Stuck In The Middle

Stuck In The Middle

Pink And Purple

Twilight Sparkle's eyelids fluttered open. Her head still hurt slightly. Why was that again? Oh yeah, the princess asked her to go to Prance. Both of them.

She groaned and lay her head back down on the pillow.

"Wait," she murmured. "Where am I?"

"You're in Ponyville General," a kind and soft voice said from her right.

She jumped and turned her head, seeing a beautiful, pink alicorn sitting on the edge of her bed.

"Cadence! What a wonderful surprise," she cried and hugged her old foalsitter. "This might sound a bit strange, but... how did I get here? And how long have I been here?"

Princess Cadenza chuckled. "Less than a day, so don't worry too much. Princess Celestia herself carried you here. She left shortly after, muttering something about how this was her fault. Your friends are waiting outside for you."

She winced and flayed her ears back. "Perhaps I did overreact a bit," she muttered.

"Come again?" Cadence asked.

Twilight looked at her. "I, uh... I'm not really sure," she lied.

Cadence frowned. "Twilight. Don't lie to me. I can see through you better than Shiny can. Care to explain what Celestia meant?"

Twilight bit her lip. She's the bestest foalsitter ever! You can tell her anything. She loves you, Twilight. "Well, I suppose I should. But please, Cadence, tell nopony. I don't know what will happen if..." she trailed off, choking on a sob.

"Shhh. Hey, come here, it's alright," the alicorn cooed and rocked backwards and forwards with her. "Shhh."

The lavender mare let the tears flow freely. "I'm sorry! I'm so, so sorry! I don't know what to do, Cadence. I'm scared. So very scared of what will happen..."

"If what happens Twilight? What's been going on?" Cadence pulled Twilight away from her and looked deep into her eyes. "Tell me."

Twilight sniffed and fought back another wave of tears as Cadence wiped a few away.

"There, much better. I knew there was a lovely little mare underneath those tears."

The unicorn chuckled and nuzzled her foalsitter. "Thanks C-Cadence."

"No problem, Twilight. You're my little sister, and I love you. Now tell me what happened."

