//------------------------------//
// Worries and Anger 
// Story: The Moon Worshiper Part 3: Twisted 
// by CreatureofTheNight 
//------------------------------//

The next morning, Dark found himself exploring the changeling land, trying his best to avoid Chrysalis. He still thought of Chrysalis as a good friend, but given the awkward situation, it was probably best to give her some space.

He sighed. “Poor Fang,” he murmured to himself. “Being turned down like that.”

“I mean I know that she hasn't officially said anything yet,” he thought. “And she may change her mind, but...I'm pretty lucky all things considered. If Princess Luna turned me down like Chrysalis did with Fang. I don't know what I would have done…”

“It would have hurt a lot, probably,’ he muttered.

“I don't think I would...do anything desperate. I’ll always have her in my dreams after all…” He frowned and shuddered. “Man that's creepy,’ he said out loud.

He kept walking, giving up on trying to confine his thoughts to hid mind. “I mean, I love Princess Luna with all my heart,” he continued. “I...I guess I always have. I always assumed she liked me back...and judging by the way she acts she probably does, but...what if she doesn't anymore when I get back? What if so this time has passed that she doesn't want to be my special some pony anymore?” He bit his lip. “I don’t know what I’d do.”

He started as he heard a laugh behind him. “Talking to yourself, huh?” Dark whipped around to see Starnight smirking ungraciously at him. 
Right by his side was Fluttershy, who smiled softly.

“Well, since we’ve got nothing better to do,” she said. “Why don't we have a talk about this?” Dark turned red.

“No, no, really this is kind of personal…” he stammered.

Starnight grabbed Dark and began to drag him away. “No, no,” he echoed, “I insist.”

Meanwhile, back at Canterlot Castle, Princess Luna was having the same thoughts…in her own way. She was pacing back and forth while Celestia listened to her sister's gripe (whether she wanted to or not).

“I've never felt this way about any pony, Celestia!” she lamented to her older sister. “I know that he and I both like each other very much, but he still has plenty of time in the Changeling Kingdom. What if he spent so much time with Chrysalis…or maybe another female changeling…that he won't feel the same for me anymore?”

Celestia was starting to get very annoyed very quickly. This was at least the seventh time this month that Luna brought this up. Not that she didn't mind helping her out with her relationship problems; being as old as she was, she had had many a suitor before, loving them until age sadly claimed them.

It was the blessing and curse of immortality…to fall in love many, many, many, many, times over. But she also knew that it always ended the same way: her still-young features gazing down upon her old grey lover on his deathbed.

It was for that reason that her knowledge of relationships was…limited. She hoped that one day, Luna, Cadence, and Twilight will know of this sort of pain, but understand that it's not something they should dwell on. Life is for the living, and they should count as many blessings as they could.

Currently, however, Luna was driving the sun-controller to the brink of insanity. Finally, she gave in: “Luna!” she snapped.
Luna looked up from her rant, startled. “Uhm…sorry…” She rubbed the back of her neck with a slender hoof. “It’s just that…I’ve always been an afterthought for the young. You on the other hand…”

Celestia cringed. “Don't remind me,” she muttered. “I had to beat them off with a stick…literally." Apparently being the next in line for the crown gets you a lot of attention. She sighed. “Though there was Lord Charming…”

“Not helping!” Luna howled. “Do you have any idea what's gonna happen if he comes back and he changes his mind about loving me? I'll be devastated! I don’t…I don’t know what I’ll do.”

“You'll move on” Celestia said softly, regaining her composure as she reassured her sister. “It’s his loss if he does change his mind.” She hesitated. “However…maybe you should visit him tonight and tell him your worries. I’m starting to think I'm not getting through that thick head of yours.”

“I do not have a thick head!” Luna protested.

Celestia levitated a pile of flashcards towards her sister. “Look! I have a list, and this ignores your big, thickheaded choice.” Luna winced, understanding what Celestia meant by that.

Luna hesitated. “Okay maybe a little thickheaded” Celestia cleared her throat pointedly. “Okay I'm very thick headed!” She said stopping her sister before she could recite a pretty long list of all the times she was stubborn.

Luna glared at her and Celestia smiled and sighed. “Seventh time or not, you're still my sister, and I'll say this a thousand times if helps ease your nerves: Dark is head over heels for you. I have proof!” She pulled out a massive scroll with yet another list of evidence.
Luna stared at her. “Why didn't you show me this the first time?”

