What You Deserveby DarkHoovesChapters1 - Banishment2 - On Foot3 - Baggage4 - Comforts5 - Heart to Heart6 - Reflection1 - BanishmentCozy Glow fell through the portal with a thud. Twilight Sparkle stepped out seconds later. Sparing a single glance at the little girl on the ground, she addressed Sunset. ”Are you absolutely sure you want to do this, Sunset?” Sunset nodded. “I said I wasn’t going to change my mind and I haven’t.” With that confirmation, Twilight turned to the girl. “This is your last chance. And I truly mean it, Cozy Glow. The only reason you’re here is because Sunset asked me so if you don’t want to join Chrysalis and Tirek in the Royal Gardens, you better not waste it.” “Oh, believe me, Princess! I won’t waste this opportunity,” Cozy Glow spat back. “One day you’ll regret ever showing me mercy!” Twilight opened her mouth to retort, but Sunset interrupted her. “Twilight!” She glared. “Please leave.” Twilight paused at the look Sunset was giving her, but eventually nodded. “I’ll leave her to you then. Just remember to be careful and contact me if anything happens.” “Count on it,” Sunset replied. Twilight didn’t catch the sarcasm in her voice. Once Twilight had returned through the portal, Sunset kneeled next to Cozy Glow. “Are you alright?” she asked. Cozy Glow was in varying stages of panic. She hadn’t really thought much when Twilight had told her she would be banished from Equestria and placed in somepony else’s care. Not even when they had brought her to the mirror. But they hadn’t told her that her body would be transformed… “Cozy Glow, listen to me! You need to calm down!” “I can’t feel my wings anymore…” Her voice cracked and tears began dripping down on the asphalt below her. Sunset crouched down and gave her as tight of a hug as she dared. “I know, I know,” she whispered and began stroking her back. It took her a while to calm down enough to start processing her new situation. “What am I?” she finally managed to croak out. “You’re a human,” Sunset replied and started moving away. “They’re the dominant species in this world. The only one in fact, which is why the portal transforms you into one.” Her expression turned sorrowful. “Unfortunately, they don’t have wings or magic.” Cozy let loose a broken laugh at that. No magic. So that’s why they sent her here… She gave Sunset a quick look over. “And who are you?” “My name is Sunset Shimmer,” she said and smiled. “I used to be a pony just like you. I’ll help you get sorted here.” So this was her new jailor. If she’d been tasked by the princess to look after her, she’d already know the things she’d done to get sent here. That meant there was no need to get coy with her. She got up onto her hands and knees, quickly noting that her hind legs were twice as long as her front ones. She needed to get upright somehow... “Here. Let me help you,” Sunset said and reached out a hand which got swatted away by the girl. “I don’t need your help!” She spotted a nearby bench and started crawling towards it. Using it for support, she managed to get up on her new legs. “You’re doing great, Cozy!” Sunset cheered as she walked up to her. “Walking on two legs is tricky to get used to. Just let me--” “I said I don’t need your help!” She moved to take a step forward, but not knowing how to properly distribute her weight caused her knees to buckle and she collapsed into Sunset’s arms. “I hate this! Why did you have to change me into this thing? Why couldn’t you just let me rot in that stupid dungeon!?” Sunset hugged her a little tighter. “Don’t talk like that… You’ll get through this. I know it’s a lot to take in all at once, but I’ll help you.” Sunset moved to stand beside her. “Just follow my movements slowly. I’ll hold on to you until you get the hang of it.” Keeping a steady grip on Sunset’s arm, she slowly began to move her legs. Each stumble she made was quickly parried by Sunset. Slowly, they made their way from the statue and onto the street. “My apartment is awhile from here, but we’ll take it slow and steady,” Sunset explained. “No need to rush.” Cozy nodded and focused on getting used to this new way of walking. Author's Note 2 - On FootCozy Glow was getting better and better at walking on two legs. She probably could manage without Sunset’s help by now. But she still kept holding onto her hand. She’d never admit it to anyone, but this new environment scared her. It was loud, smelled awful, and everything zoomed past them so fast she could barely move her neck in time to see it. But the worst thing was the other humans. There was just so many of them! No matter where she looked, her field of vision was filled with these strange creatures. If they had banished her here for almost taking over Equestria, then what had all these done to end up here? Unconsciously, her grip on Sunset’s hand tightened. “I something wrong, Cozy?” Sunset asked. After a short moment of weighing her options, Cozy decided to bite the bullet and ask directly. ”Are all these ponies prisoners too?” “No,” Sunset replied. “They’re not ponies. They’re humans born in this world. Now, there are some Equestrians who live here, but those are few and far in between.” That relieved her somewhat. “And this isn’t actually a prison,” Sunset continued. “Equestria just have a bad habit of dumping its criminals here.” “Like us?” Cozy deadpanned. “In a way, yes. Though, I wouldn’t exactly call us prisoners.” “Why not? Would you be here if you didn’t have to?” “Of course!” Sunset smiled at her. “I live here now. It’s my home.” Cozy snorted at that. “Well I can’t leave, can I? So by definition, that makes me a prisoner!” Sunset mumbled something to herself, much too low for Cozy Glow to hear. They kept walking a while longer until Sunset pointed to a glass cubical next to a sign with some numbers on it. “That’s the bus stop,” She explained. “Just in time too! It’ll make the trip easier for us.” Several other humans stood about the area, but Sunset made sure to stay a few meters away from them. Interestingly, everyone at the spot kept some distance from each other as well, never talking or even acknowledging each other existence. Nothing like what Cozy Glow was used to back in Equestria. Then the bus arrived. It was a huge, loud thing, with every window filled with humans. The doors opened with a loud hiss, causing her to instinctively cover her ears. The mere thought of stepping into it made her stomach churn. Once everybody else had gotten on, Sunset turned to her. “I know it looks scary, but it’s really safe, if a little cramped.” “I am not getting on that thing!” She declared. “Are you sure? We’re still a long walk away from my apartment.” “I don’t care! I’m still not getting on that thing with those disgusting, stinking creatures. It’s bad enough that I have to be around you!” Sunset didn’t look the least bit offended at her choice of words. In fact, she smiled at her. ”That’s okay, Cozy. I’m not going to force you if you don’t want to.” She turned to the driver. “Sorry to keep you waiting, but we changed our minds. We won’t be going with.