Stuck In The Middle

***Stuck In The Middle

Heartache***

Nightmare Moon rose to her full height, glaring at the two-timing pony, without a single word. Her gaseous tail flicked with annoyance, making Twilight back away with fear and awe.

"N-N-Nightmare Moon, p-p-please d-d-don't h-hurt m-meee!" the terrified mare wailed.

The Night Empress continued to stare at her, those green eyes darting over her small body. "You lied to us. You hurt us. Cheated us. We should hate you. We should want to destroy you more than before you freed us," she growled.

Twilight took a step back and flayed her ears back. This wasn't her princess. This was something evil. Something that hated her, just like she feared. Something that wanted her dead.

"And we would gladly take your life for what you did to us," Moon continued, taking a step forwards. "We loved you, Twilight Sparkle. I loved you."

"Princess... please... I'm sor-" Twilight wailed.

"Silence!" the Nightmare roared. "Do not interrupt us!"

The purple pony shrieked and covered her face up again, giving loud sobs that racked her body.

"I loved you. And now... you do this! Betray us to our own sister! Did our love mean nothing?" Nightmare Moon raged. "Did you ever even love us?"

"No..." Twilight bravely whispered and opened her eyes.

The jet black alicorn stopped and stared at her. "What?" she hissed, her voice laden with malice and contempt.

"I never loved you," Twilight stated and held her head up high. "I loved Princess Luna."

Nightmare Moon shrieked in anger and grasped her with a magic talon.

Twilight struggled in the magic grasp, tears flooding down her cheeks and falling onto the cold floor below. The magic talon drew her in close, so they were eye to eye. The terrified mare fought for control of her bladder as she gazed into the once beautiful eyes of her princess.

"Princess Luna, please come back..." she whispered and pressed forwards.

Moon's eyes widened as her captive's mouth pressed against her own. She kissed back, then suddenly pulled away with a shocked and horrified look in her eyes.

Twilight yelped as the talon dispersed and she fell to the ground. She rubbed her hoof and gazed up at the stunned alicorn.

"P-princess?"

A single tear rolled down the Mare in the Moon's cheek. She turned her head and looked at the little pony, sinking to her knees and gaping in horror.

"I did this..." she murmured.

Twilight felt glad as she started to shrink and return to normal form.

Princess Luna reared her head up and blinked at her surroundings. "Twilight... oh Twilight...I'm..." she whispered and turned away. "Go."

"Luna, please-"

"Just... go. I don't want to hurt you. Tell Celestia she can have you, and lock me away in the moon again."

"No. You didn't hurt me," Twilight assured her. "I'm fine, see?"

Luna shifted her gaze back to the beautiful, little mare. "I almost killed you..."

The purple pony nodded and winced. "But you didn't. Something stopped you. I don't love Celestia... please forgive me... I love you..." she murmured and blinked back tears.

The princess felt her neck move of it's own accord as she leant forwards as well. She rested her head on Twilight's neck, still weeping softly.

Twilight reached around and wrapped her hooves around the princess's back. "I love you," she repeated.

Luna pulled away, tears shining in her eyes like stars. "I love you too, Twilight Sparkle... I'm so sorry-"

"No, I'm sorry. I should have told you sooner, I should never have started anything with Celestia. You are the only pony I will ever love, princess," Twilight declared and pressed her nose to the princess's.

Luna allowed a smile to tug at her mouth and kissed back. "While it may take a while to forgive you for this heartache, Twilight Sparkle," she said, pausing for the reaction.

Twilight cringed and hung her head. "I'm really, really sorry-

"Shhh," Luna cooed. "Shh, my love. While it may take a while to forgive you, the first thing we should do is leave this horrid place. I wish never to return here, to the place I almost killed my beloved." She began to choke up on the last few words, prompting Twilight to nuzzle her and kiss her on the nose.

"We should leave," she continued and smiled at her purple pony. "Your friends, most of Ponyville, and... my sister are worried about you."

The lavender unicorn fidgeted on the spot. "Alright. I suppose. I'm glad you've forgiven me, Luna-"

Luna held a hoof up. "Not yet. After we confront Celestia, I will have forgiven you."

Twilight winced again and nodded. "That's understandable-"

Suddenly, the heavens opened up outside. Thunder raged around the ruined castle, making Twilight shriek and hide behind her princess.

