Early in the next morning, in Rainbow Dash's house.

Sunset was packing up her belongings to get them moved from Rainbow Dash's bedroom. Much to her appreciation, she was getting help by the athlete herself, Applejack, and one very overjoyed Apple Bloom. Seriously, she was beaming metaphorical rays of sunshine from her face and was basically skipping about as she put Sunset's clean laundry in the correctly labeled box. She was even humming a certain tune while she worked, a tune that everyone else in the room knew very well.

After all, all three Rainbooms present had helped make it!

Rainbow Dash, after carefully placing Sunset's magical journal in its own labeled box, gave the young Apple a knowing smirk before saying;

"Someone's a happy squirt."

Once the laundry was tucked away in its box, Apple Bloom turned to face Rainbow Dash and exclaimed with a happy hop;

"Why shouldn't Ah be?!"

She aimed her beaming smile right at Sunset, who was getting Ray into his little traveling carrier. She then aimed it at Applejack, who was stashing Sunset's video game collection into a different box. With a ton of joy in her voice, Apple Bloom explained;

"My Phoenix Friend and the best family ever are gonna be sharin' the same roof!"

Everyone else smiled at the thought of that happening, Sunset and Applejack especially. The latter teenager let out a hearty laugh before noting;

"Ah'm sure Sunset will enjoy spendin' time with us Apples."

Sunset's smile grew wider as she watched Ray run around in his carrier, his big smile holding strong and his tail wagging rapidly. After giggling over his adorableness, she gushed to him;

"I'm excited too, little guy! You'll like Colonel Wigglesworth, he's a chill worm."

Within moments of her finishing her sentence, Sunset's back got assaulted by a hug-happy Apple Bloom. Her hug tight and full of love, she declared with closed eyes and a smile that was as warm as a comfy blanket;

"Ah'm so glad ya' can live with us, even if it's only for a short time!"

Sunset didn't even need the hug to feel the affection her young friend was showing her, but it helped regardless. She gently placed her hands on the two arms that held her by the waist. Her heart as warm as her namesake, she reminded Apple Bloom;

"Thanks, AB. But we gotta get my stuff packed up first."

Apple Bloom quickly released Sunset from her grip, gave her a salute, and went right back to work alongside her sister and Rainbow. Sunset, after taking a moment to watch her three friends do their thing, joined them.

Eventually, all of her things were stashed and ready to be moved. Big Mac had brought out his truck to carry the packages to Sweet Apple Acres. As he, Apple Bloom, and Applejack worked together to lift each box onto the truck in front of Rainbow Dash's house, Sunset took this time to show Bow Hothoof and Windy Whistles her appreciation;

"Thank you for letting me stay in your house," she told them with a short grateful bow. The two adults gave her warm smiles as Windy replied;

"You are quite welcome, dear."

Bow added with a chuckle;

"Yeah, you were a fine guest."

Their smiles grew noticeably wider before Windy declared with gusto;

"I'm sure our awesome daughter and her friends will do a great job of fixing your house."

Rainbow Dash, who was unfortunate enough to be within earshot of her parents, groaned audibly while holding back the urge to hide out of pure embarrassment. Sunset had heard the groan and took note of it for later. Before she could say anything else, however, both Bow and Windy gave her a tight hug that took her by surprise. She couldn't help but smile back at them, even as the hug squeezed the air out of her lungs. Once Sunset's personal effects were safely stashed in Big Mac's truck, he drove them to Sweet Apple Acres while the girls made a beeline for CHS. Thank goodness, they had gotten up early enough to not be late!

Later that morning, in Miss Zecora's homeroom.

Apple Bloom was still as happy as can be by the time she settled into her seat in homeroom. She sat at a large desk with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo sitting at her sides, the both of them looking about as cheerful as their leader. The six Griffons sat together at different sides of the desk, allowing them all to shoot the breeze with ease. Gallus had noticed the CMCs' joyful demeanor and was quick to investigate the matter once Apple Bloom was seated;

"So, what's gotten you girls in such a good mood?" he asked with a polite smirk. Right then and there, the CMCs' smiles somehow managed to hide their suddenly inflamed nerves. Those nerves became harder to hide once all of the Griffons were looking right at them. Thankfully, Scootaloo gave Gallus an answer before those nerves could become visible;

"Oh, we slept really well, had a tasty breakfast, Apple Bloom helped-"

Sweetie Belle, having sensed danger, interrupted her with a slightly louder squeak than usual;

"With chores! The morning chores, specifically. Her folks appreciated the help."

Apple Bloom felt intense relief over not having to lie, while Scootaloo did her best to hide her nervousness over nearly spilling the beans. The Griffons gave the trio skeptical glares for a moment before satisfied grins took their place. Yona declared with an understanding tone;

"Yona helps with chores at home every morning. It's okay though, because that means Yak family gets to eat fillling breakfast!"

She patted her belly with her right hand before adding;

"Yak food never stops being delicious."

The other kids laughed a little while thinking of their own morning routines. It was then that Apple Bloom thought of an interesting question. She looked at each of the Griffons and asked them;

"Ah don't mean to pry too hard, but what are your folks like?"

Smolder was the first to answer, her confidence and pride radiating from her face and voice;

"My mom is tough but fair. She runs a tight ship in the house, but she'll show mercy if someone's sick or injured."

She chuckled before warning the CMCs with a wink;

"I'm warning you though: she don't do slackers."

Apple Bloom smiled knowingly while saying in response;

"Yeah, my Granny Smith never raised no lazy Apples in our house. So, if we don't pull our weight, we answer to her."

"She's cooler than I thought," noted a pleased Smolder. Yona jumped into the conversation with oodles of pride in her voice;

"Yona lives with father Rutherford: one of the biggest, strongest, and wisest Yaks Yona knows!"

She even puffed out her chest as she spoke to further express her pride. Gallus noted to the CMCs in a stage whisper;

"She's not exaggerating, the dude's biiiiig."

The trio giggled politely while listening to their young friends talk up their families. While the group of kids chatted it up together, Miss Zecora was watching the class from her desk in silence. No one was being too loud or disruptive and the usual itinerary had been dealt with. So, she didn't mind letting them talk amongst themselves before the school day could truly rev up. Before long, however, there was a knock on the classroom door, which had gained Zecora's attention. Wanting to be polite and not sensing any danger, she looked over at Apple Bloom and requested to her;

"Miss Bloom, since this is a simple chore. Could you be a dear and open the door?"