“ The driver closed the bus door with a grunt of annoyance. The bus made a loud growl as it drove away. When it disappeared around the street corner, Sunset crouched down in front of her and gave her a short hug. “Sorry about that, Cozy. I didn’t think about your feelings at all. I should have realised it sooner.” As far as Cozy could tell, Sunset looked genuinely concerned for her. But she didn't understand why. Sunset was her jailor. She shouldn’t care about her. This had to be some sort of trick! “Whatever! Let’s just go,” she said as she walked away. Author's Note New chapters coming next week. 3 - BaggageCozy Glow had never been the most athletic pony. Especially not on foot. All this walking was beginning to take its toll on the little girl. Her breathing became more laboured with every step she took. “Would you like to take a short rest?” Sunset asked. Cozy ignored her and picked up the pace. “Seriously, Cozy. You don’t have to push yourself so hard.” “I’m fine,” she replied. But she could only keep it up for another block or so before she ran out of steam and collapsed next to a nearby trashcan. “How far…Is it… Left…?” She managed to wheeze out in between breaths. “I’m sorry, Cozy, but we’re still about halfway there.” “Halfway!?” Every muscle in her legs hurt. Muscles she’d literally never had before. There was no way she could walk that amount of distance again! Sunset placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Let’s rest here for a bit.” She looked around the area. “If I remember correctly, there should be another bus stop somewhere--” “No! I’m not taking another step!” Cozy stomped her foot for emphasis, which would have made her fall over again had she not already been leaning on the trashcan. Sunset bit her lip. She should have had the foresight to borrow a car from one of her friends. But she couldn’t exactly call and ask them to pick her up now. Not with Cozy’s history with their Equestrian counterparts. Flash Sentry might work. But given her reaction to the bus, she doubted Cozy would appreciate it anyway. Sunset certainly didn’t have fond memories of her first car ride… “In that case, how about I carry you?” She suggested. Cozy whipped her head up in surprise. “What…?” “I’ll carry you on my back!” Cozy shook her head. “Nu-uh! You’re not carrying me! I-I can still walk…!” She tried to wobble away, but only managed to get a few steps before her legs gave out again. Sunset kneeled in front of her and grabbed hold of her legs. “Here. Put your arms over my shoulders.” Too tired to struggle, Cozy was forced to oblige. “Don’t worry. I won’t drop you,” Sunset said as she rose up. She shifted the new weight on her back a little to get a feel for it. “Whoa, you’re really light,” she noted. “Must be because you’re a pegasus.” Cozy didn’t respond, being too busy resigning herself to the humiliation of being carried like a little foal. The looks they got from the people around them didn’t help. “What’s that like by the way?” Sunset asked after a few minutes of walking. “Being a pegasus, I mean.” “Don’t you know?” Sunset shook her head. “Nope! I was a unicorn!” Cozy hadn’t considered that. She had just assumed she was a pegasus like her. She had never liked unicorns. They all thought they were so special just because they had magic! “Must have been nice to be able to fly wherever you wanted,” Sunset continued. “Soaring through the sky and looking down on the landscape below you.” “I guess,” Cozy replied. “Not that I’ll ever get to do that again…” Sunset quickly changed the subject. She kept up the conversation the whole way, telling her a little about herself and pointing things out along the way. Cozy stayed silent for most of the time, sometimes giving few-worded replies. She just didn’t know why Sunset bothered with this getting-to-know-each-other charade. Author's Note Sorry about the chapter. Next one's coming in a few days. 4 - Comforts“We’re here!” Sunset stopped in front of one of the buildings. It didn’t look anything special. In fact, except from the slightly different colour, Cozy couldn’t differentiate it from any of the other buildings they had passed until now. Still carrying her on her back, Sunset walked through the entrance and a flight of stairs until they ended up in front of a door with Sunset’s name written on a piece of tape over the mail drop. “I need to unlock it,” Sunset said. “Are you okay standing on your own?” Cozy yawned and nodded. The apartment was pretty much exactly how she imagined it to be. The front door opened into a small living/kitchen/dining area combo furnished only by a sofa standing in front of a small table and a weird black box on the left side, and a dining table with chairs in the far right in front of the kitchen portion. Some paint cans and a couple of cardboard boxes littered the floor to the left of her. The thought hit her that Sunset may not be a jailor at all. Maybe she was just a fellow prisoner who was forced to take care of her. The overall look of the place certainly reflected it. Noticing her judgemental expression, Sunset gave her an apologetic look. “I know it looks bad... After I started repainting the walls, I only moved the essential furniture here. Most of my stuff’s at my old apartment.” “So I get to live in this dump while you go back to your real home,” Cozy summarised. “Got it.” “Of course not,” Sunset replied with a smile. “I’ll live her too!” “But you just said--” “I said I only moved the essentials. The rest is coming here too. Soon as I finish painting the old walls.” Sunset pointed at the wall to the left, which was a different, much uglier colour. “Then why not just keep everything in the old apartment? Why get this one at all?” “Because it wasn’t big enough,” Sunset explained. “It was only a one bedroom studio apartment, barely large enough for me.” She clapped her hands. “Now, before I show you around, I’d like to ask if you’re hungry.” Cozy shrugged and mumbled something non-committing. It was true that she was hungry. She hadn’t eaten anything since this morning, and even then, it hadn’t been much. But she wouldn’t admit that to Sunset. She’d probably force her to make her own food. “Well I’m starving,” Sunset declared and pulled out a flat, stone-looking thing from her pocket. “I’m thinking pizza, unless you dislike cheese or tomatoes?” Cozy shrugged again. She didn’t know what pizza was, but it couldn’t be worse than the slop they gave her in the Canterlot dungeons. “Great!” Sunset kept playing with the thing some more before returning it to her pocket. ”Well, you’ve pretty much seen everything in the living area. Let’s show you the rest of the building!” Sunset lead her into a hallway with two doors on each side. The first one to the left was the bathroom where she explained how to use everything in embarrassingly thorough detail. The second one was a small storage room. “The ones on the right are the bedrooms,” Sunset explained and opened them. “I didn’t know which one you’d like so I kept them exactly the same. Which one would you--?” “I don’t care,” Cozy interrupted and walked into the one closest to her. The room was completely empty, save for the bed standing at the end of the room under its only window. “Then this will be your room,” Sunset said “I want you feel safe here, so I won’t be entering unless you give me permission, and I ask that you show me the same treatment. If you ever feel like getting away – either from me or anything else – you can lock the door like this.” She showed how the mechanism worked. “Just give me a heads up if I call for you, so I know you’re safe.” “Gee, thanks.” Cozy gestured to the big, empty space. “I’ll be sure to spend as much time in here as I possibly can…” Sunset looked devastated. “Forgive me for showing it to you like this... I wanted to get this ready before you got here, but I