The Council of Friendship
Starlight Glimmer knew what she had to do. She knew it the second Cozy Glow was turned to stone, though that conclusion haunted her for months before she was willing to admit it. Cozy Glow deserved a second chance. No, maybe not deserved it, but it was necessary nonetheless. For Celestia’s sake, she was only a filly! A maniacal, manipulative filly bent on taking over Equestria, but still, a filly. Ponies aren’t born evil. Starlight knew from personal experience. It was never pleasant to think of her past, how the loss of her closest and only friend had driven her to manipulate ponies into joining her colt of “equality” and “friendship.” In her desperation, she lost sight of true friendship. She grew angry and bitter. She thought forcing ponies into her little town would solve the whole in her heart. It hasn’t. If she had learned this, why couldn’t a filly? After all, isn’t that all she wanted? Power so ponies could never leave. Mariennte friends to play with for the rest of time. She would be so powerful, no one could abandon her again.
Starlight shivered. The situation was creepy, the kid was powerful, but what made her less deserving of a second chance than Starlight? Than Discord?
Starlight Glimmer knew what she had to do. Her punishment had lasted long enough.
————
Starlight Glimmer, headmistress of the school of friendship, student of the Ruler of Equestria, Twilight Sparkle, stood in front of her and all her friends at the Council of Friendship. It had been five moons since Cozy Glow’s imprisonment, and Equestria had fallen into an unusual period of peace and diplomacy under Twilight’s rule. Despite her original doubts, Starlight was sure Twilight believed herself fit to rule. She sighed. How in Equestria was she supposed to pull this off?
“We’re waiting, sugarcube.”
“Yeah! What’d you want to speak to us about anyway? Did something happen at the School of Friendship?” Pinkie froze and gasped. “Did I forget somepony’s birthday??”
“Pinkie, with your organization system you couldn’t possibly forget. I’m sure this isn’t a birthday matter, Starlight?” Twilight nodded kindly at her. Only when Starlight nodded back but still didn’t speak did Twilight begin to grow concerned.
“I think we should free Cozy Glow,” blurted Starlight. Smooth. Great going, great setup, she thought sarcastically. She took a deep breath over the hush that threatened to silence her again. “I think we should free Cozy Glow; I think she deserves a second chance.”
“Star—“
“And I have proof!”
Starlight levitated a book from her bag. Coated with a familiar enchantment, it shined of memories. “How many so-called villains have you vanquished and redeemed? Discord, Nightmare Moon, me. We were all ready to destroy Equestria or put it under our rule. Don’t you see that? Cozy Glow may have gotten farther, but she’s just a filly! A filly,” she looked at Applejack first, then Rarity. “She’s younger than your little sisters,” she spoke softly, “and your sisters have you. Cozy Glow had no one. Does anyone even know where she came from? Her parents, her past, anything?” Starlight searches the faces of the Council. They glance at each other uneasily. Spike shakes his head and is the only one to respond. Nobody saw this question coming, Starlight was sure. No one questioned Twilight’s rule: just like no one had questioned Celestia. But then Fluttershy meets her eyes.
She has Angel positioned in her lap, and while the feisty bunny seems bored, Fluttershy seems anything but. She smiles. Softly, at Starlight. A smile that reaches her eyes and seems to melt her heart. Starlight knows now: she isn’t alone.
“This filly deserves kindness.” She nods at Fluttershy. “To really understand generosity. The chance to face her past honestly and make amends. What kind of ponies do we want to be? Ones who condemn a child for an admittedly powerful mistake, or ones who turn our enemies into our friends.” She looks at Twilight finally. Her lilac eyes meet her teacher’s darker ones. Dark and furrowed, Twilight’s expression is one of silence and something else Starlight can’t understand and can only hope isn’t condemnation. I would’ve watched the world burn, but you showed me a better way. Please, remember.
The room is silent for too long.
So long, that Starlight flinches when Twilight speaks. “We gave her that chance, Starlight Glimmer. She studied at my School of Friendship under all our pedagogy. She had many opportunities to make friends, and she turned her back on all of Equestria instead!” Raw, her voice is raw Starlight realizes.
She retaliates pleadingly: “Come on Twilight, you must know that’s not true. We sent a filly to Tartarus for Celestia’s sake! Tartarus! We sent her to the very people who she is frozen in stone with. What did we expect her to learn there? There has to be a better way. There was for me.”
“If we let her loose, she could destroy us all.”
“If she tries we’ll stop her. We’ll keep her under surveillance! Discord can help.”
Fluttershy pipes up, “It would be fair… after the mess he caused in the first place. I’m sure he would be willing to lend a paw.”
Twilight’s eyes narrow. “She is just a filly… but who would be responsible for her? Her parents haven’t exactly come forward.”
“I’ll do it.”
The room gasped.
Starlight Glimmer stood in front of a council of her friends and her teacher, the very one who had taught her the meaning of all this. A part of her knew this would happen. She thought back to the moment she had Cozy Glow in her office that first time. The filly had admitted to purposely failing a test to get her friends into the school. Starlight knew better now than to think that situation had been all it seemed, but at the same time…
She steps forward, as if taking the first step into the future she proposed. “Who else but me? I’ve been in her shoes. I’ve had the best teacher.” Twilight’s frown twitched. “And I know we have to try. I’ll take responsibility for her, but I can’t do this alone.” The rest of the room fades away except for her and Twilight. “You believed I could change. Believe me and help me help her.”
Silence, once again.
Applejack cleared her throat. “I reckon it’s mighty admirable what you’re doing, but…”
“Applejack is right. This matter must be discussed more thoroughly. After all that is what this Council is for,” Twilight breathes in sharply, and Starlight winces knowing the migraine the Princess will have later over this. “Thank you for bringing this to our attention, Starlight. We’ll discuss this and get back to you shortly.”
Starlight nodded. “Thank you, everyone.”
When the letter arrived a few days later, Starlight Glimmer smiled. She knew what she had to do the minute that filly was turned to stone. And now, it wasn’t too late. Now, she had Equestria by her side.
Now the real preparation could begin.
Author's Note
This is my first fanfic in a while, and my first ever my little pony one! I hope it makes someone smile and that everyone seeing this has a lovely day