The princess tittered. "Have no fear, Twilight. I shall protect you. My little love." She glanced out the window. "It seems like quite a storm. We may be here for some time. We shall have to find a way to amuse ourselves while we wait."

Twilight blushed.

"Oh not that," Luna chuckled and put a wing around her. Then her face fell and she took on a serious tone. "Why did you run, Twilight?" she asked.

The unicorn squirmed. "I don't know... I guess I was just scared."

"Do you really fear me so?" Luna murmured with a hurt look in her eyes.

"No!" Twilight cried and made to hug her again. "No, of course not. It's just... I didn't know how you would react, or what... Nightmare Moon might have done," she whispered

Luna turned to her. "Never speak that name again, my love. She almost killed you, and without you... " She choked on another sob.

"Shhh," Twilight comforted her. "It's OK, princess."

The princess sniffed and smiled at her. "You've started calling me 'princess' again," she giggled.

The unicorn smiled back. "Sorry. Luna."

They both giggled and rubbed noses as the storm raged outside.

~~~

Celestia paced around the Town Hall. Rarity said Luna had flown off towards the Everfree, and their old castle that lay within. I do hope she doesn't do anything foolish. And if she does find Twilight first, I hope it ends well for her. For both their sakes. She thought.

The Mayor bustled about around her, profusely apologising over and over again for being in the way.

"It's really no trouble, madame Mayor." The princess smiled.

"Even so, your majesty, this is a difficult time for us, what with Nightmare Moon Returning and all."

Celestia flinched. "She is not returning. My sister merely had... an episode," she said.

The Mayor shuffled awkwardly and kept glancing towards the door, fearing Celestia's wrath more than the rumours right now.

"You are excused."

"Thank you, your highness. I will see you are not disturbed by anypony, unless they have news of Twilight Sparkle."

The princess nodded and turned to the window. A large cluster of dark clouds were forming over the Everfree. "I do hope you're alright. Both of you..." she murmured and rubbed the dark spot on her chest where Luna... not Luna. Nightmare Moon's dark bolt had collided with her.

She worried about her sister. Luna's emotions ran hot with jealousy at Celestia anyway, and this whole ordeal with Twilight may have pushed her over the edge. She only hoped that Luna would come to her senses before she hurt the little pony.

And that was another thing: Twilight Sparkle. While Celestia had worded it better than outright proclaiming her love for her student, she was still furious that Twilight had cheated on them both. With each other, no less. The love she had for her little pony however. That may be a problem when confronting Luna again.

"Princess Celestia!" a voice cried as the door burst open.

Celestia turned and smiled at the Captain of the Guard. "Hello, Shining Armour. How is Cadence?"

"She's fine, is what she told me true? Is Twilight... in love... with you?" he demanded, rather brazenly.

The Sun Goddess hung her head. "I'd rather not speak about that, Captain," she muttered and turned from him.

"Shining... let me speak to her. Alone," his wife's voice told him.

Shining Armour stepped back in disbelief. It just didn't seem right to him. Twily, in love with the princesses? Both of them? Not right. Not right at all. And now she's reportedly gone missing because of it?

Cadence nuzzled him as she walked past and up to her aunt.

"Darling, would you please give us a moment?" she asked him with a sullen expression.

He nodded and kissed her on the cheek, then quickly left.

Cadence turned to her aunt. "Auntie? What happened? Why has Twilight gone missing? What's that dark spot on your chest?"

Celestia glanced down. The mark Nightmare's bolt had left was larger than she though. "I'm fine, Cadence. My sister and Twilight on the other hoof... she may be in danger..."

The pink alicorn of love nuzzled her. "She told me what happened. About you and her. And her and Luna."

The Sun princess sighed. "I'm ashamed of myself. I couldn't tell Luna hat I am truly in love with my student. I fabricated a lie to... keep her under control, I suppose. It didn't end well. She transformed back into Nightmare Moon and... lost her temper." She gestured to the dark spot.

Her niece gasped. "And what about Twilight? Why did she leave?"

"Before Luna and I... fought... I asked her to speak with me, privately. I take it Twilight panicked, and the poor dear fled, not wishing to see our reactions. Granted, I can't blame her. Luna was... not in her right mind... when she flung the doors open. If Twilight stayed, I fear she may not be alive right now."

Cadence gasped again. "So... what is happening? Where are they?"

"Twilight is still missing, her friends are out looking for her and Luna is searching the Everfree. She's gone to wait in our old home in the forest. The ruins where she was transformed back into Luna from Nightmare Moon."

The alicorn of love sighed. "Celestia... tell me about this love you have for Twilight. I'm afraid she loves Luna more, but she seemed quite torn between you two."

Celestia nodded. "I got that feeling. Alright, it started six months ago. I realized over the years I had developed a... crush on Twilight. Everything about her made me want to love her and take care of her. But I heard a rumour that Luna loved her too. I couldn't stand it. I'm deeply ashamed of it now, but I was jealous of her. Jealous that she would be spending... time with my student."

She took a deep breath and felt the anger rise in her voice. Cadence sensed it too, and placed a hoof on her shoulder. "Auntie..."

The larger princess sighed and gave a stiff nod. "I am sorry, Cadence. I was jealous. It drove me to a rash decision, which I now regret horridly, even with the good times." A tear rolled down her cheek. "Now my student, and one of my dearest friends, is missing along with my sister, who's emotions may run rampant and threaten to end them both!"

The smaller alicorn felt a tear of her own breach the borders of her eyes. "Celestia, why didn't you tell me sooner? Everything could have been avoided-"

"But it won't have been. Regardless of whether or not 'Luna got there first' I still love Twilight Sparkle," Celestia mumbled, on the verge of breaking down in tears.

Cadence rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "Well, once they get back, we'll all talk. I'm sorry, Celestia, but she needs to make her own decisions. Like I've always said: There are bigger fish in the ocean. There will be other ponies like Twilight."

She glanced up and out the window. A storm was raging over the dark forest. I hope they're alright. She thought and looked back at her aunt, who was also staring out the window.

"Auntie?"

"I-"

A flash of lightning lit her front up, and the thunder rolled across the peaceful town. She noticed several ponies scurry inside the nearest house.

"I'm fine. Cadence. I worry about them both. Who knows what's going through Luna's head right now..."

