It was safe to say, life could be going better for the filly felon otherwise known as Cozy Glow. One minute, she was on the verge of ruling the entirety of Equestria by manipulating those pathetic ponies into giving her exclusive rights to all the magic in the world. A few sacred artefacts and a magical medallion was all it took to stand on the precipice of glory. She woulda gotten away with it too, if it weren't for those meddling students of friendship.
Now she languished piteously in her tiny cage at the heart of Tartarus, right next to a loudly slumbering three-headed mongrel and a constantly complaining withered old centaur. Because of her relative youth, her final sentence was an indeterminate one: as soon as she showed a singular drop of genuine empathy for her 'grievous' crimes, there was talk of her 'beginning the long path to redemption', or at least being transferred to a less foul location.
Fat chance of that, she thought angrily, the only thing that keeps me from going stir crazy is plotting the downfall of those that have wronged me. I'll get out of here, one way or another, and have my vengeance. In this life, or the next. You'll see... they'll all see...
"Visitor!" An unexpected clarion call halted the brooding filly's current train of thought, and she glanced up with intrigue at the designated guard's sudden announcement as he entered the prison area.
"Not that blasted Discord again, coming to gloat about his freedom and his friends! I keep telling him over and over again, I don't care! I don't miss anything about life outside! N-Nothing w-whatsoever..." Despite Tirek's desperate claims to the contrary, the tremor in his voice indicated he perhaps wasn't entirely being 'on the level' with his sworn testimony there.
"Not you, her!" The stallion sentry's barked reply piqued Cozy Glow's interest even more, and she quickly went through a list of possibles as to who this unheralded visitor could be. Twilight? No, she's still busy cleaning up the mess I made at the university, Tee hee. My lawyer? Probably not, given my absolute refusal to cooperate with the authorities so far. Wait just a second. I-It couldn't be my p-par...
Before Cozy Glow could finish her anxious mental prediction, the prompt arrival of her unfamiliar guest wiped out all other probables in her head. The young arrival was about her age, a pink filly just like she was, though that of a slightly starker hue. She wore a decorative tiara on the top of her head, which oddly enough matched her given cutie mark. Why this complete stranger would have just cause to visit 'The Most Dangerous Child In The World' (lead headline on Equestria Daily, she was particularly pleased about that) remained a total mystery, but whatever her reasons, the curious convict was about to find out what they were.
"Hello, Cozy Glow. My name is Diamond Tiara. You don't know me, but if everything my friends the Cutie Mark Crusaders have told me is accurate, then I think I know you pretty well already." The visiting filly cast an uneasy glance at the napping Cerberus nearby, wrinkling her muzzle a bit at his stinky dog-breath, before returning to Cozy Glow. "I have come today because I sense a slight kindred spirit in you, though even at my worst, I don't think my deeds approached what you managed to almost pull off."
"Let me guess: you're an ex-bully who thinks you can teach me a 'better way'. Well thanks, but no thanks. Especially if that trio of goodie-four-horseshoes put you up to this farce." Cozy Glow slumped into the back of her cage, already sick of the countless lectures and pep talks she'd forcibly received from representatives of the Reform Committee. "Whatever you think we might have in common, it's just an illusion. All I have to do is take a look at that stupid Cutie Mark of yours, which I assume means you're destined to be a 'perfect pretty princess', to figure that much out. What would you know about endless ambition, a lust for power, the urge to want more every single day..."
"Quite a lot, actually." Diamond interrupted without skipping a beat, as she made herself as comfortable as possible on the cold stone floor. "Well, most of that naive attitude was planted by my mother of course, and you might say I was just at that age when I went along with it. But I'm not using her alone as an excuse... I went along with her instructions whole-heartedly, and I even enjoyed causing other fillies and colts suffering sometimes. But after a failed campaign to become school president, losing my BFF in the process and a public shaming by my mother in the middle of town, that's when I finally realised all my horrible actions were for nothing. Without good friends to guide you and support you when you need them the most, life can be very lonely and sad. I don't include 'friends' earned by intimidation or power, either."
"Pfft, I've heard it all before! Everypony's got a sob story about their past, do you really think yours' makes you special or unique in any way? You ought to hear what went on between my parents and me, it'd have you weeping 'til Hearth's Warming Eve!" Cozy Glow let out a gallows laugh at this juncture, before promptly addressing Diamond with a straight face again. "I do agree with you on one thing, though: friendship is indeed a 'great' thing. Not to pursue good will with inferior beings as you say though, but as a useful tool with which to rule over others. That's the kind of influence I've been chasing all my life, and that's something I'll never give up on, no matter how much they try to break my spirit in this miserable place which doesn't even have any soft toilet paper."