Twilight took a deep breath. "Well..."

~~~

It all started about six months ago, I was sitting at home one day, studying, when I got a knock on the door. Spike, my assistant, was out at the time, so even he doesn't know this.

I opened the door and gasped at who it was.

"Princess Luna!" I cried and sank to my knees. "What a lovely surprise."

"Indeed, Twilight Sparkle. We hope we are not intruding upon anything?" she asked and peered inside.

I shook my head. "No, no, of course not. Heck, even if you were, I'd make time for a princess. Why don't you come on in then?"

She nodded gratefully and whispered something to her shadows. I jumped when the shadows moved, turns out they were Night Guard. Anyway, she picked something up and moved inside with it, closing the door behind her.

"Princess? What is that?" I asked and looked at the thing. It looked like a rolled up blanket.

She blushed. "We - I hope you will... agree to this, Twilight Sparkle. I must make a confession: I have never had any friends, barring yourself and a few ponies on Nightmare Night."

I blinked. This was weird, I thought. I didn't know what she was doing here, or why she was telling any of this, or why the blanket unfurled itself.

"And thus, I have never had a..." she frowned. "One moment," she apologised and pulled out a book from her bag. I recognized the book immediately: How To Have A Slumber Party. "A 'sleepover' or 'slumber party'."

I couldn't help but laugh. "Princess, do you want a sleepover with me?"

She nodded and turned bright red. "If that is no trouble-"

"Of course it's no trouble! I'd love to teach you how to have a slumber party," I cried, enthusiastically.

She smiled. "That is... good then. Thank you, Twilight Sparkle."

The princess shuffled forwards, kicking her bag and blanket into a corner. She looked at me weirdly.

"What?" I giggled, feeling my cheeks flush red.

"Nothing, so what is the first activity that we do?"

I blinked. "Uh, princess you do know that it's midday, right? Slumber parties usually don't happen until when it's night, when everypony goes to... oh," I murmured, suddenly realizing everything.

Luna shuffled on the spot and turned her head away sadly. "Usually, this is when I would sleep. During the day, and take over at night."

"I'm... sorry, I-I didn't understand, princess." I placed a hoof on her shoulder, just out of habit when I saw one of my friends upset or anything.

She flinched and looked at me. Then she looked down at the hoof on her shoulder.

I immediately retracted it and blushed. "I'm sorry, p-princess, that was just out of habit, I didn't mean-"

She held up a hoof and silenced me. Then, with the same hoof, took my hoof and placed it back on her shoulder, smiling. "It is alright, Twilight."

As my hoof rested on her shoulder, I felt something stir inside me. Evidently, she felt something too, 'cause she moved her own hoof to my shoulder.

I giggled and bit my lip.

"So what are the first activities in a 'midday slumber party'?" she asked and removed her hoof, almost reluctantly.

I furrowed my brow and removed my own hoof. "Well, normally, we would sit and tell stories, maybe do each other's make-up, that sort of thing."

I noticed she was staring at me, edging slowly just out vision.

"What are you- oomph!" I cried and fell backwards as a pillow slammed into my face.

Luna fell backwards, giggling and waving her legs in the air.

I spat out a feather and grinned. "Or we could start with this," I chuckled and catapulted a pillow at her, catching her in her face and sending her tumbling over. "Ohmygosh, princess! I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to hit you that hard!" I cried and helped her up.

Her mane was all frizzy and wild, she blinked at me, her eyes sparkled with a hint of mischief. I immediately regretted agreeing to this and backed away a bit. "As you should be, hitting a princess like that. You shall have to be punished. Come here, Twilight Sparkle."

I reluctantly obeyed and shut my eyes, awaiting whatever was to come next. Perhaps Tartarus? The moon? The dungeons under Canterlot? What was the punishment for hitting a princess with a pillow?

"On your back," she commanded, still glaring at me. I noticed her mouth twitch upwards, though, so I thought this might just be a joke. I hoped so, anyway.

I obeyed and rolled onto my back. As I gazed at the princess, I saw another 'something' tug at her mouth, curving it upwards. She pinned my hooves down and brought her muzzle to my exposed belly.

Her warm breath made me giggle, but what came next, nothing could have prepared me for.

"Thffffffffffffrpt!"

I howled with laughter and fought for freedom. The princess was blowing a raspberry on my stomach! "Princess!" I cried out. I could barely breathe I was laughing so hard. "Please! I'm sor- AHAHAHAHA!"

She repeated the punishment.

"Thfffffffffrpt!"

"No more! No more!" I begged, still rolling about with laughter, and tears of laughter flooded my vision. Thankfully, she didn't continue, deciding I learnt my lesson.

She helped me up and blushed profusely. "I apologise, Twilight, 'twas merely a jest."

I waved my hoof. "It's fine, princess. It was funny," I giggled.

She stayed red. "Even so, a princess should not behave that way when with company."

I frowned. "Princess, you need to loosen up a little. This is a slumber party after all. C'mon, let's get some food, I'm starved," I said.

Luna reluctantly got up and looked around. "If it's all the same, Twilight Sparkle, call me... Luna."

"Sure. And you can call me Twilight, if you want."

"Yes... Twilight."

I got the feeling she wanted to say something more, so I stopped and looked at her carefully. "Is everything alright, prin- Luna?"

She nodded stiffly and chewed on her lip.

"Luna, friends don't keep secrets, do you want to tell me something?"

She shook her head. "Yes..." she whispered. "I mean no! No, nothing."

"Princess Luna, please tell me what's wrong. Have I done something? Is Discord back? Is that why you really wanted to come around? To warn me?" I persisted.

She shook her head and sealed her lips shut, turning as red as blood.

I sighed and turned to go, deciding she wasn't going to tell me, or didn't trust me enough to tell me. When...

"Wait, Twilight Sp- Twilight," she quietly added.

I turned back to her and smiled. "Yes, Luna?"

"...Come here... once more."

"Oh no, I'm not getting tickled again," I snorted and crossed my front legs.

"No, no. I don't want to tickle you again," she said. "As enjoyable as that would be..." she muttered, just loud enough for me to hear.

I frowned and slowly crossed over to her. "Princess? Is everything alright?"

She looked at me, and her big eyes seemed to shine like stars. Her hoof extended gingerly and placed itself upon my shoulder. "I... have something I need to tell you..." she whispered and leant in.

I leant in too, expecting her to whisper something in my ear, so I turned an ear towards her. When she turned my head back and closed her mouth around mine, well... let's just say I wasn't expecting that, now was I?

So we stood there, mouths working against one another, in broad daylight, in just about the best slumber party ever.

