Cozy Glow prepares to carry out her plan to steal all magic to become the Empress of Friendship. Who will stop her?
Cozy Glow prepares to carry out her plan to steal all magic to become the Empress of Friendship. What is her plan? What are the motives? Will anyone stop her? You will learn about everything in this story!
P.S. Fanfic added to Starlight Glimmer and Luna groups as they is also the main character with an important role in the story.
"Golly, I did it!" exclaimed Cozy, delighted that she had finally sketched all the ritual circles precisely according to Lord Tirek's instructions.
Preparations for the ritual were complete, and at dawn the next day, Cozy planned to recite the activation spell. In three days, all of Equestria would be devoid of magic.
To ensure that the bearers of the Elements of Harmony wouldn't save Equestria again, the pegasus devised a perfect plan to lure them into a trap:
"On the first day of magic disappearance, I'll pretend to remember Tirek. Most likely, the whole group of friends will head to Tartarus to check and interrogate the centaur. Only at the entrance will they discover that the key I gave them is disposable.
The best course of events would be if the heroes, in their haste, overlook this detail, interrogate Tirek, and get stuck in Tartarus during the execution of my plan. But Twilight might figure out that they can't leave Tartarus. It's better for them to return to Equestria empty-hoofed than to be stranded there.
Rainbow Dash and Applejack might suspect a setup. Yet, I'm confident that Twilight will vouch for me and take responsibility for the mission failure, saying something like she should have checked the magical key herself, and I could have made a mistake. After all, I'm just a cute little foal. And even when the Elements of Harmony return, they'll hardly have a chance to stop me," thought the pegasus.
The day after the magic disappearance, journalists would start asking uncomfortable questions to the princesses: "Why did magic disappear? How did it happen? Who's to blame? Why isn't there even a list of suspects? Why was the solution to the magical crisis entrusted only to the bearers of the Elements of Harmony? Princess Twilight, why did you think that the trip to Tartarus and questioning Tirek would be successful?" journalists will be asking. Also journalists, with Cozy's help, would also publish articles accusing the alicorn sisters of excessive cruelty in punishing villains (imprisonment in stone, on the Moon, or in Tartarus – a fate worse than death), a fate Celestia had concealed for over a thousand years. Until Discord and Tirek's return, no one remembered that these villains had previously attempted to conquer Equestria. In the end, the press destroyed the princesses' reputation, and under public pressure, they abdicated.
This is where Cozy steps in. She would offer the young group of international friends a plan, using their national artifacts and her magical runes, to restore all magic. During her return, Cozy would gain enough power to become an alicorn. She would justify her transformation by claiming that Harmony made her a princess for saving Equestria. On the same day, Cozy would release her teachers from the Tartarus trap if they were caught (in our story, Cozy Glow communicated anonymously with the centaur).
Next, the pegasus would have to win the power struggle. Since Princess Cadance ruled the Crystal Empire, the only serious competitor could be Twilight herself. However, after her major failure, she had little chance of seizing the throne, even if she tried. Cozy only needed to prove that, despite her age, she was one of the smartest ponies in all of Equestria and capable of governing the country. Thus, the pegasus would become the sole ruler of Equestria, taking on the title of Empress of Friendship.
"Everything will change soon. I'll become the most powerful pony in the world. And no one, not even Discord, will dare to mock me anymore. All ponies will be my friends, and I'll be the happiest mare in the world!" dreamed Cozy before drifting off to sleep…
And the day of the ritual arrived. Cozy woke up and flew to the basement of the School of Friendship, where the artifacts were already prepared for the ritual.
"It's time!" decided Cozy, about to recite the activating spell when suddenly, a wind blew (in the basement?), and a mysterious voice was heard.
"Are you sure you want to do this?"
"Ah! Golly! Who's there?" the pegasus exclaimed in fear.
"The spirit of magic from the past, that's who!" replied the voice, and suddenly, a ghost in the likeness of Starlight Glimmer appeared from the center of the ritual circle.
"Advisor Starlight? Are you a ghost? Is this some kind of joke?" Cozy asked, frightened and confused about what was happening.
"No, I'm just using the appearance of a powerful unicorn from the past who once used magic for evil. But she has changed, and now it's your turn!"
"What?! Are you here to stop me?"
"And did you think your spell would go unnoticed by influential forces? You've attracted our attention, Cozy Glow, and we are not pleased with your sorcery."
"I'm saving Equestria from evil princesses!" protested the determined pegasus against the uninvited spirit.
"What?!" 'Starlight' was astonished by Cozy's response. "The princesses raise the sun and moon every day! They take care of us, in dreams and in reality!" argued the guest, to which Cozy responded.
"The princesses deceive all of Equestria with a facade of kindness, but their actions show how cruel they are!" And Cozy began to explain her point of view.
"Firstly, when the princesses overthrew Discord, they could have simply destroyed the tyrant or banished him to the moon, but instead, they decided to turn the villain into stone. As their trophy, they placed his statue in the Canterlot Garden, for ponies to mock and laugh at the defeated ruler of chaos, imprisoned in stone until their descendants forgot that the statue was once a fearsome tyrant.
