//------------------------------// // Fighting Fire with Fire ~ II // Story: Wicked Games: Rookery // by True Edge //------------------------------// Pipsqueak straightened up, clearing his throat as he ran his hands once more over the velveteen face of the lavender shell jacket he was wearing. The dress uniform of the Stellar Guard was an impressive thing, and something he'd not actually had on since his graduation from the academy, four months ago. A summons from the Princess herself, however, would warrant no less. As such, he had spent his Thursday night brushing and cleaning the fine cloth of the uniform, and his Friday morning showering, thoroughly, combing his mane and tail, both kept cropped short, in true guard style, trimming his fingernails and toenails. He then proceeded to brush the entire uniform off once more, before donning it, taking his time to make sure that each button was impeccable. Normally, for a trip to Canterlot, he would not have bothered as the two hour long train ride would have ruined most of these preparations. However, the Princess had stated in her letter that she would be sending a small airship, which would arrive at ten o'clock in the morning, exactly, and ferry him back to her castle directly, in Canterlot. The eighteen year old pinto colt looked over at the clock on the wall of his room and swallowed. Still forty minutes to go. He took a breath and turned, looking back at the full length mirror on the back of his door and taking a breath. His russet eyes scanned over his figure, and he felt once more that little feeling of surprise that he had actually made it, that he was now a member of the Royal Guard. And he wasn't just some showy ceremonial guard, either; no, he had refused such a posting, preferring to be somewhere he could actually do some good. He had trained for the investigative squad, and as such had already seen more than his fair share of how ugly ponies could potentially be to one another. One of his teachers had enjoyed slideshows, and there had been something of a running bet in the class how long new ponies would make it through her classes before they had to throw up. Pip had made it nine minutes, a fact he was rather proud of, considering the rather gorey crime scene she had been showing them. All his life, Pip had been the runt, and even now he was barely over five and half feet tall. When he was a foal, back when he and his mum had first moved to Ponyville, he had been the brunt of many pranks and jokes, about his size and his odd coat color. But Pip had persevered, keeping his chin up and taking it all with a smile. A knocking on his door brought him out of it, and his mother's voice called through. "Pip, sweetie? Are you about ready? You don't wan' t' be late!" Pip rushed over and opened the door, smiling at his mother, who stood at eye level with her son. At forty-three, she looked several years older, at least. His father having left them when he was so young had left her with a lot of strain on her shoulders, and it showed in the lines on her forehead and around her eyes. Still, she was smiling when she looked at him, and she stepped back, looking at him. "Oh, don' you look just grand, Pippy." "Mum, I told you not to call me that! And I'll be fine, I've still got . . . " He paused, glancing once more at the clock, and then looked back at her. "Half an hour. It's only a five minute walk to the airship dock." He said. She sighed, shaking her head. "I know, I know, I'm sorry. You're just . . . You've just grown up so well. And now, to be invited to a private meeting with the Princess! Oh, I'm just so proud of you, son!" She said, smiling up at him with a tear in her eye, and the young stallion matched her expression, smiling back and reached out, pulling her into a hug, in spite of the wrinkles it might put in his uniform. She was his mum, and that was more important than a first impression. "Come on." She said, patting his back, stepping away with a smile. "I've got you some breakfast." She said, and he smiled, following her out to the kitchen where a proper Trottingham breakfast, haysausage, toast and eggs was waiting for him. They ate together, perhaps a bit too fast, talking simply over the morning, and their plans for the weekend. WHen it was finished, he helped her clean the dishes, before glancing up at the clock. Fifteen minutes left. He took a breath, turning to look at her, and she smiled at him, walking over and dusting the front of his jacket off, smoothing the sleeves. "You'll be fine, Pip." She said, leaning forward and kissing him on the cheek. "Your my colt, and I know, whatever the Princess wants, it can only be something good." Pip had perhaps dallied a bit much, but a quick walk through town saw him at the airdock with four minutes to spare. Since her coronation, Princess Twilight had encouraged both the arts and sciences to