No Sweeter Innocence

Cozy Glow isn't sure why she drinks.

The taste of alcohol on her tongue is pretty gross, all things considered, and it's not completely mitigated by the sweetness of whatever sugary things they put in this particular cocktail. She’s basically just swallowing without taking the time to appreciate any flavours.

And who needs the numbing effect of alcohol when you already feel dead on the inside?

"Another one," she demands, slamming her empty glass down with more force than she intends. It's hard to judge these things when everything's fuzzy.

Right, yes, that's why. Because there's a difference between feeling numb and feeling empty. And it's a little harder to think about the latter right now, at least.

There's movement on her right, someone approaching the seat beside her. A thought flickers slowly across her brain, that this place isn't that busy tonight. There's probably a dozen other seats that don't have any ponies next to them, but someone chose to make a beeline for her.

"Room for one more?"

The voice is sweet, and soothing, and conjures up images of bells ringing in the snow, and it pisses Cozy off. It pisses her even more off when she looks to her right and sees the alicorn attached to that voice, the only one she's never seen up close before. "Of course, Your Majesty," she sneers, gripping the counter of the bar to keep herself stable as she gives her a mocking bow. "It's an honour to make the acquaintance of one such as yourself."

Princess Flurry Heart grins, and she is beautiful. "Thank you, Cozy Glow. You're quite impressive as well, you know."

Cozy snorts. "No need to rub it in. You alicorns already won."

Bright blue eyes pierce right into her soul as Flurry stares at her. "Wow, I knew it was bad, but that's just sad."

"What do you want, Princess?" Cozy slumps back against the counter. "I thought your kind was supposed to be nice and stuff."

"I want us to help each other," Flurry said. "You have something I want, and It's hard to see somepony who used to be great reduced to a drunken, depressed mess with nothing left for her in life."

She's so young, Cozy thinks. So young and full of life, just like she used to be. And full of useless ideals, too. "Do you know any spells to turn me back into an alicorn?"

And Cozy has to at least try, if there's a chance she can be like that again.

"Would that make you happy?" Flurry counters.

"I held all of Equestria in my hooves," Cozy says, eyes narrowing on Flurry. "I could have crushed every single pony into dust if I wanted to. What do you think?"

"Surely there must be something more that gave you cause to live," Flurry insisted. "Something beyond total dominion that you cared for."

"You're about eighteen years too late to be doing the guidance counsellor routine, filly. Speaking of, are you even old enough to be here without your parents?"

"I turned eighteen last month," Flurry declares proudly. "I'm old enough to make my own decisions."

"Good for you," Cozy replies. "Can I go back to my drink now?"

"Not until you give me a chance to make you an offer." Flurry Heart radiates a force of personality that's difficult to ignore. She trots closer and puts a hood on Cozy's shoulder. "You're only like this because of what we did to you, so let me give you your spark back. And in return, I want you to teach me."

Cozy raises an eyebrow. "Teach you?"

"I've been reading about you since I was a filly," Flurry admits quietly, stripping away a layer of that mask of the perfect princess she's been wearing as she stares at Cozy, the intense fire in her eyes bared for her to see. "I know all about you taking over the School of Friendship after draining all of Equestria's magic, and then your conquest of Equestria using power stolen with Grogar's bell. The cunning and skill you needed to do something like that when you were so young amazed me. I want to learn how to do all that, how to rule in ways that my mother and my aunts would never teach me."

"So, what, you try some feel-good therapy manure on me and I teach you how to use friendship as a weapon?" Some small part of Cozy's mind, long suppressed, crawls its way back to the surface. It sees a young alicorn, so very vulnerable and easy to use, and plans within plans begin to unfold. Why, with her power, she could— she could—

"I'd be willing to do more than talk, of course," Flurry adds. "Whatever you want from me in return for your knowledge, just name it."

The old darkness returns in full force at those words. Flurry Heart is painfully pure and beautiful, an angel with a face that could bring anypony to their knees.

And if she could not become a Goddess again, then she would drag one of them down into Tartarus with her instead.

"Outside," Cozy says after glancing around the bar. There's too many ponies around for this. She pulls out a hoofful of bits and leaves it on the counter before sliding off her stool. Despite being over a decade her senior, Flurry is already taller than her, though she doesn't yet have the towering physique of the other alicorns.

Flurry follows behind her obediently as the two of them make their way out into the open night air. It's cold and crisp, seeping into Cozy's lungs as she leads Flurry through streets of dirt and grass until she finds a deserted alleyway completely enshrouded by night.

There's no fear in the young princess as she steps into the darkness with her. Cozy wonders if that will change.

"First lesson," Cozy says, meeting Flurry's inquisitive, eager gaze with a twisted one of her own. "Don't go following strange mares into dark alleyways."

"I'm not scared of you," Flurry replies, defiant.

"You should be." Cozy's eyes narrow as she affects a sinister grin. "Let's see just how far you're willing to go to be my student." She reaches up and grabs Flurry's cheeks with her forehooves.

Flurry's eyes widen, but she stays still, determined and... yes, Cozy can see a flicker of fear in those deep blue eyes as well, faint but present. There's a chance to go back now, to walk away and pretend like this incredibly weird night hadn't happened at all. It isn't too late.

And then she thinks of drinking herself into a stupor tomorrow night instead, and the darkness snuffs out the last, flickering light in her soul.

A hunger for things she shouldn't have, but would take anyways, returns in full force. She thought it had long faded away along with everything else, and her grin widens as she gives into it. She owes the princesses nothing, and she's going to take what she can before they stop her again.

Starting with this young, beautiful alicorn with more heart than sense.

Cozy leans in, and kisses a princess who is little more than a child.

And they both are lost.