Long Live The Empress

by Mystic Sunrise

Matters of Love pt. 2

Cosmos finally got her wings folded once more with a blush, but nonetheless leaned into the kiss, and returned it with interest as she held Twilight. Damn what this looked like to anypony else. They did not care.

Twilight finally let her go with a goofy grin on her face. "Oh wow. I should have done this a long time ago."

Cosmos chuckled. "So why didn't you? I know you have felt this way about me for some time now. You have had plenty of chances to do something about it before now. I am not mad about this. Just very confused."

Twilight's ears fell as she got back down. "Because I was afraid of what you would say. And I know how you feel about the human Crystal. I will not ruin what you have with her. It isn't right."

Crystal blushed brightly as Amber grinned at her. She still was not sure how she felt about that. "So, what changed?"

Twilight bowed her head. "I talked to Cadance. It is why I went to the Crystal Empire. She helped me to see that I need to pursue this, or I will regret it for the rest of my life. However long that might be. Either I crash and burn a friendship I do not want to lose. Or this becomes something amazing."

Cosmos' eyes twitched. Cadance had been trying for years to get her to find a marefriend. But she doubted the Princess of Love had ever thought of something like this for her. "Twilight. You know that I love you, correct?"

Twilight nodded, frowning as she poked her armor. "But I don't want that kind of love. I want more. I want to be your everything. Damn what anypony says about it! I don't care! I love you. Cosmos. And nothing will ever change that."

Cosmos' ears fell. And there it was. as she had feared. "Twilight. You know that I love Crystal. She is everything to me. I do not care if we live in different worlds. I will not do this to her."

Twilight's heart dropped like a boulder at that, as did her head, sniffing. Damn it all. She had been afraid of this. This had been for nothing then. What had she expected? Fairy tales never worked out as they did in the books. Why has she thought this would be any different?

Cosmos' heart fell as well, seeing the utter defeat and heartbreak in Twilight's eyes, as she looked at her Exarchs. Damn it all. Why did love have to be so complicated? She sighed as she lifted her fellow alicorn's head. "Not until the three of us talk about this at least. Crystal has every right to know about this. Let her know how you feel. I cannot say how she will react, however."

Twilight tried to smile, but all could see that it was forced. "When can we do that? If this is all for nothing, I will go insane if this goes for too long."

Everypony chuckled as Cosmos opened a portal for the pair. "Now if you want. This will not be quick I feel. This sort of thing never does it seems like."

"You have done this before?" Emerald asked as Twilight stepped through the portal.

Cosmos nodded with a weary sigh. "Several times. It never gets easier. And I used to think it would. I should have known better. I'm going to need several drinks after this. Maybe the entire bar."

The girls giggled, as Cosmos stepped through, the portal closing behind her with a snap. They did not need to be told to stay out of this. This was way out of their league and paygrade. They could only hope it all worked out for the best.

---

Crystal listened with mounting annoyance as Twilight finished her story. She was glad this was her Lunch Period, so they had plenty of time for all of this. Her friends would never let her hear the end of this. Never. "Isn't the selfcest, though? Loving yourself like that?"

Twilight pushed her glasses back up her nose with a sigh. "Maybe it is, but I can't help it. I love Cosmos, and I will not change my feelings towards her. No matter what you say."

Cosmos sat to the side, trying not to pound her head against the nearby wall in annoyance. It was a losing effort though. She needed a drink. Several actually.

Crystal saw it and placed a hand on Cosmos' leg. "Twilight. I like you. I really do. But that feeling is going away really fast. I saw what happened at the Friendship Games. For Pete's sake, you're acting like a little girl about this."

Twilight bit her lip. "I know I am. But I can't help it. I have never felt like this for someone before. I do not care if she is from another world. Or that she is basically my twin."

Crystal did smile a little at that. "I know. Gods, I know that feeling. I used to like a girl named Lotus. We were perfect, or so I thought. She was my everything. And then I found that two-timing bimbo with another guy. Come to find out, she had been stringing me along as some sort of sick joke."