flourish. As such, arcanotech, the practice of combing science with magic to power devices such as radios, televisions, autocarriages (or 'cars' as most ponies referred to them), airships, new, faster trains and numerous other things, had blossomed throughout the kingdom. Of course, these had been common enough in Equestria before her coronation, but Twilight was such an avid proponent of the whole thing that they had even found their way into the smaller towns of the country, like Ponyville. The big wooden and steel construction that was the new Ponyville airdock had been completed last year. While it was expensive to use the airship, which meant that many ponies still preferred taking the train, the speed with which the ships covered ground still made them a popular method of travel. Pip glanced up from the bench he was sitting on in the covered waiting area as he heard the engines of the ship begin to break through the hubub of the town marketplace behind and to his left. The ship that came into view was typical of those in use by the Stellar Guard for light transport, these days; sleek and streamlined, with the arcane sail glowing lightly, flickering with the magical charge that helped the ship stay afloat. The engines were not that loud, but Pip had learned to recognize the sound, while at the academy. Twin VR-S-53 Arcanotech engines, running at 54 thaums per second, gave the ship enough charge to outrun a Wonderbolt at full throttle, and yet at slower speeds could be almost imperceptible to ears not listening. Pip stood as the ship pulled into dock a bit faster than was strictly smart, coming to halt almost perfectly aligned with the gangplank, which automatically lowered, responding to a magical signal sent from the ship itself. The earth pony headed up the ramp, not wanting to delay any longer than necessary. Halfway up, he met a pony on the way down; a deep, navy blue pegasus with stormy gray mane and tail and sky blue eyes. Of course, she was also several inches taller than him. She stopped as she saw him, and he noted the uniform of a Stellar Guard Aircaptain. He stopped, went to attention and saluted, and the pegasus, smirking, returned the gesture. "You must be Lieutenant Pipsqueak." She said, a slight Detrot accent shading her words. "I'm Captain Black Hawk, of the Aileron." She gestured up towards the ship above. "I'm due to pick you up and bring you to the castle. Meeting the Princess, personally? You must've impressed somepony." Pip blushed, shaking his head. "Oh, no, no . . . I don't think so, at least." She lifted an eyebrow, falling in beside him as she led the way up the ramp. "Well, evidently the Princess does. She made it clear, she wants you there by ten after, and no later." She said, shrugging. "Really?" Pip asked, taken aback. "Ten minutes to Canterlot from here? I knew Arctos class ships were fast, but is that . . . safe?" She chuckled, mouth turning up in a smirk. "Oh, don't you worry your spotted little head, Lieutenant. I'll get us there, and in one piece." She said, laughing as they made their way up to the ship. Nine minutes and some change later, Pip found himself staggering off the gangplank and onto the relatively stable platform of the royal airdock at Canterlot. He clutched at one of the steel supports, leaning over the railing until he was sure he wasn't going to empty his stomach. He had trained on *Arctos* class before, at the academy, as it was required training. However, the pegasus, Black Hawk, flew in a far less . . . safe way, than the pilot at the academy. "You alright, Lieutenant?" She chuckled as she passed him, patting him on the back. He turned, swallowing hard as the world spun, and opened his mouth to reply. Instead, his stoamch rebelled and he turned, bending over the safety railing and praying in the back of his head that there wasn't anycreature walking by below. Ten minutes later, after a hasty cleanup in a public restroom, Pip hurried into the waiting area outside the Princess' study, spying her personal secretary, the aged but still quite sophisticated Raven Inkwell. There was another pony sitting in a chair, face buried behind a newspaper, and a pair of guards, both ponies, standing alongside the door into the study itself. Raven glanced up, spying him and waved him by. "Go right in, Lieutenant." She said. "Her Majesty stated you were to be given priority, when you arrived." Pip hesitated, for a moment, glancing to the other pony, seeing that she still had her face buried in the newspaper, well manicured, pink furred hands gripping the pages loosely, while one sneakered foot bobbed. "But-" "No 'buts', Lieutenant, it was a direct order from the Princess." Raven said, quirking an eyebrow at him, and he smiled awkwardly, bowing to her. "Sorry, miss." He said to the pony, who barely even glanced up, giving him a glimpse of a scarlet eye under powder blue