~~~

Twilight finished her story and blushed a bit.

Cadence stared at her with wide eyes. "I had no idea my aunt was like that. I mean, she's always been a bit... socially awkward... but that? Well, I'm happy for you, Twilight. You deserve it." She leant in for a nuzzle, but Twilight pushed her away.

"No. That's only half of it," the purple mare muttered.

The foalsitter's eyes grew wider. "What do you mean?"

"There's... another..." Twilight squeaked as her voice broke.

"Another what?"

"Princess."

"Well of course there is, one takes care of the sun, the other takes care of the moon, and I take care of you," Cadence laughed as she nuzzled her little sister.

Twilight sighed and choked back a few more tears. "I mean... another... princess," she said slowly.

Cadence gasped and pulled away. "Twilight, are you... dating both of them?"

The unicorn nodded and covered her face up with her hooves. "I'm horrible. I don't deserve anypony, not if I do this to them."

"But... but... Twilight! You can't love two ponies, that's not how it works!" Cadence cried, getting upset at her sister-in-law being a cheater.

"I know! I know!" Twilight wailed. "But I do! I love them both so much..." she whispered, lowering her voice.

The alicorn sighed. "Well, tell me how you and Celestia... 'met' then."

Twilight took another deep breath.

~~~

I sat in my house, watching clock, counting down the seconds until I saw Luna again. After we kissed, I didn't really know what to do. Neither of us did. So we agreed to meet the next day, and that time was in about six or seven hours from now.

I heard a knock at the door, and my heart leapt up into my throat. "She's early," I mumbled and combed my mane. "Do I look fine?" I asked my reflection.

I didn't get an answer.

Feeling hot and flustered, I placed a small bow just behind my ear, thinking it looked cute, and opened the door. "Hello, Princess... Celestia?" I sputtered.

Celestia stood in all her glory and smiled at me. "Hello Twilight. Were you expecting somepony else?"

My jaw worked up and down. Somehow, I decided that telling Celestia I had kissed her sister did not seem like the best course of action.

Her eyes moved up into my mane. "Love the bow. It looks cute," she giggled.

I blushed and waved her in. "Come in, princess, what can I help you with?" I asked as she strode forwards.

"I just wished to visit my favourite student. How is everything, Twilight?" she said and walked around the room.

"Uh, fine. I guess," I replied as I watched her, curiously.

"Good."

As she walked about, tittering at the quaintness of my tree-house, I couldn't help but keep glancing between the clock, and her.

"Princess, is there something wrong?" I asked.

She laughed and shook her head. "No no. Nothing of the sort. Is it a crime for a teacher to visit her student every now and then?"

"But..."

"Shhh." She stopped just in front of me and placed a hoof on my lips. "Your friendship report this week was wonderful, Twilight. It really made me think about things," she murmured and cupped my face in her hoof.

I blushed, feeling a tad uncomfortable at such close proximity to the princess. "Th-thanks, princess. I guess."

"No, no, thank you, Twilight Sparkle. It has given me a lot to think about."

I felt my heartbeat increase as she stared into my eyes. "Princess? I don't-"

"Shhh. Let me speak. I have always admired you, Twilight. You were the best student I have ever had the pleasure of teaching."

Were? Was she cutting ties with me? What have I done? I wondered, feeling fear slowly creep it's way through my body and into my mind.

"But now, I'm afraid I have to do the unthinkable," she continued in a whisper.

My eyes grew wide and tearful. "P-princess?"

"Twilight Sparkle... I'm afraid that... I love you..." she whispered and sealed her mouth around mine.

At first I struggled, out of utter bewilderment and confusion. Then I relaxed as she embraced me in a hug. When she broke it, a small, silvery strain of saliva (try saying that three times fast) connected our lips.

She immediately blushed and turned a deep red, as did I.

No words could say what was going through my head. Did this mean we were going out? But what about Luna? This is when my troubles started.

Her lip trembled as she got up and quickly tried to leave. Tried being the key word. I quickly moved in front of her and stared up at her.

"Twilight, I-" she began.

I merely nuzzled my face against her chest. I had had a crush on her ever since I first met her, just a student to teacher crush, I never actually expected her to love me back.

She left shortly after that. Then my friend Rarity came around. Feeling flustered and still not fully aware of what was going on, I told her everything, knowing she can keep a secret. Being one of my closest friends and all.