didn’t have enough time to set this up.” She put a hand on Cozy’s shoulder. “But I promise I’ll help you make it just the way you want it! You can pick any colour you want the walls to be, and tomorrow I thought we could buy all the things that you’ll need. And if you see some that you’d like, we’ll get it!” Cozy just rolled her eyes. Again with the pretending… The doorbell sounded before she could voice any concerns. Sunset immediately walked to the door. Cozy waited a few seconds before following. When she made her way to the living area, Sunset had already closed the door, holding two flat, white boxes in her arms. “What’s that?” Cozy asked. “It’s the pizza!” Sunset carried the boxes to the kitchen area and put them down on the dining table. “I ordered you a plain Margherita one,” she said as she brought out a knife and began to slice each into smaller pieces. Cozy sat down and stared at the strange smelling food. “What is it?” “It’s bread with tomato sauce and melted cheese on top!” Sunset picked up a slice of her pizza, rolled it up and wolfed it down in seconds. Cozy awkwardly picked up one of the smaller slices and rolled it up just like Sunset had. Taking a small bite of it, she couldn’t stop her eyes from widening. It actually tasted really good! “See?” Sunset smiled. “Eat as much as you like, but try not to make yourself sick. There’s no shame in leaving some for later.” She got started on her next slice. “Infact, that’s the beauty of pizza.” Cozy carefully took another bite. There had to be a catch somewhere… Maybe she was about to get poisoned? Something that only started working after you’ve ingested enough. “But if you’re still hungry afterwards, I got ice cream in the freezer.” Yep. It’s poison alright. Why else would you ever give a prisoner ice cream? Author's Note Here's the floorplan to Sunset's apartment if anyone cares: Final two chapters coming next week! 5 - Heart to HeartLater that evening, both of them sat in the sofa watching the somehow-not-magic box, sharing a bowl of salty potato shards. Cozy chuckled every time one of the humans on the screen insisted on wearing a high hat and sunglasses every place he went, no matter how ridiculous or out of place it looked. She was about to reach for another handful of chips when she realised something. She was actually enjoying herself! Something was wrong here… “What is going on…?” She asked out loud. Sunset pointed to one of the characters on TV. “Well, that guy is secretly a robot who--” “No, I meant this! Why do you keep acting like this? Why are you being so nice to me?” Sunset didn’t say anything as her expression changed to dead serious. She muted the sound on the television and moved to sit down on the table, in front of her. “I’m being nice to you because you deserve it, Cozy Glow.” … For once in her life, Cozy was completely speechless. She had always had a response to everything anyone had ever said to her and yet now she didn’t know what to say. “Wha… What…?” She desperately racked her brain for anything that could possibly explain Sunset’s motivation, but no answer came to her. “Because you deserve it,” Sunset repeated, as if it was the surest thing in the world. Cozy couldn’t believe what she was hearing! Why was she telling her this? What angle could she possibly have? “You… You don’t know what you’re saying! Do you have any idea what I've done…? I’m evil!” Sunset nodded in response. “Yes, you have done some horrible things, but you’re not evil, Cozy. You’re just misguided.” “What!?” Cozy Glow rose from the couch in fury. “No I’m not!” she screamed. “I read up on how to steal all of Equestria’s magic! I convinced Tirek to help me! I tricked everpony at the School of Friendship, including Twilight Sparkle! I got Tirek and Chrysalis working together, and I even got sent to Tartarus! I did that! Me!” Sunset still sat there with serene smile on her face. Completely calm, despite Cozy’s outburst. “And why did you do all that?” She asked. “To establish myself as undisputed Empress of all Equestria, of course!” “And then what? All of Equestria bows to you. Now what do you do?” “Whatever I wanted!” “What about the sun and the moon? Who would have moved them once you’ve drained Celestia and Luna of their magic?” Cozy though about it for a moment, but quickly came to the only real answer. “I would have!” “Keep in mind that you’re a Pegasus who’s never studied or practiced magic before. Even with all that magic at your disposal, do you really think you could move two celestial bodies four times a day, every day?” “I… I could learn…!” “What if Tirek and Chrysalis decided they didn’t need you anymore? Do you think you could have stopped them, with or without magic? And what if nobody at the school would have listened to you? What if Discord never let you out from Tartarus?” No answer came as Cozy lowered her gaze. She really hadn’t considered any of those things. “This is what I mean. For all your planning and scheming, none of that ever occurred to you. You always assumed everything would go exactly how you imagined it.“ “Are you saying I’m stupid?” Cozy growled. Sunset shook her head. “It’s not about being stupid," she replied. "You’re a very smart child, Cozy. No other filly could have done what you did. But you’re still a child.” Child… That word kept spinning inside Cozy's head. “That… That doesn’t matter!” She screamed. “If anything, that proves I’m evil! The Princess of Friendship said so herself!” Sunset’s gaze turned cold for a second. “This isn’t about Twilight, Cozy. This is about you! And I’m telling you, you’re not evil!” Cozy just couldn’t understand what was happening. Was this her true punishment all along? To be patronised by this unicorn the rest of her life? She looked up when she felt a hand on her knee. Sunset looked at her with the same warm expression she’d given her ever since they met. “You’re an orphan, aren’t you?” She asked. Cozy frowned, but didn’t answer. “Yeah, I figured. So am I.” “So what?” Cozy spat back. “You think we’re alike, is that it?” “That’s right," Sunset replied. "I used to be a lot like you. I used to lie and manipulate everyone I met. I even used physical harm to get power over people. And the only reason I did all that was because I thought that power would bring me what I desperately needed. The love nobody ever showed me…” She deflated a little from the memory. “It took me several years… Many hours of therapy to realise this. That I was just acting out to get attention... If anyone would have realised that – stopped trying to punish me for what I did wrong and actually tried to help me – it would have saved me a lot of pain.” Sunset placed her hands on Cozy’s shoulders. “I will not let the same thing happen to you!” Tears began to flow from Cozy’s eyes. She didn’t know why, but she hated it. She hated how Sunset made her feel. Like a helpless, little child… “Shut up! You don’t know anything about me!” A large sob interrupted her. “Just shut up…” “I know you’re scared, Cozy. You’re scared that everyone you meet will betray you, so you try and get even with them before that happens. But you also revel in the attention they give you when you manipulate them. It’s the only meaningful interaction with others you've had for a long time.” Slowly, Sunset moved to the couch and hugged the girl. “I know you think you have to be evil because that is what people expect of you, but I’m telling you, it doesn’t have to be that way…” She