The next day dawned all too soon for Cozy Glow and for Twilight. This was it, the day that would determine Cozy's fate and what (if any) future awaited her.

As the royal sisters were already aware of Cozy's treatment and what it entailed there was no need to hide what was part of it. When the two alicorns entered the castle they quickly saw the pegasus all padded up and with a raging blush as she growled at the hopelessness of maintaining her dignity.

Princess Celestia seemed to briefly smirk despite her best efforts to keep from losing her composure. But it didn't last for long and she soon cleared her throat. "Well, Cozy Glow. How has your month of... punishment gone?"

Cozy growled further. "Humiliating! I'm just glad I've never really been taken out in public like this or I would've died of embarrassment. Given the choice I'd rather have just been sent to Tartarus," And then she inquired. "That's where I'm going to end up though, isn't it?"

"Not necessarily," Princess Celestia protested and turned to Twilight. "This punishment was your idea. You seemed convinced it would get Cozy to change her ways. So tell me, have there been any changes? You know, besides the diaper changes?"

Twilight cleared her throat. "Well... Cozy did lash out a lot early on, but over time as the reality settled in she seemed to resign herself to it," And she explained. "The worst Cozy did since being put into diapers was try to run away once, rip up one of Spike's comics and then play a nasty trick on Diamond Tiara. And all of that was early on."

Princess Luna then questioned in a serious and somber tone of voice. "And be honest, Twilight Sparkle, do you feel like this unusual method of punishment has worked as you intended?"

The young alicorn was silent for a moment, deep in thought at the question posed to her. But at last she settled on an answer and spoke. "I think I've made some progress. I was able to find out about her family situation and how she ran away from home when her parents wouldn't let her attend my school. It was probably a stretch to think I could change an attitude years in the making in the span of just a month, but I had to do something. I didn't want to just give up on a child, even one like Cozy Glow."

The pegasus filly pointed out. "You're really every bit the goody two horseshoes they say you are, Princess Twilight. It sounds like you let all kinds of creatures get away with bad behavior."

"If that was true then why is your 'pen pal' still locked up in Tartarus?" Twilight corrected. "Part of the reason why I tried to spare you from the same fate is because I got to see for myself what Tartarus is like. It's no place for a child, no matter how much of a monster they may be."

The sun princess only shook her head and said to Twilight. "It seems like you haven't made much progress. You may have tempered Cozy's aggression, but you have only scratched the surface on the forces that could drive her to commit crimes such as collaboration with an enemy."

The night princess nodded her head in agreement. "I'm not sure if this punishment is truly going to be enough to get Cozy Glow to mend her ways, not even if you were to keep it at for months."

Twilight gulped and swallowed hard. "Does this mean she's beyond salvation then?"

"A-ha! So I am going to Tartarus after all!" Cozy realized! "And once I'm in there, I'm gonna find old Tirek and give me a piece of my mind. In fact, I might just give him more than that."

However, Princess Celestia protested as she raised up a hoof. "It wouldn't be right to resort to such an option without a trial, and that could take a while to set up," And she was quick to add. "Plus, it does sound as if Cozy has been started on the right track, Twilight. It's just that your 'solution' alone won't be enough. She needs help beyond what you can offer, especially when you're running a school on top of your princess duties."

A reluctant sigh escaped the young alicorn's lips as the realization slowly set in. Princess Celestia was right, the kind of help Cozy Glow needed was not the kind of help any princess could truly offer. All of them had their own duties and responsibilities, and to take in and try to raise a child as problematic as Cozy would be almost impossible.

"Therefore," Princess Celestia continued. "It would be best if she were placed into long term care with ponies that had more time to devote to her. More time to teach her right from wrong and try to guide her back to the light."

At that, Cozy's eyes went wide and she was stricken with fright! "Oh please, please don't send me back to my parents!" She pleaded and protested, throwing herself before the mighty alicorn! "I don't want to ever go back to them! The whole reason I came to Ponyville was so I could get away from them!"

Princess Luna soon pointed out. "Whoever said you'd be going back to your parents? What my sister has suggested is foster care. You would no longer be your parents' child."

Twilight nodded in agreement. "I'll have to talk it up with Mayor Mare, but I'm pretty sure I can pull some strings and have you legally be removed from the custody of your parents. That would mean they couldn't claim you or take you back even if they wanted to," And then she cautioned. "But whoever ends up adopting you, I'm going to give them permission to continue your punishment if they want to."

The padded pegasus frowned but sighed in reluctant agreement. "Fine, I guess it's better than the alternative," Then she questioned. "But what about the School of Friendship? Will I still be allowed to attend?"

Twilight shook her head. "No. After what you did it's probably for the best if you didn't come back, not just for your sake but for the sake of the students. Your education will probably be either home schooling, or attending classes at the schoolhouse here in Ponyville."

Cozy frowned anew. "Aw man, that stinks!"

"Well maybe you should've thought of that before you decided to steal those artifacts and become pen pals with Tirek, Miss Messy Diaper." Spike called and teased from afar.

"I heard that, dragon!" The filly hissed but received no reply.

The royal sisters then prepared to leave, but not before Princess Celestia sternly warned. "Make no mistake, Cozy Glow. You're not off the hook for what you did. If you slip up or give us any reason to believe you'll betray Equestria again, you'll probably be either sent to Tartarus for life or be turned to stone. So if I were you I'd watch my step and do my best to keep good behavior."

A few days after the visit from the royal sisters, the paperwork was filed and processed. Cozy Glow was officially and legally removed from the custody of her parents and placed into the foster care system in Ponyville. Surprisingly, it wasn't long before there was a couple willing to adopt her despite knowing what she had done.

Things moved quickly from there and soon all of Cozy's "supplies" were being loaded into saddle bags and boxes in preparation for her move.

"You be a good filly for your new family now, Cozy," Twilight cautioned. "I hope you won't give them reason to break out all the foal stuff again."

The little pegasus just replied. "Whatever, at least I can finally get out of those stupid diapers and the stupid enchantments you put on them."

The young alicorn only giggled. "The enchantments are still there. They're not going to fade any time soon."

Cozy groaned. "And you're going to insist on coming over to foalsit me whenever you get the chance, aren't you?"

Twilight just winked in response. "Maybe, maybe not. It all depends on how much of a big girl you can prove yourself to be and how much trouble you give your new mom and dad. I've asked them to write to me every day if possible so that I can monitor your progress. Think of me as your parole officer if you will, and the same goes for Starlight since I'll be giving her permission to do all of that if I'm not around."

The only reply from the pegasus filly was a faint growl. Still, she could at least appreciate that she would have some freedom again, hopefully. And anything was better than going back to her parents. With any luck they'd already moved on and forgotten all about her. She didn't want to think about what she would have to endure if they showed up and tried to take her back.

As bad as things had been while being treated like a foal at the mercy of Princess Twilight, Cozy knew that it was nothing compared to what she would go through with her parents. And now, hopefully, she could start living her life in her own way. Free from the expectations of others.