The young Apple gave her teacher and friend a quick nod and made her way to the door. Once she opened it, she was greeted by a surprising sight: Cozy Glow, with her two guardians at her sides. Cozy, with a bright smile, greeted Apple Bloom;

"Howdy!"

Hearing her voice alone was enough to silence the entire classroom, with the Griffons looking around in clear confusion. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle looked closely at their friend. Apple Bloom stared at Cozy with a stunned expression. While the Rainbooms did warn her and her friends that the young one would visit the school a few times, she did not expect to see her so early in the morning! Still, an Apple was an Apple, and this Apple was polite. She greeted Cozy back after taking a quick moment to shake the surprise out of her head;

"Howdy to ya' too, Cozy!"

While this was going on, Miss Zecora had left her desk to stand behind Apple Bloom. Cozy took notice of this and told her politely, her smile losing some of its brightness;

"Gee, I hope I'm not interrupting anything, miss."

Zecora, with a thoughtful grin, explained;

"You need not worry about such a thing, for an interesting diversion is what you bring."

Cozy's smile regained its full strength as Apple Bloom and Zecora ushered her and her guardians into the classroom. The eyes of every Wondercolt present were on her now as she looked at the students sitting at their desks. The CMCs were especially attentive, their focus being laser-sharp. The Griffons were understandably curious over the whole situation. Gallus, in his mind, pondered said situation;

"Who is that kid and why did the other students shut their traps the moment she spoke up?"

In contrast to the friendly demeanor that Apple Bloom was showing, on the inside, she was tense. Granted, no where near as tense as she would have felt if Cozy Glow and Sunset Shimmer shared the same room, but still quite tense nonetheless. She followed the young visitor with her eyes while breathing quietly and deeply to keep herself calm. With her guardians watching her closely, Cozy walked up to the front of the class and turned to gaze upon the whole roster. With visible and audible awe, she exclaimed;

"Golly! Homeroom is packed these days!"

She focused her attention on Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo while Apple Bloom quietly returned to her seat at their desk. With a knowing grin, Cozy added;

"This one has some familiar faces though."

She then waved at Sweetie Belle and happily exclaimed;

"Hello, Sweetie! I hope we can talk soon."

Sweetie waved back, albeit with a smile that was somewhat strained by nervousness. Zecora, in a case of good timing, got the child's attention by asking her;

"So, how has our school treated you? I hope that its good heart rings true."

With a playful giggle, Cozy turned to look at the teacher and told her;

"It's been swell so far! I saw a lot of new people and some old classmates too. They were so nice to me!"

She held her chin with her right hand and pondered with an audible 'hmmmm' before adding;

"I haven't seen my old homeroom teacher anywhere though."

Zecora thought for a moment and asked;

"A curious development that you are quick to ponder. Is there something about this person you remember?"

Hearing this made Cozy laugh in the kind of light-hearted manner that only kids around her age could exhibit. She then happily declared;

"I'm glad you're still a great rhymer!"

Zecora smiled gratefully over the compliment while recognizing Cozy's own rhyme as she answered;

"Well, I remember she was tough on troublemakers, fair to the students, and had no love for nonsense... But I forgot about her name."

Hearing that got Cozy the rapt attention of every Griffon present. They were all silent and their eyes were widened slightly. Gabby couldn't help but think of a hope that she and her friends shared;

"Could she be talking about-"

Cozy accidentally interrupted that thought;

"Oh well, I'm sure it'll come to me!" she exclaimed with an unbothered smile while turning to face the Griffons. Her smile growing wider, she walked up to them and greeted them;

"Hello! Are you new here? I might have missed you during my last visit. My name's Cozy Glow."

Gallus refocused his mind on the present and told the young one with a polite smile;

"Yeah, we enrolled in CHS not too long ago actually. It's been cool."

"I like that super-buff teacher we have for gym class," noted Smolder with a smirk;

"The guy is really good at motivating people and flexing. He had to have been a body builder back in the day."

That got Cozy to giggle again before she responded;

"I remember Mr. Will! He's a fun guy, so I'm glad he's still around."

Ocellus added to the conversation with a somewhat reserved tone of voice;

"I don't mind Mr. Doodle's serious demeanor, since he's a fair and helpful teacher."

"Is it even possible to get him to smile though?" Silverstream asked out of genuine curiosity. Cozy answered with a sigh and a head shake;

"If it is, then I haven't figured out how yet."

That comment got the Griffons to chuckle a little before Gabby asked Cozy with an excited grin;

"Did you meet the Rainbooms?"

The young one let out a sly smile and declared with pride;

"I'm friends with one of them, actually."

Gallus immediately recognized the signs of danger in Gabby's sparkling eyes and instantly told her with alarm in his voice;

"Gabs, we're in a classroom. Let's settle down."

Thankfully, his warning got through to her. She stopped, took a deep breath to calm herself, and gave Gallus a grateful smile before refocusing on Cozy Glow, who stared at the group attentively. Apple Bloom, who stood nearby, listened closely to the conversation while Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo did the same from their seats. With reigned in excitement and vocal volume, Gabby told Cozy;

"The Rainbooms are so cool and friendly. Each of them is great in their own way."

She just couldn't resist making a tiny happy squeak. Thankfully, it was not even close to being loud enough to bother anyone. Cozy listened intently with a smile while Gallus admitted with a smirk;

"Yeah, I kinda dig that Applejack girl. She seems like a down-to-earth farmgirl who I could have a soda with."

The Apple in Apple Bloom was really happy to hear that come out of Gallus' mouth when another Griffon spoke;

"I've grown fond of Twilight's friendly disposition, not to mention her intellect," Ocellus said with a smile. Smolder added her own two cents to the conversation with no small amount of anticipation and confidence in her voice and demeanor;

"Rainbow Dash challenged me to a 1v1 soccer game tomorrow after school. That'll be a fun way to see how awesome she really is."

Yona showed clear excitement over the coming match on her face as she told Smolder;

"Friend Smolder is great soccer player, so Yona wants to see friend play."

