The Legion of Doom had just been depowered and thanks to some chaos magic from Pinkie Pie, they had a large cupcake fall on them along with some chocolate rain. It was at that moment that Discord realized that he had best take his chaos magic away from her. Once he had his magic back, Celestia approached the defeated villains.
"There isn't a punishment worthy of all you've done!"
Discord began to talk with Celestia and Luna. After a brief moment of whispering Luna said, "Oh, that does seem fitting."
Discord then asked, "May I help? Please?"
The two princesses nodded and they readied themselves to cast their spell. The villains knew that their time of freedom was up. While Chrysalis had an angry look on her face, Tirek had a nervous look on his face and Cozy was clearly scared, knowing what kind of fate awaited them. There was one pony in the crowd that felt truly bad seeing Cozy Glow showing the fear she was, this pony could not stand the thoughts of the young filly suffering the same fate as millennia old villains. Right before the spell was cast, a yell would come from the crowd.
"STOP!"
The princess powered down their horns and saw Starlight Glimmer approaching them. Starlight was visibly distraught as she pleaded, "Please don't do this to Cozy Glow! She's just a filly!"
Many of the creatures present weren't sure what to think of it but there were some who would disagree with her. "Starlight, with everything she has done, she has to be punished." Stated Celestia.
Starlight replied, "Look I know she should be punished but none of us have ever asked her why she went down the path she went down. None of us truly know what is running through her mind."
Starlight's closest friend would come into the conversation, "Starlight, I'm not sure what is going through her mind but she was part of a team that nearly destroyed Equestria. Celestia is right, she needs to be punished."
Starlight's gaze turned to Discord as she gave him an icy cold glare, "Yeah, thanks to Discord. This is all his fault!" She then turned to the princesses and pleaded, "Please, just let me talk to her, alright?"
Celestia sighed, "Alright, but we can't let her get free and escape this."
Starlight motioned for Cozy Glow to approach her. Cozy Glow was horribly nervous to be talking to Starlight given that she had trapped her in a magic ball when she was in the process of draining all the magic from Equestria. Once Cozy Glow started walking towards Starlight, the princesses had their horns flared up in the event Cozy Glow was to try and escape that they could grasp her in their aura.
Once she got to Starlight, Starlight requested, "Could you let me have some one on one time with Cozy? I want to talk to her alone."
The princesses nodded and once the two got out of earshot of the others, Starlight would turn Cozy to where she was looking straight at her. She asked, "Cozy Glow, why would you do this? Why would you work with those two, Tirek especially after what happened last time?"
Cozy held her head low and grumbled, "You wouldn't understand, nopony would understand."
Starlight knew that getting her to even talk was going to be tough but thought maybe revealing some of her past might get her to talk, "Cozy, I have my own past that I'm not proud of so I think if anypony would understand it would be me."
Cozy looked up in genuine curiosity, "Really, you have a checkered past? But how, you're so close to Twilight."
Starlight then went into detail with the little villain over her past. She told her about everything dating back to losing her only friend. She told her about how she would steal cutie marks and lure ponies out to her town in the middle of nowhere. She then told her about how she would stalk Twilight Sparkle and break into libraries she shouldn't have so she could alter Starswirl's time spell and why she did it.
After hearing this Cozy gasped, "Wow, you really hated Twilight didn't you?"
Starlight replied, "I did, I hated her more than anything for stealing my village away from me so I thought that erasing her ever meeting her friends would be a way of getting back at her."
Cozy was shocked that the mare that seemed to be so good and so devoted to the cause of teaching friendship would have such a past. Starlight could tell that Cozy was becoming more interested as she continued, "And then there were even times after I was reformed that I wasn't exactly a good pony."
Cozy gave her a slight smile causing Starlight to continue, "Well, I hadn't been doing my friendship lessons and Twilight was getting upset so while she went to Canterlot, she gave me an assignment to do one of my friendship lessons" she began to smile a bit as she continued, "well in an attempt to really impress Twilight, I tried to do all five of them at once."
Cozy had a feeling that this was probably going to be funny so she began to smile more, "Well, I decided to be stupid and I cast a spell on my friends to do my bidding hoping to get them done but in the end, it wound up being a disaster."
Cozy then broke down laughing over what Starlight had told her. She laughed, "Really, you cast a spell on your friends?"
Starlight laughed in return, "Yeah it wasn't exactly the best idea I ever had but in the end everything was fixed." She then wanted to know more about Cozy and her past. She continued, "I know my past isn't perfect Cozy but still, I'm curious as to what led you down the path you chose."
For the first time, Cozy felt like she could talk to a pony about her past given that Starlight had shared some of her past. She grit her teeth and began, "My mom, my mom and dad...." She began to cry, "Th-they abused and neglected me. They nev-never cared about me. They always hit me, yelled at me an-and when they weren't doing that, th-they never supported me."
