It had been one tiresome day. Managing the school the way she had done was hard work, but it had worked just perfect! Cozy plodded back into her little room in the school and prepared to go to bed.
She had accomplished all three of her goals:
She had Starlight's unquestioning trust, meaning that removing her would be easy, once the time came for that.
She had started to make herself known more and more to the rest of the students. They had heard her address this morning, and both Lilac Drops and Spring Rays would tell their friends that she had been a funny pony to talk to, and she had pulled them out of harm's way too.
Finally, she had started to disarm the potentially troublesome students: the five none-ponies and that loser with the turtles for a cutie mark. She had seen for some time now as they were not swayed by her as easily as the others. But that was fine. They would simply have to help her by being hated, and binding the rest of the school together over that common hate. Cozy knew she wouldn't be able to sway everypony to her side; some would have to be sacrificed and used to project fear onto. But that was fine. She didn't need everypony on her side; all she needed was a critical mass. Once she had enough ponies rising with her, the rest would follow blindly.
Oh, herding was a wonderful instinct! They didn't even realize how she set them all up!
Cozy giggled softly and laid herself down on her bed.
She fell asleep with a smile on her face. In her dreams she had already achieved her goals. All were bowing to her, the empress, the alicorn-to-be, the celebrated one, the beloved of everypony!