When Discord eventually escaped from his stony prison and almost took over Equestria again, Princess Celestia, fearing the draconequus's escape, decided to 'soften' and teach him about friendship. It was a very risky plan: Discord could easily have stolen the Elements of Harmony. We were very lucky that Discord liked Fluttershy, and for her sake, he chose not to seize power immediately. But the spirit of chaos didn't change much: over time, he betrayed Equestria, joining forces with Tirek, and recently caused terror in our school. I still shudder at those events: I cleaned the hooves of the grumpiest donkey in the world myself; then, the spirit of chaos disrupted Trixie's lesson and frightened me with a ghostly bear, another class will remember the bear cub attack for life, and at the end of the day, he created a real nightmare: he animated armor and paintings, making them attack us.
And everyone seemed to be under a hypnotic spell: Discord was not held accountable for betraying Equestria or causing chaos in the School of Friendship. In the second case, Starlight even had to yield her deputy position to the villain. Fortunately, Twilight and all the professors returned in time! But Discord was not even demanded an apology for the false and dangerous friendship quest or the nightmare in school. There is no doubt that hypnosis is involved. Even when I become the Empress of Friendship, I'll have to pretend to be his friend until I find a way to limit his powers," Cozy trembled, personally knowing the chaos spirit's tricks.
"But let's get back to the princesses. One day, Scorpan, a gargoyle from distant lands, told the sisters about his brother Tirek's plans to steal all the magic from the inhabitants of Equestria. He asked them to stop his brother, but he probably didn't expect the princesses to send the centaur to Tartarus for a thousand years. It's unknown what the princesses told Scorpan afterward, but he never appeared in Equestria again.
Tirek, like Discord, recently escaped from Tartarus and attempted to seize Equestria. But unlike Discord, no one gave him a second chance. I understand that the centaur is a dangerous villain: with great power, he can deprive even Discord of magic. But I also learned Tirek's motives: he just wanted to gain strength so that his father would be proud of him. And the princesses locked him in Tartarus – a prison for monsters, where he has been for over a thousand years. And no one before me even thought to extend a hoof of friendship to him!" Cozy genuinely felt sorry for the centaur, and sadness reflected on her face.
"When I become the Empress of Friendship, I will pull Tirek out of Tartarus and offer him the position of my advisor. I'll even allow him to take a bit of magic from the creatures of the Everfree Forest. And Discord will make sure Tirek doesn't think of new betrayal!" Cozy declared cheerfully.
'Starlight' wanted to express her thoughts on an alliance with a magic-devouring centaur for a moment but decided to withhold and listen to Cozy's further arguments.
“Next, the princesses decided to help the Crystal Ponies overthrow their tyrant. And at the same time, become the new rulers of the Crystal Empire, which happened a thousand years later when the Crystal Ponies recognized Princess Cadance, a former student of Celestia, as their new ruler.
But instead of carefully planning to assist the enslaved empire, which entirely belonged to the dark king in all aspects, the princesses intervened directly and, through brute force, defeated the villain. No wonder Sombra cursed the Crystal Empire under his control, making it disappear with him for a thousand years! And how, after that, do the princesses still consider themselves ‘wise’ rulers, despite this obvious failure? “Cozy couldn't understand.
"And the most important proof: out of jealousy, Princess Luna betrayed her own sister! And instead of helping her sister get rid of the darkness using the Elements of Harmony, as Twilight later did with her friends, Celestia banished her to the moon. And we continue to trust the worst sisters in the world to rule Equestria?" the pegasus exclaimed in outrage.
"Oh, Cozy, you don't know how it really happened!" And ‘Starlight’, using magic, began to show and explain past events:
"Princess Luna was tainted by darkness after the battle with Sombra. She betrayed her sister after becoming Nightmare Moon. And after her return, the princess of the night blamed herself for a long time.
But Celestia had a much harder time: to save the world, she had to use the Elements of Harmony. She hoped to help her sister get rid of the darkness, but without the bearers of the Elements of Harmony, they couldn't handle Nightmare Moon. Celestia had to banish her sister to the moon.
Since then, every day for Celestia ended with a gaze at the moon, full of sorrow and pain. She regretted not seeing the darkness in her sister's soul earlier and couldn't help her. And only a thousand years later, precisely with the return of Nightmare Moon, did the princess find ponies who could unleash the full power of the Elements of Harmony and free Princess Luna. That's how Harmony returned to Equestria. And the Elements of Harmony have saved Equestria more than once!" ‘Starlight’ concluded her magical narrative.
"But we can't always rely on the Elements of Harmony. What if they fail, and all of Equestria is in danger? My plan will point out this obvious flaw in the country's defense against dangerous threats to all ponies. And as the Empress of Friendship, I will address this issue first and foremost!" declared Cozy.
‘Starlight’ pondered before responding:
"Yes, you are right: the princesses are not perfect. And they don't have time even to think about creating such a system of magical defense. They entrust the resolution of crises to the proven heroes of Equestria. Discord is an unreliable ally, and Tirek is still a prisoner of Tartarus. But despite all their mistakes, the princesses are ready to sacrifice even their personal happiness for Equestria!
