Oh, gosh! Goshies! She’s— she’s in charge of— it’s her responsibility to decide what should happen to Cyanis? That’s a whole [i]lot[/i] of responsibility!

Okay, what sort of perfect punishment would be just right for Cyanis? Think, Rosie, think! Something that would make her feel [i]so[/i] special and safe and ready to obey. Something that would make her feel just like you, Rose!

“She should... have to entertain Princess Jessic,” Rose says. It’s perfect! Imagine Cyanis, in just the cutest of outfits, chained to a mighty dragoness’s paw, asked to lift spirits and bring smiles and tell stories! Oh, oh, that’s [i]important.[/i] “And, and she won’t be allowed to go until she’s told Jessic a better story than anything she’s ever heard! And her royal title will be the Court Cutie! And—“

Wait, Rose! How can she be so mean to Cyanis? Rose can see her so vividly, eyes full of betrayal, pleading desperately for Rose to go along with her story. And isn’t that what foxes want? They want to tell stories so clever that everybody else dances along to them! And, sure, yes, she did need to answer the Countess honestly, but... but doesn’t Cyanis deserve someone who does her best for [i]her,[/i] too?

“B-but,” Rose continues, “whatever she deserves... I deserve a lot worse.” Some strange feeling is roiling deep inside her. Like... it’s [i]right.[/i] For silly, useless, weak Rose to protect somebody else however she can. “Because she’s telling the truth! I’m a muh... I’m a muh...”

The words clog in her throat and she tears up. She’s found something she [i]can’t[/i] say. Something that’s worse than spankies. If she says those words they’ll eat her all up just like a monster, a real real monster.

“I’m a bad girl,” Rose manages to squeeze out. “I’m really, [i]really[/i] good at lies. And duplicating. And everything else that Cyanis said, because really she [i]is[/i] a good girl.”

Really, the best punishment for Cyanis would be to make her come in here and look at the absolutely miserable expression on Rose’s face as she tries as hard as she can to internalize everything her friend said about her. Because she’s agreeable and helpful and trying her very best to distract the Countess with someone who much, much more needs punishment, right? Look at her, she’s obviously been plotting the downfall of the entire sky kingdom this entire time! And the only reason that it’s still up in the sky must be that she’s...

[i]She’s bad at being a bad girl.[/i]