Twilight fidgeted with her glasses and smiled. "It's funny. For the longest time, I told myself and others, 'I'll never get into cosplay. I don't have the confidence.' And yet here I am, in wig and lab coat." She did a little twirl to show off the glowing syringes that tied together her tribute to the protagonist of H. P. Terror's "Re-Vivifier." "I suppose part of it is that this isn't exactly the most elaborate costume in the world. Being able to slip into a bathroom and Canter Clerk my way into or out of plainclothes does wonders for me. The little voice in my head that says 'They're all looking at you!' loses its impact when the only time it's true is when they're supposed to be looking. It's actually the same reason I never joined the Girl Scouts. Even I thought the uniform was dorky, and wearing it to school? No thank you." She spread out her arms. "But here? Now? I'm surrounded by other, more elaborate outfits. Compared to them, this barely even qualifies as a Samhain costume.

"It's kind of ridiculous, isn't it? I've gone straight from dreading the embarrassment of being seen in cosplay to the shame of not trying hard enough. My brain just can't let me win sometimes."

She took a deep breath and nodded. "But yeah, thus far, thoroughly positive experience. It's still early and we'll see how I feel once people actually, you know, show up, but I'm feeling optimistic."

"Wonderful to hear, darling," said Rarity, adorned in a great deal of elaborately curving latex that held on to her form through a mix of double-sided tape and hope. She patted Twilight on the cheek, producing a number of squeaks from her outfit and a few from other early arrivals to the convention. "We'll make a regular of you yet."

Author's Notes:

This began as me sorting out my thoughts on paper the day I cosplayed as Sci-Twi, which was indeed my first foray into the experience. Adjust a few names and gender specifics, and we have art imitating life.

And yeah, it did go well, aside from my anxiety's honestly hilarious track switch from "You can't do this" to "You're not doing this well enough."

Start of Pinkness

Princess Macintosh peered nobly into the distance. The dreamscape was a strange place, treacherous even for one such as he. It was even more of one of late. All across Applequestria, ponies spoke of sleepless nights, or ones that made them long for sleeplessness. Horrific, feverish visions spread like a disease, and so the most courageous and noble member of the royal family had come to investigate at the source.

But this was not the realm of the physical, where Macintosh was supreme in all ways. This realm was molded and navigated by the mind. Yes, his prowess in such affairs was scarcely less than that in his preferred ones, but the difference was enough to leave him uneasy. What if his strength was not enough to overcome this newest challenge to plague his people?

Macintosh shook away his doubts and approached the gateway to a mind shining with innocence, doubtless ideal and helpless prey to the affliction. It pained him to use this pure soul for something so base as bait, but it would be worth it to ultimately preserve not just this pony, but all ponies.

The dream beyond the door lay inchoate, a swirling mist of color, scent, sound, and less easily categorized sensations. Macintosh squinted into the haze. Slowly, an equinoid figure resolved itself in the distance. He hailed his subject in a manner befitting his dignity:

"Eeyup."

The mare, which he could tell now through the still-clearing haze, gasped and bowed.

"Eeyup." He bade her rise.

"Oh, Princess Macintosh the Strong and Brave and Other Capitalized Adjectives!" said the mare. "What are you doing here?"

"Eeyup."

"Oh my! What a terrible thing! But I'm sure it will all be over after tonight."

Macintosh nodded. "Eeyu—"

He dropped like a sack of bricks. He felt strangely light, and yet weighed down at the same time. As he watched, the sensory fog cleared completely, revealing a smiling pink mare standing right in front of him.

And her horn and wings.

"Oh yes," she said, her smile at once divine and devilish. "So much more fun is sure to happen now."

Author's Notes:

After ROBCakeran53 and Trick Question did battle with their plushies, the former proclaimed a speedwriting prompt commemorating the skirmish: Princess Big Mac versus Pinkie Pie. This was what resulted on my end.