"But where should I know that you're showing me the real past? And why should I believe that you're the real spirit of magic from the past?" the pegasus asked. ‘Starlight’ sighed heavily.
"I see that you don't trust anyone, Cozy! You consider Celestia and Luna evil, even though you haven't personally met them. For the sake of power, you're willing to betray and expose the Princess of Friendship, who trusts you as much as her friends. And you haven't even told the school friendship counselor how much Discord frightened you. Cozy, I see that you're afraid. I think not only Discord has hurt you in the past; that's why you want to become stronger than everyone. Let's find out where it all started!" proposed ‘Starlight’, and a flash of light blinded Cozy for a moment.
When the pegasus opened her eyes, she saw the old shelter in Canterlot, where she had spent much of her life. Cozy had conflicting memories about this place. And then she heard ‘Starlight’ start singing:
"Look! You used to love princesses. You were friends with a unicorn who admired them," said ‚Starlight‘ as Cozy saw her past self playing with her best friend – a white unicorn with a blue mane and a beautiful name, Bright Shine.
Cozy was pleased to see her best friend from the past again. But she also sadly remembered that their friendship would end in five minutes.
At the shelter
The teacher entered the room with a couple of ponies eager to adopt a foal. For a while, they examined the foals while the shelter worker told them about her wards until their gaze stopped on Cozy's friend. Then they asked the teacher a few questions, after which they decided to adopt the white unicorn with the blue mane.
The teacher called Bright. Cozy from the past didn't want to let go of her best friend, but like everyone else, he wanted to find his family. After talking to his future guardians, the final decision was made that Bright was leaving the shelter. He said goodbye to everyone, but it was especially hard for him to say goodbye to his best friend, who couldn't hold back tears. But he couldn't refuse his family happiness.
"Don't cry, Cozy. Despite parting, we'll still be the best friends in all of Equestria! I'm sure we'll meet again, and you'll find your parents too!" Bright comforted his friend.
"Do you really think so?" Cozy asked, wiping away tears with her hoof.
"I'm sure of it because you're such a wonderful filly. Just don't give up, okay?"
"But who, if not you, will protect me from bullies?"
"I'm sure you'll find new friends who can protect you. Just don't give up, okay? Promise me you'll make friends with someone else!" demanded Bright.
"I promise!" replied Cozy and hugged her best friend tightly one last time before finally letting him go, wishing him happiness in his new family.
On the street
"Since then, we haven't seen each other. And soon, a real nightmare began," replied the pegasus, while ‘Starlight’ moved them into the future, to the day when a new unicorn appeared in Cozy's group, greatly affecting her.
Two weeks later
"Kids, meet Dark Flash. He was transferred to us from the Manehattan shelter due to certain circumstances. Dark is a kind and modest colt. So try to be friends with him!" introduced the teacher, presenting the ten-year-old gray unicorn with a dark mane and leaving the room.
"I want everyone to know right away that I'm not modest or kind at all. I am the strongest unicorn in the entire Manehattan shelter, and now you are obliged to serve me if you want to avoid trouble," Dark suddenly lashed out at everyone.
"But that's not right! Unicorns should use their magic for good deeds!" objected Cozy to the newcomer.
"Really?! And who told you such nonsense?" the unicorn menacingly asked the pegasus.
"Bright Shine – the kindest unicorn in the world!" Cozy fearlessly replied.
"And where is he now?" Dark asked threateningly.
"He was adopted," the pegasus said quietly.
"A couple of earth ponies?"
"Yes, but how did you guess?" Cozy wondered, but the unicorn just laughed.
"Do you not know? This is Canterlot, the city of unicorns. And for Earth ponies to have a chance to stay here, they must have a unicorn in the family. So, I aimed to come here because it's obvious that unicorns in Canterlot are adopted more often than others. And I hate to disappoint you, but you, earth ponies and pegasi, have little chance of finding a family because this is not Appleloosa or Cloudsdale."
"Lies! I will definitely be adopted!" declared Cozy.
"Oh really? Well, let's see! Meanwhile, you will serve me if you don't want trouble!"
"Never!" replied the pegasus and immediately regretted it as she was lifted into the air by the unicorn's magic and flipped upside down. A pillow gagged her while Dark laughed villainously.
"So it will be with anyone who dares to oppose my will. And don't even hope that the teacher will help you: you won't have any evidence, and my revenge will be terrible. Everyone understood? And when all the foals nodded in fear, Dark, smiling satisfactorily, released Cozy to the ground.
"And you too, I think, learned your lesson! It doesn't matter how we behave: whether we pretend to be good, like your best friend, who abandoned you for a better life, or use magic right now to get what we can, like I do. The only power in our world is magic.
