//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: honour duel (edited) // Story: Love thicker than blood. // by neokiva //------------------------------// The palace training arena, which had a stadium-style seating on either side of the length of the training arena. On opposite ends of the field was a box filled with equipment and the stairs leading up to the arena proper. Twilight sat next to Celestia, who had a giant tub of sugar, toffee and butter popcorn. Twilight was torn between the two sides that would be fighting a duel today. One of the competitors was her longtime friend and was a mare she would really love to date, Luna, and the other competitor was her apparently suicidal BBBFF, whom had issued a challenge to the diarch of the night. “You are challenging me!? What are your terms?” Luna narrowed her eyes “You will leave Twilight alone, if I win,” Shining answered, which caused Luna to glare but acquiesced to the terms laid by her competitor. “And if I win, I will claim Twilight as my royal consort,” Luna replied, causing Twilight to squeak as Luna pulled her closer to herself with her wing and kissed her. This caused Shining to glare, a glare which intensified when Twilight wrapped her forelegs around Luna’s neck, moaning into the kiss and reciprocating Luna’s oral affection. Celestia looked on with barely contained amusement, the day couldn't get any better. Twilight was alive, had somehow seduced Luna, and now her little protégé was going to join her family. Luna wore beautiful silver plate armor, intricately designed with moons and stars, and wielded a longsword engraved with various runes. The hoof guard was shaped like a crescent moon, the hilt was wrapped in real leather and the circular pommel had a diamond set in it. “Lulu’s using the Nacht Schnitter? Lulu is serious about this one, that blade is enchanted to cut magic, and has a powerful ice element enchantment,” Celestia said. And has an enchantment that drinks the blood of foes and stores it for later use. She thought to herself. “One hundred bits on Luna to win,” Celestia suddenly called out. Twilight looked at Celestia aghast that she would bet on this duel. “What?” Celestia asked Twilight in confusion, before her expression shifted to that of a person having an epiphany, “Want some? Sorry, I’m hogging the popcorn. Guess we know why generosity left me, eh?” Celestia chuckled at her self deprecating joke. Although Twilight wasn't laughing she took some of the proffered culinary abomination, and gave it an experimental lick, when she noted that it wasn't bad she ate what she had taken, quietly returning to the show. Shining Armor’s POV: I circled the ring keeping Princess Luna directly opposite to me, she flashed me a wicked grin, “What are you doing? I am over here. I thought you were going to avenge your sister's honour?” She taunted, “Are you a stallion? Or a mare!?” She shouted, while she cast a spell that hit me, but didn't hurt. I went to retaliate but my armor felt heavier and looser, and looked down in confusion. I noticed that I was now closer to the ground and my whole body was slender and curvy. I widened my eyes as I leant down to check between my legs, it was gone! I turned to Luna on the other side of the floor who was now rolling on the floor laughing, and then I did something I never did before. I cried as I removed my armor. I saw Luna stop laughing and then get up. “Why are you crying? it's not the end of the world and it's only temporarily.” “How would you respond when you were turned into a stallion!?” Gleaming retorted angrily, tears still in her eyes. “Please! Been there, done that, got the t-shirt,” Luna drolled with a bored expression as she conjured her t-shirt “0130 BH: I got turned into a stallion!” She chuckled at me, “and it was during heat season so I ended up adding a few more bloodlines to the royal family tree, and I didn't cry,” she stated matter of factly. “Now is this a duel or a spa visit?” Luna taunted again as I got the last of my armor off and charged her with my sword, catching her by surprise and cutting her left cheek as I passed her, then turned to view the damage I had done, but Luna just giggled as a line of blood slid down her cheek. She licked it, savouring it as she moaned in appreciation, her cut healed perfectly. She smirked at me as she launched herself at me in a blur, I could barely keep up as sword meets sword in this deadly dance. I was about to dodge a slash, but it turned out this was a feint, and her hind hooves made contact with my barrel and sent me out the ring. I hit the wall, falling to the ground, I tried to get up but I couldn't. Twilight ran to her beaten ex-brother, but whom was now sister, looking worried. Luna trotted up to him as well, though she rapidly cast a healing spell. “There we go, all better now. You did well considering.” Gleaming Shield glared at Luna. “Shining, are you okay!?” Twilight asked as she got closer, “I'm fine, Luna healed me, though my pride is at an all time low,” she complained as she grimaced. Twilight glared at Luna, who oddly enough flinched, “Don't hurt my brother again, Luna, I know he started it this time, but I won't forgive you if you do so again. And you, “Missy," are just as bad, you will not pick a fight with my marefriend again! You will not put me in a position where I must choose between you two! Am I clear?” Both Luna and Gleaming Shield stood at attention, “Yes ma'am!” Celestia tittered as she walked over with a guard in tow holding a couple of purses. He dropping the two purses in front of Twilight. “What's this Princess Celestia,” Twilight asked confused. “Your winnings,” Celestia grinned as Gleaming had a look of betrayal on her face. “You bet against me?” Gleaming whined, “Actually, she bet against and for both of you, as she couldn't choose. She copped out,” Celestia replied with a smirk, while Twilight was blushing and looked away sheepish. “So how much did my cute little consort win?” Luna asked, “One thousand bits, and this …” Twilight left the words hanging as she gave Luna a kiss on the lips as Luna pulled her into an embrace. “Wait, consort ... oh