Smolder gave her friend an appreciative thumbs up before Yona noted;

"Yona wants to get to know Rainboom Rarity. She's like rich lady, but without annoying snobbery."

Cozy beamed at Yona while responding with glee;

"I know, right? Lady Rarity is both sophisticated and nice. She's also a great tailor."

It was Silverstream's turn to comment on one of the Rainbooms;

"Pinkie Pie is seriously energetic and happy. I swear she's fueled by sugar and laughter," she admitted with a well-meaning laugh. Gabby nodded and added excitedly;

"I want to get know Fluttershy more, since she seems like a really nice girl."

By this time, the CMCs and Cozy Glow were smiling brightly at the Griffons, seemingly without a care in the world. As if on cue, Gabby happily declared;

"Sunset Shimmer is sweet, smart, and cool, just like my big sister!"

Just like that, the four kids' smiles were instantly dropped. The CMCs couldn't figure out what was worse: hearing Gabby compare their Phoenix Friend to Gilda in a positive light or seeing the wide-eyed glare coming from Cozy's face when the unaware Griffon had uttered Sunset's name. Apple Bloom had the same worry-fueled thought as her two best friends;

"Tread lightly..."

Cozy's expression rapidly changed to a raised right eyebrow that showed genuine curiosity, which kept any deeper emotions she carried inside hidden from sight. With a slight head tilt to her right, she asked them calmly;

"So, you know Sunset Shimmer?"

Gabby could not be stopped from responding with joy;

"Uh huh! I mean, we only met her a few days ago. But we're already getting to know her!"

Gallus, after placing his hand on her shoulder to calm her down, asked;

"You know Sunset too, Cozy?"

The CMCs caught sight of Cozy's hands forming tight fists for a second before they relaxed;

"We've met before," she replied as politely as she could. Smolder had noticed the fists as well. As if in response, she chimed in with a soothing grin;

"Well, we may not have known that girl for a long time, but to this Griffon's eyes..."

She pointed at her eyes with her two right fingers, lowered them, and finished;

"She ain't no buster."

The other Griffons nodded in agreement. The CMCs kept their eyes locked on Cozy Glow, readying themselves to prevent a social disaster at a moment's notice. Yet, they saw no signs of danger in the way she behaved. The young one glared at each Griffon before turning her gaze over to the CMCs. They did not see anger, frustration, or bewilderment on her face, just that seriousness from before that was calm and intense at the same time. The trio didn't know whether they should've been relieved or unnerved by what they were seeing. All the same, they kept their composure as Cozy walked towards Sweetie Belle. But right when the two kids were next to each other, she stopped and whispered to her with a level of surety that could only come from experience;

"They don't truly know her yet."

Only Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo had heard those words. Cozy walked past the wide-eyed Belle, who sharply turned her body to face her as she walked over to the pair of adult escorts and nodded at them. This prompted them to lead her out of the classroom, with Cozy herself closing the door behind her. The CMCs exhaled a breath that they had been unconsciously holding in ever since Sunset's name was dropped, relieved that, once again, a crisis was avoided. They looked over at the Griffons, who were visibly pondering what had just happened. Smolder, with a grunt, made the first comment;

"That girl's got beef with Sunset."

Gabby couldn't turn her head towards her friend fast enough. With worry in her eyes, she asked;

"What makes you so sure about that?"

Smolder shrugged while replying;

"The fists don't lie, Gabs. Talking about Sunset wouldn't have made Cozy's fists clench if she didn't have beef with her."

Apple Bloom let out a heavy sigh, which got the Griffons' collective attention. She looked over at her two best friends, who nodded at her silently with sadness covering their faces. Looking back at the gang while appearing just as sad, she told them;

"Ah'll say this much: The story of Sunset Shimmer and Cozy Glow ain't a happy one."

She sighed once more before adding;

"So, Ah hope ya'll don't mind waitin' for us to tell it. It..."

Old painful memories rose to the surface as she finished;

"It wouldn't be fair if we told it without at least one of them involved."

The Griffons nodded their heads in silence while watching Apple Bloom return to her seat, with Gabby thinking to herself out of pure worry;

"Sunset... what did you do to that kid?"

Later that afternoon.

Cozy and her adult guardians walked down the hall together. By their estimates, it was study hour, so most of the students were either studying in quiet rooms or taking this time to socialize with each other. As the trio walked passed those students who opted to socialize in the halls, Cozy took quick looks at each of the ones she could catch with her eyes. The grown-up woman to her left looked down at her and gently asked;

"So, little bean, do you think you can finish school in CHS without any trouble?"

Cozy turned her head to face the hallway before her and responded while holding her chin with her right hand;

"Hmmm, the teachers are really friendly, a lot of the students too. All that's left is-"

Seemingly from out of nowhere, a sharp pain shot up her left leg, causing it to freeze up right when she took a step with her left foot. She lost her balance and nearly fell onto the unforgiving floor, only for her two relatives to grab and hold her by her shoulders with speed and care. The pain in Cozy's leg caused her to whimper, in spite of her best efforts to not make a pained noise of any kind. The adults carefully held her still as the trio waited without uttering a word. A student who walked down the hall was quick to notice the situation unfold and had moved over to investigate. She spoke to Cozy with dignity and concern radiating from her being;

"My goodness, young one! Is an injury troubling you?" asked Octavia Melody, who carried a textbook between her hands and chest. Cozy looked up at the older student and told her with a slightly shaky voice and gritted teeth;

"You could say that."

Octavia looked at the two grown-ups who held the child in their shared grip and told them;

"No doubt you are doing what you can to help her."

She then looked down the hall while suggesting;

"But if she needs the nurse, I can provide escort to her office."

One of the adults, the man specifically, responded with polite surety;

"Wait for a moment, miss."

Octavia returned her attention to the trio and, although confused, nodded at the man. The four of them waited for all of ten seconds before Cozy breathed a sigh of relief;

"Okay, it should be good now," she declared with a tiny grin. She then wiggled and shook her left leg to test her claim. Her grin turned into a large bright smile as she giggled and repeatedly tapped the floor with her left foot, much to Octavia's own relief. The cellist smiled back at Cozy and told her;

"I'm glad you're okay."