She leaned over and poked Twilight hard. "So, I am not losing someone I love. Not again. Especially not to her twin sister of all people! So, buck off, Sparkle! Or do we need to get ugly about this? Because I will not lose this! Especially not to you of all people!"

Twilight recoiled as if struck, and Cosmos frowned. Oh, that was it, as she pulled Crystal away from Twilight and gazed hard at her girlfriend. "Crystal Dawn. I am disappointed and disgusted with you."

Crystal was horrified as she looked at Cosmos. "But she-"

Cosmos shook her head. "Do not but me, young lady. What happened to the girl I love? The girl I want to spend the rest of my life with? All I see now is a bully pushing someone I care about around for her own benefit. If this is the real you. If the Battle of the Bands was the real you, and not just the Dazzlings' magic, then I want nothing to do with you. I refuse to give you that satisfaction. I am not a trophy to be fought over. Either grow up about this. Or I never want to see you again!"

Crystal recoiled as if slapped, and even Twilight looked on in shocked horror. The sight broke Cosmos' heart, but she was sick and tired of this crap. Neither of them would get her at this rate. She could be alone for all eternity. It would not be the first time. "Do not think for a second that I will not do so. To either of you," she growled.

Crystal pulled her legs closer, as tears began to fall as her words finally caught up to her. "What am I doing? I'm never like this." She looked hopelessly at Twilight. "I know you love Cosmos. Hell, I don't blame you, with how Crystal Prep was treating you. I'd probably be the same way if it was me. I was like that actually. Emerald, Celestial, Orchid, and Lilly can tell you how bad I had it when I first moved here."

Twilight nodded, smiling as she placed a hand on Crystal's shoulder. "I know. And I do not blame Cosmos for loving you. Anyone who doesn't is stupid beyond belief. Maybe I will find someone else to love. I do not know. It's not like I am running out of time. I hope so anyway."

Crystal's smile grew a little at that, before looking at Cosmos, who was smiling as well as things seemed to be cooling off. "You're both immortal, right. Eternal life and all that jazz?"

Cosmos nodded. "Yes. Both Twilight and I will never age beyond what we look like now." She took Crystal's hands in her own and squeezed them, smiling gently. "I can give you the same, Crystal. Eternal life, youth, and invincibility. You just have to want it. I can't force it on you. Please? I do not want to lose you. Not like I did the others. I never forgave myself for letting them die."

Crystal's smile turned into a dopey grin. "Well. That does sound awesome. And I know you can come back and forth to this world all you want. I wouldn't have to move to Equestria, would I?"

Cosmos giggled. "Not unless you want to." She looked over at Twilight, who looked hopeful as well. "Twilight. I do not know if I love you that way. Not yet." She took her twin's hands in hers and Crystal's and smiled at them both. "But we can find out. I have room for both of you in my heart. Never once think that I do not. I will not ask you, girls, to love each other as you do me. It is not fair to any of us. But I want us. All of us. To work. No matter what form that might be."

Twilight and Crystal shared a look. They both knew that Cosmos was telling the truth. They could feel it. Something seemed to pass between the two girls, as they nodded together. "Do you need an answer now?" They both asked, taking each other's hands.

Cosmos shook her head. "No. We have all the time in the world. I will make sure of it. My coronation is coming up in several months." She smiled wider as she kissed Crystal, pulling her close as she did. "Crystal Dawn. I would be honored if you would come. Not only as my guest. But as my girlfriend."

Crystal giggled helplessly as she returned the kiss, earning a giggle from Twilight as they pulled apart. "Cosmey. It would be my honor."

Author's Note:

This is it. One more chapter and this story will be done. Past that, I don't know yet. There's still so much for this universe that I could do. I wanna explore Cosmos's, Crystal's, and Twilight's relationship more for sure.

And as I told Xalok and Claymore9, the hold-up has been a severe case of writer's block. To answer a question from Ulrezaj, it is a presentation that the Exarchs usually take on an enemy army. One is more than enough. It's a great and terrible day when all five stand together. Very rarely does it ever get to the point that Cosmos herself takes to the field.

Comments

[midnight arrow]

great chapter

[Xalok]

Damn that was fast, But yeah sorry if i sounded impatient i didn't mean it that way