~~~

Princess Luna sat and watched Twilight as she slept. So peaceful, you could almost say nothing happened today to change anything between us. She thought.

But that was a lie. Truth was, she didn't know if things would ever be the same. Celestia called it a test. An outright fabrication is what Luna called it. No way in Tartarus would Celestia be willing to put her student and her own sister through so much grief if it was a test. A joke. A sick prank gone wrong.

And yet... what else could Luna believe? That her little love was also in love with her sister? That her sister, who claimed to always look out for her and love her - love them both - was intimate with her student? That Twilight willingly did everything?

What was it Celestia said?

Apparently, she is willing to please both of us, and that takes great courage and determination to keep her friends happy.

Yes. That was one way of looking at it. But still...

She cast a glance over at her sleeping partner.

But she still did it. Did their love mean anything? Was it all a sham? Was there anything between them-

Lightning flashed overhead, making Twilight twitch in her sleep.

Luna instinctively placed a wing around her and nuzzled her.

Yes. Of course there was. She had only experienced love once, over a thousand years ago and it had end badly, to say the least.

She pushed her head in between her sleeping love's forelegs and nestled down.

Of course there was something between them. How could there be anything else? Celestia be damned if these two were never going to be together again. At least they had now.

Luna brushed her mane aside and lay her head down, draping one purple leg around her body, and pressed her tail against her love's.

Twilight's tail sensed there was something brushed against it, and began to twine itself around the intruder in a beautiful pattern. Purple with a pink stripe against a starry night sky.

In that moment, Luna realized something. She loved Twilight Sparkle. She simply adored her. She wanted nothing more than to please her and look out for her. To care for her and love her for all eternity.

And she wanted something else. Something that belonged to both of them. That was a part of both of them. But that could wait. For now, she had her little love. Her little Sparkle. And Twilight had her.

She closed her eyes and pressed their noses together, singing softly to herself as she drifted off to sleep.

And there they slept. The storm eventually died down outside, and rays of sunshine poked through the cracks in the castle walls, illuminating the two ponies on the cold, damp floor.