ended the hug and looked straight into Cozy’s eyes. “I know you don’t trust me yet and that I really need to prove myself before you do, but I promise you that no matter what happens or what you’ve done up to this point, I’ll always be there for you.” With one final embrace, Cozy Glow broke down. Every single negative feeling that had been bottled up inside of her came pouring out of her. She desperately clung to Sunset and cried until she ran out of tears... Author's Note Sorry about the delay, my avid readers. I knew how I wanted the chapter to be and I had written chunks of it, I just needed to write some glue to fit it all together the way I wanted. Plus I needed to dedicate some time to IRL stuff like cleaning and organising... Next chapter will be the last! 6 - ReflectionSunset looked at the little girl in her lap. The poor thing had fallen asleep as soon as she ran out of tears. No surprise after the day she had. She must have been exhausted, both physically and mentally. Shifting slowly to avoid stirring the girl, she scooped her up in her arms and rose up. She brought her to her new room and tucked her in. She took one final look at the empty room before she left. It really wasn’t acceptable for it to look this way. As she walked back to the living room, she spotted tons of little things that beat on her conscious. It was going to take a lot of effort to make this into passable home. The home Cozy Glow desperately needed… She slumped back down in the couch. The work would begin first thing tomorrow morning! Right now, she was completely spent! She really could use a relaxing shower, but she didn’t want to risk waking Cozy. As she was contemplating hitting the sack early, her phone started ringing. Luckily, she had put it on vibrate for the day. She had to beat back a grin when she saw the caller ID reading “♥ Sci-Twi! ♥”. Pinkie Pie must have changed it without her noticing. “Hey,” Sunset said. “Hey…” Replied the meek voice on the other end. None of them said anything for a while, waiting for the other to get the conversation started. In the end, it was Twilight who caved first. “How is it going…?” She asked. Sunset took a while to contemplate her response. She had made some blunders when trying to make Cozy open up and she certainly hadn’t finished everything she would have wanted to before taking her in, but it all seemed to have worked out for now. “It’s going fairly well,” She replied. “We had a good conversation, she just fell asleep and I put her to bed.” “That’s great!” Twilight exclaimed. “You know, studies have shown that children who are--” “Twi...” “Sorry! I didn’t mean to start lecturing you... And I’m sorry for calling you too. I know you said that you needed time to focus on your new responsibilities. I just… really miss you...” “I miss you too. And I know that things are weird right now. But it’s not like I’ll never see you guys again. I just need to put all my focus on Cozy Glow until she has properly settled here.” “Yeah, I know.” Twilight sighed. “I’m just being selfish…” Sunset stifled a laugh at Twilight’s defeatist attitude. “Twi, you’re human. It’s okay to be selfish. Everybody is selfish!” “You’re not,” Twilight replied. “Haha. Very funny, Twi.” “I’m not joking, Sunset. You help everybody! Everyone at our school comes to you for advice – including the teachers! You’ve helped me more times than I can count... And now you’ve saved a child from that horrible, two-faced…!” Twilight paused and took some deep breaths to calm herself down. “Sorry… I just can’t believe it! My counterpart. The one everyone at our school looks up to like a saint… Actually tried to kill a child…!” “To be fair, she didn’t choose the punishment,“ Sunset pointed out. “The other princesses and Discord did.” “Well I would expect the Princess of Friendship to at least have some objections to it, and definitely not being in full agreement!” Twilight replied. “And didn’t you say Discord was the one who caused all this in the first place?” Sunset didn’t know what to say to that. What could she even say? “I just don’t know what happened, Twi… This whole situation is just fucked up!” Everything had been normal up until a few weeks ago. She and her friends had just finished a gruesome history assignment and were planning out their school break and then, out of nowhere, Princess Twilight let her now that the most recent, greatest threat to Equestria had been dealt with. A homicidal monster, a mad tyrant and a little filly. And in mere passing, she told her that they were planning to turn all three of them into stone… But the worst thing was the sheer ignorance. The complete lack of understanding the princess had showed her when she objected to this. All her pleas to get Cozy put in her care had been met with nothing but arguments against it. She actually had to go through the portal and threaten to break Cozy out herself for Twilight to concede. “They almost killed her, Twi… They were really going to kill a child…” “What are you going to do?” Twilight asked after a full minute of silence. “Well, right now I’m seriously considering burning my journal,” Sunset replied. “I don’t even want to think about what I may write if she tries to contact me again.” The mere thought made her seethe in anger. On an intellectual level, she recognised that it was pretty hypocritical of her to not offering the princess the same forgiveness that she had showed her in her darkest hour. Especially since that had more or less saved her life. But on an emotional level, she just didn’t know if she could forgive her for this. It just hit too close to home. Her view of the princess had forever changed from close friend and redeemer, to the person who argued against saving a little girl from being executed… “I want you to know that I think it’s wonderful what you’re doing for her, Sunset.” Twilight said. “Thank you, Twi. It really means a lot. Though, I’m guessing our friends aren’t so thrilled with me right now...” “They’re actually very supportive of you,“ Twilight replied. ” Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash have tried to defend the princess during some of the more heated discussions, and we all miss you... But they understand you need time to sort this out.” “Thanks. I’ll try and keep in contact with you guys as much as I can. Please say hi to the girls from me.” “I will,“ she replied. “And if you ever need any assistance, promise you’ll call me.” “I promise,” Sunset replied. “Bye.” “Bye.” Sunset hung up and let her arm fall onto the sofa. Her thoughts went in circles trying to find the right words to express her disappointment with the princess. Some way to tell her off and simultaneously make her understand how misguided she was in this matter. She could really go for a drink right about now, but all of her booze was in her old apartment. Then again, if she was going to make this work, she couldn’t start cracking bottles when the goings got tough. Certainly not in the same manner she had used to. She took a deep breath, held it for a few seconds and let it out again. All that mattered right now was taking care of Cozy. She couldn’t keep thinking about the princess anymore. She got up, brushed her teeth and took one last look into Cozy’s bedroom to see the girl sleeping peacefully and smiled. It didn’t matter what anybody thought. She knew it was going to be worth it in the end. Author's Note Well that took longer than I wanted... But I'm pretty happy with how this turned out! Hopefully, you are too.