~~~

"And now you, the bestest foalsitter in the world knows, and you hate me," Twilight wailed and hid under the hospital blankets.

"Twilight, I don't hate you. I'm worried about you. It seems you do love both of them, but what does that have to do with you ending up in hospital? The doctors said stress, is that it? Why did Celestia carry you in?" Cadence asked and assured her.

Trying very hard not to curl up and die, Twilight raised her head and gazed into those beautiful eyes of her old foalsitter's. "Well, Luna wanted me to go to Prance with her, so I said yes, because when I tried to... actually I didn't try to refuse, but when I was about to say something, she looked at me in a way that just made me..." She fidgeted. "I just couldn't say no."

Cadence frowned. "And Celestia?"

"Well, Celestia visited me... yesterday? Was it? Yes, yesterday. I was talking to Rarity about... what I said to Luna, and then the princess came to visit."

"And that's it?"

"No..."

"Oh."

"Mhm... anyway, before, she asked me to go on vacation with her. And after, she said... Prance, then I passed out."

Cadence frowned and gently nuzzled her.

"Thanks Cadence. I need somepony to help me. Rarity's great but... she wants what's best for me... I need somepony to help me," she repeated and hugged the alicorn in front of her.

Cadenza Mi Amore hugged her little sister and stood up. "Don't worry, I'll help you, Twilight Sparkle. We'll sort this whole mess out, right after you get better. Alright?"

Twilight sniffed again. "Thanks, Cadence."

The door opened and the nurse bustled in. "Miss Cadence?" she asked.

Cadence nodded and got up from the bed. "I'll speak to you soon, Twilight. Don't worry, I'm here to help you. Just remember to take it easy." She left the room, leaving Twilight and the nurse alone for a few moments.

"Well now, up and about are we?" she asked, smiling sweetly.

Twilight nodded. "Yeah."

The nurse smiled at her. "You've five visitors. I'll send them in, shall I?" she asked.

"Please, if it's not too much trouble," Twilight responded and smiled.

The nurse smiled back and left the room, to find the five friends waiting.

Fluttershy burst through the door and threw her hooves around Twilight. "Oh my goodness! We thought you were really badly hurt!" she wailed.

Twilight gagged and fought for air. "Fluttershy... can't... breathe..."

The pegasus released her grip. "Oh! I'm so, so, so, so sorry, Twilight," she whispered and cringed away.

Applejack chuckled and placed a hoof on her shoulder. "Easy, sugarcube, y'all didn't hurt her." She turned to Twilight. "And how are you feeling, Twilight? Y'all shoulda seen the look on the princess's face when she brought you in. Why, she looked like she'd just murdered you."

Rarity winced. "Applejack, please try to be more... diplomatic when speaking about matters such as these." She eyed Twilight nervously.

Twilight smiled back and winked. it's fine, I'll explain later. The wink said.

The white unicorn breathed a barely noticeable sigh of relief as the pink earth pony bounced forwards. "Gee Twilight, you should have seen the party they threw for you as they brought you in. It had sirens and everything!"

Rainbow Dash facehoofed. "Nice try, Pinks, but that wasn't a party. That was an emergency," she snorted.

"Still. Sirens, Dashie! Sirens, everywhere..." Pinkie trailed off.

Twilight sat up. "Listen girls, while I appreciate you coming down here, I really need to speak with Rarity for a moment."