Cozy and the other ponies in the room listened to the unicorn's monologue, confident in his words. Meanwhile, Dark continued:
"And it doesn't matter who governs the country: an evil spirit of chaos or supposedly good alicorn sisters. The truth is one: the world is ruled by whoever has the strongest magic. And we are all just pawns for the winner in the endless struggle for power. We are all lucky that the princesses are now benevolent to all ponies. But we must remember that once Princess Luna got angry and became Nightmare Moon. And there are no guarantees that an angered princess, for whatever reason, will not become a threat to all of Equestria. And it is quite possible that one day Princess Celestia herself will turn into a fiery demon. Will Twilight have the courage to stand up to her mentor?
Meanwhile, ‘Starlight’ continued the song, addressing the future pegasus:
Downcast, careless words take their toll,
You stand there, uncertain, in a deep dark hole.
Powerless, emotions running wild,
You decide it's time to change your style.
Unknowingly, you start to seek,
Evil everywhere, your spirit weak.
Resorting to deceit and cunning art,
To strip magic from the enemy's heart.
Cozy sang with a sorrowful tune:
Seeds that grow,
Truth they'll show,
Fears and doubts within me sow.
‘Starlight’ continued with her magical sound:
My verdict is clear,
The outcome is near,
You just want to defend, my dear!
In the shelter
Suddenly, Cozy realized that, unlike distant princesses, the unicorn himself posed a much greater threat now. The pegasus devised a plan: she would not only punish the arrogant unicorn but also make sure he was sent back to the Manehattan shelter. Taking chalk in her hooves, Cozy began drawing magical runes to set up a trap for Dark, while he continued his speech:
"And our fate will always depend on the goodwill of beings with almost unlimited magical abilities. That's why I spend my whole life honing my magical skills on creatures like you, to take my place at the top and not become a plaything for alicorns, the spirit of chaos, or any other tyrant. And your fate is to serve someone like me. Everyone – quickly bow down to me!" commanded the unicorn, and almost everyone complied with his request, except for one pegasus who was adding magical runes with chalk. Dark noticed her:
"Are you ignoring me again?" asked the unicorn menacingly, attempting to grab Cozy with magic. However, the pegasus quickly babbled:
"Golly! Forgive me, Almighty Dark Flash! I dared to disobey you!" The pegasus immediately knelt before the ritual circle. "To atone for my guilt, I dare not rise until you come closer and allow me to kiss your hooves!" Cozy lured the unicorn into the trap.
"Wow! Congratulations, you'll be the first pony to voluntarily give me the greatest honor!" Dark was surprised and, unaware of the trick, approached the pegasus, entering the ritual circle.
At that moment, Cozy struck the top of the six-pointed star with her hoof, and the runes lit up brightly. The ritual magic immediately enveloped Dark, forcing his horn to shoot a magical beam upwards. Piercing through the second floor, the attic of the shelter, it exploded in the sky like a magical fireworks display. Everyone stared in shock at Cozy.
"What have you done?!" shouted the unicorn in anger, attempting to strike the pegasus with magic, but realizing he was magically drained.
"Bright Shine taught me this trick, among many others. Never thought I'd have to draw magic concentration runes to create fireworks indoors, violating safety rules so bluntly. But it was worth it to teach you a lesson!" Cozy smirked triumphantly. At that moment, the door to the room burst open, and the caretaker rushed in.
"Dark Flash! Have you lost your mind?! Your magic almost injured the shelter director! Come with me!" She dragged the ‘culprit’ out.
"I didn't do it! This pegasus enchanted me with magical runes!" Dark tried to justify himself, but the teacher didn't believe him.
"That's the stupidest excuse I've ever heard. Everyone knows pegasi's only magic is weather control. But you, liar, will return to Manehattan!" The door closed, and Dark was out of sight.
The foals immediately praised Cozy for cleverly teaching the troublemaker a lesson. Suddenly, the heroine's flank lit up with a white glow, and a mark resembling a chess rook appeared. The foals congratulated Cozy, thinking she got the cutie mark for defeating the troublemaker. However, Cozy realized her talent was manipulating others, and she would use it to become stronger.
Meanwhile, on the street,
"After some time, I learned about Twilight's school and applied to inquire directly from the Princess of Friendship how to become an alicorn. That's when I found out about the power of friendship," Cozy confessed to the spirit.
"Your past is clear now, but it's time to return to the present!" said ‘Starlight’ and cast the spell again. After a bright flash, Cozy found herself back in the school basement. But the ghostly Starlight Glimmer was now replaced by a radiant, semi-transparent Twilight Sparkle...
"You're not Twilight Sparkle either, right?" Cozy asked the radiant, ghostly Twilight.
"Yes, Cozy Glow, I'm the spirit of true magic, although you can just call me Harmony," replied ‘Twilight’.
"Did my classmates tell stories about you?"
"Yes, Cozy. Friendship is magic, and it's time for you to remember that too. Friendship is not only a power with which you can defeat your enemies. Friends are there so you can share your feelings with them: joy and sorrow, victories and defeats. By sharing your experiences with ponies close to you, you'll not only feel safe but also find happiness."
At this point, Harmony used magic to summon a projection of the Cutie Mark Crusaders.
"Cozy, you've become one of the best friends of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. They even plan to induct you as an 'Honorary Members of the Cutie Mark Crusaders' next week. They'll listen and help you with anything you need. But if you become the Empress of Friendship, you won't be able to truly be friends with them. Are you willing to sacrifice their friendship for power?" Harmony asked seriously.
