My Final Confession: Relapse

An exhausted face appears on-screen. Cozy’s eyes are weighed with sleeplessness, rimmed with dry irritation. She looks over her shoulder but the camera faces the ceiling of the basement. “I’m really tired but Pinkamena is creeping me out. She keeps …”

A crooked burst of laughter like that of a dementiatic senior finds the video and Cozy stiffens at the sound. “ … doing that!” A snore cuts the laugh in half and replaces it in a steady rhythm. Cozy turns the camera to Pinkamena, sprawled out on her back, mouth agape and mane strewn like the braids of a mop around her head. The impromptu bed of expired flour bags doesn’t look comfortable and there are no items of comfort such as pillows or blankets.

Cozy zooms in on Pinkamena’s open mouth. Her tongue is like a frightened clam receding deeply into her throat. Her cheeks pull back into a weak grin and she emits a sinister chuckle as if she had obtained a forbidden knowledge. Her tongue clicks the roof of her mouth and another prolonged snore rips from the mare.

“She keeps doing that. After last night, I-I don’t know what to think. I’ve never seen her like that.” Cozy hums to herself as she continues to record Pinkamena. A tune known only to the pegasus, it’s somber and wandering. “She’s not as dumb as I thought. That’s probably good. I should have figured that out already but she just acts so clueless most of the time. Maybe …” Cozy yawns and sets the camera down facing the sacks. She climbs onto them and lays down on her side, facing away from Pinkamena and to the camera. “I’m so tired. Creepy or not, I need to sleep.”

The young pegasus’ eyes close and her body begins to relax, breathing becoming slow and steady. Another bout of laughter issues from Pinkamena and Cozy’s eyes pop open, wide as saucers. She groans and stuffs her ears with her hooves. “Stop being creepy!”

Pinkamena rolls forward like a vampire waking from its coffin from behind Cozy and looks around, a yawn stretching her jaws wide. She giggles playfully and leans over Cozy, kissing her head. A look of confusion passes over her at the sight of Cozy with her ears plugged. “What are you doing?”

Cozy flops onto her back and looks up at the mare. “You won’t stop laughing in your sleep! I get it, I was wrong and you scared me plenty last night. Please stop so I can rest.”

“Have you been awake the whole time?” Pinkamena peers up towards the door to the basement before returning her gaze to the pegasus.

“Mostly. I’ve never heard you laugh like that. It’s creepy!” Cozy sounds bratty and entitled but also weary and weak.

“Ooh, I see. Are you scared of me? Afraid of what … things … I might do to you if you were to go to sleep?” A toothy grin widens on Pinkamena’s face and her eyes narrow.

“Stop! I said I was sorry.” Cozy shuffles uncomfortably as Pinkamena leans over her.

One of Pinkamena’s forelegs comes to rest on Cozy’s pudgy, soft belly. The mare chuckles evilly and smirks at the filly. “I wonder what sort of good things are in here?”

“That’s not funny!” Cozy squirms against the hoof prodding her gut.

“How about I just take a bite and find out?” Pinkamena opens her mouth, filed teeth glinting with saliva under the dim light like wet razors. She lowers towards Cozy’s exposed flesh and lightly touches it with her teeth, causing Cozy to squeal and thrash with her forelegs, but then wraps her lips around the belly and blows hard causing a raucous explosion of raspberries.

Cozy laughs and continues to thrash. “Stop! Stop!” Her voice is giggly and bouncy instead of tainted in concern this time. The pair wrestle around for a few minutes. Cozy tries again and again to escape, only for Pinkamena to drag her back and plant another raspberry, or give the tender underlegs a tickle. They finally calm down and Pinkamena cuddles Cozy to her like a teddy bear. Cozy has a small smile on her face but looks as if she could fall asleep at any moment.

“I love you, Pinkamena,” Cozy weakly says and closes her eyes.

“Love you too, my little filly,” Pinkamena answers.

“I should have known you were just playing last night. You just … take things too far sometimes.” Cozy turns towards Pinkamena, snuggling into her chest. Pinkamena is facing the camera and a look of doubt crosses her features.

“I wasn’t playing, honey. I … I was upset last night. I haven’t been that upset in a while.” Concern forms in her brow like a W. “Not in a very long time.”

“It’s my fault. I … burned down your home to make you want to kill Twilight. I tried to use you. You’ve always been so nice to me. I … really shouldn’t have done that. I just hate her so much. For what she did to me. To you.”

“And you want to take over Equestria.”

“Yes. With you. We can be partners! It’s okay. I wouldn’t mind sharing my kingdom if it’s me and you.”

"How do you think we could deal with an alicorn like Twilight, Cozy? She's much stronger than us and she has magic."

"I think her crown gives her powers. Maybe if we could get that it would turn one of us into an alicorn princess. That's what I heard while I was still in the statue garden."

Cradling the young pony, Pinkamena smiles and kisses her blue locks of mane. “We'll see. No more lies or tricks, okay? Just be honest with me.”

“Why did you get so scary last night?”

There’s a long pause before Pinkamena answers. “This place just reminds me of so many things. Some good things, some bad things, and some terrible things. Between that and watching you maneuver your plans on me, it just hurt my feelings, I guess. Something I’ve struggled to conquer reared its head.” She can't keep her eyes still as she speaks. They betray her gentle words.

“For a minute, I thought you would really hurt me.” Cozy delves deeper towards unconsciousness, eyes closed and body growing more and more limp with each slowly spoken word.

“Never, Cozy. I’ll never really hurt you. Not even if … don’t worry about it.” Pinkamena lays her head on Cozy’s and kisses into her mane again.

“You’re … scary.” Cozy dozes off, her words fragile but heavy.

“I know,” Pinkamena answers quietly, almost whispering. “Sometimes, I scare myself.”