Her smile turned back into a concerned frown when she added;

"But what on Earth was going on with your leg?"

Cozy looked Octavia in the eye and responded calmly;

"It's an old injury. That's all I'll say about it."

Octavia shook her head a bit before telling her with an apologetic grin;

"Ah, I pried a tad too hard, didn't I? My apologies."

The adult woman who stood with Cozy gave the cellist a warm smile while explaining;

"No harm was done, young lady. We're part of a private family, you see."

The man chimed in with a respectful nod;

"It pleases me to know that there are caring sorts in this school."

Cozy beamed at Octavia, who nodded gratefully at the trio. Just then, a certain young southern drawl called out from behind her;

"That there's one of many carin' sorts."

Knowing exactly who owned that voice, she turned around to see Apple Bloom, who stood with her fellow CMCs while letting out a friendly smile. All three of them were rocking their stuffed backpacks on their backs. Chuckling sweetly, Octavia greeted her trio of friends;

"Good day to you!"

Knowing what was coming, the two adults released Cozy, allowing her to zoom past Octavia to stand before the CMCs. With a beaming grin, she told them;

"Golly, it's good to see you! We didn't hang out nearly enough before I left CHS!"

Sweetie Belle giggled before noting;

"Well, we're looking to solve that problem, actually."

Scootaloo let out a sly smirk when she added with an excited tone;

"Starting right now."

Sweetie then turned her back to have it face Apple Bloom, who unzipped one of her backpack's smaller pockets on the front, reached in, and pulled out a purple folded piece of paper with her right hand. Cozy watched with curiosity on her face as the Apple handed the paper over to her while Sweetie Belle turned back to face the young lady. As Cozy reached over to grab it, Sweetie explained with her best take on her older sister's polite sophistication, minus the theatrics;

"There's a Games Club play session today that friends of ours will be running after school. It happens once a week and it's open to the public. We would like for you to attend."

The other kids and Octavia let out good-natured giggles, clearly finding humor in Sweetie's behavior. She couldn't help but laugh a little as well. Once the laughter died down, the CMCs showed Cozy expressions that were warm and welcoming, very much like the mare who held a permanent spot within their hearts. Cozy looked at each of them for a good few seconds before a tiny spark shined in her eyes for a brief moment. Once the spark vanished, she replied excited;

"I do love to play games! But where is this play session going to be at?"

Apple Bloom responded happily;

"Meet us outside the cafeteria after the final bell rings and we'll take ya' to it."

A giant smile slowly grew on Cozy's face before she declared with excitement;

"Sounds good to me!"

She spun around to give her guardians the classic puppy dog look, clasped hands and all. Smiling lovingly over how adorable she was being, they nodded at her, which made her yell out;

"Yay!"

Without further warning, Cozy pounced each adult with a big hug, much to the CMCs' and Octavia's delight. With the matter settled, Apple Bloom announced;

"Well, we better get a move on. Study Hall don't last forever and we got assignments to work on."

"We'll see you after school, Cozy!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed before the CMCs briskly walked away while waving at her. Octavia had decided to give her and her guardians a polite farewell as well;

"The young ones have the right of it. I shall see you in the play session. Ta-ta!"

She then walked down the hall to catch up with her friends, leaving the trio of guests alone. Cozy pondered the offer she had just accepted while gazing down at the piece of paper in her right hand. She carefully unfolded it and read its contents:

Games Club Weekly Play Session!

The best time to get your game on!

Today after school in the cafeteria at CHS.

Hosts: Jet Set and Upper Crust

Prominently displayed below the text was colorful artwork depicting two letters in large decorated font. One of them was a blue 'C' shaped like a horseshoe with white dots and darker stripes, while the other was a neatly drawn purple 'S' with lightning bolts on both ends and a small wing on its top left corner. She immediately recognized the meaning behind this artwork and was, for a moment, shocked;

"Could they have..."

She quickly shook the notion out of her head before it could be fully formed;

"Nah, those schools hate each other!" She declared in her head. As she stared at the art, Cozy came up with an idea, one that she instantly labeled as 'seriously risky'. Even so, she couldn't think of a better way to make her next move. After all, she was almost sure that a certain girl with two-toned hair would appear in that session. Feeling confident, she turned to look up at the two grown-ups who watched her with curious eyes and told them;

"Auntie, Uncle, there's something I want to take with me to that play session."

Those two could recognize the resoluteness in their niece's voice from miles away. With gentle nods, they listened closely to Cozy.

After school, just outside the cafeteria.

Cozy, along with her relatives, stood in front of the cafeteria doors in silence. The uncle carried a long brown bag by its single handle in his right hand, while the aunt held in her right hand a white grocery bag. They were silent for all of five seconds before the Cozy groaned with crossed arms and a frown;

"What's taking those three so long? The final bell rang five minutes ago!"

As if on cue, the CMCs called out to them from behind;

"Sorry we took so long!"

The trio turned around to see the kids walk up to them in a brisk pace before stopping to stand before them while expressing smiles full of warmth. Apple Bloom explained with a chuckle;

"We had to talk with a few friends of ours about important Wondercolt business first."

"We're glad you waited for us," Sweetie Belle noted with a happy nod. Scootaloo added with gusto and a fist pump;

"We're gonna have so much fun today!"

Cozy felt her annoyance from a moment ago melt away in the face of the CMCs' natural positivity. With a smile of her own, she replied while lightly playing with one of the curls in her hair with her right hand;

"Well, you did say that you'd take us into the session."

Without further ado, the CMCs ran up to the doors, with Apple Bloom joyfully calling out;

"Come on in, ya'll! We got games to play!"

