The Yin-Yang Syndrome - Book Two of The Princess and Her Guard Duology

Chapter Four: Love is Fickle, but Bloody Alicorns are Worse

'Fluttershy is kissing me! Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no! What am I going to do! Her lips are very soft... NO! Bad Twilight! I am supposed to be a visiting diplomat, and eventual Ambassador but... Am I allowed to be with someone from the NLR?' thought Twilight as she sat there, Fluttershy's lips against hers, soon though, she gave in and started to kiss the pegasus back, with growing enthusiasm...

'Oh, Twilight's lips are so soft... Wait... Why isn't she kissing me back? Did I-? OH!' thought Fluttershy as she kissed the unresponsive Twilight until that suddenly changed, soon she was the one being kissed, and she was slowly being pushed back against the mattress of her hospital bed as the kiss grew more and more desperate...

“Damn these ponies to the depths of Tartarus” said one of the voices the anger almost palatable.

“Calm yourself, brother, a single Sarti is not worth unraveling our plan, no just try again, but with more subtlety this time” said the brother and the first voice snarled.

“Easy for you to say, brother, yours do not have to hide in plain sight” the second voice chuckled.

“True, but those in the light cannot hide themselves, so we must leave that to those that thrive in the dark” came the reply and the first voice grumbled agitated at the whole of the situation, several of his Sarti had succeeded, but unknown to his brother, he had lost several more to the loved ones that the Sarti were trying to replace, this was something that Changelings were much better at than his Sarti...

“Why was it trying to take your place?” I asked Luna who looked away, and refused to meet my eyes for fear of my reaction, or so I guessed. I was not going to like this.

“Because, if they replaced me, you might kill the real me without even realizing it and they use you and the NLR to carve endless war and strife between us and the Solar Empire” she said not meeting my eyes, and I did not blame her, if I had been any less diligent I would have fallen for its tricks.

“Why did they not attempt to replace me?” I asked and she looked me in the eye with determination and when she spoke it was with absolute resolve.

“Because I would know in an instant that it was not you, Moonlit, and I would make them pay for the attempt, far worse than they just did for trying to mimic me” she said harshly...

Why was it trying to take your place?” asked Moonlit and I looked away, I knew my next answer will hurt him, and I don't think I could live with seeing the pain in his eyes if I see it.

“Because, if they replaced me, you might kill the real me without realizing it, and they would use you and the NLR to carve endless war and strife between us and the Solar Empire” I said still unable to meet his eyes, Rainbow Dash swallowed at that though.

“Why did they not attempt to replace me?” he asked me and right then I looked him in the eyes, anger making me resolute in my reply.

“Because I would know in an instant that it was not you, Moonlit, and I would make them pay for the attempt, far worse than they just did for trying to mimic me” I said harshly my hand gripping the handle of my Flintlock, a recent invention from the scientific branch of the Evening Armada...

Fluttershy was whimpering as Twilight pulled away her thoughts clearing as a stray thought reminded as to why she was there in the first place and a growl escaped her lips.

“WHY!? WHY WOULD YOU TRY TO KILL YOURSELF!?” she yelled tears starting to run down her face almost at a drop of a hat, something which surprised Fluttershy, as that old stereotype danced across her mind for a second before Twilight's lips pressed themselves against hers which brought her back to the current situation.

“I-I thought-” started Fluttershy and Twilight actually snarled.

“NO! Fluttershy! You did not think, why would I ever want you or any of my friends to kill yourselves?! I love all of you! You most of all!” she shouted at the shaking pegasus before pulling her into a tight hug and started to cry into her shoulder. “Please, Fluttershy... Please don't ever do that again... I don't think I could bear to lose you, I-I love you far too much” she mumbled into the yellow pegaus's pink hair and Fluttershy hugged Twilight back before saying she would never do that again...

Celestia sat in her throne room looking towards what used to be the small town of Ponyville, now the capital of the New Lunar Republic and a tear rolled down her face before a look of rage replaced the once calm visage. She had effectively lost her little sister, all because of some interloper that was playing with magic that they did not know the price for. As the anger grew, the room grew hotter and the stain glass windows started to glow red, but the enchantments held true and they did not melt. The same could not be said for the golden fixtures on her throne, of which the wood caught fire, and the metal fixtures melted, unbeknown to the controller of the sun whom had already stood up long before that point.

“Empress!” shouted one of the Dawn Legion as he hid behind his slowly melting shield, the shout did it and snapped the angry Alicorn out of her rage.

