05 - Golly Gets in Trouble [revised]

"Thank you for coming in to see me today," said Starlight as she greeted Astral at the door to her office. She motioned to an empty seat while making her way to her own chair behind her desk, "Please, have a seat."

Astral took a seat, one of two; the other already occupied by a grumpy-looking salmon-pink filly who looks to have seen better days. Cozy's mane was a tangled mess. She held an ice pack up to her left eye which was slightly swollen. A twisted up tissue stuck out of her right nostril, stained with blood at the end entering her face.

Astral gave her a concerned look before turning her attention back to Starlight. "It's not a problem at all! I rushed over as soon as I heard. I was hoping this was all just a misunderstanding that we could clear up, but it looks like it may be a bit more serious than I thought."

"Serious indeed, thankfully everypony is ok," said Starlight. "As you are well aware, we have a zero-tolerance policy for fighting here at the School of Friendship. There simply is no place for it here."

"Yes, I understand," said Astral.

"Especially with Cozy's past, She needs to understand the predicament we are all in now." Said Starlight.

Astral nodded. Cozy hmphed in a pout.

Starlight continued, "I've decided to wait until you got here before listening to Cozy's side of the story." She turned to address Cozy, "Cozy, you are in a lot of trouble right now. Your enrolment here and possibly your freedom are in jeopardy now. Do you understand?"

Cozy continued to pout before she reluctantly replied, "Yes headmare, I understand."

Astral gently brushed some of Cozy's damaged curls out of her face, "You need to tell us the truth, Cozy. What happened today?"

Cozy took offense at Astral, "I don't need to lie! He started it!! It's all that Colt's fault." She waved off Astral's hoof.

"Oh?" asked Starlight. "Please. Tell us how this began."

Cozy took a few deep breaths before starting. "Well, first, he would push me around sometimes. In the hall, or in the yard."

"Did you tell him to stop?" asked Starlight.
"I did. That only made him do it more,” replied Cozy.

"I see," said Starlight.

"Then he started pushing me harder, and sometimes knocking my books down, 'on accident'," continued Cozy.

"Go on,” encouraged Starlight.

"And then he started pulling on my curls, and my tail when I wasn't looking. He would make me so mad. I would chase him away and he would just giggle and laugh."

Starlight and Astral looked to each other, then back to Cozy.

"And then he... he booped me,” said Cozy.

"He booped you?" asked Astral.

"He did! Right in the nose,” replied Cozy, touching a hoof to her nose.

"And then what?" asked Starlight.

"I booped him right back, into a table; as hard as I could. He tried to boop back, but I could boop harder, and I did. And then after a few more good boops, that's when Professor Scootaloo came and stopped us. But that's what he gets for being so mean to me."

"Oh," said Astral.

"I don't think he was being mean, Cozy. I think... I think that colt likes you. We checked his locker, and found notes, for you, asking you to be his special somepony."

Astral stifled a giggle before clearing her throat.

"He, does?" asked Cozy. "He sure has a funny way of showing it! Colts can be so stupid."

"We know,” said Starlight and Astral together.

"This Colt," Asked Astral, "Is he the one I passed on the way in here?"

"Yes," replied Starlight.

"Wow, Cozy. I think we should be worried about him, not you!" said Astral, slightly impressed.
Starlight cleared her throat. "Yes, well, now having heard what Cozy has had to say, we now must discuss the plan moving forward. Cozy, if you would please wait outside, hopefully, this shouldn't take too long."

Cozy got up, and made her way to the door, opening it.

"And Cozy?" called Starlight.

"Yes headmare?" replied Cozy.

"Be nice,” urged Starlight.

"Yes headmare," said Cozy as she sulked on out of the room, closing the door behind her.

Just outside the door to one side, there was a bench for two. Its lone occupant, an earth pony, also with his own ice pack and a much more severely bruised face sat silently. Cozy stood there for a moment, hesitant to sit down next to him. He looked up at her with his one good eye before scooting over, making room for her with all the space in between the two of them that he could afford. Cozy sat down as close to her end as possible. They both look away from each other, not saying a word.
Muffled voices of the two adult ponies could be heard through the door of the office, but nothing that could clearly be made out.

The colt was the first to break the awkward silence, speaking to Cozy without turning his head. "You hit pretty hard."

"You hit like a filly,” replied Cozy.

"That's because... I didn't want to hit you,” he retorted.

Neither of them looked away from their own direction down the hall.

"Starlight told me about the letters,” said Cozy.

The colt began to blush. "She did?"

"Do you really like me?" asked Cozy.

"Maybe,” answered the colt.

"Then why are you always so mean to me?" asked Cozy.

"I don't know,” replied the colt.

"You're weird,” stated Cozy.

"You're strong,” observed the Colt.

"I know,” dismissed Cozy.

"Listen. I'm... I'm sorry I did those things to you, honest,” apologized the Colt.

"Well, I'm not sorry I hit you,” said Cozy.

"That's ok," accepted the Colt.

The two sat in silence for a while. Again, the colt was the first to speak. "I hope they don't kick you out. Then I wouldn't be able to see you anymore."

"Are you always this annoying?" asked Cozy.

"Sorry," said the Colt.

It was quite for a little while longer. Cozy was the next to break the silence. "I hope I don't get kicked out either..."

The two continued to sit together, quietly.

"...'Cause then, I couldn't see you anymore either," finished Cozy after a long moment of thought.

They slowly turned to look at each other.

Cozy began to smile slightly. "You're a strange little colt. I... I think I like it."

The colt smiled back before wincing at the use of his sore, swollen facial muscles.

The door to the office opened. Astral stepped out while saying her goodbyes to Starlight. She turned to Cozy, "Are you ready? come on, we need to go home now."

Cozy got up off of the bench, looking up to Astral, "Am I going back to Tartarus, or st... stone?" she asked, worriedly.

Astral paused abruptly. "Cozy. I would never let that happen to you, ever again. I promise. You're only suspended for a few weeks while you prepare a special assignment to present to the school. Princess Twilight will be there too. Now it's been a long day for both of us. Let's get you home and cleaned up."

The colt spoke up. "Bye, Cozy. I'll see you later, I guess."

Cozy turned to the colt, raising her hoof up. The colt flinched, backing into his corner of the bench as she brought her hoof closer.

"Boop!" said Cozy softly as she made the gentlest of contact with the tip of the colt's nose.

The colt began to melt in his seat.

"Ok, Astral. I'm ready,” Said Cozy.

The two made their way down the hall.

"What was that all about?" asked Astral.

"We're friends now, I think," answered Cozy.