The others moved to follow her and her friends as she pushed open the left door, revealing to Cozy a vastly different sight compared to what she normally expected from a cafeteria. A large number of the tables were still in use by many a student, but it was obvious to her that the rest of them were not present in the large room. She could see that there were a wide variety of games being played. Most of them, like the board games and card games, were played on the tables. She even saw a few video games being played on CRT monitors that were sitting on wheeled stands and plugged in via extension cords! These games were positioned at a nearby wall to make setting them up easier. At the center of the cafeteria was a large round empty space that was the result of how the tables were placed and organized. What had really caught Cozy's eye, though, were the students themselves. Of particular note was the fact that Wondercolts and Shadowbolts were happily participating together. She was stunned and wide-eyed for a moment before she quickly shook off the shock;

"The Friendship Games must've been really wild to bring both schools together!" she thought to herself while continuing to visually inspect the cafeteria. She had also noticed that the Griffons were playing a game of Monopoly at a table to the left of the empty space, while Octavia Melody and a certain blue haired girl who wore large tinted sunglasses and noise-canceling headphones were playing chess at a table next to the gang's. Soon enough, Cozy caught sight of a specific group of students who were sharing a table that was right next to Octavia's. They were all smiles and concentration as two of them took part in an intense game of UNO while the others watched the match attentively. Cozy could recognize the bacon haired faux-leather jacket clad girl among them from a mile away;

"Sunset and the Rainbooms... plus two Shadowbolts," she mentally noted. With a death glare aimed directly at Sunset and her fists tightly clenched, she watched her duel Rainbow Dash, both of their hands consisting of three cards. After a few seconds of thinking, Sunset pulled one of her cards, a yellow one with the white number five drawn in the middle and on its corners, and placed it on top of the large neat pile of cards, the top card also being yellow, albeit with the number 3 displayed instead. Her curiosity growing by the second, Cozy quietly walked up to within earshot of the two players as Sunset expressed a sideways smirk that oozed with satisfaction, savoring what was to come. She then placed a yellow card that displayed a white cancel symbol on top of the pile. She declared confidently while doing this;

"I skip you, RD."

Rainbow Dash groaned out of clear annoyance and watched as Sunset placed down another skip card while speaking further;

"I skip you again. UNO, by the way, annnnnd..."

She paused for dramatic effect before placing the last card in her hand, a yellow number two card, on to the pile. Rainbow's right eye twitched for two seconds before she groaned again while almost slamming her cards on the table. Leaving them there, she crossed her arms, turned her head to the side, and declared with frustration in her voice;

"I almost had you, SunShim!"

She sighed and turned her head back to give Sunset a friendly smirk;

"The next time we play, I'm taking you down!" she said while uncrossing her arms to offer Sunset a handshake, which she graciously accepted. Their fellow band-mates, along with Jet Set and Upper Crust, gave the pair a round of applause, with Pinkie going so far as to whistle with her fingers. Seeing this drove Cozy to consider what she was going to do. Apple Bloom had walked up to stand next to Cozy's right side while she was thinking, with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo joining them. She lightly tapped her right shoulder to get the young one's attention. Cozy looked over and saw the soft excitement in the Apple's smile in time to hear Apple Bloom suggest;

"Ya' up for a game or two with them folks?"

She allowed a small smirk to creep up her pink face before she responded;

"You could say that. But I don't know the rules for this session yet."

Apple Bloom chuckled and explained;

"We'll fix that for ya' mighty quick. The rules are simple: You can challenge anyone in 'ere to a game, so long as they're available and willin' to play."

Sweetie Belle chimed in with a calm yet serious tone while turning to gaze at Cozy;

"Don't cheat in a game. If wagers are agreed upon by all players involved, then no money or other necessities can be wagered."

Scootaloo followed suit by finishing with a similar tone of voice;

"Don't bully anyone. Period."

"And don't go vandalizin' other peoples' stuff, ya' hear?" Apple Bloom declared. Cozy gave this ruleset some thought in silence for a few seconds before slowly turning her attention over to the Rainbooms, who were talking with Jet Set and Upper Crust at their table. Her eyes fixed on her quarry and the group's conversation meaningless to her, the young one took a few steps towards the table with her two relatives following behind her. After stopping to stand as straight as a statue, Cozy Glow called out with a voice that was clear, sure, and loud enough to reach the occupied tables near her;

"I challenge Sunset Shimmer!"

Whatever conversation the Rainbooms and their two Shadowbolt friends were having was immediately dropped upon hearing Cozy speak. One by one, most of those students stood up while turning their heads to look at the child. Jet Set and Upper Crust were simply curious about this development, not to mention the child who challenged one of CHS' beloved students so brazenly. Eventually, Sunset became the only one at her table who was sitting down. She looked up at each of her friends, who showed her supportive expressions, and gazed at her surroundings. By this point, word of Cozy's challenge had spread like wild fire throughout the cafeteria, prompting the other students, the Griffons especially, to put their games on hold and watch in hushed silence. Octavia and DJ-P0N3 had followed suit while quickly noticing that the CMCs were not at all surprised by what was happening. With a sigh, Sunset stood up, turned around to face an expectant Cozy Glow, and began to walk towards her. The black heels of Sunset's decorative boots clanged with every step as she walked until she stopped to stand up close to her challenger. The two glared at each other in calm silence for two seconds before Sunset asked her;

"What game did you have in mind?"

Her voice was polite and did a fine job of hiding the self-confidence and regret warring within her mind. Cozy's own confidence was almost impossible to not recognize in her voice when she answered with a large sideways smirk that laid her teeth bare;

"Liar's Dice. Single hand. One round."

Sunset raised her right eyebrow at this while watching Cozy make a quick gesture with her right hand, to which her aunt responded by bringing the grocery bag over to her right side. She reached into it with the same hand and pulled out a small black cup. She then placed it into her left hand, dove back into the bag, and pulled out a bunch of six-sided dice, five in total. Cozy showed both the cup and the dice to Sunset with both hands while noting with clear anticipation in her voice;

"I came prepared!"

The silence quickly became hushed whispers while the CMCs nodded their heads at this development, a tiny smile appearing on Apple Bloom's face. Sweetie Belle thought to herself with a low hum;

"How interesting..."

As for Sunset, she pondered the challenge for a moment before a small smirk appeared on her face. With a quick nod, she declared out loud;

"Get the center ready!"