"I... I have to! The Crusaders don't have the power of the Elements of Harmony; they're not the heroes of Equestria. They won't be able to protect me from a villain!" Cozy justified herself.
"How do you know? Their friendship is so strong that it's no less powerful than the friendship of the Elements of Harmony. And believe me, if any villain threatens you, they'll do everything to protect you."
Harmony began showing images from the past: how the future Cutie Mark Crusaders became friends, how their friendship strengthened, how they started helping other ponies with their cutie marks, and how many friends they have now. Accompanying the story of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, Harmony sang a song about friendship.
It's impossible to break up a firm friendship It never falls apart because of rains and blizzards A real friend never leave you in trouble He never asks too many questions That's what it means to be a faithful, a true friend!
We fight and make up People are joking, "They are as thick as thieves" My friend can help me at midday or at midnight That's what it means to be a faithful, a true friend! My friend can help me at midday or at midnight That's what it means to be a faithful, a true friend!
My friend always can help me out If something happens To be helpful to someone in hard times That's what it means to be a faithful, a true friend! To be helpful to someone in hard times That's what it means to be a faithful, a true friend!
To be helpful to someone in hard times That's what it means to be a faithful, a true friend! To be helpful to someone in hard times That's what it means to be a faithful, a true friend!
Harmony concluded the song with a memory of how the Cutie Mark Crusaders rejoiced in helping Cozy.
"I understand. But it's my destiny: to rule over other ponies!" The pegasus pointed with her hoof to her cutie mark!
“And you’re already doing a great job helping Twilight! Unwittingly, you even helped me test the strength of the friendship of your classmates! Cozy, you can be the best friend. But you must understand that your professors and classmates also have their own thoughts and feelings. The betrayed trust of teachers and friends is not worth any manipulation. Cozy, try to look at your friends as equals to you, and not as pawns in your plans. Even if you think that they are not as smart as you, this is not a reason to be arrogant towards them. Everyone is talented in their own way. Understand this and try to make real friends! And then you will be happy due to the magic of friendship!” Harmony said confidently, smiling.
"But if you realize your plan, everything will disappear!" Suddenly, Harmony exclaimed, disappearing into the mysterious mist.
"Harmony? What are you talking about? I don't understand, explain!" Cozy asked, but the spirit vanished. Then the wind blew. The pegasus tried to find Harmony but suddenly noticed a tall figure in a cloak in the mist...
"Who... are you?" the frightened pegasus asked the new visitor.
The pony turned around, and Cozy saw an alicorn very similar to Princess Luna.
"I am the spirit of magic from the future."
"And you will show me how I become an alicorn?" Cozy speculated.
"No, I have nothing more to show you."
"Why?"
"You will be able to erase magic, as you wanted. But Tirek deceived you: you won't be able to bring it back. You will become neither a hero, nor an alicorn, nor the Empress of Friendship, and our entire world awaits a terrible end!"
"What?!" exclaimed the pegasus, forgetting that Tirek couldn't be trusted. Meanwhile, ‘Luna’ began to sing, revealing the dark future of a world without magic.
Cozy witnessed how the frozen Sun on one side scorched all living things, while the other side of the planet was covered in eternal ice.
"No, you're lying, it can't be true! Tirek wouldn't bring about the end of the world!" Cozy tried to object, though tears were already welling up in her eyes.
"Tirek dreams of escaping Tartarus, even at the cost of death. If he can take the whole world with him, he'd be delighted. And you will help him bring about the end of the world!" ‘Luna's’ ominous prediction froze the pegasus's blood.
"Golly! I didn't want this! I didn't know Tirek would betray me! Please, spirit! I haven't uttered the spell yet! I can still fix everything! Forgive me!" Cozy cried out in fear, realizing the terrible consequences of her actions. In despair, she curled up, yearning to escape the nightmare.
Suddenly, everything fell silent. The pegasus opened her eyes to find herself lying on the bed in her room at the School of Friendship.
"Phew, it was just a dream!" the pegasus sighed in relief, but then jumped in fright when she discovered a note on the table: "Remember, it's up to you to decide the future."
"Golly! So, it was all real! What a horror – I almost caused the end of the world! The spirits were right: not the princesses are evil, but I am! In fact, I was going to betray Twilight Sparkle herself for the sake of power and control. I was so consumed by executing my plan that I didn't think about the consequences. And, like the ultimate hypocrite, I was going to deceive everyone. Was I really going to live with this lie until my death?" Cozy realized that, for the first time in a long while, her conscience had awakened. And she was glad!
"Spirits of magic, wherever you are, thank you! You opened my eyes! I almost betrayed the entire world! I was a terrible pony! But now, I swear, I'll become purer and kinder! I'll forget about betrayal forever!" Thus, Cozy Glow decided to abandon any villainous plans and prove to everyone, especially herself, that she could be a good pony. She flew to the basement to return the artifacts to their place.