"Oh, is that so?!" Despite Diamond's attempts at maintaining a serious expression, a wry look crept across her features at what she'd just heard. "I suppose this is the right time to inform you as any, you couldn't be more wrong about the definition of my Cutie Mark. The tiara on my flank gives me the ability to be a natural born leader, for good or for ill. Up until very recently, I've been using it for my own selfish desires, or those of my demanding mother. It took an undeserved intervention from three very special fillies to get me to 'see the light', and I think you know who I mean. I must admit, when they told me how you pulled the wool over their eyes about your true intentions, part of my old self was impressed at how you did it so effortlessly. Let me guess: that chess master symbol you have there helped out with that well-planned scam, am I right?"
Cozy Glow wasn't quite sure whether she fully believed Diamond's claims or not, but she was usually pretty good at picking up lies (being a decent deceiver herself). And there were not hints of insincerity emitting from the earnest filly in front of her. "You're telling me, you have such a great talent, and you choose to waste it on 'helping' others? That makes you an even bigger loser than I first thought! You could have it all in one day, by simply telling others what to do and getting them to follow you wherever you go. Instead, you're wasting it on assisting a bunch of useless also-rans who could never achieve a fraction of what we're both capable of! I bet you're filthy rich too, judging by how expensive that crown you wear on your head must be. You possess so much money and privilege, and yet I bet you choose to squander it all on nobodies. That makes you a double loser. I don't say this of everypony, but you have my pity."
Diamond resisted the urge to point out Cozy Glow's unintentional utterance of her beloved father's name there, and instead removed her tiara to examined it closely. "I could say the same of you, Cozy Glow. There you were, with a great job working under Princess Twilight and having superb skill at organising things and helping to keep the university run like clockwork, not to mention all the good you could do strategising for the sake of the nation with that powerful mark of yours. In one swoop though, you go and ruin it all on a hopeless, petty scheme to become 'The Empress Of Equestria'. I believe those were the exact words you used during the trial, right? What a shame, but I suppose everypony makes their own choices in life. Like I chose to become a help to the community and a loving friend, instead of a hate-filled nuisance always getting in other ponies way. As for my wealth, however..."
It was at this point that Diamond took the unanticipated step of firmly pushing her tiara through the narrow cracks in Cozy Glow's cage, so that it plonked on the base with a metallic thud. "...This is how much my money means to me now. Take it with my regards, and let this tiara be a constant reminder to you that wealth and status does not guarantee you either long-lasting happiness or long-term friendships. Of course, like my mother who bought me that blasted thing and forced me to wear it every single day to show off my 'superiority', you don't understand how important those things are yet, but you will. One day. In the meantime, I'll be on my way because my butler will be waiting for me. I'll return soon though, and next time, I may even be accompanied by a crusading daredevil pegasus, musical unicorn and trainee farmer. I have a feeling they want to say or even sing a few things to you themselves, but I don't want to steal their thunder in advance. Something to look forward to, then. Bye for now, and I hope you at least try to think about what I told you!"
But as Diamond trudged down the long road back to civilisation, the cunning Cozy Glow's thoughts weren't focused on possible rehabilitation or even shouting her customary stream of insults to the retreating crown-less figure.
Nope, her eyes were squarely focused on the freshly donated piece of jewellery in her cage, a crafty plan already being hatched at the subconscious level.
Now, let's see. All I have to do is take one of the prongs of this tiara, stick it in the lock, turn it like so, and voila! My condescending visitor has become an unwitting pawn in my ambition to blow this joint. Oh irony of ironies! Later on, I can sell it to help finance my own private army, then I'll march into Ponyville and...
Alas, her no doubt brilliant scheme was about to unravel before it really began, as the same stallion guard from earlier swiftly came over to snatch the valuable item from the stretching hooves of Cozy Glow.
"What did I tell you when you first arrived?! Inmates are to have no personal possessions whatsoever! Now stop with the internal monologuing, or you won't get your ration of bread and water for dinner!" He harshly reprimanded the seething filly, whilst a clearly amused Tirek in the background couldn't help but laugh uproariously at her tragic plight.
Nuts.
Author's Note
This is my second fic based around the events at the end of School Raze, and you could say it's even closer to my heart since it features my favourite filly in a prominent role. I actually came up with the idea before I saw the image, but the picture gave me added inspiration I just had to use in the story.
Anyway, hope you enjoyed reading it. Bye for now! 
