of them one by one.
With half of the Windigos vaporized their magic weakened, and Cozy's flame grew in power as it overtook the remainder of them.
"Okay, one final push!"
Cozy Glow gave one final thrust, and fired the remainder of the flame up and into the sky. It burst in the sky, and fell the remainder of the Windigos. The intense heat also pierced through the clouds, and cleared up the sky. For the first time in a long while, warmth and sunlight shined onto the land.
The snow started to melt, and ponies started to unfreeze. Indeed, as the sun bathed the landscape, ponies were freed from their icy prisons. Everypony looked at one another. They had no more fighting spirit left in them, and thus did not continue their fighting or arguing. Instead, they looked at one another, and questioned why they were even fighting in the first place. Pegasus soldiers removed their helmets, the unicorns dissipated any magic aura surrounding their horns, and the earthponies had calmed down.
Seeing everpony unfreeze, and join hooves in harmony warmed Cozy Glow on the inside. She had actually done something meaningful and helped everypony.
Twilight Sparkle unfroze as well. Once she was free, she looked around the area for Cozy Glow. She quickly spotted her on the hill with her two filly friends. Seeing Cozy laugh playfully with two other foals put a warm smile on her face.
Twilight Sparkle flew up to where Cozy Glow and her friends were stationed.
"Cozy Glow?"
Cozy heard Twilight call her name, and was initially startled, but then a bit reserved upon seeing her.
"Did you have anything to do with this?" Twilight asked.
The two fillies smiled, and nodded affirmatively. The unicorn reenacted what had happened, and the pegasus imitated the flames shooting from Cozy's forehead.
"You lit the flame of friendship?" she asked.
"I did? Maybe. So what?!" Cozy hollered.
"You just demonstrated what friendship's power is truly about." Twilight said.
"Really?" Cozy asked.
Twilight nodded.
"Huh. Still, I have no idea how I, a pegasus, teamed up with another pegasus and a unicorn to light the flame of friendship." Cozy said.
Twilight too was puzzled by this conundrum. Seemed to defy everything she knew about the magic of friendship. But as for things she didn't know about friendship...
"You know, the whole EUP thing was... I mean I never attempted to disprove it, so I never confirmed that it was strictly required for it to be that way. It seems though the most important thing is that you believed in friendship." Twilight said. "Even if you didn't think you could, the fact you lit the flame of friendship suggests otherwise."
Cozy again looked down at all the happy ponies below.
"How does it feel?" Twilight asked.
"Helping other ponies, instead of lying and controlling them, feels a little better somehow." Cozy admitted. "Feels better than watching a bunch of pony ice sculptures.
"I was hoping you'd say that." Twilight said.
Twilight thanked Cozy for saving all of Equestria, by giving her a nice warm hug. Cozy was surprised, but chose to accept it. Her two friends joined in as well. Twilight was grateful that Cozy had somehow led, and brought the spirit of Hearth's Warming.
At the base of the field, Twilight flew down with Cozy Glow, and helped down her unicorn and pegasus friends.
"So, your friends got names?" Twilight asked.
"I'm sure they must. But they're mute, so I don't know what their names are." Cozy said.
The tribe leaders came forward to thank Cozy Glow.
"You know, kid. Following your battle strategy was about the worst decision I ever made." Commander Hurricane said.
"Finally you admit it." Private Pansy added.
"You're one to talk, with you and your sudden outbursts." Hurricane said under his breath.
"Did you say something, sir?" Twilight asked.
"So... *ahem* that's why I reckon you oughta stick to making friends." Hurricane said.
"We're the ones who brought about this storm by fueling it with all our bickering, and by the time we realized it, it was almost too late." Princess Platinum said.
"But word on the street is that you're the little chubby cheeks who saved each and every one of us." Chancellor Puddinghead said.
"And for that, we're forever grateful." Smart Cookie said.
Cozy blushed, as she was flattered by the tribe leaders.
"Now, what's this Heart Warming holiday you've been talking about all this time?" Princess Platinum asked.