Morning at the School of Friendship. Derpy, the mailmare of Ponyville, got distracted and crashed directly into the school emblem, dropping mail for the school. However, Cozy, who was nearby, reacted quickly and managed to catch all the letters.
"Thanks for the mail delivery, and have a wonderful day!" the pegasus thanked the mailmare and headed to Twilight's office. On her way, Cozy picked up and threw away trash from the floor, helped a newcomer find her class, and gave Silver Stream a hint for a crossword. Finally, she reached Twilight's office. As always, the princess was buried in reports.
"Good morning, Director Twilight!" Cozy greeted, handing over the mail.
"Is the mail already here? What time is it? I'm late for the school trip to Cloudsdale!" Twilight panicked, grabbed her bags, and was about to dash off, but the pegasus reassured the alicorn.
"Don't worry, I asked Professor Dash to cover for you."
"And did she agree?"
"Yep! I explained how busy you were, and she agreed to help. I also color-coded your class schedule based on the elements of friendship and created a catalog of magical artifacts in the school," Cozy reported.
"Cozy, this is incredible! You're my right hoof; what would I do without you?" Twilight praised her best student.
"I'm happy to help friends!" Cozy smiled sincerely.
"That's excellent! The trip to Cloudsdale will demonstrate the importance of teamwork! By the way, you can still join your friends," the princess suggested.
"Thank you, but I'd like to discuss a very important matter with you," Cozy suddenly declared.
"I'm listening!" Twilight focused.
"A few weeks ago, you taught us about the defeated villain – the centaur capable of draining magic from any living being. You also told us that Lord Tirek escaped from Tartarus, where he had been imprisoned for a thousand years after the first attack," Cozy began from a distance.
"What are you getting at?" Twilight asked anxiously, recalling the villain who had blackmailed her friends' lives.
"Twilight, although I didn't lose my magic because of him, I disagree with Tirek's punishment. The princesses imprisoned him alongside wild monsters, even though the centaur is an intelligent being. Instead of returning the captured Tirek to Scorpan, his brother, Celestia and Luna decided it was safer to leave the dangerous villain alone in Tartarus for a thousand years. It's no wonder that, like Discord, he returned for revenge. But, unlike the spirit of chaos, even after his defeat, no one tried to teach the centaur about friendship. And I felt sorry for him," Cozy confessed.
"Seriously?!" Twilight was shocked. Thinking about Tirek, she felt fear and anger, never imagining that someone could feel differently about the enemy of all Equestria.
"Yes! I started messaging with him, pretending to be a villain wanting to learn how to steal magic."
"But how could you send a letter to Tartarus? You're not even a unicorn!" Twilight marveled.
"I sent the letter using magical runes. An old friend taught me how to do it. Later, I found out that I became the first pegasus in Equestria's history to master magic. Perhaps no pegasus ever thought we could learn spellcasting through unicorn magical runes. Maybe even earth ponies can use runic magic for spells," Cozy speculated.
"And you kept this a secret?! This is the greatest discovery in Equestria's history! Everything we knew about magic was a lie! Can you imagine how our world will change?! If runic magic is accessible to any creature, everyone can learn magic! It opens up such possibilities that..." Twilight sparkled and, grabbing scrolls, was about to make numerous plans until Cozy placed a hoof on her horn.
"Twilight, calm down! I know this is the greatest discovery for you, but for me, it's a secret weapon against any troublemaker. Admittedly, it's challenging to use runic magic, as it takes time to set up a trap. But if you distract the villain and subtly lure them into the ritual circle, depending on the complexity of the ceremony, you can impose any magical effect: from hiccups, sneezing, and itching for a day to magic deprivation if there's an artifact for absorption. But don't worry, Twilight; I used runic trap only once to teach a wicked unicorn a lesson: the ritual forced the unicorn's magic to burst out of its horn, puncturing the second floor, attic, and ceiling of the shelter before exploding into the sky like fireworks. The director immediately sent the troublemaker back to the Manehattan shelter, and not only did I become the hero of the group, but I also earned a cutie mark for cleverness!" Cozy boasted and, catching her breath, continued.
"The troublemaker wouldn't have fallen into my trap if he knew I possessed runic magic. So, I kept it a secret to protect myself in case I encountered the troublemaker again. I admit I behaved like a selfish pony by hiding the possibility of runic magic from everyone. But now I know – the power of friendship can defeat any villain! And I'm ready to share my knowledge of runic magic with all my friends! "Cozy reassured.
"Oh, Cozy, that unicorn probably scared you a lot. And I'm very proud that you gathered the courage to tell me your secret!" Twilight praised the pegasus. "But sorry, I interrupted you. So, what about Tirek?"
"So, I managed to send a letter to Tartarus. And he replied! Tirek was genuinely surprised that the protection of Tartarus had weakened, and someone from ponies reached out to him for help. He was genuinely happy to teach me ancient magical rituals of magic theft. In return, he asked me to free him when I took over Equestria. And theoretically, I could have done it," Cozy confessed.
"But how?"