bangs before she waved her hand at him and buried her face back in her newspaper. He turned, making his way to the door, pausing briefly as a thought struck him. Something familiar about the pony in the waiting room. However, Raven and the guards both ushered him inside before the thought could properly form, and so he found himself standing in the Princess' study, blinking as he saw her glance up from the papers on her desk, gracing him with a smile. "Pip, or should I say, 'Lieutenant Pipsqueak'?" She said, standing up and stepping around her desk. Pip bowed from the waist, hands at his sides. "Your Majesty." He said, before she scoffed, waving her hand at him, and gestured to one of the chairs in front of her desk. "Please, Pip! None of that. Just Twilight, is fine, or if you must, Princess. I've never been too fond of all that stuff, and you know it." She said, and Pip smiled slightly, already feeling a bit more relaxed. He stepped forward, looking around the room, at the warm, earthy tones and wooden textures, the shelves filled to bursting with books and scrolls and the open doors leading out onto a balcony, which allowed in a cool, early morning breeze. Funny, how the 'Princess of Technomancy', as the Ponyville Gazette had labeled her a few years ago, surrounded herself with such simple, earthy things. And yet, thinking back on the first time he'd met her, how happy she seemed living in the little Golden Oaks library in Ponyville, it didn't really surprise Pip, all that much. "I'm very honored, Princess. It . . . It surprised myself and my mum, when we received your invitation." He said, as he sat down in the char she had offered, while she perched her tall, graceful frame on the edge of her desk, looking ever so much like a teacher or librarian still, in spite of everything. "Yes, well. All of the students who pass through my Stellar Guard Academy have their records pass over my desk at some point, and yours was . . . rather impressive. Your mum should be proud." She said, smiling at him while he blushed. "Oh, I . . . Don't really feel like I did anything all that special, Princess." He said, waving it aside while glancing down at his lap. "Nonsense, Pip. Well, you struggled a bit on the physcial trials, but you pushed through and still passed on them, which is an achievement in and of itself. Not to mention your, heh, 'Stellar' grades, on the written lessons." She said, smirking at her own little pun, which had him smiling in spite of himself. "So . . . Sorry, Princess, but, all that aside, I know I didn't do better than many in my class. Why'd you call me, here?" He asked, pushing through to the root of his confusion. Of all the ponies in *Equestria* to be called for a private interview with the Princess of Friendship, Pip felt he was the least qualified. So, why had she called him? She pursed her lips, nodding slowly. "Putting everything else aside, I found your dissertation on the importance and necessity of the Second Chance Program to be interesting. Your faith and belief in the idea that ponies, and anyone for that matter, can better themselves if given the chance is . . . inspiring, or should be." Pip blinked, thinking back on that dissertation. He remembered that it had been specifcally aimed towards those with mental conditions and illnesses that made them potentially dangerous towards society in general, and spoke at length, perhaps too much so, he now thought, on how important it was to give these creatures the chance to improve themselves, and the help they needed to do so. "Well, Princess, such things have always been of interest to me. Many of those that society labels as 'monsters' are just . . . troubled creatures who need help, not to be punished further for their mistakes. Look at Queen Chrysalis or Tirek, formerly violent, anti-social villains, who are now leading safe, respectable lives." "And what of Cozy Glow?" Twilight asked, and Pip blinked, mouth opening slightly. "She was a . . . subject of interest, I take it? You mention her and her case repeatedly throughout the dissertation." Pip blushed, reaching up and rubbing the back of his neck. "Well, you see, Your Maj-er . . . Princess, I, um . . . It's just, psychopaths are such a rare thing, in Equestria. Like, a true, archetypal psychopath, and possibly one who was born that way! She is truly a fascinating subject!" "Awww, Princess! You didn't tell me he was a fan!" Came a smooth, chipper sounding voice from the front of the room, and Twilight's eyes snapped up, going wide. Pip had to push himself up and twist in his seat to see who it was. She was leaning against the wall by the door, a hair above five feet in height, wearing a pair of jeans, t-shirt and tennis shoes, all in shades of soft yellow and blue. Her pink fur was clean, well groomed, her hair a fine powder blue, tail long and free, unadorned, while her mane, worn in