Without even a hint of hesitation, two of the Wondercolts who had heard her answer, Flash Sentry and Sandalwood, shot up from their seats and made a beeline for one of the empty tables in the cafeteria. With their combined strength, they lifted the table up from both ends and moved it to the round open space. With care, they slowly put the table down before moving to grab a pair of seats. Once the seats were positioned at each end, Cozy and Sunset walked over to the table and sat down. They glared at each other, even as the child placed her cup and dice next to each other on the table. Cozy's aunt and uncle moved to stand at her sides, while the Rainbooms and CMCs made sure to stand around Sunset. Everyone else sat as close to the center table as the nearby tables could allow, creating an audience around it within moments. The aunt took out another cup as well as a different set of five six-sided dice before placing them next to Cozy's. This prompted the child to pass them over to Sunset. The former bad girl was about start putting the dice in her cup when Cozy stopped her;

"Hold on for a moment," she said while expressing that calm intensity from before, getting Sunset's attention with ease. She then asked her;

"Have you played this game before?"

Sunset nodded before answering with a nostalgic smile;

"I've played it plenty of times before. You can thank the CMCs for that."

The kids in question smiled brightly at her while Cozy replied with a confident smirk;

"Good, then how about we raise the stakes a little?"

Hearing that made Sunset's eyebrows rise up for a moment while she mentally took stock of the situation. She gazed at the long brown bag being held by Cozy's uncle for about a second before replying;

"Okay then, you can bet first if you want."

She wasn't entirely sure of her chances at victory and, frankly, she had a very good idea as to what her challenger had in mind for a wager. But she would never deny any of the people she had once hurt the chance to face her down in a harmless way. Cozy Glow slowly turned her head to face the brown bag and stared at it for several seconds. To Sunset, it was as if something about what the bag contained was making her hesitate to proceed. But that hesitation gave way to action, for Cozy looked up at her uncle, who looked back down at her. Recognizing the meaning behind the quick nod and serious glare she gave him, he carefully placed the bag onto the table without knocking over any of the cups or dice. Sunset had noticed that it was zipped up along the top from end to end. The uncle had made sure that the end with the zipper was angled towards Cozy. She reached for the zipper with her right hand and unzipped the bag as far as she could, prompting her uncle to finish the job for her. She then reached into it with both hands and lifted out a long wooden cane made of walnut wood. Its length was suitable for a kid her size and it had little wings carved into it in a downward spiral pattern that reached from just below the handle down to the bottom edge. The only blemish it possessed was a thick layer of white tape that was wrapped around the middle of the cane. From the moment the cane was revealed, hushed whispers began to be delivered throughout the audience. Many of them, including the CMCs and the Rainbooms, watched the situation transpire with concern, sadness, and remembrance. Rarity, in particular, had covered her mouth with her right hand to prevent herself from gasping out of shock. Cozy placed the cane in the middle of the table, allowing it to rest between the two sets of cups and dice in a way that visually divided the playing space between the two players. Once she did this, she gave Sunset a withering glare filled with pained anger. Speaking of Sunset, she gazed at the object with regret covering her face and hurting her heart. As much as her old guilt threatened to consume her, she fought it back and turned her gaze over to the angry Cozy. The two kept their eyes locked on each other, one pair filled with anger, the other filled with understanding and regret, with neither girl willing to back down. After a few seconds that, to the audience, felt like an eternity, Sunset slowly nodded her head at her challenger. Right when she did this, the she-demon had deigned to comment on the situation;

Ohhhh, is the little girl still mad over her precious cane? You'll have the last laugh again once you win it from the brat!

The demon inside sounded terribly condescending and arrogant. But her words fell on deaf ears, for Sunset was too busy placing a bet of her own, one that took her demon by surprise;

Oh, no you don't, Sunny! That thing's way more valuable than Cozy's stupid stick!

Her friends, not to mention many of the Wondercolts that surrounded the table, were also surprised by what Sunset was doing. Apple Bloom, her eyes wide open, was the first of them to at least try to react verbally;

"She's bettin'..."

Rarity finished for the little movie buff with awe in her voice, her mouth now left bare by her lowered right hand;

"Heather!"

Their eyes did not deceive them: Sunset Shimmer had taken off her trusty faux-leather jacket, the same one that endured many a magical and non-magic adventure, and began to neatly fold it up. Cozy Glow watched this happen with her head tilted slightly to the right, a spark of curiosity in her eyes. Once her folding was done, Sunset placed her jacket next to Cozy's cane with the gentle care that was reserved for the items she truly treasured. After the deed was done, she leaned back on her chair while giving her opponent a look of pure surety and resolve. All was silent until Cozy, with a slow nod of her own, declared;

"My cane against your jacket. The winner takes them both."

A smirk that oozed with confidence formed on her face;

"Agreed."

With the wager established, the two girls put their dice in their cups and began to give them a good shake. After a few seconds of shaking, they fiercely turned their cups over and slammed them onto the table fast enough to keep the dice hidden from sight. They then slide their cups closer to their faces and carefully tilted them towards each other slightly. The pair did all of this while refusing to break eye contact from each other, determination almost sparking from their eyes.

The game of Liar's Dice had begun.

The game had captivated the audience of students from the moment the cups were slammed. Both players held the bottoms of their cups, which were now facing upwards, while silently tilting them slightly towards the center to check their dice without revealing them. No bluffs, guesses, or claims had been made for almost thirty seconds. Regardless of this fact, no witness to this game dared to make an audible complaint. For Sunset's fellow band-mates and the CMCs in particular, there were multiple reasons why they watched in silence. However, there was one reason that was the strongest of them all:

This was a personal battle that those two girls needed and they refused to ruin it.

The Griffons, who knew that there was beef between Sunset and Cozy Glow, watched closely while collectively hoping that this game would be finished peaceably. Gabby, who showed clear curiosity on her face, whispered to Gallus, who sat to her right, as quietly as she could;

"I've never heard of Liar's Dice before."

"Then watch and learn, Gabs," was Gallus' equally quiet response. Just in time too, for Cozy spoke to Sunset after glancing down at her set of dice;

"No harsh demands, no obvious acting, no striking fear into the students..."

She looked back up at her opponent, tilted her head to her right, and added with an inquisitive tone and glare;

"You're behaving very differently from the bully I remember."

She looked down at her dice once again before declaring to Sunset while showing nothing but calmness;

"Two twos."

Throughout all of this, both girls refused to release their grips on the cups. Sunset did not visibly react to her opponent's guess, opting instead to maintain the poker face that she had implemented when the game had started. With eyes locked on Cozy, she replied calmly;

"If I were to tell you what had caused me to change, and give you an apology for that matter, would you believe me?"