"Since I'm a pegasus, I would need artifacts to steal others' magic. And when I listed the artifacts of the School of Friendship, supposedly in my possession, the centaur came up with a grand plan to use a special magical rune to combine the powers of the relics to absorb all the magic in the world. Tirek also gave me instructions on how to return all the magic and, in the process, take a portion sufficient for alicornization. He even warned me to be careful, as too much magic would literally tear me apart. Brr!" The pegasus shuddered, just thinking about it, although she already knew Tirek's real plan.
"Here, by the way, is our entire correspondence with him!" And Cozy calmly handed all the letters to Twilight. The alicorn read everything carefully and then exclaimed:
"I can't believe it! Tirek's plan could indeed have taken away the magic from all of Equestria! I didn't even know our artifacts were so powerful. Even Princess Celestia considered them beautiful trinkets. And the ability to send a letter to Tartarus, the most dangerous criminal – horrifying! Well, thank goodness you learned about this loophole in Tartarus. If a real villain were in your place, it would have been the end of the world, as Tirek lied – after completing the ritual, returning magic from another world would be impossible!" Twilight was shocked.
"Professor Twilight, everything is fine! I'm glad I could help find such a loophole in our security system. But before you fly off to set up protection on the magical artifacts of the school and on Tartarus, I would like to ask you to organize a meeting with Tirek alone."
"What?! Cozy, he wanted to end the world! And you think you can teach him how to be a friend?! " Twilight was surprised once again.
"Now I want to help him even more! The desire to escape from Tartarus, even at the cost of destroying the world, once again proves that the centaur has become a thousand times more evil. I'm even surprised that he didn't go mad over a thousand years! And that's why I'm extending my hoof of friendship to him!" Cozy suggested.
Twilight stood in confusion for a while, but then suddenly hugged the pegasus.
"Cozy, you truly are the best student! I'm so proud of you!" Twilight was happy that her student decided to teach such a dangerous villain as Lord Tirek about friendship.
"Thank you, but all this became possible thanks to you. You, our teachers, have saved all of Equestria with your friendship more than once. And I'm just happy to help you in your work!" The pegasus sincerely replied, deciding to forget her villainous plans like a bad dream.
Meanwhile, an invisible hoof quietly closed the door...
Still invisible to the eyes of outsiders, two ponies teleported from the Friendship School corridor to the dungeons beneath it and lifted the invisibility spell. Suddenly, a radiant ghostly Twilight appeared beside them.
" How did everything go? " Harmony asked with curiosity.
" Excellent! Cozy even confessed to Twilight that she had been corresponding with Tirek and received instructions on how to steal all the magic, clarifying that she was just pretending to be a villain. And I also believe that we should leave Cozy's secret in the past. As a former villain, I assure you – she will do everything to redeem herself! She already knows the basics of strong friendship; she just needs to apply them in practice, " replied Starlight Glimmer.
" I'm also glad I could help the girl avoid the path of envy and betrayal! Let's hope Cozy has learned a lesson for life! " said Princess Luna.
" I must thank you! Princess Luna, without your help, I wouldn't have known what Cozy Glow was planning, " Harmony addressed the dream princess.
" I should be the one thanking you for the warning! Rarely do I peer into the dreams of ponies who don't have nightmares. But the dream of the little pegasus surprised me! Finding a way to send letters to Tartarus, stealing the magic of all Equestria through Tirek's knowledge, deceiving everyone, creating public pressure for us to relinquish power, becoming a hero by returning stolen magic, becoming an alicorn by taking a portion of it, and becoming the ruler of Equestria as the Empress of Friendship – such ambitious plans I have never encountered before. Waking up in a cold sweat, I was about to tell everything to Twilight. But then I remembered how devastating Sunset Shimmer's betrayal was for Celestia. It still hurts the sister to recall their separation. So, I'm glad I decided to consult with you first, Starlight! Your plan on how to use the Hearth's Warming Eve tale to help Cozy is brilliant! " Luna praised the unicorn.
" As advisor to the Friendship School, I had to get to the bottom of the problem first: it's not every day that Princess Luna herself declares that the school's top student is a villain who has come up with an ingenious plan to seize power by stealing magic from all of Equestria. I didn't want to believe you at first, but the artifacts and runes in the basement, Cosy's correspondence with Lord Tirek - the evidence of her guilt shocked me. I even thought that underneath Cosy's mask was Queen Chrysalis herself, back for revenge. But the spell revealing the changeling/'s true nature didn't work! - Starlight shared the details of her investigation.
" Good assumption. I would have thought the same, but Chrysalis's dreams are not accessible to me, " Luna noted.
" Yes, I had to admit the fact: a 12-year-old pegasus – the youngest and most dangerous villain in the history of Equestria, had a working plan to steal magic. And then I guessed that Cozy Glow had trouble in the shelter and that the desire for power and control was driven by the need to protect herself from any threats.
" And you were right! " Harmony smiled at the unicorn.
" I admit I was shocked when you came up with the spell to view pony memories! " Luna praised the unicorn.
" I had already traveled to the past in reality. And with your help, I figured out how to do it in a dream! " Starlight replied. " Princess Luna, may I ask you: is Cozy's plan really so dangerous?"