shoulder length curls, was held back by a thin piece of yellow ribbon. Her eyes were most striking, as she pushed off the wall, stepping into the light, a soft, pastel scarlet color, that seemed to drift between amber and crimson red, depending on the light. "I didn't ask for you to come in, yet, Cozy." Princess Twilight said, stiffly, and the mare laughed, wings shifting against her back. "I know, I know, but I was getting bored. You can only re-read the same newspaper so many times before it stops being useful for anything more than a screen to hide behind." She said, glancing at Pip, who was staring at her with wide eyes and an open mouth. "Careful, colt, or you might trip over your jaw." She said, reaching out a hand to touch his chin. He snapped his mouth shut and jumped up out of the seat, taking a step back from her while glancing between her and the Princess. "Awww, golly, that's adorable! Big, strong guard pony like you, scared of little old me?" She said, putting a hand to her breast and batting her long, soft eyelashes, and Pip cleared his throat. "I-I'm . . . I'm not scared. Why are you here?" He asked, frowning again, and Twilight sighed. "Cozy Glow and I have an agreement." She said, and the pegasus pony lifted her hand. "Possible agreement. I haven't said yes, yet." She said, glancing at Twilight, before turning her attention, unwaveringly, back to Pip. "Either way," Twilight continued, "Cozy Glow needs to find a way to . . . fit into society, somewhere she can help and do some good. I . . . was originally going to build you up for this a bit slower, but Cozy's taken that away from me. How did you get in here past the guards and Raven?" Twilight said, frowning at the pegasus again, who lifted her eyebrows, looking absolutely guileless. "Oh, dear, well I had a bit of a feinting spell, you know, and the guards went to get help." She said, stepping around the chair Pip had been sitting in, moving closer to him. He unconsciously backed up, until his tail was pressed into the desk behind him. "While they were gone, I came to but was awful thirsty, and Miss Inkwell was kind enough to go and fetch me something to drink . . . " She said, turning her eyes away from him for the first time to fully look at Princess Twilight, who was frowning in annoyance. "Oh, don't go too hard on them, Princess, it's not their fault." "I'll be having a word with both the guards and Raven about this. If nothing else, one of them should have stayed behind, rather than both of them going." The Princess said, concern and anger warring in her tone. Cozy Glow simply shrugged. "Well, what do you expect? I mean, honestly, it's just nice for me to see that the Stellar Guard is continuing the fine and upstanding traditions of being a royal guard in Equestria." Twilight frowned, and Pip stood up a bit straighter, feeling the uniform he was wearing as though it was tighter, suddenly, heavier. "Hey! That's not fair! The Royal Guards have a long history of loyal service to the Princesses of Equestria!" He said, voice firm. Cozy looked at him and gave a tittering laugh, hand in front of her mouth like a schoolfilly. "Oh, my! So stern!" She said, taking another step towards him and leaning forward, eyes locked onto his. "I think I like you." She said. Pip tried to step backwards, but the desk blocked him, leaving him uncomfortably close to her, looking down into those big, scarlet orbs. He'd fantasized before, about meeting her, talking to her, perhaps even getting to know her. All perfectly academic of course, she was a fascinating subject of study, just as he'd told Princess Twilight. He certainly would not call himself a fan of somepony like her. Who had done the things she had done. In spite of all this, he had certainly never imagined he would really get the chance to meet her, not like this, so suddenly and in such an . . . uncontrolled circumstance. Nor did he ever imagine she would smell so nice. He felt a blush rising in his cheeks as she leaned in a bit closer, feeling her breath washing over his face, and he began to stammer, though in an attempt to say what, exactly, he had no idea, when he was saved by the Princess. "Cozy." She said, voice firm, and the pegasus frowned, happy-go-lucky, teasing expression faltering, revealing a look of annoyance and vague digust underneath. She shot a glare at the Princess, but stepped back, huffing out a breath as she crossed her arms over her breast, defensively. Just like that, Pip found himself able to breathe again, and nearly fell, bracing himself against the edge of the Princess' desk. "Ugh, fine." Cozy muttered, licking a tooth. "You're not much fun, today, Twily." She said, a smirk crawling over her face, but not quite reaching her eyes. "Please, don't call me that, Cozy." Twilight said, taking a breath and shivering slightly, before shaking her head. "And please, do your best to respect the lieutenant's personal space? Please?" "Okay, okay, I said fine!" Cozy said, throwing up her hands, before stepping back and flopping into the chair that Pip had vacated. "So. I met him . . . Now what?" "I'm sure that Pip is wondering what, exactly, this is about. Especially as you've not given me much chance to explain things, to him." Cozy's smirk grew a bit wider, and started to really touch her eyes with a spark of humor, although it had a dark edge to it. "Oh, so sowwy, mommy." SHe said, rolling her eyes up to look at Twilight, whose mouth thinned. "Oh, I know, I know! 