Celestia groaned and said “Because I thought I wouldn't need to use this, I mean seriously Luna...you should know all of these now.” She cleared her throat as she started to list them “There's the fact that he spent the majority of his life worshiping the moon because it made him calm and happy. There's the fact that despite being stringy and weak, he still joined the guard corp for your benefit. There's the fact that he faced off against mother, a pony who was way stronger than him all to protect you. Because as much as he likes to claim it was for Equestria, it was for you.” She rolled her eyes. “And on top of all of that, he went on his journey to the changeling kingdom at your request.”

The scroll vanished. “Calm yourself, sister. There is no way, and I repeat, no way he would just fall for any pony or changeling at the drop of a hat. So relax.”

After a stunned silence, Luna breathed a sigh of relief. “Thanks sis…can I borrow that scroll...it might ease my nerves.”

Elsewhere, Dark had just finished explaining his fears to Starnight and Fluttershy. For a few moments, there was silence. Then:
“That’s ridiculous,” Starnight said, rolling his eyes.

Fluttershy smiled. “You aren't like that Dark. You're not a villainous sort” she murmured sweetly. “So please stay calm.”

Starnight snorted. “Yeah, she gets it!” He smiled. “If Princess Luna, isn't into her like you are into her…then don’t worry about it! You’re not going to do something crazy.”

“How do you know?” Dark whispered quietly.

Starnight groaned throwing his hoofs in the air in frustration. Fluttershy, on the other hand, placed a hoof on Dark’s shoulder.

“We know because you're not selfish Dark. You want Princess Luna to be happy, don't you?”

Dark was about to protest when he couldn't come up with a reasonable response to what Fluttershy just said. Starnight nodded, taking Dark’s silence as a “yes.”

“Than you should know,” he said, “that you'll always be a loyal guard to her, and you will just…move...on,” he said, desperately trying to get through to the thestral. “You're not the kind of guy would would go crazy if you got rejected”

“But what if...” Dark started again, and even Fluttershy started to look a little annoyed.

“Dark, you aren't that type of pony!” she exclaimed. “You're one of the sweetest ponies I have ever met!” She sighed. “Who saved Equestria?”

“I did” Dark said quietly “Though to be fair so did you...”

“Who joined the royal guard specifically because his princess wanted him too?” Starnight asked, following Fluttershy’s lead.

“I did” Dark repeated. Starnight nodded pointedly in return.

“Than stop sweating it. You're not selfish, you're not a monster, you're a good, honest, decent pony. Now will you calm down already?”

Starnight groaned in annoyance. Dark hesitated.

“O…Okay,” he said. He smiled slightly. “I’ll try.”

Night fell. Every pony was sleeping…no changeling was stirring…not even Queen Chrysalis. 

However, there was one who was awake.

Fang was in his room pacing wildly across the floor. He hadn't left all day, he didn't eat, he didn't sleep, desperately trying to think what he could do to get Chrysalis to love him.

Suddenly, his eyes widened in realisation: If he couldn’t get Chrysalis to willingly go on a date with him… He eased his door open and padded out, walking past the sleeping quarters of the visiting ponies as he did so. He eyed Dark, seething.

Then, his anger got the better of him. He bent his head low to Dark’s ear:
“You will not toy with my Queen anymore…” he hissed. “She is mine you hear! Mine!” Dark stirred but stayed asleep. Fang glared at him. “As soon as she is mine, my first act as king will be booting you out of this land, you heartless playboy, out of a cannon.” He than stormed off and slammed the door loudly as Dark groggily opened his eyes and glanced up. With no clear danger in sight, he feel back into sleep.

Chrysalis was sleeping soundly in her room, fairly relieved that she hadn’t seen Dark all day.

She needed that.

Though her romantic affections for Dark were less potent than before…they were still painful. She would have dwelled longer on the issue had she not been distracted by a cloth being slammed across her mouth.

“I will make you love me,” a voice whispered. Chrysalis’s eyes widened. Fang?

Her vision started to go black as someone ripped the door open. It was Dark. She could hear screams of anger and fear, but they were blurred. Her lucidity was rapidly declining.

The last thing she heard before she passed out was Fang’s deranged howling:

“She’s mine you hear! I won't let anypony take her from me…especially not you!” And then Fang’s wings buzzed to life as he soared out of the nearest window, taking the Changeling Queen hostage.