1 - BanishmentCozy Glow fell through the portal with a thud. Twilight Sparkle stepped out seconds later. Sparing a single glance at the little girl on the ground, she addressed Sunset. ”Are you absolutely sure you want to do this, Sunset?” Sunset nodded. “I said I wasn’t going to change my mind and I haven’t.” With that confirmation, Twilight turned to the girl. “This is your last chance. And I truly mean it, Cozy Glow. The only reason you’re here is because Sunset asked me so if you don’t want to join Chrysalis and Tirek in the Royal Gardens, you better not waste it.” “Oh, believe me, Princess! I won’t waste this opportunity,” Cozy Glow spat back. “One day you’ll regret ever showing me mercy!” Twilight opened her mouth to retort, but Sunset interrupted her. “Twilight!” She glared. “Please leave.” Twilight paused at the look Sunset was giving her, but eventually nodded. “I’ll leave her to you then. Just remember to be careful and contact me if anything happens.” “Count on it,” Sunset replied. Twilight didn’t catch the sarcasm in her voice. Once Twilight had returned through the portal, Sunset kneeled next to Cozy Glow. “Are you alright?” she asked. Cozy Glow was in varying stages of panic. She hadn’t really thought much when Twilight had told her she would be banished from Equestria and placed in somepony else’s care. Not even when they had brought her to the mirror. But they hadn’t told her that her body would be transformed… “Cozy Glow, listen to me! You need to calm down!” “I can’t feel my wings anymore…” Her voice cracked and tears began dripping down on the asphalt below her. Sunset crouched down and gave her as tight of a hug as she dared. “I know, I know,” she whispered and began stroking her back. It took her a while to calm down enough to start processing her new situation. “What am I?” she finally managed to croak out. “You’re a human,” Sunset replied and started moving away. “They’re the dominant species in this world. The only one in fact, which is why the portal transforms you into one.” Her expression turned sorrowful. “Unfortunately, they don’t have wings or magic.” Cozy let loose a broken laugh at that. No magic. So that’s why they sent her here… She gave Sunset a quick look over. “And who are you?” “My name is Sunset Shimmer,” she said and smiled. “I used to be a pony just like you. I’ll help you get sorted here.” So this was her new jailor. If she’d been tasked by the princess to look after her, she’d already know the things she’d done to get sent here. That meant there was no need to get coy with her. She got up onto her hands and knees, quickly noting that her hind legs were twice as long as her front ones. She needed to get upright somehow... “Here. Let me help you,” Sunset said and reached out a hand which got swatted away by the girl. “I don’t need your help!” She spotted a nearby bench and started crawling towards it. Using it for support, she managed to get up on her new legs. “You’re doing great, Cozy!” Sunset cheered as she walked up to her. “Walking on two legs is tricky to get used to. Just let me--” “I said I don’t need your help!” She moved to take a step forward, but not knowing how to properly distribute her weight caused her knees to buckle and she collapsed into Sunset’s arms. “I hate this! Why did you have to change me into this thing? Why couldn’t you just let me rot in that stupid dungeon!?” Sunset hugged her a little tighter. “Don’t talk like that… You’ll get through this. I know it’s a lot to take in all at once, but I’ll help you.” Sunset moved to stand beside her. “Just follow my movements slowly. I’ll hold on to you until you get the hang of it.” Keeping a steady grip on Sunset’s arm, she slowly began to move her legs. Each stumble she made was quickly parried by Sunset. Slowly, they made their way from the statue and onto the street. “My apartment is awhile from here, but we’ll take it slow and steady,” Sunset explained. “No need to rush.” Cozy nodded and focused on getting used to this new way of walking. Author's Note
2 - On FootCozy Glow was getting better and better at walking on two legs. She probably could manage without Sunset’s help by now. But she still kept holding onto her hand. She’d never admit it to anyone, but this new environment scared her. It was loud, smelled awful, and everything zoomed past them so fast she could barely move her neck in time to see it. But the worst thing was the other humans. There was just so many of them! No matter where she looked, her field of vision was filled with these strange creatures. If they had banished her here for almost taking over Equestria, then what had all these done to end up here? Unconsciously, her grip on Sunset’s hand tightened. “I something wrong, Cozy?” Sunset asked. After a short moment of weighing her options, Cozy decided to bite the bullet and ask directly. ”Are all these ponies prisoners too?” “No,” Sunset replied. “They’re not ponies. They’re humans born in this world. Now, there are some Equestrians who live here, but those are few and far in between.” That relieved her somewhat. “And this isn’t actually a prison,” Sunset continued. “Equestria just have a bad habit of dumping its criminals here.” “Like us?” Cozy deadpanned. “In a way, yes. Though, I wouldn’t exactly call us prisoners.” “Why not? Would you be here if you didn’t have to?” “Of course!” Sunset smiled at her. “I live here now. It’s my home.” Cozy snorted at that. “Well I can’t leave, can I? So by definition, that makes me a prisoner!” Sunset mumbled something to herself, much too low for Cozy Glow to hear. They kept walking a while longer until Sunset pointed to a glass cubical next to a sign with some numbers on it. “That’s the bus stop,” She explained. “Just in time too! It’ll make the trip easier for us.” Several other humans stood about the area, but Sunset made sure to stay a few meters away from them. Interestingly, everyone at the spot kept some distance from each other as well, never talking or even acknowledging each other existence. Nothing like what Cozy Glow was used to back in Equestria. Then the bus arrived. It was a huge, loud thing, with every window filled with humans. The doors opened with a loud hiss, causing her to instinctively cover her ears. The mere thought of stepping into it made her stomach churn. Once everybody else had gotten on, Sunset turned to her. “I know it looks scary, but it’s really safe, if a little cramped.” “I am not getting on that thing!” She declared. “Are you sure? We’re still a long walk away from my apartment.” “I don’t care! I’m still not getting on that thing with those disgusting, stinking creatures. It’s bad enough that I have to be around you!” Sunset didn’t look the least bit offended at her choice of words. In fact, she smiled at her. ”That’s okay, Cozy. I’m not going to force you if you don’t want to.” She turned to the driver. “Sorry to keep you waiting, but we changed our minds. We won’t be going with.“ The driver closed the bus door with a grunt of annoyance. The bus made a loud growl as it drove away. When it disappeared around the street corner, Sunset crouched down in front of her and gave her a short hug. “Sorry about that, Cozy. I didn’t think about your feelings at all. I should have realised it sooner.” As far as Cozy could tell, Sunset looked genuinely concerned for her. But she didn't understand why. Sunset was her jailor. She shouldn’t care about her. This had to be some sort of trick! “Whatever! Let’s just go,” she said as she walked away. Author's Note New chapters coming next week.