'Don't call me that, Cozy'! Jeeze, you're a bummer!" Cozy said, even as her smirk grew into a leer. It was at this moment that the door burst open, revealing Raven and, right behind her, both guards. Cozy sat up, twisting in her seat much as Pip had done upon her entrance, and simply held up a hand, waving mockingly at the trio. "You majesty! I'm so sorry!" Raven said, a blush on her face, as Twilight held up a hand. "It's alright, Raven! We'll . . . talk about this, later. For now, you can go back to your stations. Make sure we're not disturbed." She said, the last with a stern tone and glare, and the trio all bowed, stepping back, shutting the door behind them. Cozy turned back around, sliding down until she was slouching in the seat, one leg casually thrown over the other, as she held up her hand, pointing idly at Twilight. "Bossy." She said, before licking her lips. Pip looked between them in confusion, as Twilight's eyes went wide and a blush crept onto her face. "Cozy!" She said, anger beginning to color her voice, and the psychopath gave a laugh, head tilting back, exposing the slim lines of her neck. Twilight shook her head, sighing. "I swear . . . Pip, I am sorry, for this. Cozy Glow has a knack for . . . putting a wrench into anything." She said, and the pegasus looked at her, grinning, and nodded, as though accepting a compliment. Pip, his breathing more controlled now, bowed his head. "It's alright, Princess. I have read her file. I know how she tends to be . . . I just . . .Never thought I'd-" "Get to meet greatness in the flesh?" Cozy said, waggling her eyebrows at him. "Something like that." He said, frowning at her, before turning to look at Twilight. "What is this about an . . . 'agreement'?" "Possible agreement." Cozy slipped in, earning her another glare from Twilight, at which point she sat back, running a hand over her mouth as though zipping her lips shut. Sighing, Princess Twilight walked back around her desk and sat down, slightly heavily, leaning over her desk and putting her head in her hands, before straightening up and looking at him. "Pip, as I'm sure you're aware, aiming as you did for the Investigative Branch of the Guard, crime is still an ongoing issue, here in Equestria. Even with our current state of Harmony, ponies, and other creatures, are still stealing, kidnapping and . . . Well, murdering, one another." She said, frowning and looking down at her desk. After a moment, she took a breath and looked back up at them. "As you may . . . also be aware, the various law enforcement agencies around the kingdom are having some . . . difficulty, in apprehending some of these criminals. That is what the I.B. was formed for, after all. It is simply not in a pony's nature to be able to think like a criminal. Or at least, not most ponies' natures." She said, turning an eye to Cozy, who sat up, smiling as Pip turned and frowned at her. She smiled slightly and lifted her eyebrows. "Princess Twilight thinks I'd make a great . . . Heh. 'Consulting Detective', to help the Guard out with those sorts of crimes. Her words, not mine." Pip sat ,staring at her for a moment, then glanced over at Twilight. " . . . Is that a Sherclop Pones reference?" He said, shaking his head slightly with a grimace. "That's what I said!" Cozy exclaimed, giggling, which made Pip doubt his own opinion, while Princess Twilight buried her head in her hands. "Nopony likes the classics anymore . . . " She muttered, before putting her palms down on the desk and setting up. "Okay, look, as I've already said, that was perhaps not the best correlation, but I believe it's a good idea! It will give Cozy a paying job, that will also allow her to be a useful and productive member of society!" "'Cessy Twily still thinks she can rehabilitate me." Cozy said, smirking with her eyes lidded, looking like a cat lounging on a chair after eating a canary. "And you get to be my chaperone, Pippy." She said, turning those dark, smoky eyes on him, and he felt his throat constrict. He looked to Twilight, and the Princess, though she was looking at Cozy in annoyance, nodded. "Much as I wish it were otherwise, Cozy Glow has proven she cannot fully be trusted to do things in a . . . safe, legal manner, without supervision. Given your good marks at the academy, your