Cozy let out a short grunt before answering with a grin and a matter-of-fact tone while straightening her head;

"Not really."

Hearing that truth stung Sunset in the heart, but it was a familiar pain that did little to discourage her. She glanced at her dice again before looking back at her and responding to her guess in kind while keeping up her poker face;

"Three fours."

The audience was starting to react to these guesses with 'ooooo's and other noises, clearly invested in the match in progress. With her eyes, Sunset inspected Cozy's face for any hint as to how she was reacting. But she, too, had a strong poker face. Strong enough to hide the child's reaction well, which Sunset found to be impressive and a positive sign of things to come. After all, she did enjoy a challenging competition from time to time. Still, there was the heavy business between the pair that had to be resolved and Sunset saw no finer opportunity to work on it than in this game;

"My past aside, what makes you think that I would be lying?" she asked Cozy, who shook her head before explaining with a voice laced with an old frustration that her frown and eyes easily matched;

"I've heard a lot of people in my life talk up a big game about how they've 'grown as a person'."

While keeping her grip firmly on her cup, she began to act out with big puppy dog eyes, dramatic physical gestures with her left arm, and an exaggerated voice that carried a condescending layer in it;

"Oh, woe is me! I know I did horrible things to people! But I've changed! I'll never be a mean ol' punk again! Could you ever forgive me?"

Cozy finished her performance by blinking her puppy dog eyes at her while showing an overdone begging expression. After that, she quickly settled back into her previous frustrated demeanor while declaring with an annoyed grunt;

"You wanna change? Don't just say it. Put in the work. I can count the number of people I've met who did this with one hand."

Sunset and the friends who stood with her understood the kid's frustration. Twilight Sparkle herself reflected on this understanding as she watched the game progress;

"There are indeed people in the world who are willfully stagnant."

Two specific examples of that notion rose to the forefront of her mind. But not even an angry bird or a former principal could distract Twilight from supporting her friend. Sunset responded to Cozy's words with a smile that was genuine and, like her words, pulled from the heart;

"I'll do my best to earn a spot among that number."

"Oh, we'll see about that..." Cozy retorted with a narrow glare. That glare was then partnered with a frown powered by pent up anger as she finished with deliberate and venomous emphasis;

"Princess."

Every Wondercolt present felt the fire she was spitting with that remark. Sunset, in particular, felt said fire hit her in the heart. Her smile nearly overtaken by a grimace she barely managed to hold back, she took a quick breath and brought back her poker face just before Cozy took one good look at her dice and said with renewed calm;

"Four fives."

The noises from the audience were louder than before when that guess was called out. Rainbow Dash was about to fiercely say something in Sunset's defense when her mouth was covered by Applejack, who shook her head at her with a stern expression. Annoyed but trusting her friend, Rainbow relented and kept a sharp eye on the match. Nervousness crawled into Sunset's mind like a spider. After a slow check of her dice, it was clear to her that she only had one four, which only made her feel worse. Recognizing the feeling, she tried to resettle herself while showing no sign of cracking to her opponent;

Keep it together, Sunny! You can still take the win!

The demon inside was... encouraging her? Her voice was filled with frustration and anger, as she had expected from the stubborn remnant of her past. Still, for that loathsome creature to have her back at all...

Sunset put that notion aside, thinking it best to dwell on it later as she reestablished her poker face once again. At that moment, she recognized that another feeling had risen to the surface, one that was familiar to her: the strong drive to achieve victory in the things she opted to do. Under normal circumstances, she would be bringing this drive to bare.

This moment, however, was not normal;

"If I do win, then Cozy loses her cane..." she recalled with growing concern while considering the idea of sneakily letting Cozy win. The demon was all too quick to retort against this idea with fury in every word;

She dares to lump you among deceitful fools! That child should be embarrassed by you for that offense!

She hated to admit it, but Cozy giving her such harsh treatment had certainly hurt, which made the idea of getting back at her for that quite tempting. Her anger began to grow in strength from within, threatening to override with her sense of reason...

Make her pay for her insolence!

The anger inside was getting ready to blow...

You're about to see how mean I can get!

No. Sunset had had enough of the demon's prattle and this was not a time for rage. Willfully embarrass a child in public? That was not how Sunset Shimmer treated people! Besides, she had taken worse lumps than some verbal barbs. Imagining her demon being zapped into dust by her Daydream form's energy beam, Sunset focused on her breathing for five seconds, mentally stepping away from her anger to let it cool. During this time, she gazed at her dice and thought of her next move while showing no visible sign of there being trouble in her head. One possible play was to call Cozy a liar and hope that she didn't have three fours under her cup. Of course, there was also the option for her to make a higher guess than Cozy's four fours and Sunset had two guesses she could choose from. Sunset knew that, no matter what play she went with, someone was gonna call someone a liar.

Someone was going to lose.

When the fourth second had come, she made her decision. Win or lose, she would see this game through to the end. After the fifth second had passed, Sunset glared at Cozy Glow and declared;

"Five sixes."

The ball was in Cozy's court now. The audience let out many variations of 'wooooah' at once. No one thought that the guesses could get any higher than that! Neither did Cozy, who gave Sunset a smirk and narrow glare filled with satisfaction and venom as she laughed like a child who was getting away with doing something bad. She then told her without remorse;

"Golly, you're a liar!"

Both players tightened their grips on the bottoms of their cups and lifted them up at a rocket's pace, revealing the two sets of dice for all to see. Sunset and Cozy kept their eyes fixed on each other. But before they could think to look down, Rarity declared with a soft voice;

"Five sixes..."

The pair's eyes went wide with shock before they sharply angled their heads downward to check her claim. There were sixes facing the ceiling on one, two, three, four, five dice. Sunset had won! Her friends would normally celebrate her getting a win. But, like her, they had mixed feelings about this result. After all, her victory had come at a cost. With concerned eyes, the CMCs, the Rainbooms, and the audience watched Cozy stare at the dice. She showed a stunned expression that slowly morphed into realization and anger. She looked back up at Sunset with barely restrained fury all over her face, her nose exhaling audibly like a dragon firing out hot steam. Her teeth laid bare and grinding, she positively fumed at the living object of her ire while the people around them both made ready to intervene if the situation escalated further.