As Cozy began to cry harder, Starlight pulled her into a hug. "I'm sorry they did that to you Cozy, that had to have been hard."
Cozy screamed, "It was, th-they never treated my siblings that way. Th-they loved them, they always got gifts on Hearth-Hearthwing's Eve while I got nothing, I nev-never got anything. An-and then they dumped me at Twi-Twilight's school l-like I was nothing. They nev-never once told me th-they loved me."
Starlight began to stroke her hoof through Cozy's mane and said, "I'm sorry Cozy, that had to be hard."
Cozy cried harder, "It was, I-I felt like nopony cared about me at all and when I got to the school, I just could-couldn't fit in and th-that was when I decided to get revenge on everypony."
Starlight asked, "And that is when you started communicating with Tirek?"
"Y-yes. I wanted to get back at everypony be-because I felt like nopony cared about me."
Starlight asked, "And then when Discord teamed up you, Chrysalis and Tirek, you wanted to continue your quest to bring Equestria to its knees?"
Cozy began to cry more angrily before yelling, "Yes, I wanted to punish everypony for having me locked up! I hated everypony, I-I mean everypony!"
Starlight knew all too well how that felt as that is how she felt after Sunburst left after getting his cutie mark and after losing her town. She replied, "I can only imagine that Cozy, but I don't think you deserve to be turned to stone. I think you deserve a second chance."
Cozy began to calm down as she asked, "You think I deserve a second chance?"
Starlight gave her a smile, "Of course I do Cozy. Twilight gave me a second chance after I nearly destroyed Equestria multiple times!"
This caused Cozy to laugh, "Wow, and I thought nearly draining all the magic from Equestria was bad!"
Starlight laughed in return, "Well when you're angry at the world, you think big and with us, we probably thought too big!"
While the two were talking everypony couldn't help but try to make out what they were saying. That was more difficult for some than others. Luna was focusing on their interactions especially close and saw that they were interacting in a way that surprised her. She asked, "Twilight, you know Starlight better than anypony else. Why do you think she is so adamant on saving Cozy and why do you think they are acting like good friends?"
Celestia added, "If you ask me, they are almost acting like a caring mother and a distraught daughter."
Twilight remained silent for a minute before replying, "I have a feeling that Starlight sees a lot of herself in Cozy Glow and wants to try and save her."
Luna asked, "Could you explain."
Twilight began, "Princess, both of them have checkered pasts. Starlight Glimmer enslaved a town by stealing cutie marks and then nearly destroyed Equestria multiple times over. Cozy Glow nearly drained all the magic from Equestria and then she nearly brought the country to its knees." She thought deeper and then everything became very clear to her, "That's it! I think I know why?"
Celestia asked, "What is it?"
Twilight continued, "You know, after Starlight nearly destroyed the world, I gave her a second chance and she must feel that Cozy deserves another chance."
Luna sighed, "Perhaps but it still seems odd that Starlight feels so strongly about this."
Celestia added, "And even if we were to not turn her to stone, where would she go? Who would watch over her to keep her out of trouble?"
Twilight gave the two a smile, "Just wait, I am sure Starlight already has a plan for that and will be willing to take on more responsibilities to save her."
Starlight and Cozy were continuing their conversation and Starlight had done a very good job in getting Cozy calmed down. After initially having a great amount of shock over Starlight wanting to save her, she knew she was dead serious. She had a genuine smile on her face, "Starlight, if you are able to save me, where would I live? I don't want to go back to my parents, never. I'd rather go back to Tartarus."
Starlight gave her a much bigger smile, "Oh I can think of one pony who would take you in, one pony who could be the loving mother you deserve."
Cozy's eyes grew wide when she heard this as she knew exactly who Starlight was talking about. She gasped, "Really, you're going to see if you can take me in and be my mom?"
Starlight continued, "I am. Cozy, I see a whole lot of myself in you. We have both made decisions in the past that weren't the best, we have both felt shunned by the world at one point and now, we both have others who want to help us start over."
Cozy pointed her hoof towards the others and asked, "But what about them? I don't think they'll be as understanding."
Starlight suggested, "I think the best thing you can do is apologize for your misdeeds. That is what worked for me and knowing Twilight, that should work for you too." Starlight looked back towards everypony else and added, "Shall we? I know if you apologize it will help you, a lot."
Cozy gave her a nervous smile as the two headed back towards the princesses. Starlight began, "Look, I know what Cozy has done is very bad but I see a lot of myself in her." Twilight smiled as Starlight continued, "She was shunned by her family, she felt like nopony cared about her, she felt unloved and ultimately wanted to get back at everypony, just like I did."