They all nodded somewhat reluctantly. "C'mon girls, let's go," Applejack said as they all walked (and one bounced) out of the room and into the waiting area once more.

Rarity turned to her friend. "Tell me. Everything. What brought this on? Why was Celestia carrying you? What happened? Was that Princess Cadence we saw coming out of here just now?"

"Yes. It was," Twilight sighed.

The pristine, ivory coloured unicorn furrowed her brow. "OK, tell me what happened."

Twilight took a deep breath for what felt like the hundredth time today. "Celestia... asked me to go to Prance with her..."

Rarity grimaced. "Well then... that's a problem. So what are you going to do?"

Thinking off the top of her head, the hospitalised mare answered with: "Go with both of them."

Rarity stared at her. "You're not serious. You can't do that!"

"Why not? You did something similar for my birthday when you were up in Canterlot!" Twilight snorted, bitterly.

"Twilight... that was a momentary loss of sanity, I didn't plan on going on two vacations at the same time, with all powerful rulers, now did I?" the white unicorn declared and turned her nose up.

The plum mare flared her nostrils. "You still did it."

"And I was caught! Twilight, do you know  what will happen if either of them find you cheating on one with another?"

"No, because they won't. I'm going to find the changelings and get one to impersonate me. I've got it all worked out," Twilight lied.

Rarity threw her hooves up. "You won't listen, will you?" she said, crossly. "Well, I said it before and I'll say it again: I won't stop you if you must do this. But I advise you not to. I really do, Twilight."

Twilight gave a sharp nod of her head as the nurse came in.

"Twilight Sparkle? You have another visitor."

"I'd better leave, lest I do something I should regret," Rarity muttered darkly, and quickly exited the room, casting a worried glance over her shoulder as she rejoined their friends.

Twilight face-hoofed. "Sorry Rarity... I'm sorry... but I need to do this. Send the other visitor in, nur-"

The door flung open before she even finished speaking.

Princess Luna rushed to the hospital bed and enveloped Twilight in a hug. "Twilight, my... little pony! What on Equestria  happened?" she demanded and closed the curtains once more.

The patient across from Twilight shrugged in a mild amusement and nibbled on some grapes a relative of his had left.

"The doctors said you... passed out from stress?" Luna whispered.

Twilight nodded. "Apparently."

The princess threw her forelegs around the little mare in the bed. "Was I putting too much pressure on you to come to Prance with me? Are we moving to fast for you?"

Twilight smiled weakly and nuzzled the dark blue alicorn hugging her. "No, you were fine... it's just... things..." she murmured.

"Your friends said Celestia carried you in? May I ask what she was doing?" Luna asked quietly.

The lavender mare blushed and turned away. "She... asked me to keep an eye on you, on this vacation... seen as how she's going too," she lied. Applejack would have a fit if she knew just how many lies had been told in the past six months.

Luna scowled. "I told her she was not to take a vacation. Who will look after our subjects?"

Twilight paled. She hadn't considered that. But if Celestia was taking a vacation, surely she had a plan for everypony right?

The princess's brow furrowed in thought. "Bah! No matter. We will have a week to ourselves, we don't have to worry about anything, my dear," she said and kissed Twilight's nose.

Just as she pulled away and straightened herself, the door opened once more, and Celestia stood in the doorway with some flowers in her mouth.

"Hello, Luna," she said.

Luna glared at her. "Hello, Celestia. Come to wish Twilight a full recovery?"

"Why wouldn't I? She is my best pupil after all."

Twilight cringed and shook with fear. Oh no, oh please don't say anything. She repeated in her head.

Both princesses looked at her with worried expressions. Both afraid of each other and both unwilling to comfort their little love with each other watching.

Celestia placed the flowers by her head and watched her carefully. "Luna, could I have a word with you please?"

Luna nodded and made to move towards Twilight, then stopped herself and pulled away. "Of course. Give us a moment, Twilight."

Twilight shook under the covers, turning a deep shade of red as they left the room. She quietly wept and moaned to herself once she heard the door close. "I can't do-o-o this anymore..." she moaned and flared her horn up. "I wish I wasn't here anymore," she wailed, and without thinking or realizing it, she was gone. Teleported to who knows where.