Twilight looked at Cozy. "My friend here would love to tell you all about." she said.
Cozy Glow and Twilight waved goodbye to everypony. Twilight told the tribe members that they were both travelers from a far away land, and that it was time for them to go home.
Cozy's two filly friends were in good hooves under the wings of Private Pansy.
"So you're actually Cozy Glow, as in, from the future. How did you end up here?" Twilight asked.
"Well, as I said before, I was finally freed from stone, but I think it was too late, and everypony was gone. The only reason I made it here was because I stole a time machine from a mysterious time traveling pony, but I didn't know how to use it, and I ended up here instead of the time period I was aiming for."
"Fascinating. You really have been through a lot. In stone for eternity, and nearly froze here in the past." Twilight said.
"I think it was around here where he was frozen." Cozy said. "This is the place, but it seems he's already left."
"Well, luckily you have me, remember?" Twilight pulled out her scroll. On it, was the spell that sent her into the past, and it also had written on it how to send her back to her regular time period.
"Say, Twilight. From your perspective um... how do I phrase this? How long was I... was I even...?" Cozy tried to ask.
"From the year I'm from, you've been in stone for about three years. Are you ready to return to Equestria, and start your life anew?" Twilight asked.
"Well..."
Cozy Glow was still very anxious. But as she was thinking, a familiar face appeared and greeted the two of them.
"There you are, kid." said the time traveling pony.
"You're still here?" Cozy asked.
"Can't leave without my protective gem." he said.
"Oh, right." Cozy said.
Cozy gave him back his gem, but shrugged when he asked for his blaster back.
"So, kid, I've had about enough of this place. Ready to come with me and continue our investigation into the great extinction?" he asked. "Machine's all fixed, and I'm willing to keep you in check."
"Oh, so you'd rather go with him I see." Twilight said. "Wait, what's the great extinction?"
Cozy Glow weighed her options, and reached a conclusion.
Twilight smiled at Cozy, but then suddenly, she felt an impulse of emotions, and hugged her.
"Please take me with you, Twilight. I miss Equestria *sniff* I don't wanna miss it again. I promise, things are going to be different. Just take me back. I haven't seen it in so long." Cozy wept.
"You were really in stone up until the end of time?" Twilight asked.
Cozy nodded.
We really left her in stone forever, huh. But why? I wouldn't do that... would I? Twilight thought to herself.
"I think having the opportunity to start a new life, and actually be allowed to live my life does sound appealing." Cozy said.
"Then I think you've more than done your time." Twilight said, with a warm smile.
Cozy Glow embraced Twilight tighter, and Twilight hugged back.
"So uh, I take it you found somepony to take you in after all?" the traveler asked.
"Mmm hmm!" Cozy said.
"You know, I'm not too far removed from society to have forgotten what compassion is." he said.
"We won't inconvenience you any longer, sir. Cozy's in good care with me." Twilight said. "Good luck on your search."
"And good luck with whatever you got going on at home." he said. "It's been nice knowing ya, kid."
The time traveler went inside his time capsule, and Twilight and Cozy Glow watched it light up, and quickly vanish into the air. And they never did get his name...
"So, are we good, Twilight? I promise to be good." Cozy said.
"You know, normally it'd be hard to take what you say at face value. But after an amazing display of friendship like that, I think I can take your word." Twilight said. "Ready to see what Equestria's been up to for the past three years?"
Cozy nodded, and put on an affirmative face, assuring Twilight that she was ready.
"I hope we don't cause any time paradoxes by having me from the super far future travel back in time." Cozy said.
"We'll dance around that when the time comes." Twilight winked.
Cozy Glow and Twilight both let out a healthy laugh.
Twilight pulled out a scroll, and used it to cast a spell that sent them back to their proper time in Equestria.
In spite of the chaotic events brought upon by Cozy Glow, Hearth's Warming Eve was established just the way it was meant to. Plus, Cozy Glow found friendship in unlikely places. With her friends from the past, and with the pony who used to be her rival, was now her friend looking out for her. And hopefully it would remain that way. For all time.