belief in the Second Chance program and your detailed, academic understanding of psychopaths in general, and Cozy Glow in particular, I felt you were the best choice to act as her . . . well, her chaperone, I suppose." The Princess said, turning an eye on him wit ha sorrowful look. "I, of course, understand if you don't want to do this." Cozy held up a hand. "I'll say, right now, that I agree to do this . . . only if it's him. He looks like fun, and I haven't had any real fun in ages. Doctor Stable Mind was waaay too tight assed for me to get a rise out of her. But little Pippy here seems like a treat!" She said, grinning at him. "Cozy, I will not force him into this, and I will not allow you to-" "I'll do it." Pip said, before really thinking about it. Cozy's face lit up like a Hearth's Warming bonfire, while Twilight looked over at him, concern plain on her face. "Are you certain, Pip? You don't have to, and you don't have to decide now. You can go home and think about it, if you'd like." She said, getting up and coming around the side of her desk, putting a motherly hand on his shoulder. He took a shaking breath, glancing up at the Princess standing above him, before turning and meeting the gleeful gaze of the psychopath who was sitting across from him, staring at him like a Timberwolf looks at a doe. "Thank you, Princess, but . . . I don't need to think about it. This is . . . this is something I've wanted for a while, academically." Princess Twilight took a breath and nodded slowly. "Just remember, Pip . . . Life isn't an academy, and things rarely work the way they do in books. This is something that will require you to think, not just with your mind, but with your heart, as well." Cozy's face twisted, and she started clapping her hands, sarcastically. "Yippee! Such a pretty little sentiment, Princess, but clearly, he's made up his mind! And, good thing for you, too, because I wouldn't have agreed if he didn't." She said, leering at the Alicorn. Twilight shot the mare a look and pursed her lips. "Good for you, too, then, isn't it?" She said, quirking an eyebrow, and the mare lifted her chin, narrowing her eyes at the Princess. Pip cleared his throat. "When . . . When do we start?" He said, glancing at the Princess, who looked down at him. She stared at him for a long moment, thoughts drifting behind her eyes, as though second thoughts and ponderances of the ways this could go wrong were dawning on her. For his part, Pip was still partly in shock, unsure really as to what he'd just agreed to. He had no training for this sort of thing, outside of a few details of playing prison guard. That said, none of those prisoners, mostly petty criminals, could hold a candle to Cozy Glow or the things she was capable of. The pegasus had played everypony in Equestria and had almost succeeded in completely erasing magic from the entire world, all before she was 14 . . . twice. And now he was agreeing to be some sort of chaperone? To keep her in line and under control? He'd be lucky if she didn't play him right into helping her do it all over again! But something about her, when he looked into her eyes, there was this feeling of wanting to be closer to her, wanting to talk to her, get to know her, find out . . . Find out why. He knew it was foolish, but it was the one question that nopony had ever really gotten the answer to. Cozy had made statements before, about her childhood, about why she did what she did, but they were contradictory, at best. Sometimes, they simply made no sense, period. From her claim that she wanted to be 'Empress of Friendship', to the story of her uncle molesting and abusing her as a filly, none of them had been proven. There was also the fact that the name 'Cozy Glow' had never been found in any registry in Canterlot or any other city, nor was there any record of her particular Cutie Mark on file. Cozy was an enigma, wrapped in a riddle, wrapped up in a mystery, and given a cute yellow bow to tie it all off, and Pip, more than anything, wanted to unwrap her. In a purely academic sense, of course. And so it was that Pip reached up, laying his hand gently on the Princess' hand, and smiled softly at her, in as reassuring a way as he could. She blinked, as though coming back to herself, and matched his smile, after a moment, patting his shoulder before stepping back. "Well . . . I have something I think will make a good starting point. For now, both of you go home, rest, and meet me back here after the weekend, same time, Monday morning." "Wow, imagine! Me, working a nine-to-five, Monday thru Friday . . . Ugh." Cozy said, face twisting into an exaggerated shudder of disgust at the end, before she went right back to smirking. She stood up from the chair in a fluid motion, looking again like a cat as she stretched, her t-shirt riding up and exposing a flash of soft, pink-white belly fur. Pip caught