3 - BaggageCozy Glow had never been the most athletic pony. Especially not on foot. All this walking was beginning to take its toll on the little girl. Her breathing became more laboured with every step she took. “Would you like to take a short rest?” Sunset asked. Cozy ignored her and picked up the pace. “Seriously, Cozy. You don’t have to push yourself so hard.” “I’m fine,” she replied. But she could only keep it up for another block or so before she ran out of steam and collapsed next to a nearby trashcan. “How far…Is it… Left…?” She managed to wheeze out in between breaths. “I’m sorry, Cozy, but we’re still about halfway there.” “Halfway!?” Every muscle in her legs hurt. Muscles she’d literally never had before. There was no way she could walk that amount of distance again! Sunset placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Let’s rest here for a bit.” She looked around the area. “If I remember correctly, there should be another bus stop somewhere--” “No! I’m not taking another step!” Cozy stomped her foot for emphasis, which would have made her fall over again had she not already been leaning on the trashcan. Sunset bit her lip. She should have had the foresight to borrow a car from one of her friends. But she couldn’t exactly call and ask them to pick her up now. Not with Cozy’s history with their Equestrian counterparts. Flash Sentry might work. But given her reaction to the bus, she doubted Cozy would appreciate it anyway. Sunset certainly didn’t have fond memories of her first car ride… “In that case, how about I carry you?” She suggested. Cozy whipped her head up in surprise. “What…?” “I’ll carry you on my back!” Cozy shook her head. “Nu-uh! You’re not carrying me! I-I can still walk…!” She tried to wobble away, but only managed to get a few steps before her legs gave out again. Sunset kneeled in front of her and grabbed hold of her legs. “Here. Put your arms over my shoulders.” Too tired to struggle, Cozy was forced to oblige. “Don’t worry. I won’t drop you,” Sunset said as she rose up. She shifted the new weight on her back a little to get a feel for it. “Whoa, you’re really light,” she noted. “Must be because you’re a pegasus.” Cozy didn’t respond, being too busy resigning herself to the humiliation of being carried like a little foal. The looks they got from the people around them didn’t help. “What’s that like by the way?” Sunset asked after a few minutes of walking. “Being a pegasus, I mean.” “Don’t you know?” Sunset shook her head. “Nope! I was a unicorn!” Cozy hadn’t considered that. She had just assumed she was a pegasus like her. She had never liked unicorns. They all thought they were so special just because they had magic! “Must have been nice to be able to fly wherever you wanted,” Sunset continued. “Soaring through the sky and looking down on the landscape below you.” “I guess,” Cozy replied. “Not that I’ll ever get to do that again…” Sunset quickly changed the subject. She kept up the conversation the whole way, telling her a little about herself and pointing things out along the way. Cozy stayed silent for most of the time, sometimes giving few-worded replies. She just didn’t know why Sunset bothered with this getting-to-know-each-other charade. Author's Note Sorry about the chapter. Next one's coming in a few days.
4 - Comforts“We’re here!” Sunset stopped in front of one of the buildings. It didn’t look anything special. In fact, except from the slightly different colour, Cozy couldn’t differentiate it from any of the other buildings they had passed until now. Still carrying her on her back, Sunset walked through the entrance and a flight of stairs until they ended up in front of a door with Sunset’s name written on a piece of tape over the mail drop. “I need to unlock it,” Sunset said. “Are you okay standing on your own?” Cozy yawned and nodded. The apartment was pretty much exactly how she imagined it to be. The front door opened into a small living/kitchen/dining area combo furnished only by a sofa standing in front of a small table and a weird black box on the left side, and a dining table with chairs in the far right in front of the kitchen portion. Some paint cans and a couple of cardboard boxes littered the floor to the left of her. The thought hit her that Sunset may not be a jailor at all. Maybe she was just a fellow prisoner who was forced to take care of her. The overall look of the place certainly reflected it. Noticing her judgemental expression, Sunset gave her an apologetic look. “I know it looks bad... After I started repainting the walls, I only moved the essential furniture here. Most of my stuff’s at my old apartment.” “So I get to live in this dump while you go back to your real home,” Cozy summarised. “Got it.” “Of course not,” Sunset replied with a smile. “I’ll live her too!” “But you just said--” “I said I only moved the essentials. The rest is coming here too. Soon as I finish painting the old walls.” Sunset pointed at the wall to the left, which was a different, much uglier colour. “Then why not just keep everything in the old apartment? Why get this one at all?” “Because it wasn’t big enough,” Sunset explained. “It was only a one bedroom studio apartment, barely large enough for me.” She clapped her hands. “Now, before I show you around, I’d like to ask if you’re hungry.” Cozy shrugged and mumbled something non-committing. It was true that she was hungry. She hadn’t eaten anything since this morning, and even then, it hadn’t been much. But she wouldn’t admit that to Sunset. She’d probably force her to make her own food. “Well I’m starving,” Sunset declared and pulled out a flat, stone-looking thing from her pocket. “I’m thinking pizza, unless you dislike cheese or tomatoes?” Cozy shrugged again. She didn’t know what pizza was, but it couldn’t be worse than the slop they gave her in the Canterlot dungeons. “Great!” Sunset kept playing with the thing some more before returning it to her pocket. ”Well, you’ve pretty much seen everything in the living area. Let’s show you the rest of the building!” Sunset lead her into a hallway with two doors on each side. The first one to the left was the bathroom where she explained how to use everything in embarrassingly thorough detail. The second one was a small storage room. “The ones on the right are the bedrooms,” Sunset explained and opened them. “I didn’t know which one you’d like so I kept them exactly the same. Which one would you--?” “I don’t care,” Cozy interrupted and walked into the one closest to her. The room was completely empty, save for the bed standing at the end of the room under its only window. “Then this will be your room,” Sunset said “I want you feel safe here, so I won’t be entering unless you give me permission, and I ask that you show me the same treatment. If you ever feel like getting away – either from me or anything else – you can lock the door like this.” She showed how the mechanism worked. “Just give me a heads up if I call for you, so I know you’re safe.” “Gee, thanks.” Cozy gestured to the big, empty space. “I’ll be sure to spend as much time in here as I possibly can…” Sunset looked devastated. “Forgive me for showing it to you like this... I wanted to get this ready before you got here, but I didn’t have enough time to set this up.” She put a hand on