Twilight Sparkle and Cozy Glow reappeared in present day Canterlot.
Cozy looked around, amazed at her surroundings. She couldn't believe she was back in a familiar time and place. The green grass and calm weather was a nice change of pace from what she'd grown accustomed to.
"Cozy? Are you alright?" Twilight asked.
"I'm fine... I just never thought I'd see Canterlot again..." Cozy said, amazed. "What a relief it was to see someplace familiar."
Twilight let Cozy wander around the garden, as she trusted her. It was nice and relieving to be able to trust Cozy Glow. As Twilight was in her thoughts, she was awoken by a high pitched shriek.
"AHH!" Cozy Glow shrieked.
"What's wrong, Cozy?!" Twilight exclaimed.
"It's... me!" Cozy exclaimed.
Cozy Glow looked up, and saw the Legion of Doom's statue right before her eyes. Which included the entire trio, including herself.
"Oh no..." Twilight said, in a deep worried tone.
"Why are they here? Why am I still here? I changed my ways." Cozy said.
"My guess is it's probably because even though I brought you back from the past, you're actually from the far future. Nothing we did altered what we did to you three years ago." Twilight said.
"All this time traveling stuff has my head spinning, and has me a bit worried." Cozy said. "We can't just leave her... er... me in stone, can we?"
"I understand, but if we unfreeze her, then you won't end up in the future, and escape to the past like you did." Twilight said. "You might cease to exist!"
Cozy Glow gasped. All her experiences. Everything she learned, and everyway she had changed. All the friends she made, could all be erased if they unfroze Cozy Glow from stone. Such was the cruel consequence of these strange circumstances.
Cozy Glow flew up close to her stone self, but Twilight advised against doing so.
"I wouldn't even touch her if I were you. The smallest actions can cascade into big changes." Twilight said.
Cozy decided to heed Twilight's warning, and merely flew close to her stone self, and observed her. Cozy stared deeply into her own terrified stone eyes. Not everypony got the chance to stare at their stone body.
"Does my mane really look like that?" Cozy asked herself. She tapped her mane, and wondered about what to do.
Twilight weighed her options and thought about what to do. It didn't feel right leaving that Cozy Glow in stone, especially now that she'd seen what Cozy could become. Leaving her in stone didn't seem fair, but it did seem like the easiest solution, without invoking more convoluted time shenanigans. So the next best thing Twilight could do, was attempt to save face.
"How did it feel, Cozy? Being... you know. Was it over before you knew it? Did it feel like a relatively short time? Or do you remember experiencing every second counting by? Did it actually feel like eternity?" Twilight asked. But she got no reply.
"...Cozy Glow?"
Suddenly Twilight Sparkle heard a splash sound.
It was Cozy Glow submerging her head in a fountain of water.
Cozy Glow submerged her head in the water fountain, and then pulled herself out, plashing water everywhere. Her mane was wet, and flowing straight down.
"That felt so terrible, in all the right ways...." Cozy said, untying and removing the yellow bow from her mane.
"Why'd you do that?" Twilight asked.
"Well, if Starlight Glimmer changed her manestyle when she became your friend, I figured I oughta do the same." Cozy said.
Cozy shook her head dry, and splashed Twilight. Twilight giggled, and rolled her eyes in a polite way. More so conveying that she was happy seeing Cozy's playful antics.
"Well, if you want a new manestyle, say no more." Twilight said. "Follow me, Rarity knows a great mane stylist hair who can turn your mane into anything."
"Okay!" Cozy said, joyfully.
Twilight followed Cozy Glow through Canterlot, as they laughed all the way to the mane stylist. The two of them ran around Canterlot, happy to be in each other's company.
This Cozy Glow went on to live fun and a fulfilling life, but unfortunately that meant that they were forced to leave the other Cozy Glow as a stone statue. She was left in place, where she ended up being forgotten... for a long time... until the end of time.