She then nudged Cozy and she began, "I'm sorry everypony. I know what I did was wrong and that there is no excuse for it. I know I deserve some sort of punishment and whatever that is, I'm ready for it. I just hope that maybe someday you can all forgive me."
Cozy Glow's apology sounded so familiar to Twilight, it was a whole lot like Starlight's. Celestia and Luna were not sure if she was sincere or not but Twilight could see it in her eyes, she could tell that she was indeed sincere. Twilight then motioned the princesses in a circle so they could discuss this.
Twilight asked, "So what do you think we should do? She seems genuinely sorry and I know she feels bad for what she did."
Luna commented, "Perhaps but she may only be saying this for Starlight. I'm sure Starlight told her about her past and Cozy may just be trying to take advantage of us. She is a master manipulator and I could see her manipulating Starlight to take her in."
Celestia was more positive, "Sister, Starlight is stronger than you think and given Cozy's past, I doubt she would just go vouching for her. If Cozy deserves to be turned to stone, I know she'd be on board with us."
Twilight would go more in depth, "Listen, like I said I have a feeling that Starlight sees a lot of herself in Cozy. I think that if anypony can guide Cozy on the right path, it is Starlight." She then gave the elder princesses an more intense look and added, "And I will tell you this, if you do turn her to stone, the moment I take over I will free her and put her in Starlight's custody." A few tears began to run down her face as she finished, "Yes what she did was bad but she's just a filly! With the right guidance, she can live a good life."
Luna sighed in disgust, "Very well. If Starlight wants to take her in, I suppose it will be ok."
Celestia agreed, "I do think that would be all for the best. I know Starlight could be the mother that she needs."
Twilight replied, "Alright, let's go and share with them our decision."
The three broke their circle and approached the two. Celestia kept a neutral look on her face as she began, "Starlight Glimmer, it is very obvious that you do not want us to turn Cozy to stone and it is very clear that you care for her deeply despite what she has done in her past."
Starlight replied, "Your Majesty, I have my own misdeeds in my past as does she and I was given a second chance by Twilight." She then turned to Twilight and continued, "I remember after I was defeated that you brought up how breaking apart one set of friends makes the magic that protects Equestria less powerful and you were right. When you befriended me, I was there to aid in saving all of you from Chrysalis." She then looked down to Cozy before turning back to the three princesses, "Look, I was given a second chance so why not Cozy? Even her friendship with me could make the magic that protects Equestria even stronger so I ask that you please give her another chance."
The three princesses gave one another a smile before Twilight commented, "And judging by the way you two were interacting, I have a feeling that you want to take Cozy in and raise her as your own."
Starlight replied, "I would like that very much."
The three princesses gave one another a smile before Celestia added, "Very well Starlight. Let's have you fill out the proper paperwork so you can officially be classified as Cozy's mother."
Cozy was ecstatic upon hearing this. She took to the three princess, hugged them and exclaimed, "Oh golly jeez, thank you, thank you, thank you!" She then flew to Starlight and embraced her, "Thank you mom, thank you! I'm so happy, I finally have a parent who loves me!"
Starlight tightened the embrace and replied, "No need to thank me Cozy. All you've ever needed in life is a loving parent and now you have one."
As the three princesses took in the whole moment, they couldn't help but be happy for both Cozy and Starlight. Even the normally stoic Princess Luna had tears running down her face. Celestia also had tears running down her face and noticed this. She asked, "You ok sister?"
Luna's voice began to break, "As I see this, I can feel the love between the two and I feel happy for them. I know that Starlight will be a great mother for her, Starlight will guide her down the right path to be a great pony."
Celestia agreed, "She will." She then turned towards the villains, who Discord had immobilized, and finished, "Shall we take care of them now. They are a threat to not just Cozy but all of Equestria."
Luna nodded and they along with Discord used their magic to turn Tirek and Chrysalis to stone. Cozy saw this and was surprisingly happy. She approached the monarchs and said, "Thank you your Majesties, now they won't be a threat to me, Starlight or Equestria."
Celestia replied, "I know they won't." She then turned to Starlight and suggested, "Now let's get up to Canterlot and get your adoption of her taken care of. I'm sure you two are looking forward to it."
Cozy celebrated, "Yes sir-eee!" She flew around and landed on Starlight's back before continuing, "Come on mom, let's get going!"
Starlight agreed and the two followed the princesses back to Canterlot to get custody of Cozy signed over to Starlight. While Starlight couldn't help but wonder why her biological parents weren't going to be involved in this, she knew that the princesses could make sure that Cozy would never have to suffer at the hooves of those two.
As they headed to Canterlot, Cozy couldn't be happier. Finally she would have a caring parent. She knew that despite what she had done to her in the past, that Starlight's love for her was genuine and that life truly was going to be better for her. Gone were the days of her being a master manipulator, what she wanted now was a normal foalhood, one where a loving parent would guide her in the right direction.