no, I lost. I am so sorry Twilight, I couldn't save you … ow!” Gleaming was interrupted by a glaring Twilight who had swatted him upside the head. “I didn't need saving dumbass!” Twilight shouted indignantly. “B-b-but Twilight, why would you willingly have sex with her unless she manipulated you in your innocence. Same sex relationships aren't natural!” “Because I already had a crush on her, you dolt! besides have you seen her flank? Her beautiful eyes? Her intelligence? I mean no offense to my friends, but they aren't exactly bibliophilics or philosophilics. Have you seen her beautiful starry mane, or her freaking adorkable personality!?” Twilight asked rhetorically as she pointed to Luna who currently had her chest puffed up and was preening over the complements, until the last one made her freeze and frown slightly as Celestia fell and rolled on the floor laughing her flank off, almost choking at the absurdity of Twilight of all ponies calling Luna adorkable. Cadance appeared from a teleport, next to Gleaming, who jumped. “Hi Shining, a guard said you were here, despite my urge to kick him repeatedly, he was helpful …” Cadance trailed off as she saw Twilight currently surreptitiously sliding underneath Luna's left wing with both of them blushing, “Dammit! now I have to rearrange my charts, Shining we won't be going out tonight,” Cadance groused, “Shining? Why are you being so quiet …” she trailed off as she took in Gleaming Shield, “Hello, honey,” Gleaming Shield squeaked nervously. For a moment Cadance was still and silent. Eventually her expression morphed from one of shock to one of hunger as she swept her eyes over Gleaming Shield, “screw the shipping charts,” she declared, picked Gleaming up in her magic, causing Gleaming to squeak adorably in surprise, after which Cadence teleported away with her prize. “Well that happened,” Twilight commented dryly. Twilight and Luna sat alone in Luna’s room as Celestia had gone to find or draw up the paperwork for Twilight’s new role as Princess Consort. “So it’s official? We are a couple?” Twilight asked as she looked into Luna’s eyes. Luna nodded with a strained smile. “What’s wrong, Luna?” came her second question, as she hugged the larger mare. “Twilight, if this relationship is to remain strong and long lasting it must be based on honesty, and so I must tell you something no other pony must know except you, Celestia, and myself.” Luna gathered her courage and continued, “I ... I’m a vampire,” Luna clenched her eyes closed and turned away, unwilling to mar her memory of Twilight’s face. Twilight studied Luna carefully, and in silence studied Luna’s form, every inch of her was scrutinised. The silence after Luna’s utterance was deafening, nothing stirred, until she felt a hoof on her face, gently turning it to face Twilight, Luna didn’t put up much resistance. She opened her eyes, which met with Twilight’s. The next words out of Twilight’s mouth shocked her, “So? You are still Luna,” And then Twilight blushed as Luna did an impressive impression of a fish and remembered their first night, and frowned slightly, “Luna, when we first ... you know. Were you going to feed on me?” Twilight asked, Luna’s ears folded back as she turned away in shame. “I didn’t recognise you, but yes I was. If I had recognised you I would not have done it or anything approaching harming you,” “So I mistook you about to feed on me for sexual advances?” Twilight asked, “Yes …” Luna replied softly, “Do you love me? Or feel anything for me?” Twilight asked, growing desperate. “No …” Twilight’s ears folded and she hung her head as tears began to well up in her eyes, Luna winced as she went to leave, not bothering to teleport. However Luna quickly and tightly wrapped her forelegs and wings around her, “Let me finish. I have never loved anypony Twilight, I do not know what it feels like. All I know is seeing you hurt, hurts me, and I feel a tightness in my chest,” Luna explained as Twilight looked up at her with hope, as her tear stained eyes watched Luna, “I feared that you would hate me for being a monster, I know that there is an attraction of sorts. I want to be with you, and the thought of losing you terrifies me.” Twilight tilted her head in contemplation as she listened to Luna. “Before anything else you are my friend, my best friend, and despite it originally being a misunderstanding, your presence beside me … it brings me a warmth inside me. What I am trying to say is, I wouldn’t mind …” Luna was cut off by a pair of lavender lips crashing against hers. “Ahem!” Celestia said clearing her throat, though there was a tone of wry amusement to it, “If you’re quite finished with your public displays of hedonism, I have the documents to be signed,” Twilight snatched the pen and the document and signed it without looking as Celestia watched on with a smile. Luna took it and signed it as well, though by actually looking at it, in doing so breaking the kiss. Twilight smiled sheepishly as Celestia gave Twilight a questioning look as her amusement increased, she took the documents and pen back, “How did you learn to do that?” Luna asked curiously. “Ehehehe, I may have read and memorised the documents required,” Twilight replied with embarrassment evident on her face. Celestia and Luna chuckled lightly at her expense, just then Luna’s stomach let out a loud rumble, “Woa, is there a manticore in there?” Celestia joked, “I’ll just get you some …” she cut herself off wide eyed as Luna opened her mouth to reply, only for Twilight to grab her head and forced Luna’s mouth on her neck, flinching as Luna’s fangs pierced her skin. Luna’s eyes widened as potent and rich flavorful blood unlike any she had tasted before flowed into her mouth, she groaned as she began to drink it down. Luna caught herself before she drained too much and pulled back, having pushed Twilight down in her feeding. Twilight panted but smiled as she looked up at a horrified Luna. “From now on you only drink from me, okay?” Twilight ordered as Luna nodded her head dumbly, still affected by the shock. Outside they missed the shadow of a pony flying away from the balcony.