Sunset Shimmer made the trek down the hall of Canterlot High for what seemed the hundreth time in just a few weeks. It probably was. Honestly it was probably more than a hundred. She could already hear Principal Celestia's sigh combined with the soft splat of an ever thickening file on her desk. She was already dealing with so much stress, she didn't even know if she wanted to know the reason why she was being summoned this time...other than the obvious.
She rounded the corner and spotted the obvious main cause seated outside Principal Celestia's office on the wooden bench, leaning back against the wall with arms crossed and a smug expression.
"Cozy, what did you do this time?"
Cozy Glow waved a hand dismissively. "It's not nearly as big a deal as everyone is making it."
Sunset narrowed her eyes. "Just stay there until I'm done."
Cozy shrugged and Sunset stepped on past, knocking on the door before pushing it open and entering the office. She closed the door behind her and walked to the chair in front of the Principal's big desk, sitting down in it. Principal Celestia sighed and, as predicted, dropped a thick file on the desk in front of her, in Sunset's direction.
"Before I open this," Sunset said with a sigh of her own, "was anyone injured, maimed, or killed?"
Principal Celestia couldn't resist a slight grin before shaking her head soberly. "No physical injuries. However I can't say the same about mental and emotional ones."
Sunset opened the file and glanced over the newest addition to Cozy's impressive list of crimes. Her eyes narrowed with each line she read until finally she looked up at Principal Celestia.
"This is like Anon-a-miss times two."
Principal Celestia rested her elbows on the desk, placing her fingertips together and gazing at Sunset with a grave expression.
"Sunset, I know up until now that Cozy's misdeeds have been aggravating and annoying at worst. But this? This is another level of wrong we cannot tolerate. Bullying others in school and online is unacceptable, and very harmful to the victims, as you well know from the Anon-a-miss incident. She has utterly humiliated and verbally abused nearly every student in this school in some form or other and threatened actual harm should anyone come forward."
"Well, at least now I fully realize why everyone in my world hated her." Sunset massaged her head, feeling a headache coming on. "I've tried being patient, I've tried being kind, I've scolded gently, I've asked super nicely...clearly my niceness isn't working."
"I trust you understand that technically this should be reported to the school board and to the authorities." Principal Celestia leaned back in her chair. "However, given the set of...unusual circumstances, I am leaving this to you. But for the record, she is suspended from school for one week. And since I know you will stay at the apartment with her, I'll have your friends bring both of your assignments to you."
Sunset stood up and handed the file back. "I'll make sure it doesn't happen again, Principal Celestia, you have my word."
The determined look in her eyes and her straight stance said she was not joking. Principal Celestia nodded and stood as well, accepting the file back.
"I believe you. I'll see both of you back in school in a week."
Sunset strode out of the office and shut the door behind her. Cozy looked up from her phone and squinted slightly at her.
"So what did she have to say this ti- HEY!!" The last as Sunset grabbed the phone from her hand and pocketed it. "Give that back!!"
"No." Sunset glared at her. "Pick up your backpack and let's go home."
"But school isn't even over!"
"It is for you, for the next week. You're suspended."
Cozy's eyes turned a darker shade of red. "Well who cares about school anyway! I just come because you make me! You and stupid Princess Twilight."
Sunset gritted her teeth. "Backpack. And lets go."
Cozy yanked her backpack up from the floor and huffed angrily, stomping ahead of Sunset down the hall. "You are making this way too big of a deal. I mean really, I thought it was impressive, getting everyone to like me and do what I want."
"They don't like you, Cozy, they are terrified of you!"
"I prefer...they know to greatly respect me."
Sunset fought back an angry growl. Outside the school, she handed Cozy's motorcycle helmet to her and put on her own before straddling the seat and kicking the bike to life. Cozy settled behind her and said nothing on the entire trip to the apartment building. She didn't even speak while they went up to the apartment. Sunset shut the door behind them.
"Go to your room and stay there."
Cozy blinked in dismay. "Wha- you can't just order me to my room! I'm not-"
"GO TO YOUR ROOM!!"
The anger in Sunset's voice combined with the death glare she threw at her sent Cozy scrambling for her room. As soon as the door shut behind the younger teen, Sunset sighed heavily and walked to her own room. Leaving the door open so she could hear if Cozy dared step foot outside of the bedroom next door, she sat on her bed and pulled out the journal she kept in her nightstand. Flipping it open to an empty page, she picked up her pen and began to write.
Hey Twilight. Are you busy?
Almost instantly the reply came back.
Sunset! How's it going?
Um...where do I start...?
Oh merciful Celestia. What in Tartarus did she do?
Sunset hesitated, and then filled Twilight in on the last several antics from Cozy...particularly the most recent one. It took several minutes before an answer came back.
Well. I can honestly say she hasn't changed a bit since her banishment from here.
Sunset could almost hear the sarcasm and exasperation in the statement.
I had no clue what I was getting into when I agreed to be her, well, gaurdian of sorts. I mean, I knew she was pretty bad, but not this bad.
Princess Celestia might very well have been right. She might be...unredeemable.
Well I mean, I don't know. Look how bad I was. And the girls here got through to me.
Yes but you weren't exactly trying to turn an entire school into your own personal evil army like she did here either.
...thats...exactly what I was doing.
Oh. Right. Well anyway, you've had her there for what, almost three months already? If she hasn't even shown a small amount of improvement, then maybe it is just a waste of time. I don't want her causing as much damage there as she did here, I'll just come over and bring her back to Equestria.
No, wait. Don't do that. I feel like she can become good, she just...needs to be shown there's a better way. Just like I was shown.
Uh, Sunset? Underneath all your evil behavior you actually had a good heart.
I believe she does too. I just need to get to it.
Well, good luck. If you need me, I'm always here. And Sunset? I'm glad you decided to stick it out awhile longer.
Sunset blinked and her jaw dropped slightly in astonishment, realisation dawning.
Twilight, did you literally just reverse psychology me?!?
Talk to you later, Sunset!
Sunset rolled her eyes with a huff of fond aggravation. Of course Twilight would pull that trick on her. She put the pen and journal away and stared at the wall for awhile, deep in thought. She didn't know how in the world she was going to get through to Cozy. She just knew she needed to do something to make sure the girl didn't keep causing so much trouble. She genuinely didn't want to send her back to their world. Twilight had felt that Cozy was worth more than whatever punishment they would have given her there. Sunset tended to agree. She just didn't know how to handle the girl. She had to do something though, Cozy's behavior had gotten way too out of hand. Why, if Sunset was still that young and living under Princess Celestia's care in their world, the Princess would have-
Sunset blinked, a plan suddenly forming in her head. It might just work. She hoped it did, because she refused to believe Cozy couldn't be reformed. She just needed a firmer hand and some guidance in the right direction. And while that would not be an easy or fun task, Sunset was determined to carry it out. With that thought in mind, she rose from the bed and marched briskly to the next room. She knocked once, then opened the door and stepped inside.
"Cozy. We need to have a talk."