" Yes, Starlight! And Cozy, despite her age, should have seen all the terrible consequences of her actions to understand what lies and betrayal lead to. Though I don't believe that no one would have stopped her, " Luna declared.
" Will the artifacts and Tartarus be under reliable protection now? " Harmony asked.
" Yes! I'm sure Twilight will most likely return the real artifacts to the storage in our castle. Honestly, I don't understand how Celestia and Twilight even came up with the idea of using real magical artifacts in lessons! " Luna exclaimed in frustration.
" I'm starting to suspect that Discord is involved. The artifacts were given to us a day before the spirit of chaos sent our friends on a false friendship quest, only to later wreak havoc at the school. And then I remembered that Discord was never punished for betraying Equestria, as all his pranks go unpunished, and how I even offered him the post of my deputy without realizing that all the students were terrified of his ‘jokes.’ Maybe Cozy is right about Discord's hypnosis? " Starlight suggested.
" I think you should discuss this issue with Twilight and Fluttershy. And I need to convince my sister that it's too early for her to retire and hand over all power to Twilight, " Luna replied.
" What?! " Starlight exclaimed, and Harmony's eyes widened.
" My sister has been governing Equestria for over a thousand years. She's tired and wants to retire with me to make up for the lost time due to our separation. But, I think, first, Twilight needs to learn to handle artifacts carefully and gain experience in leadership as the headmare of the Friendship School before we discuss transferring power over all of Equestria to her. Moreover, the widespread integration of runic magic promises many problems that my sister will have to calmly resolve. And at night, I will continue to protect ponies from new nightmares, " shared the princess's future plans.
" And I'll keep an eye on the Friendship School and Cozy! " promised Starlight.
" Princess Luna, Starlight Glimmer! You are the first, after the young six students of the Friendship School, with whom I am talking. I didn't even believe that I would have the strength to find Luna in the realm of dreams. But here you are! Thanks to you, I've become even more alive than ever before. Perhaps soon I'll be able to leave these dungeons, personally meet the Elements of Harmony, and start traveling across all of Equestria to make many new friends. Thank you, my friends! " at this point, Harmony briefly became a real pony and hugged Starlight and Princess Luna.
***
Many years later, Equestria was unrecognizable. Runic magic found numerous applications, mainly as a means to teleport any object to any point in the world. Runes could be studied at home using a textbook, but everyone dreamed of learning ritual magic from the best masters in the field – Friendship School professors Cozy Glow and Tirek.
Yes, dear reader, Tirek didn't want Cozy to stop communicating with him and accepted her hoof of friendship. Over time, he realized that he couldn't deceive the clever Pegasus. But, despite the lack of gain, he continued to communicate with Cozy: contrary to his expectations, Cozy was interested in his knowledge of runic magic and very rarely talked about friendship and the need to forgive her enemies. Over time, the centaur realized that he genuinely enjoyed teaching runic magic to the Pegasus. And when, after a year of their friendship, Cozy suggested that Tirek give up revenge and magic theft, and instead of languishing in Tartarus, become a teacher of runic magic, he agreed. For a while, he had to teach with limiters on his horns, but when Cozy convinced them to remove them, the centaur realized that he couldn't deprive his students of magic and betray his best friend.
Harmony, with the help of Starlight Glimmer, who arranged tours for her into the dungeons, was soon able to leave the dungeons and become a new celebrity in Equestria. Harmony, as promised, briefly stayed in Ponyville before embarking on a journey across all of Equestria.
And one day, she met Chrysalis. The former queen wanted to run away, but Harmony caught her and showed her how friendship helped changelings: instead of hunting for the love of other beings and surviving from day to day, changelings were happy to share their love. "If friendship is a disease, then it's the weirdest infection in the whole world!" Harmony presented reasonable arguments. And Chrysalis finally realized that she had behaved foolishly, frightened of change and decided to take revenge on those who made all changelings happy. The former queen returned to the hive to her children and one day transformed when she realized that she loved her children.
Discord also mellowed after Twilight, Fluttershy, and Starlight talked to him, reminding him that he had not been punished for the chaos at school. Discord had to fulfill the wishes of the Friendship School students all day under the supervision of Fluttershy. And since the Pegasus promised to put him under house arrest for a whole year in her cottage for similar ‘jokes’ next time, Discord no longer frightened ponies. Well, except for the rooms of fear, of course.
And finally, let's find out the fate of the main characters. Twilight did become the head of Equestria after all. But she is assisted in governing the country by her friends, forming the Supreme Friendship Council. Applejack is responsible for agriculture; Pinkie Pie – for leisure and entertainment; Rarity – for culture and art; Rainbow Dash – for sports and the country's defense; Fluttershy – for nature and ecology; and Twilight – for friendship, both in Equestria and beyond.
And you can learn about friendship, hear many interesting stories, and gain knowledge in various disciplines at the Friendship School in Ponyville, which is led by another savior of Equestria – Starlight Glimmer. And at the doorstep of the school, you will be greeted by one of the friendliest ponies in all of Equestria – Cozy Glow. The vice headmare will give you a tour and tell you what you will learn at the Friendship School.