Cozy’s shoulder. “But I promise I’ll help you make it just the way you want it! You can pick any colour you want the walls to be, and tomorrow I thought we could buy all the things that you’ll need. And if you see some that you’d like, we’ll get it!” Cozy just rolled her eyes. Again with the pretending… The doorbell sounded before she could voice any concerns. Sunset immediately walked to the door. Cozy waited a few seconds before following. When she made her way to the living area, Sunset had already closed the door, holding two flat, white boxes in her arms. “What’s that?” Cozy asked. “It’s the pizza!” Sunset carried the boxes to the kitchen area and put them down on the dining table. “I ordered you a plain Margherita one,” she said as she brought out a knife and began to slice each into smaller pieces. Cozy sat down and stared at the strange smelling food. “What is it?” “It’s bread with tomato sauce and melted cheese on top!” Sunset picked up a slice of her pizza, rolled it up and wolfed it down in seconds. Cozy awkwardly picked up one of the smaller slices and rolled it up just like Sunset had. Taking a small bite of it, she couldn’t stop her eyes from widening. It actually tasted really good! “See?” Sunset smiled. “Eat as much as you like, but try not to make yourself sick. There’s no shame in leaving some for later.” She got started on her next slice. “Infact, that’s the beauty of pizza.” Cozy carefully took another bite. There had to be a catch somewhere… Maybe she was about to get poisoned? Something that only started working after you’ve ingested enough. “But if you’re still hungry afterwards, I got ice cream in the freezer.” Yep. It’s poison alright. Why else would you ever give a prisoner ice cream? Author's Note Here's the floorplan to Sunset's apartment if anyone cares: Final two chapters coming next week!
5 - Heart to HeartLater that evening, both of them sat in the sofa watching the somehow-not-magic box, sharing a bowl of salty potato shards. Cozy chuckled every time one of the humans on the screen insisted on wearing a high hat and sunglasses every place he went, no matter how ridiculous or out of place it looked. She was about to reach for another handful of chips when she realised something. She was actually enjoying herself! Something was wrong here… “What is going on…?” She asked out loud. Sunset pointed to one of the characters on TV. “Well, that guy is secretly a robot who--” “No, I meant this! Why do you keep acting like this? Why are you being so nice to me?” Sunset didn’t say anything as her expression changed to dead serious. She muted the sound on the television and moved to sit down on the table, in front of her. “I’m being nice to you because you deserve it, Cozy Glow.” … For once in her life, Cozy was completely speechless. She had always had a response to everything anyone had ever said to her and yet now she didn’t know what to say. “Wha… What…?” She desperately racked her brain for anything that could possibly explain Sunset’s motivation, but no answer came to her. “Because you deserve it,” Sunset repeated, as if it was the surest thing in the world. Cozy couldn’t believe what she was hearing! Why was she telling her this? What angle could she possibly have? “You… You don’t know what you’re saying! Do you have any idea what I've done…? I’m evil!” Sunset nodded in response. “Yes, you have done some horrible things, but you’re not evil, Cozy. You’re just misguided.” “What!?” Cozy Glow rose from the couch in fury. “No I’m not!” she screamed. “I read up on how to steal all of Equestria’s magic! I convinced Tirek to help me! I tricked everpony at the School of Friendship, including Twilight Sparkle! I got Tirek and Chrysalis working together, and I even got sent to Tartarus! I did that! Me!” Sunset still sat there with serene smile on her face. Completely calm, despite Cozy’s outburst. “And why did you do all that?” She asked. “To establish myself as undisputed Empress of all Equestria, of course!” “And then what? All of Equestria bows to you. Now what do you do?” “Whatever I wanted!” “What about the sun and the moon? Who would have moved them once you’ve drained Celestia and Luna of their magic?” Cozy though about it for a moment, but quickly came to the only real answer. “I would have!” “Keep in mind that you’re a Pegasus who’s never studied or practiced magic before. Even with all that magic at your disposal, do you really think you could move two celestial bodies four times a day, every day?” “I… I could learn…!” “What if Tirek and Chrysalis decided they didn’t need you anymore? Do you think you could have stopped them, with or without magic? And what if nobody at the school would have listened to you? What if Discord never let you out from Tartarus?” No answer came as Cozy lowered her gaze. She really hadn’t considered any of those things. “This is what I mean. For all your planning and scheming, none of that ever occurred to you. You always assumed everything would go exactly how you imagined it.“ “Are you saying I’m stupid?” Cozy growled. Sunset shook her head. “It’s not about being stupid," she replied. "You’re a very smart child, Cozy. No other filly could have done what you did. But you’re still a child.” Child… That word kept spinning inside Cozy's head. “That… That doesn’t matter!” She screamed. “If anything, that proves I’m evil! The Princess of Friendship said so herself!” Sunset’s gaze turned cold for a second. “This isn’t about Twilight, Cozy. This is about you! And I’m telling you, you’re not evil!” Cozy just couldn’t understand what was happening. Was this her true punishment all along? To be patronised by this unicorn the rest of her life? She looked up when she felt a hand on her knee. Sunset looked at her with the same warm expression she’d given her ever since they met. “You’re an orphan, aren’t you?” She asked. Cozy frowned, but didn’t answer. “Yeah, I figured. So am I.” “So what?” Cozy spat back. “You think we’re alike, is that it?” “That’s right," Sunset replied. "I used to be a lot like you. I used to lie and manipulate everyone I met. I even used physical harm to get power over people. And the only reason I did all that was because I thought that power would bring me what I desperately needed. The love nobody ever showed me…” She deflated a little from the memory. “It took me several years… Many hours of therapy to realise this. That I was just acting out to get attention... If anyone would have realised that – stopped trying to punish me for what I did wrong and actually tried to help me – it would have saved me a lot of pain.” Sunset placed her hands on Cozy’s shoulders. “I will not let the same thing happen to you!” Tears began to flow from Cozy’s eyes. She didn’t know why, but she hated it. She hated how Sunset made her feel. Like a helpless, little child… “Shut up! You don’t know anything about me!” A large sob interrupted her. “Just shut up…” “I know you’re scared, Cozy. You’re scared that everyone you meet will betray you, so you try and get even with them before that happens. But you also revel in the attention they give you when you manipulate them. It’s the only meaningful interaction with others you've had for a long time.” Slowly, Sunset moved to the couch and hugged the girl. “I know you think you have to be evil because that is what people expect of you, but I’m telling you, it doesn’t have to be that way…” She ended the hug and looked straight into Cozy’s eyes. “I know you don’t trust me yet and that I really need to prove myself before you do, but I promise you that no matter what happens or what you’ve done up to this point, I’ll always be there for you.” With one final embrace, Cozy Glow broke down. Every single negative feeling that had been bottled up inside of her came pouring out of her. She desperately clung to Sunset and cried until she ran out of tears... Author's Note Sorry about the delay, my avid readers. I knew how I wanted the chapter to be and I had written chunks of it, I just needed to write some glue to fit it all together the way I wanted. Plus I needed to dedicate some time to IRL stuff like cleaning and organising... Next chapter will be the last!