“I am sorry, my little pony” she said a small sad smile on her face as she looked at the half-melted shield in the hoof of her legionnaire...

“Brother” said a the one that controlled the Gritu as the one that controlled the Sarti grunted, “I think we pissed them off” at that both brothers started to laugh as two ponies walked by the building suddenly dropped dead as two Sarti killed them and assumed their shapes and memories from the act of killing them...

Man these two... So much... Man... Why can't I ever find that? I mean sure, I could get Big Mac to help me take care of my itch, and given enough time I am sure something would grow between us, but those two... No... It doesn't matter, I should be happy for these two, and if Fluttershy forgives Twilight, I guess I could forgive her too...

“... Dash... Rainbow Dash!” I blinked and suddenly realized that they had been talking to me.

“Hey, sorry, I was thinking about some things” I said looking away from the obviously happy couple, it was odd to be sure, normally it was herds but couples were not unheard of, even if they were rare, hell even Derpy was part of a herd, and was very much loved, even if her depth perception was severely screwed up. Seriously, if someone like her could get someone to love her, why can't someone as awesome... As... Me...

Tears had started to well up in my eyes as those thoughts ran through my mind and I tried to bite back a sob, and failed, and I looked at them in embarrassment as they as looks of sorrow on their faces even though they had no idea why I was choking up...

Rainbow Dash had a very distant look in her eyes as we tried to get her attention, but soon it paid off, sorta because not long after she started to tear up before we could even tell her why we were trying to get her attention. Luna and I looked at her in sorrow, something was obviously getting to this usually strong pegasus, and right now tears were running down her face as she tried to keep acting tough...

From what I can gather though it definitely has something with the fact me and Luna are together, or something similar...

'Oh, Rainbow Dash...' I thought as I looked at the head Shadowbolt a sad look in my eyes I knew what was wrong, I had that look myself all those years ago, but if I had to guess she is hungering for a different kind of love than I was at that time, she wants someone to love her like-. A thought clicked in my mind, and it was not a thought that Moonlit would like, but by my sister he would listen to me, or he was sleeping on the couch!

“Yeah” I managed to choke out as I started to move away from the couple, “I think I'll head home, you two lovebirds have a good-HEY!” I shouted as I was grabbed in a dark blue sheen covered me and dragged me in front of Moonlit.

“OK, I've decided, you two are going out for a date, and Moonlit you are to treat her as if she was me” said Luna and I blushed, this was not going to end well, Moonlit looked gob-smacked but bit his lip while closing his eyes. He took a deep breath and nodded

“If that is your wish, Luna” he said and Luna smiled before a frown appeared on her face.

“That means a good night kiss if she wants one” she added and I turned to Moonlit and swallowed, was I that easy to read?

“You don't have-” I started to say hoping to get out of this before it got any more out of hand.

“CAPTAIN DASH!” shouted Luna her voice absolutely firm and brooked no argument, “Do you, or do you not want someone that loves you?” she asked and I swallowed, there was no getting out of this...

“OK, I've decided, you two are going out for a date, and Moonlit you are to treat her as if she was me” said Luna and I was gob-smacked, and Rainbow Dash wasn't doing much better herself a blush lighting up under her cyan fur, but I did tell Luna I would still obey her orders.

“If that is your wish, Luna” I said thinking that it was just a date, it was not like I had to kiss her at the end. Luna, who had been smiling, frowned.

“That means a good night kiss if she wants one” she added and I swallowed, I had to know how she always knew what was on my mind.

“You don't have-” Rainbow started and I had begun to let out a sigh of relief until Luna spoke up again this time with authority.

“CAPTAIN DASH!” shouted Luna her voice absolutely firm and brooked no argument, “Do you, or do you not want someone that loves you?” she asked and I froze mid-breath.

“Yes, but-” Rainbow answered and Luna gave a quick shape nod

“Then you will be going on a date with Moonlit, and you will make every effort to enjoy it, that goes for you too Moonlit, my love” she said and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes, here she was setting me up for a date and she still decides to call me her love? I was now confused as well as frustrated. “Go home, Rainbow Dash, you can meet Moonlit at the castle later tonight, now go, that is an order” she said and with a weak salute Rainbow Dash flew off towards her Cloudsdale style home. As soon as she was out of earshot I rounded on Luna.

“What the Tartarus!? I thought we were together!? Why are you trying to set me up with another pony!? I all but screamed at her and she all but giggled...