himself staring, and blinked, turning his head away. He wasn't an idiot, he knew that Cozy was doing it on purpose, but that didn't seem to matter to his damned hormones, which had started making their presence known since the mare had stepped into the room. WIth a hard swallow, he pushed off the desk, clearing his throat and smiling at the Princess. "Will do, Princess Twilight." He said, and she nodded at him. "Thank you, both of you . . . And, Pip, if you could please send Raven and the guards in, as you go, please." She said, her voice getting a bit stern as she walked back around to sit behind her desk. Cozy's smirk grew, and she licked her lips. "Ohhh, can I stay, 'Cessy Twily?!" She asked, leaning forward with her hands interlaced behind her back. Twilight shot her a glare, and the pegasus rocked back, giggling again, a cute little tittering sound as she turned on a heel, wings ruffling. As she stepped forward the door opened, the guards standing stoically on either side of it. She spun again as she went through, walking backwards so she could look at them both. "So, so sowwy, boys! I guess I was just feeling a little tired! Buh-bye!" She said, turning and waving at Raven before trotting towards the door to the stairs. Pip stepped out behind her, opening his mouth with an apologetic expression, but Raven was already standing, eyes down as she walked around her desk towards the doo. She looked up, meeting his gaze as she passed him, and frowned. "Be careful." She said, softly, before passing him, gesturing to the guards who fell into step behind her as they walked into Twilight's office, the doors closing behind them, enveloped in the pink glow of Twilight's magic. He could hear her speaking in a raised voice as he turned away, frowning as he saw the petite, pink pegasus waiting by the door to the stairs, leaning up against one and smiling at him. He cleared his throat and walked over, coming to a cautious halt about eight feet from her, and her smile turned a bit sharp at the edges. "Scared?" She said, one eyebrow quirking at him. He clenched his jaw, and stepped forward, reaching out and gripping the handle of the door. As he did so, she slipped her hand out, laying it over his, and he froze. Her touch was warm, palm soft and gentle on his knuckles. He felt his throat tighten up as he glanced over at her, eyes wide. She was standing, head tilted to the side, scarlet eyes locked onto his, chest rising and falling softly as she breathed. "Brave." She said, softly, leaning forward, never breaking eye contact. "A bit stupid, probably." She said, and he blushed, going to step back, but she put her other hand on his arm, above the elbow, stepping forward so that she was partially pressed up against him. "Probably. But also . . . not too bad. The way you turned her to what you wanted was quite sweetly done." She said, leering up at him. He frowned, shifting around and putting his free hand against her shoulder, pushing her back firmly. Surprisingly, she acquiesced without much fuss, stepping back, though her hand shifted up to take hold of the one he was using to push her with. "What are you talking about?" He asked, pulling his hand away from her, and she pouted at him, before smirking. "In there . . . That little smile and puppy dog eyes? Usually wouldn't work too well, somepony your age, but you're kinda like me. Small for your age, so you can still pull it off." She said, tucking her hands behind her back and rocking forward on her toes. He hesitated, breath catching. Had he . . . really been doing that? And it had worked? He shook his head, sharply. "I don't know what you're talking about." He said, turning and opening the door, quickly, stepping out onto the landing. However, his mother had raised him to be polite, and so he found himself standing, holding the door for her without thinking, and she followed him through, reaching out and brushing one hand down his chest as she passed. She turned as he stepped back, letting the door swing shut again, and smirked at him. "No need to play coy, Pippy. You won't find any judgemental bullshit, here. You wanted something, and you played Twily to get it, just like me." She said, and he clenched his jaw, standing up straighter. "I'm nothing like you." He said, voice low, and she giggled putting one hand over her mouth again, eyes shining. "Oh, that's funny! I knew I liked you, Pippy! I think, this may be the start of a BEE-yootiful . . . Heh . . . Friendship." She said, exaggerating her words, before her visage turned a bit dark, smile taking on a sharper, more sinister edge as she said the last word. She giggled, the sound turning to a cackle, as she turned on her heel, wings flapping slightly to keep herself balanced as she practically skipped down the stairs, soon disappearing from sight, and left Pip standing, wondering what, exactly, he'd gotten himself into.