6 - ReflectionSunset looked at the little girl in her lap. The poor thing had fallen asleep as soon as she ran out of tears. No surprise after the day she had. She must have been exhausted, both physically and mentally. Shifting slowly to avoid stirring the girl, she scooped her up in her arms and rose up. She brought her to her new room and tucked her in. She took one final look at the empty room before she left. It really wasn’t acceptable for it to look this way. As she walked back to the living room, she spotted tons of little things that beat on her conscious. It was going to take a lot of effort to make this into passable home. The home Cozy Glow desperately needed… She slumped back down in the couch. The work would begin first thing tomorrow morning! Right now, she was completely spent! She really could use a relaxing shower, but she didn’t want to risk waking Cozy. As she was contemplating hitting the sack early, her phone started ringing. Luckily, she had put it on vibrate for the day. She had to beat back a grin when she saw the caller ID reading “♥ Sci-Twi! ♥”. Pinkie Pie must have changed it without her noticing. “Hey,” Sunset said. “Hey…” Replied the meek voice on the other end. None of them said anything for a while, waiting for the other to get the conversation started. In the end, it was Twilight who caved first. “How is it going…?” She asked. Sunset took a while to contemplate her response. She had made some blunders when trying to make Cozy open up and she certainly hadn’t finished everything she would have wanted to before taking her in, but it all seemed to have worked out for now. “It’s going fairly well,” She replied. “We had a good conversation, she just fell asleep and I put her to bed.” “That’s great!” Twilight exclaimed. “You know, studies have shown that children who are--” “Twi...” “Sorry! I didn’t mean to start lecturing you... And I’m sorry for calling you too. I know you said that you needed time to focus on your new responsibilities. I just… really miss you...” “I miss you too. And I know that things are weird right now. But it’s not like I’ll never see you guys again. I just need to put all my focus on Cozy Glow until she has properly settled here.” “Yeah, I know.” Twilight sighed. “I’m just being selfish…” Sunset stifled a laugh at Twilight’s defeatist attitude. “Twi, you’re human. It’s okay to be selfish. Everybody is selfish!” “You’re not,” Twilight replied. “Haha. Very funny, Twi.” “I’m not joking, Sunset. You help everybody! Everyone at our school comes to you for advice – including the teachers! You’ve helped me more times than I can count... And now you’ve saved a child from that horrible, two-faced…!” Twilight paused and took some deep breaths to calm herself down. “Sorry… I just can’t believe it! My counterpart. The one everyone at our school looks up to like a saint… Actually tried to kill a child…!” “To be fair, she didn’t choose the punishment,“ Sunset pointed out. “The other princesses and Discord did.” “Well I would expect the Princess of Friendship to at least have some objections to it, and definitely not being in full agreement!” Twilight replied. “And didn’t you say Discord was the one who caused all this in the first place?” Sunset didn’t know what to say to that. What could she even say? “I just don’t know what happened, Twi… This whole situation is just fucked up!” Everything had been normal up until a few weeks ago. She and her friends had just finished a gruesome history assignment and were planning out their school break and then, out of nowhere, Princess Twilight let her now that the most recent, greatest threat to Equestria had been dealt with. A homicidal monster, a mad tyrant and a little filly. And in mere passing, she told her that they were planning to turn all three of them into stone… But the worst thing was the sheer ignorance. The complete lack of understanding the princess had showed her when she objected to this. All her pleas to get Cozy put in her care had been met with nothing but arguments against it. She actually had to go through the portal and threaten to break Cozy out herself for Twilight to concede. “They almost killed her, Twi… They were really going to kill a child…” “What are you going to do?” Twilight asked after a full minute of silence. “Well, right now I’m seriously considering burning my journal,” Sunset replied. “I don’t even want to think about what I may write if she tries to contact me again.” The mere thought made her seethe in anger. On an intellectual level, she recognised that it was pretty hypocritical of her to not offering the princess the same forgiveness that she had showed her in her darkest hour. Especially since that had more or less saved her life. But on an emotional level, she just didn’t know if she could forgive her for this. It just hit too close to home. Her view of the princess had forever changed from close friend and redeemer, to the person who argued against saving a little girl from being executed… “I want you to know that I think it’s wonderful what you’re doing for her, Sunset.” Twilight said. “Thank you, Twi. It really means a lot. Though, I’m guessing our friends aren’t so thrilled with me right now...” “They’re actually very supportive of you,“ Twilight replied. ” Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash have tried to defend the princess during some of the more heated discussions, and we all miss you... But they understand you need time to sort this out.” “Thanks. I’ll try and keep in contact with you guys as much as I can. Please say hi to the girls from me.” “I will,“ she replied. “And if you ever need any assistance, promise you’ll call me.” “I promise,” Sunset replied. “Bye.” “Bye.” Sunset hung up and let her arm fall onto the sofa. Her thoughts went in circles trying to find the right words to express her disappointment with the princess. Some way to tell her off and simultaneously make her understand how misguided she was in this matter. She could really go for a drink right about now, but all of her booze was in her old apartment. Then again, if she was going to make this work, she couldn’t start cracking bottles when the goings got tough. Certainly not in the same manner she had used to. She took a deep breath, held it for a few seconds and let it out again. All that mattered right now was taking care of Cozy. She couldn’t keep thinking about the princess anymore. She got up, brushed her teeth and took one last look into Cozy’s bedroom to see the girl sleeping peacefully and smiled. It didn’t matter what anybody thought. She knew it was going to be worth it in the end. Author's Note Well that took longer than I wanted... But I'm pretty happy with how this turned out! Hopefully, you are too.