Yet... it didn't.

Abruptly, Cozy closed her eyes and took a slow deep breath in before exhaling with an equally slow heavy sigh. Her eyes still shut, she uttered with soft resignation;

"Good game, Sunset Shimmer."

Without saying another word or even looking anyone in the eye, she got up out of her seat and walked towards the doors, leaving her cane behind, bag and all. Her aunt and uncle followed her in silence. Every Wondercolt and Shadowbolt present felt for that child. Rarity and Sweetie Belle were about to rush over to comfort her when they saw something that, frankly, they should have seen coming. Sunset Shimmer left her chair and walked over to the departing trio, reaching them when they were halfway to the doors. The demon inside, knowing exactly what the mare had in mind, tried to dissuade her;

What makes you think she'll be swayed by your dumb idea?!

Sunset ignored that remark as she called out to Cozy;

"Hold it!"

The trio stopped walking instantly, with the child responding to her without so much as turning around, her voice laced with sadness, deviance, and gritted teeth;

"If you're going to give me pain again-"

"How about an olive branch?" Sunset told her with polite surety. In spite of her pent up anger threatening to flare up again, Cozy's curiosity won her over. She, along with her relatives, turned around to face Sunset.

What she saw threw her for a loop.

She saw Sunset stand before her while silently offering, with both hands, the cane that she had just lost, with the bag having been hastily placed under it. Her anger instantly replaced with confusion and almost feeling the alarm bells ring in her head, Cozy quickly gazed up at Sunset to catch any signs of trickery on her face. All she could find was a smile filled with a kind of warmth that no deceiver could fake. More perplexed than she was a moment ago, the kid asked;

"Wh-why are you doing this? You won the cane fair and square!"

Sunset's smile held strong as she got down on her right knee while chuckling. As she did this, she began to answer;

"Yes, I did..."

Once she was in position, she moved the cane closer to Cozy with both hands to emphasize her offer while finishing;

"But it's meant for you."

The voice Sunset had used was sweet and tender. Her smile had turned into that sideways smirk that any Wondercolt could recognize from a mile away without losing its warmth. All of this, combined with her offer, reminded Cozy of one of her most cherished memories: the time when she was first given her cane. Still quite confused, not to mention annoyed over being confused, she slowly took the cane into her hands, with her uncle grabbing the bag by its handle. With a quick narrow glare laced with annoyance, Cozy turned around again and made her leave in a brisk pace with her relatives in tow. Soon after the trio walked through the doors, everyone in the cafeteria breathed a sigh of relief. Sunset was then given a loud round of applause, with the Rainbooms practically pouncing her with hugs and fist bumps. Rarity was the most vocal of the bunch when it came to congratulating the girl;

"You handled that entire game and the aftermath with such grace, darling!" she exclaimed with a giant teeth-baring smile full of goodwill. Sunset laughed out of both relief and joy as she moved to reclaim her jacket from the table. Just then, three sets of young voices declared in satisfied unison;

"Just as we knew you would, Phoenix Friend!"

She stopped just before grabbing her jacket by its collar. Her smirk gaining a layer of slyness to it, she turned to face the CMCs while responding to their words with a playful tone;

"You knew Cozy couldn't judge me without facing me..."

Once she was facing the trio of smirking kids, she remarked;

"So, you hand-delivered her a chance to do exactly that."

With a head shake and a laugh, she finished;

"You clever girls."

The CMCs giggled happily before Apple Bloom responded while coming off as humble;

"You gotta get to know someone before judgin' 'em, ain't no gettin' around that."

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo nodded in agreement, prompting Sunset to get back to reclaiming her jacket and putting it back on. Applejack, with a loving smile, tipped her Stetson to the kids while commenting;

"That sugarcube certainly learned a little somethin' about Sunset today, that's for sure."

"My sentiments exactly, darling," Rarity noted. Gazing at the now closed cafeteria doors, she elaborated with a grin;

"From what I remember, Cozy Glow is as clever as she is prideful. No doubt she will not admit this aloud to just anyone..."

She let out a polite giggle before turning to face Sunset and declaring with utter surety;

"But I believe you have given her something to reflect on."

Cozy, with her aunt and uncle at her sides, walked down the hallway of the school, the middle of her cane held firmly in her right hand. The confusion from earlier gnawed at her mind like a puppy enjoying a tasty bone;

"The kindness she showed me... was it an act... or was it real?" she asked herself. Her inability to think of a suitable answer inflamed her annoyance enough to turn it into frustration, a feeling that she expressed with a loud groan;

"I hate being confused about peop-" she exclaimed before a familiar pain shot up her left leg, causing her to yelp instead of finishing her sentence. Her leg, like before, froze up when she took a step with her left foot. She wobbled as her balance nearly left her. This time, however, her relatives did not need to help their niece. They watched as Cozy, guided by cultivated instincts, Cozy deftly moved her entire right arm to make her cane stand on the floor before her with a loud clang that echoed throughout the hall. Right when the cane had hit the floor, she tightly gripped onto its handle with both hands and pressed down while leaning towards her right side giving the handle a glare full of pained concentration. With the cane serving as an anchor, she switched over to balancing on her right foot, leaving its stiff counterpart to hover slightly above the floor. After her body leaned a little more to the right than she would have liked, Cozy managed to re-stabilize her body and her balance. With a heavy and focused breath, she stayed as still as she could for as long as she needed to.

Five seconds...

Ten seconds...

Fifteen seconds later, the leg had lost all of its stiffness and pain. After giving her left foot a quick wiggle and shake, she slowly leaned her body again to have both feet planted on the floor. Relieved, but still no less confused than she was a moment ago, she took a deep breath to settle herself before looking up at the hallway. As her aunt and uncle placed their hands on her shoulders to give her silent support, she stared down the path before her with narrowed eyes set aflame with frustration and purpose.

Author's Note

Oh man, this was a big chapter to write! The confrontation between Sunset and Cozy Glow was the hardest scene to write, given its importance. But, I think it turned out well!

Still, something tells me that the business between them is far from over...